Capítulo 1727: Deceit
Though she was making steady progress towards the exit, Anak couldn't help but feel as though something was wrong with the current situation. It didn't make sense for Khun to anger a Ranker if his only objective was to create a scenario where she could reach the exit unobstructed. There were countless ways they could have secured the victory without antagonizing Quant, chief among them being the plan he had mentioned during their brief conversation on the bridge.
Anak wasn't fond of being made a fool of, so, even if Khun's plan ended up creating a favorable situation for her climbing up the Tower, she vowed to beat him if said plan involved embarrassing or shaming her. She got the impression they were meant to lose this game, so, with nothing but a straight path between her and victory, the only way their team could lose was if Quant somehow managed to appear before her...
Confirming her suspicions, Anak eventually saw the outline of a person standing in front of the exit. Almost immediately after she registered their presence, a powerful blast of wind slammed into her body as a red and white blur flashed past her in an instant. To make matters even worse, she could hear the man venomously remark, "Never underestimate a Ranker..." before crushing her badge in his hand.
---
Feeling a potent shiver run along his spine, Khun couldn't help but pale slightly as he remarked, "I guess I'll need to beg Phae to bake some more cookies..."
Hearing Khun's remark, Laure just yawned in response before replying, "I told you not to show off too much...well, whatever...let's hope Endorsi handles her part well..."
Immediately following Laure's remark, a loud buzzer echoed throughout the entire arena, followed by the voice of Director Yu declaring Team A's loss. Shortly after that, a bluish-white light enveloped each of their bodies, seemingly converting them into a hazy white mist that rapidly diffused into the surroundings. The exact opposite phenomenon was occurring in the Suspend Ship positioned over the arena, and, after a few seconds had passed, all fifteen Regulars from Team A had been gathered in a small briefing room, a depressive aura immediately descending upon them.
Despite orchestrating the events leading to his team's defeat, Khun ignored Anak's venomous glare as he balled his hands into fists, head lowered as he shakily muttered, "I'm sorry..."
Unfortunately, before anyone could observe Khun's act, Shibisu threw a small wrench into his plans by loudly shouted, "Aaaaargh! Damnit! How can they expect Regulars like us to beat a monster like that!?"
Quickly deciding to follow Shibisu's example, Khun balled his fists even tighter as he spat through clenched teeth, "Damn it! How could I have been so stupid!? Getting cocky against a Ranker!? What the fuck is wrong with me!?"
Further emphasizing his 'anger' and 'indignation', Khun slammed his fist against the wall with more than enough force to fracture a couple of bones. This also caused a series of cracks to spread from the point of impact, a trickle of blood quickly coming into view due to the metal shards that had cut into the fleshier bits of his palm.
Surprised by Khun's outburst, nearly every Regular present began to feel sorry for the man, Nare being the first to say, "You did your best, Khun...don't-"
Shaking his head, Khun used his bloodied hand to conceal the upper half of his face as he darkly muttered, "No...I could have done better...I shouldn't have come up with a plan to try and capture a Ranker. There were numerous ways we could have tricked him but I let my ego cloud my judgment. I wanted to have the achievement of beating a Ranker despite still being on the Floor of Tests...I...I..."
To further increase the amount of empathy he was receiving from his fellow Regulars, Khun's voice took on sobbing undertone as a few tears, mixed with blood, began staining the ground. He forced himself to recall some of the most unpleasant memories in his life, so, while he was ultimately just pretending, there was legitimate pain and anguish audible contained within his voice.
Though he knew Khun was just pretending, Shibisu was legitimately surprised by the man's acting ability, his expression showing genuine concern as he muttered, "Khun...come on, man, you don't have to apologize..."
Hearing Shibisu's remark, Khun was preparing for a second outburst, but, before he could find the most suitable words, the other Regulars began bombarding him with support. Though there were a few obvious exceptions, such as Laure, Anak, and Hwa Ryun, everyone else was successfully fooled by his ploy. This filled Khun with legitimate guilt, but, for the sake of his friends and his penultimate goal, he didn't mind becoming a devil wearing a mask...
---
A stark contrast to the depressive atmosphere present within Team A's waiting room, Team B's was exceptionally festive. After all, while they weren't guaranteed to win, they had the benefit of seeing the previous match. This gave them the advantage of knowing what to expect, and, though it would be next to impossible for them to defeat Quant, they could, at the very least, commit themselves to a better performance than their adversaries...
Of course, not everyone on Team B was prematurely celebrating a victory. After all, both Hatsu and Baam were members of Team B. They also had Endorsi, Chunhwa, Rachel, Hoh, and Serena on their team, the latter of which had become fairly close to Shibisu over the last few weeks. In other words, the largest group of friends among the Regulars had effectively been split between the two teams, a situation none of them were too enthused about.
Fortunately, Team B had yet to depart the observation room so Baam was able to approach Vahn, Phae, and Gandr, politely greeting the former before asking the latter, "Do you think Mr. Khun and the rest are going to be okay? I don't think I can climb up the Tower without all of my friends with me..."
Taking note of the fact that Baam had specifically mentioned his friends rather than 'just' Rachel, Gandr snickered in his characteristic manner before saying, "You worry too much. Remember what the Director said? Even if Team A lost at Hide-and-Seek, that doesn't mean they are going to fail the exam. Khun, Shibisu, Nare, and Laure all have plenty of points so the only person we really need to worry about is Anak. However, given the performance of the other Fishermen on her team, I can't see them passing before her."
Relieved by Gandr's words, Baam exhaled the tensions from his body before adopting a beaming smile as he happily chimed, "That's great! Thanks a lot, Mr. Gan-chan...!"
Resisting the urge to default into a deadpan expression, Gandr forced himself to continue smiling as he replied, "Go and join your team. If they see you fraternizing with us, some of the members are bound to become a little suspicious. Also, make sure you keep a close eye on Grey and Hoh. I don't think they'll do anything, but you can never know someone's intent until they choose to act. There are only two Wave Controller positions so there is a chance they might try to undermine you during the test. Stay close to Endorsi or Hatsu. They will protect you."
Since he got along with both Grey and Hoh, Baam couldn't help but feel troubled by Gandr's words. Unfortunately, unless he chose to give up his chance to climb the tower, there was no way to make everyone happy. Thus, after remaining silent for several seconds, a sad smile spread across Baam's face as he muttered, "I understand...thank you..."
Following his utterance, Baam made his way over to where Endorsi, Hatsu, and Chunhwa were all engaged in a conversation. During this short journey, he noticed that both Hoh and Grey were at the periphery of the group, both looking far more serious than he had seen them during the past month. This made him feel even sadder, but, having already made his mind to climb up the Tower, Baam forced himself to smile as he caught Rachel staring at him from the side...
---
With the arena being restored to its original state, the members of Team B soon found themselves in the so-called Safe Area. Then, much like Team A, they were given thirty minutes to organize their team, adapt to the marginal increase in Shinsu density, and formulate a plan.
Unfortunately, with Endorsi smiling in amusement at the side, Team B quickly succumbed to the chaos of several people vying for the position of Leader. There was even a duo of Spear Bearers calling themselves the 'Spear Bearer Revolutionaries' who were legitimately trying to convince the rest of the team to simply dogpile Quant so they could rain down spears from above.
It was only when there were less than five minutes left that Endorsi moved from her position, her voice cheerful yet domineering as she said, "Shut up. All of these plans are completely pointless. All we really need to do is spread out into small teams to buy as much time as possible. Based on what we observed from the previous test, it is obvious that the Ranker won't go for our team's 'it' before he has evaluated each of the other candidates. After all, that is the only way to ensure everyone has a chance to be evaluated by the other Instructors. I'm obviously going to be our team's 'it' so I'll be taking the rest of the Fisherman, one Light Bearer, and one Wave Controller along with me. There is no way to pass the test by aiming for the exit so we will prepare a battlefield that gives us the best advantage against the Ranker. Everyone else will follow the direction of the other Light Bearers to form two teams, spreading out as much as possible to buy us time. Any questions?"
Though there were quite a number of people who didn't agree with Endorsi's plan, none of them tried to speak out against her. She was stronger than the rest of the team combined, and, given her temperamental nature, you were bound to suffer if you tried to speak against her. This, combined with the fact her plan was actually better than most of the ideas that had been put forth, caused the remaining Regulars to effectively split into two groups: those who chose to ingratiate themselves to the Princess and those who went along because they didn't really have a choice.
Seeing there was no one willing to argue against her, Endorsi puffed her chest out proudly, her chin raised to accentuate the haughty smile on her face. This was the reaction she expected from people as a Princess of Jahad, a stark contrast to the way a certain brat reacted around her. Still, it wasn't as if she hated said brat, so, while she enjoyed standing above others quite a bit, Endorsi was willing to abide by Khun's plan to ensure they could all go up the Tower together.
With this thought at the forefront of her mind, Endorsi pointed towards Baam and a man named Full Black, the Light Bearer closet to passing the exam. She wasn't particularly fond of Rachel, but, even if Baam complained about not taking her along, Endorsi could easily convince him she was in the right. After all, the plan laid out by Khun effectively had her 'eliminating' all of the Regulars who were closest to passing. She would go a little easier on someone like Chunhwa, but, for the sake of Anak, Endorsi was willing to betray the other Fishermen.
Unfortunately for Chunhwa, Des Lion, and Full Black, they had no idea what Endorsi had in store for them the moment they were separated from the rest of the group. As for Baam, he was told to stay close to her before the test even started, so, without suspecting a thing, he happily joined her party in order to pass the test together...albeit not before asking if Rachel could also join...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*Angry Cucumber Noises*','Premature Celebration','Women with looks and authority can be scary...')
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Capítulo 1728: Divergent
In accordance with Endorsi's 'plan', the rest of Team B gradually formed small groups of their own before promptly splitting up the moment the test officially began. The only person to stay behind was Rachel, as, for reasons nobody could quite understand, she had somehow earned more than enough points to move on to the next floor. As a result, she had the option of completely ignoring the test, but, rather than refuse to participate, she opted to provide support from within the Safety Area. This meant she wouldn't obtain any points from the test, but, so long as she remained inside, neither Quant nor the other Regulars were allowed to harm her.
With Rachel's safety all but ensured, Baam ultimately chose to follow after Endorsi. He also had the opportunity to sit out for the remainder of the game, but, ever-eager to help his friends, Baam was unable to sit still while others were working hard. At the very least, he wanted to help Endorsi fight against the Ranker. He knew she didn't have many points due to purchasing a pair of compressed needles so she would need the 2000 bonus points in order to guarantee a passing grade...
---
Though he wasn't happy about the arrangement, Hatsu had agreed to team up with the two Spear Bearers on his team: Mauchi and Parakewl. Everyone else had avoided the duo after they proposed the idea of their so-called Spear Bearer Revolution. They seemed to believe that Spear Bearers were the most superior Position due to their ability to deal considerable damage without ever needing to approach the enemy.
Hatsu obviously didn't agree with the idiotic duo's doctrine, but, if it could increase their chance of victory by even a marginal amount, he was willing to work alongside them. He had enhanced spatial awareness due to his unique style of swordsmanship, so, even if they were to bombard his position with spears, he was confident in being able to dodge them. Thus, so long as he could hold down his Instructor's movements for even a brief moment, there was a chance they could land a blow against him.
Surprising the duo of Spear Bearers loudly chanting 'revolution' while linking arms around each others' shoulders, Hatsu's expression became serious as he said, "He's coming. Quick, move to a higher position. I will do my best to hold him here and create an opportunity for the both of you. When the time comes, show me the might of your revolution."
Seeing the seriousness contained within Hatsu's eyes, the 'leader' of the peculiar Spear Bearers, a tall and lanky man with sickly green skin that almost made him appear like a zombie, stroked his chin in admiration before saying, "Oho...it seems you understand your place. Very well, while you hold him back, we'll make sure to find the best possible position to hit him from above. If you do well, I might just have a place for you on my team. Together, we will bring about a grand revolution the likes of which this Tower has never seen!"
Resisting the urge to punch the man's smug face, Hatsu just nodded as if he agreed before drawing his katana and adopting a defensive posture. He would have liked to have two swords, but, with the average price of a Katana being greater than 1000 points, he didn't really have the funds to replace the one Gandr had shattered. Because of this, he now spent equal parts of his time on mastering a single blade, and, most importantly, himself...
With the Spear Bearer duo wasting no time to retreat further up the stairs, Hatsu began regulating his breathing. He was well aware of how fast his Instructor was, so, if he wanted to have any hope of achieving victory, he would need to focus his mind beyond its limits. He needed to be 'sharper' than even the blade of his katana, sharp enough that his intent, alone, could cut through his opponents.
Feeling as though the world around him had started to slow down, Hatsu exhaled one final breath before manipulating the flow of Shinsu to fill his lungs. This caused a cold feeling to spread through his body before rapidly consolidating within his mind, drastically increasing his mental acuity. In the very next moment, he perceived a swift figure running low to the ground, their eyes meeting for a brief moment as Quant's expression morphed into a vicious smile.
Demonstrating speed he had never shown during class, Hatsu took a half-step forward, a motion that actually carried him several meters in an instant. In the same motion, he swung his sword in a graceful arc towards Quant's shoulder, but, as could be expected from a Ranker, the latter was able to take a quick step back, spinning around before moving into the vacancy left by the blade's arc to strike Hatsu in the chest.
Since there was no air in his lungs to expel, Hatsu just felt a sharp pain radiating through his body as the cooling sensation in his mind became more prominent. This earned him an approving look from Quant, who, realizing what Hatsu had done, smiled viciously before saying, "Though I feel like you would have been better suited for the position of Fisherman, I'm constantly impressed by your talent and adaptability. Come, let me see how much you have grown..."
Following his complimentary words, Quant fearlessly entered within the range of Hatsu's sword, a calm smile on his face as he gracefully evaded each blow with less than a centimeter to spare. This filled Hatsu with indignation, but, remembering his efforts of the last month, he managed to remain calm as his strikes became noticeably faster, sharper, and more refined. Then, just as his self-taught Shinsu breathing technique was about to wear off, a gleam flashed across his eyes as he sliced at an upward angle, the very tip of his blade catching a few of his Instructor's hairs.
Though he felt a bit of rage bubble up inside of him, Quant couldn't help feeling a little proud of the fact that Hatsu had managed to go beyond his limits. This was exactly the type of mentality a person needed to climb the Tower, so, even if the journey wouldn't be easy for someone walking the path of a swordsman, Quant knew Hatsu had what it took to become a Ranker. Unfortunately, now wasn't the time for sentiments, so, the moment Hatsu began gasping for air, Quant grabbed the boy by the face and slammed him into the wall, saying, "It isn't the duty of a Scout to hold the enemy..."
Quant was preparing to lecture his student further, but, before he could so much as utter a single additional syllable, a dry laugh escaped Hatsu's throat as he gripped the man's outstretched arm. Then, with the look of someone who was willing to face death, Hatsu stared directly back at Quant as he said, "I've been training in swordsmanship since the day I was born...once I get my hands on something, I don't let go...now, Spear Revolutionaries, hit him with everything you've got...!"
Surprised by Hatsu's conviction and subsequent outburst, Quant instinctually used his single Baang of Shinsu to enhance his senses. He could easily break from Hatsu's grip, but, out of respect for the boy's impressive conviction, he intended to evade the coming attacks while allowing the former to continue gripping his arm. What he never would have expected was for absolute silence to descend upon the stairwell in the moments immediately following Hatsu's outburst...
Realizing what had happened, Quant slammed Hatsu into the wall a second time, knocking the boy out as he cursed, "Those fucking bastards..." before charging up the stairs at supersonic speeds. His Shinsu-enhanced senses allowed him to sense the Spear Bearer duo running up the stairs, so, rather than assume Hatsu had tricked him, Quant came to the conclusion that his allies had both betrayed and abandoned him. This caused him to, quite literally, see red, as, more than anything else, Quant hated when Scouts desperately fought on behalf of teammates who would readily abandon them...
---
With their plan revolving around fighting the Ranker directly, Endorsi, Baam, Chunhwa, Full Black, and Des Lion were idling about within an isolated yet open section of the arena. The atmosphere between them had become pretty tense after several minutes of silence, so, in the hopes of easing tensions, Des Lion took advantage of Baam's closeness to justify invading Endorsi's personal space as he asked, "So, Princess, what are your goals in climbing the Tower? Are you aiming to become a High Ranker...?"
Feeling a sudden and intense urge to stab something, a smile blossomed across Endorsi's face as she ceased twirling the pen-sized needle in her right hand. Then, before the man could react, she elbowed him in the diaphragm hard enough to send him rolling backward several meters as she plainly remarked, "You must have completely lost your mind. Do you think I'm some hussy from the red light district you can just saunter on over to at your leisure?"
Unable to even gasp for air, there was no way for Des Lion to actually answer Endorsi's question. The most he could do was rapidly shake his head as he attempted to use Shinsu to treat the severe bruising on his chest. If she had hit him just a little harder, he might have died on the spot from the shock alone. Now, he needed Shinsu just to prevent himself from suffocating due to the erratic and painful contractions of his injured diaphragm.
Deciding now was just as good a time as any, Endorsi didn't even try to temper her rage; surprising both Full Black and Chunhwa when she spontaneously used her compressed needle to destroy both their Lighthouse and Observer. The weapons in the Tower could be manipulated by a person's mind with enough practice, so, almost immediately after Endorsi tossed out her needle, she guided it to make a swift return, piercing through Full Black's chest in the process.
With the pained sound of Full Black echoing through the darkness, Chunhwa very quickly realized that Endorsi wasn't 'just' angry. He had actually been suspecting her from the very beginning, so, in response to the sudden attack, he quickly leaped back while tossing out a series of Observers and activating his Reel Inventory. This allowed him to see Endorsi smiling rather viciously at him while Baam cowered behind her, clearly confused by everything that was happening.
Saving Chunhwa the effort, Baam eventually gained enough sense to shout, "Ms. Endorsi! What are you doing!? Why are you attacking our allies!? Our friends!?"
Though she felt a pang of guilt the moment she heard Baam's words, Endorsi forced herself to keep smiling as she twirled her needle around and plainly stated, "Only four Fisherman will be allowed to move on to the next Floor. Because of my fight against Anak, there is no guarantee I will pass even if we manage to defeat the Ranker. Anak is also struggling due to the debt she accrued during the Crown Game so this is the only way to ensure we both move up the Tower. The Admins don't allow Regulars to game the system by transferring points, so, even if she received handouts from others, her score is, by far, the lowest in the Fishermen class..."
Hearing Endorsi's excuse, Baam's expression showed extreme conflict, his brows furrowed deeply as his pupils rapidly expanded and contracted. He understood the point she was trying to make, but, even then, it just didn't feel 'right' to betray people like this. Chunhwa was even part of their group of friends, not some stranger that they could just discard for their own benefit.
Feeling even worse after seeing the conflict in Baam's eyes, Endorsi was unable to prevent her own brows from furrowing slightly as she did her best to ignore him, pointing towards Chunhwa as she said, "Sorry about this...I'll make sure your injuries aren't too severe. If you go to Phae later, I'm sure she will treat you without asking for compensation. If you're lucky, the injuries sustained by Green and Dede will be too severe for them to move on. I don't actually have anything against you...there are just other things I want to protect..."
Having expected something like this to happen the moment Endorsi suggested that all Fishermen stay together, Chunhwa just released a tired sigh, saying, "Do what you must..." before shifting his gaze to Baam and adding, "We all climb the Tower for our own personal reasons, Baam. You are no exception to this rule so do not avert your eyes or cast blame unto others. Instead, face forward and remember these moments when it comes to making your own decisions. I'm not sure why, but I feel like you have what it takes to bring about change to this Tower...even if I succumb here, know that I will always be willing to call you my friend..."
Finished with what he had to say, Chunhwa adopted a confident smile before meeting Endorsi's gaze and musing, "Thanks for giving me a chance to say my final words." Then, with his sword firmly clasped between his hands, he shouted, "Ignite! Narumada...!"
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Viva la Revolution!?','Quant is not amused','When both sides are fighting to protect something important, there is no right or wrong...only tragedy...')
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