The next day, the three of them headed to the Seoul Arts Center, where the Awakened Association was headquartered.
The first thing that caught Jin-hyuk's eye was the 150-floor skyscraper.
He tilted his head back, staring up at the building whose peak disappeared into the clouds.
"Was this constructed with an architectural-type unique ability?"
He'd heard of such abilities before, but seeing the result in person…A structure this massive, completed in just a month?
"This is the Association headquarters. All Tower-related exams and administrative work happen here."
"Wow… I can't believe it's already been 3 weeks since I took the test. My heart was pounding at the time."
"Eh? Come on, you could take down King Kong with your bare hands. Even the examiners were scared of you."
"Oh my, Taemin… you're actually flattering me?"
Yoo Yeon-hwa was smiling, but her lips were stiff and straight.
At that moment—
Shhh—
Goosebumps rose simultaneously on Jin-hyuk's and Taemin's arms.
This…
It felt almost identical to the pressure he felt when he first encountered the Minotaur.
Maybe he was mistaken.
…Maybe.
"…"
Taemin gulped and quickly changed the subject.
"Ah! Right. Hyung—if you get ranked this time, how about the three of us joining the same guild?"
"Guild?"
Why a guild?
"Dangun and Father of Fighting don't accept many newcomers, but with hyung and us, we should pass. Honestly, starting from the 15th floor onward, it'll be tough without healers, buffers, debuffers…"
Ah. So that's why.
Teams entering labyrinths and getting wiped out wasn't rare.No matter how strong you were, the higher floors punished solo players brutally.
So these two believed gathering allies was necessary.
Click.
Jin-hyuk clicked his tongue.
'Isn't this exactly how failures happen in the Tower?'
Experience.Items.Hidden pieces.
A solo player could devour everything.Groups had to split the rewards.
If he had to party up, he'd rather bring disposable people.
"I think you two already know—but I have no intention of joining any guild."
Being chained to a group was disgusting.Especially if the upper ranks were the type to bark orders.
"Then hyung… how about just the three of us?"
"No. Even then the efficiency drops."
Even sharing between three wasn't ideal.
The best system was—
"In principle, we each move alone. But we can gather for specific locations. You two can hunt together—you're used to that. But I work better solo."
That was the most efficient path.
"Three is already dangerous, and you want to go alone?"
"Oppa, that's suicide…"
Of course they were shocked.
They had climbed the Tower to the 20th floor.They knew better than anyone the danger of going alone.
In the Tower, even strong veterans could die at any moment.
But they didn't know the truth.
Not all veterans were equal.
Some were in a completely different class.
And—
There existed one player who wandered alone until the very end, long after everyone else quit.
"Let's just take the test first. Before the crowd grows."
Jin-hyuk smiled and walked ahead.
"Uh…? O-okay…"
"Sure…"
The two followed with gloomy expressions.
Inside the building, the atmosphere buzzed with noise.
"Everyone, please take a number and wait!"
"D-09 exam candidates, head to your designated room!"
Despite being a weekday, the building was packed with applicants.
The promise of power lured them all.
"Please… even an E-rank would be fine."
"If I can join one of the top 10 guilds, my life will finally change…"
"Let me get accepted by the Association! I'll proudly wear that civil service badge!"
Anyone ranked below F couldn't even enter the 2nd floor, let alone join a guild.
So they prayed desperately as though buying a lottery ticket.
Of course…
Jin-hyuk looked at them with cold eyes.
'People with that kind of mindset wouldn't survive a month in the Tower.'
Reality-breaking floors.Time limits.Merciless traps.
Wishful thinking was death.
He checked his number.
E-01
'Coming early paid off.'
Group D was halfway done.He'd only need to wait about an hour.
"But what's up today? Aren't there more reporters than usual?"
Taemin looked around. Nearly a dozen reporters hovered like vultures.
"Yeah… it's weird."
Normally only a handful came.
Unless a big guild visited, there was no reason for this kind of crowd.
Just then—
A loud commotion exploded near the entrance.
"Park Hana! It's Park Hana from the Black Crow Guild!"
Park Hana.
Of course she'd be recognized.
The rookie who blew up the media after her Hall of Fame appearance.
"Wow… that's really her? She survived the labyrinth?"
"I watched that clip like ten times on Viewtube…"
"And next to her—that's Park Haejin. I heard he negotiated with the Chinese side recently."
The siblings looked extremely similar.
But another figure stole the spotlight.
"Oh my god! Isn't that Kim Gitae from the Fathers of Fighting Guild!?"
FLASH! FLASH!
Dozens of cameras fired like machine guns.
A ranker from one of the world's top guilds—and Korea's second largest.
The reporters were practically salivating.
A huge scoop.
A towering man, over 190 cm, stepped forward.
Kim Gitae lowered his sunglasses, annoyance written all over his face.
"What's with this crowd? I'm busy. Are all the stray dogs lining up for tests now?"
"People want to get rich fast," Park Haejin replied."Why wouldn't they come here when the Tower is the fastest way to climb the social ladder?"
"Leeches. Even if they tried for a hundred days, they'd never make it."
They had no idea the fountain they wanted to drink from would swallow them whole.
"Anyway, everything today hinges on you siblings. Don't mess it up. You know what happens if you do."
"O-of course!"
"W-we won't fail!"
The siblings bowed quickly.
This was an opportunity they absolutely could not lose.
"Let's clear the line. Reporters are watching—we can't stay long."
Park Haejin signaled to the guards.
"Clear the path."
"Move aside! Left and right! Move!"
"If you don't want to get stepped on, move!"
The Black Crow members shoved people aside, splitting the crowd in half like Moses parting the Red Sea.
No one protested.
Everyone looked away.
This was reality—Top guilds ruled above all.
But then…
Their steps halted.
Three people were blocking the path.
To be precise, two were trying to stop one person.
The one unmoving was calmly sipping cold water.
"You. Move. Didn't you hear us?"
"Huh? What?"
Jin-hyuk tilted his head.
Seriously?
He had a number, he got there first, and now some idiot wanted to cut in line?
If they were entering now—they should be in Group F.
'Ah. No way…'
Jin-hyuk pushed his ticket toward the man.
"This is the alphabet. A, B, C, D, then E. After E comes F. If you don't know, memorize it now."
Maybe the guy didn't learn it properly in school.
Jin-hyuk felt pity.
'I feel bad for you, man.'
Rough childhood?
"W-who asked for that?!"
The man's face turned beet-red.
"Pft!"
"Is this an eye exam?"
Laughter erupted behind them.
"…"
Kim Gitae frowned from behind, observing quietly.
And then—
"Tch. You idiots… move!"
Park Haejin pushed his guild members aside and stepped forward.
"I don't know who you are, but you're making a massive mistake. It's not too late—shut up and move before we break you."
The intimidation was brutal.
'Ah. So this is the guy Hana talked about?'
His eyes contained the same twisted cruelty.
Interesting.
Were the siblings clones?
"It's fine, but could you stand a little farther? Your breath is melting my eyeballs."
"H-Hyung!"
Taemin grabbed his wrist.
"Oppa! Why are you provoking him!?"
Even Yeon-hwa panicked.
"You bastard…"
"Did he say that to Park Haejin…?"
"He must have a death wish."
The crowd trembled.
Park Haejin was the most shocked of all.
"You… what did you just—"
"Is that thing on your neck not a head but an empty dumpling?The air gets polluted just by breathing near you."
Jin-hyuk smiled sweetly.
A bonus insult.
"You think I won't kill you just because people are watching—?"
"Please. No one would be scared of you if it weren't for your guild name."
"Fathers of Fighting? Take away the guild and you're nothing."
"And this one… Black Raven? Black Crow? Whatever."
He shrugged.
"Why specify a color? Are crows not black by default?Are you… stupid?"
"You! Fucking worm! I'll kill you!"
Park Haejin drew his sword.
Finally.
"You started the fight first."
And instantly—
The air changed.
Frost-like killing intent spread through the hall.