Category: I Am the Only Tower Master

The Next Morning.

As soon as I opened my eyes, an involuntary groan escaped my lips. The exhaustion from nearly dying in the trial had settled deep into my body.

Attempting the trial again in this state would be reckless. So, to recuperate, I decided to take on a new task instead.

I opened a book about potions that I had taken from the bookshelf on the ninth floor.

“Because It’s Difficult, It’s a Potion.”

…The title was a bit odd, but the book contained a list of basic potions and their recipes. It also provided manufacturing processes based on the facilities available in the magic tower, which was convenient.

The potion I decided to test out was the following:

[Lesser Red Elixir]

• Effect: 50 regeneration. Effect increases with repeated use.
• Ingredients: Black Mountain (1), Hosong (1), Hally (2).

Black Mountain, Hosong, and Hally were all byproducts of plant-type monsters and could be easily obtained in Korea.

While monster hides and bones were often used for crafting equipment, plant-based remnants had little demand, making them relatively cheap. In particular, Black Mountain cost around 200 won per unit.

Being able to create a potion with such inexpensive ingredients was, to exaggerate a little, like turning random stones into gold.

“Alright. Let’s get started.”

First, I headed to the first-floor storage to look for ingredients.

Unfortunately, the potion ingredients were either in short supply or had rotted over time, so I would need to restock locally.

Still, after some persistent searching, I managed to gather enough to make a few bottles.

Carrying the ingredients, I returned to the book.

“Looks like I’ll need a cauldron for this.”

The various tubes scattered across the table seemed to be for crafting more advanced potions.

I walked over to the large cauldron tucked away in a corner on the first floor.

The surface of the cauldron was engraved with multiple magic circles—almost like control buttons on an electronic device.

After familiarizing myself with the instructions, I got to work.

First, I placed my hand on the magic circle labeled Water Rune and channeled mana into it.

The magic circle activated, and water gushed into the cauldron.

“…Ohhh!”

This was fascinating. I wasn’t fetching water from a well or using a faucet—it was filling up purely through magic.

I had always imagined mages to be quiet and old-fashioned, but with things like the magic circle elevator, their world was surprisingly high-tech.

Once the cauldron was filled with enough water, I activated the magic circle at the bottom to ignite a fire.

As the water began to bubble, I followed the book’s instructions, adding ingredients and stirring with a large ladle.

Potion crafting often required magical assistance. Black Mountain had to be ground into powder using an alchemical spell before being sprinkled in, while Hally needed to be coated with mana as it floated to the surface like deep-fried food.

After an hour of work around the cauldron, the liquid thickened into a deep red color.

“It’s done!”

Tilting the cauldron, I carefully poured the finished potion into empty bottles.

Honestly, bottling was more tedious than making the potion itself.

I then used Sage’s Eye to check the final product’s details.

[Lesser Red Elixir]

• Type: Potion
• Effects:
  • [40 regeneration]
  • [Effect increases with repeated use]

Somewhere in the process, I must have made a mistake—compared to the book’s description, the regeneration effect had decreased by 10 points, leaving me with 40 instead of 50.

It seemed potion-making required more precision than I had anticipated.

Still, for a first attempt, I was satisfied.

Now that I had successfully crafted a potion, there was nothing holding me back. I picked up my phone and made a call.

I had already thought of the perfect person for potion distribution.

“Hey, it’s me. Got some time tonight?”

Hearing the question on the other end, I grinned.

“Nothing too serious—just wondering if you’d be interested in a little business venture.”

* * *

That night.

I was waiting for my guest near Sanggye Station.

‘There he is.’

Click, clack.

With composed footsteps, a familiar face approached me.

He wore a well-fitted casual suit and stylish horn-rimmed glasses, giving off the vibe of a young, trendy English gentleman.

“It’s been a while, Yushin-hyung.”

His name was Jung Seo-jin. Two years younger than me at twenty-one, he had been my junior in middle school.

Despite his age, everything about him—his appearance, demeanor, and speech—exuded the air of a seasoned businessman.

“Yeah, it’s been a while, Seo-jin.”

“So, you’re starting a business?”

…We hadn’t seen each other in a long time, and he was already getting straight to the point. His blunt and no-nonsense nature hadn’t changed.

“That’s right. I need your help.”

“What kind of business?”

“Let’s talk inside.”

I gestured toward a dimly lit alleyway.

Seojin adjusted his glasses with an unreadable expression.

“I can’t help but be concerned that our meeting place is near a restricted zone. May I ask if the location is related to the business?”

“It is. In fact, it’s not near the restricted zone—it’s inside it.”

“……”

His expression stiffened, followed by a quiet sigh.

“I assume this isn’t exactly a legal business?”

His skepticism was understandable.

The restricted zone was a dangerous area where monsters roamed.

Because it was off-limits, various criminal organizations used it as a hideout for drug production, illegal weapons manufacturing, and other shady dealings.

I needed to clear up his doubts.

“Let me be clear—it’s nothing like what you’re thinking.”

“Then explain your business proposal here and now.”

“Even if I explain, you won’t fully grasp it. You need to see it yourself—”

“Yushin-hyung.”

Click.

Seo-jin pressed a button on his briefcase and let it fall to the ground.

Clack.

The case split open, revealing stacks of cash.

“This should be enough for startup capital.”

“……?”

“I’ll be taking my leave now.”

…This brat. What did he think I was?

Well, to be fair, his reaction was understandable.

How many people had tried to take advantage of his background, deceiving him under the guise of business, only to demand money in the end?

To Seo-jin, this was just another case of that same old scam.

And by offering this money upfront, he was essentially paying off any debt he felt he owed me—ensuring that I wouldn’t trouble him again.

If I accepted it, he would never show up in front of me again.

I stared at the briefcase for a moment before speaking.

“I don’t need it.”

“…What?”

“I’m not looking for money—I need you.”

Seo-jin’s expression subtly shifted.

“I can see why you’d misunderstand since I called you out of the blue. But here, let me give you a little preview—”

I raised my right hand.

Seo-jin watched, confused—until a blue light radiated from my palm, forming a glowing magic circle.

His eyes widened in shock.

“What… What is this? Your innate ability is supposed to be—”

“It’s not an innate ability.”

Whoosh!

A mana arrow shot out from the magic circle and crashed into a nearby stone wall with a loud bang!

“It’s magic.”

“…….”

Jung Seo-jin adjusted his glasses with trembling hands.

“Magic, huh? Do you think I would believe such an unscientific claim?”

He ran a hand through his hair with a self-deprecating expression.

“……That kind of talk is outdated now.”

“Heh, you get it. We live in an era where monsters appear and hunters thrive.”

Jung Seo-jin was a player himself. There was no way he could deny the scene unfolding before his eyes.

Having finally made up his mind, he grabbed his briefcase and spoke.

“I apologize. Where do we need to go?”

---

I led Jung Seo-jin past the restricted zone and all the way to the tower.

“It’s been a while since I’ve done something this reckless.”

Jung Seo-jin muttered as he looked around the forest shrouded in darkness, as if reminiscing.

“Back in middle school, we used to get into trouble all the time.”

“Those were good times.”

“How was it in the States?”

“It was alright, I guess. Honestly, I just studied like crazy.”

I nodded and stopped in front of the door.

“Give me your hand for a sec.”

“My hand?”

“Ah, I forgot to explain. You need a mark to enter the tower.”

For an outsider to enter, they had to bear the symbol of the Sun Tower on their body.

According to Eia, this mark not only granted access but was also linked to a powerful restriction spell.

The current restriction trigger was ‘leaking information about the tower.’

If broken in any way, the tower’s tracking magic would activate immediately, causing mana reflux in the offender.

“It’s a type of security magic.”

“Hmm, that sounds a bit scary.”

“I’m not forcing you. If you don’t want to, that’s fine too.”

Jung Seo-jin willingly extended his hand.

“You could’ve just stamped it without explaining, but I’ll trust you this time.”

I guess he felt a little guilty about doubting me earlier.

I gathered mana at my fingertip and pressed it against the back of his hand. A blue mark appeared, like a seal.

“Alright. Let’s go in.”

I went first, pressing my palm against the door. In an instant, I was sucked inside.

I stepped aside just in time for Jung Seo-jin to tumble out of the doorway, completely losing his balance.

“Haha! You okay? I was like that my first time too.”

“……Yes. I’m fine.”

Brushing off his clothes, Jung Seo-jin stood up and looked around with wide eyes.

“This is incredible. I had no idea there was a space like this inside the tower……”

“Master, is this a guest?”

A cluster of light gathered in midair, forming into Eia.

Jung Seo-jin flinched and took a step back.

“Wh-who?”

“I am Eia, the tower’s administrator.”

She bowed politely.

“…….”

Why is he standing there, completely dazed?

“Ah, um. I’m Jung Seo-jin.”

The two shook hands briefly.

“Eia, do we have anything to serve our guest?”

“There are a few packs of coffee mix left from what the master bought at the convenience store.”

“Tch, well, I guess that’ll do. Please bring some.”

Eia nodded and vanished. I snapped my fingers in front of Jung Seo-jin’s face.

“Hey!”

“Huh?!”

“Why are you spacing out? That’s not like you.”

“Ah, my apologies.”

We settled onto the sofas in the center of the lobby. Jung Seo-jin couldn’t take his eyes off the golden walls and the various magical instruments.

“I heard this place was considered an eyesore in Seoul, but I never imagined it would be this beautiful.”

“Heh, right?”

“If I hadn’t come today, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life.”

……For the rest of his life? Why is he suddenly being so dramatic?

At that moment, Eia returned and placed paper cups filled with coffee in front of us.

“Sorry for the humble hospitality. Might not be up to your high-class tastes.”

Slurp. Jung Seo-jin took a sip and gave a faint smile.

“It’s sweet. I like it.”

Say that to my face, will you?

“Shall we get down to business now?”

“Yes, let’s begin.”

I started by explaining the basics of the tower. Jung Seo-jin listened intently, nodding along.

“So, the first floor is dedicated to potion brewing. I’ve already made one in advance.”

I placed a glass bottle filled with a potion on the table.

“Does this really heal wounds?”

“Go ahead and test it.”

“……Alright, excuse me for a moment.”

Jung Seo-jin rolled up his pant leg, revealing a scrape from his earlier fall.

When he poured a bit of the potion on it, the wound vanished without a trace.

His shocked expression was priceless.

“Aside from healing potions, we can also make potions that restore mana, cure poison, or counteract status effects like freezing.”

“……Impressive.”

Jung Seo-jin inspected the potion from different angles before setting it back down. Then, he adjusted his glasses and spoke with a serious expression.

“But are you sure this is okay?”

[The Trial Begins.]

I remained vigilant, not letting my guard down.

“…….”

For now, everything was still, but I knew this silence was just the calm before the storm. I kept scanning my surroundings, staying tense.

Vwoom.

A sound echoed.

Quickly turning around, I noticed a green light flicker once on a tile several hundred meters away.

Then, from that tile, a glowing blue arrow was fired with a thunk!

‘That’s a Mana Arrow!’

I hurriedly conjured a shield in front of me.

Thud!

The Mana Arrow struck my shield and scattered into the air. My shield also dissipated after absorbing the impact.

Vwoom. Vwoom.

This time, the sound came from both the front and the back.

‘Aha, I see what kind of trial this is.’

I raised a shield in front of me to block one attack and dodged the other by bending backward.

The Mana Arrow narrowly grazed past my collar, sending a cold sweat down my back.

This is… thrilling.

Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom.

Three Mana Arrows now.

The difficulty just skyrocketed.

I only had one shield—how was I supposed to block all of them?

Instead of trying, I rolled to the side, dodging them outright.

Mana Arrows embedded themselves into the floor. But evasion alone wasn’t the solution.

The hasty roll left a sharp pain in my shoulder.

And before I could even get up—

Vwoom. Vwoom.

Mana Arrows flew toward me from the front and back while I was still off-balance.

‘Yeah, relying on large evasive movements has its limits.’

This cubic space was too confined—if I rolled toward a corner, I’d get trapped.

That would make blocking the next attack much harder.

‘Focus. Stay focused.’

I widened my eyes and spread my arms.

I didn’t know if this would work, but I had no time to hesitate.

I had to cast two spells at once.

I recalled the magic circle’s structure, which I had memorized in three stages.

First, the field.

Second, the rune.

Third, the formula.

I then spread my palms and calmly began drawing the magic circles.

No need to overthink it.

Like holding a pen in each hand and sketching simultaneously.

Fortunately, my training paid off.

As soon as I began tracing the runes, my mana flowed naturally, accelerating the completion.

I didn’t resist—I let myself be carried by the current.

The key wasn’t that I was drawing the magic circle.

It was guiding the mana to complete it for me.

Swish. Swish.

The magic circles were completed. Just before the arrows pierced me, I activated the magic in both hands.

‘Shield!’

Thud! Thud!

When I opened my eyes, I saw the Mana Arrows bouncing off my shields.

‘Success!’

[You have acquired the Multi-Casting trait.]

“……!”

My jaw dropped.

For two years, I had struggled to obtain just one trait.

Yet, a single moment of realization had unlocked this one.

I barely had time to celebrate before green lights flickered from three different directions.

I checked their positions and cast shield magic circles with both arms.

Two attacks blocked by shields. The third, aimed at my head, I dodged by tilting my head back.

After surviving that wave, I quickly dashed away from the cube’s edges toward the open center. Staying near the corners was too dangerous.

‘Alright, let’s see who wins.’

I was fired up now.

Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom.

This time, the sounds came in sequence.

Not simultaneous, but a staggered attack from all directions was just as threatening.

After roughly identifying the angles, I cast two shields in the front and back using multi-casting, then immediately prepared the next spell.

This time, not a shield.

A gauntlet.

By the time the gauntlet magic circle reached 70% completion, the Mana Arrows arrived.

Thud! Thud!

The two shields I had cast absorbed two shots, and I lifted my leg to dodge the third.

As soon as I successfully evaded, I slipped my hand into the newly completed gauntlet magic circle.

Swish.

The magic circle transformed into a glove of energy, enveloping my right hand.

At that moment, two arrows came at me from both sides, aiming for my chest and head.

I sprinted to the right, swinging my gauntlet-clad hand to deflect one arrow.

“Kh…!”

Then, spinning on my heel, I extended my arm toward the last incoming shot.

Recently, I had discovered a new trick with the gauntlet.

‘Activate!’

Boom!

The mana condensed in my gauntlet erupted, creating a shockwave that deflected the arrow.

[Your proficiency in Gauntlet Magic Circle has reached 80%.]
[Your Mana has increased by 1.]
[Your Agility has increased by 1.]

“Ooh…”

A shiver ran down my spine.

I wasn’t fighting a monster, yet the thrill of controlling the battlefield to my advantage was exhilarating.

Adrenaline surged wildly, and every cell in my body sang with life.

Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom.

My eyes moved frantically, fully immersed.

‘Two from the left and right. Two from the front and back. Then back to the sides.’

A mix of simultaneous and staggered attacks.

The difficulty was reaching insane levels, but it didn’t matter.

Bring it on.

I spread my arms and conjured shields.

Thud! Thud!

As the arrows struck the barriers, I threw myself to the side.

I thought I had dodged perfectly, but while I avoided one, another struck my shoulder.

“……Kgh!”

My first hit.

And the pain was very real.

For a moment, my vision flashed white from the sheer agony, but I forced myself to focus.

Without even looking at the incoming arrows, I thrust my arm forward.

‘Shield!’

A vivid image of the shield forming in an instant flashed through my mind.

And then—

Thud! Thud!

The shield manifested just as the arrows struck.

[You have acquired the Quick-Casting trait.]
[Special Attribute – Willpower has been unlocked.]
[Your Willpower has increased by 1.]
[Your Mana has increased by 1.]

“Heh… Ha… Hahaha!”

My body ached from rolling on the ground.

Blood poured from the wound where the arrow had hit.

But for some reason, I couldn’t stop laughing.

I was ecstatic.

It felt insanely good.

Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom.

Green lights flashed in rapid succession from all sides.

Of course, I had no intention of backing down.

As I extended my arms, my shields formed even faster than before.

[Shield Magic Circle proficiency has reached 100%.]

‘The Sage’s Eye‘ perfectly calculated the trajectories of the incoming magic projectiles.

I tilted my head, twisted my limbs unnaturally, dodging like a master acrobat.

[Your Agility has increased by 1.]

Despite my efforts, one arrow still lodged itself into my back.

Clenching my teeth, I conjured two gauntlets and thrust my hands into them.

[Gauntlet Magic Circle proficiency has reached 90%.]

I deflected an arrow with my left gauntlet and blocked another with my right arm.

Rolling backward, I activated my left gauntlet mid-motion, detonating an arrow with a blast of force.

Then, as I stood, I simultaneously cast shields to my left and right, blocking the next attack.

“One last shot, front and back!”

It was too late to put up a shield.

Instinctively, I leaped upward, thrusting out my right hand, which bore the final gauntlet, without any precise aim.

“Activate!”

Boom!

The gauntlet’s blast propelled me like a booster, and by a hair’s breadth, the arrows grazed past my body.

My reckless evasion led me to crash into the blue barrier, but the pain from the impact was nothing compared to what could have happened.

Springing back to my feet, I felt a surge of exhilaration course through my entire body, and I let out a roar.

[Your mastery of mana has ascended to a new level.]
[The trait Child of Mana has reached LV2.]
[The trait Multi-Casting has reached LV2.]
[The trait Accelerated Casting has reached LV2.]
[Magic Power +5]
[Concentration +1]
[Willpower +1]

Wow!

I felt completely refreshed.

All my past struggles flashed through my mind for a moment. I had spent months undergoing player-exclusive training just to increase my strength stat, yet it barely rose by a single point.

I had tried archery to boost Agility.

I had memorized arcane languages to improve Concentration.

There was nothing I hadn’t attempted.

But the efficiency was very poor.

Earth’s training methods had clear limitations. Meanwhile, my combat-specialized peers were leveling up rapidly by clearing dungeons and slaying monsters.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t envious.

I had hit a wall. I had been stuck in place.

But now—

I was the one growing faster than anyone else.

Vrrrm—

“…!”

The sound suddenly changed.

When I turned my head, I saw an unfamiliar red light flickering across the tiles to the side.

‘Red? What does that mean?’

This was different from the usual patterns.

Feeling uneasy, I preemptively put up a shield.

The red light took longer to charge than the green one.

While four mana arrows had already been fired, the red light continued to flicker without launching anything yet.

‘What the hell is this?’

As my attention momentarily shifted to the mana arrows flying toward me from behind—

Boom!

A crimson bolt of lightning erupted from the wall.

It pierced straight through my preemptively raised shield and struck me directly.

“Urgh!”

I collapsed on the spot, my knees giving way.

The pain was excruciating, but worse, my body was paralyzed and refused to move.

And the mana arrows weren’t about to wait for me to recover.

Thud!

An arrow embedded itself into my left shoulder.

Thunk! Thwack!

Another pierced my thigh, then my waist.

“Grgh…!”

It hurt.

It hurt like hell!

Blood streamed freely from my wounds, and my vision blurred.

For the first time, fear crept in.

Trial or not, I might actually die here.

I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood and forced strength into my limbs.

Finally, I managed to move my right arm—

Only for another arrow to pierce straight through my shoulder.

The pain sapped my strength instantly, leaving my arm dangling uselessly.

“Damn it!”

My eyes darted toward the exit magic circle.

With every ounce of willpower left, I began to crawl.

Mana arrows continued to lodge into my limp left leg.

Using my right leg and injured shoulder, I dragged myself forward like an insect.

“…Huff! Huff!”

At some point, the pain had dulled.

My vision was fading, the world turning into a hazy black-and-white blur.

I can’t die.

I refuse to die like this.

Mustering every last shred of my consciousness, I kept crawling.

Arrows kept sinking into my back.

If someone were watching from above, I must have looked like a grotesque pin cushion.

“Argh…!”

With my trembling left arm, I reached for the exit magic circle.

Crunch!

A mana arrow tore through my elbow, but in that final moment—

My fingertips barely brushed against the magic circle’s edge.

[You have abandoned the trial. Transferring you outside.]

With that message, my consciousness was severed.

“…Huff!”

I jolted awake, gasping for air.

I was lying in front of the second-floor portal.

Am I… still alive?

Frantically, I checked my body.

All the arrow wounds had completely healed.

For a second, I wondered if it had all been an illusion.

But my shirt and pants were drenched in blood, riddled with holes.

More than anything, I could feel it—

The sheer, overwhelming mana flowing through me, stronger than ever before.

“…Shield.”

I activated the spell.

Effortlessly, without even needing to think, my mind calculated the formulas and runes to form the shield.

It was the effect of having 100% mastery over the Shield Magic Circle.

Overcome with excitement, I quickly opened my status window.

Name: Kim Yushin
Innate Ability: Sage’s Eye
Personal Traits:
[Child of Mana LV2]
[Master of the Mage Tower LV10]
[Magical Engineering LV10]
[Spell Lord LV10]
[Obsessive Focus LV6]
[Potion Crafting LV5]
[Analysis LV1]
Base Stats:
[Magic Power: 67]
[Agility: 9]
[Strength: 6]
[Stamina: 5]
Special Stats:
[Concentration: 5]
[Intelligence: 3]
[Endurance: 2]
New! [Willpower: 2]

Total Stats: [99]

New Traits Acquired!
[Multi-Casting LV2]
[Accelerated Casting LV2]

“…Ha, haha! This is insane!”

The growth I achieved in the trial had stuck.

In that short span of time, my stats had skyrocketed, and I had gained two brand-new traits.

Most hunters only had three or four personal traits on average—

This was beyond ridiculous.

I burst into laughter like a madman before collapsing onto the stairs, drained.

“Hahhh…”

So many thoughts flooded my mind.

It was said that overcoming the trials placed by the previous generation was a tradition for the Tower’s master.

The pain had been unbearable, but it wasn’t designed to kill me outright.

At the very least, the trial ensured growth.

Perhaps some kind of amplification magic had been placed over the entire ordeal.

I wanted to challenge it again immediately.

But my body was utterly exhausted, and I needed time to analyze that strange red lightning.

For now, I would rest.

Tomorrow, I would unlock the second floor.

With that decision made, I sprawled onto the ground.

‘Let’s see who wins this.’

The thrill of growth had overshadowed the fear of death.

I was truly enjoying this trial.

“Is this what you were talking about?”

I asked while shaking the diary.

“Yes, Tower Master.”

Eia answered and then disappeared, seemingly to avoid disturbing my reading. Left alone, I sat at my desk and opened the notebook, which was stained and worn from frequent use.

『Imperial Year 191, October 9. My name is Anton Aximus. I am the next Tower Master. This writing records my heroic journey to becoming the Tower Master, and I hope it will serve as an excellent guide for the successors who will follow in my footsteps.』

As expected, it was written in a strange language, but with my “Sage’s Eye,” I had no trouble reading it. I turned to the next page.

『Imperial Year 191, October 10.
The bothersome Tower Master trial has begun.
Master stubbornly followed tradition, sealing the entire tower on a massive scale before leaving.
Now, I must break all the seals on each floor using only my own power.
Why are the old folks so obsessed with this useless ritual? They claim it’s a necessary process to become a true Tower Master, but that’s absolute nonsense. Why the hell do we have to go through this?』

…Is this generational conflict?

No matter the world, people seem to have the same struggles.

More importantly, Anton’s situation was quite similar to mine—a mage tower with most of its functions disabled, except for the first floor and the ninth floor where the Tower Master resided.

Curious, I flipped to the next page.

『So-called comrades? Those guys took long vacations and are excited to slack off for months. Just wait, you bastards! Do you really think there will still be a place for you once I take over this tower? It’s time for a grand purge! Kahaha!』

…One thing is clear: my predecessor was not a sane man.

Most of the following entries were filled with complaints about his colleagues—who annoyed him and who he despised.
I skipped over large chunks of what seemed to be insults and moved on to another passage.

『…I finally reached the second floor and faced my first trial. There was a restriction that allowed only the three basic spells. How laughable. If the old-fashioned mages who rely solely on advanced magic tried this, they might have struggled. But as the youngest-ever Tower Master candidate, I passed without needing a second attempt.』

“A trial?”

Now, this was an interesting piece of information.

It seemed that unlocking the seals on each floor required overcoming these so-called trials.

I skimmed through more pages, but there were no detailed descriptions of the trials.

Despite claiming in the introduction that this diary would be an excellent guide for future Tower Masters, it was nothing of the sort.

Instead of useful instructions, it was mostly an account of how great and talented he was as a mage.

‘This feels like one of those curly-haired old men who draw something quickly and say, ‘See? It’s easy!’—leaving me in complete frustration.’

Realizing that the diary wasn’t particularly helpful, I closed it halfway through and organized the information I had gathered so far.

This mage tower, originating from a place called the “Erendel Continent,” was a cradle of magic.

A magical Silicon Valley, if you will.

There was also a tradition tied to the Tower Master succession.

Whenever a new candidate was chosen, the current Tower Master would place massive seals on the tower and embed trials into each floor’s seal.

The candidate had to overcome all these trials alone.

Only after breaking all nine seals would they be recognized as the true Tower Master by the entire continent.

Alright. Now things were starting to make sense.

“So, Eia, does that mean I also have to go through these trials, just like the past Tower Masters?”

I asked into the air, and Eia reappeared, her hair fluttering as she answered.

“I believe the current situation is somewhat different. This large-scale seal wasn’t part of a traditional ritual. It was an ’emergency seal,’ automatically triggered to protect the tower’s knowledge and technology in times of crisis.”

“So, you’re saying the tower had no choice but to seal itself for survival?”

“Affirmative. That is a reasonable interpretation.”

I still didn’t know why this structure from another world had been transported to Earth or why I had been chosen as its Tower Master, but one thing was clear.

I had to grow stronger, challenge the trials, and unlock the entire tower.

Even just the potion crafting on the first floor was enough to shake up the current hunter system.
Who knew what groundbreaking technology was hidden on the other floors?

‘Good, good.’

My motivation was set.

At last, an opportunity had come my way.

I could simply hole up inside the tower and live an easy life, but where was the fun in that?

I would make the world revolve around me.

I would strike back at the hunter community that had labeled me a non-combatant and rise to the top.

And then—these trials.

There was mention of “retries.”

That likely meant I could attempt them multiple times.

The second-floor trial restricted magic use to only the three basic spells.

That would be the three I had already mastered—”Gauntlet,” “Shield,” and “Mana Arrow.”

‘I’ve pretty much mastered those three already. Even if I learn stronger magic, I wouldn’t be able to use them in that trial anyway…’

No need to hesitate.

I would strike while the iron was hot.

I decided to challenge the second-floor trial immediately.

---

The first floor of the mage tower was vast.

From the outside, the tower’s structure was conical—gradually narrowing as it rose.
This meant the first floor was the most spacious.
With so many staircases and rooms, it was easy to get lost.

The system labeled the “Potion Brewing Department” as simply “the first floor,” but in reality, it covered an area equivalent to three floors.

It seemed the tower was divided more by function rather than strict floor levels.

Eventually, I reached the staircase leading to the second floor.

Woo-woo-woo-woo!

Instead of a door, a pitch-black portal—reminiscent of a black hole—stood at the top of the stairs.

[The magic of the trial has engulfed this space.]
[To proceed to the next floor, you must clear the trial.]
[Would you like to challenge the trial?]

That was the reason I had come.

Without hesitation, I answered.

“I challenge it.”

Shuuuuuuuuk!

As soon as I spoke, my body was sucked into the darkness.

---

“…….”

The dizziness subsided, and I opened my eyes.

It was an unfamiliar space.

Judging by the walls and ceiling, it appeared to be inside the tower, but the ground was made of dirt and covered in grass. Tall trees stood scattered throughout the area. The terrain was uneven, forming large hills.

If I had to describe it, it felt like a gloomy version of Teletubby Land.

[You have arrived at the 2nd-floor trial.]

[Verifying the trial participant’s data.]

[Adjusting the trial participant’s mana to fit the trial conditions.]

[The trial rules are now in effect. All magic except for the three basic spells has been sealed.]

[Proceed to the destination cube.]

It was just as I had read in Anton’s notes.

Before setting off, I tested my spells to check their functionality. I casted Gauntlet, Shield, and Mana Arrow once each.

The magic circles formed without issue. But one surprising thing was that using magic didn’t burden my body at all.

I could feel the mana draining from me, but it was instantly replenished.

‘So that’s what they meant by adjusting the participant’s mana for the trial?’

Whatever the case, it was a good thing.

I steeled myself and began walking along the dirt path where no grass grew.

For now, nothing happened.

‘It said to move to the destination cube. Where could it be?’

— Ki ki ki ki ki!

— Krrrk, krrrk!

A spine-chilling laughter echoed around me.

I quickly turned around, but nothing was there.

The laughter stopped abruptly.

As soon as I started walking again, a strange laugh rang out once more.

This time, I didn’t react immediately and instead waited for the source.

From behind the trees, eerie creatures peeked out, snickering.

They were small, about the size of a seven-year-old child, with pitch-black bodies devoid of any features. Only their glowing red eyes stood out.

I had memorized all the basic monster information at the academy, but I had never seen creatures like these before.

— Ki kik!

— Ki ki ki ki!

Three of them approached me.

From what seemed to be their hands, long, sharp claws extended.

They were not friendly.

‘Stay calm.’

Even if I didn’t recognize them, it wasn’t a problem.

I closed my eyes for a moment, focused, and extended my right hand.

<Mana Arrow>

A magic circle formed instantly, and a bolt of pure mana shot forward.

— Puck!

One of the creatures took the hit straight to the head. It thrashed for a moment before collapsing.

‘That was easier than I expected.’

— Kik kik!

— Ki ki ki ki ki!

As soon as I said that countless glowing red eyes appeared from behind the trees and hills.

Dozens, hundreds—no, thousands of them.

“Of course!”

There was no way a trial meant for a prospective Tower Master would be this easy.

Despite the urgency, I took a moment to think. Unlike dungeons, this trial was designed by someone.

That meant there had to be an intended solution.

Given that, there was no way I was supposed to kill all of them.

How was I supposed to defeat thousands of enemies with only Gauntlet and Mana Arrow?

The only logical answer—run.

Having reached a decision, I sprinted forward.

— Ki ki ki ki ki!

The swarm of creatures surged behind me like a black tsunami.

In an instant, the entire landscape turned pitch black.

“Damn it!”

A few of them were already at my heels.

Still running, I reached back and fired Mana Arrows blindly.

Some of them were knocked away, but I was failing about half the time due to the lack of concentration.

I wasn’t used to casting spells while running.

And I was getting out of breath.

‘Where is the cube?!’

Desperately, I scanned my surroundings.

Even the walls and ceiling were now covered in those creatures, moving against gravity.

The entire world was being swallowed in darkness.

It felt like a scene from an apocalyptic disaster movie, where the protagonist could do nothing but watch their survival odds plummet.

Then, I had a thought.

‘Their movement pattern follows a set direction. If I assume the whole area will eventually be covered in darkness, then the last place to be consumed would be…’

There!

Slightly off the main path, I spotted a teleportation circle.

I stopped casting and sprinted at full speed.

Even as the creatures slashed at my legs and thighs, I forced myself to ignore the pain.

Then—

— Grab!

Some of them latched onto me.

They clung to my body, slicing into my flesh.

But I couldn’t stop now.

In a final burst, I lunged forward like a sprinter at the finish line, stretching my foot toward the teleportation circle.

The moment my body collapsed onto the ground, the black wave of creatures engulfed me.

[Stage 1 Clear. Transporting to the Cube.]

— Shooosh!

In an instant, my body was teleported to the next area.

The monsters were gone.

“……Hahh, hahh!”

I had no energy left to check my surroundings.

Lying on the ground, I gasped for air.

‘This trial is no joke…’

Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I forced myself upright.

I was inside a cube-shaped space made of glowing blue energy.

I walked up and knocked on the barrier, but it was solid—I couldn’t get out.

A few hundred meters away, I saw a massive wall surrounding the area.

No, not a wall—it was covered in tile-like honeycomb patterns.

[Survive inside the Cube for 20 minutes.]

[If you wish to forfeit the trial, step onto the exit magic circle.]

A blue-lit magic circle glowed at one end of the space.

I memorized its location.

[The trial will now begin.]

Hm, hm.

I overdid it a little.

At first, I planned to keep it moderate and just leave, but the guys whispering behind my back, irritating me on purpose, got on my nerves. More than anything, once I started, it was fun, and I wanted to push myself to the limit.

On top of my new innate ability, Sage’s Eye, the training I had been doing—moving mana to create magic circles—seemed to have paid off.

I returned to my seat and slung my bag over my shoulder.

“…….”
“…….”

Honestly, my image at this school was nothing more than a loud-mouthed, non-combat weakling.

But now, the gazes of my classmates had completely changed—180 degrees, in fact.

Every single one of them had the same expression: What the hell is that?

When I turned my head slightly, they flinched and quickly looked away.

Huh. I guess a day like this was bound to come eventually.

“Hey! Kim Yushin!”

A brown-haired girl rushed toward me noisily, her face filled with shock.

“Are you really Kim Yushin?”

…What’s with this girl now?

“You ignored my texts for three days straight, didn’t answer my calls, and now you show up like this…! What the hell happened to you?”

Oh, right. She was the one who sent me those messages.

Her name was Han Yoon-jung. Since she also had a non-combat innate ability, we had bonded over our shared struggle as weaklings.

“I had my reasons. I’ll explain outside.”

At that moment, the students who had been watching us suddenly swarmed toward me.

“Hey, move aside! Yushin, about that technique you used earlier—”

“I saw it again. How did you do it?”

“Can’t you teach us too?”

“We’re heading out for lunch by car. Wanna come?”

With people coming at me from all directions, Han Yoon-jung was quickly pushed to the background.

…Do these guys have no shame?

The same people who looked down on me all this time were now flocking around, hoping for scraps.

Not that I hated it.

So this is what power feels like.

After a lifetime of chewing on bitter grass, the sudden taste of sweetness on my tongue was a bit overwhelming.

Anyway, I told the buzzing flies that we’d talk later and slipped away from the crowd.

I called Han Yoon-jung out to a quiet café on campus, and we sat across from each other.

“…Your innate ability changed?”

“Yeah.”

I removed the lens from my right eye. When she saw my pupil shimmering with blue light, she gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth.

“Wh-what? It’s real? What kind of ability is it?”

“Simply put…”

I raised my palm and formed a shield magic circle above it.

“I can create things like this with ease.”

“…Wow!”

Han Yoon jung’s eyes widened as she examined the magic circle from different angles. Her reaction was amusing, so I showed her two more spells.

As she chattered in excitement, her expression suddenly turned bittersweet.

“You once said mana is like a flashlight, and innate abilities are the lens. A good lens lets you create things like this with mana, huh…”

Not quite.

I wasn’t convinced by that theory.

It had only been a day since I became a mage, so I couldn’t be sure yet, but I had a hunch—magic was separate from innate abilities.

A skill that anyone could use, as long as they had mana.

A technique that didn’t depend on innate abilities and could be improved through effort.

If the true nature of this power were revealed, wouldn’t the entire hunter world be turned upside down?

“What’s with that serious look?”

“Nothing. Just thinking.”

Shaking off my thoughts, I looked up—only to be startled.

Name: Han Yoon jung
Innate Ability: Coordinate Tracking
Personal Traits: [Precision Calculation Lv.3] [Collector Lv.1]
Base Stats: [Mana 16] [Stamina 10] [Agility 6] [Strength 4]
Special Stats: [Intelligence 5] [Endurance 5]
Total Stats: [46]

…I could see someone else’s status window.

I assumed my detection ability had vanished when my innate ability changed, but I was still able to see it. An unexpected bonus…

“Hey, Kim Yushin.”

Han Yoon-jung suddenly crossed her arms over her chest, her expression frosty.

“Where exactly are you looking?”

“Your status window.”

“You just said your ability changed! You perverted piece of trash!”

…But I’m serious.

She glared at me in disgust, then let out a deep sigh and chugged her coffee.

“Anyway, congrats. If you improve your grades, you can finally go on dungeon expeditions.”

“I’m planning to graduate this month.”

“…Huh?”

She frowned as if she had misheard.

“Wait. You’re not saying—”

“Yeah. I’m taking the early graduation exam.”

“Hey! Kim Yushin!”

She shot up from her seat.

“Do you even know what kind of test that is—”

Murmurs.

Before she could finish, the café suddenly grew noisy.

People were hastily gathering their belongings and hurrying out.

Han Yoon jung checked her wristwatch and gasped.

“Ah, I’m late! We’ll talk later! And don’t do anything reckless, okay? Promise me!”

With that, she rushed off to prepare for her next class.

Left alone, I headed to the student council office.

I took a form and began filling it out.

The early graduation exam application.

I felt a little bad for Han Yoon jung, but staying here for another two years was a waste.

I would graduate this month and get my hunter license.

Once I finished writing, I stepped into the student council office to submit the form. Since it was lunchtime, the room was empty except for a young-looking girl.

“H-hello! This is the student council! How can I help you?”

A first-year, huh? Guess she got stuck with the short end of the stick.

I felt a slight sense of sympathy as I handed over the document.

“Is this the right place to submit it?”

She took my document and, upon reading it, looked utterly shocked. Then, she glanced back and forth between the document and my face.

“Is there a problem?”

She flinched and turned red.

“Oh! S-sorry! This is a request for early graduation, right? I’ll let the administrative assistant know when they arrive.”

Her reaction was understandable.

Seeing the words ‘2nd year,’ ‘non-combatant,’ and the fact that my total physical attributes, excluding mana, didn’t even reach 20—anyone would think I was insane for applying for the early graduation exam.

She must be wondering if I’m out of my mind.

“Well, I’ll leave it in your hands.”

Of course, I had no reason to care about others’ opinions.

Right now, my confidence was at its peak.

---

I returned to the Mage Tower.

The dazzling golden lobby on the first floor and the various experimental equipment still felt surreal.

While magical research was important, I first needed to understand exactly what this place was for.

Now that I thought about it, I had been too focused on magic circles without considering the bigger picture.

“Eia.”

At my call, a swirl of light gathered in the air, soon forming into the figure of a beautiful silver-haired woman.

“You summoned me, Tower Master?”

“Tell me more about this Mage Tower.”

She let out a small sigh.

“You finally ask.”

“…I know I got my priorities mixed up.”

I tend to get completely absorbed in something once I dive in.

Before diving deeper into magic research, I figured it was time to learn more about this place.

“I have no personal memories, but based on the recorded data, I can explain. As I mentioned in the initial introduction, the Mage Tower was the central governing body for magic on the continent of Erendel.”

“The continent of Erendel, huh?”

The core of the Overlay phenomenon—where monsters from another world began appearing—was that Earth had overlapped with some other dimension.

Could that other world be this “Erendel Continent”?

“The Mage Tower’s influence once spanned the entire continent, including empires and kingdoms. Even an emperor would not dare to defy the Tower Master. Magic was the foundation of economy, military power, and culture itself.”

“Hmm.”

“The Mage Tower was both the birthplace and cradle of magic. Countless spells and magitech advancements originated here and evolved into different forms over time.”

“So, all of that knowledge still exists within this tower?”

“Correct. While I cannot guarantee a perfect recreation of Erendel’s magic on Earth due to differences in mana properties, a significant portion should still be possible. In fact, the fact that you successfully reproduced the three fundamental magic circles is already a promising achievement.”

Heh. No need to flatter me—I don’t give out rewards for that.

“So, what was this first floor used for?” I asked, glancing at the tangled tubes and experimental tools.

“The first floor primarily served as a potion-making facility.”

“Potions?”

This is starting to feel more and more like a game.

Though, given that mana, superhumans, and mages already exist, it’s not that strange for potions to be real too.

But the real question was this—

How valuable would potions be?

As of now, Earth had nothing like a magic liquid that healed wounds when consumed.

There were a few ‘healers’ with recovery-type abilities, but they were extremely rare.

Most players only carried emergency medical kits, and larger guilds typically employed professional medical teams.

Only the most powerful guilds had healers among their ranks.

Now, if I started selling potions in this situation?

‘It would be an instant jackpot.’

Just imagining the money rolling in made me grin.

Plans for how to monetize potions were already forming in my mind.

I even thought of the perfect person to handle the business side of things.

But I decided to put that aside for now.

Today’s priority was learning more about this Mage Tower.

“Now that I think about it, this place is structured like a tower. If the first floor is for potion-making… does each floor have a different purpose?”

“As expected of the Tower Master. That is a correct deduction. Each floor of the Mage Tower serves a distinct function.”

That made my eyes light up.

With a total of nine floors—including the top floor where the Tower Master resides—that meant there were eight other magical technologies waiting to be uncovered.

Just the potion-making alone could earn me enough to last generations.

So what kind of treasure trove did the other floors hold?

“What about the second and third floors? What are they used for?”

“I do not know.”

“…You don’t know? But aren’t you the homunculus that manages the entire tower?”

“The floors above the first are currently sealed. My data and management functions for those areas are also restricted.”

Sealed?

I thought all the tower’s restrictions were lifted when I became the Tower Master.

“Please allow me a moment.”

Eia placed her hand lightly on my forehead, and a new screen appeared before my eyes.

〈Mage Tower of Erendel〉

• Lord: Kim Yushin
• Development Level: Low
• Total Personnel: 1
• Stored Mana: 7,550,000

1st Floor: Potion Brewing Department / [Potion Brewer: None] – Assign a position.
2nd Floor: ???
3rd Floor: ???
4th Floor: ???
5th Floor: ???
6th Floor: ???
7th Floor: ???
8th Floor: ???
9th Floor: Tower Master’s Chamber / [Tower Master: Kim Yushin]

〈Territory Unique Abilities〉

• Mana Engine: A perpetual mana generator keeps the tower’s mana supply stable.
• Shape Memory Alloy: The walls of the Mage Tower are made of a special alloy that returns to its original form over time, even after sustaining heavy damage.
• Natural Regeneration: All inhabitants of the Mage Tower receive enhanced stamina and mana regeneration while inside.

“This isn’t a status window, is it?”

“It’s something similar. It’s a management interface that provides an overview of the Mage Tower’s status.”

“Ohh. That’s interesting.”

I examined the interface.

Just as Eia said, the second through eighth floors were all marked as “???”.

“Then how do I unlock the seals on the other floors?”

“Rather than hearing an explanation from me, it would be better to check  the Mage Tower’s records. Let us go to the ninth floor.”

Eia and I moved to the Tower Master’s chamber.

I used the magic circle elevator to ascend, while she appeared in a swirl of light.

She guided me toward the bookshelves—the same ones where I had found The Fundamentals of Magic.

I browsed through the books, then came across something unusual.

It wasn’t a book but an old, worn notebook.

It looked more like… someone’s journal.

Have I ever been this obsessed with something in my life?

For three days straight, I neither slept properly nor ate, devoting myself entirely to magic circle training.

I lost track of whether it was day or night.

When I got sleepy, I dozed off at my desk. When I got hungry, I drank the potion Eia handed me. I wasn’t sure if it was due to the potion’s effects, but it helped me forget my hunger for a while.

The most emphasized point in The Fundamentals of Magic was a solid foundation.

So rather than trying to learn a wide variety of magic circles, I focused on mastering the basics.

On my first day at the mage tower, laying down a base on the desk and drawing magic circles with the mana squeezed from my fingertips was a beginner-level task.

Next, I trained in laying a base on my palm and drawing magic circles there.

Once I got used to that, I moved on to drawing magic circles purely with mana, without using my hands.

The speed of execution was everything when it came to magic circles.

To that end, The Fundamentals of Magic recommended a method called the “Stamping Technique.”

It involved thoroughly memorizing the diagrams and formulas of magic circles, then manipulating one’s internal mana to instantly imprint the magic circle onto one’s palm. Skilled practitioners could stamp out magic circles in rapid succession, just like stamping a seal.

It was similar to how professional musicians memorized sheet music and performed from memory on stage, but magic circles were even easier.

By repeating a single spell hundreds or even thousands of times, the mana itself would eventually memorize the process and flow.

Once the fundamental structure was formed by recalling the magic circle’s formula, the mana would instinctively move on its own to complete the circle, as if it understood the mage’s intent.

This was an entirely different level of stability compared to musicians relying on memory and muscle memory alone.

At this point, drawing magic circles with mana felt even easier than using my fingers.

After four days of relentless training, I had gained considerable speed and significantly reduced my mistakes.

After hundreds of repetitions, I reached the point where I could summon magic circles almost unconsciously.

On the morning of my fourth day at the mage tower—

I had fully mastered three basic magic circles.

All that remained was practical application.

“…Huaaaahm.”

Of course, I was exhausted.

But fatigue wasn’t a reason to stop practicing magic. Right now, magic was like a drug to me.

The more I learned, the more I unconsciously craved greater power and knowledge. This obsession synergized perfectly with my natural tendency for over-immersion.

Eia, who had been watching from the side, spoke with a concerned expression.

“Recommendation: Considering the Tower Master’s health, I advise stopping the lesson and taking a break—”

“…Just one more page, then I’ll sleep.”

I replied as I moved on to the next magic circle.

Thud!

Something hit my foot. When I looked down under the desk, my smartphone had fallen to the floor.

…Reality suddenly came rushing back.

Snapping out of my trance, I turned on my phone and saw several unread messages and missed calls from a friend.

—Hey, are you not coming to school today?

—What’s going on? Pick up your phone!

—You never skip class. You do realize that three consecutive unexcused absences will get you expelled, right? Are you seriously giving up like this?

—It’s not my place to interfere with your decisions, but if you give up this way, you’ll regret it later. Can’t you reconsider just once?

The last message was especially serious.

After all this concern, I couldn’t just say I had completely forgotten about school.

‘Hmm, what should I do?’

Korea Hunter Academy (KHA).

The most prestigious hunter training institution in South Korea, with the current Hunter Association President as its headmaster.

It was a controversial place, but for me, graduating from there was the fastest path to becoming a professional hunter.

As long as I graduated, I could secure a guild position or even become a government hunter through the Association’s connections. That was why I had been holding on with everything I had.

Of course, surviving at an academy with a graduation rate below 50% was no easy feat, especially with my non-combat-related abilities.

Back then, my entire focus was on enduring life at the academy, and I had tried everything to stay afloat.

But now—

Did I really need the academy anymore?

I had become the master of a mage tower. I had more freedom than ever before. My top priority was no longer surviving at the academy but delving into the study of magic.

Still, dropping out without closure left a bitter taste.

I didn’t like the idea of slinking away, giving those who looked down on me a reason to sneer and say, I knew it would happen.

More importantly, I needed a hunter license to access dungeons freely.

“Eia.”

“Yes, Tower Master?”

“Should I go back to the academy or not?”

I asked abruptly, without context.

She answered instantly.

“If it is an outing, I strongly recommend it. The Tower Master needs fresh air.”

…So she just wanted to kick me out, huh?

After considering everything, I reached my conclusion.

I decided to continue attending the academy for now.

But I had no intention of staying until the official graduation.

I would apply for early graduation in two weeks, obtain my diploma and license, and be done with it.

Now that I had the mage tower and magic, there was nothing to fear.

Just two more weeks.

After four days, I finally threw on my coat and got ready to leave.

* * *

The fresh air outside felt amazing.

Stepping out of the mage tower, I saw countless otherworldly plants that didn’t belong to Earth.

The deeper an area was within an Otherworld’s influence, the more it turned into a jungle of alien plants, and the more frequently monsters appeared.

There was a reason the area around the mage tower was designated a restricted zone.

I opened my phone’s map app.

‘The station’s a bit far. Should I take the bus and transfer?’

As I calculated the optimal route, I heard rustling behind me.

I stopped walking and turned around.

—Grrrrr!

A shaggy, battered monster emerged from the bushes.

Interesting.

“Did you seriously wait here all this time for revenge?”

Maybe it understood my mocking tone, because it let out a fierce roar and charged.

I extended my arm forward.

First, I solidified my mana using the Rune of Fortification to create a shield.

〈Shield〉

Clang!

A magic circle unfolded in front of my palm. The monster’s claws bounced off, unable to pierce through.

It hesitated in surprise. Meanwhile, I had already prepared my next spell.

Next was the Rune of Projection, forming a magic circle to fire an offensive burst of mana.

〈Mana Arrow〉

Woong, woong.

Arrows of pure mana shot out from my hands and struck the monster’s chest. Blood spattered as it thrashed in pain.

Good. I could handle this.

—Kyaaaaaah!

The monster lunged persistently, but I calmly deployed my shield to block every attack while precisely targeting its wounds with mana arrows.

With each arrow that embedded into its body, its movements slowed.

Thunk!

I finally landed a shot in one of its eyes.

The monster writhed in agony, pulling the arrow out and lifting its head—

—Not there. Look up.

〈Gauntlet〉

As the monster froze in confusion, I activated a magic circle above its head.

Then, descending from above, I threw my fist toward the circle.

Srrrng!

The moment my fist passed through the glowing sigil—

Boom!

Like hammering a nail, my mana-coated punch slammed the monster’s skull into the ground.

Brilliant blue sparks crackled around the impact site, a sight I was never tired of.

The monster collapsed, unmoving.

“Ugh, that stung.”

I landed and shook out my tingling arm.

My first victory as a mage.

Just days ago, this monster had been a deadly threat. Now, I had taken it down with my bare hands.

But rather than celebrating, my mind raced with thoughts about magic.

The relationship between magic circle mastery and accuracy.

The duration of Shield.

Gauntlet’s immense power but limited range—

I pondered these things as I exited the restricted zone.

* * *

Hunter Academy.

Fourth-floor mana chamber lecture hall.

“As you all know, modern hunters primarily rely on their unique abilities and ‘special scientific equipment’ made from monster by-products in combat.”

Professor Oh Yeon-hee, an instructor in mana manipulation, continued her lecture.

“Because of this, some people consider mana manipulation a secondary skill, but that’s a mistaken view. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that mana manipulation is the foundation of utilizing one’s unique abilities.”

She pressed a button on the smart pen in her hand, switching to the next slide on the presentation screen.

“Let’s take a look at the screen. If you attach a coloured lens to a flashlight, the light changes color. If you use a convex or concave lens, the light converges or spreads out depending on distance. The same principle applies to a player’s power. Here, think of the lens as your ‘unique ability’ and the flashlight as ‘mana.’ Depending on one’s unique ability, mana can create fire, reinforce the body, restrain enemies, or even crush them.”

The students nodded with serious expressions.

“Once a player’s ‘lens’ is set, it can’t be changed. However, improving the flashlight’s performance or replacing it with a better one is always possible. That’s why mana manipulation is directly tied to growth. Let me emphasize this once again.”

Oh Yeon-hee activated the devices set up on stage. The lighting equipment, reminiscent of a photography studio, concentrated light onto a single point.

All of these were expensive mana amplification devices. She approached them and released her mana.

“You’re all second-years, so you should be able to produce at least a ‘mana thread,’ right?”

A thin blue thread flowed from her index finger.

“Mana is fundamentally gaseous, but players can condense and focus it to form solid threads. These mana threads have countless applications in real combat, making them an essential skill for aspiring pro hunters.”

The mana thread extending from her fingertip coiled and moved, eventually forming the shape of a small flower.

Gasps of admiration arose from the students.

“The most crucial aspects of mana threads are delicate control and concentration. If you lose even a bit of focus, the flower will disappear before it fully blooms.”

As she spoke, the flower she had created dissolved into the air.

“Alright, now it’s your turn. Come up one by one and try it.”

One by one, students stood in front of the mana projectors and attempted to create mana flowers.

Since they didn’t have to worry about mana consumption, they could focus entirely on control.

However, it wasn’t as easy as it seemed. Most students failed.

They could generate mana threads, but either applied too much force and lost the shape or lost concentration midway, causing the threads to scatter into the air.

Despite the failures, Oh Yeon-hee smiled encouragingly.

“Making mistakes at first isn’t embarrassing. But remember, in two weeks, your progress will be graded in a practical assessment, so practice diligently. Next!”

At the mention of an assessment, the students’ expressions stiffened.

Realizing the importance of practice, they began earnestly attempting to form mana flowers even from their seats.

Clunk.

The classroom door opened.

A scrawny-looking Yushin walked in.

“…….”

A cold silence filled the room.

“Sorry for being late.”

He bowed slightly and tried to head to his seat.

“Kim Yushin. I heard you’ve been absent for three days in a row. What happened?”

Oh Yeon-hee stopped him.

“I had some personal matters to take care of.”

His flat, emotionless response made her expression harden.

At Hunter Academy, Kim Yushin was quite infamous.

Despite having a non-combat-oriented ability, he did whatever it took to survive. His efforts went beyond mere hard work—they bordered on madness, leaving those around him in disbelief.

As someone who taught mana manipulation, Oh Yeon-hee appreciated his diligence. She had taken a liking to him, especially since he excelled in her classes.

But something about him today was different.

The passionate, driven Kim Yushin was gone

He wasn’t openly displaying it, but his expression was one of complete detachment.

His attitude toward the lesson lacked any seriousness.

Looks like I’ll have to wake him up a bit.

Oh Yeon-hee spoke up.

“Kim Yushin, put your bag down and come up here immediately.”

“Yes.”

He did as instructed and stood before her.

“Today’s lesson is simple.”

She demonstrated by placing her fingers into the projector’s light and forming a flower with mana threads.

“It’s about shaping forms with mana threads.”

While she explained, the seated students exchanged quiet smirks.

“He’s doomed. The professor is going to tear him apart.”

“She’s strict about class participation. He should’ve known better.”

“If that loser can’t even do this, there’s no hope for him.”

“Even the stubbornness he had is gone now. Say goodbye.”

Yushin’s extreme dedication had always made him stand out, but it hadn’t earned him many friends.

After listening to her explanation, Yushin asked,

“Does it have to be a flower?”

“Anything is fine.”

Nodding, Yushin closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Hooooo…

Slowly exhaling, he opened his eyes.

His expression was ice-cold, his pupils unfocused. That eerie intensity he occasionally displayed had returned.

…That unsettling focus of his is still there.

Oh Yeon-hee shuddered involuntarily as she watched from up close.

Srrrk.

Mana threads began flowing from Yushin’s fingertips.

Not one, but five threads intertwined, extending upward.

Oh Yeon-hee couldn’t believe her eyes.

Simultaneous mana thread control?!

The sturdy threads formed a trunk, then branched out in multiple directions.

From these branches, smaller threads emerged, shaping leaves and blooming flowers.

Oh Yeon-hee’s jaw dropped.

No, this isn’t just simultaneous control…!

Yushin wasn’t merely manipulating multiple threads at once—he was completely dominating his mana, shaping it into threads as he pleased.

“……Huh?”

“What the hell…?”

The students, who had been struggling to form small petals, gaped in disbelief.

While they had only managed to create tiny flowers, Yushin had formed a massive tree in full bloom.

And he didn’t stop there.

The tree continued to grow.

It had long since exceeded the projector’s range, but Yushin no longer needed the machine’s assistance.

The mana-thread tree expanded until it covered the entire ceiling of the classroom, its blossoms shimmering like a breathtaking masterpiece.

Finally satisfied, Yushin turned his head.

Oh Yeon-hee, her face frozen in shock, clung to the podium for support.

“Can I go back to my seat now?”

Her mind had gone completely blank.

As a professor, she was supposed to evaluate students’ work, but this was beyond her comprehension.

This wasn’t just a matter of talent—it shattered every existing convention.

All she could do was nod.

Yushin closed his eyes and took another deep breath.

As he exhaled, the magnificent tree dissipated into the air.

“…….”

“…….”

A heavy silence filled the room.

“T-That’s all for today’s lesson.”

Completely dazed, Oh Yeon-hee ended the class.

“…Haha, that sounds grand. Then tell me, how can I use magic?”

At my question, she raised her arm and pointed upward.

“First, let’s head to the ninth floor. The answer lies there.”

“The ninth floor?”

“Yes, it is where the tower master’s private office is located. This way…”

As I followed Eia, I casually glanced around.

Even at a second look, the place felt incredibly unfamiliar and alien.

If I had to describe it, it was like a chemistry lab, but could a research facility be this extravagant?

Every surface, from the walls to the floor, gleamed with gold, and the central lobby was furnished with plush sofas and cushions.

Scattered about were random objects like cups, proof that people had once lived here.

“This place must have been inhabited in the past, right?”

“Of course. Though for the last ten years, I’ve been alone. This way.”

She led me to a magic circle installed on the floor. Its form was different from the one that had activated in my hand earlier.

“How do I use this?”

“Just step onto it.”

As I stepped onto the magic circle, it lit up brightly and activated.

An interface resembling an elevator’s buttons appeared before me, displaying floors from 1 to 9.

I was currently on the first floor of the mage tower.

The buttons for floors two and up were unlit, except for the ninth floor, which was glowing as if urging me to press it.

I pressed the button.

Vwoom!

A sudden sensation of floating overtook me, and in the blink of an eye, my surroundings changed.

The hovering elevator interface signaled our arrival at the ninth floor with a blue light.

Eia, who had followed me up, gracefully bowed.

“Welcome to the ninth floor, the tower master’s chamber.”

If the first floor felt like a lavish hotel lobby, the ninth floor resembled a tidy and refined private office.

I took a moment to look around.

What captured my attention the most was the night view of Seoul beyond the glass-like walls.

A gasp escaped my lips.

‘…Damn, the night view is insane. This is exactly the kind of place where CEOs in dramas stand with their hands behind their backs.’

As I admired the scenery, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the window—and I flinched in surprise.

My right eye was glowing blue, just like mana.

Even now, the colour was shifting in abstract patterns—sometimes like waves rippling, sometimes like a swirling typhoon.

“Eia, what’s happening to my eye?”

“That eye is the symbol of the tower master—the Eye of the Sage.”

I see. So this is the essence of my unique ability?

It was cool, but it stood out way too much. I made a mental note to buy some coloured lenses later.

After briefly surveying my office, I awkwardly sat down at the desk.

Despite its antique design, it felt as comfortable as a custom chair.

“Then, please rest well.”

Eia disappeared into thin air, seemingly to avoid disturbing me.

Left alone, I took a deep breath and organized my thoughts.

“…Hmm.”

Magic, huh.

Even after reaching the ninth floor, I still had no clue how to use it.

In modern times, players mainly used mana for activating their unique abilities or for mana-coating their weapons and clothes to enhance them.

But now, I was suddenly supposed to cast spells with mana? Anyone would be baffled.

Then, a thought struck me.

‘Maybe it works like in movies—just recite a magic spell, and boom?’

I began searching the ninth floor for a magic book.

Eventually, I found a promising one on a bookshelf in the corner.

The title read: Fundamentals of Magic.

The author: Ruin Kylas.

It reminded me of that high school math textbook that dominated the market for thirty years.

‘Is this what Eia was talking about?’

I opened the book.

The text was in an unfamiliar language, yet I could read it perfectly.

Must be thanks to the Eye of the Sage.

I looked at the author’s opening words.

“What is magic?”

Seated at the desk, I dived into the book.

It had an incredible pull.

Not that the content was particularly thrilling, but I felt like an explorer secretly uncovering knowledge of a new civilization.

After reading about a third of the book—

‘Holy crap, this might actually work!’

I was overcome with the urge to try magic immediately.

At first, I’d read out of mild curiosity, but the deeper I went, the more convinced I became that magic was not some vague, unattainable concept.

With a pounding heart, I flipped back to the first chapter.

“Let’s see… Magic is classified differently by different mages, but the author divides it into three types based on activation conditions: incantation magic, command magic, and magic circles…”

The author recommended focusing on mastering one of the three.

After some thought, I decided on magic circles.

The reason was simple—magic circles were the fastest.

No need to chant or recite anything.

With magic circles, drawing a specific sigil with mana would immediately cast a spell.

Once mastered, I’d be able to draw them mid-air, enabling rapid activation even in battle.

It was flexible enough to be effective even in the fast-paced combat scenarios of modern monster encounters.

‘For my first spell, I should start with something simple, right?’

I decided to learn “Gauntlet,” one of the three fundamental magic circles.

The Fundamentals of Magic was structured so that beginners could follow along step by step, making it easy to replicate the process.

— First, select the location where you wish to draw the magic circle and spread your mana broadly, as if laying down a flat canvas.

It seemed that mages in this world referred to this as the “Base.”

I layered two bases over the desk and placed my fingertip on top of them.

As if holding a brush, a blue dot appeared where my finger touched. I concentrated my mana into my fingertip and turned to the next page.

— Now, to form the “Field,” draw a precise circle.

Ugh, I’m stuck already.

Drawing a perfect circle freehand is no easy task.

But despite my worries, my finger moved as if I were using a compass, creating an almost flawless circle.

I stared at my finger in disbelief for a moment before moving on to the next step.

Next was rune writing.

“Runes” were essentially letters imbued with magical power. By using mana to inscribe these characters, one could trigger magical effects.

Following the book’s instructions, I carefully inscribed a rune at the center of the circle.

“Ohh.”

Even though this was my first time attempting such a task, my finger moved with confidence, as if I had done it countless times before.

In the blink of an eye, I had replicated the rune almost perfectly.

— Now, write the activation formula along the circle’s perimeter.

Creating a magic circle was easier than I expected.

It felt similar to an electrical engineering student assembling a circuit board, inserting electronic components, and soldering connections during a lab exercise.

Ten minutes later—

“It looks pretty legit.”

I observed my first completed magic circle.

I had initially imagined something adorned with six-pointed stars and elaborate engravings, but in reality, it resembled a complex mathematical formula neatly arranged within a circle.

I wasn’t entirely convinced it would work, but I couldn’t deny my growing excitement.

Now for the final step.

I placed my finger on the central rune and infused it with a steady flow of mana.

Whoooom!

The mana I channeled into the rune spread out in all directions, activating various components as it followed the complex formulas.

The energy flowed smoothly, reaching the outer edges of the circle.

Like water finding its way through the crevices of the earth, the mana coursed through the magic circle with a structured, rhythmic motion.

At last, mana circulated evenly throughout the entire formation, causing its blue glow to intensify.

This was incredible.

I was overwhelmed with pride, feeling as though I had created a living, breathing system rather than a mere diagram.

Now, it was time to test whether the magic circle actually worked.

I carefully lifted the magic circle off the desk and released it.

It remained suspended in midair, as if anchored to an invisible coordinate.

Holding my breath, I reached out with my right hand and pushed it into the magic circle.

“Please work! Please…!”

Srrrng.

As my right hand entered the circle, I felt a sensation akin to slipping into a soft fur glove.

The once-flat formation reshaped itself into a three-dimensional structure, molding itself to fit my fingers.

Encouraged, I pushed my arm in further.

Swoosh!

At last, my hand emerged from the other side, now enveloped in a shimmering layer of mana.

[You have successfully completed your first Gauntlet magic circle.]
[Intelligence has increased by 1.]
[Concentration has increased by 1.]

“…It worked!”

At that moment, a flood of emotions surged through me.

A cursed compatibility trait. A unique ability that, despite my high mana reserves, had never made me stronger.

I had struggled endlessly to raise my stats, enduring countless hardships.

And now, all of that effort had finally paid off.

“I should test its power.”

According to The Fundamentals of Magic, Gauntlet was a strike-based magic spell.

Scanning my surroundings for an appropriate target, I settled on the wall.

Since the tower had withstood military bombardment, a simple punch shouldn’t cause much damage, right?

Bracing myself, I extended my leg and clenched my fist, now wrapped in shimmering blue mana.

Then, I threw a full-force punch straight at the wall.

KWOOM!

A thunderous impact echoed through the room as my fist rebounded from the collision.

The Gauntlet dispersed after delivering a massive shockwave, leaving a visible dent in the wall in the shape of my knuckles.

“This actually works!”

Gathering mana in my fist alone wouldn’t have generated this level of force.

This was undeniably magic.

“Heh… Heheheh.”

I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

The world’s first true mage had just been born.

Crash!

Suddenly, I was sucked in with such force that I lost my balance and tumbled to the ground. Grabbing my throbbing knee, I slowly opened my eyes.

It was pitch black.

Was this the inside of the tower?

Cautiously, I took out my smartphone from my pocket and turned it on.

“Damn, the screen’s a little cracked.”

The fact that I was worrying about my phone even in this situation meant I was still alive.

Letting out a dry chuckle, I turned on the flashlight function and brightened my surroundings.

As the light spread, the first thing that entered my view was a wooden table, seemingly carved from solid wood.

Above it, bizarrely shaped glass tubes stretched out like cobwebs, sprawling in every direction.

Though dried up, glass bottles that once seemed to contain liquid were scattered throughout the space.

…What is this place? A laboratory?

A creeping sense of dread began to stir in my chest.

At that moment, sparks flared in the darkness.

A single, focused beam of light shone directly onto me, freezing me in place.

—Intruder detected.
—Name: Kim Yushin. Identified as a “Child of Mana” on the registry.
—Lifting the dormancy of the Magic Tower.

A cold, monotonous female voice echoed.

Then, in the pitch-black void, shimmering particles of light gathered, merging into the form of a woman with closed eyes.

Her radiant silver hair gleamed like captured moonlight, and her red eyes, regal and alien, confirmed one thing for me the moment they met mine.

She wasn’t human.

“I have been waiting for you, Candidate Kim Yushin,” she said.

“The will of the Magic Tower has deemed you the most suitable individual on your planet to inherit the title of Tower Master.”

“…What? What do you mean—?”

She quietly spread her arms.

Fwoooosh!

In an instant, the world flipped.

A brilliant white light swallowed everything, engulfing the darkness entirely.

When I opened my tightly shut eyes, I was floating in midair alongside her.

Before us stood a massive tower, stretching into the sky.

[The Magic Tower was once the supreme institution overseeing the continent of Erendel.]

We ascended rapidly toward the tower.

Soaring past its peak, we finally halted in the vast expanse of the heavens.

The clouds felt almost within reach.

When I looked down, a sprawling city of an unfamiliar civilization unfolded below.

[Potions, golems, artifacts, climate control, even dimensions—each floor holds overwhelming knowledge and technology. Every aspect of this continent built upon mana’s power…]

Wooooong! Wooooong! Wooooong!

Suddenly, magic circles erupted simultaneously atop every structure in the city—buildings, roads, fountains, even the palace.

[—all of it belongs to the Magic Tower.]

“…Oh.”

I couldn’t help but be impressed.

The production value was insane.

[What is it that you desire, Candidate Kim Yushin?]

She turned to look at me.

[Do you wish to reign above all? To unravel the truths of the world? Speak your wish. The Magic Tower possesses the power to fulfill it.]

Fwoosh!

The light disappeared, and we returned to the dim interior of the tower.

Was that… a projection?

“Candidate Kim Yushin. I sincerely hope you will become the 14th Tower Master and lead the revival of magical civilization.”

She placed a hand over her chest and bowed gracefully.

“…Uh, um.”

Honestly, I was overwhelmed.

This was happening way too fast.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and asked,

“…What happens if I become the Tower Master?”

“You will gain exclusive control over all magic in this world.”

My mind momentarily froze.

Magic? That actually exists?

Ever since the Overlay Incident, Earth had Hunters, sure, but no mages.

“This world has yet to truly grasp magic,” she added, as if reading my thoughts.

“If you desire, you may even rule over it.”

Wait, what? Now we’re talking world domination?

“Now, Candidate Kim Yushin. Please, give your answer.”

She looked utterly confident, as if my acceptance was a inevitable conclusion.

…But wait.

Shouldn’t I be a little suspicious of all this?

She was making it sound like an absolute dream—power, wealth, prestige, even world domination.

But nothing in life comes free.

There had to be a catch.

Would I have to sell my soul? Sacrifice my lifespan?

There were plenty of possibilities.

As I hesitated, taking my time to think, her previously unreadable expression began to show hints of unease.

Something smelled fishy.

I decided to toss out some bait.

“Can I have a few days to think about it?”

For a split second, I caught the way her expression stiffened.

“Question. Why would this require contemplation?”

“It’s a life-altering decision. I need to consider it carefully.”

“This is an opportunity granted to only a select few. Please reconsider.”

…Her argument made no sense.

“I do not understand. Becoming the Tower Master, the overseer of all magic, is the greatest honor one could attain. What is there to think?”

…That’s what I’m asking you to explain.

As I continued to give vague responses, her fidgeting became more apparent.

Her mask of composure cracked, her fingers anxiously twitching.

…Honestly, she was starting to look kind of pitiful.

“Then be honest with me,” I said.

“I will answer to the best of my knowledge.”

“What’s the price of becoming the Tower Master?”

She tilted her head.

“There is no price.”

“Nothing like a shortened lifespan, a bound soul, or permanent confinement to the tower?”

“Negative. Everything remains within Candidate Kim Yushin’s freedom. If you wish, you may become the Tower Master and never return here.”

For the first time, she looked… a little lonely.

“So please reconsider…”

“Are you absolutely sure there’s no cost?”

“Of course.”

She didn’t seem to be lying.

Caution was good, but let’s be real—it’s not like I had much to lose.

Even if there was a cost, it had to be better than my current miserable life.

“Alright. I’ll do it. I’ll become the Tower Master.”

At last, her face brightened.

“Then, Candidate Kim Yushin. We shall begin the succession immediately.”

As if afraid I’d change my mind, she quickly stepped forward and placed her hand above my head.

Wooooosh!

A flood of knowledge surged into my mind, nearly knocking me off my feet.

At the same time, the tower’s mana was forcefully pouring into my body.

“…Kh!”

It was a sensation unlike anything I had ever experienced.

Rather than pain from injury, it was an overwhelming and suffocating feeling—an unbearable pressure as something foreign crammed itself into every fiber of my being.

I couldn’t think straight.

“Grhh…!”

A strained groan escaped my clenched teeth.

If this kept up, I’d lose my mind—no, I might end up a complete wreck.

It was excruciating.

I wanted to scream for it to stop, but no voice came out.

I writhed on the floor, clawing at the walls, desperately fighting against the alien sensation.

How much time passed like that?

Finally, the overwhelming surge began to subside, and as I lay there, completely drained, a new player notification popped up before my eyes.

[You have become the 14th Tower Master.]
[You have been granted the Tower Master’s privileges.]
[All ownership of the Magic Tower has been successfully transferred.]

“Haaah… Haaah…”

As I pushed myself upright, the silver-haired woman knelt on one knee and lowered her head with reverence.

“I greet the 14th Tower Master.”

At that moment, the once-dark Magic Tower flickered to life, its full interior revealing itself before me.

“…!”

I was overwhelmed by the sight.

Like changing into new clothes, the traces of time that had dried and clung over the long years were peeled away, revealing the pinnacle of grandeur.

The walls and floors gleamed in golden brilliance, exuding the height of luxury. Quiet, medieval European-style furniture filled the space, while radiant chandeliers asserted their presence from the ceiling.

On the smooth table beside them, a fluorescent liquid flowed along the tangled tubes.

Though the situation felt utterly surreal, I recalled the last player message I had seen.

‘…So this place is mine now?’

In the era of 21st-century hunters, that was how I became the master of the mage tower.

---

After undergoing what she called “succession,” I was experiencing a profound transformation.

First, I could sense mana more acutely than before.

Previously, I had only understood and wielded mana as the movement of energy. But now, I could perceive and control even the finest streams and properties of mana flowing through each strand of my veins.

Additionally, there was a new visual effect—I could now distinguish mana by its light and dark shades.

Areas glowing with deep blue indicated high mana concentration, whereas dimmer areas held less mana.

It was a realm of perception I had never experienced before.

I figured I should check my status window. It was something I did habitually every day, yet today, for some reason, I felt more tense than usual…

Name: Kim Yushin
Innate Ability: Sage’s Eye
Personal Traits: [Child of Mana Lv.1] [Over-Immersion Lv.6] [Analysis Lv.1]
Basic Stats: [Magic 58] [Agility 8] [Strength 6] [Stamina 5]
Special Stats: [Focus 3] [Endurance 2] [Intelligence 2]
Total Stats: [84]
New Traits: New! [Master of the Mage Tower Lv.10] New! [Magical Engineering Lv.10] New! [Spell Lord Lv.10] New! [Potion Brewing Lv.5]

They say when people are too shocked, they become speechless.

That was exactly my state right now.

My stats remained the same. Clearly, my physical abilities and mana capacity hadn’t changed.

But four incredibly rare personal traits had been added, and—most shockingly—my innate ability had changed from ‘Detection’ to ‘Sage’s Eye.’

It was common knowledge that innate abilities were unchangeable. There were exceptions, but they never changed easily.

At least in Korea, I was likely the first case of such an occurrence.

…Was this a dream or reality?

Now that something I had only fantasized about in dreams had become real, I didn’t feel a rush of joy—just stunned disbelief.

I turned to look at the woman who had made me the master of this mage tower.

“Does every tower master receive this kind of power?”

“Affirmative. And from now on, you should speak less formally, Tower Master.”

“…Ah. R-right.”

She clasped her hands together and bowed politely. Since we had just met, the formality still felt awkward.

“Um, listen. I’ve been through so many absurd situations today…”

“Please speak, Tower Master.”

“This isn’t some kind of dream or illusion, is it?”

Without a word, she gestured in the air.

My smartphone, which had been lying on the floor, flew smoothly into her hand and then into mine.

“If pinching your cheek isn’t enough, you may check your personal information.”

“…”

I turned on my phone.

A flood of push notifications from a game I had installed for fun, advertisements for loans and illegal sites—all painfully mundane.

Particularly, my empty messenger app and the insufficient balance alerts from my bank were far too real.

With a wry smile, I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

“Yeah. It’s real.”

“I’m glad you’ve accepted it.”

“Can I ask a few things?”

“Of course.”

My nerves eased. I had countless questions, but first, this one came to mind.

“Who are you?”

“I am a homunculus synchronized with the mage tower. I manage and activate all of its functions.”

“Homunculus?”

“A magical artificial lifeform.”

The concept of a homunculus was somewhat unfamiliar, but from what she said, it seemed she was essentially the tower’s controller.

“What’s your name?”

“Blank. I have none.”

Seeing my puzzled expression, she elaborated.

“Homunculi synchronized with a mage tower are discarded when a tower master changes. A new entity is then created to serve the incoming master. I was born when the tower transferred to this planet ten years ago. Since I have been alone ever since, I have never received a name.”

I see.

She had the appearance of a captivating young woman, yet in truth, she was a ten-year-old AI…

“Then, do you have any memories from before? From the world this tower originally came from?”

“I have no personal memories, only retained data.”

Since she was created after the Overlay Phenomenon, that made sense. I nodded and sat down on a nearby sofa.

Alright, no need to overthink this.

I decided to focus on enjoying the privileges I had just gained.

“So, what should I call you?”

“It has always been the tower master’s right to decide a homunculus’s designation.”

Naming, huh?

I was surprisingly good at this kind of thing.

“How about Homun, since you’re a homunculus?”

“Rejected. I dislike it.”

Her refusal was shockingly firm.

“…Wait, didn’t you just say naming you was my right?”

“I determined that your lackluster naming sense disqualifies you as a human. Hence, I rejected it.”

…A completely self-willed AI.

I pondered for a moment before offering another name.

“Ah! Since you’re an AI, how about Bixby?”

“Please wait a moment.”

She closed her eyes for a brief second before decisively replying.

“Rejected. I dislike it.”

“…Why this time?”

“I refuse to be compared to such a mere scrap-metal AI system.”

She even had unnecessary pride.

Wait a second—

“How do you even know about smartphone AI software?”

Crossing her arms, she confidently answered,

“I Googled it.”

For a moment, I thought I had misheard.

“I successfully connected to this planet’s internet system over the past ten years to gather information. This world isn’t as dull as I expected.”

At this point, she wasn’t a homunculus of the mage tower—she was just a walking search engine.

I sighed and thought of another name.

“Alright then. Since you’re an AI, how about something simple like ‘Eia’?”

“…”

She slowly repeated the name to herself before nodding.

“Affirmative. I have registered ‘Eia’ as my call name.”

Thank goodness she accepted.

Rather than naming her, I felt like I was getting approval for my choice.

“Alright, Eia. What do I do now?”

“A homunculus has no authority to interfere with the tower master’s future directives.”

“Now that I’m the master, aren’t there any responsibilities or obligations?”

“As I mentioned before, no obligations are imposed on a tower master.”

So I gained all this power and remained free?

Nice. Very nice.

“However, if I may advise you on a future directive, I recommend conquering the world to restore the tower’s authority.”

There it was again—world domination.

“Let me ask, what exactly is your definition of world domination?”

“To subjugate all humans in this world and place them beneath the tower master’s rule.”

“Hmm, that might be what world domination meant in your world, but here, it’s different.”

“…?”

“Here, this is what it means.”

I made a coin gesture with my fingers.

“Strength-based conquest is outdated. In a capitalist era, power lies in wealth. Multinational corporations like Google, which accumulate overwhelming capital from across the globe, are the closest thing to world conquerors.”

“Understood. Then the first goal of the mage tower is to earn money.”

“…Yeah, let’s go with that for now. But more importantly—”

Now, onto what I truly wanted to ask.

“You mentioned magic earlier. Can I use it too?”

She nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Affirmative. No one on this planet can surpass the tower master in magic.”

“Please take me to Sanggye-dong.”

When I said that from the back seat of the taxi, the driver widened his eyes in surprise and asked again.

“Sanggye-dong?”

“Yes.”

The driver turned on the meter and stepped on the accelerator.

“What are you going there for? That gloomy neighborhood?”

“…Haha, I just have some business to take care of.”

“Most people avoid that place. You know, because of that strange tower.”

“That’s true.”

They called it the Overlay Phenomenon.

Scholars explained that the sudden appearance of otherworldly monsters and never-before-seen plants on Earth in recent years was due to another world being layered over ours.

Of course, it wasn’t just flora and fauna that had been transferred to Earth.

Artifacts from another world.
Languages from another world.
Civilization from another world.

And most importantly, ruins from another world had also appeared.

Ancient imperial palaces, floating gardens, dragon nests, underwater cities—though they were devoid of inhabitants, they were undeniable remnants of another civilization.

One such ruin had manifested in Seoul, South Korea.

A massive tower, which had been transposed along with the Overlay Incident.

Seoul, already home to Namsan Tower and Lotte Tower, had suddenly gained a third tower. But people didn’t welcome this new landmark.

“There are so many eerie rumors about it,” the taxi driver said.

“They say it attracts monsters, or that it’s swarming with creatures planning to invade the world.”

I nodded. The people who had suffered irreparable losses from monsters had developed a deep hate to anything from the other world.

In reality, the area surrounding the tower had become a restricted zone due to frequent monster appearances.

“They say even the military tried to demolish the tower, but no matter what they used—bullets, missiles, you name it—they couldn’t even scratch it!”

“Amazing.”

“Judging by your gear, you look like a Hunter. Be careful, alright?”

I nodded and gave the talkative driver a faint smile.

There was something I couldn’t tell him.

I wasn’t a Hunter.
I was a mage.

And that tower—
It’s mine now.

---

Six Months Ago

Ever since the Overlay Incident, when another world overlapped with Earth, humanity had been forced to confront a new predator—monsters.

Like weeds sprouting in an untended field, monsters would suddenly appear without rhyme or reason.

And the only ones capable of hunting these creatures—
Players.

Like characters in a video game, Players could hunt monsters, gain experience, and grow infinitely stronger.

However, not all Players could become Pro Hunters.

---

Name: Kim Yushin

Unique Ability: Detection

Personal Traits:

• [Over-Immersion Lv.6]
• [Analysis Lv.1]
• [Child of Mana Lv.1]

Base Stats:

• [Magic Power 56]
• [Agility 7]
• [Strength 5]
• [Stamina 5]

Special Stats:

• [Focus 3]
• [Endurance 2]
• [Intelligence 2]

Total Stats: [80]

---

“My stats still haven’t gone up…”

For months, I had been working out at an expensive Player-only gym to increase my Strength.

I had also been doing intense cardio workouts to improve my Stamina.

For five months, I had stuck to this grueling regimen.

Yet my stats refused to budge.

Two years had passed since I had awakened as a Player, and my growth had been painfully slow.

I sighed and leaned my head back, exhausted.

The subway rattled as it moved along the tracks.

I glanced around at the other passengers.

Middle school students laughing and chatting while throwing around bizarre slang.
A father waving to his young daughter on a video call.
A woman lost in her own world, earphones in.

Just another ordinary day.

A day no different from yesterday.

To me, this was stagnation. A life that refused to move forward.

…I’m getting all philosophical again.

Feeling my mood sour, I switched from my depressing status window to my smartphone.

As always, the top news on the portal site was about famous Hunters.

[Oracle Guild Team 1, led by Team Leader Kim Hajin, has finally conquered the ‘Shrine of Thunderclap’!]

[Exclusive: What kind of dungeon was the ‘Shrine of Thunderclap,’ where three guilds had previously failed?]

[Kim Hajin: ‘The real MVP was our Tank, Cha Young-ho.’]

[Artifact discovered in the Shrine of Thunderclap: ‘Ring of the Underworld’ estimated value – 70 billion won.]

I clicked my tongue. Man, I wish I could raid dungeons too.

It was well-known that the best way for a Player to grow stronger wasn’t through training but through hunting monsters in dungeons.

I knew that.

But I was classified as non-combat viable by the Hunter Association, which meant I wasn’t even allowed to enter a dungeon.

Why?

Because modern Hunters needed a powerful Unique Ability to be useful in combat.

And my Unique Ability, Detection, only let me see other people’s status windows.

If anyone ever tried to tell me, “But isn’t that useful for gathering intel?” I’d respond with a polite smile and say:

“Then why don’t YOU try fighting monsters just by looking at status windows?”

…Yeah.

A completely useless ability.

I could probably get a desk job as a Guild Scout, but that wasn’t what I wanted.

I wanted to be a real Hunter—the kind that fought on the front lines.

I sighed and glanced at my status window again.

Base Stats:

• [Magic Power 56]
• [Agility 7]
• [Strength 5]
• [Stamina 5]

Pathetic stats.

But if I had one redeeming quality, it was my abnormally high Magic Power.

Thanks to my trait, Child of Mana, my Magic Power increased just by breathing.

But here’s the problem—

Magic Power only amplifies a Player’s Unique Ability.

If a Fire-based Player had high Magic Power, they could unleash stronger and more versatile flames.

But for someone like me, whose Unique Ability was Detecting status windows?

What, was I supposed to read status windows extra hard?

Utterly useless.

The only thing I was good at had no purpose.

Every single person who saw my stats had the same reaction.

A failed character.
A warrior build with all stats dumped into Magic Power.
A status-window-obsessed loser.

Even so—

I refused to give up on becoming a Pro Hunter.

I only had one option left.

I had to increase my Strength and Stamina until I could brute-force my way into a combat role.

But without dungeon access, that was easier said than done.

---

The subway intercom chimed.

“This train’s final stop is Sanggye Station. Sanggye Station.”

I sighed and grabbed my bag as I stood up.

Outside the window, the tower loomed over the station.

Alright. No more whining. Time to get moving.

---

Sanggye-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul.

The neighborhood was filled with old, gray buildings.

Shattered concrete rubble littered the streets.

This was probably the cheapest place to live in Seoul right now.

And I was looking straight at the reason why.

The massive gray tower—the city’s greatest eyesore.

That tower was said to attract monsters and house a Demon King inside.

Most of those were just urban legends.

But one thing was certain—

The area around the tower was a restricted zone due to its extreme otherworldly influence.

And the reason I had come here?

I pulled out my phone and opened a bookmarked page.

[Monster Hunting Spots]
– No hunting permits or dungeon licenses needed!
– How to sneak into a restricted zone without getting caught.

That’s right.

I was here to poach monsters.

And nothing was going to stop me.

I was beginning to feel the limitations of simple physical training, the Earthly method of growth.

If the Association wouldn’t permit me to enter dungeons under the excuse of being “non-combat personnel,” then I’d have no choice but to hunt monsters on my own to raise my stats.

As the sky darkened, I made my way toward the restricted zone.

Past the gray concrete buildings, I spotted the area in the distance—where foreign trees grew wildly like a jungle.

It was surrounded by barbed wire and barricades, filled with “No Entry” signs, a clear warning of danger.

A silent command to turn back immediately.

I swallowed dryly.

‘Alright, let’s go in.’

I checked my entry point once more.

The restricted zone wasn’t exactly heavily guarded.

The monsters here generally stayed within their territory. Occasionally, hunters would enter for cleanup operations, but the creatures kept appearing as if they were respawning endlessly.

This was why both the government and the Hunter Association had given up on this troublesome land.

Deploying dozens of official hunters here would be a waste of resources.

The Association was already struggling just to handle the monsters that appeared directly within major cities.

Following instructions I’d found online, I climbed a secluded hill, slipped over the barbed wire, and entered the restricted zone.

Luckily, there were no cameras or guards in sight.

‘Alright, time to prepare.’

I set down my bag and pulled out a white baton-like weapon.

It had an official name, but I just called it a steel pipe.

Made from a mixture of monster bones and metal, it was designed to absorb mana.

Closing my eyes, I focused my mind to the utmost limit.

I could feel the mana flowing gently within my body.

Carefully, I intervened in its flow, guiding it as if redirecting the course of a river, slowly channeling it into the steel pipe in my right hand.

Wooong!

I felt strength drain from my body as the pipe’s surface took on a faint bluish glow.

Success.

This was the fundamental technique of players—Mana Coating.

By infusing ordinary objects with mana, they could be transformed into deadly weapons against monsters.

With my preparations complete, I cautiously surveyed my surroundings and began to walk.

It was around 7 PM now, and the forest, shrouded in darkness, was eerily ominous.

It wasn’t too late.

I could still turn back now.

I forcefully shook off the uneasy thoughts that flickered through my mind.

The Player Evaluation was fast approaching.

I had to raise my Strength and Stamina stats before then to escape the “non-combat personnel” designation.

After that, I could hunt monsters through proper channels and grow stronger.

I was desperate.

Rustle. Rustle.

There was movement beyond the bushes.

I silenced my footsteps and hid behind a tree, peeking out cautiously.

A monster!

Gurma.

The monster had a face where the eyes, nose, and mouth were arranged without any apparent order, making it look as if its creator had abandoned it midway through. It bounced around with a roly-poly body and used its large, rabbit-like ears as arms to attack people.

Thank goodness.

Gurma was considered the weakest, ranked 1 among monsters by players.

If the monsters in this restricted area had been rank 2 or higher, I would have had no chance.

I wanted to approach undetected and launch a surprise attack, but it seemed the creature had spotted me first. It twisted its large ears into fists and bounced toward me.

‘Stay calm.’

I remained in place, watching Gurma’s movements until the last moment, then bent backward.

Whoooosh!

The attack cut through the air right in front of my eyes, making my hair stand on end.

It was powerful, but the pattern was straightforward.

As the next attack came, I dodged by leaning my shoulder back and then—

Smaaash!

I swung the steel pipe with full force at its side.

Its jelly-like body caved in, turning gray.

-Kururuk!

Gurma sprang up like a roly-poly and launched a flurry of attacks.

But at best, it was a repetitive one-two pattern.

Dodging continuously, I thought about its weak points.

Besides its side, where else?

Oh, right.

I dodged another attack by tilting my head back, then used a tree behind me as a foothold to leap into the air.

And while airborne—

Whoooosh!

I delivered a crushing blow to its head with all my weight behind it.

With a sickening pop, its jelly-like head burst slightly, and more than half of its upper body turned gray.

As I landed, I deflected an incoming attack and twisted my body to launch a kick.

Crunch!

At last, Gurma’s entire body turned gray before crumbling with a soft fsssh.

…Victory!

[Magic power has increased by 1.]

“Huff! Huff! Hahh!”

I actually defeated a monster!

Are you watching, Association bastards? Why am I considered expendable?!

…Lost in self-congratulation, I snapped back to reality and checked my stats.

Everything was fine, except that, despite fighting in close combat, my magic power had increased instead of my strength or stamina.

What a cursed trait.

Still, at this rate, it wouldn’t be long before my other stats started rising too.

I got up with renewed vigor and resumed the hunt.

---

After getting a taste for hunting, I swung my steel pipe late into the night without realizing the time.

Today’s gains: +2 magic power, +1 agility, and +1 strength.

Considering I had seen no progress despite months of intense training, this was an incredibly fast pace.

‘Maybe I should stop here for today.’

Honestly, I wasn’t in the best condition.

My stamina was fine, but fighting monsters after such a long time must have unsettled the mana inside me. It was boiling unsteadily.

I wasn’t sure what was happening, but it was a bit frightening. Stories of players dying from mana reflux were all over the internet.

Deciding to head back, I turned around.

“…”

I had been so absorbed in hunting Gurma that I hadn’t noticed my surroundings turning pitch black.

The skeletal trees stretching out in all directions made the scene eerily ominous.

Even getting out of here was going to be a problem.

I turned on my smartphone and checked GPS and the map app.

I had wandered deep into the forest.

‘…Seriously.’

I knew.

I was aware of my problem.

Once I got fixated on something, I couldn’t easily pull myself away.

There had to be a reason why the first personal trait I awakened as a player was “Over-Immersion.”

‘I should hurry.’

Following the map, I started walking.

It was so dark that I wanted to use my flashlight, but that might attract other monsters, so I held back.

Thud.

Something was under my foot.

The sensation was completely different from bare ground, and it shot through my brain like an alarm.

I lifted my foot and stepped down again.

“…!”

Bare ground this time.

Goosebumps ran down my entire body.

I quickly turned off my smartphone and took a few steps back.

A low, eerie growl spread through the darkness.

Damn it!

This wasn’t another Gurma.

Without hesitation, I sprinted in the opposite direction of the sound.

-Kyaaaaah!

A monstrous screech burst out from behind me.

I dove into the bushes.

I couldn’t see properly, so I had to push forward blindly with my arms.

Scratches from branches stung all over my body.

Snap! Crash!

Behind me, entire trees were being broken and uprooted.

I was being chased by a powerful monster.

And to make matters worse, the unstable mana inside me was surging even more violently.

“Huff! Huff!”

Ragged breaths escaped my lips.

At least all my stamina training was paying off in this moment.

But no matter what, I wouldn’t be able to outrun this thing.

What should I do?

What can I do?

Whoosh!

A gust of wind swept past my back.

Instinctively, I ducked.

A chilling sensation passed just over my head.

Cold sweat dripped down my face as I looked up.

A black-furred beast had just leapt over me, its fierce eyes locked onto mine.

This is bad.

Screeech!

The hairy monster slid across the dirt, then leaped at me again with agility.

Cornered, I gritted my teeth and swung my steel pipe.

Thunk.

But the monster caught it effortlessly.

Panicking, I let go and backed away.

The creature bent the steel pipe in half and tossed it aside as if to mock me.

…A different league entirely.

This was at least a rank 3 monster.

It lunged again, swinging its arm. I barely managed to dodge, but in my haste, I didn’t notice the tree behind me and crashed into it.

The sudden impact rattled my body, momentarily draining my strength.

-Grrr…

Having cornered its prey, the monster came closer, ready to deliver the final blow.

No weapon.

No combat abilities.

My only talent was detection.

Even as a player, there was no way I could win against this beast.

“…Urgh!”

To make matters worse, my mana finally erupted like an active volcano.

A red warning light flashed in my mind.

“Huff! Hah!”

Gritting my teeth, I stretched my trembling hand toward the monster.

If I didn’t release my mana now, I would explode before the creature even touched me.

I had to release it somehow.

I focused on pushing the raging mana out through my palm.

Unlike when I infused mana into my steel pipe, this time, the wild energy eagerly surged down my arm.

Then—

Fwoooosh!

With a sensation like finally solving a years-old constipation problem, my palm burst with light.

‘…What the hell?’

The mana formed lines, weaving together into a shape.

Its radiant glow painted the dark void with detailed strokes, forming—

A massive magic circle.

Vwooooooom!

A pillar of light shot from the magic circle, striking the monster directly.

The beast was engulfed in blinding radiance and sent flying out of sight.

The sheer force knocked me back as well.

Thud!

In the distance, trees crashed to the ground in a chaotic mess.

‘…Did I really do that?’

Dazed, I looked at my palm, then turned my gaze forward.

Somehow, I had ended up near the gray tower.

And on its surface—

The exact same symbol I had just drawn in the air.

“…”

Seoul’s disease.

The monsters’ stronghold.

All sorts of bad rumors flooded my mind, yet I found myself walking toward it as if drawn by something.

It wasn’t a rational decision.

It was pure instinct.

A certainty—if I didn’t enter now, I would regret it forever.

Finally, I reached the tightly shut entrance of the magic tower and placed my palm against it.

Shhhk!

As if welcoming me, the door swallowed me whole.