Shameless Reunion and the Tower's Peculiar Residents
...Really, so shameless.
The flow I knew was changing dramatically. After leaving the tower, Han Do-yoon headed straight to the place where he'd shared his last tryst with her. The cabin on the outskirts of Gehenna, where she said she'd be staying with her master.
Fortunately, Isana was still there. Even if she was with a spider beastkin—human from the waist up, spider from the waist down.
Heavenly Sword...?
It was my first time seeing her in person, but her fame was so legendary I knew who she was right away. Arachne of the Heavenly Sword, the legend who'd reached the 90th floor ahead of the party I'd once been in.
"A guest has arrived..."
"Oh?"
Their eyes met. A light nod.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Han Do-yoon."
"You're the disciple she's told me so much about... I'm Arachne."
"Pleased to meet you... Han Do-yoon."
"She said you were a reliable man, and now that I see you, I get why. You..."
Arachne's spider half—the cluster of jewel-like eyes embedded below her abdomen—flashed.
If she was the Sword God's master... it was no surprise she'd see right through me, a man from the future.
"You've definitely got a big package."
"Master! What kind of talk is that?!"
"Just calling it like I see it, no ulterior motives, my disciple... Anyway, what brings you here in the dead of night? Ah, I've been inconsiderate. When a young man and woman meet at this hour, there's only one thing on the agenda."
I checked Isana's reaction... The familiar vibe put me at ease.
Record updates aren't just about raw strength. Everyone has weaknesses in specific trials. Unless you know the answers like I do.
But Isana had taken second place in record updates from floors 2 through 9 after me. That... could only be explained by knowledge of the future.
Is the future leaking in? Can't pry without looking suspicious...
"S-She must've come to drink with you, Master! We talked about it last time! You said you wanted to see his face!"
"No. A record update alert popped up out of nowhere, so I came to congratulate her... Arachne, you do it for me."
"Have one drink before you go. You look like a heavyweight drinker."
"...I have to watch what I eat. I've got a master of my own to serve, so I'll be off."
"Ah, can't argue with that. Safe travels. It's a wild mountain—easy to trip without night vision. Even I with my eight legs stumble sometimes."
I let her cryptic joke slide, gave Isana a parting glance, and headed down the mountain.
"Take care! Come visit more often!"
I walked steadily until I vanished from sight. Only then did Isana speak, her voice as chilly as the night air.
"...Really, so shameless."
I continued preparations for the alchemist exam. Before tackling floor 10, I stopped by the workshop again. To restock spent magic bullets and check my rewards.
A resident has appeared in the Safe House.
A new resident has appeared.
Residents can now perform a wider variety of tasks.
Residents who cashed in rewards from floors 7~9 all at once... What the hell?
It went beyond curiosity to outright annoyance. Record update rewards were all exceptional, so what could possibly justify gobbling up three floors' worth?
What's changed?
Glancing around, I spotted something wriggling in the yard's field... My alertness spiked. Just in case, I aimed Last Wish.
"Freeze."
[Turtle]
A turtle frozen mid-wriggle on the yard. Instinct told me it was a spirit. Not an artificial one—a naturally occurring spirit. Since it spawned inside the tower, it counted as a type of monster.
[Turtle]
I lowered the gun in disbelief.
[Turtle]
That's when I felt an unfamiliar presence behind me and raised the gun again... only for something fluffy to slap against my face.
"...And what's this?"
I peeled off the thing covering my face like a washcloth. It was a palm-sized fairy girl.
"You look like a spirit too."
-P-Pwease spare me! I don't taste good! Ah, ack! Turtle doesn't taste good eitherrr!
These the residents? There's one more.
Sure enough, another presence. This one rolled out from the bushes—a fuzzy furball.
Raccoon dog? Raccoon?
Three in total. A little girl, a turtle, a raccoon. ...I had a bad feeling my alchemist workshop—where silence was a virtue—was about to turn into a circus. No dogs, though.
"...What are you guys? I get you're all spirits."
-The Tower told us to help Han Do-yoon!
"Help how?"
-We dunno either, just go help!
"Then vanish again... I don't need you."
-W-We can be useful! Turtle! Belly flop!
[Turtle]
The tumbling turtle flipped onto its back like a samurai committing seppuku.
"You know turtles can't right themselves once flipped, right?"
-Teeechaaaa! Spare meee!
Nugulman!
[Teechaa!]
I calmly assessed the spirits. Beastly in appearance, but spirits through and through—and special enough for the tower to send as record rewards.
...That's what I wanted to believe.
Perfect timing—I need artificial spirits. Maybe use these as materials?
As I pondered, my eyes fell on the field the turtle had been rolling in.
This...
The soil was unnaturally fertile. Nothing like the last time I'd seen it. Farming isn't just planting seedlings—you need constant care. But this? Ready to sow seeds and done.
Old habits die hard; I scooped some dirt and ate it.
◈ Soil churned by an earth spirit. Grows anything exceptionally well.
...Fertile land usually means active seismic activity. A great earth spirit slumbers beneath.
No fertilizer, and it's already like this? I've already messed with drugs on a whole new level?
I picked up the turtle and licked it. Definitely a spirit, with earth-tending powers.
-Deecha! Master eating Turtle... I can't be eaten eitherrr!
[Teechaa!]
Next, I licked the noisy fairy girl and Nugulman.
All three have unique abilities... The tower doesn't hand out junk rewards.
The raccoon-dog-or-raccoon thing called Nugulman knew alchemy. The fairy girl's ability was workshop management... Least useful of the bunch.
"The tower sent you to me?"
-Yesh!
[Turtle]
[Teechaa!]
"So I'm your master?"
-Yesh!
[Turtle]
[Teechaa!]
"You'll do whatever I say without complaint?"
-Of coursh! We're shpirits!
[Turtle]
[Tesh!]
"Only the turtle answers. The rest just nod."
[Turtle]
-Why not meee...
"Good. Work starts now... Turtle, keep doing what you were. Till the soil, strip if you have to—just manage the field."
[Turtle! Turtle! Turtle!]
"Nugulman, watch me closely and mimic... Not sure those paws can handle it."
I started simple since I didn't know his level... but as expected from the tower's pick, those cotton-candy paws whipped up magic bullets flawlessly. Smarter and more dexterous than any artificial spirit I'd trained.
"You... just rest."
I eyed the fairy girl, pondering a name. Ability: workshop management. Cheeky slave acting like the boss.
-Deeeee! Only me! Why only meee!!! Give me work toooo!
Her tantrum earned her seedling duty in the herb field.
"From now on, you're 'Sylph Who Just Rested'."
-Can't I just be Sylph?
"Seemed like you were slacking while your buddies worked hard."
-I did my besht...
Still, she was a cute little fairy, so Sylph it was.
The tower's unexpected gift. I set up a rudimentary workshop automation and moved to clear floor 10.
Every 10 floors, the tower spawns a floor boss—a powerful monster. The trial's simple: defeat it. People call these boss monsters.
Sounds straightforward, but looking back, it's a final exam reviewing every trial from floors 1-9.
Can't solo a floor boss.
The Tower World has Tower Rules—absolute laws. Bosses sometimes take zero damage or require specific conditions for fatal blows.
Easiest way to meet those? More heads.
Need a party.
I headed to the tavern nearest the tower. Convenience spots for climbers lined the area.
"Excuse me. The sign's rules feel weird—mind explaining?"
Lost in memories of old sights, an unfamiliar elf approached. Unknown face.
"Under-20s, under-40s, and above. Red sign for low-floor gear and info."
"...Thanks."
She entered the blue sign for 21-40, clearly a nameless expert who'd soloed that far without parties.
I'm partying for floor 10, but how'd that elf hit 21+ solo?
World's a big place. I memorized her back and entered the red-sign tavern... A spot I'd frequented daily back then.
Folk from magic/combat-heavy worlds like Karia joined parties easily. Not Earthlings.
Did I have combat skills? Nah. Just Predatory Emotion and alchemy talent.
Made job hunting tough. Recognition came five years in, at floor 15.
Any parties open?
Board plastered with parchments. Day drinkers chattered noisily—few drunks, but all hyped, spinning half-truths about tower exploits. Rules barred details, so "That piss-pants asshole was cornered, I saved him~."
In the din, I calmly scanned and found a floor 10 party hiring.
[Challenging Floor 10]
Deadline: Removed on departure
4-person party synced since floor 7. Recruiting extra before the notoriously tough floor 10.
Come to table 10.
I glanced at table 10... Two warriors, one archer, one mage.
Eyes met. They dodged.
Join that, and I'll be taking orders from those rookies.
Old me would've bowed forehead-to-ground, "Thanks for having me!" But now? Too heavy-headed.
Better solo.
Still needed numbers, so I posted my own floor 10 notice.
...Members trickled in fast. Parchment up, and someone snatched it.
"Challenging 10? Should've said yesterday. We could've gone together."
It was Isana—the Sword God who'd stuck to me up to floor 10.