Perfect Clear

The moment the notification flashed, warning me that my stealth had been broken, I leapt from my spot and snatched the floating eyeball out of the air, crushing it in my grip.

Purple smoke billowed around me. Scanning my surroundings, I spotted a Void Hound closing in from about ten meters away.

"Grrr..."

"Damn it."

Gripping the one-handed sword I had scavenged earlier, I lunged at the beast. If this dragged on and made too much noise, more of them would swarm me. I had to kill it quickly, find cover, and slip back into stealth.

In a world where the Tower had appeared and Awakeners walked the earth, swordsmanship and other weapon arts had become basic prerequisites for any aspiring Awakener. I, too, had trained in the blade.

The Void Hound lunged, jaws agape. I thrust my left arm forward, bracing it like a shield. Its razor-sharp fangs sank deep into my flesh.

Though I had awakened, my physical stats were still no better than an ordinary human's. I had never possessed any outstanding talent for the sword either. Rather than trying to execute some clumsy, half-baked sword technique, it was far wiser to rely on my regeneration skill.

Bracing my trembling legs, I drove the sword in my right hand straight into the hound's throat.

Flesh tore from my left arm. The beast's front claws shredded my stab-proof vest, sending a torrent of blood spilling from my abdomen. But what I lacked in combat skills, I made up for with an SSS-rank skill: Regeneration.

A searing, white-hot agony flared in my arm and stomach. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I twisted the blade embedded in its neck. Slowly, the hound's thrashing began to weaken.

"Ugh... Ha..."

Tears welled in my eyes, my body shuddered violently, and blood coughed past my lips—but in the end, I was the one standing.

The gushing blood stopped. Fresh flesh knit together, and within moments, the wounds vanished without a trace.

Despite their terrifying appearance, the Void Hounds' raw physical capabilities were actually quite underwhelming. They possessed sharp claws capable of tearing through protective gear and a chitinous armor that deflected light blows, but their actual muscle strength and bite force were comparable to those of an ordinary wild dog.

If Kim Minchul, with his SS-rank Martial Artist skill, were still alive, he could have easily taken on three at once without a scratch. Even I, whose only saving graces were regeneration and stealth, could handle a one-on-one fight as long as I had a sword. Of course, if it hadn't been for the sword the Clown Knight had left ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠behind, I would have been completely helpless.

Not that I'm grateful...

*Rustle!*

The surrounding bushes shook. They had already caught the scent of blood. Despite their bulky appearance, Void Hounds were excellent climbers, so taking to the trees was out of the question. I immediately bolted toward the crest of the hill. I had already memorized the positions of the Head Collectors during my trek earlier.

If I played my cards right, I could probably hold out for another two minutes. But as I sprinted up the slope, a massive purple shape erupted from the earth right in front of me.

...What?

A colossal entity burst from the ground. The Elite Void Hound I had seen back in the hatchery now blocked my path.

...

I looked down and saw the gaping hole it had left behind. Through the opening, I could see the massive Spawning Pool far below.

It jumped all the way up here?

It was easily a ten-meter drop. Even for an elite monster, this was absurd. But there was no one around to hear my complaints.

There's absolutely no winning this.

This was far beyond anything I could handle, regardless of physical conditioning or regeneration skills. Keeping my sword pointed at the growling Elite Void Hound, I began to slowly back away. It matched my pace, keeping a steady distance as it stalked me.

*Scritch!*

More Void Hounds emerged from the brush behind me, cutting off my retreat.

"Damn it!"

With the odds completely stacked against me, I abandoned the standoff and bolted in the only direction free of monsters. For some reason, there was a single path left completely unguarded.

If I can just buy enough time...

My train of thought cut off.

*Slip...*

The earth beneath my feet gave way, and my body tilted forward. A sudden sensation of weightlessness washed over me as I plummeted through the air.

*Splash!*

My skin began to dissolve, my flesh boiling instantly. It was an agony far worse than any wound I had ever endured. Before long, my consciousness faded into black.

And then...

Melted by the acidic pool and restored by my regeneration in an endless, agonizing cycle, my body began to undergo a profound transformation.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

My hazy mind slowly cleared, and sensation returned to my limbs. Around me was pitch-black darkness. Reaching out, my hands brushed against a soft, damp wall.

I pushed against it, and the wall split open, letting a sliver of light filter through. A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cold draft swept through the crack, brushing against my chest. Only then did I realize I was completely naked.

I tore through the barrier and stepped forward. Through the rupture, the familiar sight of the hatchery unfolded before me. But now, the chamber was packed with countless Void Hounds and Void Grubs.

Standing at the very front was the Elite Void Hound, nearly twice the size of the others, staring intently at me.

...

Though it had terrified me just moments ago, I felt no fear now. In fact, I knew exactly why.

A tidal wave of emotions washed over me from all directions. Affection, obedience, loyalty, joy, happiness... Amidst the sea of feelings, there was not a single trace of hostility.

The Elite Void Hound slowly padded over and rested its heavy, armored head against my chest.

Was this hound always this tall?

I could have sworn its shoulder height only reached my waist earlier. Ominous realization dawning, I looked down to inspect my body.

Strands of silver hair cascaded down past my hips, brushing against my rear. My arms and legs were slender and smooth. My chest had a slight, soft swell. The muscular physique I used to see in the mirror every day was entirely gone, replaced by the soft, delicate body of a young girl.

Had the countless scars on my body vanished because of my regeneration, or was it a byproduct of this physical transformation? Honestly, it didn't really matter.

A Void Grub scurried out from somewhere, carrying a white hoodie draped over its back.

"Is this for me?"

A burst of intense excitement rippled from the creature. If it had a tail, it would have been wagging it off.

I picked up the hoodie. It was the same one worn by the brainwashed girl in the safe zone. I could feel a dense concentration of mana radiating from the fabric.

Items you can bring into the Tower are incredibly rare.

It clearly wasn't ordinary clothing, considering it hadn't dissolved in the highly acidic Spawning Pool.

When I slipped the hoodie on, it draped all the way down to my upper thighs, completely covering my hips. On the short, brainwashed girl, it had only reached her waist... I felt a strange sense of defeat, but at least I was no longer wandering around naked like a pervert. Not that there was anyone else here to see me anyway.

As I examined my new form, a system notification materialized before my eyes.

I tapped the confirmation button.

I frowned at the prompt. The generic designation didn't sit right with me.

"Poppy."

[...]

"Poppy!"

"Much better."

Calling such a cute creature a 'Void Hound' felt far too grotesque. Having properly renamed my companion, I opened my status window.

Instinctive knowledge flooded my mind, teaching me how to command the legion and harvest resources. I wanted to build a Spawning Pool and start breeding units right away, but a collective urge from the swarm nudged me forward.

"Alright, I'm going."

I had no idea how long I'd been unconscious, but the faster I cleared the first floor, the higher my score would be. Flanked by my loyal guardians, I marched toward the exit.

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In the distance, the exit came into view—and standing right beside it was the Clown Knight. Empty-handed, the figure watched me in silence.

"Are you going to block me this time too?"

"..."

A massive greatsword materialized in the knight's hand. Without a word, the figure swung the colossal blade.

In truth, I didn't even see the swing. I only deduced it from the violent gale that nearly knocked me off my feet. A pitch-black rift tore open in the air before the knight—a bizarre, jagged tear that looked like a graphical glitch in a broken video game.

The Clown Knight grabbed the edges of the narrow rift and pried it open.

*Creeeeak...*

Like an old, rusted door being forced open, the tear widened until it was large enough for a person to pass through. The knight cast one final glance back at me, then stepped through the rift and vanished.

"Whew..."

I finally let out the breath I'd been holding. Unlike my swarm, who radiated clear emotions, the Clown Knight was a complete void. He was an opponent my entire legion couldn't defeat even if they all rushed him at once. I had worried he might turn hostile, but he had simply departed.

I turned back to face the creatures awaiting my command. I could feel their emotions—they felt exactly like puppies staring at a treat. Anticipation, excitement, eager patience... What did they want from me right now?

I recalled the research I had conducted on the Void Devourers in my past life. What did ants and bees have in common? They threw away their individual lives without a second thought for the survival and prosperity of the colony. A collective army that knew no self-interest, operating solely for the greater whole. Ants, bees, and the Void Legion shared this exact trait.

I gave them the command they had been waiting for.

"Now then... for my sake, all of you, die."

The Head Collectors extended their tentacles and snapped their own stems. The Void Grubs collapsed, spilling their entrails onto the forest floor. The Void Hounds bared their claws and slit their own throats. Instantly, the noisy forest fell into a profound, dead silence.

Clearing the first floor even a second faster was the best way to honor their sacrifice. I dismissed Poppy back into the void and stepped through the exit. Beyond the threshold lay the same empty, white room I had seen when the trial first began—the safe zone.

Hard difficulty only gives 10 bonus stats...

The scale of the reward was on an entirely different level. As the difficulty rose, the base rewards increased exponentially. And my rewards weren't over yet.

This was the Perfect Clear reward, granted only when every single sub-objective was met. I had cleared only the first floor, yet I had already amassed as many bonus stats as a player on the 20th floor of Hard difficulty.

Considering that the 1st floor of Hard difficulty typically spawned around three hundred monsters, this was a staggering number.

On top of that, I had monopolized the entire contribution pool. While my score was being calculated, the historical records of the top rankers appeared before me. Whatever the Tower's intentions, it clearly sought to foster competition by displaying the scores of other climbers upon clearing a floor.

As I scanned the familiar names, the calculation finally finished.