As dawn broke over the city, the central administration building of the Aerthium Kingdom stirred to life. Inside the vast, domed hall, scribes in brown robes carefully sorted scrolls and papers. Among the many names recorded that day, one stood alone:

Sefa Yücel.

A warrior unaffiliated with any guild, applying directly to the kingdom—such cases were exceedingly rare. Even more so for one who had passed every trial.

But the law was the law. If the trials were completed, the process had to proceed.

The scribes gathered the documents, aligning the results with precision. At one table, a lead examiner whispered, not even raising his eyes:

"Strength: 13, Agility: 11, Vitality: 12...Classification: E-Class recommended. Kingdom approval required."

The documents were sealed with the official emblem and delivered upstairs, where high-ranking evaluators reviewed the material in silence. No comments. No debate.

Within the hour, the sealed envelope reached the desk of a royal advisor. He flipped it open, read the request line, and walked into the King's chamber without saying a word.

The King sat in the far end of the room, bathed in morning light. Without looking up, he took the document, skimmed the contents.

"Sefa Yücel. Unaffiliated. Guildless. E-Class recommended."

He didn't smile. He didn't frown. His hand reached for the royal seal, pressed it onto the parchment.

Approval was given.No words were needed.

The Notification

Two days later, Sefa and Elira were summoned to the city's formal decree hall. The chamber was cold, silent. No crowd. No guards. Just them—and the official delivering the verdict.

He stepped forward and unfolded a scroll with ceremonial slowness.

"Sefa Yücel.You have submitted a direct application to the Kingdom and passed all necessary trials."

A pause.

"By the authority of the Aerthium Kingdom,you are hereby recognized as a citizen-combatant.Rank: E-Class Independent Warrior.Affiliation: Aerthium KingdomPrivileges granted: Floor access, basic trade permissions, military exemption clauses.Obligations: Mandatory service in times of royal emergency."

Elira stole a glance at Sefa.He didn't respond—just nodded once, eyes steady.

The scroll was handed to him. It was heavier than it looked.

And it meant only one thing:He was no longer just a traveler.He was now... part of this world.

The silver gates loomed high before them—twisting with arcane energy, humming softly like a distant storm. Towering pylons surrounded the platform, each engraved with runes that shimmered blue under the morning sun.

Sefa stood at the base of the gate.Unmoving.Silent.

Elira walked beside him, her cloak rippling in the gentle wind, her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the vortex-like center of the gate.

"You're serious about this," she murmured."No break, no delay. Straight to the Second Floor?"

Sefa gave a short nod."Now that I have the kingdom's approval… I want to move."

Elira sighed—not out of annoyance, but out of concern. She stepped in front of him, blocking his path just before the platform.

"Then you need to understand something—clearly."

She pointed toward the swirling energy inside the archway.

"This isn't a normal gate. The Second Floor doesn't open the same way every time. Each person is teleported to a different region, completely randomized. You could end up anywhere—frozen mountains, burning jungles, hostile deserts… or worse."

Sefa looked at the gate, but didn't speak.

"And you're not the only one entering," Elira continued."Today, three kingdoms are sending combatants up. They might be your allies.Or they might want to kill you the moment they see your badge."

She crossed her arms, her voice lowering.

"There's no rule against killing newcomers. No protection. No respawn.If you die in the Second Floor before establishing a claim, you're gone.Permanently."

Sefa's jaw tightened, but he didn't flinch.

"How many people die on arrival?" he asked.

Elira's answer came instantly.

"Roughly 40%. Within the first 24 hours.Most never even see another soul. Just monsters...or ambushes they never expected."

The wind howled slightly louder, as if responding to her words.

She stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Listen… I know you're strong. You proved it already. But you're still new here.No guild to back you. No squad. No map.The moment you step through that gate, you're nothing but prey.So promise me something—"

He looked into her eyes.

"Stay alert. Don't trust anyone too quickly. And if you feel even a hint of danger...Run. Until you're strong enough to turn and fight."

Sefa gave a faint smile. "Thanks for worrying."

Elira didn't smile back.

"I'm not worrying. I'm calculating your odds."

She stepped aside. "Get moving. The gate won't stay stable forever."

Sefa adjusted his sword belt, glanced once at the scroll containing his E-Class approval, and tucked it into his side pouch.

As he placed a foot on the stone platform, the gate surged to life—crackling lightning around the frame.

"See you on the other side," Elira called out behind him."If luck's on our side… we might land close. Or not at all."

He turned slightly. "I'll survive."

She nodded once. "Good."

Then the platform lit up.The air bent and twisted.And in a flash of white-blue light—Sefa was gone

When the doors opened silently, the inner area immediately stood out. A circular room with a raised stone platform at the center. Upon it stood a massive statue, gripping a sword embedded in the ground with both hands. Its eyes were closed, yet it felt as though it could awaken at any moment.

Sefa and the other four entered from separate directions. None of them knew each other. Their armor, weapons, even the way they breathed—everything was different. The floor guides had merely led them in and disappeared. No explanation, no hints about the enemies. Only one inscription stood in the center:

"Protect the statue. 5 waves."

Sefa instinctively scanned the area. Five distinct gates encircled the room, each marked with unique symbols. The air buzzed with a strange mana resonance. Something was coming.

Suddenly, a glowing blue screen appeared in front of Sefa—visible only to him:

[Enemies detected…][Wave 1: Goblin Cleaver x12]Level: 6Attack: MediumSpeed: HighSpecial: Critical Strike Capability

Sefa's eyes narrowed. Levels, traits, behavior—it was all listed. "Looks like I'm the only one who can see this," he muttered, tightening his grip on his sword while watching the others.

There was no coordination.

A burly man in heavy armor had already headed for the northern gate. A female warrior moved to the west. Two young men split between the east and south. No one was speaking. No one was planning.

"Wait! We don't know what we're dealing with!" Sefa shouted, but no one listened.

The gates opened all at once. Out poured black-skinned, long-eared goblins with wicked red eyes and small, sharp blades. They were fast—alarmingly so—and they all locked eyes on the statue at the center.

Sefa intercepted two goblins from the western gate. His first slash dropped one, but the second slipped past his guard and sliced across his pants. The cut wasn't deep, but it showed him something: these creatures were coordinated.

The other gates had unleashed similar enemies.

The female warrior shouted from the north, "DAMN IT! THEY'RE TOO FAST!"

One of the young men fell, overwhelmed by multiple attacks. Blood spilled toward the platform's edge. Sefa wanted to help—but spotted a goblin leaping directly toward the base of the statue. He moved to intercept but was too late.

[Statue Durability: 98%]

"No… if even one gets through, the statue weakens," Sefa realized. He scanned the others. No one was backing anyone else up. Everyone was fighting solo.

He repositioned swiftly, predicting one goblin's leap and slicing its blade-carrying arm clean off. "And this is just the first wave..." he thought grimly. "If we go on like this, we won't survive wave five."

The others still fought alone. The female warrior had downed one, but she was slowing. The armored man grunted furiously. The second young man rushed to his fallen friend—but too late.

[Wave 1 Remaining Enemies: 4]

The goblins shifted targets. Three darted toward the statue's base. Sefa surged forward, intercepting two and cutting them down—barely. The third slipped past. He hurled a nearby rock and shattered its skull just before it struck.

[Statue Durability: 95%]

Even one hit was costly.

Sefa was breathing heavily. A cut on his shoulder, a throb in his leg. But he stood tall.

The last goblin was crushed by the burly man. Silence fell over the room, filled only by blood, sweat, and the echo of fading footsteps.

Then, Sefa's screen lit up again:

[Wave 1 Complete.][Time Remaining: 63 seconds][Wave 2 Loading…]

Sefa took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. The countdown had started… but the real danger had only just begun.

Author's Note:

The first wave has ended, but it revealed something far more dangerous than the monsters themselves: disunity. While Sefa begins to uncover the true mechanics of this world—seeing levels, understanding weaknesses—his team remains in chaos.

No strategy.No communication.Only raw survival.

And this was just the beginning.

What will happen when stronger enemies emerge?

Stay sharp.Wave Two is coming.