The Tower's Last Chronicle

The blinding golden light faded.

The black glass floor dissolved into countless particles before disappearing completely.

When Lee Seo Jun opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in a vast stone courtyard.

Around him stood nearly nine hundred survivors.

Ancient gray walls surrounded the area from every side.

Time had carved countless scars into the stone.

Deep cracks spread across the walls like wounds left behind by forgotten wars.

At the north, south, east, and west stood enormous wooden gates reinforced with thick iron bands.

Each gate looked heavy enough to withstand a siege.

The air felt dry.

A faint scent of rust drifted through the courtyard.

And beneath it...

Blood.

Old blood.

The kind that had soaked into stone after countless years.

The kind that never truly disappeared.

At the center of the courtyard rested several large wooden crates overflowing with supplies.

Weapons.

Medical kits.

Potions of every kind.

Healing potions.

Mana potions.

Stamina potions.

Strength potions.

Agility potions.

Everything needed to survive the coming battle.

Enough resources to immediately attract attention.

Before anyone could approach them….

Fwoosh!

A cloud of green smoke exploded into existence.

The survivors instantly tensed.

Hands moved toward weapons.

Bodies instinctively shifted into defensive positions.

A familiar figure emerged from the smoke.

Supervisor Krix.

The goblin floated above the courtyard with his arms crossed.

His expensive purple suit remained perfectly spotless.

Not a wrinkle.

Not a speck of dust.

His face, however, looked far less refined.

It looked terrible.

His eyes twitched.

The smile he always wore was nowhere to be seen.

He looked furious.

No.

Furious was too mild.

He looked like someone who had spent hours cleaning his house only to watch it burn down in front of him.

Krix slowly looked over the crowd.

His expression darkened further with every passing second.

Humans were supposed to betray each other.

That was the entire point.

Verdant Hell was designed to crush their bodies.

The Hall of Reflections was designed to crush their minds.

By this point, only a small group should have remained.

One hundred and fifty.

Maybe two hundred if they were lucky.

Broken survivors.

Traumatized survivors.

People desperate enough to abandon morality for survival.

People easy to manipulate.

Easy to control.

Easy to guide wherever the System wanted them to go.

Instead...

Nine hundred people stood before him.

They were exhausted.

They were wounded.

They were still afraid of what awaited them.

But they were standing.

Together.

Their eyes no longer carried the panic of ordinary civilians.

They carried something else.

Determination.

Resolve.

The willingness to move forward.

And at the center of it all stood a single person.

Lee Seo Jun.

The young man holding a black greatsword over his shoulder.

The source of every problem.

The variable that should not exist.

The anomaly.

The biggest headache in Supervisor Krix's entire career.

And judging by the way the goblin was glaring at him...

That headache was only getting worse.

The goblin forced a smile.

It looked more like a threat.

"Welcome to Stage Three."

His raspy voice echoed across the courtyard.

"The Trial of Resonance."

A glowing blue map appeared above his head.

"This stage is a siege battle."

"You are currently inside the central fortress."

"In exactly ten minutes, all four gates will open."

"And when they do..."

His grin widened.

"The monsters will come."

The map shifted.

A red marker appeared in the east.

"From the East."

"The Undead Horde."

Images of skeletons and rotting corpses appeared above the map.

Hundreds of them.

A tide of death.

"They do not tire. They do not fear. They do not feel pain."

Another marker lit up.

"The West."

A swarm of goblins appeared.

Their eyes burned with savage hunger.

"Savage Goblins."

"They are always in a group, fast, aggressive and numerous."

The southern side glowed next.

Dark shadows filled the sky.

Razor Wing Shriekers.

Winged monsters with steel beaks and razor sharp talons.

"They rule the skies of this stage."

"And they enjoy hunting prey that cannot fight back."

Several survivors swallowed nervously.

Then Krix pointed north.

His smile widened.

"And finally..."

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

The image changed.

Four giant figures appeared.

The atmosphere instantly grew heavier.

"Orc Warriors."

Massive.

Muscular.

Terrifying.

Each carried a battle axe larger than a man.

"Elite monsters."

"Any one of them could crush a boulder with its bare hands."

Several faces turned pale.

Krix enjoyed every second of it.

Then he pointed toward the supply crates.

"Inside those crates are weapons."

"Armor."

"Healing potions."

"Stamina potions."

"Strength potions."

"Agility potions."

"Everything necessary to survive."

His grin widened.

"But..."

"There isn't enough for everyone."

The crowd immediately became alert.

Krix's yellow eyes gleamed.

Now came his favorite part.

"The System requires official combat groups."

"A maximum of ten groups may be registered."

A new blue screen appeared above the courtyard.

[Group Registration Available]

[Maximum Registered Groups : 10]

[Any Participant May Nominate Themselves As Group Leader]

[Unregistered Participants Will Be Eliminated]

The survivors froze.

Some immediately looked at the final line.

Krix slowly leaned forward.

His voice became almost gentle.

The kind of voice a devil might use.

"Any participant who wishes to lead may nominate themselves as a group leader."

"You may build your own group."

"You may recruit your own members."

"You may compete for resources."

"You may compete for followers."

His smile stretched wider.

"After all..."

"Leadership should belong to the strongest."

The courtyard grew tense.

The trap was obvious.

Ten groups.

Limited supplies.

Limited positions.

Limited authority.

More than enough reasons for conflict.

Then Krix delivered the final blow.

"Anyone not assigned to a registered group when the timer expires..."

A cruel smile appeared.

"Will be eliminated."

Silence filled the courtyard.

Krix continued.

"You will lose your qualification as a participant."

"You will lose your right to continue the tutorial."

"You will remain Awakened."

"But your rewards will be drastically reduced."

"You will lose countless opportunities that exist only within the tutorial."

"No more bonus rewards."

"No more hidden stages."

"No more special inheritances."

"No more chances to grow stronger ahead of everyone else."

"You will watch others continue climbing while you are left behind."

"And in the Tower..."

Krix's smile widened.

"Being left behind is often no different from a slow death."

His eyes swept across the crowd.

"You will return to the world below."

"Alone."

His smile deepened.

For a moment, the courtyard felt colder.

Because everyone understood what those words truly meant.

The world outside was no longer the same world they had left behind.

Monsters had appeared.

Dungeons had opened.

Awakened Hunters walked among ordinary people.

Strength was no longer a concept of stories or legends.

It was a currency.

A law.

A privilege.

And soon...

A necessity for survival.

Those left behind would return to a world they no longer belonged to.

Unable to protect themselves.

Unable to protect their families.

Forced to watch others rise while they remained powerless.

Forced to live in an era that had already moved on without them.

In such a world...

Being left behind was no different from being erased slowly, one day at a time.

Krix slowly raised a finger.

"Oh, and one more thing."

A new system window appeared above the courtyard.

[Stage Reward Notice]

"Once this stage is cleared, leaders will receive enhanced rewards compared to ordinary participants."

"These rewards include higher survival points, rare drops, and increased evaluation ranking from the System."

His grin widened.

"In other words..."

"The better your leadership..."

"The more the System will reward you."

The implication was clear.

Compete for leadership. Make more groups.

Compete for power.

Compete for superiority.

Divide yourselves again.

Krix practically trembled with anticipation.

Betray each other. Fight among yourselves. Show your true nature.

Show me what humans become when survival and reward are placed on the same scale.

"You have ten minutes."

"Enjoy."

Poof.

Green smoke exploded.

The goblin vanished.

And Krix waited.

For shouting.

For conflict.

For greed.

For chaos.

Instead...

Nothing happened.

The courtyard remained silent.

No one rushed toward the supply crates.

No one fought over weapons.

No one began recruiting followers.

No one nominated themselves as leader.

Every single person turned toward one man.

Lee Seo Jun.

From the earlier stages, they had already realized one thing.

Lee Seo Jun was not normal.

He was a monster in a different sense.

Every decision he made turned chaos into structure.

Every command he gave increased their survival rate.

Every situation that should have collapsed into panic instead turned into coordination.

They had seen it with their own eyes.

Verdant Hell.

With the help of those who had naturally begun following him, Lee Seo Jun had dismantled the stage from within.

Monsters that should have taken three days to clear were wiped out in just thirty three hours.

Not because of overwhelming numbers.Not because of raw power alone.But because of coordination and precision.

And absolute control over chaos.

Then came the Hall of Reflections.

That stage had changed something fundamental in them.

He had not merely saved their lives.

He had forced them to confront themselves.

Their fears. Their regrets. Their failures.

The parts of themselves they had spent their entire lives avoiding.

And then, he did something even more important.

He showed them how to keep moving forward.

Not by erasing pain.

But by accepting it and still taking another step.

Some trusted his strength.

Some trusted his judgment.

If they wanted to clear this stage. If they wanted better rewards. If they wanted to reach the next trial alive. They needed to rely on him.

Not as an option.

But as the only viable path forward.

But regardless of the reason...

All of them had reached the same conclusion.

Staying close to Lee Seo Jun was no longer a choice.

It was the safest path forward.

Every stage should have broken them.

Instead, they had survived.

Not because they were strong enough.

But because they had followed him.

And now, that understanding had become instinct.

Every gaze settled on him.

That kind of trust could not be won through power alone.

It was earned.

And without realizing it, Seo Jun had become something more than a survivor.

More than a talented cadet.

More than a fighter.

A leader.

Min Ho's shield unit stepped forward first.

Not just Min Ho.

More than twenty shield bearers followed behind him.

Clang.

The sound of shields striking armor echoed through the courtyard.

Min Ho rested his shield against the ground and looked toward Seo Jun.

"The goblin thinks we're idiots."

Several survivors laughed.

The tension eased.

Min Ho smirked.

"He gave us ten groups."

"He never said we had to use all ten."

Understanding spread through the crowd.

A faint smile appeared on Seo Jun's face.

Min Ho raised his shield high.

"We only need one."

For a moment, silence filled the courtyard.

Then the entire fortress erupted.

"That's right!"

"One group!"

"We stay together!"

"We clear it together!"

"We've come this far already!"

"No one gets left behind!"

And somewhere far away...

A certain goblin felt his blood pressure rise.

The voices spread through the courtyard like a wave.

It was not fear or panic. It was conviction.

Beside them, Ha Neul stepped forward.

The young mage looked very different from the girl who had entered the Tower.

Still looked inexperienced.

Still became nervous sometimes.

But every battle had strengthened her.

Every challenge had sharpened her confidence.

Without realizing it, she had stopped looking for someone to protect her.

She had become someone others relied on.

The mages naturally gathered around her.

No orders were given.

No positions were assigned.

They simply moved.

Because they trusted her.

Ha Neul glanced toward Seo Jun.

Their eyes met briefly.

Then she nodded.

"We fight together."

The mages immediately voiced their agreement.

Then the academy cadets joined.

Then the civilians.

Then everyone else.

Soon the entire courtyard stood united.

Min Ho looked around and laughed.

"Looks like nobody wants to be a group leader."

A few people chuckled.

It was true.

Moments ago, the System had practically encouraged them to compete for authority.

To build factions. To gather followers. To fight over resources.

Not a single person had stepped forward.

Not one.

Min Ho raised his shield.

"An army needs a commander."

This time every gaze turned toward Seo Jun.

No hesitation. No disagreement. No jealousy. Only trust. Because they already felt it.

"Lead us."

For a moment, Seo Jun looked across the crowd.

Nine hundred people.

Nine hundred different lives.

Different fears.

Different dreams.

Different reasons for climbing the Tower.

Yet all of them were standing here.

Looking at him.

Trust was a strange thing.

It was lighter than a feather.

Yet heavier than a mountain.

Once people placed it in your hands, you became responsible for more than yourself.

Humanity's greatest weakness had never been monsters.

It had never been a lack of talent.

It had never been a lack of strength.

It was a division.

People fighting people.

Groups fighting groups.

Everyone pulling in different directions while disaster approached.

If humanity wanted to survive what was coming...

They needed unity.

From the very beginning.

Seo Jun nodded.

"Open your System windows."

His voice carried across the entire courtyard.

"Merge every available slot."

"One army."

"One command."

"One objective."

"Survival of all."

No one questioned him.

No one hesitated.

Everyone immediately obeyed.

Less than thirty seconds later.

Ding.

[Group Registration Complete]

[Unified Force Created]

[Group Leader Assigned]

[Lee Seo Jun]

Far away.

Inside the hidden administrative realm.

Supervisor Krix nearly choked.

Meanwhile, Seo Jun climbed onto the largest supply crate.

Eight minutes remained.

Eight minutes to prepare nine hundred people for war.

His gaze swept across the crowd.

No panic.

No confusion.

Everyone was waiting.

Listening.

Ready.

"We defend all four gates."

His voice was calm.

Sharp.

Precise.

The voice of someone who had stood on battlefields far worse than this.

"We do not waste manpower."

"We do not waste supplies."

"We do not waste lives."

The atmosphere changed instantly.

People straightened.

Subconsciously.

Like soldiers receiving orders.

"Everyone fights where they are most effective."

Seo Jun pointed east.

"The undead do not feel pain."

"Swords are inefficient."

"Arrows are inefficient."

"We crush them."

"We need blunt weapons."

"Hammers."

"Clubs."

"Maces."

Immediately, dozens of people stepped forward.

Then Seo Jun searched the crowd.

Looking for something else.

A possibility.

"Who feels golden energy instead of blue mana?"

Confusion spread.

People exchanged looks.

Then two hands slowly rose.

An athletic man in his early thirties.

A young nurse.

The nurse spoke first.

"We thought it was defective."

The man scratched his head awkwardly.

"It doesn't seem useful."

"It only feels warm."

A faint smile appeared on Seo Jun's face.

For the first time since entering the Tower, both of them saw hope.

"It isn't defective."

Both froze.

Seo Jun stepped forward.

"You awakened the Holy Power."

Gasps spread through the crowd.

"Holy Power?"

"A hidden class?"

"A healer?"

Seo Jun shook his head.

"It's far more valuable than that."

He pointed toward the eastern gate.

"Against the undead..."

His eyes sharpened.

"You are their natural enemy."

The two stood speechless.

For days they had believed they were behind everyone else. It was less effective against normal monsters compared to blue mana.

Now they have become one of the most important pieces of the battlefield.

Seo Jun looked toward the blunt weapon fighters.

"Protect them."

His voice became firm.

"No matter what happens."

"They are your priority."

The fighters nodded immediately.

The nurse lowered her head.

Her eyes had become red.

Not from fear.

From relief.

The feeling of finally being useful.

Of finally belonging.

Sometimes a single sentence could change a person's future.

Seo Jun pointed west.

"The goblins rely on numbers."

"They want chaos."

"Do not give it to them."

"Hold formation."

"Shields in front."

"Spears and swords attack through the gaps."

"If they retreat, let them."

"If they charge, kill them."

The western defenders immediately began organizing.

Formation after formation took shape.

Then Seo Jun looked south.

Toward Min Ho.

Toward Ha Neul.

"The sky belongs to you."

The shield bearers immediately straightened.

"The Shriekers attack from above."

"Create a shield roof."

"Protect the archers."

Min Ho grinned.

His unit answered together.

"Understood!"

Then Seo Jun turned toward Ha Neul.

The young mage met his gaze.

There was no uncertainty left.

Only determination.

"You will coordinate all ranged mages."

"Control the battlefield."

"Bring them down."

Ha Neul nodded firmly.

"I'll handle it."

Around her, the mages immediately began organizing.

Without realizing it.

She had already become their leader.

A commander in her own right.

Only one gate remained.

North.

The strongest enemy.

The greatest threat.

Ha Neul frowned.

"The Orc Warriors."

Her voice became quieter.

"Are you taking it alone?"

Everyone already knew.

But they still wanted to hear it.

Seo Jun rested the black greatsword on his shoulder.

His eyes moved toward the northern gate.

"I'll take the front line."

Silence followed.

Then he continued.

"But not alone."

He looked toward the crowd.

"I need ten volunteers."

"You don't need to defeat the Orcs."

"You only need courage."

"I'll handle the killing."

"You create opportunities."

The response was immediate.

More than twenty academy cadets stepped forward.

Not one hesitated.

Not one looked away.

Seo Jun quickly selected ten.

Fast.

Reliable.

Calm under pressure.

A spear unit.

An archer unit.

A support squad.

The best people for the role.

Then…

GRRRRRNNNNDDDD!!

A massive mechanical roar shook the fortress.

The ground trembled beneath their feet.

The ancient gates began to move.

Slowly at first. Then faster.

Like something sealed for centuries was finally waking up and all across the courtyard.

The air itself felt heavy. As if the world was holding its breath before impact.

Then, the gates fully opened.

The war had begun.

[Preparation Phase Complete]

[Beginning Siege]

[Good Luck Survivors]