The rocky terrain stretched endlessly beneath a dull gray sky.
Five men moved across the uneven ground, their boots crunching against loose stone.
Each of them was armed.
Swords. Daggers. One carried a heavy axe resting across his shoulder.
They weren't amateurs.
Their steps were measured. Controlled. Alert.
Experienced.
One of them—a tall man with a scar running down his cheek—suddenly stopped.
His hand lifted slightly, signaling the others.
"…You heard that?"
The group fell silent instantly.
A second later—
BOOM
The sound tore across the wasteland like thunder splitting the sky.
Loose gravel trembled under their feet.
The man with the axe adjusted his grip, letting out a low whistle.
"…That wasn't normal."
Another man narrowed his eyes, squinting into the distance.
"Monsters don't make noise like that."
"Then what does?" someone muttered, fingers tightening around his dagger.
The scarred man's lips curled faintly.
"…Opportunity."
A quiet grin spread among the group.
In the tower, explosions usually meant one thing—
Loot.
Or weak climbers in trouble.
Either way, it was worth investigating.
The scarred man turned without hesitation.
"Let's move."
The group shifted direction, their pace quickening slightly.
Not far away—
Arin and Kael walked toward a cluster of rocky hills, the cold wind brushing past them.
"Well…" Arin said calmly, "your imagination might actually be our biggest problem."
Kael raised an eyebrow, though his fingers fidgeted slightly at his side.
"What do you mean?"
"You imagined a gun that exploded."
Kael let out a short laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well technically… I imagined a gun with exploding bullets."
A brief pause.
"But the bullet exploded inside the gun."
"Hahaha… yeah."
Arin exhaled slowly, shaking his head.
"…That explains a lot."
Kael opened his mouth to respond—
Then froze.
His eyes narrowed.
"…Uh, Arin?"
Arin followed his gaze.
In the distance—
Five figures.
Moving toward them.
"They're coming straight for us," Arin said quietly.
Kael squinted, shifting his weight slightly.
"…Do you think they're friendly?"
Arin gave him a flat look.
"Let me google it."
Kael snorted, though his shoulders remained a little tense.
"…Fair enough."
Arin's expression sharpened.
His eyes traced their movement—the spacing, posture, and weapons.
"…We act stronger than we are."
Kael blinked.
"…What?"
"We make them believe we can cause that explosion again."
Kael hesitated.
His gaze flicked toward the crater behind them.
"…Right."
A slow nod followed.
"…Okay."
Arin's voice lowered.
"And don't let them figure out our powers."
A brief glance at Kael.
"Especially the part where you don't even understand yours."
Kael coughed, straightening his posture as if trying to look more confident.
"…Noted."
The five men closed the distance.
No hesitation.
No visible caution.
They moved like hunters who weren't afraid of their prey.
That alone said enough—
They were strong.
Kael leaned slightly closer to Arin, lowering his voice.
"…So what's the plan?"
Arin's gaze flicked briefly toward the crater behind them, then returned to the approaching group.
"…We talk first."
A pause.
"And we act confident."
Kael inhaled slowly, steadying himself.
"And if that fails?"
Arin didn't even blink.
"…Then we run."
Kael let out a quiet breath, forcing a small grin.
"Solid plan."
The two groups stopped a few meters apart.
Silence filled the space between them.
The wind whispered through the rocks.
The scarred man stepped forward.
His gaze swept over Arin… Kael… then slowly shifted to the crater behind them.
He stilled.
Not fear.
Calculation.
His fingers tapped lightly against the hilt of his weapon.
Whatever had caused that destruction—
He didn't understand it.
And that made him cautious.
"We're a party of five," he said evenly.
A small gesture toward the others.
"I'm the leader."
"We were hunting when we heard that explosion."
His eyes locked onto Arin.
"So we came to check…"
A slight pause.
"…and found you."
Arin met his gaze without hesitation, posture relaxed.
"We're new to the tower."
"We were attacked the moment we arrived."
The leader's eyes flicked once more toward the crater.
"…You caused that?"
Arin didn't hesitate.
He pointed at Kael.
"He did."
Kael felt all five gazes land on him at once.
For a split second, his throat went dry—
But he held his stance.
Arin continued, voice calm and deliberate—
"He has a powerful ability."
The air grew heavier.
The leader's eyes narrowed.
"…What kind of ability?"
A faint smile appeared on Arin's face.
Cold.
Controlled.
"He can summon a weapon."
"A gun."
Several of the men tensed.
One shifted his footing.
Another's grip tightened.
Arin let the silence stretch before finishing—
"The one that caused that."
A few seconds passed.
The leader studied Kael carefully.
"…How many times can he use it?"
Kael's heartbeat picked up slightly.
Arin tilted his head.
"…We can't be the only ones answering questions."
A faint smirk touched the leader's lips.
"Fair enough."
"Ask."
Arin didn't waste time.
"Is there a town nearby?"
The leader's expression shifted slightly.
"…You said you're new."
Arin gestured calmly.
"Your equipment. Your formation."
"You said you were hunting."
A brief pause.
"You were gathering resources to trade."
"Which means there's a settlement."
The leader studied him, eyes narrowing just a fraction.
Then he chuckled.
"…Sharp."
He pointed north.
"That way."
"About ten kilometers."
Arin nodded.
"…Good."
Then—
"One more thing."
"Why hasn't our mission been completed?"
"We killed the goblins."
The leader's expression changed.
"…You really are new."
He pointed toward the crater.
"Look again."
Arin and Kael turned.
This time—
They saw it.
A faint black mist rising from the corpses.
Thin strands drifting upward like smoke.
"…What is that?" Arin asked.
"Their souls," the leader replied.
"You absorb it to increase your soul level."
"It also strengthens your body."
Kael blinked, eyes fixed on the drifting mist.
"…So if we absorb it…"
The leader nodded.
"Your mission will complete."
Arin and Kael exchanged a glance.
Then stepped into the crater.
The black mist reacted instantly.
It drifted toward them—
Then sank into their bodies.
Kael stiffened slightly as it entered him, a faint shiver running down his spine.
Arin remained still, though his eyes sharpened.
Behind them, the group watched carefully.
One of the men leaned closer to the leader, voice low.
"…Boss, should we attack?"
The leader didn't look away.
"…No."
"But what if they can't use that power again?"
A pause.
"…And what if they can?"
Silence followed.
No one argued.
The leader finally spoke, voice low and certain—
"…We wait."
His gaze remained fixed on Arin and Kael.
"They've only completed their first mission…"
A brief pause.
"…everything will become clear soon…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…when they complete their second trial."
Another pause.
A faint, knowing smile appeared on his face.
"Because that's when the tower stops hiding things…"
"…and reveals what people truly are."
End of chapter