Seran, busy extracting the five cores, thought,"What the hell caused this mutation?" as his hands placed the cores and the various Evox carcasses into his ring.
Shaking his head
"I need to buy another mana ring… a bigger one. I'm forced to leave most of the T0 carcasses behind…"
So much flux wasted. By morning, nature would reclaim all those bodies.
He paused for a moment, looking at the aftermath of his actions.
Death and violence—that was what he left behind for those creatures.
"What am I becoming? A killing machine…" he said with a faint, ironic tone, though fully aware that if he wanted to keep his promise, this was only the beginning.
Before leaving the massacre site, at the center of the settlement he noticed a tree—the only source of shade in that barren space.
That was where the T1s had been resting before everything began.
The mana around it moved strangely.
As if it were something alive.
As he approached, the unease grew stronger. The air felt murky… something deep, something wrong. Keeping his sword ready, he closed the distance.
His eyes caught how, at the center of the trunk, the mana was denser… concentrated.
Then, as he kept observing, he slowly lowered his weapon.
The hazel veins of the bark,
the branches intertwining,
the green leaves forming a shelter from the heat of the sun…
"What a drag…" he muttered, bringing a hand to his mouth.
Heavy eyes. His vision strained from exhaustion.
Something comforting wrapped around him, almost cradling him—shielding him, just a little, from the cruelty of the world.
"What a strange scent…" he said, sitting down.
"Why not rest for a bit…"
He leaned his back against the trunk.
And closed his eyes.
"Turutu… Turutu… Turutu…" his phone rang.
Annoyed by the vibration just as sleep was taking him, he grabbed it to silence it.
The moment his eyes fell on the screen—
A flicker snapped his mind out of the trance.
The trunk behind him had split open—two massive jaws, ready to swallow him whole.
"Chrono Cognition."
Before he could become the snack of an overgrown plant, he lunged forward.
The abomination, rooted to the ground, couldn't follow its prey.
"Not even a second of peace…" Seran muttered.
A tremor of fear ran through his body.
"I was about to die… because of a tree…"
The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place.
A crooked smile formed on his face.
Pulling out incendiary grenades from his ring
"Time to prune a tree…"
Like throwing snowballs, he hurled a dozen explosives at the creature.
Its branches thrashed wildly,trying desperately to smother the spreading flames.
But as the fire grew—
It lit up like a Christmas tree.
A tree with a mouth, trying to scream… without a sound.
Five minutes later, the bonfire had done its job.
Approaching the now withered remains,he drove his blade in and extracted the core.
"An atypical T1… hunts differently… able to enhance the Evox bound to its power…"
Satisfied, another core in hand—worth two, in his case—he headed back toward Theta patrol block.
Reaching the massive gates, once again fascinated by the defensive mechanisms decorating the structure, he was about to head straight to the city—
Then remembered.
Stopping the first operator he saw, he asked
"Do you know where I can find Ludwig Merc?"
The man glanced at him, clearly bored, happy to break the monotony of his routine.
"At this hour? Your guide's at the gym. Looks like he still treats his candidates the same way…"
Without correcting the misunderstanding, Seran thanked him and headed toward the training hall.
Crossing the doors, the sound of impacts, footsteps, weights crashing to the ground, and mana shifting through techniques filled the space.
As he moved inside, his head turned, searching for his former guide.
"Eyes on the target, girl… You can't hesitate. Act—or die."
A man with brown hair streaked with red was "teaching" a young Trigger candidate.
With a light push, he broke her balance.
"Clap… Clap… Clap…"
Seran applauded, drawing Lud's attention as he helped the girl back to her feet.
"Well, kid… looks like you're not dead yet" the man grinned, finally turning toward him.
"I had a good teacher…" Seran replied, returning the grin.
"The morning session ends here. Mess hall in an hour."
He dismissed the future Tower—hoping she'd survive the Trigger.
As she walked away, their gazes met.
No words were needed.
Seran moved first.
A high kick aimed at Lud's face.
With practiced precision, Lud slipped under it,countering with a right hook to the boy's abdomen—
But like striking a wall, a layer of mana reinforced the impact point, stopping the blow cold.
They stepped back.
Both smiling.
"Not bad… for a rookie" Ludwig broke the silence.
"Not bad yourself" Seran replied, lowering his guard and stepping closer, extending his hand.
Lud clasped it.
"Raider Lag."
"First-Class Operator Ludwig Merc."
Proof that their dynamic had changed. No longer teacher and student—
But two Towers on the same Floor, fighting the same war… in different ways.
Gesturing toward him, Lud added
"Looks like you just got back from an expedition…"
Seran gave a slight nod, his gaze briefly dropping to his worn gear and minor wounds.
"So… what are you here for?"
"To have a chat with a grumpy man with a soft heart…" Seran teased.
A faint snort escaped Lud.
"We've got an hour. Mess hall."
They walked side by side, unhurried.
The murmur of voices filled the cafeteria.
Guides advising young candidates, others collecting their rations.
They found an empty table and sat down.
"So… is the raider life what you expected?" Lud asked.
Seran answered, recounting his recent experiences.
After a moment, he leaned forward slightly.
"There's something I don't get…"
He paused.
"Why do the Armed Forces handle the Trigger like this? Four days aren't enough to guarantee new Towers… even with Novaris' training."
Lud sighed, his expression neutral.
A thin barrier of mana wrapped around their table, muting the world beyond.
Nearby tables noticed—but didn't react. Discretion was expected.
"What are you really asking, kid?"
Seran lowered his voice.
"It almost feels like they're trying to limit the number of Towers… why?"
"Control" Lud answered simply."A limited number is easier to manage. Why do you think those who enlist in the Armed Forces get so many privileges compared to an independent raider like you?"
He leaned back slightly.
"A collar around a dog's neck."
Seran frowned.
"But with more Towers, wouldn't we eliminate the Evox threat faster?"
Lud exhaled slowly.
"Let's say there's an implicit balance. Imagine a world without Evox…"
"No more external threats."
"And what else do we hunt them for?"
"The cores… materials derived from them, and—"
He stopped.
Understanding hit.
Seran's eyes widened.
"Without Evox… progression through Floors would slow to a crawl… the economy too…"
Silence fell between them.
"The Flux didn't just give humanity power" Lud said quietly."It amplified every vice… and every virtue."
He leaned back in his chair.
"And even if Novaris decided to wipe them out completely… there's no guarantee we could. T5 infest the country, not even counting the T6 that separate us from neighboring nations…"
A brief pause.
"For now… our only F6 is the President."
Seran absorbed it all.
"…And doesn't that barrier with neighboring countries weaken us?" he asked, arms crossed.
Lud chuckled.
"Partly. But it's also a perfect natural defense against any expansionist ambitions the Empire might have."
A faint smile.
"Or Novaris."
A full minute passed as Seran processed everything.
Lud had already gone to grab a glass of water.
"Alright, kid… back to you. Why did you choose to ask me this?"
"Instinct"
He shrugged.
"And let's say… your dissatisfaction with the Armed Forces isn't exactly subtle."
A faint laugh escaped Lud. Calmly, he pulled out his phone and showed the screen.
"This is my number. If you ever have doubts… or just need advice."
"…Thanks."
Seran hesitated for a moment, then asked,"If I can ask… it's strange you didn't ascend to a higher Floor. What happened?"
Lud's expression darkened. For just a moment, his eyes lost focus.
Then clarity returned.
"Another day, kid. My candidate's here—on time, unlike someone else…"
He stood up, already turning away.
With a brief wave, he left.