The light of the transfer was disorienting. Kim Dokja found himself in a [Lv.0 Personal Waiting Room], a 10x10 white void, completely empty.
He was still wearing the shabby tutorial leather. He looked at his hands, then sighed.
[Final tutorial has been cleared.]
[You are currently ranked 3rd.]
[Hidden Reward – Profit Master has been activated.]
[You have received 100% of your profit as a bonus: 4415 TP.]
[Total TP: 6433]
[You have obtained 'Tutorial Reward Box (Rank 3)'.]
"A box..." Dokja muttered. He opened it immediately. Inside were two items: a [Technique Upgrade Scroll] and a [Low-Rank Trait Enhancement Scroll].
[Trait 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' has been enhanced by the scroll.]
[Stamina and Magic Power cost for all skills under this Trait has been slightly reduced.]
"Good." Dokja then looked at the [Technique Upgrade Scroll]. His [Bookmark] was a skill under his Trait, but [Way of the Wind] was a technique he'd bookmarked.
[Technique 'Way of the Wind (Lv. 3)' has been upgraded to 'Way of the Wind (Lv. 4)'.]
The techniques were similar to skills, but they were acquired in Tower through repeated trainings of something. Klein and Dokja received a couple of them already actually.
A flood of new insight entered his mind. He felt like he could not only run on water, but on the air itself, if only for a moment. Finally, the most important window appeared.
[Your 'Black Entrance Ticket' has been confirmed.]
[As the tutorial has ended, you may take out three items you deposited.]
Dokja didn't hesitate. "My coat. My sword. My smartphone."
[Lv. ??? 'Infinite Dimension Space Coat' has been retrieved.]
[Lv. ??? 'Unbroken Faith' has been retrieved.]
[Lv. 5 'Old Smartphone by Eileen Meikerfield' has been retrieved.]
The familiar, comfortable weight of his white coat settled on his shoulders, and the hilt of [Unbroken Faith] was a solid, reassuring presence at his waist. He felt... whole again.
[Attention! You can only take three items!]
'That didn't work, okay,' he quickly put all the things out of his coat inventory.
"Now, I still have 24 hours," he said, opening the [Auction House]. "Let's see what else I can buy..."
***
At the same time, Klein Moretti materialized in his own [Lv.0 Personal Waiting Room].
[Final tutorial has been cleared.]
[You are currently ranked 1st.]
[Hidden Reward – Profit Master has been activated.]
[You have received 100% of your profit as a bonus: 8320 TP.]
[Total TP: 10,338]
[You have obtained 'Tutorial Reward Box (Rank 1)'.]
Klein's expression was calm. This was a logical, expected outcome. He opened the box. Inside were three items: A [Skill Upgrade Scroll], an [Upgrade Scroll], and a [Item Upgrade Scroll].
[Item Upgrade Scroll]
[Upgrade Scroll]
[Skill Upgrade Scroll]
[All scrolls must be used within 12 hours.]
All three scrolls were rare scrolls that were hard to find even after the end of the tutorial.
He felt like he transmigrated again, not in the world of steam and Beyonders, but into some cliché RPG game from the modern era.
'I'm starting to like it, heh…'
He used the 'upgrade scroll' immediately.
This scroll didn't have a prefix as if to say it could be used on anything.
"I'd like to upgrade the system."
With that, he ripped the scroll in half.
The system responded immediately.
[Are you sure you want to upgrade 'Lv.0 Klein Moretti's System'?]
The system didn't even seem to be taken aback as if it had happened before.
"Yeah." he smiled and nodded.
['Lv.0 Klein Moretti's System' becomes 'Lv.1 Klein Moretti's System'.]
[Your personal waiting room becomes bigger.]
[Your inventory becomes Lv.1]
[The Community…]
The 10x10 void rumbled, and the walls expanded to a 20x20 space, a simple wooden chair and desk appearing in the corner.
Next, the [Skill Upgrade Scroll]. He used it on his only skill.
[Bonus Skill 'Historical Cognizance (Low-Rank)' has been upgraded to 'Historical Cognizance (Mid-Rank)'.]
[You may now witness more detailed fragments of the past.]
He was left with the [Item Upgrade Scroll].
'What items do I have anyways..?'
[Lv. 3 Giant Fish Tough Skin][Wooden stick][Coconut][Wooden boards][Ink pen Lv.0][Bag with Dried and Roasted Meat][Lv.1 Glossy Crab Claws][Tutorial Bento]
He had no items worthy of using the scroll on. He opened the [Lv.1 Player Shop]. His eyes scanned the categories, his gaze stopping on [Armor]. He spent his TP with the cold efficiency of a man making a necessary purchase.
[You have purchased 'Lv.3 Sturdy Leather Armor' for 2500 TP.]
Finally, the [Black Entrance Ticket] message appeared.
[You may take out three items you deposited.]
Klein's choices were just as precise as Dokja's.
[Item 'Creeping Hunger' has been retrieved.]
[Item 'Slumber Charm' has been retrieved.]
And, as a gentleman, his last item would be…
[Item 'Bansy's Top Hat' has been retrieved.]
The thin, black glove of [Creeping Hunger] slid onto his left hand. He placed the formal top hat on his head and held the simple, silver-topped cane. Dressed in his new [Lv.3 Armor] over his formal suit, he looked less like a Player and more like a gentleman adventurer from an entirely different, and far more dangerous, era.
[After 24 hours of rest, you will be able to advance to the Tower's 2nd floor.]
[From now, you may use all system functions.]
[Here is a brief explanation.]
[About the 'personal waiting room']
—Normal Entrance
*When there are no hostile Players nearby or when you are not in a combat zone, you can teleport to your waiting room.
—Emergency Teleportation
*No matter where you are what or situation you are in, you will teleport to your waiting room. (This function has a cooldown time of 96 hours.)
—Personal Waiting Room Entrance Ticket
*You can provide other Players with entrance tickets to your personal waiting room.
['Deaths' in the Tower]
—After the end of the tutorial, Players are given 7 lives in total.
*Once killed, Players will revive at the nearest Residential Area and they will receive a penalty that differs based on their circumstance.
(Note. If you die on the 2nd floor, you will lose all stat and technique gains you've acquired, and you will restart from the tutorial.)
[About the 'auction house'.]
—Unlike Player Shop, this is a platform where Players themselves may sell their items.
(Note. Be careful of making bets on suspicious items)
***
[2nd Floor - Floor of Beginnings]
Whoosh—
The feeling of being carried by the wind faded, and Klein's feet touched solid, uneven ground.
He opened his eyes. He wasn't in a city. He was standing in a massive, chaotic field filled with over 1,000 other Players—the survivors of the tutorial.
The scenery was a madness of nature. To his left, a dense jungle steamed with humidity. To his right, jagged obsidian rocks suggested a volcanic zone. In the distance, glaciers clashed with marshlands. It was as if a god had taken pieces of a dozen different worlds and smashed them together.
"Chaotic," Klein murmured, his [Spirit Vision] picking up the confused and anxious auras of the crowd.
He spotted a familiar white coat in the throng. Kim Dokja was already looking at him. Dokja approached, his eyes scanning Klein's new appearance. "You retrieved your items," Dokja noted, eyeing the black glove on Klein's left hand. "And that armor... Lv.3? You really did spend a portion of your money."
"Investment," Klein corrected. "And you seem to have your sword back."
They stood together in a sea of novice Players from different Universes. Suddenly, a voice echoed across the entire field.
"Hello—"
On the far side of the field, a man appeared. He had wild, windswept hair and wore unique, flowing clothes that rippled without a breeze.
Administrator Luke.
"My name is Luke. I am the administrator of the 2nd floor." He gave a simple bow, but his voice carried a mystical weight that silenced the 1,000 Players instantly.
"I'd love to talk to each and every one of you, but unfortunately, we don't have time. I will cut straight to the main topic." Luke pointed a long finger toward the chaotic horizon. "As you can see… the 2nd floor of the Tower is chaos. It is filled with all sorts of frightening aspects of nature."
Klein narrowed his eyes. Even with his, the terrain looked impossible. It was a labyrinth of biomes.
"Your goal is simple," Luke continued, his smile pleasant but distant. "Pave through this chaotic nature filled with traps and monsters and find the elevator to the 3rd floor. There are 10 elevators hidden in the 2nd floor. Each elevator takes 8 hours to travel back and forth."
He paused, letting the reality sink in. This wasn't just a travel zone; it was a bottleneck.
"Oh, I'm sure you all know this by now, but I will explain it once again. When your vitality falls below zero on the 2nd floor, you will have to start over from the tutorial." With that, Luke sat down under the shade of a lone tree and opened a book, dismissing them entirely.
The crowd erupted into murmurs. "Elevators?"
"Only ten?"
"We have to fight through that jungle?"
Dokja sighed. "Standard battle royale setup. We need to move before the main groups form. Don't worry I know enough info from the forums. Trust me."
"Agreed," Klein said. "My spiritual perception indicates the north is..."
He stopped. He hadn't felt anything. Dokja hadn't reacted either. But suddenly, a presence was there, right behind them.
"Took you long enough."
Dokja and Klein spun around, weapons half-drawn. Standing directly in their blind spot was a man in a black, hooded robe. A sleek, black mask covered his face, and on his shoulder sat a small, black-hooded bird. He had been standing there, completely unnoticeable, as if he were part of the air itself.
Dokja relaxed, a smirk forming on his face. "Well, well. If it isn't the scary 'Black Lotus'." Dokja leaned in, his tone mocking. "Or should we call you 'Fenrir'? You've been busy collecting edgelord nicknames, Author-nim."
The man pulled down his hood, revealing the tired face of Kim Hajin. "Don't call me that," Hajin sighed, rubbing his neck. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to clean up a story from the inside?"
"We visited the 'Miscellaneous Item Shop'," Klein said, eyeing Hajin's bird. "21,300 TP. Was that you?"
"Yeah?" Hajin let out a hollow laugh, "Anyways. Have you ever been carried?"
(Fourteen Days Ago)
The moment Hajin left the Apocrypha on the 15th floor, he was already building plans until Dokja and Klein are finished with the tutorial.
"Spartan. 8th Floor. Crevon."
[8F, Crevon.]
In a flash of white light, he reappeared in the iron-and-stone city that resembled London, Klein would suppose that it looked like Backlund of sorts. The Crevon NPCs, snapped to attention, their eyes widening. "It's... the 'Black Lotus'!"
"He has returned!"
Hajin ignored them, his black robe sweeping as he strode directly to the central citadel, the 'Duchess's Mansion'. He showed a card that he received from the owner of this place.
===
[VIP Identification]
○ You are now a guest of [Lv.15 Duchess' Mansion].
===
The iron guards didn't stop him; they simply bowed.
He entered the office. A familiar face greeted him. Old friend of his. For some reason, he felt nostalgic.
Tomer, the Ironblood Duchess, was standing over a massive tactical map. She didn't change, though her body felt tense… And face tired. She didn't look up. "So, the rumors are true. You did not return to the human world."
"Tomer, I understand that It's been quite a while, but…" Hajin said, his voice flat. "I need a favor."
Tomer finally turned, her red eyes landing on him. "One thing that brought me hopes of Earth safety was your absence here. And yet here you are… I'll help you don't worry."
"I need information," Hajin said. "I need to discuss it with the Royal family. I want to incarnate the residents of the Tower into the real world. We need your help."
"Do you understand that," Tomer said, crossing her arms. "Even with our entire magical power of the Tower it's impossible. Even if administrators step in."
"They don't have to," Hajin said. "A friend of mine... she should be acquiring a… an 'item' soon. The cost will be handled. But Crevon has to ready."
Tomer's eyes widened. "I'll notify the Empress Araha." A small, cold smile touched her lips. "You are still moving the pieces, even from inside the board. What, then, is this 'favor'?"
Hajin paused. "I'm sending someone to you. They need to be trained. Hard. They're... difficult. But they're strong."
The Duchess sighed, a sound like grinding iron. "Let me guess. Are they one of your new companions?" Hajin didn't answer. "You are a fool, Kim Hajin," Tomer said. "Fine. For the sakeor of my... Bruh, I will help you one last time. Send them. I will see if they are worthy of Crevon's iron."
"Thank you," Hajin said. "Tomer, your father would be proud."
She glanced at him, feeling somewhat... Sad?
He was about to give the order when Spartan, on his shoulder, chirped weakly, his small body trembling. "Spartan?" Hajin's [Observation] kicked in.
[Spartan is suffering from an unusual status 'Exhaustion' due to overuse of his 'Authority'.]
"Damn," Hajin muttered. He had been pushing them both too hard, teleporting across the Tower's highest floors. "Spartan, 21st Floor. One last time"
[21F, Card Kingdom]
He materialized in the plaza of the 'Card Kingdom'. It was a chaotic, beautiful floor, a city built on a foundation of giant playing cards. He was keeping his hood down, still in 'Black Lotus' mode.
"Thank you. Go to the waiting room. Rest."
Spartan looked suspiciously at Hajin.
"No, I won't disappear, I promise," he rubbed his beak(;3), sensing Spartan's thoughts.
The bird nuzzled his cheek, then vanished in a faint flash.
Hajin, now alone, strode through The 21st Floor... he hadn't been here in a long time.
He rounded a corner, his eyes scanning the crowds of Players and card-themed NPCs.
She was standing in the main plaza, arguing with a... knight? It was Chae Nayun. She was here. In the Tower. She wasn't alone. She was with a party of four other people, all of them looking like seasoned Players.
Hajin rubbed his eyes. He activated [Thousand-Mile Eyes] just to be sure. It was her. Chae Nayun.
There were four people. A knight, a priest, a magician... and a woman with short hair, carrying a massive sword.
Hajin froze, his blood running cold. His internal monologue, usually a stream of anxious calculation, just... stopped. It was replaced by a single, raw, unadulterated thought.
'What the fuck is she doing here?'