They approached the tree slowly, step by cautious step.
Kang took a deep breath… too deep… and accidentally stared at her again.
Kwon.
Tree.
Kwon.
Tree.
She clicked her teeth sharply.
"Stop staring so much.
You're making me uncomfortable."
He looked away immediately.
"…Sorry."
inner thoughts — yeah… she definitely hates me 100%.
They extended a hand to the glowing bark—
thunk.
They hit something invisible.
Kwon pressed again.
The air rippled faintly.
"…Invisible wall?"
A window appeared in Kang's vision — only his.
SYSTEM POP-UP*
Are you sure you would like to enter the World Tree?
YES
NO
He stared.
Kwon walked forward—
—and passed straight through the exact spot where the System UI floated.
Her body sliced through it like it didn't exist.
She turned back, slightly agitated.
"Kang.
What do we do now?"
Kang hesitated.
Glanced at the pop-up.
Then muttered to himself:
"…I guess… yes."
Kwon's eyes snapped toward him.
"Yes…?
Yes to what—? You make no sen—"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Her eyes widened.
"WHY ARE YOU GLOWING?!"
Kang jumped.
"YOU are too!!"
"What—WHAT THE HELL IS GOI—"
White light swallowed her whole.
Kang opened his eyes.
Warm air.
Soft moss under his boots.
A wide, circular stone platform surrounded by glowing leaves.
SYSTEM POP-UP*
Floor 1 / 100
WORLD TREE
He sat up slowly.
Kwon stood beside him, brushing dust off her clothes with an irritated sigh.
She looked around cautiously.
"What the hell was that…?"
Kang took in their surroundings — the glowing roots, floating lanterns, gentle forest path.
"…Huh," he muttered.
"So it's like a dungeon."
inner thoughts — spikes, pillars, treasure chests… classic first-floor layout.
Kwon stepped forward, touching a glowing root.
Her voice softened.
"So this is the World Tree…"
No sarcasm.
No irritation.
Just quiet awe.
Kang nodded.
"Yeah.
Floor one."
Kwon turned toward him.
"…So what now?"
He stared down the peaceful forest path ahead.
"We explore."
For the first time since arriving—
nothing tried to kill him.
Yet.
Kang stared into the deep hollow darkness ahead, trying to focus on whatever was moving inside.
A sharp rustle.
A crack.
A low screech.
Kwon tensed.
"What the hell is that…?!"
Kang stepped forward, lowering his stance.
"I'm not sure… but be ready."
Five small shapes crawled out of the dark.
Green Goblins.
But not normal ones.
These ones held:
Huge red apple-shaped shields
Carrot daggers
And incredibly serious expressions for creatures holding produce
SYSTEM POP-UP*
To clear floor → Defeat 0 / 5 Green Goblins
Floors cleared: 0 / 100
Extra Note:
Wheel of Fate difficulty does not apply on this floor.
Kang blinked at the text.
"Oh yeah… that massive difficulty wall of text…"
He sighed.
"Guess it doesn't start here."
He tightened his fists, feeling strangely confident for once.
inner thoughts — okay, they're tiny… I can do this…
Behind him, Kwon shouted:
"You ready?!"
He nodded, stepping forward.
"Yeah—just stay behind me, I'll—"
He froze.
Stared.
And blinked hard.
"…Where did you get tha—"
Because Kwon was holding…
A long, sharp katana.
Perfect condition.
Slim blade.
Elegant black handle.
Absolutely NOT something she had earlier.
He never finished the sentence.
Because the goblins charged—
tiny legs sprinting, carrot daggers raised like they meant business.
Kang inhaled—
Kwon moved.
SLASH.
One single motion.
One clean arc.
One perfect strike.
The first goblin split cleanly in half, forming the most immaculate cross-section Kang had ever seen.
Kang's jaw dropped.
Not because she was fast.
Not because she was elegant.
Not even because she killed it instantly.
But because the inside of the goblin wasn't blood or guts.
It was…
inner thoughts — cotton candy…?
Pink, fluffy, sugary-looking fluff puffed out of the goblin halves.
Kang stared at Kwon in silence.
She glanced at him, katana resting casually on her shoulder.
"…What?"
Kang swallowed.
"…I… I don't… what— how— where did you—"
The remaining four goblins froze mid-run.
Stared at her katana.
Then at their fallen comrade.
For the first time, they looked afraid.
He stared at her again.
Above her head:
DPS Dealer
He blinked slowly.
inner thoughts — ah… makes sense.
Kang nodded to himself, gripping his fist with renewed confidence.
He stepped forward, exhaled sharply, and flicked his hand out dramatically.
Kwon raised an eyebrow.
Kang inhaled deeply, shut his eyes, and declared with full, heroic conviction:
"Wheel…
of…
Fate."
He said it like he was casting the ultimate spell of the universe.
Everything went still.
The wind stopped.
Even the floating leaves paused mid-air.
Silence wrapped around them like reality held its breath.
Kwon stared at him.
The goblins stared at him.
Even the shadows stared at him.
…
…
Kwon coughed into her fist.
"…What are you doing?"
Her voice carried secondhand embarrassment strong enough to damage the atmosphere.
Kang cracked open an eye.
Nothing.
No glowing symbols.
No spinning wheel.
No gods descending from lightning.
Not even a spark.
The goblins looked at each other.
One pointed at Kang.
Another shrugged.
A third made a confused squeak like:
"???…"
Kang's shoulders slumped as the humiliation washed over him.
He cleared his throat quietly.
"…Huh."
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing happened.
Kwon let out another deep sigh — the kind that carried both disappointment and secondhand embarrassment.
Without hesitating, she reached under the side of her skirt and pulled out a dagger.
Kang blinked.
inner thoughts — where the hell is she pulling these from…?
She shoved it toward him.
"Here.
Take this."
He grabbed it awkwardly, gripping the dagger way too tight, like it might escape.
The goblins looked at each other.
Then charged.
Kang inhaled sharply and sprinted forward, swinging blindly.
SYSTEM POP-UP*
Cosmic Flame Enhancement activated
Duration — 2 seconds
"…Huh?" he muttered, eyes still shut.
His dagger touched the goblin's apple shield—
FOOOOM—
A violent burst of purple-violet cosmic fire erupted from his blade.
Instant.
Uncontrolled.
Alive.
The goblins shrieked as they were pulled into the flame, twisting and melting like paper caught in a black hole.
Kang opened his eyes—
And Kwon screamed, stumbling back.
"K-Kang—!!"
The goblins were on their knees.
Their tiny bodies struggling.
Burning.
Begging.
The flames hissed and crackled, swallowing their forms whole.
Kwon's eyes widened in horror.
"Hey… hey!
Don't just watch!"
She darted forward without hesitation.
Her katana flashed once.
Then again.
Then again.
Then again.
SLICE — SLICE — SLICE — SLICE
She cut every burning goblin down in rapid succession, slicing them into perfect cross-sections so fast the cosmic fire didn't even have time to spread.
Pink cotton-candy fluff exploded everywhere.
Kwon stood there panting, her katana trembling slightly in her grip.
Her voice shook — equal parts anger and fear.
"I HATE seeing anything suffer," she snapped.
"Don't just let them burn—!"
Kang stared at her… then slowly down at his own hand.
The Godspinner symbol on his skin glowed faintly.
inner thoughts — w-where did that come from…?
Kwon turned toward him, eyes trembling, her gaze locked on the glowing mark.
"Kang…" she whispered.
"…what is that?"
Kang kept staring at it.
He didn't know.
And the fact he didn't know terrified him.
SYSTEM POP-UP*
Kwon Sohyun
Level 5 → Level 8
Kang flinched so hard he literally tumbled backwards onto the mossy floor.
He clutched his chest, gasping.
"I will NOT get used to that—!"
Kwon blinked down at him, concerned.
"…What's wrong with you?"
He pointed at the air like it had physically assaulted him.
"It— it just jumps out at me—!"
Before he could recover, another window slammed into his sight.
SYSTEM POP-UP*
Floor 1 — WORLD TREE
CLEAR!
Floors Cleared: 1 / 100
Reward — Carrot Blade
Carrot Blade
Requirements:
• Level 10
• Strength 15
• Dexterity 15
Rarity: Common
Will you accept the reward?
YES
NO
Kang stared at the floating window.
Clicked YES.
A soft pop echoed behind him.
"Kang."
He turned.
Kwon stood there.
Holding a bright orange carrot.
"…Why," she asked flatly,
"am I holding a carrot?"
She lifted it higher, staring at it with an expression that perfectly mixed disappointment, confusion, and the desire to throw it at his face.
Kang blinked twice.
Then three times.
RUMBLE…
Kwon jolted so hard she dropped the carrot sword, eyes snapping toward the noise.
The stone doors in front of them slowly creaked open, glowing light spilling out from the next floor.
Kang dragged a hand down his face, trying to recover even a shred of dignity.
"…Well.
You ready for the next floor?"
Kwon let out a long sigh.
"Alright… but first—
trade me."
She held out the carrot sword like it was radioactive and extended her free hand, clearly waiting for her dagger.
Kang swapped them without arguing.
Kwon immediately holstered her dagger with relief.
Kang reluctantly lifted the carrot sword.
Carrot Sword Equipped*
They both stared at the open door.
Silence.
Then, without another word, they stepped forward — side by side — walking straight into whatever the World Tree was hiding on Floor 2…
…on the path that would one day take them all the way to Floor 100.
They both stared at the open door.
Silence.
A faint breeze drifted out from the glowing entrance, brushing past their faces like the World Tree itself was inviting them in… or warning them.
Kwon clicked her tongue, adjusting her grip on the dagger.
Kang stared down at the carrot sword in his hand and exhaled through his nose in defeat.
Side by side, they crossed the threshold—
leaving Floor 1 behind
and taking their first quiet steps deeper into the living dungeon.
The glow swallowed them whole.