Chapter 32: Chapter 51-52 – Reward for 10th Floor II
The sight I saw right after I came to my senses was very familiar.
A country mongrel dog was chained up in a vast yard.
It was my original home.
'What, why am I here?'
I floated like a ghost. Like a dead person.
'These are my memories?'
As the knight said, it was a memory I didn't know.
Because I haven't been to my parents' house recently.
Even if I go, I only go once or twice a year, so I'm not used to seeing this kind of sight.
『Yes ma'am. Yes, yes, I am a prostitute.』
『Haha! No problem! I'm doing well~!』
『What about the lady?』
『"Oh yeah? That must be difficult~!』
While I was perplexed, a situation I couldn't remember arose.
I, who should be in the tower, am holding the phone at home.
Me, in front of none other than myself.
… Also, lady?
Was there anyone I could call so friendly?
As for Sister Brigitta, I have never called her 'ma'am.
Even if I call her, is there any reason to call her 'Ajumma' or 'Madam' in the same way she speaks?
『How is she doing these days?』
『I mean Seong Yeon.』
『The girl who called me every day hasn't contacted me lately.』
『Oh, really?』
『"No wonder! I didn't receive it well!』
In the flow of the story, a new story of someone came.
Then I was surprised to see Seong Yeon's name come up.
The person I am talking to is Seong Yeon's mother?
Why?
I haven't had any contact with that person since I was young, much less seen her face.
『Wow, he's amazing. How did they get there already?』
『A real talent, a talent. I never thought that one of my friends would become so successful.』
『Shall I send you some fruit wine to celebrate? It's sweet these days because it's in season.』
『Hey, what a burden between us~!』
In my memory, I am happily talking about something.
I called my mother and giggled! Even hitting her knee.
Looking at my body, I was much thinner than I am now.
In my memories... Isn't she a hunter?
『… Yes? Yes, where is Seong Yeon?』
『──With me?』
『What ■■? Eh? No, that's some bullshit──』
Boom!
『….』
Immediately after, my head exploded.
"…?"
It exploded.
Me.
"…?"
My head.
It exploded.
What is it?
What did I just see?
*
"… Ha?"
I came to my senses.
The knight fell to the ground and looked down at me with his red tail feathers.
"He's dead."
The knight voice was plain.
As if telling the truth.
As if there is no reason to lie.
"Wait a minute, me?"
"How many times do I have to tell you to understand? You died. I don't know how many deaths it was, but what I just saw was one of your many deaths."
"What do you mean?"
"There's still more, so stay tuned."
"Wait…!?"
*
My vision darkened again, and then a new sight appeared in my eyes.
This time it's the bedroom.
I was naked in a corner of a room that was bright pink like a love hotel.
'Who am I here with?'
As if the act had just ended, I sat down on the bed and enjoyed a cigarette.
There were clear fingernail marks on my back, and there was a woman in the seat next to me.
…
… Ceres?
『Can I call you Oppa?』
『Are you trying to be cute at this age?』
『Yes. At least I want to do that in front of you.』
『Well, you had a hard time too. It must have been very difficult.』
『… Oppa.』
『"Are you okay? You can do that anytime in front of me.』
"Thank you. Really.』
Wait, what the fuck is this?
Why does Ceres call me her Oppa!?
Why did I end up having sex with that blunt European butler's sister?!
『So, about what I asked last time…』
『Are you asking at this timing?』
『… Sorry. Still, I was very curious. You know, right?』
『Yes.』
『Let me know. What is ■■■■■?』
『That… ■■■…』
─Boom!
『Huh?』
『Oh, Oppa? Oppa? Oh, oh oh oh oh oh!!!!』
『Aaaaah!!!!!』
My head exploded again.
Ceres was shocked and cried in a fountain of blood.
It is horror itself.
*
"─Khak!"
My head hurt again…
Woowoo!!
"What is it? I don't even know why my head exploded again!"
When I came to my senses, I was hanging at the knight's feet without any of the leisure I had had earlier.
It's a dirty sight. I think it will be a trauma.
"Top killed you because you knew 'information' that you shouldn't know. This is a very tricky condition, you have to find out on your own, but in both the previous two cases, you borrowed the power of others."
What kind of bullshit.
What did I know?
What kind of secret did I know to kill me?
"Are you still alive?"
"It's a return from death. If you put it in your own words, return. Don't you understand this?"
Regression.
It is a genre that has become famous as a novel because hunters are already running rampant.
It was famous for its novels and webtoons, and I also really liked comics, so I understand the clichés.
"So-am I a regressor?"
"No. Not you, but someone around you. I'm sure there's already something to point out, right?"
"…"
A cold sweat broke out.
The cow that taught me this strategy was… But the one behind it is Seong Yeon.
Even though the cow couldn't say anything, she told me to trust Seong Yeon…
Wait, then really?
Is Seong Yeon a returner?
'So, if I find out some strange information and my head explodes… Seong Yeon brought me back and saved me?'
Is it true that I survived in the first place?
Isn't it just turning back time?
Aren't the dead and the living different people?
I don't know.
What kind of power did they have to save me? ?
"Are you okay?"
"Wait a minute. I'm dizzy right now. You're not playing a prank on me, are you?"
"I don't tell lies to my friends. How could I tell a lie when it was a memory given to you as a reward for clearing it?"
"I… Died how many times?"
"About 18 times? I don't even know the exact number. It's blocked by the tower owner's authority."
"Tower owner?"
Even while I was panicking, the tower moved.
As if the world were shaking.
"What is it?"
"It has begun."
It moved.
This is a message to all hunters living in the Golden Tower.
[Today at 4 PM The 10th-tier gate of the Golden Tower has been broken through.]
[The number of people cleared is 1.]
[[Scavenger] Hong Chang.]
My name was known.
As if pushing me into this incomprehensible situation.
"From the first memory I saw… I wasn't a hunter, right?"
"No. It was a world where we lived ordinary lives."
"But I died?"
"Hmmmm."
Nod.
"What about the second?"
"Is it the world line where the blonde was? He must have been a hunter back then."
"Why was I in the hotel with her?"
"…"
"Can't you say more?"
"I can't because of the tower owner's authority. I also want to blow my mind to my comrades and make you happy, but this situation is not conducive."
I became anxious.
I was relaxed and clear until just now, but it feels like fire has fallen at my feet.
"Am I going to die again?"
"Based on what I saw today, if you watch your mouth, you won't die."
The knight grabbed my shoulder.
He said it seriously, without smiling.
"You, don't forget what I told you. You probably know who the returner is, so cooperate with her, but don't reveal her secrets carelessly. Over time, you will realize her identity based on today's memories, but you must not say it out loud. Attack this tower. Until I lift your curse."
"What if I revel the information?"
"… You won't die right away, but I don't know how your future will turn out. She has a nasty personality. There's a good chance she won't even keep the promise she made. Then your friend will cry and wail and start over again."
I swallowed my saliva.
He clearly declared that she was my friend.
The returner is Seong Yeon.
There's even a curse on me?
Then, it would be said that the situation regressed because of me…
"To lift the curse of my head suddenly flying off, I have to cooperate with Seong Yeon."
"That's why I climbed the tower in the first place."
"Did she know from the beginning that I would be here?"
"I don't know everything. This side is also under the control of the tower owner. So, comrade, please cheer up. There is no need to be frustrated. You can just hit them hard and come back. They will feel wronged too, so get angry and release the artillery and join us. Return. It's okay to just say that you know something about it, so don't burden yourself more than necessary."
"What do you believe in?"
"I am a knight of pure love. With my proud constellation and name, I am cheering you on from the bottom of my heart."
An unknown knight who gets excited, then becomes serious, then suddenly changes his tone and spits out the truth.
After his very serious request, the tower stopped shaking.
[Notice once again.]
[Today at 4 PM The 10th-tier gate of the Golden Tower has been broken through.]
[The number of people cleared is 1.]
[[Scavenger] Hong Chang.]
[All transition points in the 10th floor have been opened.]
[In addition, entry is permitted to all classes below the 20th floor.]
[The 20th floor gateway challenge will be accepted starting tomorrow, so please keep this in mind.]
[Notice once again──]
"… Starting tomorrow?"
"This body needs a day off too. To celebrate my breakthrough, I'll have a drink and start working again tomorrow! Wahahaha!"
His speech returned, and his body began to glow.
When entering the Golden Tower and transferring, particles of light surrounded the knight just like then.
"Oh my. The owner of the tower is calling. I guess she wants to punish me for using my mouth arbitrarily. Hehe, the next time we meet will be on the 20th floor, so let's meet again then."
'Did you use your mouth arbitrarily?'
By any chance, even if I knew about regression, wouldn't my head have exploded in the first place?
The constellation told me that I was safe...
"Oh, right. Look at me. I almost forgot to give you this."
He put the card into my chest with half of his lower body missing.
"Here's the reward for clearing. It's not that useful since it's tier 10, but with that, you'll be able to talk back to our tomboy tower owner!"
"Yes, yes… I don't know if you'll be able to get to the 20th floor again, but let's meet again."
"Be sure to come~! Be sure! I'll make burdock tea and wait for you~!"
Wahaha!
He laughed out loud again, and his head was swallowed.
A constellation who was usually a clown that people didn't want to get close to, but when he was serious, he was a knight.
He disappeared happily.
*
[This is a message to all hunters living in the Golden Tower.]
[Today at 4 PM The 10th-tier gate of the Golden Tower has been broken through.]
[The number of people cleared is 1.]
[[Scavenger] Hong Chang.]
It returned with a loud voice that didn't know how many times it was struck.
Of course, with Ceres and the others who were waiting for me on the 9th floor.
-That's that kid.
-D rank! Hong Chang!
-Did that guy clear the 10th floor!?
-The rumored gimmick?
-You're lying!?
-What the hell are you doing? ?
As expected, the square on the first floor was crowded with hunters who had just arrived.
It was an uproar as onlookers mixed in where there were already a lot of people.
Maybe it's from outside, but someone who looks like a reporter is shooting the camera, and it hurts my eyes.
What on earth are you going to do in an area where information is controlled anyway? .
"Chang. Please come this way."
Ceres spoke briefly immediately after clearing.
Rather than congratulating me, she led me to a safe place and headed towards the guild camped in the corner of the square.
"Omg, I never thought you could actually do it~! Damn, this is amazing!?"
"Ugh, Sister Brigitta!"
It was my sister who welcomed me first.
She was wearing her usual jumpsuit and hugged me with her freckled chest and praised me.
Are those around her guild members?
Thanks to them, we were able to barely hold back the crowds of people.
"How was it? That damned knight really talks a lot!? I heard you start to feel dizzy when you listen to the story~?"
"Yes. It's a really strange constellation that you wouldn't recognize unless you met it."
"Hehe. You did a good job against that bastard. I was skeptical when I heard you were going up today, but you actually did it. What kind of cheat did you use? Tell the lady too!"
Boo-boo-boo-boo-boo~!
The milk is cold and feels good.
Even though I felt like my sex drive was boiling over, I was disappointed that I couldn't stand up because of work today.
"Ohh, I just got a lot of help from people around me. They kindly taught me how to attack it, so I couldn't break it without breaking it."
"Hehe, is that so? There were a lot of people who couldn't wake up even after hearing that, but anyway, you did really well! Let's go get a drink first! Today, the lady and Ian are shooting~!"
That's good.
Having a drink between the Archwitch and Master Tool is the greatest honor.
Right now, Naena wants to wash her hands and go for a drink.
But…
"Before, there is something I must do."
"What is it?"
"Because I is going to beat up that bitch Seong Yeon."
Sure enough, a smile bloomed on my sister's face at my declaration.
"Shall I go with you?"
"That's good. Can you please escort me, so I don't get caught up in that crowd?"
"What can the old lady not do against us assholes~? Come on, you bastards! Did you hear!? Guide him to the [Vegetation] guild ahhh~!"
When Brigitta screamed, the guild members happily cleared the way.
As expected, she is a reliable person.
After an eventful yet short climb, I headed home.