The world descended into chaos the moment the Tower appeared.
Social media exploded with wild theories. Some believed it was the work of aliens. Others claimed it was divine punishment. But most… simply panicked. People gave up on society entirely, committing crimes without hesitation — looting, rioting, even killing — convinced the world was ending.
Hyun-woo stood frozen, staring at the massive Tower looming in the sky like a god's dagger — unmoving, omnipresent. What had once been a story he read on his phone had now carved itself into reality.
A familiar nightmare.
His mind kept circling back to one thing: the Tutorial.
In the novel, it had been a bloodbath.
No weapons. No food. No instructions. Just fear, confusion, and the screams of people torn apart by monsters no one had ever seen before. Players were locked inside a replica of their city and given only one directive: survive.
Without realizing it, Hyun-woo started walking — no destination in mind, just letting his feet move while his thoughts raced. His instincts told him to prepare, even as the world around him fell apart.
23 Hours Later
Seoul was burning.
Not literally — but society was collapsing exactly as it does when the rules no longer apply.
Military trucks patrolled the streets. Sirens echoed through the city. Stores were ransacked. People fought over bottled water. The news couldn't keep up — every channel spewed conflicting information. Some called the towers a global military experiment. Others declared them divine judgment.
Hyun-woo didn't believe any of it. He knew better.
While the world screamed, he moved quietly, rationally. He raided an abandoned convenience store and gathered what he could: water bottles, instant meals, a utility knife, a small flashlight, painkillers, and bandages. Not much, but enough.
Back in his dorm room, he locked the door and shut the windows tight. His bag was packed and ready.
The glowing system text hovered mid-air like a curse:
Tutorial begins in 1:00:00
00:00:10
Hyun-woo sat on the floor, back against the wall, eyes fixed on the countdown.
Ten seconds.
The room fell eerily silent. The sounds of the outside world faded, as if muted just before a disaster.
Five seconds.
He gripped the strap of his backpack tightly.
Three. Two. One.
The world blinked.
His dorm room vanished.
A cold gust hit his face. He stumbled forward, landing on cracked pavement.
He was standing in the middle of Seoul.
But not the real Seoul.
It was twisted. Empty. Like someone had copied the city from memory but erased its life. Buildings stood where they should, but their lights were dead. Cars were abandoned. The sky was an unnatural shade of purple-blue. Everything was unnervingly silent.
Then, the system message appeared again — larger this time, centred in the sky like a divine command:
Welcome to the Tutorial
Objective: Survive for 72 hours.
Conditions:
• No exit.
• No respawns.
Rewards will be given based on performance.
Penalty for failure: Death.
Hyun-woo's breath fogged in the cold air. Around him, dozens of other players appeared — confused, disoriented, some already screaming.
Some began fighting each other.
If only they knew what was coming.
After the system message disappeared, monsters appeared in the distance.
Horrified, people realized they would have to fight creatures pulled straight from nightmares.
But the Tower never gave an impossible challenge. There was always something hidden — a secret or advantage — waiting to be discovered by those brave enough to climb.
Finally, the Tutorial had begun.