But I Didn't Even Do Anything

Twenty years had passed since the monolithic obsidian structure known as the Tower of Ordeals first manifested in the center of the world. Across those two long decades, reality itself had fundamentally transformed. Awakeners walked the streets. A strange, miraculous power dubbed mana rewrote the laws of nature. Erratic gates tore open without warning, disgorging lethal beasts alongside untold, exotic riches.

Yet the windfall of this brave new era was a privilege reserved for an infinitesimal fraction of humanity. Lucky bastards who awakened game-breaking cheat abilities out of nowhere and were instantly scooped up by megaguilds—people like my childhood friend, for example.

"..."

That text had arrived yesterday, a belated reply to a message I had sent four days prior.

"What a pathetic joke my life is."

To think the only meaningful connection I had nurtured since childhood had degraded into something this hollow. Just because she hit the big time, did a fifteen-year friendship suddenly mean jack shit to her?

"No matter how busy you are, you can't even glance at a single text...?"

Letting out a heavy, weary sigh, I sank into my plush desk chair and glared at the computer screen. Glowing brightly in the dimly lit bedroom was an open browser tab displaying the Tower of Ordeals Gallery. My finger twitched, clicking almost subconsciously on a thread that had rocketed to the top of the popular board a mere three minutes after being posted.

"..."

A bitter scoff escaped my throat as I scrolled through the comments. To think the terrified crybaby who used to cling to my sleeve because she couldn't squish a tiny beetle was now posturing with fearless bravado on television broadcasts.

"I can't let this slide."

The public deserved the truth, after all.

Just a single year ago, her chest and back were practically identical. Watching the noticeable bounce of her bust in that video clip only reaffirmed my awe for the miracles of modern aesthetic medicine.

Predictably, a barrage of replies immediately erupted beneath my post. Vicious slurs poured in, denouncing my mother, my father, and dragging four generations of my ancestors out of their graves for good measure. But I was never one to take abuse lying down.

When someone sneered, "Are your parents dead or something?" I casually replied, "Yeah, ripped to shreds on my birthday by a stray monster that broke through our living room wall."

The hail of profanity ground to an abrupt, dead halt.

"Victory is mine."

A smug grin tugged at the corners of my mouth. Yet the very next moment, my fleeting triumph evaporated when my eyes landed on the next thread on the forum list.

"...Ugh."

As a Seoul National University graduate slaving away in guild administration, that stray comment pierced me right through the chest. Sure, I wasn't an entry-level grunt—my outstanding track record had propelled me to an administrative team leader position in record time—but a desk jockey was still a desk jockey.

I didn't want to grind paperwork either. I wanted to be a climber, raking in billions while clocking two hours of work a day.

"...God, I dread going into the office tomorrow."

If I could just survive tomorrow, it would be the weekend. Clinging to that lone sliver of solace, I buried myself under the duvet and shut my eyes, praying to whatever gods existed that tomorrow would pass without a single incident.

Without an incident? What an absolute joke.

"Are you kidding me? An A-Rank monster spawning smack in the dead center of the city?!"

Naturally, it had to break out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠inside our team's designated administrative sector. An entire residential district was reduced to rubble, and my golden Friday night went up in smoke along with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an endless pile of incident reports.

By the time I stamped the final seal on the documentation, the clock read 11:35 PM.

"At least it's finally over."

Cradling the thick stack of printed papers against my chest, I dragged my feet toward the executive desk across the room. Sitting prominently upon its polished surface was a crisp acrylic nameplate: Seoul Defense Headquarters Director — Yoo Seolhyeon.

Ever had your childhood friend of fifteen years turn into your direct corporate superior? Well, that nightmare was my reality.

"Here is the completed post-incident report."

I dropped the heavy stack onto her mahogany desk with a dull thud. At that exact moment, Yoo Seolhyeon looked up. Our gazes locked, and the instant I met those brilliant azure eyes, a phantom chill scraped across my skin, as if an arctic blizzard had sliced through the heated room. Her stare carried absolute zero—a gaze devoid of even a single ember of warmth that seemed to pierce straight through my soul.

"..."

"...What? Is something wrong?"

Unable to endure that oppressive glare, I turned my head away. It was then that two glossy vouchers lying on the corner of her desk caught my eye.

"Huh? What are these?"

Two dining passes for an upscale restaurant? Glancing at the gilded logo, I realized it was an exorbitantly high-end establishment. In fact, it was the very place I had spent the past few months saving up for, hoping to treat myself one day.

Without thinking, my hand reached toward the tickets. The very next instant, Yoo Seolhyeon shot up from her chair like an uncoiling spring.

"...!"

Smack!

"Ow!"

Her grip was so crushing that an instinctive cry slipped past my lips.

"..."

Yet through the pale fingers clamped around my wrist, I could feel an unmistakable tremor. Yoo Seolhyeon bit her lower lip, staring up at me with a face flushed crimson.

"Y-You... You..."

For someone who normally wore an impenetrable poker face to react like this, just how furious was she? Was she planning to go there with a boyfriend? No, wait. As far as I knew, she had never dated anyone in her entire life.

In the end, I was the one who had to back down.

"...I was just curious and wanted a look. I'm sorry."

To be honest, the harsh rejection stung.

"..."

"Do you have something to say?"

Her expression seemed heavy with words she desperately wanted to voice, but Yoo Seolhyeon merely gave a curt shake of her head. She swiftly shoved the vouchers deep into her handbag, clamped her lips tightly shut, and averted her gaze.

"..."

"..."

The suffocating silence dragged on until she finally broke it with a cold command.

"...Hand over the report."

She extended a slender hand, and the hefty stack of papers levitated into the air. It was Telekinesis—a signature technique wielded by top-tier martial rankers. Receiving the floating documents, Yoo Seolhyeon's eyes froze over once more.

The thick stack ruffled at blinding speed, pages blurring past so rapidly that it was impossible to discern the shapes of the letters, let alone read them. And then, less than five seconds later...

Thud.

With an indifferent flick of her wrist, she tossed the entire file back onto the desk. A flat, emotionless voice grazed my ears.

"Good work."

She wasn't looking at me. She wasn't even looking at the report.

"..."

My eyes remained fixed on the unread stack of paper sitting neglected on the polished wood. That was the report I had bled over, working grueling overtime on a Friday night to finish.

"...Without even reading it?"

The question slipped out before I could stop myself. Yoo Seolhyeon merely met my gaze with that blank, impassive face.

"I read every word."

Her unyielding resolve made it painfully clear she would tolerate no further discussion. In that moment, something inside me snapped. I couldn't hold it back, and frankly, I no longer saw any reason to.

"...Hey. Seriously, Yoo Seolhyeon."

"We are in the office, Baek Sihyeok. Mind your language."

"It took me over twelve agonizing hours to compile that data!"

"I know. I sat right beside you and watched you do it."

"Then how could you do that? You know how hard I worked, and you still treat it like trash?!"

"...I told you, I actually read it all."

Her defense sounded entirely hollow to my ringing ears.

"Fine, leaving me on read is your business. You're an S-Rank climber and you're busy—I get it. But couldn't you at least show me the bare minimum of professional respect? We've known each other for fifteen damn years! Am I not even allowed to expect that much from you?!"

Yoo Seolhyeon's expression remained carved from ice. Not a flicker of emotion stirred across her porcelain features. Staring into those frigid eyes, I suddenly felt like an utter clown for standing here venting my lungs.

"...Whatever. You said you're done with it, so I'm clocking out. But if you try to bring up revisions or find fault with that paperwork come Monday morning, don't bother. I'll hand in my resignation on the spot."

"..."

Turning on my heel, a dizzying wave of realization washed over me. I had to be completely out of my mind from stress. The woman standing behind me was an entity who could erase my very existence from this earth with a careless twitch of her finger. She was the strongest climber in Shinhwa Guild, one of the three colossal megaguilds ruling the nation. Shoving my head into the jaws of a starving predator would have been safer.

Whatever. Come what may.

I had erupted on pure impulse, yet as I marched toward the heavy office doors, no lethal sword qi came flying to cleave my back in two.

"I'm leaving."

"Wait, Baek Sihyeok..."

Through the shrinking gap of the closing door, I caught a brief glimpse of Yoo Seolhyeon reaching a hand out toward me. I couldn't make out her expression. No doubt it was that same terrifying glare that could freeze anyone solid in their tracks. Enduring the Ice Age during working hours was more than enough torture for one day.

I deliberately pulled the door shut with a sharp click, turned my back, and strode toward the elevator.

"Save the nagging for someone else."

All I wanted was to go home and collapse into bed. That single thought consumed my exhausted mind.

Dragging my leaden limbs down the asphalt street, I instinctively tilted my head back to gaze at the heavens.

"Pretty..."

Among the countless transformations the Tower had brought upon our world was the resurgence of stars in the night sky. Starscapes that should have been swallowed by the glaring smog and light pollution of modern Seoul now radiated an ethereal brilliance across the pitch-black canopy. They shone like the awakeners who had received power and authority from the Tower—people who, before the monolith's arrival, had lived ordinary lives just like mine.

"...Haaah."

Why did the Tower bestow miraculous power upon some while denying it to others? Why did it shower Yoo Seolhyeon with boundless strength while withholding it from me? If only one of us was deemed worthy of power... shouldn't it have gone to the one who bled and toiled for it every waking day?

If the gifts she possessed had been granted to me instead...

"I could use them ten times better than she ever could."

It was a meaningless mutter into the night. If that newly awakened A-Grade astrologer heard me, she would have chirped, "Then you should just go do it yourself-dayo!"

Yet as if someone—or something—had eavesdropped on my quiet yearning...

A translucent holographic window bloomed directly before my eyes. Though I had never witnessed it firsthand, its identity was unmistakable. I had seen countless screenshots and video recordings of this exact phenomenon across the web.

"..."

It was an awakening status notification. The moment my gaze processed the grade attached to the ability, my eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"...Holy shit."

Copying abilities? The moment I digested that sentence, a certain person spontaneously flashed in my mind.

Chime!

"...Are you fucking kidding me?"

How the hell was anyone supposed to achieve a condition like that? How was I supposed to max out the affection of an emotionless, psychopathic ice queen? Did the System lose its goddamn mind...?

Chime!

"...?"

What?

Wait... I didn't even do anything?