A woman in a yellow outfit with black stripes stepped forward. "I'm the test guide, Yellowy," she announced. "All Regulars, line up. The next test will be held on a first-come, first-served basis."
Baam, Khun, and Rak joined the forming line, settling somewhere between positions ten and fifteen.
As they waited, Baam glanced around. He noticed someone subtly gesturing toward Khun while whispering to others about his impressive lineage.
So that's why Lero Ro warned me about him…
More murmurs followed, surrounding them like a tide of low whispers. Though the room was noisy, Baam—who had grown up in silence—could still make out the conversations.
"That guy's from the Khun family."
"The Khun family? One of the Ten Great Families?!"
"Yeah. You can tell by the blue hair and dark blue eyes."
One boy watched Khun warily. "I heard some of them can control Shinsu with insane precision—especially lightning."
"But I don't know for sure," he added. "Could just be rumors."
The whispers fell into silence again, as if no one wanted to be caught saying too much.
Baam frowned. I hope this doesn't become a problem. Being hunted by Rankers is the last thing we need.
I don't know much about the Ten Great Families, but they seem powerful... influential. They're famous, even in a place like this.
Interesting…
. . .
Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream echoed from inside the test room.
"Aaaaargh!"
Everyone turned toward the sound.
"What was that?!"
"Is the test that dangerous?"
"Did someone just… die?"
The quiet corridor burst into nervous chatter. Tension rose among the Regulars.
Khun checked his watch. 9:42.
A strict ten-minute limit, he thought. Fail to finish in time, and you're out.
. . .
Baam stood gazing upward, eyes wide with wonder.
Khun glanced at him. "What are you looking at?"
Baam smiled. "It's just… I've never seen a place this bright before."
Khun raised an eyebrow. He's never seen light?
Baam pointed. "Is that the sky?"
Khun replied, "Yeah. Why are you asking something so obvious? It's like you've never seen one before."
"Oh, so that is the sky," Baam said in awe. "I heard that if you go high enough, you can see stars."
Khun shook his head. "Stars? That's just a fairy tale."
"Even if you climb all the way up, all you'll find is the ceiling of the next floor. That sky you see is made with Shinsu. The moon at night is just a glowing orb."
"I've heard stories of stars existing outside the Tower," Khun added. "But here? They're nothing more than myths."
"Oh… I see…" Baam's voice quieted, his excitement fading.
Khun looked at him. "Did you really want to see them that badly?"
Baam shook his head. "Not me. Rachel."
Khun paused. "Hmm?"
Baam continued, "She came to the Tower because she wanted to see the stars. I was hoping… maybe you could see them from here."
Khun turned away, his expression unreadable. "I've been wondering... why did Rachel abandon you and climb the Tower alone?"
He glanced back at Baam. "And why did she stay with you for so long in the first place? It seems odd."
---
Time passed. More teams entered the room—and with each new group, more screams erupted.
Soon, it was their turn.
A woman opened the door.
Baam, Khun, and Rak stepped into a pitch-black room.
At the center sat a man with an extraordinary appearance, sipping tea as if nothing could disturb him.
"Welcome, Regulars," he said. "I'm Hansung Yu, the test administrator."
He gestured toward the twelve identical doors lining the room's circular wall.
"This test is simple. Among these twelve doors, only one is the correct path. You're allowed to open just one. If you choose the correct door, you pass. If not—"
He smiled faintly. "You die."
Khun scowled. "What kind of test is this?"
Hansung replied with mock sympathy, "Hmm? Not to your liking? Unfortunately, the rules are set. The test begins now."
He clapped his hands, and a large timer began ticking overhead.
"Wait!" Khun called. "You expect us to pick at random? Aren't you going to give us any hints?"
Hansung calmly sipped his tea. "The hints have already been given."
Khun's mind spun. Already given? The only things we've seen are the timer... the clock... and those screams...
He glanced at the massive wall clock, then at the timer on his phone.
My phone says 9:48… but the timer says 3:12...
Wait. It's not a 10-minute timer. It's a 5-minute cycle!
Just then, Rak grabbed Khun by the collar.
"Oi, blue turtle! Do something already!"
"Calm down," Khun muttered. "Between the two of us, one of us has a brain."
Baam said nothing, quietly observing.
More time passed.
Hansung remained motionless, sipping his tea, as if none of this concerned him.
Baam turned to Khun. "Don't overthink it."
Then he stepped forward.
"Wait, Baam!" Khun said sharply.
But Baam didn't stop.
He walked straight up to one of the doors, placed his hand on the handle—and pushed it open.
The timer read 3:28.
Immediately, every door in the room turned green. Applause echoed from hidden speakers.
Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.
Hansung beamed. "Congratulations. You passed!"
Khun blinked in confusion. "What…?"
Hansung looked at him. "The key to this test was not which door you chose, but when you chose it. The timer may look like a ten-minute countdown, but it operates on a five-minute cycle."
Khun's expression darkened. "Then… what was this test really about?"
Hansung's smile didn't fade. "Still wounded from the princess's betrayal, are you? You hesitate. You demand certainty. But the world rarely offers it."
He leaned forward. "You'll need allies who move without doubt. Those who act, not just think."
Khun turned away. "Let's go, Baam."
As they left, Hansung called out with a knowing tone, "Be careful. That bag you're carrying seems rather heavy."
Once outside, Khun asked, "How did you know that would work?"
Baam shrugged. "There was no way to tell which door was correct. The administrator said all the clues were already given—like the screams, the time limit, and the clock. It wasn't about choosing the right door. It was about whether we could choose at all before time ran out."
Khun frowned. "So you just picked one at random?"
Baam nodded. "There was no other way."
Khun sighed. "You really risked our lives on a gut feeling?"
Baam smiled softly. "Sometimes, that's the only choice you get."
---
After the test concluded, the Regulars were given a short break.
As they walked down a corridor, Baam asked quietly, "Hey, Khun… The princess Hansung Yu mentioned…"
Khun cut him off. "Sorry. I'd rather not talk about it."
"O-oh. Got it," Baam said, falling silent as he followed behind.
Soon, everyone gathered in a wide waiting hall.
Baam wandered over to a vending machine, eyes scanning the unfamiliar food and drink options.
Khun came up beside him and whispered, "Do you have any points?"
Baam looked puzzled. "Points? No... What are those?"
"They're the Tower's currency," Khun explained. "Digital, stored in your Pocket. You need them to buy anything."
As they talked, someone approached.
He was average in appearance, with a purple jumpsuit, dimples, and short-cropped hair. Friendly energy radiated from him.
"Money mode," the man announced.
He tapped the vending machine screen with his Pocket. The screen flashed green.
Ding\~
A drink slid out.
He picked it up and handed it to Baam. "Here you go."
"Thank you," Baam said gratefully.
"No problem. I'm Shibisu. You passed the test too, huh? Lucky guy."
He glanced at Khun and Rak standing nearby.
"You guys as well? Nice to meet you."
Khun gave a polite nod. Rak stayed silent, arms crossed.
Shibisu pointed to the people standing behind him. "That's Anaak, and the guy with the sword is Hatz. What's your name?"
"I'm Baam," he replied.
Baam, huh? Doesn't know about points... maybe he's from a really isolated place, Shibisu thought, his eyes briefly flicking to the sword wrapped in bandages at Baam's side.
He nodded toward Rak. "And who's the big guy?"
Rak stepped forward. "You may call me The Leader."
Khun smirked. "You can call him 'Gator.' I'm Khun."
Shibisu chuckled. "What a team. Want a drink too?"
"Sure," Khun said, accepting.
As they waited, Shibisu turned to Baam. "I hope we make it to the end together."
"Huh?" Baam tilted his head.
"You and I," Shibisu said. "We seem pretty average compared to the monsters around here. I kind of feel for you."
"For me?"
"Yeah. Seeing you somehow gives me a weird sense of motivation," Shibisu admitted, grinning.
They chatted a bit more before heading to the cafeteria.
The dining area was spacious—large enough to accommodate creatures much bigger than humans.
Behind the counter, an octopus-like being wore a chef's hat and uniform, multitasking with multiple limbs.
Khun stepped forward. "Food for two, please."
"Hello, Regulars," the chef greeted pleasantly as he began plating their meals—basic portions with rice, meat, and sides.
Khun eyed the food. "Can we get more?"
"Sorry," the cook replied. "Food is rationed. If you want seconds, you'll need to spend points."
"…That's fine," Khun muttered. He had plenty but didn't feel like wasting any.
The three found a table and sat down.
Khun and Baam ate slowly, savoring their first real meal in a while.
Rak, meanwhile, devoured his plate in seconds, then looked around hungrily—as if ready to eat the table too.