The Legendary Regressor Devours the Tower - Chapter 3

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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 3
Clear Evaluation Score: EX-grade.
A score that could only be earned by performing more brilliantly than SS-grade.
It had been during my last life, when I was climbing the forty-fourth floor.
There, Seong Un discovered a memoir left behind by a mysterious climber.
‘Clear information?’
The memoir contained detailed records of information related to clearing, inexplicably.
It laid bare all the hidden conditions for how to clear at EX-grade.
Gasp!
Seong Un, reading through the memoir with a dubious expression, was startled.
The written words had vanished, and those words had been seared into his mind instead.
1. Valid only upon initial entry; parties are forbidden.
2. If a grade of EX or higher appears on any given floor, no further EX-grades can be obtained on that floor.
3. The holder of this memoir cannot directly disclose information about EX-grades to others.
The conditions were quite stringent, but thanks to them, I was able to aim for EX from the forty-fifth floor onward.
I was able to obtain the Immortal Heart precisely because I achieved EX-grade.
Of course, I didn’t manage to finish every floor at EX-grade.
The tower boasted such wickedly brutal difficulty that my success rate was merely around ten percent.
But this life is different.
‘If I climb from the lower floors at EX-grade, I’ll be able to achieve it on the higher floors too.’
Strangely, the information imprinted during my last life remained intact.
In other words, unlike my last life, I can now aim for EX from the lower floors.
Buzz—
The smartphone resting on the desk vibrated.
[Seo Jaepil]
The caller was Seo Jaepil.
Seong Un’s lips curved upward at the sight of a name he hadn’t seen in a long while.
“Hello?”
[Hey, what’re you up to?]
“Waiting.”
[Waiting?]
“Yeah. I’m finally able to enter the tower.”
[Really?! So you’re finally climbing too.]
Jaepil was a friend who had grown up with Seong Un at the orphanage.
They’d come in at a young age and fought plenty, but being the same age, they’d somehow grown close at some point.
Jaepil had received an Invitation Card three years ago and started climbing; with talent on his side, he’d joined a major Guild and was climbing diligently.
“Yeah.”
[So would you want to join a Guild too? Of course you’d have to take a test, but there’s no harm in trying.]
“No thanks. Not interested.”
[Huh? Then you’re going to climb solo?]
“Yeah.”
I had no interest in Guilds.
In my last life, I’d done everything I could to join one.
Climbing as a party was far more efficient.
Clear rewards were higher the better score you received, after all.
But now, I didn’t need their help.
While forming a party did give you an advantage in earning a high score, there was a ceiling—you could only receive up to SS-grade at most.
To achieve anything higher, you had to climb solo.
‘I can’t stand the noise.’
Besides, once you joined a Guild, you automatically had to share all clear information and rewards.
That would get far too messy.
[Surely you’re not saying you’ll do it with just strategy guides?]
“Why not?”
[You’re actually crazy…. I’m telling you, strategy guides alone won’t cut it.]
“Look, I’m busy right now anyway. I’ll call you back later.”
[Hey!]
After hanging up, Seong Un smiled softly at the conversation he was having with his friend for the first time in ages.
In my last life, Seo Jaepil had died just a month before I even started climbing the tower.
“He was a good kid.”
He was the one who’d scraped together all sorts of useful information and brought them to me, saying that an Invitation Card might come flying my way someday.
‘Ha, I do pretty well at the guild, you know? I can pull some strings for you.’
He’d promised that if I ever received an Invitation Card, he’d make sure I could join his guild, and he’d spare no effort supporting my Climbing. That was the friend I’d known.
So when his obituary arrived out of nowhere, I was floored.
“This time, that won’t happen.”
I won’t just stand by and watch, like I did in my last life.
* * *
[An SS-grade Item has appeared! – Seoul, Republic of Korea (Small Tower)]
SS-grade item discovered.
The notification went out to every Climber in the world.
“SS-grade?”
Seo Jaepil, a Climber working at the major guild Horus, gasped as he checked the alert.
The SS-grade had appeared not in a main tower, but in what was called an Instant Tower—a small tower.
No matter how highly rated, they gave only one to five gold as bonus rewards, making them places nobody bothered with.
And yet an SS-grade item had been found there?
“Wow, and it was found in Seoul, no less?”
An Pyeong-ho, Seo Jaepil’s supervisor, couldn’t hide his shock as he spoke.
It was SS-grade, no less.
Since towers appeared, that grade had surfaced only eight times in total.
How could anyone not be astonished that an item of such a grade had been found in Seoul, Republic of Korea?
“Who on earth could have taken it?”
Seo Jaepil hadn’t even laid eyes on an S-grade yet.
So the fact that someone had obtained an SS-grade could only make him envious.
“Yeah. Either way, things are going to get messy for a while.”
“Messy, how?”
“Instant Towers were never worth anyone’s attention. But now an SS-grade drops from one? What do you think that means?”
“……People will flood into Instant Towers?”
“Bingo. Plus, the odds are high that this SS-grade will belong to the Association……. Shame, really.”
“Why’s that?”
Seo Jaepil tilted his head in puzzlement.
The spoils go to whoever obtains them first.
So why would the Association try to get involved in the reward?
“Do you know who clears the most Instant Towers in a day?”
“The Association.”
“Exactly. So that SS-grade was likely obtained by one of their people. And since they belong to the Association, naturally whatever they find should belong to the Association—that’s their argument.”
“What a shame…….”
SS-grade, and they can’t even use it themselves…….
“Can’t be helped. Anyway, isn’t today your Climbing day?”
Seo Jaepil had climbed to the twelfth floor.
Thanks to Horus guild’s full backing, he’d reached the twelfth floor in just a year.
And today was the day he was challenging the thirteenth floor.
“Yes! I even called a friend, and now I’m heading up.”
Seo Jaepil clenched his fist.
He’d made every preparation, so he’d succeed in this Climb, no matter what.
“You didn’t write a last will and testament, did you?”
An Pyeong-ho gave his shoulder a light tap with a playful laugh.
“Ha, no. Just easing the nerves a bit with the call.”
“Right, don’t stress too much.”
“Yes!”
* * *
Seventy-two hours.
Seong Un devoted himself entirely to growing accustomed to his newly acquired Super Sense.
‘It’s definitely remarkable.’
His level had risen to 2, and his sensory stat had climbed to 6—supposedly quite a low number.
Yet his overall sensitivity had grown noticeably sharper.
He could sense the faint Mana dispersed in the air being scattered and drifting on the wind in extraordinary detail.
This level of perception wasn’t something he’d felt even in his previous life.
If an E-grade Super Sense was already this potent, he couldn’t even imagine what it would be like once it reached SS-grade.
[Your level has increased.]
He cleared additional Instant Towers to ensure he wouldn’t make mistakes in actual combat.
‘Just as I thought—with so many people around, even getting inside is difficult.’
News of an SS-grade item’s acquisition drew countless seekers to the Instant Tower.
Without them, he would have entered a dozen times over; as it was, he’d managed just once.
Still, it was enough.
[Matching in progress.]
[Please wait. Additional time may be required until the participant count is complete.]
The moment had arrived at last.
Tutorial Mode was not a solo endeavor.
One hundred participants in total.
All hundred entered together, their rankings determined by absolute evaluation.
[Matching complete.]
[Entering Tower – Tutorial Mode.]
It began.
His vision swam in black, and when it cleared, he stood amid a vast crowd.
“Wow, this is really something.”
“So we’re competing against all these people from here on?”
The sensation was strange and new.
He’d never imagined he’d run Tutorial Mode twice.
Seong Un offered them a silent apology in his heart.
If he weren’t here, someone else would claim first place—but he was about to steal that crown from them.
[Welcome to the Tower.]
[Before you proceed through Tutorial Mode, allow us to explain a few matters.]
In short, Tutorial Mode advances as you climb the Tower yourself.
There are four floors in total.
Bonus points accumulate with each higher floor cleared, determining your final grade.
Equipment will be provided, of course.
[Select your preferred gear.]
Everything from swords to staffs.
Most listened to the explanation and chose their equipment; Seong Un stood lost in memory, refusing to select any.
‘It’s been a long time since I was here.’
In his previous life, Seong Un had exited at the second floor.
But this life would be different.
The fourth floor—accessible only to the Climber who ranked first overall across floors one through three.
To claim the title he sought, he had to reach that fourth floor without fail.
‘To finish with EX-grade, I can’t accept equipment.’
Refusing equipment granted bonus points in Tutorial Mode.
Since Seong Un aimed for EX-grade, he would rely only on the Short Sword he carried for self-defense.
[Tutorial Mode begins.]
The lengthy explanation concluded, and Tutorial Mode started.
[Floor 1 – Eliminate all monsters.]
The first floor’s objective was monster subjugation.
To ascend to the second floor, the monsters had to be slain.
“So we can just crush the bastards here and move on, right?”
A thunderous voice rang out from across the chamber.
The vicious tone drew many eyes toward its owner.
* * *
The typical path to Awakening was receiving an Invitation Card.
Occasionally, someone would gain a high-grade skill simultaneously with their Awakening—Han Geon-woo was among that rare few.
Name: Han Geon-woo.
Age: twenty-two.
He stood well over one hundred ninety centimeters tall, his frame rippling with muscle—a specimen of raw physicality.
He’d obtained the Indomitable skill, capable of growing to A-grade at its peak, and had immediately sought out Cheonha Guild.
He’d heard they were searching for an Awakener with exceptional physical prowess.
‘We welcome you to Cheonha.’
As expected, the guild received him warmly.
They even provided expensive equipment without hesitation, citing his lack of field experience.
Naturally, Han Geon-woo’s shoulders rose higher, his confidence swelling until he began to look down on the other novice Climbers.
His sharp words had been meant merely to intimidate, yet seeing the others flinch and avert their gaze filled him with a rush of superiority.
But there was one.
One who looked at him with an expression of pure disdain.
A man in a t-shirt and slacks.
Gray sneakers with a brand logo stamped on them.
In his hand was a Short Sword that looked like something you’d use in a kitchen, and his overall appearance was far too shabby to be called a Climber.
‘That bastard?’
Was this garbage, without a single piece of proper equipment, actually deluded enough to think he stood on equal footing with someone chosen by Cheonha?
‘Right. Killing trash like him should be fine.’
In Tutorial Mode, even if you died, you didn’t actually die, so there was no need to worry.
So by gunning down that trash, he would make every Climber here feel his overwhelming power down to their bones.
Han Geon-woo pulled the massive Battle Axe from his back and advanced toward the man.
Hmph.
The novice Climbers sensed his intent and stepped aside.
Like the parting of the Red Sea, they split to either side, and Han Geon-woo stood directly before the man.
“Hey. Want me to kill you first?”
Han Geon-woo growled the words low in his throat.
“Me? You?”
The man tilted his head, puzzled.
Even as he did, one corner of his mouth twitched upward, and Han Geon-woo felt rage boiling up inside him.
“You fucking bastard!”
Finally, Han Geon-woo brought the Battle Axe down hard toward the man’s head.
Whoosh—
Crash!
But the axe didn’t connect with the man; instead, it struck the floor with tremendous force.
The man had easily slipped his body backward, dodging Han Geon-woo’s attack with minimal effort.
“Good weapon. Terrible user.”
Terrible?
At such a casual dismissal, Han Geon-woo’s face flushed crimson.
“Damn you! I’ll make sure to kill you!”
Consumed by fury, he began swinging the axe wildly.
‘Why can’t I land a single hit!’
His target was the man’s head.
He brought it down from above to crush the skull, swung it at an angle, swept it upward from below with force—employing every variation he could muster—yet every single attack missed.
“And dumb, too.”
The man muttered the words with a look of contempt.
“Shut up!”
Han Geon-woo screamed, his voice twisted with rage.
Scritch—
In that moment, a chilling sound cut through the air, and Han Geon-woo staggered backward.
What the—
Just now, he’d felt a sharp, acrid pain at his throat…….
He brought his hand to his neck and felt blood spilling down.
‘How…… how……?’
When had he even attacked?
Damn it, the bleeding won’t stop!
[Indomitable activates.]
Right. He still had Indomitable.
A passive skill that strengthened the body in critical situations.
His pride stung at the fact that he was forced to use a skill against some kid with nothing but a Short Sword, but this wasn’t the time to worry about such things.
Han Geon-woo tried to push himself up, even as the bleeding continued.
In that instant, the man drove the Short Sword into Han Geon-woo’s throat.
Squelch!
Even with Indomitable active, the Short Sword pierced Han Geon-woo’s throat cleanly through.
“Gah!”
The Ultimate Regressor Devours the Tower (Serialized)
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 8)
Email │ [email protected]
Homepage │ www.jayplemedia.com
ⓒ Yeon I-yo 2026
※This work is published by J.P. Media Co., Ltd. in accordance with a contract with the copyright holder, and its 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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