Episode 7: Labyrinth RIBARINTOS (1)
Jinhyuk stood before the gigantic structure.
A marvel that collapsed all conventional wisdom and laws.
The gateway to humanity’s future.
The Tower of Trials.
This was the place where every story began and ended.
Although the gate leading inside had not yet been activated.
“There’s quite a crowd gathered.”
Around the tower, thousands of people formed a sea of humanity.
“We have to start from the 1st floor, ‘Goblin Cave’. Securing a spot and hunting there is best.”
“I know. We have to level up as fast as we can.”
“This time, let’s try to climb to the very top of the tower.”
Whether they formed a team.
Or were going solo.
Everyone’s eyes were bloodshot with eagerness to enter before the others.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart was racing.
And at that very moment.
[19:00]
[‘The Tower of Trials’ is now open.]
The towers all over the world opened simultaneously.
“It’s open!”
“Hurry, let’s get inside!”
“Move quick!”
The crowd surged toward the gate’s entrance.
Jinhyuk too prepared to move.
And he walked into the pouring light.
＊＊＊
Whooosh!
Entering the interior of the tower, a world completely different from Seoul unfolded.
A vast meadow and a blue sky.
And the green forest that touched the horizon came into view.
This was the 1st floor of the Tower of Trials, the starting point for players from Korea.
“Ohhhh!”
“We finally made it!”
“It’s totally the same as the one we played before!”
People erupted in cheers.
With a mix of excitement and curiosity, they looked around…
Kind of like.
Newbies who were starting a game for the very first time.
Of course, I could fully understand the sentiment.
My heart was pounding just the same.
“Brings back some memories.”
Jinhyuk ran his fingertips through the grass that grew up to his waist.
The sweet scent of grass and the touch of the gentle breeze.
Even the warmth of the sun.
It felt both familiar and nostalgic.
But.
This was different from a game.
For this was reality.
“If you die… that’s the end.”
There was no such thing as reviving and starting over.
Jinhyuk looked into the void with a calm gaze.
“It should be showing up soon…”
Just as he thought that.
Ding!
[Welcome to the Tower of Trials.]
A blue status window appeared before his eyes.
“It’s starting.”
Jinhyuk waited for the message to continue.
[To celebrate your entry into the Tower, 100 coins have been awarded.]
[Coins can be used as currency within the Tower.]
[Players can record their achievements and upload them as videos, and for every 10,000 views, 100 coins will be awarded.]
[However, fees are graded based on the player’s rank.]
[Videos viewed by residents outside the Tower will count only once towards the view count. Please choose wisely before watching.]
[Live broadcasts can only be activated when facing a boss monster to advance to the next floor.]
[If view count manipulation or other fraudulent activities are detected, appropriate measures will be taken.]
Yes.
This was it.
The bridge connecting those climbing the tower and those living outside of it.
Players would gather viewers’ interest with a variety of innovative videos.
And viewers, hoping to catch a glimpse of the tower’s end, elevate the view count of those promising players.
Out of all the Tower of Trials’ settings, this system was the most intriguing.
“The more famous a BJ you become, the more coins you can hog.”
Many players would upload a myriad of concept videos to promote themselves.
However, Jinhyuk had no intention of uploading videos for the time being.
“Exposing the information I know is far worse than any coins.”
He could always edit and upload information that had lost its value later on for an explosive response.
There was no need to worry about broadcasting for now.
Similarly, he had no plans to use the live broadcast feature, which could make him susceptible to viewers’ whims, unless it was a special case.
“Well, shall we get going?”
Jinhyuk looked toward one side of the forest.
He had already decided on the first task.
Different from others.
A bit more special path.
＊＊＊
The hunting grounds that existed within the Tower of Trials were composed of three types.
Dungeons, labyrinths, and ruins.
Dungeons were small hunting grounds filled with mass-produced monsters and boss monsters.
Being straightforward and most abundant, most players frequented them.
On the other hand, labyrinths boasted vast sizes, and it was common for them to take a long time to clear due to not just the strength of the monsters but the time required.
At the very least a whole month, and some high-floor labyrinths even required more than six months to conquer.
Finally, ruins varied in size but were notorious for their difficulty.
They often featured top-tier bosses such as dragons, giants, sacred trees, or spirits, complicated by elaborate traps and barriers.
And.
Out of many choices, Jinhyuk had picked the labyrinth ‘RIBARINTOS’, located smack in the center of the 1st floor.
[Name: RIBARINTOS
Type: Labyrinth
Difficulty: B
Description: The labyrinth, designed by Daedalus, is located in Crete. It is characterized by highly complex mazes and various types of traps.]
Considering a normal goblin dungeon was rated F, a B-ranked labyrinth was like hell on earth.
A beginner, just entering the Tower of Trials, entering a labyrinth?
It was the same as declaring a desire to commit suicide.
But Jinhyuk had his reasons for choosing this place.
Was it six years ago?
While he was tackling the early 30th floors of the tower, Jinhyuk realized something vital.
It was impossible to climb any higher.
From that point, he desperately searched for solutions.
He scoured the lower levels to collect hidden pieces, and painstakingly retraced his travels.
But it was all futile.
It couldn’t be helped because the foundation was flawed to begin with.
When he realized the issue, panic ensued.
The thought of having to erase his painstakingly nurtured account and start from scratch almost drove him to quit.
But by persisting with gritted teeth, he finally discovered a tome in one of the ruins on the 10th floor.
It described what had to be done on the 1st floor to clear the tower.
– To conquer the 1st-floor ‘Corridor of the Corrupted’, one must be recognized by the ruin’s master, much like during their initial visit.
As it was their first arrival.
In other words, to reach the boss while still level 1.
The labyrinth before Jinhyuk was a training ground meant to make it possible… Well…
Perhaps saying ‘training ground’ is a bit off.
The monsters roaming within the labyrinth didn’t have the option to ‘go easy’.
“To think I’d have to do this again.”
Jinhyuk grimaced, recalling the memory of leaving the labyrinth swearing never to return, even in death.
It was like leaving the army thinking, ‘Once was alright,’ only to wake up the next day back in the recruit training camp.
That was precisely how he felt now.
Nonetheless.
“At least it won’t be boring since I’m not going alone.”
Jinhyuk’s gaze briefly shifted to the back.
Since he first entered the Tower of Trials, people had been following him.
They were probably under the impression that they were perfectly trailing him, hidden behind trees.
Clumsy.
Typically like newbies.
‘How cute.’
He had a rough idea of what they were thinking.
‘But I wonder… will it go as they expect?’
＊＊＊
Several men and women who had been stealthily following Jinhyuk snapped.
“So we followed him thinking he might be onto something, and it turns out to be a labyrinth?”
“Hmm. I didn’t even know there were labyrinths here.”
“Damn it. That’s why I told you. Let’s just hunt some goblins and level up fast!”
“I didn’t do it on purpose, okay? The guy reeked of an elite so I thought maybe he was on his way to some hidden piece.”
“Stop arguing and let’s go back. If we’re quick, there might still be spots available.”
Voices carried back and forth.
Most were complaining about wasted time, but then.
“Shh! Wait a second. Watch what that guy does.”
The woman at the front gestured for them to be quiet.
“Why?”
“Look. That man is inscribing characters at the labyrinth’s entrance.”
Upon the woman’s indication, everyone’s attention focused in one direction.
It was true.
Unfamiliar characters glowed blue, and then,
Krrrrrr!
The ground began to shake violently.
The labyrinth was opening.
“He’s insane!”
“Is this for real?”
“He opened the labyrinth without a key?”
As they watched the unfolding scene, their eyes dilated in shock.
To enter a labyrinth, one would expect the need for a key or some material.
But to think he could open the entrance without such items.
As the boundaries of common sense were completely shattered, everyone gaped, at a loss for words.
“…Let’s go. We need to follow that man before he disappears.”
The woman at the front broke the silence.
“What?”
“Are you saying we should go in? Without knowing what kind, or how vast it is?”
“Park Hana, are you insane right now?”
“Just shut up and think.”
Park Hana, as she was called, frowned in frustration.
“You all know that the early stages are what matter most in the Tower of Trials, right?”
“Well, sure…”
“We do know that.”
It was common knowledge that the earlier the difficulty, the more crucial the early growth was, especially for those who had played [The Tower of Trials] at least once.
Park Hana continued her argument.
“The labyrinth opened without even acquiring a key. When will an opportunity like this come again?”
Experience points, items, and more.
The potential gains were endless.
“Plus, if a level 1 is going in by himself, it probably isn’t that difficult.”
That was the gamble.
A bare player without a single item dares enter a labyrinth alone?
It was a testament to the relatively low difficulty of the labyrinth.
“Well, it is a labyrinth on the 1st floor…”
“Considering he’s going alone, it does seem to support your argument.”
Nods all around suggested they were convinced.
Only one issue remained.
“But will that guy willingly share any items we find?”
Sharing the spoils from the labyrinth was the real question.
“Of course he won’t want to share.”
But it didn’t matter.
They had no intentions of sharing either.
“Since he seems to like the labyrinth so much, let’s confine him there forever.”
Park Hana drew a sharp iron spike from her bosom.
‘Giant Zucchini Beetle’s Sting’.
An item imbued with such deadly poison that even 1mg would result in death within a minute.
“That, wasn’t that what you mentioned earlier…”
“Yeah. My brother managed to secure that item from the National Central Museum yesterday.”
At Park Hana’s words, everyone swallowed nervously.
“It was complete carnage there…”
“Impressive. He boldly took the item amidst that hellish scene?”
“Looks like Hana’s brother was quite the veteran at this game back then. Truly elite.”
Park Hana’s older brother, Park Haejin, had been a member of a guild named ‘Black Crow’ during his [The Tower of Trials] gameplay.
A moderately well-known mid-level guild, whose members remained close-knit, had now become a formidable force on the 1st floor.
“Just trust and follow me.”
Park Hana gazed at Jinhyuk, who stood before the labyrinth, with a sinister smile.
To survive in this altered world, even murder had to be justified.
It was a matter of course.
For it was the natural law that the strong devoured the weak.
And Park Hana had already decided to abide by that law.
＊＊＊
Rustle!
Silhouetted against the bushes, six men and women revealed themselves.
‘Showing up now, are they?’
Their attempts at hiding were so amateurish he almost yawned, but…
Even so, it was only polite to play along.
“Who might you be?”
Jinhyuk feigned vigilance, his facial muscles twitching from the strain.
Ouch, my jaw.
“Ah! We’re not bad people.”
Park Hana quickly raised both hands in assurance, a slight smile on her lips as if to suggest no harm.
“We are just… um, looking for a suitable hunting ground in this forest. That’s when we happened to spot you over there.”
As if by coincidence.
Yeah, right. Must take me for a fool.
And who introduces themselves saying they’re not bad? Such a cliché line went out of style in the ’80s.
[Lv1 ‘Eye of Truth’ is activated.]
[The words of Park Hana are ‘false’.]
Before Jinhyuk’s eyes, the line between truth and falsehood was already clear.
Yet, he indulged in this farce for one reason.
‘Park Hana…’
The corners of Jinhyuk’s mouth turned up.
‘This woman… She has quite an interesting power.’
A unique ability worth being copied.
