The sky was gray, and the wind bit like teeth.
High above the cobblestone alleys of Floor 39's capital district, on the slanted rooftop of a cold brick estate, a shirtless man was asleep. His arms were crossed behind his head. His boots were still on. He looked like someone who had passed out after lifting weights and downing three raw eggs, which wasn't far from the truth. Short blond hair bristled with the wind. His bare chest looked carved from stone: thick and veined, a road map of old battle scars across every muscle. He had the resting face of a man who hated mornings, questions, and authority in equal measure.
Jin Eun-Soo was snoring.
"Eun-Soo-ssi," a voice called. A woman stepped carefully onto the rooftop, a clipboard tucked under one arm. She wore a sleek blazer and trousers, dark hair tied into a high ponytail. Her boots clicked as she approached. "Eun-Soo-ssi," she repeated, louder this time. "The Blue Queen requests that you vacate the kingdom."
Eun-Soo cracked one eye open, then groaned. "Uggghhh. What does she want now? I'm just enjoying the beautiful weather." He stretched like a sunbather on the beach. Behind him, clouds churned like wet ash. It was five degrees and spitting cold.
"…Sir, the sky is overcast and the heating rune grid failed two days ago."
"Exactly. Perfect nap weather," Eun-Soo muttered.
Lee Jiwon blinked. "Also, your… student has reached Floor 1 safely. They're set to begin climbing in a week."
"Pssh. He's not my student," Eun-Soo said, sitting up and cracking his neck. "I beat the crap out of him once and he started following me around calling me 'Master.' Kid's weird. I couldn't care less." He stood, towering really, a slab of meat and attitude with fists. "Anyway. Lab updates?"
"They've begun processing the leaves you secured, but…" she hesitated. "The molecular structure of the World Tree is still shifting. Its genetic profile changes every few seconds. The data de-synchronizes before we can analyze it."
Eun-Soo squinted at her like she'd spoken another language. "…I don't speak loser. Can it or can it not be done?"
Lee Jiwon swallowed. "The research team says no. Not with current methods."
Eun-Soo stepped closer. Just a step. It was enough to make the clipboard shake in her hands. His eyes weren't angry. They were disgusted.
"Then tell them to figure it out. Or I'll start using their bones as a hacksaw and bruteforce my way to cutting the tree myself.."
"Y-Yes, sir."
A pause. Then—
"JIIIIIN, YOU BASTARD!!"
The scream echoed across the entire kingdom like a cannon blast. Eun-Soo sighed. "Well. That's my cue." In a blink, he vanished. Teleportation magic snapped the air around where he stood. Seconds later, royal guards burst onto the rooftop. Too late. One guard tapped his earpiece. "Your Majesty. He's gone." A hissing voice responded, "That muscle-headed jackass pisses me off." The guards nodded in silence.
Lee Jiwon stood alone now, her face as red as an evening sun. "…Eun-Soo-ssi."
***
Floor 0 — The Gate
It was morning. The wind swept dust across the cracked earth where the World Tree's roots met the desert. The gate stood at the base: a black arch of obsidian stone, tall as a tower and twice as old. And there, blocking the center, was the Hound. He sat cross-legged. Still. Like he had been carved from shadow. No helmet. No eyes. Just a mask of rusted iron with no slits and a body like a stone colossus wrapped in leather and chainmail. His arms were bare, thick as pillars. His hands rested quietly on his knees.
They stopped in front of him. Zara stepped forward and opened a pouch of gold. They had traded some jade marbles for gold earlier.
"We're ready to climb."
The Hound didn't move. Zara laid the pouch on the ground. Still nothing.
"…You are short."
Zara stiffened. "What? No. That's the exact price you told me before—"
"The toll has changed."
Zara's brow twitched. "By how much?"
"Thirty gold per person."
"What?!" She stormed forward. "Are you kidding me?! That's three times more than the last time! What are you, the bank of the gods?" No response. "We fought an undead minotaur for this!" Nothing. "I nearly died for this!" The Hound remained still. "You didn't even do anything while we were gone! Just sat here like some kind of angry lawn ornament!"
Pierre sighed. "Zara..."
"No! This is robbery!"
Still nothing. Minutes passed. Insults flew. The Hound didn't twitch.
A low groan. A breath of metal. His eyes opened. They glowed red, faint but steady.
"…So," the Hound said. "You will not pay?"
The wind died. Everything went silent. Even the Tree seemed to pause.
Their next choice would decide everything.