The 7th Floor of the Tower of Despair (1)
“Listen carefully to everything I say from now on.”
Having returned, Hyun Si-woon laid bare more of the secrets he had been keeping from the members.
The truth that when a Ranker is sealed, their soul becomes trapped inside a weapon.
And more.
Ha-wol. Noe-je. And Kenzo.
How he had obtained them—and the truth that the source of his martial arts was none other than Ha-wol herself.
“Ahh…”
“Holy crap.”
“I figured as much…”
The members were stunned, yet their eyes said they had half expected it. They had seen Noe-je in action when they took down Moros this time, after all.
“It’s this sword right here.”
With a soft rasp of steel, Hyun Si-woon drew the Formless Sword.
“You remember, don’t you? The basement on the second floor of the Tower where the Wraith Weapon Merchant was. There was another hidden mechanism further in. That’s where I got it.”
The encounter with Yu Jae-jun’s group. That was where he had met the Baek siblings and Kang Si-a.
“And this spear.”
With a sharp clatter he pulled out the Thunder Dragon Spear.
“I got this one after taking down a bastard called the Thunder Dragon while you guys were resting in the Floating Prison Asphodel. You already know I used it to kill that Hound-tribe Ranker who was hunting us.”
“Ah!”
“That… that lightning from earlier, right?”
“Yeah.”
Hyun Si-woon went on to explain that Ha-wol had been watching over them all along in spirit form. That fact hit the members hardest of all.
So she saw every time I was struggling and flopping around…
No wonder Hyun Si-woon always caught me when I was bullshitting… There was an actual ghost watching?
Their faces burned. The thought of Ha-wol having witnessed every clumsy, immature moment made them squirm with embarrassment—yet something far hotter than shame stirred deep in their chests.
It was different now.
They finally understood, with absolute clarity, that the path they walked ran on an entirely different orbit from ordinary Climbers.
Hwang Dae-un clenched his fists tight.
He could dimly see what waited at the end of the road they were taking.
Ranker.
And the world beyond that.
His heart burned.
Jang Cha-yul, Baek Do-hee, and Kang Si-a felt the same. The true nature of the world that existed at the top of the Tower was no longer a vague goal; it was becoming a reality they could almost grasp in their hands.
They sensed it instinctively.
As long as they stayed by Hyun Si-woon’s side, it would not be long before they, too, would hold weapons that housed Rankers—just as Baek Yeon-ho already did.
And to bear that power, they would have to become far stronger than they were now.
Hyun Si-woon.
In this ruined world he was like Noah’s Ark itself.
And they were the chosen few lucky enough to have climbed aboard.
But keeping that boarding pass would never be easy.
They had to work harder.
So they would not fall behind.
So they would not become a burden to him.
And so that, someday, they could stand shoulder to shoulder with him and look toward the same horizon.
“Hyeong-nim, are we heading straight to the seventh floor?”
“We are.”
The seventh floor was where they would obtain a bow. And if you knew the method, it could be finished faster than most people expected.
You have entered the 7th Floor of the Tower of Despair.
This was the place where one obtained the bow that had once been displayed only as ???????(???). In that sense, the seventh floor was a stage made for archers.
The backdrop was a forest—an elven realm where clusters of tree-fruit hung like constellations of stars.
Privilege Ability has activated.
Save Point has been set to the current moment.
Hoo… Eldona Forest, huh.
Hyun Si-woon surveyed the surroundings. The scent of fresh grass filled his nose. After countless attempts during the days of Tower of Despair, the scenery was intimately familiar.
“Hyeong-nim, what do we do first?”
“The atmosphere feels off… I don’t sense any beasts.”
Baek Yeon-ho gripped his newly acquired shield tightly as he spoke. Even with a Legendary shield in hand, tension was plain on his face. From here on, everything was uncharted territory for him as well.
“The seventh floor is a war.”
“A war?”
“More precisely, a war between the elves and the demonkin. We need to earn the elves’ recognition, help them, and take down the demon army’s commander—Malakar.”
“Ohh.”
“Yes, Hyeong-nim!”
“Just give the order. Anything.”
The members simply felt secure. From the moment Hyun Si-woon had been confirmed as EndSeeker, doubt no longer existed among them. All they had to do was follow his instructions with everything they had, and the path would open.
“However.”
Hyun Si-woon looked at Kang Si-a.
“This time we won’t be moving together.”
“Pardon?”
“Huh?”
The members’ eyes went wide. Their leader—who had never once separated from them—wanted to act alone in the middle of a war? It was like a bolt from the blue.
Hyun Si-woon began to explain calmly.
“The seventh-floor route splits into two branches. The path you must take, and the path I must take.”
His fingertip pointed toward the two diverging trails in the forest.
“Your goal is to reach the elven city at the heart of the forest and pass their trial. It’s a trial that proves archery skill, so Si-a will be the key. Clear it and you’ll earn the elves’ recognition, then join their main force against the demon army. Beyond that, just go with the flow of the war. If the elves ask you to fight, fight. If they tell you to retreat, retreat.”
“Then what about you, Hyeong-nim?”
Hwang Dae-un asked.
Hyun Si-woon had promised he would no longer hide things.
“There’s a hidden bow I need to obtain this time as well. It would be too much for the rest of you.”
Most of the hidden routes in the Tower of Despair were like that. Challenging them with only a single life was simply impossible. Only a regressor like Hyun Si-woon could manage it; bringing the members along would be a dead end. Survival odds might not even clear 0.1 percent.
“Understood. If Hyeong-nim says so, then that’s how it is!”
“And Si-a.”
“Yes.”
“Give the elven trial everything you’ve got. Shoot well and they’ll give you a bow. I’ve received up to a Unique-grade bow before, but who knows what you’ll get.”
Back in the days of Tower of Despair, even Hyun Si-woon—called a genius of control—had only ever reached Unique. That alone had been enormous. An ordinary gamer, no matter how well they performed, would be lucky to walk away with a Rare bow. He had probably been the first to obtain Unique.
But he expected more this time.
Kang Si-a is the real deal.
Still steadily training his own archery, Hyun Si-woon knew exactly what tier her talent belonged to.
She doesn’t calculate.
She simply sees. And feels.
The flow of the wind, the tremor of the air, even the opponent’s movements. She perceives everything as a single painting and instinctively pierces the single most perfect point.
That was not a realm reachable through training alone.
Ha-wol often said it: a talent bestowed by the heavens—the talent of the Heavenly Bow.
“Anyway, you’re all stacked with gear and your stats are high. Stick close to the elves and things should go smoothly.”
Hyun Si-woon looked at Baek Yeon-ho.
“Hyung, take command.”
“…Leave it to me.”
Baek Yeon-ho’s shoulders lifted a fraction. Acting leader. Along with the weight of responsibility came a strange pride.
“Don’t push yourself too hard either.”
Hyun Si-woon relayed a few more points of caution to Baek Yeon-ho, and then the members scattered onto their separate paths.
Thud!
Baek Yeon-ho advanced along the narrow trail with the Shield of the Earth’s Cry held before him.
Is this how Si-woon always felt?
His shoulders were heavy. He could never perfectly fill the leader’s absence, but at the very least he must not lead his companions into danger.
Tch. Hey, rookie.
A familiar voice echoed in his mind.
Kenzo.
What… what is it?
Baek Yeon-ho answered gruffly in his head.
That’s not how you hold a shield.
Huh?
Keep your elbow closer to your body and bend your knees a little more. Your center of gravity is too high. You want some strong bastard to hit you once and send you flying into next week?
Ah—yes.
Baek Yeon-ho adjusted his stance exactly as instructed. Strangely enough, the massive shield suddenly felt lighter, and his whole body settled as if rooted into the ground.
Oh…?
Tch tch. You don’t even have the basics down. Listen carefully. A shield-bearer isn’t just a sandbag that stands in front and blocks hits.
Kenzo’s voice grew solemn.
A shield is the earth itself. The firmest existence that receives everything and endures everything. From now on you must become one with the shield. Your feet are the ground, your back is a mountain, and your shield is an unshakable continent.
Does that even make sense?
Shut it. First we’re fixing that god-awful walk of yours. Walk as if you’re drawing the earth’s energy up through the soles of your feet with every step. One step, one step—heavy, like you’re moving a mountain.
Kenzo had promised to raise Baek Yeon-ho into the greatest shield-bearer alive. And if he kept that promise half-heartedly, there was no telling what that crazy woman Ha-wol would do to him next.
So he began teaching Baek Yeon-ho in earnest—and with desperate sincerity.
How long had they been walking?
“Whoa…”
A quiet gasp escaped Jang Cha-yul’s lips.
The dense trees fell away, revealing a vast basin. And at its center…
Hundreds—thousands—of colossal trees had woven their branches together into a single enormous city.
Sylvanus.
The city of the elves.
Rope bridges strung between branches, homes carved into living trunks, and a soft green barrier of mana that wrapped the entire city. It was a mystical, beautiful sight that belonged in a fairy tale.
Yet within that beauty lurked sharp vigilance.
Shhhk!
The moment they set foot in the city, dozens of shadows appeared in the trees and surrounded them.
Pointed ears, graceful movements, and cold eyes.
Elves.
The bows in their hands were all leveled at the party.
“Outsiders.”
A white-haired elderly elf stepped forward from among them. Despite the wrinkles on his face, his eyes were deep and clear as the essence of the forest itself.
“You do not appear to be demonkin. How did you reach this place?”
Baek Yeon-ho took one step forward. Following Hyun Si-woon’s instructions, he bowed his head respectfully.
“We are Climbers ascending the Tower. We have come to offer our strength in slaying the demon army’s commander, Malakar—who pollutes this forest—and restoring peace to these woods.”
The elderly elf, Elanus, raised one eyebrow a fraction.
“Ho. Mere humans? Your courage is admirable, yet Malakar is not a being you can handle.”
“Will you not even grant us the chance to contribute our strength?”
“…”
A brief silence.
“Is there an archer among you?”
“Here.”
This time Kang Si-a stepped forward, raising her bow. The elderly elf’s gaze fell upon the gleaming Moonlight Bow; then he nodded.
“Very well. We shall test your strength. Pass the traditional trial of the elves, and we will trust your sincerity and grant you the opportunity.”
At Elanus’s gesture, another elf raised a great horn and blew.
Bwoooooom!
A clear, pure note rang out across the entire forest.
“Come to the central altar of the city. The trial will begin there.”
The trial.
Hyun Si-woon’s words flashed through Kang Si-a’s mind—his order to give it everything she had.
She swallowed dryly and slung the bow she had drawn back across her shoulders.