Chapter 9: Shock
A/N: Thanks For Your Continuous Support On Patreon.
The Hide and Seek game came to an end as Team B secured victory, but almost half the team was injured, and they were injured by their own teammates. Ho died according to the story. Kalon was not able to complete his harvesting request because the connection of the television in the waiting room that showed Team B was cut off. However, he was able to see the fight between Hatz and Quant. In his eyes, the way Hatz handled the sword or Quant, a Ranker, avoided the sword was too slow, and there were many wasted movements made by Hatz, which Quant was able to take advantage of.
The next day, Lero-Ro made an announcement to meet him at the auditorium at six to hear the names of the Regulars who qualified for the final test.
Kalon just washed up and went out to have breakfast. He was also going to climb up the Tower, but he had a backup plan if the list of qualified Regulars did not include his name, as he had not really shown much of his strength in the game.
"Same as usual," Kalon said to the big, round people behind the cafeteria counter. He still did not know their names, nor was he interested in knowing.
"How do you survive eating the same thing for breakfast daily?" a voice sounded from behind. It was Endorsi as usual, with her hair tied up. Kalon did not turn around to talk.
"Here."
"Thank you," Kalon calmly took his tray and walked towards his usual spot. Endorsi just huffed but did not follow him. Instead, she walked towards the direction where Khun was sitting.
Kalon did not eavesdrop on their conversation, though he knew what the discussion was about.
He continued walking, holding his tray, and looked around him. He saw that many of the faces that were here in the beginning were no longer around. Even his friends, Squidshark and Tryllo, who were in Team B, had been injured by the Ranker, which had made them lose their motivation to continue climbing the Tower.
Kalon went to see them and tried to recharge their motivation, but they both were firm in their decision. Kalon thought about what they had said when he asked what they were planning to do once they went back. Squidshark said that his parents were still young—only a hundred years old.
Kalon was about to say some rude words but swallowed them when he heard Squidshark saying that his parents were "only" a hundred years old and that his father was a loan shark in the outer area of the Tower, while Tryllo had been hired to protect Squidshark inside the Tower.
"Kalon, what about you? Do you think you will be chosen?" Squidshark suddenly asked. Kalon just smiled and said, "Well, I will walk till the end. And you should too. You are better than many other Regulars who were gravely injured and could not even attempt the next test if they wanted to."
"Kalon, you were not there. I was in Team B, and I saw what real monsters are like. That Bam kid—we thought he was the weakest but turned out to be the strongest. The Princess betrayed their own teammates to make the selection easy. Seeing all that made me wonder if I was truly fit to climb this cruel Tower. Although I am a son of a loan shark and I have no right to talk about good or bad, my father has always been kind to others. Even when some people were unable to repay their loans, my father forgave them if what they said was true. But my father also paid others to build his reputation as a cruel loan shark who would do anything to get his money back."
Kalon had never seen Squidshark talk so much. It truly showed how disappointed he was in himself.
"So what? Even if the Tower is cruel, you aren't. Become stronger—so strong that you can influence the rules of this Tower. Like how other Rankers are—some are kind, some are eccentric, some are hot-tempered, some hypocrites, and so on," Kalon said, trying to motivate Squidshark and Tryllo.
"Ranker? I should be alive to be able to become one first. Tryllo is also the same. We have made this decision after a lot of thought." Squidshark turned his face towards Tryllo, who nodded in agreement with what Squidshark had said.
"Well, I am lucky to have a friend like you, Kalon. Even though we had cut off our connection to you after seeing how you were and made new friends, only you came to visit us and persuade us to change our decision." Squidshark stood up and walked towards Kalon, who was standing near the door, to give him a hug.
Kalon also responded by patting him on the back.
Tryllo was trying to hold himself back. Being the big guy he was, how could he show such degrading behavior towards those weaker than him? Kalon saw this and walked towards Tryllo.
"Hey big guy, what are you going to do out there?"
"I am going back to my clan," Tryllo answered, and Kalon no longer asked any more questions. As he grabbed the door knob, he said without turning back, "Once I become a High Ranker, I will visit you both in the Outer Area."
With that, Kalon walked out.
Inside the room, Squidshark and Tryllo burst out in laughter after hearing Kalon say that he would become a High Ranker. It should be noted that High Rankers are beings on a completely different level—even a hundred Rankers are not a match for them. But they thought that their friend was just trying to uplift their mood, which he was successful in.
They did not know that one day this friend, who had walked with them in the Tower and was called the weakest, would become one of the strongest, reaching the level of King of the Tower. And how lucky they would feel to have walked with the future strongest in his youth.
...
Back in the arena, the moment of truth arrived. The golden screen shimmered again, and Lero-Ro stepped forward.
"These are the Regulars who have passed the test and will proceed to the next stage," he announced. Slowly, names began to appear on the screen.
[Successful Candidates of Final Position]
Fisherman:
Androssi, Cheonhwa Hong, Blarouge, Anak Zahard.
Spear-Bearer:
Akryung, Rak Wraithraiser, Paracule, Amigoharz.
Scout:
Shibisu, Hatz, Seonwoo.
Light-Bearer:
Khun Aguero Agnes, Kalon, Levin.
Wave Controller:
Bam, Laure.
Cheers erupted among those whose names had appeared, while others remained silent, their disappointment evident. For some, the Tower's call had ended here, their dreams cut short.
However, among those who did not pass, frustration boiled over. A failed Regular stood abruptly and began shouting at Test Director Yu Han Sung.
Yu Han Sung gestured for the enraged Regular to come closer.
Stupid. Kalon put his head down on the desk, shaking his head at the idiotic behavior of the Regular confronting the Test Director. Kalon, meanwhile, felt a quiet satisfaction. He had passed and could now take the usual test Yu Han Sung would assign based on his observations.
Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed through the room. The failed Regular, who had approached Yu Han Sung in anger, fell to the ground, writhing and screaming in agony. Yu Han Sung had barely lifted a finger.
Kalon lifted his head momentarily to glance at the scene before letting it fall back onto the desk. A High Ranker's methods were on a completely different level—this was just another reminder.
The room grew tense as Yu Han Sung turned to address the rest of the Regulars.
Khun Aguero Agnes stood up, his voice cutting through the silence. "I'm against this decision," he said sharply. His tone held defiance as he stared at Yu Han Sung.
Yu Han Sung smiled faintly, his calm demeanor unshaken. "Your objection has been noted," he replied coolly.
Kalon stood from his seat, unwilling to involve himself in the growing argument. His steps were silent as he made his way toward the exit, hoping to avoid any further drama.
"Mr. Kalon," Yu Han Sung called from the stage. His fox-like grin widened as he spoke, his voice carrying across the auditorium. "Are you not against this decision? Your teammates have also been disqualified because of their injuries."
The entire room fell silent as every eye turned to Kalon. He paused mid-stride, feeling the weight of their stares. Without turning to face them, he looked directly at Yu Han Sung.
"Oh, that," Kalon said, his expression and voice flatter than usual. "Test Director, you see, my teammates had already decided to quit. And I am not strong enough to take part in the Floor Administrator's test like the others, so I will take part in the usual test that you decide. I believe in cutting my coat according to my cloth."
The room erupted in laughter at his statement. Even Lero-Ro, who rarely let his guard down, allowed himself a small smirk.
Yu Han Sung's expression, however, remained unreadable. His gaze lingered on Kalon before he gestured for the room to quiet down.
"Very well, Mr. Kalon," Yu Han Sung said, his voice dripping with curiosity. "Since you are the only participant for the test I had prepared, I believe it would be unfair to you. I will modify the test."
The room grew still, and Kalon turned back to face the Test Director.
"You now only have to push me one step back," Yu Han Sung declared. His voice was loud enough for all to hear, and the Regulars in the room gasped at the absurdity of his proposal. "Yes, you may use any position, any move you've learned. I will allow you to attempt to push me just one step back."
Kalon froze, his body trembling. But it wasn't fear that gripped him—it was excitement.
The Regulars around him, however, thought differently.
"Is that even allowed?" one of them murmured.
"How could he possibly pass the test alone?"
"Does he think he's more talented than the Irregular?" Paracule sneered, holding his long head high. "Learning every position in just a few days? The Irregular barely managed to use one Bang of Shinsu in a day!"
The murmurs turned into a cacophony of disbelief and mockery.
Kalon halted his stride and turned to face Yu Han Sung, his body rigid but his eyes alight with determination.
"Okay," he said, his voice breaking slightly under the weight of his own anticipation.
The room fell silent again, stunned by his response.
Yu Han Sung smiled slightly, his fox-like eyes narrowing with intrigue. Lero-Ro, standing nearby, frowned deeply. As the instructor for the Lightbearer position, he was all too aware of Kalon's average performance. Pitting him against a High Ranker seemed cruelly unfair.
"Director…" Lero-Ro began, his voice hesitant.
Yu Han Sung raised a hand to silence him. "This is his choice," the Test Director said simply.
Kalon stood firm, his hands clenched at his sides as his mind raced. The prospect of facing Yu Han Sung, a High Ranker and prodigy, wasn't terrifying—it was thrilling.
The Regulars murmured among themselves, some scoffing, others shaking their heads in disbelief.
"Does he really think he can do it?" one whispered.
"Maybe he's just trying to save face," another replied.
Meanwhile, Kalon's lips curved into a small smile. The weight of the challenge was immense, but for the first time in a long while, he felt alive.