Ch 22 - New Allies?

While browsing through the Community tab, I suddenly thought of checking the [Personal] tab. After all, it was always important to review my own information, inventory, and current status.

However, the moment I clicked on the tab, the screen suddenly went black.

Error.

For a moment, I couldn't comprehend what was happening. A blank, black screen. Then, flickering white text appeared.

[CRAFTING SYSTEM CONFLICTS WITH THE TOWER SYSTEM, CONFLICTING SYSTEM FEATURES WILL BE DISABLED]

I narrowed my eyes. I couldn't fully grasp the meaning of what I was reading.

"What? What does this mean?" I muttered to myself.

I tried closing and reopening the screen—nothing. I went back to the menu and tried again, but the [Personal] tab had completely disappeared. The Inventory tab, too!

A warm breath escaped my throat. I took a few steps back, my heart pounding. What kind of nonsense was this?

With trembling hands, I tried to check the system messages, but the result was always the same. My inventory was gone. The leveling-up and stat-enhancement features provided by the Tower system were completely disabled.

A heavy weight settled in my chest. This was practically a death sentence.

If I couldn't level up… if I couldn't improve my stats… how was I supposed to survive in this tower?!

“No, no, no…” I murmured. This had to be a mistake. There had to be a way to fix it, right? But the system message was clear. My crafting system was incompatible with the Tower’s rules. And as a result… I had disabled the Tower system.

"This can't be happening..." I whispered.

I took a deep breath, but it did nothing to ease the cold fear settling in my stomach. What was I supposed to do now?

A terrifying thought struck me, and I quickly reached into my bag, pulling out the dagger I had received as a reward. I held it in my hands and used my Examine ability to inspect it.

“Come on, come on… please don’t let it be what I think it is…”

Then, my eyes landed on exactly what I was dreading.

[Required Level to Use: 20]

"Damn it..."

Unlike handmade weapons, the weapons granted by the Tower required a certain level to use. If you didn’t meet the required level, the weapon’s special properties wouldn’t activate. In other words, it would be nothing more than an ordinary dagger—perhaps even worse than a regular one.

I had been so angry that I hadn’t even checked the weapon’s properties. Frustrated, I threw the dagger back into my bag and stared at the ground for a while.

Had I clenched my fists? I hadn’t even realized. Slowly, I opened my fingers, took a deep breath, and tried to calm myself. Anger wouldn’t help me now.

I hadn’t come this far by relying on combat skills alone. I had survived with my crafting abilities. Thanks to those skills, I had made my own weapons, equipped myself, bypassed traps, and escaped enemies.

I had to grow stronger to take revenge on my father.

Even if I couldn’t level up right now, there had to be another way forward. I might have lost the Tower system, but I was still here. I was still alive.

I took another deep breath, rolled my shoulders, and focused on what I could do. How could I clear the first floor? If I couldn’t enhance my stats, what other advantages did I have?

I had to start investigating.

I listened carefully to the people around me. Fortunately, I still had access to the Community tab, so I browsed through it, trying to gather information.

As I spent more time in the Community tab, I realized just how vast and complex this system was. The first floor wasn’t just a stepping stone for new hunters entering the Tower. Many people had chosen to stay here, and some had no choice but to make a living on this floor. Not everyone who entered the Tower became a warrior or a powerful adventurer. Some failed to adapt to this new world and gave up, while others chased opportunities and started their own businesses.

As I observed my surroundings more carefully, I saw dozens of shops and homes. Permanent settlements had been established, and people were making a living through trade. Some sold armor and weapons, while others set up food stalls. Alchemists brewed potions, and blacksmiths practiced their craft. Some simply bought and sold goods, while others formed exploration teams to guide hunters deeper into the Tower.

But this place had its limits. At a certain point, I reached towering stone walls that completely enclosed the area. They weren’t ordinary structures; they felt like barriers belonging to the Tower itself. Beyond those walls lay the true world of the first floor.

Endless grasslands filled with roaming wild creatures…

Mysterious and dark dungeon entrances…

Paths leading into the unknown…

Everyone who entered this place was trying to grow stronger and make money. If one of the most important aspects of surviving in the tower was strength, the other was wealth. And the currency system here was completely independent of the outside world.

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The only way to trade here was by using tower currency.

Gold, silver, or valuable items brought from the outside had no worth. The tower had created its own system, and you had to follow it. If you didn’t have enough money to live here or buy things, you either had to fight or work.

But what truly occupied my mind was something else. The people of the tower.

I had learned that these people had not come here like us. They were a part of this place.

They had roles, much like NPCs in games, but they were far more conscious. They weren’t just merchants or guides. Each of them had their own lives, their own jobs, their own families. They were born, grew up, aged, and died here.

But unlike us… they couldn’t leave this tower.

I didn’t know why. This was all I could learn from the Community section.

I had no idea how they had settled in this world, how they had come here, or why they were trapped. The only thing I knew was that the rules here were different.

And now, those rules had become even more difficult for me.

I had no combat skills. I couldn’t level up. I couldn’t increase my stats.

If the system had turned its back on me, then I would have to find a new way for myself.

As I stood in the middle of the town, trying to process the information I had gathered from the Community section, I let my eyes wander around. This was the first stop for everyone who stepped into the tower. But the people living here hadn’t arrived later like us. They were part of the tower itself. The merchants, the blacksmiths forging armor, the alchemists selling potions… they were all natural parts of this world.

At that moment, the loneliness I felt cut even deeper. I couldn’t improve my stats. I couldn’t level up. The standard path offered by the system wasn’t available to me. This tower wasn’t designed for someone like me. And yet, I was still here. And I hadn’t come here for nothing.

Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly noticed a man walking toward me, clad in gleaming armor and carrying an expensive-looking sword. As he got closer, the slight smirk on his face and his confident demeanor became more apparent.

“You seem to have struggled on the 0th floor,” he said, scanning me from head to toe. “You must have chosen the door with the golems, just like I did. Those golems were really tough.”

His words instantly grabbed my attention. Golems? So this man had chosen the door with the golems. If he was mentioning it specifically, then unlike me, he had only entered a single door.

He continued speaking:

“Luckily, I gained +5 strength stats thanks to the red orb. Strength is crucial at the beginning if you want to progress. You’ll get your reward for enduring this hardship.”

For a moment, I felt a pang of frustration. Strength stat? Was that the reward for those who had entered only one door?

I narrowed my eyes, my mind working quickly. If the red orb increased strength, then the blue orb must enhance intelligence, and the yellow orb must boost agility. If that were the case, the room concepts were built around three main stats: Strength, Intelligence, and Agility.

As I realized this, the pieces in my mind started falling into place. Most people awakened into a class related to one of these three attributes. Warriors, mages, assassins… all of them followed one of these three main paths. But me? My class was entirely different.

Having a craft-related class wasn’t just rare. I was the only one who had it.

These thoughts clouded my mind when the man’s voice brought me back to reality:

“Why aren’t you answering?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. Then, he smirked. “Ah, how rude of me. My name is Joseph.” He gave a slight nod. “I’m a warrior class.”

I gave him a small nod in return. “I’m Alex,” I said. “I’d rather not say my class.”

Joseph paused for a moment, then smiled slightly. “You’re quite cautious for a rookie,” he said. “Not the friendliest approach, but in the tower, you have to be careful to survive.”

I raised my eyebrows and replied with a faint smirk. “In that case, does that make you the rookie?”

Joseph blinked, thought for a second, then a wide grin spread across his face. “Ah, damn,” he said, then burst into laughter. “I guess you’re right!”

A few people around us turned to look at him, but Joseph didn’t care. His laughter echoed through the town. At that moment, despite my situation, I found myself smiling slightly.

Joseph crossed his arms over his chest, openly observing me without even trying to hide his curiosity. Raising his eyebrows slightly, he nodded and spoke:

“You came pretty well-prepared. A bow and arrows, two daggers, a tattered—though still functional—armor, an amulet, and even a grappling hook… Interesting. I only entered with a sword I bought from the tower’s entrance.”

His eyes drifted over the tears in my armor and the dried bloodstains. He pursed his lips slightly.

"Despite being this well-prepared, you’ve taken quite a beating."

His voice wasn’t mocking, but there was clear surprise in it. He was studying me, perhaps trying to understand. He thought for a few seconds, and then his eyes lit up slightly.

"Aha! I get it." He raised his finger and smirked cunningly. "That’s why you’re not telling me your class! You probably have a class that leans toward intelligence, a more fragile one, but you misinterpreted the doors and picked the wrong one."

I took a deep breath inwardly but made sure nothing showed on my face. He continued talking.

"There’s nothing to be ashamed of! It happens to most people. After all, not everyone can be as smart as me."

He puffed out his chest as he said this, smiling as if he had just demonstrated great wisdom.

I paused for a moment. I needed to react carefully.

But… wait a second.

I parted my lips, nodding slightly as if I were thinking it over.

"Is that what you think?" I said, adding a hint of curiosity to my voice.

Joseph nodded confidently.

"Absolutely! Even I struggled a little at first. It’s completely normal for someone with a weak class like yours to end up in this state."

I narrowed my eyes.

He had labeled me as weak. But that, in itself, was an advantage. He underestimated me. And because he saw me as weak, he wouldn’t expect me to be a potential threat. If he ever tried to use or deceive me, I could exploit this perceived weakness.

Joseph, still wearing a faint smirk, unfolded his arms and continued speaking.

"Anyway, I was looking for an archer for an upcoming hunt. I also have a few hunter friends with me."

His gaze swept over me again, his eyebrows lifting slightly as if he was observing me more carefully. Then, with a proud tone, he continued:

"We have a tank, an assassin, and a spear wielder. Unfortunately, we don’t have a mage, but even without one, we’re a solid team."

There was unmistakable pride in his voice as he said this. So, mages were either rare or incredibly strong in the tower. Joseph boasting this much about his team wasn’t for nothing.

Then, turning back to me, he went on:

"We needed a ranged fighter, and I saw you standing there, lost in thought, with a bow and arrows on your back. So, I figured I’d come over and say hello."

His eyes flickered back to the bow strapped to my back.

"I know you’ve only just cleared the zeroth stage, but I wanted to ask if you’d like to join us."

He paused for a moment as if organizing his thoughts.

"We’re going on a hunt for a pack of Steel-Fanged Wolves. All you’d have to do is support us from behind with your ranged attacks. You won’t be in any danger. What do you say?"

A brief silence hung between us.

This was an opportunity.

A good chance to learn how the first floor worked—the rules, the creatures, the dynamics… If I wanted to survive here on my own, I needed to understand how things operated first.

I didn’t know much about Steel-Fanged Wolves, but the fact that they moved in packs and that Joseph had brought a tank and an assassin meant they weren’t creatures that could be taken down with brute force alone.

But most importantly—this hunt could give me valuable combat experience without putting myself in too much danger.

So, I nodded.

"Sounds reasonable. Alright, I’m in."

Joseph smiled slightly and extended his hand.

"Great! Welcome aboard, Alex."

I shook his hand.

And just like that, I joined my first hunting party in the tower.