Chapter 1: The Final Floor

(First-person narration by the MC)

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Eight years.

That's how long it took me to reach this point. Eight long, frustrating, mind-numbing years.

When Tower of Babel first launched, I was only 10. Now, I'm 18. An entire childhood wasted, sunk into this ridiculous game.

Back then, everyone was hyped for it. The marketing was everywhere — "Climb the tower, claim the throne!" — and with only one difficulty setting (Easy), people thought it would be a walk in the park.

They were dead wrong.

The reviews came fast and brutal:

"This game isn't hard. It's impossible."

"The creator is a psycho."

"Don't waste your time on this garbage. 0/10."

And just like that, the player base vanished. Streamers dropped it. Pro players quit. Nobody wanted to touch it anymore.

Everyone except me.

I don't know why I stuck with it. Pride, maybe. Stubbornness, definitely. But there was something about the challenge that got under my skin. The traps, the puzzles, the hidden bosses on every floor… It felt like it was daring me to give up. And I don't like losing to anything.

For eight years, I climbed. I memorized every enemy's pattern, every hidden path, every annoying, rage-inducing trick the developer threw at me. Every death just fueled me to try harder.

And now, here I am.

The 100th floor.

The final floor.

After all the suffering, I expected something grand. A giant monster. A final boss with flashy attacks and a cinematic cutscene. I even had my controller in a death grip, ready to dodge-roll for my life.

But what do I get?

A stone tablet.

No monsters. No bosses. No final fight. Just a giant stone slab in the middle of the room. I narrow my eyes at the screen, squinting to make sure I'm not missing something.

On the screen, in big, bold letters carved into the stone are two words:

> "Thank you."

I stare at it. I tilt my head.

"…Huh?"

I flick the analog stick, moving my character closer to the tablet. I press the action button. Nothing happens. No secret boss. No hidden cutscene. Just that same message, "Thank you."

Eight years.

Eight. Whole. Years.

I lean forward, my eye twitching. "You're kidding me."

I start mashing buttons. Attack. Jump. Skill. Inventory. I even open the settings to see if I missed something. Nothing.

No secret fight. No ultimate weapon. No credits roll. Nothing but two words.

> "Thank you."

My brain shuts down. I sit there, completely still.

Then, something inside me snaps.

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!"

I slam my fists against my desk so hard my mouse flies off. The screen shakes, the whole table wobbles, and I feel the sting in my palms. But I don't care.

"EIGHT YEARS FOR THIS?! EIGHT YEARS?!?" I shout, grabbing my head like I'm about to rip my hair out. My chair rolls backward as I stand up, pacing back and forth in my tiny room. "Where's the final boss?! Where's my epic reward?! Where's my sense of accomplishment?!"

I glance back at the screen, still seeing those two words carved into the stone.

> "Thank you."

I can feel my soul leaving my body. I flop back into my chair, exhausted. "...Thank you, huh?" I mutter, wiping my face. "That's it? No treasure? No ending? Just 'thank you'?"

I sigh, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. I'm too tired to be angry. Eight years. I sacrificed school breaks, birthdays, and sleep for this.

"...I should've quit when I was 12."

DING!

A sharp sound makes me sit up straight. It's my laptop.

An email notification.

I frown and glance at the corner of my screen. My inbox shows 1 new message from someone named...

> Levi Dog

I squint at the name. "Levi Dog?" I mutter. "Who the heck is that?"

Curiosity gets the better of me. I open my email.

> Subject: Congratulations!

From: Levi Dog (levi@babelcorp.com)

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Congratulations, player!

You are the first and only person to complete Tower of Babel. Your determination, patience, and perseverance have not gone unnoticed. As a reward for your unparalleled resolve, we have prepared a special gift for you.

Your gift will be delivered to your home tomorrow.

Thank you for playing,

Levi Dog

---

I read it three times.

The first time, I'm confused.

The second time, I'm suspicious.

The third time, I'm terrified.

"...They know where I live?"

I double-check the email. My heart starts racing. I've never entered my address for this game. Never.

My hands hover over my keyboard. Should I reply? Should I call the cops? Report it for phishing?

But then, I let out a long sigh and shake my head. "It's probably just a joke," I mutter. "They probably mean an in-game reward, like an exclusive skin or something."

I close my laptop, shut off my PC, and drag myself to bed. "Not my problem," I mutter, rolling onto my side. My eyes feel heavy, and sleep pulls me in faster than usual.

---

Morning.

I wake up to birds chirping outside my window. Light seeps in through my curtains, warming my face. I sit up, rubbing my eyes, still half-asleep.

But then I see it.

A shadow. A massive, impossible shadow outside my window.

I freeze. My heart skips a beat. Slowly, I turn my head toward the window.

At first, I think it's a skyscraper. But I live in a small neighborhood in the Philippines, surrounded by houses. There's nothing that big around here.

Then I see it.

A tower. A massive, black, jagged tower piercing the sky. It's so tall that it disappears into the clouds. It looks identical to the Tower of Babel from the game.

My hands start to shake. "No way…"

I rub my eyes. Look again. Still there.

I bolt out of bed and press my face against the glass. "No, no, no, no, NO—"

DING!

A blue window appears right in front of me. A system window.

> Welcome, Administrator!

As the first player to clear Tower of Babel, you have been chosen as its Administrator.

> Your authority is absolute.

Your power is limitless.

> [Claim Gift]

My jaw drops. "What… the hell?"

It's just like the pop-ups from the game. The design, the color, the text, everything. But this isn't a screen. It's hovering in the air.

I stare at the [Claim Gift] button. I'm not stupid. I know better than to press random glowing buttons in real life. But my curiosity wins.

I tap it.

Suddenly, everything floods into my head. Knowledge. Memories. Images of the Tower of Babel from top to bottom. All 100 floors. Every enemy, every boss, every hidden item I spent eight years learning.

But it's not just that.

I see timers. I see maps. I see red dots moving across the globe.

The word "GATES ACTIVATED" flashes in my mind.

I fall to my knees, gasping for air.

"What is this?!" I scream, clutching my head.

> Global Announcement

To all humans of Earth, the Tower of Babel has descended.

Enter the Tower and awaken your potential.

My heart pounds in my chest. No. This isn't real. This has to be a dream.

But then I remember something.

Levi Dog.

Levi. Dog.

Dog spelled backward is…

"God."

The blood drains from my face. My breathing grows shallow. My whole body feels cold.

I brought this tower into the world.

"NOOOO!!" I scream, pounding my fists against the floor.

> Welcome, Administrator.

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End of Chapter 1