Mistaken for an Irregular Who Was Hiding His Strength (1)

Hyper-Mana Syndrome can be alleviated with an Intermediate Potion.

Until now, I'd been blinded by that hope.

…It might only improve her condition without actually curing it.

I didn't even want to consider that possibility.

-Ding.

[The 'Dragon Eyes' trait activates.]

[Time remaining until Hyper-Mana Syndrome is fully activated: 4 months, 12 days]

While Serin held me tightly,

my Dragon Eyes finally told me the truth.

Hyper-Mana Syndrome wasn't cured.

In four months, the mana would build up in her body again, leaving her bedridden.

"…Ah."

My tears stopped instantly.

It was too soon to celebrate.

"Oppaaaa…?"

"Serin, could you stay like this for a little while?"

First, I asked her to keep hugging me.

I didn't want her to see my expression,

and more than anything, I felt that if we separated, this warmth I'd only just felt again would fade away all too soon.

It was a somewhat out-of-the-blue request, but…

How did my sister react?

"Mm-hmm, squeeze~."

"……."

What a good girl.

From finding her body had grown so much when she opened her eyes to seeing how muscular I'd become,

she must have had so many questions.

"Thanks, Serin. Let's stay like this for a little while."

-Stroke stroke—

I combed through her silver hair with my hand.

Her hair color had changed along with her mysterious illness.

As I gently stroked her hair, changed by the aftereffects of Hyper-Mana Syndrome,

I organized my thoughts.

-Ding.

[Hyper-Mana Syndrome]

Excessive mana buildup in the body

severely impairs brain function.

"Hmm…."

So this was the root of all evil.

Mana kept accumulating in a non-Awakener's body.

Since she couldn't release it, it eventually filled even her brain and left her in a vegetative state.

The Intermediate Potion had improved her condition, but…

'It only gets rid of the mana currently accumulated in her body. The fundamental problem remains.'

For some reason, Serin's body accumulated mana even though she was a non-Awakener.

So even if I poured Potions into her, they would only improve her symptoms, never cure her.

The only treatment available for now was,

'symptomatic treatment.'

I couldn't change her underlying constitution.

So I would remove that symptom—the accumulating mana—through external means.

The moment I thought of a treatment, my body moved on its own.

"Serin, we're done hugging now."

"Okay~."

"And could you hold this in your hand for a moment?"

Jingle—

I took the necklace off my neck.

It was the artifact I'd made good use of until noon, the 'Necklace of Concealment.'

I pressed it into Serin's hand and met her eyes.

"You know the mana Awakeners use? It's built up in your body. Let's put it in here."

"…Mana?"

"Yeah. Here, I'll show you."

I slowly fed a stream of mana into the necklace.

When I'd just awakened, I hadn't had the faintest idea how to do it, but I'd naturally learned the method as I climbed the Tower.

It was as natural to me as breathing, but

"Mmmm… nghhh…."

"Serin, you can stop."

"Sorry, I can't do it…."

"No, I asked too much of you."

Of course, she couldn't.

She might figure it out if I kept teaching her.

But it would be better not to get my hopes up.

'Should I try farming another artifact?'

My second idea was an artifact.

What if I obtained an artifact that automatically drew out and consumed its wearer's mana?

'…Would that actually work?'

I discarded Plan B as soon as I thought of it.

Artifacts themselves were extremely rare items, with fewer than a hundred ever discovered worldwide.

And I was supposed to find one that a non-Awakener could use and that automatically consumed mana?

It would be easier to find a needle in a desert.

The Golden Rule trait might at least serve as a metal detector, but it was still a hopeless prospect.

"Phew…."

'So I really have no choice.'

So, as a last resort,

the solution I came up with was…

'A Stigma.'

Stigmas were normally used for combat.

I'd make one for utility.

Since an Awakener could set a Stigma's content and restrictions however they wanted,

I ought to be able to make a mana-absorption Stigma, too.

Since it was such an unprecedented skill, I'd have to consult the Tower about what conditions it would come with, but anyway.

'I need to clear the fourth tier. Preferably as soon as possible.'

My gaze turned toward the window.

Beneath Seoul's sparkling night sky,

I could see the shabby, elongated Egen Tower jutting up.

'As soon as possible.'

There were about four months left until Hyper-Mana Syndrome recurred.

My sister's condition would continue to worsen in the meantime.

Naturally, she wouldn't be discharged during that time, either.

So I'd climb as fast as possible.

I'd exploit every shortcut more shamelessly than ever.

I'd obtain a Tier-Four Stigma as a reward and turn my own body into the cure for Serin.

That was my next goal after making the Intermediate Potion.

* * *

As expected, Serin wasn't discharged.

"It's a miracle that she's improved enough to walk as soon as she woke up, but… let's keep monitoring her for the time being."

"Yes, doctor."

At least, the doctor was being cautious.

I usually found that a little frustrating, but today, I found him utterly reassuring.

I'd been ready to call him a quack if he'd told us to start the discharge process just because she seemed a little better.

It made it feel worthwhile that I'd sunk most of the money I'd earned from construction work into her.

'Though I'll be the one treating her.'

The sweat I'd shed at construction sites felt like such a waste, but this couldn't be helped.

For the next three days, I went back and forth to the hospital to look after Serin.

More precisely, I looked after someone who must have felt as if she'd traveled through time into the future.

It wasn't difficult.

"Oppa, you became an Awakener?!"

"Hehe, I did. Pretty cool, right?"

"That's awesome…!!"

Serin's eyes shone at the news that I'd awakened.

She'd always liked Awakeners, so she smiled happily as long as I stayed by her side.

"But that's not all! Dohwa, come out."

"Kyaeung?"

"Kyaaaah!!! It's Abigail!!!"

"Kyaeung!!?"

There was one more thing.

Every so often, I'd take Dohwa out and hand her over as Serin's stuffed animal.

So of course Serin couldn't help but have fun.

Instead of worrying about the rapidly changing world, she was too busy enjoying the rosy future unfolding before her.

'Well, that's only natural.'

The shabby house where she'd had to sleep with her big brother was gone the moment she opened her eyes.

A 3-billion-won apartment was waiting for her.

Her big brother had become an Awakener in the meantime and could even keep her favorite monster as a pet.

Now she could do anything she wanted.

It was the surprise gift I'd prepared, even at the cost of putting off her treatment for a little while.

"Is there anything you want to eat? I'll get you whatever you want."

"Then I want a giant king castella!!!"

"Uh…."

'Didn't those places all go out of business?'

Since Serin's memories were stuck in the past, there were occasional awkward moments, but anyway.

And so, three days flew by in the blink of an eye…

"Oppaaa, I'm sleepy~ Let's sleep together~."

"…But you slept at night. Again?"

"I want to take a nap too~."

"……."

Serin's Hyper-Mana Syndrome symptoms

slowly began to return.

'It happened like this last time, too.'

At first, she merely started sleeping a little more.

Both our parents and I had simply assumed she was sleepy.

But that was only the beginning.

Now, high fever, sweating, coughing, and other symptoms

would certainly come one after another.

In the past, it had taken about two years for her to reach a vegetative state, but…

this time, it would happen rapidly, in just four months.

'Is it because this is the second time? Or because her mana absorption is faster now that she's grown?'

There were so many possible causes that I couldn't even count them.

Still, it didn't matter.

What I had to do was the same either way.

"Serin, I might not be able to come for a while. Is that okay?"

"Where are you going…?"

"I have to climb the Tower. Because I'm an Awakener."

I would climb the Tower.

I'd set out to conquer the fourth tier and obtain a Stigma.

When I returned, I'd finally be able to truly stay with my sister.

"How long will it take…?"

"Hmm, maybe about seven nights?"

The fourth tier was a time-consuming one, however.

Even the Egen Tower usually took ten days to clear.

Even the bus drivers took that long.

Maybe I should climb the Normal Tower instead.

I looked into it with that thought in mind, but

'Didn't they say I needed to set aside a month for that one?'

I heard that all the Towers were story-focused on the fourth tier.

In the Normal Tower, you apparently started as a low-ranking soldier and had to lead the war to victory, or something.

But what if I challenged the Pilgrim's Tower?

[Pilgrim Public Channel]

Author: Hyunseo

Title: Strategy information for Floor 31!

The hero selection exam held once a month…

'The scale is insane, seriously.'

It took a month just to get started on Tier Three here.

And there were plenty of little waiting periods after that, too.

Going here would be a waste of time.

'As expected, I have no choice.'

So, after taking all that into account,

over the past three days,

I'd prepared a perfectly flawless plan.

It was a ridiculously easy climbing method only I could use, closer to a game glitch.

'Alternate between Towers!!'

Basically, I'd climb the Egen Tower, but switch to the Normal Tower for floors that took a long time.

I'd plow through them one after another and conquer the fourth tier in seven days.

In fact, that was a conservative estimate. I thought it might really take about five days, but anyway.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

"Okay… I'll wait while listening to what the nurses say…."

"You know you have to keep things like Dohwa—and the fact that Oppa awakened and is rich—a secret, right?"

"Okaaay… yawn."

As Serin went on yawning,

I turned to leave with a smile.

Squeak, thump.

The sound of the hospital room door closing.

'All right, let's go!!'

Only then did my feet regain their proper speed.

My absurdly overpowered footwork, unleashed for the first time in three days, carried me swiftly down the hospital corridor.

"Eek!? Please don't run in the corridor…."

"I'm sorry!!"

Sorry, Nurse Noona.

But I'm in a bit of a hurry.

I'm going to save my sister, so please understand.

'And turn off my phone.'

Beep—

I turned off my phone, too.

The post I'd uploaded last time, looking for gates,

had received plenty of comments, but there weren't any gates difficult enough for me to bother participating in.

I intended to leave it untouched for about another week.

'Cheonghwa was looking for a construction worker, too…."

My Pilgrim's Tower community username was also starting to spread by word of mouth, but compared to Cheol Gangmin, it was laughable.

At least, I wouldn't have to worry about it while climbing the fourth tier.

And so, completely free of worry,

I placed my hand on the Wimp's Tower.

'Enter!!'

Whoosh—!!

A light that looked harmless no matter how many times I saw it enveloped me,

-Ding.

[Entering the Beginner's Tower, Floor 31….]

"Everyone, get out of the way!!!!"

Shing—!!!

The moment I passed through the portal,

I drew my sword.

"What!?"

"What are you doing all of a sudden…."

"There's no time to hesitate!!!!!!"

Fourth-tier time attack.

Start.