The system's voice still echoed faintly in their minds.
Third Mission: Complete.
Collect your reward at the Monolith.
Kael leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling for a moment, letting the words settle. "…So that's it, huh?"
Arin remained seated, silent, his thoughts already moving ahead.
"…We go to the Monolith," Kael continued, exhaling slowly. "…Get stronger."
A pause followed.
Then he glanced toward the window. The faint glow outside had already dimmed into darkness. The town had quieted, but not completely. Distant sounds still lingered—footsteps, low voices, movement that never truly stopped.
"…Too late now," Kael muttered.
Arin nodded slightly. "…We go in the morning."
There was no argument.
No urgency.
Not this time.
They had learned enough to understand one thing—
Rushing without information was how people died.
Kael stretched once before dropping fully onto the bed. "…Wake me if something tries to kill us."
Arin didn't respond. He lay down as well, his eyes remaining open just a second longer than necessary, staring into the dim ceiling as his mind processed everything—the system, the souls, the rules, the risks.
Then—
Even that faded.
Sleep came quickly.
Morning arrived quietly.
A soft light slipped through the narrow window, brushing against the worn wooden floor and the edges of the room. The air felt calmer than the night before—but not safe. Never safe.
Arin was already awake.
Sitting at the edge of the bed.
Thinking.
Kael groaned as he turned over, dragging himself out of sleep. "…Already morning?"
"…Yes."
Kael sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes before letting out a long breath. "…Feels like we just slept."
Arin stood.
"…We move."
That was enough.
They didn't waste time. A quick wash. A brief check of their belongings—what little they had left. No unnecessary words.
Then they stepped out.
The inn was quieter than expected.
A few climbers sat scattered around, eating in silence, their expressions distant, focused. No one lingered. No one wasted time.
At the counter, the inn owner stood as before—calm, observant.
Arin gave a small nod as they passed. "…We're heading out."
The man nodded once in return, as if that alone was enough to understand everything. "…Monolith?"
Kael blinked slightly. "…That obvious?"
A faint, knowing smile appeared on the man's face. "…Everyone goes there after their third."
No more explanation was needed.
They stepped outside.
The town was already awake.
Movement filled the streets—controlled, purposeful. Groups gathered, weapons checked, deals made in quiet voices. No one was idle.
Everyone was preparing.
For something.
Arin and Kael moved through it without stopping, heading deeper into the town.
Toward the center.
Toward the Monolith.
They saw the cathedral before they reached it.
It rose above the surrounding buildings, its structure imposing, carved from dark stone that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. Tall, ancient, and silent.
Watching.
Kael slowed slightly. "…So that's where it is."
Arin's gaze remained fixed ahead. "…Yes."
They approached.
Guards stood outside—not aggressive, but alert. Positioned carefully. Watching everyone who came close, not to stop them, but to ensure order.
Control.
Structure.
Protection.
Because this wasn't just any place.
This cathedral housed the Monolith—
The very thing maintaining the barrier around the town.
If it fell—
The town would follow.
Kael exhaled slowly. "…No wonder it's guarded."
Arin didn't respond.
His attention had shifted elsewhere.
To the people.
Climbers stood at a distance from the entrance. Some waiting. Some leaving. Some simply watching.
But none—
None tried to look inside.
Not even out of curiosity.
Kael noticed it too. "…No one's peeking."
A pause.
"…That's weird."
Arin's voice was quiet. "…It's not."
Kael glanced at him.
"…When you update your status at the Monolith," Arin continued, "…your panel becomes visible."
Kael blinked. "…To everyone?"
"…Yes."
Silence settled for a moment.
That changed things.
A lot.
Abilities. Stats. Growth.
Everything exposed.
Kael looked back at the cathedral entrance again, understanding dawning slowly. "…So if someone looks inside…"
"…They see everything," Arin finished.
Another pause.
Then Kael let out a low whistle. "…Yeah… I wouldn't want that either."
That was the answer.
No rule had been spoken.
No warning given.
But everyone understood.
An unwritten rule.
Don't look at someone else's status.
Don't expose your own.
Respect it—
Or suffer the consequences.
Because in a place like this…
Information was power.
And power—
Was everything.
Arin stepped forward.
No hesitation.
Kael followed.
Together, they approached the entrance of the cathedral—
Ready to claim what they had earned.
They stepped into the cathedral.
Silence closed in around them the moment the doors shut behind their backs. The vast hall stood empty once again—no climbers, no movement, no witnesses.
Just them.
And the Monolith.
Kael exhaled slowly. "…Still feels weird that no one's here."
Arin didn't reply. He was already moving forward.
Step by step, they approached the center of the hall. The Monolith loomed before them, its dark surface shifting faintly, symbols flowing like something alive beneath the stone.
It pulsed once.
Acknowledging their presence.
Arin stopped just within reach.
"…Ready?" Kael asked.
Arin didn't hesitate.
"…Yes."
Both of them placed their hands on the Monolith at the same time.
The reaction was immediate.
Light surged outward—then collapsed inward, flooding directly into them. A sharp hum filled the air, vibrating through their bones, their senses, their very existence.
Then—
A screen appeared.
Clear.
Floating.
Only visible to them.
"MISSION COMPLETE"
Third Mission: Completed
Collect Rewards?
→ YES / NO
Kael let out a short breath. "…Here we go."
Arin selected without hesitation.
YES.
The screen flickered.
Shifted.
"REWARD ACQUIRED"
New Feature Unlocked: LIVE STREAM
→ Allows user to broadcast activity outside the Tower
→ Viewers generate Soul Shards based on engagement
→ Higher performance = Higher rewards
Kael blinked.
"…Wait—what?"
He stared at the screen, trying to process it.
"…We can… stream?"
Arin's eyes narrowed slightly, already analyzing.
"…Not here," he said quietly. "…Outside the Tower."
Kael let out a dry laugh. "…So people are watching all this?"
A pause.
"…That's messed up."
Arin didn't disagree.
But his focus had already shifted.
"…It's a resource."
Kael glanced at him. "…Of course you'd say that."
A faint silence followed.
Then—
The interface changed again.
"QUEST WINDOW UNLOCKED"
A new panel opened before them.
This one was different.
Larger.
Structured.
Layered with progression.
Kael leaned forward slightly. "…Now this… this looks important."
Arin said nothing.
He was already reading.
"AVAILABLE MISSIONS"
Fourth Mission: Kill 100 Goblins
Fifth Mission: Kill 1,000 Goblins
Sixth Mission: Kill 100 Hobgoblins
Seventh Mission: Kill 1,000 Hobgoblins
Eighth Mission:
→ Kill 10,000 Hobgoblins
→ Kill 100 Goblin Captains
→ Kill 10 Goblin Leaders
Ninth Mission: Eradicate a Goblin Town
Tenth Mission: Eradicate the Goblin Kingdom
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Kael stared at the list.
"…That escalated fast."
Arin didn't respond immediately.
His eyes moved from one mission to the next.
Calculating.
Scaling.
Understanding.
"…It's a path," he said finally.
Kael frowned. "…A path?"
"…Progression through extermination."
A pause.
"…Each stage builds toward the next."
Kael let out a low whistle. "…So we're basically being told to wipe them out."
Arin's voice remained calm.
"…Not told."
A brief pause.
"…Directed."
That felt worse.
Kael leaned back slightly, shaking his head. "…Hundreds… thousands… a whole town… a kingdom…"
He let out a breath.
"…Yeah, this isn't normal."
Arin's gaze hardened slightly.
"…This Tower isn't meant to be."
Silence followed.
Because deep down—
They both understood.
This wasn't just survival anymore.
This was escalation.
Systematic.
Intentional.
Relentless.
Kael glanced at Arin again. "…So… where do we even start?"
Arin closed the panel with a small motion.
"…We don't rush."
A pause.
"…We prepare."
Kael smirked faintly. "…Yeah… learned that the hard way."
The Monolith pulsed once more.
As if confirming.
As if watching.
Then the light faded.
The screens disappeared.
And the cathedral returned to silence once again.
Kael stepped back, stretching slightly. "…Well… guess we've got our work cut out for us."
Arin turned toward the exit.
"…Yes."
A brief pause.
"…Let's begin."