Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As Phae had promised, Rachel ended up opening her eyes almost immediately after the three hours had passed. Every muscle in her body screamed out in protest as a deeply agonizing ache radiated throughout every fiber of her being. Despite this, Rachel was still happy to be alive, her golden eyes glistening with tears as she squeezed Baam's hand and muttered, "Don't...cry...I'm...okay..."Though he was tempted to call the Doctors and immediately run to get Phae, Baam couldn't bring himself to leave Rachel's side, holding her hand between his as he fought back tears. She was the most important thing in his life, and, though it felt like he was obtaining more precious things with each passing day, he couldn't even imagine living without her.Seeing Baam doing his best not to cry, Rachel wanted gently embrace him, but, considering the current state of her body, she ultimately made no effort to try. Instead, she did her best to adopt a smile, watching silently as her mind wandered to the events leading up to her hospitalization...When Rachel had first formed her contract with Headon, he had promised that, so long as she did what she was told, she would be able to go up the Tower without experiencing any significant trials or pain. All she needed to do was obey the commands sent to her via Pocket, and, when necessary, listen to the red-haired woman named Hwa Ryun. So long as she did these two things, everything else was supposed to be smooth sailing up until the point she betrayed Baam and cut off his path to climbing the Tower.A month prior, Rachel had felt as though Baam had taken everything away from her, as, unlike him, she was not 'chosen' to enter the Tower. Headon had told her that she merely slipped through the cracks of Baam opening the door, matching her intentions from the start. After all, she knew better than anyone else that she was not chosen, but, rather than accept her fate, she committed a great taboo, befriending the monster prophesied to one day climb the Tower and open the way forward for all.If she were being honest, Rachel had become rather fond of Baam after spending years watching over the boy. She had become something akin to a surrogate mother for the boy, and, though he absolutely terrified her, the way he treated her as the most important person in the world, despite many viewing him in a similar light, always made her happy. She even developed a strong desire to change his destiny, protecting him from the many who would use him as a weapon despite having sealed him away for thousands of years.After finally convincing Baam that she was going to climb the Tower, effectively forcing him to open the door for her, Rachel had hoped to receive whatever it was that made him special. The Baam she knew had 'nothing', so, while he had shown a frustrating ability to learn new things, she had always believed that it was the Tower that would inevitably grant him Power. After all, there was no way the boy, the only person she knew for certain was weaker than herself, would be able to overcome all of the monsters said to exist within the Tower.By entering the door in Baam's stead, Rachel was hoping to receive everything that had made him special in the eyes of so many. She wanted to become the star of salvation that everyone gathered around, paving the way forward without desiring anything more than the chance to see the actual stars.Unfortunately, even after tricking Baam into opening the door, Rachel was unable to fool the Fairy said to choose who was qualified to climb the Tower. He had seen through her in an instant, forcing her to choose between abandoning her dream of seeing the stars and death. After all, there was no way for someone like her, a normal person who had been bullied due to her lack of talent, to defeat a giant monster that could easily swallow her in a single bite.At the time, Rachel believed that Headon was simply trying to get rid of her, but, after seeing Baam enter the Tower immediately after her, she quickly realized what was happening; She had been used by the Tower just to give Baam a reason for opening the door. After all, while she was given nothing at all to aid in her completion of the test, Baam was instantaneously allowed two powerful allies and one of the most powerful weapons in the entire Tower, all without any effort whatsoever.It was an established fact that it took literal years just to move up and down the Tower due to its size, so, for a Princess of Jahad and a Guide to appear immediately after Baam's entrance into the Tower, they had to have known years in advance. This notion had filled Rachel with despair, as, in spite of all her efforts to both steal Baam's fate and keep the boy safe, she had failed absolutely.Fortunately, even though she knew the only reason was to give them greater control over Baam, Headon had offered her the chance to move up the Tower. He promised her that Baam would be safe, and, so long as she did what she was told, the contract they had established would allow her to one day see the stars she so desperately craved, even in her dreams.Rachel hated the idea of being used, but, with the only other options being death or expulsion from the Tower, she ultimately accepted Headon's terms. Now, she was forced to watch on from the side as Baam, without any real effort on his part, attracted countless powerful figures. He even managed to win over a trio of other Irregulars, and, over the duration of a single month, became close friends with two Princesses of Jahad, two scions from powerful families, and several other powerful figures who were bound to become powerhouses in the future.Seeing Baam literally handed everything others struggled desperately to obtain, Rachel couldn't help but feel a burgeoning resentment towards the boy who had once had nothing. However, much like everyone else that had been exposed to him for long periods of time, she couldn't actually hate him. Baam had a unique charm to him, and, even if she knew he was a monster, his innocence and the sincerity behind each of his words and actions gave even her a strong desire to protect him.Unfortunately, with no power to change her fate, Rachel could only play the part she had been given; forced to become Baam's motivation for climbing, and ultimately changing, the Tower. She was even being forced to betray him, her current task being to push him into the arms of the very same people who would use him as nothing more than a weapon. She was told this was to conceal his presence from the King of the Tower, but, as someone who lived her entire life deceiving others, Rachel knew their actual goal was to control and manipulate him.By forcing her to betray him, Baam would be forced to face the 'truth' of the Tower, a place where countless people desperately struggled to obtain their wishes at the expense of everyone else. This would see in him a desire to change the Tower's system, and, by giving her a free ride up the Tower, he was guaranteed to keep chasing after her in search of answers she was contract-bound never to give him. Speaking the truth would annul the agreement she had made with Headon, so, even if she ultimately came to regret her decision, her only choices were to continue going forward, inevitably changing the Tower for the better, or abandoning both Baam and her dreams...---Ever since she was a little girl, Rachel had been aware of the fact there was something 'wrong' with her. She had always struggled to understand other people, and, though she had done her best to fit in with the other children, they had bullied her for being different. They undermined everything she did, and, even when she tried her best to act like everyone else, nothing seemed to work. The Head Priestess had even punished her for trying to stop the bullying, laying the blame on her despite the fact she was the victim.After the incident, Rachel realized she had probably gone a little too far by tearing off all the boy's fingernails with a pair of pliers, but, if he hadn't been allowed to bully her for years, she never would have had to resort to such drastic actions. She had tried asking for help numerous times, but, much like the children, all the adults within the Temple treated her like she was some kind of monster. She was constantly lectured and told how to behave while the people who had actually done something wrong were allowed to avoid any serious consequences. In fact, her telling on them only made their treatment of her worse, eventually reaching a point where she had nearly been drowned when one of the boys pushed her into the river before promptly running away with all his friends.Despite the fact he had nearly killed someone, the boy was only lightly chided by the adults at the Temple while she, having apparently 'antagonized' the group of five boys, was forced to clean the central chamber as punishment. That was the moment when Rachel first realized that she wasn't the one who was 'broken'. She might have been a little different, but there was very clearly something wrong with everyone else. Thus, from that moment onward, Rachel decided to take matters into her own hands, turning the children's lies into truths. If she was going to be punished, regardless of her actions, Rachel decided she would become the monster others made her out to be.Though she ended up getting into a lot of trouble, Rachel successfully managed to deter any future bullying due to the severity of the punishment she had meted out to the boy who had effectively tried to kill her. After that, the children were told to stay far away from her, and, in an effort to guide her back onto the 'correct' path, she was placed under the direct supervision of the High Priestess. This ended up being a tremendous boon, as, without any bullies to get in her way, Rachel was gradually able to master her performance, ultimately gaining the trust of the High Priestess and convincing all the adults that she had changed.Unfortunately, the moment she earned the right to learn the Sacred Arts passed down through their Temple for thousands of years, Rachel learned she had absolutely no talent. She could not connect with the God that allowed them to perform miracles, and, even though she had memorized each of the incantations flawlessly, none of them ever worked. This caused everyone to begin shunning her once again, but, unlike before, she had the High Priestess as an ally. As a result, she was allowed to become a Priestess of the Inner Temple, provided sanctuary and given the opportunity to gradually learn all the Temple's secrets.It was from the High Priestess that Rachel first learned about the Tower, and, after several years of devout service, the former had even confided in her the 'purpose' they had been given more than ten-thousand-years prior. They were tasked with guarding the body of their founder's child, a boy who had been sealed beneath the Temple until the day he was ready to climb the Tower and open the way forward for them all.When Rachel first learned about the existence of the boy sealed beneath the Temple, she had been curious about what kind of creature could survive more than ten-thousand-years after its apparent death. As fate would have it, she would quickly learn exactly what type of existence he was, as, soon after learning the Temple's best-kept secret, Rachel was given the duty of cleaning and maintaining the seal. That same week, she began to hear sobbing emanating from beneath the large stone used to conceal the underground chamber below, and, after a few days had passed, she could even hear scratching against the stone.Rather than inform the High Priestess of the anomaly, Rachel decided to keep it a secret. She had been captivated by the stories related to the Tower, so, while she owed a lot to the kindly woman who had become a surrogate mother to her, Rachel wanted to meet the person that served as one of the pillars of their entire faith. Thus, while the High Priestess was busy preparing for the winter festival, she managed to remove the stone blocking the entrance to the chamber below, meeting him for the first time on the 25th Baam, the date which would ultimately become the boy's name...---Remembering her first meeting with the long-haired and emaciated boy, Rachel's smile gradually became gentler as she mustered up the strength to maneuver her free hand to pat the boy's head. This immediately caught Baam's attention, clear concern visible in his gaze as he pleaded, "Please, don't move around too much! You aren't well...!"Though it caused her an extreme amount of pain, Rachel couldn't help but chuckle in response to Baam's words, her smile becoming more prominent despite tears welling in her eyes. As could be expected, this caused Baam to fret quite a bit, but, knowing she would soon betray the boy for both their sakes, Rachel couldn't help shedding tears as an awkward, crazed-sounding, laugh emanated from her throat...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A very selfish form of love','Children can be very cruel','Into the Abyss of Despair')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Feeling a strong urge to pee, Endorsi awoke in the middle of the night, her head pulsating with the same rhythm as the beating of her heart.While making a mental note never to underestimate the alcohol provided by Phae, Endorsi took a brief moment to collect herself; observing her surroundings before checking the state of her body.Though she doubted any of them had the courage, drinking alongside members of the opposite sex was never completely safe. Endorsi didn't believe men and women could have strictly platonic relationships, so, once the booze started affecting their system, there was no way of knowing how things would develop.Even without checking herself over in great detail, Endorsi's intuition informed her that the clothes she was currently wearing had been fiddled with. Rather than removed, torn, or displaced, however, it seemed like they had been 'fixed' back into place. She had also awoken to find herself tucked into bed next to Anak while all the boys could be seen littering the surroundings, blankets covering their bodies.Despite the throbbing of her head, something she was quickly resolving using Shinsu, it didn't take much effort for Endorsi to extrapolate what had happened. She had noticed the previous night that, despite drinking more than anyone else, Gandr never even appeared tipsy. She should know, as, in a vain attempt to convince the boy to let her cuddle him, she had personally poured him more than a dozen drinks.Though Gandr was a mischief-maker, he was also a surprisingly considerate boy that cared deeply for his friends. It wasn't difficult to imagine him carrying both she and Anak over to his bed, neatly arranging their clothes, and then tucking them in. He had even left a pitcher of water and two cups on the nightstand, clearly anticipating they would wake up feeling dehydrated and thirsty.With a smile spreading across her face, Endorsi lightly called out, "You awake, fuzz-ball...?" despite knowing her words would be more than enough to stir the sensitive-eared Vanaragandr.As expected, Gandr's head popped up near the foot of the bed, forcing Endorsi to resist the urge to ask if he was some kind of loyal dog that slept at the base of its Master's bed. Instead, she combed her bangs aside as she said, "Walk me to my room. I want to wash my face and change my clothes."Staring back at Endorsi with a deadpan expression on his face, Gandr briefly considered making the haughty woman walk back on her own. He could vaguely sense whenever 'something' was about to happen, and, from personal experience, Gandr knew it was dangerous to accept the invitation of a woman in the middle of the night.Fortunately, at least from what he could tell, Endorsi just wanted to talk about something. She also treated him more like a little brother than a potential love interest, so, after lightly scrunching up his nose in displeasure, Gandr huffed an annoyed, "Whatever..." before hopping up to his feet.Amused by Gandr's reaction, Endorsi couldn't resist chuckling at the boy's expense before turning to the sleeping Anak and shaking her awake. Even if she didn't mistrust the people present in the room, she wasn't going to leave her adorable niece as the only girl in a room filled with a bunch of stinky drunkards.Feeling someone shake her body, Anak issued an annoyed groan, rolling over and muttering, "Stop shaking me...I'll kill you..." before promptly falling back asleep.Though she found Anak's behavior cute, Endorsi's brow began to twitch slightly as she wondered how best to wake up the drunken lizard. Gandr, however, was a lot more shameless than her in this particular situation, picking up the sleeping Princess without any hesitation before saying, "Let's go. I have access to Anak's room so we can drop her off there or leave her with Phae."Resist the urge to question why he had access to Anak's room, Endorsi extricated herself from the bed, quickly fixing her clothes before rising to her feet and remarking, "I wonder which title better suits you...Prince Charming or Knight in Shining Armor? You're pretty bold to lift a Princess in such a casual manner..."Rolling his eyes, Gandr turned his attention to the sleeping girl in his arms as he said, "Anak is like a little sister to me...If anything, it would be more accurate to call me her rival..."Thinking he was being shy, Endorsi giggled at Gandr's expense before adopting a teasing smile and musing, "Whatever you say, kiddo. Just make sure you never hurt her, okay? If you do, I'll find a way to shave your ears and tail. Then the whole Tower can see you for the rat you are~."Rather than respond to Endorsi's words, Gandr just shook his head, a tired sigh escaping his lips as he carried Anak towards the room's entrance. This earned him another giggle from the marginally drunken Princess who, once again, assumed he was acting bashfully...---After dropping Anak off at Phae's room, Gandr could be seen standing outside of Endorsi's with a bored look on his face. She had offered to let him inside, but, feeling he would trigger some kind of event if he entered the room of a changing girl, Gandr promptly refused. He had learned his lesson after the events in the Akamatsuverse, so, even when she tried to assure him there was nothing to worry about, he firmly refused her offer to witness one of the Tower's 'greatest beauties'.Finally, after nearly two hours, the door to Endorsi's room opened to reveal that, despite how much time had passed, she ended up emerging in little more than a black sports bra and matching track pants. Despite this, Gandr decided to withhold his complaint since he was well acquainted with the 'difficulty' some women had when choosing outfits. Instead, he took note of the fact she had tied her hair into a tiny ponytail, asking, "Did you want to train...?"Surprised that Gandr didn't complain about how long she had taken, Endorsi raised her brows ever so slightly, a smile spreading across her face as she mused, "Well, aren't you considerate? To answer your question; no, I don't really feel like training. I'm wearing these clothes because I didn't want to change into my other outfits before I get a chance to properly wash my body."Pretending like he was convinced of her reasoning, Gandr replied with a curt nod of understanding before asking, "What now? Did you want to get some breakfast first or did you have something you wanted to talk about in private?"Snorting through her nose, Endorsi crossed her arms and said, "I guess you aren't the Best Seed for the Scout Position for no reason...you're a perceptive little brat when you want to be..."Though he wasn't really in the mood right now, Gandr still shrugged his shoulders in response to Endorsi's words, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he shamelessly replied, "Best Seed? I think you mean 'fastest person to ever complete the Scout Position Test'. I can even smell the soap you used to rinse your body in the sink~."Hearing Gandr's words, a not-so-subtle blush appeared on Endorsi's cheeks, followed by the urge to shout at the top of her lungs. Before she could, however, Gandr's expression suddenly became serious as he asked, "What did you want to talk about? So long as it doesn't concern my Master's secrets, I will answer your questions."Forcibly suppressing her anger and embarrassment, Endorsi did her best to appear just as calm and serious as she answered, "I want to meet with your Master. I was going to ask Phae but I didn't want to cause any misunderstandings. Will you take me to him?"Before answering Endorsi's question, Gandr gave the admittedly beautiful woman a once-over, his brows furrowing slightly as he asked, "You want to meet with my Master while wearing a sports bra, tracks pants, and flip flops...?"As if she had forgotten her state of dress, Endorsi looked down at her body, or, more specifically, the form-fitting fabric of her top and her exposed abdomen. This caused the red to return to her cheeks, but, before she could reconsider, Gandr surprised her by adding, "Well, whatever. It's not like you're one of my Master's vassals. So long as you aren't unnecessarily rude, I doubt he'll care about your choice in attire. Let's go."Feeling like she was abruptly getting dragged into Gandr's pace, Endorsi began feeling more than a little flustered, her voice raising by several decibels as she appended, "Wait! Give me a half-hour to take a bath and change into something more appropriate!"Turning back to face the floundering woman, Gandr tilted his head to the side before pulling out a bracelet and tossing it toward her. Then, demonstrating the characteristic pettiness of children, he plainly stated, "That is a special bracelet that will allow you to change clothes in an instant. It has a few outfits stored inside so put it on and choose quickly. I don't really feel like waiting another two hours so here, hold still..."Without waiting for Endorsi's response, Gandr extended his hand toward her, using pure Source to emulate the Cleaning Magic he had developed hundreds of years ago. As a result, even the smallest bits of dirt and grime were pulled from Endorsi's body, startling the woman quite a bit when a small bead of murky liquid appeared between them.Understanding the question at the tip of her tongue, Gandr preempted Endorsi's interrogation by explaining, "This is a technique designed for use in the field and during camping. It removes all the dirt, sweat, and grime from a person's body. Since we won't always have the option of taking a bath during the tests, you will save yourself a lot of trouble by getting used to this technique early on."Though she found Gandr's technique both novel and convenient, Endorsi's face still turned beet red when she recalled the tingling feeling that previously enveloped her body. There were certain areas that were always a little dirtier than others, so, even if it was an extremely useful technique, she had a very strong urge to smack Gandr at least once for using it on her without an explanation.Noticing the embarrassed gleam in Endorsi's ghostly golden eyes, Gandr just rolled his own before saying, "If you're not going to use it, return that bracelet to me. The [REquip] system takes a lot of precious resources to produce. You can get another one from Phae once we move up to the next Floor."As was often the case with women, they would not easily separate from an item, especially jewelry, once it had been 'given' to them. Thus, despite feeling both annoyed and embarrassed, Endorsi was able to instantaneously suppress her desire to shout, quickly placing the bracelet no her wrist as she retorted, "Don't be stingy. You already gave it to me so it belongs to me now. Besides, as a boy, you don't really need accessories like this."Seeing the deadpan expression on Gandr's face, Endorsi couldn't resist adopting a teasing smile as she carefully inspected the bracelet that had conveniently resized itself to fit her wrist. It was rather simple-looking, but, for reasons she couldn't quite understand, she got the impression it was a very high-end item. The way the light reflected across the exterior made it appear 'flawless', and, though it was rather small, the topaz embedded on the outside glistened with a mysterious and captivating light.Though Gandr had yet to explain how to use the [REquip], Endorsi quickly figured it out for herself when she traced her finger across the tiny gemstone. At that exact moment, an extremely detailed image appeared within her mind, a perfect representation of both her body and the clothes she was currently wearing. This was quite the surprise, but, seeing the countless rows and columns off to the side, Endorsi quickly shifted her attention to the variety of fashionable outfits already present within the [REquip] system.Noticing most of the clothes within were for females, including a variety of undergarments, Endorsi simultaneously cursed and praised Gandr within her mind. The way all of the clothes fit her perfectly made it clear the bracelet had always been intended for her, a realization that made her feel a little fluttery when she remembered all the times she and Phae talked about fashion.After quickly selecting an outfit better suited to meeting with an Emperor, Endorsi was momentarily surprised by the sudden transition back to reality. It was like her mind had sunken into the bracelet, and, by the time she emerged, her outfit had already changed. This was inarguably one of the most convenient items she had ever encountered, so, despite feeling a little annoyed that he had kept it from her for so long, Endorsi smiled radiantly as she happily mused, "I guess I can forgive you with just this. The next time you use that technique without warning, expect some pain. I'm not sure why they have them, but I picked up a dog whistle from the commissary. Don't tempt me!"As dog whistles were actually 'very' effective against Vanargandrs, Gandr couldn't help but frown in response to Endorsi's threat. His ears also twitched slightly, eliciting an amused chuckle from the woman before promptly turned on her heel and added, "Let's go. Aren't you in a hurry? I'd hate to keep you waiting another two hours! Hmph...!"Seeing Endorsi quickly walking away from his position, Gandr couldn't help but tilt his head back, gazing towards nothing in particular as he mused, "Aren't I supposed to be the childish one in this situation? Haaaa..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Hangovers are no fun','Gandr is a Gentlemen (UwU)','Petty...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the displays conveniently reconnecting prior to the battle between Quant and Endorsi, Team A could only watch in stunned silence as the Princess proudly flaunted her victory. They couldn't deny she had earned the badge, especially after her rather ridiculous display of strength, but that didn't make it any easier for them to accept the fact their team had officially lost the competition.As could be expected, those scraping the bottom line for passing immediately fell into a depressive state, their hopes and dreams crashing down around them. As for those who had already secured a passing grade for themselves, they just sat in silence amidst the rest, empathetic but not remorseful for the way things had turned out. After all, the passing of one person meant the failure of another, so, regardless of their efforts, half of them were fated to never move beyond the 2nd Floor...Fortunately, at least for some, many of Team B's members had come away with moderate to severe injuries. In fact, more than half of their team was bound to be disqualified due to the injuries they had sustained, irrespective of whether or not they could be treated. After all, most of their injuries were the result of being deemed a 'failure' by Quant, meaning they had outright failed to perform the responsibilities expected of them.The purpose of the Hide-and-Seek Test was never for the Regulars to 'win' against the Seeker. That was just a bonus objective that could afford the respective team's 'it' a considerable boon in points. The true purpose was to determine how the Regulars conducted themselves as both individuals in their respective Positions and allies on the same team. This evaluation was primarily handled by the Test Administrators and Directors, but, as the defacto proctor of the exam, Quant had the authority to outright 'eliminate' candidates he considered unsuited for their Positions...---Following the completion of the Final Exam, the Regulars were given a day to rest and recuperate before the results of the Position Test would be announced. Thus, after being told to reconvene at 7 PM the following day, they were ultimately dismissed after being informed of the fact that all food and beverages would be free until their departure from the 3rd Floor. The only person exempt from this boon was Gandr, who, due to his already notorious appetite, was limited to 500 points worth of food during each meal.As could be expected, most of the Regulars were too tired to actually celebrate, so, after raiding the commissary for various types of alcohol, the vast majority split off into small groups of close friends before retreating into their rooms to drink the night away. Fortunately, as this was a very common occurrence on the 2nd Floor, the commissary staff had removed all of the expensive items from the shelves before the bi-monthly raid emptied their stock clean. This caused quite a number of people to complain, but, as was often the case within the Tower, there wasn't really anything they could do to change the situation...---Completely unaffected by the situation plaguing many of the more depressed Regulars, most of the group associated with the Imperial Trio had gathered together in Gandr's room. Vahn had provided a few choice brands of alcohol from his private stock, and, though all of the credit went to Phae, he had used the Little Garden to prepare a small banquet for them to enjoy. This was well-received by those who had participated, but, as could be expected, the atmosphere was a little melancholic due to Endorsi's betrayal of Chunhwa.Though nobody was talking about it, the absence of Chunhwa, Nare, Hoh, and Rozeal could be felt by all. Baam and Khun were also absent due to visiting Rachel in the Medical Ward, so, at least for the first half of the party, things were understandably awkward between the previously close group of friends. Fortunately, they had plenty of good food and strong alcohol present, so, as the evening progressed, things became gradually more relaxed as inhibitions loosened.By the end of the evening, Gandr had been unsuccessfully ambushed by both Anak and Endorsi before the two girls ultimately fell asleep using Laure's blanket-wrapped body as a pillow. Anak, in particular, had finished off a bottle of sake that was nearly 30cm tall, her green complexion giving way to a ruddy glow as she drooled all over the Phonsekal scion's most cherished treasure. As for Gandr himself, he ended covering most of the room's occupants with blankets carrying Anak and Endorsi over to his bed, tucking them in before pulling out a sleeping bag and lying on the floor...---Whilst the pseudo-celebration had still been ongoing, Phae, having been requested by both Baam and Khun, made her way over to the Medical Ward to check on Rachel. She had yet to wake up due to the side-effects of the [Effigy of the Hero], an item that had been given to her by Hwa Ryun after the latter's midnight visit to his room.Though he only found out after the fact, Hwa Ryun had apparently misinterpreted the meaning of Vahn's words to imply that she should give the item to Rachel, as, prior to visiting his room, she had seen a vision of Hoh successfully killing the woman. It was only after she received the [Effigy of the Hero] that the path was 'corrected', Rachel living to see another day thanks to the tiny wood figure she had received from her God...Needless to say, Hwa Ryun's belief was steadily increasing, but, as that was a problem for 'Vahn' to deal with, Phae maintained her motherly smile as she checked Rachel's pulse and, for the third time, explained, "As I stated previously, she is perfectly fine. She is just suffering from the side-effects of a powerful magical item. The effigy is a treasure that has the ability to take on the fatal wounds of the person in possession of it, drastically increasing their physical capabilities for three minutes after the effect activates. Afterward, the body enters a dormant state for around three hours to prevent any troublesome sequelae from forming. She is bound to be completely exhausted when she wakes up, but there is no danger to her life."Despite having heard a similar explanation twice, Baam was unable to hide his concern, eyes tearing up as he squeezed Rachel's hand and muttered, "Please wake up soon...I don't think I can climb the Tower without you..."Hearing Baam's remark, Khun, who had been standing at the side, showed a conflicted expression on his face. As for Phae, her expression softened as she gently caressed Baam's head and said, "You are such a worrywart...I keep telling you she is going to be fine..."Unaccustomed to such tenderness, Baam's mental faculties ground to a halt the moment Phae began combing back his hair. A legitimately confused expression appeared on his face, but, rather than try to stop her, he ultimately just hung his head, squeezing Rachel's hand in silence.Sensing Baam gradually calming down, Phae resisted the urge to give the boy a hug before turning back to meet Khun's gaze. In response, he gestured toward the door with head, seemingly wishing to discuss something out of earshot from Baam. Phae already had some idea of what he wished to discuss, so, with a knowing smile on her face, she pulled out an extra blanket, covering Baam's body before promptly following Khun from the room.Almost immediately after the biometric lock activated behind them, securing the door, Khun wasted no time in asking, "That figurine, the [Effigy of the Hero], where did you obtain such a thing? I have never once heard of such an item existing within the Tower. I also don't understand why you would use entrust such a precious treasure to someone like Rachel. If not for Baam, I would never tolerate the presence of such a vain and shallow woman...I'm sure you've noticed it as well, right? She never even tries to improve. All she does is go through the motions...someone like that doesn't deserve to climb the Tower..."Frowning in response to Khun's words, Phae responded by, very plainly, stating, "It isn't your place to make such determinations, Khun Aguero Agnis. You are correct in your assertion that I have seen the incongruencies in Rachel's character. However, unless she has actually done something to merit reprobation, I will give her the benefit of the doubt. You, of all people, should know that it isn't just the 'worthy' who are able to climb the Tower. There are those like you who rely on deceit, and, if it means protecting the people you care about, you will even readily betray the trusts of others...tell me, what has Rachel done to earn your ire? How are your actions more just than her inaction...?"Though he wanted to argue against everything Phae was saying, Khun found himself frozen in place due to the terrifying aura emanating from the characteristically kind woman. Each and every one of her words seemed to carry a tremendous amount of weight, and, for a brief moment, he was briefly reminded of the one time he angered his father. With the latter being one of the leaders of the Ten Great Families, Ranked 6 in the entire Tower, this put into perspective just how terrifying Phae's aura was in the present moment...Fortunately, having experienced something similar in the past, Khun was ultimately able to recover enough to answer, "You're right...please forgive me if I upset you. I just don't want to see my friend ruined by a woman with a completely arbitrary goal...Baam is important to me...he is something this Tower desperately needs. Whenever I imagine his kindness being tainted by that woman, it tears me up inside..."Understanding Khun's concerns, Phae could only release a tired sigh before crossing her arms and saying, "It seems you have quite a bit in common with Baam...you both worry excessively whenever it concerns the people you care about."Hearing Phae's remark, Khun couldn't help but furrow his brows, unable to come up with a way to refute her statement. He wanted to say he wasn't such a kind-hearted and soft person, but, based on his own words and actions, it was hard to make a case for his cruelty. He was, in fact, extremely worried about Baam, and, if it was to help someone he cared about, there were very few extremes he wouldn't resort to...Taking advantage of Khun's silence, Phae issued an amused chuckle at the young man's expense before adopting a more serious look as she said, "You don't have to worry much longer. Once we move on to the 3rd Floor, my Lord will be taking more proactive measures to help us ascend the Tower. Rachel might become a weight that slows the group's progress, but, once you understand the true nature of my Lord, all of your concerns will seem rather trivial. For now, I suggest you just focus on supporting Baam and moving forward with your own plans. I'm certain you have already come to understand what kind of existence those two are..."Adopting a similarly serious expression on his face, a bead of sweat ran down the side of Khun's face as he corrected, "Don't you mean...you five...?"Rather than confirm Khun's suspicions, Phae replied with another giggle, this time concealing the lower half of her face with her gloved hand. Then, before walking past the boy, she mused, "There are some things that simply transcend conventional understanding and comprehension...just know this, scion of the Khun Family...the Tower is a very 'small' place in the grand scheme of things..."With nothing else to say, Phae continued past Khun without sparing him a second look. She was honestly feeling a little tired at the moment, not due to any exertions on her part, but because of the chaos occurring in Gandr's room and the frustrations experienced by Vahn. The former had a drunken Princess trying to predate him, and, though everything ultimately worked out in the end, Vahn was feeling pretty incredulous after hearing Hwa Ryun praise him to the high heavens...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Spear Revolutionaries','Gandr is a good boi','Phae be like, "This is only the tutorial stage..."')(A/N: I wanted to clarify a few things since I've noticed some trends in the comments section. Let me just say that there is nothing wrong with EPIC being second, third, or even tenth place on the Power Rankings. Rather than inflate a non-issue into some kind of petty war between two fandoms, I would rather see more positivity in the comments section. I rely on the comments of the readers to determine whether or not the pacing of the novel is appropriate so feel free to let me know how you think the story is progressing. As for Marvel's Mutant Gamer, I actually found it rather enjoyable so feel free to read it and make your own assessment. However, please don't go out of your way to cause any trouble. The thing that saddens me most is seeing promising new author's discouraged by the toxicity within the community. If you want to support EPIC, feel free to bash my head with a few Power Stones. I do enjoy being at the top of the rankings, sure, but that is tertiary compared to the support I receive from my gracious patrons, the kindness I receive from my fans, and my simple desire to write a story people enjoy. Please, be good to each other, especially during these trying times.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1732: Monsters We Make