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Kim Hajun stared into the mirror and scowled. His nose was broken, and his face felt tender. Being kneed by someone who had elephantlike legs wasn’t a pleasant experience. However, the injury wasn’t worth using a potion on. Sure, he might have trouble breathing through his nose for a while, but his mouth still worked, didn’t it? Then again, people would look at him strangely if he walked around with a broken nose and bruised face. If something were to happen because his appearance wasn’t on point, wouldn’t that throw a wrench in his plans?
Kim Hajun activated his root bracelet and withdrew a red potion, uncorking it before applying half of it to his face. Then, he drank the other half. He wasn’t being vain; he was being practical. At least, that’s what he told himself as he discarded the now-empty bottle he had purchased for five thousand geums. The bruising on his face subsided as his nose protruded out to its original position, his head itching the whole time. He exhaled once the process was complete, and his eyes narrowed as he recalled the previous encounter. A freak chimera that he had never seen in the present or his prophetic dream had ambushed him. A fourth variable had appeared. Was it another creature from Erde like Vur and Tafel?
Regardless of where the chimera had come from, it seemed like he needed to change some things. A sigh escaped from Kim Hajun’s lips as he stripped and changed into a different outfit with a hood. He put it over his head before donning a mask that hid the upper portion of his face. With this disguise, it’d be impossible to recognize him. Since his opponent was in the dark while he was in the light, he had to remove his opponent’s advantage by disappearing from public view as well. He hadn’t wanted to hide his identity, but ever since he entered the tower, he found out the tower didn’t care about what he wanted.
***
“We’re going to go on ahead to the third floor,” Tafel said to Kax, Melody, and Miranda. “Do you guys want to come with us? Don’t feel pressured to; you’ll still be a part of the Extreme Heat Clan even if you take your time climbing the tower.”
“Kax go with,” Kax said and took a step forward.
Melody and Miranda exchanged glances with one another. Miranda cleared her throat and nodded at Tafel. “I’m still not sure about the type of weapon I should use, so I think I’ll stay here a little longer,” the bald woman said. “Honestly, I don’t think I can keep up with you guys. I might’ve gotten a nice skill, but I don’t think it can carry me that far by itself.”
Tafel nodded back before looking at Melody. “And you?”
The pink-haired woman rubbed her chin. “I’m a follower of Feathered Serpent. Where he goes, I go.” Right, how often did a god offer to let someone travel with them? Only a fool would turn down an invitation like that. Who cared if it was dangerous? Could anything happen to her under a god’s protection? In the legend’s Feathered Serpent’s healing powers were capable of bringing the dead back to life. She had spent hours of her life going to temples out of piety; she didn’t think it was too much to ask to mooch off of Feathered Serpent’s power here.
The axe instructor let out a laugh as he backed away from Kax and Melody. “The two of you are with them?” he asked, glancing at Lindyss and the rest. “Well, in that case, don’t let me stop you. Both of you were fine students. As your instructor, the two of you are definitely skilled enough to handle the higher floors. You pass.”
“Great,” Tafel said. “By any chance, do you know how we can get to the third floor?”
“Of course, of course,” the instructor said. “All you have to do is find a wooden tablet. It’s one of the menu options, the same way you’d go down to the first floor or enter a residence. With my verbal admission of defeat, the tower should’ve acknowledged your completion of the advancement exam.”
Lindyss stowed her double-headed axe, the instructor’s eye twitching as he watched the cursed elf stuff the weapon into her pocket. “Alright, let’s go,” she said and walked up the stairs, stepping over the tiny fissure her axe had created earlier. “Designing and building a body earlier worked up my appetite.”
“That’s because you made it out of food,” Vur said, following behind the elf.
“You’re right,” Lindyss said, nodding her head. “I wouldn’t mind some grilled octopus right about now. Well, I still have seven other tentacles and the head left over. Should we eat that for lunch?”
“Sure,” Tafel said, skipping steps to catch up to Vur and Lindyss. “I’ll grill them. Yeol said I need to work on controlling my flames better, and practice is always better when it’s practical too.” She tilted her head. “What do you think happened to that guy, anyway? Did he get his revenge?”
“For his sake, I hope he did,” Lindyss said.
“Oh?” Tafel asked. “Why’s that?”
“Well, we’re going back to our residence and then moving on to the third floor,” Lindyss said. “If he comes back here looking for my help, he’s going to be sorely disappointed.”
***
Jackal frowned as he clutched the stump of his tentacle with three of his hands, his fourth hand pressing a large piece of bloody gaze against the wound. For some reason, drinking a potion didn’t close the injury, and he wasn’t about to spend an elixir on restoring a body he was hoping to replace. There was just one problem; he had no idea where the heck that woman had gone. Without her, he’d be stuck in this body until he died, and then he’d be dead. He didn’t want either of those things. For now, it seemed like he’d have to mobilize the Virtuous Hand’s intelligence crew once again to figure out her location. It was also about time for Mary to finish clearing the eleventh floor. If he didn’t return to her office to grovel before she came back, who knew how she’d react?