A few days passed.
James was once again sitting in front of the television, half-listening to the news while the dull hum of the broadcast filled the room.
"Breaking news: Millions of people across the world have fallen ill with a mysterious disease. The cause is still unknown, but experts suggest it may be connected to the appearance of the tower…"
James stared at the screen in silence.
"…Figures," he muttered quietly.
Next to him, lying on the couch, was his mother.
Her skin had turned a sickly purplish color. Her breathing was shallow and uneven. She couldn't move, couldn't speak. Her eyes were barely open.
Every breath sounded like it cost her everything she had left. Hospitals were overwhelmed. Doctors had no answers. And even if they did, it wouldn't matter. No cure had been found. Some researchers had begun suggesting something terrifying.
The cure… might only exist inside the Tower. James clenched his fists. For months he had done nothing. He had hidden. Avoided the tower. Avoided the risk. He had told himself it was the smart choice. The safe choice.
Now he looked at his mother, barely alive beside him. And for the first time since the tower appeared, James Carter felt something stronger than fear.
Rage. Helpless rage. Because deep down, he knew the truth. If he had started climbing months ago… maybe he could have been strong enough already. Maybe he could have helped her. He slowly stood up.
"I'll save you, Mom," he said quietly.
His voice trembled, but his eyes were firm. For the first time, he wasn't thinking about gambling. Or debt. Or survival. He turned toward the door. James Carter had spent months hiding from the world.
But that was over.
If the cure was inside the Tower— Then he would climb it. No matter what it took. Because this time… He wasn't gambling for money. He was gambling for his mother's life. And for that— James was willing to bet everything.
.....
After a short walk, James finally saw it.
The Tower.
Up close, it was far more intimidating than it had ever looked on television. The black structure stretched endlessly into the sky, its peak disappearing far beyond the clouds. Its surface looked smooth and ancient at the same time, like it had existed long before humanity ever did.
A massive security perimeter surrounded the Tower, about five hundred meters wide, just as the news had reported. Armed guards, Champions, and officials moved around the entrance area.
James approached the main gate. Before he could step through, someone stopped him.
A receptionist sitting behind a small checkpoint desk looked up from a tablet.
"Hello," the clerk said politely. "How can I help you? Are you lost?"
James shook his head.
"I'm here to climb the Tower," he said calmly.
The clerk looked him up and down.
"You?" he asked skeptically. "Climb the Tower?"
He leaned back slightly.
"Are you even a carrier?"
James frowned.
"Of course I am," he said, slightly annoyed. "I'm not dumb enough to try clearing the Tower without a System, am I?"
The clerk studied him for a moment before sighing.
"Alright. Standard verification."
They took him to a small booth nearby. Inside, officials began asking questions.
"What is your class?"
"What are your abilities?"
"What rank did the System assign you?"
James answered as little as possible. Every question that got too close to revealing his true class, he avoided. He didn't trust them. The last thing he needed was for the entire world to know he had an SS-tier class. Eventually, the officials grew frustrated.
"Fine," the clerk said, tossing something onto the desk.
A small identification card slid toward him.
"We've registered you in the national Champion database. You're now officially listed as a registered carrier. Use this card if anyone questions your identity."
James picked it up and examined it.
Name: James CarterClass: FClass Name: UnknownAbilities: UnknownRank: Unverified
James blinked.
"What the hell?" he muttered.
"So they're just making stuff up now because I didn't answer their questions?"
He scoffed quietly.
"Well… honestly, that's probably better."
If people believed he was an F-tier nobody, they'd leave him alone. James slipped the card into his pocket. Then he walked through the massive gates and toward the Tower's entrance. And stepped inside.
…
The moment he crossed the threshold— Everything changed. James immediately bent over and started vomiting.
"Ugh—!"
His stomach twisted violently, and he barely managed to steady himself. It felt like his entire body had just been ripped apart and stitched back together.
"Those bastards…" he muttered between breaths.
"They could've warned me about that."
He spat onto the ground and slowly wiped his mouth. Then he looked up. And froze.
"…Whoa."
The first floor of the Tower was nothing like he expected. It wasn't dark. It wasn't some gloomy dungeon full of stone walls and monsters. It was beautiful. Endless fields of tall green grass stretched across the land like a peaceful meadow. Large trees grew everywhere, their branches heavy with strange glowing fruits.
Soft sunlight poured down from a bright sky above. James looked up. There was no ceiling. No walls. The sky looked completely natural, blue with drifting white clouds.
"How the hell is this inside a tower…?" he whispered.
A light breeze passed through the field, making the grass sway like ocean waves. Animals wandered peacefully nearby. At least… they looked like animals. Some resembled deer, but their antlers glowed faintly with blue energy. Others looked like rabbits with shimmering fur that changed color as they moved.
Strange birds flew through the air, leaving faint trails of sparkling light behind them. The air felt clean. Fresh. Almost magical. For a moment, James completely forgot where he was.
"…This place is insane," he said quietly.
But then— He noticed something moving in the distance.
Creatures. Small, green-skinned figures moving between the trees. Goblins. James swallowed.
"…Right."
He slowly clenched his fist.
"This isn't a nature documentary."
This was the Tower. And somewhere inside it— Was the cure that could save his mother.