"Long time no see, you're still trying to change his fate, have you succeeded?"
"I will change his destiny... because he is part of me. My soul. And also—he is my love."
---
The air was thick with tension as Kim Haru emerged from the dungeon's massive stone gate, the final boss defeated, the system's mission successfully completed.
He stood under the sunlight, blinking against the sudden brightness. Around him, murmurs began to grow.
"He did it… they all made it out alive."
"That dungeon… it was a B-rank or higher. And they survived?"
"What's with this party? They all survived and managed to conquer the dungeon. Impressive... maybe their party will become famous," whispered one of the villagers, half in awe, half in disbelief.
But the truth was visible only to those who looked deeper.
The rest of the party hung back, avoiding eye contact with the crowd. Shame flickered in their expressions. Not one of them had landed the final blow. Not one of them had made the critical decisions.
Only Kim Haru.
"Apparently Haru is strong… he hid his strength from the beginning," someone among the party mumbled under their breath.
Park Souyoung, still catching her breath, turned to look at Haru. Her eyes were filled with confusion and unease.
"How is that even possible? He's only level 10... and yet he could manifest mana so freely?" she whispered. "Who are you really, Kim Haru…?"
Before she could ask further, the crowd parted suddenly.
An old man walked forward, his steps slow but steady. Despite his age, his presence radiated a quiet pressure. The villagers instinctively stepped aside, offering him a path.
His eyes met Haru's, and for a brief moment—something sparked.
"Hello, Kim Haru," the old man said, his voice warm and aged with experience. "My name is Shenyang. Would you be willing to become my student?"
In his gaze, there was no arrogance—only hope. Like someone who had found something long lost.
Kim Haru paused. A strange warmth settled in his chest. He didn't know why… but this man felt familiar. As if they had once shared laughter under the same sky. As if…
"...Sorry, Grandpa Shenyang. I'll have to decline your offer."
Shenyang didn't flinch. He simply nodded with a gentle smile.
"Is that so. Very well, Kim Haru. If you ever change your mind… come find me in the silence."
His cryptic words hung in the air like a riddle.
---
That night, Kim Haru sat alone in his apartment. The dim lights flickered as he stared at the floating system screen before him. His thoughts kept returning to Shenyang.
"Why... why did it feel like I've known that grandfather for a long time…?"
Suddenly, the system interface glitched for a moment. A strange message appeared:
> [Congratulations. Hidden Encounter: p** m**** has been triggered.]**
Haru blinked, confused. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he muttered. The name—censored or concealed—was unreadable. The screen refused to display more, no matter how hard he tried.
"What are you hiding from me, System? No... what is this planet hiding from everyone?"
Far away, in the golden sands of Egypt, beneath a sky pierced by starlight—
A tall, muscular man stood silently at the edge of an ancient ruin. His bronze skin glowed under the moonlight as he gazed toward the same tower that rose above the clouds.
"So… you've finally awakened, Kim Haru," he said with a quiet smile. "We meet again, my old friend… my comrade."
---
The next morning, Kim Haru stood on the balcony of his lodging, gazing at the golden-blue sky. A gentle breeze brushed past him, carrying the scent of dust and the city slowly waking up. But this time, it wasn't the sky or the wind that caught his attention.
Before him stood a colossal tower—rising so high it seemed to pierce the heavens, stretching beyond sight. It didn't just reach the sky; it seemed to defy reality itself, reflecting sunlight like a divine mirror suspended in the firmament. And at the top, engraved in luminous runes, was a number that made Haru freeze.
Floor 10,000.
Suddenly, a sharp, metallic voice echoed in his mind like thunder from the skies.
[Ding! A New Mission Has Arrived. Would You Like to Accept It?]
Without hesitation, Kim Haru nodded.
[Second Mission: Climb the Tower to Floor 100.]
Just as he accepted the mission, a thought flashed in his mind.
'I haven't claimed the reward from the first mission yet…'
Quickly, he opened the system interface and tapped the blinking icon marked with his completed quest.
[Congratulations, Sir.
You Have Received the First Mission Reward:
Light Orb (1x)
Please Select the Main Skill to Focus and Develop:
Space and Time
Dimensional Slash
Emperor Sword: Slash Across the Entire MultiVerse]
Haru examined the choices before him, but one immediately drew his attention. His eyes traced faint energy threads connecting the last skill to the hilt of his sheathed sword, which now lay wrapped in cloth beside him.
"I choose... Emperor Sword: Slash Across the Entire MultiVerse."
[You Have Acquired the Skill: Emperor Sword: Slash Across the Entire MultiVerse
Reward Received: Light Orb (1x)]
A small orb materialized in his palm, glowing like a miniature sun. But upon closer inspection, it wasn't a diamond, nor any known gem—it was a magical stone, pulsing with internal energy that felt almost alive.
Wasting no time, Kim Haru changed into his combat jacket and specialized climbing boots. He left his room, fully prepared for what lay ahead.
His destination: the Hunter Association—where he would apply for both the dungeon license and the Tower Climber license. Unlike dungeon licenses, the tower license required a deeper oath... one that bound the climber to the fate of the Tower itself.
Eventually, he succeeded. Both licenses were now in his possession.
As he stepped outside the building, a strange sensation crept over him. A presence—cold and watchful. Haru turned his head. Far above, at a tall window of the Hunter Association, a dark silhouette stood... unmoving.
Then it vanished, like a mirage.
Haru said nothing. He didn't let it distract him.
---
Inside the Hunter Association
Behind the tall glass window on the upper floor, a woman stood silently, her eyes following Haru's departing figure. There was something in her gaze—pride, longing... and something heavier.
"He's back," she whispered to herself, voice laced with emotion.
Two men stood behind her, observing silently.
"Haru... you always pick the sword-related skills, huh?" the woman said with a nostalgic smile.
"Well, that's just Haru. If there's a sword technique, he lights up like a child getting a new toy," replied the mysterious man leaning against the wall.
"Hahahaha! That's my best friend!" said a broad-shouldered man with a booming voice. "He doesn't fight with skills—he fights with muscle!"
"No... he fights with technique too. His brain is in his muscle, but he's still sharp. That's Haru," said Shenyang softly, the woman from before. Her voice was calm, but carried an unspoken weight.
The three of them laughed together. But only Shenyang lingered by the window for a little longer, her smile fading as her thoughts pulled her deeper into memories.
Soon after, everyone returned to their own residences.
---
Shenyang's Residence – Hidden Chamber
Shenyang walked down a hidden corridor behind her room. The stone walls were old, lined with faint glyphs, and the dim lighting barely illuminated the path. She entered a secret chamber—a room filled with old scrolls, artifacts, and relics from ages past.
But among all of them, only one thing truly captured her attention: a large photograph hanging on the stone wall.
In the picture stood two younger figures—Kim Haru and Shenyang—smiling together in front of ancient ruins, frozen in a moment that time had long since abandoned.
She stared at it in silence. Then her voice broke the stillness—barely above a whisper.
"It's been a long time... Haru. I always wanted you to be my disciple. But you refused... just like always."
Her hand gently touched the frame.
There was something unreadable in her expression—a blend of sorrow and unresolved fate.
And then... in the farthest corner of the room, something stirred. A rune embedded in the floor began to glow faintly—responding either to her presence... or to the name that had just been spoken aloud.
---
"Every choice etches a new branch of destiny.
And sometimes... that branch leads us back to the root."
---
In Front of the Tower
The sky was clear, but the air around the tower felt heavy—like the calm before a storm.
Kim Haru stood tall before the colossal tower that soared into the sky, piercing the heavens themselves. A gentle breeze brushed against his face, but his eyes remained fixed on the mysterious structure ahead of him.
He took a deep breath, then stepped forward without hesitation.
"Alright... since I'm a beginner and starting from the first floor, I will climb the tower up to the 100th floor."
His words were simple, but in his eyes burned an unwavering resolve and a deep curiosity—like someone who knew that what awaited him was far more than just an ordinary journey.
Without wasting any time, Kim Haru dashed forward, running through the tower's corridors in search of monsters. It didn't take long before a goblin emerged from the darkness.
Without mercy, Haru swung his sword. The goblin didn't even have time to react. Its body was cleaved in two and fell silently.
> [Ding! Congratulations. You have leveled up.]
A small smile appeared on Haru's face. He didn't stop there—he kept hunting goblin after goblin, slicing them down one by one with little effort.
> [Ding! Congratulations. You have leveled up.]
[Ding! Congratulations. You have leveled up.]
(x16)
The chime of level-ups rang out repeatedly. But just as Haru was about to seek out the next enemy, a new notification echoed in his mind.
> [Ding! You have discovered a Hidden Room.]
Haru's steps came to a halt. His eyes widened.
"A hidden room?" he muttered in disbelief.
Carefully, he entered a narrow hallway that had opened in the stone wall. The space was pitch black. No light, no reflections from the sun. Only silence and a biting chill.
He walked deeper until he reached the end. On the stone wall ahead was a faded carving—an image of someone building a tower with their own hands.
Kim Haru stood still. His mind was filled with questions. 'What is this...? It looks like the tower... but who is this person? Why did he build it?'
His instincts told him something was hidden here. He began searching the walls, feeling for hidden buttons, gaps, or mechanisms. But nothing. Everything was sealed.
Eventually, he left the room with an unsettled feeling. Sunlight welcomed him again. But before he could process his thoughts, he heard a scream.
"Help! Please save me!"
Reflexively, Haru sprinted toward the voice. Ahead, a monster was attacking a young woman.
Without a second thought, Haru drew his sword and enveloped it with mana. He took a deep breath and called out the technique he had chosen.
"First Technique: Dimensional Slash - Origin!"
In an instant, the monster dropped dead. The air itself cracked—behind Haru's strike, a faint rift in space had formed.
The girl stared at him wide-eyed.
"Are you alright?" Haru asked, catching his breath.
"Y-yes… I'm fine. Thank you so much for saving me…" she replied, still in disbelief.
A level 10 hunter can kill a level 20 monster...? she thought.
"You're welcome," Haru answered briefly.
But before they could say anything else, a deep rumble echoed from the distance.
A dungeon appeared. Right in the center of Seoul.
The sky shook. Civilians ran for their lives. Panic spread through the city like wildfire.
A giant monster emerged—a Fire Dragon, the city-devouring beast, had broken through from another dimension. All available hunters rushed to battle. The situation was dire.
Haru and the girl quickly exited the tower and joined the fight. Kim Haru donned his battle armor—an outfit etched with a mysterious sword symbol whose origin he never truly understood.
Without hesitation, Haru dashed forward and struck the dragon.
But... nothing happened.
The dragon's body was like eternal steel. In a blink, its tail lashed out and sent Haru crashing into a concrete wall.
Gasps erupted from the crowd. Blood trickled from Haru's lips.
The girl ran to him and cast her healing magic. Warm mana flowed into his body, mending his wounds.
Haru wiped the blood from his mouth and muttered to himself. It was time.
He inhaled deeply and activated a legendary technique he had never used before.
"Second Skill: Emperor Step."
In a flash, he vanished—teleporting directly in front of the dragon. With fierce determination in his gaze, he raised his sword once more.
"First Technique: Dimensional Slash - Origin!"
The air shattered. Space cracked open. And this time... his strike pierced the dragon's scales.
The dragon fell.
The ground quaked as its massive body hit the earth. Cheers erupted throughout the city. Kim Haru's name spread like wildfire.
He was now known as:
"The Dimensional-Slaying Sword."
---
The battle was over.
Night slowly blanketed the city. Kim Haru lay on the ground, exhausted. His body had been pushed far past its limit. At last, he drifted into sleep.
But in his slumber... a dream came to him.
It felt real—so vivid it was as though he had returned to another world.
He sat in a quiet, unfamiliar café. Around him were two beautiful women, chatting and smiling warmly. Beside them was a young girl giggling softly. And in the corner... a man with a dark mask sat in silence, watching Haru.
Haru looked at them all… and somehow… their faces felt both familiar… and entirely unknown.
Before he could say a word, a voice echoed from the shadows:
"Kim Haru… you must defy your fate."
His eyes opened. He woke up.
And the world had changed.
---
Volume 2 Chapter 2 End Completed