Mt 2
Vegito nodded, studying the artificial constellations. "Still pretty though."
"You find beauty easily," Scathach observed, her crimson eyes shifting from the view to study his profile. "A rare quality in one with power."
"Power doesn't have much to do with what you find beautiful," Vegito replied with a shrug. "That's just about what makes you happy to look at."
Scathach's lips curved in a subtle smile. "Thousands of years of existence, and wisdom still arrives in unexpected packages." She tilted her head. "What do you expect to find at the top of this Tower?"
"Honestly? No idea," Vegito admitted. "But the journey should be interesting."
"An unusual perspective. Most climb with desperate purpose—for power, for answers, for revenge."
"What about you?" Vegito asked, turning to face her directly. "If you weren't stuck with me, what would you be seeking?"
The question seemed to catch the immortal warrior off guard. For a moment, her ageless facade cracked to reveal something vulnerable beneath.
"An end," she said simply. "In my world, I cannot die. Cannot age. Cannot change. It is... wearying."
"That sounds lonely," Vegito observed, his usual playfulness momentarily replaced by genuine empathy.
"It is the nature of power," Scathach replied. "To stand apart. To endure when others fade." Her eyes searched his. "You will learn this, in time."
"Maybe," Vegito conceded. "Or maybe the point of having power is finding people who aren't afraid of it. Who see you, not just what you can do."
Scathach studied him silently, her expression unreadable. Then she rose in a single fluid motion. "Dawn approaches. You should rest before the trial."
"Aren't you going to sleep?"
"I require little rest," she said, moving toward the door. Then she paused, glancing back. "But I thank you for the conversation. It has been... many years since someone asked what I wanted, rather than what I could provide."
With that, she was gone, leaving Vegito alone with the view and his thoughts.
---
Dawn in the Tower came abruptly, the artificial sun brightening from nothing to full illumination in minutes. Vegito, who had eventually fallen asleep on the floor by the window, woke to find Musashi standing over him, grinning broadly.
"Rise and shine, Ultra Instinct Boy," she announced, already fully dressed in her battle attire. "Time to show this Tower what we're made of."
Vegito stretched languorously, movements fluid even in the transition from sleep to wakefulness. "What time is it?"
"Challenge time," Musashi replied, tossing him his jacket. "Everyone's gathering in the main hall. The administrator guy returned with some fancy uniforms, but most of us declined." Her grin widened. "Turns out legends don't like dress codes."
By the time Vegito made his way to the central chamber, most of the others had already assembled. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation—this was, after all, a group composed primarily of warriors and adventurers. Stagnation was their enemy; challenge was their natural element.
BB stood apart from the others, digital displays hovering around her as she muttered calculations. Arcueid was bouncing lightly on her toes, crimson eyes bright with excitement. Scathach maintained her usual composed stance, though her spear was already in hand. And Bam...
Bam stood nervously at the edge of the group, dressed in a standard-issue Tower uniform that hung slightly loose on his slender frame. When he saw Vegito, relief visibly washed over his features.
"There you are," Artoria greeted, approaching with purposeful strides. "The administrator awaits us in the testing arena."
"No breakfast first?" Vegito asked hopefully.
"The Emperor has provided for her chosen champion!" Nero declared, striding forward with a platter piled high with food. "A warrior cannot conquer on an empty stomach!"
"You're the best, Nero," Vegito grinned, immediately grabbing what looked like a pastry.
"Of course I am," she agreed with imperial confidence. "Now eat swiftly. Glory awaits!"
As Vegito devoured his impromptu breakfast, Gilgamesh approached with regal bearing, her golden armor catching the light with each step.
"I have decided," she announced without preamble, "to observe your performance closely today."
"Thanks?" Vegito mumbled around a mouthful of food.
"Do not mistake my interest for concern," she clarified haughtily. "The King merely wishes to evaluate whether her temporary... association... with you warrants continued tolerance or requires correction."
Vegito swallowed and grinned. "In other words, you want to see if I'm worth hanging around with."
Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Your crude simplifications—"
"Are usually pretty accurate," Vegito completed cheerfully. "Don't worry, I'll try to make it an interesting show."
Before the King of Heroes could formulate a suitably cutting response, the main doors slid open to reveal Test Administrator Yu, flanked by several Tower officials.
"Your trial begins," he announced without greeting. "Follow."
The procession that moved through the Tower corridors drew stares from everyone they passed. Sixteen legendary women in various spectacular battle attires, surrounding a teenage boy in casual clothes and a nervous-looking youth in a standard uniform. The whispers and pointing followed them like ripples in a pond.
"We're causing quite a stir," Morgan observed, walking with aristocratic precision. "The Tower's residents seem unfamiliar with true power."
"They'll learn," Kiara commented with a secretive smile, speaking up for the first time since their arrival. "Exposure to the extraordinary is always... educational."
Their path led deeper into the Tower's structure, down spiraling ramps and through cavernous halls, until they reached what appeared to be an enormous arena. The central space was enclosed in transparent barriers, beyond which stretched what looked like a landscape in flux—mountains that rose and fell like waves, forests that appeared and disappeared, rivers that flowed upward before vanishing into mist.
"Behold the Shifting Plains," Yu gestured toward the chaotic environment. "A testing ground where shinsoo density fluctuates unpredictably, altering the very fabric of reality within its boundaries."
"Cool," Vegito commented, genuinely impressed. "So what exactly are we supposed to do in there?"
Yu pointed toward a distant shimmer at what appeared to be the center of the chaos. "A relic exists at the heart of the turbulence. Retrieve it. Simple in concept."
"What kind of relic?" BB inquired, digital screens analyzing the shifting landscape.
"Irrelevant," Yu dismissed. "Your goal is acquisition, not utilization."
"And the restrictions?" Scathach asked practically.
"None, beyond the natural limitations of the environment itself." Yu's thin lips curved in what might generously be called a smile. "The Shifting Plains have their own rules. Discovering them is part of your challenge."
With that less-than-helpful explanation, he gestured toward an entry point in the barrier. "Those participating may enter. The rest must remain outside the testing area."
"Don't worry, we'll make it quick," Vegito assured the non-participating Spirits with a confident grin.
"We shall observe from here," Artoria confirmed with a nod that somehow managed to convey both support and expectation of success.
"Bring glory to those who bear witness!" Nero called dramatically.
"Try not to die stupidly," was Morgan's more practical contribution.
Tiamat made a soft, crooning sound that somehow conveyed maternal concern, while Gilgamesh merely crossed her arms expectantly.
Vegito, Scathach, Musashi, BB, Arcueid, and Bam approached the entry point. Just before stepping through, Vegito paused and looked back at the gathered legends.
"Hey, so... if something goes really wrong in there, can you guys break through and help? Since you're stuck following me anyway?"
"The King would never deign to rescue those who fail," Gilgamesh declared immediately.
"Of course we would," Artoria contradicted without hesitation.
"The barrier appears structurally vulnerable to focused Noble Phantasm discharge," Medea observed clinically.
"In other words," Ishtar translated with a smirk, "we've got your back, even if some of us are too proud to admit it."
With that reassurance, Vegito nodded and stepped through the barrier, his chosen team following closely behind.
The effect was immediate and disorienting. Gravity seemed to shift unpredictably, pulling sideways one moment, barely existing the next. The ground beneath their feet transformed from solid stone to liquid sand to something like gelatin, all within seconds. The air itself felt thick, then thin, then almost solid.
"Whoa," Vegito breathed, instinctively adjusting his balance as the world lurched around him. "This is wild."
"The shinsoo concentration is fluctuating across all dimensional axes," BB reported, her form occasionally distorting as the environment interfered with her digital nature. "Predictive modeling is... challenging."
"In other words, we're winging it," Arcueid grinned, seemingly delighted by the chaos. She bounded forward experimentally, only to find herself suddenly moving in slow motion, as if swimming through honey.
"Fascinating," Scathach murmured, crimson eyes narrowed as she observed the fluctuations. "The patterns are not truly random. There's an underlying rhythm."
Musashi had already drawn her swords, using them to test the air around her. "It's like cutting through different materials with each stroke. Water, then wood, then something I've never felt before."
Bam, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up. "It's shinsoo taking different properties. In the Tower, shinsoo can manifest as any element or state of matter, depending on how it's controlled."
"You know about this stuff?" Vegito asked, impressed.
Bam nodded hesitantly. "Rachel taught me... stories about the Tower. Shinsoo is everything here. It's like air, water, and energy combined."
"Can you control it?" Scathach asked sharply, recognizing potential value in this knowledge.
"I... I don't know," Bam admitted. "I've never tried."
"Well, no time like the present," Vegito encouraged. "We're going to need every advantage to get through this mess."
As if to emphasize his point, the landscape suddenly rippled, a wave of transformation sweeping toward them that turned solid ground into what appeared to be liquid fire.
"Scatter!" Scathach commanded, leaping to a floating rock formation above.
The others moved with varying degrees of grace—Musashi with practiced precision, Arcueid with casual disregard for physics, BB somehow digitizing portions of herself to avoid the transformation. Vegito simply... wasn't where the danger was, moving with such fluid ease that it seemed like the world changed around him rather than him avoiding the change.
Bam, however, froze in place, golden eyes wide as the wave of transformation rushed toward him.
"Bam!" Vegito called in alarm.
What happened next surprised everyone. Just as the liquid fire reached Bam's feet, it... stopped. Then flowed around him, leaving a perfect circle of unchanged ground where he stood. The boy looked as shocked as anyone.
"Did you do that?" Arcueid called from where she hung upside-down from a suddenly materialized tree branch.
"I... I don't know," Bam replied, staring at his hands in wonder. "I just... felt something when it approached. Something that responded to me."
"The shinsoo recognized him," Scathach observed with keen interest. "Interesting."
"Looks like you've got hidden talents after all," Vegito grinned, somehow appearing beside Bam despite the chaotic terrain between them a moment before.
BB's eyes narrowed behind her glasses. "His energy signature just spiked significantly. He's not an ordinary human."
"Makes two of us," Vegito commented cheerfully. "Now, anyone see which way we need to go to find this relic thing?"
As if in response to his question, the landscape shifted again, this time creating what appeared to be a path of stable ground stretching toward the center of the chaos, where a distant shimmer could be seen.
"Well that's convenient," Musashi observed suspiciously. "Almost like an invitation."
"Or a trap," Scathach added pragmatically.
"Only one way to find out," Vegito shrugged, already starting forward on the path.
"Wait," BB interrupted, digital screens flashing around her. "This environmental instability follows certain parameters. I'm detecting a pattern in the fluctuations. They're not random—they're responding to our presence."
"The test is adaptive," Scathach realized. "It's learning from our movements, our abilities."
"So it's like fighting a smart opponent?" Vegito asked, seeming more intrigued than concerned.
"More like fighting an environment that thinks it's our opponent," Arcueid clarified, crimson eyes scanning the shifting landscape with new understanding. "Clever."
"How do we beat something like that?" Bam asked nervously.
Vegito's expression brightened. "We don't think like opponents. We think like part of it."
Scathach raised an eyebrow. "Elaborate."
"It's like what I was saying about Ultra Instinct," Vegito explained, excitement building in his voice. "Don't fight against things—move with them. This place is trying to adapt to us, right? So instead of fighting the changes, we flow with them. Use them."
BB looked skeptical. "That's not a tactical approach. It's barely even a coherent strategy."
"Sometimes the most effective approach isn't tactical," Musashi countered, understanding dawning in her eyes. "In swordsmanship, there's a state called 'no-mind' where you stop opposing the enemy's movements and instead become one with the flow of battle."
"Exactly!" Vegito pointed enthusiastically. "Like that!"
"Theoretical harmony with a hostile environment is unlikely to—" BB began.
She was interrupted as Vegito suddenly dashed forward onto the path, which immediately began to undulate beneath his feet like a living thing trying to buck him off. Instead of fighting for balance, he moved with the waves, his body flowing and twisting in perfect harmony with the motion, almost like a dance.
"Like this!" he called back, somehow making the chaotic movement look effortless. "Don't resist it!"
Musashi was the first to follow his example, sheathing her swords and approaching the path with deliberate calm. When it began to shift beneath her, she aligned her movements with the rhythm, stumbling at first but quickly finding the pattern.
"It works!" she called in delighted surprise. "But you need to feel the pulse of it!"
One by one, the others attempted the approach, with varying degrees of success. Arcueid adapted quickly, her supernatural reflexes allowing her to mimic Vegito's flowing movements. Scathach, with her millennia of combat experience, analyzed the pattern and synchronized her movements with precise efficiency.
BB struggled initially, her digital nature rebelling against the organic unpredictability of the environment. "This defies algorithmic prediction!" she complained as the path sent her tumbling for the third time.
"Stop calculating and feel it!" Vegito called back, easily riding a wave that sent the ground beneath him suddenly vertical.
Bam, surprisingly, seemed to have the least trouble. The moment he stepped onto the path, the chaotic movements beneath his feet became noticeably less violent, as if the shinsoo itself was accommodating him.
"Bam's doing something to the environment," Scathach observed sharply. "The fluctuations moderate in his vicinity."
"I'm not doing anything intentionally," Bam replied, confusion evident in his voice. "It just... feels natural."
"Natural talent," Vegito grinned. "See? Told you you'd be useful!"
As they progressed deeper into the Shifting Plains, the environmental chaos intensified. Gravity inverted without warning. The air itself crystallized then sublimated in heartbeats. Reality seemed to fold in on itself in places, creating dizzying vortices of spatial distortion.
Yet through it all, they maintained their approach of harmonizing rather than fighting—following Vegito's seemingly instinctive understanding of how to move with rather than against the chaos.
"We're halfway to the center," BB reported after what felt like hours but might have been minutes in the distorted time of the Plains. "But the instability is increasing exponentially with proximity to the relic."
As if to confirm her assessment, the path ahead of them suddenly shattered into floating islands of solid matter, separated by what appeared to be gaps in reality itself—spaces where nothing existed, not even emptiness.
"That's... problematic," Musashi observed, staring at the void spaces between platforms.
"Can we jump across?" Arcueid wondered, gauging the distances.
"Those aren't just gaps in space," BB warned. "They're localized reality failures. Entering one would be... inadvisable."
"So we need another way," Vegito mused, studying the floating islands thoughtfully. Then his eyes lit up. "Bam, the shinsoo responds to you, right? Could you maybe... I don't know... ask it to make a bridge or something?"
Bam's golden eyes widened. "I... I don't know how."
"Just try," Vegito encouraged. "Feel it, like you did before when the fire wave came at you. Trust your instincts."
The boy hesitated, then closed his eyes, his expression concentrating. For long moments, nothing happened. Then, gradually, the shinsoo in the air around them began to shimmer and condense, forming into visible threads of blue light that stretched between the floating platforms.
"Holy—" Arcueid began.
"Remarkable," Scathach cut in, watching the shinsoo threads thicken and interweave, creating something like a bridge spanning the void spaces.
Bam opened his eyes, looking as surprised as anyone at what he'd accomplished. "I just... felt it. Like it wanted to help, but needed direction."
"Natural affinity for environmental manipulation," BB analyzed, digital screens flashing around her. "Extremely rare talent profile."
"Or maybe the shinsoo just likes him," Vegito suggested with a grin. "Either way, nice job, Bam!"
The boy's cheeks colored slightly at the praise. "I don't know if it's stable enough to walk on."
"Only one way to find out," Vegito replied cheerfully, already stepping onto the shimmering bridge. It held, flexing slightly beneath his weight but remaining solid. "Works great! Come on!"
With the assistance of Bam's newly discovered talent, they made faster progress toward the center. The environmental chaos continued to intensify, but between Vegito's instinctive harmony with the fluctuations and Bam's growing ability to influence the shinsoo directly, they maintained their advance.
"There," Scathach pointed as they crested what appeared to be a liquid mountain that had suddenly solidified. "The relic."
At the very center of the Shifting Plains, suspended in a column of swirling energy, floated a small crystalline object. It pulsed with inner light, each beat sending ripples of change through the surrounding environment.
"That's what's controlling the fluctuations," BB realized. "It's a shinsoo regulator of some kind."
"So if we take it, does this whole place just... collapse?" Arcueid wondered, eyeing the chaotic landscape around them.
"One way to find out," Musashi replied pragmatically.
As they approached the central column, the environmental resistance grew fierce. The ground beneath them no longer merely shifted—it actively attacked, forming spike-like protrusions that shot upward with deadly intent. The air itself seemed to become hostile, forming miniature cyclones of razor-sharp shinsoo particles.
"I think it knows what we're after!" Vegito called, dodging a spear of crystallized air that materialized inches from his face.
"The system is defending its core component," BB confirmed, erecting digital barriers to deflect the environmental attacks. "Standard security response!"
Scathach moved with lethal grace, her spear cutting through the manifestations of hostile shinsoo with practiced precision. "We need a coordinated approach to reach the center!"
"I have an idea," Vegito called above the mounting chaos. "Bam, can you calm the shinsoo around us? Create a safe bubble or something?"
"I... I can try," the boy replied, his face tense with concentration.
"Arcueid, Musashi, Scathach—can you guys handle anything that gets through Bam's bubble?"
The three warriors nodded in unison, moving into defensive positions around Bam.
"BB, I need you to analyze that crystal thing. Figure out how to extract it without making this whole place collapse on us."
"Already processing scenarios," the digital entity confirmed, screens flashing complex calculations around her.
"And what will you be doing?" Scathach asked, spearing a suddenly animated boulder that hurled itself toward them.
Vegito grinned. "I'm going to grab it, of course."
Before anyone could protest, Bam's powers activated. The shinsoo around them visibly calmed, the violent manifestations dissolving as a sphere of relative stability formed around their group. It wasn't perfect—tendrils of hostile energy still penetrated occasionally, only to be dispatched by the three warriors—but it created enough of a haven for them to advance toward the central column.
"The crystal appears to be a focal point for the entire Plains system," BB reported. "Removal will indeed cause significant environmental collapse, but I'm detecting a thirty-second buffer period before critical destabilization occurs."
"So grab and run really fast," Vegito translated. "Got it."
"Extraction angle is critical," BB warned. "The energy column has defense mechanisms that—"
But Vegito was already moving. With a burst of speed that left afterimages in his wake, he darted straight toward the central column, his body weaving through the remaining environmental defenses with Ultra Instinct precision.
"He never listens to the full tactical briefing," BB complained to no one in particular.
Reaching the column, Vegito paused for just an instant, studying the swirling energy and the crystal suspended within. Then, with timing so perfect it seemed almost prescient, he thrust his hand into the vortex at the exact moment a fluctuation created a temporary weakness.
His fingers closed around the crystal.
The effect was immediate and dramatic. The entire Shifting Plains seemed to pause for a heartbeat, as if the environment itself was drawing in a shocked breath. Then everything began to collapse.
The floating islands plummeted. The liquid mountains melted. The impossible structures folded in on themselves. Reality, freed from the crystal's controlling influence, began reverting to basic physical laws with violent enthusiasm.
"Now would be an excellent time to depart," Scathach observed with characteristic understatement.
"Return to the entry point!" BB commanded, digital screens mapping the fastest escape route. "We have approximately twenty-seven seconds before total environmental failure!"
Vegito rejoined them in a blur of movement, the crystal clutched in his hand glowing with pulsing light. "Time to run!"
With Bam maintaining their protective bubble and BB projecting the escape route, the group raced back toward the entry barrier. Around them, the Shifting Plains were coming apart at the seams. Spaces that had contained mountains now held nothing at all. Areas that had been solid ground transformed into impossible geometries before blinking out of existence entirely.
"Fifteen seconds to critical failure!" BB warned as they leapt across a rapidly widening chasm that hadn't existed moments before.
"Can you make it go any faster?" Arcueid called, literally carrying Bam now to increase their speed.
"I'm a digital entity, not a miracle worker!" BB retorted.
"Less arguing, more running!" Musashi suggested practically.
The entry barrier came into view ahead, the transparent wall never looking more inviting. On the other side, the observing Heroic Spirits had moved close to the boundary, many looking concerned as they witnessed the Plains' rapid disintegration.
"Five seconds!" BB announced.
With a final burst of speed, they reached the barrier—only to find it solid against their touch.
"It won't open!" Musashi exclaimed, striking it with her sword to no effect.
On the other side, Artoria and several others were attempting to breach the barrier from their side, with equally little success.
"Three seconds!"
"Stand back," Vegito commanded suddenly, the crystal in his hand glowing brighter as he raised it toward the barrier. "I think this is the key!"
The moment the crystal touched the transparent wall, the barrier dissolved like mist. The group tumbled through just as the Shifting Plains behind them collapsed into a singularity of unraveling reality before winking out of existence entirely.
For a moment, they lay sprawled on the solid ground of the arena floor, catching their breath and processing their narrow escape. Then Vegito started laughing—a genuine, delighted sound of pure exhilaration.
"That was AWESOME!" he declared, sitting up with the crystal still clutched in his hand. "Can we do it again?"
Sixteen legendary women and one golden-eyed boy stared at him in various states of disbelief.
"You found that... enjoyable?" Artoria asked carefully.
"Are you kidding? It was incredible!" Vegito's eyes shone with excitement. "The whole place was alive! Constantly changing, adapting, challenging us to adapt with it!"
"We nearly perished in a localized reality collapse," BB pointed out dryly.
"But we didn't!" Vegito countered, undimmed. "Because we worked together perfectly! Bam with his shinsoo control, you with your analysis, the others with their combat skills—it all came together exactly when we needed it!"
His enthusiasm was strangely infectious. Musashi found herself grinning despite the danger they'd just escaped. Arcueid nodded in agreement, her own eyes bright with the thrill of the challenge. Even Scathach's normally impassive features held a hint of satisfaction.
"The boy is correct," she acknowledged. "The team functioned with exceptional synergy, considering our limited preparation."
From the sidelines, Gilgamesh observed with calculated interest. "Perhaps there is some method to his apparent madness after all," she murmured to Morgan standing beside her.
"He harmonizes chaos," Morgan replied thoughtfully. "An unusual talent, but one with... potential applications."
Before anyone could further analyze their experience, Test Administrator Yu approached, his impassive features betraying the slightest hint of surprise.
"You succeeded," he stated, eyes fixed on the crystal in Vegito's hand. "And in significantly less time than anticipated."
"Was there a time limit?" Vegito asked curiously.
"Previous record was three days," Yu replied. "You completed the challenge in forty-seven minutes."
This information caused a stir among both the returning team and the observing Spirits.
"Three DAYS?" Musashi repeated incredulously. "In that chaos?"
"Most candidates progress incrementally," Yu explained. "Testing each step, retreating from danger, advancing cautiously."
"Boring," Arcueid commented with a dismissive wave.
Yu's eyes narrowed slightly. "Your... unconventional approach yielded results, but completely destroyed the testing environment in the process."
"Sorry about that," Vegito offered, not sounding particularly apologetic as he held out the crystal. "Here's your relic thing back."
Yu made no move to take it. "That is yours to keep. The reward for completing the challenge."
"Oh." Vegito looked down at the crystal with new interest. "What does it do?"
"It is a Focus Stone," Yu explained reluctantly. "A tool for controlling and shaping shinsoo. Extremely rare and valuable."
"Cool!" Vegito immediately turned and held it out to Bam. "Here, you should have it."
The boy's golden eyes widened in shock. "M-me? But you're the one who retrieved it!"
"And you're the one who can actually use it," Vegito pointed out practically. "You've got a natural talent with this shinsoo stuff. This will help you develop it."
The casual generosity of this gesture—giving away an apparently priceless artifact without a second thought—left many in the group speechless. Bam stared at the offered crystal, then at Vegito's encouraging smile, before hesitantly accepting it.
"I... thank you," he whispered, the crystal glowing softly as it touched his palm. "I'll learn to use it properly."
Yu watched this exchange with unreadable eyes. "Interesting," was his only comment before addressing the entire group. "You have passed the first test. Rest today. Tomorrow brings the second challenge."
With that, he departed, leaving the group to discuss their experience and newfound victory.
"I must say," Nero declared dramatically, "that was a performance worthy of imperial acclaim! Such daring! Such teamwork! I shall begin composing the epic immediately!"
"The crystal responded positively to the boy's energy signature," Medea observed, scientific interest piqued. "A natural compatibility."
"His control of shinsoo is remarkable for an untrained novice," Scathach agreed. "With proper guidance, his potential is significant."
As the group moved toward the exit, discussing the challenge and speculating about tomorrow's test, Vegito found himself walking beside Artoria.
"You were worried," he noted with mild surprise.
The King of Knights glanced at him. "The barrier was meant to open automatically upon completion of the challenge. When it failed to do so as the environment collapsed..."
"You thought we might be trapped on the wrong side," Vegito completed her thought.
Artoria nodded. "It was... concerning."
"Aww, you do care," Vegito teased lightly.
To his surprise, Artoria didn't dismiss the observation with her usual dignity. Instead, she regarded him thoughtfully.
"Today, I observed something I did not expect," she said. "Your first instinct, upon securing victory, was to share its rewards with the one who could make best use of them. That is... the action of a true leader."
Vegito looked uncomfortable with the praise. "It just made sense. Bam needs it more than I do."
"Nevertheless," Artoria continued, "it speaks to character. Perhaps there is more to this binding than mere magical coincidence."
Before Vegito could question what she meant, Bam approached hesitantly, the Focus Stone glowing softly in his hands.
"I don't know how to thank you," he began.
"Then don't," Vegito replied easily. "Just learn to use it well. That'll be thanks enough."
The three continued walking, unaware that their conversation was being closely observed by several of the other Spirits, each forming their own assessments of the boy who had so unexpectedly become the center of their existence in this strange Tower.
And somewhere far above them, in a chamber few had ever seen, a massive being of incomprehensible power reviewed the test results with growing interest.
The Tower's Administrator had begun to pay attention.
The game had changed.
## Chapter 3: Of Legends and Limitations
The return to their quarters was accompanied by animated discussion of the day's events. What had begun as a formal test had transformed into a bonding experience of sorts—the shared danger and triumph creating the beginnings of something like camaraderie among the diverse group.
"The way you manipulated that shinsoo was incredible," Musashi was telling Bam, who blushed at the legendary swordswoman's praise. "Like watching someone speak a language they didn't know they were fluent in."
"I still don't understand how I did it," Bam admitted, looking down at the Focus Stone that now hung from a simple cord around his neck. "It just... responded to me."
"Natural affinity," BB explained, digital displays still analyzing data from the test. "Your energy signature resonates with the Tower's fundamental particles at a harmonic frequency approximately 89.7% aligned with—"
"He's special," Arcueid interrupted, translating BB's technical explanation with casual accuracy. "Like our not-quite-Master over there." She nodded toward Vegito, who was walking ahead with Artoria and Scathach.
Gilgamesh, who had maintained a haughty distance throughout most of their return journey, finally deigned to join the conversation. "The boy's performance was... adequate," she admitted reluctantly. "Though his methods lack refinement."
"You were impressed," Ishtar teased, floating slightly above the ground as they walked. "I saw your face when he retrieved the crystal. You didn't expect him to succeed."
"The King's expectations are irrelevant," Gilgamesh replied coldly. "Results alone matter."
"Then by your own standard, he succeeded admirably," Morgan pointed out with subtle precision. "Retrieving the artifact in record time while preserving his team's safety."
Gilgamesh's crimson eyes narrowed at Morgan. "Do not presume to interpret my standards, witch-queen."
"Your standards are written clearly across your features," Morgan replied with a thin smile. "For those with eyes to see."
The tension between the two royal figures crackled almost visibly in the air between them.
"Now, now," Kiara intervened smoothly, her serene smile belying the dangerous gleam in her eyes. "Such discord among allies serves no purpose. We are all bound to the same center, are we not?"
Her choice of words carried subtle undertones that caused several of the more perceptive Spirits to glance at her sharply. Kiara merely maintained her enigmatic smile, saying nothing more.
As they reached their living quarters, Vegito announced his intention to clean up and rest before dinner. The Shifting Plains, for all their excitement, had left everyone coated in a fine residue of crystallized shinsoo particles that glittered like diamond dust on their skin and clothing.
"The Tower provides bathing facilities in each wing," the ever-practical Nightingale informed the group. "I recommend thorough cleansing. Unknown particulate matter may cause respiratory complications if left on the epidermis."
"She means take a shower because we're all sparkly," Arcueid translated with a grin.
As the group dispersed to their respective rooms, an unexpecte As the group dispersed to their respective rooms, an unexpected commotion erupted from one of the corridors.
"Unacceptable!" came Gilgamesh's imperious voice. "This is an outrage beyond measure!"
Several of the Heroic Spirits immediately converged on the source of the disturbance, finding the King of Heroes standing outside what appeared to be a large bathing chamber, her golden armor glittering with righteous indignation.
"What seems to be the problem?" Artoria inquired, ever the diplomat.
"This!" Gilgamesh gestured dramatically at the doorway. "A communal bathing facility! The King does not share ablutions with commoners!"
Vegito poked his head around the corner, curious about the commotion. "What's the big deal? It looks pretty nice to me."
The chamber beyond was indeed impressive—a vast space of polished stone featuring multiple pools of steaming water at varying temperatures, elegantly arranged around a central fountain that sprayed multicolored shinsoo infused water into the air, creating miniature rainbows where the light caught the droplets.
"The issue is not aesthetics," Gilgamesh hissed. "It is propriety! Royal dignity!"
"Oh," Vegito scratched his head. "I guess we could take turns?"
"The King does not wait in queue!" Gilgamesh declared, drawing herself up to her full height.
Morgan, who had been observing with thinly veiled amusement, stepped forward. "Perhaps we should establish a schedule," she suggested coolly. "Royalty first, naturally."
"That seems reasonable," Artoria agreed diplomatically.
"I'm claiming the midnight slot," Arcueid announced cheerfully. "Vampire hours and all that."
What might have escalated into a full diplomatic incident was defused by the practical intervention of BB, who materialized a digital scheduling board in mid-air.
"I've created an optimal bathing rotation based on everyone's stated preferences and psychological profiles," she declared. "Efficiency increased by 73% compared to random allocation."
The assembled Spirits stared at the floating timetable, which somehow managed to accommodate everyone's unstated but apparently accurately predicted preferences.
"You've been psychologically profiling us?" Medea asked, one elegant eyebrow raised.
"Of course," BB replied as if this were perfectly normal. "I've been running background analysis since our summoning. How else would I determine optimal team configurations?"
"Invasion of privacy aside," Ishtar commented dryly, "the schedule looks workable."
"The King is satisfied with her allocated primacy," Gilgamesh declared, noting she'd been assigned the first slot.
Crisis averted, the group dispersed once more. Vegito, whose turn wasn't for several hours, returned to his room to find Bam sitting cross-legged on the floor, the Focus Stone hovering a few inches above his palm, glowing with soft blue light.
"Making progress?" Vegito asked, dropping down beside him.
Bam started, his concentration breaking. The stone fell back into his palm with a soft thud. "Sorry, I didn't hear you come in."
"No worries. That looked pretty cool. How's it work?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Bam admitted, turning the crystal thoughtfully. "I can feel the shinsoo gathering around it, like it's... listening to me somehow. Waiting for instructions."
"Like having a conversation without words," Vegito suggested.
Bam's eyes brightened. "Yes, exactly like that! How did you know?"
Vegito shrugged. "Just a guess. That's kind of how Ultra Instinct feels sometimes—like my body is having a conversation with everything around it that my brain doesn't need to translate."
The two boys sat in companionable silence for a moment, each contemplating their unusual abilities.
"Can I ask you something?" Bam finally ventured.
"Sure, shoot."
"Why did you give me the Focus Stone? Really? It's your prize. You earned it."
Vegito leaned back on his hands, considering the question. "Honestly? Because it felt right. You have this connection with shinsoo that none of the rest of us have. The stone belongs with someone who can talk to it properly."
"But you're so much stronger than me," Bam persisted. "You could probably learn to use it better than I could."
"Strength isn't everything," Vegito replied, surprising Bam with his seriousness. "Besides, I've always had power. Too much, sometimes. It's nice to see someone else discovering theirs."
Before Bam could respond, there was a sharp knock at the door.
"Enter," Vegito called.
The door swung open to reveal Scathach, who had exchanged her battle attire for a more casual outfit that nonetheless managed to look both elegant and dangerous.
"Training begins in ten minutes," she announced without preamble.
Vegito blinked in confusion. "Training? What training?"
"Combat preparation for tomorrow's test," Scathach replied as if this were obvious. "Today's challenge revealed several tactical weaknesses that require addressing."
"But we passed with flying colors," Vegito protested. "Set a record and everything."
"Success does not indicate optimal performance," Scathach countered. "Your approach, while effective, relied too heavily on improvisation and natural ability. Against a more structured opponent, such methods may prove insufficient."
"She has a point," came Artoria's voice as she appeared behind Scathach. "Systematic training would benefit us all."
Vegito looked between the two legendary warriors, recognizing the futility of argument. "Alright, alright. Training it is. Where are we doing this?"
"The compound includes a dedicated combat area," Artoria informed him. "Several of the others are already gathering there."
As they made their way to the training space, Vegito nudged Bam. "Bring your Focus Stone. Maybe you can practice with it while we're training."
The combat area proved to be a vast chamber with reinforced walls and a floor that seemed designed to absorb impact. Most of the Heroic Spirits had already assembled, some clearly eager for physical activity after the day's excitement.
"Finally!" Musashi exclaimed upon seeing Vegito. "I've been waiting to cross swords with you since we arrived."
"I don't really use swords," Vegito reminded her.
"Even better," the swordswoman grinned. "A novel challenge."
"Before individual contests begin," Scathach interrupted, taking natural command of the space, "we should establish baseline capabilities for coordinated action."
"Meaning?" Arcueid asked, lounging casually against a training dummy that looked insufficient to withstand her true strength.
"Meaning," Artoria clarified, "we need to understand how our various abilities complement or interfere with each other. Today's test team functioned well by happenstance. Tomorrow may require more deliberate coordination."
"The King does not coordinate," Gilgamesh declared from where she stood observing the proceedings. "Others adapt to the King's brilliance."
"Yet even a king benefits from knowing her subjects' capabilities," Morgan countered smoothly.
"Precisely," Scathach nodded. "I propose combat rotation. Each of us demonstrating core abilities while others observe."
"Ooh, a talent show!" Nero clapped her hands delightedly. "The Emperor shall astound you all with her magnificence!"
"Not a performance," Artoria corrected firmly. "A tactical assessment."
"Why not both?" Vegito suggested with a grin. "Talent show sounds way more fun than 'tactical assessment.'"
This earned him a sharp look from Scathach, but Musashi laughed. "I like how he thinks! Who wants to go first?"
"Age before beauty," suggested Arcueid with a mischievous glance at Scathach.
"Then we would begin with Tiamat," the immortal warrior replied without missing a beat, "whose existence predates the concept of civilization itself."
From her position near the wall, where she had been silently observing, Tiamat made a sound that might have been amusement.
"Perhaps we should start with our anchor instead," Medea suggested practically. "Since all our movements must account for his position."
All eyes turned to Vegito, who suddenly found himself the center of attention.
"Um, what exactly am I supposed to do?" he asked.
"Show us what you can do," Scathach instructed. "Beyond the Ultra Instinct movement we witnessed today."
"Okay..." Vegito stepped into the center of the training area, looking slightly uncomfortable with the formal demonstration. "I'm better at reacting than performing, but I'll give it a shot."
He closed his eyes for a moment, centering himself. When they opened again, there was a subtle shift in his demeanor—a heightened focus that made the air around him seem to shimmer slightly.
What followed was difficult for even the assembled legends to fully process. Vegito moved—but "movement" seemed an inadequate description. It was as if he existed in multiple places simultaneously, flowing between positions with such fluid grace that the eye couldn't track the transitions. He executed a series of strikes and defensive maneuvers against invisible opponents, each motion perfectly balanced and containing precisely the necessary force—no more, no less.
The display lasted perhaps thirty seconds before he stopped, returning to his original position as if he'd never left it.
"That's the basics," he said with a shrug. "Nothing fancy."
A stunned silence followed his "nothing fancy" demonstration.
"Your baseline speed exceeds my maximum output by approximately 34%," BB finally commented, digital screens displaying complex motion analyses around her.
"I've never seen movement that clean," Musashi admitted, professional appreciation evident in her voice. "Not even from the greatest swordmasters I've encountered."
"It's adequate," Gilgamesh sniffed, though her intense focus during the demonstration belied her dismissive tone.
"How do you maintain spatial awareness at that velocity?" Scathach inquired, the tactician in her immediately focusing on practical applications.
"I don't really think about it," Vegito admitted. "I just... know where everything is, including myself. Like every atom is constantly communicating with every other atom."
"Quantum entanglement manifestation," BB murmured thoughtfully. "Fascinating."
"Whatever it is, it's impressive," Arcueid declared, pushing off from her training dummy. "My turn next!"
What followed was a remarkable showcase of legendary abilities. Arcueid demonstrated strength that casually shattered reinforced training equipment. Musashi performed sword techniques so refined they seemed to cut the fabric of space itself. BB manipulated digital constructs that bent reality within their boundaries. Nero combined theatrical flair with surprisingly effective combat maneuvers.
As each Spirit took their turn, patterns of potential cooperation began to emerge. Scathach and Artoria, despite their different styles, showed natural tactical synergy. Morgan and Medea's magical approaches complemented each other unexpectedly well. Ishtar and Gilgamesh, despite their obvious mutual antipathy, demonstrated ranged attack capabilities that could theoretically provide perfect coverage from any angle.
Throughout it all, Bam sat quietly at the edge of the training area, the Focus Stone hovering above his palm as he attempted to practice while observing the spectacular displays of power. Occasionally, the stone would pulse with bright light in response to particularly intense magical demonstrations, as if resonating with the energies being released.
After Durga had concluded a breathtaking display of multi-armed combat techniques, Vegito noticed Bam's solitary practice and approached him.
"Why don't you show everyone what you were doing earlier?" he suggested. "With the shinsoo control."
Bam looked alarmed at the idea. "Me? After all these incredible demonstrations? I barely know what I'm doing."
"Sometimes not knowing is an advantage," Vegito countered. "You don't have preconceptions limiting what you try."
Before Bam could protest further, Vegito had already called out to the group. "Hey everyone! Bam's got something cool to show you with his shinsoo control!"
The assembled legends turned their attention to the golden-eyed boy, who looked like he wanted nothing more than to disappear into the floor.
"I... it's nothing impressive," he began hesitantly. "I'm still learning."
"Show them anyway," Vegito encouraged. "Like you were doing before, with the stone."
Taking a deep breath, Bam moved to the center of the training area, the Focus Stone clutched nervously in his palm. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the feeling he'd discovered in the Shifting Plains—that strange sense of communication with the shinsoo around him.
For several long moments, nothing visible happened. Then, gradually, the air around Bam began to shimmer with blue light. The Focus Stone lifted from his palm, floating at eye level before him, pulsing like a heartbeat. Responding to this pulse, threads of shinsoo began to materialize throughout the chamber—delicate filaments of blue energy that wove themselves into increasingly complex patterns.
"Incredible," Medea murmured, her sorcerer's eyes recognizing the complexity of what the boy was unconsciously creating. "He's not just manipulating the energy—he's communicating with it on a fundamental level."
The shinsoo threads continued to multiply and interconnect, forming a three-dimensional lattice throughout the training area. Where the threads intersected, small nodes of concentrated energy formed, glowing with increasing brightness.
"He's creating a perfect resonance field," BB observed, digital screens analyzing the pattern. "The energy distribution is approaching theoretical optimal efficiency."
Suddenly, one of the nodes flared brightly, then shot a beam of concentrated shinsoo across the room, striking a training dummy and reducing it to dust on impact. Bam's eyes flew open in shock, his concentration breaking. The elaborate lattice collapsed instantly, shinsoo threads dissipating like mist in sunshine.
"I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, clearly distressed. "I didn't mean to—I don't know how that happened!"
"Remarkable," Scathach commented, examining the perfectly disintegrated dummy. "Complete molecular destabilization from a single energy pulse."
"The boy has significant untapped potential," Morgan observed, her calculating eyes reassessing Bam with new interest.
"Not bad for a beginner," Vegito grinned, clapping Bam on the shoulder. "Told you it was worth showing them."
"I lost control," Bam protested. "I could have hurt someone."
"But you didn't," Artoria pointed out practically. "And now you know another aspect of your ability that requires practice."
"Control will come with training," Scathach added. "Natural talent such as yours merely requires proper direction."
As they discussed Bam's unexpected display, a subtle shift in the room's atmosphere caught Vegito's attention. Turning, he found Tiamat had moved closer to the center of the training area, her massive form somehow managing to approach without creating disturbance.
The primordial goddess made a soft sound—not quite speech, but clearly communication—while looking directly at Bam.
"What's she saying?" the boy asked nervously.
"She recognizes something in your energy signature," BB translated, her digital systems apparently capable of interpreting Tiamat's unique communication. "Something... familiar to her."
"Familiar how?" Vegito asked, suddenly protective.
Tiamat made another series of sounds, these more complex and layered with meaning.
"She says his connection to shinsoo resembles ancient creation energy," BB explained, her expression showing rare surprise. "The fundamental force that shapes reality itself."
Bam looked stunned by this assessment. "That's—that can't be right. I'm just... me."
"Just you is already pretty impressive," Vegito reminded him. "But maybe Tiamat can help you understand your abilities better?"
The primordial goddess nodded slowly, extending one massive hand toward Bam. After a moment's hesitation, the boy placed the Focus Stone in her palm. Tiamat closed her fingers around it gently, and a soft glow emanated from between her digits. When she opened her hand again, the stone had changed—subtle patterns now etched its surface, patterns that shifted and moved like living things.
"She's imprinted it with creation templates," Medea explained, leaning closer to examine the transformed artifact. "Ancient magical structures that provide... guidance."
"Like training wheels for reality manipulation," Arcueid translated helpfully. "Very maternal of her."
Tiamat returned the enhanced Focus Stone to Bam with a sound that somehow conveyed both instruction and encouragement.
"She wants you to practice with it daily," BB interpreted. "The patterns will help stabilize your natural abilities."
The golden-eyed boy accepted the stone with reverent care. "Thank you," he said simply, looking up at the towering goddess. "I'll learn everything I can."
With this unexpected development, the training session naturally shifted into smaller groups focusing on specific skills and potential combinations. Scathach took charge of combat coordination, working with Artoria, Musashi, and others to develop tactical maneuvers. Medea, Morgan, and BB formed an impromptu magical research team, analyzing the various mystical energies at their disposal. Tiamat remained near Bam, occasionally making sounds of guidance as he experimented with his enhanced Focus Stone.
Vegito found himself momentarily without a specific group assignment, content to observe the various collaborations forming among the legendary beings. He was so absorbed in watching Musashi demonstrate a particularly intricate sword technique that he didn't notice Gilgamesh approach until she spoke directly beside him.
"Your pet project seems to be developing nicely," the King of Heroes remarked, nodding toward Bam.
"He's not a project," Vegito corrected mildly. "He's a friend with amazing potential."
"Potential is merely unrealized value," Gilgamesh countered. "Its worth determined by eventual application."
"Is that how you see everyone? In terms of worth and value?"
Gilgamesh's crimson eyes narrowed slightly. "The King evaluates all things according to their true nature. It is both right and proper."
"Sounds exhausting," Vegito commented. "Always calculating what everything's worth instead of just... experiencing it."
The King of Heroes looked genuinely surprised by this perspective. "You advocate mindless existence over discernment?"
"Not mindless," Vegito shook his head. "Just... present. Being fully in each moment without constantly judging its value compared to other moments."
"A philosophy of simpletons," Gilgamesh dismissed, though her tone held more curiosity than conviction.
"Maybe," Vegito shrugged good-naturedly. "But simpletons have fun. When's the last time you had fun, Your Majesty?"
The question, asked without malice or challenge, seemed to catch Gilgamesh off guard. For a brief moment, something almost vulnerable flickered across her imperial features before being swiftly mastered.
"The King's pleasure is not your concern," she stated firmly, though without her usual edge.
"Fair enough," Vegito agreed easily. "But if you ever want to try having fun instead of being regal all the time, let me know. I'm pretty good at fun."
With that casually presumptuous offer lingering between them, Vegito wandered off to observe Arcueid's demonstration of supernatural reflexes, leaving Gilgamesh staring after him with an expression that mingled indignation with something dangerously close to interest.
The training session continued for several hours, interrupted only when BB announced that dinner had been delivered to their quarters. The mention of food immediately captured Vegito's full attention.
"Training's great and all," he declared, already heading for the door, "but I'm starving!"
The dining area had indeed been stocked with an impressive array of provisions—far more extensive than their earlier meal. Dishes from what appeared to be multiple Tower cultures filled the long central table, their aromas mingling in an enticing symphony of scents.
"The Tower administrators appear to be taking our dietary needs seriously," Artoria observed with poorly concealed satisfaction. The King of Knights' legendary appetite was apparently as active as ever.
"Probably trying to keep us happy so we don't destroy more of their testing facilities," Arcueid suggested, already piling exotic fruits onto her plate.
"A wise precaution," Morgan agreed with dry humor. "Legendary beings are notoriously destructive when displeased."
As they settled around the table, a natural hierarchy emerged—not one of formal rank, but of conversational dynamics. Vegito, unsurprisingly, became an informal center of attention, with Artoria, Scathach, and Musashi positioned nearby. Gilgamesh and Morgan occupied opposite ends of the table, each maintaining a regal distance while carefully observing the interactions. BB, Medea, and Shiki formed a cluster of analytical minds, quietly exchanging observations. Nero, Ishtar, and Arcueid created a pocket of lively energy, their more outgoing personalities harmonizing despite their vastly different origins.
Bam, still somewhat overwhelmed by the day's events, found himself seated between Vegito and Tiamat, the latter's massive form somehow accommodated by furniture that seemed to adjust to her needs.
"So," Vegito addressed the group between enthusiastic bites, "anyone want to guess what tomorrow's test will be?"
"Something requiring greater coordination," Scathach predicted. "Today's challenge evaluated our adaptive capabilities. Logical progression would test tactical cohesion."
"Boring," Arcueid yawned theatrically. "I'm hoping for something that lets us really cut loose. All this restraint is tedious."
"The Tower's structure likely cannot withstand our unrestrained abilities," Artoria pointed out diplomatically.
"Exactly!" Arcueid grinned. "Wouldn't that be interesting?"
"Catastrophic structural failure resulting in the deaths of thousands is not 'interesting,'" BB corrected primly. "It's inefficient and counterproductive."
"Always the killjoy," Arcueid sighed. "Fine, what about a monster hunt? Something big and dangerous that we're actually supposed to destroy?"
"The Tower does contain numerous hostile species," Bam offered hesitantly. "Rachel told me about massive beasts that guard certain floors."
The mention of this name drew Vegito's attention. "Rachel's the friend you're looking for, right? The one who came to the Tower before you?"
Bam nodded, his expression softening with both hope and uncertainty. "She was the only person in my life for as long as I can remember. She told me about the stars, about the world outside our cave..." His voice trailed off, golden eyes distant with memory.
"Cave?" Vegito prompted gently.
"I lived underground, in darkness," Bam explained. "Until Rachel found me. She was my light."
The simple statement, delivered with such genuine emotion, created a momentary lull in the conversation. Several of the Heroic Spirits exchanged glances, recognizing the depth of feeling behind the boy's words.
"So you followed her into the Tower," Vegito concluded, understanding dawning in his eyes. "That's why you were at the entrance when I arrived."
Bam nodded. "I have to find her. I have to understand why she left without me."
"And we'll help you," Vegito decided instantly. "Right, everyone?"
This casual assumption of collective purpose drew various reactions, from Artoria's thoughtful nod to Gilgamesh's eloquently raised eyebrow.
"Our primary objective is ascending the Tower," Scathach reminded him. "Searching for one specific individual among countless floors and billions of inhabitants presents significant tactical challenges."
"So?" Vegito shrugged. "We can do both. Climb and search. And with sixteen legendary heroes, how hard could it be to find one person?"
"Your boundless optimism is either admirable or delusional," Morgan observed coolly. "I haven't decided which."
"Historically, I've found it's usually both," Vegito grinned, entirely unperturbed by her assessment.
As dinner progressed, conversation flowed more freely, with even the more reserved Spirits occasionally contributing. Gilgamesh related heavily edited tales of Uruk that nonetheless captivated her audience. Musashi shared techniques from sword schools long vanished from history. Nero regaled them with increasingly embellished accounts of Roman glory that had Ishtar rolling her eyes in knowing amusement.
Throughout it all, Vegito listened with genuine interest, occasionally asking questions that revealed surprising insight despite his outward casualness. He treated each legend, each mythic being, not with awe or deference, but with the simple respect of one person for another—an approach so refreshingly direct that even the proudest among them found it difficult to maintain full regal distance.
As the meal concluded, Test Administrator Yu suddenly appeared at the entrance to the dining area, his perpetually severe expression somehow even more forbidding than usual.
"Tomorrow's test has been modified," he announced without preamble. "Your performance today has... necessitated adjustments to the standard progression."
"Modified how?" Artoria inquired, immediately alert to potential complications.
"You will face the Floor Guardian," Yu stated flatly. "Directly."
This announcement drew shocked reactions from several of the gathering, particularly Bam.
"The Floor Guardian?" he repeated, eyes wide. "But Regular candidates never face Guardians. They're... they're like gods of each floor."
"Your group has demonstrated capabilities beyond Regular parameters," Yu explained with thinly disguised distaste. "The standard tests would provide inadequate evaluation."
"So you're skipping right to the boss battle," Vegito summarized with obvious excitement. "Awesome!"
Yu's expression suggested he found nothing "awesome" about the situation. "The Guardian has expressed... personal interest in your group. Particularly in you," he added, fixing Vegito with an unreadable stare. "This is unprecedented."
"We seem to specialize in unprecedented," Arcueid commented cheerfully.
"Your casual attitude toward fundamental Tower protocols is precisely why exceptional measures have been deemed necessary," Yu replied coldly. "The Guardian will evaluate not only your combat capabilities but your understanding of your place within the Tower's structure."
"And where exactly is that?" Morgan inquired with deceptive politeness.
"That," Yu responded as he turned to leave, "is what tomorrow will determine."
After he departed, a thoughtful silence fell over the group.
"A direct confrontation with a Guardian," Scathach mused. "Intriguing."
"Is it dangerous?" Vegito asked Bam, noting the boy's continued concern.
"Guardians are... they're like forces of nature," Bam explained hesitantly. "They control the shinsoo of their entire floor. They can reshape reality within their domain. They're as far above Rankers as Rankers are above regular people."
"Sounds like a fair fight, then," Musashi grinned, hand already drifting to her sword hilt in anticipation.
"This isn't about fighting," Artoria cautioned. "The administrator specifically mentioned evaluation of our 'understanding of our place.' This is as much a test of diplomacy as combat."
"Diplomacy," Gilgamesh repeated with undisguised disdain. "The King does not negotiate with lesser entities."
"Even kings must occasionally practice statecraft," Morgan countered smoothly. "Power alone is a blunt instrument."
As debate about tomorrow's approach continued, Vegito noticed Bam slipping quietly away from the table. Following his instinct, he excused himself and found the golden-eyed boy standing at one of the vast windows, staring out at the artificial night sky of the Second Floor.
"You okay?" Vegito asked, joining him at the window.
"No one faces Guardians this early," Bam said softly. "It's not just unusual—it's unheard of. Something about our presence has changed the Tower's normal patterns."
"Is that bad?"
Bam considered the question carefully. "Change isn't inherently bad. But the Tower has existed this way for thousands of years. Systems that old don't change easily. When they do..."
"They tend to break rather than bend," Vegito completed his thought. "Yeah, I get that."
"I'm worried about what it means," Bam admitted. "For finding Rachel, for all of us."
Vegito placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Look at it this way—if we're changing the system, maybe that's exactly what we need to do to find her. Normal paths might not lead where you need to go."
Bam looked up, golden eyes reflecting the artificial starlight. "I hadn't thought of it that way."
"Besides," Vegito grinned, "we've got sixteen legendary heroes on our side. What's one Guardian compared to that?"
"You're really not afraid of anything, are you?" Bam asked with genuine curiosity.
Vegito's expression turned surprisingly thoughtful. "I wouldn't say that. I'm not afraid of getting hurt or losing fights. But... disappointing people who trust me? Not being able to protect friends? Those things scare me."
The admission, offered without drama or self-pity, gave Bam a new perspective on his confident companion. Before he could respond, however, a subtle presence made itself known behind them.
"Such concerns are the mark of a worthy leader," Artoria observed quietly, joining them at the window. "Fear for others rather than oneself."
"Still not a leader," Vegito protested automatically. "Just a guy with some excellent company."
"Leaders are often defined by those who choose to follow them," the King of Knights replied with gentle wisdom. "Not by their own declaration of authority."
"Deep thoughts for the evening before a boss battle," came Arcueid's voice as she too joined their window gathering. "Shouldn't we be drinking and boasting about tomorrow's certain victory instead?"
"Is that the True Ancestor tradition?" Artoria inquired with a hint of amusement.
"It's the fun tradition," Arcueid corrected with a fanged grin. "All this serious contemplation is wasting perfectly good night hours."
"She has a point," Vegito agreed, his usual lightheartedness returning. "If tomorrow's going to be as challenging as everyone says, maybe we should enjoy tonight."
"What did you have in mind?" Bam asked cautiously.
The answer came not from Vegito or Arcueid, but from an unexpected source. Nero appeared in the doorway, arms spread dramatically, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
"The Emperor has prepared entertainment!" she announced grandly. "A celebration befitting warriors before battle!"
Behind her, the sounds of activity could be heard from the main chamber—furniture being moved, voices raised in preparation, what might have been musical instruments being tuned.
"Oh no," Artoria murmured, recognizing the signs of impending imperial festivities.
"Oh yes," Arcueid countered gleefully. "This should be interesting."
As they returned to the main chamber, they found it transformed. The dining table had been pushed aside to create an open space in the center. Makeshift decorations fashioned from available materials hung from the walls and ceiling. BB had conjured holographic lights that danced through the air in patterns suggesting festival illumination.
"What's all this?" Vegito asked, delighted by the spontaneous transformation.
"A proper Roman celebration!" Nero declared proudly. "In ancient Rome, warriors feasted and made merry on the eve of great battles. It is tradition!"
"A tradition I can fully support," Vegito grinned, already moving to the center of the impromptu celebration space.
Not all the Heroic Spirits appeared equally enthusiastic about the festivities. Gilgamesh observed from a dignified distance, though she made no move to depart. Morgan maintained a similar reserve, while Medea and Shiki positioned themselves at the periphery. Others, however, embraced the concept with surprising enthusiasm. Musashi discovered that the Tower's provisions included several varieties of alcohol and promptly declared her intention to sample them all. Ishtar, never one to miss a celebration, conjured magical lights of her own to complement BB's display.
What followed was perhaps the strangest pre-battle celebration in any world's history. Legendary figures from across time and myth, bound by circumstance to a boy who defied the laws of reality, finding momentary common ground in the universal language of festivity.
Nero, naturally, appointed herself master of ceremonies, regaling the gathering with songs that she claimed were authentic Roman battle hymns (though Ishtar, who had actually visited ancient Rome, raised skeptical eyebrows at several lyrics). Arcueid discovered she had a talent for improvised dance that combined preternatural grace with cheerful abandon. Even Artoria, after initial reluctance, demonstrated surprisingly fluid movement when coaxed onto the makeshift dance floor by Vegito's persistent encouragement.
As the celebration progressed, Vegito found himself momentarily alone, watching the unlikely scene with undisguised delight. He didn't notice Morgan's approach until she spoke directly beside him.
"You've created something remarkable," the witch-queen observed, her cool gaze sweeping across the festivities. "In less than two days."
Vegito looked at her in surprise. "I didn't create anything. Nero organized all this."
"I'm not referring to the physical celebration," Morgan clarified. "I'm speaking of the dynamic. Look at them."
She gestured subtly toward the gathering. Legendary beings who had begun their association with suspicion and resentment now interacted with growing comfort. Rivalries remained—Gilgamesh and Ishtar still exchanged barbed comments, Artoria and Morgan maintained careful distance—but beneath the surface tensions ran an emerging current of mutual respect.
"Heroic Spirits are, by nature, solitary figures," Morgan continued. "Our legends isolate us. Yet here we are, finding common purpose. Because of you."
"Because of circumstance," Vegito corrected. "We're all stuck together, so we might as well get along."
"Proximity alone does not create harmony," Morgan countered. "Many forced alliances in history have ended in bloodshed rather than camaraderie."
Before Vegito could respond, a commotion from the center of the room drew their attention. Musashi, several drinks into her sampling expedition, had challenged Scathach to what she termed a "reflexes contest." This apparently involved throwing small objects for the other to catch or deflect at increasingly improbable angles.
"Should we stop them before something gets broken?" Vegito wondered aloud.
"Why?" Morgan asked with rare amusement. "It's rather entertaining to watch legends behave like ordinary warriors for once."
As the night progressed, the