‘This bastard took out Jangbok???’

Seongbin scowled and locked eyes with Gangwoo.

Not backing down, Gangwoo stared right back.

‘Hm…’

Gangwoo’s eyes narrowed. So these were Jangbok’s party members? Every single one of them was strange.

This man boring into him—his right arm was a mottled purple, as if rotting.

‘Demon’s Arm.’

What kind of Trait turned an arm into something like that? One thing was certain: he was stronger than Jangbok.

And—

‘An angel…’

The woman standing behind Seongbin was just as unusual.

It was obvious she had a pretty face, but an Angel Ring floated right above her head. She looked like an actual angel.

‘Angel and demon…’

Just by looking at them, you could feel they had top-tier Traits.

But the strangest one was this woman.

The one who’d brought Gangwoo here. Lee Ayeon, her name was. Not only did she watch her own party member die—she wanted to bring his killer into the party. Wasn’t that completely insane?

‘Every last one of them is a lunatic.’

Maybe that’s what it meant to be a Player challenging an A-Rank floor? Every single one of them was extraordinary.

Seongbin was still staring at Gangwoo. He swept his gaze from Gangwoo’s face down to the armor he wore.

“You look weak as hell, but…”

Plain-looking. If anything, he looks weaker than an average Player. The only thing setting him apart is that for someone who’s only made it to floor 3, his gear looks decent.

‘This bastard really killed him?’

Choi Jangbok was a B-Rank Trait-user—trash, no argument. But they’d trained together for three months. Long enough to know the man wasn’t someone who’d wash out on floor 3.

Kang Seongbin’s scowl loosened.

‘What’s it to me.’

“We leave immediately. I’m leading, as usual.”

Kang Seongbin turned away. Camaraderie had never been part of the deal anyway. This was just a temporary party the Association had tacked together so they could all nab higher ranks.

All he had to do was climb the Tower according to plan and net that S-Rank. Guys like Jangbok or Lee Ayeon? Might as well not exist. With Chae Seohyun on his side, A-Rank was a joke—let alone anything less.

Kang Seongbin reached into his Inventory and pulled out a massive greatsword.

“Entering the Dungeon now. Battle stations!”

“Captain~! Hold up a sec. Even for new teammates, you gotta at least tell them their position~.”

Lee Ayeon raised her hand high as she spoke.

“Just spectate. You too. I’m clearing it solo. Chae Seohyun supports me and me alone.”

Ayeon crinkled her eyes in a smile, then covered her mouth with her fist.

“Captain’s at it again. That confident, huh???”

“What? Got a problem? Gonna report me to the Association? Go ahead.”

Kang Seongbin’s face twisted in annoyance at Ayeon’s words.

“Ah~! Ah~! There he goes, hot-headed again~. Calm down~. It’s just that I think you’re pretty confident, Captain. I was about to make an interesting proposal. I bet even you’ll be intrigued~.”

Ayeon replied with an unruffled eye-smile.

“We’re going for S-Rank, right—you say it every day. That if you had just one more person like Unni Seohyun instead of me and Mr. Choi, S-Rank would be doable. And now the person you’ve brought in? Seems strong. Maybe even stronger than Unni Seohyun?? No way!”

Ayeon’s eyes narrowed, and a wicked smile crept across her face.

“Might even be stronger than you, Captain?”

Throb—

Kang Seongbin’s eyebrow twitched. He was seriously irritated.

‘That piece of trash stronger than me???’

Kang Seongbin glared at Lee Ayeon, who was still grinning like an idiot.

‘Stupid bitch.’

An unreadable expression, unreadable actions. And above all, that snickering face made his blood boil.

‘Coming late and getting on my nerves.’

Vein—

A vein bulged on Kang Seongbin’s forehead. He was barely holding onto his composure.

Kang Seongbin lifted his greatsword and advanced on Ayeon, menacing.

He towered a full two heads over her, glaring down as if he might cut her down any second.

But Ayeon just smiled serenely, covering her mouth with her fist.

‘What’s she thinking… Annoying.’

Kang Seongbin studied Lee Ayeon, trying to read her. Something was working behind those eyes, and he could feel it.

One thing was certain—she wasn’t the type to blather meaningless nonsense.

Whoosh—

Seongbin whipped around and fixed his glare on Ha Gangwoo, who stood beside Ayeon.

“You dare compare me to this piece of trash?”

He knew Ayeon was baiting him, aiming for something. But he couldn’t swallow it.

How dare she compare him—an S-Rank Trait, and one considered High-Grade at that—to scum like this.

Chin—

Seongbin seized Gangwoo by the collar, his eyes boring into the other man with lethal intent.

‘This bastard, from the start!!!’

Ayeon’s words grated, but Gangwoo’s actions grated worse.

From the first moment until now, the guy had kept staring straight through him—those eyes never once flinching!!

“Eyes down, or not?”

Gangwoo met the challenge. He grabbed Seongbin’s wrist—the forearm black as a demon’s—right where it gripped his collar.

There was a crisp, grinding *crack*.

‘Different, for sure.’

Gangwoo poured in everything he had. This man was nothing like the others who’d crumpled under his grip strength alone.

‘Solid.’

Despite his own Strength of 78, the man before him matched him force for force.

“I said eyes down!!! You want to die? Just because you retired one piece of trash, you think you’re something? Out here, if you don’t watch your eyes, you *die*.”

Seongbin hoisted Gangwoo by the collar and yanked him close.

Crack! Their foreheads slammed together.

Gangwoo strained to wrench his wrist free, but Seongbin’s demonic arm thickened, its strength seeming to double.

And so the standoff dragged on.

“Eyy~ Captain!! You’re at it again with the childish stuff. Just decide already and save the fight for the next floor~.”

Lee Ayeon stepped forward, grinning like she was having the time of her life.

But Gangwoo and Seongbin’s clash of wills stretched ten full seconds.

*Jaw.*

Seongbin seemed to make a decision. He clamped his mouth shut and shoved Gangwoo away.

“Fine. See you on the next floor.”

He spun on his heel and slung his greatsword over his shoulder.

“We’re going S-Rank.”

The corner of Lee Ayeon’s mouth curled up.

That was when it happened.

Chae Seohyun, who had been quietly watching with her arms crossed, stepped forward.

“I object. S-Rank, all of a sudden? That’s reckless. There’s no clearing method for it. I’m not interested in gambling. Let’s go A-Rank and stay safe.”

Seongbin stood still, his voice low and flat. No one could see his expression.

“Gambling…? Safety…?”

He turned to face Chae Seohyun. The face that had been twisted with emotion was now utterly blank.

“Didn’t you say you were going to become a Ranker? Did you seriously think you could do that without a single real adventure?”

A tremor—

Seohyun’s face, which had been perfectly blank, flickered with a barely perceptible twitch.

Her fists clenched white-knuckle tight. She looked furious. There had to be a story behind that anger, didn’t there?

Seongbin turned unhurriedly and stepped toward the S-Rank Dungeon, speaking over his shoulder.

“Drop out if you want. My mind’s made up. Alive or dead, I’m going into that S-Rank.”

Had something in his confrontation with Ha Gangwoo gotten to him? The Seongbin who’d been singing Seohyun’s praises had changed his tune — and his actions.

“Yesss!! What are you doing~! Hurry up and follow me!!”

Ayeon’s eyes crinkled with glee as she grabbed Gangwoo’s wrist and dragged him along.

Seohyun said nothing. She just stared at the pendant hanging around her neck, then finally began to walk.

And so their first party began.

***

Before the S-Rank Dungeon. Unlike other Gates, a massive, overwhelming magic circle shimmered and rippled across its entrance.

Four players had started loosening up there. A place any ordinary Player wouldn’t dare come within a mile of. Of course, the crowd stared.

“What the hell? Are those people really going into an S-Rank Dungeon?”

“Aw, no way. What kind of crazy bastard would walk in there to off themselves?”

“Well, in the last ten years, every rookie who’s tried has failed, and the Association and guilds have given up on it anyway. It’s not like the rewards for A-Rank and S-Rank are that different.”

That was exactly why even Kang Seongbin, with his S-Rank Trait, had been prepping for an A-Rank Dungeon.

Because the S-Rank Dungeon’s insane difficulty made it nearly impossible compared to anything in the Tower of Tutorial. And word had it the rewards weren’t even all that great. But that was wrong. The Tower was a place where the payout matched the pain — every time.

“Huh?! Wait, I’ve seen that face somewhere before. Oh!!!”

One of the Players watching the reckless attempt gasped and whispered to the guy next to him.

“Isn’t that… isn’t that Kang Seongbin?? And that girl next to him — that’s Lee Ayeon!!”

“Yeah, you’re right. I heard they both joined the Association. Guess they’re in the same party. That’s insane.”

Seongbin and Ayeon were clearly famous faces.

Seongbin’s father was a well-known Ranker, and Ayeon’s family came from noble stock, so they were celebrities among the Players.

But Gangwoo, who had no clue about any of this, stood with his arms crossed, glaring at Seongbin.

‘He’s strong…’

Maybe it was because his Sense Stat was low, but he couldn’t pin down exactly how strong Seongbin was. What he *could* tell, though, was a gut feeling that this bastard might be stronger than him.

The arrogant attitude and the way he looked down on everyone pissed Gangwoo off — but he wasn’t an idiot.

‘I’ll use him for now.’

Every single one of them was so strong that he had to wonder if there was anyone stronger on this floor. And that was enough to make up his mind.

These three, warming up right before me—they were unquestionably the top Players in the world.

And now they were saying they wanted to challenge an S-Rank Dungeon. Didn’t I want that too? An S-Rank Dungeon.

This party of three was an opportunity that would never come again.

Clang!

Kang Seongbin slammed his greatsword against the ground and spoke.

“Then I’ll take that as everyone agreeing to clear the S-Rank Dungeon. Speak up now if you have any objections.”

Unlike his usual reckless self, he actually threw out a question.

Including Ha Gangwoo, even Chae Seohyun voiced no complaints. Lee Ayeon, who had made the suggestion, just grinned to herself.

Ding-

[Player Kang Seongbin has sent you a Party invitation.]

[Yes/No]

A Party invitation appeared before Ha Gangwoo. He accepted it immediately.

[Kang Seongbin]

[Chae Seohyun]

[Lee Ayeon]

A holographic window with their names floated into Ha Gangwoo’s field of view.

‘So this is a Party…’

His first experience with the Party System—no useful info like HP bars or MP bars. It seemed to only give a rough sense of whether party members were alive and where they were.

“The clearing method is simple. I smash everything, and you guys handle the rest.”

A sharp smirk curled at the corner of Kang Seongbin’s mouth.

“Then let’s start the clear.”

The moment Kang Seongbin finished speaking—

Ding-

[Would you like to enter the S-Rank Dungeon?]

(Caution!!! Difficulty is abnormally high.)

A System window appeared.

A faint smile also crept onto Ha Gangwoo’s lips.

‘Now this might actually be fun.’

“Yes.”

The moment he answered, his vision went dark.