The Journey Begins
(A/N: These chapters somehow ended up in Volume 26. Wanted to fix it before it got out of hand.)
After an expectedly sleepless night for most, the members of Team Wolf Pack gradually gathered within a massive chamber carved from glistening blue crystal. There was a massive circular platform at the very center, and, though there weren't any visible runes, Vahn, Phae, and Gandr could see the structure of a complex spatial transfer formation present within the flow of Shinsu itself.
Since he would also be making the journey up the 3rd Floor this morning, Parakewl, now wrapped up like a mummy, also made an appearance within the transfer room. Unfortunately for him, all of his efforts to try and mingle with the group ended in failure. The only person who was even willing to talk to him was Baam, but, with Khun and Rak always near the boy's side, the green-skinned man had no hope of weaseling his way into the group...
---
After a sleepless night of his own, Director Yu slowly made his way over to the transfer room with a tired expression on his face. There were a lot of things he needed to take care of in order to prevent news of what had happened from leaking to other Floors, so, immediately following the completion of the Submerged Fish Hunt, he had been busy expunging data and closing up loose ends.
Though it wasn't well known, for obvious reasons, Director Yu had close ties with FUG and several other organizations within the Tower. He had been the one to present Rachel with the opportunity to betray Baam, not to have the boy killed, but to hide his existence from the Jahad Empire. Baam was, after all, the 'Child of Prophecy' that FUG had been waiting on for nearly ten-thousand-years...
Stepping through the massive archway leading into the transfer room, Director Yu nearly tripped when he saw a most of Team Wolf Pack sitting around cafe-style tables. Most of them had skipped breakfast, so, with more than an hour before the transfer was scheduled, Vahn produced a number of tables before setting out coffee, tea, and snacks for everyone to enjoy.
Seeing the rather incredulous scene, Director Yu struggled to prevent a wry smile from spreading across his face as he walked over and said, "Good morning, Regulars. It is good to see everyone has arrived on time...Henceforth, you will now officially begin your journey up the Tower. A number of you who have shown considerable promise so I'm looking forward to seeing you become famous Rankers in the future. Now, to commemorate your achievements, I have prepared gifts for each of you. I hope these rings bring you great fortune and good luck..."
Following his words, Director Yu produced a series of small boxes containing expensive-looking rings made from Cobalium, an exceptionally rare and valuable material. This surprised a number of Regulars present, especially those who came from poor backgrounds. Vahn, however, just smiled as he met Director Yu's gaze and tossed the ring, aptly named [Tracking Beacon], into his Inventory.
Noticing Vahn's actions, Director Yu exhaled an inaudible sigh through his nose before reminding himself that they were someone else's problem in the future. He had performed his duty, so, even if the functions of the rings were discovered, it no longer had anything to do with him.
Feeling a strong desire to return to his bedroom and sleep, Director Yu preempted any questions, concerns, or complaints by clapping his hands and saying, "Now then, allow me to see you off. I'm certain you are all eager to begin your journey. Please step onto the central altar and do your best to remain at least 30cm apart. It is exceptionally rare, but there have been instances where people have been fused together during the transfer process. Let's not take any risks after working so hard to reach this point, shall we~?"
Though most of them could tell the Director was joking, everyone made sure to stay a few meters apart from each other. The altar could easily hold more than a thousand people without being too crowded, so, with only fifteen people present, there was plenty of space for each of them.
Once everyone was ready, Director Yu waved one last time as a brilliant flash of light emanated from the platform beneath their feet. Moments later, the light faded away to reveal a small piece of paper floating down from above. This confused the Director quite a bit, but, after reading what was written, a peal of amused laughter escaped his throat as he neatly folded the pierce of paper and placed it into his Lighthouse's Inventory...
---
After what felt like several minutes of being pulled along by a powerful current, Vahn, alongside the rest of Team Wolf Pack, arrived in the middle of what appeared to be a generic fantasy town. There were even several massive signs in the periphery that said, 'Welcome to the Town of Beginnings!' in big, bold, letters.
Fortunately, as this was a Testing Area in the Inner Tower, an extremely petite woman with short black hair, a rounded face, golden irises, and pointed ears appeared next to them. She was attired in a green hooded tunic with brown dark browns sleeves and a pair of light-brown trousers. This was accompanied by a large satchel across the front of her body, a pair of brown leather mocassins that left her hooved feet exposed, a red sash wrapped around her waist, and a yellow bandana tied neatly around her head.
Though first impressions made her appear to be a young girl who had gotten separated from her parents, the apathetic look in the girl's eyes, combined with the spear-like staff she wielded in her right hand, made it clear she wasn't a child. Rather, based on the information collected by Phae, it was safe to assume the girl was a member of the Dwelfling race, one of the more petite and child-like races that existed within the Tower.
As a half-dwelfling, Nare was the first among the group to realize what tribe the seemingly youthful girl belonged to. Unfortunately, before she could greet her kinsmen, the apathetic-looking woman gave everyone a once over as she stated in a dull monotone, "Welcome to the 3rd Floor's Town of Beginnings. My name is Marble, a Ranker and a Senior Test Administrator. Follow me. I will lead you to the Residential Area for Regulars. Afterward, I will explain the requirements for moving on to the 4th Floor."
Without giving anyone a chance to respond or ask questions, Marble promptly turned around, her hooved feet creating small cracks in the stone platform as she bounded atop the nearest building and began running towards the East. This left most of the members of Team Wolf Pack at a loss for words, but, fortunately for everyone present, Gandr immediately gave chase, keeping pace with the petite Ranker as they parkoured through the complex fantasy town.
Though it wasn't expressly stated, the 3rd Floor's test started immediately after arriving within the Town of Beginnings. The purpose of the Floor was to test a team's adaptability and survival skills, so, if they were caught unprepared by the Admin's spontaneous Test, they would have little choice but to gather information and survive the 3rd Floor without an explanation.
Fortunately, the Admins regulated their speed so that anyone with reasonable Agility would be able to keep pace with them. This allowed Gandr to easily keep up with Marble, creating a rather comical scene that garnered a fair amount of attention from the Regulars roaming the streets below. As for the rest of Team Wolf Pack, they could be seen soaring over the buildings using Phae's and Khun's Lighthouses, mapping the Town below while Parakewl, denied the right to fly alongside them, was dashing through the streets below...
---
After landing in front of a massive inn-like building, Marble turned back to stare at the boy who had managed to keep pace with her for more than ten minutes, asking, "What is your name?"
Surprised by the sudden question, Gandr's ears twitched slightly as he returned a genial smile and answered, "My name is Gandr!" in a friendly tone.
Without showing any change in expression, Marble just nodded in response to Gandr's outburst before adding, "Bring out your Pocket. I will reward you with 300 points for keeping pace with me even after I increased my speed. You are very fast."
Never one to refuse free points, Gandr promptly produced his Pocket, his smile growing larger due to the petite girl's compliment. Then, after receiving his Points, he remarked, "You are also very fast, Ms. Marble. Are you a Scout as well as a Spear Bearer...?"
Since she was used to people mistaking her Position, Marble shook her head in response to Gandr's inquiry before plainly stating, "I am neither a Scout nor a Spear Bearer. I am a Fisherman. This might look like a spear, but it is actually a Needle known as Scalesplitter. I am an adopted daughter of the Ari Family, so I received this weapon when I became a Ranker."
Though they were less famous than the other Great Families due to their passive nature and disdain for conflict, the Ari Family was still one of the Ten Great Families. They were famous for introducing Needles into the Tower, and, so long as they had proven themselves, each member of the Ari Family was given a unique Needle that suited their personality and combat style.
Gandr was more than a little surprised to hear that the 118cm tall girl was an adoptive member of the Ari Family, but, as it didn't really matter, he just continued to smile as he said, "That's amazing. I also have a unique weapon of my own. Check it out, this is my Laev-tan. Isn't she the most beautiful blade you've ever seen~?"
Seeing the immaculate katana produced by Gandr, Marble couldn't deny that it was, indeed, a very beautiful and elegant weapon. However, compared to other weapons she had seen in the Tower, it seemed a little plain. There was also the fact that swords became a hindrance as you climbed higher up the Tower, so, after admiring it for a few moments, she looked up at Gandr and plainly said, "It is a very pretty weapon. Still, I would advise you to acquire a needle at some point. Unless you were to be adopted into the Arie Family, becoming a Ranker while wielding a sword is very difficult...."
Since he had heard the same thing stated numerous times, Gandr wasn't particularly surprised by Marble's words. Instead, he just casually returned Laev-tan to her sheath, maintaining his smile as he said, "That's fine. The more difficult something is, the more powerful you will become after you master it. The Arie Family might be famous for their swordsmanship, but fame is a transient thing. I might not be particularly famous right now, but, in a few years' time, I guarantee that my name will resonate throughout the Tower~."
Rather than attempt to discredit Gandr's claim, Marble actually offered an approving smile, a bit of the apathy within her eyes fading away as she said, "You certainly have the motivation. Now, allow me to explain to you the rules and of the 3rd Floor and the requirements for advancing to the next Floor. Though it is pretty straightforward, you should listen closely if you want to avoid making any costly mistakes..."
Without waiting for Gandr's acknowledgment, Marble produced a dice-sized Lighthouse from her pocket before expanding it to the nearly three-meters in size. The front-facing panel immediately lit up to display a series of rules, regulations, and, most importantly, requirements for advancing to the next Floor...
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[Rules Within the Town of Beginnings]
1: No fighting between Regulars.
2: Damaging any property will result in a penalty.
3: Gambling and Prostitution are legalized, but only within marked regions.
4: Each hour spent within the Residential District will deduct 10 Points from a Regular's Pocket.
5: All Regulars are responsible for their own living expenses and medical fees.
....
[Requirements for Advancing to the 4th Floor]
1: You must form a Party of at least 6 Regulars.
2: Access to the 4th Floor requires a payment of 100,000 Points.
3: Each Regular within a Party must have acquired 10,000 Points through their own efforts.
4: Each Regular within a Party must live within the same Residence for 7 consecutive days.
5: Each Regular within a Party must spend at least 10 days outside the Town of Beginnings.
....
[Requirements for Free Passage to the 4th Floor]
1: Defeat at least one 'King' Shinheuh.
2: Defeat at least 10 'Elite' Shinheuh within a 7 day period.
3: Complete the Special Test of at least one Test Administrator.
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Director Yu is so done xD...','Pintsized Powerhouse','What is a King compared to an Emperor...?')
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