The cave felt colder now, the silence heavier. Baam stared at the spot where Rachel had stood, his heart pounding.
He didn't understand this world or its rules, but he refused to stay in this cave forever. He made a silent vow—he would find Rachel and enter the Tower.
As the moonlight faded and darkness reclaimed the cave, Baam got up and chased after Rachel.
The tunnel was dim, the path uneven, but he pressed forward. Soon, he caught up to her, grabbing her arm. They both tumbled to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Wait, where are you going, Rachel?" Baam asked between heavy breaths.
Rachel looked at him plainly. "Remember what I told you, Baam? If I reach the top of the Tower, I can go to the outer world. I'll see the blue sky during the day and starlight at night."
She placed her hands on his face. "I'm tired of living in this darkness. I'm sorry, Baam. Let me be born again."
"Wait, Rachel, don't go! If you go, I'll follow you until the end!" Baam shouted.
But his words were in vain. Rachel was already enveloped in light, slipping beyond his grasp.
---
Baam collapsed from sheer exhaustion.
In his dream, he saw a god—so vast that even the clouds could only conceal him from the waist up. The god strode toward a tower and stepped atop it. His arms, colossal like the rest of him, stretched outward. At his gesture, the tower began to grow—expanding and expanding, far beyond what the human mind could grasp, until it engulfed an infinite cosmos.
Then a door appeared, sealing the tower like a veil of mist, obscuring all beyond it.
Baam jolted awake. His eyes were unfocused as he tried to make sense of the dream's meaning.
Rising to his feet, his vision gradually cleared. He didn't understand what he had seen.
Before him now stood a majestic door—hundreds of meters high and wide. Ethereal and unearthly, it shimmered without substance.
He stepped forward and placed his hand against it. It wasn't truly solid; no matter how hard he pushed, it wouldn't move.
Baam sat down again on the cold stone of the cave, gazing silently at the door.
'I can't open it. Then how am I supposed to enter? There must be a way,' he thought, glancing around.
Time passed.
Then, the ancient doors of the tower began to creak open.
Colors bled away from the world as a deep crevice split down the center. From within, a light burst forth—so radiant it eclipsed the glow of the door itself.
Baam instinctively shut his eyes. And as the light enveloped him, his form vanished.
High above, a solitary light shimmered amid whirling mists and howling winds.
The entrance to the first floor had finally received a visitor.
Baam blinked, disoriented.
'Where am I?'
He found himself inside a vast stone hall. Faint lamps flickered along the walls, casting eerie shadows over engravings of ancient figures.
Baam slowly stood up. Before he could make sense of his surroundings, a voice called out behind him.
"My, my, it's been a while since we've had a visitor like you."
Baam spun around. A tall, rabbit-like humanoid approached, moving with an air of authority. Its ears were long and pointed, its thin face unreadable. In its hand, it held a strange spinning staff.
"Who... who are you?" Baam took a wary step back.
"Whoa, no need to be afraid," the creature said, chuckling. "It's been ages since someone opened the gate by themselves. Welcome to the Tower, young man."
Baam hesitated but finally answered, "My name is the 25th Baam. It's the day I was born."
"Hah, what a mouthful. I'll just call you Baam," the creature said with a chuckle. "My name is Headon. I am the Guardian of the First Floor of the Tower."
He continued, "Each floor has its own Guardian, one assigned to oversee it. I happen to be the one for the first."
Baam gave a slight nod. "I see. May I ask—how many floors are there in total?"
Headon grinned, flashing his prominent front teeth. "That's something you'll have to discover for yourself—as you climb."
Baam paused in silence, thinking.
It doesn't matter how I got here or why. What matters is that I won't survive if I return to that cave.
He looked at the strange rabbit-like figure.
"Are there others inside?" Baam asked.
"Indeed," Headon replied. "Each floor is home to millions of inhabitants."
Baam frowned slightly. "Do they all climb the Tower?"
"Not all," Headon said. "Only those I choose."
Baam tilted his head. "Then… have I been chosen?"
Headon's smile widened, reaching his eyes. "No. You weren't chosen by me. This is an unusual case—you came in on your own."
He raised his staff and pointed it at Baam. "The Tower itself chose you. The only question now is: are you willing to climb?"
Baam hesitated. "What does that mean?"
Headon's voice dropped into something quieter, almost amused. "That, you'll have to find out for yourself.
So, Baam, how did you end up here?"
Baam straightened. "I followed a girl. She had blonde hair. Did she come through here?"
Headon tilted his head, tapping his staff. "Hmm... a girl with blonde hair?"
"Yes! Have you seen her? Do you know where she went?" Baam pressed.
"Well, that is..." Headon trailed off.
"Please, tell me where she is! I have to find her!" Baam pleaded.
Headon suddenly raised his staff. "All answers lie above. That's all I can tell you."
Baam followed his gaze upward, where a strange purple light shimmered.
"If you seek answers, if you seek that girl," Headon continued, "then head up. The truth, glory, and happiness of the world—whether it be wealth, immortality, absolute power, magical abilities, waifus, or mysteries—everything lies above."
The air around them grew heavy as Headon's voice echoed through the chamber.
"But remember, young man," he warned, "the journey is harsh and painful."
Baam stood still for a moment before clenching his fists. His voice was resolute. "I'll take any risk... just to see her again."
Headon grinned. "Excellent. I like your resolve. But first, let's see if you're qualified to climb the Tower."
Baam's expression hardened. "What do you mean by test?"
"In this Tower, each floor has a test," Headon explained. "Only by passing these trials—set by the administrators and rulers of each floor—can one ascend. Naturally, the difficulty increases the higher you go."
"So if I want to climb... I have to pass your test first," Baam muttered.
"Precisely!" Headon tapped his staff against the ground.
A massive gate materialized behind him, revealing a vast sea. The waves rolled and tumbled in the air, like currents in an ocean.
In the water, something stirred. A colossal creature with dark, writhing red tentacles emerged from the depths.
The gigantic, fish-like beast had a long tail and two drifting appendages, gliding silently through the waves.
Baam took a step back. "What... is that?"
"The test of the First Floor," Headon said nonchalantly. "See that human-sized sphere? That's the 'ball.' Your task is simple—pop it."
Baam's gaze flickered between the ball and the monstrous eel lurking in the water. "And the giant sea creature?"
"Ah, yes. That would be the White Armored Eel," Headon mused. "It usually has a mild temperament, but this is its spawning season... and it hasn't eaten in months." His grin widened. "It's rather aggressive right now."
Baam remained silent.
"Are you afraid?" Headon asked, crossing his arms. "If you can't even face this, how do you expect to climb the Tower? How do you plan to find that girl?"
Baam swallowed hard. "Mr. Headon... That eel looks incredibly strong. I'm just a normal human. How am I supposed to defeat it?"
Headon chuckled. "Yes, it's nearly impossible for someone like you. The eel is fast—far quicker than you could ever be in Shinsu. You'll be nothing but food for it."
Baam gritted his teeth.
"Rather than throwing your life away, perhaps you should forget about all this and move on," Headon suggested.
'Is he asking me to die? How can I live without Rachel?' Baam thought.
---
Meanwhile, high above, two figures watched the scene unfold.
"Evan, look over there," Yuri said, leaning against the floor opening. "That's the new guy with Headon."
Evan peered down. "Hmm. He looks agile, but his body is small. Doesn't seem like a cross-species hybrid... and I don't sense any overwhelming strength like the other Irregulars. He's just an ordinary human."
Yuri sighed. "Tch. What a waste. I was expecting something interesting."
Evan folded his arms. "It is odd, though. The Irregular before him—Urek Mazino—was absurdly strong. But this guy? He might not even qualify for the test."
"I agree," Yuri muttered. "And isn't it a bit much to throw a White Steel Eel at him? That kind of thing is usually used in tests above the 20th floor..."
Evan shrugged. "Maybe he's trying to scare the boy into giving up. Even if he takes the test, he'll just die."
Yuri tapped her chin, watching Baam closely. "Poor kid. We don't need any more chaos... Irregulars have never brought anything but trouble to the Tower. Should we give him a hand?"
Evan's eyes widened. "What?! W-why would we do that?!"
"For a little excitement," Yuri said with a smirk. "Irregulars always shake things up."
Evan flailed his arms. "No! You absolutely shouldn't interfere! If the King finds out, we're dead! DEAD, you hear me?!"
"Ugh! Relax!" Yuri groaned. "Besides, he probably won't even take the test."