Title: I’m alive.

Author: Anonymous*

– I’m in the Floor 14 waiting room.

Ban is dead.

Because of me.

That was how Han Yuseong began his post. He added explanations—about the [Renewal] of Floor 13, and why Ban Iner, a player from a previous generation, had remained on the thirteenth floor. He wrote everything.

– And I ended up in a duel where the winner had to extinguish the other person’s candle. But before it started, Ban extinguished her own candle. And died.

– From my position, I was trying to take down the administrator first and then talk to Ban... but I couldn’t break through some kind of barrier.

There had been brief mentions of administrators before. Consumable tools of the Tower that cannot engage in force unless in self-defense.

But that transparent wall that blocked him had left him completely helpless.

Han Yuseong thought it was a good thing the fight at the sixth root hadn’t been recorded by Visographica. If it had been, he would’ve rewatched it dozens of times—and fallen into despair each time. He was sure of it.

ㄴ Are you fucking kidding me

ㄴ That shitty tower again

ㄴ No way, Ban-nim😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

ㄴ Ha... why is it always the things we hoped wouldn’t happen that end up coming true?

ㄴ I mean, I didn’t expect them to just let the two climb to Floor 14 easily, but forcing a duel like that? Seriously?

ㄴ Goodbye, Ban Iner.

ㄴ Elf Guy) Haa... I wished so hard in front of the World Tree that they’d both make it safely to Floor 14.

ㄴ GRRRR FUCK!!!!!!!! If they weren’t gonna let them ascend together, they shouldn’t have matched them against each other in the first place!!!

ㄴ Suwang) KYAAAAAAHH!! This is what I’ve been saying!!!

ㄴ Ice Queen) ...Frozen.

ㄴ Ice Queen) It’s okay to cry a little when it hurts like this.

ㄴ Dragon King) Beltui~ It’s very, very sad~

ㄴ Archmage) Ha....

ㄴ Absolute Monarch) One day we’ll wipe out all the shit we can’t stand.

ㄴ Seriously. Please.

ㄴ But looking at it, didn’t the Tower do everything it could? They revived a past player because it looked impossible to clear alone. And gave Ban the chance to fully revive if she won.

ㄴ Sure, the result was just tragic, that’s all.

ㄴ Suwang) Yeah, but I still wanna punch something.

ㄴ The Tower always acts like it cares about ‘fairness,’ doesn’t it?

ㄴ The problem is their ‘fairness’ is fucking twisted as hell. LOL

ㄴ Are you a Tower spokesperson?

ㄴ You got Towersplained, bro.

ㄴ Sword of Light) Han Yuseong, I can’t offer you comforting words. You know better than anyone—you have to overcome this on your own.

ㄴ Archmage) Mhm.

ㄴ Archmage) No matter what, overcome it. And wipe out Pandemonium.

ㄴ Archmage) Administrators aren’t that strong, relatively speaking. They’re usually around 4th or 5th Rank at best. The special function ones are 3rd Rank. Only the Chief Administrators reach 6th Rank.

Indeed, the combat level of administrators wasn’t very high. At least by Han Yuseong’s standards.

ㄴ Suwang) The Chief Admin’s probably still that bastard Latveil.

ㄴ Gutter Swordsman) Yeah, that checks out.

ㄴ Sword of Light) Administrators are subhumans—creations made by the Tower to resemble humans.

ㄴ Room Conspiracy Theorist) Born in the Tower. Die in the Tower. That’s the cycle of their kind. – This world is one giant locked room.

ㄴ Archmage) They’re disposable parts made to keep the Tower running. Killing one doesn’t penalize players at all.

ㄴ Archmage) Some of them act tough, but they rely on the Tower’s system—like a parent—to protect them. That’s all.

ㄴ Admin) Administrators acting on direct orders from the Tower are protected by the system to the fullest extent.

Reading Admin’s comment reminded Han Yuseong of that goddamned barrier in the duel arena. That cursed wall.

It wasn’t that he’d seen Plishek’s combat ability—he’d simply been unable to touch him because of that wall.

ㄴ Admin) Did you encounter an admin? Did they give their name?

ㄴ Anonymous* ) Second-Class Administrator Plishek.

ㄴ Suwang) That stitched-up bastard? He used to be 3rd-Class. Guess he got promoted. That one’s 5th Rank.

ㄴ Suwang) Admins are born with their rank fixed. They don’t grow stronger.

ㄴ Gutter Swordsman) Plishek, huh. I met him once. Should’ve killed him then.

ㄴ Sage) Even if you had, another admin would’ve just taken his place.

ㄴ Gutter Swordsman) True.

Han Yuseong found clarity. Administrators were nothing more than Tower tools.

“If I want to break free from this hellish emotion—I have to destroy the Tower itself.”

In the end, the ultimate enemy... was the Tower.

Grit—

Han Yuseong clenched his teeth.

It was far. Too far.

But he just had to keep moving forward, one step at a time. For now, his goal was to surpass the 5th Rank and reach the 6th Rank.

ㄴ Anonymous*) Is there a way to revive a dead player?

ㄴ What, you think there is?

ㄴ The Tower isn’t some sentimental place that grants wishes.

ㄴ The prevailing theory is that it exists to grant power to save a world that’s either already ruined or on the brink of collapse.

ㄴ Gutter Swordsman) Yeah, that’s the general consensus.

ㄴ Archmage) Probably... impossible.

ㄴ Sage) You’ll only wear yourself out chasing impossibilities.

Han Yuseong let out a soft sigh. The replies kept pouring in.

ㄴ Admin) It might be possible.

ㄴ Admin) If you keep climbing the Tower—someday.

Two lines from Admin.

After that, the thread went dead silent.

"...What?"

Even Han Yuseong widened his eyes and stared at Admin’s reply.

ㄴ Anonymous*) ?

ㄴ ???

ㄴ Huh?

ㄴ Archmage) What?

ㄴ Ice Queen) Frozen...!!

ㄴ Shrine Maiden) H-Huh?

ㄴ Sage) Is that true?

ㄴ Admin) You all must’ve had a conversation with the Tower once you finished Floor 100, right?

ㄴ Gutter Swordsman) Mine just kept mumbling 'Sorry, sorry, sorry' over and over, then cut the conversation off and kicked me out.

ㄴ Shrine Maiden) Hawaawa, same for this girl too!

ㄴ Admin) I had a longer conversation with the Tower after finishing Hard Mode.

ㄴ Admin) We exchanged proper questions and answers.

ㄴ Gutter Swordsman) Yeah, I remember when you said that early on in the Transcendent Gallery. Thought it was bullshit because mine didn’t go like that. LOL

ㄴ Room Conspiracy Theorist) First Clear Players always get special treatment. – This world is one giant locked room.

ㄴ Oh right. That guy was the First Clear for Hard Mode, huh.

ㄴ RESPECT——

A First Clear player on Hard Mode. Han Yuseong began to understand why Admin was the Admin.

ㄴ Admin) I asked.

ㄴ Admin) If it was possible to revive someone. I had a few people I wanted to save.

ㄴ Admin) It said the method doesn’t exist in Hard Mode.

ㄴ Admin) But it does in Pandemonium.

ㄴ Admin) Said it exists past the midpoint.

ㄴ Admin) Try making it past Floor 50, for starters.

ㄴ Anonymous* ) Got it.

It was a message from the Tower’s consciousness—but even so, for Han Yuseong, it was enough. It gave him a reason to move forward again.

ㄴ Yo, is this actually for real???

ㄴ Spear King) The Tower wouldn’t lie to a First Clear Player.

ㄴ Sword of Light) Admin, then why didn’t you tell Han Yuseong this earlier?

ㄴ Admin) Ban Iner appeared so suddenly, and it was almost certain Han Yuseong was climbing Pandemonium alone. No reason to say it.

ㄴ Admin) Also—if Ban Iner was just a human being with a desire to live, not someone capable of sacrificing herself for Yuseong—

ㄴ Admin) Then if Yuseong had known about the possibility of revival, he’d just have useless thoughts. Stuff that wouldn’t help at all in a high-stakes situation.

ㄴ Sword of Light) Nah, if he’d known revival was possible, he could’ve killed her with less guilt.

ㄴ Admin) Sword of Light, I think you’re overestimating the mental fortitude of a 14th-floor Pandemonium climber.

ㄴ Sword of Light) No, Admin—you just didn’t believe in Yuseong.

ㄴ Admin) That’s kind of funny coming from you. When have either of us ever fully trusted anyone?

ㄴ Admin) Wake up, Sword of Light.

ㄴ Admin) Besides, there’s nothing to hide now. I don’t know anything beyond that either.

ㄴ Sword of Light) How can I trust someone who’s already hidden something once?

ㄴ Shrine Maiden) Hawaawa, someone stop this fight!

ㄴ Gutter Swordsman) How are you gonna stop two GOAT-tier fighters, though?

ㄴ Ice Queen) ...Frozen, don’t fight, you two. I get where both of you are coming from.

ㄴ Dragon King) Beltui~ Go Swordy, go Admin!

ㄴ Elf Guy) Why are you cheering for them? LOL. I mean, yeah, the fight’s kinda entertaining but also terrifying.

Han Yuseong felt nothing negative about Admin keeping the resurrection info to himself. Because nothing he said was wrong.

His mental state had ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ been dangerously fragile. He’d felt completely powerless.

But from now on, he wouldn’t let himself drown in that feeling. He had to discipline himself. Forge himself into a honed blade.

“I might be able to bring Ban back.”

Just knowing that such a possibility existed—that was enough for Han Yuseong.

Just as he was thinking about closing the gallery, a new comment caught his eye.

ㄴ Pioneer) Did Ban say anything at the end?

What first came to mind was the conversation about playing catch. But that was too personal—something only he and Ban would understand.

Instead, Han Yuseong left a reply quoting what Ban had written in the sword manual.

ㄴ Anonymous*) She said she didn’t regret her choice. And to never give up.

ㄴ Pioneer) That’s just like Ban.

Han Yuseong closed the gallery and looked at the digital clock display.

May 21.

Four days left until the Exchange Meeting on the 25th.

He planned to spend that time internalizing the realization he’d gained on Floor 13.

***

Climber Gallery

Title: Isn’t it about time for “Private” to top the rankings again?

Author: Alderamin

– Why the hell hasn’t that guy shown up again? Is he dead?

ㄴ You can stop registering rankings after Floor 12.

ㄴ ImStillAlive) Rewards only go up to Floor 11. There’s no benefit to registering scores before reaching Floor 50. Not registering isn’t weird at all.

ㄴ Alderamin) Oh fuck, you’re right. That explains it.

ㄴ Isn’t the Exchange Meeting in a few days?

Red Mask definitely that guy’s “Private.” And didn’t they say a new rookie just showed up?

ㄴ Yeah, the maniac in the bunny mascot costume who beat people to a pulp in the duel theme.

ㄴ What’s going on with Earthlings these days? Two useful ones in a row?

ㄴ Red Mask (Private) vs Bunny Mask (New Rookie)

ㄴ Black Star) Obviously Private wins that one.

ㄴ Black Star) You’re seriously comparing some guy who beat up a few people in Duel Survival to someone who crushed monsters that shouldn’t even appear at that floor level?

ㄴ LifeIsSufferingByDefault) Of course Private’s stronger, but the bunny guy does have... a vibe.

The Climber Gallery players, unaware that Red Mask and Bunny Mask were the same person, debated fiercely.

ㄴ Life Analyst) Wait, what if they’re the same person? Isn’t there a voice changer at the coin shop mid-10th floor?

One player made a sharp observation.

ㄴ Standout) They fight completely differently, you idiot. Have you seen anyone with a wide style range on the 10th floor? Especially from 21st-century Earth? Most of those guys haven’t trained for shit.

ㄴ Dual Blades Are Romance) Bruh, you’re not living up to your name. You still got work to do on your life analysis.

ㄴ Life Analyst) Yeah, fuck it. I repent.

With the wave of rebuttals, he surrendered.

And the Climber Gallery continued to be flooded with threads discussing none other than Han Yuseong.