Chapter 1: The beginning of the great journey
Grey or Baam pov:
What is Bugs Bunny doing here??
Although I shouldn't be too surprised given how all these events came together, I can't help but be intrigued by the unknown, especially if it's a creature as unique as this rabbit.
Well he doesn't totally seem like a rabbit given the way he addresses himself and his appearance is more or less humanoid, wearing a purple outfit with several mini green spheres forming a crucifix on his torso. The back of his hands and feet each have green half-spheres that are attached and he has no face, just a slit that serves as a support for his silver eyes, and he holds a golden stick with two green spheres on it the end.
Honestly, I don't know how to describe the mess this rabbit is made of in a more bizarre way, but I have the feeling that I shouldn't play with him, especially if this creature can appear out of nowhere without me being able to notice it.
And in the state I'm in, he could eliminate me without the slightest effort. Just thinking about it makes me break out in a cold sweat.
"Welcome to the Tower, young man. My name is Headon and I am the Administrator of the 1st Floor of the Tower."
Headon introduced himself with a strangely calm voice while turning his staff, which is a pretty strange name but the thing that confused me the most was that he said he was an Administrator?
What can it be?? Is it like an administrator in a video game? I don't think I'm in a virtual game at the moment since I don't have that kind of thing in my palace, especially since this world seems too real for it to be virtual.
And I don't think there would be anyone in my castle who would have the audacity to play such tricks on me.
But he clarified like he was the 1st Floor Administrator, meaning that there is at least one or more Administrators on each Floor in the Tower, Although the information seems quite scant, in the current situation I am in, every piece of information or knowledge could save my life or be useful to me.
"Young man, what is your name?"
Headon just cut me off from my thoughts, I had completely forgotten that I was facing him. I decided to answer him as honestly as possible, because the sense of danger in me screams at me not to deceive him like he could see me through my mind with his piercing eyes under his slit.
I bowed slightly and delicately placed my right hand on my chest, I then introduced myself while looking at him:
"Hello Mr. Headon, my name is the 25th Baam, like the day I was born. I apologize for the lack of respect I showed a moment ago."
"Hmmm, You seem much more polite than the other guests who came long before you, and although your name is complicated, it is quite delicious~."
Headon said holding his chin with his hand and looking satisfied, which made me shiver a little but I quickly regained my composure.
The fact also that I presented myself as the 25th Baam is quite simple, I just don't want to live as King Gray anymore, especially since I am no longer really Gray, at least from the outside.
"But tell me Mr. Baam, what brings you here?"
The humanoid rabbit asked curiously, I won't be able to say how I entered this Tower since I don't know how this soul transmission procedure works but I have another answer that might satisfy him.
"I was following a girl who entered the Tower like me, but I lost interest in her seeing how she abandoned me to enter. Now all I want is to live a life that I will be satisfied with, a life from which I will have no chain that will bind me."
I responded with a determined voice at the end of my sentence, what I said was completely honest because although I have all the memories that gave me a feeling of well being thinking of the time when the former owner of this body spent with this woman, I remain still indifferent towards her.
It's her choice if she wants to climb the Tower alone for her objective, I won't force her to join me if she doesn't want to, but it's not like I was going to ask her to follow me, because I will climb the Tower for a different reason than his.'
And I have a bad feeling towards her, especially seeing how she abandoned and treats Baam with shamelessly, I don't want to affiliate myself with that kind of woman.
"Oohh, your determination is remarkable, your goal although mundane is something I respect."
Headon declared, rubbing his chin as if it wasn't the first time he'd heard this kind of goal. He took a more compliant posture and said something that really interested me:
"If you want to achieve your goal, then climb the floors of the Tower one by one until you reach the top of the Tower, where all wishes come true."
He stopped on his explanation, then he raised his golden staff towards the ceiling and continued with a fervent voice:
"Money and Wealth?"
"Honor and pride"
"Authority and power?"
"Vengeance?"
"Or something that transcends all of that?"
"Whatever you want"
" is at the top of the Tower."
After he finished his explanation, I could only think of one thing.
Is all this really real?
I'll admit that I'm pretty excited because of Headon's statement, but is it worth it to take such a long and adventure-filled journey to achieve a life of happiness?
Yes of course.
I absolutely cannot lose this opportunity, not the least in the world. I'm just tired of dancing in the palms of the hands of power-hungry people, whether it's the Council or Vera.
I will break each of the hands of those who want to put me under their palm, I will decide what I will do in my life, I will ensure that I no longer make mistakes and that I can flourish in this second life.
As Director Wilbeck always advised me.
"But the path to the Tower is difficult and painful, young man. Do you still want to get there?"
Headon advised me with his back to me, but I could see behind his facade, it's as if he wanted to insist me to take this path, I just replied afterwards:
"If I can make it happen, then I'll take all the risks."
"Very good, that's a very good decision, let's take a test to see if you are qualified to climb the Tower or not."
Headon replied not seeming to be surprised that I made such a decision, I just made a confused face about the test he mentioned, which of course he noticed and then explained to me:
"Young man, inside the Tower there is a test on each Floor, to find out if you are qualified. The subject of the tests are decided by the Rulers and Administrators of each Floor, of course the difficulty varies according to the floor. That is to say Mr. Baam, if you want to go to the next Floor, you must pass my test."
I just nodded in understanding, the Tower looks like a video game in its own right, the one he created is truly genius.
"So look, here's the 1st Floor test."
*Tac*
*SHAAAAAAAAAA!!!*
Headon tapped the ground with his staff and a bright blue glow erupted from one of the spheres of his staff. The strange light reached one of the walls of the Floor and it began to open to reveal an enormous cage filled with a cyan blue substance enclosed by giant black bars.
I could only be impressed by this magical demonstration of Headon, which makes excitement rise in me. I want to be able to manipulate such power.
But my excitement started to subside as I saw the thing inside the cage, which made my stomach churn and my eyes widened in shock.
In the huge cage, there is a huge white eel with red spots and a black abdomen. This eel had impressive red horns that curved horizontally, it had huge wings as fins and sharp teeth.
Just by looking at her I could tell that that she was starving and when she spotted me from the cage, she probably took me for her dinner for a long time.
Behind the eel, I could see a levitating black sphere that seems to be about my size, I have some speculation what this oversize ball is for.
"This test is called the <ball>, the rules of this test are simple; you have to avoid or defeat the monster you see, then move towards the black ball and exert sufficient force to pierce it."
I said nothing and was simply all ears to what Headon was saying, he then continued his explanations of his test:
"For information this creature is called the <white steel eel> and it is a Shinheuh (divine fish of the seas) which lives and swims in the Shinsu flowing into the Tower. Normally this species is docile but it's the spawning period and this one hasn't eaten since several months, so she is quite aggressive."
I was still standing, looking in awe at this creature while gradually processing the information Headon shared with me. This is the first time I have seen such a huge creature in my life, in terms of length it must be the size of a 7-story building.
Whether it's my current strength or my strength when I was still King Grey, I can't face this giant eel head-on, I'm just a peanut to her.
And Headon clearly specified that this Eel swims in<Shinsu> , I assume then that this blue substance must be Shinsu, which will probably improve the speed of this eel but it will surely also limit my movements.
And even if I miraculously reach the Ball, I won't have the strength to break it, especially with an old knife.
"Tsk, that's annoying."
I could only mumble in frustration, I didn't want to die in this suicidal test, but I have no choice because I will never be able to reach the top of the Tower if I can only get past the first Floor.
"Are you afraid? This is a big problem if you are afraid of this huge fish, Mr. Baam. But I can understand you because the eel is currently in concentrated Shinsu and it is becoming very agile, you will end up becoming its food in no time. I advise you to give up because it's not worth it."
Once again he acts as a good advisor, but I've known a lot of guys like you my rabbit, you just want to have fun, right? His smirk behind his false facade can be seen thousands of miles away, and although it surely provokes me to want to dive head first into this cage, there is a grain of truth in these words.
I am currently too weak, and it is sickening. This feeling of helplessness is all too familiar, whether in my childhood, during my military schooling period or in front of Cecilia, I never really got used to being taken for weak.
I don't know if my new body is talent-poor like mine in my old life or even worse, but even if it is, I will train until I break my limits.
If I want to live my second life the way I want, I must obtain power that will surpass anyone.
"Sigh ...."
I let out a long sigh, to clear my head because it was not the time to think about this kind of thing, this rabbit might think I sh*t myself.
"Rather than wanting to follow this goal that you wanted to achieve so much, isn't it better to give upand protect your own life?"
*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*
".....?"
I just walked quietly passing Headon a little perplexed by my decision.
Yes, a decision I made and which I will not change, I walk proudly towards the cage while giving a sharp look towards the eel which seems satisfied that its meal has arrived in its territory.
But he wasn't the only one who was happy with my decision, I turned my head slightly to see Headon's creepy smile in his crack which made me a little uncomfortable, but what really confirmed something to me.
All this amuses this b*stard, and I don't think that seeing people like me struggle or get killed in their tests is just one of his hobbies.
Tsk, that's why I hate rabbits.
"Hihi, welcome to the Tower, young man."
His laughter was barely audible but it made me more and more uncomfortable. Anyway, I have an eel waiting for me.
No matter how much I think about it, my chances of passing this test are very low, the only way I see where there is hope is to be able to narrowly dodge the eel's attacks until luring it to the ball so that it can destroy it involuntarily. But even that seems impossible but I can only do it."
I gripped the handle of my machete tightly and assumed the attitude I had as King Gray when I went to war, it's not because I no longer want to consider myself to be King Gray that I won't use his manners anymore, they are always useful especially in the mess I find myself in. I have to keep my composure as much as possible if I want to think rationally.
Just as I was about to take the last step before entering the cage, I felt a presence from above coming towards me at full speed.I look up to see something that leaves me a little stunned.
"Huh? A giant foot?"
That was the last thing I said before I got kicked in the face, causing me to fall from behind...
"Urghh, why must such strange things appear one after the other since I've been in this d*mn Tower?"
While grunting in pain, I wipe my face only to see the tank that has just crushed my face.
Well, calling her a tank seems like quite an insult because the one who just gave me a German surplex is none other than a beautiful young girl who looks like she's in her twenties, no, calling her beautiful is an understatement because she is the most beautiful girl I have seen in my two lives.
She had a graceful face with a perfect nose and eyelashes, her lips were so thin it looked supernatural, her skin was very pale and looked as if she had lost a good amount of blood, her eyes was a red that would put any ruby to shame and her long hair in a ponytail was as black as obstidian.
For her clothes, it was rather simple although it suits her very well, she wears a red skirt with black tights underneath, with a white shirt with long sleeves and a red hair tie which is quite long and in the middle of his tie there was a symbol with three red eyes, which oddly seems familiar...
In short, she has perfect beauty if I can say so, but that's not the only thing that intrigued me. My instinct tells me that she has unimaginable power for my current self, its aura even makes me shudder.
Is this Tower filled with monsters as strongs or even strongers than this girl?
D*mn, I really need to improve my strength as quickly as possible because right now I'm just a little sardine in a sea full of sharks.
The unknown girl still looks at me with a straight face until she breaks the silence, but...
"%@€&@#&€%#$^@€@&@€%@€ (Hey new guy, you plan to die as soon as you arrive at the Tower, huh?)"
"Um, hello?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone