Dawn never came.
The sky over Seoul remained a heavy blue-gray, as if the sun hesitated to rise over a world no longer familiar. The Korean Tower loomed like a monument carved into the air itself, its obsidian mass swallowing light. Every few seconds it released a faint pulse—as if breathing.
Seo Joon didn't sleep at all.
He sat on the edge of the temporary shelter's bed, elbows on his knees, hands clasped so tightly his knuckles whitened. Waqar had left hours ago to meet the foreign representatives arriving early, but Joon stayed behind, trying to tame the pressure in his chest.
Every time he blinked, the words returned:
[Next Summon: Unknown.]
Unknown.
Not "Rank F".
Not "Failed."
Not "Low-Grade."
Just unknown.
It felt like standing at the edge of a cliff with wind pushing at his back.
He looked down at the Summon Gate mark on his hand. It wasn't glowing now—but faint veins of pale blue light still lingered beneath the skin, pulsing like a second heartbeat.
Not normal.
Even Waqar's face had shifted when he saw it last night.
Joon exhaled slowly. His breath fogged the cold air despite being indoors. He rubbed his forehead, trying to settle his nerves, but the pressure was still there—an itch inside his skull, like a faint static whispering at the edge of his hearing.
He stood. Sitting still only made it worse.
Stepping out of the shelter, he walked down the hallway. Nurses hurried between rooms. Security guards in military vests scanned the area, weapons slung across their backs. The presence of these towers had changed the atmosphere everywhere—no one walked casually anymore. Every step was cautious. Every conversation was tight.
Outside, the plaza was filled with reporters, drones buzzing overhead, broadcasting live feeds. Barricades kept the civilians away, though hundreds remained behind the lines, waiting, watching the tower with a mixture of fear and hunger.
A soldier raised a hand when Joon approached. "Candidate Seo Joon? The others are waiting for you inside the briefing room."
"Right…" Joon nodded, though his voice didn't hide the exhaustion.
He followed the soldier.
Inside the briefing room, about twenty Korean candidates sat at long tables. Some whispered. Some stared blankly. A few glared at him, whispering the word summoner like it meant monster.
Joon ignored them.
Waqar was at the far end with the Korean Association's senior officers. He raised a hand. "Joon, here."
Joon sat beside him.
"You look worse than before," Waqar muttered.
"I feel worse."
Before Waqar could comment, the briefing officer stepped forward.
"Candidates," the officer began, "as of 6 a.m., every tower worldwide has entered Phase 2. The roots observed last night have now appeared in twelve countries. Energy spikes indicate the interior environment is evolving. The global council has declared a universal Tier-1 threat."
Most candidates stiffened.
"We will enter the Korean Tower together once the Awakening Gate stabilizes," the officer continued. "You will be split into coordinated sub-teams. Our goal is survival first, clearing second."
Joon felt the gaze of others on him.
The murmurs began almost immediately.
"Isn't he the guy who passed the Trial?"
"No one else saw illusions. Who knows what he really saw?"
"His ability is dangerous. What if his summon kills us inside?"
Joon pretended he didn't hear it, though each word crawled under his skin.
Waqar leaned closer. "Ignore them."
"That's getting harder."
"You don't need them. They'll need you."
The briefing continued. Maps. Threat levels. Resource locations discovered by drones. But Joon's mind grew distant. His mark itched again—hotter this time.
The moment the meeting ended, Joon stood up, expecting to leave with Waqar. But as he reached the exit, his vision blurred.
A pressure slammed into him—like invisible hands pushing against his temple.
He gasped, clutching the wall.
Waqar instantly turned. "Joon?"
The mark glowed violently.
"I… don't think I can—"
The world bent.
Light twisted.
Air warped behind him.
Every candidate in the room stopped breathing.
A circular tremor rippled across the floor—blue light spilling outward like ink in water.
"Move back!" someone shouted.
"Is he summoning?! Right here?!"
"Stop him!"
The officers rushed forward—but Waqar blocked them.
"Don't touch him! If you interrupt a Gate, the backlash could kill him!"
Joon's knees buckled.
It felt like something was tearing reality open behind him. His vision flickered—dark, bright, dark again. The whispering returned, louder:
[Summon Gate Initiating.]
[Next Summon: Unknown.]
[Origin: Unidentifiable.]
Waqar grabbed Joon's shoulder. "Breathe, Joon. Stay with me."
Joon's breath came out ragged. His fingers shook violently.
"Waqar… it doesn't feel like the others… this one… it feels alive."
The air cracked.
A thin, vertical line tore open in space—like the world itself was splitting. Black mist poured out, pooling at Joon's feet, swirling upward.
Gasps filled the room. Weapons were raised.
"What the hell is that?!"
"It's not human!"
"Is he opening a portal to the Tower?!"
Joon grit his teeth. Sweat dripped down his jaw.
The tear widened.
A cold wind blew from inside the rift—unnatural, hollow, echoing with something ancient.
Everyone stepped back.
Everyone except Waqar.
"Joon," Waqar said steadily, "do not lose yourself. Anchor your mind. You control the Gate, not the other way."
But Joon barely heard him.
All he could focus on was the silhouette forming inside the void.
A shape slowly stepped forward—limbs long, body faintly humanoid, but its outline flickered like a corrupted projection. Its eyes were not eyes—just dim embers floating in the fog.
"Is that… a monster?" a candidate whispered.
"No," another said, trembling. "It's something else."
The figure tilted its head as if studying them.
Then its voice echoed—not aloud, but inside every skull present.
A low rumble. A whisper of static. Layered voices speaking in unison.
"Summoner…"
Joon's heart slammed into his ribs. His mark burned as if branded.
Waqar took a half step forward. "Identify yourself."
The creature's head turned toward him.
Silence.
Then—
"You do not command me."
The room froze.
Even Waqar's eyes narrowed.
Joon forced out a breath. "I… summoned you. So you should—"
Before he could finish, the creature turned to him.
"Summoner," it repeated, softer this time. "You… are incomplete."
A shiver ran down Joon's spine. He tightened his fists. "Are you… hostile?"
The creature was silent for a long moment.
Then—
"I am… unformed."
"What does that mean?" Waqar murmured.
"Not a servant. Not an enemy," the creature said. "A fragment."
The word hit Joon like a hammer.
Fragment.
Like the shadow entity he saw during the trial.
His throat went dry. "You came from the Tower."
"Yes."
"Are you… alive?"
"No."
The candidates flinched.
"Then what are you?" Joon asked.
The creature slowly raised a hand. The mist shifted around its fingers, forming shapes—shattered symbols he couldn't understand.
"A memory," it said.
"What memory?" Joon whispered.
The creature leaned slightly forward, its crackling outline stabilizing.
"A memory of the one who watches."
The air dropped to freezing.
Even Waqar's jaw tightened. "Joon… end the summon. Now."
Joon swallowed. His hand trembled as he raised it.
But before he could release the Gate, the creature spoke again—this time directly into Joon's mind.
"The Tower fears you."
His blood turned to ice.
"What?"
"You hold a key. Not yet awakened. But soon." The creature's form flickered. "The Tower will move against you."
Joon felt his breath stutter. "Why tell me this?"
"Because I am not meant to exist," the creature whispered. "Yet you called me."
The mist around it began to dissolve. Its body grew transparent.
"It is forbidden for a Summoner to touch the core."
"What core?!"
"Survive," it said. "When the first floor opens… do not go alone."
The last words were faint. Breaking apart. Disappearing.
"You will see the truth when the sky bleeds."
Its body shattered into particles of black mist.
The Gate snapped shut.
Joon collapsed forward—but Waqar caught him before he hit the floor.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
No one breathed.
Finally, Waqar murmured:
"That… was not normal."
Joon tried to steady his breathing. "It wasn't a summon."
"No," Waqar said. "It was a warning."
The officer in charge finally found his voice.
"Candidate Seo Joon… what the hell did you bring into this world?"
Joon didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
But for the first time…
He was afraid of his own power.
And somewhere deep inside the Tower, far beyond the floors mortals could see, something opened its eyes.
Not pleased.
Not angry.
Awake.