Yuri hadn't seen what he had glimpsed; she couldn't grasp just how strange the boy truly was.
Evan's pupils narrowed slightly, reflecting the faint glow of condensed Shinsu swirling around the cage.
"That aura…" he murmured inwardly. "It's unstable… chaotic… yet not weak."
The Shinsu around the Irregular did not reject him. As if the Tower itself had acknowledged his existence.
Yuri tilted her head, noticing the rare seriousness in Evan's expression.
"Oh?" she said lightly. "You look like you've seen something interesting."
Evan finally spoke, his voice low.
"Princess… the Shinsu around him is moving."
Yuri's red eyes sharpened instantly.
"…Moving?"
"Not violently. But it's gathering… bending toward him. Like a current finding its center."
Yuri's gaze returned to the boy. At first, she saw nothing unusual.
Then—a faint ripple. Subtle. Almost invisible. But real.
The dense Shinsu surrounding the cage was trembling, being drawn in.
Yuri's expression changed.
"…An Irregular," she whispered.
Below them, the White Steel Eel thrashed violently inside the Shinsu-filled cage, its massive body twisting like a living blade of steel, jaws snapping with hunger and rage.
Yet the boy did not retreat. He stood still, Black March in hand, eyes calm, breath steady—as if facing not a predator, but a step.
Evan spoke once more, softer now.
"If it were anyone else… I would say it's impossible."
A pause.
"But this boy…"
The Shinsu around Baam tightened.
"…might change the outcome."
Baam walked forward, glancing at the steel eel.
The moment the White Steel Eel lunged. A strange calm swallowed his mind.
His vision sharpened. His body grew light. Every movement of the eel every ripple in the Shinsu became clear. Predictable. Readable.
SSS-Rank Attribute: God of Combat Activated.
The eel's massive jaws tore through the water, fast enough to devour a Regular in an instant.
But Baam had already moved.
He stepped aside.
The eel's fangs grazed past him by a breath.
Water exploded.
Shinsu scattered violently.
(toggle)
And then Baam raised his hand.
The Shinsu around him stopped.
As if the ocean itself had frozen in obedience.
The White Steel Eel twisted violently, trying to swim, trying to dominate the current as it always had
But the current no longer belonged to it.
It belonged
To Baam.
SSS-Rank Attribute: Absolute Shinsu Authority Manifesting.
The dense Shinsu within the cage trembled… then bowed.
The eel sensed it instantly.
For the first time
The predator felt fear.
Baam stepped forward.
Water parted around him.
The eel roared silently and charged again, its steel-like body slicing forward with monstrous speed, twisting its massive tail to crush him.
Baam's body moved perfectly.
He slipped beneath the descending tail, pivoted, and drove forward like a spear.
His grip tightened around the Black March.
The weapon hummed.
Alive.
The eel opened its jaws for a final devouring strike
And Baam thrust.
The Shinsu around the needle compressed violently, spiraling, concentrating into a single piercing point.
A strike guided by instinct beyond training.
Beyond thought.
Beyond fear.
A Strike.
The Black March pierced forward.
The Shinsu obeyed.
The water screamed.
And the needle drove straight into the eel's hardened skull
CRACK.
The steel-like scales shattered.
The White Steel Eel convulsed violently, its massive body thrashing, waves crashing against the cage in explosive force.
But Baam did not release control.
His eyes glowed faintly.
The Shinsu tightened further.
Binding, Suppressing, Dominating.
The eel's movements slowed.
Then weakened.
Then
Stopped.
Silence fell.
The massive creature drifted, lifeless, in the obedient waters.
Baam stood still, breathing slowly, the Black March trembling faintly in his hand.
Inside his mind
{Quest Complete}
{White Steel Eel Defeated}
{Reward: One Spin Chance Granted}
Yuri Zahard stared.For once Speechless.
Evan's voice trembled.
"…Princess… he didn't just defeat it."
"He didn't just defeat it," Evan continued, his voice tight with disbelief. "He controlled it. That level of Shinsu manipulation on the First Floor… Princess, that shouldn't be possible."
Yuri's grin widened, wild and satisfied.
"I knew it." She laughed sharp and bright. "I knew there was something different about him!"
Evan turned to her, alarmed. "Princess, this is serious. If word gets out that an Irregular with this much natural talent"
"Then we don't let word get out." Yuri's tone shifted, suddenly cold and commanding. "No reports. Not to Zahard. Not to the Families. Got it?"
Evan hesitated, then sighed.
"…As you wish, Princess."
Below them, Headon's slow clap echoed through the chamber.
"Magnificent," Headon said, his voice smooth as silk. "Truly magnificent."
He approached the edge of the cage, staff tapping rhythmically against the floor.
"You've exceeded my expectations, 25th Baam. The test was to defeat the White Steel Eel… and you did so with remarkable efficiency."
Baam stepped out of the Shinsu-filled water, Black March still gripped firmly in his hand.
The weapon pulsed.
Warm. Alive.
Approving.
He felt the presence inside more clearly now a curious feminine energy, no longer distant or wary.
{Notice: Black March's affinity has increased.} {Current Compatibility: 20% → 35%}
In the original story, the needle possesses a peculiar personality — it shows clear favoritism toward handsome male users. It refused to respond to both Ha Yuri Zahard and Anak Zahard, despite their strength, yet resonated perfectly with Baam, as his appearance happened to match its "preferred type."
Baam's eyes widened slightly. The System measure this?
Headon didn't seem to notice his distraction.
"Normally," the floor Guardian continued, "I would send you directly to the Second Floor. But…"
He tilted his head, studying Baam with those unreadable eyes behind the mask.
"…I find myself curious."
"About what?" Baam asked carefully.
"About whether you truly understand what you've just done." Headon's voice dropped. "You didn't just pass a test, young Irregular. You demonstrated control over Shinsu that most Regulars don't achieve until the 20th Floor. You wielded a 13 Month Series weapon without igniting it yet it obeyed you."
A pause.
"Tell me… do you even comprehend how abnormal you are?"
Baam met his gaze without flinching.
"I know I'm different," he said evenly. "I know I have advantages others don't."
"But that doesn't change my goal."
For a long moment, Headon simply stared.
Then he laughed with a genuine, delighted sound.
"Yes… yes, I think you will be very entertaining to watch."
He turned, tapping his staff against the ground.
A portal materialized shimmering, golden, leading upward.
{Quest Complete: Defeat the White Steel Eel} {Reward Obtained: One Spin Chance} {Would the Host like to claim the reward now?}
Not yet. Once I'm alone.
Baam dismissed the notification and stepped toward the glowing portal.
But just before crossing through
He stopped.
Turned slightly.
"Headon."
The Guardian tilted his head.
"I know you're testing me for something." Baam's golden eyes locked onto the masked figure. "I don't know your endgame yet. But I'll play along."
A beat.
"Just don't mistake my patience for naivety."
Headon said nothing.
Just smiled that same unreadable smile.
And Baam walked through the portal.
The light swallowed him whole.
Yuri watched the portal close behind him.
"He's got guts," she murmured. "Talking to Headon like that."
Evan shook his head, still processing everything.
"Princess… what if he actually does it? What if this Irregular really climbs to the top?"
Yuri didn't answer immediately.
Her red eyes gleamed with something dangerous.
Something excited.
"Then the Tower," she said softly, "is about to get a lot more interesting."
She turned away, already walking toward the exit.
"Come on, Evan. We've got places to be."
"Should we follow him?"
"No." Yuri glanced back one last time at where the portal had been. "Let him climb on his own. If he's truly worthy of that resolve he showed me…"
A wild grin.
"…he'll reach us eventually."
...................
[Second Floor - Evankhell's Floor]
{Host has entered a new area: Second Floor} {Area: Evankhell's Floor - Floor of Tests}
Then baam stood up. Before him stretched a sea of gold an endless expanse of tall grass swaying beneath a gentle breeze, rolling in soft waves like liquid sunlight. Each blade shimmered as it caught the light, transforming the land into something almost dreamlike.
Scattered across the field, jagged rocks pierced through the earth, grounding the beauty with a touch of raw, untamed reality.
Baam stood still, quietly taking it in. A faint whistle escaped his lips, filled with genuine awe.
For a brief moment, the Tower did not feel like a place of trials but a world waiting to be discovered.
Time to see what I earned.
{Would the Host like to use: Spin Chance?} {Yes / No}
"Yes."
A wheel materialized before his eyes invisible to everyone else. Divided into colored sections, each labeled with different rewards:
{Possible Rewards:}
-Skills (Blue)
- Passive Abilities (Green)
- Traits (Yellow)
- Special Items (Red)
- ??? (Purple)
The wheel began to spin. Faster. Faster. Colors blurred together. Then
*Click.*
{Congratulations, Host!}
{You have obtained: [Passive Skill: Calm of the Abyss (Rank A+]}
Baam blinked.
Calm of the Abyss?
{Skill: Calm of the Abyss} {Rank: A+} {Type: Passive - Mental State Enhancement} {Description: The deeper the danger, the clearer your mind becomes. In life-threatening situations, fear, panic, and hesitation are suppressed. Emotional turbulence is still. Your thoughts sharpen like a blade cutting through fog.}
{Additional Effect: Resistance to mental manipulation, illusions, and fear-based attacks increases proportionally with threat level.}
Baam read it once.
Then again.
His eyes widened slightly.
This… this is perfect.
In the Tower, mental fortitude was everything. Regulars broke under pressure. They hesitated. They panicked. They made mistakes that cost them their lives.
But with this skill…
The more dangerous the situation, the calmer I become.
It was the perfect complement to his God of Combat attribute. One gave him the ability to fight perfectly; the other ensured his mind would never falter, no matter the odds.
He exhaled slowly, testing it.
Even now, he felt a faint coolness settling over his thoughts, like a thin layer of frost smoothing over turbulent water.
It's already active.
His heartbeat, which had quickened slightly from the spin, returned to a steady rhythm.
His breathing evened out.
I can think clearly.
He clenched his fist, then released it.
"System," he murmured quietly. "This skill… does it activate automatically?"
{Correct, Host. Calm of the Abyss is a passive skill. It will activate instinctively when the Host enters combat or dangerous situations. The effect intensifies with the level of threat.}
Baam's lips curved into the faintest smile.
Good.
Then a voice, smooth, cultured, amplified across the entire field.
"Mike test. Mike test. One, two, three."
he froze.
The voice echoed from the ceiling, from the floating structures, from speakers I couldn't see. Every Regular in the field must be hearing this.
"Hello, everyone."
A pause. Almost conversational.
"Regular members who have entered the Tower. This is the Second Floor, and I sincerely welcome you to Evankhell's Floor!"
The voice carried a warmth that didn't reach the words themselves. Professional. Practiced. Like a game show host about to explain rules that would get people killed.
The voice continued.
"Now then, minor details aside, shall we begin with a simple test first?"
Simple test.
Right.
"You might as well get a good warm-up exercise."
The warmth drained from his voice, replaced by something cold and clinical.
"The following are the rules for the first test."
"The number of Regular members on this floor currently totals four hundred."
Four hundred people. Four hundred lives.
"All you have to do is make that four hundred go down to two hundred."
"The moment the number of Regular members goes down to two hundred, this test will end."
"There are no teams. No alliances. No rules on how you fight."
"Simply put, survive. And make sure two hundred others don't."
The speakers crackled.
Silence.
One heartbeat.
Two.
Then the screaming started.
The first Regular lunged without warning.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, wielding a crude iron club that he swung downward with brutal force.
"Give us that needle, rookie!"
The club descended.
Time didn't slow.
Baam simply saw it.
{SSS-Rank Attribute: God of Combat - Active}
The trajectory. The angle. The weight distribution. The slight overcommitment in the swing.
Predictable.
Baam sidestepped.
The club smashed into the stone floor where he'd been standing half a second ago, cracking the surface.
The Regular's eyes widened. "What—"
Baam didn't hesitate.
Black March blurred forward.
The needle pierced through the man's throat.
Clean. Precise. Fatal.
{Passive Skill: Calm of the Abyss - Active}
Blood sprayed.
The Regular's eyes went wide with shock, hands reaching up toward the weapon embedded in his neck but his strength was already fading.
Baam pulled the needle out.
The body collapsed.
One down.
He felt... nothing.
No guilt. No hesitation. No horror.
Just cold, calculating clarity.
This is the Tower. Kill or be killed.
"You bastard!" A woman's voice screamed from the left. She was faster leaner, holding twin daggers, her face twisted with rage.
She darted forward, blades flashing toward his chest.
{Passive Skill: Calm of the Abyss - Active}
The world stilled.
In his mind, the chaos became order. He saw the angle of her right blade aiming for his heart. He saw the angle of her left blade a feint, meant to draw his guard. He saw the slight tremor in her grip anger clouding her judgment.
Baam raised the Black March.
Clang!
The needle deflected the right dagger upward. Then his left hand shot out, redirecting her strike. He shifted his weight, pivoted, and pulled her forward using her own momentum.
Her eyes widened as she stumbled past him, off-balance.
Black March came down.
The needle drove through the back of her neck, severing the spine. Her body went rigid for half a heartbeatthen crumpled.
Two down.
Baam's hands were steady. His breathing even. But he felt the warmth of her blood seeping into his sleeve, the weight of her body as it fell past him.
I just killed someone.
The thought arrived distant, clinical, like observing something happening to someone else.
{Passive Skill: Calm of the Abyss maintaining mental clarity.}
Right. The skill is suppressing it.
"S-stay back!"
The third Regular a wiry man with a spear backpedaled, his weapon shaking in his grip. His face was pale, drenched in sweat.
"Y-you're insane! They just wanted the needle! You didn't have to—"
"They attacked me," Baam said quietly, his voice eerily calm. "They made their choice."
The spear-wielder turned and ran.
Baam's eyes tracked him.
He'll tell others. He'll make me a target.
Can't allow that.
His grip tightened on Black March.
Then he moved.
{SSS-Rank Attribute: God of Combat - Active}
Faster than the Regular could process.
Baam closed the distance in three steps.
The man heard footsteps behind him and spun, thrusting his spear desperately
But Baam was already inside his guard.
Black March pierced upward, through the ribs, into the heart.
The Regular gasped, blood bubbling from his lips.
"W-why..."
Baam's golden eyes were cold.
"Because this is the Tower."
He pulled the needle free.
The body fell.
Three down.
Baam stood among the corpses, Black March dripping red.
His breathing was even. His heartbeat steady.
His mind was clear.
I just killed three people.
He waited for the guilt to come. The horror. The nausea.
Nothing.
{Passive Skill: Calm of the Abyss maintaining mental clarity.}
Right. The skill is suppressing it.
But even beneath the supernatural calm, he felt... detached.
These aren't real people to me. Not really.
They're NPCs. Background characters. Extras in a story I've read a hundred times.
It was a disturbing thought.
But honest.
He wiped the blood off Black March with a strip of cloth torn from one of the bodies.
Baam turned and began walking away from the scene.
But then
A voice cut through the silence.
"Well. That was efficient."
Baam stopped.
A young man stepped out from the shadows of a nearby pillar, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Blue hair. Sharp eyes.
Baam recognized him instantly. Khun Aguero Agnes.
It was surreal like watching a character step out of a page and into reality. Baam had read about this moment, this "chance encounter." But standing here, facing him as flesh and blood rather than ink on paper, felt different.
Khun tilted his head, studying Baam with open curiosity.
"Pure technique and reaction speed," Khun observed. "No fancy tricks. No formal weapons training from what I can tell—you're just swinging that needle like it's instinct."
His eyes gleamed.
"Yet you killed three opponents in seconds. Either you're hiding something…"
A pause.
"…or you're a natural."
Baam kept his expression neutral. He's analyzing me. Trying to figure out if I'm useful or dangerous.
"Maybe both," Baam replied evenly.
Khun's smirk widened.
"I like you already."
Baam felt a strange detachment. In the story, Khun had been clever, loyal, morally grey—a favorite character. But this wasn't fiction anymore. The person in front of him had his own agenda, his own goals.
I can't just treat him like a story character. He's real now. And that means he's unpredictable.
"Let me guess," Khun continued, circling slightly. "You're not from one of the Great Families. No formal training. But somehow, you move like you've been fighting your entire life."
Baam said nothing.
Because I haven't. Everything I know came from a System and abilities I didn't earn.
Khun chuckled at his silence.
"Silent type. Fine. I'll make this simple."
He stopped a few feet away.
"I'm putting together a team. People who can actually survive this floor—and the ones above it. You interested?"
Baam studied him for a moment. Khun wasn't offering friendship not yet. This was recruitment. A tactician collecting useful pieces.
And that's fine. I can work with that.
"What's in it for me?" Baam asked calmly.
Khun's eyebrow raised slightly—clearly not the response he expected.
Then he grinned.
"Smart. I knew I liked you."
He gestured lazily toward the chaos around them.
"In it for you? Simple. You get to survive. You get to climb. And you get someone watching your back who's actually competent."
A pause.
"Plus…"
Khun's eyes flicked to the Black March.
"…I'm curious about that needle. And about you."
Baam's grip on the weapon tightened slightly.
Khun noticed immediately.
"Relax," Khun said smoothly. "I'm not interested in stealing it. I'm interested in why someone gave it to you."
Because a Zahard Princess thought I was interesting. Because I'm an Irregular. Because the Tower itself opened for me.
But Baam couldn't say any of that.
He extended a hand instead.
"Deal."
Khun's grin sharpened as he shook it.
"Good. Welcome to the team…?"
"Baam," he said. "My name is 25th Baam."
"Baam. Alright, Baam. Let's survive this floor together."
Khun turned, already walking toward the center of the hall.
"Oh, and one more thing."
He glanced back over his shoulder.
"Don't make me regret this."
Baam watched him walk away.
Khun Aguero Agnes. Genius tactician. A loyal friend eventually. But right now? Just a stranger who thinks I'm useful.
He exhaled slowly.
That's fine. I'm using him too.