The elevator on White Tower Floor 17.

We built it because Gyeon Dallae’s divination said it would bring great fortune, but—

the cost was terrifying.

What? Ten kilograms of top-grade Magic Stones for one round trip?

At the current market rate, refined mana metal goes for about 200,000 won per 100 grams, and the ratio is 1 kilogram of top-grade Magic Stones per 1 ton of refined mana metal—

so that comes out to about 200 million won per round trip?

They were really trying to skin us alive.

And it wasn’t just about the money.

Top-grade Magic Stones were unbelievably valuable.

There were countless uses for them. You could never have enough.

Residency Rights,

Veronica Caliber’s near-light-speed rounds,

high-grade [N O V E L I G H T] alchemical ingredients,

magitech item production...

Still, thanks to the achievement reward, one round trip was free.

We’d use it once.

If it was really worth it, maybe twice.

...

But what is that guy doing now...?

SWISH! SWISH-SWISH!

Cossack was doing flashy footwork in front of the elevator.

He pressed the outside button, darted inside when the doors opened, then stood in the middle to stop them from closing, and when they opened again, SWISH!—he jumped right back out.

“...Hey, what are you doing?”

“Safety inspection.”

Ah.

SWISH! SWISH-SWISH-SWISH!

“So, is it safe?”

“So far, nothing’s happened.”

Then it was probably fine.

He’d already gone in and out several times without any problem.

Should I get on?

As Juhyeok approached the elevator, the summoned entities rushed in ahead of him.

“Hey, no cutting!”

“Sorry!”

“Let me go first!”

“I’m the elder.”

“Ladies first.”

“WAAH!”

Seriously, what is wrong with these people?

So rude.

Of course, he knew why. They were worried something might happen to him.

In the end, he got on last and looked around.

It’s spacious.

It was like a freight elevator.

Probably big enough to hold more than fifty people.

The interior looked exactly like a real elevator.

Mirrors, handrails, everything.

But on the panel with the floor buttons, there were only two:

17th Floor and 1st Floor.

Is the only place we can go the 1st Floor?

At that moment, a thought crossed his mind.

I might run into other players.

Ding!

A message rang inside Juhyeok’s head.

[The elevator’s current grade is Level 1.]

[Accordingly, the only unlocked White Tower floor is the 1st Floor.]

Seriously, even the elevator has grades?

[As the elevator’s grade increases, additional White Tower floors will be unlocked sequentially.]

What was so special that they had to lock the floors?

The 1st Floor...

He had always been curious about the other floors of the White Tower.

What were they connected to?

The system had assigned Juhyeok White Tower Floor 17—the floor connected to Earth.

If the other floors worked the same way, then...

...they might be connected to players from other dimensions.

“...Should we not go?”

“Why?”

“I suddenly have a bad feeling.”

“Trust me. Whatever it is, I’ll handle it for you.”

As if they had been waiting for that line, the summoned entities all chimed in.

“A warrior is the summoner’s shield.”

“This humble girl shall always remain at Young Master’s side.”

“Commander, VIP protection operation ready.” 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

“Summoner, this old man—”

“I shall deploy absolute defense magic—”

“Light!”

“WAAH!”

Ugh, they’re so loud.

I shouldn’t have said anything.

He quickly pressed the 1st Floor button.

[You have selected the 1st Floor.]

[The current White Tower 1st Floor has lost its owner.]

[Therefore, entry is permitted without the owner’s consent.]

Ah.

So that’s how it works.

Normally, you needed permission to enter.

But what did it mean that the owner had “lost” the floor?

Did they die? Or were they stripped of ownership?

Just then—

WOOOOONG!

The elevator began to vibrate.

GRRRRK!

An overwhelming pressure crushed down on their bodies.

“Urk!”

ZIIING!

Bardin’s radiance flared, Mackenzie’s barrier activated, and Gyeon Dallae’s talismans stuck themselves all over Juhyeok’s body.

RATTLE-RATTLE-RATTLE!

The elevator shook violently.

It felt like his body was floating.

Then—

WHIIING!

HSSSS.

Ding!

[The elevator has arrived at the 1st Floor.]

We made it.

[Maximum stay duration: 24 hours.]

[If the stay duration is exceeded, you will be forcibly transported by elevator.]

[The 1st Floor owner is currently absent.]

[Therefore, the owner of White Tower Floor 17 is granted temporary ownership of the White Tower 1st Floor for 24 hours.]

In other words, for the next 24 hours, this place belonged to Juhyeok.

[The owner’s companions have also been automatically registered as 1st Floor residents. Valid for 24 hours.]

The summoned entities had also become temporary residents.

[Temporary White Tower 1st Floor Entry & Exit skills have been registered for 24 hours.]

They even gave him skills.

Now I understand why the round-trip fare was so expensive.

Srrrk!

The doors opened.

“...Wow.”

“Holy—”

“Hmm.”

“Oh!”

“Hahaha.”

A city spread out before Juhyeok’s eyes.

They were standing on the edge of it, in the outskirts.

Low-rise buildings, no more than five stories tall, lined both sides of the road. Streets ran between them, and in the distance he could see communication towers and power plants.

Yes.

It looked very similar—

to Juhyeok’s White Tower Floor 17.

But there were no people.

At least, none that he could see.

It was a silent, desolate city.

Cars lay scattered across the roads, coated in white dust. He couldn’t even tell whether they would still start.

The city itself didn’t seem very large. At most, it was about the size of a military parade ground.

“Is there really no one here?”

What about inside the buildings?

Quick on the draw, Cossack opened a door first.

SWISH!

Veronica Caliber, Bardin, and Meatshield followed him in.

“All clear. No one inside.”

“Veronica Caliber confirms safety.”

“Light!!!”

Juhyeok stepped inside as well.

Nothing.

It was completely empty.

A chill ran down his spine.

He stepped back outside.

“Let’s head deeper into the city.”

“Yes!”

“This warrior shall lead the way.”

The inner part of the city was no different.

It had the same bleak, lifeless atmosphere.

A city that had died and been left behind.

“You don’t sense any signs of life, right?”

“None. Not a single living aura enters this old man’s perception.”

“...Yeah.”

But then—

SWISH! SWISH-SWISH!

Cossack started making a commotion up ahead, running into buildings, then back out again, leaping up onto rooftops and down again—

and Mackenzie wasn’t about to lose either, flying around with “Strict Guard” floating over his head, then rushing back with a ZIIING! to cast another barrier on Juhyeok.

What is wrong with them?

There’s a limit to overreacting.

The Mad Demon clicked his tongue.

“Pay those fools no mind. Trying to understand them will only waste your strength.”

Then Veronica added,

“Should I shoot them?”

Click!

...

She looked serious.

“...Please don’t. That would hurt.”

Eventually, they reached a large plaza in the distance.

It was the same there too.

No people—no trace that people had ever lived there at all.

Were they all dead?

Or had there never been any in the first place?

They searched the whole city.

There was nothing but buildings.

It was like a movie set.

Then a message he had seen earlier flashed through Juhyeok’s mind.

[Temporary White Tower 1st Floor Entry & Exit skills have been registered for 24 hours.]

He checked his general skills.

[General Skills: Tower Entry (4/day) / Tower-exclusive Inventory / White Tower Floor 17 Entry & Exit (Unavailable) / White Tower 1st Floor Entry & Exit (Valid for 24 hours)]

If there’s no one inside, maybe there are people outside?

He had the skill.

“Should I go outside?”

The summoned entities’ expressions darkened.

They could enter the Black Tower together, but here Juhyeok would have to go alone.

That was why, even on Earth, he couldn’t enter a tower directly from White Tower Floor 17.

He always had to return to the penthouse first, summon everyone, and then go in together.

If something happened while he was alone...

“Summoner, is it truly necessary to go outside?”

“The Mad Demon speaks wisely.”

“That’s right. Please don’t go.”

“WAAH!”

He understood why they were worried.

But his curiosity was too strong.

What kind of world lay beyond White Tower 1st Floor?

Earth?

Or another world?

What kind of people lived there?

“If it’s dangerous, I’ll come right back. Or I’ll summon you immediately.”

“...Hmm.”

“...Sigh.”

What could possibly be dangerous?

“Then I’ll just step out—”

“W-wait a moment.”

Rustle.

Slap, slap, slap!

Gyeon Dallae plastered talismans all over Juhyeok’s body.

ZIIING!

Mackenzie deployed another barrier.

The magitech engineer El fastened a belt around Juhyeok’s waist.

“I copied a belt we got earlier. It’s an automatic potion injector. I filled it completely with healing potions.”

This was getting excessive.

I’m not a three-year-old child.

Still, he accepted it.

He knew they were worried.

“The moment you step out, call one of us immediately!”

All right. Let’s go.

Juhyeok spoke slowly and clearly.

“Exit White Tower 1st Floor.”

SPOT!

Outside White Tower 1st Floor.

He was finally out.

“Where am I?”

It seemed to be a rooftop.

Anyway, should I summon someone first?

“Mad Demon, Designated Summo—uh...”

Juhyeok stopped in the middle of the command.

Because of what he saw in front of him.

“W-What is this...?”

Above him hung a dark and gloomy sky.

Heavy black clouds filled the heavens.

But that wasn’t why he was shocked.

Something was flying.

A lot of things.

FLAP-FLAP.

“...My god!”

Wyverns and griffins swarmed through the sky, and even higher above them, a colossal beast—a Colossus Condor—glided lazily alongside ice hawks.

The sky was black with them.

Was this the Black Tower?

No way.

This was outside White Tower 1st Floor.

The world connected to it.

Most likely—

another dimension.

Suddenly—

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The rooftop shook violently.

He hurried to the railing and looked down.

“This is insane!”

Living creatures were moving through the ruined city below.

“KYAAAAH!”

“KUUOOOH!”

“KRAEK!”

“KIAAA!”

They were all monsters.

Goblins, orcs, basilisks, trolls, ogres... and behemoths.

Giant queen spiders had spun webs across entire blocks, and Apophis was revealing its massive body from beneath the ground.

And that wasn’t all.

Zombies roamed the streets, along with ghouls, skeletons, dullahans, specters, and death knights.

A grotesque horde of undead.

Only then did he realize it.

This was a world where the boundary between the Tower and reality had collapsed.

And this was only one region.

If the entire world looked like this—

“Hah...”

It was over.

Completely ruined.

Let’s go back.

There was nothing more to see.

“Enter White Tower 1st Floor.”

SPOT!

“Summoner!!!”

“Haa... this girl was worried.”

“Why didn’t you summon us immediately?”

“Ah, my heart nearly dropped into my stomach!”

Juhyeok told the summoned entities what he had seen outside.

Their expressions darkened.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

The world had already fallen, and only White Tower 1st Floor remained.

This place could not be destroyed.

Juhyeok had been told that when he first obtained the White Tower.

[It will never collapse. It exists permanently.]

What good was permanence

when the original world was gone?

It left a bitter aftertaste.

If this was Earth’s future... then what?

Then—

“Huh?”

Where did that one go now?

“Mr. Rajix?”

Don’t tell me—

“Has anyone seen Rajix?”

“...Huh? He was right here a moment ago.”

“Looks like he went into that building.”

“Ah!”

An old-fashioned building stood at the front of the plaza.

WHOOSH!

Juhyeok rushed inside, with the others right behind him.

The interior looked like the lobby of a government service office.

Where did he go?

“Mr. Rajix!!!”

“Hoe!”

Upstairs?

They ran up the stairs and found him there.

“Good grief, wandering off on your own again—huh? Ah!”

At the end of the hallway, Rajix stood trembling, pointing his tiny hand toward a room.

“I told you not to do that... huh? Ah!”

What Rajix was pointing at was a person.

More precisely, a corpse.

It hadn’t completely decomposed. It had dried out into something like a mummy.

A dagger was buried in its chest.

Just then—

Ding!

[You have encountered the legacy of the 1st Floor owner.]

[Would you like to connect to the memories he left behind?]

“...Huh?”

What now?

This person was the owner of the 1st Floor?

So that was why there was no owner.

Because he was dead.

A memory connection...

Like when he viewed a summoned entity’s background?

The timing was perfect.

It was a chance to answer his questions.

“Connect.”

The surroundings changed immediately.

The memories of the 1st Floor owner unfolded before him.

His name was Max Kruger.

He was a player from Germany, the strongest country in that world.

Germany—not the United States.

This was definitely a parallel world.

Similar to Earth, but different.

Max Kruger had not only been Germany’s strongest player, but the strongest player in the world.

He specialized in close combat—Hammer Mastery, using an enormous hammer.

From the very moment he awakened, his talent had been recognized.

The government raised him intensively.

Floor by floor.

He climbed the Tower steadily.

Whenever the climb became difficult, the government gave him immediate support.

One after another,

he consumed no fewer than twenty Trait Enhancement Runes.

Twenty enhancements.

With that power, he tore through the Tower.

Small monster zones.

Medium-sized ground monsters.

Flying monsters.

Undead zones.

And finally—

Max Kruger’s world encountered the 70th Floor boss, Kabalan.

The Curse of the Average.

The beginning of a horrific nightmare.

Conflict broke out between nations above and below the global average.

That conflict escalated into war.

And Tower collapses followed everywhere.

Even so, Max did not give up.

Crossing Europe, Asia, and the Americas—temporarily changing citizenship when necessary, or using Multinational Tower Access Tickets—he did everything he could to defeat the true Kabalan of the 70th Floor.

Along the way, he obtained an item called the Tower Occupation Proclamation Loudspeaker.

He used it.

As an achievement reward, he was granted a White Tower.

The price was that the war only intensified.

“...He obtained the White Tower the same way I did.”

After hardships beyond imagination, he finally defeated the true Kabalan.

He reached the 71st Floor, received the four-gift-set reward, and unlocked access to superior Magic Stones.

But by then, it was already too late.

The Tower collapse had progressed past the point of control.

Human wars continued even in the midst of that chaos.

There was nothing anyone could do.

And so the boundary between the world and the Tower collapsed.

Monsters poured out of the Tower like a flood.

At the same time, countless creatures emerged from uncleared upper floors.

Especially the giant monsters.

The world fell in an instant.

Max Kruger retreated into the White Tower.

There was nothing else he could do.

If only he could have granted Residency Rights,

then perhaps he might have lived here with others.

But that required superior Magic Stones.

Even daily trial passes and monthly lease rights only unlocked as achievement rewards after granting permanent Residency Rights.

The final scene—

Max Kruger driving a sharp dagger into his own heart.

The end.

[Memory connection with 1st Floor owner Max Kruger has been terminated.]

The feeling it left behind was awful.

He had indirectly experienced the destruction of an entire dimension

and watched a player choose death.

And there was something else he learned.

You don’t need a Summoning Trait to obtain a White Tower.

If you succeed by using the Tower Occupation Proclamation Loudspeaker,

the nationality of a foreign Black Tower changes.

That counts as an achievement.

And the achievement reward is a White Tower.

It seemed anyone who accomplished that feat could obtain one.

In any case, the world ended, and Max Kruger was left alone.

He climbed the Tower desperately, mined superior Magic Stones, and used the Authority of Creation—Copy and Paste—to build this place, dreaming of the day people might one day live here together.

But that hope was never fulfilled.

In the end, he chose death.

If only I had met him before he made that choice...

I could have helped him.

Maybe on another floor of the White Tower...

the 2nd Floor, or the 3rd Floor...

I might meet a living owner.

Just then—

Ding!

[Due to the memory connection, you have acquired the right to inherit Max Kruger’s legacy.]

Legacy?

[Max Kruger’s legacy will be transferred to the Tower-exclusive Inventory.]

At the same time—

Sssssssss...

Max Kruger’s corpse began to crumble into dust.

“...Huh?”

Messages appeared one after another.

[Legacy: 25 Multinational Tower Access Tickets added to Tower-exclusive Inventory.]

[Legacy: 3 Combat Skill Runes added to Tower-exclusive Inventory.]

[Legacy: 152 kg of superior Magic Stones added to Tower-exclusive Inventory.]

[Legacy: 843 Healing Potions added to Tower-exclusive Inventory.]

[Legacy: Land-Devastating Earthquake Gigantification Hammer added to Tower-exclusive Inventory.]

[Legacy: 2 Restore Scrolls added to Tower-exclusive Inventory.]

And then—

[Legacy: 11 Tower Clearing Mission Reset Tickets added to Tower-exclusive Inventory.]

Finally—

[Legacy: Trait Enhancement Rune added to Tower-exclusive Inventory.]

...What in the world is all this?