The Legendary Regressor Devours the Tower - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 11
‘Start with the NPCs.’
NPCs were the people who lived within the Tower, and by carrying out their requests, Climbers could raise their Evaluation Score.
Seong-un entered a cabin slightly larger than the ordinary huts in the city’s center, just as he had done in his previous life.
Inside the cabin, an elderly man who appeared to be in his late seventies, dressed in shabby clothes, was cleaning fish he’d caught from the river.
“Excuse me, are you here?”
As Seong-un stepped carefully into the cabin, the old man turned his head and stared at him intently.
“A Climber?”
“Yes.”
They knew about the Tower, and they knew about Climbers.
Only their memories from beyond the Tower had been completely erased.
‘Could anyone escape from a place like this prison?’
Normally, their free will would vanish entirely, leaving them faithful to their NPC roles, but a rare few NPCs endlessly yearned for freedom and gazed at Climbers with envious eyes.
It had to be that way, since they were aware of being trapped within the flow of time.
“So, what brings you to seek me out specifically?”
Now he had to choose his words carefully.
Depending on how he phrased things, his Evaluation Score could rise significantly or remain negligible.
Seong-un opened his mouth slowly.
“I’d like to make a deal with you.”
“A deal?”
The old man tilted his head in confusion.
A faint spark of curiosity flickered across his face at this sudden visitor proposing a trade.
“Don’t you wish to leave this place?”
“Heh-heh, you say funny things. My ears ache—now go away.”
The old man withdrew his gaze from Seong-un.
The faint curiosity that had briefly inhabited his eyes vanished, leaving only emptiness behind.
“Then allow me to rephrase my question.”
“I said go.”
“I can let you die.”
The old man’s eyes widened.
Let him die.
At those words, the old man’s head turned back toward Seong-un once more.
His pupils were trembling—the words had clearly struck home.
[NPC Information]
—Nickname: Hu-din
—Resident of Starting Village
A resident named Hu-din.
When he first regained consciousness, he had been cleaning this cabin.
All his previous memories had vanished, and Hu-din had become a member of the village, living as its inhabitant.
‘What is this sense of repetition?’
Though his life was peaceful, Hu-din realized it was repeating endlessly.
The moment he understood, satisfaction twisted into bitter anguish.
‘Let me out of here!’
He had tried countless times to end his life, but each attempt brought such excruciating pain that it overwhelmed his entire body—pain so terrible that death would have been preferable.
But now—could he finally end this wretched existence?
“If that doesn’t appeal to you, I’ll seek someone else instead.”
As Seong-un turned to leave without hesitation, the old man scrambled to his feet urgently.
“Wait, please! Let’s make a deal! What is it you want from me?”
[Bonus Score has been added.]
Perfect.
Seong-un clenched his fist slightly and turned back to face the old man.
The man was, after all, only an NPC.
In other words, once his role was fulfilled, he would cease to exist at any moment.
‘This NPC is the stepping stone to reaching EX Grade.’
To receive an EX Grade on the first floor, Seong-un first had to pass through this NPC named Hu-din.
“I understand you’ve made numerous attempts to escape from this place—is that correct?”
“…Yes. But it was all for nothing.”
Hu-din murmured, his eyes hollow with defeat.
“I need the Goblin Chief’s Bandana that controls this place.”
“How do you know I have the bandana?”
At the precise mention of the item, Hu-din’s eyes widened slightly.
Seong-un smiled crookedly and gave a shrug.
“Someone who holds answers you haven’t been able to find all this time—this much should be obvious.”
A brief silence fell.
“Wait a moment.”
Hu-din, having settled on his answer, walked to the corner of the cabin and retrieved a small wooden box.
It was identical to the one Seong-un had seen in his previous life.
Seong-un accepted it, sifting through memory.
Inside lay a single red bandana, torn in places, folded carefully and preserved.
[Bonus points have been added.]
The Goblin Chief’s Bandana.
Acquiring this bandana was nothing more than a mechanism.
How could a mere resident possibly possess the leader’s item in the first place?
His role would end simply by handing over the bandana.
“I see.”
“Now I’ll tell you. How to die.”
“Your role ends here.”
Seong-un answered curtly to Hu-din, who asked with desperate urgency in his expression.
“Role?”
“Yes.”
That should be answer enough.
“……I see.”
As if understanding, Hu-din smiled faintly and nodded slowly.
Seong-un returned the smile, then slipped quietly out of the cabin.
* * *
Upon reaching the entrance of the village, two adult men stood locked in combat with ten goblins.
‘This is the beginning.’
Helping them would mark the start; clearing out the goblins in this first wave.
[Lv.2 Goblin]
Seong-un drew the Asgard Sword from his Inventory and lunged forward.
[Sword Mastery]
-Type: Passive
-Grade: E
-Max Growth Grade: SS
-The sharpness of sword technique deepens.
-Attack power of the sword increases by 2%.
-On hit, 1% chance to seal healing for 10 minutes. (User excluded)
Sword Mastery, jointly acquired from the Sword.
Attack power rises by 2%, and when inflicting a sword wound, there is a 1% chance to seal healing for 10 minutes.
‘This will become a broken skill once it grows.’
It was already broken, but what came after needed no explanation.
“Shriek!”
Small vermin—goblins he had hunted without number during the tutorial.
The prey was the same, but the hunter had changed.
Unlike when he’d cut them down with only the Self-defense Dagger, Seong-un’s hand now gripped the A-Grade Asgard Sword.
Slice.
Seong-un swung his blade, severing the goblin’s neck mercilessly.
“Shriek?!”
As their companion’s head fell in one stroke, the goblins froze in panic.
It was their mistake.
They needed to mount a defense without hesitation if they hoped to survive even a moment longer.
Seong-un moved several paces and bisected the next goblin at the waist.
“Shriek!”
“Shriek!”
They tried to backpedal, but it was already too late.
By the time they had made their decision, seven goblins were already dead.
Seong-un dispatched the remaining three with ease, then shook the blood from his blade and ended the battle.
“Wow…….”
“What?”
The men marveled at Seong-un’s overwhelming strength as he faced down the goblins.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
“I’m truly grateful.”
Unlike Hu-din, whom he’d encountered earlier, these men’s faces bore no shadow of doubt.
That made sense—Hu-din had been an NPC dispatched specifically to facilitate the climb toward EX Grade.
While Hu-din yearned for freedom, the NPC before him harbored no such longing.
‘Perhaps that’s better after all.’
Those who never realize they’re caged feel no torment from the bars.
“Once the goblins are dead, their chief will notice soon enough.”
Seong-un gazed into the forest path stretching before them.
During the goblin subjugation, he’d spotted several more lurking ahead on that very trail.
Yet he’d ended the battle regardless, for an EX Grade wasn’t awarded simply for hunting down every last goblin in sight.
‘First Floor clear condition: eliminate one hundred goblins.’
The First Floor cleared automatically once you’d slain that many.
There was another way—reaching the chief without hitting the quota—but that path denied you an EX Grade.
“Then… what should we do?”
“Can you tell me why that goblin chief keeps attacking this village?”
“I’m not certain. One day they simply began their assault.”
It was the bandana.
They were launching repeated invasions to reclaim the Goblin Chief’s Bandana that Hu-din had taken.
To reach EX Grade, he’d need to leverage this item strategically.
-What kind of player is this?
-Can’t be a beginner, right? Everything flows too naturally.
-Didn’t the channel just open?
-Is this one of those people who cleared the tutorial with an EX?
-Has to be.
Viewer count had already climbed to one hundred and two.
The tutorial’s draw was undeniable.
A channel belonging to a novice Climber barely entering the First Floor had attracted one hundred and two spectators.
“My reaction time’s a bit slow, I’m afraid—I have to focus on the climb itself.”
Seong-un smiled as warmly as he could manage.
-Okay, you acknowledged us. So what was your tutorial Evaluation Score?
-Come on, tell us!
He shifted his expression to something more sly, shrugging with a knowing look.
“What do you think?”
-Come on, spill it. I’ll sponsor you 10 Gold if you do.
“EX Grade.”
-Can you prove it?
“10 Gold first, then we’ll talk.”
Seong-un made a beckoning gesture.
-Okay, match that with double. If you’re legit, I’m throwing in 20 Gold.
“50 Gold.”
-?
“50 Gold, and I’ll make sure this First Floor gets an EX Grade clear as well.”
Fifty Gold.
Not an astronomical sum, but considerable for the lower floors.
-50’s steep. How about 30?
Seong-un smiled inwardly.
“50 Gold. It has to be locked in as a Mission upfront for me to proceed.”
A Mission.
Created to prevent scammers who promised sponsorship then vanished.
When a sponsor locked in Gold via Mission and the Climber accepted, the Tower served as intermediary, determining success or failure before dispersing funds.
If you failed, the Gold reverted entirely to the sponsor—a system with teeth.
-Alright, let’s see it.
-Look at this confidence, haha.
-I’m betting against him, just watching.
-He’s all talk, lol. Doesn’t have enough Gold to back his own bet. I’m adding 20 Gold.
-Okay, another 30 Gold from me.
-30 more here.
The comment section blazed with firepower unthinkable for a novice Climber’s channel.
[Mission registered.]
[Floor 1 Evaluation Score EX Clear – 580 Gold]
[Do you accept?]
Seong-un had initially offered 50 Gold, but the mission reward had climbed to 580 Gold as the evaluation bonus was added.
‘Excellent.’
Seong-un smiled inwardly and accepted the offer.
“Would it be possible to ask for guidance to the Village Chief?”
He turned his attention back to the NPC.
“If I may ask, what brings you to seek out the Village Chief?”
[NPC Information]
-Nickname: Jayden
-Resident of Starting Village
Seong-un smiled slightly at Jayden’s polite inquiry and replied.
“I know a way to stop the goblins from multiplying.”
“Is that truly the case?!”
“Yes.”
“Understood! Then please follow me!”
Jayden led Seong-un toward the Village Chief.
* * *
The area in front of the cottage was bustling with activity.
“Hmm? Why is everyone gathered in front of Grandfather Hu-din’s house?”
Jayden, who had been guiding Seong-un to the Village Chief, tilted his head in confusion.
“Is something the matter?”
Seong-un asked as though he knew nothing.
“No, it’s nothing. Let’s proceed.”
Jayden nodded and led him to the cottage where the Village Chief was staying.
Inside a cottage three times larger than an ordinary dwelling, voices could be heard in conversation, and sensing something was amiss, Jayden’s raised hand hesitated before knocking.
“Is something the matter?”
“Please, would you wait just a moment?”
“Of course.”
Seong-un obediently stepped back.
“Thank you.”
Jayden expressed his gratitude and carefully pressed his ear to the door.
Shortly after, his expression hardened in an instant, and he hurried back to Seong-un, whispering urgently.
“I apologize, but this may take some time.”
“Why is that?”
“It’s just that… one of our villagers has apparently… passed away.”
It would be Hu-din.
The NPC prepared for advancement to EX Grade.
If Seong-un couldn’t wrap this up as EX here, the cycle would repeat again.
-Huh? What’s going on here?
Even the viewers watching quietly seemed confused.
Nothing like this had ever happened on Floor 1 before.
“I’ll wait.”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
About thirty minutes had passed.
The residents emerged from the cottage as the conversation drew to a close.
Jayden, who had been watching from the side, quickly slipped inside, and moments later emerged with the Village Chief.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting so long. Have you been waiting comfortably?”
The Village Chief’s face was filled with remorse.
“It’s fine.”
“I’m glad. Then shall we step inside?”
Seong-un entered with the Village Chief and took a seat.
“I understand. Someone from the village has passed away, I hear.”
“Yes. It seems he was so troubled that he took his own life.”
“I see.”
“…And we heard that you came to offer your help.”
The Village Chief hastened to the main matter, trying to suppress the sorrow.
He had no choice but to welcome it.
“Yes. I heard you are facing difficulties with the goblins.”
“That’s right. So there is a way to dry up the goblin bloodline?”
“Yes. Simply put, we sweep out all the goblins and make certain to sever the Chief’s head as well.”
“……That is hardly so simple a matter. The Chief hides himself in a place most deep.”
The Chief does not reveal himself easily.
“Then we make him come out himself.”
“Make him come out?”
“Yes.”
The Ultimate Returnee Devours the Tower (Ongoing Serialization)
Author │ Yeon I-yo
Publisher │ Kim Ju-hyeong
Published by │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd.
Marketing │ Han Jae-hyeok
Address │ 401, 11 Digital-ro 33-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Ace Techno Tower 8th)
Email │ [email protected]
Homepage │ www.jayplemedia.com
ⓒ Yeon I-yo 2026
※This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. in accordance with a contract with the copyright holder. The contents may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and author.
Violation of this may result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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