#11 Apostle
Cough, cough.
The sound of his little sister's coughing echoed again. Light filtered through the gap in the hospital room curtains, but darkness still clouded Kim Woo-jin's face.
"Oppa, check this out. Something called a Tower popped up."
"……I know."
"For real? You've seen the Tower, Oppa?"
"On the news."
"Liar. You never watch the news."
"I do now."
"Pfft."
Kim A-rin glanced slyly at Kim Woo-jin before turning back to her smartphone screen. Her pale fingers scrolled across it. Her complexion was worse than yesterday. The doctor wanted more tests—said they had to monitor her progress. The same words every time, the only thing changing was A-rin's condition.
"Oppa."
"Yeah."
"I want something spicy for lunch today."
"Ask the doctor first."
"Then I won't get to eat it."
"Then you don't eat it."
"……Jeez."
A-rin's lips puffed out in a pout—the expression she made when she was feeling a bit better.
'If her vitals drop further, we may need to consider moving her to the ICU.'
She didn't know about that. She didn't need to.
……He'd handle it somehow.
"Oppa, where are you going?"
"Convenience store. Want anything?"
"Banana milk."
"Got it."
He closed the hospital room door and stepped into the hallway. Under the fluorescent lights, he let out a heavy sigh and pulled out his smartphone.
The internet had been in chaos since yesterday. Posts from people who entered the Tower and came out alive were popping up everywhere. Most were from no-name communities full of shut-ins, so credibility was low, but they all said the same things.
'It's like a game.'
'Kill the monsters and it clears.'
'Clear it and a shop opens.'
It sounded insane, but the Towers appearing in the first place was already beyond comprehension.
He scrolled with one hand and sank into a chair in the hospital lobby. Most comments were mocking or skeptical. Then something caught his eye.
But not sure if you can buy it
Even if you can, you'd have to climb pretty high in the Tower?
Is this a game or what?
It's ridiculous
He set the smartphone down. Elixir, a panacea. Just some random internet rumor. The Towers had only appeared two days ago—believing this blindly was for fools.
But, but.
In a condition even doctors had all but given up on, what was left to believe in? Modern medicine couldn't even name A-rin's illness. "Unknown cause"—those four words had crushed the siblings for years.
Kim Woo-jin bought banana milk at the convenience store and returned to the room.
"Why'd you take so long?"
"Long line."
"Liar. What line at a convenience store? I know better."
"……Just drink it, A-rin."
"Hmph. Thanks anyway."
A-rin poked in a straw and started sipping the banana milk. The gulping sounds filled the quiet room. Kim Woo-jin's gaze drifted out the window. Far off, a massive structure pierced the sky. A helicopter circled the Tower. The news said the military had it blockaded, but people were sneaking in anyway.
Enter the Tower.
Kill monsters.
Clear it.
Shop opens.
Buy Elixir.
A-rin gets better.
"Oppa, what're you thinking?"
"……Nothing."
"There you go again."
"Again with what."
"You always say it's nothing but brood alone. I'm not a kid anymore."
"You're a kid forever in my eyes."
A-rin pouted. Halfway through the milk, her eyes began to droop. Probably the meds. Not sleeping pills, but painkillers.
"……Oppa."
"Yeah."
"I'll be fine. Don't worry."
A mumble in her half-sleep. Her breathing soon steadied as she drifted off.
Kim Woo-jin tucked her blanket in and quietly left the room.
I'll be fine.
She didn't know that hearing "I'm fine" hurt the most.
At the end of the hall, he pushed open the emergency stairwell door and descended one flight. He collapsed in the middle of the empty stairs.
He pulled out his phone again and reread that post. Elixir, panacea. Gotta climb high to buy it.
If it was real.
He knew it was crazy. He'd never fought properly, no weapon either.
The word slipped out anyway. Elixir.
This desperate situation felt so foolish. If modern medicine had no answer, didn't he have to look beyond it?
He checked A-rin's sleeping face one last time and headed home. The dim room greeted him at the door. He opened a drawer by the sink—a kitchen knife caught his eye. Slippery handle? Wrap it in tape.
He stuffed the knife in his backpack, added a water bottle, towel, and emergency bandages.
In the mirror, a bloodless face stared back.
"I can do this."
No basis for it, but right now, he just needed the will to act.
The Tower was close. Three subway stops to Gwanghwamun Square. The station was more chaotic than usual—Towers or that constellation nonsense on the news?
The massive structure was unmistakable even from afar, ringed by barricades and military vehicles.
[Constellation Echo of Luck shows interest.]
"……?"
Blue text floated in the air. No one else seemed to notice—they were all staring at phones or up at the Tower.
[Constellation Echo of Luck proposes a contract.]
Constellation—that word from the news. He didn't know what was happening, but it wasn't important now.
"Does contracting get me an Elixir?"
A few heads turned at his question, but they soon lost interest and wandered off. The blue text gave no response. After waiting ages, no new messages.
Figures that couldn't even answer.
Like gods vanishing when questioned.
"……Whatever. I'll climb it myself."
He headed for the barricade. Soldiers stood guard; a military truck rumbled in behind them. He waited for eyes to shift away.
The truck approached, barricade opening—blind spot created.
"Halt! Stop!"
Don't stop. For the Elixir. For his sister.
Heart pounding wildly, he kept running. As his foot crossed the entrance threshold, the world shifted.
A cave of stone walls. Torches on the walls lit a narrow passage.
Calmly, he pulled the knife from his backpack, gripped it lightly, and wrapped tape tightly around the handle.
"Hoo…… It's fine. I'm in—gotta keep going."
Far more real than news footage. No turning back.
If this was true, the rest was too. Clear or die—that was the Tower.
About 20 meters in, something lunged from a corner.
"Grrr—!"
Small stature, green skin. Pointed ears, yellow eyes. Just like the post described.
A goblin.
But posts didn't capture the stench—like years-rotted meat. Saliva dripped from yellowed fangs.
Skin crawling, the goblin charged. Instinctively, he thrust the knife forward and twisted away.
Kagagak—!
Claws scraped the blade, shock jarring his wrist. It swung its other arm. His sweatsleeve tore. A sting. Blood seeped from his arm.
"F-fuck……!"
Rage surged before fear. He gripped the knife two-handed and slammed it down.
Thud—!
The tip buried in the goblin's shoulder.
Kieeeek—!
It thrashed, screaming. Pull out? Push in? Mind blanked.
Then A-rin's face flashed—smiling over banana milk in the hospital.
"Die—!"
He twisted and drove it deeper. Flesh-tearing sensation crawled up his palm.
The goblin went limp. His hands were soaked in red.
Stomach churning, he held it down—didn't want the smell drawing more.
First one down.
More passage ahead. Back to the wall, he slid down.
'Ah, the wound.'
Left arm soaked red. He quickly wrapped it tight with bandages.
"……This shit's real."
A bitter scoff at himself—for charging in with just a kitchen knife.
He wanted to go back. But A-rin's voice echoed.
'Oppa, it's fine.'
Her pale face saying that. He gritted his teeth.
"Keep going……."
At the fork, he paused. Left dark, right lit. After agonizing, he chose light.
A wider space. Two goblins crouched, gnawing something.
'Two. Barely handled one before.'
……He crept closer, silent as possible.
'Take one out first. Buy time before the other reacts.'
Right goblin looked away—he lunged, smashing the knife into the left one's skull.
Thud—!
Kieeeek—!!
The other whipped around and sprang up, hurling a bone.
Knife stuck on bone. Tape-wrapped grip slipped—he used the corpse as a shield, shoving it forward.
Puke—!!
Horrific sound echoed. Looking down, claws barely missed his gut.
Teeth clenched, he kicked the corpse free. Knife ground bone and came loose.
"Hoo……! Come on, you bastard—!!"
"Grulk—!!"
Goblin lunged again. Kim Woo-jin swung wildly.
Kaang—!
Kagagak—!
Blade grazed its neck. Not deep, but blood sprayed. It shrieked back.
He didn't stop—threw himself reverse. In the tangle, the tip pierced its chest.
The goblin's glaring eyes lost focus.
"……Dead……."
Two more. Three total—and he was drenched in sweat, legs shaking, mind foggy. Dizziness hit; he rolled onto the floor.
"Hoo, hoo……!"
Everything bloodied. How much his? Arm throbbed; blood trickled from his gut.
'Can't collapse over this.'
Staggering, he stood.
"……Let's go."
The passage continued.