The academy didn't sleep that night.
Neither did the world.
By morning, every screen—phones, televisions, billboards, even hacked dungeon-rune displays—was showing the same headline.
BREAKING NEWS
S-RANK DUNGEON VANISHES WITHOUT A TRACE
GUILD MASTER PARK JINHYUK DECLARED MISSING
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT INVOLVED
I watched the news from the F-Rank dorm cafeteria, spooning instant noodles into my mouth while students whispered around me like I was a walking urban legend.
"Did you hear?"
"They say the dungeon just… disappeared."
"No explosion. No residue."
"Someone erased it."
Erase.
I liked that word.
[TITLE PROGRESS UPDATED]
"THE ONE WHO ERASES PROBLEMS" – 37%]
Lee Ara sat across from me, clutching her tray with both hands like it was emotional support.
She hadn't stopped looking at me since last night.
"…Are you really okay?" she asked softly.
I nodded.
She relaxed—then realized she was staring again and flushed bright red.
[HAREM CANDIDATE STATUS]
Lee Ara – Attachment Level: Growing Rapidly]
Threat to Her Survival: EXTREME (Proximity to You)]
Good thing I don't let my things break.
Across the cafeteria, several upper-rank students stood up the moment I entered their field of vision.
They bowed.
Subtly.
Desperately.
The academy hierarchy had cracked.
Emergency Assembly – Main Auditorium
They called everyone in.
Students. Instructors. Guild representatives.
The atmosphere was thick with tension and fear poorly disguised as professionalism.
On stage stood the Academy Director, flanked by Vice-Instructor Yoon Haejin and three men I recognized immediately.
Government.
Top brass.
National-level hunters.
They didn't look confident.
"Due to recent… incidents," the Director began carefully,
"the academy will be restructuring its ranking and evaluation protocols."
Murmurs spread.
"In addition," he continued,
"certain students will be granted… special permissions."
Yoon Haejin's gaze found me.
Then—
"Kang Woojin, please come forward."
The room went silent.
Every eye locked onto me.
I stood.
Walked.
Each step felt heavier—not because of pressure, but because the world was subconsciously bracing itself.
[PASSIVE EFFECT: ATMOSPHERIC DOMINANCE]
The Director swallowed.
"Kang Woojin will be transferred to a… special status."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Explain."
Straight to the point.
Good.
"You will not be bound by academy rank restrictions," he said.
"You may enter any dungeon, any tower floor, and any restricted area."
Translation: We can't control you.
"Additionally—"
He hesitated.
"Your academy expenses… are fully covered."
My phone buzzed.
[FINANCIAL UPDATE]
Academy Stipend: ₩5,000,000,000 / month]
"…Acceptable."
The crowd exploded.
After the Assembly
They tried to talk to me.
Everyone did.
Guild recruiters. Media reps. Government agents.
I ignored them all.
Instead, I walked toward the one place calling me louder than anything else.
The Tower.
Tower of Regression – Entry Hall
The Tower stood in the center of Seoul now.
A black monolith piercing the sky, surrounded by military barricades, artifacts, and thousands of cameras.
As I approached, the crowd parted.
Some knelt.
Others backed away.
The Tower pulsed.
[TOWER RECOGNITION]
OWNER DETECTED]
AUTHORITY LEVEL: INCOMPLETE]
I stepped past the barricade.
No one stopped me.
The Tower doors opened.
For me.
[TOWER ENTRY CONFIRMED]
Floor Access: UNRESTRICTED]
Lee Ara stood behind the barrier, biting her lip.
I turned.
"You don't have to wait."
She shook her head fiercely.
"I will."
Something tightened in my chest.
Annoying.
[HAREM SLOT PROGRESS: 47%]
Tower – Floor 1
Unlike dungeons, the Tower felt… aware.
Walls of obsidian. Floating runes. The air hummed with time distortion.
A message appeared.
[WELCOME, ANOMALY]
THIS TOWER EXISTS TO CORRECT FAILURE]
I laughed.
"Good luck."
The floor spawned enemies.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Regressor phantoms. Failed heroes. Time-looped monsters screaming their last memories.
They rushed me.
[SKILL SYNC: FULL RELEASE (0.1%)]
I took a step.
The floor shattered.
Enemies froze—then collapsed into nothingness.
[FLOOR CLEARED]
TIME: 0.00 SECONDS]
The Tower paused.
Then—
[FLOOR 2… CLEARED]
[FLOOR 3… CLEARED]
[FLOOR 4… CLEARED]
The floors collapsed faster than the system could announce them.
By Floor 10—
[TOWER SYSTEM MESSAGE]
PLEASE SLOW DOWN]
"No."
I reached Floor 11.
And stopped.
Because someone was already there.
A woman sat on a broken throne.
Black hair. Golden eyes. Regal posture.
She smiled knowingly.
"So," she said,
"you finally arrived."
[ANALYSIS FAILED]
ENTITY: UNKNOWN]
TITLE: THE FIRST REGRESSOR]
My system went quiet.
That never happened.
She stood.
"I've died… 42 times," she continued calmly.
"And in none of them did you exist."
Interesting.
She stepped closer.
"And now," she whispered,
"you're the only thing that scares me."
[HAREM CANDIDATE DETECTED – EXTREME RISK]
Status: WORLD-CLASS VARIABLE]
I smiled.
"Good."
Behind us, the Tower trembled.
On the surface, my assets updated again.
NET WORTH: ₩312,000,000,000]
The world had finally noticed.
And it was already too late.
End of Chapter 5