[00:09:58]
The red numbers floated midair like blood frozen in time.
Newton blinked, thinking it was a trick of the light. But the numbers stayed. They ticked down. A cruel, slow countdown.
[00:09:57]
He wasn't in his room anymore.
The damp smell of metal, the cold under his bare feet, the distant hum of shifting gears — all of it was real. Too real.
Newton trembled. His breath came in short gasps, his heart pounded like a drum, and his palms were slick with sweat.
He turned around.
A room — no, a chamber. Cold, grey, square, and endless. The walls didn't reflect light, didn't echo sound. It was like sound was being eaten.
Other people stood inside, scattered across the steel floor like spilled marbles. Some were yelling. Others crying. A few were trying to punch the walls, leaving nothing but blood and broken hands behind.
And above each of them — a number.
[00:09:49]
The countdown never stopped.
Newton's lips quivered. His voice cracked, "L… Lilly?"
He looked down.
She was there. Curled beside him, smaller than she should be. Thinner. Pale as bone. Her little fingers clutched his old jacket like it was her lifeline. And it was.
Newton dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around her. She stirred, coughed weakly, then whispered without opening her eyes, "Newt… I'm scared."
"Me too," he whispered back.
[00:09:40]
---
A chime.
Then — a voice.
Cold, emotionless, metallic.
> [Welcome to the Tower.]
[All participants have been selected at random.]
[You have 10 minutes to prepare before the first trial begins.]
The room trembled. Somewhere above them, something massive was shifting.
The voice continued.
> [This is a climb-or-die scenario.]
[No exceptions. No resets. No exits.]
Screams broke out.
Newton hugged Lilly tighter.
What the hell is this? What happened to our street? Our home? The alley?
He had just been out buying bread. He remembered counting the few crumpled bills in his hand while Lilly waited in the shade, too weak to stand for long. Then, a strange pulse — like someone had flicked his brain. A flash of white. And then…
Here.
[00:08:15]
> [You have been granted Basic Stats and Entry Status.]
[System Initialization… Complete.]
A window flashed in front of his eyes:
---
PLAYER: NEWTON
Rank: [Unranked]
HP: 30
Strength: 2
Agility: 3
Intelligence: 5
Willpower: 6
Luck: 1
Skills:
None
Weapons:
None
Title: None
Condition: Weak
Status Effect: Malnourished, Terrified
---
Newton blinked at it. Tried waving it away. It followed his gaze like a floating curse.
> "Stats…? Skills? What the hell is this? Like a game?" he muttered.
Others around him were getting similar screens. One man whooped, punching the air.
"Hell yeah! Strength 10! I'm a beast!"
A girl near Newton collapsed, crying, "Why is my HP so low?!"
People began splitting into groups.
Already.
[00:07:12]
---
Newton stood up.
He couldn't panic. Not now. Lilly needed him. If he died here, she'd die too.
He scanned the room. No doors. Just that countdown. A few of the others started forming parties — talking about teaming up, sharing strengths.
He took one step toward a group of five who looked like they had decent stats. His lips parted, his voice shaky.
"C-Can we… can I join you? My sister is—"
One of them — a tall guy with a smirk and sharp black eyes — cut him off.
"Pass."
"W-What?"
"Look at your stats. You're trash. Dead weight."
"I can learn. Please, my sister—"
"No."
"Please—"
Another girl scoffed. "You'll just slow us down. Go beg someone else, loser."
They walked off.
Newton stood there.
Red in the face. Heart broken.
Lilly was still clutching his leg. He dropped back down, stroking her head, his voice cracking. "It's okay. I'm here. I'll protect you."
Even if no one else would.
---
[00:06:01]
> [Trial 1 begins in 6 minutes.]
[Objective: Survive the Room.]
---
Another chime.
A panel opened in the wall, dropping a small cube. It hit the floor and rolled toward the center.
A voice called out:
"What's that?"
Another shouted, "A supply drop?!"
People rushed for it.
Newton stayed put.
He'd played enough games at the cyber café before they were too broke to afford more time. He knew bait when he saw it.
The cube clicked.
A soft hiss.
And then— a long, sharp leg unfolded out of the top.
Metal. Insect-like.
Then another.
Then eyes. Dozens of red glowing orbs.
The cube wasn't a supply. It was alive.
And it was hunting.
Screams again.
Blood splattered.
---
Newton didn't run.
He didn't charge.
He picked up Lilly and crawled behind a support beam near the far wall. Watched. Learned.
The spider-bot moved fast, but only attacked those it could see.
And it was… predictable. Each time it locked onto someone, it paused for exactly two seconds before striking.
A timer.
A pattern.
He memorized it instantly.
---
The system pinged:
> [System Warning: You are not contributing.]
[Low activity penalty incoming.]
Newton muttered to himself: "Screw your penalty. You want me to die early?"
> [Penalty Applied: -1 Luck.]
His Luck dropped to zero.
But he survived.
He watched ten others die. Five ran to help — and died too. One group of three tried to team up to fight it. They had good stats. One had a Strength of 12.
They still died.
And the spider-bot laughed.
Yes. It laughed — the sound of metal grinding against metal. Not real laughter, but something made to mock them.
---
[00:01:09]
Newton's breathing was silent.
He held Lilly's mouth gently shut as she whimpered.
The robot moved, sensors sweeping. Getting closer. One foot step after the other.
Then — it turned.
Someone screamed and bolted for the opposite wall.
The spider chased.
And Newton moved.
---
He saw another cube drop near the wall. This one didn't move. Yet.
A second enemy?
Or something useful?
Newton took a risk.
He bolted across the floor.
Fast. Silent. Measured.
He opened the cube.
Inside: a tiny syringe.
A screen popped up:
> [Nano-Injector: Boosts user's Strength by +5 for 60 seconds.]
[Side effects: Nausea. Potential nerve damage. Limited use.]
He glanced back at Lilly.
And then downed it.
The burn in his throat was immediate. His muscles screamed. But something inside him — something darker — welcomed it.
A whisper stirred in the back of his mind.
> "You're finally using it."
---
[00:00:09]
Newton turned.
Eyes dead.
Breath steady.
The spider-bot was distracted. Eating someone.
Newton charged.
It heard him too late.
He ducked, slid under its legs, then drove the syringe deep into the base of its eye cluster. It screeched, sparking.
Then Newton grabbed one of its own legs — tore it free — and used it like a blade to stab its core.
Over.
And over.
And over.
Until it stopped moving.
---
The room fell silent.
The others stared.
Newton stood. Arm shaking. Blood on his face.
And for the first time…
The system spoke directly to him.
> [Secret Action Completed: First Solo Kill of Mechanical Sentinel.]
[Class Evolution Unlocked — Hidden Path Discovered.]