Chapter 288. The Eternity Tower (1)

Everyone knew a saying that if one were stupid, their body would suffer for it.

Overseer K had decided to correct that saying.

If one was foolish, not only would their body suffer, but their skin would be flayed, their bones picked clean, and every last drop of blood drained from them.

K asked, trembling, “D-did you just say chairman?”

The man appeared as though he could see straight through K’s thoughts. With a mere gesture, he seemed to command the darkness itself.

An overwhelming pressure bore down on K, suffocating him. K’s instincts screamed that the man was telling the truth.

K hesitated. “But...”

“What? You don’t believe me?” Eun-Ho asked.

However, that was what made it all the more confusing for Overseer K. From the way this man spoke, he was clearly just a mortal, someone who hadn’t even undergone promotion.

No way, is he really just a new recruit? Did a mere mortal really kill the very being who ruled this place? thought Overseer K.

K’s vision swam, and his legs wobbled beneath him.

Eun-Ho asked casually, “Do I need to cut off your head for you to believe me?”

K bowed deeply, waving his hands frantically as if his wrists were powered by motors. “N-no, sir!”

“Really? Because you still look unconvinced.”

K stammered quickly, “I-I was only wondering how someone as esteemed as you ended up in such a lowly place!”

He dared to glance up and saw the chairman’s eyes gleam, as though he had been waiting for that exact question.

“Some idiot said he’d cut off my friends’ heads and present them to me as a gift.”

“Huh?!” K froze.

F-friends’ heads?

A chilling thought crept up his spine.

“Oh! Actually! Sending a severed head would be even better.”

Please don’t tell me that idiot is me...

Before Overseer K could finish the thought, a loud crash echoed through the room.

“Hyuuungnim!”

“Eun-Ho!”

A dark-skinned man and a short-haired man burst through the door. K recognized them instantly. They were the very slaves he had thrown into the arena!

Jae-Hyuk asked urgently. “Are you alright?”

Ji-Eun asked. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine. What about you two?” Eun-Ho replied.

They fussed over each other, their eyes and hands moving anxiously as they checked for injuries. It was almost painfully affectionate.

“What is going on here?” K muttered under his breath. “Why would a chairman treat slaves like this?”

Then Overseer H, or in fact, something pretending to be H said mockingly, “Didn’t he say they were his friends?”

“B-but you threw them away as slaves,” K said weakly.

However, that wasn’t it.

“Ji-Eun, I saw that your back was injured. Let me apply some ointment,” Eun-Ho said gently.

She was flustered. “Huh? Y-you’ll do it yourself? It’s okay, I can handle it!”

“You can’t reach it properly,” he pointed out.

Ji-Eun hesitated. “Then maybe later.”

What kind of lunatic would treat a discarded subordinate’s wounds as carefully as if handling a priceless porcelain?

“If only Sol-Ah were here, I’d ask her instead...” Eun-Ho muttered.

Ji-Eun reassured him, “It’s just a scratch and it’s not that deep. So don’t worry too much.”

There was something subtle in the air between them. K didn’t know what their relationship was but he understood one thing clearly: he was completely screwed.

“Hey, you there,” Eun-Ho said.

“M-me, sir?” K replied.

“You said you’d cut off their heads and present them to me, right?” Eun-Ho said calmly.

K stammered desperately, “I-I didn’t realize they were your friends...”

“You should be grateful I got here early,” Eun-Ho said.

The overseer’s mouth fell shut—not because he had nothing to say, but because something had wrapped around his throat.

Ssssss—

A black smoke spread from beneath Eun-Ho’s feet, coiling upward before forming a massive hand that seized K by the neck.

“You wouldn’t have been able to lay a finger on them anyway,” Eun-Ho said coldly.

“Keugh!” K choked.

“But if you had even tried, I’d gouge out your eyes and feed them to the birds. I’d slice off that insolent tongue of yours and gift it to the ones you used to command.”

The shadowy hand tightened, baring its invisible fangs. K’s throat constricted as he was crushed all over, bruises blooming across his skin. His vision dimmed as life drained from him.

K knew that even moving a finger or speaking out of turn would get him killed.

“And then what’s left of you... I’d toss outside for the rabble to tear apart.”

K also realized that If he met Eun-Ho’s gaze wrong, he would die.

Every instinct, every shred of his being, screamed the same conclusion that he was going to die so pathetically.

The man’s eyes, his gestures, and his very presence all declared death.

With the desperate clarity of someone standing at death’s edge, K forced his mind to work. There was only one option left.

It’s all or nothing!

He clawed at the air, struggling against the iron grip around his throat, summoning every last ounce of strength he had.

“Please, spare me!” Then, he begged with everything he had. “I’ve committed a serious sin!”

***

Eun-Ho had taken over the overseer’s office, which was basically a cramped room with a desk, a bookshelf, and a single bed.

The overseer, now relegated to the floor, sorted through documents before handing over a thick bundle of reports. “C-Chairman! These are the materials you requested!”

Eun-Ho flipped through them briefly, then frowned. “There’s barely any historical data. Where are the operational reports from a hundred years ago?”

“W-well, anything that old would have been disposed of...” the overseer replied hesitantly.

“Bring them,” Eun-Ho said flatly.

“Pardon? Y-yes, sir!”

The man bolted out of the room as if his tail had been set on fire.

Watching him go, the assistant instructor let out a low chuckle. “He’s quick on his feet. You trained him well.”

Eun-Ho glanced at him. “It’s easier on the eyes since it’s someone else’s face. How about living like that permanently?”

“I’ll think about it. Though your body is more comfortable,” the assistant instructor replied casually.

Overseer H was the name, if Eun-Ho remembered correctly.

The assistant instructor adjusted his turban. “You seem unusually emotional today,” he said.

“Me?”

The assistant instructor narrowed his eyes teasingly. “He’s just a small fry. You could’ve killed him outright, but instead you dragged it out. It almost looked like you were toying with him.”

Eun-Ho clicked his tongue and thought, This guy’s been following me around too much. He’s getting talkative.

“We need to assess the state of the Arena,” Eun-Ho said.

This place operated completely outside the company’s system. If he wanted to understand what was going on inside, he required cooperation from someone within. He had made sure to scare the overseer thoroughly to prevent him from entertaining any foolish thoughts.

“I’ve been meaning to ask.” The assistant instructor frowned slightly. “Why investigate the Arena at all? I thought you’d shut it down.”

Jae-Hyuk chimed in from the side. “That’s what I thought too, Hyungnim! I was wondering the same thing!”

“I was going to,” Eun-Ho said. “But I changed my mind.”

“Pardon? What do you mean?” Jae-Hyuk asked.

Eun-Ho leaned back slightly, his gaze steady. “The era I’m about to build won’t be anything like the old company.”

No longer would they throw innocent people into deadly trials just to make money, or exploit its employees while a handful at the top hoarded all the wealth. Eun-Ho wished for it to be a company that didn’t rely on dirty business, but instead worked together to cut unnecessary costs and increase profits.

He added, “But if we shut everything down completely, there’ll be backlash.”

Desire, when bottled up too tightly, was bound to explode eventually. Even the basest urges required an outlet.

“I’m going to bring it into the light,” Eun-Ho declared. “The slave system is abolished. We’ll run it by hiring professional gladiators instead. Losing also won’t mean death.”

He would ensure that personal freedom was respected above all else. Anyone who wanted to fight could fight, but no one would ever be forced to.

“What?! Then there’d be no reason to fight!” Jae-Hyuk exclaimed, his eyes widening.

“There will be,” Eun-Ho said calmly.

“But people could get injured or even die! If they’re not slaves, why would anyone choose to fight?” Jae-Hyuk pressed.

“We just pay the winners the betting pool.”

“What? Then what about the company?” Jae-Hyuk’s jaw dropped.

“We’ll take a commission for operating costs. But the real profit will come from everything else such as lodging, restaurants, and convenience facilities for both the gladiators and the spectators.”

Jae-Hyuk nodded in realization. “Ah! Like a government-run lottery?”

“Something like that.”

In truth, it would be closer to a legalized gambling arena, one that curbed illegal betting while stimulating the local economy.

Eun-Ho smirked faintly. “Our customers are practically dying to spend their money.”

We might as well squeeze them dry down to the very last drop.

***

Night had fallen, thick and absolute.

Eun-Ho stood in the center of the Arena. Ji-Eun, Jae-Hyuk, the Crow, and the assistant instructor gathered around him.

“Here?” Eun-Ho asked.

“Yes, this is the spot!” Ji-Eun replied quickly. “I definitely felt something here. It was faint, like a thin stream flowing into a river, but the direction was clear.”

In short, her sensitivity had been weaker than Eun-Ho’s from the stands, but the direction itself had been unmistakable.

Down below?

She suggested that the stock certificate was hidden deep beneath the Arena floor, where thousands and tens of thousands of people gathered every day.

Ji-Eun asked cautiously, “It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?”

Eun-Ho replied without hesitation, “If you say so, then I believe you.”

As long as the conclusion was solid, the details could come later.

“I’m going in right away,” he said.

It’d be nice if we could all go together, Eun-Ho thought.

However, someone had to stay behind to monitor the overseer searching the arena under Eun-Ho’s orders and deal with any trouble that could arise.

“Ji-Eun—”

Ji-Eun cut Eun-Ho off. “You’re planning to leave me behind, aren’t you?”

“I haven’t even finished—”

She launched into a rapid-fire explanation. “There are three reasons you should take me with you. First, I only pinpointed the general location. We haven’t actually found it yet, so you’ll need my Detection ability.

“Second, if I stay behind, we lose long-range firepower. And third, since we don’t know what kind of situation we’ll run into, it’s better to have as much versatility in our abilities as—”

Eun-Ho cut her off. “Alright. You’re coming with us.”

“Yes, sir!” she replied instantly.

It was almost comical that she had been rattling off words like a machine, yet fell silent the moment he agreed.

Jae-Hyuk scratched his head, then hesitantly said, “Uh well, if I were to give my input—”

The assistant instructor raised a hand. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll stay behind.”

Ji-Eun and Jae-Hyuk were relieved.

“Oh, would you?”

“Thank you, Instructor!”

With him staying behind, there was nothing to worry about. He could monitor the overseer, blend in seamlessly with his disguise, and handle any unexpected combat situation if it arose.

“I’ll leave it to you,” Eun-Ho said.

“Sure, leave it to me,” the assistant instructor replied.

“The Crow stays too,” Eun-Ho added.

He made the decision because the flightless bird was effectively baggage at this point.

“Caw! Me too?!”

“Your wings need time to heal.”

“My friend! To think you care so much about my wings... I will recover without fail!” the Crow declared dramatically.

Eun-Ho moved quickly.

“Then should I start digging here, Noonim?” Jae-Hyuk asked.

“Yeah! I’m counting on you, Jae-Hyuk!” Ji-Eun replied.

“I’ll call the Skeletons too,” Eun-Ho replied.

The next moment, Jae-Hyuk and the Skeleton Knights began shoveling.

The ground was hard-packed, but it was still desert soil. With Ji-Eun’s guidance and the relentless motion of their shovels, a massive pit began to take shape in no time.

“Here, water!” Ji-Eun called.

Jae-Hyuk breathed heavily. “Huff... I’m fine, Noonim!”

Sweat beaded across his skin. His neck and back were soaked through, dark with perspiration. If not for his Stamina recovery, Jae-Hyuk would have collapsed long ago.

Clang!

Just then, the sharp sound of metal striking something solid rang out.

“Hyungnim! There’s something here!” Jae-Hyuk shouted.

The shovel had struck something solid. The surrounding ground was as hard as a wall, yet embedded at the center was unmistakably a single door.

“Uh, I can’t dig past this point!” Jae-Hyuk said.

“You can’t?” Eun-Ho asked.

“It’s like it’s glued in place! It won’t budge no matter what!”

If it’s a door, set into the ground as hard as stone... Eun-Ho thought.

“Then we’ll have to open it,” Eun-Ho said.

Jae-Hyuk blinked. “What?”

His expression clearly said he had no idea how one was supposed to open a door buried in the ground. Ignoring him, Eun-Ho sat down and grabbed the handle.

Click.

The moment he turned it, an overwhelming stillness swallowed everything. It was as though the world itself had frozen, leaving him alone in existence.

Cutting through that suffocating silence, Eun-Ho stepped through the door. In that instant, gravity flipped.

The door was no longer beneath him. In fact, even the ground was gone. The moment he stepped through, it felt as if the entire world had tilted at a perfect right angle, like being trapped inside a tumbling die.

Dizziness surged over him like a tidal wave, threatening to knock him off balance.

“Eun-Ho!”

Just then, a hand caught him from behind—small and soft, yet impossibly steady. It held him in place, as if gravity itself had shifted.

“Are you okay?” Ji-Eun asked.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

Inside the door was nothing but pure white. There was no floor, no ceiling, nor walls but just an endless white expanse. Barely managing to steady himself, Eun-Ho pulled Ji-Eun closer so they stood side by side. Jae-Hyuk and the Skeleton Knights followed, lining up beside them.

Then, a message appeared.

[Would you like to enter the Eternity Tower?]

Once his senses settled, another message followed.

[Entering will be considered as consenting to the trial.]

A trial, huh.

Even the treasure vaults filled with artifacts and elixirs hadn’t required anything like this.

[You cannot forfeit midway, and death is possible.]

There was no withdrawal and risk of death. If this had been when he was just an ordinary contract employee, he would have walked away without a second thought.

“Hasn’t it always been like this?” Eun-Ho said.

“True,” Ji-Eun agreed.

“That’s right, Hyungnim!” Jae-Hyuk added.

Every challenge they had faced so far had been no different.

The message appeared again.

[Would you like to enter the Eternity Tower?]

Of course.

“Yeah,” Eun-Ho said.

I have to get the chairman’s final safeguard, the beginning and the end of this company.

“Let’s go.”

***

Eun-Ho had taken countless tests throughout his life, including academic evaluations, mock exams, and college entrance tests.

There were written exams, where he worked through problems by hand; oral evaluations, where he had to speak in front of a panel; even job interviews, where he nervously pitched himself in some cramped corner of a shop.

[The first trial will now begin.]

However, it was his first time seeing such a trial.

“We greet you, Master.”

“We greet you, Master.”

“We greet you, Master.”

Servants stood in place, repeating the same line over and over like broken dolls.

Clink—

Then, there was a plate with gold trim sitting before them. On either side lay three forks of different sizes, a knife, another oddly shaped knife, a spoon, and yet another small knife.

“Are we supposed to eat all of this, Noonim?” Jae-Hyuk asked.

“I don’t know, but I doubt the trial is as simple as just eating,” Ji-Eun replied.

Spread out before them was an endless feast, with delicacies piled high without limit.

Eun-Ho stared at it.

What is this? What kind of trial is this supposed to be?