Can't Send You Off Empty-Handed

The next day. Even with a campfire going, dawn brought the chill. The cold wind and the forest's dampness sapped my body heat, so naturally, my body sought out warmth on its own. My blanket was nothing but dry leaves, useless for the job, so before I knew it, Isana had burrowed into the side of the warm man.

"Ugh…."

I woke up because my arm had gone numb in my sleep. Seeing her face right in front of my nose, I grabbed her ass with my free hand. Isana's eyes snapped open.

"Kkh, hng."

She hurriedly pulled away, straightening her clothes. Her face was full of self-loathing, like she remembered what we'd done yesterday. I said nothing and just packed up camp.

"How's your body feeling?"

"A bit stiff in the waist, but… otherwise okay."

"After shaking you around like that, muscle soreness is only natural."

"Y-you didn't do anything weird to my body, did you?"

"That's what I should be asking."

"No, my body felt… strange…."

"Was it ovulation day? You seemed in heat."

I brushed it off shamelessly—thanks to my drug—and stretched. Thanks to turning in early yesterday, my stamina was fully recovered.

Todays agenda was entering the tower city of Gehenna. I had a generous ten years, but I didn't want to waste it. The most efficient grind in the Tower World was climbing the tower. I needed to climb it to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠build strength and financial stability before I could prepare for the next ten years.

...I can't spend ten years just atoning to Isana and the others.

Yesterday, while nursing Isana, I'd roughed out a plan.

The Elixir I drank on floor 99 was flawed. I thought it was complete, but it was defective.

To avoid repeating the same mistake, I had to remake it from scratch.

That's my task for the next ten years.

Han Do-yoon gazed toward the future ten years from now. Back then, I'd have to head for floor 99 without my companions.

"Feeling better now? Shall we get moving?"

"Y-yeah, okay."

Isana hesitated as she got up and started following behind me. We picked fruit for breakfast and drank from the stream as we pushed forward.

"You're weird. How can you eat that so confidently when you don't even know what it is?"

"...Gambling. I ate some yesterday and it was fine, right? So it'll be okay."

"Wait... so I was your guinea pig?"

I didn't want to spin a long tale about coming from the future. I shut my mouth to end the conversation.

"Can we really go back from here...? Honestly, this doesn't feel like Earth."

"The answer's probably in that tower. Footprints are picking up the closer we get—looks like we're not the only ones heading there."

Pretending not to know was tough. I matched Isana's rhythm as she vented her anxiety through talk, keeping our pace steady. We arrived soon enough.

"Medieval city? Like a movie set... nah, probably not."

Han Do-yoon recalled his first time here. He'd thought it was like stepping into a VR game, excited to be the protagonist of some game novel or isekai story. Reality hit right after entering the tower. After crashing in an inn stable for the night, he'd figured anything beat sleeping in a fly-infested dump, so he'd headed for the tower. Naive assumption that, as an isekai protagonist, he'd have some cheat power. Then a wolf half-tore off his arm, and it clicked. If this were a game, it'd be Souls-like. But it wasn't a game—you could die. The vivid pain reminded him he was just a normal human. Staring at his spilled blood, he'd steeled himself. Watching the wolf gnaw his dangling arm, he'd regained his wits and lucked through floor 1.

I hope Isana faces reality ASAP too.

As we lingered at the city entrance, a familiar figure approached. Or so the story went for Han Do-yoon.

"Eek!"

The speaker was a skeletal warrior, bones stark and bare. No one, not even Han Do-yoon, knew how long Skel had been in the Tower World. He always greeted new residents at the city gates. His name was Skel—real name unknown. Despite lacking a mouth, his voice rang clear in their ears.

Isana was stunned by the absurdity; Han Do-yoon feigned surprise.

"Definitely not Earth. Fantasy world?"

"A-a skeleton's talking?!"

Skel's dark eye sockets turned to Han Do-yoon.

Those eyes saw depths unknown. He might even recognize the "regressor" state.

"Han Do-yoon. This is Isana. What is this place?"

Skel rambled on with what he knew, like a tour guide for visitors. Isana went from scared to quietly listening.

"Y-yeah... definitely not Earth."

"From a country where more people die each year than babies are born."

"What's in the tower?"

"Sounds like a game."

"Ugh."

Isana drove the conversation, pulling out all the needed info.

"You got no questions?"

"Me? Nah, you covered it all."

"You gonna climb the tower?"

Of course I would. But not with Isana. Giving her a free ride would prevent her from becoming the Sword God.

"... Is climbing the tower the only way to survive in this world?"

Skel answered Isana's question. Han Do-yoon indirectly revealed he had no plans to climb.

"Any recommended jobs in the city?"

"Thanks."

Many residents in the Tower World had no desire to return. But eventually, sooner or later, they all did. Those without such intellect weren't kidnapped here to begin with. Skel knew that, so he thought little of Han Do-yoon's indifferent attitude—whatever path he took, it didn't matter.

But Isana, standing with him, was different.

"Wait, you're not going back to Earth?"

"No real reason to bust my ass for it."

Isana recalled Han Do-yoon's family situation and fell ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠silent.

"... S-still, better than living in a place with no connections, right?"

"Climb the tower to return to Earth, risk your life in the process... Hmm, not sure what's the right call. I value my life."

In truth, at this point, I had no reason to climb. I'd crashed at an inn, realized normal living meant grinding the tower, and challenged it. After that, I'd chased the sweet reward of returning home.

"I dragged you here, but from now on, we should split. You go climb the tower."

"You're right, but…."

"Why so clingy?"

"You trash! How can you say that to me! You, you—!"

Shhhk, shhhk. Her pride stung, Isana stormed off into the city fuming. But she stopped short. Half-turning, her hunched posture betrayed her true feelings.

"... You really won't come with?"

"If you change your mind, hit up the Choice Inn. I'll crash there today, sink or swim."

"... Got it."

True to her future as the Sword God, she wasn't some frail woman dependent on others. Isana pushed forward without fearing her choice. Han Do-yoon watched her back—long hair swaying over jeans-clad legs that suited her well. He hoped she'd at least have a threatening blade at her waist next time.

"Well, I'll be off too. See you around."

'He figured out my state, huh?'

Skel was like a living history book of this place. It wouldn't be odd if he had the insight to spot a "regressor" from the future. One action spoke louder than ten words. Quietly, I pressed a finger to my lips. Skel got the hint and changed the subject.

"Calcium, zinc, magnesium?"

Wonder how a skeleton eats soup and rice. @ Isana headed for the tower. Her first otherworld. No fear despite knowing nothing. Modern people don't panic at strange cities—they're just surprised by different cultures.

Feels like I'm in a game.

Cat-eared folk walked about. Wolfmen like movie CG, and humanoid-but-not-quite beings on two legs. No Earth foods in their hands or meals. But the novelty faded fast. Exotic sights became routine quickly. She wanted to touch the cat people but held back—idol training had taught her that.

Acting awed gets you looked down on. Take it slow, learn one by one.

No matter the city's size, finding the sky-piercing tower was easy. The layout radiated from it, paths leading every direction.

Those folks are heading to the tower.

She could tell: only well-geared, fierce-armed people went that way. Her confidence wavered at her slender limbs, but seeing green-haired, sharp long-eared women half-nude with frail builds climbing too steeled her. Western models climbed it—what made her think she couldn't?

Farther than I thought.

The obvious path still took hours. The city was that vast. Only on arrival did she spot dedicated transport—too late for first-timers, but it would've been five minutes otherwise.

"What? Super rookie?"

"Eugh...? Even if it's easy, floor 1 in 30 minutes? And ten kills?"

"Where'd this monster come from... Ladder rankings gonna break again."

Near the tower, crowds buzzed suddenly, staring at the air.

Am I weird? What's going on?

Her self-esteem dipped, recalling going to art high alone while friends went general. Believing silence and focus yielded results, she kept walking amid the incomprehensible chatter. She stood before the massive black iron tower. White light filled the door beyond—nothing visible inside, entrants vanished.

Should she enter? The chain pulley rattled, urging her.

...I have to go back to Earth.

Her idol dream was shelved, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but her wrinkle-faced parents waited. She'd holed up, failing as a child, always feeling sorry. Beyond that, she lacked confidence to thrive in this rootless world. She lifted her planted feet. One step, two—the door still open. As her foot crossed the threshold—

Someone yanked her wrist, pulling her back!

"Can't send you off empty-handed—makes me anxious."

"You...!"

Face unseen, but the voice told her. The man she'd spent two days with, slept beside, toyed bodies with. Han Do-yoon shoved a weapon—ill-suited to her soft hand—into her grip and pushed her back in.

"Do your best."

"What the—?!"

The surroundings shifted completely. No bustling strange city—just wild forest again. Isana was abandoned once more. But not alone. Eyes watched.