Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn't-Chapter 94: Twenty-Fourth Floor, Waiting Room

Hmm...

As I scrolled through the shop and considered my options, my gaze drifted to the waiting room, noting how empty it seemed. It was a sparse, lifeless space with two basic beds, a small desk, and a lone chair, all of which had been provided by default.

I remembered reading Community posts about climbers who bought furniture from the shop to liven up their waiting rooms. Although I generally stored my weapons and armor in the mimic, the sight of my gear draped haphazardly over the chair made the room feel even more disheveled.

I do have plenty of points to spare. Maybe it’s time to spruce up the place a bit.

However, even though I wanted to redecorate, I realized I didn’t know where to start.

What kind of furniture should I buy? How should I arrange it?

After a bit more contemplation, I recalled a post someone had made in the Community, detailing how to personalize a waiting room. A quick search through the archives brought up exactly what I was looking for.

[How to Decorate Your Waiting Room on a Budget, Tailored to Your Style.]

Written by someone who had worked as an interior designer back on Earth, the post broke down the process in a way that was clear and easy to follow. The guide covered everything from selecting furniture, arranging it, and even repainting the walls and floors.

I didn’t want to go through the hassle of painting, so I decided to stick with just buying furniture. Since the walls were a clean white, I figured antique-style pieces would provide a nice contrast. Upgrading the beds to something luxurious also seemed like a good idea.

Unlike earlier, when I had no clue what to buy, I now found myself excited. I hummed as I opened the shop, ready to make some upgrades.

***

[4 hours 52 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

The waiting room looked entirely transformed. The once bare, hollow space had been filled with elegant, antique wooden furniture. Despite not having a door to the outside world, the room no longer felt so empty. It had taken on the warmth of a lived-in space, a far cry from the sterile shell it used to be.

“Well done.”

“Kriee! Su-Yeok! Good work!”

I patted Doppy on the head, acknowledging the effort it had put into helping me move the furniture. It grinned and immediately threw itself onto one of the new beds, bouncing a couple of times as if testing the mattress. It seemed pleased with the upgrade.

Although I hadn’t actually moved to a new place, I suddenly craved Chinese food. Just as I was about to ask Doppy if it felt like grabbing some jajangmyeon[1]], a message from Ha Hee-Jeong popped up.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): Su-Hyeok, what are you up to?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-fourth Floor): Me? I’ve been redecorating the waiting room. Why?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): Oh, I’m just bored. But hey, you’re redecorating? Why? That’s unlike you. You were never into that stuff before.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-fourth Floor): Well, I had almost 100,000 achievement points. I’ve still got plenty left over, even taking into account how much I need to buy an axe.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): Makes sense. You haven’t spent points in a while, and I’m sure you earned a lot on the previous few floors. So, how did you decorate it?

Since she was clearly looking for a distraction, I told her in detail about how I had found the interior guide, chosen the furniture, and arranged it. Though she had likely done the same thing in her previous life, she listened with interest.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): Well, they’re all luxuries that don’t directly help you clear floors. Even food costs just 1 point.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-fourth Floor): True. But with so many points left, I wonder if there’s something more useful I should be buying.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): Something to buy, huh... Well, your equipment is already top-notch, and you’re not really at a growth plateau, so you don’t require more potions.

She was right. I got all of my gear from hidden missions, and there wasn’t enough of a performance gap between them and what the store had to offer to justify replacing them with something new. Overloading on potions also wasn’t a great long-term strategy.

That left me with only a few options. I considered continuing to save my points for a massive equipment upgrade later or gifting others some gear.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-fourth Floor): Do you need anything? You gave me that elixir last time, so I should get you something in return.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): Nah, I’m good. Oh, wait. You said you’ve got about 100,000 points, right?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-fourth Floor): Yeah.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): And you’re not planning to buy an axe anytime soon?

I confirmed that I wasn’t planning on getting a new weapon yet, but her response came slower than usual. It seemed like she had thought of something.

Curious, I waited for her next message.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): How about buying a training hot spring?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-fourth Floor): A training hot spring?

This was the first time I had heard of such a thing, and I didn’t recall seeing anything similar in the shop before. I was about to search for it when Ha Hee-Jeong messaged me again.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): You can install one in the training room. Soaking in the hot spring helps with post-training or post-combat stat growth. It also speeds up recovery.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-fourth Floor): Seriously? There’s something like that?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): Yeah, but it’s pretty expensive. About 65,000 points, I think? I was going to suggest you get it around the fortieth floor, but considering how many points you have now, it wouldn’t hurt to buy it.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-fourth Floor): 65,000 points? That’s pricey.

The cost seemed a bit excessive for what it offered. Currently, I gained around 0.5 stat points per round of combat training. Even with the hot spring’s boost, I figured it would only add around 0.1 to 0.3 points more.

Wait. Am I underestimating its potential?

If I used it consistently—after every floor and each training session—I could increase my stats by 0.6 points each time. Over the course of ten floors, that would add up to 6 stat points.

Since it applies to all stats, that would mean a 24-point stat increase over ten floors.

The more I thought about it, the more appealing it seemed. If I used it regularly, the long-term benefits would certainly outweigh the cost.

While I was still mulling it over, Ha Hee-Jeong’s next message sealed the deal.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Twenty-fourth Floor): Plus, if you use it right after completing a floor, you get an additional stat boost. Given how tough personal floors are for you, it’s a perfect fit. Just make sure you get in before too much time passes.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Twenty-fourth Floor): Got it. I’m buying it now.

***

[I Think Kwon Su-Hyeok Left His Party]

- Author: Kim Seon-Hu (Twenty-fourth Floor)

I bumped into Kwon Su-Hyeok's party on the twenty-third floor, but I didn’t see him. Instead, there was this kid tagging along. Our paths overlapped, so I kept my distance as I followed them for a bit, but Kwon Su-Hyeok never showed up. Even his goblin wasn’t there. Did he leave the party and start a new one?

- Ernest Morgan (Twenty-fourth Floor): Is this true?

- Kim Seon-Hu (Twenty-fourth Floor): Yeah, 100% true.

- Gail Slater (Twenty-fourth Floor): Wait, does that mean they got into a conflict with one another?

- Gisio Djibouti (Twenty-fourth Floor): Conflict? Kwon Su-Hyeok can probably kill anyone who gets in his way. Why would he need to argue, dumbass?

- Gail Slater (Twenty-fourth Floor): Actually, getting into a conflict is more likely for powerful individuals. Even a single disagreement about the distribution of rewards or power dynamics could easily stir things up.

- Braha Akif (Twenty-fourth Floor): Nah, from what I know, Kwon Su-Hyeok and Ha Hee-Jeong were friends on Earth. Doesn’t seem like there’s any real conflict.

New novel chapt𝒆rs are published on ƒгeewebnovёl.com.

- Zhao Cheng (Twenty-fourth Floor): So, is Kwon Su-Hyeok forming a new party? How do I join?

I was scrolling through the Community when I came across multiple posts discussing my former party and me. Frankly, I didn’t expect to see posts like this.

Well, I did leave the top-rank party, so it is only natural that people would talk.

I wondered how my teammates felt about this since this rumor affected not only me but also them. Ha Hee-Jeong and the others hadn’t mentioned seeing the posts, so it seemed like they weren’t aware yet.

If I let this rumor sit, unnecessary misunderstandings could arise.

I had seen it happen all the time on Earth. Rumors would twist everyone’s perceptions, hurting innocent people and causing their reputations to spiral downward unjustly. When people didn’t bother checking facts, they treated rumors as the truth.

Since I am still on good terms with my former party members, it is best if I set things straight.

With forty minutes left until I had to enter the twenty-fourth floor, I had more than enough time to clear things up. I quickly posted on the Community, explaining that I didn’t leave my party due to any conflict. Rather, I had grown too powerful, and my presence would only hinder their growth. Making sure to prevent any further rumors, I also added that I had no plans to form a new party.

My last comment could come off as arrogant to some, but it was the truth. Since all the climbers would eventually meet on the higher floors anyway, they would look foolish if they publicly criticized me for something like this.

I can’t stop them from talking behind my back, though.

Thankfully, the overall response was surprisingly positive. Some praised my decision, saying that, by taking this risk, I protected my party and acted like a true leader. Others ignored that, asking me to carry everyone on future floors that required collaboration.

After skimming through everyone’s reactions, I closed the Community. It was time to tackle the twenty-fourth floor.

***

[Welcome to the Twenty-fourth Floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Kokkari Swamp.]

[The Kokkari Swamp spans over half of the eastern continent, a treacherous land even the locals fear to tread. Here, only the strong survive.]

[For centuries, it has been a refuge for heretics, criminals, dark sorcerers, and all manner of beasts.]

[Recently, the heretics have expanded their influence and taken control of the Kokkari Swamp. Having strengthened their position, they are now plotting to invade the lands surrounding the swamp.]

[Eliminate the heretics from the Kokkari Swamp or survive. Time remaining: 47 hours 59 minutes.]

As my vision cleared, I gazed at the murky backdrop of a dense jungle. I then glanced at the notification window to figure out where I was: the Kokkari Swamp.

This wasn’t the same trial that Ha Hee-Jeong had briefed me on. Just like the twenty-third floor, I seemed to have been assigned a different challenge than the other climbers.

A faint sigh escaped my lips.

From what Ha Hee-Jeong had explained, this floor should be party-based, more like the fifteenth floor than the sixteenth since teams were separate but could interact. If I didn’t see anyone soon, however, then Ha Hee-Jeong’s information would continue to lose relevance.

Since the trial has changed, I will have to rely on the system messages.

Hidden missions and essential tips for clearing floors were often buried in the tower’s messages. Unfortunately, after re-reading the notifications, I didn’t notice much helpful information this time.

There was one clue, though. The heretics here were likely followers of the “Stagnant Terror” that Comet had mentioned earlier.

Traversing the swamp is going to be a real challenge in and of itself.

Swamps weren’t known for being easy to move through. On top of that, the heretics had probably recruited hardened criminals and ancient dark wizards, some of which had likely lived here for centuries. They would know the swamp’s layout inside and out.

Ambushes and traps would be a constant threat if I tried to move directly through the swamp, facing enemies who had mastered swamp-based combat.

I really don’t have enough information to confidently begin.

There weren’t even any hints indicating where the heretics could be. In other words, I would have to blindly traverse through a hostile environment with just Doppy, hoping that we would find the correct route.

It wasn’t that I feared an ambush—I doubted there would be enemies that could completely evade my senses—but maintaining constant vigilance for forty-eight hours would be tedious and tiring, if not impossible.

“Doppy, stay sharp. We need to move carefully.”

“Kriee! Okay!”

“Mung-chi, hand me the deodorizer.”

I gave the mimic a light tap, prompting it to pull out the deodorizer. We needed to hide our scent from the creatures inhabiting this swamp. With the thick stench of rot and decay hanging in the air, the clean scent of our body wash stood out far too much.

As I sprayed the deodorizer over both Doppy and myself, I heard something cutting through the still swamp water ahead. Ripples spread as if something large was moving through the water.

It’s already begun.

I passed the deodorizer back to Doppy and pulled my axe out of the ground.

Suddenly, the mossy water erupted violently. Murky green droplets flew into the air as massive crocodile-like beasts—each one three meters tall—emerged from the depths.

1. ]Jajangmyeon is a Korean-Chinese noodle dish with a savory black bean sauce, usually mixed with pork or beef and veggies. It’s a popular comfort food in Korea, loved for its rich, slightly sweet flavor, and often served with cucumber or pickled radish. It’s one of my comfort foods : ☜