The World Destined for Ruin

Save the world? Me? There must be a reason why they specifically recommended one out of my three unique abilities. Accepting goodwill with goodwill—isn't that a virtue in itself?

“How do I perform an enhancement?”

“You just need to say ‘Achievement Enhancement.’”

“Achievement Enhancement.”

With those words, a yellow window floated into view.

“Enhance Loved by Transcendents.”

Did it work…?

“Do you feel anything different?”

…I think I’ve been scammed.

I stared intently at the girl sitting in front of me, the one who keeps the balance of the Tower, and she avoided my gaze.

“Where there is a meeting, there is a parting. Shall we part ways now?”

“Before that, I have one last thing to ask.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

I asked the girl as she took a sip of her cocoa.

Why is my difficulty level like this?

“That’s just the Tower adjusting things to maintain balance. It’s not like we’re raising the difficulty on purpose, you know?”

“Isn’t that unfair? I’m climbing much harder than everyone else.”

“You don’t look like you’re struggling at all, but you have a point. Before we go, could you check this?”

The girl flicked her finger, and someone’s status window appeared before my eyes.

“What do you think? This is a climber who cleared the 10th floor just like you.”

Honestly, I don’t think you could clear the Tower with this ability. Unless the monster on the 99th floor is your summon.

“Of course, he has a powerful summon, but you, Lee Suhyun, are with the Transcendents, aren’t you?”

She smirked and flicked her finger, making the status window vanish.

“As much as it is difficult and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠challenging, there is a reward that follows, so it is absolutely not unfair. Though, I admit it is difficult. Are you satisfied now?”

“Yes….”

“I’m glad. I look forward to our next meeting.”

The girl waved her hand as if saying goodbye, surrounded by a bright light.

My vision shifted, and I returned home. Checking the clock, I realized that although I had entered in the morning, it was now late evening.

“Today was an exceptionally long day.”

“…I’m not eating it.”

The next morning. Waking up in bed, washing up, and stepping outside felt like a fresh start. Usually, at this time, I would already ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be at work….

I stopped by a nearby bank to withdraw some money, and as I stepped back outside, a message popped up.

“I’m going to the orphanage.”

“Even if I don’t have good memories… there were good adults there.”

I smiled sheepishly, walked out to the main road, and stretched out my hand. A taxi stopped in front of me. As I climbed in, an elderly driver greeted me.

“Welcome.”

“Hello, please take me to Sky Orphanage.”

“Sure.”

About 20 minutes later, I arrived at Sky Orphanage. After paying the fare and entering the garden, I heard a noisy commotion.

“Banana milk is tastier!”

“No, strawberry milk is better!”

“Chocolate is the best, you’re all wrong!!!”

Young children were arguing over such profound topics. Is that even okay?

Just then, a woman who looked like a teacher approached me.

“Excuse me… who are you?”

“I’m here to see Director Kim Haneul.”

“Oh, a guest. I’ll guide you to the director’s office.”

Following the teacher inside, a familiar scene unfolded. The children’s drawings on the walls, the slightly worn hallway tiles, the sunlight streaming through the windows—even after ten years, not much had changed.

I knocked on the director’s office at the very end of the hall, and an elderly man’s voice called from inside.

“Come in.”

Opening the door, I saw the director of Sky Orphanage working at his desk.

“Director, a guest is here.”

“Thank you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for the trouble of guiding them.”

“I’ll be going now.”

The teacher left, and the director stood up from his chair to look at me.

“Lee Suhyun, it’s been a while.”

“Do you remember me…? It’s been ten years….”

“There isn’t a parent in the world who doesn’t remember their child.”

He smiled slightly, told me to take a seat, and asked if I preferred coffee or green tea.

“The tea you make is always too watery, Director… it doesn’t taste good.”

“That’s a story from the past. I make it well these days.”

He brought over two cups of green tea and handed one to me. I took a sip, and as expected, it still tasted awful.

“It’s the same as before.”

“Hmm… the other teachers say it’s delicious, so that’s strange.”

Isn’t that just social etiquette…?

The director waited patiently until I finished my tea. As I set the empty cup down, a smile formed on his lips.

“There is a ‘Daddy Long Legs’ who has been sponsoring us for over ten years.”

“…….”

“But one day, perhaps by mistake, you deposited the money under your real name. That’s when I realized. The fact that Lee Suhyun was the Daddy Long Legs who had been sponsoring the orphanage for over a decade.”

“…It was only 50,000 won, anyway.”

“The amount of the donation isn’t important. It’s the heart that matters.”

With those words, he stood up and suddenly bowed his head!?

“Director!?”

“All the funds you’ve donated over the years have been used for the children. And I speak for the entire orphanage: Thank you.”

“P-please, lift your head.”

He chuckled at my flustered state and sat back down. Only then did I realize it was a prank.

“Our Lee Suhyun is as pure now as he was back then. That’s why I’ve always worried about you.”

“…I was grateful for the money you gave me back then.”

Though I used it all on gacha….

“Do you know how sorry I felt that I could only give you that much?”

We shared a sheepish laugh and talked about the old days. As they say, time is a healer; the memories had been polished by time, painting a rather decent picture.

After talking for about an hour, I stood up and pulled an envelope from my pocket, handing it to him.

“Please keep this anonymous as well.”

“Thank you, as always.”

The director took the envelope as if it were a precious treasure and tucked it away. After a final farewell, I left the orphanage. “Let’s go back.”

I walked to the main road, caught a taxi, and headed home. My phone started ringing like crazy—did he check the envelope?

“Hello?”

“Lee Suhyun!? What is this amount!?”

“It’s nothing much.”

“What do you mean ‘nothing much’!? It’s two billion won!?”

“I won the lottery, so I’m just donating it. I’m busy, so I’ll hang up now.”

The director tried to say something else, but I pressed the end call button and turned off my phone.

What should I do with these people who are worried about chicken even in this situation? …Oh, right. They aren’t human.

As soon as I arrived home, I finished my homework… no, my preparations for climbing. Of course, I packed plenty of snacks in my inventory to offer to Olympus.

“Alright, let’s go. Enter.”

In an instant, my vision changed, and the massive tower appeared before me. I approached, opened the door, and a message appeared.

“Yes!”

If I had to summarize the feeling of stepping onto the 11th floor for the first time in one word?

Fucked.

A red star visible in the sky. It felt like a star of immeasurable size was getting closer and closer—was it just my imagination?

…It wasn’t my imagination.

Only then did I realize why this world was ‘destined for ruin.’ Because if that thing falls to the ground, everything ends.

That is why this world is a ‘world destined for ruin.’