Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With the Seeker being none other than the Scout Instructor, Shibisu, alongside the rest of the Scout candidates, were all in a depressive mood. They had witnessed Quant's speed first-hand, so, while it wasn't impossible to secure a victory, they understood just how slim their chances were.Feeling understandably exasperated, Shibisu released a tired sigh before looking around at the rest of his team members, settling on Khun as he asked, "What do you think of this situation? It doesn't seem all that fair to me."Showing none of the concern visible in the rest of his teammate's countenances, Khun just smiled in response to Shibisu's words before answering, "Well, it makes sense when you consider the fact we have two Princesses of Jahad in our group. Unless they made Anak and Endorsi the Seekers, there is no way to guarantee fairness other than selecting a Ranker for the position. Besides, even if we fail to reach the exit, there is a good chance we'll pass so long as we work together. We just need to do our best to demonstrate our capabilities in each Position."Though Khun's words weren't very inspirational, they were more than enough to ease the tensions of the remaining Regulars in the group. This automatically elevated him to a higher position in their minds, so, taking advantage of the convenience of the situation, Khun adopted a confident smile as he said, "Rather than give in to despair, let's focus on the positives. Our opponent may be a Ranker, but the rules prevent him from using any of the items typically associated with the Position. There is also the fact he can only use Shinsu once throughout the entire exam so there is a very real chance we can win if we play our cards right. To that end, I would argue the most important thing, at least for the time being, is designating a leader."Understanding Khun's intentions, Shibisu had to resist the urge to roll his eyes as he stated, "I think you should be the leader. You have more than enough confidence and you're also our team's most qualified Light Bearer. No offense to you, Leon."Hearing Shibisu's remark, Leon, a young man who could always be seen wearing a red beanie, just shrugged in response. As for Khun, he promptly took advantage of Shibisu's words, musing, "That settles it, then, From now on, you should all refer to me as Leader."Though there were mixed responses and a few half-hearted complaints in response to Khun's bold assertion, nobody tried to argue against him becoming the Leader. Because of this, Khun had all the attention gathered on him as he said, "I'm certain you all understand how impossible it would be to escape from a Ranker, much less one in the Scout Position. Thus, rather than focus on fleeing, shall we discuss methods to capture a certain fiery-tempered chibi...?"---With the half-hour allotted for preparations coming to an end, Vahn, alongside Phae, Gandr, Rak, Ghost, and the remaining Regulars from Team B, all observed Team A's efforts from high in the sky via a large digital display. All of the Instructors were also present, but, for the sake of discussion, a membrane of Shinsu had been erected to block sound between the two sides. This was to prevent any of the remaining Regulars from gaining any insight into the criteria used to evaluate the current participants, but, as could be expected, it also caused them to feel extremely nervous.Having already passed the exam, Vahn was completely relaxed as he watched Khun direct his team to split up into three separate groups. One group remained in the so-called 'safe area', the starting location which protected them during the thirty minutes allotted for preparations. The other, much larger group, moved to secure a massive spiral stairwell that led to the upper level, the location of one-of-two exits. It was much further away than the closet exit, but, considering Quant started from the closest one, it was by far the safest route.Near the very center of the arena, a large single-shaft elevator that connected directly to the top floor could be found. On average, this elevator took ten minutes to reach the top, but, from there, you would only need to run ten kilometers to reach the further exit. This meant, so long as you got your 'it' into the elevator and managed to protect the stairwell, you could effectively guarantee your team's victory.As could be expected, Anak was the person chosen to be her team's 'it', but, rather than making a break for the elevator, she teamed up with the first group to form a perimeter within a large area surrounded by tall pillars. This was an arena designed to emulate the section of the Middle Tower that Regulars in the past would have to navigate in between Floors. Thus, as could be expected, there were absolutely no light sources other than the Lighthouses belonging to the Light Bearers themselves.Understanding that Team A was trying to set a trap, an amused smile spread across Vahn's face as Shibisu, seemingly serving as bait, was left to stand in the center of the open area with a Lighthouse shining down on him from above...---In an effort to give the Regulars a sporting chance, Quant decided to limit his speed to around the same pace as Anak, the fastest person on the current team. He didn't want to be accused of using his status as a Ranker to bully Regulars who had yet to even qualify to move up the Tower. Lero-Ro had also asked him to show a bit of restraint, so, out of respect for their centuries-long friendship, Quant decided to take it nice and easy.Unfortunately, as if they weren't taking him seriously at all, Quant quickly came upon the scene of Shibisu standing out in the open. This caused his blood pressure to immediately skyrocket, but, as a responsible adult, he did his best to control his temper as he stepped out into the light, remarking, "I have to say, this is probably the most obvious trap I've seen in my entire life..."Hearing his Instructor's comment, Shibisu rubbed the back of his head, an awkward laugh escaping his before saying, "Well...you know how it is, teach. You're way too fast for us to escape so what else can we do other than buying time for our 'it' to reach the exit?"Never shy in the face of compliments, Quant felt his tensions relax slightly, a smile spread across his face as he mused, "Well said! As expected of my second-best student. Now, out of consideration for your honesty, how about a bonus lesson? I have high expectations for your talent as a Scout so you consider this a parting gift before you climb the Tower."Though he had a bad feeling hearing his Instructor's words, Shibisu managed a wry smile as he put his hand down and answered, "Looks like I'll be in your care, once again..."Amused by Shibisu's reaction, Quant issued a light-hearted laugh before placing his hands behind his back and saying, "Let's see...if I had to guess, you have between four and five teammates nearby, probably two Spear Bearers, a Wave Controller, a Lightbearer, and a Fisherman. If I include you, that makes this a five-to-one situation, at the very least...now, tell me, what do you think a Scout should do in this situation, my dear pupil?"Since his main focus was buying time, Shibisu adopted a contemplative look, remaining silent for several long seconds before tilting his head to the side and replying, "Dance...?"Losing his good mood, Quant deadpanned at Shibisu's response, his tone deepening as he asked, "Are you being serious...?"Offering an awkward laugh in response, Shibisu repeated his action of scratching the back of his head as he answered, "Sorry, I thought the atmosphere was getting pretty tense. I thought it might save me some pain if I lighten the mood a bit...hahahaha..."Finding Shibisu's answer amusing, the smile returned to Quant's face, a light chuckle escaping his lips as he remarked, "Commendable effort...unfortunately, we both know I'm not the type to hold back when it comes to disciplining naughty students. Now, let me show you the real answer..."The moment Quant finished speaking, his body instantaneously turned into a blur as he dashed toward Shibisu. This caused the latter to backpedal as quickly as he could, but, as someone with a relatively 'normal' physique, there was no way for Shibisu to outrun even a restrained Quant. As a result, he was instantly caught up to, but, before the fiery red-head could teach his precious student a lesson, a red spear entered the periphery of his vision, intersecting his trajectory.With his hands still neatly tucked behind his back, Quant easily arrested his momentum, stopping in an instant before kicking the spear away without any effort. In the exact same motion, he vaulted high enough to surpass the Lighthouse floating above, smiling as he said, "Let's see how well your team fights in the dark."Immediately following Quant's words, he kicked the Lighthouse with enough force to crack one of the surfaces. Then, like a meteor descending from the heavens, it crashed into the ground next to Shibisu, shrapnel erupted from both the Lighthouse and the stone ground. A few of these pieces hit Shibisu directly, but, other than a few small scrapes and bruises, he was more shaken than anything else.Without a Lighthouse to illuminate the battlefield, the surroundings immediately descended into pitch-black darkness. From within the darkness, soft footsteps could be heard, not from just a single direction, but all directions simultaneously, This caused another dry laugh to escape Shibisu's lips, a sound that seemed to echo around him before an eerie voice seemed to speak directly into his ear, stating, "In a situation where a Scout is outnumbered, one of the best things you can do is take out the enemy's eyes. Without a Lighthouse, numbers mean very little. Rather, due to the increased risk of hitting an ally, the enemy has little choice but to regroup..."As it was never pleasant to hear a voice directly in your ear, Shibisu's body momentarily tensed up before attempting a roundhouse kick towards the darkness. Unfortunately, his attack his empty air, followed by another laugh as Quant remarked, "This is why you were only second-best. Not being able to see in the dark is an extreme weakness in circumstances like this. Since you lack the inherent ability, make sure you pick up an item that covers for this weakness in the future."Finished with his advice, Quant appeared within Shibisu's blind spot, specifically behind him, while playfully muttering, "Checkmate~." What he never would have expected was for Shibisu to utter the exact same words as a blinding light erupted from one of the surrounding pillars. This momentarily disoriented him, not because of the light itself, but because he was certain the final Lighthouse was with the 'it'.Shifting his attention to the light source, Quant discovered that his intuition wasn't actually wrong. He simply overlooked the possibility that the team's 'it' had never even left. Instead, he could see Anak standing at the top of the pillar with a massive grin on her face as she shouted, "Sorry, but the one who is 'it' is right here...!"Following her outburst, Anak threw a green hook with meteoric force towards Quant. This wasn't her Green April, but she still had more than enough finesse and control with her Reel Inventory to manipulate the line and grasp objects at a distance. As a result, she was nearly able to snatch the badge directly from Quant's chest, effectively ending the game then and there. Unfortunately, she had underestimated the Ranker's pettiness, as, the moment he realized what was happening, Quant muttered, "Black Fish..." before soundlessly fading into the shadows at supersonic speeds.Black Fish was a technique that allowed a Scout to veil their body in Shinsu, effectively becoming invisible in areas with low visibility. This, combined with his Ranker-levels of speed allowed him to easily evade Anak's hook, reappearing to grab it the moment she attempted to reel it in. Then, with an expression that could only be described as 'absolutely livid', a crazed smile spread across his face as he looked at Shibisu and asked, "You're really looking down on me, aren't you? It seems I didn't give you enough love during our classes...hahahahahahahahaha...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I'm the Captain now','Quant be like: "I'm such a good teacher!"','Also Quant: "I'm going to f**cking murder you~!"')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After a soul-piercing laugh that lasted several seconds, Quant surprised nearly everyone present by spontaneously calming down and saying, "Well, it wasn't the worst plan. I can't really blame you for being ignorant of a Ranker's true power. Still, you're lucky I'm so nice. If I were another Ranker, this little stunt of yours might have cost everyone here their lives. Now, run along. I would feel guilty if I just eliminated your 'it' here and now. I'll give you five minutes to flee before giving chase. I'll even take the stairs to give you a sporting chance~."Hearing his Instructor's explanation, Shibisu was tempted to breathe a sigh of relief, but, seeing the flames dancing within Quant's eyes, he knew the man was anything but calm. If it had been anyone else acting as bait, their chances of passing would have been close to 0%. Quant wasn't the type of man who forgave offenses easily, so, while he probably wouldn't kill them, they wouldn't be walking away without a few broken bones...Though it wasn't easy, Shibisu ultimately managed a smile, stating, "After I become a Ranker, I'll buy you dinner as an apology. Catch you later, teach." before running away at Khun's direction. This left Quant with a wry smile on his face, his head shaking as he muttered, "Damn brat...I'll make sure you go broke..." in an amused tone.---With Quant holding true to his word, Khun directed the ambush team to form a defensive line at the corridor leading to the stairwell connecting to the top floor. They would serve as the first line of defense, buying as much time as possible while Anak was on the elevator. As for everyone else, they had been gathered within the stairwell itself, spaced out so that the Fishermen could block the front while the Spear Bearers rained down spears from above.Even if Quant had already expended his single use of Shinsu, none of the Regulars harbored any delusions of defeating the man. They couldn't even see him move when he went all out, so, rather than attempt another ambush, they were going with Khun's secondary plan: demonstrating their capacity in their respective Positions. Quant had already afforded them more time than he needed to, so, while they wouldn't pass on the opportunity to steal his badge, exhibiting their teamwork was more important.Unfortunately, not everyone seemed to be in agreement with this plan, as, the moment the Hide-and-Seek match began, Hwa Ryun vanished into thin air while Laure simply found a quiet place to lie down and take a nap. He already had more than enough points to ascend to the third floor so he didn't need to exert himself at all. As for Hwa Ryun, she was one of the only Regulars that never even tried to get close to anyone else, choosing to keep to herself and occasionally even going so far as to skip class.With Laure and Hwa Ryun being two of the strongest members on their team, their absence was a sore spot for many of the Regulars close to failing. Unfortunately, even if they wanted to complain, there was simply nothing they could do about the situation as each Regular was ultimately allowed to act however they pleased. There was nothing forcing them to work together as a team, and, from the Admin's point of view, everyone was considered to be responsible for their own actions, injuries, failure, and even death...---Though there was no one around to hear him, Quant ended off the count by shouting out the final few numbers. In reality, he was using his Pocket to keep track of the time, and, from the moment it counted down to zero, his body seemed to flicker out of existence before the sound of several sonic booms echoed throughout the darkness.The moment they heard the thunderclap-like sound, the team guarding the corridor, consisting of Dede, Aleksai, and Rozeal tensed up their bodies. This was especially true for Dede, the young man with a horn sticking out from the back of his head. His Position was that of the Fisherman, so, while the other two were hiding above, prepared to bombard Quant with both spears and Shinsu, he was given the task of blocking the actual path. As a result, the needle in his hands was shaking madly, a point that wasn't missed by the man who had spontaneously appeared behind him to say, "Did you know? If you can hear the sonic boom, the person who created it has already reached you..."Hearing the voice from behind, Dede attempted to spin around, swinging his needle in much the same way as a sword. Unfortunately, with very few exceptions, needles were rounded and smooth to the point of having virtually no imperfections along their surface. This made it easy to use them in environments with high Shinsu density, but, as a result, they weren't able to inflict any substantial damage when used for anything other than piercing.Catching the needle without any effort whatsoever, Quant was unable to resist the urge to roll his eyes as he said, "Next time, keep your back to a wall or pay better attention to your surroundings. What did Hex teach you guys?"Finished with his words, Quant took advantage of the fact that Dede hadn't let go of the needle, pulling the boy off balance before kicking him square in the abdomen with very little force. As for the reason, they were currently near the top of a long flight of stairs, so, even if he didn't injure the boy himself, Dede was bound to suffer on the way down.With the Fisherman out of the strike zone, spear after spear began to rain down from above, each piercing nearly half their length into the stairs. These were provided courtesy of Aleksai, who, as a result of his daily training sessions, had become much stronger. He was still far from being able to compete against Anak, but, compared to his past self, he was almost a completely different person.Unfortunately, even with the higher vantage, Aleksai wasn't able to hit Quant with any of his spears. In fact, the man had even closed his eyes, arms folded behind his back as the very casually dodged each and every one of them. This filled Aleksai with a fair amount of indignation, but, with Rozeal charging a rather sizeable Baang of Shinsu at his side, he prevented himself from leaping down to try and forcibly block the passage.Though she was inarguably the worst Wave Controller among the seven Regulars who had qualified for the Position, Rozeal still had her Shinsu-Controlling Wand. This had given her an advantage over Hoh during their lessons, and, now that she was on the verge of failing, Rozeal was intending to use the wand's 'final' ability to secure a passing grade. This allowed her, at the cost of the wand itself, to drastically increase the amount of Soo she could gather into a single Baang.Appearing eerily similar to Laure's charged attack, the Baang formed by Rozeal grew to more than a meter in diameter before she pointed the wand towards Quant and shouted, "Please accept these heartfelt emotions, Test Administrator~!"Hearing the rather 'curious' outburst, Quant just shook his head as he stared at the wave-like wall of Shinsu headed his way. It easily covered the width of the corridor, but, as someone who could travel at several thousand times the speed of sound using Shinsu, there was nothing preventing him from simply leaping over the attack. As a result, he easily evaded the attack before craning his head and asking, "Do you have a grudge against that boy or something?"Confused by Quant's words, Rozeal tilted her head to the side, illusory questions marks seeming to appear above her head. Immediately after that, however, she heard Dede, who had barely managed to climb to his feet, shout out, "Rozeal, you biiiiiitch...!" as he was washed further down the stairs.At the moment when Rozeal had turned towards the direction of the scream, Quant bounded up the walls of the corridor, appearing in front of the stunned woman almost instantaneously before saying, "Wave Controllers are meant to control the flow of the entire battlefield. Awareness of your surroundings and control are the most important skills you can possess. You let your desire to pass blind you. Now, go to sleep."Without her wand, Rozeal's ability to control the flow of Shinsu was meager, at best. As a result, she had no method to counterattack Quant as he easily sidestepped her flailing to chop the side of her neck. This caused her entire body to go numb, and, due to Quant not even attempting to catch her, she ended up falling painfully to the ground before passing out.Seeing Rozeal's head smack against the ground, Quant resist the urge to spit on her body before turning around to face Aleksai. He had no compassion for those who would injure their allies, even accidentally, so she was lucky to get off with just a bump to the head...Though he had a few spears left in his Pipe, the unique Arms Inventories adopted by Spear Bearers, Aleksai didn't immediately attack Quant. His only hope of injuring the man was by catching him with a piece of shrapnel, so, with the former standing next to the fallen Rozeal, there wasn't much he could do. Fortunately, this seemed to be the 'correct' decision, as, after a tense staring contest, Quant nodded approvingly at him before leaping down to the corridor below.Taking advantage of the fact that Quant seemed willing to fight him, Aleksai leaped down after the man, falling with meteoric force due to his 240cm height and 320kg weight. This was, of course, easily evaded by Quant, but, rather than end the fight immediately, the nimble man continued to dodge for a few seconds before saying, "It's too soon for you, but you should consider becoming a Defender in the future. Your skill as a Spear Bearer isn't bad but you lack the disposition required to become a Ranker in that Position. I can tell by your form that you're more of a defense brawler than anything else so make sure you train your body and master Shinsu reinforcement."As it was his first time hearing of the Defender Position, Aleksai's movements temporarily slowed as a confused expression appeared on his face. In that exact same moment, Quant seemed to fade out of existence, his voice suddenly echoing from behind to say, "Like I said, it's too early for you. You'll find out more as you climb the Tower."Without bothering to explain further, Quant kicked Aleksai in his back with enough force to send him tumbling down the stairs in much the same way as Dede. Immediately after that, he checked his Pocket to see that around seven minutes had passed. This meant that Anak would be reaching the top pretty soon, and, given her speed, it wouldn't even take her two minutes to reach the exit.While making a mental note to ask for a raise, Quant performed a few light stretches as he mused to himself, "Sorry kiddos, it looks like I don't have the time to properly educate each of you. Even if it's just a test, I can't let myself be defeated by a bunch of brats...guess I'll need to get serious..."Following his musings, Quant chuckled to himself before leaning forward and, once again, creating a series of sonic booms in his wake. The only Regulars left were the Scout candidates from his class, two Spear Bearers he had never bothered to remember the names of, a single Light Bearer, and the enemy team's 'it'. It was pretty clear that they were planning to stall him by taking advantage of the 'affection' he had for his own students, so, with a rather vicious smile on his face, Quant entered the spiraling stairwell to show his favorite group of brats a bit of tough love...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The legendary male Tsundere...','Happy birthday to the ground','Someone call the School Board (O . O)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

In anticipation of the Final Exam, most participating Regulars retired early, many understanding it would not be easy to get any sleep. Fortunately, the test wasn't scheduled until the afternoon of the following day, giving them plenty of opportunities to sleep in and make final preparations.As one of the few people exempt from the exam, Vahn wasn't particularly worried about the coming day. His only real concern was that 'nothing' had happened over the last month. This implied there would be something going down during the final, or, depending on the circumstances, immediately after it. After all, he still had the Black March in his care after agreeing to return it to Princess Yuri, a major indicator that something 'had' to happen while he was on the 2nd Floor.Fortunately, even if caused him a moderate amount of exasperation, a soft 'pitta-pon' interrupted his evening meditation. He could sense Hwa Ryun on the opposite side of the door, so, after a brief moment of consideration, Vahn fixed his posture before opening the door to allow entry.Without being prompted, Hwa Ryun waited for the door to close behind her before taking a knee and deeply bowing her head. Then, in a highly reverential tone, she stated, "Thank you for allowing me entry into your room."Appreciative of the fact that Hwa Ryun was obeying his earlier decree to not refer to him as her God, Vahn nodded in approval before commanding, "Raise your head and explain the reason for this late-night visit. I'm assuming you wish to discuss the coming exam?"Raising her head, a smile blossomed across Hwa Ryun's face as she replied, "That is, indeed, the case. Now that things have developed this far, there are some concerns I wished to address before crossing the point of no return. I wanted to know your intentions for the boy named Baam. I have also been tasked with arranging a meeting between you and my former superiors..."Having already assumed Hwa Ryun was part of a larger organization, Vahn wasn't too surprised by her offer to meet with members of said organization. Her inclination towards worshipping him all but guaranteed she was a member of FUG, and, based on the natural progression of events, it was safe to assume their current objective was to kidnap and conceal the existence of Baam.Irregulars were considered a major threat by the Jahad Empire, a threat that must be eliminated at all costs. Though the methods they could employ were limited thanks to the structure of the Tower, there were countless Regulars and Rankers who would willingly act in the Jahad Empire's interest to intervene. This included several Test Directors, Administrators, and, at least in higher Floors, various members of the Ten Great Families. The only way to tide through these tribulations was if you were already very powerful, a concept far removed from the current Baam.After sitting in silence for several seconds, Vahn met Hwa Ryun's eye, plainly stating, "You are free to continue with your current plans. However, I will not allow that boy to become the tool of others. The fall of Jahad is inevitable. If your superiors are intelligent, they will bide their time until a power vacuum is created in his absence. If they intend to intervene in my personal matters, they will suffer the same fate as the Jahad Empire. I will not remove one group of tyrants just to replace them with another..."Having closely observed the actions of her God and his vassals, Hwa Ryun had no doubt regarding Vahn's final statement. He was the type that blazed a trail forward while empowering those behind him so they would be able to rule in his stead. He cared neither for politics nor power struggles as his goal lay, not inside of the Tower, but far beyond its confines. She could see the people following him becoming his own variation of the Ten Great Warriors, people who were bound to rule over the Tower following his 'inevitable' conquest...With an expectant smile spreading across her face, Hwa Ryun went on to add, "My current duty has me acting as Guide for a man named Ha Jinsung, a High Ranker of the Ha Family and a member of FUG. He was sent to secure the Irregular-"Before Hwa Ryun could explain further, Vahn silenced her by raising his hand in a stopping gesture. He had his own plans and it was too tiresome to plan around the machinations of others, especially when he didn't particularly care about their objectives. Thus, in response to Hwa Ryun's attempt at clarification, he plainly stated, "Tell your 'superiors' that I will meet with them after passing through the 20th Floor. I currently have no intention of negotiating with a group that has made a mockery of the current system, publically slaughtering countless people in the name of their 'justice'. If their ultimate objective is the death of Jahad and the absolution of the current system, they need only to bide their time. The moment they try to interfere with my plans, they will suffer the same fate as the Ten Great Families. I have no patience for hypocrites who merely seek to replace an existing system of corruption with a version that better suits their interests."Though she wasn't surprised by her God's words, Hwa Ryun couldn't help but feel a bit of concern for him. His current power was great, yes, but he was still far from the point of being able to defeat a High Ranker. FUG would do whatever it took to achieve their goals, so, the moment they heard he wasn't being 'cooperative', things were bound to get messy.Noticing the concern visible in Hwa Ryun's gaze, a very subtle smile spread across Vahn's lips as he said, "You need not worry. Even if my power is currently lacking, there isn't an existence within this Tower that is capable of killing me. They will learn this the hard way if they try to interfere with my progress through the Tower. As for you, I will have you join my group once the events of this Floor have come to pass. Until then, continue performing your original duties."Though her concerns were not completely assuaged, Hwa Ryun did feel a bit of relief in response to her God's words. He seemed absolutely certain, so, rather than question the person she had already dedicated her faith to, she ultimately brought her hands together in a prayer-like gesture, lowering her head as she answered, "I understand. I will continue following this path at your behest."Nodding his head in approval, Vahn gestured for Hwa Ryun to rise before pulling out a tiny figure that vaguely resembled a human, tossing it to her as he explained, "Make sure you keep that with you at all times. It is a special charm that is said to bring good luck to those who possess it. Now, be on your way. It is not appropriate to visit an Emperor's room in the middle of the night."Understanding that her God was making a joke, a smile spread across Hwa Ryun's face as she rose to her feet and said, "I look forward to being able to climb the Tower alongside you. This is the first time I am following the path set by another. My heart races in anticipation of what is to come..."Following her words, Hwa Ryun performed a respectful bow before quickly alighting from the room, Vahn's eyes following her departure until the door inevitably closed. Then, with an exasperated sigh escaping his lips, he fell backward onto his bed, arms spread out as he muttered, "It seems I need to have Phae stick closer to me in the future..."---After a restless night for most and a stressful morning for all, each of the remaining Regulars had been assembled in a floating lecture hall that hovered over a massive arena surrounded by dense jungle. Unlike when they had originally gathered, there were fewer than half of the original Regulars remaining, a total of thirty if you excluded those who had already passed. This meant, of the group who had originally been 'chosen' by Headon, only 5% had made it to this stage of Testing; a value that would soon drop to a mere 2.5%.As part of the group that had passed via Special Test, Vahn, Phae, and Gandr were seated alongside Rak and Ghost at the very front of the room. To further draw attention to themselves, they had each been given a special sash with the word Passed embossed on the front. This earned them withering stares from a few of the envious Regulars who were barely scraping by, a rather curious decision on their part considering five of them only made it this far as a direct result of the quintet qualifying in advance...Once everyone had gathered and taken their seats, Administrator Lero-Ro, who had been standing center-stage at the room's front, cleared his throat before shouting, "Good morning Regulars! First off, let me congratulate each of you for making it this far. Though there is still one final test that will determine your fate, you should all feel proud for having made it this far. Now, without further ado, allow me to explain the conditions and objectives of the Final Exam...!"With a quick press of a button, the display behind Lero-Ro lit up to show two separate columns of pictures and names. Immediately after that, the Administrator went on to explain, "The Final Exam is a joint test to determine the fifteen candidates who will be allowed to move on to the next Floor. As you can clearly see behind me, the thirty of you, excluding those passing vis Special Test, have been split into two teams. All the instructors have come together to ensure the teams are as balanced as possible so there will be no changes. If you are not satisfied with the team you have been assigned, you are more than welcome to pack your belongings and exit the Tower. Now, any questions thus far...?"Seeing that everyone was waiting silently for him to continue, Lero-Ro nodded in approval before adding, "Though you will be evaluated based on your performance as a team, know that you will also be graded individually by your Instructors. This grade will have the most impact on whether or not you pass or fail, so, if you have been struggling over the last thirty days, this is your last chance to make a positive impression. Remember, it is not always strength that determines whether or not someone is worthy to climb the Tower. Now, for details regarding the Final Exam itself, I would like to direct each of your attentions to the gentleman sitting amidst your Instructors. This is none other than the 2nd Floor's Test Director, Yu Han-Sung, the person who will ultimately determine whether or not you qualify to climb the Tower."Hearing Lero-Ro's words, the majority of Regulars present were completely gobsmacked, not by the fact that the Director would be determining their fate, but because the 'gentleman' in question was almost indistinguishable from a beautiful woman. He had an extremely fair complexion, golden hair that was neatly fasted into a bun, and delicate facial features that could rival famous idols within the Tower. In fact, many of them had seen this exact person depicted on various products, specifically a variety of different coffee brands.Further sewing confusion, Director Yu wore a blue and gold kimono that was fastened by a black and gold obi. He didn't even seem to possess an adam's apple, but, the moment he opened his mouth to speak, a deep yet delicate voice could be heard as he said, "Greetings, Regulars. As my colleague has pointed out, my name is Yu Han-Sung, Test Director of the 2nd Floor. It is a pleasure to see each of you once again..."Though they hadn't known the man's identity at the time, Director Yu had been the proctor of the second test most Regulars took upon arriving in the Tower: the Door Test. This was a rather simple test, merely requiring a team of regulars to open a single door before five minutes had passed. In spite of this, only 20-30% of teams ended up passing due to the presence of multiple doors and a series of intentionally vague rules. They were also told they had ten minutes to decide, so, with no clues to go off of, many teams were unable to make a decision before their time had run out. Those who failed were eliminated on the spot, their bodies dumped into a fiery inferno; names forgotten due to their indecision...While many were still struggling with the revelation of Director Yu's gender, the man in question went on to explain, "I'll now inform you of the rules regarding the test. Simply put, each team will take turns playing a game of Hide-and-Seek. In other words, rather than being pitted against each other, both teams will compete individually against a Seeker of our choosing. The rules are simple: choose someone among your Fishermen to be it. If your team's 'it' is able to reach the exit before the Seeker tags them, the entire team will receive bonus points. Inversely, if the Seeker tags the 'it' before they are able to reach the exit, the entire team will have points deducted from their original total. There is also a 'bonus' prize should your 'it' manage to steal the badge in possession of the Seeker. Not only will it be treated as an 'instant win' for the team, but, for the 'it' capable of dealing with our specially-chosen Seeker, they will receive an additional 2000 points, more than enough to ensure a passing grade."Hearing the Director's explanation, all six of the remaining Fishermen adopted serious expressions before four immediately backed down in response to the other two's fiery auras. Anak and Endorsi had been placed on separate teams, so, even if they wanted to be their team's 'it', there was no way they could compete for the position against the two Princesses of Jahad.While the Fishermen were lamenting their fate for being placed into the same group of Regulars as two troublesome Princesses, Shibisu went on to ask, "Director Yu, if you don't mind my asking, who is the Seeker you have chosen?"Smiling in response to Shibisu's question, Director Yu made a mental note to reward the boy an additional 100 points towards his final score. Though not as impressive as the other Best Seed for the Scout Position, it couldn't be denied that Shibisu was qualified for the designation. He didn't mind drawing attention to himself, and, even if it earned him the ire of others, he was willing to do whatever it took to gather as much information for his team as possible.Unfortunately, before Director Yu could answer the young man's question, the box that had been wriggling at his side suddenly exploded as a man with brown skin and fiery red hair jumped up to shout, "Great question! I knew my students were the best...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Shhh...no spoilers..."','It's a trap...!','RIP Regulars')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1724: Bait