The Basilisk loomed over the clearing, its body coiling around the corpses of the freshly slain players.
Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto Joon-ho, its forked tongue flicking in and out, tasting the scent of fresh blood.
Ha-ri stood frozen behind him. Her breathing hitched.
Joon-ho, on the other hand, grinned.
A Guardian already?
Good.
[Lesser Guardian: Basilisk]Level: 12Abilities: [Petrifying Gaze], [Venomous Bite], [Enhanced Scales]
Joon-ho's grip on his knife tightened.
He had fought this thing before.
Back in his first run through the Tower, the Basilisk had been a death sentence for early players. The majority of them died before even getting close.
But Joon-ho wasn't like them.
The First Strike
The Basilisk hissed, its golden eyes flashing.
Joon-ho reacted instantly.
He averted his gaze, snapping his eyes shut for a split second.
[Petrifying Gaze] Activated!
Effect: Anyone who makes direct eye contact will begin turning to stone.Resistance Check: Success! (Partial resistance due to battle experience)
A thin layer of gray stone started creeping up his arm—but before it could fully form, Joon-ho twisted his wrist, breaking off the hardened skin.
A minor inconvenience.
His body moved on instinct.
He dashed to the left, closing the gap between him and the serpent.
The Basilisk lashed out.
Its massive jaws snapped forward—but Joon-ho was already anticipating it.
He dodged at the last second, rolling under the beast's head.
And then—
His knife flashed.
A deep gash tore through the Basilisk's underbelly, black blood spraying across the ground.
A Battle of Speed
The Basilisk screeched, twisting violently.
Joon-ho leaped back just as its tail swung in a devastating arc—cracking the earth where he had just stood.
Ha-ri stumbled away, barely avoiding the shockwave.
Joon-ho barely glanced at her. She wasn't his concern.
His priority? Finding the weak spot.
Tower Knowledge: Basilisk WeaknessesThe eyes – The source of its petrification power.The mouth – One of the only soft areas unprotected by scales.The throat – If he could cut deep enough, it would be an instant kill.
He had three options.
Joon-ho grinned.
Why not all three?
The Killing Blow
The Basilisk lunged again.
Joon-ho dropped low, sliding under its massive body. His blade tore into its scales, carving a deep wound along its underside.
The beast screeched, thrashing in pain.
Now.
Joon-ho sprang upward, grabbing onto the Basilisk's neck.
With one brutal motion, he drove his knife into its eye socket.
A bloodcurdling hiss erupted as the monster thrashed violently, trying to throw him off.
Joon-ho held on, twisting the blade deeper into its skull.
Then, with a final, savage pull, he ripped the knife out—along with one of its eyes.
The Basilisk's screech became a garbled choke.
Joon-ho didn't stop.
Using his momentum, he twisted his body—plunging the knife straight into its throat.
The blade sank deep.
The monster shuddered.
Then, with one last convulsion, the Basilisk collapsed.
Silence.
[Lesser Guardian Defeated!]EXP Gained: 12,500Skill Upgrade: Knife Mastery (+1)Item Drop: Basilisk's Eye (x1), Venom Sac (x1), Guardian's Remnant (x1)
Joon-ho stood up, yanking his knife free.
The black blood dripped onto the dirt.
He exhaled, rolling his shoulders. That was refreshing.
Ha-ri's Perspective
Ha-ri watched in stunned silence.
This… this was insane.
The Basilisk was supposed to be an early-game mini-boss. A Guardian that wiped out entire groups of players.
Yet he killed it alone.
Joon-ho wiped his blade on his sleeve, unfazed.
"…You still alive?" he asked without looking at her.
Ha-ri snapped out of her shock. She nodded quickly.
"…That was a Guardian," she muttered. "We weren't supposed to be able to fight those yet."
Joon-ho smirked.
"Who decides that?"
She stared at him.
His voice was calm. Unbothered.
"Limits only exist if you accept them." He glanced down at the dead Basilisk. "I don't."
Ha-ri swallowed hard.
For the first time since meeting him, she truly understood—this man was something else.
And if she wanted to survive in this world…
She had to learn from him.
The First Gate Awaits
Joon-ho collected the drops, stowing them into his inventory. The Guardian's Remnant was the real prize—a rare item that boosted early stats.
Then, without a word, he started walking.
Ha-ri quickly followed.
She hesitated before asking, "…Where are we going?"
Joon-ho didn't slow down.
"To the First Gate."
"The First Gate…" Ha-ri's eyes flickered with realization. "You already know where it is, don't you?"
He didn't bother answering.
Because soon, she'd see it for herself.
The first real test of the Tower.
The Trial of the First Gate.
And the first major bloodbath.
Joon-ho's eyes gleamed.
It was almost time for the slaughter to begin.