Tower of Endless: Death Granted Entry

Ed, since the moment Moon landed on the platform and was stuck with them in the facility, had been watching him closely. Everything he said, every reaction he made, his conversations with Uon, and the way he reacted around others until this moment.

He could be considered a stalker—a professional one—but he was also thinking with the mind of an investor. Ed was planning to invest in Moon, and it might be his greatest investment in someone since his very own gang back in the day, but he just couldn’t understand.

”Don’t you think something doesn’t sit right with him?” Ed asked the question that bugged him the most.

His eyes were on Samuel, who didn’t move his eyes away from the spot where this entire incident took place.

”There are many things, if you ask me, but which of them do you have a problem with?” Samuel gave an answer that was worse than silence.

Ed didn’t mind him; he wasn’t much bothered or willing to pick a fight. ”You know I’m in a good mood recently thanks to the kid,” he stated flatly with a smile. ”I just can’t figure it out. Is he a savage kid who happened to be quick-witted, or a simp who nearly broke his neck looking at a random lass, or an idiot who knows nothing of civility, or just a pure child that has yet to be tainted by the tower?”

”Then again, what were you trying to prove?” Samuel questioned him again.

Excitedly, Ed replied, ”The kid, even as clueless as he may seem, I wanted to see if he has an intact conscience, if he’s worth what I’m trying to do.”

”Conscience, huh?” Samuel finally looked at Ed. ”Do you think such a thing would survive in the tower?” he asked, his tone heavier than usual.

Ed’s smile widened. ”Seeing your stupid face is enough assurance.”

With that, Ed turned around and started walking away.

”Is that all?” Samuel asked him, but he didn’t stop.

”Unlike you complicated bastard, I’m satisfied now,” Ed answered without looking. ”The kid seems hungry; he’s heading to the eatery as you can see. He is way too scrawny; gotta put some meat on him before the trial.”

Samuel looked at his old friend’s excitement for a while, unsure of what to do with him... Moon was a new event to them.

His lips parted. ”Maybe you are right... Maybe staying here all these years wasn’t in vain,” he whispered to the wind before moving as well.

Time ticked slowly, for Moon especially... He had a meal and went back to his aimless walking around the branch. One question he thought he had already settled came back to haunt him, and this time it was more pressing than ever: ’Should I kill him, or not?’

Dave. He had already decided to let him live, but today, for some reason he couldn’t understand, he felt like he must kill him. He had never hesitated before killing; it was always on the battlefield... it was kill or die. The more enemies you let live, the more will come for your life tomorrow. It was a simple calculation; it was the basic willingness to live or die... there was also the battlefield effect. On the battlefield, everyone gets lost in the noise, screams, and blood... most are entranced by the war itself, unable to think in the slightest. Thinking on the battlefield was a luxury that could only result in death.

Now, for the first time, he had such luxury to weigh the life of his opponent, of his enemy. Dave’s malice was no longer the only problem, or maybe not a problem at all... Moon, after crossing fists with him, realized he wasn’t a threat in the slightest. At best, he could break both his arms and legs for a year until he started behaving like a human, or for 10 years if he must. Though the trial was probably not going to last for an entire year... he could still drop Dave out without any issues if he had to.

But he was feeling the urge to kill him; his heart was screaming with bloodlust at the thought of his face. ’Was it because of that girl?’ he wondered. He couldn’t even discern her looks or voice, so it probably was impossible, or so he thought.

Morning came, and Moon found himself standing in front of the door of Hall 1. The ’students’ in the facility started moving around, giving it life again, and noise to Moon, who couldn’t hear his own thoughts. He opened the door to Hall 1, deciding to think in his room instead, but as soon as he opened the door, he saw Uon in front of his face... or rather, his torso.

”Oh, Moon, where were you?” Uon asked.

Moon’s face was blank. ”I—”

Cutting him off, ”The speech is about to begin, let’s get going,” Uon announced, grabbing his shoulder and marching away from the Hall.

Moon didn’t fight back; he had already submitted to his fate, and it wasn’t too bad... it was about time he also take a look at that person, the one called Lucen. Before long, the rushing Uon stopped in front of a place that looked like a round arena with a large number of stone seats going downwards.

”I’ll leave you here; I have work to do. Take a seat and make yourself comfortable,” Uon said, getting ready to move after leaving the basic instructions.

”Wait!” Moon called. ”Where will my duel take place?” he asked, shouting at where Uon ran off to.

Uon didn’t answer; he just pointed at the very same place, the round arena-like pit.

Moon pursed his lips and walked toward the pit, which was full of people he had seen and had never seen. He felt the numbers were greater than yesterday, thinking that maybe new ascenders were still arriving even while he was luring Colten into fighting. As Moon found a spot to sit down, he took an isolated one at the very top of the pit.

”It seems like everyone is already here.” A voice he couldn’t recognize echoed inside the arena.

The space before their eyes started to have a form gathering within it, a humanoid form made of gold and insanely gigantic, over 4 meters tall, but it was also loose... like smoke about to scatter with the wind. Instead of scattering, it gathered, solidifying further into a proper-looking human. A human so big that no matter where you were looking from inside the arena, you’d be able to see him clearly, including his face and features.

The man looked so young, almost early 20s at first look. His hair was brightly golden, matching a set of plate armor that looked dazzling as well. On his back, a red cape danced by itself even without wind to move it. His face looked soft and spotless; unlike Roran, who had an artificial feel, this one looked more real, with flat cheekbones, a mildly defined jaw, thin lips, and a high, straight nose bridge over a slightly pointy chin.

Below a perfectly proportioned forehead sat a brightly blue, jewel-like set of eyes with a pair of straight golden eyebrows.

”What the hell?” Moon exclaimed.