The seventh floor of the Core was a place devoid of adventurers and monsters. Do-Jun stood atop a massive floating rock in the sky, slowly making his way forward. After walking for about three kilometers, he reached a cliff. Below was a bottomless chasm, leaving no way forward. A chilling wind swept through. The scenery was nothing but drifting clouds and the sun suspended in the sky. Do-Jun turned around and saw that the path he had walked on had disappeared, just as anonymous users on the Core forum had described. This was the Field of Judgment. Adventurers who safely reached the seventh floor of the Core would now face the Judge, Yeomra, to have their journey evaluated.[1] With a loud series of booms, the surrounding landscape changed dramatically. The once-peaceful sky turned crimson, and the bizarre sight of lava mixing with the sea spread out around him. For about ten seconds, thunder and lightning roared continuously. Then, a colossal throne came into view. Sitting on it was a giant, easily several hundred meters tall, wearing a golden crown. It was obvious that this giant was none other than Yeomra. Yeomra struck the ground three times with his staff, calming the raging lava and sea, and stopping the thunder. He said, “I will now start your mid-adventure evaluation.” Yeomra struck his staff again. Then, his grand voice echoed thunderously. “Adventurer Lee Do-Jun. Depending on the result of this evaluation, you will either receive a pass to descend to the eighth floor or be cast into the abyss.” Do-Jun looked at Yeomra’s face indifferently. The abyss referred to the Deep Realm. It was said that adventurers who fell directly from the seventh floor into the Deep Realm would typically die instantly, unable to withstand the sudden surge of magical energy. A parchment unfurled before Yeomra. At the same time, the results appeared in front of Do-Jun’s eyes. Yeomra began to read slowly, starting with the results from the Tutorial Zone. “Defeated the Peculiar Eagle alone. “Defeated the Clone of Armorization alone. “Acquired Armorize-True. “Defeated the seventh Imoogi alone. “Acquired Skill-Enhancement Ring. “Defeated Ouroboros alone. “Acquired Status Window Snake (The One Who Devoured Ouroboros). “Ranked first in the overall Tutorial rankings.” Yeomra’s brow twitched. Do-Jun’s accomplishments in the Tutorial Zone were utterly beyond comprehension. The level of the Armorize skill increased as one passed through train stations in the second phase of the Tutorial. However, the title Armorize-True was something Yeomra had never seen before. The Skill-Enhancement Ring and the Status Window Snake (The One Who Devoured Ouroboros) were equally baffling. Without any additional comments, Yeomra moved on to the next section of the report—Do-Jun’s time on the first floor of the Core. The messages in front of Do-Jun changed accordingly. “Defeated Entusha alone. “Defeated Laikar alone.” Next, Yeomra moved onto the second floor. “Defeated Tarantuloso alone.” The parchment was flipped furiously, with increasing speed. Do-Jun watched this take place silently. Yeomra’s hand holding the parchment trembled slightly. This was an unprecedented case. Was this even possible? Yeomra slowly looked up at Do-Jun and asked, “What are you, exactly...?” He swallowed hard. In all his time evaluating adventurers, he had never seen such an incomprehensible record. A strange light flickered in Yeomra’s eyes as he activated his unique skill “The One Who Walks Through the Past,” which allowed him to view the memories of others. However, he couldn’t access Do-Jun’s memories. [You may not dare to access this information.] “W-what in the world...?” This was a violation of the laws of the Core. For Yeomra, an administrator of the Core, to be unable to surpass an adventurer’s defenses was unthinkable. “Identify yourself! Who are you?” Yeomra’s voice boomed. Lava surged, and lightning struck again as his fury escalated. “H-how can such absurdity exist...?” He had not felt this level of awe and dread since Imfelheim. Yet even Imfelheim’s evaluation results paled in comparison to Do-Jun’s. Yeomra understood that if Do-Jun kept descending, he was destined to become a Transcendent. The title of Transcendent was given to those who survived and adapted to the Deep Realm. Do-Jun was certain to join their ranks. No, he might even challenge the title of Overlord, a position held by the strongest in the Core. “Answer me, Adventurer!” Yeomra shouted. Do-Jun frowned slightly at the yelling. “Reveal your identity!” Yeomra shouted again. At that moment, Do-Jun’s gaze turned icy, and Yeomra found himself unable to speak further. An overwhelming presence of demonic energy engulfed his body, rendering him immobile. In an instant, Yeomra understood who truly stood above and who stood below. Though he was one of the Core’s administrators, capable of evaluating and judging adventurers, his authority did not extend to Do-Jun. “I’ll let it slide just this once,” Do-Jun said icily. As he withdrew his killing intent, Yeomra regained the ability to move. Gasping for air, cold sweat drenched his body. “But there won’t be a second time,” Do-Jun warned. Yeomra understood what Do-Jun meant. If he dared to act up again, he would be killed immediately. He chuckled bitterly—not out of amusement, but in helpless realization. How absurd was it for the Yeomra, the judge of death, to fear death himself? Yet, here he was, doing exactly that. “You seem to get it. I’m glad.” Do-Jun smiled faintly. Yeomra silently handed over the pass to the eighth floor, which gently floated into Do-Jun’s hand. Do-Jun added, “By the way, some more adventurers from Earth will eventually arrive. When they do, it would be great if you gave them this pass as well.” Yeomra nodded, clearly understanding that disobedience meant death. “Is that too much to ask?” Do-Jun asked. “N-no... not at all," Yeomra stammered, shaking his head. Do-Jun smiled, checked the eighth-floor pass, and opened his SpacePad to descend. Since he still had some spare time, he decided to look around a little. After Do-Jun left, Yeomra was lost in thought when a tiny fairy suddenly appeared before him. Yeomra recognized her immediately. Tusitala circled around Yeomra with a sly grin. “You’re just completely out of it, huh?” She sneered. “I-I have a good reason.” Tusitala had been hiding and watching everything. From Do-Jun defeating Vassago to meeting Yeomra for an evaluation, she had seen it all. And seeing Yeomra become overwhelmed and frozen with fear was quite a spectacle. “Don’t be too disheartened. It’s only natural,” Tusitala consoled him. “Do you know that adventurer well...?” Yeomra asked. Tusitala nodded. “Would you believe me if I said Do-Jun already subdued the Overlord long ago?” Yeomra frowned deeply. “That’s absurd. The Overlord was the king of the Deep Realm. No matter how strong this Do-Jun is, how could he defeat a dragon who once ruled the Deep Realm...?” “It’s true. And that’s not all. He has the Spirit Queen under him as well.” “The Spirit Queen? You mean Laghaim?” “How do you know this?” “I went to Earth with him last time.” Yeomra let out a heavy sigh. His curiosity about Do-Jun’s true nature only deepened. “How does he possess such power?” “I don’t know. He’s been strong since the tutorial. From the very beginning, he was...” Tusitala trailed off as she recalled Do-Jun’s power from the tutorial days, and it only made it harder for her to understand his strength. Meanwhile, in Unit 301 of Changshin Villa, the clock in the living room ticked softly. In the quiet bedroom, Yoon-Hee, Karsiel, and Byeol were sleeping peacefully, breathing softly. Yong-Yong opened his eyes, crawled out of bed, and checked the drawer, confirming that the Core’s Talisman was missing. He jumped down from the desk and walked into the living room, carefully closing the bedroom door behind him. He tiptoed to the kitchen, pulled out two packs of ramen from the cabinet, and started boiling water in a pot, smiling to himself. With only the kitchen light on, Yong-Yong noticed a half-read book and a cup of cold coffee sitting on the dining table. His master had gone to the Core, giving him at least until early morning. Yong-Yong tore open the ramen seasoning packet and poured it into the pot. The rich aroma filled the kitchen. Suddenly, the sound of the bedroom door opening startled him. Flinching, he turned his head to check. “Y-Yoon-Hee, I-I can explain...” Yoon-Hee smiled wryly as if she couldn’t help but be amused. “It’s fine. You must’ve been really hungry.” Normally, she would have scolded him for eating ramen late at night. Yong-Yong tilted his head in confusion and continued cooking. “D-do you want some too...?” “Yong-Yong,” Yoon-Hee glanced at the cold coffee and asked softly, “Do you think Father will be okay?” She was always a little anxious whenever Do-Jun went to the Core. The TV often emphasized how dangerous the Core was, endlessly replaying Behemoth’s broadcasts. Although she knew Do-Jun was strong, she couldn’t help but worry. Yong-Yong didn't answer, instead adding the noodles to the pot and stirring them with chopsticks using his front paws. Yoon-Hee grabbed his tail tightly, giving him a disapproving look. “Are you even listening to me?” Yoon-Hee picked him up, holding him so their eyes met. Yong-Yong realized she was being serious—very serious. Scratching his head with his front paw, he thought, Why is she worried about someone who can knock off my Breath with his bare hands? He shook his head in disbelief. Do-Jun returned home shortly after 3 AM. He hung his leather jacket on the coat rack and noticed the two children slumped over the dining table, fast asleep. Judging by the pot of leftover ramen broth, it seemed like they had a late-night snack. The sight made him chuckle. Do-Jun moved the pot, plates, chopsticks, and cups to the sink. Then, he gently picked up Yoon-Hee and Yong-Yong, carrying them to the bedroom and carefully laying them on the bed. He tucked the blanket snugly around them since it was getting chilly. Returning to the living room, Do-Jun started washing the dishes. 1. Yeomra is the Korean god of the dead. Think of Hades! ☜