[Which gate?]

  I suppressed a smile. That guy, he really had no patience.

  [2]

  If I wanted him to reply back after I answered him, I would’ve been extremely disappointed.

  It really does feel like a normal boss-employee relationship, then…

  The tournament began the very next day after the Registrations opened. Many decided to participate in the end, including Hal and Kurosawa. Yet even though we were all together when the clock hit zero, we all got transported to different locations.

  This time, however, the situation was a bit different. The place itself where the Fourth Trial would take place. Not the out or inside the walls of a castle, but rather a tower.

  One shaped like a grand coliseum.

  Perhaps the system wanted to go all-in with the ‘Tournament’ concept, to really make us feel the thrill of the fight. Because, somehow, threatening us with death and bribing us with prizes were motivations far too lackluster.

  [Fourth Trial – By Clashes of Blood, Sweat, and Tears]

  [Contracted Self Park Eun-Woo: Gate 2]

  [First Floor: First Clash]

  [Before challenging others, prove yourself as a fierce warrior! Eliminate participants to make it to the next floor.]

  [A participant is Eliminated when: ]

  - A Self forfeits willingly

  - A Self can no longer fight

  - A Self breaks the rules

  A Self that can no longer fight...

  I wondered if once we arrived at the first floor and the first stage started, more rules would be revealed to us—if there would be any stating killing was forbidden. Since this was the first trial where failure didn’t equal death, would the system actually prevent people from killing each other? Or would it motivate by gifting us more points the more lives we took?

  As the line at Gate 2 got smaller, my turn to cross its grand arc came, at last.

  And the moment it did, for at least a few moments, I regretted ever putting my name on the list.

  「Pl-please extend your left arm.」

  It felt like ages since I had seen the small red squire. The first creature we came across after arriving at this place, the one who killed a group whose only fault was being desperate for answers.

  As I did what it asked, the small squire grabbed my wrist. As the creature squinted its bright, white eyes, I noticed how pale its armor’s metal was, which brought me some kind of relief. The squire was standing on top of a tall stool, and even then it would barely reach my shoulders.

  「This will only take a co-couple of moments, so I ask you to remain still. Otherwise, we may need to sta-start again.」

  The squire blinked—the two white glows disappearing from the endless blackness that composed his face for a second. And when the two glows appeared again, they were no longer white but a rich purple. The radius and intensity of their glow grew until it covered my entire arm, their light getting warmer—hotter—as if it wanted to scorch my skin.

  My arm flinched for a split second.

  「... I believe you were told to remain still.」

  I saw as the pale metal became redder, darker. The squire’s face hadn’t change, not yet, however the tone in its voice was all the warning I needed. I clenched my jaw, tears forming in my eyes as it felt like my left arm was being prickled by a thousand needles, again and again.

  When the squire blinked again, its eyes turning back to white, I only dared to move my arm when the creature let go of it.

  「Everything has been set. You can go now.」

  Though the metal was, bit by bit, returning to its dead, pale shade, the squire’s voice lacked the meekness I would rather hear. Instead, it echoed with shadows that hid far too many things. Warnings that, the last time they were ignored, resulted in a grim fate.

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  I was able to take six steps before a hand fell on my shoulder.

  “You took too long.”

  And when I saw who it belonged to, I could only smile.

  “Blame this place for being so understaffed.”

  Kurosawa Touma looked different, and it was more than just his clothes.

  His fancy and cool coat was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a simple black linen shirt and light pants. And though the man still had a leather pouch filled with potions hanging from his waist, there was something else—resting in still on holster on his left, a sleek black rod. Then there were the leather gloves covering only half of his hands, fitting his fingers almost perfectly.

  However, it was not the man’s new visual that gave me a short pause. It was his eyes. There was something different brewing in that black gaze.

  And I couldn’t tell exactly what it was.

  “Did you finally try your luck and got a weapon from the Store?”

  Kurosawa followed my gaze, his eyes landing on the black rod.

  “I didn’t win this in the Store.”

  I raised my eyebrows. Was this his reward from the last Trial, then?

  Yet before I could ask and confirm, Kurosawa turned to me again.

  “Have you seen anything yet?”

  There was no need to ask what he meant by that.

  Each of the seven cards from my last reading had its own weight, carrying its own silent reminder of things that could be awaiting us. Different from the first reading I did, each card’s ‘placement’ had a name. A purpose.

  [Blazing Wands]

  I – Kindle: The force igniting thy path

  II – Burst: The force driving thy path

  III – Ember: The flames guiding thou steps

  IV – Smoke: The secrets obscuring thy vision

  V – Scorch: The scars to be gained from thy path

  VI – Blaze: The actions thou must take to achieve glory

  VI – Ashes: The consequences of thy path

  As the seven cards floated around me, the only “path” in my mind was the Fourth Trial. The one thing I needed answers to—the reason for that reading in the first place.

  And out of these seven cards, there were two I chose not to share with my teammates.

  [Contracted Self: Park Eun-Woo]

  [Spread: Blazing Wands]

  [Kindle]

  Death: A mysterious power enthralls you

  [Burst]

  Three of Cups: Unity will bring forth strength; Connection will bring forth glory

  [Ember]

  Prince of Swords: The clarity of mind reveals stable steps

  [Smoke]

  Tainted Six of Coins: A foul avarice fights to conceal misguided alms

  [Scorch]

  Three of Swords: The pursuit of knowledge brings forth a bitter heartache

  [Blaze]

  [King of Swords: Your mind becomes your sharpest blade

  [Ashes]

  Nine of Swords: A lost past entraps you into a gruesome nightmare

  …for these two felt far too personal. Far too close to the voices that kept me awake at night.

  Yet the others, not only did I repeat the quotes verbatim, we also had long discussions about what they could mean and exactly how they could help. And so far, what we all had concluded was how our biggest worry should be the card representing the Smoke.

  “…no, not yet. We will probably notice something once we clear the first stage.”

  Kurosawa rested his hand on the rod, his gaze glancing toward the coliseum's entrance—a double metallic door that went from the ceiling to the ground we all stepped on.

  [Time till the Doors Open: 05:18]

  [05:17]

  [05:16]

  [05:15]

  “If those cards are accurate, and our guesses are proven right…what will you do?”

  The leader’s question caught me a bit off guard. Not because it was something I didn’t imagine him asking, but because the group had discussed our possible course of action in case we were right. Yet as the man averted his gaze, I realized this was not about the group anymore.

  It was all about Park Eun-Woo.

  About my actions, my choices. My value as Kurosawa Touma’s asset.

  You did give him quite a pretty speech about how he should keep trusting me.

  About how I would find us answers about our situation.

  I dry laugh escaped my lips as the air left my lungs, my eyes fixated on the double doors.

  On the ticking clock on top of it.

  “I’m not sure yet. But whatever I decide to do, it won’t change my goals, so you don’t have to worry.”

  Kurosawa turned to me, narrowing his eyes. “I’m not worried. Yet if your behavior so far serves as any example, your plans always end up involving all of us. So once you make up your mind, I expect you to share.”

  My lips curved in a smile as I replied. “Worry not, boss. I won’t forget to send you a memo.”

  He took a step closer to me, clenching his fist. “Eun-Woo, you…”

  [You received a message from your Benefactor!]

  My heart skipped a beat.

  Whatever Kurosawa was about to say, the moment he saw my expression, he stopped.

  “What is it?”

  Somehow, my fingers were reluctant to open it. My eyes hesitant to read it.

  The pursuit of knowledge brings forth a bitter heartache

  Yet I could not let myself be afraid of an unknown future given to me by someone else. No, I would not let myself be controlled by the vague idea of “fate”. Not when I finally had the power to shape my life with my own two hands.

  And as soon as I read the message, once again I kept wondering who.

  Who my Benefactor was.

  [You were warned—in the only way you could be. I can aid you no longer.

  Whatever happens from now on, they shall all be your consequences to bear, alone.

  Do not forget.]

  And even more importantly, were they an ally—

  “I’m not sure what I will do, in case we are right…but I know this.” My eyes met Kurosawa’s, something burning within my gaze. “Today, we will finally get some answers."

  Or were they a foe?