A sharp chime echoed through the entire first floor.
No matter where they were—streets, homes, forests, or ruins—everyone heard it.
Natives. Outlanders. Civilians.
Only one group was excluded.
Children below the age of eighteen.
For everyone else—
The world froze.
Before their eyes, glowing blue text unfolded in the air.
[DING!]
[ASCENSION QUEST IS BEING ASSIGNED]
A collective gasp rippled through Maple Town.
"…Ascension?"
"Is this it?"
"The quest… it's finally starting?"
The text shifted, lines rearranging themselves with mechanical precision.
[ASCENSION QUEST]
[OBJECTIVE 1: REACH LEVEL 10]
[OBJECTIVE 2: COLLECT 45% WOOD CORE FRAGMENTS IN WOOD BATCH]
[REWARD: ENTRY TO THE SECOND FLOOR]
Silence followed.
Then—
Chaos.
"LEVEL TEN?!" someone shouted.
"Wood-type batch? What does that even mean?!"
"So this is the price… to leave this floor?"
Natives stared at the message with trembling hands.
Some laughed. Some cried.
Some simply sank to their knees, staring at the word Second Floor as if it might vanish.
"We can finally climb…" an old woman whispered, clutching her chest.
"I thought I'd die here," a man muttered, eyes red.
Outlanders reacted differently.
"That's it?" Rohit scoffed. "No time limit?"
"Don't celebrate yet," Rita said sharply. "Nothing the Tower gives is ever simple."
Before anyone could say more—
A new object appeared before every eligible person.
A small, translucent badge floated in the air.
It was shaped like a thin plate—etched with a leaf symbol, glowing a soft green.
"What is that…?" Tim murmured.
The moment someone reached out—
The badge shot forward.
In a blink, it plunged into the back of their hand.
"—AGH!"
Cries rang out as people clutched their palms.
But there was no blood.
No wound.
Only a faint warmth… and then—
A glowing leaf-shaped mark emerged on the back of each person's hand.
It slowly faded, settling into the skin like a tattoo.
Rohit stared at his palm. "It just… went inside me."
Rita flexed her fingers. "A tracking mark. Or a measurement device."
Divya swallowed. "So the Tower will know… exactly how close we are."
Around them, people raised their hands into the air, staring at identical symbols.
Some looked hopeful.
Some terrified.
Some burned with determination.
Arjun closed his fist slowly, feeling the faint pulse beneath the mark.
"So this is it," he said quietly. "The first real step."
The Tower had made its terms clear.
No one would reach the second floor—
Without proving they deserved it.
And across the entire first floor—
The race to ascend had officially begun.
While Arjun was still studying the leaf-shaped mark on the back of his hand, it suddenly shimmered.
A faint green light rippled across the symbol.
New text surfaced above it, floating just inches from his skin.
[WOOD BATCH]
[OBJECTIVE: STORES WOOD CORE FRAGMENTS]
Arjun's eyes narrowed.
He lifted his hand higher. "Everyone—focus on the symbol."
The others did the same.
One by one, their leaf marks responded, glowing softly as identical text appeared above each of them.
"So this is the wood batch," Koushik said slowly. "But… how are we supposed to collect these core fragments?"
Arjun lowered his hand. "That," he said calmly, "we'll have to find out by exploring."
Before anyone could reply—
Divya stiffened.
"…The mana," she said quietly. "It feels different."
Rohit glanced at her, then closed his eyes for a moment. His expression shifted.
"…You're right," he said. "Yesterday, only a few of you could sense it. Today—everyone should be able to feel it."
The group fell silent.
They focused.
Really focused.
The air around them felt… alive.
Not heavy. Not oppressive.
But vibrant.
Mana drifted through the surroundings like a gentle current, brushing against their skin, seeping into their senses. It felt warm, active—almost eager.
Rohit opened his eyes slowly. "…This feels nothing like yesterday."
"It's thicker," Rita said. "And smoother."
Divya nodded. "According to the book I read last night, this is wood-type mana."
She inhaled deeply, as if tasting the air itself.
"Wood-type mana is lively by nature. It encourages growth, regeneration, and vitality."
Arjun frowned slightly. "So what does that mean for us?"
Divya looked at the glowing leaf mark again.
"It means the concentration of wood-type mana across the entire floor has increased," she said. "Probably to support this batch quest."
Tim let out a slow breath. "So the Tower changed the environment… just for the quest."
Rohit cracked his knuckles, excitement flickering in his eyes. "Then the core fragments won't be easy freebies."
Arjun clenched his fist, feeling the faint pulse beneath the symbol.
Around them, Maple Town continued to stir—unaware that the very air it breathed had changed.
And somewhere on the first floor—
Wood cores were waiting to be claimed.
Around them, Maple Town continued to stir—unaware that the very air it breathed had changed.
And somewhere on the first floor—
Wood cores were waiting to be claimed.
With the system message still fresh in their minds, the group didn't waste any time.
"We should stock up first," Arjun said. "Before we head out of town."
Rita nodded immediately. "Potions. If this quest involves exploration—or combat—we'll need them."
No one argued.
They turned toward the alchemy district, moving through Maple Town's winding streets as morning sunlight filtered between wooden buildings. The festive remnants of last night were still visible—empty cups, torn banners, tired smiles—but the mood had shifted. Excitement had given way to urgency.
As they walked, Rohit stretched his arms. "So what's the plan? Forest first?"
"Most likely," Arjun replied. "Wood cores won't come from stone walls."
Tim adjusted his bag. "We should assume resistance. Either monsters, corrupted plants, or something guarding the cores."
Divya added, "And we shouldn't split up too much. The mana here is denser than yesterday. That usually means stronger reactions."
Raya glanced around, lowering his voice. "Other teams will be hunting too. The quest isn't exclusive."
That earned a moment of silence.
"So it's a race," Rohit said, grinning faintly. "Great."
Arjun shook his head. "Not a race. A test. If we rush blindly, we lose more than time."
They stopped in front of a shop marked with green sigils and hanging glass vials—an alchemy store already open for business.
Arjun pushed the door open.
"Let's prepare properly," he said. "Then we move."
The Tower had given them an objective.
Now it was up to them to survive long enough to complete it.