Khun and Rak held their own against Hatz. Both sides were under pressure due to the approaching time limit, yet the fight remained a stalemate. Hatz couldn't take down both Khun and Rak. One-on-one, it might've been possible—but two-on-one, even he found it difficult.
Mean while...
The idle Arkyung finally made his move. He pulled out a large butcher knife and began hacking through the regulars still fighting each other over the crown.
Anaak and Androssi were also locked in a stalemate. However, Androssi was slowly gaining the upper hand. She was narrowing the distance between herself and the crown, alternating between offense and defense, subtly pushing Anaak away from it.
Only Baam and Rachel remained idle at the edge of the arena. The latter wasn't a fighter—she was a Light Bearer, specialized in support and command. Without a lighthouse, she couldn't do much. Besides, no one needed her orders. Arkyung and Androssi were both acting independently.
As for Baam, he quietly observed Khun and Rak's battle with Hatz. Having been imprisoned in a dark cave for most of his life, he lacked both experience and confidence. He didn't know what to do.
"Mister Khun... Mister Rak..." Baam clenched his fists, watching them with concern.
*Mister Khun and Mister Rak... They joined this game because they wanted to help me. I don't want to see them struggle because of me,* he thought. "Maybe... I can do something too," Baam murmured, steeling himself. His eyes drifted to Khun and Rak. And then, right in the middle of the battle, where a moment of distraction could cost everything, he shouted out:
"Mister Khun! Mister Rak! "
"Baam…? "Khun, ever the worrywart, instinctively glanced in Baam's direction, thinking something had happened to him. But seeing that Baam was unharmed, he let out a breath of relief.
"Mister Khun—behind you! "Baam! shouted.
"...? "Khun, caught off guard, couldn't react in time.
"You let your guard down! "Hatz said, winging his sword at Khun's wrist. Khun barely managed to block it, but his grip on the bag loosened.
"Now's my chance! " Hatz exclaimed, swinging again and knocking the bag from Khun's hands. Without wasting a second, he snatched it and stepped back. "Shibisu! I'll leave the rest to you! "
Shibisu, who'd been waiting for his moment, finally saw his opportunity. With 30 seconds left, he tore the bag open, searching for the crown.
But instead of finding the crown, he got sucked inside.
"!?"
"??? "Hatz's eyes widened in disbelief. "What's going on?! "
"Heh," Khun let out a subtle smirk as he looked at Hatz. "I knew you'd target the bag. I rigged it when we're fighting, so that whoever opens it gets sucked inside."
Now that the tables had turned, Khun kicked Hatz in the side and called out to Baam. "Baam! Now's your chance! Go! "
"Got it, Mister Khun! " Baam nodded and dashed toward the throne. Khun watched with anticipation. He had already taught Baam how to use the bag when they were in the cage. Once Baam reclaimed the crown, the fight would extend. During that time, Khun would throw out another fake crown and hide the real one until time ran out. At least that was the plan.
Khun was confident that Baam will succeed. Hatz wouldn't be able to do anything since Shibisu was their hostage.
Baam was just a step away from the bag. But instead of picking it up, he spreaded his arms, ready to hug someone, and called out with a bright voice:
"Rachel!"
Rachel stood frozen for a moment, seeing Baam rushing towards her. Then, without rejecting him, she stepped forward and was ready to embrace him.
"Baam…"
Whish—Whack!
But their reunion wasn't as warm as they had hoped. The moment Baam took a single step forward, he was flung backward, caught in the crossfire of Anaak's surprise attack. He rolled across the floor like an unrolling red carpet.
"Baam!" Khun shouted in alarm. He moved to rush forward, but Hatz stepped in, blocking his path.
"Outstanding move! You had a chance to take the crown, yet you chose to chase after the girl," Shinso sneered, clapping sarcastically. *What else can you expect? That's a classic protagonist mindset—completely illogical.*
"Ugh..." Baam groaned, struggling to stand through the pain. Despite his injuries, he still had the audacity to worry about someone else. "Rachel... are you okay...?"
Khun: ...
Rak: ...
"Is he... alright in the head?" Yihwa asked, staring at Baam with a mix of pity and disbelief.
"You could say there's definitely something wrong up there," Shinso replied, sighing in resignation. He understood Baam better than any of them.
Baam had lived his entire life trapped in darkness, completely alone. He had never known companionship—until he met Rachel. She taught him so many things, feeding him, bathing him, and caring for him like her own child. To anyone else, it may have looked maternal... but it was never out of pure kindness. She was doing it for the sake of seeing the stars. That's the only reason.
But to Baam, Rachel was everything. It didn't matter if he was alone, in the dark, or in despair—so long as she was there, it was enough. To someone like Rachel, however, Baam's devotion was nothing but a shackle. She longed for freedom and the stars, not a life spent shackled in the dark beside him. That's why she left.
Still, Baam followed her—into the Tower and beyond. He would probably chase her into the depths of hell. That's how much she meant to him.
Only Khun, Rak, and Rachel truly noticed what was happening. Anaak and Androssi didn't spare him a glance. Anaak, in fact, would have been glad to eliminate a competitor.
Feeling the threat, Baam became more determined to stay by Rachel's side.
"Rachel..." He rushed toward her again—and this time, he succeeded in embracing her.
"Baam..."
It was a heartwarming reunion.
"I'll protect you from now on," Baam said softly, shifting his gaze to Anaak and Androssi. He didn't know when the next attack would come, so he moved in front of Rachel, like a knight shielding his queen.
He raised his hands to chest level, palms open, as if cradling an invisible basketball. Putting a bit of distance between them, he relaxed his breathing and closed his eyes, trying to gather Shinsu.
Unknowingly, everyone paused, watching him in silence.
Golden particles began to shimmer on Baam's chest. A marble-sized orb of light formed, gradually growing until it reached the size of a basketball.
"T-this is Shinsu!?" Khun muttered in disbelief. He didn't expect Baam to be capable of using Shinsu—especially not something stronger than Laure's. And stranger yet... It shared the same properties as Shinso's. Or so he suspected.
Despite the orb's impressive size, Baam's control was unstable. The Shinsu trembled, extending in writhing tentacles before exploding into spiraling waterspouts.
Everyone stopped fighting, instinctively turning to Baam as if drawn to the light.
Feeling the buildup reach its peak, Baam subconsciously fired toward Anaak. But his power was still raw—wild and untamed. The attack veered chaotically, some of it even targeting his own allies. They narrowly dodged it.
Anaak, however, wasn't as lucky. She leapt, but the Shinsu chased her midair.
"No good!" Hatz shouted in alarm. "Anaak!"
"...?" Anaak's eyes widened in a daze. She hadn't expected it to follow her. With no other option, she crossed her arms, bracing for impact.
At that exact moment, the buzzer rang, signaling the end of the game. But no one cared.
Because for Anaak... It might be over for real. She had no defense. Worst case—she might lose her right eye.
Watching from the sidelines, Shinso frowned. *So Anaak takes Hwa Ryun's place in this version? Tch, how troublesome...*
Knowing he had to act, Shinso reinforced his body with basic Shinsu and leapt into the air.
Baam's attack wasn't lethal—yet—but it was slow enough that everyone could track its path. They all noticed another figure flying toward Anaak, who was being pushed by Shinsu.
But instead of saving her like a noble knight, Shinso gathered Shinsu on his shin so that he could redirect the blast.
From the second floor, Hansung Yu casually sipped instant coffee, watching the scene unfold with amusement... until he saw Shinso's trajectory.
"Huh...?" His eyes narrowed as he followed the flight path. Then he noticed Shinso's eye glance at him with a playful smirk.
His eyelid twitched.
"That guy... Why is he looking at me?" he muttered, but the answer will be given soon. Because he saw Shinso redirecting Baam's attack towards him.
"Is he aiming it at me...?" Hansung Yu felt his scalp tingle.
Not only did he redirect the attack, but he also boosted it, amplifying the firepower. While it wasn't enough to injure a high-ranker...
…it was more than enough to destroy Hansung's office.
BOOM!