The moment Elias stepped through the portal, the world warped.
His feet landed on solid ground, but his eyes widened at the sight before him, it was a vast plaza packed to the brim with people. A crowd, no, a mountain, of humans, each with different expressions, different clothes, different auras. Some looked dazed and worn, others calm and accustomed, as though they'd been living here for years.
It was incredibly overwhelming.
Were these… the others who cleared the tutorial? And those over there, had they been stuck here longer?
Before Elias could process more, a man approached him. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, with short-cropped hair and sharp brown eyes. Dressed in a light leather jacket with a strange crest pinned to his collar, the man extended a friendly hand.
"Greetings, stranger. Welcome to the Tower," he said with a warm smile. "As part of the Tower's orientation curriculum, I'll be your guide. I'll do my best to answer any questions you have."
Elias blinked at him, his stomach growling in protest before he could respond.
"Uh… thanks. But, uh—" he rubbed the back of his neck, voice dropping with embarrassment, "is there any chance we could get something to eat first?"
"Of course. You must be starving. Most new arrivals take a couple of days to finish the tutorial. Not surprising you're hungry."
"Ah… y-yeah. It did take a while," Elias replied, still dazed.
"Come, follow me. I know a good spot."
Elias followed the man through the bustling plaza. The ground was marked with glowing symbols, and the man stepped onto one of them, gesturing for Elias to join.
"Since it's your first time, you might want to brace yourself."
"What do you mean by tha—"
A flash of blinding light engulfed them.
The sensation was worse than falling through the Tower's portal. It twisted his insides, churned his stomach, and for a second, Elias thought he was going to puke. When the light faded, they were standing just outside a massive city gate. Towers loomed in the distance, and walls of glimmering white stone stretched across the horizon.
Elias staggered, hands on his knees.
"Hahaha! You didn't throw up. Impressive," the man said, patting his back. "Most people do on their first jump. You might be a special one."
"Hah… lucky me," Elias muttered, trying to keep his guts inside.
They entered the city. At the gate, guards dressed in metallic armor scanned them but waved them through once the man flashed a small badge.
Everything felt surreal.
Stone-paved streets stretched out into districts lit by floating lanterns. Market stalls bustled with strange goods, and above, airships floated through a clouded purple sky. The air was cooler here, but thick with the scent of spice and steel. Elias had never seen a city like this, like something out of a fantasy novel, yet too detailed to be fiction.
"Just where the hell am I?" he whispered under his breath.
After winding through a few alleys and crossing a bridge over a canal, they arrived at a modest-looking inn tucked between larger buildings. A wooden sign swung above the door, engraved with words Elias didn't recognize but somehow understood: Moonlight Rest.
Inside, the inn was warm and inviting. A few guests chatted over food and drinks, and the aroma made Elias's stomach cry out again. They sat at a corner table, and the man ordered them both a hearty meal from a floating menu that responded to gestures.
As soon as the food arrived, Elias dug in. It wasn't just hunger, his body needed it. He practically inhaled the bread, stew, and dried fruits. Tears welled up in his eyes as flavor returned to his world.
"Slow down before you choke. You've got time now."
Elias wiped his mouth. "Sorry. It's just… I haven't eaten since yesterday."
"I get it," the man said with an understanding nod.
After a moment, Elias looked up.
"Why are you helping me?" he asked, cautious. "I mean… you don't know me. So why bother?"
The man leaned back, folding his arms. "Good question. Truth is, I was once in your shoes. First day. Confused. Hungry. Didn't know who to trust. If no one had helped me back then, I probably wouldn't have lasted a week."
"I see…" Elias glanced down at his empty bowl. "Then… who are you?"
"Ah, right. The name's Shein. I'm with the New Order Guild. We're a guild built to help new candidates settle into the Tower. We're not the strongest around, but we're ranked top 16th among the factions, if you care about that."
"Top 16th?" Elias echoed. "That sounds… pretty good."
Shein grinned. "Well, most of our members are either fresh arrivals or old-timers who never really progressed. Not the most elite lineup, but we've got heart. And a few heavy-hitters."
They talked for a while longer.
Shein explained how the Tower worked or at least, what they knew of it. Floors, factions, trials. How each level offered both danger and opportunity. How people from all over, not just Earth were pulled into it.
"Wait," Elias interrupted. "You mean… people from other worlds?"
"Exactly. We don't know what the Tower really is. Some believe it's a testing ground created by gods. Others think it's a dimensional merger, a confluence of timelines and realms."
The idea shook Elias. He'd assumed this was just some otherworldly dungeon, but now?
It was so much bigger.
"Is there a way out?" he asked suddenly.
At that, Shein's expression darkened.
"No one's found one," he said quietly.
Elias frowned. "But maybe they just haven't tried hard enough?"
Shein gave a dry chuckle. "You know how long I've been in the Tower?"
Elias hesitated. "Ten… maybe twenty years?"
"Close." Shein leaned forward. "I've been here for about two hundred."
"Wha—?!"
"Time flows differently here," Shein explained. "You stop aging once you reach your prime. We don't get sick. Don't die of old age. The only ways out are death… or starvation."
Elias sat in stunned silence. The food in his belly felt heavy now.
"Don't look so down," Shein said gently. "I'm not saying there's no hope. Just… well... be prepared. The Tower isn't something you beat overnight."
Later, they left the table. Shein paid for everything, waving off Elias's attempt to protest.
"Consider it your welcome gift," he said.
They parted ways outside the inn, and Elias was given a basic room on the second floor. It was plain but clean, more than enough for now.
Alone at last, Elias stared at the ceiling. His mind churned with everything he'd learned.
No way out. Stuck in a world of endless trials. He wasn't just in a different place, he was in a different existence.
But something burned in his chest. Not despair. Not yet.
A resolve, faint but firm.
He would not give up.
Even if the Tower had no exit, he would find one.
There had to be a way.
And if not… then he would climb. Floor by floor. Trial by trial.
Until the Tower itself gave him an answer.