Drip. Drip.

Drops of blood fell onto the cold floor. Wherever the blood touched, darkness spread.

Ssss.

The black blood was alive. It bubbled and surged, forming a grotesque shape that slowly rose from the darkness. Twisted and contorted joints, a hollow, eyeless face, and a body covered in sticky black energy.

Arkeus trembled in fear. Terror gripped his heart so tightly that he could barely breathe. He bowed his head.

"M-Master..."

The creature lifted its head. From its faceless visage, a deep, viscous breath leaked out.

[Even after receiving our teachings, even with the talent to shake the heavens, this is all you amount to? Are you not ashamed of your incompetence, sullying the name of the Grand Ten Thousand Tower?]

Arkeus, still prostrated, shuddered. Before this absolute being, even exhaling properly was a struggle. Countless thoughts swirled chaotically through his mind.

The S-rank hunters of Korea had deliberately crafted the exam questions. They were difficult. He had done his best, yet he had not scored perfectly. And what of the Blinking Sword, Kim Seokhun? That ruthless swordsman was a natural enemy of mages. Being forced to use Ideation Arts before such a formidable foe was pure madness.

"I did my best. Truly... If not for that girl… If not for her..."

Erniaan Ludwig. If only that girl hadn't been there, first place would have been his. But he could not voice his excuses. Before this presence, such words held no meaning.

The black form loomed over him, slowly approaching.

[The talent within you is akin to a divine artifact, one without equal in this world. Yet, you failed to wield it. Your weakness, your foolishness, has tarnished our name.]

"M-Master…"

Arkeus's voice quivered like a thin thread.

[If you disgrace the name of the Grand Ten Thousand Tower once more...]

A tentacle-like appendage extended slowly toward Arkeus's face. The movement was so deliberate and silent that it only heightened his suffocating anxiety.

[We will reclaim your talent and body.]

A cold, sticky sensation brushed against his skin. Arkeus clenched the ground with both hands. The voice that escaped his lips was already mixed with sobs.

"Master… I will never disappoint you again."

Regulating his shaky breath, he made a vow to himself.

'Next time… Next time, without fail!'

Spring had arrived. The lingering chill still clung to the air, brushing against the skin.

Time for a meal.

A spoonful of fermented shrimp paste was carefully added to the steaming bowl of sundae gukbap. A gentle, savory aroma wafted up, tickling the nose. Next, a dollop of spicy paste was dropped in. The well-blended seasoning turned the clear broth into a captivating red hue.

Lifting the spoon, I took a quiet sip.

Slurp.

"Ahh."

Just right. The warm broth flowed down my throat, spreading heat throughout my body. Along with it came an indescribable sense of relief.

"This place makes great kkakdugi."

Crunch.

I scooped up some rice with the kkakdugi juice and took a hearty bite.

There was still about a week left until the academy's entrance ceremony. Since the student cafeteria wasn't open yet, I had no choice but to visit a local gukbap restaurant.

I was completely broke.

After clearing the first floor of the Tower, I had received some magic stone powder as a reward and converted it into cash, netting me 200,000 won. At least I wouldn't starve.

'10,000 won per gram, huh.'

No wonder hunters were among the highest-paid professionals. And this was just powdered residue—not even a proper magic stone. If it had been an actual stone, the price would have been astronomical.

I considered heading straight to the second floor but managed to restrain myself. The industry considered the first ten floors mere tutorials, dismissing hunters who climbed them as fledglings. But for someone like me, who wasn't a professional hunter, it would undoubtedly be a challenge.

If I recklessly climbed the Tower and ended up dead, it would be my loss.

"This is on the house, dear. Hohoho."

"Ah, thank you."

"Come back anytime!"

After paying for my meal, I found a small bottle of yogurt in my hand. Something so simple could make life feel a little brighter.

Slurping on the yogurt, I leisurely walked toward the academy’s front gate with Hayangi by my side.

Though the World Boss had turned my home into ruins, I had been told that I could stay in the dormitory, so I wasn't worried about finding a place to live. And thanks to my high entrance exam scores, I had earned a scholarship, meaning I had no tuition concerns.

"Wow. Hayangi, do you see this? This is my school."

"Woof!"

The grand front gate, the vast campus stretching far beyond my Ideation's reach. The students passing by carried eyes brimming with dreams and ambition.

Seeing this, the reality of my admission to the world's most prestigious academy finally sank in. A deep sense of fulfillment welled up inside me.

This place gathered the geniuses of the world.

People who would become professional hunters, enduring days filled with blood, sweat, and tears.

But I wasn’t worried.

After all, I was a genius too.

A prodigy of the eyes.

Walking through the campus, I eventually arrived at the dormitory. No one seemed to mind Hayangi’s presence, which was a relief. A glance at a nearby poster confirmed that pets were allowed.

That made sense—some students probably had familiars.

"Here, take this. My goodness, I never thought I'd see a world where kids this young are throwing themselves into hunting."

The dorm supervisor handed me a sleek, compact smartwatch. The smooth curves of its design gave it a luxurious feel.

"What is this?"

"Think of it as your room key. The entry system is integrated for students' convenience. It's also linked to your student ID, so you can use it for course registration, club activities, class attendance, and even electronic payments. You can freely use it at the cafeteria and convenience stores—very useful."

I strapped the watch onto my wrist. It fit perfectly, as if it had been designed just for me.

The screen lit up, displaying my name along with a holographic message: Rank: 1st.

"Which room is mine?"

"Everyone gets a private room, but first place gets the best one. Your room is on the top floor of Dormitory Building 1. You must be tired, so head up and rest."

"See you."

"Thank you, sir."

I bowed politely.

The dormitory supervisor had a warm and kind face. Was this what people called a 'dad smile'? Ever since becoming a woman, it oddly felt like the world had become more considerate towards me.

It hadn't been like this when I was a man.

Ah, of course, hunters were an exception. They were a warrior race that judged people solely by their strength.

"Hmm. This way?"

Maybe it was for security reasons, but the dormitory was structured in a way that would definitely confuse a delivery person. It was practically a maze. I got a little lost.

'If I ever want to sneak in a late-night chicken delivery, it's going to be a nightmare.'

Thinking useless thoughts, I stopped in front of my room. As soon as I did, my smartwatch vibrated, and the automatic door slid open.

This must be really expensive, right?

As someone with no money to my name, I wasn't used to such high-end systems.

Stepping inside, my eyes were immediately drawn to the spacious lobby and luxurious interior. The polished marble floors gleamed, and the abstract paintings on the walls radiated an oddly captivating atmosphere.

"Wow…"

My mouth hung open in awe.

The room was furnished like a high-end hotel suite—an expansive space, enormous windows revealing a breathtaking view of the campus, and the latest designer furniture.

"There's nothing to unpack."

After taking a lap around the room, something felt missing.

I had no clothes.

Come to think of it, I didn’t even have a smartphone. I was practically living like someone from the Stone Age.

'Since the academy functions like a university, there’s no school uniform, so students wear casual clothes...'

I couldn't afford to be branded as a 'single-outfit beggar' right from the start. And being the only student without a phone would be another problem.

Socializing without a means of contact was practically impossible.

Plus, pet food wasn’t cheap.

This was bad.

Sighing, I flopped onto the bed.

"Hayangi, what do we do?"

"Woof…"

Even Hayangi seemed troubled, its tail slowly drooping.

At that moment, Achilles’s voice echoed in my head.

[There is no need to worry.]

"Huh?"

[Simply climb the Tower.]

My heart almost stopped. The memory of seeing that maggot through Clairvoyance was still fresh in my mind.

"What? Do you have any idea how much I suffered because of that? Besides, the second floor is much harder than the first!"

[But isn't everything resolved by climbing the Tower?]

I mulled over the words.

Now that my Core was open, maybe it was doable. Worst case, I could just hide using my stealth abilities.

To be honest, I was also curious to test my skills in real combat.

I summoned my system window.

A notification appeared: [Enter the Black Tower].

Without hesitation, I pressed it.

In an instant, I was at the Tower's entrance.

Achilles was there, just like before.

If I stepped through this door, I would face the second-floor trial.

Just as I was about to enter, Achilles spoke unexpectedly.

[Wait. Don’t enter yet. Open your eyes.]

"Huh? Why?"

[Did you not say that your eyes could perceive the true essence of the system, including the status window?]

There was an odd persuasiveness to his words.

[Use those eyes to see the true nature of the Tower.]

"Oh."

Was he a genius?

I removed my sunglasses and slowly opened my eyes.

The world burst into a cascade of colors, flowing into my vision like splashes of paint.

I turned my gaze toward the Tower.

At first, I was almost disappointed. The usual system window appeared, something accessible to everyone:

–-------------------------------------------------------------

[Enter the Black Tower]
[Connect to HunterNet]
[Status Window]
[Inventory]
[…]

–-------------------------------------------------------------

But then—

Below all of that—

New text emerged.

–-------------------------------------------------------------

[Enter the Daily Dungeon]

–-------------------------------------------------------------

"Whoa."

My jaw dropped.