A quiet hum filled the chamber—like static buried in silence. Cold violet light pulsed along the black metal walls, flickering with every surge of energy.
At the edge of the platform stood the man in all black, cloaked in long robes that clung to the shadows around him. His very presence seemed to warp the air, like gravity bending space itself. Two glowing red eyes cut through the darkness beneath his hood.
He stared at the large screen before him, watching Carter.
Bloodied. Scythe in hand. Still standing after the impossible.
Dark energy coiled around the man like smoke, pulsing from his body in waves.
He had awakened it—
The power of Velyn.
It flowed through his veins like molten fire—ancient, sentient, and hungry.
He didn't flinch. He didn't breathe.
He commanded.
Raising his hand, still crackling with power, he spoke in a deep, calm voice.
"Check on him."
The attendant beside him snapped to attention.
"Yes, Leader #3."
"Rank him up. Then inform the other seven leaders. I want them ready."
A thin smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"To be chosen. He'll train under one of them."
The attendant bowed deeply and hurried out.
The man in all black turned back to the screen. The battlefield was still. The Juggernaut's severed head steamed in the dirt. Carter stood tall, breathing heavily. Near the pole, Suzaki lay unconscious—but alive.
The man in black stared for a long moment.
Then whispered, "Impressive."
He turned, his cloak dragging behind him like a living shadow, and descended the stairs toward the command floor.
The room was circular, dimly lit by a floating holographic map in the center. Staff lined the edges, silent as footsteps echoed toward the door.
The door slid open.
Leader #3 stepped inside.
A storm in human form.
He moved to the center of the room without a word. The air thickened around him. Even the lights seemed to dim in his presence.
Then—
"P-Please, sir…"
A young staff member stepped forward, his voice trembling.
"I… I know this is all to protect the strong, but… what about the families? The ones left behind?"
Silence fell like a hammer.
The man in black slowly turned.
He stared.
Then sighed.
"Pathetic."
The staff member collapsed to his knees, gasping. "I—I can't move…"
Leader #3 approached him, crouching so their faces were inches apart.
"Did your family love you?" he asked, voice sharp and cold. "Did they ever respect you?"
The staff member's voice cracked. "N-No…"
"Were you weak? Picked on your whole life?"
"I… I was…" the staff member said
"Did it feel good?"
"N-No!"
"Then why bother living like that?"
He stood tall, looking around the room.
"You all cling to weakness like it's something noble. But this empire—this new empire—doesn't have room for it."
He pointed to the glowing map.
"Look at what we've built. Better technology. Stronger care. We've evolved. We aren't being tossed around anymore. We're the flame now."
He placed a hand on the staff member's shoulder.
"And fire… doesn't spare the soft."
"W-Wait—!"
"Staff Rank #24," he said flatly. "You have been eliminated."
A surge of power burst from his hand.
The staff member screamed—
Then turned to dust, his remains scattering across the cold floor.
Silence.
Leader #3 dusted off his robe.
His red eyes scanned the rest of the staff.
"Now," he said lightly, "enjoy the games. And choose your words more carefully."
He walked out, his shadow trailing behind him like smoke.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Only the sound of his fading footsteps remained
Suzaki's POV
I woke up with my head pounding like someone took a sledgehammer to it. The ceiling above me was dull gray, flickering with weak lights, and the cold air stung my skin.
Where the hell even was I?
I sat up slowly, wincing as pain shot through my skull. Carter was asleep on the other bed nearby, arms over his chest, completely out.
We were still in a tower. One of many. Forced into them like rats in a maze. Some kind of sick game.
I don't remember how we got back here after the fight. Last thing I remember was the Juggernaut slamming its arm toward me. And then—nothing. Darkness.
And now? My throat felt like sandpaper.
I needed water. Badly.
I got up, moving through the rusted halls of this level. Opened cabinets—empty. Sinks—broken. No filters. No bottles. Just metal and dust.
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered under my breath. "No water? In a place like this?"
I was almost ready to give up until I saw a dull blue glow coming from the far end of the floor. A glass wall. Behind it, a pool. Not huge, but clean enough to reflect the ceiling light.
And sitting beside it was her—the silver-haired girl.
The same one who saved me back when the Juggernaut nearly crushed me.
Has this tower always had a pool? I wondered. And why is she just… sitting there?
I walked toward her quietly.
"Hey," I said, voice low. "Sorry to bother you… but do you know where I can find water?"
She didn't even look at me. Just reached to her side and tossed a bottle behind her.
I caught it.
"…Thanks," I muttered. I unscrewed the cap and drank like it was the best thing I'd ever tasted.
I turned to walk away, but something held me there. I looked back at her.
"Also… thanks for earlier," I said. "You didn't have to step in. But you did."
She stayed quiet.
"I'm Suzaki. Suzaki Kureha."
After a pause, she finally spoke. "Aika Renji."
"That's a nice name."
Silence again.
I hesitated before sitting down a few feet away, giving her space.
"So… what are you fighting for?" I asked.
She didn't answer at first. Just kept looking at the water.
Then, with a voice sharp and quiet, she said: "I'm fighting for my brother."
I blinked. "Your brother?"
She nodded slowly. "We were together when we got dragged into this hell. Then we were separated. I haven't seen him since."
"I'm sorry," I said. "You think he's in one of the towers?"
"I don't care where he is," she replied. "I'm not leaving until I find him. No matter how many towers I have to go through. No matter how many people I have to fight."
I didn't say anything for a moment.
"I don't even know what I'm fighting for yet," I admitted. "Feels like I'm just trying to survive."
She stood up, brushing off her hands.
"Then figure it out," she said. "Because survival without purpose? That's just waiting to die."
She started walking off, but then glanced over her shoulder.
"You've got time, Suzaki Kureha. But not forever."
Then she was gone.
I sat there, the silence washing over me again—except for the soft ripple of water and the echo of her footsteps fading into the metal stairwell.
I looked down at the bottle in my hand.
Yeah. I needed water.
But I needed a reason more
The next day
"Suzaki… Suzaki…"
A voice was swimming through my head like it was trapped underwater.
Then—BAM.
A fist slammed into my stomach.
I jolted awake, gasping. "WHAT THE HELL?!"
Carter stood over me with this dumb grin on his face. "Finally. You're alive."
"You PUNCHED me?!"
"I tried everything else, man. Shouted your name. Shook you. Whispered movie quotes. Even kissed your forehead once."
"…You kissed my forehead?"
"Twice actually. Very gently. Out of desperation."
"You're disgusting."
"And yet, effective."
I sat up, holding my gut. "How long was I out?"
Carter scratched his head. "About three days."
I froze. "THREE DAYS?!"
"Yup."
"There was no medbay? No healing item? You didn't carry me to a nurse or something?!"
"There's no nurse here, genius. I tucked you behind some rubble during a game and hoped no one noticed."
"You hid me in a wall like I was a piece of trash?!"
"Hey. Protected trash."
I blinked. "Wait… you said a game?"
Carter nodded. "Yeah, there was a game while you were out cold."
"AND YOU LEFT ME ALONE?!"
"You didn't die. You're welcome."
My stomach growled loud enough to make Carter laugh. "Sounds like someone's ready for food."
We made our way to the cafeteria. It looked futuristic—clean walls, glowing panels, no kitchen staff, just holograms.
I sat down, arms crossed.
Carter tapped a floating menu screen and ordered two plates of cheesy sausage omelets. The table blinked for a second before the food glitched into reality—like it rendered in a video game.
I jumped. "What the hell?!"
"Relax," Carter said, already picking up his fork. "Food's instant here."
"This is the first time I've seen food just appear out of nowhere, man. What happened to, like, real cooking?"
"This is real cooking. Just magic-techy cooking."
I stared at the plate. "I don't trust this."
"Then starve," he mumbled through a mouthful.
My stomach growled again.
"…Fine."
I took a bite. And damn—it was actually really good.
"So," I said between chews, "you actually have powers now?"
Carter looked proud. "Yeah. Veylin. Some kind of energy that surged up during the juggernaut fight."
"Any idea how it happened?"
He got quiet for a second, then said, "Promise you won't judge?"
"Probably will."
"I think I was kinda… thinking about a porno magazine….not sure though."
I stared. "You're joking."
"I wish I was. I was bleeding out, dizzy, and my brain grabbed the first happy thought it could find."
"You unlocked ancient powers because you were horny?"
He pointed at me with his fork. "Don't underestimate the power of imagination."
"You're a lost cause."
"And yet, I saved your life."
"Not a fair trade."
We stepped into the training room—a wide space with cracked tiles and old weapons lining the walls. It felt like a gladiator gym.
Carter tossed me a wooden sword. I caught it awkwardly.
"You sure I'm good for this? I just woke up."
"You'll be fine. Just light practice."
Ten seconds in, he was kicking my ass.
I swung. He dodged. I lunged. He spun. He barely looked like he was trying.
"You've definitely changed," I muttered, breathing hard.
"Veylin enhanced everything. Speed. Reflexes. Awareness. Even my posture. Look at this form." He posed with the sword.
"You look like a nerd."
"A powerful nerd."
We kept training. I finally landed a hit, and he smiled like a proud older brother.
Then we heard footsteps.
Roy Dunn walked in with 3 of his friends.
His eyes locked on me the second he stepped into the training room. He didn't even glance at Carter.
"Well, well," Roy said with a grin. "Look who finally crawled out of his coma."
I didn't say anything.
He stepped closer and gave me a light shove—one that carried more meaning than force.
"You're walking into that next game, but you're doing it under me," he said, voice dropping. "You don't call shots. You don't get choices. You do what I say."
I stayed silent.
He grabbed my shirt and yanked me toward him, eyes burning into mine.
"You hear me? You're going to be my slave in that arena. Got it? My commands. My control. Or I make sure you don't walk out at all."
That word—slave—hung in the air like poison.
Then Carter moved.
He didn't say anything.
He just stepped forward once.
The temperature in the room dropped. His green aura started to glow—calm at first, then brighter. He didn't blink. He didn't speak.
He just watched.
Roy's hand slowly loosened. He looked at Carter… and something in him faltered.
His arrogance started to crack.
"I said let's go," Roy muttered to his guys, backing away.
They all turned and left without another word.
The door closed behind them.
The silence left behind was heavier than anything they'd said.
Carter turned and walked back to the rack of wooden swords like nothing happened.
I didn't move.
The metal door creaked open slowly. A tall man in black armor stepped inside, the room falling silent as his eyes swept across everyone present. His voice was calm but firm.
"Carter. Come with me. You've been selected for a rank-up."
Carter blinked. "A rank-up?"
The staff member nodded. "You've shown potential. It's time to elevate you. And some of the others will be ranked up as well… after the next game."
A quiet buzz spread among the group, everyone exchanging glances. But Carter's eyes drifted toward Suzaki, who sat quietly behind him.
Carter stepped forward. "No. I'm not going. I'm not leaving Suzaki behind."
The staff member's expression hardened. "This isn't a choice. If you resist… I'll have to take you by force."
Carter's voice was steady. "Then do it. Because I'm not moving."
A green aura burst around him like a flame igniting. His eyes glowed with energy, and in a flash, a scythe formed in his hand—long, curved, and humming with power. He dashed forward, faster than the eye could follow.
He swung.
The staff sidestepped with ease, grabbing Carter's arm and flipping him to the floor. Carter rolled and kicked off the ground, launching into the air. He twisted mid-spin and slashed downward. This time, the blade grazed the staff's shoulder, drawing a small line of blood.
Carter smirked. "You're not untouchable."
But the staff didn't react. "You're fast," he said. "But not fast enough."
In the blink of an eye, he vanished—and reappeared behind Carter, slamming a heavy punch into his back. Carter crashed into the wall. He groaned, pushing himself up, his green aura flaring brighter.
He rushed again, moving like a streak of light. He threw rapid slashes, aiming for vital points. For a moment, it looked like he was holding his own. But every strike was blocked. Every move predicted.
The staff caught the scythe's handle, twisted it, and drove his knee into Carter's stomach. Carter gasped and stumbled back, trying to catch his breath.
"I can't lose… not here…"Carter muttered, looking back at Suzaki.
The staff moved again. Faster. Stronger. He unleashed a brutal combo—kicks, punches, a blast of dark energy that A sent him flying across the room.
Blood dripped from Carter's mouth as he tried to stand.
But his legs gave out.
The staff walked over, crouched, and picked Carter up over his shoulder.
"I told you. You don't have a choice."
As he turned toward the door, Carter, barely conscious, mumbled, "I said… don't leave… please…"
The room filled with a soft glow as the staff teleported away, leaving the others staring in stunned silence.