As if drawn into the canvas itself, they found themselves standing atop a steep cliff. A desolate wilderness stretched out before them, seemingly untouched by human hand since the dawn of time. Amid it stood a single, towering European-style fortress, bizarrely out of place.

“Wow...”

“This is our lodging?”

The view was so vast and overwhelming that the two thousand people felt like water in a cup. All around them and everywhere they looked, the cliff was drenched in red.

“Wow, it really is the color of blood. This place is nice,” Yeo-Jin said somewhat sarcastically, looking around.

A crimson sunset filled the open sky, its glow spilling over the dark blue sea below the cliff. It painted even the far-stretching plains along the horizon in shades of scarlet.

“Too amazing for your liking?” Sol-Ah teased.

“No, I mean...”

When Sol-Ah asked if she didn’t like it, Yeo-Jin muttered to herself, half under her breath, “... It feels like some kind of grade supremacy.”

“Pfft. I haven’t heard that in a while,” Sol-Ah laughed.

While Sol-Ah was still chuckling, a high-pitched voice rang out. “Kyaaa! I love this place!”

“Huh? Yul, where are you going—”

Yul burst into laughter as she dashed off across the field, her laughter warmer than the breaking sunset itself. “Let’s play tag! C’mon!”

“That’s nice to see,” Eun-Ho murmured.

Hearing his voice, Bo-Ra peeked her head out and said with a faint smile, “That’s all you’ve got to say?”

“What do you mean?”

“I just think it’s funny that ‘That’s nice to see' is your grand reaction to this kind of view,” she mimicked his tone, lowering her voice deliberately.

Not sure what exactly she found amusing about it, Eun-Ho asked, “Then what, should I say, ‘ It’s magnificent’?”

Bo-Ra burst out laughing. Her hair gleamed, catching the crimson light of the sunset—black, violet, and all other shades turning red beneath it.

“You know,” she said between chuckles, “I can never tell if you’re a cold or kind person.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. That means I’m balanced, right? Not too hot, not too cold.”

“At least I’ve learned you’re shameless,” she replied dryly.

Maybe it was because everything had been so hectic lately, but even this small, pointless banter was enough to loosen the muscles in his face. Without realizing it, Eun-Ho smiled.

Bo-Ra fidgeted with her bangs. “Well, I kind of like both sides of you—”

Before she could finish her sentence, Jae-Hyuk came running toward them, shouting breathlessly, “Hyungnim! Hyuuungnim!”

He had been one of the first to rush into the castle earlier to explore it. Now, he looked as if he had just returned from delivering urgent news.

“Look! Over there!”

“Huh? What’s going on?” Eun-Ho asked.

Jae-Hyuk paused, trying to catch his breath. Then, he inhaled sharply and shouted, “There’s a dining hall!!”

His face lit up as if he had just discovered the meaning of life. “It’s... It’s incredible!”

“What?” Eun-Ho realized that he had likely been starving. Sighing, he suppressed a groan, and followed Jae-Hyuk into the building. “... Alright, let’s go.”

In the next moment, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

“Everyone, this way!” Jae-Hyuk called.

Despite the fairytale-like exterior, the castle’s interior was surprisingly modern. Following Jae-Hyuk’s long strides, they arrived at a massive banquet hall stretched out before them.

“S-Sol-Ah! Look at that!”

“W-what is all this?!”

The vertically soaring hall was so large that it could easily fit thousands. It was hard to tell whether it was a grand hall or a sports arena. The place seemed like something straight out of a royal wedding reception in the British monarchy—elegant, ornate, and dazzling.

At its center, an overflowing feast of delicacies spread out like a flowing valley of food.

“Wow...”

“Y-Yeo-Jin! Look at this!”

Everyone’s jaws dropped, including Yeo-Jin’s, who only moments earlier had been grumbling about discomfort.

“Wow... Long live grade supremacy!” she muttered in awe.

***

“It’s amazing how we get our own private rooms! Isn’t it great?” Bo-Ra exclaimed.

“Bo-Ra,” Eun-Ho asked, “The fact that it’s one person per room made you this happy?”

“Of course!” she said brightly. “Our old dorm had four people in a room. Everyone had different sleep schedules, so it was chaotic.”

Well. Fair enough, he thought.

“Then, why aren’t you enjoying your nice, quiet room?” he asked dryly. “What are you all doing in my room?”

It wasn’t just Bo-Ra, either. The whole group had shown up.

“W-well... We have to plan a strategy, right? Right, Unni?” Bo-Ra said quickly.

“Of course, of course!” Ji-Eun agreed, nodding too fast.

Eun-Ho frowned. “Strategy for what?”

Ji-Eun jumped in immediately and brought up a topic almost too quickly. “Uh... Well... Oh! You heard what the hostess said earlier, didn’t you?”

Clearly, it was an attempt to change the subject. Still, Eun-Ho could see right through it.

They’re just uneasy being alone. That’s why they gathered here.

Therefore, he played along. “Do you mean the permanent and temporary positions?”

“Yes! Being permanent obviously sounds better, but that limit of one hundred people is kind of unsettling,” Ji-Eun said.

“You think so too, unni?” Bo-Ra added. “It’s weird, right? It’s not like we’re in some idol survival show!”

One hundred was far too few when anyone thought about it. That meant, only 0.1 percent of the total hundred thousand participants would make it.

“Just in our district alone, there are two thousand people,” Ji-Eun murmured.

She was right. Even though the trials were designed as team events, in the end, only a handful would remain. No one knew what kind of impact that would have on the challenges ahead.

At first, everyone will focus on teamwork. But eventually, things will start to fall apart. When that happens, what choice should I make? Well, no. Would I even have a chance to make a choice? Eun-Ho thought.

“By the way! I saw alcoholic beverages in the dining hall earlier. Do you think it’s okay to drink?”

“Alcohol? Are you insane? We’re in a place where knives could come flying any second, and you’re talking about drinking?”

“What! I just asked! You don’t have to yell at me if you don’t want to drink!”

Their light bickering continued, cheerful and absurdly normal against the weight of the situation. Watching them chatter like that left Eun-Ho with a strange mix of amusement and melancholy.

Ding!

Then, a sound echoed in the air, making him freeze. He’d thought all notifications for the day were already over.

[Congratulations!]

[Your representative incentive has been prepared.]

A representative incentive?

He blinked, recalling the host’s words earlier.

Oh, right.

[District representatives will receive extra assignments, but if they succeed, they will also be rewarded with special incentives! So please do your best!]

That meant there had been another bonus besides the seven points he had gotten before. No wonder he’d felt something was missing.

Half curious, half uncertain, Eun-Ho fell silent. Suddenly, an arrow of light appeared beneath his feet, flickering gently as if wagging its tail, beckoning him forward.

Fwoosh!

[Please proceed quickly!]

***

“So then I...”

“Yeah, and at that time...”

Their voices grew fainter the further Eun-Ho walked down the corridor.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

He followed the glowing arrow until it finally stopped at a grand door at the very end of the hall.

[Please enter.]

What could it be? An armory? A treasure vault? Or maybe a dungeon just like the Swear-Master had said earlier? Eun-Ho thought.

Dozens of possibilities flickered through his mind as he gripped the doorknob. With his other hand, he brushed his fingers along the hilt of his summoned sword just in case.

Fwoosh!

Then, the moment the door opened, a blast of humid air washed over his face. Steam clouded his vision so thickly that he could barely see and beyond the haze, he saw a massive public bath.

What the?!

The heat from the bath mixed with the cold air from the corridor, swirled around him in waves. Dizzy for a moment, he blinked hard and then a system message chimed.

Ding!

[Welcome to the Conqueror’s Caldarium!]

[Please enjoy the signature comfort of the Crimson Serenity to your heart’s content!]

Caldarium, huh?

He looked around. Marble pillars supported the vast chamber. Every surface was intricately carved with angels blowing trumpets. Their wings unfurled, feathers curling in ornate patterns, like a temple dedicated to some forgotten god.

There was a vast pool in place of an altar. It was actually a giant tiled bath, the kind one would only find in an ancient public bathhouse.

[Conqueror’s Caldarium]

- A thermal bath heated by the Ancient Flame, drawn from the Spring of Vitality.

- Restores fatigue and revitalizes the body upon immersion.

- Skin condition may also improve.

- Entry Limit: 0/1

“Petrify,” Eun-Ho said.

Splash!

He dipped his enhanced hand into the water just to be sure. The temperature was pleasantly hot, and the green-tinted water carried the faint scent of herbs.

Well, it doesn’t seem suspicious, he thought.

Satisfied, he stripped off his clothes and lowered himself into the bath. Relief spread instantly through him. Even his tense muscles seemed to melt into the water.

Not bad at all.

He always welcomed a good way to loosen up. Back in his prime, he’d thought about this often.

For someone who made a living through physical exertion, quality rest was just as crucial as training. He used to get massages from professional therapists, or take light recovery jogs on rest days. Proper sleep was nonnegotiable, of course.

Whatever kind of training program this orientation had planned, this would surely help. It wasn’t like the people up there were going to just hand out a few books and tell them to study.

“Check Training Points,” he said.

[You have a total of seventy seven Training Points!]

The system responded immediately, so Eun-Ho tried another question.

“Can I access training details?”

[Unable to answer.]

“What about the difference between permanent and temporary positions?”

[Unable to answer.]

The same monotonous replies followed, one after another.

Finally, he asked, “What’s the contract period for a temporary worker?”

At last, one line of usable information popped up.

[It varies depending on the agreement.]

That meant the conditions differed for each person. Judging by the process so far, it would probably depend on their performance here at the training center.

Splash.

He dunked his face under, organizing his thoughts as warmth seeped deep into his bones. By the time he came up for air, he felt soft, almost sticky with relaxation like warm mochi.

Then, a rapid string of messages filled his view.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

[You have acquired a temporary trait Languid Vitality!]

[Your stamina recovery speed has increased by 50%.]

[Your fatigue recovery speed has increased by 50%.]

[Impurities have been expelled from your skin, and there has been a minor boost to your Charm.]

[Your psychological state has been stabilized, and you have developed a slight resistance to fear.]

[Remaining duration: 24 hours.]

Stamina recovery and fatigue recovery buffs? That’s the exact opposite of that foul-mouthed guy’s skill.

Eun-Ho decided to ask the man about it later and get a clear idea of his ability. He stepped out of the bath, water streaming from his skin, and reached for the neatly folded towel waiting nearby.

After drying off, he slipped into the fresh clothes laid out for him. They were clean and dry, as if they’d just come from the sun. He was about to head for the door when a thought stopped him mid-step.

Wait. What if I could take this with me?

If he could somehow bring the bath along, he could use its buffs indefinitely. That would mean performing at a constant 150 percent of his normal ability every single day throughout the entire training period. Carrying a bathhouse sounded ridiculous, of course, but there was no harm in trying.

He placed a hand on the edge of the steaming pool and spoke aloud.

“Store.”

He didn’t expect it to work, but it was worth a shot. Unsurprisingly, nothing happened. He sighed and turned to leave when a message blinked into view.

[Bound items cannot be stored.]

“Bound?” he muttered. “Bound to whom, exactly?”

[Unable to answer.]

So there was a concept beyond mere inventory storage, something like item binding.

Eun-Ho gripped the air, testing the idea immediately. “Summon.”

Standing before the steaming bath, he summoned his sword. He couldn’t help but chuckle at how absurd he seemed. Half-dressed, dripping wet, yet holding a dark greatsword in the middle of a sauna.

“Bind,” he said.

Ding!

[Would you like to bind Flame Sky-Shattering Blade as your personal item?]

So it works? The others probably don’t know about this yet, Eun-Ho realized.

If they had, he never would’ve been able to seize that mace from a person during the Shadow Path trial. Just then, another thought nagged him.

But the Brahmastra... Why wasn’t that one bound?

Wasn’t that artifact invaluable? Almost as if responding to his question, another message appeared.

[Warning: Changing the bound owner may reduce an item’s performance.]

So that’s it... Changing ownership weakens it.

If Iro had intended to pass that weapon on to someone else, that made sense.

Then I must’ve intercepted the Center Director’s weapon, he realized grimly.

He had almost turned a terrifyingly powerful person into an enemy.

Eun-Ho exhaled a slow breath of relief, then said firmly, “Bind it.”

It felt almost like putting a security tag on an expensive laptop.

[Binding the Flame Sky-Shattering Blade as your personal property...]

“Oh, and the Brahmastra too,” he added quickly.

There was no telling if its original owner might ever come back asking for it.

[Binding confirmed for the Flame Sky-Shattering Blade and one additional artifact!]

[Flame Sky-Shattering Blade recognizes a new master.]

[Restored Brahmastra recognizes a new master.]

Fwoosh!

Twin beams of light burst through the thick steam, crossing and spreading through the bathhouse.