The gates closed behind them with the sound of a mountain shifting.
Alexis exhaled slowly, his hand resting on the lacquered hilt of his katana. The air smelled of earth and fresh grass, tinged with something sharper — the faint metallic bite of danger. Before him stretched a wide meadow, green waves under an endless false sky. If not for the colossal walls of stone in the far distance, one might have mistaken it for the real world.
Beside him, Lyra stretched her arms and let her daggers catch the light. The thin steel gleamed like silver fangs. "So… this is it," she said with a grin that was equal parts thrill and challenge. "Floor One. Doesn't look like much."
Alexis's eyes swept the terrain. He saw trees clustered in the distance, too still, too quiet. Shadows lingered between their trunks. The meadow might look calm, but he knew better.
"The Codex said the Tower tests us from the first step," he replied, his voice measured. "If it looks peaceful, it's only because something hasn't decided to kill us yet."
Lyra chuckled softly. "Then let's not keep it waiting."
They began walking. Their boots sank slightly into soft soil, the grass brushing at their knees. A wind whispered through the plain — and with it came the sound of movement.
A growl, low and resonant. Then another.
Yellow eyes flickered in the shadows of the trees.
A pack of Wolves padded into view, their bodies lean with hunger, their teeth bared. Their leader snarled, pacing forward with a confidence that said it had killed before, and would kill again. Wolves — the most common predator of the first floor. Their hides and fangs were sought after by smiths, prized for crafting critical-strike weapons.
Lyra twirled one dagger between her fingers. "Cute. I'll take the left."
Alexis drew his blade in one swift motion. Steel hissed from its sheath, the edge catching the light as he slid into stance.
"Stay sharp. Even weak things can kill if you let your guard down."
The wolves lunged.
The first came at Alexis head-on, jaws wide. He sidestepped, blade flashing, and the wolf collapsed with a gurgling yelp. But three more pressed in immediately, snapping at his flanks.
Lyra disappeared into motion — one moment standing still, the next a blur. She ducked beneath a lunge, her dagger sinking into a wolf's throat. Another she slashed across the flank, twisting away before its claws could rake her.
[System]:Battle Commenced — Wolf Pack (D Tier).
Alexis felt the pull on his stamina — every swing, every dodge drained more than strength. His breath came sharper, his muscles heavier. He gritted his teeth, pivoting as another wolf leapt at his side. His blade caught it mid-air, momentum carrying blood across the grass.
Lyra's laugh cut through the chaos. "Don't tire out already, Alexis!"
He didn't answer — his focus too sharp, his stance a storm of calm precision.
Then the growl deepened.
From the treeline, a larger form stalked forward. Its fur was streaked with gray ash, smoke curling from its jaws. Its eyes glowed a sickly ember-red.
An Ashfang Wolf. Rare, mutated by exposure to fissures where the earth cracked and smoldered. Its bite was said to burn like coals pressed to flesh.
Lyra's grin faded, replaced by narrow-eyed calculation. "Now that's new."
Alexis steadied his blade. His stamina bar pulsed faintly in the edge of his vision, a warning of exertion. The Ashfang padded closer, shoulders rippling with unnatural strength, its breath spilling smoke into the air.
"This one's mine," Alexis said, his tone hard.
"Try not to die," Lyra replied, her smile returning just as the rest of the pack surged again.
The meadow erupted into chaos.
[System]:Elite Detected — Ashfang Wolf (C Tier).
The Ashfang Wolf's growl rolled through the meadow like thunder, its smoky breath twisting in the air. The other wolves circled, emboldened by their alpha's presence, their yellow eyes gleaming with hunger.
Alexis lowered his stance, blade angled downward, weight balanced on the balls of his feet. He could feel the drain of stamina already pressing on his chest — the subtle heaviness in his arms, the resistance in his legs. Every strike mattered.
The Ashfang lunged.
Alexis moved at the last heartbeat, sliding sideways, his blade flashing upward in a clean arc. Sparks burst where steel met burning fang, the impact jarring his arm. The beast twisted midair, its claws raking shallow across his shoulder. Pain blossomed, but Alexis forced the breath through his teeth, shifting his stance before the wolf landed.
It's faster than the others…
Meanwhile, Lyra was a shadow among fangs. She slipped under a snapping maw, planted a dagger in a wolf's ribcage, and rolled as another tried to clamp down on her leg. Her movements were sharp, efficient, always angled for the kill.
"Focus on the big one, Alexis!" she called, spinning as her blade traced a shallow line across another wolf's throat. "I'll keep the rest busy!"
Alexis didn't answer. He had no breath to spare.
The Ashfang came again, smoke trailing like a banner. It struck low this time, trying to tear at his legs. Alexis sidestepped, but the fangs clipped his thigh — heat seared through flesh, sharper than a normal wound.
[System]:Status Effect Applied — Burn (Minor): -2 HP per second for 10 seconds.
Alexis's jaw tightened. His katana snapped out, steel catching the Ashfang's flank in a shallow cut. Blood hissed against the grass, dark smoke spilling from the wound. The wolf didn't falter — if anything, the pain drove it into a frenzy.
Lyra ducked behind him, panting, blood dripping from her dagger. "Three down," she said quickly. "But I can't hold them all forever."
Alexis's eyes narrowed. He adjusted his grip, muscles burning. His stamina bar ticked lower, warning him that one mistake could mean collapse.
"I'll finish it," he said.
The Ashfang howled and charged again. This time Alexis didn't retreat. He drew in his breath, centered his weight, and let the world slow. The wolf's jaws opened wide, smoke spilling across his face — and Alexis struck.
The katana flashed in a single, perfect motion.
Steel met throat.
The Ashfang's momentum carried it past him, blood spraying in a wide arc. The beast tumbled into the grass, its howl breaking into a gurgling silence.
It twitched once, twice — then lay still, smoke curling into the wind.
[System]:Ashfang Wolf (C Tier) defeated.
You obtained:
x1 Ashfang Fang (Rare Material)x2 Wolf Pelts+54 Silver+125 EXP
[System]:Wolf Pack Cleared.
You obtained:
x2 Wolf Fangsx3 Wolf Pelts+76 Silver+95 EXP
Lyra leaned on her dagger, exhaling. Her smile flickered back, faint but sharp. "Not bad. You bleed too much, though."
Alexis glanced at the blood streaking his shoulder and thigh, then slid his katana back into its sheath with a single, smooth motion.
"I'll live."
Lyra arched a brow. "That's the idea."
The meadow fell silent again. Blood pooled into the grass. The smell of smoke still lingered in the air.
Alexis tilted his head toward the treeline where the wolves had come from. "This was only the beginning," he said. "The Tower doesn't waste time showing its teeth."
Lyra twirled her dagger idly, then sheathed it. "Good. I'd hate to be bored."
The two of them pressed forward, deeper into the waiting forest.
The Tower watched.
And somewhere in its vast halls, the system recorded their victory, adding their names to an invisible ledger of those who had survived the Tower's first test.
Chapter 1 Part 1.5 : Into the Forest
The forest loomed ahead, its canopy thick enough to dim the false sun of Floor One. What had looked serene from the meadow now seemed oppressive, the trunks standing like ancient sentinels, bark darkened by moss and shadow. The silence was absolute — no birdsong, no rustle of small animals.
Alexis walked first, katana loose in his grip. Lyra followed behind, daggers sheathed but her hands never straying far from the hilts.
"Too quiet," she whispered.
"It means something is watching." Alexis's tone was calm, but his stance sharpened with each step.
They walked deeper, the path narrowing, the air damp and heavy. Soon, a sound broke the silence — not the growl of wolves, but the high-pitched chittering of voices.
From behind the roots of a fallen tree, Goblins emerged. Small, twisted creatures, green-skinned and sharp-eyed, armed with rusted daggers and chipped clubs. Their teeth gleamed as they hissed, spreading out in a half-circle.
Lyra snorted softly. "Of course. Where there are forests, there are goblins."
The largest of the group — a head taller, with jagged scars across its chest — barked in its guttural tongue and charged.
[System]:Battle Commenced — Goblin Pack (D Tier).
Alexis stepped forward, blade flashing. He cut down the first goblin cleanly, sidestepped another's wild swing, and kicked it backward into a tree trunk. Lyra darted into their flank, her dagger sliding into a goblin's back before she vanished behind another, cutting its throat in a single, fluid motion.
But goblins did not scatter easily. More slipped from the underbrush, their numbers swelling.
"They're calling friends," Alexis muttered, parrying a crude spear that rattled his bones with its impact. "If we let them swarm, it'll get ugly."
Lyra ducked under a swing, stabbing upward into a goblin's chin. She grinned through the spray of black blood. "Then let's cull them fast."
The fight was dirtier than the wolves. Wolves relied on speed and fangs — goblins fought like raiders, using numbers and cheap tricks. One threw dirt in Alexis's eyes, another jabbed at his side while he blocked a frontal assault. Lyra caught one trying to circle, her blade flashing through its throat before it could sink a dagger into Alexis's back.
But with each kill, their movements slowed. Alexis felt stamina slipping, arms heavier, breaths harsher. Lyra's bursts of speed left her panting harder, her energy burning out.
Finally, the scarred leader hissed and lunged at Alexis, crude spear aimed straight for his chest. Alexis pivoted, parried the blow upward, and struck downward in the same motion. The katana split the goblin's head in two.
The rest shrieked, faltered — and scattered into the shadows of the forest.
[System]:Goblin Pack Cleared.
You obtained:
x3 Goblin Clawsx1 Rusted Goblin Dagger (Common, Poor Condition)+48 Silver+105 EXP
Alexis wiped his blade clean on the grass. Lyra crouched beside the leader's corpse, plucking the rusted dagger from its grip. She twirled it once, then wrinkled her nose.
"Worthless junk."
"Sell it for scraps," Alexis replied. "Silver adds up."
Lyra tossed it into her pack with a shrug. "Fair. I like shinier things, though."
They pressed further into the forest. After an hour of travel, the trees parted to reveal a cluster of crude wooden palisades, smoke curling from makeshift chimneys.
An outpost.
Wooden watchtowers overlooked the walls, torches burning in daylight, and a gate guarded by two weary adventurers in iron armor. Beyond the gate, Alexis glimpsed tents, a blacksmith's forge, and the faint glow of a shrine — the respawn point for the floor
Lyra whistled low. "Civilization, huh? Didn't expect it so soon."
Alexis nodded. "We should bind here. Safer than the meadow."
They approached. One of the guards — a young man with messy blond hair, leaning heavily on his spear — raised a hand.
"You two survived the forest? Then you're lucky." His tone carried both respect and fatigue. "Goblins have been getting bolder. A party disappeared last night trying to raid their den."
"Den?" Alexis asked.
The guard grimaced. "East of here. Caves full of them. Dungeon territory."
Lyra's eyes glinted. "Sounds fun."
[System]:Mission Available — Goblin Den (Field Dungeon).
Objective: Clear the dungeon and defeat the Goblin Chieftain.
Rewards: Silver, rare materials, chance for unique drops.
Recommended Party Size: 4+
Alexis's gaze lingered on the gate as it creaked open.
A dungeon already, on the first day. A test of endurance, teamwork, and will.
He glanced at Lyra, who was smiling like a predator.
The Tower wasted no time.