I don't know how long that sensation lasted.
Up and down ceased to exist, and my stomach felt like it had been left behind somewhere along the way. Little by little, the vertigo faded, and I recovered a vague sense of space. I could feel my feet firmly planted on the ground… which was already a good sign.
Still dizzy, I forced my eyes to focus.
I was standing in the middle of a gigantic portal.
It was a circular structure of stable energy, far more defined than what I had seen from the outside. Around me, people were constantly entering and exiting—some alone, others in well-organized groups. There were Awakened in full armor, merchants, explorers, and figures that were clearly not novices.
And beyond that…
a lot more people.
The place was alive.
Louder, more dynamic, more real than the city outside the tower. Voices, footsteps, arguments, nervous laughter. Everything coexisted in a controlled chaos.
I blinked several times.
Is this… the inside of the tower?
A sharp beep suddenly pierced my ears.
"—Ngh!" I brought a hand to my temple as a stabbing pain shot through my head.
Before I could react, something happened in front of me.
The air rippled.
And a translucent window appeared floating at eye level, like an interface pulled straight out of a video game. It wasn't projected into the environment… it seemed bound to me.
Instinctively, I focused my gaze.
║ AWAKENED PROFILE ║
Name: Eryon Valen
Age: 17
Class: Combatant
Rank: B
Level: 1
║ PHYSICAL CONSTITUTION║
Strength: Low → Intermediate•
Endurance: Low → High•
Speed: Low → Intermediate•
Reflexes: Intermediate → Intermediate
║ SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES║
Mana: Intermediate → Intermediate•
Perception: Low → Intermediate•
Luck: Intermediate → High•
║ ACTIVE SKILL ║
Comprehensive Physical Reinforcement (Rank B)
Status: Not Activated
I froze.
Not out of fear.
But because… it was there.
Displaying every part of me with absolute coldness, as if I were a measurable object.
So this is what the Awakened see…
I swallowed.
Around me, no one seemed to be paying attention. For everyone else, this was probably completely normal. For me, it was the final confirmation that there was no turning back.
I took a deep breath.
The window remained floating in front of me, waiting.
A hand touched my shoulder.
It wasn't rough.
It was light… friendly.
"Hahaha, looks like it's your first time," a voice said beside me in a relaxed tone. "Don't worry, it happens to everyone. When the system synchronizes for the first time, it can be pretty unpleasant."
I turned my head, still a bit confused.
In front of me stood a young man around twenty years old, wearing an open, carefree smile. He had on decent armor, well maintained, with marks of real use but no serious damage. A sheathed sword hung at his waist, carried with the natural ease of someone used to wearing it every day.
"You get used to it quickly," he added. "I promise."
Then, with an easy gesture, he extended his hand toward me.
Still processing everything, I hesitated for barely a second before returning the handshake.
The moment I stopped focusing on the floating window, it vanished like smoke.
I blinked.
Focused again.
And the window reappeared in front of my eyes.
"—Huh…?"
The young man burst out laughing at my reaction.
"Hahaha, yeah, yeah. Relax. We all did the same thing our first time," he said, pointing at me in amusement. "It's about intention. When you're not thinking about it, it disappears. When you call it, it comes back."
I closed the window again, this time more deliberately.
So that's how it works…
"Hey," the guy continued, adjusting the strap of his armor, "if you want, I can show you around the city. There are things it's better to have someone explain before you do something stupid and end up dead on your first day."
His smile was still there.
Sincere. Without malice.
"Besides," he added, "it's always good to help newcomers."
He looked at me expectantly, waiting for my answer.
I nodded.
"Thanks," I said, and started walking alongside him.
"Good choice," he replied with a grin. "By the way, my name's Sam."
As we walked through the wide streets of the inner city, he casually added:
"I'm a Rank B warrior, already level 20. And, well, I like helping new people. Someone did the same for me when I first entered."
That explained his attitude.
Around us, the city of the first floor unfolded with constant vitality. Shops, stalls, and stores, Awakened resting or negotiating. Everything seemed to revolve around survival… and preparation.
"Oh, right," Sam continued. "You already know about ranks and skills, but there's another important thing: levels."
I glanced at him, attentive.
"Levels exist, sure, but they're not as decisive as most people think. Leveling up gives you points, and you can use those points to improve your basic stats—strength, endurance, mana, that kind of thing."
He waved a hand casually.
"The problem is that it's not the most efficient method. Increasing stats through levels is slow. Much more effective is training your body, consuming rare medicines, or if you're lucky… even rarer potions."
He whistled softly.
"You won't really notice the importance of levels until you reach very high ones. Before that, they're more of a support than anything else."
I listened carefully, memorizing every word. None of this was explained so clearly in the pamphlet.
Sam stopped in front of what looked like a food shop. The aroma was intense and comforting—something I hadn't felt in a long time.
"Come on," he said. "I want to introduce you to someone."
We went inside.
At a nearby table sat a small group. Sam raised his hand in greeting.
"Hey! I'm back."
He turned to me and smiled.
"This is my team."
He first pointed to a calm-looking young man wearing light-colored clothes with a symbol embroidered on his chest.
"That's the priest. He always keeps us alive."
Then to a girl leaning back in her chair, a large crossbow hanging from her back. Her eyes were sharp and attentive.
"Our shooter. She doesn't miss… almost never."
Finally, he pointed to a figure sitting with a relaxed posture.
"And that's the mage. Best not to make her angry."
The group's gazes settled on me.
"Guys," Sam said, "this is Eryon. Just arrived."
I cleared my throat slightly before speaking.
"I'm Eryon," I said. "I just entered today."
The atmosphere wasn't hostile, but it was evaluative. Not out of ill intent, but out of that natural habit Awakened have of measuring anyone who might accompany them into the field.
The first to nod was the young man in light clothing.
"Erick," he introduced himself. "Priest, Rank B. Support and healing."
The girl with the crossbow gave a slight nod.
"Vicky. Shooter. Rank B, long-range class."
Her gaze was keen.
Lastly, the woman who radiated a different presence set her drink down on the table.
"Perla," she said. "Mage. Class A."
She didn't need to mention her rank.
The brief silence that followed made it clear that it wasn't common.
When it was my turn, I took a deep breath.
"Combatant, Rank B," I replied. "Level one."
There was a subtle shift.
Not surprise, but renewed interest.
"Not bad for a newcomer," Vicky commented, settling more comfortably into her chair.
Sam smiled, satisfied.
"See? I told you."
Before I could react, Sam pushed a plate toward me.
"Eat with us."
"No need, I—" I started to say.
"Come on," he interrupted. "Eating alone on your first day is bad luck."
I tried to refuse a couple more times, but Sam was too persistent, and in the end I gave in. The food was hot and surprisingly good—something I hadn't expected to find inside the tower.
In the middle of the conversation, Sam set his utensil down and looked at the group.
"Hey, I was thinking," he said casually. "What if Eryon comes with us on the mission we're doing later?"
Everyone looked at him.
"It's his first day," Erick pointed out cautiously.
"Exactly," Sam replied. "We can help him acclimate, and the mission isn't complicated at all. Besides, we could use an extra pair of hands to carry monster materials."
Vicky frowned briefly, evaluating.
"As long as he doesn't get in the way…"
Perla watched silently for a few seconds longer, her eyes faintly glowing before she nodded.
"I don't see a problem."
One by one, the doubts faded.
Finally, everyone agreed.
Sam gave me a pat on the shoulder.
"Then it's settled."
I stayed silent, my utensil suspended in midair.
I had entered the tower only a few hours ago…
And I was already about to accept my first mission.
The meal ended amid trivial conversations.
Nothing about the tower, or missions, or dangers. They talked about places to eat in the city, about merchants who inflated prices, about a blacksmith who always promised "the best work on floor one" and never quite delivered. I laughed a couple of times without realizing it.
It was… normal.
Too normal for being inside the tower.
After a few minutes, everyone stood up. Sam was the last to rise.
"I'll pay," he said, giving no one a chance to argue.
We left the food shop and returned to the wide streets of the inner city. The artificial light reflected off the tall buildings, and the constant flow of Awakened made the place feel like a living metropolis, not a battlefield.
As we walked, Sam moved to my side.
"The mission is simple," he began to explain. "In a forest about four kilometers from here, crimson goblins have been sighted."
I paused mentally when I heard that.
"Crimson goblins…?" I murmured.
Sam noticed my expression and raised a hand.
"Yeah, I know what you're thinking. They usually appear around floor ten."
I nodded slowly.
"But don't worry," he continued calmly. "It's not a horde or anything like that—just a small group. And besides…"
He jerked his thumb toward the rest of the team.
"My team is more than enough to handle it."
Erick walked calmly, Vicky scanned the surroundings with constant vigilance, and Perla moved as if nothing could ever reach her. Seeing them together made Sam's words sound far from exaggerated.
I resumed walking.
"Oh, right," Sam suddenly said. "I need your token."
"My token?"
"Yeah. To officially add you to the mission list. These procedures are mandatory. If the Alliance detects that someone participated without being registered… the penalties aren't pretty."
It didn't sound like a threat.
It was a fact.
I took out the metal token and handed it to him. Sam held it briefly, activating his own device to register my name.
"Done," he said, handing it back. "Now you're officially in this."
I looked at the token in my hand as we walked.
Sam stopped in front of one of the storage depots near the exit and returned with a large backpack, clearly designed to carry heavy loads.
"Here," he said, tossing it to me casually.
I caught it by reflex, and my arm nearly buckled from the empty weight.
"It's for monster materials," he explained. "If we're lucky and get more than we need… who knows, maybe you'll be able to afford your first piece of equipment."
I looked at him silently for a second.
Then I rolled my eyes.
"Great… I'm the porter," I muttered.
Sam laughed out loud.
"We all start that way."
And though I didn't say it out loud, it was true that I was grateful. On my very first day inside the tower, running into someone like Sam had been an unexpected stroke of luck.
After preparing a bit more—adjusting straps, checking weapons, confirming supplies—the group headed toward one of the city's exits.
There, a fortified zone marked the boundary between the relative safety of the urban area and the outside. We passed through a mandatory checkpoint. Alliance warriors inspected our tokens one by one, verifying the registered mission and assigned equipment.
There were no problems.
The gates opened.
As we crossed them, the environment changed immediately. The city was left behind, and the terrain grew more uneven, covered in vegetation and paths marked by the constant passage of Awakened.
Sam walked beside me and smiled.
"Well," he said, "now your first adventure begins. It might be simple… but everyone has to start somewhere."
I looked ahead.
The path stretched toward the forest, and with it, toward the unknown.
I tightened the straps of my backpack and kept moving forward.
There was no turning back now.