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nUser Details

nName: Jaehwan

nLevel: 100 (At maximum level)

nTitle: (EX) Nightmare of 99th Floor

nClass: Swordsman

nSkill: (EX) Perseverance

nStatus Detail

nStrength: 100 (At maximum)

nDexterity: 100 (At maximum)

nStamina: 100 (At maximum)

nWill: 100 (At maximum)

nMana: 100 (At maximum)

nHe pulled up the screen through the Interface System. Jaehwan had tried hard to reach the limit at every end all this time. 30 years, and he had hit the maximum limit on all stats. That was when he began to think.

nCan humans really be calculated with such numbers?’

nAfter some time, he began seeing something weird. He thought it was just an illusion, but it wasn’t. He realized what he saw was the nature of this world. It was sometimes a smooth particle and sometimes became rough rocks. It always seemed to be in various shapes and sizes.

nThat’s when his stabbing became unstable.

nHe felt a weird sensation each time he used his Stab skill. The skill that he had stuck in its form in perfection, had become loose and Jaehwan felt something he had been forgetting was coming back.

nIt was the feeling of being ‘alive.’

nJaehwan named it Suspicion for now. The power to look into the truth of the world. However, he had no idea how to use the power yet.

nThe quick thrust of Jaehwan’s Dragon Sword was easily deflected. Beastlain shouted in irritation,

n“Hey, Jaehwan! Talk to me!”

nJaehwan did not answer.

n“Wow, this is crazy!”

nBeastlain seemed frustrated.

n“You are not going back! You’re just starting the real game!”

nThe second reason Jaehwan wasn’t ending the Tutorial, was the demon Beastlain.

nAfter some time, Jaehwan realized that for some reason, Beastlain could not kill Jaehwan.

n‘I don’t know why, but he can’t force me.’

nBeastlain not forcing the game to end or not killing Jaehwan right here was the proof. If he had opened the tower, he must have the power to close it, but he didn’t do so. There must be a reason why. For Jaehwan, Beastlain was just a good teacher right now. He challenged him countless times to adapt to the change happening with him.

nBeastlain was growing even more frustrated.

n‘Dammit, the due date is coming closer!’

nHowever, there was nothing he could do. The only thing he can do was to ask Jaehwan,

n“Hey! Please, answer me!”

n“Answer what?”

nJaehwan asked as he pulled away the sword grabbed by Beastlain.

n“Wow, thank you! I thought you had gone mad because you didn’t speak! I was worried that the precious Product had been damaged… uh, nevermind that,”

nBeastlain stuttered.

n“Good. What do you want of me? I will do anything, other than killing myself, and moving to the next floor.”

nJaehwan then stopped the sword.

n‘There we go.’

nAfter Jaehwan realized he had the upper hand, he had been waiting for this very moment. He had waited until the Demon in front of him become frustrated. Jaehwan waited until Beastlain could not wait any longer and took the bait.

n“I need to ask you something then.”

n“What is it? Anything!”

nBeastlain brightened up and continued,

n“Do we now have room to negotiate?”

n“Well, that depends on you.”

nThe answer made Beastlain frown.

nAfter pondering for some time, Beastlain sighed and explained,

n“Don’t be surprised. The universe isn’t connected in just one dimension.”

n“I know.”

n“…huh? You know?”

nJaehwan scowled.

n“Do you think I’m a fool?”

nJaehwan did not know much about the universe. Everything he knew about it was what he had learned from school and what he had heard from Sakamoto when he climbed the tower. But he did hear a lot of different theories about the universe.

n“So, the universe is comprised of and countless ?”

n“You are right.”

nAccording to Beastlain, the universe was comprised of one main dimension called and millions of other . The earth was a small planet within one of many . Beastlain called Earth as World 294. Jaehwan summarized the explanation,

n“So this Tower of Nightmare is to prepare Walkers to adapt to the .”

n“Right.”

n“And only the Walkers who successfully completed the Tutorial and the real game gets to move to the .”

n“You are absolutely right. You sure grasp the idea quick.”

nBeastlain did not use the word Cultivation or Harvest. He knew what the product would become if he heard it. Jaehwan then asked,

n“So what does adaptation do? Does it just mean getting stronger?”

nBeastlain shook his head.

n“No, it’s to get used to the of the .”

n“…the one to use skills, get items, or invest status points?”

n“You can say that.”

nBeastlain grinned.

n“Most races going to the without preparation die out because they can’t adjust to the system. That’s why we made this to help them adjust. Through the tutorial and the real game, you learn what it is like to have the system on the and increase your survival rate. Demons like me work as an aid to this game.”

nBeastlain was careful with his explanation, but he was also astonished. He had seen no product this calm after hearing the truth about the world. All the products he had cultivated either refused to believe it or had gone mad. However, Jaehwan calmly accepted what he was hearing. It seemed like he had been born for the game. And Beastlain was satisfied by it.

n“Let me ask you one more thing.”

n“Go ahead.”

n“Why are you doing ‘this’?”

nBeastlain smiled bitterly. He knew that Jaehwan would ask this in the end. He had cultivated thousands of products for hundreds of years. Some had become powerful beings in the while some had perished to its spirit. But all of them had asked this.

n-Why are you doing this?

nBeastlain asked back.

n“I don’t get your question. Do you want to know why I manage the Tower of Nightmare?”

n“Yes.”

n“Well, I don’t think that’s what you really want to know.”

nBeastlain grinned and continued speaking,

n“Isn’t it that you want to know why I brought the Tower of Nightmares into YOUR world, instead of countless other options?”

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