Babel

Linnaeus had no idea what had happened to him. In one moment, the unbearable cold had given way to a pleasant warmth while, in the next, he found himself crashing hard into a rocky surface as an overwhelmingly pungent aroma assaulted his lungs. Even compared to the perpetual stench of the slums, the smell of this desolate landscape caused him to have a coughing fit as he fought to regulate his breathing.Before he was given the opportunity to regain his senses, the hair on the back of Linnaeus' neck stood on end as a bone projectile, nearly 3m in length, slammed into his [Barrier Aura]. Though he still had no idea what was going in on, Linnaeus' body began to move on pure instinct as he rolled across the ground and began taking evasive maneuvers after returning to his feet.With no visible hiding spots, Linnaeus charged toward his attacker, his ruby-red eyes taking on the color of blood as he strained to see through the plumes of noxious fumes. He saw a man with onyx black skin, pale grey hair, and strange markings all over his body. Though Linnaeus wasn't aware of it, the man had similar eyes to him, shimmering with a murderous red light as he pulled out bones from his body to use as weapons.Though it wasn't nearly as fast as Ryuuna, the muscular man began charging toward Linnaeus with a fierce momentum as he wielded two shortswords formed from his own bones. The craggy ground broke beneath their feet but, just as they were nearing range of each other, Linnaeus extended his hand, creating a long column in the path of the man's legs while erecting a second barrier behind his head.Due to his fierce charge, the man's right calf slammed hard into the barrier mid-stride, causing the bone to fracture slightly as the barrier shattered like glass. It was still enough to arrest his charge, however, so Linnaeus leaped over his body like a blur before bounding off the second barrier like a springboard.Rather than turn to face Linnaeus, the man hunched forward, causing white bone spears to erupt from his back in an instant. Unfortunately for him, they only impacted Linnaeus' [Barrier Aura], dealing a serious blow to his SP but ultimately leaving him unscathed. Then, in the interval where the man had started to turn around, Linnaeus had withdrawn his shortsword, stabbing it into the softest part of the man's neck.Unlike the people he had killed previously, Linnaeus felt an incredible amount of resistance as the tip of his sword broke through the man's flesh. Fortunately, while his bones were like iron, the fleshy bits like his jugular were unprotected. A large part of the man's neck was gouged out, causing blood to spew outward like water from a broken pipe.Despite the severity of the wound, the man's Health wasn't draining nearly fast enough for Linnaeus' liking so, after his feet landed on the ground, he immediately took evasive maneuvers once again. It might not compare to Ryuuna's, but his Agility was one of his highest attributes. He was confident that, unless they had a Blessing related to mobility, there weren't too many people that would be able to keep up with his speed at the same Level.The injured man also seemed to understand he was at a disadvantage so, rather than try to give chase, he extended his palm outward while using his other hand to stymy the flow of blood to the best of his ability. From his extended hand, bone projectiles began to shoot out from the center of his palm. They would grow to the length of a meter before tearing through the air at a speed far greater than Linnaeus' maximum velocity.Fortunately, while the spears flew straight, Linnaeus could easily change direction so, by zig-zagging and avoiding the man's leading shots, he was slowly tiring out the muscular figure. The man's Health had already been reduced to below half and, unless a miracle occurred, his Bleeding status almost guaranteed his end.Rather than just wait for his death, the man pulled out some strange substance from his Inventory before plastering it against his neck and releasing a blood-curdling scream. Then, with bloodshot eyes, he began charging toward Linnaeus while shouting, "You damned brat! I won't let you get in the way of my second chance...!"As the man changed, bone spikes began to sprout from his body, much like a pincushion with all the needles pointed outward. Linnaeus couldn't help glancing at his SP when he saw this but, as he still had 2168, his nerves calmed down as clarity was restored to his mind. The man's bone spears were very hard but they didn't seem to do much damage unless he took the time to charge and throw them.Since there was no reason to fight the man head-on, Linnaeus used his higher Agility, dodging to the side rapidly and causing the man to have to slow down and turn his body to face him. As could be expected, this caused the man's expression to blacken, almost as if he were looking at the man who had killed his entire family. After realizing there was no easy way for him to close the distance, he began to haphazardly expel his bone spikes, seemingly with the intent to cut off every path.Linnaeus knew the man's bones were related to his Blessing so, as he expended more and more, it had to be eating away at his SP. With this in mind, he continued to evade the man's attacks, saving up his own SP until his pale-haired attacked began to be more conservative with his expenditure.The moment the barrage began to slow down, Linnaeus extended his hand and created a spherical barrier with a hole in the bottom. He had placed this just around the man's head as it was impossible for him to create a barrier inside or piercing through an object. Still, this was enough to disorient him completely as, without being able to build up any momentum, his head was practically trapped for a short moment.In response to the unexpected membrane around his head, the man began to panic as he used up the remainder of his SP and Health in an attempt to take Linnaeus out with him. He spread his arms wide as ten black bones erupted from his torso, extending nearly 10m in an instant as they tried to pierce and ensnare Linnaeus' body.To Linnaeus' surprise, one of the black bones slammed into his shoulder and, as if his [Barrier Aura] didn't exist, a sharp pain radiated from the impacted area as he was impaled. This pain was replaced by a mind-numbing burning sensation but, with his [Pain Tolerance], Linnaeus' clarity of mind was not affected as he threw his shortsword toward the man's head. HIs [Throwing] was at LV17 so, while it wasn't his most developed Skill, he had almost perfect accuracy at ten meters.Seeing a slightly bent sword flying toward his face, the pale-haired man could only grit his teeth as tears of blood flowed from his eyes. He couldn't muster any strength at all so, without incident, the sword struck the area of his left eye, embedding itself deep into his skull and extinguishing the sliver of Health he had preserved. Upon his death, the black bones began to dissolve away like ashes while the white bones turned into a foul-smelling paste.Unlike how a person would normally leave behind a corpse, Linnaeus watched in abject terror as the body of his attacker lost its color. After a few seconds had passed, he looked like a stone statue that, moments later, began to dissolve away in a similar manner to his black bones. It was an eerie sight to behold and, even without anyone explaining the situation to him, Linnaeus knew this was his own fate if he failed to preserve his life.After releasing a tired sigh, followed by a pained groan, Linnaeus ate a Blue Gel before making his way over to the pile of ash and picking up his sword. It actually had burn marks marring its surface but this wasn't the most important thing as, situated in the center of the ash pile, Linnaeus found a small red gemstone.Linnaeus hadn't noticed it before but, after he was thrown into this foul-smelling abyss, the Aether value on the back of his hand had vanished entirely. When he picked up the small gemstone, a new mark appeared, this one having a blood-red glow as it formed the jagged outline of a cat's head. It had a rather fierce-looking design while, at the very center of the mark, a single stroke indicated he now had a single Soul Kindling.After picking up the tiny red gemstone, Linnaeus felt heat flow through his body and, though he was unaware of it, his hair regained a bit of its lost luster. His blood-red eyes also faded slightly but, even if you had been staring directly into them, the change would have only been discernible to the most perceptive...Just as Linnaeus was considering his next course of action, he nearly jumped out of his own skin as the sensuous voice of a woman, as if leaning over his shoulder and whispering in his ear, stated, "I see you have survived your first trial, little boy~"In response to the voice, Linnaeus pulled out his sword as he twisted his body around while jumping back with as much strength as his legs could manage. To his surprise, however, the space behind him had been completely empty. Since he didn't know what was going on, he continued moving until he was several meters before crouching low to the ground and taking in his surroundings.At the exact moment that he stopped moving, Linnaeus felt a chill run up his spine as the voice, once again, echoed in his ear, "Oho...you're quite skittish, aren't you~? That only makes me want to tease you, you know~?"This time around, Linnaeus slowly turned his head until he was looking over his shoulder. Other than plumes of smoke, there was nothing at all anywhere near his body. Then, with his head still turned, Linnaeus now heard a laugh, this time from in front of him. When he turned his head, however, there was, yet again, nothing at all.After several long seconds of sensuous and cold laughter, the voice whispered in his ear once again, this time causing a warm airflow to tickle his earlobe as it said, "Your reactions are quite nice...but I'm afraid I can't stay around to play for too long..."Once the woman's words had fallen, Linnaeus felt a sensation against his ear, almost as if someone had licked him with a piece of sandpaper. This caused him to roll forward evasively, eliciting another round of laughter from the unseen woman.With his mind racing, Linnaeus resisted his urge to run away and instead lay down on the ground facing towards the endless black abyss above. As a result, the laughter coming from behind him vanished in its entirety, replaced by absolute silence. He had already guessed that the voice's owner was the Floor Guardian but, as she reminded him a lot of Skaadi, the predatory Vulna woman who had tried to kill him in his youth, he couldn't help but react adversely.For several tense seconds, no sound reached Linnaeus' ears, causing him to release a sigh of relief before hesitantly rolling into a seated position. This time, despite the voice still sending shivers up his spine, he managed to keep his composure since it would be foolish of him to ignore the words of a Floor Guardian when he had no idea what was going on.Fortunately, the voice didn't seem annoyed by his attempts to avoid hearing her as, the moment he was seated upright, he felt it tickle his ear as she explained, "This is the Eighth Floor of the Crucible of Souls. It is where those who have lost their lives due to various circumstances are gathered. At the end of your life, I heard your wish so I have decided to give you a second chance. You will have to put in a lot of effort but, if you can reach the top Floor of my dominion, you will be able to resume your climb in the Tower. Better yet, you will even have the chance to receive a special reward...work hard, little boy. Don't let your life be wasted this time around, okay~?"Feeling another dry sensation against his ear, Linnaeus winced in annoyance before waiting for the voice to explain what he needed to do in order to reach the next Floor. Unfortunately, even after a full minute in silence, the only sounds to reach him were the smoldering of flames and the billowing of smoke. This made him turn his eyes to the information panel of his system but, other than the value representing the amount of Soul Kindling he had, nothing had changed.With no alternatives, Linnaeus decided to do what he always did in such situations: try to gather as much information as possible. This was an inhospitable land but there had to be sustenance or, at the very least, water. Without this, there was no chance anyone would be able to reach the top Floor unless they had a powerful combat-oriented Blessing.Though he couldn't be certain, the Tower seemed to have the means to balance things so that support and utility Blessings weren't at a complete disadvantage. This meant there had to be a way to survive and reach the next Floor without strictly relying on combat against other Fledglings. Thus, with the only landmark being a range of mountains in the distance, Linnaeus steeled his resolve as he began a long and arduous trek through the fiery wasteland.Linnaeus still remembered his conviction toward the end of his life so, this time around, he swore he would try harder. The fact he had left behind his sister and Saht on such pathetic terms had been a wakeup call for him, one that came, unfortunately, after he already died. Since he wasn't likely to get a third chance, Linnaeus sword he would live his second life to the fullest extent of his capabilities.

Without a proper explanation from the Floor Guardian, Linnaeus needed to find some means to obtain information. The method to move on to the Seventh Floor had to be known by at least one person or the odds of moving up would be exponentially decreased.Thus far, the only clue he had was the Soul Kindling. It seemed to be a form of currency based on how it manifested in a similar way to Aether. From this, he could speculate that the means to reach higher Floors was wholly dependent on the amount of Soul Kindling you had in your possession.Since it was impossible to be certain, Linnaeus could only steel his resolve while continuing his trek towards the distant mountains. He assumed that, as one of the only visible landmarks, he assumed that most people thrown into this hellish landscape would head there.With this in mind, Linnaeus continued his journey at a steady pace, using his [Acrobatics] to navigate the rough and uneven terrain while keeping a low profile. There were very few places of cover in the desolate blackened landscape but, if he used the perpetual plumes of black smoke to his advantage, it shouldn't be difficult to avoid detection.The only things Linnaeus really had to worry about, at least for the time being, were the dangerous pools of yellowish liquid that produced a foul-smelling aroma. They were bubbling over like boiling water and would periodically erupt before peppering the rocky black terrain with corrosive fluids.Because of these constant eruptions, the landscaped was pockmarked with tiny holes that would have eaten away at his bare feet in normal circumstances. If not for his [Barrier Aura], Linnaeus felt that even walking through this unforgiving terrain would be very difficult.Fortunately, or perhaps not, Linnaeus had yet to encounter a single monster after more than an hour of traveling. He also hadn't come across any other people but, considering the words of the Floor Guardian, he assumed it wasn't that common for people to be sent here.Assuming this was the case, Linnaeus felt that encountering the bone-producing man was either an expression of misfortune or, as was far more likely the case, the machinations of the Floor Guardian. It was very likely that he and the man were both new arrivals on the Eighth Floor so they had been pitted against each other, much like how he had been tested prior to entering the First Floor...Thinking that he had killed someone who just got a second chance at life, Linnaeus could only shake his head while releasing an exasperated sigh. If the man hadn't suddenly attacked him, they could have worked together to try and make sense of their situation. The Tower didn't seem to require that you kill anyone so unless the rules had fundamentally changed, there was nothing preventing him from teaming up with others. With the man's ability to produce weapons from his bones, combined with his own ability to create barriers, they would have been a very strong team...Now that he had a second chance, or at least a chance to obtain one, Linnaeus was thinking about how he could change himself for the better. His passive nature had been the cause of his death so, this time around, Linnaeus felt he needed to be more proactive.Ryuuna had never pointed it out, but Linnaeus knew that his own attributes had nearly reached her own at the same Level. This implied that his foundation wasn't nearly as weak as he expected. While there were undoubtedly people more powerful than him, there was no need to just lay low and wait for others to act. If he was always at the mercy of other people's decisions, the odds of him reaching the Tenth Floor, and beyond, would exponentially decrease.Linnaeus couldn't see himself ordering people around and suppressing them but, after his trying experience with Ryuuna, he would never allow himself to be at the whims of another Party Leader. If he was going to Party up with anyone in the future, he would be the one extending an invitation.Though exceptions could be made, this would entirely depend on whether or not the person trying to lead him was worthy of his respect and trust. He would never join them just to preserve his life as, with his death as the best example, this was completely meaningless unless he was willing to lower his head and live by the whims of another.While he didn't consider himself an inherently prideful person, Linnaeus realized he had lived much of his life in a rather obstinant manner. He had always lived in opposition to the system designed to suppress and exploit him, to the point he had killed well over a thousand people.Though he didn't want to become an arrogant prick that took advantage of others, Linnaeus knew he needed to embrace his nature instead of suppressing it on principle alone. He had to be willing to fight for his beliefs at any cost, even if it ultimately resulted in his death. After all, it was better to die fighting for your life than to passively wait for a death imposed upon you by others...---If not for the Akashic System, Linnaeus wouldn't be able to accurately gauge the passing of time as, looking up, the only thing overhead was a perpetual layer of clouds. They would periodically rumble before spewing out terrifying bolts of purple lightning which, fortunately, had yet to strike anywhere near him.With the system, Linnaeus was able to tell that nearly thirteen hours had passed since his arrival on the Eighth Floor. Despite this, he felt no closer to the mountains than he was at the beginning of his journey. This implied they were impossibly massive, much like the Tower, or that something was actively preventing him from approaching them.For all Linnaeus knew, the challenge of the Eighth Floor was finding a way to reach the mountains in the distance so it was extremely vexing to have made no discernible progress.More troubling was the fact that, despite more than half a day passing, he had seen no signs of life, nor had he found any sources of freshwater. Though he had enough supplies to last him for several weeks, at the very least, this wouldn't matter if he never found the means to replenish them.Feeling frustrated, Linnaeus climbed to the top of a craggy mound, one of the highest points in the immediate area, to see if he couldn't get a better grasp of his surroundings. Unfortunately, the only thing he learned from this was the number of black plumes and the location of a few large pools of corrosive fluid.Seeing the seemingly endless stretch of wasteland, Linnaeus couldn't help but release a tired sigh as he sat down and decided to take a break. This caused his SP to drain a little faster but, with his regen outpacing it, Linnaeus didn't care. Others would have to tolerate the hot and abrasive stone directly so he couldn't really complain.Since he didn't know when he would find food and water next, Linnaeus decided to ration out his current supplies as much as possible. He could easily go days without eating so, while he was very tempted to fill his stomach to ease his frustrations, he managed to restrain himself.While looking out towards the horizon, Linnaeus adjusted his seated position before murmuring in a tired voice, "This place...how is anyone supposed to reach the Seventh Floor like this...?"Shaking his head in response to his own question, Linnaeus then looked toward the sky and asked, "Are you doing your job properly? I have no leads and there is next to nothing here besides a vast and inhospitable wasteland. Are you trying to imply that only those lucky enough to stumble upon the answer have the right at a second chance? What a farce...for all I know, you just want to watch people suffer futilely before giving in and accepting their death..."With nothing happening for half a day, Linnaeus had a lot of time to think about the purpose of the Crucible of Souls. Though the voice stated it was a means to earn a second chance at life, it provided absolutely no information on how to succeed. It almost felt like the true purpose of this Floor was to punish those who had died with a strong desire to live...or perhaps those with lingering resentments.Much to his surprise, Linnaeus felt a chill run up his back as a cold voice answered, "Come now, little boy, is this the limit of your perseverance? I had expected you to at least last for a few days before complaining...well, you are still a child, after all~"When the voice finished admonishing him, Linnaeus heard a ding within his mind as a series of words played across his vision. This included information about the distance he had traveled and the amount of time that had passed.Seeing this information, Linnaeus realized that the ambiguity of the Floor Guardian's words had been intentional from the start. She seemed to be testing their patience and tolerance, trying to determine how quickly they would break before lashing out at the 'unfairness' of their current situation.Linnaeus suddenly felt ashamed of his behavior as he could have easily continued forward for several days without issue. It felt like he had, once again, compromised himself. His obstinance and indignity had led to his death and, now that he was supposed to be vying for a second chance, he was already complaining about the system itself being designed to suppress him...After several seconds of silence, the voice began to laugh once again before whispering, "Do not fret so much, little boy. Though your results are lackluster, they are still better than the vast majority of people who find themselves here. With this unforgiving terrain and lack of resources, it rarely takes longer than a few hours for most people to break. After all, they don't have the benefit of your little Blessing, ufufufufu~"Hearing the voice, Linnaeus nodded his head in understanding as just walking through this Floor had been a tedious experience. Without his Blessing, he would have suffered quite a bit due to the heat of the abrasive ground, the pungent aroma, and the periodic showers of corrosive fluids. In truth, he had a significant advantage over others due to his [Barrier Aura], making his complaints seem even more childish...Rather than be allowed the time to brood, Linnaeus heard another ding in his mind that caused his Soul Kindling to increase to 538, ten for every hour he had lasted and one for every kilometer he had traveled. This meant he was averaging around 30km/h, a decent pace considering he was using his [Stealth] and constantly surveying the area.Immediately after receiving his rewards, Linnaeus felt his body tugged by an invisible force before his surroundings changed from a hellish landscape to a forest. Instead of a blackened sky, there was an endless expanse of blue above, marred by the existence of a few fluffy white clouds.Before he could take in his surroundings completely, the voice explained, "As you have suspected, the purpose of the Crucible is not to simply determine who is the strongest. It is a test of everything about a person, from their character to their creativity. Your only true goal is reaching the top Floor. How you get there, and how long it takes, is ultimately up to you. Just know that there are hundreds of ways to move up so do your best this time around, little boy~"For a brief moment, Linnaeus felt something nibbling on his earlobe, breaking his concentration and causing him to swat at empty air. The behavior of this Floor Guardian was troubling, to say the least, but he now had a basic understanding of what he needed to do.From what he could ascertain, there were a variety of different challenges but they were all kept hidden to see how people would act. In other words, he could set challenges for himself and, so long as he put in an adequate amount of effort, he would be able to reach the next Floor. This was likely a method to allow those without combat-oriented Blessings to ascend higher as, if everything was just predicated on survival and combat, the vast majority of people were doomed to failure.After releasing a sigh, Linnaeus slapped his cheeks with a bit of force, leaving two hand-shaped marks on his own face. This allowed him to better focus his mind as he began looking around the area, whispering in a determined voice, "No more complaining...I need to grow up and do my best from here onward..."With his convictions set, Linnaeus picked a direction and began walking once again. He assumed it was possible to move on to the next Floor after just surviving for a few days but, this time around, he was determined to find another challenge to complete. The Floor Guardian stated that there were hundreds of ways to move up so it was easy to guess that some offered much better rewards than others...

If not for the Akashic System displaying the time and the number of days that had passed, Linnaeus would not have been able to determine how long he had been in his current state.Not only had night become a permanant fixture on the Third Floor, but the temperature continued its steady decline to almost incomprehensible levels. Now, if he failed to replace his [Barrier] before the previous one ran out, it was like having a bucket of the coldest imaginable water wash over him, chilling him to the bone and causing a painful ache throughout his entire body.Linnaeus genuinely believed he would have lost his sense of self if not for the constant notifications from the system. The cold gave him an overwhelming urge to simply fall asleep and accept the chill completely. If not for the period pings of experience indicating growth in his [Pain Tolerance] and [Cold Resistance], Linnaeus would have already given in to the encroaching darkness.At this point, Linnaeus knew that his outburst and decision to leave the cave had been exceptionally foolish but, as his impending death made his resolution stronger, he took solace in the thought that his final interaction with another person was standing his ground. He didn't know if there was such a thing as life after death or reincarnation but, if there was, Linnaeus swore he would try harder in his next life...if possible, he would like to be reborn as someone inside the megacity and, if fate allowed it, he wanted to be able to protect his sister once again...These were the last thoughts that crossed Linnaeus' mind as, in spite of the gentle bells sounding in his mind, the encroaching darkness finally overpowered his will to remain awake. It was already the afternoon of the nineteenth day so he had been fighting against his body freezing completely for the better part of three days...---Due to having created an underground den with a curved chute for an entrance, one of the survival techniques she had learned, Ryuuna was faring much better than Linnaeus. Though it was still very cold, warm air was less dense than cold air so, by creating a den where the hot air couldn't easily escape through the chute, she was able to gradually heat up the interior to just above freezing. As a result, the interior was very damp, causing a cloud of humidity to be present as Ryuuna did her best to move her body periodically to further warm her small abode.Over the last few days, Ryuuna's biggest stress factor had been her hunger but, as her body could process raw meat without too many detrimental effects, she had managed to survive, albeit with a perpetual grimace on her face. Though she had also reflected on her past interactions with Linnaeus, she refused to believe she was in the wrong as just the thought of apologizing to him made her feel nauseous.Currently, Ryuun had a piece of venison in her mouth as she tugged at the durable tendons in an effort to extricate the piece of flesh for consumption. It had a foul and gamey taste but, compared to starving, it was the more tolerable alternative.Just as she managed to tear away the piece of flesh, Ryuuna's expression turned blank as her mouth hung slightly agape. The piece of meat she had struggled to pull away fell to the ground as, in the periphery of her vision, something that had been present for nearly three weeks had now vanished. At the same time, the number of Fledglings on the Floor dropped from 5 down to 4, causing Ryuuna to pause for several seconds in abject confusion.When she finally realized the implications of what had happened, Ryuuna began to feel very anxious as she erupted from the ground like a geyser and bolted toward the east. Linnaeus hadn't moved at all for the last few days so she had approximated his position and knew roughly how long it would be able to reach him.Ryuuna had been intending to let Linnaeus suffer for a bit before showing up when he was near death to save him. With his name suddenly disappearing from the Party, she began to feel more anxious than she had expected, causing her to move like a golden meteor through the blizzard that had descended upon the land...After nearly two hours of running at her highest speed, Ryuun reached a large canyon that seemed to extend downward indefinitely. She had no way of knowing that Linnaeus had holed himself up in a hollow at the side of the cliff so Ryuuna released a feral cry before shouting, "You stupid piece of shit! Did you really throw yourself off the cliff just to spite me!? You...you...you...!"For Linnaeus' name to vanish from the Party without his health being anywhere near critical levels, Ryuuna could only assume he had died instantly. If he threw himself off the cliff and didn't try to protect himself, the only fate that awaited him was death.Feeling anxiety and anger unlike anything she had ever experienced, Ryuuna began tearing apart the landscape, uprooting trees and destroying boulders. She had spent the last few days thinking about how to get even with Linnaeus but, despite her initial anger, she never intended to torture or kill him. His growth and earnest mentality made him one of the few people she could reasonably trust in the Tower so, until they reached the 10th Floor, she had intended to remain in the same Party.Before she realized it, Ryuuna's vision had been obscured by a layer of tears that turned into small ice crystals dotting her eyelashes. Her Health had also started to reduce considerably from overusing her Blessing so, after punching a large boulder with enough force to fracture it into several hundred pieces, she turned her head skyward and said, "I give up...take me to the next Floor..."If Linnaeus had been present, he would have noticed that the fierce light in Ryuuna's eyes had all but vanished at this point. Her golden irises now look pale and dull, much like some of the less fortunate women he had encountered in the slums. Then, as if she had never existed from the start, Ryuuna's body vanished like a fading afterimage. The only thing that remained to indicate her presence was a massive section of upturned forest and several fractured boulders...---With Ryuuna's departure from the Third Floor, the remaining three Fledglings received a notice from the Floor Guardian that they were the last Party. Their Party consisted of a large man with a muscular body and two comparably smaller females. They had holed themselves up in a cave but, rather than sealing it, they left the mouth of the cave open while unhesitantly maintaining a small bonfire. This wasn't enough to stave off the entirety of the cold, however, so, when they were resting, the trio had used each others' body heat to stay warm.After receiving the notification, the man released a loud bellow before laughing enthusiastically. As for the two girls, the younger of the two rolled her eyes while her older, far more mature companion, decided to join the burly man by releasing a peal of bell-like laughter. Then, much like Ryuuna, they also moved on the Fourth Floor after accepting their rewards from the Floor Guardian.The moment the final Party had left, a rather magical sight began to play out on the Third Floor as the snowfall began to literally reverse, much like the flames from the bonfire. As if time itself was flowing in reverse, the logs began to lose their charred state before the fire ultimately extinguished, leaving behind green tender that, shortly thereafter, vanished.Several hundred kilometers away from the cave, in the area previously devasted by Ryuuna, the innocent boulders quickly reformed while the uprooted trees once again found purchase in the permafrost. As time passed, this process seemed to speed up considerably until, less than an hour later, the light of day had returned to the Third Floor. With it, lush greenery once again dominated the terrain as, at several locations throughout the forest, blobs of pure energy began to coalesce before solidifying into the shape of Goblins, Slimes, Horned Rabbits, and Tyrant Mountain Bears.Following the formation of the monsters, each corpse belonging to a fallen Fledgling began to dissolve away into dust. Immediately after they faded away, all signs of their existence faded along with them, including supplies and equipment that had been left behind. Then, as the final part of this process, a total of 519 ripples appeared at various locations throughout the Third Floor before a new group of Fledglings began their survival challenge.Regardless of how much damage the Floors sustained, it would always be completely undone at the end of each challenge. This was known simply as a Reset, an Administrative Function that only those with the title of Floor Guardian had the authority to carry out.To prevent people from staying in the Tower indefinitely, building a civilization and limiting the chances other Fledglings would prosper, a Reset would periodically be conducted on even the safe Floors. Though the cycle varied for each Floor, with the 10th taking place every 1,000 years, it still forced those who wanted to consolidate power to move toward progressively higher Floors to avoid being 'erased' during the Reset. Only by passing through one of the connecting Floors was a person able to avoid the process of being annihilated and, after a Reset, they were unable to backtrack from that moment onward.Nobody knew exactly what happened if your body was erased during a reset but it was commonly believed that you were absorbed by the Tower as nutrients. There was even a prominent faction that believed the Tower was a living organism that baited people into its body with the promise of power. They believed the Tower refined its prey, granting them unbelievable power in order to make them taste better. Though this seemed outlandish, the fact that nobody had ever managed to reach the top had allowed them to build a sizeable faction among those naturally born within the Tower.As for what really happened when a person died within the Tower, this largely depended on a variety of different factors. If they died as a result of combat, implying their body had been destroyed or, at the very least, damaged beyond repair, they would, in fact, become nutrients for the Tower. It would absorb their Souls into itself, refining the excess energy and destroying the Ego of the person. This would erase everything that represented a person, including their name, memories, status, and even Blessing. After the fact, their Soul would be expelled from the Tower, allowing it to wander aimlessly until finding a new vessel in the form of a developing zygote.This was not the only outcome for a person who had died within the Tower, however, as there were sometimes extenuating circumstances and unique situations that led to a person's death. In most of these situations, the Floor Guardians themselves had made some kind of mistake while, in the less likely scenario, the person had died as a result of an unforeseen variable. Since the Creator of the Tower had documented an incalculable number of anomalies over the course of endless eternities, they had implemented a system where a person could redeem themselves if their willpower and fate were strong enough.Though most people knew of the Tower that pierced into the Heavens, extending far beyond any means of observation, only the Guardians knew of the second Tower that descended deep into the planar world. While the former was known as the Tower of Heaven, the latter was known as the Crucible of Souls, a place where those who had lost their lives due to unexpected circumstances had a second chance at life. It was the dominion of Tenebrae, the Lord of Darkness, one of the principal entities that governed the Tower.Unlike the scenic environments found in the Tower of Heaven, the Crucible of Souls was a dark and chaotic domain where only pain and suffering awaited those fighting for a second chance at life. It was a hellish place that few could survive for more than a week, while even fewer would ever be able to rise up and begin their climb anew. Though it only had eight Floors in total, each would test the willpower of its challengers to the limit. After all, without the proper conviction, you simply did not deserve a second chance at life.It was here, in a dark abyss filled with fire and brimstone, the Crucible of Souls' Eighth Floor, that a frail figure with pale-blue hair slammed hard into the ground. Their body, covered in a layer of ice, began to thaw rapidly as a pained groan escaped their pale lips. At the same time, their hair began to lose its color, turning progressively whiter until it was almost indiscernible from its former color. Then, after tears of blood poured from their closed eyes, the figure awoke with a start, eyes glimmering like red rubies as their lungs strained desperately to draw in foul and pungent air...

Chapter 33: Crucible of Souls