Tower of Endless: Death Granted Entry

Moon’s mind raced without a pause about this messed-up situation he was stuck in.

Fate Alert had the unchanging number, but, ”Wait a minute!” something came to his mind.

Knock!

Knock!

Silence~

Knock!

Knock!

”Brother Moon, may I come in?” Uon’s voice rang from behind the door.

Moon facepalmed, ’Dammit, what does this bastard want again?’ Irritated, Moon took a deep breath, calming himself.

Forcing a smile that looked too ugly to be called a smile before he opened the door.

Looking at Uon in his yellow pajamas and yellow headwear over his yellow hair, his hand tightened around the door. He suddenly felt dizzy.

He held it in. ”Big brother, need something?” He tried his best not to curse out loud.

”Um... do you know how to turn the lights off?” Uon asked. His tone was both curious and worried.

’Turn the lights off?’ Finally realizing the problem, Moon’s eyes widened. He looked around for the familiar object.

’There indeed is no oil lamp!’ He realized. ’How do I turn the lights off?’ he asked himself.

It didn’t cross his mind completely.

Admitting his rapidly deteriorating mental state, he said, ”I don’t know.” He shook his head.

’Does it need fancy preparations?’ Worried.

Uon smiled. ”It’s easy, don’t worry.” He pointed at a red spot on the inner side of the door. ”Here, tap any of these red spots and the lights will go on and off.” There were also more similar ones scattered around the room.

Moon nodded, ”Thanks, big brother,” and gratefully thanked him.

’So he also knows how to be considerate sometimes,’ he thought inwardly before goodnighting back and forth again.

Now that the lights were off, his brain was sluggish and he couldn’t even see properly anymore. He took off his shoes only and—

Thud~

Fell onto the bed. Feeling the softness, comfort. The way the bed held him, he couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore.

And finally, he fell asleep for the first time in a very long time.

Leaving the lights on.

...

In a different branch of the Normalization Facility.

A man stood in front of a building that looked identical to the one Moon was sleeping in now, and on the other side stood Teacher Samuel.

The man was wearing the same golden-rimmed robes like Samuel, along with the same shield emblem.

He was taller. His long hair looked as dark as the night, and his eyes were not much different. He was around 10cm taller than Samuel.

He had his hands clasped behind his back.

”Good evening, Samuel. What brings you here?” the man greeted casually.

”Kohl, since when did I allow mutts of this branch to roam in mine?” Samuel spoke, his tone firm and cold.

”Did little Rowa cause trouble again?” Kohl smiled, unbothered.

”Trouble is a small word for invading my branch and touching a student.”

”A student, at such a time... this is rare.”

Samuel looked at him. Seeing the way Kohl looked and spoke, the dismissive tone of his. There was something about the way Kohl spoke that wasn’t right.

The smirk and proud, or rather, superior way he gazed at Samuel.

Everything about him felt like a provocation, and Samuel didn’t seem like a person who appreciated being provoked.

So instead of engaging further—

Rumble~

His Echo, unrestrained, started creeping into the ground from where he stood.

Without a warning, the entire branch started shaking.

Kohl’s tone was laced with superiority ”Calm down, Samuel,” He spoke slowly, seemingly not worried in the slightest.

If anything, it sounded more like an order than a conversation.

But Samuel didn’t calm down, nor did the shaking cease. The ground started cracking, spreading beneath his feet rapidly.

Like shattering glass, the ground of the branch failed to resist.

Only then, ”Stop, are you trying to destroy my branch?” Kohl, watching this, couldn’t play cool anymore.

”Why wouldn’t I?” Samuel asked back nonchalantly.

”All of that because of a brat who’s an undead suspect?”

”Who says he’s undead?”

”What if I do?”

”What if I say he isn’t?”

The destruction kept spreading; Kohl released his own Echo, trying to resist. Yet, now it passed underneath Kohl’s own feet toward his dome.

Kohl threatened, ”Samuel, don’t force my hand.” Both his face and tone lost all signs of provocation.

”I want to see it, that hand of yours.”

He had released 100% of his Echo to fight back, but like it wasn’t even there, he failed to even hinder Samuel in the slightest.

On then, at this very moment, did Kohl realize he messed up. He now had no choice but to confront.

Shuuu~

He extended his hands, and a long crescent blade appeared.

”YOU WILL REGRET THIS!” he shouted, dashing forward at a blinding speed. The night lights seemed to dim, welcoming his march.

”Famous last words.”

Boom~

From the confrontation, two objects bounced explosively, like a broken doll. It smashed into the dome before crashing onto the ground again.

~Whoosh

The other object just stabbed into the stone of the dome.

”Auugh... Cough Cough!” Kohl, unable to understand what happened, spat a mouthful of blood.

He was overwhelmed in every single aspect, but before he could stand on his own two feet—

Thud~

A foot fell on his chest, and the same old man he provoked was standing leisurely, looking down at him.

Hands behind his back, clothes as tidy as ever.

”Sir Lucen will not let this matter—”

Thud~

The same foot slammed his chest again.

”Uck”

”Listen well,” Samuel spoke.

”I was here before this facility existed, before you were born, before the concept of branches existed, and if you think Lucen would help you, you also need to understand that I’m staying here willingly, and Lucen needs me here...”