Floor 1 Joint Trial (1)

I shoved the chaotic news feed aside and checked the climber community first.

Those who checked the Joint Trial via the System Hub after that last post shut their mouths.

The Origin Tower, Cycle Tower, and Doom Tower Joint Trial required climbers from the same tower to tackle it together. All three towers had to be cleared to lift the curse—just like the old rules.

But there was one massive problem.

That's the issue. Even the gap between Easy and Normal is huge, but compare Hard and Survival? There were over 7,000 Hard climbers, but only 6 on Survival. Bump up one difficulty level, and the death toll changes by orders of magnitude.

And then,

Straightforward explanation.

[Tower defense?]

As people wondered, a button appeared below the message.

From the community, it seemed like no one else had this button. Another difficulty perk?

I clicked it.

"What the—fuck is this?"

Being able to upgrade with points was nice, but it only made me more uneasy. The Tower always acted like it desperately wanted humanity dead. In other words, no points meant you're set to die.

It looked like a pain in the ass already. Plus, points were shared across towers, and clearing one ramps up the others' difficulty.

My head was spinning just thinking about it.

Curious if other climbers had strategies, I scrolled the community when a post caught my eye.

"Oh yeah."

While "Joint Trial" grabbed attention, some jumped on the guild system fast.

Guild. Everyone knew what that meant.

That sparked it? Competition heated up to recruit top rankers with some fame. And posts looking for specific people everywhere.

One thought in my head:

Does Super Special Very Easy Mode apply to the Joint Trial too?

If everyone's doing it regardless of difficulty, even I'd die.

The sudden Joint Trial. And climbers challenging towers dropping dead from stacking curses.

Climbers were national assets amid the Tower's threat to humanity. Most dead weren't newbies—they were high-floor vets backed by governments, celebrity-famous.

The higher they were, the worse the death rate. Each floor stacked a new curse.

"Is this even possible, Minister Bernard?"

"Clearing it? Realistically, not in one go. Time was too tight."

First times are hardest—especially with lives on the line.

New curses on climbers, new Joint Trial. Guessed as defending against monster invasions, but...

That damned line halted the gathered governments. No one wanted climbers dead—especially their own. They were future shields against disasters.

Governments pressured or lured each other for efficient climbing, pushed mandatory reporting laws, shared info with allies.

But climbers who reported and relied on govs? About 60%.

Even that was with massive support. The other 40%?

"Cold but clear: High-floor climbers are key this trial. Low-floors... excluded from decisions."

Three vile towers. Nations with high-floorers would rush their tower's clear.

CIA report. Not speculation—certainty.

Tower market items, Mysterious Merchant goods, entry tools, precious Skill Books—gone in 6 hours!

Need everyone together, but already a game of chicken.

War with the Tower. Losing before it starts.

"We know nothing. Can't move in uncertainty—anticipate every Tower condition and prepare counters. You have 3 hours."

"Same as prior plans?"

"No choice. Fail, and mass climber deaths again. When to tackle the next Joint Trial?"

Optimistic to assume half die each time. No holding back.

"Governments will rebel hard. Dust off buried ops. Might as well show our hand."

Threats unfit for allies? Ignore. Treat non-cooperation as hostility to the US.

Humanity's lives? Justification aplenty. US did worse post-Tower appearance.

"One failure, who knows how many die."

White House situation room. Grim stares at the message.

"Sigh... Has God abandoned us?"

Resumed smoking, quit post-Tower. Pushed into re-election by opposition fearing the era, no peace since.

'Worst case: All control/restraint plans on climbers. Even foreign ones.'

Absolute command over others' climbers. Floated but never done. Backlash, and didn't want to oppress heroes.

But without it, is there an answer?

"........."

One more time. Play the villain once more.

Time flew for me too. Or not really—I had nothing to do, just blankly scrolling news, community, market, new guilds.

"Please let Super Special Very Easy Mode apply to the Joint Trial too..."

First prayer ever—not a total waste.

"...?"

Nothing happened to me.

What the?

Reading the flood of messages, I scowled hard.

"You crazy fucker Tower..."

If full forced participation, fine. Of ~430k climbers, 200k forced. No way that's consideration for the rest 230k.

And this won't be the first "kidnapping" under Joint Trial pretext. Gloomy certainty.

Tower massacres with curses, resets 1-year timer. Joint Trial same.

Now hellbent on killing? Humanity barely cleared Floor 1 after 4 years and 100M+ dead—disaster after two days.

"Sh-should I...?"

Can't just gripe. With my perks, enter now—but tricky.

If all difficulties together? Useless. Even Easy passers better than me.

If Super Easy applies? 'So what?'

Like gov strategy: All towers pause pre-clear, sync finish to minimize penalty.

Not arrogant enough to brag 10-min solo clear while others grind hours.

Still...

"Enter."

World warped wildly entering—like system crash, TV static sparking.

Nothing around. No people, no world.

Worlds flashed by like reflections on water, shattered and mixed images.

One: Medieval walls, climbers screaming under monster assault, desperate faces.

As it passed, I grabbed a goblin's severed head—grisly feel, foul blood stench, fresh death.

"System! What do I do? Th-that point conversion?!"

[TIP!] blinked blue, demanding click.

"So fucking complicated, you bastards—"

Shoved hand into bisected goblin corpse—shoulder to waist.

"Ughhhhh...!!"

Past organs, flesh, bone—grabbed, yanked heart.

Unforgettable horror. Worse than sewage, but endured.

"Heart's so damn tough!!"

Gave up clawing, smashed face into heart, tore flesh—shock popped fingernail-sized Magic Stone flying.

Caught, crunched in mouth—

Beyond severed worlds, climbers fighting monsters and bleeding turned eyes up.