How the Regressed Munchkin Chews Up the Tower - H.R.M.C.U.T Chapter 10 (Part 2):

Yujin carefully stroked the black scabbard, then looked at Citadel’s hand.

Noticing his gaze, Citadel exclaimed, “Ah!” and spoke.

“The second item you mentioned.”

Unlike 『Black Wing [C]』, it was quite small.

Barely the size of a palm?

Yujin smiled.

“『Grace [C]』.”

“That’s right. This is 『Grace [C]』, you damn thief.”

Yujin took the item, ignoring Citadel’s grumbling.

A bracelet in a radiant, beautiful white, the complete opposite of 『Black Wing [C]』.

‘To think I’d get this. Talk about luck.’

Unlike the sword, this was for his own use.

“How the hell did you know about this?”

Like 『Black Wing [C]』, 『Grace [C]』 was an item secretly passed down in his family.

To know about it so precisely was beyond strange—it was suspicious.

“You don’t need to know.”

Yujin smirked and fastened the bracelet on his left wrist.

■ 『Grace [C]』 : Slightly increases magical power.

For Yujin, still at a low level, it was a vital item.

The description said [slightly], but the actual effect was far beyond that.

Whoooosh—!

It felt like a breeze was blowing within his body.

The trickling stream of mana had swelled into a roaring river in an instant.

The actual increase in mana likely matched the sensation.

‘Good call asking for this too.’

Unlike 『Black Wing [C]』, 『Grace [C]』 wasn’t something Yujin used in his first run.

But he knew well how effective it was.

Its original owner was a nobody, so it was better for Yujin to take it for himself.

He’d gotten everything he needed here.

“I’m off then. Take care of the flames. Don’t let them go out again.”

Yujin turned without hesitation, waving a hand.

“Huh? You’re leaving already?”

“What, you want us to hold hands and throw a celebration party?”

“That’s not it, but…”

Citadel seemed reluctant to let his benefactor leave so abruptly.

But Yujin felt differently.

He had a mountain of tasks waiting.

Bonding and chatting could wait until after he’d smashed the Tower and stopped the world’s end.

“If we get the chance, let’s meet again.”

Though he doubted that would happen.

Leaving Citadel, who seemed about to call out again, Yujin exited [Citadel’s Golden Hammer].

Fresh air greeted him.

He must’ve been inside longer than he thought, as it had felt a bit stifling.

“Hoo—!”

Taking a deep breath to shake off the lingering smell of metal, Yujin began walking.

“Should I get 『Subspace』 first, or the horse?”

Both were important.

But considering the route, 『Subspace』 was slightly closer.

“That way, then.”

He knew the path well enough to walk it blindfolded.

As Yujin headed toward the main road, a massive crowd caught his eye.

“There’s a lot more now.”

It seemed players had started pouring in earnest.

Hundreds of fools were milling about, gawking at the main street.

How many of them would survive this time?

‘If things go according to my plan, quite a few should make it.’

He wasn’t moving for their sake, but that would be the result.

Watching the players wander like village idiots, Yujin quickened his pace.

‘With so many kids around, how is there not a single useful one?’

If only the Sword Empress appeared right now, how perfect would that be?

It’d save time, and he could build a bond early while helping her grow.

But finding her in the vast expanse of [Terra] was like searching for a needle in a desert…

“Hm?”

Someone caught Yujin’s eye.

Short bobbed hair and large eyes.

A youthful face, barely twenty, with a tense, wary expression.

“It’s the Sword Empress.”

A needle in a desert, my a*s.

He found her immediately.

She was walking slowly, cautiously, as if on guard in this unfamiliar place. Entranced, Yujin headed toward her.

‘She looks younger than I remember, but it’s definitely her.’

She might look like this now, but in a year, she’d be a top-tier player, renowned across the Tower.

Flinch—!

Had she noticed Yujin approaching, staring straight at her?

The Sword Empress shrank back, her hand moving to her waist.

‘A sword?’

Probably an item from the tutorial floor’s treasure hunt.

To find a sword even there.

Maybe she was destined to become the Sword Empress.

“…Don’t come any closer. If you keep approaching, I’ll draw this.”

Her stance was sloppy.

She’d likely never handled anything sharper than a kitchen knife.

Yet the sharp aura she exuded spoke volumes of her talent.

To ease her wariness, Yujin approached cautiously.

“Hey, I’m not a weird guy or anything.”

For a moment, Yujin recalled a line strongly recommended by so-called pickup artists.

『How to naturally talk to a woman you’re meeting for the first time.』

『Man』: You dropped your beauty.

『Woman』: Huh? What’s that…

『Man』: [Pretending to pick something up] Here, the beauty you dropped.

『Woman』: Hahaha!

『Man』: Honestly, I was really drawn to you. Could I get your number?

『Woman』: You don’t say this to every woman you pass, do you?

『Man』: Not every woman drops their beauty as they pass.

『Woman』: Oh, what’s that supposed to mean?

‘Alright, let’s go with this.’

Loosen the mood with a compliment and ease into a greeting.

It was the best approach Yujin could think of.

Mentally rehearsing the lines, he opened his mouth with a smile.

“You lost your beauty.”

“…Huh?”

No, damn it.

That’s not it.

Dangun

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