The aftermath of the Crown Game unfolded with a series of unexpected twists that left the participants and observers alike in stunned silence. Mask, the mysterious figure who had challenged Bam for the crown, was revealed to be a red-haired girl after Bam's unknown attack shattered her facial mask. Blood poured from the gash across her face, and her agonized scream echoed through the arena. I watched from the sidelines, having been eliminated earlier, but this… this was something beyond what I had expected.
Bam had collapsed right after the attack, unconscious from the heavy blow Mask had dealt him moments earlier. Rachel, the girl who Bam seemed to hold in some deep, unspoken reverence, rushed to his side, calling out his name in a mix of panic and worry. Her voice barely reached him, as Bam remained still, his face pale and bruised from the impact.
The game, which had spiraled into chaos, came to an abrupt end. No one was declared the winner. The eerie silence that followed felt heavier than any victory or defeat could have. The Regulars were given three days of rest after the game, but the Tower was never truly quiet. It seemed that the events of the Crown Game had stirred something larger, something unseen.
In the aftermath, Lero-Ro, the Ranker who had been overseeing the tests, sought out Yu Hansung, the enigmatic figure who controlled the proceedings of this Floor. I wasn't supposed to overhear their conversation, but as I walked through the corridors, I noticed the two of them in a secluded room, deep in discussion.
"Strange," Lero-Ro said, leaning against the wall with his arms folded, "I thought your intention was to send that dreaded three-man team that destroyed Quant's survival test up to the next Floor immediately. But not only did they give up the crown, they ended up helping Bam."
Yu Hansung sat calmly, his fingers steepled together in thought. "There are always more layers to these tests than you realize, Lero-Ro. This test wasn't just about weeding out the weak—it was about identifying the greatest threat."
Lero-Ro raised an eyebrow. "The black sheep, you mean?"
Yu Hansung's smile was thin, his eyes glittering with some secret knowledge. "Precisely. The Tower needs to be rid of those who would break its rules."
There was a moment of silence between them before Lero-Ro pressed on, his tone more serious. "You're talking about Bam, aren't you?"
Yu Hansung didn't respond right away, but his silence spoke volumes. When he finally did speak, his voice was measured. "There is something… unusual about Bam. The attack he used against Mask—he manipulated shinsu in a way that should be impossible for someone outside the Ten Great Families."
Lero-Ro nodded, his expression contemplative. "It reminded me of something… or rather, someone. Urek Mazino."
The mention of Urek Mazino sent a ripple of tension through the air.Mazino, one of the most feared and powerful Irregulars to ever climb the Tower. His abilities with shinsu were legendary—he could manipulate it freely, defying the very laws of the Tower. For Bam to be compared to him, even vaguely, was unsettling.
"Do you really think Bam could be like Urek?" Lero-Ro asked, his voice low.
Yu Hansung's eyes narrowed slightly. "It's possible. But that's what we're here to find out, isn't it?"
Lero-Ro exhaled sharply and glanced away, his gaze falling on the window as if looking for answers in the distant horizon. "And what of the others? The boy, Kael—his abilities reminded me of the Skybender Tenzar"
Yu Hansung waved a hand dismissively, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—interest, perhaps. "Kael's potential is significant, but he lacks the refinement to be of true concern. Skybending is a powerful ability, but without the proper mindset, it is nothing more than a tool. His performance in the Crown Game was proof enough of that. He's not like Bam."
The conversation between the two Rankers was a revelation, not just about Bam, but about the nature of the Tower itself. Everything had layers, and nothing was as simple as it seemed.
Meanwhile, in another part of the Tower, Khun sat beside Bam's unconscious form, watching over him. Bam had been out for two days now, and Khun's worry was beginning to show. Bam had taken a hard hit from Mask, and though he had defended himself in the end, it seemed to have taken a toll on him.
The door to the room creaked open, and Rachel stepped in, her face pale and strained. Khun glanced at her but said nothing, his sharp eyes observing her every move. She walked quietly over to Bam's bedside and sat down, her gaze fixed on his face.
"They told me he hasn't woken up," Rachel said softly, more to herself than to Khun.
"He hasn't," Khun replied, his voice clipped. "The next test starts soon, and if he doesn't wake up before then…" He trailed off, the worry in his voice more pronounced than usual.
Rachel stayed silent for a long moment, then looked up at Khun. "Do you know how we met?"
Khun raised an eyebrow, slightly caught off guard by the sudden question, but he said nothing, letting her continue.
"Bam… he was alone for so long. Outside the Tower, he didn't have anyone. No friends, no family. Nothing. When I found him, he was like a lost child. I became everything to him. His whole world."
Khun's expression remained neutral, but his mind raced as he listened to her words.
Rachel's voice wavered slightly as she went on, "But my goal has always been to climb the Tower. To see the stars at the top. That's why I left him behind. I couldn't take him with me. He wouldn't understand."
Khun leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "So why are you here now?"
"Because Bam doesn't belong with me," Rachel said, her voice firm despite the sadness in her eyes. "His only goal is to be with me, but that's not what I want. I need to climb the Tower. And for him to survive, he has to climb without me. I need you to make sure he doesn't know I'm here. He has to think I've already left for the next Floor."
Khun stared at her, trying to read her intentions, but Rachel's resolve was clear. She truly believed that leaving Bam behind was the right thing for him, and maybe for her as well. But something about it didn't sit right with Khun. Even so, he nodded slowly. "Fine. I'll play along."
Rachel looked relieved, though her face was still etched with guilt. She stood up and gave one last glance at Bam before quietly leaving the room.
After Rachel left, Rak barged in, his usual loud demeanor subdued for once. He stomped over to Bam's bedside, his large hands resting on his hips. "Turtle hasn't woken up yet? This is ridiculous! We need him for the next test."
Khun glanced up at Rak. "He'll wake up. He has to."
Despite the bravado, there was a genuine concern behind Rak's words. Even the usually brash and overconfident gator seemed worried about Bam's condition. Khun, Rak, and even Rachel were all waiting for the same thing—for Bam to wake up. But as the days passed, that hope began to feel more fragile.
Meanwhile, Anaak sat in her own room, staring at the Black March. The weapon, which Bam had wielded during the Crown Game, now lay in her possession. By all rights, Bam had lost the bet, and the weapon was hers. But the Black March didn't seem interested in her at all. No matter how many times she tried to communicate with it, the weapon ignored her, remaining silent and inert in her hands.
She sighed in frustration and tossed the Black March aside, glaring at it. "Why won't you respond to me? I won the bet. You belong to me now."
Shibisu, who had been sitting nearby, watched the entire ordeal with a bemused expression. "Maybe it's because it's a woman's weapon," he said, half-jokingly. "It doesn't seem to like you much."
Anaak shot him a glare that could've melted steel. "It's not that."
But Shibisu wasn't convinced. He reached for the Black March, grinning. "Let me give it a try. Maybe it's just waiting for the right man."
Before he could even lay a hand on it, the Black March zapped him with a burst of shinsu, sending him flying across the room. He hit the wall with a loud thud and groaned in pain. "Okay… maybe not."
Anaak smirked, shaking her head. "Idiot."
As they bickered, the girl from the dreaded three-man-team who had spoken to Anaak during the Crown Game entered the room. She approached Anaak with a calm, confident stride, her eyes lingering on the Black March.
"I know who that weapon belongs to," she said quietly. "Yuri Jahad. It's part of the 13 Month Series."
Anaak's expression darkened at the mention of Yuri Jahad. "So what?"
The girl smiled, though there was something dangerous in her gaze. "You're a fake. You don't have the right to wield the Black March."
Anaak's temper flared, and she lunged at the girl, but the stranger easily dodged her attack, stepping out of reach with a graceful move. "Don't get so angry. I'm just stating the facts."
Anaak glared at her, fists clenched. "What do you want?"
"I want to know more about Rachel," the girl said. "You know Bam, don't you? You know he's connected to her."
Anaak's expression shifted slightly, her anger giving way to curiosity. "Rachel? What does she have to do with any of this?"
The girl shrugged. "Not much. I just know that she's avoiding Bam. They're connected, but she doesn't want him around. It's strange."
Anaak considered the girl's words, her brow furrowing. "Is Rachel strong?"
The girl shook her head. "No, not really. But she's different. She doesn't belong in the same world as the rest of us. You'll see."
With that, the girl left, leaving Anaak with more questions than answers.