- Position Test -

When Bam tried to protect the random regular, he didn't expect that the regular would hold his weapon and then swung it to him.

Charlotte noticed that and immediately pulled Bam to dodge it and then swung Black March, resulted to his death. When Charlotte killed the random regular, everyone there seemed to be surprised, she also felt the same.

She had killed someone.

"You.....you....." The random regular who she killed seemed to want to say something before he collapsed. He wasn't breathing anymore. But when Charlotte saw his eyes, she knew that the random regular was shocked and also, he was angry at her.

When they looked at Charlotte's expression, her face was a mix between fear and bitterness. She had killed someone with her own hands and it was unbelievably easy.

Charlotte closed her eyes and pulled Black March. She tried to assure her that it was normal to kill someone in the tower. It was just like their daily activities. But the more Charlotte tried to calm herself, the more she felt that she was actually deceiving herself. In fear, she took few steps backward, moving away from the corpse.

That random regular was indeed annoying but she never thought about killing him. And even if he will die at the end, she didn't expect that she would be the one to kill him.

When Bam held her shoulder, she was startled. Her body was trembling greatly and saddened him. Bam knew that she did that for him and she killed someone to protect him.

Really, the tower wasn't the place for the two of them. He didn't understand about the unwritten rules in the tower like it was either you kill or be killed or something. He didn't understand why they should be killing and hurting each other. He extended his hand and said, "Let's leave."

Although she was now trembling and sweating coldly, Charlotte still had some rationality with her. She extended her hand and held his hand.

Endorsi knew that Bam was going to look for Rachel again therefore, she told him that Rachel didn't want to look at him and even called him as an 'idiot'. But who would have guessed that Bam would encounter her words with some genuine words and made her speechless?

"I know that but....." He looked at Endorsi and stepped out from the circle along with Charlotte. "I can't stop my heart from following her."

After he said those words, he left with Charlotte and didn't turn their heads around to look at Endorsi again.

"She got dumped" the two another random regulars said in the same time and earned a death glare from Endorsi.

To be able to reject such a beautiful yet strong princess, Charlotte and Bam were indeed something!

A random regular informed them that something seemed to happen to Michelle as he can't contact her lighthouse. Charlotte was annoyed, but still, she followed Bam and left to look for Michelle or Rachel.

•••

Team A was bewildered when they saw the screen had no connection. Rak was also wondering the same thing. Khun, on the other hand, he hit his head on the table as he can't look at the chaos and mess that his friends were stuck in.

•••

"Brother, you should always be careful of Hoh."

If he listened to Charlotte's words, will things change?

Before, whenever Charlotte said those words, he would always flick her forehead like what Khun taught him. He always believed that Hoh was their friends and they even signed their names on the friend list.

So when he saw with both of his own eyes that Hoh pointed a knife to Rachel or Michelle, he was rather shocked.

The ranker couldn't do anything either since they were in the safe zone and based on the rules, he should never cross that safe zone until the game ended. Meanwhile, the spear bearers who betrayed Hatz worked together with Hoh. They would threaten Quant with Rachel's life to not attack them.

Rachel was Bam's light. She was the one who taught him everything. She was the one who took care of him. She was his motivation to come this far and now, his light was on a great danger. Charlotte personally didn't mind to let Hoh kill Rachel but she wanted to tell Bam and let him face the truth that his light never wanted him from the beginning.

Besides, it would change the plotline too much and Bam wouldn't want to climb the tower if Rachel dies. Therefore, as much as she hated it, she should keep Rachel alive.

Bam who was betrayed by one of his friends wanted to get close to Hoh and Rachel but Hoh threatened him.

"Damn it, all this......" Hoh muttered under his breath. His plan to use Rachel to learn about Bam's real identity and to figure out how he had the talent that he envied and then killed Rachel secretly to add misery for Bam was now ruined.

He shouted, "ALL OF THIS IS BECAUSE OF YOU! I know people like you. Born naturally with talent.....and who will soon become arrogant! I can tell! You are going to be just like them! YOU MONSTER-"

"You are the one who is monster!" Charlotte cut off. How dare he insulted and mocked her brother like this. "You betrayed your own friend! How pathetic!"

"Friend?" Hoh echoed. "Do you think just because we signed our names on the paper means that we are friends? How naive!"

"It's better to be naive than to be a pawn for someone else!" Charlotte argued again with him. Even the most arrogant people in this world might be more loyal than you, you are worse than them!"

Hoh gritted his teeth and shouted, "So what? Either you stop that ranker or I will kill this girl!" He stabbed Rachel with that knife and covered her mouth so that she can't scream, but Bam could see it clearly from Rachel's eyes that she felt pain.

"Do you want her to die?"

Bam looked at Quant. Quant, rather than saying he was still angry, now, he felt more disappointed with this team. They betrayed each other and we're crumbled from inside even before he could do anything.

How disappointing.

But then again, there were lots of people like them in the tower. This wasn't something new for a ranker who has climbed this far.

Quant didn't care about Rachel, but the reason why he was thinking about how to save that girl was because of Khun Aguero Agnes. He had said it that he was working with someone from Team B to eliminate the blonde lightbearer in order to guarantee his success.

"Are you serious that yo are going to fight me?" Quant asked Bam. Seeing how he prepared his stance, Quant knew that the boy was determined. He sighed and asked, "Do you really think you could defeat me?"

There was a large different between a ranker and a regular, especially when the regular was just someone from the Test Floor. If Bam really fight with Quant, then Quant could have killed him with one movement.

But he had a better idea.

He pretended to give Bam shinsu that could freeze target. He convinced him to deal with Hoh who was in the safe zone since only regulars could cross the safe zone while he would deal the spear bearers first. Bam, believing in the ranker immediately left to try to save Rachel.

Quant knew that it took him years to master the technique to freeze someone. There was nothing like giving someone shinsu. He was just giving him false hope. But when he saw how the boy could freeze the target and saved the girl made him wonder whether the boy was indeed the monster like what Hoh said.

Bam looked at Rachel. He knew that she wasn't fine. He was extremely worried about her but he froze when he heard what she said.

"Bam...... Charlotte.....why are you here......? Didn't I tell you.....to not....come.....here......?"

She collapsed after she said those words. Bam, he heard what Rachel said clearly but no matter what he was thinking, he pushed that matter aside and looked at Hoh, "Why? Why did you do that? Why Rachel.....?"

Hoh has always been wondering about something. How could both Charlotte and Bam possess such a talent when they weren't irregulars or the Ten Great Families? Who were they? How could they possibly shine so bright? He didn't understand it.

When he was young, his friends were murdered by someone. That person was very strong and he couldn't do anything. Hoh felt that it was unfair. Why won't God give him more power? At least, in that way, he could save his friends. At least in that way, maybe none of this would happen.

Bam was a monster. He knew that but he wasn't afraid. At this moment, he felt kind of tired. He betrayed himself, maybe he was also betraying himself by doing this. He lifted the knife that was tainted with Rachel's blood and then stabbed himself, ending his own life.

There were those who knew that Hoh would make this kind of decision but couldn't do anything. There were those who didn't care at all while there were those who wholeheartedly prayed that he won't do that and cried when he ended his own life.

Bam grew in a secluded place outside of the tower. He was naive. He thought that they were all his friends. So when he was faced with this kind of situation, he didn't know what to do. He didn't understand why they were killing each other like this. But the longer he stayed in the tower, he started to learn lots of things. But what he learnt can't bring Hoh back.

Charlotte held the Black March tightly. She needed the needle's help. But the problem was that Black March preferred handsome and attractive young men while she was a girl. Then if she tried to ignite this picky weapon, will it listen to her? But the attractive man who Black March preferred or Bam, he was currently holding Rachel tightly and he was trying to understand everything that just happened. She didn't want to bother him.

The other one, Hatz, he was probably unconscious since he was knocked out by the ranker. Aside from the two of them, she didn't know who to look anymore.

But it was better to try than doing nothing. She has been watching everything without being able to do anything. But after she tried and tried, she didn't know how to talk with this picky weapon and eventually given up.

But when she lowered down the Black March, there was a blinding light.

|Next Morning|

In early morning, Charlotte was enjoying the view all alone. In early morning, considering how tired everyone yesterday, she was sure that no one would wake up this early and knowing how quiet the place was, she was even certain that no one was there. The only one who could wake up this early was probably Altaira.

Last night, she asked to sleep with her Brother Altaira. She was kind of tired yesterday and felt that she can't sleep alone so she lowered her pride and asked for his help. Altaira didn't laugh. He knew what the girl has experienced and instantly agreed.

When she heard the sound of footsteps, she believed that it was Altaira who came. She smiled without even glancing back since she was certain that it was her brother.

"You're back" she said. "Yesterday was very tiring right?" She let out a sigh, "My team sucks. How could they possible crumble from inside first before encountering the enemy? Do they have to create such a drama? I don't understand."

Altaira, "......."

"Along the mountains sink the last rays of sun, toward the sea of the Yellow River does forward go. If you would fain command a thousand miles in view, to a higher floor you are expected to go1" she lowered her head before she smiled and said, "I thought that this poem is similar with us. If we want to be more successful, then we should climb higher floor. Do you agree with me brother?"

1- This is a Chinese Poem called Deng Guan Que Lou or On Stork Tower written by Wang Zhi Huan.

Altaira didn't answer again, but Charlotte knew that he was listening. He hasn't left yet.

"Brother.....do you know that...... yesterday, I learnt something new" Charlotte said again. "If you get more, then the others will get less. When you are being fortunate, then the others will be unlucky.

Do you know, when I ignited Black March, she asked me whether I wanted to kill those regulars to end it quickly and faster but I disagreed."

|Yesterday|

"So what you mean is that you need my help to end this test as soon as possible? Just for that?" The young lady with golden hair and pointy ears with red gown asked her. She was the Black March who she ignited successfully.

Charlotte nodded her head. She was happy that she could ignite Black March and hoped that she could end all these suffocating things and drama as soon as possible.

"Then do you want me to kill all of them here?" Black March asked. "Don't worry, I won't kill your brother and his friend over there."

Charlotte immediately shook her head and disagreed.

Charlotte knew that the regulars on her team were all annoying and irritating and most of them were a bunch of jerks that can't be recycled. But still, she had just killed someone and she was still afraid. She didn't want to let those regulars to die on her hands. Besides, her brothers and friends might not be happy if she did that.

"Very well then" Black March responded. "For this once, I will help you. But I'm sure you know that you can't keep saving everyone like this right?"

"I'm not planning to save them" Charlotte said. "I just don't want them to die on my hands."

"Being too nice isn't good. If you get too nice, then the others might take advantage of you" Black March said again.

Of course Charlotte understood that. She agreed with what Black March said. But she believed that most of the people in this test floor will be nice to her and they were friends. She believed that.

"And there is one more thing you have to remember" Black March said again.

"What is that?"

She pointed to Bam, "Next time, let him ignite me. I want to be ignited by your brother, understand?"

Charlotte laughed nervously. She had expected that Black March preferred her brother a lot but she didn't sxpect that she would say it straightforwardly like this. But she can't guarantee that Bam would be igniting her since she was planning to give her to Anaak Zahard.

"....I will try" Charlotte said.

"What do you mean by that?" Black March gave her the skeptical look.

"Well, I'm sure your owner will be looking for you soon" Charlotte said. "But I could guarantee that in the future, there will be a day where my brother ignites you. I promise."

Black March looked annoyed. But she knew that they didn't have lots of time so she told Charlotte to hold her words since if she lied, then Black March would personally look for her.

|Present|

Charlotte chuckled when she remembered this. Black March and Ha Yuri Zahard were indeed a good match of weapon and the owner. She sighed again before she said, "Brother, do you know that when I stabbed Black March right to that regular, I really felt afraid." She opened her palms and noticed that her hands were trembling. "When I know that how easy it is to take someone's life, I feel scared. But killing is something that I must do if I want to climb this tower right?"

Altaira didn't answer again.

"Say.....if I am half as cold blooded and ruthless like Endorsi or Khun, would things get better?" Charlotte asked. "But aside from afraid of losing friends, after yesterday, I started to feel afraid of losing my own humanity. What if one day I go cold hearted and murdered everyone like a mad man?" She chuckled hollowly and asked, "It won't be nice right?"

She smiled and decided to look at Altaira who has been quiet, "But still, Black March is kind of funny. She wants me to give her to -"

When Charlotte saw who was standing behind her, she immediately froze. She froze on her spot and lost in words.

The one who was listening to all her words and remained silent this entire time wasn't Khun Altaira Rain but rather, one of the people who she was nervous to meet with, Khun Aguero Agnes.