There were only a few ways to exit the Tower.
The first was simple: refusing to ascend.
Whenever a challenger cleared a floor, a system notification would appear, calmly asking whether they wished to proceed to the next.
It wasn't aggressive. It didn't rush. There was no countdown, no pressure—just a quiet prompt, waiting for a response.
If the challenger declined, the Tower didn't immediately throw them out. Instead, it asked a second question: would they like to continue to the next level?
It was a different thing entirely.
A level, unlike a floor, didn't always mean a drastic shift in challenge—it could be a side path, a different kind of trial, a detour from the main climb.
But still, the Tower gave them the choice.
And if they refused that too—if they said no to both the next floor and the next level—then the Tower would silently acknowledge their decision.
And eject them.
Just like that.
