After Lero Ro spoke, Baam collapsed from exhaustion. Without a word, Rak hoisted him onto his shoulder and carried him back to their room.
Khun stayed behind just long enough to retrieve the Green April. Anaak hesitated, but in the end, she handed it over.
Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a slender beam of gold across the floor. Beside the bed sat a young man with pale blue hair—Khun Aguero Agnis, the discarded son of the Khun family. His gaze rested on the sleeping boy before him, Baam, his expression distant and unreadable.
He couldn't stop thinking about it—that moment when Baam had called out for her.
He exhaled quietly.
Rachel, huh...
Leaving the room, Khun made his way to the cafeteria. As he stepped inside, he noticed a cloaked figure standing alone, her features barely visible beneath her hood. Blonde hair peeked out. Freckles dotted her face.
"Good morning, Mr. Khun," she greeted politely.
Khun's eyes narrowed, sharp with recognition. "Who are you? Why are you here?"
The girl pulled back her hood, revealing a pair of solemn yellow eyes.
"My name is Rachel," she said. "I'm... the one Baam is looking for."
Khun's gaze sharpened. "You're Rachel?"
She nodded, meeting his stare without flinching. "There's something I need to talk to you about."
Khun studied her for a long moment, then silently walked over to a corner and dragged a chair across.
"Sit."
She did so without hesitation.
Taking a breath, she began, her voice laced with hesitation. "I… I don't even know where to start."
Khun asked quietly, "You knew Baam?"
"Yes," she said, eyes downcast. "Before I entered the Tower. He was alone... and I was the only person he ever spoke to. The only one he had."
Khun leaned back, arms crossed. "And yet you left him behind."
"I warned him not to follow me," she said, voice low. "But he did. He always said he would, no matter what."
She glanced at him. "When I saw him during the Crown Game… I couldn't bring myself to take the crown. I wanted to help him win."
Rachel reached into her pocket and pulled out an apple, taking a small bite.
"I want to climb the Tower. That's my dream. But…" she hesitated, "being with me keeps Baam from chasing his own."
Khun raised an eyebrow, quietly listening.
"His only wish is to be with me. But if I stay with him, he won't move forward. That's why…" She looked up at him, a faint smile on her lips. "Please don't tell him who I am."
Khun's brow furrowed. "You want me to lie to him? Pretend you don't exist?"
Rachel nodded. "If he finds me, he'll cling to me. And if I stay, he'll stop climbing. I'll be the weight that keeps him from rising."
Khun stared at her, his voice tinged with disbelief. "If he means that much to you… why not climb together?"
She smiled softly. "Have you heard the legend? About what lies at the top of the Tower?"
Khun nodded slowly. "They say you can see the infinite sky… and the stars shining within it."
"I've dreamed of that since I was a child," Rachel whispered. "To stand beneath the open sky and see the stars for myself. That's the only thing I've ever truly wanted."
She paused, looking up with closed eyes, as if already envisioning the sight.
"I stayed behind for him. I even gave up the crown. But even now, when I close my eyes… I see that shining sky. That endless light… it fills my chest. It keeps me awake at night."
Khun watched her in silence, his expression unreadable—eyes thoughtful, contemplative.
---
When Baam finally woke up, his eyes blinked open to the familiar ceiling of their quarters.
"You're awake, Baam?" Khun's voice was calm, almost relieved.
"Khun...?" Baam murmured, groggy.
"You've been out for two days," Khun said, placing a cool cloth on Baam's forehead. "The next test has already started."
Baam sat up slightly, his expression tense. "Two days...? Did I—was I disqualified?"
Khun chuckled softly. "Worried about that, huh? Relax. You're lucky."
Baam slowly pushed himself up as Khun finished speaking. His head throbbed faintly, but that wasn't what made him freeze.
Floating in front of him—impossibly real and yet translucent—was a glowing blue screen. Letters shimmered across its surface, but he couldn't make sense of them right away.
"Khun... do you see that?" Baam asked, pointing at the space just above his bed.
Khun blinked. "See what?"
"That... that thing. In the air," Baam said, voice uncertain. "It's like... a screen?"
Khun's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Baam's expression. He turned to look where Baam pointed, then back at him. "Baam, there's nothing there."
Baam's brows furrowed. "You really can't see it?"
"No," Khun said after a pause. "There's nothing." His tone was measured, but a hint of concern crept in. "You've just woken up. You're probably still disoriented."
Baam didn't respond right away. His eyes lingered on the screen. It was still there—floating quietly, waiting.
Khun stood. "Lero Ro's called for us. I'll let him know you're awake." He gave Baam a quick glance. "Try to rest a little longer, okay?"
With that, Khun left the room.
Silence settled.
Baam stared at the screen again. Why couldn't Khun see it? Am I imagining things...?
He tilted his head, studying the edges of the display. The glowing lines were too precise to be a hallucination. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out and tapped the surface.
The moment his fingertip brushed the screen, it pulsed with light.
A soft chime echoed in his ears.
> Welcome, Host.
> You have awakened.
> Initializing...
> SYSTEM Online.
Baam's breath caught. System...?
The screen flickered again, as if responding to his thoughts.
> This System exists to assist you in growing stronger.
> Through it, you will gain tools, knowledge, and power.
> Adaptation to the Tower will now be accelerated.
Gain power...? Baam frowned. Why me?
He stared at the softly glowing text, his mind racing with questions. What was this thing? Why did it appear now, and why only to him?
But answers didn't come.
Instead, the screen dimmed slightly, as if waiting for his next move.
Baam let out a quiet sigh. He was still tired, and his body ached in places he didn't know could ache. Whatever this system was, it could wait—at least for now.
He lay back down, the faint glow of the screen lingering in the edge of his vision.
I'll figure it out later, he thought, eyes closing.
The Tower had always been full of mysteries.
Now, he had one of his own.
---
In another room—
Lero Ro stood before the seated Regulars, his expression calm and composed.
"The fourth test will begin after your positions are assigned," he announced.
The room fell silent, everyone listening attentively.
"Battles in the Tower are fought in teams," he continued. "Each of you will take on a specific role during combat. There are five basic positions."
He raised a finger.
"First, the Fisherman—frontline fighters who engage in close-quarters to medium-range combat using the reel inventory."
"Second, the Spear Bearer—ranged attackers who strike from a distance with deadly precision."
"Third, the Light Bearer—they illuminate the battlefield using a Lighthouse and relay vital information and battle data to the team."
"Fourth, the Scout—they move ahead of the team to gather intel about the environment and situation, and support the Fishermen."
"And finally, the Wave Controller—the battlefield commanders who manipulate Shinsu to support and disrupt."
"You'll be trained in the position you're assigned," he said. "Based on your performance, some of you will be selected to officially take on those roles."
There was a pause before he added, "The Wave Controller instructor, Yuga, has been delayed. Your training will begin tomorrow."
With that, the session ended, and the Regulars quietly made their way back to their rooms.
---
Every Regular who passed the tests and survived the Crown Game with their team intact was assigned a private room. Each room came fully stocked with essentials—everything one could need, save for a kitchen. That, however, was easily taken care of by the Tower's cafeteria.
It was also worth noting that by the time the Crown Game had ended, the provisional teams had already been disbanded.
After freshening up, Baam stepped out of his room and headed toward the cafeteria.
On the way, he ran into Khun. As they walked together, their conversation remained light.
"How are you feeling?" Khun asked.
Baam gave a small nod. "I feel fine. I should be completely okay by tomorrow."
Eventually, the cafeteria came into view—a wide hall lined with long tables and modest decor. Bright ceiling lights and large sunlit window walls left barely a shadow in sight.
It was already lively. Nearly half of the surviving Regulars were gathered there, eating and chatting. The atmosphere was noisy but not overwhelming.
Baam, unfamiliar with the food, let Khun order for both of them.
Using points for food still feels unfair… Baam thought.
Points were earned by completing tests and fulfilling performance quotas. In short, the better a Regular did, the more points they earned.
Fortunately, the Crown Game had its benefits. Not only had everyone received a base amount of points for passing, but Baam's team had earned bonus points for winning. That also gave them the privilege of advancing to the next floor, even if they failed the upcoming test.
With their food in hand, they found a spot where Rak was already seated.
The three of them ate together, occasionally chatting about the tests and the Tower. For Baam, this casual conversation was a valuable opportunity. As someone from outside the Tower, every piece of information was precious.
"Wow… you're really knowledgeable about this stuff," Baam murmured, eyes slightly dazed with curiosity.
"Yeah," Khun said with his mouth half-full. "You can find all sorts of things on the Box."
"The Box?" Baam tilted his head.
"It's a platform used by Light Bearers. A kind of information network—think of it like a blog for Light Bearers," Khun explained.
"How do you access it?"
"Through Lighthouses, like the floating cubes you saw Lero Ro use during the Crown Game. You can also use your Pocket, but the info there is limited."
Khun's voice grew louder as he explained, earning a few stares from nearby Regulars. Baam, however, paid them no mind.
The rest of the breakfast passed without much incident. Still, Baam found it useful.
But throughout it all, his thoughts kept drifting back to the mysterious system panel.
I'll check it again once I'm back in my room, he decided silently.