Alexei’s warmth seeped through the thin fabric of my shirt. For some reason, Ha Hee-Jeong came to mind. She wasn’t particularly fond of Alexei under normal circumstances, so how much worse would this be for her now? I quickly turned toward her, expecting an expression of clear distaste. To my surprise, she wasn’t scowling or recoiling. Instead, her eyes held an entirely different emotion—pity. It was a stark contrast to before. Though they had grown somewhat more tolerant of each other, their relationship had never been particularly warm. What on earth happened on the fifty-ninth floor? Alexei, still nestled against me, lifted her head. “Thanks.” I stared into her eyes, both reddened by tears shed and unshed. For a moment, I hesitated. What is the right thing to say? After a brief moment of deliberation, I realized that she didn’t need more words of condolence. Actions would mean so much more. I gently wiped away the tears gathering beneath one of her eyes and patted her shoulder. “Damn it. This isn’t even the first time I have lost someone, and yet here I am, a mess.” She forced a wide smile, but it only made her seem more pitiful. The way her lips curved looked so sorrowful. Regardless, I returned a faint smile of my own. Alexei is... what, twenty-one? No, it didn’t matter how old she was—losing someone close would always hurt. Ha Hee-Jeong called out to her and opened her arms, “Alexei.” “Hee-Jeong...” Alexei moved forward slowly, drained, before leaning into her embrace. Her tall frame allowed her to rest her chin on Ha Hee-Jeong’s shoulder. It was a quiet, intimate moment between them. However, I felt confused by what I was witnessing. Even with the weight of loss hanging over us, the sudden change felt jarring. How did they become this close in just a single floor? I turned to the rest of our party, noting that Seo Ho-Su and Cole were talking with Alexei’s remaining teammates. Hakin and Seo Ha-Rin weren’t talking with anyone, however, so I shot them a look, wordlessly demanding an explanation. Seo Ha-Rin simply shook her head, signaling that she would tell me more later. I nodded silently in return—she was right, now wasn’t the time for questions. After their brief embrace, an awkward silence settled between us. Taking the lead, I glanced toward the rest area. “Shall we head inside?” [All aggressive actions are strictly prohibited within the rest area. Please rest and relax at your leisure. Time remaining: 66 hours 28 minutes.] “I dozed off between the towers.” “For a couple of hours” “On that beautiful day...” A familiar melody drifted through the air, drawing my attention toward the center of the dining area. Two climbers sat with guitars in hand as they strummed a tune. One played the bass line while the other sang. I recognized the song’s melody, though the lyrics sounded unfamiliar. Did I hear it in a movie before? Ah, now I remember! The song was called “Memories”, and I seemed to remember that the band Willis Collective sang it. It had been a long time since I last heard it, so my memory was a bit hazy. The band’s performance wasn’t bad, but it didn’t carry the same weight that the original did. Hearing the translated lyrics somehow dulled the nostalgic feel. Shaking off the thought, I returned my focus to the poker game in front of me. Ha Hee-Jeong had brought a deck, likely keeping Alexei’s party in mind. My hand had been garbage, so I had folded early on. Sitting on my left, Hendrick still remained in the game. Maintaining his unreadable expression, he made his next move. Seo Ha-Rin’s eyes widened in shock. “Seriously? There’s no way you can beat my hand, and you’re going all in?” Hendrick simply nodded. “Hmm.” Seo Ho-Su rubbed his chin, deep in thought, while Ha Hee-Jeong threw her cards down. In the meantime, Alexei, who had folded alongside me, continued sharing the harrowing events of the previous floor. “And then an arrow came flying out of nowhere, nearly killing Hee-Jeong’s charge. I threw myself in the way, though, and my shoulder is still stiff from it.” She rolled her arm exaggeratedly, keeping her tone lighthearted. I was staring away from the table, but I kept my ears open to catch every word. For how dramatic the shift in their relationship was, the explanation was surprisingly straightforward: Alexei had been in a precarious situation, and Ha Hee-Jeong had stepped in to help her. Later, when Ha Hee-Jeong’s charge had been in danger, Alexei had returned the favor. “So, thanks to you, Hee-Jeong survived. That’s impressive.” “She saved me first. It’s only fair.” Yet, something still didn’t quite add up. It wasn’t like they had merely been indifferent to each other before. Ha Hee-Jeong had actively disliked Alexei. I finally chimed in, “Wait, so you two bonded just from that?” Alexei chuckled softly, shaking her head. “You weren’t there. Something about the atmosphere felt different. There was something unspoken between all of us. Even more so between Hee-Jeong and me, as well.” I suppose that makes sense. After all, the trial had been structured so that if the individual they were escorting died, that was it. The scenario naturally fostered camaraderie. “What are you talking about?” Having finally folded, Ha Hee-Jeong approached us, holding a glass of wine. I pursed my lips. “About the fifty-ninth floor. Why didn’t you tell me you two helped each other?” It wasn’t exactly a secret, nor was it anything to be embarrassed about. Why didn’t they mention it sooner? Ha Hee-Jeong plopped down beside Alexei, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Eh, just because? It’s personal. A matter of privacy.” “Privacy? You almost died! Didn’t your ward barely dodge getting impaled by an arrow? At Alexei’s cost, I might add?” “Yeah, but I’m still here, aren’t I? Plus, I told you I had some close calls.” “You made it sound like a casual thing.” She shrugged and swirled her wine before taking a sip. “You were waiting for me, right? If I said that I nearly died, you’d just worry more.” “Hearing it now doesn’t change that feeling.” “Yeah, but back then, I was exhausted. I just wanted to shower and sleep. If I had brought it up, you’d have insisted on talking about it.” Alexei chuckled and nodded. “She’s right.” It felt like they were ganging up on me. For some reason, watching them get along felt oddly alienating. Weren’t they at each other’s throats just a few floors ago? “Wow. So now you two are excluding me?” They laughed in response to my playful remark. Truth be told, I didn’t mind, and seeing their shoulders shake from laughter brought a sense of relief. The brief feeling of loneliness faded, replaced by an amused sigh. After that, the atmosphere had settled. Drinks flowed, and conversations meandered between laughter and lighthearted banter. Even Alexei’s remaining party members, once solemn, began to smile again. Throughout the different hands, Alexei sat beside Ha Hee-Jeong, frequently laughing at her antics. I guess this isn’t the first time she has lost party members, after all. Counting this time, it had happened thrice, if I remembered correctly. It had been a long time since the last loss, however, and the warrior and priest had journeyed with her for over fifty floors. The weight of their absence would likely weigh heavier on the rest of their party. Although perhaps wounds inflicted by loss could only be healed by company, reminding me that while it wasn’t obvious at first, everyone made an impact, big and small. By the time our conversation had run its course, the game had finally come to an end. “Yes! I won! Hendrick, your bluffing is insane, but I finally figured out your playstyle.” “Haha. I really thought you’d fold.” “Not a chance. I was a legend back in my hometown.” “We’ve been playing for a while now. How about we switch gears? Just drink and chat for a bit?” Now that the atmosphere had fully relaxed, the conversation naturally drifted toward the trial I had faced and my new weapon. The crude, rough form of Soulbound had naturally drawn curious looks—it was a stark contrast to my previous majestic and powerful-looking axes. Though it had faded into the background when we reunited with Alexei’s party, it hadn’t escaped their notice. Seo Ho-Su took the lead on my interrogation. “I heard about what happened to everyone else, but what about you, Su-Hyeok? And what’s with that axe? What happened to your old one?” “Yeah, to be honest, this one seems a little bit... unpolished. Even for you.” “Ah, well, about that... Compared to what the others had gone through, it wasn’t anything particularly extraordinary. My objective had been mostly clear, and the tower hadn’t omitted any potentially fatal information. I gave them a quick rundown of my experience on the fifty-ninth floor, starting with the first time I laid eyes on the lava monster. Sharing my discovery—that the terrible monster was in fact the remnant souls of their ancestors' weapons—did feel exciting, though. By the end, however, I was at a loss for how to describe the beast’s sheer size and overwhelming presence. Conveying it through words alone felt insufficient. As expected, no one seemed to believe I had struggled all that much. Instead, Soulbound drew all their attention. Alexei, who also used an axe, was especially intrigued. “So, you’re saying their souls still exist inside this axe?” She pointed at the axe, eyes gleaming with curiosity. “That’s insane. Can I hold it?” “Uh, I wouldn’t recommend it. The description specifically states that if anyone besides me touches it, their soul could be damaged.” Alexei immediately pulled her hand back in alarm. “Gosh, really?” The others, who had been inching closer for a better look, also recoiled. Despite her initial shock, Alexei still looked at Soulbound with lingering fascination. “So you’re saying this rough-looking thing will shape itself to your desires the more you use it?” “That’s insane. Metal that reshapes itself over time.” She stared at the axe for a moment longer before suddenly clapping her hands together as if remembering something. She looked at Ha Hee-Jeong. “Oh, right! Can I ask you a favor?” “Yeah. We lost two important members, and some high-ranking warriors and priests have reached out already. Most of them lost their parties, although some are just looking to switch it up.” I could already tell what she was about to ask. “And?” I asked anyway, just to confirm. Sure enough, she answered with what I had expected. “Since I was too out of it earlier, I asked Hendrick to handle it, but I figured it’d be better if you evaluated the warriors and Hee-Jeong checked the priests.” “That’s not a problem.” “Really? Then can we do it now?” “Yeah. Hendrick was supposed to meet with them tonight, but if you two are up for it, I’d rather do it now. The sooner we bond, the better. First impressions are important, you know?” Ha Hee-Jeong nodded. “I don’t mind. I just need to help with the priests, right?” “Yep. What about you?” “Fine by me,” I consented as well. It was a bit sudden, but I didn’t mind. We had already spent four or five hours drinking and chatting, so a change of pace wouldn’t be a bad idea. I wasn’t even that drunk, either. At this point, I could probably down an entire crate of alcohol and still walk straight. The other high-ranking climbers were likely in a similar state—they had arrived at the dining hall not too long ago. Besides, it has been a while since I have seen how the top climbers are doing. I had sparred with the other high-ranking climbers once or twice in the past, but Alexei had scared them off, putting an end to that. She had shouted that they had to beat her first before challenging me. No one had managed to defeat her yet, so no one had come looking to spar with me. Naturally, I had only sparred with Alexei, Seo Ho-Su, and Hendrick afterward. Alexei’s face lit up excitedly. “Thanks! I’ll call them over now, then. Hendrick! Get the warriors and priests over here.” “Yep. Su-Hyeok’s going to test the warriors, and Hee-Jeong’s gonna make sure the priests are up to scratch.” Hendrick grinned as he got up. “Oh! If Su-Hyeok’s handling the warriors, I’ve got nothing to worry about. He’ll pick someone solid.” [All aggressive actions are strictly prohibited within the rest area. Rest and relax at your leisure. Time remaining: 66 hours 4 minutes.] The sky was awash with color, a vibrant pastel red that stretched over the vast open plains of the rest area. Beneath that expanse, five climbers stood in formation, their expressions taut from focus. These were the high-ranking warriors who had applied to join Alexei’s party. One face, in particular, with how flushed red it was. He was the lowest-ranked of the group. I had heard that his party had been wiped out, leaving him as the sole survivor. Judging by his current state, he had been drowning his grief in alcohol. It was an unfortunate situation, but that wasn’t my concern. Floors and challenges wouldn’t care about a climber’s circumstances. I gripped Soulbound in my hands and looked at the group. “Who wants to go first?” A brief silence fell over the five warriors as they glanced at each other, hesitating. If no one stepped up, I would start with the highest-ranked one. Just as I was about to make that call, the flushed warrior raised his hand. “I’ll go first.”