Chapter 2
The Infinite Tower’s Tutorial Mission
The first mission every newly qualified Player faced was infamous for one thing—it guaranteed death.
A boss monster would appear before Players still unfamiliar with their powers and ruthlessly crush them.
[Even if you die in the Infinite Tower, you can always revive!]
[Challenger, do not fear death—face the challenge!]
The mission’s intent was clear: Get used to dying.
But reality wasn’t so forgiving.
-Ugh, I can’t take this anymore. Dying every time is too much.
-I’m quitting being a Player… It hurts too much. T_T
-Maybe there’s a reason adults tell us to study instead.
Many gave up being Players due to the pain and trauma of repeated deaths. Governments even measured “retention rates” based on how many Players endured the tutorial.
The deciding factor? Which boss monster they faced first.
Some bosses killed Players swiftly. Others… toyed with them.
The former led to higher retention. The latter? Mass dropouts.
This month’s tutorial boss was the “Gelded Goblin Chieftain.”
-This month’s tutorial boss is that castrated goblin freak.
-The one with three horns on his crotch? Disgusting.
-He skins you alive, piece by piece.
-And licks your wounds with his tongue. So gross.
-I quit because of him…
A monster notorious for peeling flesh slowly and licking blood with a long, slimy tongue—the worst boss for retention rates.
And now, Kang-han stood before it.
“Kekeke….”
The Goblin Chieftain grinned, its grotesque face twisting as it licked a curved blade.
[Tutorial Boss: “Gelded Goblin Chieftain” encountered.]
Goblins were usually child-sized, but this one stood over 2 meters tall, its muscular frame radiating menace. For a normal person, this was hopeless.
But Kang-han?
“Huh.”
He wasn’t scared. If anything—
“My body feels… light?”
Hop. Hop.
He casually bounced on his toes, testing his agility.
“Kekeke… Acting tough, are we?”
“You speak Korean? Auto-translation?”
“I’ll enjoy peeling your skin off bit by bit!”
THUD. THUD.
The chieftain charged, its massive frame shaking the ground. To a newbie, its speed would be overwhelming.
But then—
POW!
“Ghk—?!”
Kang-han’s fist caved in the goblin’s face.
The chieftain staggered, stunned.
“So this works?”
POW! POW! POW!
Kang-han’s fists pummeled the same spot, each strike faster than the last.
“Eek—!”
The goblin flailed, trying to retaliate—
Whoosh.
Kang-han dodged effortlessly and kept hammering.
At this point, it was unclear who the boss was.
CRACK!
A tooth shattered. Blood gushed from the chieftain’s mouth.
[Skill Acquired: “Heavenly Demon’s Fist.”]
‘I just punched it a few times and got a skill?’
Did the system slap “Heavenly Demon” on everything?
Amused, Kang-han threw another punch—
SPLAT!
The goblin’s head exploded, its body collapsing as blood fountained from the neck.
“Whoa.”
Kang-han stared at his fist.
‘Was that the skill’s effect? Damn.’
But something else puzzled him.
‘Why am I so good at fighting?’
He’d never been in a fight before. After Tower Syndrome bulked him up at 14, no one dared pick a fight. Yet now, he moved like a seasoned brawler—dodging, countering, crushing his opponent with instinctive precision.
‘No shock either.’
The only things he’d ever killed were cockroaches and mosquitoes. But watching a goblin’s head pop? Zero reaction.
“Huh. For a boss, it was kinda weak.”
Most Players died here. Yet he’d obliterated it effortlessly.
‘Heavenly Demon’s Body… better than I thought.’
Then—
Fizzle…
One of the three horns on the chieftain’s crotch vanished.
Gurgle… Gurgle…
A new head sprouted from its neck.
“You…! How dare you—!”
The revived chieftain roared—
“Yeah, yeah.”
POW!
Kang-han punched its head off again.
Fizzle…
Another horn disappeared.
‘Three lives, huh?’
The third regeneration began. But this time—
“W-Wait! Stop!”
The chieftain groveled, its tone a far cry from its earlier arrogance.
“Y-You can just pass! No need to kill me!”
“But killing you gives better rewards, right?”
“I-I’ll give you items! All of them!”
“I can just take them after killing you.”
The goblin gaped. Since when do newbies talk like this?!
Then Kang-han remembered his skill’s condition:
“Grow stronger with worship. The more bows you receive, the greater your power.”
“Fine. I’ll spare you.”
“R-Really?!”
Kang-han pointed at the ground.
“Bow.”
“B-Bow…?”
“You know what a bow is, right?”
The chieftain hesitated. Kang-han raised his fist.
“I KNOW! I KNOW!”
THUD!
The goblin smashed its forehead into the dirt.
[A boss monster worships you.]
[Heavenly Demon’s Body strengthens.]
[Heavenly Demon Arts duration extended.]
A crimson glow surged through Kang-han. His body felt lighter, sharper.
‘Oh? This is the effect?’
Then—
[If the worshipper chants “Heavenly Demon’s Millennium—Ten Thousand Beasts’ Submission,” the effect intensifies.]
“Say ‘Heavenly Demon’s Millennium—Ten Thousand Beasts’ Submission’ while bowing.”
“W-What does that mean?!”
“No clue. Just do it.”
THUD!
“Heavenly Demon’s Millennium—Ten Thousand Beasts’ Submission!”
The chieftain chanted through gritted teeth.
FLASH!
A stronger surge of power flooded Kang-han.
[Boss monster fully subdued.]
[Heavenly Demon Arts duration greatly extended.]
[“Beast Register” unlocked.]
[Register “Gelded Goblin Chieftain”? (0/10,000)]
‘Beast Register? Huh.’
He selected Yes.
WHOOSH!
“GYAAAAH!”
The chieftain’s forehead burned, branding it with the character for “Demon” before it was sucked into the mark.
[“Gelded Goblin Chieftain” registered to Beast Register.]
[Beast Register unlocks at Level 5.]
‘Well, that’s that.’
Kang-han stepped through the glowing portal ahead.
[Welcome to the Infinite Tower.]
[Tutorial boss defeated.]
[Skip tutorial? Proceed directly to the Tower?]
Most newbies skipped it. But Kang-han had a reason to stay.
“No.”
The tutorial covered basics like status screens and inventories—common knowledge after 10 years. But Kang-han endured it for one reason:
[Tutorial complete.]
[Do you have any questions?]
“I have Tower Syndrome. Is it connected to the Tower?”
He expected the usual “Irrelevant question.”
But—
[It is connected.]
“How?!”
[Tutorial ended.]
[Proceeding to Floor 1: “Tower of Newcomers.”]
The system ignored his follow-up.
‘Tch. At least it admitted there’s a link.’
[10,000 newcomers. 1,812 gave up.]
[8,188 competitors remain.]
[Climb faster than others.]
[Current Rank: 1,524.]
A white number *1,524* hovered in the air.
‘Ranking updates as you climb, huh?’
The starting area was an armory, stocked with weapons and armor—
[Tutorial boss defeated. Armory disabled.]
The weapons vanished.
“No gear for beating the boss? Cheap.”
Before him, a horde of small goblins screeched, brandishing crude weapons.
But then—
[Heavenly Demon Arts duration ended.]
[Enhancements expired.]
Black smoke seeped from Kang-han’s body as his power dropped.
‘Time limit. Got it.’
The goblins lunged.
STAB! SLASH!
Their attacks were clumsy but deadly to an unarmed man.
Yet—
“Huh?”
CRACK!
Kang-han caught their blades bare-handed—and shattered them.
POW! POW!
Two more heads exploded.
“Even without the buff… I’m not weak.”
His rank stayed at 1,524.
‘Guess killing mobs doesn’t change it.’
He strode forward, ready to climb.
