~back to 1st pers. pov~

we gathered at the big hall. Khun and I sat down next to the crocodile. "turtles! what took you so long to get here!?" He complained, agitated. "I told you, We went to find a wat to get Rachel into the next round."

"you two went mating! that's why you're late!" I snapped, "wh-what are you saying!?" I slammed a hand on his back. Bam looked unaffected like this was usually what goes down. "so... did you find a way?"

"Yeah, we did. but we're still not sure. first, let's see how this goes."

Lero Ro walked over to the podium in the middle of the stage. he scanned his eyes across the crowd in front of him, "good afternoon, regulars. This is Lero Ro." obviously. "starting now, I will announce the regulars who passed the final."

the room went dark, and a bright white screen flashed behind him. it showed the picture and names of the regulars who passed. unsurprisingly, that me and that eggplant, much to my dismay, passed. what was shocking though, is that Paracule guy successfully passed. and looking at my side to see his reaction, he was also shocked.

a guy slammed his fist on the table, snapping, "what!? what is this!? why am I out!? Our team beat the test!! How come I'm not in there!?"

"you don't agree with the results?" Hansung Yu asked, not surprised by his insolent behavior. "of course not! why did I fail?!" he spat. "as I said, the teachers' scores factor are also factors-" the ranker was cut off by the man angrily spitting flames made out of words, "that's bull! quit the crap and change it! I passed! you coffee addict! you know how hard i tried on the last test!"

Hansung Yu's chair scraped against the wooden stage. he made a beeline towards the middle and made a hand gesture towards the man, telling him to come to the stage.

he walked towards the stage hesitantly.

"Ok, Mr. Murch. If you don't agree with the result, prove yourself here. now." Hansung Yu commanded softly. "what? how can I ?"

"it's easy. You just have to make it off of this platform without going crazy," he said simply.

the man looked confused. we heard a sudden crack of bones as the man jolted up straight. "my shoulder!" he cried in agony. "you bastard!" he roared, another crack followed, and another, "damn! my legs!" not a second after, he screamed, "my balls!" what?

"P-Paracule! Help me!" his hands reached out towards the pickle looking coward. "huh? Mr. Paracule? Do you disagree with the results?" Hansung Yu asked threateningly. Paracule cowardly shook his head with a nervous laugh, "N-No way! I totally agree! I don't know what's wrong with him!"

"P-Paracule! you bastard!" the man trembled on the ground. "damn! I'll keep this in mind! you traitor!! I won't die alone like this!"

"wait!" a voice beside me called out, "I also disagree with the results, supervisor." Khun raised his hand while standing up, a smirk plastered on his face. Hansung Yu sighed loudly. "come up here please."

Khun made his way towards the big platform confidently. he stood beside the crouching man, looking up at Khun with eyes that brimmed with false hope. "I think he hasn't been beaten enough," Khun commented after taking a split second look at him. "Oh, I see." Another crack was heard and he fell down unconscious.

"so, what is your problem Khun? you passed the test with a high score. I'm sure you're not here to ask me to fail you." Khun put his hands on his hips, a small smile formed on his lips. "I want to bring Michel Light who failed due to injury, on the next round."

Hansung Yu sneered, "why do you care about Michel?"

"It's important to my friend." Hansung Yu's expression dropped and he started laughing. "O-Oh, I'm sorry! I don't associate you with the word friend." Khun looked at him annoyed. "But I'm sorry. she is too wounded to take the next test. and the rules say injured candidates can't participate in the next round."

Khun snapped, "I know, under normal circumstances that would be true."

"I'll meet the administrator of this floor myself, and take the test." the supervisors looked at him shocked.

"I heard that although the supervisors carry out the test now, the administrator has the supreme authority on all the tests. If I get permission from the administrator for Michel to rejoin the group, your rule regarding the injury and failure would be invalid right?" He said, his expression unchanging. "so I'll take the test from the administrator to get permission for Michel Light to re-join the game."

Khun continued Bluffing his way. "I'm sorry, there is another reason why people don't take that test. there is a pre-requisition to take that test." Hansung Yu stopped Khun from continuing babbling on. "you must be an irregular like Jahad or Urek Mazino."

Khun looked at him taken aback, he gritted his teeth. "wait!" Bam shot up from his seat. "please! I'll take the test!"

"Mr. Bam. didn't I just tell you? to take the test, you must be-" Bam snapped, "it doesn't matter! because I'm... I'm... an Irregular!" Our eyes went wide. damn! I wish I enough guts to tell everyone I'm an irregular like him.

~

we sat down in a circle on the big platform. "I thought there was something odd about Bam. But I never expected He was an Irregular..." he trailed off. everyone else was silent. "so, what's an irregular? why are you all so serious?" A girl asked. "an irregular is not chosen like us. they opened the door by themselves without being chosen." Shibisu explained. "well, first it violates the rules of the tower. and there has been chaos every time an irregular has entered the tower. the people in the central tower hate and fear irregulars."

"so...w-what now? when Bam left, the supervisor told us who passed that we need to think about taking the same test Bam is going to take or take a different test! what should we do?" she voiced.

"of... of course we won't help! we can't ruin our lives just to help that baby, right?" the pickle snapped. "didn't you pass because of Bam?" Hatz added, shadows looming over his eyes. "ye-yeah that true! But think! It's insane to help him! don't you agree!?"

"yeah... I agree..." I looked aside, shocked. "I feel sorry for Bam, but I can't help an irregular," he said softly. my eyes went wide out of disbelief. "Khun!??"

"you...earrings!? How can you say that!?" Hatz marched over to Khun. "I don't like it!" Khun snapped back, "But I don't have a choice. I can't help an irregular. If people knew that I helped an irregular, it would be the end of me! I could even get kicked out of the family!"

His voice softened up, trembling. "Damn... if I knew he was an irregular... I wouldn't have helped him at all..." I looked at him, my eyes still wide. what would have happened if I told him I entered the tower myself..?

"B...Bastard! You coward!" Hatz raised his fist. Khun was slammed down on the ground, but not because of the swordsman. "you... crocodile..." Khun wiped off the blood from his mouth. "hmph. you stupid turtles. all cowering under your shells in fear. that's why you're no more than a turtle." Rak stared at each and every one of us. "You never lift your heads up because of fear. I'm following him. I'm not afraid of the consequences. I don't want to lose my prey." he walked towards the exit, out the room.

"I'm going too," Anaak announced. "A-Anaak!"

"I don't really care, but I think it's better than staying with a cowering traitor, who would betray his friends to keep his family name." Anaak dragged shibisu by the collar and Hatz followed after her. "Where are you going?!" the blond girl shouted after them. Endorsi gave out a sigh. "I'm in too."

"E-Even you! W-wait!! Take me with you!"

one by one, everyone left the room. I stood up from the ground and stood in front of him. "(y/n)," he whispered weakly. I breathed, "I understand where you're coming from. But I've been disowned by my family multiple times now. the only reason I wasn't kicked out is that I'm from the main family." I turned my heels and walked off, "but I would rather be kicked out than to keep the name of a family that would disown you for helping a friend."

~

HAH! just kidding, "YA CAN'T TRICK ME THAT EASILY BITCH-" I turned around again, sitting next to him. "haaah. I may be dumb but I know your tricks. I just wanted to sound cool." I laid my back and stared at the ceiling. "Did I sound cool?" he shook his head, laughing. "yeah, you did."

"besides~ how can I forget that you're already kicked out lol?" I laughed alongside him. it died down after some time, "y'know Khun... you got me in the first half. not gonna lie." he smiled, "did I?" I sat up straight.

"you did! you scared me too!" I pulled out a handkerchief from my pocket, wiping the blood from the edge of Khun's mouth. "hey turtles. It's all over. stand up. all the other stupid turtles are taking the test." Rak walked in front of us. "you're getting better huh?"

the crocodile huffed. "I'm the only crocodile who knows what's inside the shell." he said, "you sneaky turtle."

they grinned at each other. "you called yourself a crocodile." Khun pointed out. Rak snapped at him, "Wh-what!? No, I didn't! I'm Rak Wraithraiser!!"

"guys we were having a moment."

~~~~~~

Lmao. If you guys didn't know, I've already reached the hell train arc. I have 23 chapters or more already prepared in my drafts. So yeah lol.