Chapter 9
Debut Stage (3)
The front gate of Garam was bustling with people.
It was because today was finally the day that the hunters, scouted by Garam in recognition of their promising talent, would challenge the ascent of the Tower.
A limousine bus chartered by Garam arrived. As the raid team members lined up, the senior hunters looked at them with a variety of expressions.
“Loosen up, brat.” “Don’t think you can just do what you’ve always done. Give it your absolute best. Otherwise, you’ll literally die.” “Yes, sir!” “Stop scaring them so much. That was only back in the early days. These days, how many casualties even happen up to the 10th floor?” “Well, that’s true. But the Tower is still the Tower. Don’t you know that if I die, my personal mortality rate is one hundred percent?”
It was then.
“The Guild Master is coming.”
The lively atmosphere from just a moment ago instantly subsided.
The new members lined up with frozen, tense expressions. The experienced hunters with years under their belts were no different.
“Did you all sleep well last night?” “Yes!” “It is the day of battle. Reflect on the time you have spent.”
The members’ expressions grimaced all at once.
Garam’s training was notoriously brutal. It was a hellish routine where they had to thoroughly push their individual capabilities to the limit, while simultaneously receiving education on how to deal with specific raid training scenarios as a group.
“Do not forget it. That memory will undoubtedly be of help.”
Clad in the armor provided by Garam and heavily armed with other supplies funded out of their own pockets, the hunters stood ready.
While the Tower was climbed as a group, it was ultimately an individual match as well.
The day the 1st floor opened was fixed, but as long as one didn’t die, they could challenge it alone as many times as they wanted afterward.
In other words, the opening of the Tower was a stage where rookies rushed in all at once, proving a prospect’s worth by seeing who could reach the highest point the fastest.
“I wish you luck. Depart without delay.”
At Jeong Cheol’s words, the rookies began to board the bus.
The very last person to board was Jeong Hyun-ah.
“…Where is Hyun-soo?” “About that, the Young Master said he was going to run over there to warm up his body.”
In a way, it seemed a bit excessive, but Jeong Cheol was simply pleased by his son’s transformation.
Though he didn’t outwardly show it.
A massive tower towering over the center of Seoul.
Consisting of 100 floors, this curse-like tower—which would cause its corresponding nation to collapse if not conquered within a set time limit—was like a destiny to hunters.
It didn’t just bring about the end of the world; humanity actually enjoyed quite a few benefits from the byproducts obtained from the Tower.
Byproducts of monsters, including mana stones, presented new possibilities, and the artifacts and skills obtained from the Tower made hunters even stronger.
Such equipment and skills could also be obtained from gates derived from the Tower, and hunters were growing stronger to challenge the Tower.
The public regarded these hunters as their hope, wild with enthusiasm, and granted them numerous social privileges.
‘Finally…’
Jeong Hyun-ah clenched her fist as she looked at the Tower that had created this reality.
Born into the direct bloodline of the Garam Guild, the reason she had run forward without looking back was to unleash her true value in this Tower.
“Oh, sister!”
In front of the entrance leading to the Tower, Jeong Hyun-ah met a familiar face.
“Hyun-ah! How have you been?”
The ‘Hanul’ Guild, a guild among the Top Ten just like Garam. It was Ji Min-jung, the only daughter of the Hanul Guild Master.
“It’s been so hard to see your face lately, I’m so disappointed!” “Look who’s talking! You’re the one who turned off your phone and trained like crazy to become the youngest ever.” “Hehe. Let’s do well.”
The two-shot of Jeong Hyun-ah and Ji Min-jung standing together looked like a painting.
Jeong Hyun-ah possessed feline features, while Ji Min-jung looked like the literal definition of innocence carved into a face. Despite facing the challenge of a lifetime shortly, several hunters lost their minds and stole glances at the two.
“Long time no see, everyone~”
Someone approached them.
“Ah, Moo-hyun oppa. Hello.”
It was Chae Moo-hyun, the youngest younger brother of the Songgwang Guild Master, Chae Moo-shik.
If one dug into the family hierarchy, he was a generation above Ji Min-jung, but since their age difference wasn’t large, they compromised on a casual title.
“Hello.” “Ah, yes…”
At Chae Moo-hyun’s greeting, Jeong Hyun-ah gave a stiff nod with an uncomfortable expression.
It was because a strong, unpleasant memory regarding Songgwang still lingered.
“I apologize for what happened with Seung-jin. I should have educated my nephew better.” “No. Still, it’s not like our side didn’t push back too hard, so…”
Chae Moo-hyun’s eyebrows arched into a pleasant curve.
“If you do wrong, you should get beaten. A hunter must never let their guard down under any circumstances.”
Even while saying this, Chae Moo-hyun chalked up the defeat of Chae Seung-jin, the successor of Songgwang, as a mere slip of vigilance.
Of course, from Jeong Hyun-ah’s perspective, it was simply absurd.
‘A slip of vigilance, my foot.’
Jeong Hyun-ah had seen it.
Chae Seung-jin might have dropped his guard at first, but from then on, he had lunged with everything he had.
And her flesh and blood had utterly trampled that Chae Seung-jin.
‘By the way, where on earth is that guy?’
It was almost time for the Tower’s gates to open, but she couldn’t spot a single hair of Jeong Hyun-soo. Jeong Hyun-ah scanned the surroundings.
“Oh, hello everyone?” “It’s been a while. How have you all been?”
Two men walked over toward the area where the direct descendants of Garam, Songgwang, and Hanul were gathered.
“Oh, Kim Min-ki! Jo Seung-hyuk! How long has it been?” “Haha. Moo-hyun hyung. How have you been?” “Min-ki, Myeonggeuk’s results lately are no joke. Did you hit a massive jackpot?” “Ayy, hyung, could it possibly compare to Songgwang? You guys acquired the ownership of a gate that includes a mana stone mine.” “Hey, my workload just increased so much I’m dying.” “Ayy, quit bluffing. We all know you’re screaming with joy.” “When it comes to mana stone mines, who doesn’t know about Sodam? Seung-hyuk, let’s take it easy. Lend us your Bloodline Succession occasionally. No, scratch that. Just hold back a bit, okay?”
They were Kim Min-ki of Myeonggeuk and Jo Seung-hyuk of Sodam, two of the other Top Ten Guilds.
Myeonggeuk specialized in and achieved outstanding results in the field of gate clears, while Sodam possessed a large number of gates rich in mana stone deposits based on the innate bloodline abilities of their direct descendants.
Though they were all laughing and joking, once the Tower opened, they would become rivals. Even socially, they shared a complex, entangled relationship of repeated cooperation and competition.
Through that crowd of people, a man came trudging along.
“Ah.”
Jeong Hyun-ah reflexively grabbed her head.
“That absolute nuisance, seriously…”
The appearance of Jeong Hyun-soo walking from over there was a sight to behold.
Everyone else had brought maximum preparations, from armor to gear, for their once-in-a-lifetime first ascent, yet he was wearing nothing but a tracksuit.
Trudging along in that state, Jeong Hyun-soo’s appearance was truly…
“Wow.” “I heard he caught Chae Seung-jin, but well… he has changed.” “But still, aren’t you brimming with a bit too much confidence, Hyun-soo? What’s with that look without even a weapon? Haha.”
Recognizing Jo Seung-hyuk of Sodam as he approached, Jeong Hyun-soo stopped in his tracks.
“What are you doing? Get ready for the raid.” “Wha-at?” “It’s opening soon. Get ready.”
Jeong Hyun-soo’s gaze was solely fixed on Jeong Hyun-ah and the new members of Garam.
“Ah…”
His gaze briefly brushed past Ji Min-jung, who was standing next to Jeong Hyun-ah, but without another word, Jeong Hyun-soo headed toward the entrance of the Tower.
“That Jeong Hyun-soo, his neck has gotten quite stiff. A bastard who couldn’t even look us in the eye before.”
At Jo Seung-hyuk’s words, Kim Min-ki nodded as if in agreement.
“Right. It looks like he needs some education.”
Listening to their conversation from behind, Chae Moo-hyun inwardly harbored a smile.
“Ayy, surely that’s not it. He’s probably just nervous since he’s climbing the Tower.” “Nervous? Does being nervous mean you throw basic etiquette out the window?” “Hyung, you really are too good-natured.” “What choice do I have? The deed has already been done, so cleanup comes first. Let’s get ready too. And don’t take Hyun-soo too lightly. He might be hiding something.”
It was a time of peak, hot-blooded youth. If you told them not to do something, they wanted to do it even more.
“Mind your own business, hyung.”
Jo Seung-hyuk and Kim Min-ki held even Chae Moo-hyun in low regard.
It was because of the thought that he was a discarded descendant of Songgwang who hadn’t even climbed the Tower despite being in his mid-twenties, and Chae Moo-hyun merely kept his smile.
A system notification popped up, and Jeong Hyun-soo spoke to Jeong Hyun-ah, who was standing beside him.
“Do not forget the theme of the 1st floor.” “Ah, whatever. Worry about yourself.”
Now that decades had passed since the Tower surged forth, the strategy for the lower floors was already common knowledge.
“And if anything happens, run toward the west without fail. The way to find the west is simple. It’s to the left of the engraved name.” “Why this sudden nagging?” “I have intel.” “Intel?” “It seems a dangerous bastard from the underworld has appeared.”
Jeong Hyun-ah furrowed her brow.
“Dangerous?” “They have the skills of at least a C-rank.”
A C-rank hunter usually operates between the 20th and 30th floors.
For someone of an operating rank like that to still not have climbed the Tower and only debut now?
“…What kind of nonsense is that?”
High ranks equaled money. It was something especially necessary for wanted criminals from the underworld. Everyone in the world knew they could get stronger faster by climbing the Tower, yet a C-rank just endured in the underworld until now?
“They have a purpose.”
That purpose was none other than the Seed of the Overlord.
“Don’t scatter, stick together and act.” “That’s something we’ve already thoroughly learned, so worry about your own side. What is up with those three-lined slippers, seriously.”
There was a clear reason why Jeong Hyun-soo had come dressed so sloppily.
A perfect clear from floors 1 to 10. To achieve a proper clear based on what would become known in the future—rather than a typical hunter’s ascent—and even acquire the Seed of the Overlord, Jeong Hyun-soo had come without even equipping a weapon.
This was because one could only obtain the Seed of the Overlord by clearing the conditions requested by the Tower in a state of perfect, system-recognized weaponlessness.
And that clue lay precisely with the C-rank underworld rookie who would infiltrate alongside the rookies this time.
In the future, a heinous villain possessing the talent of a dark-class wanted criminal known as the ‘Tyrant Ghost’ would obtain it. But this time, Jeong Hyun-soo intended to acquire it himself instead of the Tyrant Ghost.
Massive numbers embroidered the air.
And as always, the Tower was a liar.
While the countdown was still in full swing, Jeong Hyun-soo walked right into the entrance of the Tower.
“Hey, Jeong Hyun-soo! You crazy…!”
Jeong Hyun-ah’s voice cut off mid-sentence.
Whoosh!
Jeong Hyun-soo faced a sea of blazing, hot fire.
It had been a truly long time.
Flames enveloped Jeong Hyun-soo.
The 1st floor, the Gate of Forgetfulness. From here, the stage known as the Battlefield of Self-Preservation—which extends up to the 10th floor to protect one’s name—had begun.
