Chapter 3
When I woke up in the morning, I found Nika rubbing her cheek against mine, her eyes meeting mine.
“Did you sleep well?”
【I slept well!】
I patted Nika’s head, and she seemed delighted.
Is it because we’re contracted?
Yesterday was so chaotic that I didn’t even check her information.
“Status Window.”
【■■■■■ Veronica】
An ancient being mentioned in old texts.
It possesses immense power and can become either an ally or an enemy depending on its user.
Danger Level: Unmeasurable.
Danger level? And it’s unmeasurable!? As expected, she’s a terrifying being.
【I love master!】
She’s cute, so I guess it’s fine!
After healing for a while as Nika rubbed her cheek against mine, I finally came to my senses and stepped outside, only to find my sister waiting with a cold expression.
“Oppa, sit down.”
“Huh? Why so serious in the morning?”
“Sit.”
“Yes.”
As soon as I sat on the sofa, her shocking words came flying.
“When did you awaken?”
“How did you know!?”
“You’re not even trying to hide it.”
She pointed beside me, where Nika was floating calmly.
Even her floating looked cute. Wait, this isn’t the time for such thoughts.
I tried to come up with an excuse, but seeing my sister’s gaze, I decided to tell the truth.
“Well, it hasn’t been long… about three years…”
“Three years!?”
She stared at me, looking utterly dumbfounded. With no other choice, I confessed everything about my abilities.
“Sigh, I thought so. It was odd when you occasionally bought good meat…”
“Well, I do spend when it’s necessary.”
With a sigh, she held my hand tightly.
“Oppa, everything else is fine. Just don’t ever go into the Tower.”
“Um… I’ll try.”
“Don’t try—just don’t!”
“Ah! It hurts! I’m sorry! Don’t hit me!”
Using work as an excuse, I managed to escape from my sister.
Seriously, as expected of my sister, she worries a lot.
Carrying Nika inside my jacket so no one would see her, I walked toward the convenience store.
【Where are we going?】
“Heading to work. I need money to make a living.”
Nika’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me.
【Shall we go to the Tower?】
“Huh? The Tower? That’s a bit…”
They say if you want wealth and glory, you should enter the Tower.
But if a coward like me went in, I’d probably end up as a corpse within a minute.
【Just trust me!】
“Trust only you, Nika?”
Now that I think about it, Nika is incredibly strong.
Not only did she take down a giant wolf in one blow, but she also destroyed a whole building.
Maybe I should trust Nika and give it a shot?
Rewards are random anyway, so I might even find an Elixir on the first floor.
If I can get an Elixir, I can treat my sister.
Just then, my phone’s alarm went off.
It was the convenience store manager.
“Yes! Manager!”
“Don’t come in starting today. I’ll deposit your wages for this month.”
“What!? Manager!? What are you saying!?”
The call abruptly ended, and just like that, I became unemployed.
What is this?
As I stared at my phone in disbelief, I heard a voice.
【Shall I get rid of him?】
“Huh? No, it’s fine.”
At this point, it feels like the universe is pushing me to enter the Tower.
Should I just give it a try and only go to the first floor?
Entering the Tower is simple, isn’t it?
All I have to do is say 【Enter】 anytime, anywhere. But only awakened beings can do it.
And for someone indecisive like me, an essential tool: my phone.
I opened a ladder game app on my phone.
【Go in.】
【Don’t go in.】
Pressing it once, of course, 【Don’t go in】 came up.
…Should I try one more time?
After several consecutive “Don’t go in” results, finally, 【Go in】 appeared.
“It’s not dangerous, right? Right? I just need to trust you, Nika?”
【Just trust me!】
Nika spoke confidently.
Trusting her, I shouted.
“Enter!”
【Entering the Tower.】
With those words, the scenery around me instantly changed.
In front of me stood the massive Tower.
As I approached the entrance, the door slowly opened.
【First-time entry into the Tower confirmed.】
【Would you like to proceed with the tutorial?】
“Skip!”
A true man doesn’t bother with tutorials.
Besides, there are tons of tutorial videos online. There’s no need to waste time.
【For first-time Tower visitors, the tutorial is mandatory.】
And just like that, the tutorial began.
Then why did it even ask!?
【Welcome to the Tower, Awakened One.】
The rules of the Tower are simple:
- Each floor has a designated mission.
- Clearing the mission grants rewards and access to the next floor.
- If you give up the mission, you can exit the Tower, but you cannot re-enter for one week.
- Additional rewards are granted based on your clear time.
【Do you wish to enter the 1st floor?】
Accept / Decline
“Accept!”
【Entering the 1st floor.】
In an instant, I was transported to a vast plain, and a blue window appeared before me.
───────────────
【1st Floor Mission: Hunt 15 Horned Rabbits!】
───────────────
A straightforward mission.
Rabbits? Even I should be able to handle that, right?
No, I can’t. Look at their massive size.
The rabbit that appeared had horns and stood nearly 2 meters tall.
Its muscular body looked like it could kill me with one blow.
Noticing me, the already giant rabbit grew even larger and leaped high into the air.
“N-Nika!!”
【Eliminate!】
In an instant, Nika transformed into her massive form and sliced the horned rabbit in one blow.
───────────────
【1/15 Defeated.】
───────────────
One strike.
Nika, my protector, looked even more dependable.
【How dare you! How dare you! How dare you!】
With those words, Nika charged forward.
Now who’s going to protect me?
───────────────
【6/15 Defeated.】
───────────────
───────────────
【9/15 Defeated.】
───────────────
───────────────
【12/15 Defeated.】
───────────────
───────────────
【15/15 Defeated.】
───────────────
【Mission Complete!】
Rewards will be distributed.
【New record achieved on the 1st floor!】
You have been registered in the Hall of Fame.
【Do you wish to proceed to the next floor?】
Accept / Decline
“D-Decline.”
【Exiting the Tower.】
A bright light surrounded me, and I was transported back to the park I was in earlier.
Thankfully, no one was around to see me. I’ll need to be more cautious next time.
How much time has passed?
The tutorial took 4 minutes, and clearing the 1st floor took 1 minute.
What even is this…?
As I sat on a bench spacing out, Nika began snuggling up to me from my jacket.
【I like you!】
Where was the terrifying Nika who had just been slicing through horned rabbits? Now she was being utterly adorable.
I don’t know how else to say it, but it’s terrifyingly cute.
More importantly, what were my rewards?
Checking my inventory, I found two items:
『Growth Stone』
Enhances the summoned creature.
『Return Stone』
Safely returns you to a secure location.
When I handed the Growth Stone to Nika, her eyes sparkled as she asked if it was okay to eat it.
【Is this for me?】
“Of course. Go ahead and eat it.”
She swallowed the Growth Stone in one gulp and, satisfied, began showing more affection.
【I really like it!】
But is that all the rewards?
I feel like I didn’t gain much.
I think I need to go back in.
“Enter.”
【The Tower can only be entered once per day.】
“…”
I wandered outside until my part-time job ended and then returned home, where my sister greeted me.
“Oppa, you’re back?”
“Yeah. Are you hungry? I’ll make dinner right away.”
“I already cooked, so let’s eat!”
Oh, no.
“I-I ate outside, so…”
“Sit.”
“…Okay.”
As I sat at the dining table, I saw the meal my sister had prepared.
Something black.
【Poison?】
Even Nika was asking if it was poison.
My sister, looking offended, alternated her gaze between me and Nika before insisting it tasted fine and handed me a spoon.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I took a bite. Instantly, a festival erupted in my mouth.
What kind of festival?
No, wait—this feels more like a funeral.
“It’s… delicious.”
“Your face says otherwise.”
My sister, saying my taste must be strange, took a bite herself. Her expression instantly changed.
“…”
“…”
We stared at each other in stunned silence before my sister avoided my gaze.
“It’s just a one-time mistake.”
“Sure, sure. Should I make soy sauce egg rice instead?”
“I don’t want that.”
She rejected it firmly.
She’s pretending to dislike it even though she loves it.
—
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