Seating himself at the edge of the bed, he pulled up his system interface. The familiar glow filled his vision as he scrolled through his inventory. Crystals, materials, and the lingering effects of his battles on Floor 21. He took mental notes, assessing how much mana and stamina had been drained in just one floor.
It was clear—progressing past this point would require better management.
Out of curiosity, he switched to the system’s main functions. The thought had been nagging him since earlier, and now that he had a moment, he decided to ask.
Jae-Hyun: "Who are you?"
System: "That’s a broad question. Who are YOU?"
His brow twitched. He should’ve expected that.
Jae-Hyun: "What’s your purpose?"
System: "Keeping you alive. For now."
He frowned. It had dodged his question before, but this time, it almost sounded ominous.
Jae-Hyun: "Who created you?"
There was a pause. Longer than usual.
Then, the system responded. But this time, it wasn’t immediate.
“…Processing…”
(The pause stretched a fraction too long.)
“…Insufficient Information.”
For the first time, Jae-Hyun felt like the system wasn’t just avoiding the question—it genuinely didn’t know.
He exhaled, shaking his head as he dismissed the interface. More questions, fewer answers.
His phone buzzed again. Ahri.
Ahri: "I’m already here. Don’t keep me waiting."
Jae-Hyun pushed himself to his feet, rolling his shoulders as he grabbed his coat. His mind still lingered on the system’s response, but there was nothing he could do about it now. For now, dinner.
----------------------------------------
The walk to the restaurant was quiet, save for the occasional late-night adventurer passing by. Jae-Hyun kept his hands in his pockets, his mind still lingering on the system’s cryptic response. “Insufficient Information.” It wasn’t a refusal—it was a limitation. The system either didn’t know or wasn’t capable of telling him. Either way, it left an uncomfortable weight in his chest.
As he approached the restaurant, he spotted Ahri waiting outside, arms crossed, her foot tapping impatiently. Her medium-length black hair, worn loose, framed her face under the streetlights, and despite her relaxed posture, her sharp eyes locked onto him the moment he stepped closer.
“Took you long enough,” she said, smirking. “I was about to start without you.”
Jae-Hyun raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t realize you were that eager.”
She scoffed, pushing open the door. “Come on. I’m starving.”
----------------------------------------
The restaurant was a small, cozy place tucked away in a quieter part of the district. It wasn’t extravagant, but it had an inviting warmth to it. The scent of grilled meat and spices filled the air as they took a seat in a booth near the window.
A server arrived, taking their orders before disappearing into the kitchen. Ahri leaned back against the cushioned seat, exhaling as she studied Jae-Hyun. “So, are you going to tell me how far you got in the Tower, or do I have to guess?”
He leaned forward, resting an arm on the table. “Cleared Floor 21.”
Ahri’s expression didn’t shift much, but he caught the flicker of recognition in her eyes. “And?”
“It’s getting harder,” he admitted. “Not just in terms of strength—the Tower feels... different past Floor 20. Bigger packs of monsters, smarter enemies. I had to start being more mindful about stamina and mana usage.”
She nodded slowly. "Climbing that high alone is insane—that's like a suicide mission. Even the Big Four guilds struggle past Floor 40. I guess you're not really alone, though, not with your army of shadows."
Jae-Hyun leaned back slightly, considering her words. "Yeah, I guess climbing alone that high really would be reckless," he admitted. He glanced at her. "And you? How’s the reset treating you?"
Ahri clicked her tongue, resting her chin on her hand. “Frustrating. It’s one thing to get stronger—it’s another to have to start over and claw your way back up.” Her fingers drummed against the table. “I know it’ll be faster this time, but still... it feels like I lost part of myself.”
Jae-Hyun didn’t say anything at first. He had known it wasn’t easy for her, but hearing it out loud made it more tangible. He wasn’t the comforting type, but he could at least acknowledge what she was going through.
“You’ll get there,” he finally said. “You’re too stubborn not to.”
Ahri huffed out a laugh, shaking her head. “Damn right I will.”
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
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Their food arrived, and for a while, they ate in comfortable silence. The weight of their conversation still lingered, but the brief pause allowed them to process everything. Jae-Hyun took occasional glances around the restaurant, observing people who had no connection to the Tower’s dangers—civilians, low-rank adventurers, ordinary people who never had to worry about clearing floors or facing impossible odds. The Tower, the system, the hidden powers at play—it was all beyond what most people in the city could comprehend.
After a few minutes, Ahri set her chopsticks down and leaned forward. “So what’s next?”
Jae-Hyun exhaled, pushing his plate aside. "The Tower is becoming more dangerous, and blindly pushing forward isn’t a strategy I want to rely on. Gates might be the next best option. The problem is, we need at least four people, and I don’t trust many to have my back. Besides you and Mi-Rae, there’s no one else I’d even consider."
Ahri raised an eyebrow. “Mi-Rae? Have you learned anything new about her?”
Jae-Hyun nodded. "I contacted her. Met her before the raid."
Ahri scoffed, shaking her head. "Are you insane? That was a stupid risk. You could’ve been caught!"
Jae-Hyun sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew she was right—it had been reckless. If things had gone south, there wouldn’t have been an easy way out. But still... "I needed answers. I met her before the raid, and she’s doing well... considering everything. She’s awakened as a Rank A, but she’s still under their watch. I had to see her myself." He exhaled, fingers tightening slightly against the table. "She’s strong, but she doesn’t realize how much danger she’s in.""
Ahri exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples before fixing him with a glare. "And what if they had caught you? What then? You might be strong, but even you wouldn’t have gotten out unscathed." She sighed, shaking her head. "You’re lucky. Just… don’t pull a stunt like that again."
Jae-Hyun offered a small smirk. "Just being practical. I don’t like the idea of standing still while everyone else moves forward."
Ahri exhaled, the frustration in her voice easing slightly. She shook her head, giving him a sideways glance. “Seriously, you’re impossible.”
Then, her lips curled into a smirk. “You better not leave me behind.”
Jae-Hyun chuckled. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
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As they finished their meal, Jae-Hyun leaned back, stretching slightly. He was about to suggest heading out when a familiar thought struck him—the Demon King’s words.
“Come find me in Hell.”
A simple statement, but one that had haunted him since the moment he heard it.
How?
He had no idea where to even begin. The Tower had no known path leading to Hell, and as far as he knew, it wasn’t something that could be accessed at all.
And then, as if responding to his thoughts, his system glitched.
His fingers twitched slightly as the faint warmth faded. It wasn’t just a system message—it felt like something had reached for him, something unseen. His vision distorted for a fraction of a second before stabilizing. Then, in the corner of his interface, a new notification appeared—its text flickering in and out, partially corrupted.
“𝔄 𝔭𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔱𝔬… [ERROR]… Hell.”
The text flickered again before it corrected itself.
“A Path to Hell – Quest Available.”
Jae-Hyun’s entire body tensed. That was not normal. His system had always been cryptic, but this... this felt different. Like something—or someone—was watching him.
Ahri, noticing his sudden shift, raised an eyebrow. “What happened?”
He exhaled slowly, his face returning to an impassive mask. “Nothing. Just an item I got.”
Ahri narrowed her eyes slightly but didn’t push further. “Uh-huh.”
But Jae-Hyun’s thoughts were already elsewhere.
What the hell did I just unlock?
----------------------------------------
Jae-Hyun’s eyes lingered on the system notification, the flickering text still burning in his vision. A Path to Hell. The words felt heavier than they should, as if something beyond the system itself was pushing him toward an inevitable fate.
“The door remains closed. To unlock the path, complete the following.”
New text appeared, this time clear and precise.
* Reach Level 50.
* Defeat the Floor 30 Guardian in a single challenge.
He read the requirements twice, ensuring he hadn’t misinterpreted them—this wasn’t just about progression. It was a test.
Jae-Hyun clenched his fist. He was Level 42 now, meaning the first condition wasn’t far off. The second, however, posed a greater challenge. The Floor 30 Guardian was known as a turning point in the Tower’s climb. Only high-ranked adventurers typically cleared it solo, and even then, few could do it without weeks of preparation. Most wouldn't even attempt going past Floor 10 solo, let alone Floor 30. Just the thought of challenging it alone was pure suicide. Jae-Hyun knew that he was lucky to have his shadow army around—without them, he wouldn’t have even reached Floor 21.
He exhaled, dragging a hand down his face. So that’s the price of opening the door?
Ahri, still watching him, leaned forward. “You’re thinking too hard about something,” she said, her sharp gaze scanning his face. “Something’s up.”
Jae-Hyun hesitated for a fraction of a second before shaking his head. “Just planning my next moves.”
Ahri narrowed her eyes but didn’t press further. Instead, she sighed and leaned back, arms crossed. “You know, I completely forgot the reason I wanted to talk to you in the first place.”
Jae-Hyun raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
She pulled up her system interface, scrolling through something before tapping a specific entry. “This,” she said, turning her screen toward him. “Ever seen anything like it?”
A notification hovered in front of him.
Item: Fractured Growth Key
Type: Limited One-Time Purchase
Description: Grants access to a Level-Up Fracture, a high-risk environment designed for rapid growth. Rank is determined by the highest-level party member.
Requirements:
* Must purchase the Fractured Growth Key.
* Must enter with at least two party members.
* Rank of the Level-Up Fracture scales based on the highest-level party member.
Jae-Hyun’s eyes flicked back to Ahri. “And this just appeared in your shop?”
“Yeah. It’s a limited-time thing, apparently. Never seen it before, and the description is weirdly vague.” Ahri leaned forward, tapping her finger against the table. “I have no idea if it’s good or bad, but something about it feels… unique. Thought you’d want to know.”
Jae-Hyun hummed, considering the implications. If the rank of the Fracture scaled to the highest party member, that meant if he were to enter at Level 42, Ahri—who was currently only Level 11—would stand no chance inside.
He sighed. “It’s a good opportunity. But you’d have to level up—fast. Otherwise, there’s no way you’d survive”
Ahri groaned, rubbing her temple. “Yeah, yeah. Figures. I knew you were going to say that.”
Jae-Hyun smirked. “Then you better get to work.”
Ahri shot him a look before shaking her head with a smirk of her own. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. I’ll catch up before you know it.”