"Quite lucky. Any second longer and you would've been turned to ashes," Cheondung said, slowly retracting the muzzle away from her mouth.
Seeing him remove the dangerous object poking her throat, Hugo coughed, wrapped her slender arms around his shoulder, and faced him with a wide grin as if nothing had happened between them.
"Come on, I didn't say I wouldn't pay for it. Just name the price. After all, something as luxurious as that gun should live up to its reputation," she said.
Hugo clearly held luxurious things in high regard. If something was expensive but didn't live up to its "luxury," she considered it nothing more than overpriced junk. The same applied to luxurious items given away for free—no matter how extravagant they were, the moment the price was removed, the value became worthless.
Cheondung stared blankly at the smirking girl. For several seconds, only silence remained. After a while, he simply sighed and shook his head. Deciding it wasn't worth the effort, he walked away, leaving Hugo on her own.
"Hey, hey! What's your reply?"
Of course, persistent as ever, Hugo wasn't about to give up. Once she set her eyes on something, she was bound to get it—especially when it involved luxury. She followed him closely. Besides, the test had already begun, and she considered him a potential teammate.
Cheondung didn't pay attention to her anymore. Although she was a little bit screw-loose, Hugo was still part of the Po Bidau family. Perhaps he could obtain more information about Gustang through her. However, he had no idea what the consequences of his actions would be—that would come later.
[3 minutes remaining]
They had been walking straight ahead. Hugo, who kept blabbering, didn't seem to notice anything; she was far too absorbed in trying to convince him to sell the weapon. Cheondung kept his lips sealed, only glancing at her from time to time.
After a few more steps, he halted and looked at the lone figure standing not far ahead. A girl with short blue hair stood surrounded by multiple unconscious people.
Cheondung didn't even need to think deeply. They had probably tried to recruit her, but she must not have considered them up to standard—and eliminated them in the process. Since the only rule was no killing allowed, disabling or knocking others unconscious wasn't restricted.
He would have done the same to Hugo if she weren't a Po Bidau.
The girl noticed them from the corner of her eye. She first looked at Hugo and recognized her as someone from one of the Ten Great Families. Silently, she took note of her. Then her gaze drifted to Cheondung, and her blue eyes narrowed sharply. Unknowingly, a sly smile curved across her lips.
"Heh, interesting," she muttered before lowering her spear and giving them a brief introduction.
"My name is Khun Kiseia. I'm sure you want to form a team with me—I have no qualms about it. How about introducing ourselves first? After all, it's important to know each other since we're a *team*."
Cheondung didn't say much. He knew she had something in mind but considered it trivial.
"My name is Cheondung… and this girl is…"
Hugo was full of anticipation. Being introduced by someone else definitely suited her luxurious nature. She stood there with her hands on her hips and a wide smirk, waiting for him to finish.
"Po Bidau… Hugo…"
"Yeah! The one and only Po Bidau Hugo!" she shouted enthusiastically, even her sunglasses gleaming.
The two only exchanged meaningful glances and decided to ignore her antics. Although she was a little eccentric, they knew she was smart to some extent—after all, she came from a family of scholars.
"So, what do you think comes next?" Kiseia asked.
"The examiner said we needed to form a team within a limited time. Nothing more—leaving the rest to us to comprehend their goal.
However, from that, we can conclude that we're going to take the next exam as a team.
For now, we should wait and rest. Don't waste energy on meaningless things."
*A normal response…* Kiseia thought, as she also began to rest.
Cheondung didn't mention it directly, but he was referring to Hugo. However, the girl didn't seem to realize it and continued trying to convince him. By now, she knew he wasn't going to sell it—after all, no idiot would sell their own weapon. At this point, she just wanted to cause trouble.
Cheondung didn't say much; his thoughts were focused on his goal.
*A lot of my memories are gone, even my powers. Recalling the events of those days, I just woke up in that place and had been guarding it until I was summoned into the Tower.
I still remember many things, including my fight with Phanta and billions of years spent traveling through the cosmos. However, a lot of major details are missing—as if I'm only remembering crumbs.
For now, I have three goals. First, to recover my lost memories. After that, to obtain power. And lastly, to find my way out of the Tower.
The first two seem difficult, so for now, I have to meet Gustang. Considering I fought Phantaminum outside, there are probably many beings like him. Judging by my current strength, it won't be enough.
Still, I'm in no rush. Even if there really is a way out, if I don't have the means to defend myself, then I'm simply walking into a wolves' den.*
Just then, his thoughts were disrupted by a sudden announcement:
[Time is up, Regulars!
Those who successfully created a team hold each other for 30 seconds. Once the time is up, your team will be teleported to the next floor.]
Cheondung stood up, taking the initiative to lead the group. He was the strongest—and probably the smartest—among them. Although he wasn't as familiar with the Tower as its natives, he had built his own strength.
"The examiner said we should make contact, so hold onto my shoulder."
The two girls didn't protest and simply did as he said.