[Welcome Z-Streamer H48VW3. Your Stats have been evaluated and your rank is... E]
'The day I heard this, I had thought those words were the symphony of my death sentence. But when I looked up my System, I discovered that entering the Tower was not my end, but only the beginning.'
[Name: Mee Min-ho, Rank: E]
[Affinities, Equipment]
[Inventory, Relics, Shop]
[Coins: 0]
[Developer Options]
'Developer options?' Min-ho said, scratching his head as to what this option was.
The contents of the Z-Streamer System were known to the world. And for people aspiring to be Z-Streamers, the contents of the System was deeply ingrained into their minds.
Min-ho knew what to expect from his system, but seeing the options titled "Developer Options" was something completely new to him.
'What does this mean?' Min-ho asked, but the moment his fingers were an inch away from tapping the option, the white all consuming light surrounding him vanished, so he now stood on a building of sorts.
And he was not alone.
Manifesting from light all around him were a number of people each trying to get their bearings, just like Min-ho.
Above their heads, a mechanical sphere floated around each person. These spheres were indestructible cameras given to each Z-Streamer by the tower. Z-Eyes as they were known.
Min-ho's Z-Eye likewise floated above his head, watching him while he ignored everything and everyone.
His gaze was fixated on the world around him, as he searched for something very crucial to his survival.
Looking ahead, he could see a vast ruined city before him.
The city seemed to stretch indefinitely in all directions. And occupying this massive ruined city were Spectors — monstrous creatures home to the Tower.
In Min-ho's immediate line of sight were flying Spectors trailing the sky in search of prey.
The fact that there were so many of them made him uneasy, but worse than that, the fact that he along with the Z-Streamers that were around him were all at the top of a tall building frightened him.
With a gulp, Min-ho ran his eyes across the sky. It didn't take him longer than a second to find what he needed. Now, his priority was to...
"Ahhh!"
A scream erupted behind him, sending a shiver rattling up his spine. Hesitant, Min-ho peered over his shoulders, and his eyes widened when he saw a Spector that looked like a snake with the body of a lion and wings of a bat, tearing one of the Z-Streamers apart.
The Streamers atop the building all began to scream and run in every direction.
He stared a second too long. Then he stepped back, eyes widening at the glowing essence escaping the fallen Z-Streamer—forming a sphere beside the Spector.
Though every instinct in his body screamed at him to make a break for it, he couldn't help but contemplate the urgency of that essence.
The Streamer's life essence was transforming into an item known as a Gem, Gems granted a Streamer an array of rewards ranging from weapons to coins.
Staring at the Gem made Min-ho anxious, because he knew that at that moment, he needed that Gem more than anything.
Behind the Spector feasting on the corpse of a Z-Streamer, more Spectors of the same variation were approaching from the sky.
Aware that hesitating any second longer could close whatever small window he had present at the moment, Min-ho dashed forward without thinking.
Hovering in place, his Z-Eye watched him run toward the Spector, closing the gap separating them in seconds.
With his eyes fixated on the glowing yellow Gem, Min-ho reached out, ready to grab it.
In a blink, the Spector turned from its meal to Min-ho.
With a roar and a hiss, it lashed out. Its claw-covered paw sliced through the air, aiming for Min-ho's head.
Min-ho bent back just in time, the world slowing as jagged claws swept past his face.
The claws missed Min-ho's face by a centimeter. But one overly long claw managed to scrape Min-ho's left brow, almost reaching into his eye.
Now having evaded the attack, Min-ho reached out and grabbed the Gem. Its solidity dissolving into a wave of light that swayed into his being.
[Gem Acquired]
[Gem Reward: 100 Coins]
An automated voice rang in Min-ho's head, which was accompanied by the translucent blue screen in front of him.
Ignoring it, Min-ho twisted and kicked off the ground, not eager to wait for the Spector to rebound.
Behind him, the Spector feasting on the corpse gave chase, ignoring its meal in favor of a fresher, warmer one.
Once he got close to his Z-Eye, it began to follow him once again.
Ignoring it, Min-ho ran as fast as he could, but the closer he got to the edge of the building, the more he realized there was no safe way down.
Unable to stop, Min-ho held fast and ran, and so did the Spector, inching closer and closer by the second.
Upon drawing close to the edge, Min-ho slid. He twisted to the side and reached out his hands for the ledge of the building.
As he slid off, Min-ho grabbed the roof's edge and used his momentum to fling himself into the building with a painful crash.
Roaring and hissing, the Spector flew overhead Min-ho, missing him just narrowly.
Gripping tight, Min-ho peered below. In his direct line of view was nothing but the rest of this very tall building.
'Where did everyone go?' Min-ho wondered, a sudden fear creeping into his being.
Had they all been killed?
Shaking this fear off, Min-ho fixated his gaze on the ledge below. Prepping himself, he let go of his grip and dropped to the ledge below, balancing like he was on a tightrope before getting a good grip on his stance.
The Z-Eye followed, watching his every move.
At the corner of his eye, Min-ho could see the Spector arcing the sky, ready to get a second shot at its prey.
Not paying it any mind, Min-ho looked down, gauging the distance to the next ledge. This one was that much further.
As he measured, the roaring hiss tore the air, piercing into Min-ho like an ice-cold dagger slicing flesh.
The Spector was closing in on him, claws at the ready.
Hesitating, Min-ho kept his gaze fixated on the Spector, a plan forming in his mind.
He bent low, gripped the ledge and hung. His eyes stayed locked on the approaching Spector, measuring its distance from him while fighting against every screaming instinct in his body forcing him to let go and fall to the ledge below.
The Spector ate through the small distance separating it from Min-ho in but a few seconds. Outstretching its claws, it reached out for Min-ho without slowing its speed.
Barely reacting in time, Min-ho let go, the Spector's claws cut into a small piece of Min-ho's hair before it crashed into the wall, slamming into the Z-Eye. The wall cracked, but the Z-Eye was fine.
It pulled itself away from the Spector's grip on the wall. As it did so, several chunks of stone broke away from it and began to descend above Min-ho.
Gritting his teeth, Min-ho prepped his legs for the impact on the second ledge. He covered his head with his hands, equally prepping himself for the impact of the debris he heard falling above him.
THUD!
A shock exploded from Min-ho's feet and reverberated from there across his legs.
The height was indeed great, but not great enough to cause any serious damage. Yet the height and finding his balance were the least of Min-ho's problems.
Aware he would never clear the area in time without fumbling off the ledge, Min-ho braced himself and gritted his teeth.
Within the fraction of a second of landing on the ledge, the rocks fell on his head. They were big enough and fell fast enough to tear into Min-ho's hands.
Flesh broke and blood spilled as the debris continued its assault on Min-ho's hands. Though it felt like an eternity, it was all over after about four seconds.
The Z-Eye zoomed in on his wounds, watching carefully.
Above its head, a number appeared in a blue light.
1.
Breathing hard, Min-ho pushed himself past the pain as the fear of wasting time clawed at his neck. Every second wasted was a step closer to death.
Looking down, Min-ho could see that he was still very high up, but just below three more ledges lay a parapet connecting this building to a small tower to the east.
The tower had a door that presumably led to a flight of stairs which Min-ho could use to escape both the Spectors and this deadly height.
Maybe it wasn't true—but what other choice did he have? He couldn't keep fooling the Spector forever.
And to make matters worse, the Spectors above the building had become airborne, roaring and hissing as they placed their sights on Min-ho.
It would seem that they had finished their meal above.
Taking in a deep breath, Min-ho bent low, grabbed onto the ledge and let his legs dangle in the air.
With a glance, Min-ho locked onto the ledge below and let go. The Z-Eye followed still.
Once again he caught himself without falling, yet this did not stop the shock from biting into his leg.
A roaring hiss exploded above Min-ho, pulling his sights up.
The Spector that crashed into the wall was no longer airborne.
Forgoing its conventional means, it began to climb down the building while using its wings to balance itself.
"Dammit!" Min-ho yelled before turning his sights below. He climbed down the ledge, then fell and landed on the third ledge, feet first.
He caught himself whilst ignoring the biting pain in his hands and legs.
Bending low, he grabbed the ledge and hung from it. The Spector was gaining on him by the second, and the flying ones had just arced across the sky, and began to dive for Min-ho. A battle on two fronts.
Ignoring it all, Min-ho let go, so he fell from the third ledge. He stretched out his legs, but the fourth ledge was too steep—his feet slid off.
Crashing into the ledge, Min-ho fell further below that. At such a height, falling to the next ledge could take out his legs. Barely left with enough time to think, Min-ho avoided using his legs or hand.
Instead, he fell belly first on the fifth ledge. A wave of pain flooded his body, beating aggressively from his stomach. Before the pain could fully spread across his body, he slid off the likewise steep ledge.
Except this time he snatched the ledge with one hand.
Now gripping tightly for his life, he fixated his gaze on the last ledge, which was much, much steeper.
CRACK!
The Spector climbing on the walls broke off a large chunk of stone from one of the ledges. Luckily for Min-ho, it fell to his right. Unluckily for him, the stone fell onto his Z-Eye, which changed its trajectory.
Min-ho watched in horror as the Z-Eye and stone slammed into his hand and rolled past his head.
But it didn't matter if it had hit his head or not, he had lost his grip.
Min-ho's breath caught and his heart pulsed as he watched the world slow to a crawl.
There was no way he would be able to catch the last ledge now... yet he tried anyhow.
Rebounding from the impact, the Z-Eye continued to watch Min-ho as he stretched out his legs and aimed for the ledge. As he expected, his feet couldn't find purchase on the ledge, it was too steep. So he reached out both his hands.
They caught the ledge.
And slipped.