How the Regressed Munchkin Chews Up the Tower - H.R.M.C.U.T Chapter 28 (Part 2):
『Divinely Blessed Body [S]』.
He knew all too well the sweetness this trait offered.
The acceleration of thought and 『Unity of Mind and Body [E]』.
The synergy with 『Divinely Blessed Body [S]』 was just too good.
It wasn’t for nothing that Yujin called 『Unity of Mind and Body [E]』 divine and 『Divinely Blessed Body [S]』 invincible.
The synergy between his unique ability and these two traits was beyond imagination.
That’s why he was paralyzed by indecision.
“Argh, damn it. I give up.”
Yujin scratched his head furiously and closed his eyes.
‘Just pick one.’
Whichever he chose, it would be a massive help.
So, he figured he’d leave it to chance and pick randomly.
His luck had been insane lately, so this might actually be better than choosing deliberately.
With his eyes closed, he opened the 【Akasha System】’s 【Status Window】 and decided to jab his finger at one of the two options.
To avoid picking something else by mistake, he didn’t even display the other options.
Just the two.
Taking a deep breath, Yujin steeled himself, activated the 『Enhancement Stone』, and thrust his finger forward.
*Tiing-.*
A faint sensation.
His finger had touched the 【Status Window】.
Swallowing hard, he slowly opened his eyes.
‘What’s it gonna be?’
Half-worried, half-excited, Yujin tilted his head as he fully opened his eyes.
“Huh?”
Contrary to his expectations, his finger was pointing at something completely unrelated to the two traits.
“What the…?”
He was sure his finger had touched something.
That meant the 『Enhancement Stone』 had selected a target.
But his finger was pointing at empty space, not either of the two S-rank traits.
Unable to comprehend the situation, he blinked a few times, and suddenly, a bright light burst forth.
“What, what’s that?!”
Startled, Yujin leaned back, eyes wide.
At the same time, text appeared.
—
■ Target for enhancement selected.
■ Target: 【Akasha System】.
■ Estimated enhancement time: 32 hours.
■ Enhancement commencing.
—
His jaw wouldn’t close.
He’d meant to enhance a trait, and it was enhancing the 【Akasha System】?
Was that even possible?
No one had ever considered it, let alone tried it.
“Sh-shit?!”
The only thing Yujin could manage to spit out was a curse.
He’d hoped for a lottery win, but this felt like hitting the jackpot on a two-month rollover.
* * *
“They’re dead?”
Ishia froze in place, her face etched with shock.
Park Jihoo was no different.
These were people who were alive just yesterday.
Sure, they’d been running for their lives, screaming, but they were still breathing, talking, hunting alongside them.
And now they were all dead?
The terror of the Tower of Light suddenly felt one step closer.
‘It’s fine. I’ve seen this before in the tutorial.’
Dozens had died there.
Ishia had witnessed their deaths up close.
She thought she’d be okay.
But… she wasn’t.
The death of a complete stranger and the death of someone she’d exchanged even a single word with carried different weights.
Even seeing someone die of old age was heavy enough, but these people were murdered.
By monsters called monsters.
By the monster called the Tower of Light.
For no reason other than bad luck.
They’d met their end in this strange, unfamiliar world.
‘They’ll never see their families again. Or their friends. No one will mourn their deaths.’
Because no one would know they’d died here.
That realization made her fear swell tenfold.
She wanted to run.
To escape this damned Tower.
Sung Yujin, monsters, Administrators—it didn’t matter.
Damn it all, she just wanted to return to reality, to her real life.
“Sis.”
But that was impossible.
There was only one way to fully escape the Tower.
To reach the top floor, defeat the final boss, and clear it completely.
There was no other way.
That truth brought endless despair.
“Sis!”
Park Jihoo’s shout pulled Ishia back.
The fear and darkness gnawing at her mind seemed to lift all at once.
“Are you okay?”
His worried face.
It was hard to believe this was the same boy who showed such strength in battle against monsters—so innocent now.
‘Even a kid like this is holding on.’
Ishia bit her lip.
Blood seeped from the torn skin.
A metallic taste.
The same taste she’d had her fill of yesterday while fighting Red Goblins.
Her clouded mind cleared, and calm returned.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Forcing a smile, Ishia ruffled Park Jihoo’s hair.
Yes, even a kid not yet twenty was fighting with everything he had to survive.
If he could do it, so could she.
Luckily, she’d met that lunatic Sung Yujin, leveling up at a pace incomparable to other players, right?
If she stuck with him, someday—truly, someday—she’d reach the top of the Tower.
Her whole life, she’d lived passively, drifting without a clear goal.
But in this moment, Ishia set a single goal in her heart.
‘I’ll clear the Tower.’
And she’d return to the family waiting for her.
Alive, no matter what.
“Let’s go.”
At her words, Park Jihoo hesitated for a moment before nodding.
He seemed a bit worried about the half-crazed man.
Ishia felt the same.
“Sir, come with us.”
She couldn’t offer much help, but she could at least get him a warm meal.
Of course, she’d need Sung Yujin’s permission first.
Supporting the dazed man, Ishia and Park Jihoo began heading back to [Starlight Wayfarer].