The early dawn over Seoul was muted, the sunlight struggling to push through a haze of lingering smoke and dust. Streets were largely empty, the silence broken only by the distant hum of emergency vehicles and the faint buzz of drones hovering near the tower. Even with the evacuation, the city felt alive with tension, as if the very air had been stretched thin and was ready to snap.
Seo Joon moved cautiously along the barricaded streets, Waqar at his side. His senses were sharpened; every shadow seemed to twitch, every sound echoed twice as long as it should. His Summon Gate tingled faintly against his wrist, responding to something he couldn't yet see. The events of the night weighed heavily on him—the Tower Fragment, the whispered voice, the pulse of raw energy that had nearly consumed him in the shelter.
Waqar, silent for most of the walk, finally spoke. "The tower isn't just a test. It's alive, in its own way. Each pulse, each spike, it's observing us. Learning." His tone was steady, but Seo Joon caught the slightest hint of unease. "We've never seen a Tower do this before."
Seo Joon nodded, fingers brushing against the glowing mark on his arm. "It's different from anything I've felt. The pull… it's not random. Something is trying to guide me—or maybe… draw something out."
As they rounded a corner, a sudden flash of movement made Seo Joon freeze. Across the street, a group of Korean candidates had gathered, weapons ready, eyes sharp with caution. Some carried blades, others had strange, glowing devices—tools designed to counter the Tower's unpredictable influence. They all looked at him with a mixture of respect and suspicion, whispers brushing against each other in the crisp morning air.
One of them, a young woman with short silver hair and piercing green eyes, stepped forward. "Seo Joon," she said, voice steady but carrying a weight that made the hair on his arms stand. "You're really the Summoner, huh? People say your ability can change everything."
Seo Joon didn't answer immediately. He sensed her unease, the subtle tremor of her fingers around her weapon. The air felt heavier near her, like someone holding a storm in their chest. "I… I don't know yet," he finally admitted. "I only know that the Tower is… reacting."
Waqar stepped forward beside him. "Everyone, calm down. We don't know what's coming, but panicking will get us killed. We move together, or we don't move at all." His voice carried authority, unshakable, like a wall built to keep fear at bay.
The candidates nodded, some reluctantly, others with a spark of hope. Seo Joon noticed how their gazes shifted to him—not just because he was the Summoner, but because of the presence he carried now, the aura that seemed to pull attention without effort. It wasn't arrogance. It was inevitability.
A low vibration rolled through the ground, subtle at first, then growing stronger. The Tower's pulse reached a crescendo, shaking the asphalt beneath their feet. Pedestrians in distant streets shouted and ran, their movements chaotic against the calm precision of the hunters.
Seo Joon clenched his fist. The Summon Gate flickered, veins of blue light tracing across his skin. He could feel the pull again, stronger this time. Not just the Tower, but something within the Tower—something conscious, aware, anticipating their every move.
"I feel it again," Seo Joon whispered. "Something… wants to come through."
Waqar's eyes narrowed. "Then we prepare. Stand ready, Summoner. The Tower decides when, but we decide how."
The air shimmered. A wave of energy rippled outward from the Tower, bending light and warping the edges of reality. Shadows stretched unnaturally across the buildings, twisting and convulsing as if alive. Seo Joon felt a cold hand brush his spine, and instinctively, his Gate activated a faint barrier of shimmering energy around him.
The candidates flinched but held their ground, forming a protective circle. Seo Joon felt his heartbeat synchronize with the Tower's pulse. He could almost hear it: a low, resonant hum, a voice without words that carried weight and intent. The Gate on his arm throbbed, responding to the rhythm, to the call.
Then the first shape emerged.
A shadow, humanoid but distorted, ripped through the air like smoke. It didn't move naturally; it seemed to glide, twisting impossibly in every direction as it approached. Its presence sucked light from the surroundings, leaving patches of darkness that lingered longer than they should.
"Everyone, stay focused," Waqar barked. "Do not engage until I signal."
Seo Joon swallowed. The creature paused, its featureless head tilting toward him. It recognized him. He could feel it through his bones, through his very blood. The Gate pulsed violently, and a new option appeared on the system window floating before his vision.
[Next Summon: Unknown]
[Tower Influence: High]
[Risk: Extreme]
A cold shiver ran down his spine. He could summon something to counter the shadow, but there was no telling what would appear. Luckbound or cursed, the balance hung by a thread.
The shadow lunged suddenly. Time seemed to slow, and Seo Joon's mind screamed. He activated the Summon Gate, vision flickering with raw energy.
A figure appeared.
Tall. Armored. Radiating an aura of quiet devastation. Its eyes glowed faintly blue, and for a fraction of a second, the world itself seemed to pause.
The shadow screeched—if it could be called that—and collided with the summoned figure. Energy exploded, sending ripples across the courtyard. Dust and debris danced in the golden morning light, and Seo Joon stumbled backward, heart racing.
Waqar's voice cut through the chaos. "Focus on your connection. Control it, or the Tower will control you."
Seo Joon gritted his teeth. The Gate pulsed, thrumming with power and intention. The shadow and the summoned figure clashed again, sparks of blue and black twisting around each other. He could feel the strain of reality bending around them, threatening to tear apart.
And then, in the middle of the chaos, a small, almost human voice whispered into his mind.
"Summoner… do you dare claim what is mine?"
Seo Joon's vision narrowed. Something was inside the Tower. Something alive, aware, and it was testing him.
He straightened his posture, jaw tightening. "I don't kneel to anyone," he whispered to himself. "I kneel only to God."
The shadow hesitated. Recognition. Surprise. And then it attacked again.
The fight had begun, and Seo Joon realized, with a surge of both dread and determination, that this Tower would not be conquered easily. But he would face it. Every pulse, every summon, every shadow… he would face it.
Because this wasn't just survival. This was destiny.