After being discharged from the hospital, Jae-Hyun didn’t waste any time.

His body still ached, but he pushed through. The sooner he finished this challenge, the sooner he could move forward.

Ahri walked with him to the Tower entrance, her hands in her jacket pockets. “You sure you don’t want backup?” she asked, raising a brow.

"No, it's your punishment." The system's voice echoed in his head, cold and absolute. Jae-Hyun clenched his jaw but didn’t argue. He had already expected as much.

Jae-Hyun shook his head. “System won’t let me. This is a solo challenge.”

She clicked her tongue. “Of course it is.”

Back at the hotel, Jae-Hyun sat on the edge of his bed, rolling his shoulders. His body still ached, but there was no time to dwell on it. The system had given him his next punishment, and he had to prepare.

Ahri leaned against the wall, watching as Jae-Hyun packed a small bag of essentials—though they both knew the system wouldn’t let him bring much.

“I know it’s the system,” she said, arms crossed, “but are you really going back in? You haven’t even told me properly what happened.”

Jae-Hyun zipped up his bag but didn’t pause. “It wasn’t my brother who sent that message. It was someone more dangerous. I don’t know enough yet, but when I do, I’ll tell you.”

Ahri’s jaw tightened, but she exhaled slowly. “I don’t trust you to come out of this in one piece. And if you do, I want to make sure you actually call me right after. Promise me—once you’re out, you contact me immediately.”

Jae-Hyun looked up, meeting her gaze. There was no room for argument in her expression.

“Fine,” he said. “But you should know—I’ll be in there for an entire week in system time. That’s about seven hours here.”

Ahri blinked, her brows drawing together. “That’s insane. Even though it’s only seven hours here, you’re spending an entire week in that place?” Her voice was laced with frustration. “You just got out of the hospital, and now you’re throwing yourself into this?”

Jae-Hyun sighed. “It’s not like I have a choice. The system already decided.”

Ahri shook her head, clearly displeased. “Then promise me something.” Her voice was firm. “The second you step out, you call me. I don’t care if you’re exhausted or barely standing—just call.”

Jae-Hyun smirked slightly but saw the concern behind her words. “Alright. I promise.”

She let out a slow breath, some of the tension easing. "Good. Then within seven hours, you better call me immediately. And don't make me come looking for you again."

Jae-Hyun held her gaze for a moment before exhaling. "I get it, Ahri. I promise." He rolled his shoulders, trying to push past the lingering aches in his muscles. "I'll be fine. And if I’m not, well… I’ll figure something out."

He sat down, pulling out his phone. There was one more thing he had to do before entering.

He scrolled through his messages and found Mi-Rae’s name. She had sent several worried texts since the last time he responded.

Jae-Hyun: I won’t be able to talk for a few hours.

A few seconds later, another message.

Jae-Hyun: If anything happens, you can contact my companion. You can trust them.

He didn’t say a name. He didn’t even specify a gender. Just left it vague. Then, he attached Ahri’s number and hit send.

Mi-Rae read the message almost instantly. He watched as the typing bubble appeared, then disappeared, before a simple reply came through.

Mi-Rae: Okay.

Jae-Hyun exhaled, locking his phone. He pushed himself up from the bed, rolling his shoulders. "Okay. I’m ready. I’m going to go."

Ahri didn’t respond immediately. She watched him, her expression neutral, but there was a flicker of something else in her eyes—worry, maybe even a hint of sadness. Finally, she spoke, her voice quieter than before. "You better come back."

Jae-Hyun smirked slightly. "I always do."

She let out a small breath, looking away as if she had nothing more to say, but her hands curled into fists at her sides for just a moment before she relaxed. Jae-Hyun reached into the system, pulling out the Fracture key—an obsidian shard pulsating with a faint, eerie glow. He turned it between his fingers before gripping it tightly and stepping toward the portal. The energy in the room seemed to shift as he raised the key, twisting it slightly.

Ahri’s eyes flickered toward it, then back to him. Her voice was quiet, but firm. "You better come back."

Jae-Hyun smirked slightly, but there was no arrogance in it—just quiet resolve. "I always do"

She didn’t say anything else, but she didn’t look away either, as if committing this moment to memory. Jae-Hyun exhaled, reaching into the system interface. "I'm ready for the punishment."

The response was immediate.

System Notification: Challenge Initiated.

The air twisted violently, and in front of him, the Fracture ripped open, a swirling vortex of dark energy expanding outward. The very space around them distorted, sending waves of pressure rippling through the room.

Ahri tensed at the sudden shift in the atmosphere, her eyes flickering between Jae-Hyun and the portal. She had already said it before, but this time, her voice was quieter, almost like a wish. "You better come back."

She didn’t say anything else, but her gaze lingered, concern flickering behind her eyes. Then, as he took the final step forward, she remained behind, watching as he inserted the key into the swirling energy of the Fracture’s entrance.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

And then—he stepped through.

----------------------------------------

Arrival in the Wasteland – The Fracture’s Brutal Reality

Jae-Hyun stepped through the portal, and in an instant, everything changed.

The world around him stretched into an endless wasteland of cracked, dry terrain, the ground a dull shade of lifeless gray. There were no trees, no water, no landmarks—just an open, barren expanse with nothing but the occasional jagged rock formations breaking the monotony.

A scorching wind howled across the plains, carrying specks of dust that stung against his exposed skin. The air was dry and almost suffocating, thick with the weight of absolute emptiness. This place wasn’t meant for survival. It was meant for slow, inevitable death.

Jae-Hyun’s boots crunched against the brittle earth as he took a step forward, scanning the horizon. There was nothing.

No food. No water. No shelter.

Only him and the looming weight of time.

System Notification: Objective: Survive for 7 Days.

Jae-Hyun exhaled sharply. Simple. Direct. Brutal.

He glanced at the sky. There was no sun, only an endless, dim haze stretching as far as the eye could see. Time felt meaningless here. If not for the system, he wouldn’t even know when a full day had passed.

“This place is a damn graveyard,” he muttered.

Yet, despite the overwhelming emptiness, his mind was clear.

He wasn’t afraid.

He wasn’t hesitant.

If anything, this isolation fueled something inside him—a growing, burning determination.

For too long, he had been fighting just to survive. Fighting against the betrayal of his father and brother, the twisted entities that had tried to end his life, the unknown forces pulling the strings behind the Tower.

This wasn’t just about survival anymore.

This was about power.

The only way to win was to keep moving forward. To never stop.

Jae-Hyun clenched his fists. He wasn’t just going to endure these seven days. He was going to use them.

He was going to leave this place stronger than ever before.

----------------------------------------

The First Hunt – The Sub-Quest Awakens

A faint growl broke the silence.

Jae-Hyun immediately turned, his hand tightening around his sword’s hilt. From over a cracked hill, he saw movement—a pack of creatures emerging from the horizon.

They looked almost like warped jackals, their bodies lean but unnaturally elongated, their skin stretched tightly over exposed muscle. Their eyes gleamed with a sickly green glow as they locked onto him.

System Notification: [Twisted Carrion Jackals] - Level 32

Jae-Hyun’s eyes narrowed. Green names.

Weak.

But there were at least twenty of them.

They fanned out, moving in a coordinated pattern, their claws scraping against the ground. Their numbers were their real strength.

Jae-Hyun didn’t hesitate.

He dashed forward, his sword gleaming in his grip.

The first jackal lunged. Too slow. Jae-Hyun sidestepped and swung in a clean arc, severing its head in an instant.

System Notification: 1/1,000 Kills Acquired.

Sub-Quest Unlocked: "Echoes of Endless Strife." Objective: Kill 10,000 monsters within 7 days. Reward: [???]

Jae-Hyun’s breath slowed. A hidden quest?

The name alone was ominous. The reward was unknown.

But he didn’t have time to think.

The rest of the pack charged all at once.

He moved on instinct, his blade flashing as he weaved through their ranks. The first few kills were effortless—they were too slow, too weak. Even when they attacked in groups, their strikes were predictable. He cut them down without much effort.

Minutes turned to an hour. Then two. Then four.

They never stopped coming.

But he kept swinging.

System Notification: Level Up! You are now Level 47.

Jae-Hyun exhaled, lowering his sword for a moment. Even with their sheer numbers, he wasn’t struggling yet.

Then, the system buzzed with a new alert.

System Notification: Warning: Monster Strength Will Increase Every 4 Hours.

System Notification: Rest Period – 1 Hour Between Waves. During this time, you may choose to rest, eat, search the environment, or access the system shop. The shop will be locked once combat resumes. Monsters will not aggro during resting periods unless attacked.

Jae-Hyun’s brows furrowed as he absorbed the new information. "So, I get breaks—but only under the system’s terms. I’ll have to make every minute count."

Jae-Hyun’s grip tightened around his weapon. He could already feel the weight of the challenge shifting. The first wave was over, and now he had a short window to prepare.

He opened the system shop, hoping to stock up on some essentials before the next wave. His eyes scanned the inventory, but the moment he saw the prices, his expression darkened.

System Notification: Shop Prices Have Been Adjusted – All Items Now Cost 10x Their Original Value.

Jae-Hyun's jaw clenched. "Are you kidding me?"

A slow, almost mocking chuckle echoed inside his head.

“What? You thought survival would be easy?”

Jae-Hyun exhaled sharply, resisting the urge to curse out loud. "This damn system..." He closed the shop interface with a flick of his wrist, already knowing he wouldn’t be able to afford anything useful for a while. The moment the first wave ended, he'd have to decide how to spend his rest period wisely. Sleep was an option, but with limited food and water, he needed to ration carefully. His inventory held some supplies, but would they last the entire week?

He glanced at his system interface, considering whether the shop had any useful items. But that would have to wait—right now, survival was the only priority. If he wanted to push through the 10,000-kill sub-quest, he would have to use his downtime aggressively, hunting monsters even when he should be resting.

His mind raced through possibilities, but he knew one thing for certain—this was more than just survival. This was a test of endurance, strategy, and sheer willpower. Resources were nearly nonexistent, but he wasn’t completely unprepared—he had stored food and water inside the system, though he had no idea if they would last long enough. He also had healing potions, but at this rate, they would be depleted far too quickly.

He had options, but they were limited. Rest periods weren’t just for recovery; they were for making crucial decisions. Sleep, restore mana, eat, search for resources, or hunt to push the sub-quest further. Every second of downtime needed to be used efficiently.

For the next hour, he decided to wander the wasteland, taking in every detail of his surroundings. The cracked earth stretched endlessly in every direction, with no visible signs of food, water, or shelter. The air was still, eerily silent except for the occasional gust of dry wind.

In the distance, he could already see the next wave forming on the horizon. A soft ticking sound echoed in his mind, and as he focused, a faint countdown appeared in the corner of his vision. Their light yellow names hovered above them, but just as the system had promised, they didn’t attack. They simply lurked, waiting for the countdown to expire.

System Notification: Next Wave Begins In: 00:54:42

Jae-Hyun clicked his tongue. "So they really won’t move until the time runs out. That means I can use this hour however I see fit."

A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

The difficulty had already jumped in just five hours. Green-named monsters had become light yellow, and the challenge was only beginning. If things escalated this fast, what would it look like after a full day? After seven?

He exhaled slowly, gripping his sword tighter.

“So that’s how fast things are going to escalate.”

And with that—the real challenge began.