章節 1730: Realization
With Baam insisting they not stray too far from the Safety Area, both he and Endorsi reached the rather brutal scene in a very short period of time, Hoh's laughter still echoing through the chamber as he continued stabbing Rachel's limp body. This caused Baam to completely freeze in place, but, having seen more than her fair share of bloodshed, Endorsi just sighed before casually throwing her needle, piercing both of Hoh's wrists and forcing him to drop the knife.
Despite a startling amount of pain emanating from his wrists, Hoh didn't cry out in response. Most of his senses were dulled at the moment due to his mind entering a state similar to shock. Because of this, he managed to look over to where both Endorsi and Baam were standing, his eyes meeting the grief-ridden gaze of the boy he had once called a friend.
Just as Hoh was about to say something to try and justify his actions, everyone present was taken by surprise when Rachel's body was suddenly enveloped in golden flames. In the very next instant, a tiny burning figure appeared on the ground as a pained gasp escaped the previously motionless Rachel. Even her eyes, which had previously been bereft of any sign of life, were suddenly burning with vitality as she unceremoniously kicked the horned-man in his face. Then, showing no signs of hesitation, she grabbed the dagger that had fallen to the ground, a vengeful look in her eyes as she attempted to stab Hoh directly in the chest.
With speed he didn't normally possess, Baam managed to intercept Rachel's attempt to stab Hoh with his own body. The blade of the dagger ended up sinking deep into his shoulder, startling the woman enough to release the handle and cry out, "Baam! What are you doing!?"
Having successfully pushed Hoh outside of the Safety Area, Baam didn't have to take any further action as Quant unhesitantly appeared next to the man, knocking him out in an instant. Thus, in response to Rachel's outburst, he ignored the pain radiating from his shoulder, tears staining his face as he pleaded, "I don't want to see my friends killing each other...please...this isn't right...none of this is right..."
Unable to hold back his emotions, Baam began crying like a child that had been separated from its mother in a crowded venue. This was all he could do to express the conflict whirling around inside of him; the result of pain, sadness, anger, hatred, confusion, loss, and relief all melding together to form a completely indescribable sensation that wracked his body and mind in equal measure...
Seeing Baam sobbingly throw himself into the stunned Rachel's embrace, Endorsi couldn't help releasing a tired sigh before meeting Quant's gaze and suggesting, "Let's move this elsewhere. It's impossible to get in the mood in a place like this..."
Though Quant had previously been contemplating just taking Endorsi's badge in order to bring this farce of a test to an end, he wasn't able to locate it anywhere on her body. Thus, in response to her suggestion, he did his best to ignore the sound of crying, smiling viciously as he said, "I suppose I can make an exception and let you choose where you want to die. Go ahead and lead the way. So long as you don't try anything shady, I promise not to attack for the next three minutes."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Endorsi took one last look at Baam before releasing another sigh and disappearing into the darkness. Her departure was followed very closely by Quant, who, much like the former, took a moment to stare at Baam crying in Rachel's arms before muttering, "If there is a God, he or she is a pretty twisted bastard..."
---
In an effort to calm herself down, Endorsi ended up using the full three minutes to reach an area far from the sound of Baam's wailing. Just being around the boy filled her with an overwhelming sense of guilt, an emotion she thought she had discarded more than a hundred years ago. There was just something about him that made others feel like they were 'dirty', causing them to doubt everything they thought was 'common sense' within the Tower...
With the figure of the crying boy still present within her mind, Endorsi turned around to face Quant, a somber expression on her face as she asked, "Before we begin, can you answer me something...?"
Since his own mood was pretty dour right now, Quant decided he might as well humor Endorsi's request, adopting a relaxed stance before saying, "Just ask. Just keep in mind that I'm not really in the best of moods right now. If you say something to offend me, there is a good chance you'll be leaving this arena on a stretcher."
Chuckling in response to Quant's words, Endorsi almost habitually combed back her bangs before stopping once she noticed a few flakes of blood staining her fingernails. This caused her mood to decrease even further, but, as someone who had lived for more than three-hundred-years, she was adept at concealing her emotions when necessary. As a result, she managed to hide her depressive state behind a neutral smile, asking, "Do you regret the years you spent climbing the Tower...?"
Understanding what Endorsi was truly asking, Quant made no attempt to hide his true feelings on the matter, his expression turning serious yet melancholic as he answered, "To achieve our dreams, we must be willing to crush the dreams of others...that is the nature of the Tower...that boy...he isn't normal..."
Though there wasn't any hidden meaning contained within his words, Endorsi's mind wandered the moment she heard Quant mention that Baam wasn't 'normal'. Immediately after that, three people with remarkable power came to mind, each possessing monstrous capabilities and an unparalleled ability to manipulate Shinsu. Everything about them was exceptional, and, though it seemed to fade into obscurity with the passage of time, she could vividly remember them claiming to be Irregulars, people who had opened the door from a world beyond the Tower...
With the image of Imperial Trio appearing within her mind, so too did the scene of Baam shrouded in golden lightning. She had never even considered back then, but, now that she looked back on all the events leading up to the present, everything about Baam and Rachel screamed 'Irregular'. There was also the fact that Baam had appeared with the Black March, a weapon belonging to one of the most famous Princesses of Jahad, Ha Yuri Jahad, despite having no knowledge of the Jahad Empire, Princesses of Jahad, and the Thirteen Month Series.
Now that she thought about things clearly, Endorsi couldn't help but question whether or not she had been under some kind of mind control over the past month. It was so obvious that Rachel and Baam were Irregulars that she felt like an idiot for having made the connection this late. There was even a time when she felt an 'otherworldly' aura from Rachel, the very thing that had prevented her from attacking the annoying blonde during the first day's Deathmatch.
Feeling extremely annoyed all of a sudden, Endorsi surprised the uncharacteristically patient Quant by stomping on the ground a few times before pointing Chunhwa's sword towards the man and shouting, "Let's just get this battle over with! I'm too tired to think about all this complicated stuff right now...!"
Finding the Princess' remark rather amusing, Quant couldn't resist laughing at her expense before leaping back in response to a electric-blue wave of Shinsu enveloping the area where he had been standing. Endorsi's power and control were leagues above Chunhwa's, so, while she had very little experience wielding the peculiar ignition weapon, she could, quite literally, brute force things using her overwhelming strength.
With a simple swing of the blazing blue sword, an area more than three-hundred-meters in length and eighty-meters wide was enveloped in a destructive wave of Shinsu. This caused a small amount of sweat to appear on Quant's brow, as, despite being a Ranker, there was no way he could receive such a blow without reinforcing his body with Shinsu. Fortunately, even with her strength, there was a limit to the amount of Shinsu Endorsi could output with each swing. She also needed to take care not to use the ability too close to her own body, lest she risk injuring herself in the subsequent explosion.
After dodging two more sweeping waves of Shinsu, Quant decided it was significantly safer to be close to the Princess' body. He had caught a flash of red from her interior vest pocket, so, unless his eyes were starting to play tricks on him, that was the most likely location of Endorsi's badge. All he needed to do was tear away her vest or deal a heavy enough blow to take her out of the fight, both viable options considering how annoyed he was becoming with her increasingly destructive blows.
Aiming for the gap in between Endorsi's strikes, Quant surprised the former by dashing through the receding wave of Shinsu. This was a tactic that required more confidence than actual power, as, due to the nature of Shinsu, it caused little to no damage whilst dispersing. This meant, the moment the Shinsu was no longer being directly manipulated, it effectively became 'inert', the only exceptions being when certain Qualities were applied to it.
Taking advantage of Endorsi's surprise, Quant extended his hand to grab her vest, a vicious smile on his face as he shouted, "Don't think badly of me, Princess!". Unfortunately, before he could close his hand around the fabric, his wrist was nearly broken when the former's shield-like disks expanded in the blink of an eye.
Clicking his tongue, Quant attempted to break through the shield with a roundhouse kick, but, with no Shinsu to support the endeavor, the most he accomplished was leaving the imprint of his foot in the durable surface. This caused him to curse internally before using the shield as a springboard to evade Endorsi's extremely swift and dexterous hook. It had come from his blindspot, so, had he not been anticipating such a tactic, Quant would have lost his badge then and there due to Endorsi's inordinately high mastery of the Reel Inventory.
Though she might have the lowest score among the current Fisherman candidates, Anak being the obvious exception, Endorsi was easily the most skilled among the current batch of potentiates. The only reason she was lacking in points is that she spent them almost immediately after earning them. She had been intending to eliminate the other Fisherman candidates from the very beginning, so, rather than hoard her points like a precious treasure, Endorsi used them to buy expensive clothes, valuable items, a variety of compression weapons, and anything else she thought would be of use during the Final Exam.
Demonstrating just how much she had prepared, Endorsi pulled out three compression needles from her Reel Inventory, smiling even more fiercely than Quant as she contracted her shield and threw them like munitions fired from a rail gun. One even directly impacted Quant's shoulder due to the fact he was airborne during the counterattack. The other two were easily caught with his bare hands, but, without the ability to use Shinsu, the third was able to slip through.
Clenching his teeth, Quant was tempted to 'return' Endorsi's needles to her, but, much like he was unable to enter the Safety Area, he was prohibited from using items. This rule applies to the items used by the Regulars, so, after evading Endorsi's explosive follow-up attack, Quant pulled out the offending needle before throwing it, and the rest, far beyond the Princess' ability to manipulate.
Though she was tempted to comment about Quant's pettiness, Endorsi had already started to feel fatigued from continuously swinging around an ignition weapon. The size of the Shinsu wave was directly proportional to her strength due to the fact she had to 'literally' push the wave forward with raw physical power. This meant she was forcibly manipulating tens-of-thousands of kilograms of Shinsu with each of her swings, a difficult feat even for a Princess of Jahad. Fortunately, Shinsu also had the trait of erupting outward, mixing with the Shinsu in the air to create sweeping explosions that didn't require any additional power.
Feeling that she was approaching her limit, Endorsi condensed the Shinsu in the blade to cause the entire length to glow with vibrant blue light. Then, rather than wait for Quant to approach her, she charged at him with tremendous momentum, shattering the floor beneath her feet as she launched herself like a projectile towards his position.
Seeing the 'enraged' Princess approach him, Quant cockily raised one of his brows, leaping back at the same speed of her approach as he asked, "You're approaching me? Don't tell me you also lost your mind..."
Kicking against the ground with even more force, Endorsi's eyes began shimmering with a ghostly light as she shouted, "I can't smash your grubby little face without getting closer! Stop running you match-headed pipsqueak...!"
The moment he heard Endorsi's insult, Quant felt like something in the back of his mind 'broke'. At the same time, an extremely wrathful expression spread across his face as he promptly changed the direction of his movement. This caused Endorsi's eyes to widen, her arms instinctually tucking in to protect her body as her shield began to rapidly expand. Unfortunately, after witnessing the shield's rate of expansion just once, Quant was able to adjust his angle and timing, deftly evading the edge of the troublesome item to tear Endorsi's vest from her body. He was so confident in his speed that he completely ignored the hook that managed to snatch away his badge, smiling darkly as he said, "Too bad. And you were so...close...?"
For reasons his mind simply couldn't grasp, Endorsi didn't appear even remotely upset by the loss of both her vest and badge. Instead, she turned around with a massive grin spreading across her face before boldly raising the front of her skirt. Quant's eyes were instinctually drawn to the area, but, rather than a tantalizing display, the only thing that entered his sight was the bright red badge that had been pinned to the front of Endorsi's tights...
Before the man could recover his senses, Endorsi released the hem of her skirt before recovering Quant's badge and remarking, "You owe me a new vest." with what could only be described as a 'shit-eating grin' on her face...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Bruh...','When the answer hits you after the test has already ended...','Oh my, how bold (OwO)...')
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章節 1731: Tensions
With the displays conveniently reconnecting prior to the battle between Quant and Endorsi, Team A could only watch in stunned silence as the Princess proudly flaunted her victory. They couldn't deny she had earned the badge, especially after her rather ridiculous display of strength, but that didn't make it any easier for them to accept the fact their team had officially lost the competition.
As could be expected, those scraping the bottom line for passing immediately fell into a depressive state, their hopes and dreams crashing down around them. As for those who had already secured a passing grade for themselves, they just sat in silence amidst the rest, empathetic but not remorseful for the way things had turned out. After all, the passing of one person meant the failure of another, so, regardless of their efforts, half of them were fated to never move beyond the 2nd Floor...
Fortunately, at least for some, many of Team B's members had come away with moderate to severe injuries. In fact, more than half of their team was bound to be disqualified due to the injuries they had sustained, irrespective of whether or not they could be treated. After all, most of their injuries were the result of being deemed a 'failure' by Quant, meaning they had outright failed to perform the responsibilities expected of them.
The purpose of the Hide-and-Seek Test was never for the Regulars to 'win' against the Seeker. That was just a bonus objective that could afford the respective team's 'it' a considerable boon in points. The true purpose was to determine how the Regulars conducted themselves as both individuals in their respective Positions and allies on the same team. This evaluation was primarily handled by the Test Administrators and Directors, but, as the defacto proctor of the exam, Quant had the authority to outright 'eliminate' candidates he considered unsuited for their Positions...
---
Following the completion of the Final Exam, the Regulars were given a day to rest and recuperate before the results of the Position Test would be announced. Thus, after being told to reconvene at 7 PM the following day, they were ultimately dismissed after being informed of the fact that all food and beverages would be free until their departure from the 3rd Floor. The only person exempt from this boon was Gandr, who, due to his already notorious appetite, was limited to 500 points worth of food during each meal.
As could be expected, most of the Regulars were too tired to actually celebrate, so, after raiding the commissary for various types of alcohol, the vast majority split off into small groups of close friends before retreating into their rooms to drink the night away. Fortunately, as this was a very common occurrence on the 2nd Floor, the commissary staff had removed all of the expensive items from the shelves before the bi-monthly raid emptied their stock clean. This caused quite a number of people to complain, but, as was often the case within the Tower, there wasn't really anything they could do to change the situation...
---
Completely unaffected by the situation plaguing many of the more depressed Regulars, most of the group associated with the Imperial Trio had gathered together in Gandr's room. Vahn had provided a few choice brands of alcohol from his private stock, and, though all of the credit went to Phae, he had used the Little Garden to prepare a small banquet for them to enjoy. This was well-received by those who had participated, but, as could be expected, the atmosphere was a little melancholic due to Endorsi's betrayal of Chunhwa.
Though nobody was talking about it, the absence of Chunhwa, Nare, Hoh, and Rozeal could be felt by all. Baam and Khun were also absent due to visiting Rachel in the Medical Ward, so, at least for the first half of the party, things were understandably awkward between the previously close group of friends. Fortunately, they had plenty of good food and strong alcohol present, so, as the evening progressed, things became gradually more relaxed as inhibitions loosened.
By the end of the evening, Gandr had been unsuccessfully ambushed by both Anak and Endorsi before the two girls ultimately fell asleep using Laure's blanket-wrapped body as a pillow. Anak, in particular, had finished off a bottle of sake that was nearly 30cm tall, her green complexion giving way to a ruddy glow as she drooled all over the Phonsekal scion's most cherished treasure. As for Gandr himself, he ended covering most of the room's occupants with blankets carrying Anak and Endorsi over to his bed, tucking them in before pulling out a sleeping bag and lying on the floor...
---
Whilst the pseudo-celebration had still been ongoing, Phae, having been requested by both Baam and Khun, made her way over to the Medical Ward to check on Rachel. She had yet to wake up due to the side-effects of the [Effigy of the Hero], an item that had been given to her by Hwa Ryun after the latter's midnight visit to his room.
Though he only found out after the fact, Hwa Ryun had apparently misinterpreted the meaning of Vahn's words to imply that she should give the item to Rachel, as, prior to visiting his room, she had seen a vision of Hoh successfully killing the woman. It was only after she received the [Effigy of the Hero] that the path was 'corrected', Rachel living to see another day thanks to the tiny wood figure she had received from her God...
Needless to say, Hwa Ryun's belief was steadily increasing, but, as that was a problem for 'Vahn' to deal with, Phae maintained her motherly smile as she checked Rachel's pulse and, for the third time, explained, "As I stated previously, she is perfectly fine. She is just suffering from the side-effects of a powerful magical item. The effigy is a treasure that has the ability to take on the fatal wounds of the person in possession of it, drastically increasing their physical capabilities for three minutes after the effect activates. Afterward, the body enters a dormant state for around three hours to prevent any troublesome sequelae from forming. She is bound to be completely exhausted when she wakes up, but there is no danger to her life."
Despite having heard a similar explanation twice, Baam was unable to hide his concern, eyes tearing up as he squeezed Rachel's hand and muttered, "Please wake up soon...I don't think I can climb the Tower without you..."
Hearing Baam's remark, Khun, who had been standing at the side, showed a conflicted expression on his face. As for Phae, her expression softened as she gently caressed Baam's head and said, "You are such a worrywart...I keep telling you she is going to be fine..."
Unaccustomed to such tenderness, Baam's mental faculties ground to a halt the moment Phae began combing back his hair. A legitimately confused expression appeared on his face, but, rather than try to stop her, he ultimately just hung his head, squeezing Rachel's hand in silence.
Sensing Baam gradually calming down, Phae resisted the urge to give the boy a hug before turning back to meet Khun's gaze. In response, he gestured toward the door with head, seemingly wishing to discuss something out of earshot from Baam. Phae already had some idea of what he wished to discuss, so, with a knowing smile on her face, she pulled out an extra blanket, covering Baam's body before promptly following Khun from the room.
Almost immediately after the biometric lock activated behind them, securing the door, Khun wasted no time in asking, "That figurine, the [Effigy of the Hero], where did you obtain such a thing? I have never once heard of such an item existing within the Tower. I also don't understand why you would use entrust such a precious treasure to someone like Rachel. If not for Baam, I would never tolerate the presence of such a vain and shallow woman...I'm sure you've noticed it as well, right? She never even tries to improve. All she does is go through the motions...someone like that doesn't deserve to climb the Tower..."
Frowning in response to Khun's words, Phae responded by, very plainly, stating, "It isn't your place to make such determinations, Khun Aguero Agnis. You are correct in your assertion that I have seen the incongruencies in Rachel's character. However, unless she has actually done something to merit reprobation, I will give her the benefit of the doubt. You, of all people, should know that it isn't just the 'worthy' who are able to climb the Tower. There are those like you who rely on deceit, and, if it means protecting the people you care about, you will even readily betray the trusts of others...tell me, what has Rachel done to earn your ire? How are your actions more just than her inaction...?"
Though he wanted to argue against everything Phae was saying, Khun found himself frozen in place due to the terrifying aura emanating from the characteristically kind woman. Each and every one of her words seemed to carry a tremendous amount of weight, and, for a brief moment, he was briefly reminded of the one time he angered his father. With the latter being one of the leaders of the Ten Great Families, Ranked 6 in the entire Tower, this put into perspective just how terrifying Phae's aura was in the present moment...
Fortunately, having experienced something similar in the past, Khun was ultimately able to recover enough to answer, "You're right...please forgive me if I upset you. I just don't want to see my friend ruined by a woman with a completely arbitrary goal...Baam is important to me...he is something this Tower desperately needs. Whenever I imagine his kindness being tainted by that woman, it tears me up inside..."
Understanding Khun's concerns, Phae could only release a tired sigh before crossing her arms and saying, "It seems you have quite a bit in common with Baam...you both worry excessively whenever it concerns the people you care about."
Hearing Phae's remark, Khun couldn't help but furrow his brows, unable to come up with a way to refute her statement. He wanted to say he wasn't such a kind-hearted and soft person, but, based on his own words and actions, it was hard to make a case for his cruelty. He was, in fact, extremely worried about Baam, and, if it was to help someone he cared about, there were very few extremes he wouldn't resort to...
Taking advantage of Khun's silence, Phae issued an amused chuckle at the young man's expense before adopting a more serious look as she said, "You don't have to worry much longer. Once we move on to the 3rd Floor, my Lord will be taking more proactive measures to help us ascend the Tower. Rachel might become a weight that slows the group's progress, but, once you understand the true nature of my Lord, all of your concerns will seem rather trivial. For now, I suggest you just focus on supporting Baam and moving forward with your own plans. I'm certain you have already come to understand what kind of existence those two are..."
Adopting a similarly serious expression on his face, a bead of sweat ran down the side of Khun's face as he corrected, "Don't you mean...you five...?"
Rather than confirm Khun's suspicions, Phae replied with another giggle, this time concealing the lower half of her face with her gloved hand. Then, before walking past the boy, she mused, "There are some things that simply transcend conventional understanding and comprehension...just know this, scion of the Khun Family...the Tower is a very 'small' place in the grand scheme of things..."
With nothing else to say, Phae continued past Khun without sparing him a second look. She was honestly feeling a little tired at the moment, not due to any exertions on her part, but because of the chaos occurring in Gandr's room and the frustrations experienced by Vahn. The former had a drunken Princess trying to predate him, and, though everything ultimately worked out in the end, Vahn was feeling pretty incredulous after hearing Hwa Ryun praise him to the high heavens...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Spear Revolutionaries','Gandr is a good boi','Phae be like, "This is only the tutorial stage..."')
(A/N: I wanted to clarify a few things since I've noticed some trends in the comments section. Let me just say that there is nothing wrong with EPIC being second, third, or even tenth place on the Power Rankings. Rather than inflate a non-issue into some kind of petty war between two fandoms, I would rather see more positivity in the comments section. I rely on the comments of the readers to determine whether or not the pacing of the novel is appropriate so feel free to let me know how you think the story is progressing. As for Marvel's Mutant Gamer, I actually found it rather enjoyable so feel free to read it and make your own assessment. However, please don't go out of your way to cause any trouble. The thing that saddens me most is seeing promising new author's discouraged by the toxicity within the community. If you want to support EPIC, feel free to bash my head with a few Power Stones. I do enjoy being at the top of the rankings, sure, but that is tertiary compared to the support I receive from my gracious patrons, the kindness I receive from my fans, and my simple desire to write a story people enjoy. Please, be good to each other, especially during these trying times.)
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