"Sorry I'm a bit late!" Rollo called out as he jogged toward Jan, his breath slightly labored.
His armor was lighter today—built more for speed than defense. A dark tunic clung to his broad shoulders, his chest crisscrossed by worn leather straps. His boots, worn from daily use, clinked softly against the stone street.
"It's fine. I've only been here a few minutes," Jan replied, hands in his pockets.
"The monsters were tougher than usual today," Rollo said, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Another portal?"
"Look at you! Seems you've picked up a thing or two."
"Yeah, I've been reading up," Jan said, thinking back to Merlin Dorado's writings.
According to him, it was the heroes' carelessness that allowed portals to appear so frequently in the Endlesscape, unleashing waves of monsters on the towns. As a result, the five nations had to pour vast resources into their armies to defend against these never-ending invasions.
It was a daily struggle for every town around the first fifty floors.
'No one seems to know how to stop these portals from appearing for good,' Jan mused.
The only known way to stop the portals was to regularly clear up the tower floors from monsters. But with the heroes focused on finding the portal to the 51st floor, the burden of defending the towns and clearing the floors had fallen almost entirely to the armies of the five nations.
Jan sighed. Something was missing—he could feel it.
'Maybe I'll find the answer if I keep reading.'
"Hey, stop daydreaming! Let's go!" Rollo shouted from across the street.
"I'm coming!" Jan jogged after him. "Where are we headed?"
"The training ground. We're running late!"
They soon arrived at a large stone building with a sturdy wooden door. Rollo pushed it open without pause, revealing a broad interior lit by flickering torchlight.
The air was thick with the scent of sweat and steel. Training dummies stood in silent rows—some carved from dense wood, others wrapped in hardened leather. Weapon racks lined the left wall, their swords, spears, and shields gleaming dully in the torchlight.
At the center, a sparring square paved with smooth stone awaited the next round.
From near the far wall, a man stepped forward and bowed slightly to Rollo. "Sir, you're here. I've been expecting you."
Rollo nodded back as he moved toward the weapon racks, scanning their contents.
The instructor leaned toward Jan and lowered his voice. "You're lucky to be training under such a great warrior—but be warned, he doesn't go easy on new trainees."
Jan swallowed. "O-Okay!"
"Still," the man added with a faint smile, "it's a chance most people only dream of. Don't waste it."
"Jan, come here," Rollo called out.
"Yes!" Jan hurried over just as Rollo tossed him a sword.
"Take this."
Jan caught the sword, surprised by its weight.
"Hey, I've been wondering—are you famous or something? Everyone treats you differently, even the innkeeper."
Rollo chuckled proudly. "I told you, I'm the commander of the Valkeries Knights."
"So, you really are famous."
"You could say that. But enough flattery—it won't make me go easy on you." Rollo chuckled again, but then his tone shifted, his smile fading. "Listen, Jan,
The tower is a brutal place. If you want to survive, you need to take this seriously."
"I know that now," Jan replied, his tone resolute.
"Good. I saw you using a sword yesterday."
"Yeah, I know some swordsmanship."
"I could tell. But it's not enough. Your form was sloppy—too wild. You swing too wide and your defense? Wide open. When the Alpha—"
Jan narrowed his eyes, cutting Rollo off mid-sentence.
"What?" Rollo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I knew it!" Jan said, still squinting.
Rollo's expression faltered. "…Damn it" he muttered, scratching the back of his head.
Jan chuckled. "You devil—you waited until the last second to save me, didn't you?"
Rollo shrugged. "I still saved you, didn't I? So maybe show a little gratitude to your savior, eh?"
Jan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, thanks for almost letting me die."
For a moment, the two stared at each other in silence. Then, despite everything, Jan couldn't help but laugh. Rollo joined in, chuckling as he patted Jan on the shoulder.
"I must say, despite losing, you were really brave. You should be proud of yourself." Rollo grinned.
"Yeah, but I still lost," Jan replied.
"You'll win next time," Rollo assured him. "But first—training. How about you start with 400 laps around the training ground."
Suddenly, a large window appeared before Jan.
****PROVE YOURSELF****
Due to your bravery, Rollo has taken a liking to you. He has offered to train you, but he still has doubts about your potential. Prove yourself to him.
Difficulty Level: E
Requirement: 400 Laps around the training ground (0/400)
Time Limit: 2 Hours
Warning: If you fail to complete the mission within the time limit, your training with Rollo will end, and your relationship with him will suffer drastically.
[Accept] [Refuse]
*******************************************
'A mission...?!'
Jan's eyes widened. It had been a while since he'd seen such a detailed notification. Recently, only small windows had appeared—incremental boosts to intelligence or wisdom he barely understood. But this was different: clear and direct.
He didn't fully understand why failing such a mission would harm his bond with Rollo—but he wasn't about to risk it. He hit [Accept] without hesitation.
"Let's not waste time, or we won't get a table at the inn later. Let's go!" Rollo shouted, already jogging forward.
"Wait, I thought I was supposed to run alone!" Jan called after him.
"Hah! I despise trainers who stand around barking orders. We're running together!" Rollo shot back with a grin.
Jan chuckled despite himself, 'I feel bad for calling him a devil… He's actually a good guy.'
***
Nearly Two Hours Later…
Clang!
"I take it back—you are a devil!" Jan gasped, stumbling as he barely blocked Rollo's left strike.
"If you don't want to face me, then run faster!" Rollo's laughter echoed through the training grounds, his sword flashing in the torchlight as he gave chase.
[384/400 laps]
[Remaining Time: 10 minutes]
Jan's legs burned with exhaustion, but he was surprised by how long he'd lasted. The first 100 laps were already easier than expected, thanks to Rollo's steady pace. But everything changed when the attacks began.
At first, the strikes were sparse, always preceded by a barked "Prepare!" But by lap 300, Rollo was attacking relentlessly and without warning. Worse still, he didn't seem to be holding back. The sword in his hand was real, with every blow aimed at Jan's vital points. One misstep could mean serious injury.
[387/400 laps]
It felt harsh—even cruel—but Jan reminded himself that such rigorous training was necessary if he wanted to survive this world.
He gritted his teeth, weaving through Rollo's slashes as he sprinted forward.
During earlier laps—back when he could still spare the breath to talk—Jan had asked Rollo a few questions.
'Or maybe more than a few. Maybe that's why he started attacking me so fiercely,' Jan thought with a wry smile, ducking under a horizontal slash.
[394/400 laps]
Regardless, Jan had learned valuable things. The wolves he'd encountered on the first floor were considered low-level monsters. Far deadlier beasts awaited him on every subsequent floor. He also learned that some heroes had given up on the climb altogether. Unable to overcome the challenges, they chose to settle in this world—some even started families.
Their descendants, born of the blood of heroes, were rumored to possess extraordinary strength.
"Daydreaming again? You think I'd let you get away with underestimating me?!" Rollo's voice snapped Jan back to reality.
Clang! Clang!
Jan barely deflected two sharp strikes before a heavy shove sent him stumbling toward the edge of the training ground.
[399/400 laps]
[Remaining Time: 2 minutes]
'He's pushing harder—because we're almost done!"
Jan raised his sword, gripping it tightly. His limbs ached, his breath was ragged—he was exhausted. Yet he forced himself to focus.
Rollo leaped forward, his sword raised high.
Jan's mind raced, 'I can't defend against that! Think! Do something!"'
With that thought, Jan glanced at the blade in his hand—then hurled it at Rollo without hesitation!
Whoosh!
[You've Learned a New Skill: Throwing Projectile Lv.1]
[Sub Hidden Mission: Attack Rollo (Completed)]
Caught off guard, Rollo's instincts kicked in—he abandoned his attack, releasing his sword mid-swing to catch Jan's projectile with both hands.
Thud!
He landed in a crouch, exhaling heavily, sweat dripping from his brow. "Phew… That was close. I didn't expect him to strike back."
Jan didn't wait. He sprinted ahead, taking a sharp left turn as he approached the final lap.
Rollo watched him go, a grin spreading across his face.
"He's got guts… I'd better catch up—this should be over soon."
***
Huff, huff.
Jan collapsed, chest heaving, sweat soaking his clothes. He stared up at the glowing window hovering above him.
[400/400 laps]
Ring— Ring—
[Mission Completed]
[Congratulations! You've completed your first mission!]
[Reward: 1 Level-Up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[Congratulations! You've completed your first sub-hidden mission!]
[Reward: 2 Level-Ups!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
Jan blinked in surprise as the notifications vanished, leaving only the faint afterimage in his mind.
'So there was a hidden mission… But, man, that was tough. I feel so—' His eyes widened. 'Wait…?!'
Jan snapped upright, checking his body.
A moment ago, every muscle in his body was screaming with exhaustion. He had barely managed to stumble across the finish line.
But now, a strange sensation coursed through him—like a burst of energy surging through his veins. The fatigue had vanished entirely. He felt like he could run another 400 laps if wanted!
'Is this because I leveled up?!'
Jan's thoughts raced as he recalled his fight with the wolves in the tower. Each time he killed one, a surge of strength hit his limbs, and his wounds faded like they'd never existed.
'I didn't think much of it at the time—my life was on the line—but now I'm sure of it. Leveling up doesn't just make me stronger; it also restores my condition.'
Still, he knew he couldn't rely on leveling up to recover. The system's notifications were too inconsistent.
'If I remember correctly, it showed up seven times.'
Four times during his battle with the wolves, and three times after completing this mission.
'So, I'm currently level 7?!'
Jan clenched his fists, excitement rising in his chest. He recalled the Alpha Wolf—the glowing text above its head: [Alpha Wolf LV.10].
'Does that mean I'm only three levels away from matching it? I'm really getting stronger!'
Exhilarated, Jan stood up straight, a broad smile stretching across his face—only to freeze as he locked eyes with Rollo's stern expression.
"So…" Rollo folded his arms across his chest. "You nearly took me out with that sword of yours, and now you're grinning like you won the lottery, eh?"
"What?! Me? No way! I didn't mean to—"
"Buhahaha! Why not?! It was a good move—you nearly got me!" Rollo's laughter echoed through the training grounds as he clapped Jan on the back—hard enough to send him stumbling. It seems he hadn't entirely shrugged off the incident.
"Y-Yeah, haha." Jan laughed as well, trying to ease the tension.
"So, what's got you so unusually happy?" Rollo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, well… there's this thing called levels?" Jan replied hesitantly. "And it seems like I leveled up quite a bit just now."
"Levels, huh?" Rollo rubbed his chin with a knowing smile. "Yeah, I noticed that."
"Wait—you noticed?!" Jan's eyes widened.
"Of course. You're level 8 now."
"Level 8?!" Jan blinked. "Wait… You can see my level?!"
"Yup. It's displayed right above your head."
"Wait, then why can't I see yours? All I see is a bunch of question marks."
"Ah, that's because of the level difference," Rollo explained casually.
"I'm level 445."
"WHAT?! I knew you were strong—but that's insane!"
Rollo laughed proudly, clearly enjoying Jan's reaction.