Arin opened his eyes.
White.
Endless white stretched in every direction.
There were no walls, no ceiling, and no visible floor beneath his feet. Yet somehow he was standing, balanced on nothing.
The space felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Too empty.
No wind moved through the air. No sound echoed through the void. Even his own breathing seemed strangely distant.
For a moment, Arin wondered if he had gone blind.
Then something shifted.
Faint patterns began to ripple through the endless white.
Thin glowing symbols drifted slowly through the air, appearing and disappearing like distant stars. The symbols formed lines and shapes that twisted and rearranged themselves in quiet patterns.
It looked almost like a language.
Ancient.
Unreadable.
Arin narrowed his eyes.
"The tower," he murmured.
As if answering him, a voice echoed through the void.
It came from everywhere.
Deep.
Cold.
Timeless.
"Welcome, climber."
The sound vibrated through the empty space like the toll of a massive bell.
Arin remained calm.
He had expected something like this.
The voice continued.
"Please choose your starting power."
A glowing panel appeared in front of him.
Rows of abilities began scrolling across the surface.
Each one displayed a name, description, advantages, and disadvantages.
Arin stepped closer.
The first one appeared.
Pyromancer
Ability to generate and control fire for short durations.
Pros
• Strong offensive power
• Effective against most enemies
Cons
• High energy consumption
• Difficult to control for beginners
The panel shifted.
Aquamancer
Control and manipulate water.
Pros
• Strong defensive capability
• Possible healing potential
Cons
• Requires nearby water sources
• Lower offensive power early on
Another power appeared.
Martial Artist
Enhanced body control and combat instincts.
Pros
• Powerful close-range combat
• No external energy required
Cons
• Limited ranged combat
• Requires high physical skill
More powers continued appearing.
Lightning.
Wind.
Shadow.
Illusion.
Dozens of abilities.
Some destructive.
Some defensive.
Some extremely strange.
Arin studied them all carefully.
Then one power caught his attention.
Space
Ability to open one portal anywhere within the World of the Dead.
Pros
• Instant travel between two connected locations
• Extremely high strategic potential
Cons
• Only one permanent portal can exist
• Destination cannot be changed once set
• Cooldown: 1 Day
• Casting Time: 10 Seconds
• Portal Duration: 1 Second
Arin stared at the description.
"...One second."
Most people would dismiss this power immediately.
One second wasn't enough time to do much of anything.
And the portal destination could never be changed.
That meant if he made a mistake once...
The ability would be permanently crippled.
Arin crossed his arms and thought.
I cannot leave the tower until I clear the floor.
So escape wasn't possible.
The portal would not allow him to leave.
He read the description again.
Permanent connection.
One second.
Ten-second cast time.
One use per day.
At first glance, it looked almost useless.
But Arin kept thinking.
His mind began connecting possibilities.
Slowly...
The corner of his mouth lifted.
"...Interesting."
This power wasn't strong.
But it had potential.
A lot of potential.
Arin reached toward the panel.
"I choose Space."
The panel flashed.
A pulse of energy rushed through his body like a quiet shockwave.
Another screen appeared immediately.
Power Selected: Space
A second panel formed.
Select Climbing Mode
Solo
Duo
Team
Arin didn't hesitate.
"Duo."
A third panel appeared.
Select Partner
Arin closed his eyes.
Only one person came to mind.
Kael.
The system reacted instantly.
Request Sent
Waiting for acceptance...
Arin exhaled slowly.
Somewhere inside the tower...
Kael had just received that request.
And knowing Kael...
He was probably already causing problems.
Meanwhile...
Kael was running.
Very fast.
Behind him, a group of small green goblins chased him across a rocky field.
They screeched loudly while waving crude wooden clubs.
"WHY ARE THERE SO MANY OF YOU?!" Kael shouted while sprinting.
One goblin leaped toward him.
Kael dodged it easily.
Another goblin tripped over a rock and crashed into two others.
All three rolled down a small hill in a tangled mess.
Kael glanced back.
Then he noticed something.
The goblins looked ridiculous.
Tiny bodies.
Huge ears.
Crooked teeth.
Some wore armor pieces that clearly didn't fit.
One goblin even had a cooking pot stuck on its head like a helmet.
Kael slowed slightly.
Then he burst out laughing.
Not normal laughing.
Full chaos laughing.
Tears formed in his eyes as he ran.
"I died... and THIS is what kills me?"
A goblin threw a rock.
It missed Kael completely and hit another goblin instead.
Kael laughed even harder.
"Oh my god, you guys are terrible!"
Then a glowing panel suddenly appeared in front of him.
Duo Request Received
Climber Arin wishes to form a Duo Team.
Accept?
YES / NO
Kael wiped a tear from his eye.
"Perfect timing, buddy."
He slammed YES.
Behind him the goblins kept screaming.
Kael grinned as he jumped over a fallen tree.
"Arin better hurry up..."
Several goblins crashed directly into the tree behind him.
"...because this floor is hilarious."
Back in the white void...
The panel in front of Arin flashed.
Request Accepted
Duo Team Formed
Arin nodded quietly.
"Good."
Thin cracks began spreading across the endless white space around him.
The tower was preparing to send him to the first floor.
But Arin didn't move.
Instead, he slowly raised his hand.
The Space ability panel still floated beside him.
One permanent portal.
The destination could never change.
Once created...
That connection would exist forever.
Arin stared into the empty void in front of him.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"...Perfect."
He extended his hand forward.
"Activate."
The air twisted.
Space bent inward like invisible threads being pulled together.
A thin line of darkness appeared in the white void.
It slowly expanded into a circular tear in reality.
A portal.
Dark.
Silent.
Waiting.
Arin looked into it.
Then he smiled.
Not a normal smile.
A small, dangerous grin.
"Let's see if this works."
The portal closed a moment later.
Leaving no trace behind.
At that exact moment-
The white world shattered.
Cracks spread everywhere like breaking glass.
Light poured through the fractures.
The tower spoke once more.
Its voice echoed across the collapsing void.
Cold.
Watching.
Amused.
"Climbers..."
A pause followed.
Then the final words came.
"May you enjoy your deaths."
The white world collapsed into darkness.
And the climb began.
End of chapter