Beyond the Eternity

As I stepped through the Iron Blood Door and passed the Gate, I entered a passage shrouded in absolute darkness that stripped away all five senses.

I couldn't see my own shadow or the figures of my companions. I couldn't even hear my own heartbeat. The void pressed in from all sides.

Then, like a lone star in the endless dark, a single point of light appeared. It expanded, forming clear, readable characters before my eyes.

It felt just like seeing a system message.

[Welcome to the Tower of Chaos, known as the Dragon's Labyrinth, Aspirant.]

[The Dragon's Labyrinth is a 'Unique World' created by a Fallen God.]

[By the authority of the 'Creator,' three rules have been set within this world.]

[Breaking any of these rules will unleash the calamities sealed within the Shadow World (Floor) of the Tower.]

[The three rules of the Tower are listed as follows:]

[Rule 1: It is forbidden to leave the tower without completing the trials.]

[Rule 2: It is forbidden to violate the rules of the trials.]

[Rule 3: It is forbidden to say or think of Its Creator's name.]

[Do you wish to climb the Tower?]

[Yes / No]

Seeing this, I didn't choose immediately.

If the logic of Song of Nightmares applied here, then death within the Tower—the dream of its Creator—would mean death on the outside as well.

After all, can you enter a dream with your material body?

Of course not.

This was simply common sense.

To enter the Tower of Chaos, our physical bodies must be broken down into spirit form and reduced to something that can exist within the Creator's dream.

Only upon leaving would the process be reversed, restoring us to our original forms.

I recalled that many mages and knights trained under simulated conditions that mimicked the Tower. Those who survived such training often joined the Demon Suppression Agency or the Mage Association, where they underwent further training in the form of jobs that tested their abilities while offering meager compensation.

Even so, not a single person had ever cleared the second floor.

That was the true horror of the Dragon's Labyrinth.

More importantly,

"Aren't the rules a little extreme?"

The first two were simple and easy, but rule three was just plainly ridiculous.

'Saying it is one thing, but thinking about it? Isn't that just unreasonable?'

'Whoever had created this place clearly had a terrible personality.'

'If I ever meet that bastard, I swear I'll break his nose.'

I clicked my tongue.

I hadn't even stepped into the Tower yet, and I was already this irritated?

I could practically smell the bullshit from here.

Fortunately, I had already prepared for this moment. There was no need to be anxious or afraid.

In fact, if I played my cards right, I should be able to pass without any problems.

'I might not know which Shadow World we'll be assigned, but it should be something within our level.'

'All stories follow patterns. And patterns make things predictable.'

'The theme of this Tower is a balance between Wisdom and Power.'

'Then naturally, I just have to maximize my wisdom and power to avoid the horrors of the Tower.'

With that in mind, I made my choice and touched the system interface.

[Yes (Choose) / No]

The moment my finger tapped [Yes], the surrounding space around me shuddered. Ripples spread through and distorted everything in sight. A white-silver light engulfed me, consuming both my body and vision.

Then, it felt like I was falling rapidly from above the world.

With a sense of weightlessness, I felt the familiar sensation of my whole body sinking into the depths of a new world.

In a split second, the surrounding lit up quickly, and scenery filled my vision.

At this same moment, a biting chill hit me, like a ruthless sharp blade, heading straight into my heart.

The temperature had dropped sharply. The world itself felt frozen.

A frigid air pressed against my skin, but the numbing cold vanished in an instant.

[The item 'Watcher's Dimensional Star Coat' has activated.]

[The SSS-grade item is protecting you from the temperature change.]

[The item 'Wraithbound Dark Knight's Chestplate' is protecting you from freezing.]

[Your resistance to frost has increased. The cold has been negated.]

The Watcher's Dimensional Star Coat. Not only was it the best storage artifact but also one of the finest defensive relics.

And beneath it was the Wraithbound Dark Knight's Chestplate, which I had obtained from a hidden dungeon.

With both equipped, the cold was a non-issue.

"Ahh! What the hell is this place?"

"Shhhhk! It's too... cold!"

"Is this... a snowfield?"

The murmurs of my party reached my ears. Turning around, I saw them standing behind me—

Lee Suhye, Jung Yunhee, Yoo Jinsung, Miyuki Kuroi.

They wrapped their arms around their bodies, shivering against the cold.

I let out a sigh.

Deep down, I was relieved. Being separated would have been a hassle.

"Why are you just standing there? Put on the item I told you to buy."

"Ah, right. I forgot I had that."

At my words, they hurriedly pulled out the Winter Fur Coats they had purchased from the Shop for ten coins.

As expected of an F-grade artifact, it only offered basic protection against the cold, but it was extremely useful for a scenario like this one.

I took the opportunity to scan my surroundings.

We were standing in the middle of a vast snowfield.

A blanket of white stretched endlessly in every direction, the howling wind filling the sky and earth with an eerie, ceaseless wail.

No matter where I looked, it was nothing but pure white.

Above us, the sky hung in a dull, leaden gray, thick clouds obscuring the sunlight.

The icy wind whipped through the air, stirring up flurries of snowflakes. They danced chaotically, swirling together before scattering apart, making the entire snow-covered world feel both mesmerizing and harsh.

Then, through the swirling wind and snow, a small village emerged.

It looked like a gem hidden within the vast snow.

And we were standing in this village.

At the same time, a system message appeared before my eyes.

[Welcome to the First Floor of the Dragon's Labyrinth, Glacirith.]

[A random shadow world has been selected for the first-floor trial.]

[Shadow World: The Frozen Omen]

[Description: As a noble, you and your group have arrived at this small village, seeking shelter and meeting with the village chief. However, an ominous premonition lingers in the air.]

[A great massacre is destined to occur in this village, claiming the lives of all its innocent inhabitants.]

[Trial Conditions: Within 24 hours, identify the source of the impending massacre and seal it, ensuring the villagers survive the winter and see tomorrow.]

[As a noble of the Holy Kingdom, you are bound by strict laws: you must not violate the law, harm civilians, or deceive them. The Church, ever watchful, knows your every action. Any transgression will lead to your immediate execution by the officials of the Holy Kingdom.]

[This trial is a test from the Church to prove your worth.]

[Note: There is a certain character who may assist you with your investigation. If a crime is discovered, the hidden executioner will administer the appropriate punishment. The same applies if you commit a crime.]

Interesting. So this was the trial of the first floor.

But why the Holy Kingdom though? Was I being mocked somehow?

I looked ahead and saw several wooden houses hidden amidst the snow. Their rooftops were buried under thick layers of white, blending seamlessly into the frozen landscape.

…Hmm. I needed to analyze the situation first.

From my observations, I noticed a few solid details.

First, this trial was different from the one Soo Jinyoung had faced in the novel. The shadow world selected for the first floor had changed.

Second, despite my status as a noble of this country, sent by the Holy Kingdom to investigate suspicious activity in this village, we were bound by strict restrictions.

Essentially, we were here to uncover the truth, but we couldn't abuse our authority in any way that could harm the people of this land.

For example, we couldn't eliminate the source of the premonition without solid evidence.

This was the storyline set by the master of the tower.

If we disobeyed the trial's rules or violated the three main laws, we would invite only calamity and unnecessary destruction.

Perhaps we could ask the villagers if they had noticed anything unusual, but there was no guarantee they knew anything. After all, they were ordinary people.

Even if we discovered the culprit, reckless action wasn't an option.

As a result, the simplest and most direct methods of clearing the trial were rendered useless. Any crude approach would be ineffective and lead only to failure.

Obviously, they did not meet the mission objectives.

"As expected, crude methods won't work here. All shortcuts are blocked. We can't pass this trial half-heartedly," I murmured, feeling the sting of the wind and snow against my skin.

Glancing back at the party, I noticed their faces had turned red from the cold. A thin layer of frost had begun to form on their gear.

They were stiff from the freezing temperatures. Moving around like this would only grow more difficult.

The [Winter Fur Coat] offered some resistance to the cold, but it wasn't enough. They had no natural resistance to frost.

At that moment, I realized our time outside was limited.

Even though we were beyond human territory, death by exposure was still a very real possibility.

Wandering aimlessly through the wind and snow would only ensure our demise. If we were lucky, we wouldn't freeze to death immediately.

Lee Suhye shivered as she looked around. "Jakga-ssi, what should we do now?"

"You saw the trial message, didn't you? Everyone should have seen it."

"We did, but where do we start? There are so many houses here. If we check them one by one, won't we just be wasting time?"

"Hmm, that's true. But we have to start somewhere."

I turned toward a lone wooden house in the distance and pointed.

"First, we need a place to stay. Let's head over there. I believe that should be the guest house."

Lee Suhye frowned, clearly unimpressed. "Are you sure? That place doesn't look too inviting."

I shrugged. "Feel free to stand outside in the cold if you'd prefer. Just try not to freeze to death too quickly, alright?"

"You're such a damn jerk, you know that."

She cursed under her breath but moved toward the house anyway. The others followed without hesitation.

I trailed behind them, already forming a plan in my mind.

If we clear this floor quickly and reach the second, we might be able to catch up with the frontrunners.