Chapter 120

The cold, mechanical message appeared, and my body tensed instinctively. I fiddled with the transparent gloves I’d earned as a reward on the 4th floor.

"…"

There was no visible threat. Actually, there was nothing visible at all. My entire field of vision was pitch black.

In this dark void, the only thing I could see clearly was myself. Despite the lack of any light source, my body stood out in stark relief.

What is this situation? Where’s Jiwon? Is the 5th floor a solo mission? And no weapons either?

I kept my guard up, scanning the area vigilantly. I had no idea what might happen, especially in a situation as unfamiliar as this.

"…"

As time passed without anything happening, I cautiously stretched my hand forward. What I felt was a solid, wood-like texture.

Feeling around like a blind person, I finally understood my predicament. I was trapped inside some sort of cube-shaped enclosure.

"…"

With no immediate changes, my tense muscles gradually relaxed. Staying alert without a clear threat felt pointless. Best to observe until something shifts dramatically.

“I wonder if Baron Jorge is doing well...”

As my tension faded, stray thoughts bubbled up. The 4th floor… Did the otherworlders return safely to their realms? Yoon Joong-hyun. William Smith. The man with glasses. Baron Jorge. Those otherworlders…

I knew they’d survived from the message, but the specifics remained unclear. I hoped they were all managing alright.

And then, there was Ji-won. Just thinking of last night made my face heat up. 

‘Ugh, embarrassing.’

Just as I was about to sink deeper into my thoughts…

Fwoosh!

A bright light filled my vision, and the surrounding darkness slowly receded.

“Ugh…”

I instinctively closed my eyes, then forced them open.

"...?"

Revealed before me was a structure of pure white.

It was a temple, supported by pristine columns reminiscent of ancient Greek architecture, yet subtly different—a place that radiated an intense sanctity.

"…"

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

I squinted as I took in my surroundings. The first thing I saw was baby angels throwing flower petals while playing trumpets. Outside the temple, rather than the earth, I could see nothing but clouds.

In short, it was the picture-perfect embodiment of a “holy temple” straight out of fiction. Realizing this left me feeling oddly repulsed.

In the past, on the 2nd floor, Archangel Raphael had mentioned appearing “in a form pleasing to humans.” This seemed like an extension of that approach. Anyone else might’ve felt compelled to kneel and seek divine guidance in a place like this...

"Hmph."

I tried grabbing the foot of one of the baby angels flitting around me, but my hand passed straight through it. Looks like the angels were just illusions with no physical substance.

“Alright, let’s see how far this goes.”

I was alone in this temple; there were no other players around. I’d find out eventually whether the 5th floor was designed like this for everyone or if I was getting special treatment. For now, waiting was all I could do.

-Bam-ba-bam! Bam-ba-bam! Bam-bam!

"Thank you!"

"May endless glory shine upon the Climber’s future!"

As the trumpet fanfare from the baby angels ended, a massive pillar of light descended in the temple’s center.

"Greetings. This might be our first meeting. But I am Archangel Raphael, in charge from the 1st to the 5th floors."

​

​From within the pillar of light, a beautiful figure emerged slowly, with androgynous features. Draped in a white toga, their reddish curls swayed gently—this angel was unmistakably Archangel Raphael, exactly as I remembered.

"…"

I reached out tentatively, waving my hand, but I couldn’t touch Raphael. Just like the baby angels, he seemed to be an illusion.

Moreover, the way he greeted me with “This might be our first meeting” implied that I wasn’t being treated any differently. Raphael and I had already met, so he wouldn’t have said something like that otherwise.

A message window popped up before me right on cue. The congratulations, the atmosphere—it all felt different from the previous floors. Bright, holy, and joyous, the ambiance was a stark contrast.

‘…What are they trying to pull here?’

After witnessing the horrors on the 4th floor, I couldn’t simply take this “celebration” at face value. Tilting my head slightly, I listened carefully to what Raphael’s illusion had to say.

“To all the Climbers who, despite facing the trials of the Tower, have not lost their resolve and have persevered tirelessly—I, Raphael, commend your efforts.”

With a gentle smile, Archangel Raphael began to speak.

“Of course, I fully understand how hollow these words might sound after having declared the doom of an entire civilization. But I want you to know that I’ve designed the floors to be as fair as possible.”

With a flick of Raphael’s right hand, a globe, resembling Earth, appeared, spinning gently in his palm.

“Climbers, what do you believe to be the ‘greatest trait of humanity’? Naturally, there could be many answers. But I have one answer in mind.”

Snap~

When Raphael clasped his hands, the globe vanished, and countless human figures appeared, floating behind him.

“I… love humanity. To be precise, I love the ‘desire for a better life’ that humans possess.”

That uniquely human drive. Some might call it ambition, others self-improvement.

Archangel Raphael admired all the actions humans took to become better versions of themselves. He believed that was the most “human” behavior of all.

“Barbaric methods like those in the tutorial aren’t my style. Every floor I designed was created so that you’d reap as much as you put in.”

The 1st floor could be used in countless ways, depending on the climber. While some succumbed to indulgence, others used it vigorously for training.

The 2nd floor. You could settle for a bronze or silver insignia by playing it safe, but if you pushed your limits, aiming for the golden insignia or beyond, you’d receive a commensurate reward.

The 3rd floor. Its challenges were tiered by difficulty, and the harder the difficulty, the greater the reward.

Finally, the 4th floor. The more effort you put into protecting the otherworlders without harm, the more difficult it became. If a climber devised solutions that made the floor too easy, an observing angel would create an appropriate monster to keep the challenge balanced.

The theme that ran through each floor was simple: Make an effort. You’ll get what you work for.

“No matter how great your traits may be, I want you to face the trials and overcome them, for only then will you receive the rewards you deserve. Sacrifice is inevitable in this process, of course, and I know there are those who resent me for it.”

Raphael’s smile faded, replaced by a slightly regretful expression.

“But the easiest way to change people is through negative emotions.”

Jealousy. Inferiority. Anger.

People don’t change overnight.

It’s typically intense negative emotions that twist a person’s character entirely.

“Even if you despise me, I don’t mind. As long as you strive to grow stronger, I’ll be content. It means you’re moving forward.”

Raphael bowed his head slightly before regaining his gentle smile.

“Now, the task for the 5th floor is truly simple. Just feel how much stronger you’ve become so far. That’s all.”

With that, Raphael’s illusion took a step back, finishing his speech.

“Then, I hope you continue to strive forward. I shall take my leave.”

Raphael’s image gradually faded away until it was completely gone. In this vast temple, I was the only one left.

"…"

“Ambition, huh? Tell him to shove it.” Sure, ambition is good. But what’s the point if it costs lives?

Besides, on the 4th floor, if the number of players matched the number of otherworlders, a terrifying “something” would appear and leave players with lasting trauma.

Perhaps, by Raphael’s standards, those “lacking ambition” would be prevented from ever climbing the Tower again. Acting as though he cared for humanity while secretly manipulating us to suit his whims.

Moreover, some fool might actually take this as motivation, thinking, “I’ll try my hardest!”

“Damn it.”

The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I felt. And realizing that this was exactly what he wanted only made my irritation worse.

Not that I could feel entirely righteous, either.

Was what I did in the tutorial and on the 4th floor truly right? No one died, but maybe, as Raphael said, I deprived them of the chance to grow. I robbed them of the chance to fight monsters.

Without me on their floor, could they still become competitive? Even if they received a substantial reward, could they overcome the experience gap?

"…"

I don’t know. What the right answer is. But just as Ji-won said, if thinking about it won’t bring answers, then there’s no point in dwelling. What I need to focus on now is the man walking towards me from the far side of the temple.

<5th Floor>  

- Task: Defeat the enemy before you to clear the floor.

Step. Step~

A man staggered towards me, sword in hand.

"…Who is that?"

What did gauging my newfound strength have to do with this man stumbling toward me? Was I just supposed to flex my power on a scarecrow stand-in? Who was this guy?

But as he got close enough for me to see his face, I understood Raphael's words.

"…Oh, come on. How cliché."

The one approaching me… was Kim Jun-ho. It was me. Judging by his attire, he was a replica of my tutorial self. But it wasn’t a perfect copy—its eyes were unfocused, and its lips kept muttering something incoherent.

Shiiing~

"Heh…"

A sword had somehow materialized in its hand. I chuckled dryly, realizing the point of this test.

“Yeah, I can definitely feel it.”

If my tutorial self faced me now, who would win? The answer was obvious: me, a hundred out of a hundred times. My swordsmanship had advanced significantly, and my stats had skyrocketed since then. Moreover, I could now wield mana.

Raphael likely wanted to convey this: that I had grown so much. That all my struggles to survive weren’t in vain. He wanted me to feel it for myself.

I hated playing along with his intentions, but I had no other choice in the Tower.

“Phew…”

I took a deep breath.

And lunged at my duplicate. 

It tried to respond in its own way, but its movements were sluggish.

My blade swung toward its neck, aiming to decapitate it. But there was no impact.

"…"

My duplicate had sidestepped just enough to avoid my strike by a paper-thin margin. Its movements were slow due to our vast difference in physical capabilities, yet its technique was impressively refined.

“Well now.”

Even in the tutorial, I hadn’t been that bad. I smirked, rousing the dormant mana within me as I refocused.

The part of me softened over time with Ji-won gradually shifted back to the cold mindset of the 4th floor. Analyzing my opponent, I calculated the most efficient way to kill it.

One more strike. One decisive blow and it’d go down in an instant. It probably wouldn’t even react…

“…Huh?”

I lost focus for a split second. Then came a faint sting on the back of my hand—a tiny prickling sensation.

Before I could process what it was, I felt myself being pulled somewhere.

***

"…?"

I was back at the starting point of the 5th floor.

– – – End of Chapter – – -

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