Beneath the shade of towering trees, the battlefield finally fell into a rare moment of silence.
Yang Kai and the others sat scattered around, their backs pressed against rough trunks, breathing slowly as faint green light enveloped their bodies.
It was subtle.
Gentle.
Yet undeniably effective.
Wounds that should have taken weeks to heal were already closing. Cuts sealed. Bruises faded. Muscles slowly regained strength.
The forest itself seemed to acknowledge the pause in combat.
A temporary mercy.
Yang Kai sat slightly apart from the others, his body still far more damaged than anyone else's. His torso bore the aftermath of the explosion—burn marks, torn flesh, dried blood—but even those injuries were gradually knitting back together under the green glow.
His gaze remained fixed on the sky.
On the numbers.
They continued to fall.
Silently.
Relentlessly.
We killed a lot…
His eyes narrowed slightly.
But this forest… we've barely touched it.
Ten percent at best.
The scale of it all—
Was absurd.
Just then—
Footsteps approached.
Horikita stopped directly in front of him, one hand resting on her waist, her posture sharp despite her fatigue.
Her eyes burned with restrained anger.
"Tell me the truth," she said, her voice firm. "What the hell was that blast… and what exactly is this tower?"
Yang Kai slowly shifted his gaze from the sky to her.
Calm.
Unbothered.
"If you wait," he replied, "that Jin guy will explain everything."
Horikita's expression tightened.
"No," she said immediately, pointing toward Zoya and Liyo without even turning her head. "I know he will. But I also know that the three of you already understand something about this place."
Her finger lowered slightly as she turned toward Zoya.
"Am I wrong… Miss Zoya?"
There was confidence in her tone.
But beneath it—
Fear.
Because she understood now.
This wasn't a game.
This wasn't survival by chance.
This place—
Didn't care who lived or died.
Zoya closed her eyes.
Silent.
Unresponsive.
Liyo turned his face away, clearly unwilling to engage.
But the others—
Jhon.
Rose.
The boy with glasses—
All looked toward Yang Kai.
Waiting.
Watching.
Expecting.
Yang Kai exhaled slowly, running a hand through his messy hair.
"…Fine," he muttered. "I'll tell you. But only a bit."
He leaned his head back against the tree and looked up again, his tone turning more serious.
"This place is called the Tower of Immortality."
The words hung in the air.
Heavy.
"And we…" he paused briefly, "…are its victims."
Silence.
Shock rippled through the group.
Horikita's eyes widened slightly.
Jhon frowned deeply.
Rose tilted her head, curiosity flickering again.
Even the boy with glasses lost his usual smirk.
Yang Kai continued, his voice steady.
"This tower didn't have any living beings at first. Or at least… that's how it was supposed to be."
He frowned slightly.
If it swallowed everyone from Earth… then we should be the first…
That was the logic.
That was the design.
That was the truth he remembered.
But—
Before he could continue—
Zoya's eyes opened.
For the first time since the conversation began—
There was clear shock in them.
Victims…?
Father said… generations were born here.
Then what does he mean by victims…?
Her thoughts faltered.
Conflicted.
Then—
Liyo suddenly stood up.
His movement was abrupt, his expression sharp with anger.
"Bullshit."
Everyone turned toward him.
His gaze locked onto Yang Kai.
"There are countless beings living in this tower," he said coldly. "From different races. Different origins. This isn't some empty structure you just filled."
Yang Kai's eyes narrowed.
"…What do you mean?"
Liyo crossed his arms, his tone steady now.
"I mean exactly what I said. This place isn't new. It's been inhabited for ages."
A pause.
Then—
"I'm a noble from inside this tower."
The statement landed heavily.
"My family… and countless others… have lived here for generations."
Yang Kai's mind froze for a moment.
What the fuck…?
A rare crack appeared in his composure.
How long has it been… since I created this tower…?
Time.
Something he had completely ignored.
Something that now—
Didn't make sense anymore.
Liyo continued, his voice calm but firm.
"If you don't believe me…" he said, gesturing toward Zoya, "…ask her."
All eyes turned again.
Toward the princess.
And for the first time—
Even she didn't have an immediate answer.
Zoya's gaze lingered on Yang Kai.
His expression—shocked, uncertain—wasn't something she had expected from him. Until now, he had carried himself with a strange confidence, as if he understood far more than he revealed.
But this—
This confusion looked real.
He knows about the tower… but not everything.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, thoughts shifting.
Then she spoke, her tone calm, steady.
"Prince Liyo is correct," she said. "I am also a noble born inside this tower."
The statement settled heavily in the air.
Yang Kai looked at her in silence for a moment, his mind racing.
Then he asked, slowly,
"So… you're saying you never knew there are worlds outside this tower?"
Zoya didn't hesitate.
"Yeah," she replied. "So… what's the point?"
To her, it wasn't shocking.
It wasn't even important.
It was just… information.
But Yang Kai smiled faintly.
A strange smile.
"What if," he said, "your family was swallowed by this tower… just like us?"
The words hit harder than any attack.
Zoya's expression froze.
Liyo's pupils shrank.
Sweat formed instantly—sliding down from their temples, their chins.
For the first time—
They were shaken.
Zoya's voice came out firmer than she felt.
"Impossible," she said. "Our ancestors told us they were born here."
Liyo stepped in immediately, his tone sharp with irritation.
"Yes. Princess Zoya is right," he snapped. "Do you have any proof for your bullshit?"
Yang Kai shrugged lightly.
"No."
The answer came without hesitation.
"I didn't even know people like you existed in this tower," he continued calmly. "But now that I think about it…"
His eyes turned distant.
"…this tower has probably swallowed countless beings. All of them… victims for its experiments."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Inside, Yang Kai's thoughts continued.
Well… I'm not exactly innocent either.
I created it for experimentation in the first place.
Can't deny that shit now.
Zoya and Liyo said nothing.
Neither could refute him.
Neither could accept it.
After a long pause—
Zoya stood up.
Her injuries had mostly healed, her posture returning to its usual composed state.
"I can't believe this right now," she said quietly. "I'll confirm it myself… through my family's ancient records."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and began walking toward the direction of the center clearing.
Liyo watched her go, then exhaled heavily before dropping back down to sit.
"Ahh… damn it," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not thinking about this shit right now. I'll just rest."
He leaned back against the tree.
"You all do whatever you want."
Yang Kai glanced at him briefly, then shifted his gaze upward.
Without another word, he pushed himself up and jumped, using a burst of spiritual energy to land smoothly on a thick tree branch above.
He lay down there, one arm behind his head, one leg extended while the other rested lazily over it.
Fresh air.
At least fresher than below.
Because the forest floor—
Was soaked in blood.
The scent lingered heavily, almost suffocating.
Below—
Rose sat cross-legged, her posture unusually still.
Her hammer stood upright in front of her, its handle resting between her hands as she stared at it.
Her expression wasn't madness this time.
It was… fascination.
Beside her, the boy with glasses mirrored her posture, his bow and quiver placed carefully in front of him.
He stared at the weapon quietly.
Calculating.
Understanding.
Weapons weren't just tools anymore.
They were survival.
Nearby, Jhon and Horikita leaned against another tree, both silent.
Thinking.
Processing.
What Yang Kai had said…
About the tower.
About being victims.
About worlds beyond this place.
It wasn't something they could just ignore.
Above them—
Yang Kai remained still, eyes half-closed as he stared into the canopy.
His thoughts ran deep.
This is dangerous…
I don't know how much time has passed since I lost control of the tower.
His fingers tapped lightly against his arm.
Now there are multiple races… civilizations… nobles…
His expression darkened slightly.
What the fuck has this tower become…?
What is it even trying to do now…?
Above—
The blue screen continued its silent countdown.
003,034,567
003,032,189
The numbers dropped steadily.
Unstoppable.
Each decrease marking thousands of deaths.