Challenger (2)

"This is a restricted military zone. Civilians are prohibited from entering. Turn your vessel around immediately."

Yun-seok shifted his gaze downward at the blaring voice from the loudspeaker. Below the tower, ten warships positioned around it were in a tense standoff with dozens of civilian fishing boats.

"Get out of the way, you bastards! With Seoul in that state, you think we're just gonna sit back and trust you lot?!"

It was a shout from a man on the lead fishing boat. The raw killing intent in his voice made it clear he wasn't here just to snap a photo for SNS.

"What's the situation? And what was that about?"

At Yun-seok's question, Eshton replied with a bitter tone.

"Probably civilians who heard the rumors and came rushing."

"Rumors?"

"Yes. Word's spreading fast online that touching the tower turns you into a challenger."

Eshton went on to explain that ever since the massive rift opened in Seoul, people believing these rumors had been pouring in like weeds after rain. Their thinking was to become challengers themselves and gain the power to protect their own lives.

Of course, with the world hurtling toward apocalypse, it was only natural for such people to emerge. The problem, however...

"Is it really just a rumor?"

Yun-seok met Eshton's eyes directly. It was a necessary measure, given how the man had once hidden the truth from him.

"Yes. Utter nonsense. The rumor likely stems from people who touch the tower and vanish somewhere..."

"Hold on—vanish?"

"That's right. But that doesn't make the rumor true. No one who's touched the tower has ever been found inside it."

"So even you don't have a proper grasp on what this tower really is?"

"Correct. At least not until this morning."

This morning, the first survivor had returned. An agent sent by the U.S. government who had become a challenger. His testimony had finally shed some light on the tower's nature.

"The Seeker's Tower."

"...?"

"It's different from the Tower of Heaven. Anyone from Earth can challenge it, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠floors are shared, and clearing trials grants common rewards—not personal ones."

"Common rewards?"

"Yes. Or so we speculate. We don't know about higher floors yet, but the 1st floor reward weakened invaders crossing through rifts by 10%."

Hearing about the reward made it all click into place. The purpose behind this Seeker's Tower. And why Eshton had rushed him here by helicopter, acting like every second counted.

"No time for lectures or speeches, then."

"I've already reported that you've declined."

Yun-seok chuckled. He could tell Eshton had never intended to send him on such errands in the first place.

"They're all the same—politicians or otherwise. They have no clue what's truly important, or how valuable your time is."

Eshton must have been quite patriotic once. When did he change like this? He sounded like Yun-seok's loyal retainer now.

It was a bit burdensome, but for the man serving as a bridge between him and the government, this mindset wasn't the worst.

His extreme thinking is a concern, but if I keep that in check, he could stay by my side.

Yun-seok quickly made up his mind on the decision ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he'd been holding off.

"Eshton, if something like Seoul happens again, can you inform me right away?"

"But..."

"Just relay the info. I'll make the judgment."

"...Understood. I'll do that from now on."

With that, the Eshton issue was settled—for now. He might prioritize his beliefs over the promise someday. But if he did, there'd be no next chance. Yun-seok wasn't that lenient.

"Who was the challenger that cleared the 1st floor?"

"Joban Trocian. I believe you've met him once."

"Ah, the guy from the 13th floor mission..."

His measured combat power had been 11 million, for reference. But apparently, he'd been grinding hard since their helicopter chat that day.

"He's reached the 15th floor now. Took him about 46 hours to clear the 1st."

Eshton was sharp as ever. He hadn't even been asked, yet he read Yun-seok's intent and added the perfect details.

"Two days, huh..."

Yun-seok muttered, then nodded.

He'd find out soon enough. Just how valuable was the day Eshton rated so highly?

"Let's go, then."

He leaped from the helicopter, pressed his hand to the tower, and his vision flashed white. An endless void of pure black. Yun-seok impassively read the floating message.

No idea why they needed that, but whatever. Yun-seok casually entered the nickname he'd used in the tower: Predator.

The Seeker's Tower challenge status appeared.

Joban must have used his real name. Apparently, touching the tower counted as committing to the challenge.

His vision blacked out, and the surroundings shifted. A labyrinth similar to the Deep Labyrinth from his old exploration trial. But this one had not just monsters in the passages—traps everywhere.

Vrrrrm! Click! Click! Slash! Slash!

Spears stabbing up periodically from the floor. Arrows firing from walls. Double-bladed axes swinging left and right from the ceiling. Deadly enough on its own, and swarming with ghost-like monsters ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to boot.

Standing still here might even raise my durability.

The thought crossed his mind, but he had no intention of testing it. Unlike the arena, time here flowed 1:1 with reality.

Yun-seok grinned and drew his sword. Can't be destroyed? He'd see about that.

Shing.

He smoothly extended his sword forward. One motion swept aside walls, monsters, traps—everything.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! KABOOM!

A vortex erupted from the blade tip, pulverizing everything in a straight line. When the storm died down, a glowing portal shone at the far end.

That's the objective, huh.

Yun-seok dashed through dozens of breached walls.

Not a bad reward.

Yun-seok smiled. No invaders for an hour meant the military got response time after a rift opened. If this had existed during Seoul's incident, civilian casualties would've been far lower.

No need to hesitate. Yun-seok had already steeled himself.

Let's see how far I can go today.

No telling how many floors yet, but his 2nd floor clear time was 17 seconds.

Twelve hours after Yun-seok entered the Seeker's Tower, a portal ripped open outside it. He emerged, as awaited.

Eshton, who had trusted yet inwardly worried something might go wrong, finally exhaled in relief.

"Well done. Did you clear it?"

"Yeah. And take this."

Landing on the ship, Yun-seok tossed a small stone. Eshton, sensing purpose, immediately appraised it.

An item that sealed rifts without needing to kill every invader. Consumable or not, Eshton wasn't blind to its value.

"Incredible. Was this the 2nd floor reward?"

"Close. It was the 3rd."

"...Pardon?"

Eshton flinched. Cleared up to the 3rd in just 12 hours?

Of course, it wasn't unbelievable. The man defied common sense. As Eshton gazed in renewed awe, Yun-seok added casually,

"Anyway, can you round up five challengers? Next floor requires a full party."

"But you only have 11 hours until return."

"No idea what the trial is, but based on so far, that should be plenty."

Eshton held his tongue. Yun-seok had experienced it firsthand—his judgment ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was best.

"Understood. I'll arrange it immediately."

Eshton contacted superiors, explaining the situation. A perilous mission where life hung by a thread, yet volunteers came quickly. Post-Seoul, some challengers played it safe, but others burned with urgency and noble purpose.

"All secured. One specializes in spatial movement, so they'll arrive in 30 minutes."

During wait time, Eshton briefed Yun-seok on the team: Joban Trocian, who had pioneered the tower and grown rapidly in strength and character; Maria Hopkins, famed for advanced magic over her combat power measurement skill; and two rising stars drawing attention lately.

"Who's the fifth?"

"...Me. No guarantee I won't drag you down, but within available manpower, it's the best."

Yun-seok nodded without protest. Eshton, prepared with counterarguments, was relieved.

Soon, the group arrived.

"An honor to meet again."

"H-Hello...!"

Joban, with his endlessly deferential eyes, and Maria Hopkins, who had fainted after muttering "200 million..." last time.

"Chen Xiao-hua."

"Taro Kitamura."

And two more, eyeing Yun-seok with starstruck curiosity like fans spotting a celebrity.

They looked eager for chit-chat, but no time.

"Choi Yun-seok. Let's head in."

Yun-seok led them straight into the Seeker's Tower.

"Might end up in textbooks someday—avoid weird nicknames," Eshton advised. The challengers all used real names.

Then the next screen froze them solid.

"The 9th floor... it's already done...?"

Maria recovered first.

"Weren't we told it was the 4th...?"

Her voice teetered on tears now, but no turning back.

Vision flickered; space shifted. A vast stone chamber with a massive magic circle etched on the floor.

Joban Trocian muttered blankly, forgetting the trial had even started.

"How..."

The clear times he'd glimpsed lingered vividly. Some took hours, but most were precise minutes or seconds—not from lack of skill. Many under a minute, fastest at 3 seconds.

He let out an incredulous laugh. 3 seconds? What kind of trial ends in 3 seconds?

Couldn't even imagine. But no need to—

—he'd learn how Yun-seok pulled it off soon enough, whether he wanted to or not.