Non-Disclosure Agreement.

I reviewed it thoroughly, and there was nothing particularly odd about it.
Rather, I was surprised that it contained almost no content.

Chirak's request was simple.
To keep what happened during the tutorial a secret.

─ The oath will be linked to the Error-in player's soul system.

Just to be sure, I asked if this could bind me in a negative way.

─ Are you referring to a poison clause?

Chirak replied with a hearty laugh.

─ Don’t worry. The soul system isn’t that flimsy.

Park Ji-hoon and Mori.
I just need to avoid disclosing what happened with those two bugs.

─ It’s not a difficult task, is it? In exchange for promising that, the Error-in player can have everything he wants.

Strong Strike and Hatchling Breath.
From my perspective, not wanting to give up either, I had to accept Chirak's offer without hesitation.

So, I signed.

─ I’m glad we could communicate well. Though it’s a bit much to call it a reward, I should show my sincerity in my own way.

The sincerity Chirak spoke of was none other than the bonus points reset.
Instead of the previously promised reset of 1 point, it was a reset of 19 points.

How should I distribute them?
I spent quite a while contemplating this.
I had spent as much as 2 hours on the 0th floor.

Originally, I had distributed 7 points to agility and 6 points to stamina.
This was instinctively the result of my distribution when I faced Park Ji-hoon, who killed Lim Su-jin.

Now, the situation had changed.

【Wisdom 19 (+1)】

“First, 9 points to wisdom.”

The Illusory Old Book provides +1 to both intelligence and wisdom.
Thanks to that, I saved 1 point.

I hit 20 wisdom.
And as a result, the skill slot expanded.

【Skills Held - (2/2)】
【Strong Strike (F)】【Hatchling Breath (C)】

Hatchling Breath had safely secured its place.
As a C-rank skill, just seeing it made me feel secure.

“Though I can’t use it due to mana shortage….”

I had 10 points left.

“This is already decided.”

From what I felt in the tutorial, the most important stats are agility and stamina.
At least, that was the case for me.

【Agility 15】【Stamina 15】

So, I put 5 points into each.

“If I had secured a defensive skill, it would have been a different story. Right now, I absolutely need to increase agility and stamina.”

My attack power was already sufficient.
Strength and intelligence weren't even up for discussion.

Honestly, I was overflowing with them.
Thus, I focused on survivability.

“Luck was something I pondered over a bit.”

Since it was an area I couldn’t control with my will, I had a different kind of interest in it compared to other stats.

If I hadn’t managed to keep my sanity at the end, perhaps my stamina would have dropped by 1 and luck would have increased by 1.

Anyway, I carefully distributed the 19 points.
I was ready.

[0th Floor, Choose]
Those who challenge the left seat, do not cease your struggles.

I steadied my trembling heart and ascended to the upper floor.

A vast field.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing there.

Nearby, I saw players who appeared to be in a similar situation to me.
In terms of distance, about 50 meters away.

They noticed my presence too.

“What unusual clothes.”

I thought it was amusing that even with an orc in a suit, they were surprised by something.

“Wow.”

Upon closer inspection, bizarre fashion was nothing special.

“That’s a real monster, isn’t it?”

I knew they were a different race from another dimension.
I knew it, but I didn’t want to accept it.

“Are there more monsters like that in other dimensions?”

In the depths of the ocean, there are plenty of ugly fish.
Just like it’s hard to believe in their existence, I couldn’t accept the fact that there were more of those unnamed races.

“It’s surreal.”

The Tower of Struggle is truly a nonsensical space.

“Hello, players!”

While I was admiring the appearance of another race.

A cheerful voice rang out.
Looking up, I saw a winged speaker floating in the air.

Unlike during the tutorial, it didn’t seem to use messages.

“…Chirak didn’t use messages either. He appeared in person and communicated with words.”

The assistant in the tutorial only used messages to control things because Mori couldn’t show his true form.

“I’m glad you all safely passed the tutorial. Congratulations!”

Clap, clap, clap.
It sounded like applause echoed through the speaker.

“Some of you might have just cleared the tutorial and feel dizzy, while others may have taken enough rest and come up fully prepared… Anyway, your conditions will all be different, right?”
“……”

“So, let’s get right to the point.”

Snap!
The sound of fingers snapping.

At the same time, a message appeared.

[1st Floor, Form a Team]
You are not the only one aiming for the left seat.
More players than you can imagine are aiming for the top of the Tower of Struggle.

As a result, the form of the struggle will change.
To cope with thousands of struggles, sometimes you will need to form a team.
Unless you intend to face all players alone.

“……”

I already knew what kind of mission this was, having heard from Chirak.

“I was half in disbelief, but he really told me.”

I needed to reevaluate my assessment of Chirak.

“You all need to form teams of 3. The method for finding team members is up to you, but there is only one way to form a team. Two people must agree to team formation.”

Gather together in the vast field to find your desired teammates.
It was a simple mission.

“I’m unconsciously judging solely by appearance.”

As I pondered what kind of team member would be good, I hoped the monstrous race in the distance wouldn’t be among them.
I was surprised at how blatantly harsh my own thoughts were.

“Teamwork is important, right?”

I couldn’t help it.

“Depending on how you form your team, the difficulty of subsequent missions will be determined. So, you should find team members who are better than your own standards.”

Look at that.
Even the administrator says you should find good team members.

“I’ll start soon.”

With those words, the countdown began.

“5.”

The players standing around me each took out their weapons.
They radiated a threatening aura as if they were about to swing at any moment.

“4.”
“…Why?”

It’s a mission to find teammates.
So why are they glaring at me, licking their lips, and running their tongues over their lips?

“3.”

Suddenly, Chirak’s words came to mind.

─ If the exam had proceeded normally, you would have skipped the crew-making process with the hometown dimension players you met in the tutorial.
“2.”
─ They were forced to participate due to my mistake.

Interpreting Chirak’s words another way, players who conducted the tutorial abnormally arrive here.

“Crew making. Three members.”

Assuming we all successfully finished the tutorial and survived, that would be 6 people.

I don’t know how to differentiate between normal and abnormal.

“1.”

Abnormality must have its reasons.

I kept my longsword at the ready, keeping an eye on the players around me.

BEEP—!

A whistle blew.

“Now, let the crew-making begin!”

With the administrator's words,

“Die, trash!”
“I’ll kill that Earthling!”

The crazed bastards who came up from the wrecked tutorial charged at me.

“…This is really annoying.”

At least it was fortunate that their agility didn’t seem that high.

“Get over here and become my prey!”

A goblin I hadn’t noticed jumped up and lunged at me with a dagger.
The goblin’s dagger was stained with thick, greenish goo.

If I got stabbed or cut, I would take damage beyond just physical harm.

“It’s slower than I thought.”
If I could see the goblin’s attack trajectory, could that be my arrogance?

“No.”
I can see it.
I can feel it.

The goblin’s agility is below 15.

“I can dodge.”

I could definitely counterattack.

I tightened my grip on the longsword.
It felt as if an intangible energy was seeping into the longsword.

WHOOOM—

The Strong Strike skill could be used with blades as well.
I swung it straight at the goblin.

“Gah?!”

The difference in length between the dagger and the longsword.
And my significantly higher agility stat.
Choosing to slash instead of stab.

SWISH—!

My skill reached the goblin’s body first.

“……”

The goblin, who had been thrashing around like a madman, fell lifelessly to the ground.
It had been killed by my strike.

The players who had been rushing toward me momentarily hesitated.
Their expressions showed surprise.

“Why the hell are they coming at me like this….”

In that moment, I realized why they were focused on killing players rather than forming a crew.

[Absorbing the soul of Gosh (Goblin).]
[Agility increases by 0.01.]
“…What is this?”

Killing players raises my stats?

“Then why didn’t it increase when I killed Park Ji-hoon?”

“……”

Was it because of the Illusory Old Book?
Or was Park Ji-hoon’s very existence considered a bug in the tutorial?

“That’s not important right now.”

What’s important is the players who see me as prey.

“…These bastards.”

Thinking about it makes me furious.

“They see me as easy pickings.”

Before the death that loomed in front of me, an unpleasant anger surged within my body.

“Bring it on.”

If killing fellow players raises my stats, then I have no reason to hesitate against these rotten players trying to kill me.

If I could use Hatchling Breath, I would have burned them to a crisp.

“Good thing Strong Strike is an F-rank skill.”

It has no cooldown and no mana cost.
As long as my stamina allows, I can use it freely.

“If Strong Strike had been a C-rank skill…”

It would likely have cooldowns or mana costs like Hatchling Breath.
Its power would have been stronger, but…

“Power doesn’t mean much to me.”

I activated Strong Strike and swung at the nearest black-clad player.

CLANG—!
“Where do you think you’re going?!”

The black-clad player skillfully blocked my sword.
But he couldn’t absorb all the damage from Strong Strike.

[Absorbing the soul of Yangmyeongsan (Martial Artist).]
[Strength increases by 0.01.]

By the way, the players gathered around me aren’t friends.
They are all meeting for the first time.

“Die!”
“Gahhh!”
“You bastard!”

If they thought they could focus all their attention on that one Earthling, it would be a huge misconception.

“This is delicious! Hahaha!”
“Aaaah, aaahhh!”

Players are bursting with excitement.
One is getting hit with an axe, bleeding profusely from the head.
Another is running away in panic.

In the midst of this chaos, I struggled to survive.