Legacy of the Lost: forbidden heir

{Morning – Safe Zone, Floor 1}

Jin-Seok woke to the soft light filtering through the curtains and the low buzz of life outside.

He yawned, sat up, and stretched lazily before walking over to the window.

Pulling the curtain aside, he looked out at the Safe Zone.

The plaza below was already bustling. Dozens of climbers were moving through the streets—some dragging bags of supplies, others chatting in tight groups, and a few sitting alone with that blank, hollow look only the Tower could put in someone's eyes.

Mixed among them were recruiters shouting about guild offers, or trading booths trying to sell beginner potions and shabby weapons. There was tension in the air, as always—some climbers trying to look tougher than they were, others scanning the crowd for easy targets or potential allies.

Jin-Seok watched it all for a moment.

Then let the curtain fall shut.

Nothing surprising. The Safe Zone was just the Tower in miniature.

He washed up, threw on his gear, and made his way downstairs.

---

{Emberlight Hearth – Dining Floor}

The Emberlight Hearth was far from a smoky tavern. It was one of the more respected inns on Floor 1—spacious, clean, and well-kept. Soft orange lanterns lined the walls, and the long dining hall smelled faintly of honeyed bread and simmering broth.

Despite the early hour, the place was full. Most tables were taken by climbers—some clearly veterans, judging by their equipment, others just trying to blend in and listen.

Jin-Seok walked in quietly, scanning for an open spot.

He found a free table near one of the stone pillars and slid into a seat. A server passed by shortly after, and he ordered a simple breakfast—bread, eggs, and some tea.

He didn't speak to anyone.

Didn't need to.

But the table beside him was full, and the climbers there were loud enough to carry across easily.

> "You hear what happened last night?"

"What now?"

"Another batch of newbies got hit."

"Let me guess—the Jackals again."

"Yeah. Two teams never made it back."

Jin-Seok didn't flinch at the name.

He'd heard of them already.

Jackals—climbers who had no intention of climbing. They stayed low, near the early Floors, preying on fresh climbers still disoriented from the Trials. Beating them, robbing them, sometimes worse.

It wasn't a new phenomenon.

Another voice:

> "And the Floor Managers just keep watching, huh?"

A different voice cut in—sharp, bitter:

> "Don't be stupid. They're not doing anything because they won't."

"Unless someone violates the Tower's System Laws, they don't intervene."

"Jackals? They're just playing the game… nastier than most."

"Yeah. Murder? Exploitation? Doesn't matter. As long as it's outside the Safe Zone."

"Tower's always been like that. If you're weak, you're food."

There were a few mutters of agreement. Some sounded angry, others bitter. One or two just kept eating, eyes down.

Jin-Seok?

He didn't care.

He didn't feel anger.

He didn't feel shock.

He'd known this already.

The Tower didn't protect the weak. It never had.

It tested them.

Then punished them for failing.

That was the system. Cold. Brutal. Fair, in its own twisted way.

He finished the last bite of his meal, pushed the plate slightly aside, and stood up.

No reason to stay longer.

---

{The Portal – Departure}

The portal plaza was just as busy as earlier. A massive round platform set at the heart of the Safe Zone, it held the gates to all active Floors. Magical symbols shimmered on the ground, and floating panels hovered nearby to display requirements or entry notices.

Most of the traffic was clustered around the Floor 2 gate.

Some climbers hesitated before stepping through, double-checking gear or psyching themselves up. A few turned back entirely.

Jin-Seok didn't slow down.

He passed the other climbers, stepped onto the portal circle, and looked ahead.

> [Confirming Transfer: Floor 2 – Active]

[Entering...]

A faint light wrapped around him, rising from the platform.

And just like that, he vanished.

---

{Arrival – Floor 2 Safe Zone}

The world reformed in a flash of soft light.

Jin-Seok stepped out of the portal gate onto a wide, stone-tiled plaza. The air was slightly different here—cooler, fresher, with the faint scent of pine trees drifting in from somewhere nearby.

The Safe Zone of Floor 2 was quieter than Floor 1's. Fewer vendors, fewer guild scouts. No shouting recruiters or noisy merchants crowding the entrance.

A few climbers milled about, sitting on benches or checking their gear. A handful glanced at Jin-Seok as he arrived, but none approached.

He took one step forward, and—

> [Tower Notification: Welcome to Floor 2]

"Nature grows twisted here. Tread carefully."

Another message followed immediately, blinking calmly in his vision.

> [Floor Mission Activated]

▸ Objective: Eliminate 10 Goblins and 10 Goblin Archers

▸ Reward: Access to Floor 3

▸ Optional Bonus: Clear a Goblin Camp (0/1)

Jin-Seok dismissed the message with a blink.

Goblins, huh?

He remembered how weak they were on Floor 1. Noisy, sloppy, and slow. Archers might be a bit trickier, but unless they'd evolved with wings and laser eyes, this wasn't going to be a challenge.

He adjusted the strap on his shoulder, made sure his weapon was tight against his back, and looked toward the exit of the Safe Zone.

A narrow stone road curved through a set of old iron gates, beyond which a sprawling forest stretched out under a pale sky. Tall, dark trees loomed in the distance, their trunks thick and crooked. Somewhere deep within, something shrieked—a sound sharp and distant, like laughter warped through a pipe.

Didn't matter.

Jin-Seok started walking.

No hesitation.

Time to hunt.

---

{Forest Path – Goblin Hunt Begins}

Jin-Seok walked through the old iron gates, hands in his pockets.

Two Tower Guards flanked the exit—identical armor, identical bored expressions. One of them gave him a glance as he passed.

Jin-Seok didn't even look their way.

Beyond the gate, the air changed. The forest was thick and alive—low fog curling around the roots of gnarled trees, distant rustles in the underbrush, and the faint metallic tang of blood carried on the wind.

Not far from the path, sounds of battle echoed—grunts, panicked footsteps, the hiss of arrows.

Jin-Seok tilted his head.

A group of climbers, maybe five or six, were locked in combat. Goblins swarmed around them, short and wiry with rust-colored skin and chipped blades. A few climbers were already injured—one had a bleeding shoulder, another was fending off two goblins with a shaking spear.

> "Dammit! They're on the trees too!" one of them shouted.

Jin-Seok's eyes moved up.

There. In the shadows above—goblin archers. Their pale eyes gleamed from the crooks of thick branches, bows drawn. Their bodies were lighter than the warriors, limbs lean and wiry, perfect for climbing.

The climbers on the ground hadn't even noticed all of them.

He reached for his weapon.

_______________________________________________

{An Original Series by Celestial Raven}