The Player Who Can't Level Up

As Gi-Gyu walked toward the 50th-floor entrance, the anxiety made him take each step slowly. He had heard that the 50th-floor test was usually no different from the ones on the other floors, but the keyword was “usually.”

‘I’m entering the unknown,’ Gi-Gyu thought anxiously. He had no idea what he might face during this test. None of the tests he had taken in the Tower were similar to the ones taken by the other players. The tests on the lower floors were way too easy, but he had to face Lou and El on the 30th and the 40th floors. Both tests were incredibly difficult; he almost died in them. Based on how things had been going, Gi-Gyu had a good idea of the difficulty level of this upcoming test.

‘It’s going to be the worst one. I just know it.’ Since he had almost died in the last two tests, logic dictates that he could die in this test, which would be the hardest trial yet.

-Maybe. But you know, I’ve been thinking lately.

Lou commented in an uncaring tone. He continued,

-Can you even die?

“What?” Gi-Gyu asked with a confused look.

-Okay, let's count it. Stabbed in the heart, check. Experienced death that one time due to El, check. Got your shell shattered, check. Do you remember all that?

Gi-Gyu became quiet.

-Certain death events lose meaning when you get involved. Even now, you’re in an unstable condition. That woman Lim Hye-Sook placed another seal over your existing seal, but things still aren’t looking well. Under sane circumstances, you should have died. Any normal person would have died, but you?

Gi-Gyu could almost hear Lou laughing as he continued,

-You’re still alive, aren’t you?

El suddenly held Gi-Gyu’s hand and whispered, “Master.”

The warmth from her hand spread in his body gently, alleviating his anxiety.

El reassured him, “Please don’t worry so much. I have a different idea than Lou, but… I do agree with him that you will be safe.”

“El…” When Gi-Gyu looked at her face, El smiled.

“Khoff, khoff.” Suddenly, Gi-Gyu heard someone coughing uncomfortably. When he turned, he saw Sung-Hoon, who was still standing behind him.

“Ranker Kim Gi-Gyu, are you ready?” asked Sung-Hoon. Gi-Gyu, Sung-Hoon, and El were standing in front of the entrance. Hal and the knight’s order had been sent back into the gate. Gi-Gyu turned to face the giant metal door again. The gate would simply lead him to the 50th floor, where he would take the long-awaited test, but he couldn’t help but feel that it was the entrance to purgatory.

“I guess my job is done now.” Sung-Hoon smiled, seemingly relieved.

Gi-Gyu returned the smile and replied, “Thanks to you, I got here comfortably.”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t do a thing. I mean… It was El and your creatures who did all the work,” Sung-Hoon mumbled as he glanced at El nervously. El seemed to like Sung-Hoon’s answer because she smiled.

“Anyway, I think it’s time,” Sung-Hoon urged Gi-Gyu, who seemed hesitant. Sung-Hoon knew Gi-Gyu couldn’t avoid taking this test. He also knew why Gi-Gyu had to enter the 50th floor and take on this dangerous journey.

‘Ranker Kim Gi-Gyu must do this. There is no other way,’ Sung-Hoon thought in determination. He felt like he was pushing Gi-Gyu toward hell, but he couldn’t help it.

“Please take care. I will see you later.” Sung-Hoon turned around, unwilling to say goodbye or act anxious. He needed to act calm and nonchalant to help Gi-Gyu feel more confident.

“Of course.”

Gi-Gyu nodded and watched Sung-Hoon walk away. When he could no longer see Sung-Hoon, Gi-Gyu took another step toward the giant door. Its handle looked like two dragons intertwined together. Gi-Gyu grabbed the dragon’s head with both of his hands.

Creak.

Gi-Gyu whispered in determination, “I…”

The metal door opened easily as if it was made of paper. El returned to her accessory form with a burst of light and found her place on Gi-Gyu’s finger. The door finally opened completely, revealing the endless darkness and blue lights inside. The space looked strange and mysterious. Gi-Gyu was about to enter an unknown world.

“Will make sure to make it out alive.”

Gi-Gyu took his first step inside the 50th floor.

***

The second his feet touched the 50th floor, his surroundings changed. Gone were the bright blue lights, replaced by eerie, alarming darkness.

Gulp.

Gi-Gyu swallowed audibly. Tension had engulfed his entire body when Lou and El murmured,

-Don’t worry.

-Master, please don’t worry.

Hearing Lou and El’s voices helped a little. Trying his best to calm down his breathing, Gi-Gyu waited for whatever was about to come. He could do nothing right now, so he had to be patient until something happened.

Time slowly passed along with the thick sweat droplets on Gi-Gyu’s head.

[You have entered the test floor.]

The system finally made an announcement. Gi-Gyu hadn’t heard this announcement in a long time now. It was strange, but he almost felt glad to hear it.

[The 50th-floor test will begin.]

The system announced slowly.

[The player’s disposition and potential are being calculated.]

[The player’s history is being examined.]

[The player’s future is being forecasted.]

[The player’s past deeds are being analyzed.]

Gi-Gyu had never heard announcements like these before, and another long wait followed them. As he stood patiently, he heard numerous system announcements in his head.

[Player…]

The system continuously tried to analyze Gi-Gyu, who remained quiet. And finally…

[Unable to analyze the player’s information.]

[The test has been decided.]

[The test will consist of three stages.]

With that, three cards appeared before Gi-Gyu.

[The player will be given the right to choose the order of his tests.]

The first card shone like a star; the second had the darkness of an abyss. As for the third…

“It’s gray,” Gi-Gyu commented as he looked at the cards. He contemplated which one he should choose first. He knew that the tests would change based on his chosen order.

Lou and El encouraged,

-We will respect your decision.

-Please do what you think is right, Master.

After hearing his Egos’ opinion, Gi-Gyu became lost in thought. He had a good idea of what these cards represented.

‘The dark one must symbolize Lou,’ Gi-Gyu thought. This card had to represent darkness, so its test would have something to do with Lou.

Similarly, the brightly lit one had to symbolize El. But then…

“What’s this one?” Gi-Gyu asked himself. The gray card seemed to represent chaos, and he couldn’t figure out what it symbolized. He thought about it for what seemed like an eternity before Lou stated in annoyance,

-That’s obviously you.

“Me?”

-That’s right. It represents the changes you went through and the secrets you hold. Whatever they may be, this card’s test will have something to do with you.

Gi-Gyu nodded in understanding. He knew that Lou and El weren’t the only special ones here.

“I see…” Gi-Gyu rubbed his chin and thought out loud. What should he pick first? What would be the best choice?

Finally, he picked his first card.

[The test will now begin.]

[The player must get ready immediately.]

With this announcement, the space around Gi-Gyu began to change.

Ba dum, ba dum!

Gi-Gyu’s anxiety peaked; his heart began to pound loudly. He was so tense and sensitive that he could even feel the air on his fingertips.

[The test begins now.]

It was time.

[The goal of this test is…]

This was what Gi-Gyu had been waiting for. This would tell him what he had to accomplish to clear the first part of the test. However, his eyes widened when he heard the announcement.

The card he had chosen was the dark one.

[You must experience death.]

Lou’s card.

The first test was about to begin.

***

Gi-Gyu opened his eyes and found that he had been transferred to vast badlands. He was standing in the middle of nowhere, and the geothermal energy here was ready to boil him alive.

Gi-Gyu frowned; he felt like a well-wringed mop cloth. The outrageous pain paralyzed him.

But he quickly realized…

‘This isn’t even my body.’ Despite the pain, he could still feel other things. His eye level wasn’t where it used to be, and he could feel odd energies inside his body. Even his hands looked the wrong size. Currently, he was in the middle of the badlands in a body that wasn’t his.

“So, I guess this is the test?” Gi-Gyu mumbled. It appeared that he needed to do something in someone else’s body. At least, that was the only explanation he could come up with to excuse his body’s tattered state.

The system finally made elucidative announcements.

[This space has been created based on the data stored inside the Tower and the memories stored inside the player’s body.]

[The player is now standing in hell’s badlands.]

The system’s voice sounded almost gentle as if it was narrating a story.

‘Hell?’ Gi-Gyu thought. Was he in hell because he picked Lou’s card?

The system continued,

[The player must achieve the set goal in this place.]

Gi-Gyu frowned, remembering that the system had decided his goal was to experience death.

“So I have to die?” Gi-Gyu whispered in disbelief. He had to go through death again? Everyone else in the world only had to die once, yet Gi-Gyu had experienced it many times so far. And the test was telling him to do that again?

“So I won’t actually die for real? Is that what it’s saying?” The system stated that he needed to “experience” it. Did this mean that this test wouldn’t let him die for real?

Gi-Gyu didn’t know the answer to this question; he could feel his anger rising.

“What the hell is this? Why is it asking me to do this?” he screamed angrily. Why did he have to experience death so many times? He certainly didn’t want to die. Well, he supposed no one really wanted to die, but…

“Still, how can the test goal be death?!” It was as if the Tower couldn’t wait to kill Gi-Gyu. He was angry, and the pain he was feeling did nothing to improve his mood. He could tell that he was in bad shape, so it wouldn’t take much for someone to kill him.

It was only a matter of time; he was definitely going to die.

Gi-Gyu felt so angry.

He was furious.

Lou suddenly whispered.

-I remember this.

Gi-Gyu’s eyes widened, but he didn’t say anything.

-Ahh… Their betrayal and my last breath.

[The enemies will now be produced.]

Only a moment ago, the badlands were empty. But now, monsters were raining from the sky and sprouting from the ground. They surrounded Gi-Gyu completely.

Lou reassured Gi-Gyu.

-Don’t worry. You won’t die that easily.

Gi-Gyu remained quiet, but the surrounding monsters roared, “Ackkkkkkk!”

Their shriek was so alarming that it shook the sky and the ground. The biggest monster standing at the head of the herd announced, “It’s time to take him down!”

The monster looked like a human, but there was no way anyone would mistake it for a man. Its stomach was sagging grossly, and its face looked horrible. The two horns on its forehead looked extremely sharp.

“Kill the king!” the demon with the violet eyes ordered, making the ground shake once again.