- Happy Valentine! -

The boss- level guardian took the shape and the form of a big, ugly and noisy bird. In its mouth, there were around 10 sharp teeth. 3 at above and below, 2 at the left and right of its big mouth. Its claws were extremely sharp like a scythe and seeing how sharp they were, Charlotte was certain that if an ordinary D- rank regular had a fight with this bird, those claws would have taken his life within one attack.

But this day was an unlucky day for the bird, for it encountered an irregular who was trying out her new power. Charlotte wasn't sure whether the bird could stand her new power, but still she gave it a shot.

On her right palm, a lotus bloomed. The pink- colored lotus that bloomed on her hand only had 8 petals.

"What are you planning to do with that lotus?" Noah curiously asked.

Charlotte's lips curled into a smile.

"Just watch it."

She closed her right palm and the lotus disappeared. The next thing that she did was kneeling and putting her hand on the floor. Less than a second, the ground seemed to be shaking.

Knowing that the ground was shaking, the bird couldn't help but to look at the ground as it had a bad feeling. Suddenly, 8 petaled lotus came out from the floor. Those petals weren't actually as big as its size, but they weren't small either. The bird flapped its wings and flew in the air to dodge the lotus.

Her new skill did surprised the others as well. Noah who quickly regained his calmness glanced at Charlotte and said, "Your new skill is indeed surprising, but the bird is smarter than you thought."

Charlotte's smile just grew wider as if she had seen it coming.

Of course, it wasn't the end of her new skill. After the lotus bloomed, green vines came out from the lotus and tried to catch the bird. The bird tried to dodge each of them but with its size, getting caught was inevitable.

With its strength, the bird could have destroyed those vines if the user wasn't strong enough. But the one who he was facing was Charlotte. If breaking one chain meant her power was as strong as D- rank regular, now that she had broken 3 chains successfully, her strength was in the same level with a B- rank regular. Even if the bird was stronger than her, her vines were really tough and not easy to break. At the end, the bird was pulled back in the lotus and the lotus closed itself. The 8 petaled lotus were even harder to be destroyed. No matter how much it struggled and tried to tear the petals off with its sharp claws, he didn't even manage to scratch even a single petal.

This power....Khun was certain that even an A- rank regular couldn't easily break free after being caught. With her current power, she might just be one of the strongest regulars, her strength might even exceeded Bam. Within a night, she had became the strongest among all of them.

Soon enough, a larger green vine grew from the floor and quickly and without hesitation, it pierced through the lotus petals and stabbed him. The green vine stabbed the bird's chest and made its way out of the bird's body. The edge of the vine and the part of the vine that grew from his body were colored crimson red and its blood was flowing down. The hole of one of the petals were also colored with red of blood.

"..........."

On her own, she defeated the boss who was supposed to be a tough enemy. She defeated it on her own and in short time. And she hasn't used her full power yet.

Charlotte stood up and looked at the others with a smile, "What do you think? It isn't bad right?"

She looked at the dead bird and pulled back the vine and the lotus. The bird who had lost its life fell on the ground, creating a loud 'bang' before it slowly disappeared and vanished.

Next, a door suddenly opened.

"Ah, isn't it the entrance to the 'Room of the Past'?" Charlotte asked nonchalantly as she had seen this coming, clapping her hands to remove the dusts from her hands. "Mysterious as ever."

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

The first thing that Bam did when he saw Charlotte was to hug her tightly, relieved that she didn't disappear or go missing. Charlotte was startled at first, but she hugged her brother back, not minding how tightly it was. The fact that Bam was holding her tightly that she could feel pain meant that this wasn't a dream. This was never a dream or hallucination. She was with them.

In order to enter the room at the other side, they needed to wait until 9. It was the rule in the train. Forcing to enter the room without waiting until 9 will surely break the rules and create even more problems.

While waiting, they could only enjoy the foods, snacks and drinks prepared by the train. The train sometimes would provide foods and drinks at a certain time or under certain conditions. Therefore, they won't have to worry about starving inside the train, unless the one who was staying in the train was a picky eater. The train won't provide foods based on what you like or what you don't. No matter whether you like it or not, if you wanted to survive, you have to eat what has been provided and prepared. Whenever she thought of this, Charlotte was grateful that she wasn't a picky eater now and knew that this was an adaptive test.

Come to think of it, before, she used to be a picky eater. Only after she trained for 7 years in FUG and realized how she should have been grateful on what Gods had provided for her. This was an adaptive test. In order to survive, she had to eat anything edible without complaining. She had to survive in this tower right?

If it wasn't for Bam's existence and the others, she would have thought that reborn to this tower was a curse. But with their presences, it wasn't really a curse, but a blessing. Thinking about this, Charlotte suddenly realized something.

The tower was indeed cruel. But because she suffered bitterness again and again, she really grew up and became tougher. The phrase "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" really described her and her friends. Whenever they survived from a danger, their strengths would increase and they'll be better. By suffering bitterness, she learnt how to value things and be grateful. Like seeing the sky and those kind of stuffs. In her former like, she used to consider those things insignificant, but now, she realized that without the sun and moon at the sky above, things felt kind of different.

Friendship, love, luck, she really viewed them differently from before.

Hockney said that he sensed something dangerous from Rachel and therefore, Khun thought that it was worth it to be cautious around Rachel and observe her. But Charlotte was sure that Khun would be able to be cautious around Rachel. The Rachel who he had always looked down upon and trampled on his feet had gained a great support from someone.

"Brother, Khun, Hockney" she called the three of them and walked towards them. She was eating a bag of chocolate balls. On the other side of the room, there was Altaira wondering where on earth the bag of chocolate balls that he found first and was planning to eat. "It isn't wrong to say that you sense the feeling of 'death' whenever you are around Rachel. It's because she received a great help from Poe Bidau Gustang."

"What?!"

The help from one of the Family Heads, obviously her power must be stronger right now. Khun knew how strong the Family Heads could be. Their existences were just like Gods in the tower. By receiving a help from a Family Head, it was no different than receiving a huge blessing from a God in this tower.

Charlotte thought that she had changed the plot line, preventing Rachel from gaining more power. But it seemed like she underestimated Poe Bidau Gustang. Without seeing Rachel, he was being able to put "something" around her.

"That Poe Bidau Gustang gave her some- kind of creature to protect her....and to get a treasure in the Hidden Floor later on" Charlotte explained. "We have to be more careful in the Hidden Floor."

"I see......"

The Rachel who he had always ridiculed and trampled on suddenly became lucky and gained a creature to protect her and to get treasure for her, he really didn't understand why would Gods give someone like her a chance. Was it to let her climb higher and fall miserably? It better be that way. Even if it won't happen, he will make sure that will happen.

'The best way to predict the future is to create it.'

He would never forgive her. She betrayed the one who trusted her the most, his friends. She caused them to be separated for 7 years and became the reason why they were tormented these years. She had hurt them several times, again and again, all over without remorse and guilt. Whenever he thought what she had done, he felt that his blood was boiling.

'I'll never let her off.'

Charlotte smiled when she saw Khun glaring cold at Rachel. She knew what he was thinking. It would have been strange if she didn't know what he was thinking after climbing the tower with him for more than 8 years.

She had known him before he knew her. He was the one who gave her the confidence when she was down. He didn't know about it, but Charlotte knew about him. The longer the time they spent together, the more she knew about him.

"Alright, don't glare like that" said Charlotte as she handed him the bag of chocolate. "Try these. The chocolates are tasty here."

Khun looked at Charlotte, didn't say a word. The hostility coming from him had calmed down as he took one of the chocolate balls.

"It tastes good right?"

He nodded and hummed, "Where do you find this?"

"Brother Altaira finds it first. But then he gives these to me since he wants to fight with Noah" said Charlotte with a happy smile. She was unaware that her brother wasn't actually giving the chocolates to her.

Charlotte watched Khun eating while thinking about something.

"You know, in my place, at 14th February, you could give chocolates to the people who you love as it is the Valentine day."

Khun choked on the chocolates he was eating and both Bam and Hockney were not any better.

Khun looked at her, dumbfounded, "....what?"

Charlotte smiled, "But it's usually women who give the chocolates at 14th February. And afterwards, men will return the favor and send gifts to women at 14th March which is the White Day."

Bam quietly checked the calendar to confirm about something extremely important. Hockney was asking him what he was doing when Bam replied with the sigh of relieve.

'14th March...' Khun thought.

"I heard from Raisin that Altaira was building a team for Celeste... I wonder if its because Celeste likes white chocolates that he named the team as 'White Chocolate' or because he's waiting for White Day to give Celeste white chocolates" said Charlotte. "Speaking of it, I never knew my brother is such a lovesick before."

"Then are you a lovesick as well?"

Charlotte pondered her answer before she said, "I don't know. I never liked anyone before."

Khun thought for awhile before he replied, "I think even if you likes someone, you won't admit it either."

That somehow startled Charlotte as she looked away. Her cheeks were slightly blushing, looking rather nervous and embarrassed. Khun just chuckled.

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

The big group rested until 9 p.m. before entering the room. A door was opened for them to enter and they all went in it together.

To their surprise, in the room where they were heading, they actually encountered enemies.

"KARAKA!"

Yuri shouted when she saw that familiar man who once fought with her and escaped. She didn't think that finding Karaka will be this easy and fast!

"I wondered where you are hiding! And here you are! You're so dead!"

"Yura?!" Rachel who sat on her yellow lighthouse was surprised to see her friend was wrapped around Karaka's metal thingy. Yura who was tied and taken as hostage felt happy to see Rachel again, "Rachel! You came to rescue me!"

'She can't even protect herself, saving you? Really, you must be one of her fans' Charlotte thought, rolling her eyes. 'Don't deceive yourself.'

"Miseng!" Bam called the short brown haired girl's name. Just like Yura, she was also caught by Karaka as a hostage. "What are you doing here?!"

Estrella looked around. Her double- colored eyes were looking around the room before she saw someone familiar, someone who she was yearning for!

Estrella wasn't sure whether she should be relieved to see her sister was still alive right now for Estelle looked like she had been through so much pain. Her long red hair was cut short and she seemed to be knocked unconscious. Blood was flowing from her head and it seemed to still be fresh. There were also some bruises that weren't completely healed on her face.

"Sister!" She cried out.

"Jue Viole Grace! Nox! So you came here on your own accord!" Karaka's voice distracted Charlotte who was pondering about something.

As he launched his attack, he shouted again, "This will save me some time!"

Yuri raised her right hand to gather Shinsu to form an attack, "I'm the one....who has been trying to find you and teach you a lesson!"

"Ugh!"

The battle between the high rankers really gave the others feeling of pressure. Altaira hoped that Yuri will be merciful and remember the existences of them, regulars and hold herself back. Otherwise, if these two really fight with their full power, this train would be wrecked for sure. They won't be able to save themselves either.

While Yuri was confronting Karaka, Bam used the [Blue Oar] and went to Miseng, wanting to rescue her. But unexpectedly, Karaka appeared behind him.

"I expected that you would come and save her first" he said with Shinsu on his hand.

"Bam! Watch out!"

"Damn it! Where did that guy come from?"

When Karaka was about to hurt Bam, the master key that was kept in Bam's pocket glowed. The key let out a blinding light that forced them to close their eyes. In the same time, a door then opened and the regulars could feel a force pulling them inside.

Quickly and randomly, Charlotte held into someone. She was afraid of being separated and ended up alone in a place that she didn't know where it was and decided to do so.

The door pulled the regulars inside, rankers were exception. Once they were all pulled inside, the door finally closed itself.

[Hidden Floor]

By the time Charlotte opened her eyes, she realized the one who she was holding was Khun. She released her hand by the time she knew that she ended up with Khun, Hockney and Endorsi.

"Where are we actually?" Khun asked, ignoring what happened earlier.

"Probably in the Hidden Floor" Charlotte answered.

"Hidden Floor?!"

The place that they ended up in was precisely the Hidden Floor. She remembered this place clearly. To say that the place was a train, it didn't seem to be like the part of the train. It took form of the outer space, with stars and everything.

Soon enough, they were approached by something.

The thing that approached them came in group. All of them looked the same with each other. Their appearances were just like a bunch of red toys, except that those toys were holding sharp knife and shield on their hands.

Khun formed a barrier with his lighthouses.

"Hockney! Did you see anything?" He asked Hockney. "Like where Bam or Rachel is?"

"I.....I don't know, I've been feeling nauseous since I come here.....I can't see anything at all" Hockney replied, looking dizzy while holding his stomach.

"What?!"

"I just feel awful, like I'm going to throw up......"

Endorsi, on the other hand, was holding Bong Bong and put two of her fingers on her forehead with her eyes closed, saying some words, "Get me to the place where Bam is. Let's go! Bong Bong!"

"Endorsi, what are you doing? And what are you doing with your hands? Are you trying to be Son Goku?"

"There!"

Endorsi tried to use Bong Bong to find Bam but she ended up falling. Seeing her falling, Khun wondered what Endorsi was doing.

"Why are you asking them?" Charlotte tilted her head, looking at Khun as if she couldn't understand why he asked the others. "You could have asked me instead. Could it be that you don't trust me?"

"No- that's not it!"

It wasn't that he didn't trust her. But because she had always kept things as secret and refused to tell him, he thought that this time she was also keeping things that she knew as secret again.

"Brother and the others also end up in this place....but it's just in another 'space'" Charlotte answered.

"What?"

"It's hard to explain....but we're definitely going to meet each other again in the Hidden Floor."

'I know where brother will end up later on......but I'm more worried about Brother Altaira. Who knows where he ends up to later on.'

Right at that moment, she and the others heard a voice.

"Kho kho~ this is so unusual! I can't believe those people entered this place by using the key! Has something happened on the train? I'm dying to know but I won't ask!"

A large silver scale appeared out of nowhere with a mirror in the middle of it. At the giant mirror, they could see their own reflections.

"I'm just~ a scale whose job to show yourself equally!! Hello intruders! My name is the 'Scale of the Past'!"

"What is this now....?" Khun asked. Things were getting weirder and weirder as the time passes.

"I will now show you your past and generate both place where you need to go as well as your sworn enemy!"

"Sworn enemy.....?" He glanced at Charlotte who replied, "You will know about it later."

"They will both be generated in the connection with your past, so you can neither refuse or change them! Because they have been determined by you yourself!"

When the scale said those words, the toys withdrew and left.

"So~ I will now show you yourselves in my mirror and determine where you must go! Kho kho- I wonder what destiny awaits you in here! You are curious, aren't you?"

'This guy talks way too much' Khun thought.

Even though Khun didn't say his thought out loud, he wasn't the only one who felt like that. Charlotte also felt the same thing. The scale was definitely the talkative one and she didn't really like someone who talks too much. But that wasn't the most important thing. Right now, what made her felt worried was that whether the scale might see through her real identity-

"Whoa! What do we have here? Another one who has been through death once!"

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Been through death....?" Khun echoed, looking at Charlotte.

He had heard based from Altaira, in order for them to be reborn again in this tower, they must die once. Among all of them, aside from Altaira, she was the only one who had suffered death once.

"Hm~ these people are extremely rare! I don't even believe that the two of them will appear here!"

Charlotte gritted her teeth. She didn't like to be reminded that she had died once.

"Now, now, this is even more interesting. I want to know, but I won't ask! My job is to preserve the balance! And now, if you want to find the journey that awaits you, then head inside~"