Namsan Tower stood at the heart of Seoul, a communications and observation tower visible from nearly anywhere in the city. Tourists flocked there for the view. Couples locked padlocks on the fences as symbols of eternal love. Children bought overpriced ice cream and took photos.
None of them could see what Ji-woo saw.
His Debt Sense pulsed from the tower's base, revealing a dimensional tear that rippled like heat haze. The dungeon entrance, invisible to normal people, waiting.
Ji-woo had come prepared. His new throwing knives sat in his inventory, ready to be summoned. He'd studied aerial combat theory from Silver Dawn's database—fighting enemies that could fly required different tactics than ground-based monsters.
He also wasn't going alone.
"You're late," Hye-jin said, appearing from behind a tour bus. "I've been here ten minutes."
"I didn't know you were coming."
"Yoon sent me. Said a level 7 dungeon with aerial combat is suicide solo." She cracked her knuckles, electricity sparking between her fingers. "Besides, I need the experience. I'm stuck at 430 out of 700 for level 10."
[PARTY INVITATION: CHOI HYE-JIN]
Ji-woo accepted. The familiar party interface appeared, showing both their stats.
[PARTY FORMED]
[LEADER: KIM JI-WOO - LEVEL 7]
[MEMBER: CHOI HYE-JIN - LEVEL 9]
[PARTY BONUS: +10% EXPERIENCE]
[PARTY SKILL: COORDINATED STRIKE]
[EFFECT: WHEN BOTH MEMBERS ATTACK SAME TARGET WITHIN 3 SECONDS, +25% DAMAGE]
A new party skill. The system rewarded coordination.
"Let's clear this fast," Hye-jin said. "I have Iron Chains training at 4 PM."
They touched the dimensional tear together.
[ENTER DUNGEON: NAMSAN TOWER INTERIOR?]
[PARTY SIZE: 2/3]
[YES/NO]
YES.
The world inverted, and they fell into the dungeon.
The interior of Namsan Tower was wrong. The observation deck that should have been at the top was now at the bottom, inverted like the entire building had been flipped. Glass windows showed not Seoul's cityscape but an endless sky filled with floating islands and flying creatures.
[DUNGEON ENTERED]
[OBJECTIVE: REACH THE TRUE SUMMIT]
[ASCEND ALL 10 FLOORS]
[DEFEAT THE SKY GUARDIAN]
[TIME LIMIT: 3 HOURS]
Ten floors, inverted, with aerial enemies. This would be a vertical gauntlet.
The first enemies appeared immediately—creatures that looked like birds but were made of crystal and wire, mechanical in nature.
[ENEMY: GLASS RAVEN - LEVEL 6]
[HP: 90/90]
[QUANTITY: 8]
They dove from the ceiling in coordinated attacks, their crystal beaks aimed like missiles.
Ji-woo summoned his throwing knives and released three in quick succession. His improved Agility made the throws precise—each knife found a target, and each Glass Raven shattered into fragments.
[DAMAGE: 27]
[DAMAGE: 29]
[DAMAGE: 31]
The knives returned to his inventory automatically, ready to be thrown again. Infinite ammunition as long as he could keep throwing.
Hye-jin's approach was more direct. She waited until the ravens got close, then unleashed Thunderclap. The electrical shockwave fried their circuits, and five ravens dropped simultaneously.
[EXPERIENCE +40]
[EXPERIENCE +35]
More experience than solo dungeons. The party bonus was significant.
They ascended to the second floor via stairs that spiraled upward against gravity. The architecture was disorienting—sometimes they walked on ceilings, other times on walls that became floors through perspective shifts.
The second floor introduced a new enemy type.
[ENEMY: WIND ELEMENTAL - LEVEL 7]
[HP: 120/120]
Wind elementals were incorporeal—tornado-like entities that moved through the air with frightening speed. Ji-woo's throwing knives passed through them harmlessly.
"Physical attacks don't work!" he called to Hye-jin.
"Then good thing I'm not physical!" Hye-jin charged her fists with electricity and punched directly into the elemental's core. Lightning and wind collided, and the elemental destabilized.
[ELEMENTAL WEAKNESS: LIGHTNING DAMAGE]
[DAMAGE: 89]
Hye-jin's electrical abilities were perfect for this dungeon. Ji-woo supported by keeping other enemies off her while she dealt with elementals.
They developed a rhythm—Ji-woo handled physical enemies with his knives and scalpel, Hye-jin demolished elementals with lightning strikes. The Coordinated Strike bonus meant that when they focused fire on single targets, their combined damage was massive.
[PARTY COORDINATION: EXCELLENT]
[EXPERIENCE BONUS: +5%]
The system was rewarding their teamwork with additional experience. Smart play meant faster progression.
Third floor. Fourth floor. Fifth floor.
The enemies evolved with each level—stronger ravens with armor plating, elementals that could split into multiple smaller versions, and new threats like floating mines that exploded on proximity.
[HYE-JIN HP: 167/230]
[JI-WOO HP: 189/220]
They were taking damage, but Medical Supplies kept them functional. Ji-woo had learned resource management from guild training—use healing items before HP drops below 50%, never save them for "later" because dead Reapers don't get to use saved items.
The sixth floor boss chamber was different from the rest. Instead of a small room, it opened into a massive vertical shaft—easily fifty meters tall—with platforms floating at different heights. And circling through the air was the mid-boss.
[MID-BOSS: AERIAL HUNTER - LEVEL 8]
[HP: 600/600]
The Aerial Hunter was a nightmarish fusion of eagle and machine. Its wings were razor-sharp metal, its talons were industrial clamps, and its eyes were targeting lasers that tracked both Reapers simultaneously.
"Split up!" Hye-jin dove left as the Hunter's laser swept across where they'd been standing. The beam carved through stone platforms, demonstrating lethal power.
Ji-woo went right, climbing to a higher platform. The vertical terrain was an advantage if used correctly—the Hunter had to constantly adjust altitude to attack different targets.
The mid-boss chose Hye-jin as its primary target. It dive-bombed her platform, talons extended. She rolled aside and countered with a Thunderclap to its exposed underbelly.
[DAMAGE: 76]
[AERIAL HUNTER HP: 524/600]
But the Hunter was fast. It recovered from the attack and swept its metal wings in a horizontal slash that forced Hye-jin to dodge again.
Ji-woo threw knives from his elevated position, striking the Hunter's back while it was focused on Hye-jin. The Coordinated Strike bonus activated—their combined assault dealt massive damage.
[COMBINED DAMAGE: 143]
[AERIAL HUNTER HP: 381/600]
The Hunter screeched and changed tactics. Instead of focusing one target, it began strafing runs across multiple platforms, forcing both Reapers to constantly move.
"It's learning our pattern!" Hye-jin shouted.
Ji-woo analyzed the attack sequence. The Hunter made three passes, then returned to the center of the shaft to reassess. That brief pause was their window.
"Next time it centers, we both go all-in!" he called back.
They waited, dodging strafing runs and dealing chip damage when possible. Then the Hunter returned to center, hovering, its targeting lasers sweeping for optimal attack angles.
"NOW!"
Ji-woo activated Desperate Strike and threw all ten of his knives simultaneously, each empowered by the skill. Hye-jin leaped from her platform directly at the Hunter, both fists charged with maximum voltage.
Ten knives hit. Two electrified fists connected. The Coordinated Strike bonus multiplied everything.
[CRITICAL ASSAULT!]
[COMBINED DAMAGE: 287]
[AERIAL HUNTER HP: 94/600]
The Hunter, badly damaged, attempted to flee upward. But Ji-woo's scalpel was already in motion—he'd climbed during the assault and was above the fleeing boss. His blade found the Hunter's exposed neck joint where metal met flesh.
[CRITICAL HIT!]
[AERIAL HUNTER DEFEATED!]
[EXPERIENCE +200]
[ITEM ACQUIRED: HUNTER'S TALON GAUNTLET]
They caught their breath on a floating platform while the shaft reconfigured itself, creating stairs to the seventh floor.
"That was clean," Hye-jin admitted. "Your knife timing was perfect."
"Your lightning did most of the work."
"Team effort." She grinned. "This is why guilds dominate. Coordinated parties just output more damage."
Ji-woo checked the new item.
[HUNTER'S TALON GAUNTLET]
[TYPE: WEAPON/ARMOR HYBRID]
[DAMAGE: 30-45 (SLASHING)]
[DEFENSE: +10]
[SPECIAL: ATTACKS FROM ABOVE DEAL +50% DAMAGE]
[REQUIREMENTS: AGILITY 15, LEVEL 7]
He barely met the Agility requirement. The gauntlet materialized on his right hand—sleek metal with retractable claws. It replaced his scalpel as his main weapon, and the additional defense was welcome.
They ascended to floor seven, then eight. The enemies intensified—level 8 Glass Ravens that moved in coordinated formations, Wind Elementals that could merge into greater elementals, and new mechanical enemies that fired energy projectiles.
[JI-WOO HP: 134/220]
[HYE-JIN HP: 98/230]
Both were getting worn down. They'd used most of their Medical Supplies. The ninth floor loomed ahead, and then the final boss on the tenth.
"We need to be smart about this," Ji-woo said. "Save our skills for the boss. Clear the ninth floor with basic attacks only."
Hye-jin nodded. "Agreed. I've got maybe two more Thunderclaps before my MP runs dry."
The ninth floor was a straight corridor with no enemies. Just a long walk toward the final boss chamber. The calm before the storm.
They took the opportunity to strategize.
"The boss will probably fly," Ji-woo reasoned. "It's called the Sky Guardian. It'll use the vertical space to its advantage."
"Aerial bosses usually have a ground phase," Hye-jin added. "Some trigger that makes them vulnerable. We need to identify it quickly."
They reached the tenth floor entrance—massive double doors made of clouds and lightning that crackled with energy.
[BOSS CHAMBER AHEAD]
[WARNING: LEVEL 9 BOSS]
[PARTY COORDINATION ESSENTIAL]
[TIME REMAINING: 47 MINUTES]
They still had plenty of time. Good.
Ji-woo and Hye-jin exchanged glances. They'd fought together for hours now, developed an understanding. No words needed.
They pushed through the doors together.
The boss chamber was the true summit of Namsan Tower—an open-air platform suspended in endless sky. Storm clouds roiled overhead, and lightning crackled between floating islands.
And there, perched on a crystalline spire at the platform's center, was the Sky Guardian.
[BOSS ENEMY: SKY GUARDIAN - LEVEL 9]
[HP: 1,000/1,000]
It was magnificent and terrifying. A dragon, but made of storms—its body was condensed clouds, its wings were lightning, and its eyes were the burning hearts of hurricanes. When it roared, thunder shook the entire platform.
"MORTALS DARE ASCEND TO MY DOMAIN," the Guardian's voice boomed. "YOU WILL FALL LIKE ALL OTHERS."
The dragon took flight, its massive wings generating winds strong enough to knock them off balance. Lightning struck the platform randomly, creating hazards that forced constant movement.
[SKY GUARDIAN USES: STORM CALL]
[ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD: RANDOM LIGHTNING STRIKES]
The Guardian swooped down, its claws raking across the platform where Ji-woo had been standing a second before. He rolled aside, the Talon Gauntlet deflecting a glancing blow.
[HP: 118/220]
Hye-jin tried to hit it with lightning, but the Guardian absorbed her electrical attack and grew stronger.
[SKY GUARDIAN HP: 1,050/1,000]
[GUARDIAN IS IMMUNE TO LIGHTNING]
"Switch tactics!" Hye-jin abandoned her electrical skills and resorted to pure physical combat, her MMA training showing through.
Ji-woo threw knives whenever the Guardian got close, but its storm body was partially incorporeal. Only attacks with enough force behind them actually dealt damage.
[DAMAGE: 12]
[DAMAGE: 15]
Barely scratching it. They needed a new strategy.
Ji-woo studied the boss's pattern. It circled the platform, dove for attacks, then returned to the crystalline spire to generate more storm energy. That spire—it was the power source.
"Hye-jin! The spire! We need to destroy its charging station!"
"On it!" She charged toward the crystalline spire while Ji-woo drew the Guardian's aggro by attacking relentlessly.
The dragon noticed Hye-jin's approach and tried to intercept, but Ji-woo activated Desperate Strike and drove his Talon Gauntlet into the Guardian's side with all his strength.
[CRITICAL HIT!]
[DAMAGE: 134]
The Guardian roared in pain and turned its full attention to Ji-woo. Its jaws opened, lightning crackling within.
"PERISH."
A massive lightning bolt discharged directly at Ji-woo. He dove aside, but the electricity chained across the platform, catching him anyway.
[HP: 34/220]
Nearly killed in one hit. His vision swam, his muscles spasmed from electrical overload.
But he'd bought enough time.
Hye-jin's punch shattered the crystalline spire. The Guardian's storm body immediately began to destabilize, lightning discharging wildly.
[SKY GUARDIAN ENTERS: WEAKENED STATE]
[FORCED TO GROUND]
[HP: 916/1,000]
[DEFENSE REDUCED 50%]
The dragon crashed onto the platform, its storm body solidifying into physical form. Now it was vulnerable.
"HIT IT!" Ji-woo shouted, using his last Medical Supply.
[HP: 84/220]
Both Reapers converged on the weakened Guardian. Hye-jin's fists struck like pistons. Ji-woo's Talon Gauntlet tore through solidified storm clouds.
[COORDINATED STRIKE ACTIVATED]
[COMBINED DAMAGE: 167]
[COMBINED DAMAGE: 189]
[COMBINED DAMAGE: 203]
The Guardian tried to take flight again, but its wings were too damaged. It thrashed wildly, claws and tail sweeping in desperate attacks.
[HYE-JIN HP: 34/230]
[JI-WOO HP: 51/220]
Both were in critical condition, but the Guardian was worse. Its health dropped below 300... 200... 100...
"FINISH IT!" Hye-jin grabbed the Guardian's head and slammed it into the platform. Ji-woo drove his Talon Gauntlet through the dragon's chest, piercing its storm heart.
The Sky Guardian dissolved into wind and rain.
[BOSS DEFEATED!]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL UP!]
[DUNGEON CLEARED!]
[TIME: 2 HOURS, 31 MINUTES]
They collapsed onto the platform, exhausted beyond measure. The storm clouds cleared, revealing Seoul's cityscape below—but the real Seoul, not the dungeon's twisted version.
The reward notifications flooded in:
[DEBT REDUCTION: ₩25,000,000]
[SPLIT BETWEEN PARTY MEMBERS: ₩12,500,000 EACH]
[CURRENT DEBT: ₩799,500,000]
[LEVEL 9 REACHED]
[STAT POINTS AVAILABLE: 10]
[ITEMS ACQUIRED:]
STORM DRAGON'S SCALE (CRAFTING MATERIAL)GUARDIAN'S BLESSING (CONSUMABLE)WIND WALKER BOOTS
[PARTY BONUS: EXCEPTIONAL COORDINATION]
[ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE: +100]
Ji-woo lay on his back, staring at the clearing sky. Level 9. Two levels in one dungeon. His debt under 800 million for the first time.
"We're good together," Hye-jin said, still catching her breath. "That coordination bonus made a huge difference."
"We should party more often," Ji-woo agreed.
His phone buzzed with messages as they returned to reality outside Namsan Tower.
From Yoon: Heard you cleared level 7 with Hye-jin. Both hit level 9. Impressive.
From Tae-yang: Your coordination scores are excellent. Commander wants you for advanced team tactics training tomorrow.
From Ha-yoon: Level 9 in two weeks. You're ahead of schedule. Silver Dawn would like to discuss future opportunities.
And one message that made his blood run cold:
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]
[CONVERGENCE COUNTDOWN: 25 DAYS]
[GLOBAL REAPER COUNT: 4,847]
[ESTIMATED PARTICIPANTS: 3,200]
[GOOD LUCK, REAPER #2847]
Twenty-five days until the event that would kill sixty percent of participants.
But Ji-woo was level 9 now. Stronger. Smarter. Better equipped.
He pulled up his status with pride.
[KIM JI-WOO - LEVEL 9 DEBT REAPER]
[HP: 260/260]
[MP: 89/89]
[CURRENT DEBT: ₩799,500,000]
[RANK: SEOUL #134 / GLOBAL #1,987]
One more level to reach the infamous level 10 difficulty spike. One more level before the real challenges began.
Twenty-five days to prepare for the Convergence.
It would have to be enough.
[END OF CHAPTER 14]