The final room wasn't grand.
It was small. Clean. Almost hospital-like. A glowing platform pulsed in the center.
No enemy. No riddle. Just silence. And a single prompt hovering above the platform:
> [Step Forward to Complete Floor 0. Tutorial Termination Imminent.]
SeTa stood at the threshold, breathing slow and heavy. His thoughts lingered on the collapsed thread of light that had led him here—a trail born not of guidance, but instinct.
He stepped on the platform.
Light surged up around him. A hum filled the space, followed by the final system chime:
> [Congratulations: Floor 0 Cleared.] [Tutorial Completed.] [Climber: SeTa.] [Universal Ranking: #3.] [Reward Granted: Unique Skill - Inception EX.] [You Have Been Registered Among the Top 100 Climbers. Benefits Unlocked.]
The light did not fade.
It twisted.
Symbols—runes, numbers, constellations—spiraled around him, etching something deeper into his being. Inception EX took root in his soul like a blueprint writing itself.
He dropped to his knees.
It wasn't pain. It was... comprehension. Pure, endless comprehension pouring into finite flesh.
He saw potential paths. Alternate realities. What could be, what had been, and what still lingered beneath choice.
> [Skill Description: Inception EX — Redefine a logical principle within localized reality. Usage restricted by mental strain and Tower laws.]
Then the platform dimmed.
The light retreated.
The voices vanished.
No more whispers. No more tailored encouragements. No guiding hand.
Only silence. And the sterile chime of an uncaring interface.
> [System Note: You are now subject to standard Climber protocols. The System offers no strategic guidance. All notifications henceforth reflect public-access knowledge.]
> [Proceed to Floor 1 at your discretion.]
SeTa opened his eyes.
The room had changed.
The mirrors were gone. The trial ended.
In their place stood a single open archway filled with blinding white.
He stood, body trembling. Mind burning. He took one last breath of Floor 0's still air.
Then he walked through.
And the Tower truly began.