Black Tower
The name sounded ordinary, almost unremarkable.
But in his past life, the Black Tower was one of the most infamous dungeons in the entire Faeloria Country—and even across the world.
Despite being an early-game dungeon, available for evolutionaries between Level 10 and Level 20, it had claimed countless lives. Anyone between Level 5 and Level 25 could enter, yet—
It was estimated that at least 10,000 evolutionaries perished inside.
No—
If one counted the entirety of the apocalypse, the death toll surpassed 100,000!
It was unbelievable.
After all, once a dungeon was cleared, guides and strategies would be shared, allowing others to follow suit. As long as their raw strength was sufficient, clearing it should have been manageable.
Yet, the Black Tower remained a graveyard.
This was what defined a Hell-level dungeon.
Its difficulty was insane, and its random elements made it even worse.
Among all Hell-level secret realms, the Black Tower was one of the most terrifying.
The Plague Sewer was another Hell-level dungeon—one that Novak had never even heard of in his past life.
Back when he was just over Level 10, he had faced its boss, only for it to flee immediately.
At first, the dungeon seemed easy.
But in reality, the Plague Sewer was nightmarish.
Beyond its monstrous enemies, the environment itself was the real killer.
Every passing second drained a person's physique.
Every passing second brought them closer to death.
The only reason Novak had survived so easily was due to his Virus King ability, which made him completely immune to the dungeon's harsh conditions.
But the Black Tower was different.
In his past life, even when Novak reached the appropriate level, he had never dared to challenge the Black Tower.
Not because he was afraid—
But simply because he was unlucky enough to never encounter it.
Because unlike normal secret realms, the Black Tower didn't appear in a fixed location.
Instead, it could randomly manifest beneath the floors of any building.
This unpredictability had caused massive casualties, ensnaring countless evolutionaries across the Faeloria Country—and beyond.
Inside, the Black Tower was home to an unknown number of "residents".
Each one had a unique background, a mysterious ability, and their own rules.
To progress, challengers had to earn their approval—only then could they ascend to the next floor.
And finally—
At the topmost level, they would face the Black Tower's master in a final test.
This was the Black Tower.
The residents' trials were often bizarre and unfathomable.
Some required sheer strength.
Some required intelligence and cunning.
Some were purely lethal, offering no way out.
But the worst part?
Every time someone entered the Black Tower, the residents and their tests were randomized.
No two runs were ever the same.
But for all its dangers, the Black Tower held incredible treasures.
Many had risked everything for the rewards hidden within.
And some of those rewards might even prove useful to Novak.
Seeing Crow's message, Novak's eyes gleamed with interest.
"Now this… this could be fun."
[White Emperor: Do you have any leads on this dungeon?]
[Crow: I triggered a mission and got something!]
Crow immediately sent a screenshot.
[Invitation Letter from the Black Tower]
[Special Mission Item]
"Your abilities make you a perfect candidate to challenge the Black Tower. Complete the trial, and you shall receive what you most desire."
[Upon use, unlocks the Level 10-20 Hell-Level Secret Realm: The Black Tower!]
Novak's eyes lit up.
Good guy.
[White Emperor: When you're ready to enter, come find me. But be prepared—this place is extremely dangerous. Even I can't guarantee your survival.]
He wasn't particularly worried for himself.
With the Abyss Authority in his hands, if the opportunity arose, he'd even dare to explore the domain of the Dark Mother Goddess herself.
A Level 20 dungeon?
No problem.
But Crow's survival was another matter entirely.
That said, Novak didn't doubt his courage for a second.
In the future, Crow would become a Monarch-level Evolutionary, standing at the pinnacle of Kepler's power. That kind of person wasn't one to cower.
Sure enough, Crow responded without hesitation.
[Crow: Don't worry! Even if I die in there, I'll accept it!]
[White Emperor: Meimei is in the middle of her job change. Once she's done, I'll reach out to you.]
[Crow: Got it!]
Crow was clearly ready.
The apocalypse had been raging for two months, yet he had yet to complete his job change.
In Group 001, he was likely the last one left.
But that didn't shake his confidence.
He knew that once he changed jobs, with his talent and chosen profession, he'd catch up in no time.
Novak didn't dwell on it.
For him, the Black Tower was an interesting challenge, but it wasn't his top priority.
Right now, the World's Secret Realm was far more critical.
His gaze swept over the group chat, where Ray was still boasting, while others reported back from their explorations of the World Secrets.
Then, Novak switched chats.
A small, private group.
Daphne, Dane, Ruri, Andrea, Aria, Nicole—just a few names on the list.
[White Emperor: @Andrea, I've found a job change suitable for you. Come get it.]
[Andrea: Ah! Really?! I'm on my way!]
Andrea wasn't at the Central Villa at the time, but after seeing Novak's message, she rushed over immediately.
When she arrived at the City Lord's Mansion, however, Novak was already gone.
Instead, Ruri stood there, holding a Job Transfer Scroll.
She handed it over with a polite smile—but her eyes remained cold and distant.
Andrea took it with a chuckle, unfazed.
She even shot her a playful, slightly provocative glance.
After all, no matter the situation, there were always rivalries among women.
No one dared challenge Dane or Daphne.
Nicole was untouchable as well.
But for the rest?
Power struggles were inevitable.
Of course, Novak paid no attention to any of this.
While the Black Tower intrigued him, he had other priorities first.
Aside from waiting for Meimei to finish her job change—
He needed to take full advantage of the World's Secret Realm to push Biochemical Disaster to the next level.
Time was of the essence.