The Spirit Trembles and the Tower Falls in Surprise (1)

The third floor of the Tower of Beginners.

It was the point where things finally started getting difficult.

Of course, even then it was still the Tower of Beginners, so everyone else just sneered and called it “That’s a tower?” But anyway.

This was exactly why Yuna had called me out to a café.

*slurp*

“It gets rough starting from the twenty-first floor, you know? The floor is designed so normal head-on attacks don’t work with our current strength, which is why the spirits…”

Yuna explained the third floor to me between occasional sips of coffee. It wasn’t any special service because she knew I was Cheol-gang-min. More like basic kindness toward a newbie who still hadn’t cleared Egen Tower.

I was genuinely touched by that warm heart…

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

“……”

‘Zero useful information.’

Yeah, as if I’d actually be moved.

Unlike the second floor there was no Luca-like element here, so listening to her strategy was basically pointless. Sure, she gave a few extra details. She was a Cheonghwa Guild member, after all—she knew way more than anyone relying on random guides online.

But did I really need to hear any of it?

Especially while she bought me a seven-thousand-won coffee.

‘This is killing me. What a waste of money.’

That was why I kept smiling awkwardly.

It was nice that she’d carved out time in her busy schedule to help a newbie, but honestly it wasn’t useful at all.

Yuna, who had been watching me the entire time, let out a small laugh and set her coffee down.

“Hwimin, your face is way too honest. Tired of hearing the same obvious stuff?”

She smiled brightly, eyes curving into crescents.

“Want me to guess what you’re thinking? ‘Ugh, I just want to rush to the third floor, why is she holding me up?’ Right?”

“…Ahem. Sorry. I got a little too excited.”

“Boys really are like this.”

Then her hand slipped into her bag.

“Here, take these.”

She pulled something out and placed it on the table with a soft clink.

It was a pair of gloves and a belt.

*slurp*

“Hmm…”

She took another sip and pointed at the items.

Uh… what even were these trash-tier pieces of equipment?

Was she asking me to throw them away for her?

“What are these?” I asked casually.

Yuna’s eyes immediately curved into perfect crescent moons.

“Hehe~ You have no idea, right?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“Exactly~ If you don’t have an information-type trait you can’t tell what they are just by looking. But I’m different!”

She shrugged proudly, a bright smile spreading across her face. She was clearly showing off.

Well, it was something to brag about. Information-type traits were pretty rare. Being able to appraise items was a big deal.

The only problem was that the person she was showing off to was me.

‘Still, this is part of adult social life. Time to ooh and aah.’

“Now that you mention it, you’re an information-type Awakener, right? As expected of the Cheonghwa Guild! That’s amazing!!”

I hid my true thoughts and showered her with exaggerated praise. The smooth flattery I’d perfected dealing with construction workers on sites flew right over her head.

Her shoulders rose even higher.

“R-right? It is pretty great, huh?”

“Incredible! Absolutely fantastic!”

“Hehe~ Of course I’m amazing. But at the guild they always make me…”

Yuna launched into a long list of complaints. Her official title was Scout, yet she was stuck doing nothing but website monitoring duty.

She possessed such an incredible trait, yet because she’d picked the wrong tower she wasn’t treated like a real Awakener.

“I thought it wouldn’t matter since I wasn’t planning to work on the front lines anyway and would just be recruiting new Awakeners…”

“Must have been tough.”

I nodded in sympathy.

Internally, however, I was thinking something slightly different.

‘Why is she suddenly dumping her tragic backstory on me? She must have known what she was getting into.’

From a trait perspective alone, it hadn’t been a bad choice. Even I had planned to challenge Egen Tower before I awakened, so I wasn’t exactly in a position to judge.

But the job she’d chosen?

Scout. Or headhunter. Her work involved dealing with other Awakeners.

When someone like her showed up to recruit, the other Awakeners probably thought:

Ah, Cheonghwa sent an empty shell. Guess they don’t need me after all.

‘So it wasn’t just Arirang Guild.’

I’d had a similar experience myself, so it was only natural she’d been pushed into a desk job. Even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Cheonghwa looked down on Egen Tower the same as everyone else.

She knew that fact better than anyone.

“Still, I thought having a Unique trait meant I’d prove myself quickly and rise through the ranks… I never imagined they wouldn’t even give me a chance.”

“That’s pretty harsh.”

The more I listened, the more I felt sorry for her. A Unique trait was genuinely valuable. Out of roughly ten thousand Awakeners in Korea, only about a hundred had Unique traits.

And yet she was stuck staring at monitors in a corner?

What a waste of talent. It really was a shame in many ways.

“Wouldn’t it be better to work as a Hunter in the field? Just analyzing boss weaknesses would earn you way more.”

I offered the serious advice in good faith, but—

“Ah, I actually prefer office work.”

“But the money…”

“Besides, Cheonghwa’s base salary is three million won a month. Sure, it’s low for a Unique trait, but why would I risk going into the field?”

“……”

Advice withdrawn.

Three million a month to sit in an office and browse the web?

I’d take that job even if it meant dealing with clowns like me from time to time.

“You really are impressive. Wouldn’t you say you’re the best success story to come out of our tower?”

I decided to give her sincere praise.

Maybe she saw it on my face, because Yuna suddenly waved her hands in embarrassment.

“Ah, I shouldn’t have said all that in front of you, Hwimin! I’m sorry!”

“It’s fine. By the way, what about these?”

“Right! These are…”

She began chattering away again, explaining the belt and gloves in detail.

The conclusion was quite surprising.

“I’ll lend them to you. Free of charge, until you clear the fifth floor.”

“……?”

Rare-grade equipment usually sold for hundreds of millions of won.

And she was just going to lend it to me?

To me—an Egen Tower graduate who wasn’t even a recruitment target and barely knew her?

…Why?

“You want something from me, don’t you?”

I straightened my posture immediately. No matter how nice she was, there was no way this was actually free.

And of course it wasn’t.

“Just from the artifacts you’ve obtained, I can tell you have incredible luck, Hwimin. Even if your trait luck was terrible.”

“Skip the forced compliments and get to the point, please.”

“If you learn anything about Cheol-gang-min, please tell me.”

Cheol-gang-min—the man everyone wanted to meet.

If I ever ran into him, she wanted me to let her know.

“I think someone like you has the highest chance ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of meeting him. Cheol-gang-min, I mean.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Clearing the Seven Great Gates on his own, helping the Arirang Guild… He must be a really good person. The kind who helps Awakeners like us.”

“Hmm…”

This was getting embarrassing.

It wasn’t really because I was nice. I’d simply helped out a little with my traits when it didn’t cost me anything.

Feeling awkward, I took a quick sip of coffee. The cheapest Americano.

*slurp*

“Maybe you’re right. If I were him, I’d probably feel more comfortable around someone like Senior Yuna than Hwang Hee-chan.”

“Right? So think of this as an investment. You have good luck, so I’m sure you’ll meet him.”

Yuna beamed and slid the gear toward me.

My conscience twinged a little.

‘I am Cheol-gang-min, though.’

I meet him every time I look in a mirror.

But I had zero intention of telling her that. The Administrative Bureau was probably searching for me with fire in their eyes.

I reached out.

“In that case, I’ll gratefully borrow them.”

Of course I didn’t refuse. I didn’t really need them, but turning them down would look suspicious. I’d just take them for now and return them cleanly later.

“Even the smallest clue would be worth a huge reward, so please let me know, okay?”

“Sure, sure.”

Scrape—

I picked up the belt and gloves and stood.

Yuna, who had just finished her coffee, jumped up as well.

We left the café together. The sunlight was warm and the world felt peaceful.

“Good luck on the third floor, junior.”

“Thank you. Oh, I heard Cheonghwa is heading out to clear a gate soon? I hope everything goes smoothly!”

“Hehe, I’ll pass that on.”

Cheonghwa was apparently busy with some massive gate raid, but they’d probably be fine.

It was Cheonghwa, after all.

What could possibly go wrong?

After parting ways with Yuna, I headed straight for the tower.

Flash—!

The signature white light of Egen Tower enveloped me.

You opened your eyes in a snowy field.

A temple stands before you.

You instinctively sense that some divine being inside the temple is calling to you.

“Finally.”

It had been a whole month since I last climbed. Time to get back to it.

I’ve waited long enough, Serin. Big brother’s coming to get your medicine soon.

“Swap trait reinforcement, inventory.”

Whoosh—

I pulled out my sword first, then swapped around my equipment.

“Dohwa, come out.”

“Kyaaang!!!”

The final touch was summoning the pink ball of fluff.

I immediately set off.

Creak.

The door opened with a groan, and warm air welcomed me.

It was the heat radiating from the lizard in front of me.

“Oh, a new challenger.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Salamander.”

The fire spirit, Salamander.

The GM-like being of the “Temple Floor”—the third floor of the tower.

Glance.

‘Yeah, Dohwa should be able to handle this.’

My eyes instinctively went to the space above the Salamander’s head.

Dragon Eyes showed me his level: a mere 200.

I could already smell an easy win.

Shiver.

“Y-your eyes are rather frightening, young man.”

Apparently even the Salamander was intimidated by me. Probably the level gap.

“Please don’t worry. I have no intention of…”

Eating you. I was about to reassure him when—

“…Huh?”

I’d been in the middle of speaking when another trait suddenly activated.

At a timing I had not expected at all.

‘I’m only on the twenty-first floor?’