[Survive the bombardment and escape the city. Time remaining: 2 hours 17 minutes.] As the relentless bombardment ended, I looked upon the once-thriving city that had been reduced to rubble. The metropolis had turned into a ghost town in the span of an hour. Not a single structure stood unscathed. Extending my sense to the south, to the origin of the missiles, showed no signs of life or movement. Were the attackers only trying to destroy the city? Do they have another goal? It was impossible to say for certain. Perhaps an approaching force was making its way from afar. Ultimately, it didn’t matter. Though, why hasn’t the trial concluded yet? For some reason, the tower had allotted four hours for this floor, yet it hadn’t even two hours, and the city was destroyed. If rescuing people had been the only objective, a full four hours wouldn’t be necessary. Moreover, no attackers had emerged following the city’s destruction. Two plausible explanations surfaced in my mind. Either there are still survivors within the city, and the remaining time is an opportunity to save them. Or there is something valuable hidden amidst the ruins. With how my previous individual challenge floors had gone, the valuable item could be tied to future trials or a hidden mission. Considering how merciless and absolute the bombardment had been, I doubted that there were any survivors. Additionally, this world had access to more advanced technology than Earth, and it was clear these weren’t ordinary missiles; they were designed explicitly for widespread annihilation. Driving the nail in the coffin, hundreds of missiles had rained down upon the ruins, even after it had been reduced to rubble. That leaves the latter option. I rose to my feet, deciding to confirm my theory firsthand. “Let’s head back to the city.” As I approached the ruins, another question began to form in my mind. This trial hadn’t been particularly challenging, especially for a floor in the fifties. If the tower had required me to save lives, it would have been a different story. However, it had been almost laughably simple, and in fact, even easier than my first floor. Why would such a trial appear here, of all places? Unlike other trials that involved grand goals, this one felt as if it carried a deeper purpose. It didn’t test strength or intelligence. If anything, it seemed to probe compassion, altruism, and perhaps even sacrifice. Suddenly, a thought struck me. Is the tower trying to test me? This trial seemed like it had been designed to evaluate my moral compass and how I would respond in such a scenario. It wasn’t an entirely baseless theory, especially considering my encounter with Kalain two floors ago. Thinking back, the conflict between the two alien races had been remarkably easy to uncover. I got the information as soon as the trial began. What are the odds I hear such a revealing conversation, at precisely the right time, in just the right place? The thought borders on conspiracy. Yet, it felt like a plausible deduction. I realized I had been mistaken earlier. The tower didn’t wish for me to act like Kalain. It simply wanted to observe my reaction. If that is true, what has the tower discerned from my actions? Is it satisfied with my decision? There was no way to be sure. My conclusion felt plausible, but I knew better than to cling to unproven assumptions. The wrong conclusion could lead to a disastrous outcome. I needed to revisit this matter later, once my emotions had settled. The city loomed closer, snapping me out of my thoughts. Ryun let out a low, contemplative hum, “Hmm.” As expected, I didn’t sense survivors in the devastated city, not even rats. The missiles had been so devastating that even the skeletal frames of buildings had been obliterated. If I had saved them, would this trial have changed? The remaining two hours wouldn’t simply involve waiting outside with the survivors. Perhaps I would have transitioned directly to the fifty-fifth floor and have been tasked with escorting them. Or maybe one of the rescued individuals would have mentioned something hidden within the city, prompting me to return. Regardless, I decided to explore the city further. Ryun, Doppy, and Yoonie were with me. Despite having four companions capable of conversation, we walked through the shattered streets in silence. The atmosphere was thick with unease and discomfort. The occasional crumble of debris beneath our feet was all that broke the silence. I wasn’t sure how long we wandered, but I didn’t need Yoonie or Doppy’s guidance to find what we were looking for. At the center of the destroyed city, a massive purple core, roughly the size of a human torso, glowed with an otherworldly radiance. 「Invisible message: What did you hope to find in this devastated city? Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has discovered the Core of Decay.」 [8 hours 17 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] The waiting room's scenery remained unchanged, familiar as always. Neither Doppy, Ryun, nor I brought up anything about the fifty-fourth floor. We went through our usual routines of washing up, visiting the training hot springs, and eating meals. Our conversations flowed as they typically did, yet there was a faint tension in the air. It was subtle but undeniable, likely stemming from the events of the fifty-fourth floor. I chose not to dwell on it. “Su-Yeok, are you done eating? I'll clean this up." I was lying on my bed, in the middle of brushing my teeth. “Huh? Oh, yeah. Thanks." Without clear answers to the lingering questions bouncing around my head, the fifty-fourth floor continued to occupy my mind, even here in the waiting room. Regrettably, Ha Hee-Jeong was still on the fifty-fifth floor. That didn’t concern me significantly, however. I had decided not to move on to the next floor and would instead wait for her. She would return soon enough. Meanwhile, I reexamined the thoughts I had resolved to revisit. If the tower truly intends to test me, why? There seemed to be no logical reason for the tower to evaluate my morality or convictions during the climb. Moreover, people were ever-changing. There was no guarantee that the values I held on the fifty-fourth floor would remain consistent in the future. Is it really trying to see if I am like Kalain? The thought suddenly struck me as absurd. Why am I allowing myself to become so consumed by this? What does it matter whether or not the tower is testing me? The decisions I made were what truly mattered. I would make my own judgements, and no external force, not even the tower, had any place influencing those decisions. Hmm. Maybe I am just a little worn out. This trivial issue, one I would have typically dismissed without a second thought, had wasted much of my time. Yet, ever since encountering Kalain on the fifty-second floor, I had been unable to fully shake off the impact his presence had left on my psyche. Or perhaps the message Kalain had left still lingered like a faint shadow in my subconscious. Whatever the case, although I faltered momentarily, nothing has truly changed. Earth and the people who mattered to me remained my top priorities. I would continue ascending the tower and focus solely on protecting them. Unless explicitly forced by a trial, I would avoid meddling in the affairs of other worlds. As though a fog had lifted, I felt free. “Haha,” I laughed dryly. Now I felt confident that I had completely freed myself from Kalain’s lingering imprint. Though I had resisted its influence on my subconscious during the fifty-second floor, remnants of it had persisted until now. Even though it took a while, it is a relief to have shaken it off. While it had been a mentally grueling experience, it served as an opportunity to further strengthen my inner resolve. I felt a renewed sense of clarity, a confidence that I wouldn’t easily waver in the face of future trials. As this realization settled in, a wave of fatigue washed over me. I wasn’t used to such intense mental stress. Now that I think about it, when was the last time I actually rested properly? Aside from brief moments of elixir-induced sleep, I couldn’t recall a time in recent memory when I had slept for more than two consecutive hours. Even then, it had been a matter of forcing myself to close my eyes. I shut my eyes, yearning for a deep, uninterrupted sleep. 「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok had displayed extraordinary mental fortitude! He has overcome the imprint left by the hidden mission ‘Companionship, The Phantom of the Predecessor.’」 「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s skill has leveled up. Indomitability is now lvl 19.」 「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has unlocked Clarity of Mind lvl 1.」 [1 hour 31 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] I had slept for over seven hours. When was the last time I rested this deeply? Twenty floors ago? Thirty? I had even missed some messages from Ha Hee-Jeong. For the first time in what felt like ages, my mind felt completely clear and refreshed. This isn’t bad. Should I start using sleep aids? No, unfortunately, that wouldn’t be feasible. The Poison Resistance I had developed rendered them ineffective. Other climbers had already tested this. Most climbers had resorted to using mental fortification drugs by the fifty-fifth floor. Sadly, finding climbers with intact mental states had become difficult. Turning my attention to Ha Hee-Jeong’s messages, I saw that she had succinctly summarized her previous few floors. She had also responded to my summary of the fifty-second floor and seemed concerned about the imprint Kalain had left on me. I made sure to reassure her, and she was relieved when I mentioned that I had unlocked a skill called Clarity of Mind. That didn’t stop her from continuing to worry, though, as her kind words reflected. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Sixth Floor): I know you’re fine now, but if anything ever feels overwhelming, please tell me. Also, I won’t advance ahead of you from now on. I’ll wait until you arrive at the waiting room first. Her concern felt excessive, reminiscent of a mother’s nagging. I felt like she had reminded me to study, even though I was already doing so. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifty-Fifth Floor): C’mon. You don’t need to do that. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Sixth Floor): Really? It’s absolutely necessary. Your mental state is vital to our success. I considered persuading her to drop the matter, but quickly abandoned the idea. Once she had set her mind on something, it wasn’t worth the effort. Moreover, it wasn’t like it would hurt me. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifty-Fifth Floor): Fine, do as you like. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Sixth Floor): Just so you know, and as I said earlier, none of this is your fault. The tower forced these circumstances upon us. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifty-Fifth Floor): Hee-Jeong. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Sixth Floor): Yeah? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifty-Fifth Floor): Thank you. But really, I’m okay. You don’t need to worry so much. I appreciated her concern, but I had already resolved this issue. Her continued concern felt excessive, especially after everything I had explained. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Sixth Floor): Alright, fine. But if you ever feel off again, promise you’ll tell me! Her reaction made me wonder if this conversation had happened in her previous life. That could explain why she had reacted so quickly to this situation. I wonder what I struggled with then? Asking her about it didn’t interest me, however. Even if we were technically the same, I couldn’t help but feel like we were distinct. Asking her about it would have been unfair as well. Instead, I offered her a simple, heartfelt expression of gratitude. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifty-Fifth Floor): Thank you. It means a lot to me. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Sixth Floor): Don’t mention it. It’s only natural that we help each other. Anyway, let’s talk about something else. Tell me more about what you found, the Core of Decay, right? My gaze shifted to the glowing purple core standing in the corner of the waiting room. - An essence of corruption extracted from a decaying world. - Absorbs any surrounding decay. - When infused with magic and detonated, it releases the accumulated decay and corrupts everything in its vicinity. If used responsibly, it would cleanse corruption, but if misused, it would be no different from a chemical weapon—I had stolen a device with unpredictable future consequences. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Sixth Floor): If you don’t need it on the fifty-fifth floor, it may be better to save it for later, perhaps for an all-climber floor. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifty-Fifth Floor): Like the fifty-eighth or fifty-ninth floor? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Sixth Floor): No, further ahead. I’m talking about the eightieth-floor range.