Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn't-Chapter 129: Thirty-Fourth Floor, Waiting Room (2)

For women only...?

The unexpected restriction caught me off guard.

Is this why the Empire’s squadron is called the Night Witches? Because only women can ride flying broomsticks?

Sure, witches riding broomsticks was a classic trope, but to think such cliches existed even within the Tower of Ordeal. Having grown up watching Harry Botter soaring on a broomstick, I found it hard to process.

To make matters worse, every other flying broom I checked came with the same limitation.

Why? What kind of mechanism is behind this?

Considering the vastness of the universe, surely there were a multitude of species that didn’t typically only have the male and female sexes. Probably, hermaphrodites[1], a third sex, or something entirely different.

Are they able to use these brooms, or are they excluded as well? Is this restriction something intentionally set by the original creator?

Ultimately, it didn’t matter. The tower clearly stated the brooms were off-limits to me. Maybe I should recommend them to Ha Hee-Jeong instead.

I sent her a half-joking message about the absurdity, to which she replied amusedly.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): 😂 If it’s got a restriction like that, it’s definitely associated with a god’s sphere of influence or power.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fourth Floor): A god?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): Yeah, think of it like a divine patent. The original divine creator set the limitation, and then it applies universally, even to replicas made by mortals.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fourth Floor): But how does that make sense? Even if the original was imbued with divine power, surely the later brooms were crafted by ordinary people.

I still couldn’t quite connect how a flying broom created by a mortal, a Soborn for instance, would suddenly gain some kind of divine restriction. Her explanation left me scratching my head.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): Don’t think of it as a normal invention. Think of it as a natural phenomenon, like fire. Whether it’s Earth’s fire or another planet’s, it burns the same way, right?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fourth Floor): Hmm, I guess that makes some sense.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): When it comes to anything tied to gods, you can’t apply normal logic.

She was essentially saying that magical brooms should be viewed as fundamental laws of nature, like water or gravity, rather than as crafted artifacts.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): Anyway, it sounds like it could work well for me. Better mobility wouldn’t hurt. Thanks for recommending it.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fourth Floor): Oh, since we’re on the topic, what do you think about stealing an airship? It could be useful for travel or even in battles.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): That’s actually a solid idea. They’re a bit vulnerable to attacks, but with mages onboard casting shields, they’d be pretty effective.

Her quick agreement showed we were on the same wavelength.

We tossed around ideas about which floor would be best for hijacking an airship, but couldn’t decide due to our lack of information. In the end, we decided to seize one if the opportunity arose.

For now, it was time to focus on combat training.

***

[14 hours 13 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

As I entered the training room and prepared to summon Roxanne, something felt off. The achievement points required to summon a training opponent varied based on their strength, and Roxanne’s cost was more than double that of the Overseer’s.

This suggested Roxanne was at least twice as powerful as the Overseer, which didn’t make sense. The Roxanne I knew wasn’t anywhere near that formidable.

Has she been hiding her true capabilities?

If I hadn’t noticed, it meant she could be stronger than me.

That seemed absurd, however. If she were that powerful, she would have annihilated the hunters single-handedly instead of merely holding them off—unless she deliberately chose to do so.

What am I missing? Was there something hidden on the thirty-first floor that I didn’t uncover?

The only way to find out was to face her directly. Just to be cautious, I toned down the difficulty.

As the points were deducted, Roxanne materialized at the center of the training room. Her piercing gaze locked onto me, brimming with hostility.

True to the nature of combat training, she remained silent as she drew her sword and charged.

She is definitely stronger than the airship captain, but...

Even so, her speed and strength didn’t surpass mine. Well, I had lowered the difficulty setting, but not to the point she wouldn’t display her normal strength.

So her physical strength isn’t her strong suit...

Twisting my wrist, I deflected her diagonal slash with an upward strike, and I could immediately tell the disparity in our strengths.

Her blade rebounded, and as it was flying backward, it suddenly swung back toward me, its momentum strangely nullified in an instant. She seemed to be channeling a spirit’s power.

Simultaneously, I felt myself and my axe grow heavier.

I guess Wind's Route isn’t at a high enough level yet.

Though I had activated the skill, her spirit had still wrestled control of some of the wind from me.

Fortunately, the gap between our abilities was still significant enough to overcome this disadvantage. Overpowering the suppression by brute force, I slammed my axe down onto her sword.

She is stronger than the Overseer, but not enough to justify the increase in cost.

Pressing forward, I aimed my axe at her neck. Roxanne released her grip and retreated hastily, her sword clattering to the floor. She began to chant, “Oh wind, in the stillness...”

Finally, she was showing her true abilities.

The air in the room shifted abruptly, becoming noticeably different than when she had utilized the wind spirit earlier. Gusts swirled around her, intensifying into a relentless storm. It felt as though the wind itself was turning against me.

“Protect the children of the wind.”

Behind Roxanne, a translucent figure emerged. It appeared to be a spirit, no, something far greater. The overwhelming presence left me momentarily stunned.

A notification appeared.

[Wind Spirit King]

A Spirit King...

So this was her hidden ace. No wonder Roxanne held such a prominent position within the elven council.

The Spirit King turned toward me, the gusts surrounding it following its gaze. The gusts’ sheer power instantly overwhelmed my Wind's Route skill, rendering it useless. I hurriedly activated Shadow Veil to shift positions unnoticed, but the gale managed to track my every move.

Damn it.

Lightning bolts dissipated as they cut through the fierce winds, losing much of their potency. This was no ordinary foe.

The relentless gale tore at me from every direction, growing stronger with each passing second. Even though I had reinforced myself with mana, the wind’s razor-sharp edges continued to slash at me.

I can’t believe this is just a weakened version of the Spirit King. Wow.

Winning seemed impossible. The only reason I was still standing was that the Spirit King hadn’t yet chosen to attack me directly.

Then, a melodic voice resonated throughout the room. “My memories are fragmented, power diminished, and the connection to Roxanne feels unnatural. Yet here stands a stranger wielding both the powers of the Breeze and the Shadow...”

When I didn’t respond, the storm’s intensity lessened slightly.

“So, we are but replicas here. And you, I assume, are a challenger.”

Challenger...

The word escaped from the Spirit King's mouth, a term I had grown familiar with during my ascent of the tower. However, its precise meaning remained elusive.

The absence of hostility in its tone was puzzling, piquing my curiosity. “What exactly is a challenger?"

“A challenger is simply a being who challenges. One has not appeared for a long time, but there is nothing more or less to it.”

What kind of bullshit, cryptic answer is this?

It sounded more like a riddle than an explanation. Still, the lack of animosity gave me hope that I could glean some insight, perhaps even something that Ha Hee-Jeong had yet to uncover.

“I have been addressed as a challenger, but no one has explained to me what it means. What does a challenger do?”

“They are the one the tower desires. Even if you succeed in your trials, it’s uncertain whether you’ll achieve what the tower seeks.”

“What does that mean?”

“Enough. That’s all I can share.”

I wanted to demand more, but the words wouldn’t come out. No, more accurately, I was speaking, but the sound waves were disappearing into thin air. The Wind Spirit King had likely cast some kind of spell.

“As someone imbued with the divine power of the Breeze, I cannot harm you.”

“...”

“Challenger, recognizing that you are merely a replica is a harrowing realization. Do not summon Roxanne again. No matter how many times you call upon her, I will not provide any further answers.”

Leaving those parting words, the spirit summoned a blade of wind that severed Roxanne’s neck. Her head dropped to the ground with a hollow thud, and just like that, the training session ended in an anti-climactic silence.

***

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

I took a deep breath and organized my thoughts.

Why did Roxanne, who can summon such an overwhelmingly powerful entity, only observe the hunting party instead of intervening?

The only explanation that came to mind was that summoning the Wind Spirit King could have sparked a war.

Still, was holding back really necessary? They were planning to commit acts of terror anyway.

Perhaps the trial was orchestrated solely to test me, and its broader implications were irrelevant.

Regardless, I felt reassured knowing that Roxanne couldn’t summon the Wind Spirit King to attack me directly, whether in person or during combat training. It had made that much clear, at least.

What lingered in my mind, however, were its cryptic remarks about challengers.

“They are the one the tower desires”

“It’s uncertain whether you’ll achieve what the tower seeks.”

Those phrases’ meanings eluded me. From what I understood, challengers were simply individuals who chose not to view the status window in the beginning. By conquering the tower, they would ascend as debt-free gods. That didn’t answer why the tower desired them, however.

Isn’t the whole point of the tower to seize ownership of planets? To force us into using status windows and manipulate us through deceitful messages?

The more I thought about it, the less sense it made. If the tower were truly malevolent, it wouldn’t compel us to assist weaker gods. Surely, a ruthless conqueror would have no need for such measures.

I was confused. The more I ascended the tower, the more my questions seemed to multiply.

Deciding to get a second opinion, I shared my thoughts with Ha Hee-Jeong, but even her response was uncertain.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): I’m not sure. Maybe the Wind Spirit King doesn’t have all the information... After all, it’s not a god.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fourth Floor): But its voice was so full of conviction.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): I don’t know. All I’m certain of is that the tower deceives us by forcing the status window upon us.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fourth Floor): Hmm... The more I think about it, the less it makes sense. If all the Tower of Ordeal wants is ownership of Earth, then why would it send us to assist gods like Fenrike or Blue Dawn Breeze?

Suddenly, I recalled the voice—which I presumed to be the tower’s—that I heard before entering the first floor. Unlike its usual detached tone, it had spoken warmly, even though I hadn’t chosen the status window. It had even wished me good fortune.

When I mentioned this to Ha Hee-Jeong, her response came swiftly.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): Wait, it said that?! Before regressing in time, I only ever heard the tower’s cold, emotionless voice.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fourth Floor): What if the tower’s true goal is to help us?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): Then why would it lie to us in the beginning?

That was the question I couldn’t answer.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): Ugh, I don’t know. All I’m certain of is that there are gods who want us to climb the tower properly. And I know this is a fact since it was one of those gods who sent me back in time.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fourth Floor): Right, you did mention there were factions among the gods.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): Exactly. But for now, we’re just pawns on their chessboard. Maybe we’ll only understand everything once we reach the top.

She was right. In a situation lacking concrete information, I could speculate all I wanted but couldn’t draw any definitive conclusions. There were undeniable inconsistencies, but we knew the tower had deceived us from the very start.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fourth Floor): Anyway, let’s focus on the thirty-fourth floor for now. So, basically, the thirty-fourth floor is...

1. An organism that possesses both male and female reproductive organs or characteristics, allowing it to produce both eggs and sperm. ☜