Korea’s Tower stood in Jamsil.
To be precise, it had been erected in the middle of the Han River.
The black Tower stretched to the very end of the sky, so its top could not be gauged.
Helicopters, satellites, and so on.
Anything that tried to approach from the outside was obstructed by an invisible force.
‘That guy’s asleep every time I come here.’
An Association employee stood guard at the entrance for the process of verifying identities with Player Cards.
Though, of course, he was asleep right now.
During the tutorial as well, I had been able to enter without any procedure, thanks to that guy sleeping.
Step— Step—
As I walked into the Tower’s interior, a gigantic hall soon came into view.
The ceiling was so high it couldn’t be seen, and the walls were decorated with softly glowing patterns.
‘Always crowded, no matter when I come.’
People chatting lightly.
Raid parties checking their equipment and planning strategies against one side of the wall.
Even merchant players raising their voices as they bought and sold information.
It was neither chaotic nor quiet.
This was a space for taking one last breath before climbing the Tower.
[The currently accessible floor is the 2nd floor.]
“To the 2nd floor.”
[Transferring to the 2nd floor of the Tower.]
A darkness, as if I had closed my eyes, covered my vision for an instant.
A weightless gap where even the wind and sound vanished.
And then.
Rustle—
Along with the sound of grass swaying, warm light spread out.
The place where I opened my eyes was a still, clear forest.
The scent of the forest tickled my nose.
The sunlight was as transparent as glass, and the wind brushing through the leaves lightly grazed my skin.
[2nd Floor]
[Mission: Kill 20 goblins.]
[Time Limit: 30 minutes]
Just as I was catching my breath for a moment and taking in this stillness.
<Kreck… kkrrrr….>
<Grk, krrrk.>
Unfamiliar cries pierced through the wind.
When I turned my head slightly to the right, two monsters with pale green skin were standing there.
They were holding daggers and exchanging brief words, but froze the moment they spotted me.
<Grk.>
Their millet-grain eyes curved like half-moons, and they bared their teeth as if craving blood.
I approached them immediately.
FWIP—
The moment their daggers were raised, my hands grabbed their heads first.
CRRRK—!
When I put strength into my grip, the goblin’s skull crumbled.
Without giving the second one time to even roll its eyes in surprise, I snatched its head with my other hand and twisted.
CRUNCH—!
The goblin’s body went limp.
Green blood clung stickily to my palm.
[Goblin: 2/20]
“With stats this high, I definitely don’t need a weapon.”
They were around the same level as the skeletons in the tutorial.
But I was now several times stronger than I had been back then.
In terms of difficulty, it was so easy it made me yawn.
‘Goblins only group up in 30 to 40 at most, anyway.’
Tap— Tap—
I lightly shook off my bloody hands and smiled.
“Well then, shall I do some hunting?”
Bending my legs, I threw myself into the forest.
TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP—!
Fallen leaves burst beneath my feet, and the wind split past my ears and streamed behind me.
I hadn’t gone more than a few steps before the shadows of other goblins squirmed between the bushes.
<Grk?>
This time not two, but six.
They seemed to have come out on patrol at just the right moment.
“Hello?”
<Kerk—>
THUP—
Running quickly, I snatched the head of the goblin at the very front with my left hand.
And then.
CRASH!
I drove its head straight into the ground.
‘Transix—’
Shaaak—
The mark on my hand flashed briefly, and before I knew it, a black-iron spear was gripped in my right hand.
“These punching bags are pretty flimsy for a weapon test, though.”
<Kreeeeeck!!>
I drew in a light breath.
When all five goblins charging at me at once had come within range.
“Ha—!”
Putting strength into the tips of my feet, I twisted my waist, and at the same time, my right arm swung out like lightning.
WHEEEEEK—!
The trajectory drawn by the spear’s tip split the air, leaving behind a half-moon-shaped flash.
In that instant, the scene before me went still, as if it had been split along a straight line.
Thud— Thud— Thud—
The heads of the five goblins were cut off at the same time and rolled onto the ground.
Green blood gushed up like fountains from the severed surfaces and splattered across the grass.
“It’s pretty disappointing, though.”
The weapon’s performance itself wasn’t bad.
‘It’s hefty yet nimble, but….’
The opponents were too weak.
I had made it perfect in every respect, but its greatest strength was penetration.
They died before I could even make a proper attack, so it seemed I wouldn’t get a chance to use the thrust, the flower of spearmanship.
“Would I need something like a Guardian to show up, at least?”
[Goblin: 8/20]
[Time Limit: 28:21]
“Time-wise, it seems doable, though.”
I slowly closed my eyes.
Calming my heartbeat and breathing, I spread my mana in all directions.
It wasn’t on the level of a mage’s detection magic, but I could at least pick up movement.
Wuuung—
An invisible ripple spread out in all directions.
Blades of grass, tree trunks, even the wingbeats of small insects were caught in my senses.
And then.
‘Found it.’
West, about three hundred meters.
A place where creatures that walked on two legs like humans were gathered.
It was a goblin village.
Chwak—
When I put strength into my toes, my body shot forward as if my vision were being pulled ahead.
TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP—!
Trees and rocks flew past behind me, and soon my view opened up.
Beyond a flimsy fence, dozens of goblins were tangled together.
They sensed my presence and bared their teeth.
<Krrrrick!!>
<Kruk! Kruk!!>
“Were you guys in the middle of a party?”
Dragging the tip of my spear low, I stepped forward.
My first swing was aimed at four of them rushing in from the left.
SHWEEEK—!
As the spearhead split the air, the upper bodies of the four goblins slid off below the waist and separated.
SHRAAK—
A mist of blood sprayed through the air.
‘Three on the right—’
WHIP—
Rotating my body, I skewered the three charging from the opposite side in one go.
CRUNCH—!
DING—
[You have leveled up.]
“One level for fifteen kills. As expected, the efficiency sucks.”
A single stream of green blood ran down from the tip of the spear to the shaft.
The more they screamed and charged, the faster my feet and spear became.
With every swing, three or four of them were cut down like slices of tofu.
SHRAAAK—!
[You have completed the mission.]
[The reward will be granted.]
“Later—”
My arms had no time to stop moving.
Headless corpses crumbled.
Perhaps because their blood was green, the inside of the fence gradually turned into something like a swamp.
[Goblin: 65/20]
[Time Limit: 24:07]
***
Guardian.
Players who linger on a single floor for a long time, killing nothing but weak monsters to farm experience.
A mechanism the Tower installed to stop their infinite growth.
Players cannot escape from a Guardian.
‘They’re grinding levels because they’re not good enough to move on to the next floor, so if a Guardian pops out there, well, they just have to die.’
Then was there never a time a Guardian popped out while a mission was underway?
Not so.
According to information I had uncovered before regressing, there were times when Guardians appeared mid-climb as well.
“Though the conditions themselves are ridiculous, of course.”
The first condition: achieve at least five times the mission quota.
[Goblin: 125/20]
The second condition: achieve the first condition before half of the time limit has passed.
[Time Limit: 00:19:31]
The third: be a solo player.
I had entered the 2nd floor alone, and with that, all three conditions had been met.
‘The Tower wants strong climbers, but it’s wary of ones that are too strong.’
At present, the conditions for a Guardian’s appearance hadn’t been fully figured out.
Guardians were one of the reasons why overwhelming geniuses among players didn’t live long.
“It’s about time for it to show up.”
BEEP-BEEP—
[Warning: The Climber’s level has exceeded the threshold.]
[The Tower summons a Guardian to this floor.]
[Climber: Seo Kang-yul]
[Caution: The Guardian is summoned at the level of this floor +5.]
[Escape route opens in: 00:30:00]
“If it’s a Guardian that shows up on the 2nd floor, it’s probably….”
Beyond the village, a shadow stretched long over a gently rising hill.
A giant goblin shaman holding a black staff.
In front of it, goblin elites wearing sturdy leather armor and iron helmets appeared, lined up like a wave.
“About a hundred of them, maybe?”
An ordinary player would have despaired in this situation.
It was a level that a 2nd-floor player could never clear.
But I raised the corners of my mouth.
Step— Step—
I slowly approached it.
There was no need to hide.
I already knew its pattern.
Zzzing—
The moment I entered its field of view.
Blue light began gathering at the tip of its staff.
The Protection Hex.
Proof that it regarded me as a strong opponent.
“What a cowardly bastard.”
Its pattern was simple.
It roughly gauged its opponent’s skill by sight, and if the opponent seemed dangerous, it immediately cast the Protection Hex.
The current me couldn’t break through that Protection Hex.
‘But while it’s using that hex, it can’t use any other hex either.’
I planted my lower body firmly, feet parallel.
I pulled my spear-holding right hand back, then extended my left hand forward to take aim—
“Hyah!”
SHWOOK—
Transix flashed and flew.
As the spearhead split the air, the goblin elites in the front line raised their shields, but,
CRASH—!
It pierced through their shields and skewered the ones behind them too.
TAP-TAP—!
I quickly leapt into the opening and broke through their front line.
The moment I dug into the inside of their front line.
Iron blades and shields came at me from all directions at once.
Spearmen in front, shieldbearers behind.
Normally, this would be the worst possible position, with nowhere to retreat.
“Nice stepping stone!”
THUD!
I kicked up hard with the tip of my foot into the center of the shield of the one pushing in from behind.
<Kerk—?>
The moment the shieldbearer lost its center of gravity and staggered back into the others.
I used that rebound as a foothold and launched my body into the air.
Whirl—
In midair, I shortened my grip on the spear, and my gaze stretched forward.
As I leapt clean over the spearmen’s heads, I could see the one commanding the unit from behind them.
The elites around it had the shaman surrounded, but I landed right in front of it.
Tak—!
The moment my toes struck the dirt, I aimed the tip of Transix at the shaman’s chest.
Then.
<Khihihihihi….>
The shaman’s mouth twisted.
As if it found this laughable, its long, torn lips drew a hideous smile.
Grotesque green fangs were revealed.
“You’re laughing?”
To protect the shaman, the elite goblins raised their spears and went wild.
If I attacked the shaman right now….
The tide of battle would turn against me.
‘Usually, people think you have to kill the shaman first, but.’
Their spear tips lunged at me, aiming for my neck.
The sharp sound of iron clashing against iron.
The shrieks of goblins, mixed with their ragged breathing, rang out from all directions.
There was no need to worry about the shaman.
Instead, I fixed my gaze on the spearmen rushing in from behind.
“Spearmen are way easier and nicer than annoying shieldbearers, after all.”
I thrust Transix out long.
They raised their spears and attacked, but.
‘My reach is longer.’
Swish—! SQUELCH!
One collapsed clutching its throat, and the one beside it had its chest pierced before it could even scream.
CRUNCH—!
The spear’s tip rotated smoothly, soaked with blood.
The shieldbearers pushed in from the sides, but I tore through the spearmen’s waists and collapsed their front line.
<Krrrrrraaaaaaah—!>
The shaman’s shriek rang out.
A voice pickled in rage.
It was as if it were bellowing, ‘Hurry up and break the Protection Hex.’
Swish—
I turned back toward the shaman and smirked.
I had no intention whatsoever of doing what it wanted.
“What a shame, huh? I already know your whole pattern.”
<Kraraaraa!!>
It let out a shriek laced with rage, but.
Until I broke that Protection Hex for it, it couldn’t do a thing.