The entrance of the Arcana Tower loomed high like a stone cliff, surrounded by spiraling pillars symbolizing the world's elements: fire, water, earth, wind, light, darkness, time, and spatial. Before this grand structure, I—a disguised rotten egg who had just won the tournament—stood with one mission: get in, learn, and leave without being discovered as a smelly, absurd creature.
"Identification," hissed the gatekeeper, a snake-headed monster with glowing blue eyes. He held a sort of scent and aura detector.
I presented the Special Card from the Mayor. A faint golden seal shaped like a stench symbol shimmered at the edge. The snake narrowed his eyes.
"Mysterious Stinky Golem... Ah, yes. Tournament winner." He nodded and let me through, though his stare hinted at suspicion. "Don't spread... uh... unauthorized fog."
As I crossed the gate, the atmosphere changed instantly. Inside the tower, the air felt light yet dense with magical energy. The corridors were filled with elite monsters—each resembling a hybrid of spirits, demons, and highly-evolved beasts with cool designs.
> "This place... is unlike any dungeon I've ever seen," I thought.
---
Classroom: Basic Energy Training
I arrived at one of the open training halls. Several monsters were already practicing elemental control. A snow-coated deer monster floated midair while shaping razor-sharp snowflakes.
Today's instructor: a red-robed skeleton with three eyes.
"We'll begin by measuring elemental affinity and intensity. Those with... stink or rot-based elements, please... um, avoid manifesting them indoors," he muttered, glancing at me.
I held back. Thankfully, Titan Stink remained sealed in the klou space. I joined the magical meditation session—this was my chance to activate the Time Crystal for the first time.
> Sssh... sssh... click.
Energy flowed into my round body. The crystal released a gentle stream—like silvery mist seeping into my shell.
Suddenly, the world slowed down.
The snow falling from the deer seemed to float. Sounds became slow echoes. Everything... froze half a second slower than normal.
> "This is it... the power to slow time."
I jolted, and the effect vanished. Not stable yet. But enough for a first trial.
---
Elite Monster Dorm Room
The Arcana Tower provided private rooms for registered students. But no one wanted to share a room with me. They didn't complain... they just moved away instantly. In the end, I got a room on the highest floor—an unused storage space.
> "It's stuffy, quiet, dusty... perfect."
I summoned my egg-children one by one into the room. They resumed disguising themselves as decor: stones, broken vases, tiny statues.
---
Special Note from the Instructor:
Before class ended, the skeleton handed me a scroll:
> "As the tournament champion, you gain access to the Secret Training Room. But remember, you may enter only once per week, and you must bring a specific training request."
I tucked the scroll into the klou and muttered,
> "I'll train Titan Stink there. Maybe... I can even try a new form... a body... a humanoid shape?"
---
Chapter End:
From the outside, I was just a spiky egg rumored to be a mysterious golem. But inside, I was a creature slowly mastering time, stench, and the possibility of a giant body.
Arcana Tower... get ready.
This stench will pierce through everything.