The moment Jin-Seok stepped onto the eighth floor, a sense of unease washed over him. Unlike the structured environments of the previous floors, this one was an open field of ruins. Towering spires lay in heaps, their broken edges jutting into the sky like jagged teeth. A thick mist blanketed the ground, muffling all sound except for the faint hum of energy in the air.
Jin-Seok adjusted his grip on his sword, his eyes scanning the desolate landscape. It felt as though the ruins themselves were watching him, their broken forms holding secrets long buried.
[System Notification: Eighth Floor – Trial of Memory Initiated.]
Objective: Discover the truth hidden within the echoes.
The mist swirled around Jin-Seok's feet as he cautiously moved forward. Each step seemed to amplify the silence, the absence of life unsettling in its totality. This place felt abandoned, but not forgotten.
"Memory, huh?" Jin-Seok muttered. "What are you hiding this time, Tower?"
The Ruins Speak
As he wandered through the ruins, faint whispers began to rise from the mist. At first, they were indistinct, like the murmur of a distant crowd. But as Jin-Seok moved deeper, the voices grew clearer.
"You don't belong here."
"Why return to what you've forsaken?"
"Do you even remember what you are?"
Jin-Seok froze, his heart pounding. The voices seemed to come from all directions, echoing in a language he didn't recognize yet somehow understood.
"Stop playing games!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the mist.
The whispers faded, leaving an oppressive silence in their wake. Then, with a rumble, the ground beneath Jin-Seok shifted. A series of stone steps emerged from the earth, leading downward into the mist.
Jin-Seok eyed the steps warily. "A hidden path. Of course."
With no other option, he descended.
The Hall of Mirrors
At the bottom of the steps, Jin-Seok found himself in a vast, circular chamber. The walls were lined with massive mirrors, each reflecting not only his image but countless versions of himself. Some were younger, others older, and still others unrecognizable.
As Jin-Seok approached one of the mirrors, it shimmered and shifted. The reflection changed, revealing a memory he had buried deep within himself.
He was a boy again, standing amidst the smoldering ruins of his village. His hands trembled as he clutched a crude dagger, its blade stained with blood. Before him lay the lifeless body of a raider, the man's face twisted in shock and pain.
"You did what you had to," a voice echoed in the chamber. "But did you truly need to enjoy it?"
Jin-Seok's fists clenched. "I didn't enjoy it," he said through gritted teeth.
The reflection laughed, the sound cold and mocking. "Keep telling yourself that."
The mirror shattered, the shards dissolving into mist.
[System Notification: Memory Fragment Recovered.]
Insight Gained: Bloodstained Resolve.
Jin-Seok exhaled heavily, his chest tight. "So this is what the trial is about. Digging up the past."
He turned to the other mirrors, each one shimmering with faint images of his memories.
Fragments of Truth
Jin-Seok moved from mirror to mirror, each one revealing another fragment of his past. He saw the day he swore vengeance against the Tower for the suffering it had caused him. He saw the countless battles he had fought to survive, the lives he had taken, and the sacrifices he had made.
But not all the memories were his own.
One mirror showed a grand throne room, its walls lined with golden sigils. A figure sat on the throne, cloaked in light so intense it obscured their features. The figure raised a hand, and the image shifted to show the Tower itself, rising from the ground like a living thing.
"That's…" Jin-Seok trailed off, a sense of familiarity washing over him.
The reflection turned to face him, its voice calm yet commanding. "Do you remember, Jin-Seok? Do you remember why you created this Tower?"
Jin-Seok staggered back, his head spinning. "What… What are you talking about?"
The image in the mirror shattered, the fragments reforming into a new path leading deeper into the chamber.
[System Notification: Truth Fragment Unlocked.]
Progress: 2/5.
"Why I created the Tower?" Jin-Seok repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "That's impossible. I didn't—"
He shook his head, forcing himself to focus. "No. It's just another trick. Another way to mess with my head."
Despite his words, doubt gnawed at the edges of his mind as he followed the new path.
The Guardian of Echoes
At the end of the path, Jin-Seok entered a smaller chamber. In its center stood a massive stone monolith, its surface covered in glowing runes. Standing before it was a towering figure clad in ornate armor, its face hidden behind a featureless mask.
[System Notification: Echo Guardian Detected.]
Threat Level: High.
Objective: Defeat the Echo Guardian to unlock the final fragment.
The Echo Guardian raised its weapon—a massive halberd that crackled with energy—and charged without hesitation.
Jin-Seok barely had time to draw his sword before the first strike came. The force of the blow sent him skidding across the chamber, his boots leaving deep grooves in the stone.
"Great," he muttered, adjusting his stance. "A brute with a magic weapon. Just what I needed."
The Guardian advanced again, its movements swift despite its massive size. Jin-Seok dodged another strike, countering with a slash aimed at the Guardian's exposed flank. His blade struck true, but the Guardian's armor absorbed the blow with ease.
"Figures," Jin-Seok growled.
The Guardian retaliated, its halberd sweeping toward him in a wide arc. Jin-Seok ducked under the strike, the weapon passing inches above his head. He retaliated with a series of quick strikes, aiming for the joints in the Guardian's armor.
One strike found its mark, slicing into the Guardian's knee. The massive figure stumbled, and Jin-Seok seized the opportunity to press the attack.
The Guardian roared, its halberd crackling with energy as it swung wildly. Jin-Seok narrowly avoided the strikes, his movements fueled by adrenaline and desperation.
Finally, with a well-timed strike, he drove his sword into the glowing runes on the Guardian's chest. The figure froze, its body trembling before it shattered into a cloud of light.
[System Notification: Echo Guardian Defeated.]
Rewards: +3 Strength, +2 Wisdom, Memory Fragment.
As the Guardian dissolved, the monolith in the center of the chamber began to glow. The runes on its surface rearranged themselves into a new pattern, forming an image of the Tower surrounded by countless figures.
Jin-Seok approached the monolith, his gaze fixed on the image. The figures surrounding the Tower were bowing, their forms shrouded in shadow. At the center of it all was a figure cloaked in light, its hand raised in triumph.
"This… This is the truth you wanted to show me?" Jin-Seok asked, his voice trembling.
The monolith pulsed with light, and a voice echoed in the chamber.
"Remember, Jin-Seok. Remember who you are."
Before he could respond, the monolith shattered, and the chamber dissolved into light.
[System Notification: Trial of Memory Complete.]
Rewards: +2 Mental Fortitude, Truth Fragment Unlocked (3/5).
As the light faded, Jin-Seok found himself standing at the base of another staircase, the path to the ninth floor waiting before him. His mind was a whirlwind of questions, but one thing was clear—the Tower was no ordinary construct, and neither was he.
With a deep breath, he began his ascent.