How long has it been...?
A year?
Five?
Maybe more...
I wasn't sure anymore how long he had been absent since he fell into his slumber. But one thing was certain — it wasn't a short time.
He needed rest — a deep, silent hibernation to replenish his powers and disguise the residual energy he had devoured during his last journey beyond the tower.
That trip outside hadn't been in vain. Besides attracting the first wave of players, it brought him far greater benefits.
His connection to the Laws had grown noticeably stronger — particularly the Law of Death. Perhaps it was due to his time inside the body of the half-dead, or maybe it was the oppressive, death-saturated atmosphere of that world. Either way, his powers had evolved.
"How long was my absence...?" I asked the system aloud.
But time wasn't the only thing that concerned me now. What mattered more was the state of the tower. I needed to assess the atmosphere within.
Something felt off. He was almost certain the number of players had decreased significantly...
He hadn't given any instructions to the moderators to prevent players from advancing to the second floor, nor had he prepared a third one yet. That meant if someone had cleared the second challenge, it could cause disorder — chaos even — within the delicate balance of the tower.
[Time since last activity: 7 years]
"…Fuck."
"Did anything threatening happen during my absence?" My thoughts spiraled into anxiety.
[Current tower status: Stable]
[Active players: 4,590,078]
[First challenge cleared after 3 years]
A wave of relief washed over me.
The number of players had dropped to less than half, but that wasn't a big deal — new players could always be summoned. What intrigued me more was the progress. Clearing the first floor was no small feat.
Three years... That was enough time for them to adapt and bring down the first boss.
He wasn't certain how strong humanity had grown since then, but considering it had already been four years since that victory, it was highly likely the second floor was close to being cleared.
It was time to observe the situation firsthand.
With a single thought, a handsome, muscular figure — about two meters tall — rose from the soil.
After spending time as a zombie, I decided it was time to return differently. I created an avatar — a real body I could inhabit within the tower.
It would allow me to interact with players directly and monitor their progress more closely.
Besides, I had missed the feeling of being alive — of walking, speaking, breathing with my own flesh and blood, not as a puppet of death.
Deep within a forest...
A group of three players moved cautiously, clad in armor and armed with swords and spears. Their boots crunched against dry leaves and branches as they navigated the underbrush.
Their leader had dispatched them to assess the dangers lurking in this era — their first real mission.
They were tense. Failure would be unacceptable. Their leader was a renowned figure — a top-ranked player — and he had personally taken them under his wing. To disappoint him was unthinkable.
"Who's there?!"
Zaine, the one responsible for the group, snapped his head toward the sound. His voice rang with authority and caution.
"I heard it too, captain… It came from the river's direction," whispered another.
They turned toward the source. A lone silhouette stood by the riverbank — human in form.
"Don't worry, he's alone," Zaine muttered. He wasn't afraid. They had the numbers and the weapons. They could take him down if necessary.
What puzzled him was why someone would be out here — alone — in such a dangerous place. No one traveled solo. Doing so was practically an invitation for monsters or hostile players.
"Identify yourself!" Zaine called out, raising his sword and pointing it directly at the figure.
One wrong move, and he wouldn't hesitate to strike.
"My name is Arthur. I'm alone… Please don't kill me!" the man pleaded.
Of course, Arthur was no random traveler.
He was me — my avatar — newly born and descending into the world at random.
This trio was the first group I encountered.
"What are you doing here?" Zaine still hadn't lowered his sword. His guard remained up — understandably. His leader had many enemies, and they could easily be targeted for kidnapping or worse.
"I've been on the run for three days," I said, feigning exhaustion and despair. "Monsters attacked us. My friends… they're all dead. I lost my weapons, my gear…"
Zaine narrowed his eyes. "You also lost your clothes?"
Ah… right.
In my rush to create the avatar, I had forgotten to give it clothes.