Civilian Slaughter
I woke up from a deep sleep around 2 p.m. In the Tower of Trials, there was no mom banging on the door to make me eat breakfast, so I slept right through without noticing the time pass.
The moment I opened my eyes, I checked the open community and chat channels. The (1/1) next to the Tower of Trials #2661 chat window was still the same. I'd thought another challenger might show up after a day or so, but it meant I was still the only one in this tower.
Perfect. It meant I could monopolize the resources longer.
Yesterday, I'd been so anxious thinking I had to clear 100 floors alone, but looking back, it was a stupid worry. Time would pass anyway, and other challengers would enter eventually. I could just wait until more showed up and clear slowly.
Sure, missing out on ranker buses sucked, but monopolizing resources early like this for growth was a huge merit. Even the other challengers in the open community had been shocked at my level 8 in just one day.
Becoming even a low-grade Hunter would reverse my life, but at this rate, I might easily hit high-grade. Of course, I'd have to hustle while the monopoly lasted.
Click! I equipped the armor set I'd bought yesterday from my inventory and strode out of the inn with renewed energy.
The fields where Horned Rabbits spawn are usually graduated by level 3, level 5 at latest. Past that, there's no point hunting them. Of course, that's for newbies climbing stripped towers. I'd hit level 8 just from field quests.
Anyway, time to graduate the fields and head to the real hunting ground: the Labyrinth.
The Labyrinth is a must-pass for climbing this Tower—a main content dungeon, basically. It has powerful monsters you can't see outside, deadly traps, and the Boss Room gateway to the next floor.
Above all, rare item treasure chests are hidden everywhere. These are finite resources too, super rare in long-conquered towers... but irrelevant to me.
Books of Class Change for rare classes, unique items limited to one per tower. Priceless treasures awaited.
Challenger, the Tower of Trials calls for you.
I passed the NPC at the Labyrinth entrance and stepped inside. The air turned eerie, and the entry message popped up. The mini-map interface went pitch black with [Exploration Progress: 0%].
The Labyrinth only shows explored areas on the map. First-gen Hunters apparently rushed around filling progress per floor. But now, with clean 100-floor guides, one click in the open community pulls up challenger maps.
And these ultimate maps compile all known traps and treasures. Sure, no depleted ones, but a quick search reveals those.
From now on, I'd loot every treasure chest in this Labyrinth.
The first chest was near the entrance. Just potions and basic materials, but not easy for a day 2 newbie. Potions, tied to life, you can never stock enough—can't ignore them.
Plus, entrance chests get snatched if another challenger enters, so grab 'em preemptively.
I advanced slowly, map in hand, when the next thing I'd been waiting for jumped out after the chest.
Keruk! Pointy ears, green skin, huge nose—child-sized monster. The most common and weakest in Floor 1 Labyrinth: a Goblin.
Treasure chests were great, but I wanted monsters too. Why? To test my level 8 power on non-rabbits.
Shing. I drew the Steel Straight Sword from the shop. No more wooden sword.
Honestly, what I really wanted to test was this sword. It looked too cool; I couldn't wait.
Gripping the badass longsword, I charged the keruking goblin.
"Yalp!"
Thwack! No sword skill or learned techniques yet, so more like axing than slicing. The hard swing carved through the goblin's collarbone with a red effect, embedding deep.
Deeper than expected—surprised me.
Keeek... Fatal wound; it collapsed into light without a fight.
That red effect? Critical. Extra damage on vitals. But one-shot even then? Levels and items are OP.
"Ku... yeah, this is it."
Handfeel was insane. I'd worried if I'd fight well, but one-shotting gross monsters? Thrilling rush. Adrenaline? Endorphins? Whatever, surging.
Comic said overwhelming strength is boring? Bullshit—how could this be?
"Alright, power-leveling time."
I pressed on, snagged the targeted chest, then hunted three more goblins.
Three at once, but their club attacks barely scratched my armor—1-2 damage, system protection like cotton balls.
"Yarap!"
Total civilian slaughter. Reveling in overwhelming power, I roamed the Labyrinth all day.
First Labyrinth run: success. I soloed six medium chests others call jackpots. Goblin kills leveled me fast; shopped loot for absurd gold.
Day 1 gold took others ten days of grinding; today's was next level. Gear upgrade mats? Two weeks' worth from hunts/quests.
How huge? The community ghosts explain.
The community's ghosts raged at the obvious troll post. My lips curled up. They saw #2661 and figured overseas Korean—wonder when they'd catch on.
Monopoly wouldn't last forever, but I'd milk it dry.
"Kuh, nice."
I re-rented yesterday's inn, flopped on the wide bed, and browsed community—not killing time, but research.
I opened a ranker's post: aiming high-grade, staying in tower. Challengers pick classes at level 10, learn skills—like RPG warrior, archer, thief. Choice changes playstyle big-time.
Level 14 today, all basic class reqs met. But can't rush—need to party with future challengers. Or stay jobless for unique/epic.
"Hmm... no clue."
I pondered till late dawn, no answer. Decided to hold off class change till another enters or stuck. Slept late.
[Tower of Trials #2661 (1/1)]
And next day, still no new challengers.