"I don't know how much time has passed anymore."
Shiddharth sat motionless atop the massive corpse of an ogre, his back bent slightly forward, his eyes hollow as they stared at nothing in particular. Time had lost all meaning in this place. Days, weeks—perhaps longer—had blurred into a single, endless loop of death and resurrection.
"I can't even keep track of it," he muttered, his voice dry and empty. "I've died so many times that counting feels pointless."
He lowered his gaze.
"I even saw the dead bodies of my disciples."
The memory surfaced uninvited—Jun Si's stern face, Sui's calm eyes, their broken bodies lying lifeless among the corpses. At first, the sight had shattered him. Now…
"I don't feel anything anymore."
He clenched his fist slowly, testing himself.
"Am I… losing my emotions?"
Before he could dwell further, the space above the Reset Floor distorted violently.
A familiar pressure descended.
"Hey."
A deep, mocking voice echoed through the scorched wasteland.
"What are you doing, sitting there like a corpse?" the dragon said as it emerged from the portal, its massive wings spreading wide. "Hurry up. I don't have time to waste here."
Shiddharth raised his head slowly.
"Ah… you're here again."
He stood.
"Today," he said quietly, his eyes sharpening, "I'll make sure to kill you."
The dragon laughed, a sound that shook the ground.
Shiddharth leapt forward, his body bursting with killing intent. He rushed toward the dragon without hesitation, pouring everything he had into that single charge.
But before he could even reach halfway—
Dragon Breath descended.
The world vanished.
Everything turned to dust, just like every other time.
[ You have died ]
"Hah…" Shiddharth's voice echoed faintly as consciousness returned. "I don't even know what's happening back on Earth anymore."
He stared at his resurrected hands.
"Am I really… too weak to be a hunter?"
His system screen unfolded before his eyes.
[ Name : Shiddharth Malhotra
Species : Human
Title Equipped : One Who Beats the Death
Level : 0 ]
Stats
Strength : 17 (+598)
Stamina : 30 (+612)
Agility : 24 (+588)
Intelligence : 45 (+676)
Mana : 6 (+61)
Skills
~ As Long As I Hold A Sword (SSS-Class, can be grown)
~ The One Who Can Resurrect (SS-Class)
~ Defy The Tower Law (???)
~ Weapon Forging (S-Class)
~ Fist Master (AA+ Class)
~ Fire Resistant (S-Class)
Achievements Slide
He stared at the numbers for a long time.
"…Still not enough."
On the 67th Floor—
"Move to the right!" Jun Si shouted.
A Death Knight swung its massive sword, releasing sharp, crescent-shaped waves of death. Several hunters were too slow—cut cleanly in half before they could even scream.
Jun Si stepped forward without hesitation.
He raised his sword and cleaved through the incoming wave, sparks flying as energy collided. His body moved purely on instinct now.
Suddenly—
An arrow shot toward him from his blind spot.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
Jun Si's eyes widened. His skills were on cooldown. Dodging would mean giving the Death Knight an opening.
Before the arrow could reach him—
Slash.
The arrow split cleanly in two.
Sui had stepped forward.
Behind the Death Knight, skeletal soldiers emerged from hidden angles, firing arrows relentlessly. Hunters raised their shields, blocking what they could while striking down the undead in close combat.
"Sui!" Jun Si shouted. "Support Younsu!"
Younsu was struggling. The Lich before her controlled the battlefield, freezing the air and corrupting mana flow. Her movements slowed, her breathing heavy.
But when Sui joined her, the balance shifted.
Blades flashed.
Spells shattered.
The Lich screamed as its core cracked.
Meanwhile, Jun Si faced the Death Knight head-on.
It had no weakness.
Cut off an arm—it regenerated by absorbing nearby soldiers.
Break its sword—it reforged itself using its own bones.
Still, Jun Si didn't retreat.
Every swing of his blade carried everything he had left. His wounds stopped regenerating. His vision blurred. His hands trembled violently.
But he stood up again.
I can't fall.
I'm their hope.
I must stand—no matter what.
The Death Knight raised its sword—
And then—
It turned to dust.
[ You have defeated the boss of the 67th Floor ]
[ You have been rewarded for completing the quest ]
[ You can now move on to the 68th Floor ]
[ Portal to the 68th Floor has opened ]
Jun Si collapsed to the ground.
Relief washed over him.
They're safe.
Later, in the medical dormitory—
Jun Si opened his eyes.
The white ceiling told him everything.
"Where is Sui Ruhi?" he asked weakly.
"She's tending to the other injured members," someone replied.
"Tell her… I want to see her."
Minutes later, Sui entered.
"What is it, Guild Master?" she asked.
"Give me the full report."
She did—how she defeated the Lich, how it dropped a strange stone, and how crushing it caused the Death Knight to vanish as well.
Jun Si's eyes narrowed.
"Do you know anything about dead bones?"
"I'm sorry," Sui replied. "I don't."
"You may go."
After she left, Jun Si opened his system screen.
A single item hovered there.
[ Dead Bone
Class : Unknown
??? Bone is extremely strong and can be used to kill ???
Usage Restriction : Only Dragon Slayer can use its full power
Current usable power : 25%
If mixed with ??? it can be grown into a ??? weapon ]
Jun Si stared at the screen for a long time.
Somewhere deep within the Tower—
A man who refused to stay dead continued punching fate itself.