Chapter 30
Chapter 30: Tower of Trials, 1st Floor (3)
One week later.
The promised dungeon date with the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer had ended.
As it turned out, Baek Jin-woo's judgment had been correct.
On the last evening, when all the promises had been kept—
—Um……. Jin-woo.
"Yeah?"
—There's something I need to tell you.
"What is it?"
—The truth is, I could have learned the skill last time, but out of immature feelings, I deliberately didn't. I'm truly sorry.
The Explosive Dragon Sorcerer had come clean.
She had to have known she'd get scolded, yet still did what she did.
But instead of being reprimanded, she was given a reward on top of a separate date—that must have sat uneasily on her conscience.
—It was a selfish feeling on my part. The other Summoner Beasts surely want to spend time with you too, Jin-woo."
"No, Explosive Dragon Sorcerer."
Baek Jin-woo smiled brightly.
He was still young himself, but—wasn't this what it felt like to raise a child?
"If anything, I'm grateful you worked up the courage to tell me first."
—……
"You don't need to be so hard on yourself. Right now, what I need most is you. It's only natural for me to spend time on you."
—Really?
This was no empty words.
The weekly dungeon rotation squad?
They were precious too, of course—but not on the level of the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer, the Drill Instructor, or Lamba.
Baek Jin-woo had always been the type to give special treatment to high-performing Summoner Beasts rather than spreading his attention equally.
"Dragon Burst Art: Chain—your proficiency is properly maxed out now, right?"
—Yes, I think it's more than enough! I don't think I'll make any mistakes either.
"Good. Then that's it for today."
Tomorrow.
The Tower attempt was happening right away.
***
The next day.
Player Zone, in front of Jamsil Tower.
A Player Headquarters employee in a black suit stood at the main entrance.
As Baek Jin-woo approached—
"Oh—"
"Player Baek Jin-woo?"
Both employees recognized him immediately.
Baek Jin-woo was now quite the public figure.
Systemically, he wasn't yet a Ranker—but he was more famous than most Rankers.
"Don't tell me you're here to challenge the Tower of Trials?"
Yes.
Why else would I have come in?
"Am I allowed to enter?"
"Th……. Your ID, please. Your identity is certain, but it's required as a formality."
"Here you go."
The procedure was simple.
All that needed to be done was logging his entry into the system.
Normally, if someone didn't come out within a week, they'd be listed as missing—and if they didn't emerge within a month, they'd be declared dead.
Just the time frames alone conveyed how brutal the Tower was.
"There won't be any media exposure, right?"
The area around the Tower of Trials was strictly off-limits to journalists and the general public alike.
Additionally, if a player requested it, their privacy would be protected.
"Yes, we'll set it so there's no media exposure!"
Other things were one matter.
But the last thing he wanted was for family to find out.
He'd already heard that his younger sibling and Yu Ji-a had told his parents about him.
But the Tower of Trials was a different matter entirely.
They'll only worry.
He'd just clear it on his own and go public about it later.
"All done?"
"Yes, you may proceed inside!"
"Please clear it safely!"
Receiving farewells from both employees—
Baek Jin-woo stepped through the main gate of the Tower, into the gateway that rippled with a black aurora.
***
[Entering the Tower of Trials.]
[The Tower of Trials is considerably difficult.]
[Caution is advised.]
A pitch-black backdrop.
After a single warning message passed—
[Up to 3 parties may be deployed in the Tower of Trials.]
[Please complete your setup.]
He'd already prepared the setup in advance.
Into Party 1, which accompanied the player directly, he placed Lamba, the Drill Instructor, the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer, the Wind Falcon, and the Horned Fairy.
Into Party 2—the Sky Dolphin, the Sky Wyvern, and 3 Lava Drakes.
Into Party 3—the Combat Marshal, the Radiant Priest, the Spotted Komodo, the Titanium Golem, and the Frost Cat.
A clean total of 15.
The runes had also been set to the best possible low-grade combinations he could assemble.
[You may currently challenge the 1st Floor.]
[Do you wish to proceed?]
[Y/N]
Needless to say.
It was yes.
He shifted his gaze and clicked Y.
Hummm!
A force enveloped his entire body—and then flash!—his field of vision shifted.
***
When he opened his eyes again, we were in an unfamiliar space.
A ruined city lined with ornate Gothic stone buildings.
Right, the backdrop is medieval.
Raaaaaarrgh!
Groooaaaarrr!
The primary enemies were Ghouls (C-Rank).
For reference, the Tower of Trials is structured in connected cycles of 10 floors each.
Defeating the 10th Floor boss—the One-Eyed King of the Ghouls (S-Rank)—would mark the end of 1 cycle.
"Everyone. Let's move."
—Sure!
—As you command, My Lord!
—Understood, Jin-woo.
The 15 Summoner Beasts who had been summoned in one spot began to move in perfect unison.
The objective on the 1st Floor was simple.
[Escape the ruined city 'Krom', occupied by Ghouls.]
[Within 'Krom', which is under a powerful curse, the use of aerial Summoner Beasts is restricted.]
To avoid the swarming Ghouls and escape beyond the city—that was it!
"Tch."
Baek Jin-woo clicked his tongue.
It sounded easy enough in theory, but it was considerably difficult.
Whatever Krom was, it was quite massive—and as wide as it was, the Ghouls were countless.
"Break through that alley first! Don't try to fight all of them—focus fire on the weakest side only!"
The Ghouls inside the Tower of Trials were different from ordinary Ghouls.
Their movement speed and attack speed were slow, but their defense and attack power were absurdly high.
On top of that, their claws were coated in a powerful poison—a single graze and no amount of healing could fix it.
The moment you decided to clear out every last Ghoul before moving on—you were done for.
First things first.
He temporarily reverse-summoned the Wyvern and the Dolphin.
Inside the city, aerial Summoner Beasts were restricted—and the Dolphin couldn't be used without water either.
And then—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Lava Drakes charged forward first, unleashing torrents of flame breath.
Groooaarrr!
Raaaaaaaghhh!
The Ghouls, who had been lumbering forward, convulsed and writhed in agony.
"Let's pass through!"
Baek Jin-woo and his Summoner Beasts moved swiftly.
Alley after alley, the more they pressed through, the more the horrifying cries of Ghouls filled the city.
They're gathering more and more.
Still, the 1st Floor was manageable enough.
Find the right path, and getting out was simple.
Where would the exit be?
The area where you first respawned was random, so there was no memorizing it.
However, maps were placed at various points throughout the city.
They were the only clues available for navigating the 1st Floor.
—My Lord, I found one!
The Drill Instructor, who had been weaving nimbly between Ghouls, came back.
They'd already synced their movements in the past, so the coordination was seamless.
—Here's the map!
Shuffleshuffleshuffle!
When the Drill Instructor shook off the dirt from the worn old map, a fairly detailed layout appeared.
Use the tallest cathedral in the city as a reference point to orient yourself.
Baek Jin-woo estimated the rough distance from the cross perched atop the soaring cathedral's spire.
The more you climbed the Tower, the more naturally you mastered map-reading—and just a quick glance was enough to get your bearings.
Here.
Baek Jin-woo gave a nod and pressed a finger to the corner of the map.
This was where they were.
"Good thing—the exit isn't that far."
—Yeah, but to get out this way we'll have to pass by the Giant Ghoul (B-Rank).
In the middle of various routes throughout the city, there were mid-boss type enemies—Giant Ghouls.
Far larger and stronger than ordinary Ghouls.
—I'll handle that. Lamba's been stacking buffs on me this whole time anyway.
Whoosh, whoosh!
From the very start, Lamba had been relentlessly swinging her staff, stacking the Drill Instructor's attack speed.
Normally—
The standard approach was to throw around 2 parties at the elite Ghouls, then sprint madly for the exit through the gap.
Most Rankers had probably cleared it that way.
But?
With 3 EX-Rank Summoner Beasts, Baek Jin-woo didn't really need to bother with that.
"Explosive Dragon Sorcerer."
—Yes.
"You've been stacking this whole time, right?"
—I'm on the 5th stack right now.
The Explosive Dragon Sorcerer was also accumulating Dragon Burst through Dragon Burst Art: Chain!
The more time passed, the stronger her damage output would become.
Same went for the Drill Instructor.
"Alright, let's move. Keep stacking, everyone."
—Yes, Jin-woo!
Right then.
A Giant Ghoul like that—
Let's just steamroll it with raw power.
***
Shortly after.
GRAAAAARRRRRGHHH!
Baek Jin-woo's party came face to face with a Giant Ghoul letting out a monstrous roar.
Big.
And clearly reeking of strength just from the look of it.
If you so much as grazed those sharp, massive claws—
Wouldn't that be an instant death?
But Baek Jin-woo was bold.
"Drill Instructor."
—Yes, My Lord!
"You can handle it?"
—Easy.
The word easy came out of his mouth.
Honestly, Baek Jin-woo himself wasn't that tense.
This was literally the 1st Floor, after all.
Fwapfwapfwap!
The Drill Instructor moved fast.
Hyaaaaaah!
Lamba followed right behind him, swinging her staff furiously.
Whooooooosh!
The Giant Ghoul lifted its enormous arm and cleaved through the air—but—
—Slow.
To the Drill Instructor's eyes, it was all in slow motion.
Fwapfwapfwapfwapfwap!
Scrambling up over the Ghoul's body, the Drill Instructor's attack speed as he slashed relentlessly was on another level entirely.
Groarr, groaarrr!
The panicked Ghoul slashed in all directions with its claws—but—
Not a single hit landed on the Drill Instructor.
At that same moment—
—Explosive Dragon Sorcerer!
Tap!
The Drill Instructor stomped off the Ghoul's head and leapt into the air, calling out to the Explosive Dragon Sorcerer!
—Yes, I'm going!
In that instant—
The Explosive Dragon Sorcerer's staff began unleashing a torrent of blazing red flame.
Dragon Burst Art.
Secret Technique.
Chain.
KABOOOOOOOOOOM!
One after another, scarlet dragons burst from her staff in rapid succession.
Once, twice, 3 times, 4, 5, 6—
The consecutive dragon bombardment left the Giant Ghoul unable to get its bearings.
Overwhelming defense?
Against crushing damage output, it was useless.
And then—
The Drill Instructor, who had somersaulted through the air, came back down—
Thunk!
—and drove his blade straight into the scorched Ghoul's throat.
A clean finish.
GROOOAAAAAAAARRRRGH!
With a horrific roar—
Thuuud!
—it couldn't support that massive body any longer and collapsed.
"Nice. Keep moving."
With the Giant Ghoul dealt with, it was basically over.
Has it been about 10 minutes since we entered?
It would have been great if the Tower of Trials had time attacks too.
Regrettably, no such thing existed.
It only measured whether you cleared or not.
Baek Jin-woo steadily picked off Ghouls as he moved in the direction the map indicated.
And after some time had passed—
The city's side gate, left wide open, came into view—
[Escaping the ruined city 'Krom', occupied by Ghouls.]
[Congratulations!]
[You have conquered the 1st Floor of the Tower of Trials!]
A clean 1st Floor clear.
[Rewards have arrived.]
[You have obtained 'Random Synthesis Blueprint Box' (B-Rank)!]
Accepting the reward with ease.
***
That day, Baek Jin-woo's actions were once again etched into legend.
"Player Baek Jin-woo?"
The employees guarding the Tower of Trials were flustered.
Because they'd confirmed that the very same Baek Jin-woo who had just entered moments ago was walking back out with a refreshed expression.
How long has it even been since he went in for him to already be coming out?
For now, the fact that he'd come out alive meant one thing.
1st Floor clear.
It would now be entered into the Headquarters database.
As the player who had conquered the 1st Floor.
Insane.
Does that even make sense?
The employees couldn't wrap their heads around it.
Has there ever been a player who went into the Tower of Trials and came back out in less than 20 minutes?
There hadn't.
Not just in Korea—it'd probably be rare even internationally.
Just what is this guy?
A man who had swept all the weekly dungeons clean and now cleared the Tower of Trials this effortlessly.
But the employees couldn't breathe a word of this information anywhere.
They were bound by a contract stating they would not disclose anything related to privacy requests—which only made it more ironclad.
"How did you……. Come back out already?"
Unable to contain his curiosity, one employee grabbed him to ask—but—
"Is there a problem?"
"Oh, n-no! There's no problem at all!"
"Then I'll be on my way. See you again tomorrow."
With a faint smile and a bow, Player Baek Jin-woo departed.
"……Hey."
The 2 employees stared at each other.
"What did I just witness."
"……I can't believe it either."
"He said he'll come again tomorrow? He's going straight for the 2nd Floor?"
"Insane. This is just a feeling but……"
One of the employees narrowed his eyes and muttered.
"Don't you think this person is going to do something huge before long?"
"Something huge?"
"Yeah, like—set something off and blow up way bigger than he is now. That kind of feeling."
The employee quietly watched the retreating figure of Baek Jin-woo walking away.
Perhaps—
They were watching the early days of a great hero in person.