Gulping down the catalyst was like drinking a hot beverage, a strong sensation that flowed down Soohyun’s esophagus. He set the empty bottle aside. The intensity he felt now was akin to when he first obtained the low-grade mana catalyst.

Focus, focus. Like a mantra, he repeated it in his mind twice. From this moment on, the value of the catalyst would depend on how much he concentrated. The 700 points he spent could be worthless if it had no effect, or they could be worth thousands of points if it worked.

The catalyst began to react within his body. Now, it was the real deal.

A feeling of intense heat surged through him as if he was being boiled alive – a sign that the catalyst was interacting with his magic build and beginning to grow. Its properties remained unchanged. If it had changed, it would mean an increase in magic level.

Greed was forbidden. Focusing on the maximum amount of mana, rather than the properties, was crucial, which in this case was the magic factor.

[Your magic coefficient has increased by 1 point.]

[Your magic coefficient has increased by 1 point.]

[Your magic factor…]

As the magic properties increased, so did the magic coefficient. Soohyun tried to ignore the messages appearing in his mind. Losing concentration now would render all his efforts futile.

At that moment, a slight change was noticed in the magic properties. This was a golden opportunity.

Although he tried not to be greedy, the situation had changed. The effect of the catalyst was beyond expectations. Soohyun focused quickly on the remaining catalyst, responding to which the magic properties began to change rapidly. The color slowly shifted until it reached a better grade.

Result.

[Your magic level has increased by 1.]

The effect was more significant than expected.

Sighing in relief as the last message appeared, Soohyun finally let go of the breath he had been holding. With that, the concentration on the catalyst dissipated, and so did the gathered mana.

But once changed, the magic would no longer revert. Drenched in sweat, Soohyun lay on the floor, exhausted. Indeed… he felt tired.

The extreme concentration brought about severe fatigue. As his vision blurred, all his energy seemed to drain from his body. He needed rest.

Incredible. Despite the physical exhaustion, Soohyun’s mind felt surprisingly fresh. Magic level 3. Moreover, his magic coefficient had reached 16. The maximum amount of mana had definitely changed. Not only that, but his magic properties had also improved.

I’ll take a short break… Soohyun took a shallow breath and closed his eyes.

Then, onto the next floor.

Act 4

After taking a short break, Soohyun went out to the plaza. The second floor of the Tower of Ordeal was a vast city that seemed endless. There were several plazas in the city, most of which had portals connected to the upper floors.

“Looking for participants for the 3rd floor challenge! I’m willing to compromise on the level!”

“Challenger for level 4 here, cleared level 5! Looking for one more for a duo party!”

It felt like a scene from a game. Some people were hesitant to ascend to the next floor alone. They began to introduce themselves and look for parties to join.

“Are you planning to go to the next floor?” A handsome young man appeared next to Soohyun. He seemed to be about the same age as Soohyun and was interested in challenging the next floor too.

“I want to try level 8. Based on your equipment, you seem pretty skilled. Will you join me?”

Level 8. A quite high-level challenger. Seeing that the young man was as well-equipped as Soohyun, it seemed he had passed the first floor with remarkable skills.

Have I met this person before? Soohyun didn’t immediately respond but observed his face closely. It was a familiar face. Soon, Soohyun remembered where he had seen the young man.

Hakjoon.

He had been classified as a genius among promising magic awakeners at some point. Unfortunately, he lost his life in an accident. Soohyun had seen him a few times before, but he hadn’t looked so young then. More precisely, it wasn’t just his face that had changed.

His aura felt different. The Hakjoon he remembered wasn’t so amiable and sociable. Even his expression was different. That’s why Soohyun didn’t recognize him at first.

An event must have triggered this change in him. Exactly what changed him? Hakjoon answered Soohyun’s question. “Not me.”

“Then why must you attempt level 8?”

“It seems much harder at a higher level…”

“Isn’t level 8 high difficulty?”

“Of course.”

“So why?”

“Well…” Hakjoon avoided answering the question by shaking his head.

“It’s nothing. I’ll go alone if it’s too hard.”

Soohyun, too, had no intention of pressing Hakjoon for an answer. Ultimately, Soohyun left him and entered the plaza.

Hakjoon approached other well-equipped individuals, seeking someone to join him. Though some showed interest, it was only for a moment.

A few approached Soohyun, seeing his gear and proposing to clear levels together, but he declined all offers.

Would anyone even try level 10? If there were, he wouldn’t want to join them anyway.

Click—

Soohyun stepped through the portal located at the center of the plaza. His surroundings turned white, and he felt his body floating. Soon, a message appeared in his mind:

[Welcome, Soohyun, to the second-floor trial.]

[Please select the difficulty.]

[Levels 1-10]

[The higher the level, the greater the difficulty. Rewards for clearing levels will also improve.]

His decision had already been made. “Level 10.”

Although each floor allowed for the selection of difficulty, Soohyun had already determined his own challenge. High risk, high return. This unwavering principle never fails.

[Level 10. The second-floor trial begins.]

The white space around Soohyun changed again, revealing a completely different scenery. Whether the environment changed around him or he was dropped into another world was unclear, but the feeling wasn’t bad. Soohyun took a moment to observe his surroundings.

Suddenly, a chilling howl pierced the silence, followed by the cold wind. Soohyun found himself in the middle of a deep forest.

[The trial begins now.]

[You are being pursued. Your pursuers are the Shayres, a tribe that reigns over this forest.]

[You have stolen the Shayres family’s treasure and must escape the forest. Failure to escape or death will result in trial failure.]

[Survive.]

[Protect the treasure.]

As the message concluded, a necklace appeared in Soohyun’s hand. He didn’t recall when he started carrying it, but it was likely the mentioned treasure. The Shayres’ treasure.

He knew about them. Classified as a tribe, magic awakeners identified them as a group of monsters that moved in packs.

Predator-type monsters. They excelled in tracking. Escaping from them in this dense forest would undoubtedly be challenging. The Shayres family wasn’t known for their physical prowess but posed a considerable challenge, especially to someone just beginning their challenge on the second floor.

Click—

Soohyun wore the necklace. It didn’t show any effects, appearing nothing like a treasure. Perhaps its powers would manifest only after clearing the trial.

It would have been better if the necklace was sealed. Sealed items often possess far greater effects than regular items. The Shayres family’s treasure…

Crack, shriek-!

Wait, wait—!

From somewhere within the forest came a dreadful scream, a Shayres’ cry of rage at the theft of their treasure.

“They seem quite angry.” Soohyun chuckled.

Protect the treasure, escape, and survive. Now, he fully understood the trial’s purpose. Then… “Forget running.”

Step by step—

Soohyun began walking towards the howling Shayres. He would face them head-on.

In front of him appeared a creature with an oval face devoid of features and white skin. The Shayres were highly intelligent monsters. Although not physically superior, they were civilized and moved in groups, making them quite difficult to deal with.

Growl, growl—

Wait, wait—!

The Shayres family was furious, simply because their treasure was missing. Dozens of Shayres were perched in the trees, looking in one direction. The treasure was nearby. The Shayres couple had sprayed a unique scent on the necklace, making it easy to track.

Rumble, crack—

It was him. The human who stole the treasure. Rather than fleeing, he had returned. How peculiar.

The Shayres, being intelligent creatures, found it odd for a human to return without reason. Yet, they were not afraid to retreat, even from a single human.

Creak, creak—

The Shayres leader raised a hand. The others spread out and prepared not for a chase, but for defense. The thief was about to enter their territory.

Step by step—

The human entered slowly. Dressed in light armor and carrying a sword and spear on his shoulder, he seemed to be just walking. Soohyun greeted the Shayres.

“I heard you’re the predators of this forest.” Holding the sword and spear in both hands, Soohyun declared, “So…”

Growl-?

The Shayres leader tilted its head, puzzled by Soohyun’s words. At that moment –

Swoosh-

Thud-!

A spear flew, pinning the Shayres leader’s head to a tree. As they erupted in anger, Soohyun raised his sword. “I’m here to change the predators of this forest.”