How the Regressed Munchkin Chews Up the Tower - H.R.M.C.U.T Chapter 7 (Part 1):

Typically, the first thing players do upon arriving in [Terra] is blink in confusion.

Having somehow survived the tutorial floor and reached the 1st Floor, they find themselves utterly clueless about what to do next.

No one like Didaskalia exists anymore to kindly explain things.

From now on, players must forge their own path relying solely on their own strength.

Back in his first run, Yujin had been just as bewildered as the other idiots.

He hadn’t known where anything was or what he was supposed to do—completely lost.

But not now.

Yujin knew exactly what he needed to do first.

Step-.

Unlike the players who hadn’t even set foot in Terra yet, his strides were unhesitating.

Vivid, colorful decorations adorned the pristine canvas of white.

Contrary to its majestic first impression, the interior of Terra was dazzlingly ornate.

No matter where he cast his gaze, the opulent cityscape imprinted itself on his eyes like a photograph.

“Is that a new player?”

“It’s begun again.”

“But how did he get up here so fast?”

“Probably the shortest time ever. 【Akasha】 must be quite pleased.”

The NPCs’ whispers reached his ears.

Even to them, it seemed Yujin had ascended to the 1st Floor at an astonishing speed.

Their curious and expectant glances confirmed as much.

For Yujin, too, the sight of this scenery after so long made him keenly aware that he had truly returned to the past.

‘Never thought I’d see these guys again.’

When the world ended, the Tower of Light had crumbled with it.

What had become of the NPCs in the process, Yujin didn’t know.

Had they perished alongside everyone else, or had the 【Akasha System】 relocated them elsewhere?

The latter seemed more likely.

The NPCs appeared to have experienced situations like this multiple times before.

‘Well, whatever. Doesn’t matter either way.’

It was nice to see them, but they weren’t important enough for Yujin to waste his time on.

The most urgent thing he needed to meet wasn’t these ordinary folk gawking at him like a spectacle.

‘Here it is.’

Drawing the attention of the NPCs as he walked through the luxurious streets, Yujin came to a stop in front of a small shop.

[Citadel’s Golden Hammer]

Scrawled carelessly on a wooden sign so old it seemed on the verge of rotting was the shop’s name.

In stark contrast to the splendid and beautiful buildings around it, this place was downright shabby.

Yujin nodded as he took it in.

“Just as I heard.”

At first, no player had paid this place any mind.

Its rundown exterior was one thing, and with the door always shut, it didn’t even seem open for business.

On top of that, the owner’s personality was supposedly quite abrasive, giving players little reason to care.

Of course, some curious souls had poked around, hoping for hidden treasures, only to leave with nothing but insults.

“But there really was something here.”

Was it about three years after being summoned to the Tower of Light?

A rumor began to spread that Citadel’s Golden Hammer held a beautiful black sword named 『Black Wing [C]』.

For a while, players had gone wild trying to get their hands on it.

“In the end, it fell into *that guy’s* hands, though.”

Recalling old memories, Yujin raised his fist and knocked on the tightly shut door of Citadel’s Golden Hammer.

*Bang bang bang-!*

A heavy thud echoed.

As expected, no response came.

Yujin let out a *snicker-* and simply pushed the door open.

Creakkkkk-.

The rusty hinges screamed as if they hadn’t been opened in ages.

“What bastard dares enter without the owner’s permission?!”

Only then did a booming shout erupt from inside.

“That’s how you talk to a customer?”

“What?!”

“Judging by your voice, you don’t sound *that* old. Are you hard of hearing already? I said, you’ve got a customer!”

Thud- thud-!

Whether it was the weight of the footsteps or shoddy flooring, the ground trembled with each step.

Finally, the owner revealed himself.

A bushy beard.

Arms as thick as pillars.

Piercing, intense eyes.

He was the kind of man ten out of ten passersby would point at and yell, “Blacksmith!”

“I’m not taking customers for a while. Get out while I’m still being nice.”

But his face didn’t look well.

The stench of alcohol wafted with every word, and his complexion was ashen.

“You don’t exactly look like you’re in a position to be picky about customers. Trying to starve yourself to death?”

The man, who seemed ready to collapse at any moment, flushed red with anger.

“…This son of a b*tch.”

A gust of alcohol-soaked breath came rushing out with a *whoosh-.*

“Guess I’ll have to break a bone or two before your ears start working…!”

“Citadel.”

The man, who had been rolling up his sleeves and advancing, froze at Yujin’s cold voice.

“That’s your name, right?”

[Citadel’s Golden Hammer] was named after him.

Of course, that wasn’t some grand secret that needed to be hidden from the world.

Every NPC in the area knew it.

But what came next was different.

“I hear you’ve got a problem lately. What was it again…? Oh, right. Something about letting an important flame go out?”

Citadel’s eyes widened.

Already large, they grew so big it seemed his eyeballs might pop out.

“H-How do you know that?! No, wait! You’re not from around here!”

Drunk as he was, he finally realized Yujin was a player.

“Yep, I’m a player. Just arrived on the 1st Floor.”

“Then that makes even less sense.”

The worry that had driven Citadel to drown himself in alcohol was something even other NPCs didn’t know about.

It wasn’t the kind of thing that would do him any good if it got out, so he hadn’t told a soul.

Yet here was a player—fresh from the tutorial floor, no less—somehow privy to it?

“Is *how* I know important?”

Yujin’s motto was always the same.

Results over process.

Results over reasons.

Results over causes.

Only results held absolute value.

Processes, reasons, causes—those could be mulled over slowly after everything was done.

“Or is it more important that I know how to solve your problem?”

Dangun

I'm currently Translating the following novels: "Labyrinth Exploration 101" & "The Monarch Who Levels Up by Devouring " If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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