The Story is Told to the Protagonist.

Jilduk asked with a slightly trembling voice.

“What do you mean by sending her home…? Home, where? Are you going to end her life?”

“No. I’m going to send her to Earth.”

People enter the Tower of their own will, but everyone tends to regret it when facing death. Yet, they can’t return to their planet before passing the 10th floor.

But I can send Sierra back to Earth right here.

However, the team leader asked as if he had misheard.

“Wait, when you say send her to Earth… do you mean her home planet? Was Sierra an Earthling?”

“Ah. Well… yes. I heard it when we were alone.”

Right, it was a secret.
Now that it’s a meaningless secret, I must have let my guard down. It’s my home planet too, so I just said it naturally.

‘I guess I’m still not used to saying “home planet.”‘

It doesn’t matter anyway since she’s going to Earth.

The team leader and Ein showed interest.

“Oh… So this is what Earthlings look like. I can’t tell from appearance alone.”

“Why is the Angel King looking for people like Sierra?”

“I don’t know about that, but from now on, we should pay attention to clothing and speech patterns. Who knows, it might be a chance to turn our lives around?”

…It was a chilling remark, but I couldn’t just let it slide.
Their conversation made me steel my resolve again.

‘Never get caught. Never slip up.’

I keep feeling it on the 2nd floor, this damn mouth of mine is really a problem.
Slip-ups keep coming out, and even when I lie, I get caught.

I decided.
I’ll keep my mouth shut when acting under my new identity.

‘I need to find an item to cover my face quickly too.’

My name wasn’t leaked on the space broadcast, so that’s fine. There’s information about me on Earth, but people from other planets can’t easily access it.

By the time Earth opens its doors to other planets and my name gets leaked, I’ll already be operating under a different identity.

But I must cover my face before the 5th floor when I meet the sages.

‘I have a method in mind, but I’m not sure if it will go according to plan.’

This journey has been a series of unexpected events, after all.

“Anyway, Sierra to Earth…”

“W-wait!”

Jilduk suddenly grabbed my shoulder.
Ah, what now.

“What.”

“You’re saying you’ll send her to her planet!? We can’t go back before passing the 10th floor!”

“There are ways… A kind of loophole… Oh, you don’t mean.”

An ominous feeling struck me.

“M-me too!”

…I didn’t expect this.

“Send me too! To my home!”

Jilduk’s face was colored with an almost manic joy.
To the extent that I wondered if this is what a soul on the brink of escaping hell would look like.

‘…He must be really desperate.’

How desperate must he be to unquestioningly believe my words about accomplishing the impossible?

It’s understandable. After all, we all just came close to death.

‘Thoughts before and after entering are different.’

Before entering, he might have been filled with thoughts of becoming stronger, of returning to his planet in glory.

Climbers are generally treated as powerful figures, nobles, etc., on their planets. Because they’re heroes who will save the planet from destruction.

If one becomes a sage, they can live a life close to that of a king. Earth will soon form such a social atmosphere too.

But when actually facing the trials, seeing corpses dying right before their eyes, they realize the reality. That they too could lie next to those corpses at any time.

But they can’t go back. They have to move forward, stepping over corpses. Not until they pass 10 trials.

That’s how many climbers in the 0th Realm regret entering the Tower.
Like Jilduk before me.

‘I’ve seen countless people like you. In the original work.’

So I understand and sympathize.
But I had to crush his hope.

“Sorry.”

“…? What. Why are you sorry?”

“I can only send one person. Ah, um.”

His expression instantly died.
But with his face this close, it’s kind of creepy, like a horror scene.

“…Why.”

“…What do you mean why. Don’t be stubborn, it won’t work.”

“Why won’t it work. What is this method you’re talking about?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why.”

“…You’ll find out what this method is later, and then you’ll understand-”

“Whyyyyyyyyy!!”

Holy shit, that scared me.
I was so startled I shoved him away.

‘I really almost had a heart attack.’

Jilduk, who fell pitifully, didn’t speak or move for a while. The other team members were also overwhelmed by the atmosphere and stayed still.

Only the team leader took the initiative and touched Jilduk’s shoulder.

“…Jilduk. Don’t worry. We can get through this together.”

“…Send me.”

“Huh?”

He glares at me with crazed eyes, his face gaunt.

“M-me, send me.”

“…What?”

“Me! Send me!”

Hearing that, I was at a loss for words.
There were too many things to say, they got stuck and couldn’t come out.

“…Do you understand what that means?”

I clearly explained that I could only send one person, and if he goes, the other person can’t go.

“Send me!”

Then, the implication of his request was clear.

‘You really act in various ways.’

I should endure it.

At such a difficult time, we shouldn’t disrupt the team atmosphere. It could be fatal to the team’s survival.

But it’s hard to endure.
I feel indignant and angry.

Asking to abandon the vegetative Sierra and send him instead.

It’s possible. Everyone values themselves the most. Everyone here understands that feeling.

‘But at least you.’

You, who haven’t been helpful even for a moment until now.

You, who stood by with your hands down when I was caught by the wooden man and struggling on the brink of death.

You, who were eyeing Sierra so obviously that everyone noticed.

“…Those words shouldn’t come out of your mouth.”

“Send me.”

I clenched my fist and cracked my stiff wrist, tuk, tuk.
The other team members also stared at him with cold eyes, perhaps feeling the same way.

He doesn’t seem to notice even that. His gaze clung persistently only to me.

“Let’s stop. We’re just getting emot-”

“Send me.”

Suddenly, such a thought occurred to me.
Does this bastard really need to be on the team?

“Noah. Realistically, think about what’s beneficial for you. If you send me, I’ll definitely repay this favor someday.”

I can now replace his position as a mana user.
I can feel it. Even without Prayer, I think I can use that power again.

I might not be as skilled as before, but the sensation of handling mana remains vivid.

“I’m the most promising talent from my country. If I return, receive more support and training, and enter the Tower again later, I can easily pass these measly trials.”

I tried to endure for the sake of the team’s atmosphere and harmony.
But rather, without this guy? Wouldn’t the team become stronger?

“I will definitely reach higher places and repay your kindness. If I just reach the 30th floor, I’ll become a noble of the empire and give you all sorts of gold and silver treasures…”

“Noah.”

The team leader broke my reverie.

“Do as you wish.”

The team leader’s permission was given.
Sierra or Jilduk. But that was not what he meant by “do as you wish.”

But Jilduk, who understood differently despite having the same ears as me, brightened up instead.

“You heard that? See, even the team leader thinks this is more beneficial for y-”

Bbeok-

I smashed my fist into his mouth.

The weakling scattered his teeth as he rolled on the floor.
I got on top of him, pinning him down, and secured a mount position by pressing his arms with both legs.

Then I rolled up my sleeves.

“Wh-what are you doing-”

Puk.

“If you had just done your fucking part.”

Sierra wouldn’t have ended up like that. If so, it would have really been an easy fight.

Puk!

“If you had just not hidden that you were a mana cripple.”

The situation would have been better if we hadn’t misjudged our team’s strength.

Bbeok-

“If you had just stepped up with Sierra.”

If she wasn’t alone, Sierra wouldn’t have gotten hurt so easily. It would have been a situation I could cover with my heal.

If only it wasn’t this bastard.
Sierra wouldn’t have ended up like that.

It’s a very result-oriented and irresponsible thought. If applied to anyone else, a similar conclusion might be drawn.

But when those filthy lips said to abandon Sierra, I couldn’t hold back the words pouring out from my heart.

Puk, bbeok, kwajik.

Ein’s hand landed on my shoulder.

“Noah, he’s unconscious.”

I came to my senses and stopped my fists.

[Casting skill ‘Tears of Gems.’]

Puk!

“Keo, uh, huh?”

After healing his body and waking him up with the shock, he flails as if waking from a falling dream.

Puk!

“Kuk, w-wait-”

Bbeok!

No one stops me.
Is it because my position in the team has rapidly risen? Or because he’s become useless?

No, it’s because it’s too obvious.
There were too many reasons for him to be beaten, and everyone thought he deserved it.

That’s why he’s getting beaten. Because he deserves it.

“Ueok, team leader, save me…”

“Shut up and take it. If you have any conscience at all.”

The team leader must have a lot built up too, having gone to the brink of death himself.

But amid the beating, he started gathering mana in his palm.

I punched and shattered the weakly trembling mana sphere. Then I interlocked my fingers with the hand that was doing useless things.

[Grasp].

Crunch-

“Kyaaaaargh!”

His hand was crushed.

After that, I repeated healing and punching for a while before ending it appropriately because I needed to send Sierra to Earth quickly.

As I stood up, Ein approached the bloodied Jilduk, checked if he was unconscious, and asked.

“Wouldn’t it be better to kill him? He’s close to being an enemy now.”

“No. We need to take him to the 3rd floor. He will be used as a throwaway and die on the 3rd floor anyway.”

Unlike the 2nd floor, on the 3rd floor, having more people is absolutely advantageous.
We’ve already reached a dangerous level of numbers with Sierra gone.

We don’t need to worry about him trying anything stupid while we’re together. The 3rd floor trial ends in an instant anyway.

I wiped the blood off my hands.

“…It got a bit delayed. I’m sorry, but could you all clear out for a bit? Take him with you.”

“Sure.”

“Take your time. But if it gets dangerous, I’ll shout, so come and save us!”

I chuckled at the team leader’s joke.
Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed everyone’s fatigue had lifted slightly.

The team members left, taking the wooden man and Jilduk with them. Only Sierra and I remained in the great tree interior that had been a battlefield until just now.

“It’s quiet.”

It was so noisy until just a moment ago.
I sat down next to Sierra, who was lying like a corpse.

“You did well. Go take care of your mom and grandma. Since rural Australia is dangerous, move to the city quickly.”

I just mumbled, even though she obviously couldn’t hear.
She’s the first comrade I made and a woman who risked her life for me. I guess that’s why I became a bit sentimental.

Climbers can freely come and go to their home planet from the moment they clear the 10th floor.

From then on, they become warriors who protect their planet using the power gained from the Tower.

But before that, through the system, they can send one item to their home planet—exactly to where it originally was—just once.

This method is learned during classes between the 5th and 7th floors. But if you know it like me, you can use it anytime.

‘Let’s use it now.’

Well, I don’t have anything to send to Earth.
Usually, people write letters to inform of their survival, but in my case, the government would immediately confiscate it. I drew too much attention. It would be meaningless.

“It might be a bit painful. Bear with it for a moment.”

From now on, I will make her into an ‘object’ state.

Specifically, a corpse.
I’ll stop her breath and stop her heart.
If I send her to Earth in that state, she should appear where she originally was.

The sinkhole occurrence site was in a densely populated urban area at the time. Moreover, it’s under government control and observation as an unprecedented global mystery event.

A person who disappeared appears in that place? In a warm and intact state, just not breathing? She’ll receive emergency treatment immediately.

Simple CPR should be able to save her with a high probability.

‘If she dies, there’s nothing we can do.’

It’s an irresponsible statement, but we can’t just leave her to die like this.

“Ah. Come to think of it…”

She knows my face and name.
When she goes to Earth, she’ll definitely see the broadcast from the auditorium where I appeared.

What if Sierra goes around talking about me? My whereabouts could be leaked because of her. Before I even switch to a new identity.

“…I don’t know. I’ll just trust her. She won’t do that, right?”

My ear itches. I scratched it with my pinky.
I don’t want to think about it anymore. I just want to send her back.

‘Living against my nature makes me sick.’

I know it’s an irrational choice, but I feel like I won’t regret it. I just have that feeling.

Even if it ends up being a decision that harms me, it’s okay. I’m doing it because I want to.
That’s how I’ve lived, and I don’t plan to change.

Rather, something else bothered me a little.