When the timer expired, all the formed teams vanished, teleported to the next testing zone.
Now, the survivors of the first test walked through a long corridor aboard a massive ship. Each carried a unique presence, and all of them looked formidable—these were the ones who had made it past the initial carnage.
Among the groups was a peculiar team: two individuals who had clashed earlier but now walked side by side as allies.
Baam glanced over.
An average-looking boy in a purple jacket grinned as he turned to his teammate. "Feels like the real test starts now. Excited, Hatz?"
Hatz ignored him completely, eyes fixed forward.
Undeterred, the boy turned to another teammate—a green-skinned lizard girl. "How about you, Anaak? Pumped?"
Anaak shot him an annoyed look. "Oh, thrilled. Teaming up with someone as useless as you? A dream come true."
Shibisu puffed out his chest. "Hah! I'll have you know I'm a deadly martial arts expert."
Neither of them looked convinced.
Nearby, two others chatted quietly. A blonde girl with a gourd slung across her back murmured, "I've never seen a place like this. It's scary."
The man beside her offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Lady Narae. I'll protect you."
Elsewhere, a devilish figure with wings stalked silently, drawing wary glances. Rumors of his ruthless kills during the first test followed him like a shadow. On his shoulder perched a tiny squirrel-like girl, more fairy than human.
Everywhere Baam looked, he saw strange and diverse individuals. The Tower truly housed many races—humans and otherwise.
Even among the chaos, one team had someone fast asleep. Two women walked beside him.
"Seriously," one of them grumbled, "why is he always sleeping? The next test's about to start. Can we really trust this guy?"
The other girl, dressed in white and golden-haired like a celestial figure, just laughed. "Trust me—he's stronger than he looks."
Baam watched quietly, taking it all in. "They all passed the test... Amazing."
Khun, walking beside him, nodded. "More than a hundred of them. But don't let that fool you. Many of these people have powers that defy reason. Some won't hesitate to cheat or betray. The Regulars from the residential zones—those chosen to climb—they all possess at least one defining strength. From here on, they're our enemies."
Between Baam and Khun walked Rak—a towering, crocodilian man who had reluctantly joined their team after some convincing from Khun. Rak was eager to fight strong opponents, referring to them as "prey."
---
After some time, everyone gathered in a vast hall. It was a moment of rest, and Baam took the opportunity to question Khun.
Khun explained that the Tower was divided into 134 floors, grouped into three main areas: the Inner Tower, the Middle Tower, and the Outer Tower.
The Inner Tower was where they were now—the domain of official tests for Regulars. Unauthorized access was impossible.
The Middle Tower was home to the elite: powerful families, wealthy citizens, and key figures—especially the infamous Ten Great Families. It also served as a transportation route between the Inner and Outer Towers. Khun himself had come from there.
Finally, the Outer Tower was the largest. It spanned across massive regions on every floor, housing diverse civilizations, cultures, and races—largely untouched by the control of the great families.
---
As Baam absorbed the flood of new information, a commotion broke out nearby. Two contestants were arguing—one had badly injured the other and was now being asked for "compensation."
Baam turned. "Should we stop them?"
Khun shook his head. "No need. Someone else will."
And sure enough, before the dispute escalated further, a booming voice echoed through the hall.
"I believe everyone was instructed to cease fighting. Are my words so easily ignored?"
The voice belonged to a tall man standing at the entrance of a corridor leading deeper into the ship.
At once, the aggressors backed down.
Baam blinked. "He barely said anything, and they stopped..."
Khun replied calmly, "Of course. He's a Ranker—and the test administrator."
"Ranker?" Baam asked.
"They're the ones who reached the top of the Tower," Khun explained. "They're ranked according to power and prestige. Only one or two in every ten thousand make it that far. They're monsters—beings on a different level."
Baam fell into thought. Reached the top?
He remembered Yuri and Evan from before—so casual, yet clearly far beyond the ordinary.
---
The contestants followed the administrator into a wide, open space.
"Everyone, stand over there," the man ordered, striding ahead.
He was tall—easily two meters—with pale blond hair and piercing golden eyes, beneath which sat two dark crescent marks. His attire was a sleek black-and-white lab coat paired with matching gloves and trousers.
"I'm Lero Ro," he said, turning to face them. "Test administrator—and a Ranker."
A murmur passed through the crowd as he continued, "First, congratulations on surviving the initial test. But before we proceed, there's one more hurdle. If you fail this, you're out."
Displeasure rippled through the gathered Regulars.
Seeing the reaction, Lero Ro raised his hands with a chuckle. "Relax. This is just a preliminary check—barely a test, really."
With a casual flourish, he lifted his hand. A transparent sphere of shimmering blue water formed in his palm.
He began to chant whimsically, "This way, and that way, here and there, and everywhere—boom!"
The orb exploded before anyone could react, unleashing a wave of energy that surged over them like a radiant blue tsunami.
When the wave subsided, a massive wall of glowing water now stood before them—glassy, humming, and motionless.
Lero Ro gestured to it. "This is Shinsu—the life force of the Tower. We breathe it, live in it, and use it. But don't be fooled. Concentrated Shinsu can shatter bones or crush a person outright."
He paused, letting the tension rise.
"Everyone in the Tower uses Shinsu to fight. But not everyone can handle it. If you react poorly to high-density Shinsu, you're not fit to climb."
He pointed to the wall. "Walk through it. If your body can't handle the pressure and pushes you back, your team fails. If you pass, you move on."
A voice shouted, "Wait! What if someone in our team can't get through?"
"Then the whole team fails," Lero Ro said flatly.
Outrage followed.
"That's insane!"
"We barely formed teams!"
"I shouldn't be punished because someone else is weak!"
Lero Ro silenced them with a raised hand.
"You think this is unfair? What you need most to climb the Tower is luck."
He paced slowly. "The luck to be born strong. The luck to find good allies. The luck to survive. You're all here because of it. Don't talk to me about fairness."
He swept his arm toward the wall. "Now quit whining and take the test."
Khun whispered to himself, "The gator should get through without issue... but Baam…"
Just then, a voice called out, "Hey! What about that guy?"
Everyone turned. A lone figure still stood inside the wall.
Lero Ro's eyes widened. His calm expression flickered with surprise.
"Where's Baam?" Khun muttered, looking around.
A quiet voice spoke up. "U-um… excuse me, Mr. Lero Ro. I wasn't pushed back. Should I go back and try again?"
Lero Ro stared for a moment. "No need. That's fine." He recovered quickly. "Maybe it was an error on my part—or maybe just luck. Either way, you pass."
Protests rose instantly.
"Hey, that's not fair!"
"Did he bribe the administrator?"
"This is rigged!"
But Khun, watching carefully, narrowed his eyes. No... we were right next to him. We got pushed back. That wasn't luck.
Unfazed by the uproar, Lero Ro continued, "By the way, you've only got fifteen minutes left."
One by one, the contestants began pressing against the wall.
At first, nothing happened. But the moment they tried to force their way through, the Shinsu turned dense and unyielding.
Minutes passed. Eventually, one Regular made it through—drawing gasps from those still struggling.
---
Lero Ro sat beside Baam. "You look bored. Want to make a bet to pass the time?"
"Huh?" Baam blinked in surprise.
"We'll guess who passes through the Shinsu wall first. If you win, I'll answer any question you have."
"Really?" Baam perked up.
"Yes. But if I win, you answer my question. Deal?"
"Okay." Baam nodded.
He scanned the group, pondering his choice. As he studied them, he noticed something strange—a faint glow surrounding one girl.
"I'll choose the green girl," Baam said.
"I pick the bob-cut girl," Lero Ro said simultaneously.
"Huh? We picked the same person."
Lero Ro raised an eyebrow. "Any reason you chose her?"
"Just a feeling," Baam said vaguely.
Moments later, Anaak stepped through the Shinsu wall effortlessly, shocking everyone.
Lero Ro smiled. "Looks like it's a tie."
"But tying with a Ranker is still impressive. I'll honor the bet—ask your question."
Baam's eyes lit up. "Really? Then… have you seen a blonde girl with freckles?"
Lero Ro thought for a moment. "No... I don't recall anyone like that in the tests I oversaw."
"I see…" Baam murmured, disheartened.
"Any other questions?" Lero Ro offered.
"In that case... tell me about Irregulars."
Lero Ro blinked, surprised. "That's quite the question. But sure…"
He leaned back slightly. "Irregulars are those who enter the Tower without being chosen by Headon. The Tower is divided into three parts: the Outer Tower, where most people live; the Inner Tower, where tests like these take place; and the Middle Area that connects them."
"Most people are born and raised in the Outer Tower. A few are chosen by Headon to climb. That's how Regulars enter."
Baam asked, "So… everyone else was born in the Tower?"
Lero Ro chuckled. "Of course. What a strange thing to ask."
"O-of course!" Baam said quickly, though his mind spun. So Rachel and I… are the only ones from another world?
Lero Ro continued, "Irregulars, on the other hand, force their way in. They're rare—and when they do appear, they tend to shake the Tower to its core."
"Are they... bad people?" Baam asked hesitantly.
"No, not inherently. It's just that the Irregulars who've shown up were... overwhelming. They brought massive change."
---
Suddenly, a loud voice broke the conversation.
"Damn it! How could this pathetic test eliminate me?"
A tall, muscular man shouted, drawing attention. "I don't know what this wall is made of, but I don't need some weird power. I'm the strongest one here!"
He pointed accusingly toward Baam. "And that weak little kid passed by accident? This whole thing's a joke!"
Lero Ro sighed and rose to his feet. He stepped through the Shinsu wall without effort and approached the man.
The Regular sneered. "What now? Gonna preach at me, Ranker? You think you're better than us? You look like a twig."
The growing commotion left Lero Ro with no choice but to respond.
He looked at the man, smiling coldly. "That was your final chance, and you still don't get it."
"What?"
"I'll show you something you need to understand." He lifted a single finger. "The power above."
A whirlpool of Shinsu surged into existence, swirling around the two of them.
The man instantly dropped to his knees, screaming in agony as the pressure crushed him. He clutched his head, veins bulging.
Lero Ro stood untouched, unaffected by the immense force.
"On the 30th floor and above, you'll be exposed to Shinsu this dense daily," he said, voice calm. "If you can't handle it now, you won't survive later."
He turned to address the rest. "Shinsu only grows denser as you climb. If this is your limit, turn back."
He then dismissed the whirlpool and looked at the fallen man.
"I won't deny your strength or determination. But this time... you simply weren't chosen."
The man, trembling, shouted in anguish, "I gave up everything for this! I have nothing left to go back to!"
Lero Ro said nothing at first. He returned to Baam's side and sat down.
"The gods are cruel," he murmured. "At first, it feels like the world is yours. Then one day, someone tells you, 'That's your limit,' even though there's still so much more you want."
He paused. "You can train. You can fight. But some things—like talent, aptitude, or luck—can't be changed."
Baam asked quietly, "Mr. Lero Ro… do I deserve to climb the Tower?"
Lero Ro looked at him thoughtfully. "I don't know. But I hope you find what you're looking for—whether you reach the top or not."
---
Time passed.
Rak charged through the wall effortlessly, roaring with pride. Khun followed with more difficulty, dragging his heavy bag behind him.
Eventually, the test ended. Of the original one hundred, only around half passed.
Baam stood. "Mr. Lero Ro, I should go."
Lero Ro nodded. "I hope we meet again."
"Thank you," Baam said with a bow.
As Baam walked off, Lero Ro called out, "One last thing—be careful around your teammate Khun. He comes from a dangerous family."
With that, the test concluded. Those who passed were led to a waiting area. The rest were unceremoniously eliminated—failing before the true trials even began.