[You have leveled up!]
"Leveled… what?" Jan muttered as he struggled up breathless. His vision flickered with the glowing notification, but he had no time to process it.
"This isn't the time for that!"
He turned his focus back to the approaching pack, gripping his sword tighter, his shield raised and ready.
The wolves hesitated.
Unlike before, they didn't attack right away. Instead, they remained near their fallen packmate, their ears twitching as if processing what had just happened.
A low growl rumbled from the back of the pack. A larger wolf lifted its head and let out a short, commanding snarl.
The others reacted instantly.
With calculated steps, they began to encircle Jan.
His heart pounded.
"You think I'd fall for this trick again?"
He took a step back—pressing his back against the cold stone wall, knowing very well he was leaving himself no escape route.
'It's better than being surrounded.'
The wolves edged closer, their low growls merging into an eerie chorus.
Then—they struck.
As the first one lunged, Jan swung his sword, intercepting it mid-air. The impact sent a painful jolt up his arm, but he held firm.
Another attacked from the side. Jan twisted, barely blocking with his shield, before countering with a slash.
Again and again, steel clashed with fang and claw.
Jan relied on instinct and muscle memory from his Kendo training. His footwork wasn't perfect. His swings were heavier than they should be. But he was fighting back.
He wasn't just dying anymore.
Still, his breathing slowly grew heavier. His arms ached. For every wolf he cut down, another snapped at his heels. He knew—
He couldn't afford a single mistake.
He didn't care about dying, even the pain was now an after thought.
But losing his progress— terrified him.
This new fear ignited something in him.
A fire.
And so, he kept going.
...
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You've Learned a New Skill: Basic Swordsmanship Lv.1]
[You have leveled up!]
[You've reached Level 5! You can now distribute your stat points!]
Slowly but steadily the pile of defeated wolves grew larger.
Jan felt it—his body was changing. Each strike came smoother than the last, each movement sharper.
With each kill, his speed increased, his swings more precise, and he was no longer being pushed back: He was pushing forward!
Before long, only one remained—
The largest.
A magnificent monster that towered above the others, alone at the far end of the room.
Its fur was a deep, smoky gray, with scars etched upon it from countless battles.
A lone deformed horn pushed out from its forehead, glinting like polished obsidian.
Its amber eyes glowed with an unnerving intelligence as they settled on Jan.
This wasn't a mindless beast. It was sizing him up, planning for its next move with a chilling intelligence.
Jan tightened his grip.
[Alpha Wolf – Lv.10]
"...Shit."
A chilling pressure filled the room.
Jan's instincts screamed.
If he gave this beast even a moment—just one—it would rip him apart.
He had to act. Now.
Realizing that he had to shift from defense to offense, Jan lunged forward, raising his shield and slamming it into the wolf's face.
The beast reeled back—caught off guard.
Jan seized the moment. His sword flashed.
Aiming for its throat, he swung with all his might—
CLANG!
The wolf's horn intercepted the strike, sparks flying from the impact.
Jan's arms trembled as his attack was stopped, and the wolf's glowing eyes locked onto him.
A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the chamber, and through Jan's chest.
"I'm so screwed."
He barely had time to think before the wolf started his move. It lowered its stance—coiling like a spring.
Jan froze. He knew this pattern: It was about to pounce…
But it didn't.
Instead, the wolf threw its head back and howled.
A crackling light sparked from the tip of its horn.
Jan's eyes widened. "No way!"
Lightning coalesced into a violently revolving sphere, flickering with deadly energy.
And then, it fired.
A bolt of pure lightning surged toward Jan.
Boom!
The blast struck Jan directly.
[Lightning Resistance]
The impact kicked up dust and shook the chamber.
But— Jan was still standing.
"Huh…?"
He was just as confused as the wolf itself.
A string of glowing windows appeared in front of him.
[You are immune to lightning attacks.]
[Any lightning attacks you receive will be absorbed and can be used at any time without consuming Mana.]
As Jan's shock faded, it was quickly replaced by something else: realization!
Lightning snaked around his sword, crackling along the blade.
He looked at the weapon, then at the wolf, and he smirked:
"Back to you, bitch."
Jan swung his sword through the air, and the lightning surged forward.
BOOM!
A blinding explosion erupted as the wolf was struck. Smoke filled the chamber, carrying the horrifying stench of burnt fur.
As the light faded, Jan saw the wolf stagger in place, before eventually—
It collapsed.
For a moment, Jan just stood in place.
His brain struggled to catch up.
'Did I… win?'
His grip loosened on his sword. His shoulders sagged.
Then, it hit him.
"YES! YES! YES! I DID IT!"
He jumped in place, laughing. He had cleared the room!
But there was no time to celebrate. This wasn't enough!
He needed to leave this place and head to the next tunnel. Hopefully, there would be stairs at the end of it.
Quickly readying himself, Jan walked toward the entrance.
However, just before exiting the room, he suddenly heard steps.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Jan's instincts flared. He spun just in time to raise his shield.
CRASH!
A force like a battering ram slammed into him, and he was launched across the room.
His shield shattered on impact as he crashed against the stone wall.
[-50 HP]
[-40 HP]
[Your body is in a critical state.]
[Health has dropped below 20%. All stats reduced by 75%.]
[Rest or use potions to recover.]
"AUGH!"
Pain erupted through his body.
His vision blurred. Blood dripped from his forehead, his nose, his mouth.
He forced himself to focus, and managed to see what hit him:
It was the wolf!
Still alive, its body trembled. The right side of its head was burnt raw. Its movements were sluggish.
But it was still moving, still deadly.
Jan coughed, spitting blood onto the floor.
'I need to finish it off.'
He gripped his sword with both hands.
No shield.
No protection.
This was it.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The wolf approached.
Its breathing was ragged.
Jan stayed still, waiting.
He clutched the hilt of his sword. The moment the wolf entered his striking range—
'NOW!'
Jan swung his sword with everything he had—
CLANG!
Its horn intercepted the blade.
CRACK!
Jan's sword broke in half.
His eyes widened.
He looked at the broken weapon in his hand.
Then at the wolf. And—
He laughed.
It was a weak, bitter chuckle.
"Seriously…? Just one more hit… and my sword breaks?"
His head fell back against the wall.
'And to make it worse, this place is probably just like the Endlesscape.'
He already knew—if he came back here, all the other wolves will be back.
The same fight. The same struggle. Would he even get this far again?
Had he just wasted his only chance?
'Damn it.'
The Alpha Wolf loomed over him, its fangs raised high ready to crash his body and soul.
Jan watched, too exhausted to worry.
'Whatever.'
He closed his eyes.
His broken sword slipped from his grasp, clattering against the stone floor.
Bang—
'I'm dead.'
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang—
"…Huh?!"
Jan's eyes snapped open.
What he saw made his breath catch.
A figure clad in gleaming armor was pummeling the wolf into the stone wall.
Each punch sent shockwaves through the chamber.
The Alpha Wolf howled in pain, its body slamming into the wall again and again.
Blow after blow, Jan felt them through the floor. And then—
The knight effortlessly lifted the massive wolf with one hand, and tossed its lifeless body aside like a ragdoll!
Jan lay there, stunned.
Is this guy even human?!
The knight turned, his heavy boots thudding against the floor as he approached.
"You did well, adventurer." His voice was deep, unwavering.
Jan still couldn't believe what he had just witnessed.
Before he could even process it, the knight knelt beside him, reaching into his pouch.
"Here," he said, pulling out a small glass bottle filled with red liquid.
"Drink it," the knight ordered.
Jan frowned, shaking his head.
The knight sighed. "Relax, it's medicine. It'll make you feel better."
Unbothered to argue anymore, Jan slowly uncorked the bottle.
With a deep breath, he downed the entire thing in one gulp.
[+50 HP Restored]
[Your state has returned to normal!]
Instantly, a wave of relief washed over Jan, as his pain melted away and he regained his strength.
He shot to his feet, and his eyes widened: 'That actually worked?!'
He turned to the knight. "Thank you."
The man waved his hand dismissively. "It's nothing. It's my fault you ended up in this situation anyway. Come on. Let's get back to town. You need to rest."
But Jan shook his head.
"No, I'm getting out of this place." He said turning away.
The knight's brow furrowed.
"And how do you plan to do that? By throwing your life away?" The knight snapped.
He stepped forward, clamping his gloved hand down on Jan's shoulder, and forcing him to turn around.
Jan's jaw clenched.
Frustration boiled over.
"So what?!" His voice rose. "Does it really matter?!"
Bang!
[-45 HP]
A fist slammed into Jan's face.
His vision spun before he hit the ground hard, blood trickling from his lip.
As his ear rang, he slowly looked up at the knight who loomed over him, fists clenched.
"I thought you were brave," he said coldly, "But you're just reckless."
The knight grabbed Jan by the collar and lifted him off the ground like he weighed nothing.
Jan barely had time to react before the knight drew back his fist, ready to strike again.
"Does it really matter?!" the knight bellowed. "Of course, it does! If you die in the tower, you're gone for good! If you want to die so badly, then let me end your misery with my own hands!"
Jan's stomach dropped, flailing his arms.
"Wait! Wait! You're going to kill me, you crazy bastard!" he shouted.
The knight didn't let go. His grip was ironclad.
"Oh? Didn't you just say you wanted to die?!"
Jan gulped. "N-No one told me I can't come back if I die in the tower!"
The knight's fist froze mid-air.
His expression shifted slightly as he stared at Jan, as if trying to gauge whether he was lying.
After a moment, he sighed heavily and lowered Jan back to the ground.
"You're really clueless," the knight muttered, shaking his head. "Most heroes figure this stuff out pretty quickly."
Jan groaned, rubbing his sore jaw. "Well, I'm no hero!"
He winced. "Damn, this hurts worse than the wolf's attack…"
The knight grinned unapologetically. "It's alright. We'll get you patched up when we head back to town."
Jan's eye twitched. "Don't you have more of that red liquid?!"
The knight scratched his cheek. "Uh… yeah, about that… the one you drank was the last one."
Jan groaned again.
"That 'red liquid' is called a potion, by the way," the knight added. "Don't you have something similar back in your world?"
Jan froze.
"You… you know I'm not from this world?!"
The knight shrugged casually. "Yeah, I figured it out the moment I saw you back in town. Your attire is different from anything we have here."
Jan glanced down at himself. Gray jeans, a bloodied white t-shirt, and a brown zip-up hoodie, he was even wearing his school backpack.
An outfit that was only worn by some of the Earthlings who were summoned into this world. Common folks refer to them as heroes from the otherworld and usually treat them with respect, as they were summoned here to save the world.
"...So, do you know how I can get back to my world?" he asked.
The knight's expression turned serious.
"I told you already." His voice was firm. "You need to reach the 100th floor of the tower. Only then can you leave this place."
"Then let me go. I need to reach the top as soon as possible!"
"You still don't understand, hero." His voice lowered. "It's not something you can do in one day."
Jan froze.
The knight exhaled. "In fact, no one has ever done it. Hundreds—maybe thousands—of heroes have tried.
None have reached the top."
Silence.
Jan stood there, stunned.
His earlier determination cracked.
He thought that once he got out of this maze, the stairs to the 100th would be what awaits.
Yes, he knew he'd have to go through a few more chambers like this one, but he thought that would be the extent of his suffering, that this 'game' would finally be over.
But now…
He was beginning to feel sick.
Noticing his expression, the knight clapped his shoulder.
"Hey," he said. "I'm not saying it's impossible. I'm just saying you need to learn a few things first."
Jan stared up at him.
"Let's head back to town. Rest for the night, and I'll tell you everything tomorrow, hero."
"It's Jan."
The knight paused.
Then, he suddenly burst out laughing.
"Alright then, Jan," he grinned, extending his hand. "I'm Rollo, Commander of Valkeries' Knights. Nice to meet you!"
Jan hesitated for a moment… then shook his hand.
"Thank you for helping me," he said quietly.
Rollo grinned. "And I'm sorry for hitting you."
Judging by his maniacal laughter, Jan suspected he was still drunk. Still, he was glad that he found him.
"By the way… how did you even find me?"
Rollo scratched his head. "Oh, well, I wanted to find you earlier, but I took a wrong turn."
Jan chuckled. "Let me guess—you went right?"
Rollo looked confused.
"Wait—how did you know?!"
Jan couldn't help himself, and burst out laughing.