章 29: Hide and Seek - 5
A lone lighthouse stood alone in the darkness, illuminating a small circular area under it with an orange hue.
Under the lighthouse stood two humanoid figures, one evidently male and one female.
It was Serena and Hoh, the Scout and the wave controller.
Serena looked over into the darkness, her eyes holding a complicated gaze.
"Phew!" She breathed out.
"Phewwwwww!" She breaked out again, making Hoh look at her strangely.
Suddenly she spoke out.
"Hey, ho." She said.
"What?"
"I was just singing! Hey, ho! Hey, ho! Hahaha!" She laughed at her joke, holding her stomach while doing so.
Hoh looked at her with an annoyed expression, but couldn't quite tell what was wrong with her to act as so.
He stayed quiet and didn't speak.
"Hey, Hoh." She called out.
Hoh didn't say anything, choosing to stay quiet.
"I'm talking to you this time."
Hoh looked over towards her again.
"What?"
Serena sat down to the ground and cradled her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.
Then, she supported her head with her knees and looked sideways into the dark.
"Why... why did you come to the tower?"
Hoh looked at her in puzzlement.
"Pardon?"
"Why are you choosing to go up?" She asked.
"What this all of a sudden?" He asked, his eyes narrowing to some degree, not in suspicion, but perhaps reminiscent of some old vistas and memories that remain a thing of the far past.
"No, its just... watching Team A take the test just made me think a lot." She continued. "I feel... so down..." She sighed again.
Hoh didn't say anything, only looking at her.
"I was just an ordinary girl before this...
"I stole goods from ships in the outer tower. I was a thief. One day, on a ship we were planning on robbing, a ranker was there." Her lip quivered, as if in deep sadness.
"He was... so strong. I had heard of them before, but never thought he would be so monstrous... my partner was killed without any chance of resistance..." Serena looked over at Hoh's face, seeing him stay quiet.
"I was barely able to hide in time, and then, I prayed. I prayed with all my heart like I'd never before. I said, "If you're listening, please save me! My whole like has been nothing but crap until now!"" Serena looked towards the roof of the spherical structure, where darkness loomed like every other direction.
"And then..." her eyes clouded over momentarily, a strange memory appearing in her mind.
"A real "God" appeared before me." She didn't say anything for a few seconds afterwards, perhaps reminiscing about something.
"I didn't hesitate to take his hand and enter the tower. During the first brutal test to cut us down to 200, I didn't hesitate then as well." Serena laid down completely onto the ground, her eyes looking at the ceiling.
"Everytime I killed someone, I felt... free. Every time, I felt closer to becoming a ranker. I wanted such power. I craved for it, I wanted everything that the top had to offer." Her breath hicked for a moment.
"I just had so much... rage... I was lucky enough to pass the next test. And truly, I thought to myself
"Yes! I did it!"" She turned her head towards Hoh, her eyes clouding over slightly.
"But then, when I watched Team A take the test so earnestly... they all tried so hard to pass, all of them are good people... I thought to myself, would it really be worth it at the top of I have to climb up all of these people?" She huffed. "At that moment, I realized. I realized the thing that had been holding me up all this time, even on the test floor."
She gave out a crooked smile.
""Wow... this sucks", I thought."
Hoh continued to look at her face for a moment before speaking out.
"...Everyone had to prepare for that moment when they first came into the tower." He clenched his teeth.
"Me, you, or anyone that ever came into the tower, they all knew the price and were willing to pay for it." He looked down at his feet.
"Everyone understands... so don't worry." He said.
Serena stayed quiet for a moment.
"Then Hoh... if I were to use you as a stepping stone... if I were to cause your fall, you won't blame me?" She asked.
"I won't." Hoh said without hesitation.
"I am prepared for failure. Eventually, someone else will use me as a stepping stone." Hoh also flashed a crooked smile.
"Isn't that... isn't that how it is from day one?" He turned his back towards her.
"So let's not blame each other."
Serena looked at his back for a moment, feeling unsure about her conflicting emotions.
~~~
Hatz stood alone in a narrow staircase, his swords drawn out as he looked towards the bottom.
His eyes were narrowed down as he tried to get a clearer view of the darkness. Sadly, he had not yet mastered Shinsu sense, something that could be used to sense everything around oneself; a must have ability for a scout.
The two spear bearers which had accompanied him had just recently tried to turn on him and use him as bait; for something they called their 'Spear Bearer Revolution.' It went without saying that they stood no chance against him. However, just when he was going to teach them a proper lesson, he felt the ranker appear.
Sweat poured from his forehead as he looked on in wait for the ranker. Swords were especially hard to swing in a high density shinsu area, meaning in an environment like the current one, Hatz was fighting at at best, 40% of his true combat potential, a skill issue in accordance to him.
Along with that, he wasn't completely sure about the skill level of the two spear bearers he had instructed to lie in wait for an opportunity. If anything, they might choose to betray the team and run off.
Hatz tightened his grip on the sword, dispelling the thoughts out of his mind.
All I can do right now is trust them! He vowed.
His eyes looked on, waiting for the ranker to arrive.
I thought he would be happy after taking care of Team A... but the waves of his fury are reaching me all the way here through the shinsu...
"Lights to the front!" He commanded the observer that rushed above him and cast it's light to the front.
Just then, something rushed out from down the stairs, climbing each step with frightening speed.
Whoooosh!
Hatz slashed with his sword, only to meet the air as the ranker ducked beneath it. Then, the ranker jumped towards him, throwing a fist at his abdomen which was blocked by his arm.
Hatz was pushed back, his arm badly bruised. The ranker didn't delay any longer, jumping ahead once more and throwing another punch at him, one that was again blocked by his arm. Then, making use of the opportunity, Hatz slashed down with his sword towards the ranker, his sword cutting through the shinsu in the air.
Shaaaa!
Crack!
A small straight crack formed in the stairs, his sword again not meeting it's intended target.
"Wow! I knew you were strong in my class but such skill is commendable!" The ranker praised. "But compared to Arie swordsmanship, its not too great." He lamented.
As he spoke, a storm rapidly brew in Hatz's head.
He punched me with all his weight and stepped back to avoid my strike at such a close range! And all of that was done on the same foot! He thought grimly.
I see. I understand. He grinned a bit as he looked on towards Quant. His movements aren't just exceptional for a human. No, this man in front of me... he's no longer a human.
He is a different species than any other that exists in the tower!
The Ranker!
~~~
"The ranker is here!" Came Hatz's voice from the lighthouse. Serena and Hoh who were sitting around in the darkness immediately jumped in fright.
"Damn! He's here already!? Let's go Hoh!" Serena yelled as she began to run through the dark.
However, just when she looked back, she couldn't find anyone.
"Eh?" She looked around.
"Hoh?!"
~~~
The fisherman group walked along towards the exit, still traversing the second circle. Winston trotted along without saying anything. In his hand, he twirled a small coin, pale blue in colour with frightening proficiency.
Physicals currency in the tower was rare, at least in terms of dealing between regulars. Otherwise, it was plenty abundant in the middle and the outer tower. What he held was a silver coin, inland with 3% pure suspendium, something he had bought from Khun at the discounted price of 200 points.
Winston smiled as he remembered the trade deal. With some research he had figured out that suspendium was especially pricey in all respects, no matter how impure it was. As such, the coin he held in his hands was of at least a value of 800 points.
However, Swindlers were indeed good at deception and trickery. Somehow, he had managed to cut off the deal to a measly sum of 200 points.
He twirled in around his fingers, looking at Endorsi and Bam who walked at the forefront of the group.
Slowly, he drew in closer to listen in to their conversation.
It wasn't anything worth Winston's benefits, only Endorsi telling Bam about her background, which, for some reason the Princess deemed right to be discusses in the middle of a test.
Suddenly, as the princess was busy telling her story to the boy, a voice yelled out from the lighthouse.
"Ranker found!" It yelled.
The brawny man who was complimenting Endorsi looked at the lighthouse in alarm.
"Ranker?! Where? Close?!"
"No! He's near the swordsman and the two idiots!"
As the words landed, the man turned towards the princess with a big smile on his face.
"You see princess! The ranker is moving as expected! The plan is working perfectly!" He exclaimed.
Hearing his words, Winston suddenly felt a bad premonition.
He stole a glance at Endorsi, who smirked at the news.
"Yes. It's working perfectly." She said. Suddenly, she pulled out a red needle from he reel inventory and threw it out.
The reel spun the needle around, making a large circle, about 10 meters in radius around her. The lighthouse which stood in the way was instantly pierced through, turning it off and isolating all contact with the rest of the team, engulfing their group in darkness.
"The lighthouse! What are you doing?!" The fisherman with the sword asked, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
Endorsi's smirk widened as she said in a sweet and compassionate tone.
"Anyone that leaves this circle henceforth, will die." She chuckled. "Though you might die regardless. I am very moody after all."
Winston smiled at her display, pleased that his previous guess had come to fruition.
"Princess. You should stop playing around." The brawny man said, drawing closer to the princess.
Just then, Endorsi kicked him in the chin, throwing him to the side, almost to the outside of the ring she had made.
"All the fisherman moving together in one place, all watching the ranker's movements. Jeez, are you people really so clueless." She sighed.
"That is the reason you all don't deserve to go up the tower." She shook her head.
~~~
A/N: Throw some stones.
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