Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn't-Chapter 123: Thirty-First Floor, Whale Hunt (6)

[Drive away the sky whales from the vicinity of Mount Tumay. Time remaining: 157 hours 6 minutes.]

The prospect of finally meeting a worthy opponent excited me. Lately, the lack of meaningful battles had not only been frustrating me but also hindering my growth. Though the Overseer and Great Warlord of Terror had challenged me when I first faced them, those encounters were disappointingly brief and could no longer push me.

Considering all of that, the captain was a rare find. He was a formidable adversary, the likes of which I hadn’t faced in ages. I didn’t want this fight to end too quickly, and I could spare a few minutes without affecting the mission.

From the moment my fingers wrapped tightly around the axe’s haft, the familiar surge of adrenaline coursed through me, filling me with the thrill of combat.

I should limit my use of Lightning Essence. Oh, Master of Shadows and Flash Strike will make the fight too easy as well.

Blue arcs of electricity crackled along the axe’s edge as I prepared for the captain’s approach. Seeing that he hadn’t moved yet, I approached him cautiously. He watched me with an unsettling calmness as I closed the gap.

This would mark my first time—in a while—facing a mace-wielding opponent.

What will his first move be?

My muscles tautened in anticipation as I braced myself. A moment later, the captain surged forward as he swung the mace upward in a diagonal arc.

A mace and an axe have different ideal use cases. Hmm, I am disadvantaged in a direct clash.

I adjusted my pace accordingly, planting my right foot firmly to slow my momentum while leaning back.

Whoosh!

The mace roared above my chest, missing me by mere inches. A blunt rush of displaced air stung my senses, emphasizing the weapon’s destructive force.

Before I could counter, the captain raised his mace high above his head and then brought it down brutally.

I can’t block that with my current stance.

My instincts kicked in again. I spun on my heel, pivoting left to avoid the downward swing as I simultaneously sliced my axe parallel to the ground. The captain retreated just in time, dodging the strike by a hair’s breadth.

Murmurs of awe arose from the observing elves.

With the initiative momentarily mine, I pressed forward, trying to catch him off-guard. The crisp, dawn air filled my lungs as my axe swung upward diagonally, its blade whistling through the sharp breeze.

“Haah!”

Caught off guard by my acceleration, the captain’s breathing caught slightly. Still, he managed to counter my attack, intercepting the axe with his mace, albeit clumsily.

Clang!

Metal struck metal with a resonant clash, and both weapons rebounded from the force of impact. The ensuing struggle turned into a test of sheer strength.

Who will redirect their weapon first?

Tightening my grip, I strained the muscles in my wrists and elbows, managing to steady the weapon’s rebound almost instantly. The captain’s mace, however, retained its backward trajectory.

Seizing the opportunity, I unhesitatingly extended my arms before halting the blade of my axe mere inches from his throat. The fight had been brief, but it stirred a thrill I hadn’t felt in ages, a lingering satisfaction that had been more fulfilling than anticipated.

The captain’s eyes wavered, his defiant gaze now slightly doubtful.

“I have no intention of spilling blood. This seems over unless you’re eager to continue?”

Instead of responding, the captain locked eyes with me. His expression was a tangle of emotions I couldn’t decipher.

Several tense moments passed before his grip on the mace slackened. The heavy weapon dropped to the ground, the dull thud breaking the silence.

“No, I’m done.”

“Thank you.”

The captain studied me, curious and bemused. “You’re not what I expected. I thought you were just some spoiled brat with a strong family backing. Guess I was wrong and rumors can’t be trusted.”

I responded with a faint smile, finding no need to argue.

A spoiled brat with influential parents...

So those were the hunting captain’s supposed connections.

As I pondered his words, the elves rushed forward to restrain the captain. Their efficiency was impressive, leaving the captain with no ability to resist.

Roxanne approached, a smile tugging at her lips. “Well done. You fight with remarkable composure.”

“Haha...”

I felt awkward, reconsidering my earlier assessment of her abilities. If she could analyze the fight so precisely, she was undoubtedly stronger than I had initially assumed.

I wondered if I should test her strength directly. Sparring with Roxanne could be a worthwhile challenge, so I made a mental note to ask her once this mission was over.

Breaking the silence, she gestured toward the airship. “Shall we move on?”

***

[Drive away the sky whales from the vicinity of Mount Tumay. Time remaining: 156 hours 48 minutes.]

Aboard the airship, I found myself surprisingly idle. The elves worked efficiently, adjusting dials and levers until the engine roared to life.

At first, the noise was deafening, but after Roxanne motioned subtly, it faded into an eerie silence. Though the sound had vanished, the vibrations beneath my feet remained steady, a constant reminder of the engine’s activity.

“Did you use spirits to dampen the noise?”

“Yes, the sky whales hate the sound of airship engines.”

“I see.”

I recalled how sky whales had been known to ram airships, causing me to mull some things over.

With everything in running order, the airship lifted gracefully into the sky. It swayed briefly, then stabilized by leveling out as it adjusted its direction. I leaned over the side, mesmerized by the surreal sensation of floating in the air.

Then, Roxanne spoke, disrupting my thoughts, “Could you bring out the baiting incense now?"

“Oh, right. Of course."

I pulled out the sacks of baiting incense from the mimic and laid them out on the deck. Meanwhile, Roxanne let out a wide yawn, her exhaustion finally catching up to her after a night of relentless stress.

“Tired?"

She chuckled faintly. “Not exactly. It’s more that I haven’t had a proper meal in days. It’s taking a toll on me."

“Ah... Finding food is tough.”

“Yes, there aren’t even many pests to slaughter in Mount Tumay."

I refrained from commenting further as it was her belief, her choice, and I wasn’t in a position to judge. Still, conflicting thoughts swirled in my mind. On one hand, it seemed unnecessarily grueling, but on the other, I admired her unwavering commitment to her principles even under such conditions.

Feeling a pang of guilt, I mentally sifted through the supplies I had stored in the mimic. However, nothing seemed suitable for an elf.

Roxanne seemed to have read my expression and flashed a bright smile. “It’s fine. Going a month without food is nothing for an elf.”

Despite her reassurance, I found it hard to shake my concern.

To spare her any discomfort, I swiftly changed the topic. “By the way, how are we going to wrangle all the sky whales? Will we just circle the mountain range until they all group up?"

Almost immediately, I realized how stupid my question sounded. The mountain range was vast, and missing even one whale could spell failure. Anxiety crept in as I considered the enormity of the task.

Roxanne waved dismissively as if we shouldn’t worry about it. “Oh, come on. Do you really think we’d scour the entire mountain range like that?"

“Then... what’s the plan?"

“Did you forget about the wind spirits? By midday, they will have pinpointed the location of every sky whale in the area."

“Oh..."

Her words left me momentarily dumbfounded. Roxanne chuckled at my reaction, clearly finding my astonishment amusing.

Of course. That explained how the elves had consistently thwarted the hunting party. Unlike my prior assumption, they hadn’t just been hidden away in the forest waiting for the hunters to make their move. The realization hit me like a tidal wave.

The spirits were able to map the entire mountain range in such a short span of time? They are capable of more than I expected.

Sensing my unease, Roxanne spoke as if soothing a baby, “Don’t worry. We’ll have everything under control. Didn’t you say you had a time limit? We’ll finish in time."

Her reassurance eased my concerns, and I allowed myself to enjoy the sensation of the wind on my face.

Feeling settled, I turned my gaze toward the vast landscape below.

***

[Drive away the sky whales from the vicinity of Mount Tumay. Time remaining: 154 hours 56 minutes.]

Bathed in the morning sunlight, six sky whales swam gracefully behind the airship. The sight was as breathtaking as ever, stirring a sense of awe within me that never seemed to fade.

Even Doppy watched with wide, fascinated eyes, despite its fatigue. “Kriee! Su-Yeok! Another one’s coming!"

As the seventh sky whale joined the formation, I realized we had gathered them all. Roxanne had mentioned there were exactly seven sky whales living in the skies above Mount Tumay, so this was the last.

Contrary to my fears, herding them hadn’t been difficult.

A simple whiff of baiting incense was enough to guide them along, causing my initial worries about running out of incense to vanish. Though the elves had used the baiting incense liberally, the wind spirits preserved it effectively, preventing waste.

Of course, some of it still dissipated. Thankfully, if we keep using it at this rate, there will be at least ten bags left over by the end of this mission.

I couldn’t help but feel grateful that I had chosen to negotiate rather than continue fighting. Without the elves' assistance, this hidden mission would have been impossible. Truly, the wind spirits deserved praise.

Obviously pleased as well, Roxanne stretched with a contented sigh. “Ah, how fortunate. The last one was already on the path to Regium. We’re done here. Good job.”

“Nah, don’t thank me, you and the other elves have done all the hard work since we secured the airship. By the way, about how long is the journey to Regium’s eastern plains?"

“Once we’re out of the mountains, it’ll take about five days.”

I nodded and let my gaze drift beyond the airship. Sunlight now bathed the valleys below, the golden rays creeping steadily across the rugged landscape.

At that moment, a notification window appeared.

[Congratulations. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the thirty-first floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Sky Whale Hunt.]

What? Is that it? The thirty-first floor has ended already?

Instead of relief, I felt a mix of surprise and bewilderment.

So, I didn’t need to guide the sky whales all the way to the eastern plains of Regium... All I needed to do was shepherd them out of this mountain range?!

[By initiating the hidden mission ‘Sky Whale Protector,’ Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has caused the overarching, inter-floor trial to deviate from its original course. The thirty-second and thirty-third floors have been changed.]

The trial deviated?

I hadn’t encountered that specific phrase in the system notifications before. The closest one I could think of was the message after the sixteenth floor stating that the tower had changed its path and several floors had collapsed. I couldn’t fully grasp what was happening, but it was clear that this change had been triggered by my decision to save the sky whales.

I quickly turned to Roxanne. My sudden reaction seemed to have been too strong, as she was looking back at me concernedly.

[Welcome to the thirty-second floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Sky Whale Protector.]

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has betrayed the hunters and allied with the elves in an effort to save the sky whales. To achieve his goal, he has to fend off hunters from major cities and evade the kingdom’s pursuit.]

[Safely guide as many sky whales as possible to the eastern plains of Regium. Time remaining: 154 hours 52 minutes.]

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down as I read through the new trial instructions.

Just like on the eleventh floor, there was no waiting room. The system had directly switched me to the next floor, although this time, the remaining time hadn’t changed either.

Okay, let’s assess the situation rationally.

First, saving the sky whales has obviously changed the scenario.

Originally, the trial had involved hunting alongside the hunting party. That mission, and the consequences it would have brought, were gone. In its place, a new challenge had appeared.

Is this a setback? No, in fact, this may be an advantage.

After all, I still intended to guide the whales to Regium’s eastern plains. Now, I had the chance to complete my original goal while also clearing an additional floor.

Well, this also means the difficulty has increased.

The trial now explicitly stated that I would be chased by hunters and the kingdom’s forces. I was fairly sure that was because the airship captain and the hunters had reported my actions to their superiors. They were coming for me.

“Are you all right?" Roxanne’s gentle voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Ah, yes. I’m fine. Some unpleasant memories resurfaced for a moment."

She nodded, accepting my vague answer without pressing further.

“I’ll take a short break. Let me know if anything happens—"

“Wait!" Roxanne grabbed my shoulder before I could take another step. Startled, I turned to face her.

“You can’t go in yet.”

“What’s going on?"

She hesitated before explaining, “My friends are still tidying up the cabin. It’s better if you wait a bit longer."

“Okay, but that’s fine.”

It seemed she was trying to be considerate, but I really needed some time alone to think.

However, Roxanne firmly grabbed my wrist, her expression resolute. “No, my friends are very particular about cleanliness. All the dust they are blowing around will make the cabin quite uncomfortable. I’ll tell them to finish quickly, so please wait just a little longer."

***

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has defeated the airship’s captain. His stats have increased. His skills have leveled up. Strength and Agility increased by 1. Wind’s Route is now lvl 4.]

「Invisible message: The thirty-second floor: Return and Assault and the thirty-third floor: The Small Orb Launched by the Hunters will no longer apply to Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok.]