The Next Day
Baam woke early and headed to the designated training room. Around him stood other Regulars chosen as Wave Controllers.
Their instructor—a strange, rice cake-like creature—floated before them and began to speak.
"Shinsu is a mysterious substance that governs all things. To manipulate more than a limited amount, you must form a contract with the Administrator of each floor."
He glanced at one of the trainees. "Laure, it seems you formed your contract while asleep."
Laure opened a lazy eye. "Seriously? That's convenient."
The instructor ignored him and continued. "The rest of you—activate your Pockets and close your eyes."
"Visible Mode," Baam whispered, and a translucent sphere hovered into view.
"Now, speak the command: 'Form contract with Administrator.'"
Baam murmured the words.
Suddenly, the world around him vanished.
He found himself alone in a pitch-dark void. A voice echoed:
"You smell rather appealing, kid."
A giant, serpent-like entity slithered into view, its eyes gleaming with amusement.
"You wish to form a contract with me?"
"Y-yes," Baam replied.
"Very well."
A vortex of Shinsu swirled around him—and the moment passed.
He reappeared in the room, drenched in sweat.
Around him, the others looked composed. Baam glanced at them, then at the new message flashing in front of him.
> System Notification:
> Administrator Contract Formed
> World Energy detected… Identified as Shinsu
> Host, you have unlocked the ability to manipulate Shinsu.
No one else seems to have noticed this…
The instructor spoke again. "Forming a contract drains your stamina. Rest today. Training begins tomorrow."
With that, he floated out of the room.
As the group dispersed, Baam noticed a red-haired girl nearby.
He walked toward her. "Excuse me."
She paused and looked back.
Baam bowed his head slightly. "I'm sorry. You got injured because of me."
"There's no need to apologize," she replied coolly, then turned and walked away.
Just then, a boy with short yellow hair and a single red horn approached Baam with a polite smile.
"I look forward to training with you, Baam."
Baam turned, slightly surprised.
"Forgive me, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Hoh." He gestured to his side. "And that's my teammate, Lauroe."
Baam nodded. "You look fine. Wasn't the contract exhausting for you?"
"I've been training hard," Hoh said, modestly. "Let me know if you need any help. We Wave Controllers should stick together."
Baam thought, If only I had more techniques... I wouldn't be this weak.
Meanwhile, Hoh thought, If I can get close to his team, I'll gain an edge in the next test.
"I'd like that," Baam replied. "It'd be great to train together."
Hoh smiled. "Come to my room in two hours. I can give you some martial arts pointers."
Baam nodded, and they shook hands.
As Hoh left, Baam sighed. They're all so far ahead of me…
Behind him, Lauroe gave Hoh a sidelong glance. "Help each other, huh?"
Hoh replied as he stepped into his room, "Is it wrong to offer a hand to the weak?"
Lauroe murmured, "The weak, huh…"
Inside, Hoh dropped to the ground, his composed facade vanishing—replaced by quiet exhaustion.
---
Back in Baam's room, the air was calm, the scent of clean sheets and faint Shinsoo lingering. Khun leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a bored look on his face.
"Class was boring," he muttered. "Too much talking, not enough climbing."
Baam looked up from where he was sitting on the bed. "By the way, where's Rak?"
Khun waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, him? Apparently, the Spear Bearer test involved hitting a target from absurdly far away. The moment he passed, he puffed out his chest and declared, 'I'm returning to the wild. Farewell, turtle.' Then he just… walked off."
Baam blinked. "He's really excited about all of this."
"Of course he is," Khun replied with a smirk. "We're climbing the Tower, after all. For someone like him, it's the perfect playground."
Baam nodded thoughtfully, then said, "I need to train too."
Khun's eyes flicked to him. "Oh? How's that going?"
"We haven't done much yet," Baam admitted. "We just formed our contracts with the administrators. But I'll be training soon."
"Training what, exactly?" Khun asked, mildly curious.
Baam hesitated a second, then said, "Hoh offered to give me some tips on fighting."
Khun's expression didn't change, but a subtle tension settled in his posture. "Hoh? He's in your Wave Controller group, right?"
"Yeah," Baam said, unaware. "He's a nice guy. Quiet, but… kind."
Khun looked away, clicking his tongue. "Nice, huh?"
There was a brief silence. Then Khun spoke again—softly, but with weight. "Baam, don't forget. Sooner or later, we're all going to be competing again. Maybe even against each other."
Baam looked down at his hands, thoughtful.
"Well..." he said quietly, "I know. But I still want to believe we can get along… even if it's just for now."
Khun didn't argue. But he didn't agree either.
Instead, he glanced at the door. "Just don't let your kindness become a weakness, Baam. Not in this Tower."
Baam gave a faint smile. "I'll be careful."
Khun nodded once, but his expression was unreadable.
Outside, somewhere in the vast halls of the Tower, footsteps echoed.
---
Just then, a chime sounded at the door. An image flickered to life on the screen beside it.
Shibisu and Hatz stood outside.
"Uh, hey," Shibisu said awkwardly.
Hatz added, "We have a request."
Shibisu held up a paper. "We need nine more people to complete a group assignment."
Khun crossed his arms. "Excuse me? What makes you think we'll help you?"
"Huh?" Shibisu blinked.
Khun's tone sharpened. "Your teammate broke into our room and stole both the Green April and Black March. Remember?"
Baam stepped in. "Khun, don't worry about that."
But Hatz nodded solemnly. "You're right. What she did went against the warrior's code. We've disbanded our team and cut ties with Anaak."
"Well, technically," Shibisu muttered, "she cut ties with us…"
Khun scoffed. "And now you want us to be friends with someone who'd abandon her allies? Very noble of you, Mr. Warrior's Code."
Hatz didn't flinch. "That's right, Ugly Earrings."
Khun twitched. "U-Ugly? That's the last thing you should be calling me."
He turned. "Right, Baam?"
Baam raised his hands in surrender. "Easy, Khun…"
Hatz added, deadpan, "Honestly, that earring looks like a punishment."
"Okay, that's it!" Khun snapped. "You better apologize by committing seppuku!"
"We don't even need to be your friends!"
Hatz took a step forward. "Let's settle this outside."
Shibisu groaned, "We're never gonna finish this assignment at this rate…"
Baam interjected, "Let's be their friends, Khun."
Khun glanced at him. "Baam?"
Baam smiled. "I was really happy when you asked to be my ally during the first test. Before that, I had nothing."
Khun sighed. "…Fine."
"Thank you!" Shibisu said with relief.
Baam added, "One condition. Since we're friends now—Shibisu, teach me martial arts. Hatz, I'd like you to train me in swordsmanship. Call it repayment for Anaak's… mistake."
Shibisu gave a lopsided grin. "Sure, though my killing techniques aren't exactly elite."
Hatz nodded. "Fine. But I make no promises you'll learn anything."
---
Later that evening, Baam found himself outside Hoh's room. He knocked gently.
The door slid open with a soft sound.
"Hey, Baam," Hoh greeted, his voice low but calm.
"Hi, Hoh. Thanks for agreeing to teach me," Baam said with a polite bow.
"It's fine," Hoh replied, stepping aside to let him in. "We're friends, right?"
The room was sparsely furnished—clean, quiet, and empty save for a floor mat and the lingering scent of incense. The lights were dimmed, casting long shadows across the floor.
Hoh stood barefoot at the center of the room. His expression was composed, yet there was a tension beneath his eyes—one Baam couldn't quite place.
"Let's begin," Hoh said.
He took a slow step forward, his movement precise and light, like his feet barely touched the ground.
"Forget styles. Forget names. Martial arts starts with awareness," he began, voice steady. "Awareness of your body. Your breathing. The ground under your feet. And the person in front of you."
He paced in a slow arc around Baam.
"You don't need fancy techniques. Not now. You need to learn how to stand. To feel every shift of weight. To stop thinking and let your body respond before your mind even catches up."
He stopped and tapped his chest lightly.
"Control this—your center. Your balance. If you do that, nothing will throw you off."
Baam listened intently, nodding as he absorbed the words.
Then, without warning, Hoh moved. He took a stance—low, fluid—and threw a punch. It wasn't showy or fast. But it was grounded, clean, with no wasted motion.
Baam's eyes widened slightly.
"Your turn," Hoh said.
Baam mirrored the stance as best he could. He dropped his shoulders, tried to center his weight, but still felt off-balance.
Hoh watched silently for a few moments, then stepped closer.
"Your knees are locked. Loosen them. Shift your weight just a little—there."
He nudged Baam's foot.
"Now breathe. Not shallow—deep and even. From here." He tapped Baam's diaphragm.
Baam tried again, adjusting his posture.
"Better."
They continued in silence for a while, Baam throwing basic punches, correcting his stance under Hoh's subtle guidance. The quiet focus in the room made the time feel slower, heavier.
Eventually, Hoh stepped back and gave a small nod. "You've got good instincts. Just don't rush."
"Thank you," Baam said, bowing again.
Hoh gave him a half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Good luck."
Baam left shortly after, his body sore but his mind focused.
Back in his room, he sat cross-legged on the bed and closed his eyes.
System, he called inwardly.
A soft chime answered, and the familiar blue screen materialized before him.
> System Notification:
> Hoh-Style Martial Art Basics Acquired
> Skill Level: Entry
> Efficiency: 8%
> Tip: Consistent repetition and focused training under this method will accelerate mastery.
Baam tilted his head slightly as he read the data.
Higher than the last one, he realized, recalling the basic techniques Khun had shown him. So overlapping or similar methods help you start stronger...
It made sense. Two different teachings, but both built on the same foundation.
Eager to solidify what he'd learned, Baam stood again and began to practice. Step by step, punch by punch, switching between the teachings of Khun and Hoh.
Time passed. His breath grew steady. Movements sharpened.
Eventually, a second notification blinked into existence:
> Update:
> Basic Combat Efficiency increased: 11%
> Hoh-Style: 12%
> Khun-Style: 10%
Baam wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing hard, but smiling faintly.
I'm getting there. Slowly... but surely.