Beyond the Eternity

When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on my back. A wave of dizziness from the transfer sequence washed over me, or rather, a strange, lingering sensation that left me feeling… funny.

I swept my gaze over the party members who had come with me.

... Most of them, at least.

"Ugh… My head is killing me."

"Hrrgk...!!"

The sickening sound of retching filled the alley as some of them vomited onto the pavement.

Only Miyuki and Yoo Jinsung seemed unaffected. The two were rubbing the backs of Lee Suhye and Jung Yunhee as they struggled to recover. Once again, the children had more resistance than the adults?

Shaking off the lingering discomfort, I regained my balance. My thoughts grew clearer as I took in my surroundings.

We had arrived in a back alley of a city. The scenery resembled Earth, yet at the same time, something about it felt different.

[You have entered the main stage for the Seventh Story.]

[The main narrative 'Tower of Chaos' has begun.]

The expected messages appeared. When I opened the details of the narrative, I found them obscured.

... I see. Just as I thought, I would have to go there first.

Lee Suhye muttered feverishly. "Um, where are we? We got teleported into some strange place."

"Hmm. It looks similar to our world… but we won't know for sure until we check it out. Let's go."

With that, I led the group out of the alley. The moment we stepped into the open, the full image of the city appeared before us. The group halted beside me, eyes widening with curiosity.

If I hadn't known better, I would have thought we had never left Earth.

But that wasn't the case.

The city stretched out like a giant fortress, filled with several high-rise buildings. Any person could argue that this was an advanced version of Earth, and perhaps, in some ways, that was true.

Countless people moved through the streets. Some of them were men while others were women. Either way, there was no chaos in their strode or disorder.

It was as if they were already used to this movement.

No, they headed exactly where they wanted. Some moved toward stores, attractions, or destinations unknown, but that can't be all there was to it because some people were standing still.

The person who created this fortress must have known the thought process of every individual, and designed it so people would flow naturally through this world according to their desires.

The power of top-order sorcerers were really amazing.

Despite the overwhelming mix of structures and activities, there was no sense of chaos. Instead, everything fit together in perfect harmony, so much so that I couldn't help but let out a quiet exclamation.

But amid all this beauty, one thing stood out above all else.

At the heart of the city, rising from the center of civilization itself, stood a tall, massive structure.

A tower so tall its peak vanished into the clouds.

I tilted my head back, staring up at its endless ascent, and for a brief moment, I thought my neck might break from the sheer scale of it.

[The constellation 'Golden-Eyed Prisoner of Wǔ Xíng' is excited about the Great Story.]

[The constellation 'Architect of Destruction' is wondering how you would clear that tower.]

[The constellation 'Judge of War and Wisdom' wishes you luck on your adventure.]

[The constellation 'Drunken First Sword' is greatly shocked by the appearance of another world.]

[The constellation 'Drunken First Sword' is expanding his worldview.]

As expected, the constellations were watching me. For many of them, this was the first time seeing a world beyond their own.

[Many constellations are sending their coins.]

[You have received 5,000 coins from the constellations.]

5,000 coins, huh? It wasn't much, but I hadn't expected to make money just by standing here. Well, money was money.

For the first time, a spark of life appeared in Jung Yunhee's eyes. She was staring at the tower alongside Lee Suhye, Yoo Jinsung, and Miyuki.

She stretched her hand, as if reaching for an unattainable dream. "What is that? It's… beautiful."

Still gazing at the tower, I spoke with certainty, as though making a grand declaration.

"That tower is the goal we must reach."

† †

「 The Great Universe (全域宇宙) is comprised of <Mystic Lands> and countless <Fabled Lands> 」

As we walked across the city, I slowly recalled information from my memory archive.

According to Song of Nightmares, the universe was composed of <Mystic Lands>, the personal dominions of Higher-Dimensional Beings like Gods, Witches, and other celestial entities, and the countless lesser worlds known as <Fabled Lands>. All of these resided upon the vast branches of the narrative tree known as the <Tree of Mysteries>.

This tree floated within the <Origin Sea>, and beyond it lay the void known as <Da'at Abyss>.

The nature of each <Mystic Land> varied, depending on the myths, beliefs, and stories of the beings ruled those divine lands. Or rather, by the remnants of the Narrative Tree itself.

"Yggdrasil." "The Tree of Life." "Sidrat al-Muntaha." "Jianmu." "Wacah Chan." "Sacred Tree." "Ished Tree." "Crann Bethadh." "Kalpavriksha." "The Cosmic Tree."

These world trees were not separate but roots of a single, massive tree that connected countless worlds and stories together.

Needless to say, the universe was far from a simple structure.

Earth, for example, was merely a planetary system within one of many alternations, identified by the digital code [0536]. Or rather, some would call it the "536th World."

The name of this world, however, was 'Arkiel'.

"So, you're saying this place is similar to Earth, yet different?"

"That's the gist of it, from what I understand."

"And that tower in the distance? Do we have to clear it to advance the narrative?"

"If you understand that much, why bother asking?"

"Is it wrong to ask? It's better to be sure. There are still things I don't understand."

"Is that so? Then, in that case..."

I casually snatched a newspaper from a nearby stand while the seller wasn't looking and handed it to the ever-curious Lee Suhye.

"... Read this. You should be able to piece things together from the local news."

"Wait, did you really have to steal it from the poor guy?"

"Do you have any money?"

Lee Suhye's eyes widened in realization before her face flushed with embarrassment.

We had arrived in a foreign world where we couldn't even be sure we spoke the same language. It was only natural to assume that Korean Won held no value here.

In other words, we were completely broke.

Jung Yunhee frowned. "Can't we just pay with Coins?"

"Coins are a digital currency exclusive to Constellations and Walkers. Do these people look like Inhumans blessed with supernatural abilities?"

"Well... I guess you have a point. How about this?"

In a split second, Jung Yunhee snatched three more newspapers from the stand while the owner was distracted by customers. She moved with the precision of an expert pickpocket, as if she had ten years of experience.

I was jealous. The assassin attribute was really something.

She casually handed one to Yoo Jinsung and Miyuki before keeping one for herself. Then, she pushed the last one toward me.

"Here."

"Thank you."

Jung Yunhee stared at me for a moment before narrowing her eyes. "Also, why are you smiling like that?"

"What's wrong with my smile?"

"It makes you look creepy."

"Your words are really harsh. How could you insult my innocent smile?"

Jung Yunhee ignored me and promptly turned to her newspaper.

I flipped through the pages of mine with feigned interest, just enough to make it look like I was actually reading. It was important to keep up appearances when the constellations were watching my performance.

[The story behind this narrative went as follows:]

10 years ago, in the year 1945, towering structures appeared across different regions of Arkiel. These massive towers, without exception, were all gateways to the <<Tower of Chaos>>.

At first, nobody understood their purpose, and the governing bodies hesitated to investigate the unknown. But their naive hesitation crumbled when the First Impact occurred, and unleashed Nightmares from the towers.

Following this disaster, the capable elites—Knights, Sorcerers, and other combat specialists— attempted to conquer the <<Tower of Chaos>>. Of course, they failed miserably and couldn't even pass the Second Floor.

So far, only the First Floor had been cleared by the people of this world regardless of region.

... By now, you've probably guessed the point.

This was why Walkers were summoned here.

Going through the entire history of this world was a waste of time. Besides, all kinds of fantasy stories followed a similar structure, so I doubted it needed further explanation.

To summarize:

We were currently in 'Vallora', the capital city governed by the Veterans of the Holy Church of Destiny, residing in the Northern Continent of [Arkiel]. The current year was 1955.

The other Walkers would either be summoned to this location or to another region with a tower.

Lee Suhye finished reading the newspaper, then looked at me.

"Alright. Now I have a basic understanding. So our goal here is to clear the tower, right?"

"Correct."

"Hmm. That sounds easier than I thought. But for such a simple narrative, it's strange that I can't check its details. Has anyone else noticed?"

"I noticed too. But you made a few mistakes."

"...What?"

I calmly explained. "The Seventh Narrative isn't a simple story. This isn't one of those easy manhwa where the main character just climbs the tower and defeats everything in his way. Additionally, we won't be able to enter the tower freely."

"What are you saying?"

"Think about it. A massive tower appears out of nowhere and releases Nightmares every time a challenge fails. In such a situation, wouldn't there be strict precautions in place to prevent just anyone from casually entering? Like, for example, a qualified means of identification."

"Ah, that makes sense. So all we have to do is register, get this 'qualified identification,' and then we're good to go?"

I shook my head.

"Again, it's not that simple. Even if we register, there's a chance we still won't be allowed to challenge the tower. I suspect there's some kind of hierarchical system in place. Think about it, would you send a squad of complete newbies into a tower that releases Nightmares every time someone fails? Even if you were a war veteran, it would be completely unfortunate if you lose your life because your teammates lack experience."

Lee Suhye's expression crumbled like I had just told her the worst news of her life. "I don't like the sound of that."

"You should really read more stories. Brute force doesn't always solve everything."

"Like hell it can't! Can't we just beat up anyone who tries to stop us?"

"Absolutely not!" I let out a long sigh then continued,

"My dear Lee Suhye-ssi, are you perhaps trying to get yourself arrested? How do you plan to clear the narrative if you're locked behind bars? I know you're strong, but don't underestimate the residents of this world too much. The last thing we need right now is to plan a prison break."

"...Damn."

Lee Suhye muttered and slumped her shoulders in defeat. The rest of the group didn't look any happier after hearing my explanation.

Yes, this was that kind of story.

We couldn't just waltz into the <<Dragon's Labyrinth>> without the proper qualifications. To gain access, we would need official identification, which meant working under an organization for a period of time until we were tested and recognized as professionals.

In other words, this wouldn't be as simple as kicking down the front door.

Jung Yunhee hesitated before asking, "Do you have any idea how long it would take to get identification?"

"I can't say for certain, but if the agency is satisfied with our progress, it could take a few months. Perhaps we might even be stuck here for a year."

"That is not funny at all."

"I don't remember becoming a Jester, so I wouldn't know how to crack such jokes. However, our situation is not completely hopeless."

"What do you mean?"

I smiled and gestured toward a tall building down the street.

"You'll see when we get there. Everyone, let's go."