The moment Zero crossed the gate, light exploded around him. The air thickened, carrying the metallic tang of blood and iron. When his vision cleared, he found himself standing on crimson soil under a scarlet sky that bled across the horizon.
This was not an illusion. This was the second floor of the Tower—the Blood-Touched Floor, a realm known for endless conflict and merciless tests of survival.
Around him, dozens of Regulars materialized in the same way, scattered across the barren plains. Some were familiar from the first floor, others new—each bearing the same look of awe and fear.
A deep, resonant voice filled the air.
"Welcome, climbers… to the second floor of the Tower. Here, you will be tested in combat. Victory demands not strength—but clarity. Hesitation means death. Mercy means failure. Only those who adapt… will ascend."
Zero's gray eyes narrowed. Clarity… not mercy. The Tower grows harsher.
Surveying the Battlefield
The landscape stretched endlessly, pocked with fragments of ruined structures and blackened stone pillars. Shards of weapons and armor littered the ground—remnants of past climbers who had failed.
Kalen appeared several meters away, scanning the horizon nervously. "This place… feels alive. Like it's watching."
"It is," Zero said quietly, his tone flat. "Every floor observes. Every breath is measured."
As if responding to his words, the crimson soil pulsed faintly. Energy flickered beneath the ground like veins under skin.
Kalen shuddered. "You make it sound like the Tower's a predator."
Zero's cold gaze didn't waver. "It is."
The Blood Trial Begins
Without warning, the air vibrated violently. Pillars of energy erupted around the climbers, forming glowing rings that trapped groups of four to six together. Zero found himself enclosed with Kalen, Arven, and two others—a quiet girl with white hair and a broad-shouldered man wielding twin axes.
"Trial One: Elimination. Only two from each group may advance. The rest… will become fuel."
The voice faded. Silence followed—heavy and suffocating.
Kalen's eyes widened. "Wait, what—? We're supposed to kill each other?"
Zero's hand went to his sword immediately. "The Tower rewards survival. It never promised fairness."
Arven smirked faintly, drawing his own blade. "Looks like our rematch came sooner than expected."
The other two backed away, fear evident. The white-haired girl whispered, "There has to be another way…"
Zero turned to her, eyes cold but not unkind. "There isn't. Survive or vanish."
Then, with fluid precision, he moved.
Combat Erupts
Arven struck first, his movements faster and sharper than before. Zero parried effortlessly, each clash of steel a study in rhythm and timing. Kalen hesitated, torn between self-defense and shock.
The ax-wielder roared, charging toward them both, desperate to end it quickly. Zero sidestepped at the last instant, pivoted, and struck the man's shoulder. The impact sent the larger fighter crashing into a crimson pillar that erupted in flame upon contact.
The girl screamed—but it was too late.
Three remaining. Two may advance.
The voice was merciless.
Arven pressed forward again, eyes fierce, blade flashing. "You're holding back, Zero. Why? Afraid to kill?"
Zero met his gaze, emotionless. "I'm calculating outcomes. Killing you now has no advantage."
That only enraged Arven further. He attacked recklessly, forcing Zero to defend faster. Sparks filled the air as their blades met again and again.
Kalen stepped in, desperate. "Stop this! We're allies!"
"No," Zero corrected him, voice calm even as he deflected another strike. "We're competitors. The Tower doesn't allow allies to last long."
The Breaking Point
The girl—tears streaking her blood-stained face—raised her trembling hands. "Please… I don't want to die."
Zero's eyes flicked to her, reading her stance, her trembling fingers, the way energy gathered instinctively at her palm. Instability. Emotional reaction—dangerous.
"Control your fear," he said coldly. "Or it will kill you."
Her energy flared—wild, uncontrolled. Bolts of crimson lightning burst outward, striking both Arven and Kalen. Zero reacted instantly, raising his sword to absorb the brunt of the shockwave. Dust and flame engulfed the ring.
When the smoke cleared, only Zero remained standing, though battered and marked with burns. Kalen lay unconscious but breathing. Arven knelt, clutching his side, bleeding but alive.
The girl was gone—vaporized by her own outburst.
The Tower's voice returned, cold and final.
"Two remain. Proceed."
Zero looked down at Arven. The other man's eyes burned with hatred. "You… could've stopped her."
Zero's tone was flat. "She stopped herself. The Tower doesn't forgive emotion."
He reached down, grabbed Arven by the collar, and pulled him to his feet. "You're alive. Use it."
Then, without another word, he stepped forward as the ring dissolved.
Aftermath: The Guide Appears
When the light faded, Zero stood alone at the entrance of a massive obsidian staircase spiraling upward. The air was thick with tension, as if something ancient and intelligent observed from above.
Then, from the shadows near the steps, a figure emerged—a woman cloaked in silver, eyes glowing faintly with knowledge and age. Her voice was calm and eerily familiar.
"You passed the Blood Trial," she said softly. "Few do it without breaking."
Zero's gray eyes met hers. "You're the Guide."
She inclined her head slightly. "Yes. And you… you are not like the others. The Tower knows you, Zero."
He frowned slightly. "Knows me?"
She smiled faintly, mysterious and cold. "You think this is your first life in the Tower? The Tower remembers every soul it consumes. Yours has climbed before… and failed."
For the first time, Zero's calm expression shifted—only slightly, but enough for a flicker of unease to cross his gaze.
"I don't fail," he said quietly.
The Guide's smile deepened. "Then prove it."
[To be continued in Chapter 2