Chapter 2

Suddenly, a giant tower appeared in the center of the continent.

As if it had always been there from the beginning.

On the very first day of this strange event,

Yo-Hena received a revelation from the goddess.

If they didn’t reach the top floor of the tower within 400 days, the world would be destroyed.

And the person who would reach the end of the tower would appear in 40 days.

She was also blessed.

The power to heal wounds.

And the power to make others stronger.

At first, she wondered why she needed such powers, but—

With the appearance of the tower, monsters began to infest the world.

And Yo-Hena wasn’t the only one who received blessings.

Using the power of the Sweetie Sect, Yo-Hena sent letters to gather the blessed individuals from all over the world.

The blessed ones, the “heroes,” began to gather in the city of Elysium, located in front of the tower.

40 days later.

While fighting alongside other heroes to defeat the monsters summoned from the tower,

Yo-Hena finally met the Chosen One.

“Finally, I’ve met you, Chosen One!”

“……”

He was more silent than she expected.

But the Chosen One’s power was real.

When the “Plate of Purification” he held began to glow—

The crack in the gate at the center of the 1st floor’s 1st section, which had been endlessly spewing monsters, was completely healed.

“Chosen One, you’re amazing…!”

Watching him solve a problem they had struggled with for a month so easily, Yo-Hena was moved.

This person was the Chosen One selected by the goddess.

With him, they would surely reach the top floor of the tower.

But then—

“Wow, Chosen One! Congratulations! A golden light means a 4-star hero contract—”

“Ugh, another failed summon.”

“It’s— Huh? Chosen One?”

The Chosen One disappeared before her eyes.

The voice she heard for the first time since meeting him was filled with deep disappointment, anger, and regret.

*Thud.*

Something caught Yo-Hena’s foot.

Bending down to pick it up, she saw it was the Plate of Purification that the Chosen One had been fiddling with.

Trying to mimic the Chosen One, she moved her fingers over the plate, but it didn’t emit the same holy light as it did in his hands.

It was just a plain black stone.

“Ah, no way, right? Haha.”

As Yo-Hena stood there in a daze, a familiar voice reached her ears.

Looking up, she saw a robed figure.

It was Arc, the owner of the only shop in Elysium.

Had he seen it too?

The moment the Chosen One disappeared?

Though his expression was hidden under his hood, his voice sounded quite flustered.

Soon, Arc turned and left the sanctuary.

After that, Yo-Hena stood there for a long time, waiting in case the Chosen One returned.

But the Chosen One never came back.

* * *

I saw the protagonist disappear before my eyes.

On the way back, I pinched my cheek again.

I was still in the world of “Last Felix.”

Looking up, I took in the world I had only seen through the small window of my smartphone or emulator.

It was a place where people lived.

A place filled with peace.

…For now.

The game setting of Last Felix.

I couldn’t remember exactly, but—

According to the tutorial, if the tower wasn’t conquered, the world would be destroyed.

It was a cliché story.

…If only it wasn’t my story.

A limited lifespan was too harsh for someone like me, who aimed for a long and leisurely life.

I had only been discharged from the military for two months!

I still had so many games in my library that I hadn’t even touched yet!

“Calm down. Let’s think this through.”

Returning to the shop, I opened a chest and muttered while staring at the pile of gold coins.

It was indeed gold.

It had an excellent healing effect.

First, I needed to figure out my exact situation.

I took out my smartphone, which I had set aside earlier, and checked the strange application again.

LF probably stood for Last Felix.

I had already checked the shop overview and quests, so next was shop research.

[Shop Research]

[Shop of All Things LV.1 (Max LV.10)]

[A magical shop where various items are stocked daily, weekly, or monthly. Chosen Ones can purchase various growth materials here.]

[Level-up Condition: Clear Tower’s 5th Floor / 100 Points]

[Unlock Bonus: The shop owner can purchase all items for free.]

[Additional Feature: Blacksmith LV.0 (Max LV.10)]

[Not constructed.]

[Construction Condition: Clear Tower’s 3rd Floor / 300 Points]

[Additional Feature: Alchemy Workshop LV.0 (Max LV.10)]

[Not constructed.]

[Construction Condition: Clear Tower’s 8th Floor / 500 Points]

[Additional Feature: ???]

[Not unlocked.]

[Unlock Condition: Clear Tower’s 10th Floor / ??? Points]

It felt like a simulation game’s research tree or an RPG’s skill tree, with various explanations attached.

The original game—

Every time I reached a certain floor in the tower, new features were gradually unlocked.

It was safe to say that it was intuitive.

Except for the whole “point investment” thing.

Apparently, completing the quest I just saw would earn me points, and I could use those points to upgrade or build new structures.

“Hmm…”

It was originally free, though.

I felt a bit cheated.

And next.

[Revelation Shop]

[Currently Available Items]

– Low-Grade Potion of Growth (Daily 10 / Weekly 100)

– Low-Grade Emblem of Fire (Daily 3 / Weekly 10)

…

– Daily Sacred Stone Pouch (Daily 1)

– Weekly Sacred Stone Pouch (Weekly 1)

– Monthly Sacred Stone Bundle (Monthly 1)

A familiar screen.

It was exactly like the shop screen in the game.

From the items sold to the purchase limits.

The only difference was that there were no prices listed.

Originally, the daily shop items were all useful for growth, but it was a shame that I couldn’t buy them all because they cost too much gold.

“Ah, no way.”

I tapped on the spot where the Daily Sacred Stone Pouch was displayed.

At that moment.

Jingling──

A pouch fell out of thin air.

Inside were 10 small, radiant gemstones.

“Wow, I feel like doing a gacha.”

They were Sacred Stones.

Just double the amount, and I could do a single pull.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Jingling. Thud. Clatter. Roll.

As soon as I pressed, items appeared out of nowhere and fell to the ground.

From experience potions to breakthrough materials, all sorts of miscellaneous items.

It felt like using a cheat code, so I kept tapping excitedly.

Creak──

The door opened.

“Huh…?”

And a familiar voice rang out.

The saintess I met earlier at the Sanctuary of Revelation.

It was Yo-Hena.

Her gaze fell on the items scattered on the floor, then lingered on my face after I removed my hood, and finally on the smartphone in my hand.

“Th-that… the Plate of Purification?! Why does Arc have it?”

Yo-Hena frantically rummaged through the side of her saintess robe and pulled out something that looked exactly like my smartphone.

…I guess the protagonist dropped it when he disappeared earlier.

“Gasp.”

Suddenly, Yo-Hena approached me with a fierce momentum.

“Arc, you know something, don’t you? How do you have the Plate of Purification? Are you related to the Revelator? Why did the Revelator disappear? Do you know where they went?!”

She grabbed my collar and started shaking me.

Well, more like hanging onto my collar.

The saintess is weak…

By the way, the shop owner, or rather, my name is ‘Arc.’

Mom, I’m sorry. I lost my name.

“Wait, wait, calm down…”

“Do I look calm?! Arc, you know how long I’ve been waiting for the Revelator, don’t you?!”

I don’t.

The more she shook me, the more a certain part of her body shook, making it hard to look away.

Swish─!

In a moment of carelessness.

Yo-Hena let go of my collar and snatched the smartphone from my hand.

She examined it closely.

“That’s right. Definitely. This is exactly like the Revelator’s Plate of Purification…”

Of course. They’re from the same manufacturer.

“Arc, you were just looking at this plate, right? Why can’t I see anything? Look, look at this. You saw it earlier, right? The Plate of Purification that the Revelator dropped.”

Then, while confiscating my smartphone.

She handed me the smartphone that the Revelator had supposedly used.

Without thinking, I took it and looked at the screen.

[ERROR: Unauthorized access. (Reason: Account deleted)]

[SYSTEM: Analyzing user…]

[SYSTEM: Pre-existing permissions detected, re-registration not possible. Permission code: NPC_0043_ARK]

[DEBUG: Debug mode activated. Scanning nearby devices…]

[DEBUG: Nearby device detected. Initiating pairing.]

“What is this?”

Strange messages poured out like a blue screen.

Then.

Boom!!!

The smartphone in my hand turned into light.

And exploded.

“Gasp!”

“Kyaaaah!”

Yo-Hena and I screamed simultaneously.