Kaun's fingers loosened.
The spear slipped from his grasp and struck the ground with a dull metallic sound that echoed across the endless sky of the 100th floor. For a moment, his body trembled, caught between resistance and surrender. Then he took a step forward.
And another.
Finally, he knelt.
The black-faced man watched him silently, his formless eyes burning with satisfaction.
"Good choice, my seed," the being said, his voice carrying a strange warmth, as though victory itself had taken form.
Kaun lowered his head.
The man extended his hand, moving it toward Kaun's crown, prepared to claim what he believed was submission.
Suddenly—
A sharp whistle cut through the air.
A dagger flashed like lightning.
Before the man could react, the blade sliced cleanly through his neck. His head separated from his body, spinning violently through the sky as black fragments of light scattered in its wake.
"You arrogant… seed—!" the man roared, his voice tearing apart mid-sentence as his head flew away.
In that instant, Kaun moved.
Amid the chaos, a faint blue glow pulsed from within the severed head—a small pearl-like core, shimmering with condensed energy. Instinct screamed louder than reason.
Kaun leapt forward and slashed.
The spear tore through the glowing pearl.
The moment it shattered, blue smoke exploded outward, swallowing the entire floor. The sky cracked like glass, and reality itself seemed to groan.
Then the system voice echoed.
[ You have defeated the 100th Floor Boss ]
[ You have soloed the 100th Floor ]
[ You have completed the Impossible Quest ]
[ Rewards have been tripled ]
[ You have obtained the Wish Gem ]
Kaun stood there, chest heaving, his spear trembling in his grip.
"The immortal one…" he muttered, his voice cold. "In the end, you were nothing more than a boss monster."
He looked at the fading remains of the being.
"And there is always a way to kill a boss."
The Wish Gem appeared in his hand, radiating a soft, comforting light—warm, gentle, inviting.
Kaun closed his eyes.
"I wish," he said firmly, "that my planet Kira returns to the way it once was. That life becomes possible again. That all my friends, my family—everyone—revives."
The Wish Gem shattered.
The Tower screamed.
Its walls crumbled into dust, its rules dissolved, and Kaun's equipment disintegrated into particles of light. The sky collapsed inward.
And then—
Silence.
Kaun found himself standing before a familiar door.
His house.
The scent of flowers filled the air. Birds chirped from nearby trees. Somewhere, a dog barked as a vehicle passed by, its horn blaring impatiently. The warmth of sunlight touched his skin in a way he had not felt for countless years.
It was Kira.
Alive.
His hands shook as he reached for the doorbell and rang it.
"Coming… coming… who comes at this hour?" an elderly woman's voice called from inside.
The door opened.
Rita stood there, holding a floor wiper, her brows knitting together in irritation rather than shock.
"What are you doing here?" she scolded. "Don't you have an interview at Highbuild today?"
Kaun froze.
Then his vision blurred.
Without a word, he stepped forward and hugged her tightly, his shoulders shaking.
"I'm sorry, Mom," he whispered, tears spilling freely. "I was nervous. I missed you."
She stiffened, then sighed.
"Alright, alright," she said, patting his back awkwardly. "Enough crying. Come inside and help me clean."
She turned, already walking away.
"And have you eaten?" she added. "I made chapati. Go wash up first."
Kaun followed her inside.
And life went on.
Ten years passed.
Kaun secured a job at Highbuild. Promotions came easily. His mother's cancer disappeared as though it had never existed. He married the woman he once admired from afar. They had two children. His subordinates respected him—even when he was harsh, they reflected instead of resenting him.
Everything was perfect.
Too perfect.
Standing alone one night, Kaun frowned.
"Could this be… a trap?" he murmured.
The thought refused to leave his mind.
"I should test it."
He walked to the terrace, gazing up at the clear sky, then summoned his spear. With all his power, he hurled his aura upward.
It vanished.
He exhaled in relief.
"I'm overthinking," he muttered. "The Tower wouldn't lie."
He turned—
BOOM.
A collision echoed above, deep and unnatural.
Kaun froze.
He attacked again.
The same sound.
Again.
And again.
Hundreds of strikes followed, each confirming the impossible truth: something existed beyond the sky.
Then voices.
"I think he realized he's trapped in his desire."
"What do we do? If the Creators find out, we're dead."
"Quiet. I think he can hear us."
"Should we kill him?"
"No. Inform the Bird."
"Yes. Inform him."
Before they could act, the world cracked.
The sky shattered like glass.
Kaun stepped out of the illusion.
He stood in a massive hall. Hundreds of glowing globes lined the walls, each containing a different world—a different dream.
Two figures stared at him in disbelief.
"Where am I?" Kaun demanded.
"The Trap of Desire," one whispered in fear.
Kaun's fists clenched.
"All of these…" he said, pointing at the globes. "They're prisons?"
They nodded.
Rage erupted within him.
"You shameless beings," Kaun roared. "Toying with lives through lies."
His spear blazed with power.
"Today, I will destroy this place."
And with that resolve, Kaun raised his weapon and slashed downward—straight toward the globes.