I slowly opened my eyes. The shadows dancing on the ceiling gradually faded with the first light of morning. It had been a gloomy night; though my sleep had not been interrupted, my mind was still weary. Taking a deep breath, I sat up. Pushing the blanket aside, I sat on the edge of the bed. Running my hands through my hair, I let out a small yawn.

  "It's time to get up, Alex," I murmured to myself. My voice still sounded drowsy.

  I stood up and took a few steps around the room. My belongings were still in the chest in the corner. The Glimmering Dagger was strapped to my belt, and the Silent Boots were left by the bedside. I adjusted my clothes and walked towards the window. As I gently pushed the wooden frame, the cold but refreshing morning air flowed inside. I looked outside; the stone streets were not yet crowded, but a few merchants were setting up their stalls.

  Inhaling the crisp morning air deeply, I closed my eyes. I love mornings like these, I thought.

  After watching outside for a while, I closed the window and left the room. As I descended the wooden stairs, the sounds from the inn’s common room reached my ears. People were having breakfast, some had already started drinking early in the morning, while others were making preparations for their journeys.

  In the corner of the hall, I spotted a familiar table. John, Gareth, and Isabel were already seated, eating their meals. John's loud laughter echoed through the room. When they noticed me, they lifted their heads.

  My mind was still clouded by what had happened at midnight—I had killed Roy… A darkness threatened to consume me again, but then that ever-cheerful and annoyingly loud voice pulled me back to reality.

  "We're over here!" John called out, raising his hand.

  Despite myself, a small smile formed on my lips. I walked over to the table and sat down. In front of me was a simple yet hearty breakfast: fresh bread, a few slices of cheese, a steaming hot meat stew, and a glass of cold water.

  "Good morning, Alex," Isabel said with a slight smile.

  "Good morning," I replied.

  Gareth was devouring his food like a starving beast. He stuffed a huge piece of bread into his mouth while simultaneously shoveling stew in with his fork. Isabel rolled her eyes at him in disgust.

  "Really, Gareth?" she asked with a look of pure disdain. "Were you that hungry?"

  Gareth, his mouth full, only grumbled in response. John couldn't hold back his laughter.

  "Let him eat, Isabel. He’s a grown man, after all," John said, slapping Gareth on the back.

  "A man? If you ask me, he's no different from a wild bear," Isabel muttered.

  Gareth shot her a side glance and continued chewing his food. I smiled slightly and took a spoonful of my stew.

  For a while, we ate in silence. Finally, John leaned in slightly, his expression turning serious.

  "We need to go to the guild and report that we've taken care of the Alpha Wolf," he said. "We can't collect our reward without doing that."

  Isabel nodded. "You're right. We've put enough effort into this job; it's time to claim what we've earned."

  John twirled his fork in his plate as he continued, "But I'm not just talking about the money. There are also the materials we obtained from the Alpha Wolf—its hide, teeth, and claws..." He paused for a moment, then looked at me. "And I think these materials should go to Alex."

  I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

  Gareth finally swallowed his food and spoke. "To be honest, we couldn't have killed the Alpha Wolf without your help. So, those materials should be yours. We'll split the money equally, but if anyone can actually make use of those things, it's you."

  Isabel nodded in agreement. "Exactly. What would I do with those teeth or hide? But you can make something out of them, right?"

  I thought about it. Taking the materials and crafting a new weapon or armor did seem like a good idea. But still… "Are you all really okay with this?" I asked.

  John shrugged. "Mate, we don’t need them as much as you do. Besides, the guild's reward is already a good amount. When we started this journey together, we knew each of us would contribute based on our own skills. You did your part well—now it's only fair that you get these materials."

  A sense of gratitude welled up inside me. I looked at each of them and gave a small nod. "Thank you. Then I'll make sure to put these materials to good use."

  John lifted his mug with a hearty laugh. "Did you all see how cool I sounded just now? Like a true leader!"

  Gareth stuffed another bite into his mouth and nodded. Isabel, as expected, rolled her eyes and sighed.

  I wondered how the rest of the day would go. But at least, the morning had started well.

  As we walked toward the guild, the city streets were gradually filling with life. The sun illuminated the stone-paved roads, merchants opened their stalls, and street vendors shouted out their wares. Adventurers, clad in various armors and weapons, gathered by the roadside, some chatting, others preparing for new quests.

  Stepping out of the warm and familiar atmosphere of the inn into this lively world was an interesting transition.

  As we stepped into the guild, a familiar atmosphere greeted us. The large hall was filled with adventurers gathered around tables and mission boards. Some were laughing heartily, while others were spreading maps on the tables, discussing new quests. Behind the bar, guild staff were busy keeping records and organizing documents.

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  John walked straight toward the woman behind the counter. She appeared to be in her middle age, with a stern gaze, yet she seemed like someone who knew her job well. She was writing something in her record book, waiting for us to approach.

  "The Alpha Wolf job is done," John said, his voice as confident and strong as ever. "We've come to collect our reward."

  The woman lifted her head and looked us over before pulling out a pouch from under the counter. It was clear from the weight and shape that it contained a good amount of Tower Coins. "You did a good job," she said, jotting something down in her book. "1,000 Tower Coins, as promised."

  When she handed the pouch to John, he took it without hesitation and nodded in gratitude. Then, loud enough for all of us to hear, he started dividing the money.

  "Each of us was supposed to get 200 Tower Coins," he said, then lowered his voice slightly. "But now that Roy is no longer with us…"

  The energy in the room instantly shifted. No one met each other’s eyes. Conversations halted. The silence didn’t last long, but a heavy weight settled in. Roy’s betrayal had shaken us all. It hadn't been long since it happened, and even though this was my first mission with them, they had been together for a long time. No one had voiced their anger or disappointment yet, but now, just the mention of his name cast a shadow over everyone’s face.

  John, as always, held his composure and took a deep breath, attempting to lighten the mood with a small smile. "But since we’re now four people, that means we each get 250 Tower Coins!"

  After a few seconds of silence, his words seemed to lift the tension a little. Gareth cleared his throat, attempting a smile, while Isabel rolled her eyes and nodded.

  John continued, "After everything we've been through, this money might not seem like much, but don’t forget to treat yourselves a little. This should be enough to last us until the next job."

  He placed 250 Tower Coins in front of each of us. The coins sat there in their pouches for a moment before everyone took their share.

  Isabel smiled as she examined the golden coins. "I think I can finally get myself some decent clothes," she said cheerfully. "I've been making do with these old ones for way too long—it's time to look a little stylish."

  Gareth weighed his pouch in his hand and muttered, "I wonder how many bowls of meat stew I can buy with this…"

  Isabel shot him a disdainful look. "Of course, all you ever think about is food."

  Gareth simply shrugged. "What can I say? You can’t survive in battle without good meals."

  John chuckled and shook his head. "Alright, everyone, go take care of your own business and get some rest. Take care of yourselves until our next mission."

  Everyone nodded and began to leave one by one. As soon as Isabel stepped out of the guild, she headed straight for the marketplace. Gareth, on the other hand, was already making his way toward the inn, where the smell of food was strongest. In the end, it was just John and me.

  John tied his pouch to his belt and turned to me. "By the way," he said with a slight smile, "I went ahead and registered you in the guild while we were collecting our reward. You’re officially a member now."

  I raised an eyebrow. "You didn’t have to do that."

  John shrugged. "It was something that needed to be done anyway. We wouldn’t have been able to take down the Alpha Wolf without you. All you need to do now is go to that woman over there and complete your registration. After that, you’ll be able to take on missions as you please. She’ll explain the details to you."

  John patted me lightly on the shoulder. "Come on, don’t overthink it. See you around, Alex."

  "Thanks, John," I said with a small smile.

  John nodded and walked away. I took a deep breath and started toward the woman at the counter. I was truly stepping into the guild now. I wondered what would come next.

  As I walked slowly through the grand stone hall of the guild, I tried to take in the atmosphere. Everything inside was in constant motion—some adventurers were studying the mission boards, while others were selling the materials they had gathered to the guild’s designated merchants. Warriors, mages, and various adventurers sat in groups at the tables, engaging in loud conversations as they planned their next adventures.

  In one corner, a few people were heatedly discussing something in front of a large wooden board. The board was covered with bounties, mission announcements, and drawings of wanted creatures. But my path was different. I made my way toward the counter John had pointed out.

  The woman’s desk was simpler and more organized than the others. The parchments and small seals on her desk made it clear that this was a registration point. The woman herself was striking—she appeared to be in her early forties, with chestnut brown hair tied into a tight bun. Her eyes were sharp and analytical, as if she could assess a person in just a few seconds. She wore a long, dark blue robe, and as she scribbled something with her quill, she lifted her gaze to me, raising an eyebrow.

  "I’m here to complete my registration," I said directly.

  The woman studied my face for a moment, then glanced at her records. "Alex, correct?" she asked, her voice firm yet composed.

  I nodded.

  "Everything is set," she said, then nodded toward the side. "All you need to do is place your hand on that sphere."

  My eyes shifted to the orb standing beside the desk, glowing with a faint blue light. Its surface was as smooth as glass, but inside, it seemed as if mist was swirling. It radiated a gentle warmth, overflowing with magic.

  I took a deep breath and placed my hand on the orb.

  At that moment, I felt a slight stir within me. The warmth of the orb spread across my palm, but nothing else happened. A screen appeared before me—yet it only displayed my name.

  The woman watched as the orb's light slowly faded, and a faint smile formed on her lips.

  "So, you've learned how to hide your information, huh?" she said in a low voice. "Most newcomers to the Tower don't pay attention to things like this, but you… You're different. You have a bright future ahead of you, Mr. Alex."

  I looked at her, unsure of what to say. Because I hadn't done anything at all. The system wasn’t displaying my information simply because I could no longer use it.

  I was aware of this, but I didn’t know how it looked from the outside. Perhaps I really did seem like an adventurer who knew how to conceal his details. A laugh almost escaped me, but instead, I settled for a slight smile.

  The woman turned back to me, organizing her papers as she spoke again.

  "Your registration is complete. You are now free to take on quests."

  Then, she nodded toward the left. "Also, you can check your name on ‘The Wall’ over there."

  I frowned. "The Wall? What’s that?"

  She chuckled slightly, as if expecting the question.

  "The Wall," she said, "is the first step in clearing the first floor. You must complete quests, earn money, and climb the rankings on The Wall."

  Her words immediately caught my interest. "So… just by completing quests?"

  She nodded. "Yes. The Wall tracks how much money you have and ranks you accordingly. Anyone who passes the threshold receives a hidden quest and moves on to the second stage of clearing the first floor."

  A hidden quest… I wanted to know more about it. "And what’s the threshold?"

  She set down her quill and met my eyes with a small, knowing smile. "100,000 Tower Coins."

  Her words hung in the air.

  100,000 Tower Coins… That was a massive amount. We had earned only 1,000 Tower Coins from the Alpha Wolf quest, and we had split that among four people. Reaching that level would require completing countless quests and likely facing many dangerous battles.

  Thinking about it, I felt both excitement and a heavy burden. If I wanted to achieve something here, I couldn’t settle for ordinary quests.

  The woman studied my expression and smiled. "Unfortunately, that’s all I can say," she said, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "The rest, you’ll have to figure out on your own."

  I took a deep breath and nodded. "Understood."

  She closed the book in her hands and gave me one last look. "Good luck, Mr. Alex. The quest board is just over there."

  For a moment, I met her gaze. She was someone who knew how the system worked but couldn’t share that knowledge. Meanwhile, I was someone who knew my system didn’t work but couldn’t explain why.

  I nodded and walked away, a strange feeling settling within me.

  A new stage had begun.