The verification didn't last long. After using a tool attached to his chest, the receptionist analyzed Leonard as a Player.
"You weren't lying," the receptionist remarked after turning off the tool and its monitor.
Leonard shrugged. "I wasn't, from the beginning."
The receptionist chuckled, then fixed the tools back to where they belonged and led the way back to the hub.
"You can enter the tower's upper floors now that you're a Player," the receptionist stated as they returned to the hub.
Leonard furrowed his brow, showing his confusion. Wasn't the tower for Hunters? How could it be that only Players could reach the higher floors?
"Why is that? What's the purpose of the Hunter's Guild if only Players can enter the higher floors?" Leonard asked with genuine curiosity.
"Did you come from the countryside or a hidden village? How come you didn't know this?" the receptionist asked.
"Obviously, I'm asking because I don't know. I wouldn't bother if I knew what was going on in the city," Leonard replied.
The receptionist chuckled, noting how genuinely unaware Leonard was. It was strange that he seemed mature, yet so uninformed; it might just be his manner of speaking.
"I'll explain. There are many towers around the world, and cities are built around them to ensure prosperity. However, these towers aren't easy to conquer. While they promise wealth with their different environments, resources, and worlds on each floor, they are extremely dangerous. That's why only Players are allowed to go above the third floor. After that, Players receive a notification that they've completed the tutorial mode and will face greater challenges."
Leonard pondered. "Wouldn't it be dangerous to build a city around each ominous tower?"
The receptionist shook his head. "No. The first three floors are manageable for normal humans. There are no strong monsters in these peaceful lands, which is why the cities rely on the Player Association."
Leonard raised an eyebrow, recognizing the familiar association mentioned by the receptionist.
"And what is this Player Association?"
The receptionist sighed, clearly surprised that Leonard didn't know about these common things.
"Basically, they want Player supremacy. The Player Association varies by nation. The headquarters of the Player Association is in the capital city of our country."
Leonard stared blankly, waiting for more.
"Don't tell me you don't know the country you're living in?"
Leonard shook his head. The receptionist sighed deeply, then pulled out a map from under the desk and handed it to Leonard.
"You're living in the Zack Republic, and this city is near the outskirts, Levington City."
Leonard nodded as he received the map, recalling his mission to explore a portion of the world. Realizing he needed to earn some quick cash to complete his mission, he thought about how traveling wasn't easy, but it would be different with Zeus.
"Thank you. I have another question. Why do you say that the Hunter's Guild doesn't care about the lives of Hunters? Are you speaking from experience or prejudice?"
The receptionist hushed Leonard and pulled him closer to the desk.
"Don't just blab that around," he said with a sigh. "The Hunter's Guild is just a guild for Hunters, not meant specific for Players. Essentially, the Player Association created the Hunter's Guild to filter out Players from ordinary humans. There's a bigger reason for that. Probably, they don't want just anyone getting a Philosopher's Stone."
Leonard's ears perked up at the familiar term. He recalled hearing it from one of the bandits who attacked the village.
"Philosopher's Stone… does that give people the gaming system? I mean, does it turn people into Players?"
The receptionist nodded. "The higher the survival rate of Hunters, the greater their chance of obtaining a Philosopher's Stone. That's why the Player Association keeps Hunters away from the higher floors. Since it's more difficult for them with unremarkable skills, they're less likely to reach the higher floors."
Leonard nodded, understanding that the tower wasn't built solely for Players but for everyone. Since most Players didn't want Hunters to become Players with the Philosopher's Stone, which must be located on the higher floors, they enjoyed the resources for themselves. The greater the number of Players, the more competitive it became. Hence, the Player Association kept ordinary humans out to monopolize the resources. Leonard also thought there might be a syndicate that preyed on weaker Players, which he aimed to avoid.
"Why are you telling me this?" Leonard asked. "You could get into trouble for spreading these libelous claims."
The receptionist stood frozen for a moment, then moved away from the desk and smiled.
"I am helping an amateur. I know you're highly motivated, which means you could easily be fooled or fall into another scheme. I'm just giving you a useful tip and some valuable knowledge. Please ignore what I've said if it seems foolish to you."
Leonard smiled and shook the receptionist's hand. "Thank you. Now, I understand what I should do."
"Well, if you want to learn more about being a Player, the capital has an academy for Players. You can attend it if you're interested."
Leonard nodded and left the guild after receiving his official identification card. It seemed like there was a complex network operating around this world, complicating the functions of various establishments.
The Hunter's Guild appeared to be just a façade for the Player Association. Although he hadn't fully grasped the norm, thinking the Hunter's Guild was equivalent to the Adventurer's Guild from fantasy novels, he had gained some insight into them. He knew what to be cautious about.
Fortunately, the country wasn't a monarchy. Instead, he had to be wary of oligarchs, at least until he became a stronger summoner.
What he needed to do now was earn money before going on any exploration. He would need food, as he only had some jerkies and a few crops left from the village. He had left his house under his neighbor's care, and it was already half burned.
'Alright… I need to at least secure a place to stay for the night and the coming days. It looks like I'll have to explore the tower a bit.'
PassingNote: Let's have a trade.
For every 50 power stones, I will provide a bonus chapter. After chapter 15, the novel will be updated twice a day.