*CRRRRRRRUNCH!!!*

The barrier collapsed like shattering bulletproof glass, spilling down in a torrent of fragments.

*PITTER-PATTER—*

Through the shards falling like rain,

*CRAAAAAAASH—*

A giant Energy Cannon shaved the earth of the Tower of Job Change as it shot forth.

“What the hell!”

“Goddammit!”

A nearby Player spat curses as the Drater Shot streaked past him.

*SSSSSSSS—*

Intense heat crept up from where the Drater Shot had passed.

“Crazy… I nearly bought it.”

A Player who barely dodged the source of the Energy Cannon swallowed dryly, staring at the gouged-out ground.

“How is that even possible?”

“That’s fucking insane…”

This place was the Tower of Job Change. The floor and stone structures, created by the System, didn’t budge under any normal impact.

On top of that, the barrier wrapped around the trial hall was practically an invincible construct of the System itself.

And that absolute barrier had been shredded like a cracker.

In an instant, every Player in the Tower of Job Change locked their gaze onto the torn earth.

Ha Gangwoo felt their stares and scratched his cheek.

‘Is it because of the Ruin effect…’

He’d only wanted to test a skill. He never imagined the barrier around him would shatter.

‘Still, lucky enough.’

Ha Gangwoo lifted his head to look at the brutally torn ground.

Hot smoke rose from the circular crater in the floor. A truly spine-chilling display of destructive power. But there were no casualties.

*Ding-*

[Divine Archer[Hidden] Trial Hall is now closing.]

*SSSSSSS—*

The magic circle inlaid in the floor slowly lost its light. The trial hall had broken from the just-delivered blow.

“The trial hall’s closing? Whoa… I’ve never seen this before.”

“What?! I wanted to try the Hidden class too!”

The Players gathered here were all veterans who had cleared from the Tutorial through Scenario 1.

So they knew exactly how insane this situation was.

For the System to break from just one skill use. Hell, this was the first time any of them had even seen the System break.

So every Player began flooding toward the Divine Archer trial hall, now dark and sealed after losing its light.

“What kind of madman breaks the System? Who the hell would do that?”

Most of them nursed the same question,

“What’s going on?”

and turned to the Players beside them, fishing for answers.

“I heard someone in the Divine Archer hall shattered the barrier while testing a skill.”

“Crazy! How is that even possible?”

“Who is it? Who broke the System’s barrier?”

“You know. The L-Grade Player.”

“What?! An L-Grade Player? I thought that was just a rumor?”

And the rumor spread like wildfire.

‘What? Ha… Ha Gangwoo?!’

At the center of it all, Hwang Taeseong swallowed dryly without meaning to.

He’d been badly injured, but a skilled healer had closed his wounds in an instant.

The only scar left was the trauma lodged in his skull—though for Taeseong, having his arm cut off and getting beaten bloody wasn’t even enough to leave a trauma.

‘I need to get in there—fast!’

Once the injuries healed, only one thought remained.

He needed to enter the Tower of Job Change before Ha Gangwoo. The last thing he wanted was to take the job-change trial alongside him. And yet here he was, face to face.

‘Shit.’

Despair already coiled through the air.

Hwang Taeseong gripped his head, his face crumpling in a grimace.

“Huh?”

He spotted a man who looked familiar.

“Hey!”

Taeseong was about to call out to his acquaintance when—

*Ding-*

[Quorum reached!]

The massive System window floating overhead flickered and changed.

All the player-count conditions had been met.

[The Tower of Job Change trial will begin shortly.]

At the announcement that the trial was imminent, the Players’ mood shifted in an instant.

The chaotic energy settled, *clicking* into place.

“Everyone, gather up!!!”

“Pop your Buffs, draw your weapons!”

Those who had already cleared Scenario 1—they didn’t panic at the sudden change. They simply fell into combat readiness.

“Hyung-nim! Looking forward to working with you!”

Jo Seunghyun stood at Ha Gangwoo’s side and drew his long sword.

“Wh-what is this?”

“Whoa~! Here we go!”

Somehow, Mimic and Kim Jisoo had appeared at Ha Gangwoo’s side.

Jisoo stared at the torn-up earth, flustered, while Mimic craned her neck up, intrigued by the massive System window.

And so, every Player in the Tower of Job Change readied themselves for the trial to begin.

Ding-

[10]

The timer began its countdown.

[9]

Gulp.

Faces hardened all around; weapons were gripped tighter, knuckles going white.

[7]

“Once we’re inside, check the Quest first, got it?”

[5]

“Secure the perimeter! When the Monsters show up, lock your positions immediately!”

[4]

Everyone was frantically laying down their plans before the trial.

[3]

And then, just as the timer was almost at zero—

One System window flashed across every Player’s vision.

[DLC Book of Job Change detected.]

[Moving to special stage.]

[2]

“DLC?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Everyone froze at the sudden System window. But that wasn’t the end of it.

Ding-

[Penalties apply in the Special Stage.]

-Inventory usage: Disabled.

-PVP system: Disabled.

-Auction House: Disabled.

-Party system: Disabled.

The penalties dropped without warning.

“What the hell?!”

“We can’t use the Inventory?”

There was no time to think—every second counted now.

[1]

[Transferring to the Special Stage.]

“Wait—hold on!! I need a potio—”

“Shit! My rations are still—”

Fwoosh-

In that moment, chaos rippled through the Tower of Job Change.

With a clamor of noise, every Player vanished from sight.

Only the vast, sundered ground inside the Tower remained, silent and still.

***

Ding-

[Quest updated.]

The body that had lifted into the air now sank heavily to the ground.

Fresh scent of grass. *Drrrr—* The chirping of insects brushed past his ears.

“What the—”

“Shit! The Inventory’s locked?!”

Around Ha Gangwoo, roughly fifty Players were scanning their surroundings, faces twisted in confusion.

One cursed as he tested the Inventory.

“Everyone here? We’re in Position One!”

Another checked his party members and went on alert.

Ha Gangwoo ignored them and surveyed the area.

A dense, verdant forest. Fluffy white clouds drifted across a clear blue sky.

Warm sunlight bathed everything. In short, a peaceful woodland.

‘No monsters.’

Ha Gangwoo used his Sense stat to gauge the surroundings.

“Wow!!! An item!”

Mimic spotted a bug in the bushes and hopped over, her collecting urge surging now that they were inside the dungeon.

Amid the commotion,

“Everyone, pull yourselves together!”

A man in gleaming silver armor raised his shield and shouted.

‘Han Seongdae?’

It was none other than the man who’d proposed a party back in the experience hall.

‘That’s strange.’

Ha Gangwoo frowned at the crowd of fifty Players.

Job-change trials were supposed to be group events, but transferring fifty people to the same spot?

‘Is it because of the Book of Job Change…’

A single System message had appeared three seconds before the trial began.

[DLC Book of Job Change detected.]

[Moving to the Special Stage.]

Seems the DLC had altered the trial.

Ha Gangwoo wasn’t the only one sensing something off.

Ding-

[Selected for the Blue Formation.]

At the System chime, a blue ring materialized around the wrist of Ha Gangwoo and all fifty Players.

[Blue Formation]

“What’s this?”

Everyone was stunned,

“Bro! It’s blue! Good energy from the start!”

But Jo Seunghyun clenched his fist, burning with enthusiasm.

Just as everyone was baffled by the unexpected System window,

the man in silver armor stepped forward.

“Check your Quest window. We’re all on the same team.”

Han Seongdae’s few short words sent players scrambling to pull up their Quest logs.

Ha Gangwoo opened his immediately, scanning the trial’s contents.

Ding-

[Build a Faction!][Main]

Description: The trial has begun in the Tower of Job Change. A survival game lasting seven days! Band together with allies bearing your color to forge a strong force.

Reward: Individual distribution (The top faction earns a chance to obtain a Hidden class.)

[TIP]

-The four representative factions are Red, Blue, Green, and Purple.

-All factions keep each other in check.

-Daily Special Quests will be given. Clear Daily Quests to earn faction points.

-Faction rankings are measured each day.

-Hidden within these woods are opportunities to obtain special classes.

-Final scoring takes place after seven days, at the last 24-hour mark.

“What’s this?”

“Faction building?”

Everyone was thrown by the sudden Quest—it was nothing like the known structure of the Tower of Job Change.

‘So that’s what it meant.’

But Ha Gangwoo’s mind sharpened into focus now.

[Job-Change Requirements]

-Combat: S-Rank or higher

-Sense: S-Rank or higher

-Good-Evil: S-Rank or higher

Ruin’s job-change conditions. He thought he finally understood how to earn S-Ranks in each.

Just as Ha Gangwoo was starting to feel interested in the trial…

Ding-

[Day 1, the Daily Quest has arrived!]

A single System window materialized above the center of the fifty players.

[Establish Your Base!][Job Change]

Description: Please choose a location for Blue Team’s base camp!

Reward: 20 portions of food.

(Caution! Bonus points are determined by location.)

“Base? What the hell?”

The fifty players grimaced and grumbled at the job-change Quest.

Blue Team, faction-building, the whole mess—their heads spun. But one single line kept snagging their attention.

(The top faction earns a chance to obtain a Hidden class.)

‘First place, no question!’

‘Gotta move fast!’

A chance at a Hidden class—a life-changing Quest.

“Let’s just move for now.”

“Move where? We need a plan. There are hostile factions out there—one bad clash and we’re all dead.”

“Exactly. We stay out of sight. Get to somewhere inconspicuous.”

Greed had already blinded them. Arguments flew from every side.

Every player gathered here had broken through Scenario 1’s region. Veterans, for all that short time counted.

And one in four of them had led parties before—leaders with strong-willed opinions.

Cramming fifty such players together. A brutal Quest, no doubt.

‘Already falling apart.’

The trial hadn’t even properly started, and already this.

Ha Gangwoo scowled and began turning over options in his head.

Just when the clamor was at its peak —

CRASH!!!! A thunderous detonation split the air.

“Everyone, calm down!”

Han Seongdae let out a booming shout, dragging every eye to him.

The Players locked in argument snapped their heads toward him.

“The fuck do you think you are, running your mouth?”

“Calm down? There’s another team out there! You know this is a competition, right? Let’s move!”

The reception wasn’t favorable.

But Han Seongdae strolled forward with easy confidence and opened his mouth.

“I have a good idea. With fifty of us in one team, we need a leader.”

Then he stopped in front of a man.

A man in a crisp uniform, an alien darkness clinging to his right hand.

Han Seongdae pointed at Ha Gangwoo and said,

“I am an L-Grade Player. I nominate this man, Mr. Ha Gangwoo, as our leader. What do you all think?”

The Players who’d been scowling began to look flustered.

“L-Grade?”

“Oh. Right. He’s the one who wrecked the Tower of Job Change just now.”

“No way! That was him?”

The Players who’d witnessed the L-Grade title and the energy blast that had ground the Tower to dust fell into a silent hush.

“Seems like everyone’s on board, so let’s do a show of hands. I believe Mr. Ha Gangwoo is the most fitting leader for the Blue Team. Those in favor, raise your hands.”

Han Seongdae read the room and drove the point home.

“Of course hyung-nim should be the leader!”

Jo Seunghyun beamed and shot his hand up. That motion was the starting signal.

“I agree as well.”

“Ah, rank is just rank. I agree too.”

Roughly forty out of the fifty Players raised their hands.

Then Han Seongdae extended a hand for a handshake and spoke.

“Player Ha Gangwoo is the leader of the Blue Team. We look forward to working with you.”

‘…’

Ha Gangwoo looked at Han Seongdae’s hand and narrowed his eyes.

‘What’s this guy’s deal?’

From what he could sense, this was at least an A-Grade Player.

Plus, decent judgment. The ability to sway a crowd with his words.

He could easily have claimed the leader position himself, yet he’d pushed Ha Gangwoo into it.

‘What’s he thinking.’

Han Seongdae stared back with an unreadable expression, meeting Ha Gangwoo’s eyes directly.

‘And it’d be hard to refuse.’

He hadn’t planned on volunteering for leader. But the quest description made it clear that going solo wasn’t an option.

Better to lead himself than let things go to shit under some incompetent bastard.

“Fine.”

Ha Gangwoo accepted the leadership.

He thought everything would go smoothly from there.

Ding-

[A Sub Quest has arrived.]

‘Sub Quest?’

At least, until that quest arrived.

‘What the hell is this.’

The moment Ha Gangwoo checked the new quest, his expression turned cold and hard.

[Find the Mole!][Sub]

Description: The Black Team has planted members inside the Blue Team. Root them out and pray for the Blue Team’s prosperity!

Reward: Bonus points acquired.

“It seems there’s a spy hiding in this place after all.”

***

The massive greatsword carved a clean arc through the air.

A sickening — <shnick>.

With that grisly sound,

“Aaaarrrggghhh!!!!”

a scream of agony spread across the blue sky.

<Thunk!>

The arm of the man who had been screaming dropped onto the blue earth.

Crimson blood spattered among the blue leaves.

“You—you crazy bastard!”

The man whose arm had been severed grimaced and dropped to his knees.

Then the man wielding the massive greatsword stepped toward him.

Step by step. He advanced slowly.

At the sight, the one-armed man collapsed onto the ground in a heap, his body trembling violently.

“O-okay. You’re the team leader. I lost. I said I lost!!!”

The one-armed man admitted defeat, but the greatsword-wielder didn’t stop.

<Thwack!!!> The greatsword-wielder kicked the one-armed man’s stomach with all his might, and the one-armed man went rolling across the ground.

<Splash—> Red blood gushed from the severed arm.

“Kugh….”

The one-armed man gasped for breath, his lungs seeming injured, writhing in pain.

<Chunk!> But then an even greater pain came.

“Aaaaah!!!!!”

The massive greatsword plunged straight through his shoulder and embedded itself into the ground.

“Nnngh…”

The one-armed man was pushed to the brink of death, and— Ding-

[Your HP is below 20%.]

[Please be careful—death is imminent!]

It had reached the point where the System warning appeared.

“P-please spare me. I surrender.”

The one-armed man pleaded with tears streaming down his face, but the greatsword-wielder didn’t stop.

<Swoosh->

The greatsword-wielder punched the one-armed man in the face.

<Thwack!!!>

A sickening crack echoed across the ground.

<Thwack!!!>

With each punch, blood splattered onto the earth.

<Swoosh-> Another fierce punch was coming—just then,

“Stop it! He’s really going to die!”

A woman who couldn’t bear to watch any longer tried to stop him.

But,

<Thwack!!!!>

the man didn’t stop. He only ceased his onslaught after landing one last punch, then slowly straightened himself up.

Blood dripped heavily from his fist—<drip—drip—> staining the earth.

For a moment, all fifty Players fell silent, staring at him.

Then, the man slowly began to speak.

“Next.”

“…….”

At those words, none of the fifty Players could say a thing.

As the silence stretched on, the man wiped his brow and spoke again.

“Then I’m the leader of the Red Team. Since he’s not dead yet. Heal him.”

A flat, dry command.

The fifty players had apparently shelved their ambitions for the leadership. No one dared raise an objection. A healer-type player knelt beside the man with the severed arm and began treating him.

In that single moment, the chaos that had churned the order settled into clarity.

‘Crazy bastard…’

Among those fifty players, Hwang Taeseong watched the man and swallowed dryly.

‘He’s gone completely insane…’

The man swinging that massive greatsword was someone Hwang Taeseong knew.

He’d always been hot-tempered and violent, sure, but never the kind of lunatic who did this.

Severing an arm, then beating a disabled enemy within an inch of death.

Cold-blooded. Ruthless. Taeseong almost couldn’t believe this was the same person from before.

‘Still… I can work with this.’

A smile spread across Hwang Taeseong’s face.

[Establish Your Force!][Main]

The moment the main quest appeared and he read its contents, Hwang Taeseong scanned the surrounding players like a madman.

‘Not here.’

That person—who’d been a thorn in his side since the fifth floor of the Tutorial, trailing him all the way to the Tower of Job Change, tormenting him at every turn.

Terrifying as he was, Taeseong had still hoped they’d end up on the same team.

But he wasn’t here. Nowhere in sight. And that crushed Hwang Taeseong with despair.

‘I’m screwed.’

A lunatic monster on the level of a balance-breaking glitch, and he was on the other team. This game was already lost.

Just as that despair was swallowing him whole, the fight broke out.

“What? You cheeky bastard—if you’ve got a death wish, let’s go!”

The clash for leadership of the Red Team. This was the result.

Now, the man who had risen as the Red Team’s leader stood before all fifty players.

He was just standing there, still, but the blood dripping from his hand—drip, drip—was enough to spawn terror in the air.

With a heavy thud, he drove the greatsword into the ground and leaned his back against the blade.

“There was a brief disturbance, but it was a necessary procedure for order.”

Everyone focused as he spoke. His eyes went cold, and with blood-slick fingers, he wiped his brow.

Crimson blood from his pitch-black arm smeared across his face.

Gulp—

In that instant, all fifty players held their breath, tense and locked in.

“I am Kang Seongbin, an Association-affiliated Player. Pleased to work with you.”

The man’s name was Kang Seongbin.

This was the moment Kang Seongbin ascended as the leader of the Red Team.