How the Regressed Munchkin Chews Up the Tower - H.R.M.C.U.T Chapter 12 (Part 2):

‘Three steps to the left from here, then five steps forward.’

Like a veteran gamer who’d memorized a walkthrough, Yujin navigated with ease.

‘Well, I *am* a veteran.’

It wasn’t exactly wrong.

Leaving the flustered manager behind, he walked for quite a while.

It felt like about 30 minutes had passed.

Considering the size of the building, that should’ve been impossible, but in this place, it was.

“Should be about here.”

Thud—.

As he stopped, the surroundings began to change, as if they’d been waiting for him.

The indescribably bizarre space cleared away with a soft light, transforming into a new place.

‘It’s just as I remember.’

The ground was endlessly covered in pristine white marble, and the sky was filled with a black cosmos.

The moon and stars cast a mystical light downward, breathtakingly beautiful.

But even in the face of such an enchanting sight, Yujin frowned.

‘Disgusting bastard.’

He knew *exactly* what those beautiful rays of light truly were.

Step—.

“A new guest?”

A single step forward, and a lively woman’s voice rang out from behind.

“I don’t recall inviting you. How did you get here?”

He didn’t bother turning around.

There’d be nothing to see anyway.

“Took the elevator.”

“You know that’s not what I’m asking, don’t you?”

“If you’ve got questions, show yourself and ask. Where are your manners?”

“…You’re an interesting one.”

Sssssss—.

The sound of rustling fabric echoed through the air.

Not from behind, but above.

As if an angel were descending, a woman draped in flowing cloth gently landed on the marble.

“There, satisfied? Now I’ll ask again. How did you get here?”

A pretty face.

If you asked 100 people, 99 would give a thumbs-up.

The remaining one, of course, was Yujin.

“Didaskalia told me.”

He lied brazenly.

But Cupiditas’s expression hardened.

“Is your name Sung Yujin, by chance?”

“Word travels fast. Didaskalia must’ve been in a hurry, spreading the news everywhere.”

He smirked, and a smile spread across Cupiditas’s face as well.

It was far from warm.

Cruel, eerie, and reeking of blood.

“Fine. I’ll believe you.”

She likely knew Yujin’s words were a lie.

Yet she didn’t press further.

She was more curious about why he’d come to [Abyss].

“Normally, I’d have killed you. You’re an uninvited guest, after all. But I’ll make an exception this time.”

She gestured grandly, as if granting a great favor, her benevolence utterly out of place.

“I’ve been wanting to meet you. Didaskalia called a [Grand Council] because of you.”

“Oh, really?”

He feigned surprise, but he’d expected as much.

That coward would naturally do something like that.

The surprising part was Cupiditas herself.

“And how do *you* know about it? You’re not an Administrator, just a mere NPC.”

“At my level, you gain quite a bit of power. Not on par with the Administrators, of course.”

She answered as if it were no big deal.

But then.

“But do you even know what a [Grand Council] is, to speak so casually?”

The [Grand Council] was the highest assembly, convened only when a grave threat to the Tower’s management arose.

Players wouldn’t even know its name, let alone its existence.

Yet Yujin’s behavior suggested he knew exactly what it was.

“A meeting, right? A bunch of people gather to argue and fight with words? That’s what meetings are, from what I know. A [Grand Council]’s just a bigger one, maybe?”

Yujin shrugged as he spoke.

Cupiditas’s eyes grew cold at his flippancy.

“You’re quite good at dodging.”

“Thanks.”

She glared at Yujin, who took her sarcasm as a compliment, then sighed and raised her hands.

“Fine. I’ll look into the details myself.”

Seeing he had no intention of answering, she stepped back for now.

“So, tell me. Why are you here? You’re not planning to keep *this* a secret too, are you?”

This time, Yujin decided to answer honestly.

He’d been waiting for this question.

“Oh, it’s no big deal. Just came to make a request.”

“A request? Why should *I* grant it?”

They were meeting for the first time.

They knew each other’s names, but this was their first face-to-face encounter.

At least, that’s how it was for Cupiditas.

And yet, a request out of nowhere?

Such audacity could qualify as a B-rank skill, couldn’t it?

“If you don’t, I’ll destroy the Alchemist Guild.”

“…What did you just say?”

“This hell you created. This disgusting place, lit up by the screams of the dead for your amusement—I’m going to smash it to pieces.”

The beautiful, enchanting streams of light.

They were the anguished cries of souls burning themselves out until they perished.

Yujin hadn’t learned this truth until he reached the 80th floor.

And when he returned to Terra, he’d sliced Cupiditas in two and obliterated this place entirely.

“You vile, repulsive monster. Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

The countless souls, enough to illuminate the world.

They were the players who’d died on the 1st floor.

“I’d love to cut off your head and crush it under my foot right now, but unfortunately, I don’t have the strength for that yet.”

Yujin tapped 『Fire Dragon Blade [E]』 with his hand as he continued.

“So, in exchange for sparing your life, hand over your 『Subspace』, you XXX. That’s my request.” [TN: The Korean text uses “XXX” as a placeholder for a curse or insult.]

Dangun

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