After finishing their meal, they headed to a pub for a few beers. Coincidentally, Shin Su-young didn’t have to work the next day, so she could stay out a bit longer. Su-hyun came home just after midnight and hurried to bed. He woke up at dawn, got ready, and left his room. “Su-hyun, are you leaving?” Shin Su-young met him at the entrance, her face tousled. Wanting to leave quietly, Su-hyun nodded and said, “Yes. I will come back.”

“Did you say you’re going on a trip? How long will it be?” “It’s not certain yet. I’ll go wherever my feet take me.” Su-hyun had mentioned going on a trip after getting his exam results. Having studied hard for the past year, Shin Su-young did not oppose the idea. “Don’t stay out too late. And call me if you can.” “It’s okay. My phone will be off, so don’t call me.” “You’re doing that again.” “It’s not the first time. I will come back.” Su-hyun grabbed his backpack and left. As if it was part of his daily routine, he took a deep breath and headed deep into the mountains. It took some time. Although it had been just over a year, he had still made it here.

Floor 10. It was the minimum standard he had in mind. He had no intention of breaking it. However, Su-hyun realized that reaching his initial goal was harder than he thought. It took more time than expected. His goal was to clear all trials with almost perfect records. He thought he could complete the 10th floor within a year after clearing the first two floors, but it ended up taking more than a year. The Level 10 trial was far more terrifying than anyone could have imagined. Rip-! Su-hyun once again opened the door to the Tower of Trials.

The 10th floor city was always dark and gloomy. Unlike the city on the 2nd floor, it was difficult to even meet residents in this empty, quiet place. The world most avoided. The Tower of Trials consisted of many floors, each with its own world. Despite being a gigantic tower, each had its own environment, climate, and culture. Mostly, the 10th floor was avoided. The sun never rose, and the residents always looked depressed. Even those who wished to forget and start anew in the tower avoided the 10th floor. Su-hyun walked north until he reached a black wall at the end of the 10th floor. People commonly called this place “the end of the world.” A gigantic portal stood before him. “Are you entering?” The gatekeeper was guarding it. A middle-aged man with a long, stern face sat on the ground, looking up at Su-hyun. He was the gatekeeper. “Payment.” The gatekeeper extended his hand toward Su-hyun. While others might have mistaken him for a beggar asking for money, Su-hyun knew better. He was a so-called informant, the only legitimate source of information about the 10th floor. It was a mystery how he knew the details of each Awakener’s trials, but the information he provided was reliable. Su-hyun took the offered hand. And… [You have used 5,000 achievement points.] A significant amount of achievement points were spent in an instant. Although Su-hyun had accumulated quite a bit of achievement through climbing the floors, using this much was still a burden. However, Su-hyun completed the payment in one go. The gatekeeper’s eyes widened. “You are quite generous.” “You are worth that much.” The gatekeeper smiled at his response. “Thank you for the compliment. What trial would you like to attempt?” “Level 10. I want the highest difficulty.” The gatekeeper’s eyes widened even more. His expression changed dramatically compared to his stern face. As his expressionless face returned, he said, “It feels like a blow. After receiving so much information, you must provide some in return.” It seemed right to pay a high amount to the gatekeeper. After pondering what information to provide, the gatekeeper finally said, “Be wary of the village chief.” “The village chief?” “That’s all I can say. I wish you the best.” The conversation ended. The information felt strangely vague. It seemed too ambiguous to be worth 5,000 points. The price of intel seemed to increase as the trial stages progressed. “Be careful of the village chief…” Su-hyun repeated the words. There was no reason for the gatekeeper to lie to him. “Thank you.” Su-hyun walked towards the portal. The scenery in front of him turned white as he stood in the portal, and a familiar message appeared. [Kim Su-hyun, the 10th floor trial begins now.] [Please select the difficulty level.] [Level 1 ~ 10.] [The higher the level, the harder the difficulty and the greater the rewards.] It was the beginning. Every time a new trial started, a significant tension filled his chest. He always gave the same answer.

“Level 10.” [Level 10. The 10th-floor trial starts now.] The white scenery in front of him changed once again. The village landscape appeared. The sky was dark. The air was murky and filled the village, resembling a simple and quiet countryside. Su-hyun looked up at the sky. Strangely, the landscape felt familiar. [The trial begins now.] [You have entered a strange village. The village is in a tremendous crisis.] [Save the village.] [And survive.] [Your rewards will vary depending on your performance.] The trial’s description was simple. The lack of clear instructions was frustrating, leaving him wondering if there was a better explanation. There were gaps in the description. Save the village. Survive. What does it mean to survive? He remembered the gatekeeper’s words. He had specifically warned him to pay special attention to the village chief. He thought he should first look for the chief. The warning to be cautious of the chief meant that the chief could be the key to clearing this trial. Step by step— Su-hyun began walking towards the village. Instead of surveying the village, he looked up at the sky. Su-hyun’s face darkened. “This seems more familiar.” The awkward black sky seemed painted with ink. The black sky had a different feel from a sky lit by moonlight. Su-hyun had not seen this sky for over a year. Thinking of the clear blue sky, he suddenly felt out of place. The color of this sky, often seen in fantasies, felt more familiar. The village was the same.

Step by step— At that moment, he felt a gaze on him. Among the strangers looking at him was a thin mother holding a baby, an old man, and a few men. They stood at a distance, unable to approach him, looking terrified in the darkness. People. It was not his first time encountering people in a trial, but this was the first time he saw such realistic expressions and reactions. Their familiar reactions gave him that feeling. I clearly remember… He recalled. In the future, he had felt a similar gaze in a village. “So, that’s it.” He seemed to understand the theme of this tutorial. This place was undoubtedly part of their destroyed world. No, to be precise, it was close to a world in ruins. “Excuse me.” Su-hyun approached the villagers with a smile. The villagers did not hide their defensive reactions toward Su-hyun. As a child tried to approach him, the mother pulled the child back. Ah, I’m hurt. It was the first time he saw people fear him like this, and he didn’t know how to respond. Before continuing, Su-hyun sighed. “I’d like to stay here for a few days before leaving. Is there a way I can do that?” The question was directed at everyone, but none of them responded. It would have been better to single out someone to talk to… “Where is the village chief?” …like the village chief. As he asked, there was a commotion among the people. It seemed they also thought it was best to speak with the chief. Su-hyun quietly observed the villagers. Just by observing them, he was certain of one thing. They are uncomfortable with outsiders. It could have stemmed from their experiences. Drugs, murder. Societal issues that surface in a crumbling world. Civilizations may differ, but human nature is not significantly different anywhere.  It’s a pity. It would be better to cooperate and help each other at times like these.

It is a utopia. Everyone can imagine a utopia, but it is merely an ideal world. Such a world will never exist as long as the evil in human nature is not eradicated. Finally, the man Su-hyun was waiting for appeared. “I am the chief of this village.” A hunchbacked old man walked towards Su-hyun.