Chapter 4
The 100th Floor (4)
Not long ago, somewhere within the Tower—
With her head lowered in the most respectful posture possible, the fairy silently endured a furious scolding.
“How in the world did this happen? A climber from the first floor reached the 100th floor? And on top of that, he cleared it?”
The roar shook the room.
Trembling, the fairy managed to answer.
“I-I apologize, Administrator. Normally, Divine-type rewards are obtained through the Angel’s Random Box… but the probability of drawing a ‘-2 Floor Escape Ticket’ has become practically zero.”
At her explanation, the Administrator let out a weary sigh.
“…The damage is already done. Excuses won’t change anything. That climber…”
The fairy unconsciously smiled as Yoo Jinhyuk’s face came to mind.
The only climber who had rushed toward a goblin to save others while everyone else was paralyzed by fear.
Earth was considered a weak world with little potential.
People with genuine courage were rare.
He was… interesting.
Although an impossible accident had occurred because of an absurd chain of coincidences, the fairy herself had developed a favorable impression of Yoo Jinhyuk.
“I am Climber Yoo Jinhyuk. I’m an incredibly lucky person.”
“No.”
The Administrator’s voice carried an unsettling hint of fear.
“Quite the opposite. He’s incredibly unlucky.”
The fairy tilted her head.
“Huh? But he conquered the 100th floor. Doesn’t that make him lucky?”
“Ha.”
The Administrator laughed hollowly.
“You fool.”
The fairy flinched.
“I can’t simply let him leave like this. But I can’t kill him either. The fact remains that he conquered the 100th floor.”
“Wh-What? Then… what are you going to do?”
“Unlike ordinary climbers, he must descend from the 100th floor to the 1st floor.”
For a moment, the fairy couldn’t understand what she’d just heard.
Then her eyes widened.
“Y-You mean… because he cleared the 100th floor, you’re sending him down to the 99th?”
The ruler of the 99th floor.
The Demon King.
Just remembering that existence made the fairy shudder.
There was absolutely no chance Yoo Jinhyuk could survive against such a monster.
And this time, there would be no level adjustment.
It would simply be a meaningless death.
“That’s… the same as sentencing him to death.”
“It cannot be helped. The Tower’s principle is that every trial must be overcome. The situation is unfortunate, but the principle itself cannot be broken. Therefore, the only option is to make Yoo Jinhyuk clear the floors in reverse order before leaving the Tower.”
“But Yoo Jinhyuk clearly has talent! If the issue is that he didn’t complete every floor, wouldn’t it be better to send him back to the second floor and let him climb normally?”
“That would violate the Tower’s laws.”
The Administrator shook his head.
“What do you think would happen if someone who received the rewards of the 100th floor descended to the second?”
Only then did the fairy understand.
The Administrator wasn’t trying to save the situation.
He was trying to erase it.
“You don’t want the Lords discovering the mistake… so you’re covering it up by killing him.”
The fairy swallowed hard and cautiously suggested another option.
“Then… why not simply let him leave the Tower?”
The Administrator’s expression darkened.
“Then he would remain in history as the climber who cleared the Tower in the shortest time while still at Level 2. Do you understand the problem?”
“Huh? Isn’t he just an ordinary person who happened to receive divine power?”
The Administrator nodded.
“That’s exactly the problem.”
The fairy blinked in confusion.
The Administrator sighed.
“The Leader.”
“…Ah!”
The color drained from the fairy’s face.
The Leader.
The first climber to conquer the 100th floor.
The traitor who had turned against the gods.
A monster who hunted weaker divinities, enslaved them, and devoured them.
Half of all hero-class climbers above the 80th floor had already been absorbed by him.
Even three Apostles had fallen.
To such a being, a Level 2 climber blessed with divinity would be nothing more than an easy meal.
The fairy couldn’t refute that terrifying truth.
“Do you understand now?” the Administrator asked quietly.
“For that child, a simple death would be a blessing. If we leave him alone, he’ll become a disaster for both himself and the Tower.”
“But…!”
The fairy clenched her fists.
Countless climbers died while ascending the Tower.
That was normal.
Those deaths existed within the Tower’s intended design.
The Tower selected the strong and sought candidates worthy of becoming Apostles.
Sacrifice was accepted for the sake of countless worlds.
It was considered necessary.
But Yoo Jinhyuk’s situation was different.
This wasn’t a trial.
This wasn’t destiny.
It was the result of the Tower’s mistake.
He would die without ever being given a fair chance.
And if he survived and escaped the Tower, he would likely be devoured by the Leader, granting even more power to an enemy determined to destroy the Tower itself.
“Even if the end result is death,” the Administrator continued, “he must descend.”
The fairy’s face twisted painfully.
The Administrator looked at her and spoke in a low voice.
“It can’t be helped. Eliminating a Rule Breaker is necessary for maintaining the Tower’s balance.”
“That may be true… but this was entirely my fault. Not his.”
The Administrator glanced at Jinhyuk’s records.
“It’s unfortunate. His potential was considerable.”
The fairy remained silent.
“Awakening good karma during the very first trial is rare. Had he climbed normally, he might have reached the 60th floor or even higher.”
The words only made the fairy feel worse.
“However,” the Administrator continued, “I cannot abandon principle for the sake of possibility. The reason I’ve managed countless dimensional Towers without wavering is because I have never made exceptions. Will you throw away the greater good because of personal feelings?”
“N-No.”
“Good. Then deliver his reward and send him down the Tower.”
“I understand.”
In the end, the fairy obeyed.
It was my mistake.
I can’t make him suffer any more than this.
Dying at the Demon King’s hands is probably the most merciful outcome available.
As she made her way toward Jinhyuk, she bit her lip.
The accident had happened during her very first assignment.
And now the climber she liked most was heading toward a meaningless death.
The 100th floor had been a miracle.
But clearing the 99th floor?
Impossible.
The Demon King was a monster whose power rivaled that of the gods.
“Yeah… I’d rather help you die quickly.”
That was why she prevented Jinhyuk from choosing a shield.
Even a mythical shield would only prolong his suffering.
Giving him a faster, less painful death seemed like the only kindness she could offer.
Then—
“I’ll choose this one.”
“Ah—No!”
The fairy’s face went pale.
Jinhyuk had chosen the Infinite Regression Ticket.
If he activated it on the 99th floor, he would repeat death endlessly until his mind finally broke.
A fate worse than death.
I can’t let that happen!
The fairy desperately protested.
“I can’t allow this! Jinhyuk, this is for your own sake!”
But Jinhyuk was stubborn.
“If you truly care about me, then respect my choice.”
The fairy squeezed her eyes shut.
“Ugh… I’m definitely going to be punished for this. I might never be allowed to serve as a guide again.”
As a guide, revealing information about a floor was strictly forbidden.
Yet she began speaking anyway.
“You can never defeat the Demon King of the 99th Floor.”
Jinhyuk listened quietly.
The Demon King was an existence so powerful that even the gods couldn’t guarantee victory against him.
“There are no absolutes,” Jinhyuk replied calmly.
“My being on the 100th floor should have been impossible too.”
“No.”
The fairy shook her head.
“This situation is different. You cannot win. No matter what you do. The Infinite Regression Ticket isn’t a miracle.”
Then she added:
“And because the Stream System never weakened him, this Demon King is probably the strongest one in all of Tower history.”
“The Stream System?”
“The battle against the Demon King officially begins on the 91st floor. Climbers are supposed to destroy fragments of the Demon King across nine floors before facing him.”
“But I’m starting on the 99th.”
“Exactly. You’ll be facing him at full power.”
The fairy lowered her gaze.
“Though honestly… the result would be the same either way.”
After a moment of silence, Jinhyuk spoke.
“If that’s true, then you were planning to kill me from the beginning.”
The words pierced her heart.
“…I’m sorry.”
Guilt spread across her face.
“I lied because I wanted to give you a peaceful final rest.”
Her voice trembled.
“This was my first day on the job. I’m truly sorry things turned out this way.”
Then she slowly lifted her head.
“Let me be clear. Dying at the Demon King’s hands is far better than being captured by the Leader outside the Tower.”
“Yeah, I get it.”
Jinhyuk nodded.
“So you’re basically telling me to quietly die on the 99th floor.”
The fairy nodded grimly.
“I know it’s shameless, but that’s genuinely the best outcome available for you.”
“No.”
“…What?”
“I won’t do what you say. I’ve been given a chance to fight. I’m not interested in dying quietly.”
“I-I don’t think you understand. The Demon King is unbeatable, and the Infinite Regression Ticket means endless death!”
“That’s enough.”
Jinhyuk’s voice was calm.
“I’ve already made my decision.”
The fairy felt a deep sense of frustration.
Why would someone willingly walk toward such unimaginable suffering?
But as a guide, she couldn’t force a climber’s choice.
In the end, Jinhyuk selected the Infinite Regression Ticket.
Unless another miracle occurred, his fate was sealed.
[You have selected the Infinite Regression Ticket.]
[Would you like to use it?]
“Yes.”
“Then I’m off,” Jinhyuk said.
“Maybe we’ll meet again someday.”
The fairy could only watch helplessly as he headed toward the 99th floor.
…He’s doomed.
From now on, Jinhyuk would continue dying and regressing endlessly.
Only when his mind finally shattered and he fell into complete mental collapse would the cycle end.
Only then would true death arrive.
How much pain would he suffer before that happened?
At the very least, she had wanted to spare him that agony.
The fairy sat down and quietly sobbed for a long time.
Eventually, she forced herself to stand.
She wasn’t responsible only for Jinhyuk.
There were still countless climbers throughout the Tower who needed guidance.
“Sniff…”
Wiping away her tears, she offered a final prayer.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop you, Jinhyuk…”
Then the fairy returned to the first floor.
Because for Yoo Jinhyuk—the climber destined to descend—there was no hope left at all.
