The middle-aged lady with the explosive figure came to a stop in front of a sleek, modern house, about four stories tall.

“Ta-da~ This is the house you'll be staying in, Ms. Dohee~ It's completely free for a whole year. Electricity and water? Also free. If you want to stay longer after that, you’ll just need to sign a separate contract~”

Following her lead, I went inside and found a nice family home with four rooms.

It feels like the kind of place a moderately wealthy family might live in.

Way too nice for someone living alone like me.

Doesn’t seem like anyone lived here before, but everything’s furnished—the latest model computer, washing machine, dryer, fridge—basically all the essentials are already here.

When I ask how such a nice place could be rented out for free, she says… she's the landlord.

Apparently, she collaborates with the police in a sort of donor or sponsor role.

She keeps repeating how the house only accommodates women, so it’s very safe.

But the house isn’t the only thing that surprises me.

The closet is full of clothes and underwear—and weirdly enough, they all fit me perfectly.

‘How the heck did she know my size?’

I try them on, and the underwear hugs my body just right.

'No way?'

When I glance at the landlord, she smiles contentedly as she sees me in the clothes.

“Looks like they fit perfectly. I had some I hadn’t worn yet. Hope that’s okay?”

Ah…

This is… actually kind of disappointing...

“Ah, yes, it’s fine. Actually... no, it’s nothing.”

“Hehehe, don’t feel pressured. You’re like a daughter to me... This is something I’m doing to feel at ease myself.”

‘Ma’am...’

According to her, if her daughter had grown up, she’d be around my age.

But honestly, I’m not sure I believe her.

“Oh right, here’s a phone! You know how to use it, right?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

The phone looks better than the one I used to have.

And with that, she gives me a rundown of the house, along with essentials like an ID, bankbook, and card—basically everything a modern person needs.

“Oh dear, our little Dohee... No matter what happens, the important thing is that you live, okay? If things get tough, just reach out anytime! Even if you’re just bored! I’ve got plenty of time, so anytime is fine, alright?”

“Yes!”

She must have misunderstood something after reading my statement.

She probably thinks something terrible happened to me.

Well, maybe something did happen to the original owner of this body.

I mean, what kind of person ends up dumped in a landfill wrapped in layers of plastic bags?

Thud...

After she leaves, I tidy up the place a bit and turn on the computer.

I want revenge. As soon as possible.

But first, I need information.

In my current state, I’m totally helpless.

What happened to my body after I died?

What about my assets?

Are the treasures I hid still safe?

Did they manage to clear the next floor without me?

And the moment I turn on the computer, I’m hit with a shocking realization.

‘What? The date’s all wrong.’

September 17, 2028.

And the year I died was 2023.

‘It’s been five years?’

‘It took five years for me to come back to life?’

Well, I guess that’s possible.

I mean, I got reincarnated into a woman’s body.

A five-year gap isn’t that weird.

‘So what happened with Korea’s tower conquest during all that time?’

I have way more questions than answers.

The last floor I cleared was the 72nd.

And by the tower’s rules, if you fail to clear at least one floor per year, it collapses.

Of course, going up more than one floor is fine, but just because you went up 10 floors at once doesn’t mean you’re safe for 10 years.

The countdown starts the moment you conquer a new floor.

And once the tower collapses—

The surrounding area becomes a magical disaster zone beyond recovery.

That’s why most countries, after reaching the 50th floor, started playing it safe, climbing just 1–2 floors a year.

‘Of course, I wasn’t like that…’

Maybe that’s why they betrayed me.

Everyone said it was suicide, but I solo-cleared the 70th floor.

They told me to take it slow, but I kept pushing forward.

Sure, I had the confidence and the plan to back it up—But both abroad and in Korea, people thought I was insane.

‘Haa... still, with everything I set up, Korea must still be number one, right?’

Or so I thought.

But then I see this—

[Global Tower Rankings]

USA – 91st floor
China – 88th floor
Japan – 81st floor
Russia – 79th floor
Korea – 78th floor
Germany – 78th floor

...

‘What the hell... Where’d our glorious Korea go?’

Yup.

Without me, Korea barely climbed one floor a year.

Everyone else just made sure to go up just enough to avoid collapse.

There was a time when the world looked up to Korea.

People thought we’d become the top nation.

Korean nationalism was at an all-time high, and scholars predicted Korean would replace English as the global language standard.

Everyone, even Japan and China, was begging Korea’s Awakened and the government for help—well, everyone except the US.

‘Sigh… in the end, they chose comfort, didn’t they?’

Maybe revenge will be easier now, but it doesn’t exactly bring me peace.

‘Alright then, let’s see what these bastards have been up to.’

Most of the confidential info is locked up, of course, but I can still dig through public forums.

[Tower Climber Support Gallery]

[Title]: Why Korea’s Awakened Turned into Cowards

[Content]:
I respect the climbers who risk their lives.
But I gotta speak the truth.

After all the casualties on floor 72, they all turned into cowards.

They’re not climbers anymore, they’re just the establishment.

They sacrifice fresh young climbers chasing success while they play it safe from the back lines.
And they’ve even started picking fights with rival guilds and bullying neutral Awakened.

The top 6 guild leaders?
They’re all off enjoying cushy jobs in politics or business now lol.

They’re not tower climbers anymore.
They’re just the tower aristocracy.

Comments:

• So what, go climb it yourself if you’re salty
  
  

• Tbh, without being in the top 6 guilds, you can’t climb anyway. You either beg them or forget it.
  
  

• Big guild bastards hoard info, skills, potion recipes. They don’t even party with neutrals. New guilds don’t even have a chance. It’s rigged fr.
  
  

• Just let Korea burn.
  
  

• Fact: even 5th place is doing great

└ Realistically, we’re already 6th lol

└ Expert opinion: Korea will drop out of the top 10 in 5 years

• Bet the OP used to be in that one guild that got kicked out of the top 7

└ lol yeah the only guild that ever got booted

└ Gotta admit, I kinda feel bad for them

└ You mean that blind Sword Saint? lol

​

‘So basically... they’re climbing out of obligation now?’

But that’s just what the general public thinks.

When I dug deeper, I realized they had their reasons.

Officially, the delay in the conquest is due to the massive loss of key forces on the 72nd floor.

They’re raising newcomers to climb slowly together—but obviously, that means they’re not making much progress.

‘Did I really kill that many people?’

I was practically in a trance during the final battle, so my memory’s fuzzy.

Or maybe my death itself became the issue.

Apparently, even the reward distribution system based on contribution caused friction.

The guilds aren’t exactly on friendly terms.

‘People think the big guilds became lazy, risk-averse elites... but reality’s not that simple.’

If anything, it feels like they’re barely hanging on, struggling to maintain their power.

Even entering politics and business costs money, and raising new recruits requires heavy investment.

It’s probably a choice they had to make.

They likely didn’t expect this, but to me, this outcome was inevitable.

‘Of course… because I wasn’t there.’

Without me—the commander who united all seven top guilds, and the strongest force in the country—casualties were bound to rise, and the factions were bound to splinter.

‘Idiots…’

Maybe they’re already starting to pay the price for their betrayal.

​

Seoul, Yongsan District Police Department.

“Officer Kim, got the results from the investigation?”

Based on Lee Dohee’s testimony, the department launched an inquiry into how she ended up in a junkyard.

“Yes, Lieutenant Park. The violent crimes division sent over their findings, but... I don’t even know where to start.”

“What is it? Let me see.”

They tried tracing where the plastic wrap Dohee emerged from had originated—and the result was shocking.

“Lee Seongyong’s mansion? The likely heir of the Ohseong Group... Wait, this is…”

The Ohseong Group.

No need for explanation.

It’s Korea’s overwhelming number one global megacorp.

And the Ohseong Guild is Korea’s number one guild.

This is a massive scandal.

Nothing has been confirmed yet, but if the investigation continues, it’ll inevitably lead back to the Ohseong Group.

“Uh… so what do we do now?”

“Sigh…”

Lieutenant Park exhales deeply, clearly troubled.

He’s the scruffy-looking guy who first yelled at Dohee but eventually treated her kindly.

“Bury it. Violent Crimes is backing off too, right?”

“What? I mean, yeah, they are, but isn’t this a bit much? Even if they’re rich, if the media picks this up…”

Officer Kim is still new—idealistic and full of justice.

“Cut it out. Sure, if that woman had turned up dead, maybe we’d go all in.

But think about it. Those bastards probably think she’s dead.

If we keep digging and this becomes a full investigation, who do you think they’ll try to silence first?”

They wrapped a person in plastic and dumped them in a landfill.

Anyone can see that’s an attempt to dispose of a body.

They’re not stupid—they wouldn’t have dumped someone they knew was alive.

And they’re not even looking for her, clearly believing the job was done.

“But… still…”

“We bury it, quietly. The Ohseong cleanup team will make sure no one notices.

Request deletion of anything uploaded to SNS or news sites.”

At that moment, Lee Dohee’s past was quietly wiped from existence.

“Maybe… maybe she’s pretending not to remember just to survive...”

His gut told him she was lying.

He hadn’t pressured her for no reason.

“Could she have been kidnapped as a child?”

He assumes she was abducted before being registered in the system.

All he can do now is hope she forgets everything and finds happiness.

​

Lee Dohee’s room.

“There’s just… no way.”

It looked easy at first.

But the more I learn, the more complicated it gets.

“This isn’t something I can solve just by climbing the tower again.”

All six top guilds have their roots embedded deep throughout Korea.

Attacking them would make me a national target.

“And even if I find out the truth—what then? I can’t do anything with it.”

『Awakened Market』

I can’t use it yet since I haven’t started climbing again,

but I can still window-shop.

[Hop Goblin Core]: 20 million won

[Heart of the Blue Wolf]: 50 million won

[Breathing Technique of the House of Meyer]: 300 million won

...

Unlike before, when I recklessly climbed, there are now elixirs, equipment, and skills that only work efficiently at lower levels.

And I don’t have a cent to buy any of it.

“Money… and I need a reason for revenge, too…”

But no matter how much I think, there’s no clear answer.

Worrying about something I can’t fix won’t get me anywhere.

First, I’ll go outside to start training my body to climb the tower.

​

One month later.

“Huff… this should do it.”

From being the strongest person in the world to just a regular woman,

I’ve been working out to rebuild a functional body while researching current info online.

‘Honestly… climbing the tower in this body is the worst-case scenario.’

Back when I was a guy, I was 185cm and muscular.

Now I’m maybe 170cm, and all my martial arts training feels like it’s gone to zero.

And because of these ridiculously large breasts and hips, my center of gravity keeps shifting when I move.

No matter how much I try to build muscle, it seems like my biology’s working against me—this jiggling flesh refuses to go away.

To be blunt, this body feels more suited for reproduction than for battle.

‘Still, I won’t give up.’

My goal is the tower.

Revenge.

Restoring Korea’s glory.

Wealth and fame.

The tower’s secrets.

Everything I want is up there.

Just because I became a woman doesn’t mean I’ll live like some airheaded bimbo.

“Let’s go.”

Anyway, the first 10 floors are tutorial levels, and personal gear gets restricted—so I don’t need to prepare anything.

I tie back my fluttering pink hair and step outside in light training clothes.

The house I’m living in is less than thirty minutes away from the Seoul Tower.

The Seoul Tower formed where Namsan Tower used to be, and since my house is located just below it, I can commute to the tower as easily as if I were going to work.

It’s in a spot so convenient, it feels like I’m just taking a stroll up the neighborhood hill.

‘You really can’t see the end of it.’

A massive tower with a diameter of about 1 kilometer and a height of 20 kilometers.

Looking up from below, the endlessly stretching tower finally comes into view.

“Hoo...”

To shake off the tension, I break into a light jog.