Chapter Thirty Three : Into the Tower

  Swoosh!

  A blinding light engulfed Damian as he stepped through the portal. His vision blurred, his head spun, and a wave of nausea crashed over him, making it feel A blinding light engulfed Damian as he stepped through the portal. His vision blurred, his head spun, and a wave of nausea crashed over him, making it feel nauseous.

  “No, no! This can’t be!”

  A voice shouted nearby, but Damian barely registered it. His stomach twisted, and his body refused to stabilize. Then—

  Smack! Smack!

  Small, sharp paws struck his face, snapping him back to reality. His vision steadied, and he blinked rapidly, the surroundings finally coming into focus.

  “Human! Do you know what you’ve done?!”

  Damian groaned and turned toward the voice, finding Meru glaring at him, his fur bristling with fury. The tiny feline stood on its hind legs, tail lashing.

  “You’re an outsider! And because of your foolishness, I’m stuck on the first floor!” Meru growled, his ears flattened. “I was born inside the Tower—I can’t climb it like you can! You’ve trapped us both here!”

  Damian took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. The passage around them stretched in a straight line, its walls carved from rough stone. The ceiling was adorned with glowing stones, dimly illuminating the space. The light barely reached two meters ahead—beyond that, only darkness loomed.

  “Human, are you even listening to me?!” Meru hissed.

  Damian sighed. “I’m sorry. I just… I couldn’t let you go. I had to know what was really happening.”

  Meru exhaled sharply, his tail flicking. “Sigh… It’s too late for regrets. Because of you, the tutorial has begun, and there’s no way you can get us out—not with your current strength.”

  Damian frowned. “I’m not that weak—”

  “You think you’re strong, don’t you?” Meru cut him off, his golden eyes narrowing. “Well, you’re not. You come from a world with no mana. The only reason you have any is because of the System.”

  Damian clenched his fists. “And?”

  “And that makes you weak,” Meru snapped. “The people who enter the Tower come from worlds where mana is as natural as breathing. Their bodies are already adapted. To them, the System is just a tool—an aid. But you? Without it, you’re nothing.”

  Damian absorbed the words, the weight of them pressing down on him. He had no idea magic could be used without the System.

  “I get it,” he muttered. “But I’m not giving up. My name is Damian Park. I ruined your plans, and I’m sorry. But we’re not going to die here. I have to get back home—my family needs me.”

  Meru studied him for a moment before sighing. “If you really mean that, then listen to me. We need to reach the tenth floor.”

  Damian raised an eyebrow. “And why’s that?”

  “The Merchant Guild Hall is there. I need to recharge my return stone if we have any hope of escaping this place.”

  Damian didn’t fully understand, but he nodded anyway. “Fine. How do we get to the tenth floor?”

  “You don’t,” Meru said flatly. “Not as you are now. Every floor has a mission, and you need to clear each one to ascend. That’s nearly impossible for you in your current state—you don’t even know how to control mana properly.”

  “The Tower…” Meru continued, his voice quieter now. “It’s both a gateway and a trial. It grants wishes, but only to those who prove themselves worthy. The tutorial weeds out the weak. Many don’t make it past the first floor. Even fewer reach the fifth. After that, the competition gets even worse.”

  Damian took a deep breath. He knew he had made a mistake dragging Meru in here, but there was no turning back.

  Before he could respond, a sudden flash of light appeared ahead.

  “What—?”

  A small metal orb floated into view, its surface gleaming under the dim glow.

  Damian tensed, raising his sword and shield.

  “A robot?” he muttered.

  Meru scoffed. “No, Damian. That’s a Guardian Orb.”

  “A Guardian?” Damian frowned, lowering his stance slightly.

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  “This is an artifact,” Meru explained. “Each floor has a guardian that oversees the trials. They ensure everything runs according to the Tower’s rules. Do not anger them.”

  The orb whirred, and a smooth, male voice echoed from it.

  “Greetings. I am the guardian of Floor 1—Noah.”

  Damian lowered his sword.

  Noah hummed. “Oh my, are you from the Cat Tribe?”

  Meru crossed his arms. “Some things happened. I’ll be following this human for now.”

  “I see, I see.” Noah chuckled. “Since you have a companion from the Cat Tribe, I mistook you for a new species of human. That would have been interesting. Anyway, shall we begin?”

  Damian straightened, listening closely as Noah explained.

  “The tutorial spans nine sections—from Floor One to Floor Nine. Each floor presents a different challenge. You will be graded on performance, and at the end, your score will determine your rewards.”

  Damian furrowed his brows. “What happens if I get a low score?”

  “Nothing,” Noah replied. “The tutorial simply proves whether you possess the minimum qualifications. But a higher score means better rewards. That should be enough motivation, right?”

  “And how long do we have?”

  “Ninety days. However—”

  Noah’s voice turned playful. “If you want the best rewards, finish as quickly as possible.”

  Damian’s grip on his sword tightened. He couldn’t waste this opportunity.

  “Although,” Noah continued, “we strongly recommend forming parties of at least three to five players. It makes things significantly easier.”

  Damian smirked. “So if I clear it solo, I get a higher score?”

  “Yes, but the difficulty increases dramatically. A solo player’s chances of survival are… well, quite low.”

  “Noted.”

  Noah sighed. “I see where this is going. Players like you are always one of two types—the ones who are reckless and die early, or the ones worth watching.”

  The Guardian took a moment before speaking again.

  “If that’s your decision…”

  A blue window appeared before Damian.

  [Beginning the Trial of Floor 1]

  “Then let the trial begin,” Noah declared before vanishing like the wind.

  A timer appeared.

  [90 Days Remaining]

  Damian took a deep breath, adjusting his grip on his sword.

  “Let’s do this, Meru.”

  Meru scoffed. “You’re insane, human. You just signed your own death sentence.”

  Damian grinned. “I know.”

  [You have entered Floor 1]

  [Objective: Break through or deactivate all traps in this section]

  The system message faded, leaving Damian standing in the dimly lit corridor. The air felt unnaturally still, heavy with an unseen pressure.

  He took a cautious step forward, carrying Meru on his back. The stone walls stretched endlessly in both directions, disappearing into darkness. The faint glow from the embedded stones overhead barely illuminated his surroundings.

  Something wasn’t right.

  Minutes passed.

  Still, nothing.

  Damian’s grip on his sword tightened. The longer the silence stretched, the more uneasy he felt.

  Then—

  “Damian, watch out!” Meru’s sudden scream cut through the stillness.

  Thwish!

  An arrow whistled through the air.

  Damian barely reacted in time, twisting his body to the side. The arrow grazed his arm, tearing through his sleeve and biting into his skin.

  Twing!

  The steel-tipped projectile buried itself into the stone wall beside him.

  More were coming.

  Swish! Swish! Swish!

  A volley of arrows rained down.

  Damian clenched his jaw and threw himself forward. He rolled along the ground, shielding Meru as best as he could. His back slammed against the wall just as—

  Shlickt!

  Pain shot up his leg. He gasped as an arrow pierced deep into his thigh, the sharp tip burying itself into muscle.

  His Iron Skin should’ve helped—should’ve made him resistant—but the force behind these arrows was too strong.

  Damian cursed through his teeth. “Damn it—!”

  Blood oozed from the wound, dripping onto the cold stone. His Regeneration skill kicked in, but—

  It wasn’t fast enough.

  The bleeding barely slowed. The pain remained.

  Meru’s voice snapped him back. "Damian! You’re getting torn apart! Use your damn Heal skill!"

  Another wave of arrows fired.

  Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

  Damian reached deep inside, forcing himself to focus.

  “Heal!”

  A soft glow enveloped his leg, and warmth spread through the injury. The pain lessened, but the skill drained his stamina—too much. He gritted his teeth, sweat forming on his brow.

  I can’t keep healing like this… If I don’t figure something out, I’ll run out of energy before I even make it halfway through.

  More arrows rained down.

  Meru jumped from his grasp, twisting mid-air.

  Thwish!

  His tiny claws slashed, deflecting two arrows. But another nicked his ear, drawing blood.

  Meru landed, panting. "Tch—damn it, these are too fast!"

  Damian forced himself upright, gripping his sword tighter. His breathing was ragged, but his mind was racing.

  I need to dodge faster. I need to see them coming.

  Meru’s sharp eyes locked onto him. "You need to use mana, Damian! Stop fighting like a normal human!"

  Another barrage.

  Swoosh!

  Damian's body moved on instinct. His perception sharpened. He felt the air shift before the arrows fired.

  And for the first time—

  He saw them coming before they left the traps.

  There!

  He twisted his body, narrowly avoiding two arrows—

  But three more were already mid-flight.

  Too many.

  Too fast.

  There was no time to dodge.

  Damian’s eyes widened as the arrows closed in—