Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The tower was a mysterious place even for its inhabitants, but even so, everyone was aware that there were certain patterns, rules and hierarchies that reigned in this place, which kept everything in order. Just as they assumed that the sky was blue, everyone knew that an alpha would always be the leader of the pack, while the omega was the one at the bottom. 

However, there were those who were willing to break the rules. 

"Next time, think it twice before you spread your filthy pheromones near me" 

"Ugh... but you're just an omega," the other person was hurt, looking from below at the fearsome blue demon.  

"A single omega that can kill you at any moment," the air felt heavier and the man started coughing harder, how was it possible? The omegas were supposed to be the ones who succumbed to pheromones, not the other way around.  

Before fainting, he witnessed the demon walk away without another word.  

.

.

Flipping a coin, Khun Agüero Agnis walked calmly despite having almost killed a person a few minutes ago, although in his defense, it was that idiot's fault for believing he had a chance with someone like him.  

Omegas, those sent to the bottom of the pyramid, being oppressed in any way possible, but it wasn't because of their apparent weakness, of course not, the alphas feared that their superiority would be overshadowed if their personal "incubators" discovered their true potential; something that was happening right now. Khun didn't follow any rules, not even regarding his gender, and the best way to prove this would be to defeat the alpha of the family and gain the leadership of this one. Ha, he imagined the look on everyone's face when they knew that an omega would be the leader of the 10 families, it would simply be hilarious. 

He flipped the coin one more time before catching it and putting it in his pocket.  

.

.

"Khun, where were you" Shhibisu approached him when he saw him arrive at his residence, everyone was in the living room doing something, it was the ideal moment to relax, after all, they had finished a test and arrive to this floor.

"Looking around the place, it was entertaining"  

"That sounds to me like you murdered someone...."  

"I'll leave it to your imagination"  

"Oh come on, we just got here. You can't cause trouble"

"And that's why I finish them off before they get any bigger" 

"I feel that if we fail any of the tests, it will be because of you" commented Hatz putting down his sword after practicing with it.  

"It's thanks to me that we are climbing so fast"  

"Tsk, you don't even feel a little modesty or gratitude towards us, we are the only ones who can carry out your risky plans"  

"And so far everything has turned out perfect"   

"C'mon, arguing won't do any good, let's enjoy ourselves while we can" Shibisu tried to calm the situation.

"As always they have to get into stupid fights," Endorsi rolled her eyes as she put on a pair of sunglasses. 

"Are you going out?" 

"Of course! There are some great stores I won't see until we go higher" she said with a smile. "Come on samurai, if you want to train your muscles, you can do it carrying my bags" 

"Don't treat me like your mule" he muttered under his breath.  

"And yet he follows her," says Anaak, leaning back on the couch and taking complete control of it.  

"Well, his 'honor' doesn't allow him to leave ladies alone" 

"She's not a lady, she's a horrible witch"  Anaak commented in the comfort of their sofa. 

"Hey! I Hear that" 

.

.

.

He finally got to his room and had some peace of mind, he should get some more rest, but he would get the rest he needed the day he died, being a workaholic was one of the reasons why everyone was still alive so far and he would make sure everything stayed that way.  

He had gotten the perfect team, even two princesses from Jahad, which was an accomplishment he was certainly proud of and didn't hesitate to show it whenever he got the chance. It was a perfect balance, even if their daily coexistence rather seemed like a low quality sitcom with so many daily fights.  

With his headlamp he investigated a few places where he could get information about his possible rivals, knowledge was power, so knowing what teams there were, the type of people that inhabited this floor and possible mishaps as FUG assassins, were things to keep in mind to have everything ready.  

However, he felt frustrated, it was always like that after each floor, there was not much to do but he could not stand still either.  

That's why, a few hours later, he was walking around the city looking at different places, his team was scattered so it's not like he was at a disadvantage if someone thought of doing something to him. He always had an alert system in his headlamp that allowed him to communicate quickly with them. This was a recommendation from Shibisu, not only was he worried about his secondary gender but also because he had made a lot of enemies in the process.  

Since many learned that Eduan Khun's exiled son was omega, many thought they could use him as an outlet toy, too bad they ended up meeting their worst nightmare. Therefore, Khun was not afraid to be alone, rather it allowed him to better take it out on those clumsy alphas.  

In the end, he ended up arriving at what seemed to be a lookout point, it was in the far parts of the city so he was practically alone, which was perfect. He leaned his arms on the railing, watching how the shinsou changed the sky leaving a beautiful sunset, he tried to relax his mind for a moment distracting himself with the architecture of the place, but inevitably he started to think about unnecessary things. Tsk, that's why he hated to be left with nothing to do, he needed another distraction.  

Of course, he had to be careful about what he wished for, because just as he was about to move, he was suddenly ambushed. Okay, this wasn't the kind of distraction he was looking for.  

It was too late when he felt someone close to him, this one took his arm and bent it painfully resting it against his back, and since he was on the edge of the railing, it took away a lot of his mobility; he would need more than physical strength to get loose.  

"Who sent you?" A hoarse voice asked, he couldn't see who it was, but it seemed to be someone young and from the way he grabbed his arm and the faint smell of blood, it seemed he had encountered a fugitive.  

"The tour guide told me it was a great place to appreciate" the grip became tighter and now he was twisting his arm painfully, shit, he wouldn't let out any sound of pain. Should he use his pheromones? Although he didn't even know their gender, with alphas it was easier, but if it was beta or omega, it was even more complicated, he couldn't show his best cards so soon either.  

"Tell me the truth"  

Fuck, it was starting to hurt.  

"Look, I only came here after passing the floor test, you can ask anyone, besides, if I was looking for you you'd be dead by now"

He took advantage of the fact that his grip stopped being so strong for a moment, to lean back and forth, giving him a headbutt, then using his lighthouse to quickly move away, along with the knife he always carried, now if the fight would be fairer.  

However, he got a big surprise when he saw his aggressor on the verge of death. He had a big wound on his side and seemed about to faint, although he could hardly see his face due to his long bangs.  

"Please... get me out of here," for an instant that golden color hypnotized him, despite his state he had a glow that screamed he wanted to live. 

Khun knew that this was dangerous, that rescuing his aggressor would be stupid. But that look... it held so much that his curious side would not allow him to take it back.  

And so, as if a strange spell hypnotized him, he ended up fulfilling his request.  

.

.

.

The strange man woke up hours later in an unfamiliar room, his alarm senses were quickly turned on, but before he could make any movement, he realized that a prison of lighthouses prevented any movement. 

"Until you finally wake up, do you know how complicated it is to bring you in? Not to mention that this is not my style at all, so I hope you have valuable information worthwhile"  

He remained silent. 

"Not even a thank you? I didn't think you were ungrateful, I even healed your wounds. Well, it wasn't me, but you're still alive because of me" 

"Will you turn me in?" was the only thing he muttered.  

"Turn you in? Uhm, I don't remember seeing you on any search lists by the royal army" 

He let out a sigh of relief missing the blue-eyed boy.  

"Oh, another organization is looking for you? You seem to be a deserter," now those golden eyes looked at him with terror, had he discovered him, "Anyway, we are all deserters here"

He shrugged, getting up from his seat.  

"I don't know what you're running from, but as long as you prove you won't be a danger to us, I might let you go. So will you at least tell me your name?"

"It's B-Baam," he answered with some hesitation. "And... thank you very much for saving me"

Khun smiled at this, if he was an enemy, he seemed too soft to be one. Still, if there was one thing that had become clear to him in his entire life, it was: never trust anyone.  

He would have to keep an eye on him.

.

.

"Will you finally tell us who this strange boy is?" Shibisu asked.

"First of all, am I the only one surprised that he has some humanity in him?"  

"Second that, although we still don't know why ugly earrings saved him, I'm sure he wants something from him"  

He could only let out a sigh at this, although He couldn't blame them, since he was on the testing floor, he had earned a reputation as a heartless demon.  

"I don't know who he is either," he confessed to everyone's surprise. "Let's just say it was... curiosity?"

"Don't joke about it, you save someone just out of curiosity?" Hatz stepped forward.  

"Of course, you say it yourself: I wouldn't save someone just out of kindness. I just want to know a little more about this guy is all, who knows? He might even help us get up there faster"  

"How annoying is this, anyway, it's not like that kind of thing hasn't happened before," Anaak mentioned.  

"It's true. If they hadn't helped me a few floors ago, I wouldn't be here," Verdi mentioned, playing with one of his dolls. 

"If we see any suspicious behavior, we can get rid of it at any time, don't you think? I already have something planned in case that moment comes," he formed a wicked smile, although not everyone was Shibisu and expressed it openly, each one knew that it was better to have Khun Agüero Agnis as an ally rather than an enemy.  

.

.

The wounds of that man called Baam healed in a matter of days, something that made him quite strange, even if they had the best doctor, it would have taken him at least a month to move normally. There was definitely something strange going on with him.... 

At first everyone was attentive to any suspicious movement, the first few days he did not leave the room and although several tried to make him talk, he had decided not to say anything more, at this point Khun wondered if he had not been a victim of the cruelty of the tower that had lost its way, but his more rational side told him that he should think as if he were the spy of some enemy.  

The one who had tried hardest to convince him to talk had been Endorsi, partly because her pride would not allow her to accept that a man would not fall for her charms, while Hatz felt reassured to know that he was not someone talkative and annoying. Shibisu on the other hand, had a paternal instinct to see him like that and tried to integrate him more into the group. Didn't he have a survival instinct? Someday his kindness would end up killing him, or maybe he was sure he wouldn't do anything suspicious.  

"If we bring him closer to the group we could know his intentions faster, don't you think?" that was what he answered when asked.  

Khun had put a tracker on Baam while he slept, after all he was still a stranger whom he found under very suspicious circumstances. Since the day he found him, he kept thinking about it, what group did he belong to? Why did he decide to leave? Did he get help? Does he have companions out there? But the more he thought about it, inevitably his head kept coming up with the viable option that Baam was the victim in all this. 

Simply unbelievable, he was going soft for a stranger.  

Usually Khun was the one who spent more time with Baam, well, not because he wanted to, but because he took the opportunity to plan or do something else while keeping an eye on the brown-haired man. The latter only looked at him with interest without saying a single word, but he seemed to be less and less tense about the presence of the others.  

A few days after his recovery, he finally decided to leave the room; everyone was watching for his next move. 

That same day, almost all the team members put their attention on him, asking him different questions, such as: where are you from, full name, what is your position, 'why don't you cut that hair?', among many others, but he refused to answer them, hiding his face under his long bangs; in the end everyone got tired and Endorsi said that they had got another "boring mystery". 

"Looking at it this way, even Hatz is more interesting"   

"Ah?"  

The days went by, Baam still didn't speak, something that made Khun wonder if he hadn't imagined that strange event when he thanked him days before. 

Although Baam was no longer a "recluse" and had more freedom to move around, he strangely preferred to continue spending time at Khun's side, even when Khun would stay for hours on end watching the screen without saying anything. At first Agüero thought he was hiding something for this attachment, even his more paranoid side thought it was someone sent from the Khun family to kill him while he slept or perhaps a spy for an old enemy who wanted to destroy him. But, although he pretended to turn his back on him, left his plans in plain sight, and forced situations where he could get himself killed, Baam did absolutely nothing.  

He didn't know if he was such a good spy that he didn't fall for his tricks or if that really wasn't his goal. 

.

.

"How are your injuries?"  

The brown-haired man just nodded, gesturing that he was fine. Wow, he really only spoke when necessary.  

"I've never met someone who recovered so quickly before, have you always been like that?" he asked. 

Now he was just silent.  

"It must be boring just watching me while I watch a screen don't you think?"  

He quickly shook his head with a worried reaction, it was an expression that made him laugh, apparently he wasn't as indifferent as he thought. 

"I'm sorry, it's just that you're someone interesting," he said at her quizzical look. "Okay, then stay as long as you want, at least you're not an annoying companion" 

Somehow, she was starting to get used to his company.  

'How weak you've become'  It sounds in his head the voice of his mother

In the end, his only goal was to climb the tower, as much as he was getting attached to the boy he saved from death, his feelings were insignificant when it came to his plans.  

"Are you really planning to leave him here?!" Shhibisu looked shocked. 

"What other choice do we have? We don't know his powers, he won't even tell us his position, as good as my plans are I at least need that basic information to proceed. I can't risk the formation of the team for one person"

"But he's all alone, we can't just leave him, just like that".  

"Would you take him on, even if it means losing all the progress we've made?" The scout was silent. "I understand that you are worried, but it is the best option, he has refused to train and we are about to do the test, what benefits would someone like him bring to the team?"

He felt the presence of someone else outside, but as soon as he said these words, that person left. He could not get sentimental now, he could not let feelings reign over his reason. It wouldn't be the first time he had left someone behind to tell the truth....  

He repeated to himself that it was better this way, if Baam heard the whole conversation, he would surely leave so as not to inconvenience anymore. That would be ideal, even he wouldn't know how to confront him directly.  

To his surprise, the next day, the brown-haired man, without saying anything (as usual), grabbed him by the arm and began to drag him away.  

"Hey, what are you doing?" 

Fuck, were you thinking of killing him now as revenge for what he said yesterday? Well, that's why he was grateful to be always armed, even if the others told him that sleeping with a knife was not healthy at all.  

Seriously, that boy had a beastly strength, because at no time did he manage to get rid of him, until he let him free, when he looked around he realized that he was in the training area and there were more than a couple of curious eyes watching him.  

"What are you doing?"  

Instead of getting an answer, the brown-haired man positioned himself in the center, where there were several training dummies since Endorsi was practicing there before. Right there, to everyone's surprise, he summoned four shinsou bangs that he used to hit the different targets. Now his curiosity was even greater, four bangs? Only the most experienced wave controllers could do that in such a short time; well I didn't know his age but he really looked like someone quite young.  

The entire training room fell silent at this.  

Baam turned around and headed towards Khun with determined steps, he backed away out of instinct, however the regular raised his gaze showing again his golden eyes full of determination.  

"Let me go up there with you, please!"

A new surprise came for everyone when he raised his voice in that way, better said, to hear him speak was already something very new.  

"I'm a wave controller, but I know martial arts and I can learn anything fast. I'll be useful for the team so... please, I want to keep climbing the tower with you" 

"Ehm, okay?"  

He was definitely perplexed by this guy.... 

Chapter Text

Khun was speechless at the scene he had just seen, how was it possible that this stranger was such a skilled wave controller? That kind of ability was only possible to see on higher floors, even in his own team, only Laure managed to summon so many bangs at the same time (and that, if he was in the mood). Before continuing with his train of thought, he noticed that the chestnut was still waiting for an answer.

He let out a sigh as he massaged his temples.

"I have a lot of questions right now but your power can be really useful to us..." the other's gaze lit up at this. "As talented as you are, the training here is not easy at all." 

The others reacted to his words and immediately approached Baam to congratulate him, forming a big commotion around him, Khun wondered if that had really been a good idea.

"That black turtle...! It's definitely going to be my prey!" Rak exclaimed as he strolled into the training area.

Baam was intrigued to see the stuffed animal-sized crocodile man and didn't know what to say, well, he couldn't blame him for looking so surprised, Rak had gone to a training session to look for stronger 'prey' and he was coming back today. Aguero let out a sigh, he already felt like another migraine was on its way.

The rest of the day, Shibisu was kind enough to explain everything to Baam while the others continued their training. Rak was following closely behind him, as according to him he 'had to analyze his prey'.

"Where did Mr. Khun go?"

"Oh, he's probably reorganizing the plan now that you'll be participating."

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience...."He lowered his head in regret.

"Pft, don't feel bad for blue turtle, it's the only thing he knows how to do."

"No, no! Don't feel bad, on the other hand, it's good news to have a new teammate" he said with a smile.

"New...teammate?"

"Of course, now you belong to the best group of regulars climbing the tower, so... don't forget you can count on us, okay?"

Baam felt a strange warmth in his chest at that word that was so far away for him, so, when Shibisu wasn't looking, he nodded with a smile following him closely listening with utmost attention to all the information he received, especially those that dealt with his new team, absorbing as much information as possible to give his best effort in the process.

"Hey you "Endorsi approached him with a face of few friends "you may have shown great ability a while ago, but I'm curious to see what you're made of"

"Endorsi, I don't think it's a good idea..."

"I wasn't talking to you," she moved Shibisu to the side and he could only let out a sigh, when she got something in her head, it was hard to convince her of anything else, "Are we going to train?"

The brown could only nod doubtfully, though he had a bad feeling about it.

"Hey, don't take my prey from me," but he was totally ignored by those present.

.

.

.

"I bet everything on the new one," Anaak commented with a proud smile.

"Hey, this is not a competition.... I just hope they don't make such a mess"

"How does it feel to know that a princess of Jahad is willing to fight against you? Makes you nervous, doesn't it?" she used a flirtatious tone as she stretched.

However, he didn't answer which made the princess a bit angry.

Endorsi was the first to attack, luckily, Baam was able to dodge the blow that left a big hole in the ground; this way his body could have suffered, it hurt just thinking about it. Therefore, he obtained a more defensive posture, knowing when to dodge the blows and at the right moment, he caught Endorsi with a key. At this, everyone was extremely surprised, even the princess herself.

However, it was not so easy to defeat her, and even less so now that she was slightly annoyed by this public humiliation. She managed to get out of his grip by headbutting him.

"Beginner's luck," she looked at him defiantly readying her fists.

The fight went on for a few minutes, although it seemed like hours due to the destruction of the place itself. Endorsi was no longer controlling himself, especially since Baam was a bit more aggressive; he was not only a good Wave Controller but also had full knowledge of different martial arts.

This only succeeded in angering the proud princess more.

Everyone had stopped minding their own business to watch the fight, Anaak was rooting for the newcomer to tear the 'horrible witch' apart, even the disinterested Hatz put his sword aside to be attentive. This whole encounter was definitely a surprise.

"What are you doing?" Khun's voice surprised more than one, except those involved in the fight. A slight twitch appeared in his eyebrow as he realized the mess they left behind. However, what angered him the most was being ignored by those causing the damage.

Using his house ligths, he created a wall between the two drawing their attention. Endorsi clicked his tongue as Baam look at him.

"It hasn't been a day since we left Baam on the team and you're already using him as a test subject, destroying this whole place," she folded her arms and approached them both. "For a princess of Jahad you lack more control, but well, you can learn it while you clean this place up"

"Ah? Are you out of your mind? I'm not going to clean this alone, he did part of this too," she pointed at the brown man.

"Probably because you forced him to," he turned his back to Baam. "Come on, I need to talk to you."

"What about Miss Endorsi?"

"She'll be fine, sorry for her attitude, she's talented, but no manners."

"Hey! I heard that".

Baam followed Khun silently without another word, if he didn't know he was following him, he wouldn't have noticed his presence.

'Would he have been trained as an assassin? His steps are light, he doesn't talk much and he has combat skills' He began to ponder. It was inevitable, even if he posed no danger so far he was still a total mystery to him. Everything around him screamed that behind his long bangs he hid a past that was difficult to deal with, and that he had experience keeping secrets that were difficult to digest.

Would this be the right thing to do? What if the secrets ended up hindering everything he built? Sure, he had secrets too, everyone did, the problem was if they totally caught up with you and bring you down along with those next to you.

"Something wrong, Mr. Khun?"

"Since we have decided to leave you, I must talk to you about how our team works, although I guess Isu already gave you a slight induction about that didn't he? Besides, something tells me you don't know what teamwork is, or am I wrong?"

Baam nodded weakly as he looked away and clenched his fists, did he touch a sensitive subject? First of all, how did he manage to climb so many floors like this? Only few managed to be lone wolves successfully, but even these attracted people who sought to take advantage of this power in one way or another. If he really had worked alone all this time, it only meant that he had found a monster to watch out for.

"You see, I want to give you an idea of what our strategies and form of combat are like, so that you won't feel so strange when we do a test, understood? Although, try to trust me no matter how crazy a plan sounds, I'm usually right"

"I imagine you do" he didn't say it sarcastically as others would have done, but really seemed to trust his words without a second thought.

If he met a monster, then it was a seemingly naive and innocent one. Surely, the most dangerous of its kind.

.

.

.

Despite being somewhat reserved with the group, Baam had settled in perfectly to the training, it was as if he was able to match any indication to perfection and not to mention his combat skills, it was really impressive how he could hold his own in a 1 vs 1 against the princess of Jahad; even if in the end Endorsi only said that he was giving him some advantage for being the new guy.

Even Rak several times tried to fight him, but Khun would stop them. Knowing how much of an airhead the reptile was, he knew that this could only bring more trouble and the last thing he wanted was for them to destroy the place before moving up a floor.

Finally the day of the test arrived. None of them were nervous, and Khun, felt more than confident to pass it without a problem, especially with his new member, it would simply be a piece of cake this challenge.

The test was easy: a total of three teams would be distributed at different points on the map. In the center was a switch and the first team to press it would win, but first they had to unlock it by solving a puzzle, so it was not only a matter of speed but also of intelligence. However, as in every floor, there was no lack of useless people who only thought of fighting as the only way to win, since they followed the simple logic of 'if I get everyone out of the way first, the rest will be easy'.

The group split in two, one would be Khun's team and the other Isu's, to take more space on the map and find the switch first, after all, they were in a lush forest so it was hard to see exactly where this one was next to the enemies. It seemed somewhat quiet at first, but they were ambushed by another group of regulars who were setting up a trap for any underdog who fell in with them.

Vespa along with Verdi fell into a makeshift net, whereupon the others began to engage the other regulars who dared to approach their path. However, as Anaak helped his companions out, Baam quickly disposed of everyone, leaving most of them dumbfounded.

"Tsk, you show-off," Endorsi snorted.

"You're just jealous, witch," sneered Anaak.

"Ugh! You haven't done anything either!"

Fortunately, a good scolding from Khun from his headlight helped them get back on course.

Indeed, during the test, everyone was trying to take down Khun's team. Not only was it the 'beat everyone to win' thing, but lately his team had become quite famous for its strong members, getting some innocent fools to believe that by beating them they could get more recognition by climbing the tower.

Big mistake.

As much as it seemed that Khun was the only functional neuron on the team, when it came to fighting, everyone brought out their best, proving once again why they were among the best regulars climbing the tower.

However, in the face of so many clashes, Khun took the opportunity to go ahead, thinking that the fights would be the perfect distraction for him to win the test while no one else was waiting for him. He communicated with Isu who was close to his area and had found the switch; at least the tracksuit lover was doing his job well when he should.

The button was located on a kind of altar, surrounded by a shinsou shield that had the puzzle they had to solve to unlock it engraved on it. Having someone as smart as Khun and Isu by their side, it was practically a piece of cake. But before he put down the answer, a wave of force came at him forcing them back.

"Ha! Don't think we'll let them take the victory so easily," exclaimed a giant carrying two swords.

Shibisu was nervous about this ambush, even though he seemed to be a guy with more brawn than brains, they didn't know if there were more enemies nearby and they had no idea how long it would take for their companions to arrive; especially when two princesses got competitive and forgot the real goal of the test. Even if he didn't doubt their combat skills, he couldn't deny that it was a nuisance, especially not fully knowing the enemy's capabilities.

"Oh look, we are lucky, you are just a simple omega and beta, you are nothing without your team of alphas accompanying you right?" mentioned another guy, he seemed to be a Light Bearer just like Khun.

This one just threw a sharp look at his rivals, there was nothing more he hated than those who used their genetics to feel superior.

For Khun Agüero Agnis, the only thing that mattered was whether you were born with a talent or not, or even, how you could develop your weaknesses to turn them into a strength (as was his case being omega). It didn't do him any good to be born an Alpha if he didn't know how to handle his stupid pheromones or his voice; titles didn't even mean anything when you climbed the tower.

"Well, well, I see there are other imbeciles about to witness how an omega will easily surpass them in this test," he began to say, taking a firmer stance along with his characteristic smile of superiority. 

Shibisu began to look nervous, he knew that this topic touched a sensitive point in Khun, bringing out his most sadistic and evil side. He will never forget how on the testing floor, when they first met, he was able to get rid of 3 alphas easily in the middle of an exam. Since then, the only ones who have been able to be on the team have been people who have never talked about their omega status, or at least, who were smart enough to apologize and change their attitude; although of course, Khun was rarely forgiving.

Aguero drew his knife from one of his headlights with a threatening gesture, clearly he would not start the fight, he always gave a chance for the fools to repent first, but this time, clearly they were not thinking clearly.

The two men rushed towards him guided only by their instinct. As expected, Khun evaded this easily as if he had read their every move.

'Wait a minute... they forgot about me!' Shibisu thought, not knowing whether to be relieved or rather indignant.

Despite being a Light Bearer, Khun was quite agile and together with their headlights, those two could practically not touch them which only made them angrier, causing them to use reason less and less and their movements to become slower and more desperate.

"Mr. Khun!"  Baam exclaimed, worried when he saw his companion facing those people. He had barely arrived, but he wasn't going to think enough to intervene and help him, however, at that moment he noticed something.

When the enemies thought they had trapped him to cause a mortal blow, he teleported with the help of his headlights, but not before leaving them trapped in a shinsou prison made with these same ones. But this had not been necessary, since the administrator of the test announced something a few seconds later.

"Team A are the winners of this round!"

The enemies looked with astonishment towards the altar, there stood Shibisu smiling proudly at having completed the test while they were distracted by the omega. The anger was only more noticeable in them, but Khun just smiled victoriously turning his back to them while he deactivated their lanterns leaving them free.

He was definitely just toying with them for a while.

Khun noticed Baam's presence and made a waving gesture totally changing his sadistic expression from a moment ago. The boy approached him with a relieved smile; for a moment, he looked like a dog attending to his owner's call.

"I'm glad to see you're well," the brown-haired man mentioned.

"How could I not be? Obviously those guys couldn't do anything against me"

"You definitely did that just to annoy them, didn't you?" commented the scout.

"Of course, they must learn their lesson one way or another"

'You just wanted to see them suffer!'

Thus Baam's first test with his new team ended successfully.

When they returned from the test, each one took their own side to take their deserved rest, or if you were a crazy for training, like Hatz, you would go to a quiet place to continue with your thing.

"Tonight we will celebrate, so get some rest," Shibisu indicated looking at Baam patting his back before leaving.

"See you, Mr. Khun"

But, before he could move forward, Khun grabbed his arm tightly. He was looking at him seriously as if he had made a mistake, the brown man was getting more and more nervous and panicked at that look. Was there something wrong with him?

"Come with me," was the only thing he said before dragging him around the building.

.

.

"We're here," Khun announced, entering the room.

The place he had been taken to was the infirmary.  It had a couple of litters for the wounded and different things that could be used in case of emergency, although it was better to have a doctor, there were the basics to heal the typical wounds left by any fight or challenge that the tower had for them. After all, hospitals were a luxury best avoided unless it was life or death.

"Look, I don't know what happened in the test, but were you just going to walk away with that wound on your arm?"

Baam grabbed his left arm in surprise. How had he noticed? He didn't remember wincing or complaining.

While he was still thinking about this, Khun found some bandages and disinfectants to give him, but the brown man looked at him strangely.

"Don't you know how to use these?"

He shook his head in response. The bluish gaze seemed to judge him for not knowing something as basic as that.

"He always let it heal itself."

"I'm surprised you don't have any scars then. Well, sit there," he pointed to the bed.

However, the chestnut looked uncomfortably at that spot, clutching his arm with his other hand; he obviously preferred to leave the wound unattended rather than sit on something like that. Was he afraid of hospitals? Who would know.

"Okay," he let out a sigh. "Come here," he led him to a chair, it was small and even uncomfortable, but apparently this reassured the other more.

Although he wanted to ask, he restrained himself. It was never easy to talk about past wounds.

Agüero asked him to lift up the sleeve of his large cloak to see the wound on his arm. It looked like a shallow cut, but it still looked like it would become a nuisance if left untreated.

"Why didn't you say anything? You can't neglect your health so easily."

"Sorry," he bit his lips in an attempt to control his emotions. "I-I saw how they were going to attack Miss Verdi and I just jumped, sorry for not being careful."

"Baam" Khun's tone became softer, but still the chestnut closed his eyes tightly as if he was expecting some kind of punishment- "It's okay if you make mistakes like these, it's inevitable to come out with one scratch or another after a test, it's just that if you start hiding your wounds like this they could become a problem for you and eventually for us".

"Sorry..."

"Hey, it's just a piece of advice" he let out a somewhat frustrated sigh, he didn't know how to give motivational speeches or speak gently like Shibisu did "Just... let us know when something happens, so we can help you. After all, that's what a team is all about, right?"

The brown-haired man nodded, now showing a more relaxed expression than before. Khun continued with his work, applying alcohol to disinfect the wound (to his surprise, it didn't flinch or anything like that), and then began to bandage it. Once he was done, he let him adjust his cloak again, but none of them moved from their place.

"Can you really see with those bangs?" Without asking him, he moved the locks to see his face better, under them, there were beautiful golden eyes that looked at him with curiosity and some shyness, so he quickly moved his face to let his hair hide his face again; it was noticeable that years ago nobody looked at him so fixedly.

"Sorry... "He didn't like physical contact, so he couldn't blame him for that reaction.

"I've never cut it," he admitted embarrassedly.

"Oh... "was the only thing he could utter, thinking he had done something rude, after all, with so many cultures the tower had, maybe there was one that had to do with hair or something like that. "Should I cut it?" He didn't know if it was a direct question to him or if he was just talking to himself.

"If you want, I really feel it would be more comfortable for you if it were shorter"

Baam took a lock of his hair as if it would help him make a decision. Khun cleared his throat and excused himself as he would have to go back to his room to rest and told him that he would also have to do the same.

Once the light bearer reached his room, he unbuttoned his shirt and let out a sigh as he took out a calendar from his lighthouse where he had coldly calculated his cycle. He refused to take those annoying inhibitors, but he wasn't an idiot who would give away signs that his heat was coming, so he always had emergency suppressants on hand in case he didn't have time to live out his cycle in peace. It was much better to have this order than to be afraid of releasing his pheromones from time to time. Why should he hide it when those annoying alphas could stink up the whole place? Maybe that's why he got into so many fights, but so far, he had known how to choose well and that's why he remained victorious.

He lay on his bed without much desire to sleep, pondering who Baam was and why it was so complicated to know even the most basic things about him. Was it really okay to trust him?

.

.

.

Indeed, that night everyone gathered to drink a little and celebrate. The chesnut, as expected, was a bit uncomfortable with such an active environment, everyone was praising his skills, so Endorsi was jealous and as Anaak answered her, a typical fight between them started.

"Ehm Baam, don't you like alcohol?" Shibisu asked when she saw him holding his glass so tightly.

"I've never tried it," he answered somewhat unsure.

"Really?"

"They only let me drink what they gave me, I never tried this stuff"

Again came his ambiguous answers, who were they? Were they the same people who hurt Baam the day he found him? Seriously, Khun was even beginning to think I was part of some strange cult.

"Now is your time to do it! An expert will teach you how not to lose control" Shibisu hugged him by the shoulders and began to explain a little about the sweet taste of alcohol. Obviously he wouldn't touch on subjects that seemed sensitive at a time like this.

After a while, everyone was lying down or in their respective rooms, however, Baam looked up at the night sky with some nostalgia. The stars that in the past had seemed to guide his way, now seemed to him like judges who at any moment would come to give him his punishment.

"Can I belong in this place?"

Only the wind was a witness to his words.

.

.

.

The next day, when Baam returned from shopping with Khun, everyone was surprised to see his new haircut. It was much shorter, and it finally showed his face, causing more than one of the girls in the group to think, 'Wow, he was cute'.

"Hey! Don't lose your heads over this, it's just a cut, nothing more," Khun exclaimed shooing everyone away before Baam became more self-conscious.

Baam let out a slight chuckle at the reactions of Khun and the others. Perhaps he didn't know the answer to his question yet, but for now, he wanted to appreciate these moments a little more and perhaps, feel like he really belonged there.

Chapter Text

The team had a considerable increase in efficiency since Baam joined them. Khun was grateful to have a wave controller who didn't sleep all the time and wasn't annoyed while doing his job, plus, he was also very skilled in hand-to-hand combat, thus achieving a balance that would surely make them the perfect team (if they weren't already). 

Recognition soon came when they became E-rank regulars. This was not a strange issue for them due to the unique members of their team, drawing the attention of all kinds of people. Attention that was welcomed by Endorsi to " show her beauty to the world ", but on the contrary, Baam, didn't seem to be used to being the center of attention; now without his long bangs to hide his face, he wore glasses or caps when they went out to residential areas.   

Khun certainly found this gesture intriguing (and even cute). It was funny to see how shy he was from the stares of others, which only drew more attention from the paparazzi. Though of course, not only was his mysterious emergence noteworthy, but also his strength was giving the regulars something to talk about. Where did this boy who seemed to be on par with a princess come from? A mystery that even the team itself had to know.  

For this very reason, the team's strategist had taken his own observation of the brown-haired man to try to find out more about him. He could only point out two things:  

First: the lack of knowledge that the young man had about many things.   

It was not surprising that Baam was attached to him, being the person who saved his life, and maybe that’s why  lately he had gained more confidence to ask him questions. It might not be a bad thing, except for the fact that they were basic things that any regular or inhabitant of the tower should know: some of the most distinguished races, the formation of teams, basic concepts of shinsou, among many others. Only two people had those kinds of doubts: a child with no real world experience or someone who lived in a cave with no contact to the outside world.  

Even so, to everyone's surprise, Khun did not seem annoyed by such obviousness, but rather answered him calmly even if he sometimes let out a sigh of mild irritation. Of course he didn't do it out of genuine kindness in his heart, he felt it was better to become closer to him in order to understand him and get to know his past little by little. These were answers he was eager to answer.    

Second: His insane talent for learning.    

Since he first saw his abilities, he assumed it was thanks to difficult training (and perhaps the reason why he was kept away from the outside world), but in recent training, he noticed how this one was able to mimic almost perfectly any maneuver someone used on him; especially Endorsi was annoyed that someone could mimic her.   

Also, in the test, it was amazing how he would use an opponent's technique to turn it to his advantage, making him a monster to be feared. This made Khun somewhat afraid that if they could really control him when he exceeded his limits, but something told him that Baam wouldn't be that hard to handle either as long as his personality didn't change.   

Now that he thought about it, I hadn't really been able to get any more relevant information out of him. It would be a fun challenge...  

.  

.  

“We'll take a week off," suddenly announced the strategist, only Bam arched a confused eyebrow at such a statement, but before he could reply, the opposite continued, "I don't want anyone to bother me. Okay?” Khun warned coldly, not even turning to look at the chesnut before disappearing down one of the corridors.    

The boy was confused at such an evasive attitude, but as he looked around, no one seemed to be concerned about Khun's strange behavior. Some just shook their heads before returning to their daily activities, and others simply seemed to have only heard a comment from the weather.   

“That stupid turtle wouldn't have to go through this if he hung out with an alpha. But of course, no one would mate with him!” Rak complained in small mode, throwing himself on a mattress, catching the confused Baam's attention.  

“I love it when this happens, there's practically no bossy person in the house anymore," Endorsi celebrated.  

“Without earrings around everything is calmer”.  

“Hey, hey, he's still our partner," said Isu. “Sure, I won't deny that everything is calmer, but you shouldn't talk about him like that!”.   

Baam looked around confused, everyone seemed to get the joke, except him. He thought about asking Khun, but Khun had asked not to be disturbed, so he had to go to someone else.   

“Mr. Rak, why is Khun going away for a week?”   

“The blue turtle is looking for a mate, but since he doesn't want to mate, he hides in his shell”  

“Rak, that doesn't help him at all” luckily Shibisu was around to save the day.   

He sat down next to Baam, while Rak pulled a banana from his pocket.  

“Didn't you know Khun was omega? Well, it's not like it's a secret, it's just that's what he's usually known for. But as Rak says, since he hasn't found his alpha, or rather, doesn't want to mate, he has shut himself every three months because of his instincts"

“Is Khun suffering alone at the moment?”  

“Uhm, we can say yes, but it's a natural process. He's been living like this all his life and believe me, the last thing he would like is for someone to pity him for it”  

That conversation only managed to generate more doubts in his head, doubts that he would possibly discuss with Khun later, because for some reason, he only felt confident to talk about those things with him, being afraid of being seen as a weirdo for questions (that apparently) were obvious to everyone but him.    

What concerned him most at the moment, however, was his savior's health. Why did he have to normalize suffering alone every so often? He didn't like the idea, he didn't know what omegas heats were like, but from what he had heard, it was extremely uncomfortable. He wanted to be by his side taking care of him, but everyone told him it was a bad idea and of course, the last thing he wanted was to break the trust Khun had in him.   

It was a difficult week for him, he felt somewhat lost; although everyone was kind to him and little by little he was integrating more and more, he could not deny that it was strange to spend so much time without Khun. They rarely spoke through the pocket, but they were short messages due to his friend's condition. Meals were only carried by the other omegas on the team, and he couldn't see him a little bit.  

He wanted to help too! He didn't understand what the problem with pheromones was, but he was confident he wouldn't fall for it, still, apparently the world was showing him that it was an issue that involved more than just a person's body odor. He was frustrated at not helping and being unable to understand the taboo with which they treated the subject.  

Why was it so complicated to talk about omegas?    

Well, that was another question he had written down for when Khun returned.   

Miraculously, Khun came back to "life" after a (long) week.  

Baam didn't hesitate twice before approaching him to greet him with a smile (which he was showing more and more often).   

“Are you feeling better now?”  

“A little, but I don't plan to stay in bed all the time. We have a tower to climb”  

It was clear to Baam that his condition was not perfect, and for that reason, he hid all his questions deep in his head for when the time came. For now, he was just glad he was safe.   

For this very reason, Baam changed the subject, he told him about what happened in the week: like training, learning to cook and about how Rak was teaching him different things, to which Aguero showed an expression of disgust.   

As he tried to bring up the things he remembered, a sweet smell of blueberries invaded his nostrils. It was an appealing, sweet smell, but he didn't pay it much mind, surely it was just the hunger for dessert talking.   

Strange though, he didn't remember anyone buying that fruit in the last few days. Surely he really just had a craving.   

. 

.

.

The most important thing for most of them was to climb the tower as soon as possible, in order to make their dreams come true. Even so, there was a saying that the most important thing about a journey was not the end, but the journey itself.  

‘It's bullshit’ Khun would answer without hesitation, especially when they were now on another floor stuck because apparently you could only take the test every so often, this case, they would have to wait a month before they could enroll.   

These cases were taken advantage of by others looking for other distractions: shopping, sightseeing, going to events typical of the designated floor, among many other things. In short, the whole team was now getting a more childlike attitude from having so much free time on their hands. In part, he couldn't blame them, they were going through a lot of stress between so many enemies and difficult fights, but I also didn't plan on giving them a pass.  

(The tower was not a place that gave rest).  

Although Agüero was not a person who liked to associate himself with the word rest, he had to find other ways to kill time, since it was his fault for advancing investigations so early in the morning. On the other hand, Baam's insistence to discover new places was also a factor to take into account to finally decide to get some fresh air (a stupidity considering that it was only shinsou).  

Since they had arrived, they came across different announcements about a festival that would be held in the next few days. Although Khun didn't pay much attention to it, Baam, on the other hand, seemed to have stumbled upon a treasure, even taking one of the flyers home to remind them of the date and invite everyone.   

“Why do you seem so interested in going to one? They're no big deal really," Khun asked without thinking.  

“Well... I've never been to one, I only have an idea of what they're like from the stories," he answered with such sincerity, that Khun even felt a twinge in his chest: a mixture of guilt and pity came together right there.  

Khun Agüero Agnis considered himself a cold and heartless being, but how could he refuse such a proposal when faced with the look of a puppy abandoned in the rain? Baam simply managed to awaken in him a protective instinct that he was apparently unaware of.   

“Then let's go," was all he said. 

. 

. 

.

A few days later, the three of them were at the festival.  

Although Baam tried to convince everyone to go, most of them had different plans, so it was hard to go as a large group and stay that way: Hatz stayed home with Laure, Endorsi got excited about a jewelry store dragging Anaak to suggest things to hide her "horrible face" (even though they hated each other, sometimes they even seemed to get along). Verdi got so excited about some stuffed animals, that Isu had to catch her before she started with some of her weird games, while Vespa left indignant to see how honey was being sold at such a low price; of course, not before shouting that she would take revenge on the humans.  And the others, simply look for another things to do. 

Thus, the trio was simply left, now Khun would have no way to leave early without Baam noticing.  

“Khun! Come on," Baam invited him with a smile.  

If he had been asked a few weeks ago, ‘ Do you think Baam is capable of smiling? ’he probably would have taken it as a joke. But now, it seemed that the chestnut had taken off one of his many armors to let his more genuine reactions show. Was it really that easy for him to trust them?   

Khun found that hard to believe, but hey, he was the one with more severe trust issues than the others.  

“You look like a child coming for the first time” Said witouth thinking. 

“Because it's the truth! I've never experienced anything like this," he replied so sincerely that it almost made him feel guilty for mocking.   

“Hey turtles, don't leave your leader!” It didn't take long for Rak to join them.   

The trio went around the festival attracting quite a bit of attention - Rak was willing to overcome all the stupid games to prove his superiority, trying to show the black turtle that he was better than him. In the face of this, Khun repeatedly pretended that the crocodile was not part of his group, even trying to sell it at one of the stalls as if it were a stuffed animal, causing the reptile to become even more annoyed.  

Meanwhil Baam seemed to be enjoying the festival in earnest: he wanted to try all the foods, games, and follow Rak's ideas, if someone told him that this was how the scary wave controller he met in the beginning acted, he would never have believed them. The chesnut would ask him a few questions, and Khun would gladly answer most of them or even participate in games that required a bit more intelligence; he would never admit that this boosted his ego a bit, especially with Baam complimenting all his skills.  

Anyone seeing Aguero at the moment would be hard pressed to think he was there in a forced way. 

. 

.

.

As Khun foresaw, even in times of ‘peace’ one could not let one's guard down. This was for a very simple reason:  

Rivalry was something fundamental when climbing: wanting to outdo your opponents, destroying them to secure your path and hating those who make you lose, are feelings that many tend to harbor. However, this feeling is born before the trials on most occasions, intensifying in those who lose them.   

Therefore, not everything ended with the test, both enemies and allies were gained as you went up, but Khun was one of those who specialized in just getting people to hate him. Especially those alphas, whose pride was sullied by being defeated by an omega.   

After all, he gained fame not only for discrediting the alphas of the tower, making them tremble with terror at the possibility of a change in the food chain. This disruption in the order of things has caught the attention of even members of his family, as well as people in Jahad's army, but as long as Jahad did not show support for any terrorist faction like FUG, they would let him be a regular. Besides, Khun knew that this could be a weapon in which many people would be interested in the future.   

For now, the amount of alphas humiliated by Aguero was such that even people outside this problem were joining them to ‘try to put a simple omega in his place’, after all, what united people the most, was hate (at least in this case).  

Unfortunately, some were following in his footsteps, reason why they knew he would be at the festival, and taking advantage of the fact that they would stay for a lot time, some mobilized to carry out their revenge.  

Seeing that the omega was alone with only two teammates that did not seem to be very strong, they decided to make the ambush faster before calling the attention of their team. In these cases, they depended on the number of people, as many knew that they could never face Khun one on one.  

They proceeded to call their teammates and established a plan of attack. Guided by frustration, it was clear that it was not one of the best strategies put forward, but at least they would be sure to cause him a public humiliation. 

They reached a passage to continue their journey. Khun was not confident about the route, much less about the person who guided them, but at the insistence of Baam and the crocodile, they gave him no option to contradict them.  

The path was something worthy of a poor quality thriller: poor lighting, somewhat narrow and such an eternal path, that it only generated a claustrophobic sensation to stay there. The strategist asked them to go faster, but even when they reached an exit, he realized that his instinct was right: they had walked straight into a trap.   

Different people came out of the darkness of the alley, again following a cliché he had seen in so many movies, it was a ridiculous plan really, and already his mind was forming different strategies to get out of there.   

“What's wrong with you turtles, can't you come alone? “Rak was the first to speak, somewhat indifferent to the situation.   

“A rather far-fetched ambush, I must say," commented Khun. "Did I do something to you? Although it would be impossible for me to remember, I tend to litter like you guys almost every day."

“Ha!, as always your ego is as high as the tower itself, it's time to get you down from there the hard way," the guy mentioned, taking out a jar.  

“Poisoning me? Don't you think I can beat you in strength?”   

“Of course you can, but you can't beat the rules of nature”.   

The guy opened the vial and threw it on Khun, not seeming to be a palpable risk, the others just let the light bearer avoid it with the shield of their headlights. Khun thought to scoff at such a childish attack, but once the smell intensified, he realized the true plan of those fools: it was a heat inducer for omegas, a potent one to only cause reaction through smell, it was too late to hold his nose, the substance already made contact with his body. Such an object was only available on the black market, how could they obtain something so precious? There was definitely someone stronger helping them in the shadows...

Khun began to stress, before he lost control of his body, he tried to use his pheromones to scare the stupid alphas, but they used theirs to dull him and make him feel more submissive. It was biologically impossible to oppose the pheromones of so many alphas at once.   

His breathing became short, it seemed as if he was short of breath because of the combination of so many smells together, and his body began to change because of that substance.   

Rak transformed into his giant version. Although he was an alpha, due to his species he possessed a great resistance to pheromones. So he got rid of the people in front of him, but he could hardly fight in such a narrow terrain, even so, that allowed several people to not be able to step forward.   

Baam reacted promptly. He positioned himself next to Khun trying to check his condition. He had no idea what the substance contained, but he knew it was something extremely bad to cause his friend's condition to decline so quickly.   

“Can heat affect you that much? I thought you were better than the common omegas," said one of the guys coming closer, taking advantage of the fact that the crocodile was busy with other people to attack first.   

Khun was disgusted by the strong smell of pheromones, his stomach was churning, but he refused to show any kind of weakness. He would not hesitate to fight even if he had no energy in his body.   

“If you want I can take you to the hotel so we can all take care of you” that phrase only generated more disgust, he released several stress pheromones before this, but it was useless, that stupid substance had decontrolled his hormonal system.   

Agüero had a knife ready if anyone dared to approach, at least he would be able to castrate a few; it wouldn't be the first time he did it.   

To his luck, he was not alone. Baam took the lead, with a firm, angry look on his face towards his enemies. Khun thought he would just defeat them easily with his skills, but what he did next stunned everyone.   

“ Stop now! ”The echo of his voice changed, it wasn't just a simple shout, no. His voice generated a vibration in the air, drastically changing the atmosphere.  

Khun knew that sound well, dominant alphas used it against the weaker ones to control them. No one escaped that tone of voice, not even betas.   

To their great surprise (and fear), the people in front of them fell to their knees, leaving their heads blank. If it was an embarrassment to be beaten by an omega, to be controlled by the voice of an alpha was a far worse humiliation.  

The omega could not analyze the situation correctly, the mixture of discomforts provoked a headache, which was combined with nausea that attempted to expel what was contained in his stomach. The weakness in his extremities became more and more latent, and even his vision became blurred in the face of so many confusing stimulus. 

'You can't fall, you can't do it or it will be worse' He repeated to himself like a mantra so as not to lose what little will he had. 

But nothing prepared him for the panic of being surrounded by alphas, even those he considered his allies....   

His negative emotions doubled, fear threatened to make him lose his balance at any moment. He could feel how his heartbeat was so strong that it seemed to burst out of his chest at any moment, the air didn't feel clean, but full of foul smells. How could he run away? He needed to find a safe place now before he totally lost his sanity.   

So defensive was he, that he didn't react well when Baam approached him again, only his mind picked up another alpha nearby and he let out a whimper when it tried to hold him in its arms. The chestnut didn't know what to do when faced with this behavior, how to take care of him if he refused to be touched? But he had to act fast, the pheromones seemed to be getting out of control, and Khun's condition was only getting worse with each passing second.   

“Get the blue turtle out before it attracts more perverts!”Rak's voice brought him to his senses.   

“I'm sorry," he murmured, quickly taking him in his arms (taking way his knife to prevent get stabbed), summoned a disk under her feet to glide through the air and run away avoiding any obstacle.  

Khun was trying to get get away, he had been carried away by his emotions at feeling an alpha so close. He couldn't deny that also the shock of knowing Baam was an alpha was playing against him at that moment, making his trust in him become null and void in a moment of weakness like that. Not even the calming pheromones Baam was expelling were enough to calm him down, he could only feel his breathing becoming more agitated and no air was passing through his lungs.   

It was the first time the chestnut had seen his friend in such a vulnerable position, and it hurt him even more to see him look at him in terror.   

This only motivated him more to increase his speed, find a safe place to leave him and be able to take care of him.   

The people who passed by the festival that night, thought for a second they sensed an omega nearby, but they couldn't tell where that sweet scent was coming from.   

A few minutes later (which seemed eternal under Agüero's perception), they finally arrived at the house where they were staying. Khun immediately tried to get out of Baam's arms, but Baam did not allow it because he knew that the other would not hold on until he reached his room.  

Under multiple struggles so weak, he could not believe he was carrying Khun in his arms. Baam managed to carry him to his room, and once he put him on the bed, he quickly pushed him aside.  

“Wait! You're boiling hot, you need to at least cool off”.  

In the midst of his innocence, Baam tugged a little on his shirt to better check his condition. Of course, this only made the paranoid omega react already.  

“Don't touch me!” he exclaimed along with a slap, finally managing to put some distance between himself and Baam. His eyes looked at him with restrained anger, making it clear that he would rather die than be touched by someone else.   

“Khun..." the chestnut felt a knot in his chest at such rejection, but even more for knowing that surely the light bearer was suffering in that state. “I only want to help you, I won't hurt you..." he insisted, only looking at him with sincerity.   

"Leave me alone!"

Baam remained still in his place, he didn't move a muscle while he observed how Agüero was getting comfortable between the sheets, covering his body as much as possible; he practically looked like an unprotected animal trying to pretend to be strong, seeing him act that way only made him feel more pain because he knew the true panic he felt. Someone once told him that people dropped all their masks in the face of true terror, and this seemed to be the case.   

Neither spoke, mentioned anything, knowing that now any noise would be more detrimental to Khun's condition; only the pheromones of the omega were filling the room more and more. Aguero was mindful of how this might make Baam react, no alpha was able to withstand an omega's heat, at worst, he might even go crazy. 

‘It's not the first time this happened ’ he reminded himself, learning to breathe to gradually calm his agitated heart and mind. He had already trained himself for these moments, so he always had a weapon of defense for the worst case scenario.   

If Baam were to take the blanket from him, he would find the unpleasantness of Khun keeping a knife right under his pillow.   

However, as time passed, his pheromones had already filled the entire room, but this did not cause any change in Baam, who remained still in his place awaiting some permission from his friend to continue.  

Feeling that he was no longer in real danger, Khun relaxed his body and decided to put it to the test.   

“I need my suppressor, it's in the top drawer of the desk," he spoke for the first time, but his voice still transmitted a coldness that would make any Khun proud.  

Baam felt strange to receive such treatment. He had grown accustomed to the kind Khun, who, even if he appeared angry or stressed, always seemed to treat him with a certain care. He tried to think that it was because of the seriousness of the matter, so he only complied by doing him the favor to show him that he could trust him.   

The chestnut handed him the syringe, he had never seen a suppressant but figured it would be something like that from the way the omegas in the group talked about those pesky injections. Of course Khun wouldn't even agree to brush his hand with him at any point, treating it like some sort of disease.   

(But Aguero just didn't want to show him how shaky and sweaty his hands were.)  

Luckily, it was a quick application, although he was having trouble keeping a pulse because of the tremors in his body that was exposed to so much stimuli today. He didn’t remove the sheet in any moment,  even hid his head under it to see the area where he had to inject himself, which was a difficult process due to his situation, but his pride and survival instinct refused to ask for help.   

Still watching silently, Baam wondered what to do in this situation. Why did Khun refuse to be seen when he was in heat? It was understandable, taking into account that he always showed himself as a leader who carried the most ruthless plans to accomplish his goals, but still, something told him there was more to this refusal of help, but what?  

Khun's voice brought him out of his thoughts.  

“How come my pheromones don't affect you?”   

“Affect me?” He sounded confused. “I don't really feel anything....”  

“How is that possible?” The blue-haired boy looked at him quizzically, "Aren't you supposed to be an alpha? You should at least have a reaction.”  

“Eh.. I don't really know much about secondary genders," he confessed embarrassed.   

“How could you not know? Your gender presents itself in adolescence, the moment you become sensitive to pheromones” Khun was going to ask ‘d idn't anyone teach you that? ’ but seeing the chestnut's ignorance to many things, it was obvious that no one around him wanted to teach him.   

“Well, there are many things I don't know about myself, that one just adds to those things”.   

Knowing that he would find no answers as to why someone immune to his pheromones could use an alpha voice, Khun decided not to pursue the subject. For now, he had already experienced too many things to worry about yet another one.   

“Do you feel better now? Do you need anything? Water?” insisted the brown-haired man.  

“Maybe some water. .... And food," he admitted defeatedly, he could really use some energy right now.   

Seeing that Baam was unaffected by the pheromones, perhaps he could be more lenient with himself on certain things.  

“Okay!”   

Watching Baam leave the room, Khun clenched his fist tightly, in an attempt to find the reason in his head. For an instant he felt desolate at the thought of being left alone; ha, what a weak mentality. His heat was putting him in uncomfortable situations, hormones making him act in ways he shouldn't. What was all that show he put on at the beginning? He couldn't believe he let his emotions control him like that, now the shame of those memories was all that was left.  

The suppressant eventually kicked in to at least clear his mind and control his body a bit. He decided to take a bath before Baam arrived, the sweat and intimate fluids ruined his clothes, so an urgent cleaning was needed.  

So, when Baam returned to the room with food and some water on a tray, he found Khun coming out of the bathroom with his pajamas already on, his hair still wet so he had a towel on his shoulders to dry it.   

The brown was  relieved to see him better.   

“Thank you, Baam," he said with a smile, sitting down on the bed, which now had no sheet. Baam decided not to ask about it.   

“Khun... Why did those people want to hurt you?”  

“Uhm, I've gained a bad reputation over the years, it's normal that people want to eliminate me, especially the spiteful alphas," he spoke as naturally about the subject. 

“But why are they so upset with the omegas? Aren't we all the same?”  

“Oh Baam, that's a fantasy world. The tower doesn't spare the weak, and that's why it created these gender divisions to make things even worse. Even if you are of the 10 families, being omega is frowned upon, after all. The strongest people in the tower are alphas, omegas throughout history have only existed to bear children, or so we've been led to believe”  

“But it's unfair... just for being born like that, you don't deserve any of it.”   

“That's why I say 'what we've been led to believe'," he smiled a more confident smile. “We omegas can also use pheromones to our advantage, it's something I learned when I lived with my family, otherwise I would never have made it this far.”   

“Your family also rejected you?”  

“Of course, my father never recognized me, my mother (who was also an omega), taught me not to trust anyone, she told me that the most I could aspire to would be to live comfortably with some nobleman, but that's not my lifestyle” he shook his head. “So I formed my own path: I allied myself with questionable people, I made decisions that affected others and that's why I was exiled. I didn't leave empty-handed, I managed to steal several things from my father, that sure was a scandal when they realized” he let out a slight laugh at the memory. 

“And how was it when you entered the tower?” Baam was getting more and more curious.   

“Oh, that's a funny story.”  

He began to narrate how he got to the testing floor: he quickly attracted attention for being a descendant of the 10 great families, along with quite powerful objects that seemed to give him an advantage, and a suspicious and presumptuous attitude, he quickly earned several enemies. He obviously defeated them all in the next round, as no one expected the way he used his pheromones to attack.   

“How do I explain it? Using pheromones has always been seen as a way for omegas to attract potential mates, but in the animal world there are different ways to use them: to mark territory, to send a message, among other things. So I managed to use an unexpected weapon with a condition that many consider weak.”  

But of course, no matter how independent he was, he could not climb the tower alone, and thanks to Shibisu's intervention, together they managed to form a perfect team to climb the tower.   

.

.

The talk went on until late at night, and they didn't even notice if the others had returned. Of course, Khun's energy seemed depleted, the omega was trying to keep up, but Baam decided to call it a night. He picked up the dishes and said goodbye.   

“Sleep well Khun, if you need anything don't hesitate to tell me, okay?”   

 He left the room quietly, not wanting his companions to wake up. However, as he was heading to his to sleep, he ran into Endorsi who had a face mask on, who made a disgusted face at the sight of him; as if he shouldn't be the one disgusted by seeing her with that green mass around her face.   

“Next time clean yourself when you get close to an omega, it's a disgusting smell," the princess held her nose and hurried to her room, while she kept complaining, "If he wants to be so possessive, he should show it in another way...".   

Baam sniffed his shirt, not detecting anything unusual, but surely having been so close to Khun, the pheromones must have rubbed off on him.   

Even Rak reacted negatively to the sight of him. He was scolded for spending so much time with the blue turtle and getting his "creepy" scent, but inside, Baam knew his mate was somewhat relieved to know they were both okay.   

.  

.  

.  

Even though fatigue demanded rest, Khun's mind was working at a fever pitch, unable to let him rest easy. What was Baam? A beta? An alpha with pheromone resistance? It would be the first time he knew of such a case. Should he be relieved if that was the case? His more rational side told him not to be consumed by such absurd ideas.   

But Khun Agüero Agnis could not deny that it was a pleasant feeling to know that he could trust someone when he entered that state.   

It was better to sleep before more silly ideas came into his head....   

Chapter Text

The smell of pheromones made the team uneasy, many quickly held their noses and became alert to the possibility of someone strange entering the apartment. Rak came out to inform everyone what happened with the blue turtle, also mentioning that his heat was under control. Still, the betas and omegas in the group decided to go in first to try to dispel the smell a bit, thus avoiding any further problems. 

Good thing they had aromatizers that neutralized the pheromones. 

The next day when Baam came out of his room, he still reeked a bit of pheromones, apparently these would be harder to remove as Khun marked him without either of them noticing, after all, neither believed that the group strategist would make such a bold move with the new member; he would never show such an obvious interest in someone.  

Therefore, most of them were impressed when the brown confirmed that indeed nothing happened between them, and it was even more surprising, that he still acted as if nothing happened even when he was close to an omega in heat.  

"Are you sure you don't need suppressors?" Hatz asked, looking at him with concern. 

"What for? I'm not an alpha," explained the brown. 

"What irony, in the end that cretin ended up choosing the only person he couldn't control with his pheromones," mentioned Endorsi after he left.  

"Considering that most alphas are witches like you, I wouldn't be surprised". 

"Hey, you're an alpha too, girl. Oh right, you're still too little to know how our genetics work".  

"Only turtles react like that because of a sweet smell," Rak muttered (again in his small form).  

.

.

.

Usually, when estrus was induced by external factors, these effects only lasted two days at most, however, Khun's condition did not seem to improve. The discomforts were still present, and he could not abuse medications to control it, that would only further alter his hormonal cycle. 

So, Shibisu, with his good fatherly instinct present, made the best decision and called a doctor who could help him. 

Stubborn Khun refused at first. Beyond the fact that he hated being treated with weakness, he hated treating doctors who didn't know how to treat omegas. Mostly, He had always heard stories concerning how the doctors suggest that the best decision for omegas was to bond with some alpha in their team to balance their hormonal system, so they could ride out their rut together with a person they trusted. 

Even if it was hard to trust someone, because betrayals were a daily occurrence in such a hostile environment, they preferred to let themselves be marked by an alpha who resided in the central areas. Someone who was not climbing the tower and who they would probably never see again. Now their pheromones would not affect anyone, but sometimes instinct was stronger and many omegas had to force themselves not to seek out their alpha. 

Many would agree with this idea, how could they not? It seemed the best solution to their genetic problems. They could have a bond without feelings, after all, only few dared to fall in love while climbing the tower. At worst, they would have to get rid of their mark on the condition that they lose their connection to that person and never bond with anyone again. 

Although if the tower really did give you everything you wanted when you climbed it, surely there was also a safe method to remove this mark without such consequences. 

Khun did not deny that his secondary gender was problematic, everyone knew that omegas were the most exposed in the test: a single miscalculation and they could have their rut in the middle of a major challenge, greatly affecting the quality of the test; that was why they were sometimes tested to check whether the rut was close or not to avoid unfortunate accidents. That was one of all the problems, he knew of cases where they were used as hostages, and even, in the most dangerous areas, they were sold to people who used them as simple toys for any activity that only a sick person could think of.  

He understood the pros and cons, he knew that there was something positive in being marked, but the simple idea repulsed him, being touched by someone else generated a shiver and annoyance as if he were touched by insects. Not to mention, of course, that his pride would not allow it, what alpha of his team could help him? Hatz? Endorsi? Of course not, they were both insufferable, and if he gave them a little advantage, they would take advantage of it to give him orders. 

He would never allow it. 

At least, the drastic 'lessons' (or rather tortures) of his mother were a good thing. That woman, as cold as ice, showed him firsthand the dangers he was exposed to and how not to be carried away by his impulses. 

How could he forget when he refused to mate to avoid his heat? She said nothing, but that silence was more deadly than any scolding, he would soon find out why. She just took him to a room to go through his cycle, but not alone, other alphas were there and under the stimuli of their pheromones they instantly became beasts. 

His mother only left him with a knife, telling him: "If you want to live alone so badly, remember that you will encounter these dangers. Fight back or you will be eaten". Before abandoning him to his fate.  

Perhaps if he knew what a functional family was like, he would have been mentally much worse off, but Khun was not one to live in the past. Besides, he should thank her, because living through such intense situations made him learn to manage his pheromones.  

For that, he would not depend on any alpha. Never. 

"Are you sure you don't want a doctor to see you?" That voice brought him out of his deepest thoughts. 

Baam looked up worriedly at him from the chair beside his bed.  

The alpha? Was practically there every day, and even if he wouldn't let him near his bed for any reason, he still helped him by bringing him food, water, cold cloths to soothe his fever and sometimes passing on gentle pheromones that helped calm his instincts a bit.  

"I'm sure, there's just an imbalance because I'm past my cycle, and this accident just happened. I swear that next time I won't let my enemies live...." 

"Khun..." he used that tone as if to remind him not to be so cruel.  

"I'm going to sleep again," he said, hiding in his sheets. A few minutes later he heard the door to his room open and close. 

He let out a sigh of relief at this. He was still not used to the presence of another person in the middle of his cycles, and this was already starting to affect him hormonally. He had always had good control of his emotions, not getting carried away like any animal that wanted to mate at all costs, but, even so, the feeling of excitement was still there and having your friend around, was not very comfortable to say the least.  

'If you asked him to help you, you wouldn't go through this' his omega voice spoke to him, manipulating him through seductive fantasy, silly ideas that he preferred to ignore. He wouldn't acknowledge it, wouldn't let it have any influence on him or anything like that. 

Even if he wished to indulge in that kind of desires, he found himself unable to ask Baam for help in that regard. Why should he put any more burdens on him? It was bad enough the way he cared for him. He had a good heart, he was taking his role as caretaker seriously, he would surely agree to do it with him if it was to help him.  

It would be so easy to get him to accede to his wishes, but his pride, shame and self-hatred were still more present than ever. 

It was the first time in his entire life that he was so easily lowering his walls. That wall of ice he built up over the years seemed to melt in the face of Baam's warm kindness, and it terrified him. How was it possible for someone he met in less than a few months to accomplish so much in such a short time? It was just that, he simply didn't understand, and if he wasn't able to figure it out or give him a solution, then fear would come to him. 

"Trust no one, Aguero. Omegas like us are just a plaything for others." 

What he hated most about his heat, was that his memories came back more vividly than ever. 

.

.

.

A few weeks later, Khun returned as if nothing had happened.  

He arrived suddenly during breakfast, totally neat, without any glimpse of having spent bad nights or anything of the sort. He didn't even mention the accident, simply proceeded to explain that the test would be given shortly, calling a meeting later to explain the strategy. 

No one took him to task, the last time Isu went all "protective father" on him, he had to help Verdi with his games; it was not a pleasant experience.... 

Baam wanted to ask him if he was okay, but after living with Khun for a few months, he knew that question was better not to ask, and less in front of several people.  

At least he was glad to see that he had the energy to go back to the way he was before. 

That was what the chestnut thought, but for the most observant of the group, a change in behavior on the part of the descendant of one of the ten families was evident.  

Beyond the fact that the chestnut was now practically marked with the pheromones of the light bearer, they could notice more subtle things: his approaches when talking, warmer looks and definitely, a somewhat 'sweet' treatment for a Khun.   

Shibisu just thought they were consequences of the heat, "sure it's an omega instinct or something" he thought.   

Rak that this one was already practicing his mating dance before he got his alpha.  

Hatz who had surely gotten his favorite. 

Others, they didn't even notice this.  

As much as some wanted to tease Khun with this fact, they could not entertain such matters. Climbing the tower was their priority, and they could not be distracted now, especially when they were facing the next test building.  

.

.

.

The room where the participants gathered was quite large, but the walls were painted a terrible gray color, the only striking feature being the large front doors, each painted a different color. Nothing indicated what might be behind each door, but based on the team's research, it appeared they would have different challenges ahead of them. 

Several groups of regulars were gathered there, like animals locked up before being led to slaughter. The suffocating atmosphere affected more than one, so most tried to ignore the claustrophobic feeling by talking to their companions or remaining totally silent.  

The most intrusive and unhealthy thoughts came, "it would be a real disaster to have your cycle in such an enclosed place." 

He quickly shook his head no to that possibility, the very idea made him tense and uncomfortable. 

"I didn't want to come to this test, I heard that the FUG killer candidate would be here," commented some people next to Khun.  

"Jue Viole Grace? I thought it was a myth."  

"It is said that he hasn't taken a test in months, but there are also others who say he is just hiding his name so as not to arouse suspicion."  

"The good thing is that we are with our princess Endorsi, she would definitely beat him."  

From there, Khun stopped listening. It was true that the princess was now gathering a lot of fans on the side, people who would clearly see how to take advantage of following someone so strong. 

He chuckled to himself at such deluded regulars, following her without knowing that they were falling into the trap of a carnivorous plant that wouldn't even leave their bones.  

Baam had been quiet for a while now, anyone would say that he was paying attention to his surroundings in case the test started soon, but the truth was that something was bothering him. But what? Had he noticed a trap? He might seem naive about some things, but he was perceptive about others. 

"Baam? What do you think?"  

"Huh? -Nothing, it's just... Why are they so scared of one person? I mean, did that Viole guy do something wrong?"  

"I wouldn't know, there are a lot of rumors and it's hard to tell if there are exaggerations or not," Khun let out a sigh. "When I did some research on him, in case we ever ran into him, I found out that he's very strong: he does his tests alone at a speed even more absurd than our team. From there lie various rumors of his true strength, but what causes the most bad feeling is that he is related to FUG".  

At Baam's glance, Khun understood that he had to explain further. 

"FUG is the organization that has opposed Jahad for millennia, and they will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. They have gone so far as to assassinate important supremes, ruin entire floors and even kill innocents, if it means that their plans are fulfilled, they don't mind spilling the blood of whoever it takes. That's why I don't even want to think about what a candidate for assassin is like, surely he is just as vile as they are".  

"I see... but what if he has done nothing wrong?"  

"Still, why else would he be working for FUG? Soon he'll do something bad for sure..." 

Baam was silent, so the omega gave the subject up, there seemed to be something about the conversation that made him uncomfortable. But what? The chestnut was still someone very strange, so he'd better ask him later, he couldn't afford any distractions at the moment. 

A great commotion arose up ahead, many regulars gave way to two people: to a giant with a red mask and next to him, a boy apparently normal but carrying a large sword on his back.  

"Make way for two important FUG members!" No wonder everyone was moving away. 

The atmosphere became tense as those two guys approached her team, even the Endorsi fanatics were behind her, ready to flee at any moment. 

"Good afternoon princess," the boy with the sword greeted her, Hatz stepped forward ready to fight. "Oh? A bodyguard? I thought princesses were strong enough to face everything alone." 

"It's not my fault that I'm so charming that everyone wants to protect me," she didn't look indignant, but rather showed her proud smile.  

"I wonder if that's true, you'll see why FUG is so feared by everyone, and to prove my loyalty, we'll destroy you first."  

Everyone was ready to attack those boys at the slightest sign, but Baam interfered by standing in front of both sides. 

"Who are you? Another bodyguard?" 

"I just don't want to see them fight," he said in a calm tone, earning a sneer from the swordsman. "Besides, I don't think you should just say you're from FUG. Carrying that name is heavier than it sounds". 

"Who do you think you are?" 

"Dear regulars, thank you for waiting. To continue to the test, you will follow the following corridors" the five colorful doors opened in front of them, already showing a white corridor. "You may separate from your team if you like, each path will take you to a different area of the map". 

With the timely interruption of the test administrator, everyone became alert, remembering the plan Khun had recommended a few days ago. 

Even so, Khun still watched Baam in intrigue.  That intervention was not only coming from his good heart to protect his companions, besides, he said that "carrying the FUG name was a great burden", did the conversation just now give him an idea of what was going on? Or did he really know something else? 

Well, that just added to the list of things he would ask the chestnut. 

The whole point of having put them together in one room was so that they would recognize each other, it was clear that if a regular scared you, you wouldn't take the same path as him. But according to Khun's calculations, here was the law of "keep your enemies closer". It was clear that this led to virtually his entire team having an aisle to themselves, no one wanted to take on the only team with two Jahad princesses, a Khun family member and others with extraordinary talent.  

The only ones who followed suit, were those Endorsi fans praying they would not have to compete with her, and other regulars who felt they were on the level of these.  

At the end of the hallway, as Khun expected, they came to a room with 5 other doors. In that room, there were the regulars who took a different path from him. A holographic screen appeared indicating the challenge: defeat the opposing team in less than 5 minutes. 

Already in less than 3 minutes, the opponents lay dying on the floor and the two doors opened for them. 

The test looked easy from afar: pass the test in each room until the end. With each passing room, the number of doors decreased, indicating that fewer and fewer regulars were able to pass. The challenges could vary, so he had no idea what awaited him in the next room. According to his research, the challenges ranged from: fighting, collecting hidden objects, solving a riddle, among others.  

But Khun trusted his luck, and it told him that the rest of the way would be a piece of cake.  

They practically had an invincible team, and they had the intelligence to solve any crossroads, even the fortitude to withstand pheromones, if they actually did such a thing. Although years ago, they banned any kind of forced induction of estrus as a testing method. That was a risk for everyone present, especially if there was a dominant alpha who didn't know how to control himself. Still, his paranoid side always kept the emergency suppressors to avoid any eventuality. 

They passed each room without a problem, Endorsi's followers failing as they went, leaving them practically with the original team. Finally, they reached the last room, where only a golden door was displayed, symbolizing the end of the test. 

On the opposing team, there were also the two boys who supposedly belonged to FUG.  

"If we beat two princesses, we will be recognized by FUG," one of them commented. 

"I bet you I'll take them down before you do," Anaak began. 

"You're too slow." 

The screen announced the following challenge: "Skill fight 2 vs 2. Both of you must be unharmed or you will be disqualified." The room then divided into several squares, with a screen of light (similar to a lighthouse) determining each one's territory. They had no time to think about who would be their partner or rivals, as they were stuck with the people closest to them. 

Khun and Baam were left on the same team against the two FUG flunkies.  

Luck was definitely on their side today.  

"Well, this should be fun," said Khun with a smile, preparing his headlamps.  

Although he didn't know the abilities of the other two, he had a feeling they barked more than they bit. Besides, a combination of light bearer and wave controller was much better than two goon attempts. 

Indeed, it was a crushing victory. 

"We will have our revenge!"  

"Many have told me the same thing and failed," Khun snorted, putting his knife away.  

"Jue Viole Grace will come for you!" At Khun's gaze. The guy just laughed, "That's right! We know the assassin candidate and he-" 

Baam didn't let him continue, with a bang he managed to give him the last blow to knock him unconscious. Khun noticed it strange, Baam was not the kind of person who liked to abuse his enemies in that way, just getting was victory was enough, but obviously the subject of FUG and the assassin candidate bothered him in a way.  

The test administrator announced the winners. 

Although it was no surprise to anyone who won, Isu celebrated as usual. 

Khun was not entirely satisfied to tell the truth. 

Every time they finished a test, the team took the opportunity to rest. 

Khun was not a big fan of this idea, but clearly everyone was against continuing to work, especially seeing their great performance that made them pass any test in a jiffy. Isu warned him that it was better to let them have a few days off every so often if he didn't want them all to end up rebelling.  

He resented this, and by a lot, especially when they had to wait quite a bit for that test, coupled with their heat cycle, but he couldn't say anything. 

.

.

Baam was sitting in the great room with others, watching a movie on TV. It was the first time in a long time that they were so relaxed. But that didn't last long, as a loud knock on the door along with angry footsteps caused most to turn their attention on the enraged princess.  

"Now what?" was what many thought lazily. 

"Ugh, I hate these girls," said Endorsi entering the room. All the bags with her purchases she left lying around, not caring much about the state they were in. 

"What happened?" asked Baam, the only one who hadn't learned not to talk to Endorsi when he wanted to complain.  

"As always, the only considerate one who cares about me." 

Quickly the princess sat down next to Baam, pulling Laure somewhere else in the process. The girl let out a sigh more bitter than the previous ones, pretending to be a hurt girl in the process, practically invading the chestnut's personal space in the process. 

Everyone rolled their eyes at that scene.  

"Do you know how tough it is to be a princess?"  

"Eh, no?" He answered a little shyly, inwardly thinking, "But you always seem to do what you want". 

"Everyone thinks I have a free life! But it's just the opposite, there's always someone who has to remind me of 'duties' and 'behaviors', and I'm not talking about the killjoys here!"  

"Has someone been bothering you?" he arched an eyebrow in confusion. 

"Besides my fans, there are two other people who enjoy watching me suffer," he let out another heavy sigh, leaning back more on the couch. 

"They're two witches worse than her," Anaak interjected, amusing herself with a game console. Just ignore them. 

"Huh? And who told you to give your opinion? I was talking to Baam!"  

"No one is interested in your stupid story, he's just too nice to refuse," the half-reptile girl settled down without taking her eyes off the device. 

"Leave us alone!"

"The living room is a place for everyone." 

Endorsi ended up throwing one of her shoes at him in the absence of weapons, but Anaak easily dodged it. This only made the inevitable fight worse.  

"I thought a princess was someone hard to bother," Baam commented, walking away from the fight, ending up near his good advisor, Isu.  

"It's true, the only ones who can really annoy her are people with her titles."  

"Are there more princesses going up the tower?" 

"Yes... but these ones are a pain in the ass, they're the twin princesses. They've been harassing Endorsi for not fulfilling her role well, all because of Anaak." 

"Why her?" 

"Isu, remember that he joined the group late," Hatz commented, putting the bags aside with the help of his foot, looking for some place far from the fight.  

"Oh right! The problem is that Anaak is the daughter of a princess, that is, she didn't receive the title directly. That's why for some time now, there are people interfering to eliminate her, but since we are regulars, no supreme can practically touch us."  

Baam had a lot of questions about it, but he thought he'd better ask them to Khun, the unfamiliarity of the general world was causing him problems and he didn't want to look suspicious. 

"Agh, you're unbearable, you swordsman, help me carry my stuff!" 

"Do you see me as your servant?" Even so, he helped her after a while.  

"Oh, my pretty Hatz, always behaving like a gentleman for his princess," Isu said in a mocking tone. 

The chestnut got bored of doing nothing, so he excused himself as he left the room. 

Not knowing what to do, and in the absence of Rak or Khun, he decided to go for a workout. He was not used to being still for so long, some exercise would do him good. 

Arriving at the training area, he could hear someone already occupying the area. He found it odd, as usually most skipped training, and Hatz was in the room until a few minutes ago.  

Guided by curiosity, he opened the door to the room. The smell of blueberries again flooded his nose, realizing that Khun was there, but to his surprise, he was holding a spear in his hand. Was it his secondary position? 

For the light bearer, such an interruption did not go unnoticed, showing his headlights and pointing the spear towards the newcomer. 

"Who's there?" he asked in a brusque tone.  

"Ah, sorry," said Baam instinctively, entering the room fully with some regret. He didn't know why, but he felt he had interrupted a private moment.  

"Easy, are you going to practice today?" Agüero commented, softening his expression, putting the spear in one of the headlamps.  

"Yeah, a little, I'm not used to being so long without doing anything," he scratched his cheek. "Uhm, so you're a spear bearer too?"

"Ugh, unfortunately," he mentioned with some distaste. 

"But it's kind of cool, I hardly ever see people who specialize in two things," he commented with a smile. 

How could Khun feel angry at such an innocent expression? It annoyed him that people recognized his second position because of his lineage, but he had to remember that Baam knew nothing about his family. His words were sincere and without any hint. 

"The Khun family usually specializes in being spear bearers. My father," he said with all the contempt in the world, "is the best at it, just as the Ari's are the best swordsmen in the tower. But as always, I go against my family's expectations and preferred to be a light bearer; I like to give orders".  

He said with a smile that infected Baam.  

"And you're very good at it," Baam added. "Hey, are you finished or should I come back later?"  

"How about helping me?" Khun mentioned, taking him by surprise. "It's important that I practice so I don't get rusty".  

"Of course!"  

Both regulars positioned themselves. Khun decided to make a challenge, he would set a timer and in that time one had to knock the other down or else it was considered a draw. 

"Hum, I wonder if we should bet on something," Khun mentioned, adjusting the time. 

"Like what?"  

"I don't know, something silly like... a secret you have?" -Baam felt shivers at that look. He had become so used to the Khun who used to help him, forgetting that the Khun's true nature was closer to that of a predator. 

His instinct told him to ignore it, but his need to fit in was much stronger. 

"Okay, but if I win," he formed a confident smile, "you'll have to be the spear bearer in the next test".  

Khun's gestures were unsettled for a moment, he had expected anything but this. He could have asked her for something similar, to be his slave to do embarrassing things or ask him if he doubted him.  

"Unbelievable. Agreed," they both shook hands, sealing the deal.  

When Khun finished setting the timer, they both stood facing each other, waiting for the clock to start counting. Once the beep sounded, they both rushed forward at a surprising speed. 

Baam hadn't expected that speed, he had been a bit overconfident that Khun always seemed to work behind everything and never used physical force. Still, speed did not equal strength and Baam realized that as he used a key against him, knocking him down.  

"Fuck!" mumbled the blue-haired boy. The wave controller helped him up, while the timer indicated a point in Baam's favor.  

"If you want, I can hold back" 

"Since when did you learn to talk like that?" Khun arched an interested eyebrow.  

"Maybe it's your influence". 

"A very bad one, if you ask me". 

Before the brown could answer, the alarm sounded again. The movements were exactly the same, Baam felt victory near, but when he least thought it, Khun's body was surrounded by shinsu, hardening it in such a way that it was impossible to move it for an instant; a moment that was not wasted.  

When he least thought it, now he who was on the ground.  

"Did you pretend to be weak at the beginning?" 

"We never set rules about holding back or not," Khun crouched down to his height, with a smug smile as he gave him his hand. "You shouldn't show all your cards at the beginning, the enemy should never know what your true potential is".  

Baam felt a stronger throbbing than the others, surely from the exercise, but he had to admit that this attitude of Khun's was surprising him too much. Besides, the perfume he almost always wore was flooding his nostrils, causing those strange reactions as well. 

'If I was an alpha, surely he would also react badly to pheromones' was all he thought as he took his hand to follow. 

This would be the tiebreaker, and this time, neither held back. Even if Baam had experience in different martial arts, he couldn't deny that Khun was quite agile to dodge it, as if he was dancing around it to find the perfect moment to strike. Any enemy would be confused at that contrast between his elegance and strength, but it was the only way he could describe it at the moment.  

Khun stood behind him, to entangle his movements and make him lose his balance, but Baam had already prevented this; even in a head-to-head fighting style, he always found a way to set traps around; that was very.... Khun of him. Thus, with reflexes that left the son of the 10 great families impressed, he positioned himself in front of him, managing to block his legs to make him fall. 

However, he did not calculate the strength of his opponent, so he also ended up losing his balance. The next few seconds passed in slow motion: 

Khun had clung to his shoulders in search of a support to prevent him from falling, and Baam had placed one hand under Khun's head to prevent him from hurting himself. The other, served as a support to keep from falling completely on top of him. Still, the position was not the most comfortable for both of them. 

Their legs were still intertwined, but beyond the physical contact, the only thing Baam was aware of was the beautiful blue eyes staring back at him. It was a darker color, almost like the sea of shinsou he knew, that could be capable of devouring him at any moment; but he didn't care if this was the case. 

He felt mesmerized, possibly because Khun's scent became more intense, an alluring fruity aroma that enticed him to move closer to him. Perhaps this very one was what caused him to see him in a different light: pale skin, flushed cheeks, and moist lips half-opened.  

'Whoa, Khun is really beautiful'. 

Was the only thing that went through her head at that moment. He wasn't the kind of person who focused much on the physical, he even believed that no one really ugly existed, only bad people. But at this moment, he couldn't deny that the omega's physique surpassed most people's by far.  

Before either of them could do something they would regret later, the sound of the alarm brought them out of their reverie, reminding them that they had a real world to return to.  

Khun was the first to react, trying to pull his hands away, Baam quickly followed, now with his heart like crazy because of embarrassment and nervousness. Khun said nothing, but for a slight instant, he thought he heard a heart just as loud as his own. 

"Ehem, so shall we call it a draw?" said the light bearer, fixing his shirt to feign normalcy. 

"Y-yes".  

They both went their separate ways as if they had decided not to talk about this subject ever in their lives. At least, for now.  

. 

. 

. 

Khun was angry.  

Against his omega instinct. 

At himself. 

At Baam for being so... Baam.  

Why was he reacting this way, embarrassed by the closeness? Never, he was no young girl to be embarrassed by a brush of skin, especially in training. What affected him most, was that look that seemed to read him, that possessed no malice whatsoever causing him to unintentionally lower all his defenses.  

He could not let his guard down with anyone, not even with someone like Baam.  

He went to his room walking as fast as possible, ignoring everyone around him. He needed to be alone. Now.  

"Earrings! You're-"  

"I know. Don't care. Bye". 

"Tsk, I was just going to tell him to learn to manage his stupid pheromones".  

Of course, the biggest problem was her secondary gender. One slip of her emotions and her omega side would come out all excited, releasing pheromones left and right. He partly blamed that accident for his cycle now having a catastrophic mess, making it so that now his pheromones would show their emotions with anyone (especially Baam, rather, just him).  

This was not the plan. 

He hated not having everything under control. 

He managed to get into his room, locking the door to try to calm those strange palpitations, was he getting tachycardia? Baam was no alpha with pheromones strong enough to make him react like that, was it affecting him to be so close to him? 

What was worse, it wasn't becoming close to any one person. What was troubling was that he was literally with a man so mysterious that he might even be a FUG spy or the very assassin candidate everyone feared. 

Was his distrustful nature creating paranoia? Was his self-sabotage preventing him from finally feeling a real connection with someone? Even if he was crazy, the evidence was still there: the way Baam acted with the two guys who claimed to be from that terrorist group.  

He had looked for information on Jue Viole Grace, it had struck him as odd that from one moment to the next he had been silent and without appearances, it was the card FUG held to make the regulars fearful. To remind Jahad of who he was to fear when he became supreme. A ruthless killer who had gotten rid of regulars from a test to be the only winner himself, even though the rules allowed for more than one.  

How could such a person be compared to good old Baam, whose shyness and innocence was even contagious? Sure, sometimes his look seemed tinged with a certain darkness, but that was normal as he climbed the tower. Not everything went well and there were usually major losses or betrayals.  

But how could he explain that the same day he found Baam was when there was a strange attack on a building? That when he accepted him into his team the candidate assassin disappeared from the face of the earth? How could he ignore those coincidences as if they were nothing if they could threaten his life and the lives of others? Or had he become a coward?  

Khun could hate himself for many things, but he definitely hated himself for having contradictory feelings. His world was black and white, whether he served you on the team or not, he wasn't looking for friends, let alone romance. So why was his omega side so desperate to find someone? Wow, even wanting to get caught in the arms of a beta again, or an alpha? He didn't know what to think anymore.  

His mother didn't raise him like that, he wasn't like other omegas, he was going to prove even to his stupid father that he would achieve his goals without bonding to anyone.  

For the first time, someone besides Maria had managed to turn his world upside down, the only difference was that she was gone while Baam was still here.  

Was this another test of the tower? Surely the hardest one he would have so far. He just hoped his decisions wouldn't blow up in his face later on, let alone affect his progress.  

That night, the contradictions forming in his head kept him awake.  

Chapter Text

Khun had a method when faced with a personal problem: if he couldn't hit or kill it, the best thing to do was to cover it up. This could be applied to many aspects of his life, especially with those emotions that were difficult to express, such as the emotion he felt while training with Baam. 

As a good functioning adult, he avoided his problems if it didn't affect the team and his journey in the tower, it was a healthy way to avoid involving anyone. The problem? That was far from the healthiest thing possible, emotionally speaking. 

It's not as if he decided to ignore Baam all of a sudden, even for him, it was impossible and he couldn't deny that he got quite used to the chestnut's presence. The problem lay with his secondary gender and how it tried to get into his head giving him the wrong idea about their relationship. He would not allow that side to control him or ruin a good companionship, for that reason, he was more than determined to lock him in a cage, before he did something stupid like marking Baam without his permission (although he has already done that without realizing it). 

For that reason, he would take some distance, while he totally detoxed from his heat and his hormonal cycle managed to calm down a bit. 

A perfect plan that he only kept to himself, but one that left all his teammates, especially Baam, confused.

.

.

.

After a few days where Khun carried out his plan, a confused Baam turned to the others to get an idea of why the light bearer seemed to want to move away. 

"I told you not to get attached to him, he has no heart," Endorsi explained, rolling his eyes. 

"The sons of the 10 great families are the most conceited that can exist, it's in their nature to be a jerk," Hatz added. 

"He only gets like that sometimes, I'm sure he'll get over it soon," Isu tried to fix things. 

"Maybe he got bored with the new guy," said Anaak looking at his magazine as if it was nothing. 

"Don't say that!" Isu interjected with a nervous smile, probably because of her saddened expression. "Don't listen to them, Bam, it'll be something else he's worried about" 

The wave controller returned to his room letting out a big sigh, he didn't understand the distance Khun had with him, had it been the fault of his brute strength in training? Had he indeed got bored of him as Anaak said? It was possible, his lack of knowledge in the face of many things could get on anyone's nerves, but he was never uncomfortable teaching him; unless he was really good at faking it. 

Still, Baam couldn't think only the worst of people. A slight worry popped into his head as well what if it had to do with his heat? Since he was ambushed like that, he seemed to suffer a lot more from this one, but... if that was the case, Khun would have locked himself in his room without a second thought.

.

.

"Blue turtle!" 

Rak knocked on the door many times, if it was possible he would have thrown it away already but that stupid turtle had reinforced his door for that very reason. He continued with the loud knocking until an angry Khun came out of there. 

"What do you want, asshole? Can't you ask for things calmly sometime in your life?"  

The crocodile, now small in size, ignored his scolding to headbutt his way into his room, hitting him in the process and sitting on his bed as he folded his arms.  

"What are you-? " 

"Why are you running away, blue turtle?" Rak asked. "You're being ungrateful and a jerk, especially to black turtle."  

The boy pursed his lips, looking away. 

"None of your business," he spat, "Besides, it's not like I have to be so close to him all the time, he can look for other friends and I'd rather confirm his true identity before I let him into my life anymore.  

"Do you even know where the black turtle comes from?" questioned the crocodile. 

"I have an idea, but I haven't been able to confirm it, and if I do, I don't know how the team would take it". 

"Why does that matter? You just have to forget your past and face the future, it's as simple as that." 

"Of course it's not! If it was something like petty crime, that's fine, we've all done it, but something tells me it has a connection to FUG, you know how bad that is?" 

"I'm just looking at a scared turtle, I thought you were braver than this, other useless turtles scare you and you don't even know them?"  

Clearly, the crocodile had no idea and Khun wouldn't bother explaining it to him.  

"They're not just some 'turtles' and that's it, it's a scary organization for everyone," he massaged his temples trying to gain more patience for this discussion. 

"I still don't understand what you're so afraid of, sure, black turtle is strong, that's why he's my prey, but he decided to climb the tower with us for a reason. If you're afraid that someone else will take him away from you, then you invent some of your tricks to bring him back."  

'Being taken away from me?' Wait a minute, did Rak think this was all the work of his own fear of losing something? He didn't want to admit it, really, he'd rather be crushed by a rock than accept that this stupid reptile helped him find a reason for his most recent fears. 

Khun let out a sigh, Rak saw this as a victory as he had the last word.  

The regular took his place beside him, looking straight at the floor, he seemed to be settling his thoughts. 

"Once upon a time, I helped a girl become princess of Jahad," he began to narrate under the reptilian's gaze, "I betrayed even my sister, causing her death, and soon after, Maria was taken from me to do her duty. I could do nothing but watch her triumph while I had my hands stained with blood, if I had been a little braver perhaps I would have asked her to take me with her, but I was unable, because I understood that she had to take another path that I could not follow." 

"Pft, I don't understand your story blue turtle," answered Rak, making Khun look at him angrily now. "You lost your banana to a girl, but if it had been me, I would have killed anyone who stood in our way of staying together."  

The crocodile got up from the bed, heading for the exit. 

"I never thought you such a coward to take things, I can tell it's just a facade of yours. Come out of your shell, get your banana back and do what you want. I won't let the black turtle go since it's my prey, I don't care who wants to get it too." 

Leaving behind a reflective silence, he left the room. 

Agüero was left alone with his thoughts once again, detesting the fact that he couldn't believe that a damn reptile taught him how to manage his emotions. 

Had he fallen into another parallel world?

.

.

His pride would never allow him to accept that this conversation was of any use, but even so, a few days later, he spoke to Baam again as before the curious glances of everyone. Without wanting to make a show, he pretended that nothing happened and the contrary played along, showing a much more radiant smile than before knowing that he had regained his best friend. 

Bam never questioned his attitudes, so Khun did not explain to him what was really going on in his head. He only went so far as to ask him if it was some problem with his secondary gender and he replied that it was, but that it was something difficult to explain. 

It wasn't entirely a lie, he just omitted information. 

The innocent Bam, understanding that Khun would not talk to him so much about his secondary gender, decided to look for information on his own, to get an idea of the cycles of the omegas, learning a little about the difficulties they went through, their mood swings, needs and other issues to know how to help Khun in those moments; of course, without going overboard at any time.  

Now with that chapter closed (for now), they went back to focusing on climbing the tower. But this time, Khun had something else in mind. 

"Let's go to the battle of the Workshop," he announced in one of their meetings, everyone was excited about this. "On the 30th floor, we have to take advantage of the opportunity since it is something we only see every 5 years, and we can get different rewards, so we'd better win them all."  

Everyone nodded at his words in excitement. There were some interested in the rewards, others attentive to any enemy that could serve as training and some just thought it would be a different activity to relax. 

Clearly it would not be something easy and Khun, as the most capable light bearer of the team, did not hesitate for a second before getting information to use it to his advantage in the future. 

Baam decided to train hard, but beyond having the idea of becoming stronger for the team, Khun sensed that something else was at stake. He could see him anxious, and also detected a slight discomfort when he mentioned the workshop, but so imperceptible that surely only the most observant noticed it. 

Maybe going there was more important than just winning prizes, she could also find out a little more about him. It was one of the few cases where he was actually intrigued by someone's identity.

.

.

A month passed, everyone was ready to leave, they had to do one more test before going up to the floor and then they would be entered in the tournament. 

The city where they arrived was very busy, it had different stores and places that more than one regular would love to visit. In addition to a beautiful hotel with all the amenities, of course, depending on whether they had the ability to pay for it.  

Of course they could not be confident, they did not know what kind of test they would be able to have in that place, but many were already relaxed. The guys put on a novel while relaxing on the couch, and others, like Endorsi and Hatz wanted to browse in stores for a few things; though one wanted to look at makeup stores and the other a new sword. 

Khun felt that neither was taking this seriously. Until he saw Baam in a corner, looking lonelier than usual so he approached him to find out what was going on.  

"Any problems?" 

"No, I just have a bad feeling about this place". 

"Have you heard rumors or seen anything?" 

"Let's just say, they have rather extreme ways of getting what they want." 

Khun was intrigued at such a somber comment, Baam rarely let the darkness that consumed him show. But before they could ask him more about it, they were interrupted by the annoying crocodile seeking attention.  

"Don't just stand there, turtles! We need to get supplies before the test." 

"I would take you seriously if I didn't know you were talking about bananas".  

"But it's a serious matter, your leader is hungry!"  

"Are you taking me for your servant?"  

"Calm down, we can go, I heard there are good tourist sites too," Baam intervened calming the situation, he had practically become the only one to calm their fights, but he didn't seem to take it as a burden, rather he saw it as something fun. 

Once he mentioned to Khun that they seemed to be good friends, but Khun looked as offended as if they had insulted his intelligence to his face. From then on, he never said it again even though inside he knew he was still right.

.

.

Although Baam seemed to know the people in the Workshop, he did not seem to know the floor they were on. He was impressed by any curious structure and even by the robots giving directions to the regulars. 

While Khun found it odd that someone of (apparently) his age seemed to have lived a cave much of his life, he couldn't deny that it was refreshing to see his innocent excitement at anything. And of course, with the crocodile accompanying him with his useless explanations that Agüero ended up correcting before the brown had the wrong idea of everything.  

When they managed to feed the crocodile its valuable fruit, they decided to return to the apartment where they were staying. However, they couldn't rest for a minute as an announcement caught everyone's attention.  

"Thank you so much for coming all the way out here! We appreciate your interest in participating in the workshop battle, however, we will only choose up to 100 participants for the next phase".  

Everyone was concerned about the small number of participants, time would be of the essence if they wanted everyone to be able to move on to the next test.  

Khun was attentive to every indication, and his mind proceeded to do a lot of calculations to figure out how to win. Practically, it was a hunting game: 100 capsules with the ticket to go up were scattered around the city. It was valid for a person to get more than 1, however, these capsules could have different abilities that the inventors implemented, so some had incredible speed, while others had weapons to defend themselves. In addition, the person who managed to catch more tickets, would receive some kind of reward, so it was not only to ensure their stay, but also to take advantage for future fights.  

And of course, they had to take into account the factor that many regulars would try to steal their tickets in some way or another.  

The test began, and in everyone's pockets the ticket counter started, and from the first second the number started to go down.  

"All right, we have to move quickly," announced Khun, gathering the others present. "We will split into small groups, to move faster. I assume Endorsi and Hatz are already acting on their own so I won't worry about them. We'll each take one end of the city, if you don't get a ticket, try to steal it" 

Each one nodded, quickly forming their groups. Isu went with Vespa and Verdi, while Anaak thought herself capable enough to go alone (well, with Laure on her back). 

Endorsi and Hatz didn't make it because they were still looking for their stuff, but Khun hoped they were smart enough to at least get a ticket for themselves. 

Clearly, Baam didn't have to say anything to know that he would be on the same team as Khun and Rak. Their team would take the north side of the city, Khun scattered several headlights to spot the teams carrying tickets, and along the way they would also see groups of regulars fighting to be able to take a ticket; clearly, it wasn't too hard to beat them and have them for themselves, though Baam would apologize to them at the end. Khun just rolled his eyes at this.  

Some teams were very difficult to catch, but Khun managed to detect that some were following a set route by not being directly controlled by one person, then together with Rak, managed to make several traps to have them.  

In the midst of this, they were involved in various conflicts, by desperate regulars who had to resort to violence to move forward, but of course, that desperation was not enough to even give them a scratch. Even so, they also encountered people they preferred to keep away: an arsonist, sons of the Khun family, and the worst of all, a blond boy who seemed to know more than he should. 

Baam was the only one who saw this guy, he was picking up one of the capsules that Khun managed to block with his headlights, but in that, a quick shadow managed to take it first, he had lowered his guard so much that he realized too late that he no longer had the object in his hands.

"You've gotten slower," he said in a somber voice. The boy wore a patch over his left eye, horns adorned the back of his neck, and he wore an all-black cloak, but with the FUG symbol adorning the bottom. Was he an assassin? But before he could ask any more questions, the guy pulled out a shinsou bomb and used it to generate smoke, disappearing in the process.  

Baam couldn't keep track of him, but a part of him told him he'd better stay away from that kind of guy.  

"What happened, Baam?" Khun asked, they had already gathered several tickets in their inventory, he even had some left over, but apparently this was part of Khun's plan. 

"I decided to give it to someone," he looked away embarrassed, he didn't want to worry them about that encounter. 

"Well, be thankful that we have enough," he let out a sigh, shaking his head, "The others have already given notice that they have their tickets, in 20 minutes, we can all advance to the next stage of the test".  

"And what do you plan to do with the remaining ones?" 

The strategist gave a wicked smile, one of those he only showed when he felt totally confident about his plans. 

"Let's create more advantage for us".

The next stage consisted of being teleported to the Archimedes ship, one of the workshop's greatest creations, which functioned both as a tourist site and as a place where the second part of the tournament would take place. There they had all the amenities, including amusement parks or swimming pools of different designs for anyone to enjoy. 

Khun was not a person who liked this kind of activities very much, really if it were up to him, he would spend his time in his room to continue investigating what awaited them in the future, meet enemies and know how to take advantage of new allies they met along the way. But of course, the Baam factor had entered his life, and since then, he was doing several things that he refused to do before.  

"The best thing about these events is the view, you know?" commented Shibisu, obviously looking recklessly at all the pretty girls wearing swimsuits.  

"Ugh, I don't understand why I sat next to you," hissed the light bearer. Despite being in an environment that required little clothing, he wore his hair up, sunglasses to protect his eyes, and a white Hawaiian shirt, along with Bermuda shorts, but to protect himself even more from the sun, he had an umbrella covering him.  

"Khun!" Baam approached him with a grin from ear to ear, he had just gotten out of the pool and Aguero's sight was quickly diverted to his naked torso and how the water made his skin glow. The fucker knew very well how to take care of his body despite having a baby face. He was thankful he was wearing sunglasses that didn't reveal his dark intentions. 

"Are you tired of swimming yet?" 

"No, I'm enjoying it so much that I can't wait for you to come with me," the brown man mentioned. Khun clenched his fists, he would not be so easily captivated.  

"No, never, the pool water leaves my hair horrible, I'd rather stay here". 

"Well, then we'll have to make plan B, Rak." 

Before he could even wonder where the crocodile was, he felt his chair move, and lift off the floor. The stupid crocodile had left its tiny form only to carry him and chair.  

"Don't you dare or I swear I'll make you a bag!" shouted Khun angrily, however, due to the distance they were from the pool, in vain were his efforts to jump in early and avoid the water.  

On the shore, the crocodile laughed loudly at how ridiculous he looked, infecting Baam in the process. 

"Now you're asking for it," as best he could, he approached the shore, grabbing the ankle of each of them. Let his appearance not deceive them, being a son of the Khun family he had superior strength to the rest of the regulars, and now it was time to prove it, dragging his two companions into the pool with him.  

Shibisu just watched those three with a smile, inwardly glad that Khun was already becoming more friendly.  

"I'm going to throw you in the pool too if you keep looking like a pervert," he was scolded by Anaak, who looked at him with disgust. 

Endorsi on the other hand, loved the attention the others were giving her, especially for getting several tickets on her own. Many supported the princess, and even the most daring omegas asked to feel her pheromones at least once in their lives; suffice it to say that they were silenced with a bang.

.

.

In the end Khun stayed in the water for a while to avoid being ambushed again, somehow Baam had managed to get an inflatable ball to play with. The chestnut looked very excited, even if he didn't know how to swim, of course, it wouldn't surprise him at all if he had never visited such a place in his life either. He was getting too used to Baam seeming so oblivious to the outside world, that at times he forgot all the suspicions or doubts his background kept generating in him. 

But since his discussion with Rak, he no longer seemed so concerned to think that he might be allied with FUG. 

Sometimes he saw him as a child, sometimes as a traumatized person who needed healing, rarely, as someone who might bring more trouble into his life. But somehow, he couldn't forget that this was the Baam he knew and somehow all those things made him so unique and striking in his own way.  

Maybe, really if he was falling into a bottomless pit, and there would be no rope to help him out of it.... 

He snapped back to reality when a float bumped into him. 

"Look where- "he was going to curse the jerk, but swallowed his words when he saw a little girl staring at him from her float. Her hair was brown and short, her eyes were a little droopy but still looked at him curiously. 

The girl knew nothing, and he was practically useless dealing with normal children, he didn't even know how to deal with Ran at times to tell the truth.  

"Miseng! "Another girl who seemed to be his older sister approached her, her eyes hidden by giant goggles, wait a minute, why did she wear goggles in the water? "Excuse me, eh, sir?"  

"No problem," he said with a half smile, as cynical as he could be at times, manners were still present in certain situations. 

The girl blushed and quickly took the girl away.  

'How odd, they look too young and weak to be in the tournament' was all he could think. 

"I'm leaving, if I keep getting that sunnlight I'm going to end up burning," Khun warned, turning to Baam, before leaving the pool. 

The chestnut didn't take long to follow him, seeing how Rak had fallen asleep while floating on his back. 

Khun's white shirt was completely wet, sticking to the omega's body and showing a bit of his skin.  

Baam wasn't the kind of person who was interested in such things, but still, he felt guilty to see him in that state, was that how Isu felt about the local girls? He shook his head as he got a towel for Khun, the last thing he wanted now was for others to see the omega as well.  

"Oh? Thank you," was all he said as he dried himself a bit.  

Although, when they got to where the things were, khun took off his shirt without warning. Bam felt embarrassed, but still didn't take his eyes off him, wanting to see a little more. Even if the blue-haired man had his back to him, his shapely back and back of his neck stood out quite a bit, he wasn't one to neglect his physical appearance.  

"Khun, don't you wear any necklace?" That doubt came to his mind, remembering that many omegas used that to protect themselves and more with people so impulsive that they could hurt him. 

"I don't like it," his hand went to the back of his neck. "It's usually the most common way they have to detect omegas at first glance, and even though many already know it, it doesn't take away from the fact that it still earns you annoying stares. I feel like I have more of a chain really," he let out a sigh. 

As a child his mother would buy him the most disguised chokers as soon as he had his first heat, but when it came to important parties, where there was the possibility of unions between families, he wore the finest and most extravagant necklaces, reminding everyone present that he was for sale. Clearly, he never accepted any of the proposals and never wanted to repeat such events again. 

"Sorry..." 

"What are you apologizing for?" he arched an eyebrow and turned to look at him. 

"I feel that you don't like to talk about it and yet I ask questions about it". 

"Baam, I think we're past that point where we can talk about uncomfortable things, I guess I trust you more." 

When the brown looked at him in surprise, Khun knew he had made a strong statement, neither of them were very clear on what it was to trust the other, but apparently they were figuring it out. Being somewhat ironic considering that one was a boy who grew up alone and the other who always believed that trusting someone was a weakness; especially with someone as suspicious as Baam was. 

"Anyway, shall we go get some drinks?"  

"Sure! But first, let me lend you my shirt," said Baam, handing him a black T-shirt. For a moment he felt he had made Khun angry, the way he looked at the garment, but then he shrugged and put it on without a problem. 

"Thank you, I hate showing so much skin when it's sunny". 

"How bad can it be?" 

"Look, the worst thing about having Khun genetics is that for some reason we can't stand the heat. It's horrible how my skin gets." 

Baam only seemed to laugh at her complaints, how could he not? In the end, it was a facet he knew of the light bearer, one that surely the enemies would never think existed.

.

.

.

They had two days off before the start of the competition. Most of them preferred to enjoy the available days, knowing that later it would be hard to find a rest, while others took the opportunity to continue preparing, especially now that they had access to the workshop store, where they could find different types of weapons and tools; of course, everything came out of their own pocket.  

Hatz took the opportunity to get a new sword. Isu asked him about this when he already had two, but the samurai only expressed that it was good to have one for an answer; he still hadn't gotten a sword fit for him really. Endorsi got an interesting item, being one of the people by being one of the most regulars he beat, Khun on the other hand, also got a prize but decided to keep it a secret for when the time was right.  

They all headed to the arena where the tournament would be held, there were several groups, some quite intimidating, rumors said that there was even a Yama dog among the regulars, thus making him the favorite to win the competition, others said, that this Jue Viole Grace would come to ruin things as a way to draw attention in the tower. 

At this point, Khun was already beginning to believe that this guy didn't exist but was a social experiment by FUG's fanatical believers.  

Besides, what if those people were really there? He was 100% sure that his team was much stronger. 

Even if the first test was a physical fighting tournament, it also had its intellectual side, for those who were better at strategies than fists. Those regulars would be called the "gamblers", having to predict the outcome of each fight, earning points that would be fundamental for the future of their victory.  

The problem was that there could only be one representative for each team, so they had to choose between Khun or Isu, the most capable of that task in the group. The two argued a bit about this, and in the end, the sports suit lover would be the one responsible for betting on them. In the end, even if Khun loved to give orders, it's not like he was a wimp who couldn't stand up for himself. 

The competition would be given in sections, there were too many participants and doing individual fights would take weeks, so, the best option was to do an all against all, making things more interesting in his opinion. This way, he could better verify the skills of each one, knowing if the rumors of the most fearsome were real or just talk.  

Baam entered the arena, to his surprise, he ran into the blond boy who managed to steal one of his tickets. The more perceptive regulars instantly realized that two very dangerous people had entered the scene. Other fools didn't think twice before baring their teeth and pouncing on the first weakling they could find. 

However, after seeing a regular fall dry because of an almost invisible movement of the blond stranger, a sepulchral silence ensued.  

"You can all quit, you won't stand a chance with either of us two," he said with an evil grin, showing his sharp teeth in the process. 

The other regulars were annoyed by this, getting their feelings to override their common sense, but Baam knew that this person was a real danger. However, it was too late for the other participants to realize this. 

Blood came out everywhere, no one had time to scream, and when they did, their fate was already sealed. 

Baam watched in horror as so many lives were destroyed in a matter of seconds and for no real reason.  

On the other hand, Khun was also exalted by such a scene, of course, these scenes were normal in competitions like these, but rarely did true sadists like that guy come out. His anguish came from his concern for Baam, he knew he was strong, but what if the other guy was stronger?  

"Why did you do that?!" 

"To show you what a real slayers should do," he replied coldly. "But well, I'm thankful you gave up your position as a candidate, you opened the easy way for me"  

"Did...FUG send you?"

"Something like that. Rachel wants me to take you back, Viole. You've been very bad these past few months."

Chapter Text

'Rachel...' 

A name that now seemed so far away, almost as if in a dream, now returned in the form of a nightmare. 

"How do you know her?"

"How could I not know her? She brought FUG their 'savior', but this went so far to her head that she forgot that the strength was yours, not hers," he seemed annoyed at the mere mention of it. "Now she's desperate for her dog to come home. I don't care, but it's a pain in the ass to have you running around, so why don't you come back?"

"I never will!"He exclaimed angrily, the shinsou around him became heavier, luckily, the others were dead and wouldn't have to bear that pressure. "Rachel lied to me, I can't trust her anymore...." 

"Oh Viole, you know very well it's not just that" They both started to walk in circles around the arena. Everyone was at a loss how to react, nor could they complain because they felt that at any moment the wait would be worth it. "Now you know what freedom is, what it's like to be a regular regular but, both of us here know that you don't fit in with those people. You were molded to be the thorn that will destroy this tower, no one can change that, and that's why we need your strength for that. Do you plan to abandon the organization that for so long took care of you?"

Baam bit the inside of his mouth, clenched his fists and looked at him defiantly, how to react to such a speech? His mind could hardly bear the thought of what he really was, he knew that his idea of having a normal team could vanish at any moment but he wanted to appreciate them. But wasn't he being ungrateful as that stranger said? Was he being selfish? 

But before he could think any further, the blond boy struck the first blow.

.

.

"Baam!" Khun exclaimed from a platform, he knew he couldn't hear him but he found his attitude strange. He hated not knowing what was going on. 

"Yes Wagnan!" exclaimed the little girl he had encountered the day before. Khun fixed his eyes on her, if she was here despite looking so weak, that meant someone strong was helping her. 

"So the blond is your teammater?" Khun started the talk, if he was a potential enemy he should start getting information about him. But it seemed strange to him, he didn't hear of a remarkable regular in the last few days. 

"Yes! He is the strongest one here," the girl affirmed with all the confidence in the world. 

"I don't think so, his opponent will be stronger." 

Wait a minute, was he fighting a girl to defend Baam's honor? 

"He won't lose, he said he wouldn't lose until he at least fulfilled his dream," the little girl's expression became sadder and sadder. 

"His dream?" 

"Yep, but I can't say more, I'm not supposed to talk to strangers". 

"My name is Khun and yours? This way we won't be strangers anymore," he faked his best smile, although inside he felt some anger for having to treat children like this. 

The girl looked at him, analyzing him. 

"Miseng..."was all she said before she was interrupted. 

"Hey, do you think we're on a field trip?" Another boy, a little older than her, approached the pair with a clearly angry expression, taking the girl by the arm. "You can't get lost like this, it's more trouble for me."

"Hello Prince, I just wanted to have a closer look at Mr. Wagnan," she seemed to ignore the angry tone. 

"We can see him somewhere else," Prince finally looked at Khun and did not hesitate to push the girl away. Oh? Did he suspect him? 

He didn't even let her say goodbye, possibly taking her to another room, but he did manage to hear a little of the scolding he was giving his companion. 

"We told you not to talk to strangers, don't you remember what happened last time?" 

"I'm sorry..." 

Prince, Miseng and Wagnan... a particular group, made up of two weak and one strong, but why didn't you hear about the last one before? It was very strange this whole situation, to tell the truth.  

Now he was trying to shake that bad feeling off.

.

.

The smoke dispersed, the bomb didn't manage to hurt him apparently, but his clothes looked a little torn. 

"It was just a warning so you wouldn't get distracted," the blond mockingly mentioned, playing with another of the bombs he had in his hand. 

For enemies that used ranged attacks, the best option was to find an opening that allowed a melee confrontation, but somehow, that guy didn't seem to have any visible weak point, he always kept his distance or managed to create it more with the way he used his bombs. Not even the bangs of the wave controller were able to counteract them because the explosion could vary its intensity, generating smoke that made it more difficult to locate him. 

In addition, he could not concentrate properly, Rachel's name disturbed his mind and he was paranoid. If someone from FUG was in the workshop it meant that there were possibly more people, like those men in white coats he had met in the past. Just thinking about it made his body tense up as he remembered the pain he felt in those times. 

"Why don't you use all your power, you're supposed to be the perfect model! You should be able to beat me easily," his enemy seemed a bit angry at the way the fight was going. 

Baam restrained himself, he couldn't ruin everything now. 

They stayed like that for 5 minutes until the announcer said the result: a draw.  

Everyone looked confused, they had hardly been able to see anything because of the bombs, but when everything dissipated, Baam came out with a grim expression, one that reminded Khun of the face he used to have when they barely knew each other.  

He couldn't go looking for him as it was time for his involvement. He cursed under his breath hoping all was well.

Khun passed quickly, the confrontation lasting less than expected. When everyone was in position, suddenly a group of people surrounded Khun, quickly eliminating the others. These were people who owed him one, since Agüero gave them a ticket to get there, many aspired to touch the Archimedes at least once in their lives and he did not hesitate to fulfill their dreams. 

He reached the waiting room behind the arena, his team was gathered, at least those who had already finished, and by the results displayed on the various screens, he saw how everyone had passed, only Hatz's confrontation remained. However, some of them had a serious expression. 

""What's going on?"  

"Black turtle locked up, not talking to anyone"

Rak surely meant locking himself in his shell, because Baam was sitting there, his gaze was directed to his lap and he seemed to be in great mental conflict. The others were watching on TV the confrontation, to let Khun take over. 

"Bam... "He muttered his name ready to approach, but just then they gave the results of the round. 

'The winner is Horygan!' 

"How could Hatz lose?!" Endorsi exclaimed in annoyance, "All that training must have fried his brain."

"I didn't expect that," Khun's eyes widened in surprise, this was more than a small slip in his strategy, it was an unforgivable miscalculation! He was sure he had analyzed the opponents well, but seeing even Bam's confrontation, it was clear that there was a group that hid its power until that moment.  

Now the tension was more palpable than ever....

.

.

.

The atmosphere was strange. Quieter than usual.  

"I can't stand this. In the end I won my round, the ones who should be scolded are others," Endorsi complained, ready to get up and leave the room. 

"Don't leave, this also concerns you," Khun warned seriously.  

"We had a good performance today, we managed to get a lot of points for the next round, so we shouldn't worry about past mistakes, right?" Isu tried to calm things down, inevitably looking at those most affected after the competition.  

"Tsk, it was my mistake, surely I underestimated the enemy and when I least thought about it... my sword was already broken" Hatz still carried his destroyed sword, his swordsman pride did not allow him to easily get rid of it and even more when it had an emotional weight.  

"Stupid turtles, is one defeat enough to bring down your spirit?"

"Look who's talking". 

"Shut up blue turtle, you better say what you have to say!"

Khun's headlights formed a screen, with information from different regulars: Wagnan, Horygang, Ehwa Yeon and other people without much information. Everyone watched intently, even Baam finally looking up. 

"I thought I had information on every regular in this tower, but unfortunately, I was wrong," he began. "These guys belong to a group that I haven't tracked, rather, that was always in the shadows in one way or another, so I had no information on them when I got to this floor" 

"Khun and I think they may have received help from someone outside, someone powerful enough to remove the traces of regulars"  

"Wait a minute, how could they not have information from someone in the Yeon family?"

"We know things about her, but... from the 25th floor until now, not much has been seen of her" 

"Anyway, Horyngag has been known as 'the devil's left arm', but it was also unclear how I failed to detect his involvement in time. Wagnan is another problem, I don't know what kind of regular he is, but there is almost no information about him at all. Last I heard, he stayed on the 20th floor for a while, and that's it, he's the most mysterious of them all"

"What's the problem? We could go now and destroy them," suggested Anaak. 

"Remember we can't fight here, any fight before the competition is practically an instant disqualification"

They continued debating for a while, without really getting anywhere, Khun felt his head starting to hurt more and more, from all the stress of the whole thing; and maybe the lack of rest. They closed the meeting, but Aguero still intercepted Baam who was the last to leave. 

"Surely you don't know this Wagnan?"

"I don't know him," he answered without looking him in the eye.  

"I saw you very tense in the fight, did he say anything to you?"

Baam's fists clenched in frustration, but he shook his head again. 

"I'll go to sleep," was all he said.  

Such strange behavior only served to further upset Khun's paranoia, something bad had definitely happened, but what could it be? He hated this, lack of information was something detrimental to everyone, and worse, if Baam's behavior continued like this, something told him that he would encounter something unpleasant.  

The light bearer arrived to his room ready to continue investigating and forming strategies to face that strange group, but a pain in his abdomen together with a sudden fever, altered his senses. 

'Why is it coming again?'

Since he had been affected by that strange drug, his pheromones had gotten a little out of control, he thought it was the fault of his heat, but recently he felt he would lose control. He took a suppressant out of his headlamp, injecting it into his leg. He knew this could have side effects on his health, but it was better to have his hormones under control. It was easier to struggle with a headache than the thought of attracting useless alphas. 

Just the thought of this happening on the battlefield sent several shivers down his spine. He would not let this affect him, he would prove that he would not fall to the imposed hierarchy.

.

.

Baam's attitude did not improve the next morning, again they had the new boy who did not utter a single word, but now, without the bangs to hide his face, more than one saw the concern in his eyes. 

"If you're going to go on like this, go somewhere else! You'll only end up ruining the atmosphere" 

"Endorsi!" Isu scolded. 

"What? It's the truth, I can't stand this atmosphere and even more with that stupid swordsman crying for his sword. They're all wimps"

"I'm sorry..."That was the only thing the brown-haired man said before retreating. 

"Baam, wait!" Isu tried to follow him, but Khun looked at him.

"We can't force him to talk" 

"Really? You're the closest to him, you could talk some sense into him" 

"Do you think I haven't already tried? Anyway, if Baam's performance drops, it will be a problem for our plans, but I think, with our current level, we'll make it through" 

No one was surprised by Khun's curt attitude anymore, indeed, it would be more surprising if he was more concerned. 

"Turtles shouldn't hide"

"For the first time, I agree with you," Endorsi muttered, rather annoyed by the situation.  

. 

. 

That day was free for them to recover and arrange the things they thought it was convenient to take with them. Endorsi had luckily won something for the last test, as had Khun, so he saw it as an advantage. 

The problem was Baam's behavior, if he kept it up, he was ready to take him out of the test, even if everyone objected. 

He spent part of the morning with mild fevers, his pheromones would get out of control from time to time, so he used the emergency suppressants to quiet them down; the directions said not to use more than twice a week, but Khun was confident his anatomy would get over it. At least after the test he would go to a doctor to find out his imbalance and everything would be back to normal. 

However, of all the contraindications he had, the most frequent was mood swings, especially irritability.

The house was alone. Hatz went out to look for a new sword, taking advantage of the fact that on the ship there were several stores with weapons that could be useful to him, Isu decided to accompany him to prevent him from doing something crazy. Endorsi went to a spa with the girls to rest. 

Rak was only there to annoy him. 

"Talk to black turtle!" 

"I can't do anything if he don't want to talk!" 

"Are you chickening out?" 

"If anyone's chickening out here, it's him! I'm nobody's babysitter to comfort him when he feels bad" 

"You're a heartless turtle!" The crocodile came out of the room slamming the door, even though he was small, he was still pretty strong. 

Too many things were piling up in his head for Rak to add another thing to the list. He rarely felt choked up, but now, he felt like he would literally explode at any moment. The headache was only getting worse with each passing second.... 

The test result made him angry, he hated it when things didn't go according to his calculations, who did these morons think they were hiding all their information? Not even Anaak or Endorsi hid their tracks so well, that could only mean they had outside help from someone powerful. Really the tower was unfair in every possible way, but he couldn't complain, if he wasn't disinherited, he would have received some kind of help too. 

But what annoyed him the most was Baam's attitude. What had made him change so much in a matter of one battle? An old acquaintance? Anyway, what he hated the most was not having any kind of reaction, where was the Baam that followed him everywhere? 

Surely it was a facade, he wouldn't miss it. 

Still, he wrote to her through the contraption to let her know about a small meeting to decide his strategy for tomorrow. 

'Later, I'm training.'

He felt his head lighter thanks to the great anger he felt at the moment. Great! He would make him talk by hook or by crook. 

He made it all the way to the training area, blocked one of Baam's attacks with his lanterns drawing his attention. He probably had a fearsome expression on his face at the moment, because the chestnut looked more self-conscious and even swallowed saliva preparing for anything. 

"When I ask you for a meeting, I'm not asking if you have free time. It should be your priority, especially when there's a damn test tomorrow".  

He approached with determined steps, his gaze and gesture transmitting a coldness that left the brown man speechless. Totally terrified by that new attitude; Khun seemed to be angry for real. 

"So let's settle this," he took out a spear from one of his lanterns, Baam was confused, was he going to kill him? For not going to a meeting? That was a bit of an exaggeration, but seeing Khun's attitude, he felt he would be stabbed right there if he answered. "The bet still stands: whoever wins deserves to hear a secret from the other". 

"Wait, Khun! C-calm down, okay?"

"I'm calm" although his tone was calm, you could still feel the anger emanating from him. "You wouldn't talk nicely, now I'm going to force you. I'm not going to let your problems ruin my plans for tomorrow, I've had enough of the surprises I received yesterday." 

Baam was in a cold sweat, he was taken by surprise by the omega's attitude, he knew he might resent it but never to this point. Besides, he knew that if they fought in that state, Khun would really try to kill him. 

"Ehm, wait, wait" he put both his hands in front of him avoiding his approach, "I don't want to fight like this, can't we solve it in another way?" 

"The other thing is that you could tell me what the hell is going on in your head."

"It's complicated..." 

"Then I'll have to take the words out of your mouth," he put himself in an attack position. 

"All right! But you've got to promise me something..."

"What?" he answered in annoyance. He could only feel the anger consuming him more and more, even he was surprised, he shouldn't react like that. 

"That you're not going to hate me, or tell the others, please," he asked with his eyes lowered. 

Khun watched as that mysterious boy turned again, so afraid to talk that he always used him as an intermediary in his early days. He let out a sigh, putting the gun away again, he needed to compose himself. 

"Okay, talk now". 

They both sat down on the floor, before, Khun would have preferred to settle in a better place, that wasn't so dirty, but now he was impatient to wait and the last thing he wanted was to be interrupted.

"The person I confronted yesterday is someone who knows my past, he said he planned to take me with him by force," he clenched his fists and never stopped looking at the ground for a second. 

"What does he have? We just beat him and he won't bother you anymore" 

"It's not that easy!" He exclaimed taking him by surprise. "They are horrible people Khun.... I'm afraid they'll hurt you too" 

"My family already hates me, and many other people, I'm used to receiving all kinds of threats" 

"But they are worse," He stared at him, implying that he was serious. "It's an organization that works in the shadows, they will do everything they can to accomplish their goals" 

"How did you end up working for them? You don't seem to me to be one of those who join a cult for revenge" Khun in his head was putting together the puzzle he had been putting together for a while, that's why he didn't interrupt him so as not to discourage him. 

"A friend of mine took me to them, she told me: 'if you don't accept, I'll climb the tower on my own and we won't be together anymore'. She was my star, a light that guided me when I thought all was lost"

Baam's gaze softened, that only caused a bitter taste in his mouth. 

"That's why I agreed, I thought that... if we were together, nothing else would matter; but it was a lie. They trained me to be an assassin, they said my power could stand up to the King. I went through all kinds of training..."he clenched his fists tighter, surely they were painful days. "Every day they told me what to do, how to become stronger, and the Workshop also helped in that process."

Khun looked at him puzzled, he knew there were scientists who did all kinds of things, but what had they done with Baam? 

"It got to the point where I couldn't stand it, so I ran, but I should have known that wouldn't be enough to stop them"

"Baam... Is that your real name?"

"No, I got it from Rachel, the friend I tell you," he flashed a weak smile. "But they called me Jyu Viole Grace".

Khun choked on his words, it was one thing to have suspicions and another to hear it directly from the person.  

"I'm sorry I lied to you all this time.... I-I know it's complicated and I'm sure you won't believe my reasons, but..." 

"Baam, calm down, it's okay," said the light bearer, returning to the tone he apparently had reserved for Baam itself. 

"How can it be okay, you've been living with an imposter all this time!" 

"Then answer me: were you planning to betray us at some point? To force us to join FUG?"

"No! Never! You're the first team I have, the last thing I want is for anything to happen to you" such sincere statements were worthy of a hero. Khun laughed at the thought. 

"Then we don't live with an imposter. Baam, you withheld information from yourself, as we all do. Even I keep secrets I haven't been able to tell"

"Are you not angry?" 

"Of course I'm angry!" Baam looked a little hurt. "You let your fears keep you from beating that stupid blond in the previous test, and by the way, you locked yourself in your world making things harder for everyone"

"Sorry..." 

"Look, I had my suspicions before that you were with FUG and I really thought that would destroy everything I've built up so far" those words seemed to hurt the chestnut even more. "But, we already have two troubled Jahad princesses, an exile from the Khun family and now someone who belonged to FUG. If you belong to a group, it will definitely be with us"

"Khun", he was so moved by those last words that he was unable to hold back the small tears that came from his eyes. 

"Oh come on, it's not for you to get sentimental," mocked Aguero, who knew an alpha could cry so easily? 

"What do I do if the others don't want me on the team...?"

"It doesn't matter, we'll make our own team, it would be you and me, maybe Rak because he didn't like to feel alone"

"But you've known them longer, haven't you? Besides being your perfect team"

"Beyond climbing the tower, my greatest desire is to find interesting things, maybe something that really gives me a purpose for my existence"  

'And I feel you can make that a reality' he added in his mind with a smile. 

"Thank you Khun," he tried to wipe away his tears. 

In that way he looked so innocent, sweet, it was hard to believe that he was associated with FUG in any way, even more so, as that assassin candidate that everyone feared him. That alone solved many of his doubts, but at the same time it raised more. What happened to Rachel? Did they do something to her? Did the experiments in the workshop influence Baam biology? What kind of training did he receive to be so strong? 

Maybe someday they would solve that doubt.

"Khun," Baam called as he began to sniff the air. "Is your heat coming?"

For a moment, he was nervous, until he remembered that Baam was immune to pheromones. Instead, he let out a heavy sigh. 

"Lately they've gotten out of control, I feel like that substance was stronger than it appeared" he searched in his headlamp for one of the suppressants, with that one, he would already be over the allowed limit. 

"Wait, don't use it," Baam grabbed his wrist when he saw him with the object. 

"Uh?"

"I'm sorry, but I read that they should only be used in extreme cases, right?" 

"I can't find another way to stop it, I don't have a treatment with inhibitors"

Inhibitors were expensive on the market, and for regulars who climbed the tower, it was practically a luxury to have them. Khun didn't take them for the simple fact that he had become accustomed to keeping his estrus very controlled and managing his pheromones. He knew that the pills could have very annoying side effects. 

"I read that there is another way to do it, but do you trust me?" he looked at him seriously as Baam took his wrist. 

At the suggestion, Khun looked uncomfortable. He knew the method Baam mentioned; impregnating one of the scent glands with the presence of an alpha was an effective mechanism when the heat was not at its peak, but it also had another connotation; the omega was being courted by someone. Not only was it some help, it was practically like telling everyone you had a suitor. had Baam read something like that? 

But he quickly dismissed those ideas, even tried to stop his fear at the thought of being marked by an alpha. If he was supposed to do whatever it took to get results, then he would take any opportunity to get ahead without losing his pride; it wasn't as if he decided to bond. 

"I'm sorry, I know it can be awkward," Baam seemed to realize this, and was about to let go, but now it was Khun who took his hand. 

"I don't like to depend on alphas, but seeing as I have this problem with your kind, I should find a way to solve it, shouldn't I? Besides, it's not as if you did it with other intentions.... is it?" 

"No, no, of course not! I just want to help you," he reacted differently than expected, he thought Baam would become a shy boy, but instead, he answered with conviction. 

"Then do it," he released his hand and extended his wrist. 

Even though he was an omega, he had the authority and elegance of a prince, he didn't seem to be the one who would succumb to his instincts in this case. 

'I've read that this helps stabilize the heat, I hope it works'

Baam took his arm gently, to bring his wrist to his face.  

He sniffed it first, already the feel of someone so close made Khun shudder. 'Calm down, this is for practical purposes' he chided himself as he felt a tingle in his abdomen. Baam bared his fangs, lightly grazing the area where so many pheromones were coming out.  

"Ugh!" a shudder, almost as if electricity was coursing through his body, forced him to let out an embarrassed sound. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand; this was very embarrassing. "W-wait". 

The omega took a big breath of air, trying not to let that contact affect him any more than it was doing. The alpha paused, looking at him expectantly, Khun didn't know if it was better or worse if he didn't say anything about his condition. 

"Could you try the other way?" He said in almost a murmur, a strange shyness in the opposite, could it be the effect of the pheromones that was calming him down? He couldn't deny that he felt calmer. 

"Oh, right" still without letting go of his hand, Baam put his other wrist over Khun's. It was a simpler way to do it, less intimate and one that Khun wished he didn't feel so unprotected. 

But the reaction was still the same.  

His body reacted involuntarily, finally feeling the alpha's pheromones fill him completely. It was a smell hard to describe, I could compare it like the smell of hiking in nature, several smells mixed together but that made you feel at peace.  

It was strange, the pheromones that the alphas used to dominate others, were now helping Khun with his pre-heat, it was somewhat ironic, but in part he was grateful to have Baam in his life; he didn't think he would be able to ask this favor to anyone else.... 

After a few long minutes, where Khun's dignity had fled as well as the sounds from his mouth, he finally finished the process. 

His body felt strange, light, but there were no longer those uncomfortable sensations that the beginning of his heat left. Now, he felt safe having Baam's scent completely surrounding him, was it okay to let his guard down so much? Was it okay to give an alpha the freedom to help him? Wouldn't this be like depending on someone else? 

His mother would have freaked out knowing he let an alpha touch him without resisting. 

They both got up, though Khun was instantly dizzy, really his hormonal cycle must be going through such difficult times because of so many changes his body went through, but he didn't care. Knowing that he didn't have to suffer his stupid heat for now was reason enough to feel active again. 

"Are you all right?" Baam asked worriedly, taking him by the arm fearing he might fall at any moment. 

"Yes, I will be. Your pheromones seem to be magic, they chased away my heat in a matter of minutes" 

"O-oh, if that helps you, then I'm glad to be of service," he confessed with a coy smile. 

Baam really didn't look like an alpha with that sweet personality he possessed.

When they arrived in the room, some of them were present. Endorsi was the first to react in fright at the sight of them. 

"Did you guys-?"

"Don't get stupid ideas, I'm still a free omega," commented Khun. 

"Baam, I think it's rude for you to think of courting Khun without permission from his father, that is, me," Isu exclaimed, standing in front of the pair. 

"I'm sorry! Khun told me it was okay to do so, I didn't know that-"

"Don't bother him anymore," said the omega. "Baam, he's just playing with you" 

"Oh... I see"

"But who would have thought that earrings would finally give in to an alpha, even in your worst moments you didn't want to get help from anyone," commented Hatz looking at the scene in disbelief. 

Obviously everyone in the team was now getting the wrong idea of the situation. This was the biggest headache Khun wanted to avoid. Next time, he would buy one of those soaps that hid the smell, so he would avoid any misunderstandings. 

"As much as I'd like to keep bothering them, you have to see this," Isu commented. 

"The turtles finally mated?!" Rak entered the room noisily, sniffing the air until he came to the scent he was looking for. "Blue turtle! You finally decided to mate with an alpha, now you'll stop being such a crybaby about certain things" 

"What do you mean, 'crybaby'? Don't interrupt us now crocodile". 

"I'm proud of you too, black turtle," he nodded with a smile, positioning himself next to Baam. 

"Ahem, can we go on?"  

"Sure," Isu came to, showing a communicator. "This was at the entrance, I think it's the information for the next test". 

He pressed the button to turn on the communicator, and it moved until a light came out of its lens, turning into a screen with different data forming around it. 

"The test will be given on the next island, 

It will be a... " 

As they read on, they knew that now the really complicated part began.

Chapter Text

Hot air. 

The uncomfortably humid weather. 

The sound of insects, the itching sensation on his skin.... 

This and more were making the experience anything but comfortable. Khun remembered very well why he hated outdoor trials. Heck, his hair would turn into a nest after the test.  

There were still the side effects of all the suppressants he used before, so it was normal for him to feel more irritated than usual.The problem? His teammates didn't know how long they would put up with it. 

For more context: Khun was with Rak and Baam in the middle of the forest, a tent was the only thing that avoided direct contact with the sun. In the center of it, a small monument stood next to a red flag.  

It was a very uncomfortable place, with no chairs, air or even some fresh water. It would possibly explode at any moment if he spent a moment longer there. It was the third time he had a different ponytail, hoping that magically, he would find a hairstyle that would refresh him. 

On their pockets, a timer was present, telling them when they could get out of there and start the game. 

Practically, it was simple: whoever caught the opposing team's flag won. 

But being a workshop test, in a tower like this, it was obvious that the execution of such an act would be more complicated. 

First of all, they did not have the whole team: they could only choose 5 people at the first moment, the others would be waiting.  

Secondly: the locations of the other teams were practically unknown, some could even be underground, while they were hidden in a lush forest.  

These two aspects converged in the third point: they had to "get" an advantage. Yes, it sounded strange, but they practically had to put to use the points they earned in the previous round, didn't they? That's why it was so important to know who to bet on. And even though Isu got several points, he still didn't know if they would be enough. The advantage unlocked could vary, depending on the price, from an idea of where things were, to the exact location of the other camps, but especially: calling "allies", for a price, even asking for the help of someone who wasn't on their team from the start. 

But this led to a problem: leaving the base leaving it unprotected. Because of course, nothing was that easy, the place to redeem points was in the center of the island, and if anyone risked calling in more allies, there was a chance that they might not be able to defend their flag properly. 

Fortunately for everyone, Khun had a great wit and a mind equally or more perverse than those who created this type of test. 

Agüero had the surroundings prepared, together with Rak, they would guard the base while Baam headed to the summoning point, the good thing was that he had great speed and technique so he could surely flee easily, and if it was not possible, the confrontation would end quickly. 

The other two would disperse throughout the island, with Hatz and Isu as scouts, they would get information from the other bases, he was confident that those two would have the strength to get out of any situation if they were ever discovered. 

The only real problem was the Wagnan team, but from what he analyzed from the other engagements, they really only had to watch out for 3 members at most. Still, they could not be confident, FUG could be hiding some secret weapon. 

It was because of this possibility that he was still quite irritated, something didn't sit well with him, he suspected every little thing, but they couldn't retreat so easily either, that would surely make them an easy target. The only positive thing about this whole tournament was that it was being recorded in real time, if anything unusual happened, surely someone from Jahad's army would notice. 

Even with that guarantee, he didn't feel completely at ease. 

"Baam, remember: don't confront that guy"

Although he still believed in Baam's strength, he didn't know what other tricks this guy was hiding. 

Besides, he also didn't know what mind games Wagnan could put on him, after all, their last encounter left Baam so bad that this one thought he had to leave the team. 

The sound of a bell alerted everyone, the timers were already at 0 and at this, Baam left quickly without even saying goodbye; every minute was precious.  

"I should go with black turtle! Aren't you unfair turtle? Why take care of a stupid hut if you can't see the flag?"

"Do you think I like the idea of being with you? But it's necessary, Baam is the fastest among the 3 of us, he'll be able to get there without any problems"

"Pft, what fun is it to wait in a test?" 

"Seriously, if it wasn't for me you wouldn't have made it this far, lizard."

"Let's not fight anymore, shall we?" Isu asked somewhat nervously. 

He totally forgot about his existence. Both scouts were behind them waiting for the moment to act.  

"It's better to get going to obtain some information" Hatz looked more serious than usual, his previous defeat did not manage to defeat his spirit, but strengthened it instead. 

Besides, he managed to get a new sword and was more than eager to try it out.

.

.

.

Baam used his disk to fly through the vast jungle ahead. All his senses were active, on the lookout for any upcoming enemy attack.  

'What will I do if I find him again? Ask for Rachel? Refuse the offer hoping that he could leave me alone?'

He currently had a lot of mixed feelings about it, as much as it was something he wanted to run away from, he couldn't deny that the fact that Rachel was looking for him made him a little happy. Yeah, okay, she betrayed him in the worst possible way, but that she was looking for him just meant she cared about him didn't it? 

A jamming noise in his ear brought him out of his thoughts. 

"Baam?"  

"Yes, I hear you."

"Excellent, don't forget to check in from time to time". 

"Understood" 

The call was disconnected when Baam came out of the thick jungle arriving to an open place, it was dangerous to pass through there, there could be enemies hiding, but at this point, he knew that his only enemy that was close to his level, would not attack him in such a cowardly way. 

He continued normally, apparently he was an easy prey for those enemies who were waiting for the perfect moment to attack. However, what none of them expected was to see how some bangs formed around him before heading straight for the tricksters.  

He let out a sigh before continuing on his way, did people really plan such childish things?  

At that moment, he was thankful to be alone, because his instincts were warning him of the impending danger ahead.  

It was obviously a trap, but he needed some more information and, if possible, to convince Wagnan not to help such a vile organization.  

He walked through the door without looking back.  

The scenery changed, he was no longer at a point where he could gain the advantage. It was a room underground and in the first instance, he knew something was wrong with the flow of the shinsou; it wasn't flowing as light as before and it felt heavy, as if he was breathing in heavy smoke instead of the light air he always felt. 

"Naive Viole, did you think I was alone in this?"

Well, maybe you underestimated Wagnan's, or rather FUG's, methods too much.

.

.

"He hasn't called for 30 minutes, even the announcer hasn't said anything about the allies," Khun bit his thumb impatiently, his instinct telling him something was wrong. But he couldn't just leave the base, just like that.  

"Isu? Could you inspect the area?" 

"Uh... It's kind of complex to do that."  

"What do you mean?" He frowned at her nervous tone. 

"Our devices detected an unusual flow of shinsou, if we got any closer, we wouldn't know what we'd find." 

Khun knew Hatz had enough strength to defend himself, but he couldn't risk losing the two members of his team without knowing what they would gain. It was a point that left him against the sword and the wall. Should he go through with the plan and try to steal the flag himself? But what about Baam?  

"Tell them to search around, there is an area that is unaffected and they can call their teammates from there"

Rak and Khun turned at the arrival of a new character. Rak readied his spear and Khun his headlights along with his knife, how did they find them so quickly? No, worse yet how did he get past all their defenses? 

The person was wearing the shop guards outfit. He (or she?) slowly removed his helmet at the alert look of the other two, revealing his face and long red hair. 

"I'm Viole's ally, you better trust me before F.U.G. gets away with this."

"Who do you think you are, a damn red turtle will not give me orders!"  

"Shut up crocodile," Khun hissed. "And why should we trust you? This is the first time we've seen you"

"I think you've had knowledge of the guides before, haven't you? I doubt very much that you have never seen one, son of the Khun family". 

The guides were not unfamiliar information to him, they were unrestricted regulars to roam the tower and especially helped the supremes with their missions. He hardly saw any scarlet witches in the tower, but he could tell from their looks that they definitely knew more than they appeared to. 

Being at a crossroads of that caliber, quick decisions were critical. 

"Okay"

The room was really dark, he couldn't get a good grasp of things because of the flow of the shinsou as the shinsou itself was unstable. He also couldn't concentrate to change the air around him as he was constantly bombarded by Wagnan's attacks. Did he have a special suit that made him immune to this? It was possible if the workshop was helping him. 

"HA HA HA how does it feel Viole? Everyone knew you would be the first to arrive here and that's why we prepared this room exclusively for you, do you like it? Even as an irregular you won't be able to handle this pressure"

If it were a totally different context, I could have sworn this was a child playing tricks rather than a mortal enemy. 

"Why are you doing this...?" was all he could ask, trying to find a way to distract him. 

"I'm going to prove myself to F.U.G., they can never underestimate me again," his tone became more serious, he stopped his movements for a moment. "Maybe if you agree to come back to FUG with me I can tell you the rest of the story, what do you say?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to go back to that place anymore"

"Understandable, but I still have a job to do. Rachel's anxious to see you, you know? She's afraid FUG will get rid of her if things don't go well"

That name again. The one person who managed to affect him so much on an emotional level, was he wrong for abandoning his friend? Feelings of guilt began to resurface. When he left FUG, he just wanted to be free, not simply become a deadly weapon, and even if Rachel had used him, he couldn't bring himself to hate her at all... he just wasn't able to understand her behavior. 

He noticed how his enemy stopped attacking for a moment. 

"Why are you so reluctant to go back, don't you know what FUG will do to get you back?" Now he was trying to convince him with words. 

"I don't want to be a mere weapon for them..... If I was still there, I'd lose what little humanity I have left," he replied, clenching his fists tightly. 

"Look, I'd love to kick your ass, but... you won't be the only one affected, you know? 

Baam looked up, even if he couldn't quite make things out because of the darkness. Again the air was getting heavier than ever and he was beginning to lose the rhythm of his breathing. His body felt numb, as if he were underwater. 

"Do you think FUG will just give up on you? I think you know what they are capable of, don't you? Your comrades will die if they see them as a nuisance." 

A snapping sound rang in his head, as if the self control that held his powers back was broken in that instant. It seemed like a primal instinct, a growl came out of him coming back into consciousness of the environment he was in.  

He took a deep breath, Wagnan began to attack him again, but it was clear to him that this was all a distraction, were they planning to finish off Khun and the others while he was gone? He would not allow it... 

The air began to pass more lightly, his relationship with the shinsou had never been complicated, from the first moment he managed to grasp its essence, detecting the nature of it, as if they were both one. That is why he developed a talent as a wave controller that no one imagined. While many saw this ability as a way to control the shinsou, he saw it as his ally, something that flowed like the air he breathed.

So, after understanding a bit about how the shinsou transformed in the room, he was able to manage it again. 

"W-what, why can you use it, it's supposed to affect Irregulars too!" 

"Just because I worked for you for a while doesn't mean you know my full potential," his voice was more serious than usual. A deep voice that resembles an alpha. 

"So, in short, do the FUG plan to wipe us and Baam out?" said Khun as he ran to the side of the guide he had just met. 

"Wagnan also fell into the trap without realizing it, they plan to mix them with an ancient artifact that, apparently, say can kill King Jahad," although she moved quickly, she didn't seem to lose his breath at any time. 

"Damn, and I thought they wouldn't do anything in a public place" 

"The workshop works with them, they can manipulate the information however they want, it wouldn't be strange if someone died in one of these tests. That's why we are in the middle of an island, it's a sacrifice they can give themselves for the greater good"

"Wait a minute, if you are from FUG why do you want to help us?" 

"Just because we are in the same organization doesn't mean I agree with them on everything. You were surprised to know what the power hierarchy is like there"

Was he supposed to believe her so easily? Not really, he had more doubts than answers, but at the same time he wanted to save Baam somehow. Therefore, he was running desperately trying to get there in time. 

Even so, his cautious side was still in place, so he feigned ignorance about the true power of the workshop managers. He would not let her see all the information he had in his hands.

.

.

The other participants had no idea what was really going on, they only had in mind to win, even if it was the last thing they would do. Once several approached the redemption point, they ignored the terrible atmosphere that lay in the place, trying to enter without much result. 

"What is this? No one told us the road would be blocked"

"We're going to have to open the door then?" One of the regulars channeled a sphere of light in his hands before throwing it at the blocked entrance.  

Everyone stood expectantly, but the strange force field struck back, affecting the reckless regular. 

Those present watched in terror as the blow seemed to be returned with twice the force. Murmurs soon followed after a long awkward silence. How to proceed in this situation?  

If they were smarter, perhaps they would have found another solution besides deciding a winner right there and then. 

The scouting team watched the unfolding events from a distance. 

"I see, it's like a force field, isn't it?" 

"How did Baam manage to get in without a problem?" 

"I wouldn't be surprised if it was a trap, but who would do this? A simple regular couldn't access that kind of technology."

"Besides earrings hasn't contacted us again, this all seems very strange"

Just as if summoning it, a message came through to the pocket from both of them: 

'There is another redemption point at the following coordinates' 

It had no further explanation, just a blunt, dry message, surely Khun was solving other problems. Both scouts looked at each other and nodded before walking away. 

"Well, in the test they never made it clear that there was only one redemption point, they just didn't mention more"

"This whole test is very strange...." 

It was the only thing they could all agree on.

.

.

.

Khun, Hawryun and Rak were heading to the point where Baam was, seeing a scenario full of regulars struggling in the absence of other resources to decide the victory; of course, the plan to catch the flag still stood, but few had the patience to search and even more if they were unable to call their companions. 

"Perfect, we can enter without being noticed," commented the guide. 

"He's with that weird guy, isn't he? 

"Yes, Wagnan is the bait in all this. They know Viole wouldn't be able to kill him, and in part, they want to test his skills if he wants to be the new assassin candidate"

"We can use that to our advantage" 

"It won't be enough, if you want him to help us, we have to use a wild card," Hawaryun looked at Khun, and Khun got the message. 

"What are you turtles talking about?! While they're talking there's a lot of-" the guide forced him to shut up by putting one of his guns (an staff) in his mouth. 

"If you want to save your friend, don't draw more attention to yourselves than necessary. We need to get to that place," she pointed to the back of the cave, apparently without any entrance. 

Khun used his  lighthouse to make a teleport point along with Hawryun's scouting skills, which is why they didn't have much trouble getting there. Before Khun asked about the next step, the redhead asked the crocodile to hit a certain point. 

"From here on, I don't know what we might find"

"Are you not a guide?"

"The ways of my god are hard to read, anything can be possible if he acts" 

Khun felt uncomfortable at this phrase, was she a believer? Was she referring to Baam? It really didn't make much sense all this, but before delving any deeper, Rak dove headlong to destroy the wall. 

"Humph, that was nothing, turtles"

The three of them moved on, the cave was bigger than he expected, but as soon as he got in there, he could detect a radical change in the atmosphere. 

"Those in the workshop managed to generate a space that disturbed the shinsou, however, upon any disturbance of the shinsou, its effects would dissipate"

"Practically like a 'fishbowl', isn't it?" 

"Yes"  

No sooner had he said those things, Khun sniffed a familiar scent, amidst his clouded senses; it was Baam, who was surely up ahead. However, he did not see him anywhere.  

"Where is he?"

"It's underground, it's easier to create an isolated room in places like this"  

"It looks like a container, do they want to isolate Baam?"

"Maybe they're preparing the place where they'll link him to the weapon... or this is the place where the merger will happen" 

"You don't even know?"

"It's not like FUG told me everything," she sighed. "Some elders planned this on their own, it's not like they gave the same orders for everyone."

In the center of the room is the device to make the call, but not only that, Khun connected his  lighthouse to somehow find Baam, coming up with some cameras that watched the place. 

'So they've been watching us all this time,' was all he could think. 

What he found surprised him: waves of shinsou surrounded Baam in that hostile environment, his gaze was not the usual sweet one, but more obscured by feelings of anger. If he could be in that room, maybe he could feel how Wagnan was releasing pheromones characteristic of a frightened omega, though it wasn't enough to calm an alpha wrath.  

.

.

"Of course, so that's your true face.... Kill me! Do it! I was sent on this mission for a reason, even if I didn't have any talent"

"I'm not going to kill you, you haven't done anything wrong so far. If you wanted to do it, you would have brought your team to do things in your favor."

Now that Khun didn't think about it, he hadn't seen the aforementioned anywhere. 

"I'm not part of that team anymore, being with a possible princess of Jahad? With other weak normals? Nah, FUG wouldn't like to see me involved with those people at all. I'm going to be king, I have to hang out with people of my own quality"

Maybe to others it wouldn't be so noticeable, but to an expert liar like Khun, it was clear that this guy was lying. Surely he had abandoned them at his base without telling them where he was. 

"A king? Is that why you're with FUG?" Baam questioned. 

"Do you want me to tell you my own story to see if we have more in common than we thought?" After a long moment of silence, he spoke again. "I guess so, what else? We're going to die here anyway"

Baam's eyes widen in surprise, immediately looking for a way out. 

"We're underground, trapped, do you really think they'll let you back in like it's nothing? -I don't know what kind of crazy experiment this is, but I just know I couldn't get back that easy"

.

.

"Hawryun?" Khun looked at her questioningly. 

"Tsk, then the whole process will happen here... I don't know how much time we have. Is there some kind of microphone in that room?" 

"Wait..." He began to manipulate the lighthouse again, his look was serious, but inside, his heart did not stop beating anxiously. "No, it is soundproof, we can only see and hear...."

"I'm tired of waiting! Black turtle! Get out of there and stop hiding!" Rak used all his strength to use his spear against the ground, creating a big crack.  

"What are you doing? Do you want to hurt Baam? Or an army coming here?" 

"Wait," the witch stopped Khun. "I think I found an interesting way to get Viole out of there. But first, we need to buy more time"

.

.

.

.

In the ship where the presenters were, in a restricted room, it could be see how everyone was monitoring different things. Some moved anxiously from one side to the other, while the presenters of the test watched the development of the fights with interest. 

"This will make us a lot of money," commented one of them. 

"And while we're at it, we'll ask FUG for the reward for having caught their candidate assassin"

On one of the screens, they were watching how the confrontation between Viole and Wagnan was unfolding, placing bets among themselves to see which one would win. 

"Strange... Why are more people being detected inside?" commented one of them when he saw another of the screens. 

"The force field is supposed to keep the weaker ones out. We can't let them interfere with the room, we have to call for reinforcements" 

What they did not expect, however, was to learn that there were certain infiltrators in their areas.  

A boy belonging to the Khun family complained about how boring the place was, as he made his way to the room where several people were gathered. He was chewing a piece of gum disinterestedly, looking at the message on his pocket: 

'Get more time.' 

He let out a snap, remembering that he hated taking orders, but hated more, sitting around with nothing to do. 

"This will be my revenge for not having participated in the first battle" 

Chaos did not take long to appear after this, now the alarms went off for a totally different reason than the original one.  

The guards did not take long to appear at the warning signal, but one of them stayed behind and decided to take another path. 

"If what that witch said is true... this must be the way," he muttered to himself as he ran through the facility.

"I really envy you, Viole... You were born with talent, you barely entered and you were already considered the new 'god' who would 'bring change to the tower " 

For the first time, Baam could visualize the real Wagnan. He sat and listened to him anyway, they had nothing else to do.  

"I was always told that my destiny was to be king, for a long time I believed it, I was willing to be the strongest person and lead others. Even my brother, when he found me. He said we would do great things together but... they were lies, I don't even see him constantly and, the only times we see each other, he criticizes me for being so weak... I don't even have enough intelligence to say that he is the strength and I am the mastermind." 

He let out a raw laugh, devoid of any joyful emotion.  

Viole listened in silence, not knowing what that topic had to do with him.  

"Even with my best weapons I can't beat you, even with FUG's help I couldn't scratch you. What the fuck are you?" He ran a hand through his hair, somewhat desperate for the situation. 

"I don't really know either," he looked away, "No one has given me an answer to anything, not even Rachel, surely... I'm closer to a monster than everyone thinks" 

"I wouldn't be surprised at all," he said without a hint of respect, causing Baam to look at him somewhat confused. The blond began to enumerate with his fingers: "Absurd strength for a regular, you could follow Jisung Ha's training without dying, spells don't work on you, nor pheromones... is someone even able to affect you with poison? If you were not a monster, then there would be no hope for me as a human"

Talking to Wagnan was beginning to be somewhat ironic, even though he presented himself as his rival and greatest enemy, he was now talking to him with all the confidence in the world, if it wasn't for the circumstances, he might come to consider him someone more or less nice.  

 "So... do you intend to stay and die with me? Won't your team be sad?"

"Teammates, huh?" a hint of nostalgia appeared in his gaze, before reason took over and he reverted to that cold falsehood instead. "They were never my teammates, if they were... FUG would have gotten rid of them years ago"  

Baam couldn't help but sympathize with his answer: he was afraid of losing them. It was for that reason that he almost abandoned Khun and the others, really, he hated FUG more and more every day.... 

"Besides, I don't want to die either, but... it's embarrassing, even I don't know how to get out of here. Or rather, it's something impossible in our position: it can only be opened from the outside, nothing gets in, nothing gets out unless it's with someone's permission. I had the slight hope that if I beat you, someone would come for me, but seeing the result... surely no one expected me to be able to do it"

"And the executives are somewhere else, right?"

"Of course, they wouldn't be directly involved in the battle"  

The melancholic conversation was interrupted by a slight tremor. Wagnan slowly stood up to visualize his surroundings, it was as if a great force was moving that entire room. 

"It must be Khun!" Baam announced with a smile, a gesture that made the blond quite strange. Why would he be so sure it would be that omega? Supernatural instinct? 

The room moved more frantically, the buzzing of the shinsou echoing throughout his body as if it refused to go away. This weak spot did not go unnoticed by Baam, who decided to put some pressure on the very spot he felt the flaw, all the power coursing through his body. He felt free, energized, and with an inexplicable thrill in his chest.  

Wagnan watched the scene in amazement from the back. Was this the change Viole experienced after leaving FUG? Could he himself look so bright at some point?  

The memories, the nostalgia, the words of his nanny, all came to him along with the strong light that the outside world brought to him.  

If he wanted to be the new king who would bring peace to the tower, he could no longer lock himself in there.

Everything was a sea of chaos on the Archimedes ship. 

People were running from one side to the other, criminals were destroying what they could and the guards were doing what they could with the weakest.  

In one of the offices, an operative looked on in terror as a predatory gaze moved closer to him. 

"W-who sent you?!"

"No one, I was just bored"

An electric current passed through his whole body and then he fainted.  

Khun Ran was one of the many children Eduan has left in the tower, but this child was born with a relentless talent that is often obfuscated by his selfless personality.  

He does things because he wants to, if he thinks it's fun, he'll do it no problem, otherwise, it's very hard to convince him to move.  

That was the bomb Khun decided to plant at first, if he needed to generate chaos, his little brother was the best option of all along with the regulars he had managed to get as allies during the test. 

He was the perfect distraction that would allow them to get out of there. 

The boy looked around the destroyed room, he could feel more guards coming, but before he could get into battle position, someone stopped him. 

"Enough Ran, I think this chaos is enough before they call someone from the army"

"Shut up Novick," he roughly removed the hand on his shoulder, "You just want to take the fun out of it since you got the boring part"

"Of course not, I got the smart part since all you know how to do is use brute force" 

"Anyway, jealous?" 

"Shut up"  

"Don't order me around, number 2"

.

.

.

The contained shinsou of the room dispersed through the cracks that broke the wall, as if it were a rabid animal from being caged, now found itself anxious to run free again. The heavy, dark atmosphere, was gone, revealing a completely white room, but with multiple crevices. Both rivals could breathe easy after a long time. 

But that was not the surprising thing, but the big hole in the wall.  

"I did it! I saved all of you damn turtles!" 

"Don't talk nonsense! If it wasn't for directions, you would have buried Baam alive, you asshole"  

"Khun! -Rak!" His eyes and smile showed an inexplicable brightness. 

Anyone who knew him in FUG would never have imagined that a candidate assassin could smile in such an innocent way as this. How could one not be envious of that? He was a lucky guy with an innate talent, and now, surrounded by people who seemed to appreciate it. 

Since when did the road to the top get so lonely? It was one of the questions Wagnan asked himself.  

"Wait a minute, Hawryun?" The brown stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the redhead.  

"You don't recognize me anymore after a few months? I'm offended," although, of course, his tone dictated the opposite.  

"I-I just didn't think you'd come all this way"

"You know, I walk the different paths the tower shows me, and I can get anywhere. Though, yours are so confusing that it took me a while to get here"

"Are you... planning to take me back too?"

"I'm here at the request of a very upset master who was hoping to get a good look at his apprentice, not under any directive from FUG"

Bam let out a sigh of relief at this.  

"Do they think it all ends so easily?" Wagnan's voice ended the pleasant conversation.  

"You! Don't even think I'll forgive you so easily"

Khun quickly interposed himself between Bam and the blond, with a threatening look. His pheromones expressed the displeasure he felt. 

"Whatever, we're all going to die on this island anyway," he shrugged, letting out a fake laugh. "Did you think I was useful to FUG? They would not hesitate for a second to kill those necessary for their purpose. From the beginning I knew the results of the fight, I could never beat Viole... Wasting a simple island is nothing to them"

"Did you know anything about this?" Khun turned to the witch, who was looking at the scene undisturbed.  

"It can be correct, so far, everything is going according to plan. How are things going on Archimedes?"

"My distraction is supposed to work, but I'm unable to communicate"

'"Khun! Are you there?" voices sounded from Khun's pocket, it was Shibisu delivering news from his side.  

Khun admittedly forgot about them for a moment. 

"Isu?"

"There was indeed another swap point, how did you know about it?"

"It's a long story, now we have bigger problems," he massaged his temple trying to articulate an answer. "Did you manage to get the others out?"

"Yes, although for some reason, there were several strange guys claiming to be from F.U.G. Relax! Our two dear princesses helped with that"

"Hey..." Hatz's tired voice murmured.  

"Sure, sure, we all helped a little".  

"Don't say anything, it's obvious you were scared into a corner," another female voice intervened on the other end of the line. 

"Anyway, we met up with the blond's team that confronted Baam, they are following us because they think we know something" 

Baam could detect how the look, which previously seemed hopeless, returned with a bit of a glow before he frowned. 

"They can't do that! Tell them they have to get out of here themselves"  

"Do you have a way?" Khun interjected, arching an eyebrow, so he did have an exit plan after all. 

"I don't, just that Horygan is fucking strong, he could turn into a boat or something and get them all out of here"

None of them could get a picture of that without taking away from the seriousness of the moment.  

What to do in these cases? Khun was questioning a thousand plans at the moment, surely Ran had done his thing up there, but if the key point of FUG was not there ( meaning the switch that would destroy the island), then it had been useless. The only thing left to do was to think of a way to get out of there with whatever tools they had.  

"How much time is left?" he asked the blond.  

"I don't know, if  didn't manage to defeat Viole... we might have two hours from now."

Khun bit his thumb, before using his headlights trying to find some answer. 

"One moment... " He noticed the scarlet witch who didn't seem any more impressed with the situation. That's right, she was the answer! "How did you get here? "

"I thought you'd never ask," she said mockingly, was she testing him? 

"This is no time for your games!"

"I am not playing games, my god's future can be determined after this moment. As I told you, I can't see his path"

"You've been saying that for a while now, the only way you can't see his path is because..... "A revelation came to him, but that was impossible, wasn't it? Although well, he had already received too much news throughout this week, now he expected anything. 

"Didn't you tell him Viole?" The witch looked at Baam, who looked tense at all this.

"I... I didn't know if it was necessary to say it"  

"Necessary?- Of course it is!"

"Does the black turtle have another secret power?" Rak asked, not quite understanding the stress his servants were feeling.  

"It's one thing for you to have been with FUG and quite another.... It's another thing to be an irregular!"

Baam seemed frightened of her reaction, of course that's why he hadn't told Khun any of that. Irregulars in the tower were seen as the worst monsters, those who would destroy the laws that governed the world the regulars knew. Not only did they have strange powers, every time one entered the tower, it was severely affected. How could he reveal something so quietly?  

Khun soon realized that the atmosphere changed, stress pheromones were beginning to show in the air and they were coming from Baam. So he decided to take a deep breath, knowing there was no more time to worry about that big detail.  

"Baam..." he slowly approached the chestnut getting their gazes to connect "I'm just surprised, I'm not angry. My idea about you hasn't changed at all"

"Fuck, a real irregular? I had no doubt you were a monster" at that 'harmless' comment, he received a death glare from Khun. 

"I don't understand what turtles are talking about"

"I won't even bother to explain it to you"

"Anyway, now that you know the truth, my powers don't work very well in this situation. The only thing I can tell you is that, FUG soldiers got here by other means, if we find where they leave their transportation, we have an alternative way out"

"We need someone to give us a vision area to find everything easier," Khun called through his pocket to Shibisu to tell him what he had planned.

"I see that you are still dissatisfied with my intervention," commented the witch next to Baam.  

"I didn't think I'd see you so soon, let alone revealing my identity in such a way"

"If you decide to go your own way, you must know who to trust and who not to trust. Those who fear you will try to take you down as soon as possible. Why do you think FUG made this whole plan?"

"Were you... Were you testing Khun?"

"I didn't have to, I knew which way he would go" he said confidently, meeting the brown man's doubtful gaze.  

"Anyway, Endorsi will be in charge of looking for the vehicles with Hatz. Shibisu is coming here to regroup, so we should be ready to go," he let out a sigh. "Rak, what are you doing?" 

The crocodile man was fiddling with the already damaged buttons on the test redemption machine. 

"Leave me alone! Maybe it will still work and I can pull out a cool weapon"

The Khun family member decided to ignore him before starting to organize his things.  

The adrenaline caused his secondary symptoms from suppressant abuse to be diminished throughout the test. That was good, he hoped nothing would fail in his body at least until he got out of there.  

But, they were still surrounded by enemies, not only by the innocent regulars who still believed they were part of a test, but also by possible FUG soldiers who would sacrifice their lives preventing the assassin candidate from remaining at large.  

Khun was still keeping an eye on the information his headlights provided, in case other people arrived at that location. It would be best to move somewhere else, but where? The outside could be much more dangerous.  

Indeed, his bad feeling came true, outside the cave there was someone. His premonition and paranoia made him realize that it could not be an ally.  

Everyone became attentive to that presence, their fighter's instinct made them stand firm. Rak even stopped what he was doing, standing in front of the group.  

"Let a new prey come!" the reptile exclaimed.  

"What a noisy group" muttered the masked stranger, shadows began to take shape as the enemy entered the cave.  

Khun had a bad feeling, but, it was impossible that someone outside the E rank could be there, it was part of the administrator's rules wasn't it? 

"Reflejo..." Hawryun muttered with a frown. 

"F-fuck, did they really bring this guy?" Wagnan looked terrified, he seemed to know him very well. "H-hey buddy, what brings you here? I thought you'd be on the sidelines all this time, ha?" The blond stepped forward, obviously nervous. 

"Your brother was right to tell me to keep an eye on you. You can't seem to do any task well" 

The blond clenched his fists tightly at this.

"Anyway, the biggest disappointment of this test was someone else" his mask prevented you from being able to see where his gaze was directed, but Baam was sure it was him-. "The assassin candidate who was supposed to be the thorn in the king's side is here, hiding from his duty like the coward he is. But don't worry, you will still be of some use to FUG even after your death"

"Are you ignoring your situation on purpose?" Khun began to speak, getting his attention. "Don't talk as if Baam was alone, do you think we can't beat you?" 

"It seems that your wits will fail you this time, son of Khun," the shadows became more present, but the real attack would come from the bangs that were forming behind that guy.  

They all reacted at the same time before that lethal blow reached them. The bangs exploded in their previous positions, detonating a great impact that would have been painful had they received it directly.  

"Is it really E-ranked? " Khun wondered somewhat quizzically at that burst of power, FUG definitely saved their monsters for times like this.  

The problem was, even if they were in the majority, the space wasn't wide enough, and seeing as the guy was using his shadows to work, it was a big risk to stay in a place that gave him an advantage.  

It seemed that Baam thought the same, as he looked at him with the intention of saying something to him. Even if they hadn't been partners for so long, he felt that they had already reached a kind of bond that allowed them to know how to coordinate in fights, would it be a quality between light bearers and wave controllers? 

Baam used his bangs to counter the attacks coming from the enemy. Khun instructed the others to try to get out of one side.  

"You should use your pesky bombs on these moments, blondie," he said to Wagnan.  

"I-I don't think I can do much to him" 

"Did your confidence go down because you couldn't beat Baam?!"

"How could I not? I couldn't even scratch him, how could I compete for the title of assassin with a guy like that? Not to mention Reflejo, he's really scary, that guy"

"Tsk, you were so brave at the beginning, just to prove you were a loser".  

"I'm not! I just want to stay alive until I complete my goal" 

But was he serious about that? A few moments ago he was willing to sacrifice his life to prove something? To show his brother that he could accomplish things, that a leader could make these tough decisions for the good of his team, but wasn't he running away from all of this? Maybe he was, it was easier to die now than to keep fighting in a world that seemed to always be against him. 

Even if it was the easier path, he wanted to go on living at least a little longer. How contradictory was that? But sacrifice was a warriors' instinct, he would become king; his death could not be taken lightly.  

"Well said, your survival instinct is useful for getting out of here," the strategist smiled at him, as if he had a plan to get out of there. 

The fact that Reflejo was able to take on the group alone meant that he must have a trap hidden somewhere. The faster they acted, the faster they would figure out what this plan was.  

Baam continued attacking without fear, Wagnan used one of his smoke bombs to generate confusion, no matter how much he used the shadows, if he couldn't see them, it was impossible to handle them, wasn't it?  

The idea was simple, go outside, taking into account that in this situation the subject would be at a total advantage as it was a closed place, maybe the shadows were not his only weapons but it was better than being at a disadvantage.  

Khun's headlights managed to avoid most of the attacks, while the crocodile was able to dodge everything with some disadvantage being in such a closed space for his large body, in addition, the smoke seemed to have no effect and only hindered his own movements; it was quite counterproductive, to tell the truth. They could barely stop everything, how could a simple regular be so strong? Of course, that's not strange if it came from FUG; they always had someone like that on every floor.  

The exit was only a few steps away, but the wall was looking higher and higher.... 

"The room was just a resource to keep you locked up, Viole," the masked man mentioned. "As long as I have you here, no matter what happens, FUG will complete their objective" 

"Even if it means dying?!" Khun exclaimed. 

"A true FUG member will give his life to carry out his goals, if my death means the fall of the king, then nothing will be in vain" 

'Damn psychopaths' was the only thing the strategist thought.  

The floor was not very stable either, due to Rak's attacks to destroy the room, and the deterioration of it, they could feel how the floor was yielding in its weight by not having a support structure. This could become really bad; they had to do something before falling.  

But, the rays of light disappeared leaving only a great darkness.

It took a second, but when he opened his eyes again, the atmosphere changed completely. They were a few meters underground, even the room where they were trapped before was completely unrecognizable. The floor had fallen below them, and he was able to support himself with his headlights, while Baam was on his disk next to him, looking at him with some concern.  

"Perfect, now it will be easier to leave them here," commented Reflejo, but now, he was holding Hawryun hostage with one of his shadows. 

"Let her go! Isn't your hatred directed at me?" exclaimed the brown as he saw the redhead wincing in pain, to his impression, a dagger was piercing part of her abdomen, if he didn't manage to rescue her soon, she would bleed to death.  

"Whoever your ally is, he doesn't deserve to walk in the new world we're going to build," he replied with a sinister tone.  

"All right, I've heard enough nonsense today," Khun touched solid ground again. "Crocodile, did a fall beat you that easy?"  

"I'm not a crocodile!" The reptile came out from under the earth with a great war cry and his spear in hand ready to use it.  

"Now you can't go on talking as if we didn't exist"

.

.

Above, Wagnan watched the scene in horror. Remembering how he managed to escape certain death before the ground collapsed, he could only watch helplessly as the shadows did their best to take Viole and his friends as deep as possible. And him? Taking advantage of this to live a little longer.  

Again, a coward who lived at the expense of the sacrifices of others. 

However, a loud roar from the depths reminded him that, these were not normal people, and, if he did not see it with his own eyes, he would not be able to claim his death so easily.  

"I'll get some help!" he said determinedly as he ran towards the exit, leaving the cloak with the FUG insignia on the ground in the process.  

.

.

The fight did not seem to have an end soon. Now in a more enclosed and dark space, the shadows seemed to multiply its strength, it was not only a good wave controller, it seemed that its range reached even to B. But that wasn't the biggest problem, it was being able to attack without hurting the scarlet witch in his clutches. 

Khun was a very unprincipled person, he wouldn't deny it, at some point in his past he wouldn't have minded sacrificing someone's life if it meant certain victory, but he knew Baam wouldn't be happy about this, so, he could see how he held back on each of his attacks.  

It also didn't help that the effect of the suppressants made him feel his body slower than normal, he was still in good working order thanks to the dose of adrenaline his body was producing at that moment, or else he would already be a hopeless case.  

He had to concentrate, it was a life and death situation, if they did not manage to finish with that guy soon, they would have no chance to escape. 

"Rak, you took that weapon out of the workshop, didn't you? Do you remember its name?"

"Hump, the spear of fury or something like that"  

He quickly searched his headlamp for the information on this.  

"Dumbass! It's something to throw, not hold in your hands" 

"And what would I know!"

Baam was still struggling with that guy, but suddenly, 5 shinsou bangs condescended in the air. 

.

.

.

Baam did not like to remember his past at FUG at all. 

If he could describe it in one color, he would say it was a mixture of grays, sometimes, other colors came in: red, black, white and yellow. Dull, lifeless colors, not unlike his early life, though at least he had more variety here.  

For years he trained with a cold and seemingly carefree man, his lessons were strict, so much so, that he couldn't remember many sessions where he came out with few scratches; wounds burned all night long, and the next day they healed better. Rachel very rarely accompanied him at those times, but only to tell him that tomorrow he had to become stronger if he wanted to protect her in order to move forward together. 

Therefore, he tried twice as hard, he would not let anything or anyone separate them again. 

"Why are you fighting, child? "

"Uh?" 

"Are you just fighting for one person? Don't you have another dream? Some ridiculously beautiful fantasy?"

"I just want to be with Rachel, if I can protect her, that's fine with me" 

"Okay," he let out a sigh, now that he thought about it, it surely wasn't the answer he expected at that moment, "You still need to grow up, to achieve new goals... and when you do, you'll gain a greater strength".

That memory come to his mind while thinking a way to protect his two friends. 

"Khun! Rak!" The concern was palpable in his words, but it would be difficult even for the two of them to cover themselves from so many attacks, however, that was all a trap, and the 5 bangs merged into one to address Baam. 

"Baam!"  

The impact attacked the chestnut leaving him on the ground, definitely the former FUG member was refusing to fight with all his might. The situation was worrying. 

"Damn, he knows how to play with his mind!" He was clearly worried, but this confusion would be exploited by the enemy. Besides, the mask prevented the option of using his pheromones from being viable, even if he could do it, he was not certain to keep it under control.  

'We just have to get rid of the hostage' 

"Rak, I'll give you some instructions, if you carry them out well, we can be out of here in no time and take a well-deserved vacation" 

"I'm listening to you, blue turtle".  

"In 20 minutes my dream will come true. Do you know what awaits us here?- Jisung Ha was a fool, he left something as important as the thorn with you and you haven't even shown any signs of using it in this whole process, are you afraid of that force? Anyway, never mind any of this, once the island is melted down, a new thorn will be reborn and with that... the real change to the tower will begin"

The blow left him on the ground and his vision blurred. His head ached and his ears seemed dazed, he couldn't pick up what was going on around him.... 

But, his body felt warm, and it wasn't just the weather. It was a different air, as if a new shinsou presence was trying to get outside. Jisung Ha said days before he fled, that he gave him a gift that he couldn't use until it was time. Now it was.

.

.

Rak threw his spear, and thanks to a maneuver by Khun, he was able to teleport it to a blind spot of his enemy, but of course none of this would be easy. The subject reacted very well despite the circumstances and proved capable of intercepting every attack. What he did not expect, however, was to see the light bearer use his headlights to come face to face with him.  

"You can't get through unless you don't care about the hostage," he put Hawryun as his shield, but the son of Eduan Khun didn't hesitate to use one of his knives against her, to Reflejo's surprise.  

"I knew it, the members of the 10 families don't hesitate to get rid of anyone, even their ally's"

"You're wrong," a halo of light surrounded the scarlet witch, disappearing from the subject's grip. "Today I'm not in the mood to abandon someone, better luck next time"  

"But how?"

"Error of you to think that we would not use the weapons of the workshop for our benefit, this knife has the power to keep people inside, great isn't it? And I was able to release it quickly, I didn't think I would use it so soon"  

"Blue turtle!" Rak warned of a new attack, and although Khun could have dodged it perfectly, a shinsou bang managed to deflect the attack. 

"Baam!" the omega exclaimed with a touch of happiness, however, the air felt different around him.  

A red needle appeared next to Baam, the shinsou next to him seemed to move differently, as if he was attracted by this strange object floating around him. He simply could not describe it physically, he just felt it , the power that object carried was beyond anything he thought he knew. 

"The needle may have accepted you, but I will never recognize you as a god," the man's words brought him back to reality.  

"I was never your god in the first place, you only fell for someone's lies...." 

The atmosphere was quite heavy around Baam, even his pheromones were more like those of an alpha, a scent that sought to oppress his enemies, but made his allies feel safe. It was the first time he had experienced anything like this.  

Khun managed to move away to start Baam's attacks, he seemed to have recovered all his lost energy, without a doubt, a great power awoke and he did not know if it would be the beginning of the end for everything he knew at this moment. 

The battle was becoming more intense, Baam's power had an incredible increase thanks to the thorn, managing to deflect all of Reflejo's attacks effortlessly. He no longer looked like a fearsome B-rank general, now he was just another regular trying to fight an unknown force.  

Neither Khun nor Rak were left behind, quickly accommodating to Baam's way of fighting to provide as much support as possible. Khun used his headlights to deflect attacks, and Rak threw his weapon to get the guy's attention.  

"Baam, are you all right?" He asked as he felt the strange flow of shinsou around him, as well as how the chestnut's pheromones conveyed a sense of stress.  

"Yes, but I don't know how long I can go on like this"

"Then it's time for the final blow," with a confident smile, they both turned their gazes to the main target.  

The denouement seemed to come when Reflejo received a big bang that ended up destroying part of his mask, leaving him on the ground with (possibly) serious injuries. 

"Sometimes God conceives absurd destinies... giving power to the incompetent..." he began to say, with his last breaths.  

"Trying to get the 'power of god' is only an illusion for their weak existences..."

"Maybe it's too late for you... the whole island will disappear with our existence, you have no way to escape from here" the mask revealed a sad reality: on his face, both eyes stitched together with an eye-like tattoo: Jahad's insignia.  

Baam was sure it was the reason for his resentment of the king, but, even if it was an injustice he wished to no one, he could not allow losing his life for people who seemed to do things just as bad or worse than him.  

The moment was interrupted when he managed to hear Isu's voice from Khun's contraption. 

"Guys, are you okay?"  

"Until I finally get in touch with you, how's it going over there?"

"In short: chaos. There was a conflict at the Archimedes, and the organizers pulled out of the event, we're on our own or so I thought, but we found some allies along the way." 

"Allies? Wait, can they help us get out of here? "

"Yes, I'll explain the whole story later, but there are some ships offshore, and everyone is safe, even Wagnan's team... however, we must leave now or it will be too late."  

"The problem is to get out of here in time, how do you feel Baam?"

"Huh? I feel perfect!" However, at a slight nudge from Khun, he began to wobble.  

"Of course you're not. .... We still don't know the power of the thorn and how much it demanded from your body" 

"Ehm guys?" he cleared his throat several times to be noticed "I have a perfect means of transportation, the driver? Not so much. They're already on their way to your address."  

"Baaam!" a pink flash appeared in front of them, along with an annoying voice Khun knew too well for his liking.  

"Endorsi!?"

"Let's get out of here! I hate the weather here"

She took the chestnut's hand without asking, before again disappearing in a flash of pink light. One of the prizes Endorsi won was the famous means of transportation "Bong-Bong" she just hoped it was strong enough to carry them all to the destination.  

The only thing that remained in that cave, was the despairing cry of Reflejo, cursing again the cruel tricks of fate by giving power to people who would not make good use of it. 

In the blink of an eye, they were on the surface. The shore looked close enough, but it looked like they had to run to get to the rendezvous point. 

"Couldn't you have taken us any further?" 

"You demand too much, energy wears out fast carrying so many people". 

"Hmph, sure because brown turtle is very heavy"  

A big thump was heard, as if someone hit a stone and a few seconds later, a big red bump came out of the crocodile's head.  

"Anyway, we'd better move on before the island starts to destroy itself," just those words were enough to start what they feared so much. 

The floor began to move, but the shock was not coming from the outside. When they looked up, they all saw how a giant container began to pour a kind of liquid very similar to lava, which seemed to destroy everything in its path. Just great, FUG was showing its intentions to destroy them.  

Just thinking that only a few minutes ago they were in that place made a shiver run down their spine.  

The whole group ran, even Baam was running with all his strength as if he had not been about to fall a few moments ago. 

Their hopes grew higher as they saw the ship and the silhouettes of their companions waiting. At last he would finally end this island nightmare and be able to have his well-deserved rest away from so many psychopaths. 

"Guys, come on, get on quickly!" Shibisu shouted as if that would allow them to speed up as much as they wanted. 

The situation generated more anxiety, with the floor becoming more unstable with each step and the sound of the ship indicating that it was about to leave. 

"Stop there, I won't let them go"

Like a bad movie, the final villain appeared at the decisive moment when no one seemed to have the energy or the time to face him. 

"Doesn't anyone in FUG value their lives?" said the omega, fed up with so many interruptions.  

The guy in front of them must have been strong as he was only one, surely another regular of a higher rank that FUG had hidden specifically for these cases.  

"You guys go ahead, I can handle this guy alone" 

"But, Miss Endorsi... We can't leave you behind," Baam looked worried. 

"It will be easier if we all work together, even if you hate the idea" 

Everyone became alert as the armored man was about to draw his sword.  

"Wait a minute, I won't let you hurt my students," a man in the same uniform of the workshop's army also entered the scene. 

The group was confused by this introduction, wasn't he supposed to be on the opposite side, but when the guy took off his helmet and looked at them out of the corner of his eye, they were all surprised.  

"Lero Ro?"

How could they forget the first person they saw when they first entered the tower? In Khun's case, he even became their first teacher as far as being a light bearer was concerned. A subject that brought back bittersweet memories as far as his history was concerned, after all, none of the tests were easy and he knew how to make that clear from the beginning.  

"Wait a minute, what are you doing here? Weren't you working on the second floor?"

"Now is not the time to answer your questions, move on quickly, I'll catch up with you"  

Without a second's hesitation, they went ahead, fully trusting their ex-professor, a supreme who surely knew how to deal with that situation even better than all of them put together.  

At last they reached the beginning of the ship's ramp, both Shibisu and Hatz were waiting for them.  

"I'm glad to see you guys are well"

"Let's not sing victory yet" an explosion was heard behind them, indicating that indeed their lives were still in danger-. "We must take off now".  

The group moved forward, inside the ship they could see the rest of the group gathered together, along with Wagnan's team on another side, the boy seemed to have a black cloud around him, but he seemed relieved to see Baam safe.  

"Did Ran make it there too?" asked Khun, Baam looked confused as he didn't remember a similar name before.  

"The dwarf arrived next to the ship, he's sleeping now, he spent too much energy up there," Anaak said with a gesture of disdain. 

"At least he bought time".  

"Well guys, this is your captain Quant, we'll start the takeoff" 

The ship moved frantically, as if an impact had hit it, luckily the crocodile weighed as much as a rock that most of them were able to lean on it or on a nearby wall.  

"Mr. Lero Ro, will he be able to make it?" Baam asked worriedly. 

"Of course he can, we have to trust him"  

Once they were in the air, close to leaving the island, the supreme did indeed arrive at the ship shortly after with only a couple of scratches, leaving everyone to let out a sigh of relief at this.  

Khun watched through the window as the island was enveloped in a reddish liquid, in a few minutes, everything there would be turned into a kind of mass, leaving no trace of the people who were there. A number of lives were lost, tragic stories such as those of Reflejo will be forgotten.... This again a reminder of the cruelty the tower harbored, beyond the secondary genders and the pyramids of power it implied, it was also a message that only the winners would make it out alive. No matter your rank, no matter your experience, not even if it was fair to die this way, only those who had the ability to face the challenges, were the ones who could rebuild history in the future.  

While having his internal monologue, he felt as someone touched his back, turning to make the claim of such an act, he found a tired Baam leaning on him as if it were a pillow.  

'How many things will I end up finding out about you along the way? It intrigues me so much, but at the same time it scares me'  

The answers to that would leave it for later, now he hoped they could both get their well-deserved rest.

Chapter Text

Khun did not remember in detail what happened after boarding the ship. He was aware that it was not an easy way: Quant's screams were more than enough to remind him of the odyssey of being chased by some ships, but then he breathed a false peace when he received the confirmation from Lero Ro about having lost sight of the enemy; luckily they had two supremes on their side to escape. Still, he had his suspicions of a third party playing a key role in their efficient escape, but who else could be helping them?

Anyway, he only remembered the arrival: a large house was his refuge, and although he did not like to enter unknown places, Lero Ro confirmed that it was a place where they would not be easily found.

Both teams treated their wounded, Wagnan's team had an emotional reencounter, where the blond repeatedly apologized for leaving them in those ways, and although he received some blows from his teammates, the looks they transmitted were of relief. He decided to leave their moment while he found which room they could attend to Baam.

The rest of the day passed without major problems, but it was easy to identify the aftermath of the battle: a silence to regain energy, to make sure everyone was alive, review possible losses, or strengthen fears regarding the latter. Of course, Khun went over all this in his head, while at the same time, making sure that the house was indeed a safe place, also leaving several safety devices with the help of a badly wounded Hatz, who also refused to take a short break.

Another issue happened after a battle: the desire to celebrate. Both Shibisu and Wagnan seemed to have created a friendship in a matter of exchanging a few words, so they were more than motivated to throw a party in commemoration of leaving a terrorist organization alive. Clearly, this after seeing that everyone was safe and an already awakened Baam with minimal injuries; Seriously, what was wrong with his body to recover at that speed?

On the contrary, Khun felt his body demanding a quick rest; Even if they had arrived safely, he could not rest easy without checking every corner of the place; or rather, to double-check that no point has been left unexplored. Not to mention that the adrenaline had already subsided, allowing all the side effects of the suppressants to hit him in the face; Extreme internal heat, his limbs aching as if a thousand needles were piercing him, and a great pain in his head. Although Baam helped him control his estrus, that did not take away from the consequence of the abuse of these drugs.

So, he let the others party (including Baam, who seemed to be the star of the moment) as much as they wanted while he found a room where he could rest. The first room didn't even have beds, but he shrugged it off as he pulled a few sheets out of his headlight storage to lie down on the floor, for today, he'd stop being so fussy.

.

.

.

Morning came, or so he supposed, for things sounded too quiet, even though he had no desire to get up, no matter how uncomfortable the floor was, it was covered by several sheets, and his head was leaning against something like a hard pillow that emitted a calming smell like a forest. Instinctively, he brought his nose closer to that alluring scent, but his "pillow" gave a little startle of surprise… One moment, the pillows didn't move

He opened his eyes in surprise, bumping into what appeared to be someone's neck. In his panic he froze, even forgetting how to breathe. He was grateful to be covered with the sheets, but now the only way to hide his expressions was to be glued to that someone, and he didn't know what was worse. His mind proceeded to think about what was the next step, the ideal would be to pretend to stay asleep, the problem? Whoever came to see him in that position would see him as an omega looking for affection, it would totally ruin his reputation, so no, it wasn't the best option.

Therefore, he decided to resort to the escape plan. He closed his eyes tightly, clutching his sheets to turn around, at least he would look like one of those sleeping people who moved around a lot, so he could excuse himself for ending up so close to a potential stranger.

But as soon as he turned around, he realized that he was trapped by an arm, which wouldn't let him get away as he needed. Fuck, just great, he were in the little spoon position like that now. Wasn't it more embarrassing? They might even mistake it as if they were a happy couple, just thinking about it created an uncomfortable emptiness in her stomach.

"Khun?" Baam's voice almost startles him. "Are you awake?"

He could tell from his voice that he had just woken up, so he could easily pretend that the previous situation didn't happen at all. But the silence caused more tension, he couldn't pretend to be asleep without appearing the naturalness of a rock, surely the chestnut felt his body tense, so he preferred to face things head-on.

"Are you hugging me?" His voice was concealed by the fact that the sheets wouldn't let them come out completely.

Just with that question, the strong arm that imprisoned him pulled away, as did that soothing scent.

"S-sorry! I didn't notice, uh, I... "

"So you were taking advantage of me, weren't you?" Khun turned around, the sheets showing only the top of his face, hiding the mocking smile that threatened to come out.

"Never! S-I just slept next to you because there was no more room and... and- "

A small laugh interrupted Baam's hasty excuses. He looked more nervous than ever, like a child you discover with a stolen candy in his hands, but Khun doubted that this was intentional, and even if it was, it didn't bother him as much as he thought.

"Annoying turtles..." Rak's voice pulled them both out of their little bubble, but the crocodile man was still fast asleep next to Baam.

"Wow, if he's exhausted, you've stayed up very late," Khun sat down, finally putting the blankets aside.

"Yes, Isu and Wagnan hit it off quite well, even his team is quite lively, I understand why he wanted to protect them from FUG... Anyway, it was late, Rak and I know you don't like to share a room, but there was no room elsewhere, so sorry. Or would you have preferred to sleep with a beta?" This last sentence said with a real concern.

At the thought of someone like Isu sleeping next to him like that, it made him break out in a cold sweat. Although, it comforted him to see Baam's guilty face, was he so worried about overstepping any boundaries? Oh, if only he knew that surely nothing he did would bother him; though he would never express that aloud.

"Such a gentleman," he said mockingly. "Well, I can't allow myself to be asleep all day, there's a lot to do today. Although if you want, you can continue to sleep a little more".

Khun headed to the bathroom, starting his long morning ritual, he had to make sure he looked his best. At least his hair had to be in perfect condition, and even if the others said he was taking too long fixing it, he would not allow them to find him with fluffy hair. Even though he felt excellent, a warm sensation quickly filled his body, nausea soon came over him along with a severe headache.

'Those damn side effects' he cursed inwardly.

Of course, yesterday no symptoms had manifested due to stressful situations, but now his body saw that it was the right time to fall apart. This could no longer be the drug's fault, there must have been another reason why his cycle couldn't quite calm down...

The two groups had already hit it off enough to consider new friendships and alliances, but it was still uncharted territory, with unknown allies and a thousand questions to be answered. In less than a week he confirmed his suspicions that Baam was the FUG assassin candidate, that he was an irregular, and that his former second-floor teacher joined a group with an uncertain goal. Because of that, he couldn't just stay as if it were a vacation resort with a guy who had previously tried to take Baam away.

"Ehm, we need to be so... formal?" Baam remarked as they were in what appeared to be a conference room large enough to accommodate everyone.

Although only a few were there, since a few required more rest and their intervention was not as important, for example, a certain crocodile would only awkwardly interrupt the conversation.

"Sure, I need answers so I know how to proceed on the next floors, and I think it's best to share the information here."

"Sorry for the delay," Lero Ro began entering the room, followed by another particular figure, a noisy supremo whose face you could see in different commercials: Quant Blitz. One of the test examiners on the 2nd floor.

"I don't understand why I have to participate," Quant said with a long yawn.

"Good morning everyone, I hope you were able to rest," he began formally, using his headlights to show a screen with a symbol that resembled wings made of leaves from some tree, blatantly ignoring his companion. "We are currently in one of the facilities of Wolhaiksong better known as 'Winged Tree'".

Khun knew this group, but their intentions were not entirely clear beyond that they seemed to go against the beliefs of the Big 10 families, but they also did not seem to be as extreme as FUG.

"Why am I here? You may be wondering. For that, I'll have to start by talking about events that happened 10 years ago, when many of you passed your first tests. Among them, I remember that there was a boy who used shinsou in an unusual way, with such great talent, like the sons of the 10 great families" He could feel Baam beside him somewhat restlessly, even his pheromones showed him that he wasn't entirely comfortable.

"However, he mysteriously 'died' in one of the tests, I always thought it was a pity, but there was something strange about this whole case, and no matter how much I looked into it, I realized that, even within the group of examiners, someone had manipulated things from within. That made me question the true nature of the tower, I needed to find out what was the reason for this, so my curiosity to know the truth led me to the 77th floor"

"What does Wolhaiksong have to do with all this?"

"I was looking for evidence, and on one of the floors, we met an interesting person"

"Interesting?! That jerk took all my savings!"

"Anyway, to get more answers, we both infiltrated the Archimedes working as soldiers for a few days. I confirmed my suspicions that the student who had disappeared was now the candidate assassin: Jue Viole Grace."

Aguero tried to do the math in his head of the years that had passed, which meant Baam arrived later at the tower than he did, maybe by a few days even, what would have happened if the two had met on the testing floor? Maybe he wouldn't even have been aware of their presence or who knows, there could be many scenarios regarding this.

"FUG has been manipulating a lot of things behind the scenes, I couldn't tell if all the scientists in the Workshop are allied with them but a big part of them, yes. The presenters also knew the whole thing, it didn't matter the results, the only thing was to have Baam there long enough to turn him into one with the thorn, but even they failed at that. I don't know what happened, but someone of great power is also helping you from the shadows" he stared at Baam, who felt uneasy with that inquisitive look.

Perhaps a thousand things were going through Baam's mind, for he had a blank stare as if evoking memories. 

"Ha, I can see why Khun wanted me at this meeting too, did you know it was all connected?" Wagnan made his first intervention.

"It was a hunch, there are so many strange things happening recently and it's clear that Baam is a key point. So why did you come to this floor?"

"Wow, no detours at all eh?" Wagnan joked.

"Hey, this is no time to evade the issue, I also want to know the truth," Khun almost forgot the flame girl for a moment: Yihwa Yeon, the flame of the Yeon family, who snuck into the meeting. He was also curious as to how she had gained such a powerful ally despite being a descendant of the 10 families. 

Surely, she had been the only stubborn one in the group who didn't accept Wagnan going alone to the meeting, although she wouldn't be surprised to open the door at that moment and have an avalanche of curious regulars...

"Calm down, calm down, before you end up burning everything down," he let out a sigh. "Viole and I didn't know each other personally before, although I belong to FUG, I never got to be on a mission with him. Many considered him the new 'god' of the tower, although he was trapped for years training and being used as a guinea pig... he advanced so fast through the floors alone at the first chance, he didn't seem to be a normal person, that's why, when we found out he escaped, everything became chaos"

"Let me guess: to prove yourself, so you decided to go on a suicide mission to catch him and bring him back."

"If you put it like that, it sounds really dumb...."

"It's just that you're a fool! You were even going to agree to sacrifice yourself just like that!" Yihwa hit him hard on the head.

"Hey! I got enough scolding yesterday about that, let's put it behind us"

"Although... How did you two meet?" Baam asked with genuine curiosity.

"Ehm... Funny story, heh"

The summary was that starting from the 20th floor, it was mandatory to have a team to pass the test, however, Wagnan was obliged to do the mission alone or with a team assigned by FUG, but he preferred to take the first option because of his pride. However, he almost foolishly failed the test and the examiner forced him to form his team, which ended up being a rather strange and weak combination, but which miraculously passed the test thanks to everyone's ingenuity.

"From then on, I couldn't get them off my back...."

"You would have died if it wasn't for us"

"Anyway, is there anything else to talk about?"

Overall, the meeting managed to touch on important points: FUG's objective, Lero Ro's suspicions, how from the Archimedes ship they received help from a very experienced hacker to obtain the ships, and how everything seemed to feed the experiments the workshop was conducting. In addition, the fact that Baam was an irregular would explain why he was passed off as dead on the second floor: if someone like that had come to light so soon, Jahad would have taken care of him quickly. 

More mysteries remained in the air, such as who helped them escape, and what would happen now that the terrorist organization seemed to want to kill them and take Baam? Not to mention the things he had to go through in his years of captivity; although that was more Aguero's curiosity.

.

.

.

Getting through that meeting was torture, he was thankful that the alphas around him didn't make any comments, or else he would feel worse about the whole situation. Symptoms of his heat seemed to come and go as he pleased, without giving him a clear message of 'Hey buddy, you better hide in your room for a week', because before long he would feel his hormones calm down again before another wave of discomfort invaded his body.  The worst: thinking that the alphas on his team didn't want to make him feel worse and so didn't comment regarding his pheromones going out of control.

He was thankful he was such a good actor; too bad he didn't control his hormones to the same level for now.

So, he resorted to his quickest and most effective solution: Baam. And no, it wasn't a case of an omega desperate for the presence of an alpha, just that as the logical person he was, he knew it was his best option at least, until he got to a doctor.

"Mark me," he demanded, pinning Baam against a wall while showing him his wrist, leaving the irregular surprised. 

Maybe he should have asked more nicely -it seemed more like a threat to tell the truth-, and with other words that didn't sound so suggestive.  

"Eh, sure?" The brown man accepted: he took his wrist sweetly bringing it to his mouth to bite it, until he remembered something and stopped in his tracks. "Oh right, you don't like this way"

"Whatever, make it quick," Khun swallowed his embarrassment as he felt her sharp fangs on his gland, biting his lips hard to prevent any sound from coming out.

A few pleasant but torturous minutes passed, until the omega felt the temperature begin to regulate in his body, though now all the blood seemed to have gone to his face (thankfully).

"Are you, okay?" He showed concern as he felt him so quiet.

"Yes, leave me alone for a few moments while I get used to it. It will be suspicious if they find us like this," said Agüero leaning against the wall. 

Baam hesitantly left him alone.

The days passed quietly, while some recovered from their injuries to resume their journey. Although not even a week had passed, the two teams seemed to be old acquaintances from long ago. 

For his part, Baam wandered around the building as a way of calming his anxiety over recent events. Now that he had the time to think everything through with a cool head, he realized the terrible reality that now haunted him: his group would be hunted forever by FUG. How could he defend them from this evil? Why should he bring them disgrace when they had given him so many good things? His resolution was to become stronger to protect them in the future. 

Besides, from this, he needed to find out more things regarding his identity, after all he did not understand some things about himself.

"Urek Mazino is interested in meeting you. He also comes from 'outside', if you keep going up, you can find him" Lero Ro mentioned and handed him the symbol of the organization.

Another irregular? Of course, he knew some legends, but FUG reminded him many times to make him understand that only he could do any harm to Jahad. He had only little information, as few irregulars were seen in the tower, but theirs actions had great repercussions on the tower's operation. 

"Oh, there you were," Wagnan commented as he saw him wandering the corridors.

"Did something happen?"

"No, I just wanted to talk?"

"Oh, all right"

They left the corridors to go to what seemed to be one of the balconies, the afternoon was going on at that moment, letting the false calm come. 

"I'm going to continue with my team," mentioned the blond with a different look than the one he observed a few days ago.

"I think that's great! That means you'll become another FUG exile too?" 

"Heh, something like that, I plan to come back some other time, but I want to climb the tower with them. I feel like I haven't felt so comfortable with other people in years, plus, if I want to accomplish my goal, I must overcome those fears. So, if any of FUG tries to slow us down, I'll be sure to kick their asses"

"It's interesting, isn't it? To see that there is more to the world than just darkness"

"But besides giving you the good news, um, I wanted to ask you, don't you remember anything they did to you in the workshop?"

Blurry images came into his head: people in white coats, syringes, pains in his body, and then nothing. They were similar experiences when he was outside of the tower, only instead of being enveloped in darkness, the white light burned his retinas. 

"I-I don't know, I have fuzzy memories, but I don't know why they did it"

"I didn't mention it at the meeting to respect your privacy, but.... FUG is experimenting with secondary genders, they want to see if it's possible to change it through pheromones," he let out a sigh at this. "They used alpha pheromones on you to see some change and on me... they implemented omega pheromones, but it was a failure" he formed a hollow laugh while his gaze was lost in the sky, but surely something else he was seeing. 

"Alpha?" Of course, it would make sense, especially all the things he's done so far and how he could even help Khun. "Still, I don't feel much different, pheromones don't do anything to me"

"Of course, is that you are an irregular, there are theories that say that biology does not affect the irregulars equally, that's why I think they did so many experiments with you, trying to determine which subgenre you belonged to. Although it remains unclear"

Both FUG exiles were silent, each one lost in the vast world of their thoughts and doubts.

"But hey, at least you managed to find an omega to court, it means they haven't completely screwed up your biology," he gave Baam a sharp slap on the back in congratulation.

"Courting?"

"My nose doesn't fool me," he mentioned in a perverted tone. "You've both marked each other so much with your presence that it's clear to anyone that something is going on between you. Although I must admit, you're a brave one to try, I've heard that his pheromones are poisonous to alphas"

Baam blinked several times, before falling into realization. He didn't know if to hide his embarrassment or frustration, but he put both hands over his face, unable to look at Wagnan.

"Khun is going to hate me...."

"Huh? Wasn't that your intention?!"

'I was just trying to help him, if someone comes to comment that to him... he'll think I'm like another despicable alpha' was what his thoughts dictated at that moment, recreating different scenes where his best friend looked at him with disgust. 

The blond was perplexed by the situation; to see the candidate for an assassin in such a vulnerable state was strange. Did he say the wrong thing? Heck, surely, he was talking about a sensitive subject.

.

.

.

He didn't like doctors at all, especially those who specialized in subgenres.

Depending on the area, some had their own clinic or worked in their own home; Bearing in mind that most regulars did not like to treat the wounded and only sought success when they reached the top of the tower; even those who had a passion for medicine used to aspire to be supreme in order to increase their knowledge. Still, because of the subgenres, little by little the government has implemented some laws to suggest a doctor who can attend to the cycles of omegas, and a few, went further and took care of the alphas as well.

That's why he didn't like them because most of them were governed by the same ideals that the kingdom has always proposed: omegas are only good for conception, the cycle must be treated naturally and if they don't want to be affected, then they should be marked by an alpha or to accept all the risks as he climbed upwards.

Still, here he was, looking for a solution to his problems beyond Baam continuing to cover him with his essence, or possibly, he was going so far as to ask him to mark his neck; He couldn't afford that. So, he found an omega doctor residing in the same floor, secretly made an appointment, and hoped to return before anyone noticed his absence. He hoped that he would give him better solutions considering that they were going through the same problems.

"Okay, some tests went well, but as far as your hormonal system goes, it's unstable right now," he said looking at some leaves, the doctor's appearance reminded him of a small mouse.

"Is it the drug's fault? How long would it take for the effects to unravel?"

"Heat-inducing drugs force your system to drop all your pheromones at once. The best way to let the drug leave your body is to let it go out without problems, but probably out of fear or anxiety, you decided to use a suppressant, right?" Khun nodded slightly, he didn't like where the conversation was going. "And you probably kept using suppressants every time you felt the symptoms coming, didn't you?" Khun didn't say anything, but that was enough of an answer. Before continuing, the doctor sniffed around him a little. "Are you with an alpha?"

"No! I simply found a simple way to try not to let heat interfere with my tests" The doctor let out a heavy sigh.

"Mr. Khun, your heat is out of control right now because you haven't let the pheromones out and follow their natural cycle, that's why your hormonal system is a mess. If pheromones keep accumulating inside you, it will poison your body as well. And if you are planning to pair with an alpha, there will be no suppressor as strong to stop the heat, in fact, your body will want to speed up the process. You're a ticking time bomb now, and I recommend you deal with that now before you end up in some trouble you can't get out of"

The doctor did not prescribe anything else, forbade the use of suppressants until he could pass his cycle normally, he told him that possibly this cycle would take longer to end, so he would have to look for a place away from alphas to be calm.

"I understand you don't want to use inhibitors, but you'll have to think again as you go up. Some even come as a method of birth control, so you don't have to worry about anything"

"No thanks, I'll take it if it's my last option."

"Also, be careful not to get too close to the alphas if you don't plan on pair up with anyone. And I'm not saying that you shouldn't be in the same room with someone, but you shouldn't let any of them touch some of your glands, that will only make the heat continue to come until you get paired, okay? After all, it's still a courtship method to prepare you for the day you're marked by said person"

Practically, the solution Baam came up with was only worse, wasn't it? He definitely wouldn't be able to tell him or he'd feel guilty all his life.

.

.

.

He returned to the mansion, being greeted by the sound of the bustle of the others. 'Are they celebrating again?' He wondered tiredly, going up to the main room where everyone was: Shibisu and Wagnan were hugging each other's shoulders as if they were lifelong friends, Baam was giving Miseng and Prince, some candy, while Yihwa seemed to want to get his attention in one way or another, Novick had joined the group and seemed to be talking quietly with Horyang; The list went on and on, but so many faces were already starting to make him dizzy.

"Khun! There's my brother!" Shibisu exclaimed, clearly drunk. He couldn't help but show a look of disgust at this.

"Come on, come on, you weren't at the first celebration," Wagnan continued, just as intoxicated as his partner, or else he wouldn't be talking to him so calmly.

So, he left the room; he didn't have the humor to play other people's games, he had to think about what to do next. Soon they would do another test, they weren't on vacation, losing the rhythm would be fatal for the team.

He locked himself in his room turning on his headlights to determine what awaited them next, the care they should take, and definitely, know how to move if FUG came to have them as a target. But if what the doctor said was true, he would first have to find a space where he could spend his heat without any problems... The sooner, the better.

The very thought of his heat being unleashed in the middle of a test, surrounded by a bunch of alphas, disgusted him beyond belief. He already knew how they behaved in these situations: they practically became wild animals looking to possess the omegas.

The faint sound of someone knocking on his door, pulled him out of his thoughts, just indicated aloud to that someone to pass.

"Khun?" Baam timidly entered the room.

"Did any of those idiots destroy anything?" He asked in a joking tone due to the worried reaction of the other.

"No, well before I left, everything was fine," he replied quickly. "I was just wondering, are you okay?"

"Perfectly"

"Are you sure? I don't know where you were, but I see you a little more stressed"

'Damn pheromones' was all he could think of at the time, otherwise, maybe Baam wouldn't have noticed his mood; He has always regarded himself as the master of deception.

 "Just... Let's just say that in moments like this, I hate my biology right now," he confessed with a sigh. "I think I'm going to delay our itinerary longer than planned"

"I don't think others will get mad about it, they'll understand"

"Of course I know, that's why I'm angry with myself. I can't make mistakes now, every day the tests get harder, and new enemies may arrive..."

"I understand" Baam moved closer, sitting on the edge of the desk. "But if there's one thing I've learned in these months that I've been with you, it's that we're a team, so you don't have to do everything alone"

"Hmph, I'm not entirely convinced."

"Have you always been this stubborn?"

"And you still have a lot to know about me" Their eyes met, filling the room with a moment of understanding between them.

"I say the same thing"

"Anyway, you should go back to the celebration or whatever that meeting is called, you're going to get bored here with me."

"We should go together if you know the Wagnan team, you'll probably like them. They even have a funny name: Sweet and Sour Pork"

"What kind of name is that?" The omega snorted as they left the room.

Once outside, they ended up bumping into Wagnan, who looked at them before starting to behave strangely.

"O-oh?" S-so you were over here, ha ha ha," he avoided the gaze of both of them as he said those incoherent.

"Did so much alcohol fry your brain?" Khun raised an eyebrow at him closely.

"Sorry to interrupt you!" I'm going to the bathroom," he exclaimed suddenly, fleeing the scene.

"What's wrong with him?" The omega muttered to himself.

"S-sure alcohol stuff, heh"

Baam knew perfectly well why he was acting so weird, just remembering what they talked about earlier made him embarrassed. For now, he would hide that conversation from Khun, he didn't want to imagine what Khun would do to poor Wagnan if he found out.

Life in the tower could not be taken lightly by the regulars, every day they had to prove themselves to reach the top floor: a hurried life as the trials did not wait, so each day had to be used to reach enough strength to advance to the next level.

For this reason, the  "Sweet and Sour Pork" team (a ridiculous name that Khun felt fit them perfectly), had to leave, now with a new Wagnan, who would find his way to become king on his own, without the help of any terrorist organization; Khun wondered where he got such a childish idea, but everyone would look for what they wanted when they got to the end.

Wagnan for the first time went on adventures without any symbol to bind to anything. He even appeared to be an ordinary regular. He thanked everyone for their help and left a message for Baam:

'Rachel will do her thing again, you have to be prepared if you find her again'.

Lero Ro and Quant were the first to leave, to continue with the "search for the truth", Agüero doubted that they would remain still in one place, so he doubted that he would see them again soon.

They too had to leave early, Baam looked quite thoughtful and if Khun wanted to recover, he had to do it in a safe place, but close to the next test to avoid any delay.

While he was checking the final things on his stoppage, they suddenly stopped working.

"Did they manage to hack it?" The real question was from where, and why? They were supposed to be in a relatively safe place. Before he could exclaim that Wolhaiksong betrayed them, someone entered the room interrupting him.

"Quiet, I just wanted to check something"

The headlights started working again showing diferent symbols and programs he didn't know, still he wasn't operating them, and when he turned his back, he saw a person using what appeared to be a portable video game console.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?"

"Hmm, you could say I'm the owner of the house?"

"Wait a minute, are you part of Wolhaiksong?" Khun got defensive, he didn't like anyone knowing that there was someone stealthy enough to enter the room and hack into his headlights without him having the slightest suspicion of this.

"Yep. Done! I'm done, you can use them again" After a few blinks, his beacon returned to the same screen as before.

Khun could better visualize the person in front of him, he looked disgustingly familiar.

"Are you part of the Khun family?"

"Impossible to deny genetics, isn't it?" the boy? He took a lock of his bluish hair, "Well, more like belonged, I'm an exile too"

"Our father does love to throw his children out. It will be a pleasure to remove him from that throne"

"Well, if you plan to take the leadership of the Khun family, first you have to rule your lighthouses," he mentioned with a joking tone. "Besides, you must be careful, apparently our 'dear' father is not very happy to know that an omega shares his blood and seems proud of it".

"I know, since the day they kicked me out of the mansion, they made it very clear. But hey, isn't life more fun with challenges like these?"

"I like the way you think. An omega trying to outdo the alphas? Whoa, a beta like me doesn't care about that power pyramid, but it's interesting to see it crumble a bit."

Sharing Eduan Khun's blood wasn't usually synonymous with a good family relationship, rather, it was quite the opposite: that psychopath enjoyed seeing how they killed each other's children every year to define who was the strongest. So, it was a pleasure to find people who hated him as much as he did, which is why he also managed to recruit Ran for his team.

"Anyway, I'll let you go, little brother. I have a feeling it won't be the last time I hear from you."

Aguero nodded, if he was still late someone would soon come looking for him.

.

.

.

"Okay team, the next test will be next month, so create a training schedule so we don't lose the habit after so many days off," on a whiteboard were a series of charts. "I'll do my own personal training, so I'll be gone for a week or so." 

Everyone looked at each other strangely at that order.

"Hey, that doesn't seem fair, I bet you're going on vacation or something," Endorsi said.

"Very suspicious" Hatz added.

"Why so long?" Baam looked at him, he had no idea about this and somehow it left him with an uneasiness he couldn't explain.

"I have to put certain matters in order, so I need total peace of mind, you hear?"

Shibisu kept looking at him, he had his suspicions but surely out of respect for Khun, he didn't say anything about it in front of everyone. Still, once everyone went to do their business, he approached him in private.

"Khun, are you having trouble with your heat again?" he asked quietly in case anyone overheard them.

"You're a stalker, I can't hide anything from you," he let out a tired sigh. "Indeed, I'm leaving on doctor's orders, I can't be around any alpha"

"Not even Baam? He doesn't seem to react to pheromones. I don't like the idea of you going alone"

'I'm not afraid of what he might do to me, I'm afraid of what I can do to him' he replied in his mind.

"It's better not to bother him, the poor guy must think of many things, and worrying about me should be the last thing on his list" With a proud attitude he closed the conversation. 

Keeping the reason for his withdrawal a secret was more a matter of pride than anything else; he didn't like to be seen that his biology was affecting him all the time, nor to see the worried faces of others as if he were a weak person that some stranger could take advantage of. So he rented a hotel away from the residences of the other regulars, it cost quite a lot of money because of the privacy, but it was worth it. 

"Khun!" Baam approached him, he was sweaty, and surely he had just finished exercising.

"Why do you look so anxious? I'm not leaving yet"

"I hope so, I just wanted to ask you a few questions, can I come to your room later?"

"Sure."

He was quite surprised by this proposal, he usually used to go without asking permission.

.

.

.

So, a few hours later, Baam found himself joining him in his room as he stowed various things in one of his headlamps.

"Well, that's the last of it," he put the headlamp aside and sat down next to Baam on his bed. "Now, what happened to make you come here so worried?"

"Khun, the reason you're leaving…. isn't it because of everything that's happened lately? I mean, I understand if you need your time to think, it's too much information… not just the FUG stuff"

Khun blinked a couple of times trying to understand the real issue here. Did he show any doubt about sticking by Baam's side? He didn't remember giving her any indication to the contrary. Or did he have some other underlying concern?

"Well, indeed, we haven't had time to talk about all this and assimilate it as such, but, at no time have I hesitated to be your partner. Did someone tell you something?"

"No, no, I just thought about the amount of trouble I will bring in the future, and I don't want that to get in the way of your plans or result in anyone getting hurt; I would never forgive myself for that"

Oh, so that's what it was all about the weight of responsibility. Khun doubted very much that such a noble heart could bear it, especially after nearly destroying them all on an island.

"Baam, at no time have I ever thought of this as a problem. It is, and a very big one, but no matter if a terrorist organization wants to assassinate you, I'll take it as one of the many dangers I'll face in the tower: I see it as a bonus to the experience."

"I thought you'd be angrier," Baam muttered, somewhat surprised to see him so happy.

"Why? I love a challenge, especially a difficult one."

"Heh, you really always surprise me," Baam smiled a relieved smile.

"I should say that about you. Anyway, don't ever doubt me like that again, I'll accept every single thing you have, as long as you're still the Baam I know, nothing has to change between us, okay?"

"Yes, I agree"

The two stayed talking for a long time until fatigue seemed to take its toll. Khun insisted that Baam go to rest, and Baam accepted somewhat resignedly. Neither seemed to want to get far away from the other really, but the omega had enough sense to know when to let go. 

He hoped this would be the last time he would long to be so close to Baam's scent.

Chapter Text

When Khun Agüero Agnis left, most of them were a bit worried, even if they tried not to show it too much: Endorssi was complaining that it was not worth doing that training, Hatz about how happy he would be without seeing the annoying earrings for some days, Shibisu commenting like a worried mother about the possible whereabouts of the omega and Baam, simply didn't try to hide his discontent about this.  

In any case, none of them seemed at ease, a bad feeling running through everyone's instincts. Since Khun had been presenting problems with his heat, they feared that it might come back when none of them were around; although the alphas of the group couldn't do much, at least those who resisted his pheromones could, but now, without even knowing his location, they looked like a family worried because the youngest daughter left home alone for the first time in her life.  

It was said that centuries ago, groups were called “packs” that were usually led by alphas and tended to be overprotective of their members. However, as time went by, the tower became more cruel and treacherous, so packs stopped being more and more frequent, actually, that term was not even used today. Baam recalls reading about this in a book a while ago.

Although he sensed that due to the length of time they had all been together, the creation of such a bond was inevitable. It was a strange feeling to know that this would be the closest thing to having a family.  

But that comfort was short-lived, because the worry was still there.

"Tsk, that bastard really didn't hold back with this training,” commented the princess of Jahad, they were all in the training room following the guide that Khun left them before he left. 

"Well, it was probably so we wouldn't miss him so much,” Isu joked foolishly. 

"Tired already, witch? I can see that growing old is making you sick,” Anaak didn't hesitate to make fun whenever she had the chance.  

Those scenes were already normal in the group, however, Baam was paying attention to the two new members that arrived after the battle in the workshop: Ran Khun and Novick. 

They were part of another group that Khun formed a few floors below to try to improve the current team, and thus gain more allies for different situations. But so far, only the two of them managed to get so far in such a short time, so they used to come and go from the main team depending on the situation and Ran's mood.  

When Baam asked Khun about what it was like to travel with a relative, he only joked that his father was so promiscuous, he had no way to get excited if on every floor he encountered a sibling or relative. The brown was already aware that this topic was not the strategist's favorite, he could even say, that the word “family” had no special meaning for him beyond how to denominate blood ties.  

Thinking about that made him miss the omega a little, so he wrote to him through the pocket, but did not receive any answer.  

It will be long days...

.

.

.

While everyone thought that the team's light bearer was having a vacation or planning how to assassinate someone, the reality was different: The omega was locked in his room feeling the strongest heat he has had in a long time; his whole body was boiling, he felt he had no control of his lower body and he was thinking such wild thoughts that he could surely be considered the dirtiest omega in the tower. It was as if a lustful fog was taking over his brain and he already looked as if his body was being controlled by someone else.  

Worst of all, many of those thoughts, were about the one who was supposedly not an 'alpha' and apparently was his best friend. Although his libido was so unleashed that he didn't give it a second thought as he normally would.  

The context was as the following: Khun found a specialized hotel for omegas where they could take a break to pass their heat without any problem. The rules of the administrator of that floor forbade any act of violence and only omegas could access those facilities. Even so, it was a well-kept secret from the others because definitely one or another idiot would try to enter that paradise of pheromones without thinking about the consequences. For this reason, it was a sanctuary for omegas, and many would even decide to live in that neutral zone for many years.  

So he found himself in a room, with just a little water and canned food so as not to starve to death,  although that was the last need I wanted to satiate at that moment.

Although many believed that the heat simply consisted of a week of constant masturbation, the reality was different; your body did not seem to be yours, its lower part used to end up hurting if you did not take good care of how to satisfy that desire, and simply everything was uncomfortable, even the softest sheets in the world seemed to be a nuisance to the skin, not to mention the despair of feeling that something was missing, like a hunger that could not be satisfied, even if you had all the food in the tower. Worst of all, Agüero considered himself to have little interest in such matters, so he was mortified to have to go through this process because of his biology. It was not easy to have sexual fantasies with an alpha because he repudiated them, more than exciting him, it made him feel disgusted and that he would not enjoy the act even if his body says otherwise. 

Besides, for him these episodes were horrible because they brought back memories of when he was in the mansion with his mother, who, desperate to get a ' worthy' future for her son, put him in humiliating situations that forced him to learn to defend himself and even generated that natural repulsion towards alphas. It was quite a confusing period for his body, how could he desire someone he hated? It was a contradiction between biology and reasoning.  

However, after meeting Baam, this changed considerably. Now it was the chestnut who accompanied him in such fantasies, and instead of feeling disgusted, it was quite the opposite; he desired him nearby, the idea of feeling his pheromones close by was enough to feel the need to go out and find him and beg him to mark him. That's why he strongly refused to accept her help with this process. 

But of course, all this was not a simple coincidence, by accident he found in his headlight some clothes that the chestnut asked to keep for a few days while they were moving upper floors, as he forgot to return it to him, he ended up leaving a big trace of him in Khun headlight and some of his clothes. There began the end of everything: his heat exploded like never before when having those clothes near, his "nest (which was just a pile of clothes thrown down in no particular order) was now decorated by the scent of an 'alpha' and fuck, he didn't know it could be so enjoyable to form his nest. 

But like a bad hangover, as the days passed, only regret and shame remained for everything that happened in that room. He chastised his behavior and thoughts, even if he had a biological reason for it all, it didn't take away that he had fantasized about his best friend.  

For Zahard how would he be able to look Baam in the face? 

.

.

.

During those days without Khun, seeing how Baam seemed more lost than usual, the team took the opportunity to visit several places as a reward for following the training correctly. However, Endorssi was quite curious about the city's night bars, so, in those cases, usually only the more adult members of the group went, while the children and animals stayed at home. 

The princess invited him not only to have her moment of fun, but because it was easier for the others to agree to go to watch out that nothing bad happened, after all, Baam was still very naive about certain things and the last thing they wanted was for Khun to end up killing them if he witnessed something improper.  

Bars were pretty weird places for Baam, he didn't understand what fun he saw in a place so enclosed, with a strong smell of perfume and loud music that didn't let you hear your other friends. But, since he had nothing else to do and was practically unable to give Endorssi a good excuse, there he was, drinking some water at the bar while watching how the princess enchanted the other regulars with her dance steps; this was definitely the place for her.  

"I'm worried about Donnie, she hasn't returned, even though he said she was only taking a week's vacation".

Baam knew it was wrong to listen to other people's conversations, but he needed some kind of distraction and that topic was very familiar to him. 

"Even if she's an omega doesn't mean she needs a babysitter, she probably went to have one of those surgeries, you know?" another of the girls continued talking.  

"But aren't they dangerous? I mean, removing the gland sounds like a pretty painful process".  

"Look, you know that's one of the few solutions the omegas in this tower have: either they have surgery or they let an alpha mark them. Donnie said she wanted to keep climbing even if it meant sacrificing that part of her"

"Is that why it's taking so long?"

"Sure, if she's not recovering from surgery, then at least she's going to be looking for a handsome alpha to mark her"

The two regulars changed the subject, as if he didn't deserve any more concern. Was it so common for omegas to do such things? Baam was so used to Khun, who was proud of his secondary gender, that he never thought that he possibly saw that possibility of his mate thinking of doing something like that.  

Worst of all, he now had a reason to rethink those possibilities: his heat was very unstable lately and he could no longer use the suppressors as frequently as before. Besides, his friend's pride was such that surely he would rather cut the gland in the back of his neck than allow an alpha to mark him. 

Oh no, now he urgently needed some response from him or else he would go mad. 

After two weeks without the presence of the strategist, the latter arrived as if it were a vacation: his hair was tied in an impeccable ponytail, his clothes were summery which contrasted his typical suits he used to wear, sunglasses adorned his face and he showed a more relaxed expression along with an inexplicable glow of his skin. 

"I told you it was a vacation,” Endorsi commented, rolling her eyes.  

"Why were you the only one who went to have fun?" Hatz crossed his arms, looking at him suspiciously. 

"Don't think I went on vacation, I was taking care of my own business" 

"Khun!" Baam arrived at the entrance, showing a smile so bright that it managed to blind the omega for a few seconds. "You're finally back, you haven't been answering any of my messages." 

"Sorry Baam, I was quite busy" He was grateful to be an expert in deception, or I surely couldn't look him in the face after having imagined him naked on more than one occasion.  

"Blue turtle at least you show up, black turtle almost go out looking for you"

At that comment, Baam looked a little nervous and Khun arched an eyebrow at this, did he hear something strange going around? 

"Relax Baam, I arrived safely,” he mentioned with a slight smile. "Now let's have a meeting to see what the next test is about"  

He quickly walked away from there, the embarrassment of using his best friend's image during his heat wouldn't go away anytime soon.  

Meanwhile, Baam took a close look at the exposed nape of Khun's neck, feeling relieved to see that no marks or scars decorated the back of the omega's neck. 

.

.

.

The meeting started a couple of hours later, Khun and Shibisu as usual were leading the meeting, using Khun's headlights and a screen to display all the information they needed.  

"Since the workshop we have taken a big break, and the floors that follow are relatively easy to follow. However, there is an important test on the 35th floor, which only happens once a year, so we have to get through the other floors quickly to make it on time,” the light bearer began to explain.

"Therefore, starting tomorrow we are going to start with the test of the next floor. Hatz and I have investigated how the following tests will be, so we will make a small summary of the nature of each floor to avoid any problem"

"By the way, I got a new ally, I feel he will be very useful in this test"

"A new guy? As long as he doesn't get in the way like the other dwarf you brought, I guess it's okay,” Anaak replied, looking at Ran with a certain competitive air.  

Before the discussion turned physical, Khun showed a new image with the regular who would be joining their ranks.  

"His name is Edin Dan, a scout who specializes in his speed, I feel he will be of great help to us seeing the nature of the test"

"Wait a minute, wasn't he retired?" Hatz questioned. 

"He lost a bet with me, I wasn't going to let his talent rot on a random floor"

The fact that he had recruited him as soon as he came out of his heat was a way of proving to himself that he hadn't changed at all. Besides, it was always good to get new people, so he could add them to the support team and help them in such complicated trials they were going to face.  

Despite being such a well-structured plan, Baam still had some doubt inside him: due to the events with FUG and his recent discovery of carrying one of the weapons they wanted, he had a feeling that not only would the tests be one of their worries anymore, now they had a new enemy in mind.  

He tried to remember the last conversation he had with Khun about this to try to reassure himself.  

"Any problems Baam?" Khun asked once the meeting was over, now there were only the two of them left in the room.  

"No, none" in the end he just had to become stronger to protect them all.  

.

.

.

Indeed, the next day they set out again on their journey through the tower. The coming trials were easy to overcome, the training had paid off and Khun didn't seem to suffer any more problems concerning his cycle, so there really wasn't much to worry about. However, as they were fighting against time, they rarely had moments of rest, and usually Khun spent his time making plans in his lighthouse, so their interactions were considerably reduced.  

For their pride, the whole team was tired, but they would not openly admit it, after all, they were the best team of regulars currently climbing the tower, and they were always known to pass most tests quickly.  

They finally reached the 35th floor and were able to let out a breath of relief as they reached their goal in record time. Suffice it to say that they didn't even celebrate this fact, but rather each went to give themselves a little break before the real challenge.  

However, this floor concealed a peculiarity that made Khun and the other omegas in the team, feel a chill. In this place, discrimination against omegas persisted in a worse way than in another floor, since the floor ruler wanted to imitate Eduan Khun in terms of maintaining a large number of spouses, with the particularity that all of them were omegas. There were many rumors on this floor that the omegas who lost had to be marked by the ruler or were sold by their own companions in order to pass the test more easily.  

It was hard to know the truth, but none of the team wanted to take any chances on this. 

"Khun, my love, could you use a necklace or a patch, please?" Isu asked with a worried gesture.  

"I refuse, it's not comfortable to wear those things"

"Only for this floor,” he insisted, ”even some of them are almost invisible, so no one will notice you're wearing one"

"Should I be frightened by the rumors of this floor? Please, he won't be the first or the last alpha who will want to mark me,” he rolled his eyes downplaying the matter.  

"Baam! Convince him please" 

He looked at the two of them a bit confused, he didn't expect to be part of this discussion. 

"Well, yes I am worried, but then we should just go win this thing, right?"

"Thank you Baam, apparently our dear scout has forgotten that little detail: only those who lose are marked, and I don't think our team is part of that percentage"

"But promise me you'll be careful,” added the brown-haired man. 

"Don't worry, I'll do my best to pass that test as quickly as possible"

One of the things Baam could identify from the tower was how the law of the strongest persisted, even FUG, whom wanted to put an end to Jahad's reign, was ruled by it; bending the weakest to be his allies. That sort of thing disgusted him, so he didn't much like the idea of an alpha forcing people to be marked by him either, why go to that extent? But hey, examiners rarely got involved in the ordeal, so he hoped he wouldn't run into him any time soon.  

They had about two days to prepare, where both Khun and Shibisu planned a strategy to emerge victorious from that test. 

"Lastly: I know there are certain rumors about the possible consequences of losing that test, I won't deny that having omegas in the team could make someone interfere to ensure we don't win, it would be easier to hide our secondary gender, but it's difficult since it's information to which everyone has access. So we just have to do what we do best and take such an advantage that not even the administrator can stop us"

With that speech, everyone's spirits seemed to rise a little.  

At the end of the meeting, it was suggested that everyone save their energy as it would not be an easy test, Khun quickly locked himself in his room without giving Baam a chance to approach. 

'Could something have happened to him while he was out there?' the irregular wondered. 

Meanwhile, Aguero let out a heavy sigh as he settled into one of his headlights to go over the possible strategy and see if he was carrying everything he needed. He carried in his headlights several suppressants, and even inhibitors, but he really refused to take the latter, he always took pride in using his pheromones to make presumptuous alphas succumb, if he hid them wasn't he giving in under the same rules? Why were alphas the only ones to release their pheromones into the air? He prayed to the administrator that his cycle would have no more irregularities. 

Besides, he had to strengthen himself mentally, he couldn't get carried away with any emotions, what happened in his heat, stays in his heat, it shouldn't affect the way he viewed his best friend; if he repeated it to himself enough, maybe he could act like normalcy soon. 

The team headed to the next test, using a special train for the regulars who were going to take the test, including the new member: Dan, who stayed with them days ago, they couldn't interact so much with him before so they took the opportunity to get to know him better and thus make the test less uncomfortable. After a few long minutes of traveling, they finally arrived at a large building decorated with a large sign that read, “Test Start!” The fact that it sounded so cheerful where such horrible things were happening, did not sit well with Baam.  

The team went down, in their vicinity they could see other train tracks bringing new groups of regulars, some were even already in line waiting for admission. The irregular didn't like to see so many people crowded in one place, especially after knowing that FUG would be behind his head, surely some member of the organization would be around. 

"Baam, take it easy,” the omega next to him patted his back, bringing him out of his thoughts. "No one is going to start a fight here"

"Sorry Khun"

"Waiting for the tests to start is a hassle. You could distract yourself by talking to Dan, you're good at making friends,” Khun pointed to the runner who was talking to Novick further back with a slight smirk.  

"Don't treat me like Rak,” he tried to frown to show his anger, but only succeeded in getting Khun to let out another laugh.  

Even so, the brown could detect that the light bearer was also nervous, his arms were crossed and his gaze was slightly diverted to the sides of the entrance of the building. There Baam was surprised to see that, what he initially thought were well-made statues, were actually living people wearing large necklaces with a symbol he didn't know in the center of it.  

"Khun... "

"Yes, they are omegas,” answered the strategist with some restrained anger. "That's the symbol of the family of the king of this floor. Tsk, that pervert is showing them off like trophies"  

Not only the beautiful omegas stayed there to welcome the regulars, it was also an implicit message to the others who were going to take the test: 'if you lose, this will be your destiny'.  

"I already want to be a supreme so I can have a harem similar to this one,” an alpha commented next to them. The looks of disgust did not take long to appear.  

A faint scent appeared in the air, and Baam reacted quickly as he realized it was Khun's pheromones, but not the ones that typically appeared in his heat, no, these instead of having a sweet scent, were more bitter, like a warning signal for him to stay away.  

"Khun!" Baam grabbed his shoulder with some force, he didn't want him to suffer any trouble for using his pheromones that way. Besides, something deep inside him wanted his secondary gender to remain as hidden as possible.  

"All right, I won't cause trouble before the test,” the bitter aroma disappeared. "I will make them suffer as I wish in the test" 

'I definitely can't leave him alone or he'll end up killing someone' was the only thing the brown man thought when he saw the murderous aura that surrounded his friend at that moment.  

“Thank you for your patience, regulars,” the test administrator began to speak. She stood in a box on the second floor of the building for all to see. If she was an omega, she didn't have one of the collars to mark it. "Before I give you the exact details, it is an honor to introduce to you: the king of the floor!"

The whole team tensed up at this news, it was best if that nasty fellow was far away, but if he showed up directly it was to give a clear message: 'I'm watching you to see who will be my new victim.'  

"Congratulations to all the regulars for coming this far, as you may know, this test is only given once a year due to the difficulty of it and the time it takes to organize everything. I hope those of you who have stayed a few months here have enjoyed your stay, and know that you are welcome to come to the central area for a vacation whenever you want. Those who lose, well, I'll talk about that when that happens,” he let out a somewhat cynical smile. 

Khun felt a shiver as he felt their gazes cross for a moment, but he stayed firmly in place, returning him a defiant look; he would not show fear before anyone.  

Then began the explanation of the test:  

The test would take place underground, where years ago lay a subway society, so it has enough space to house a large number of regulars. The teams would be randomly teleported to some location there. Inside the city, different treasures were hidden, each team would have a list installed in their devices to know the value of each one. Whoever had the most points at the end of two weeks, would be the winner and could move to the next floor. As in every tower test: it was possible to steal the treasures of other teams and no one was responsible for any structural damage or losses suffered in the same.  

Luckily, the team had a clear context of all this before arriving, so they were mentally prepared to spend a couple of weeks in lockdown, Khun had several strategies up his sleeve ready for any situation that might arise. However, Baam was still quite worried, he didn't like the situation at all and being in a locked up place full of pheromones was not the ideal place for Khun. He had to do whatever it took for his team to win and to be able to climb the tower without having to see the king again. 

The regulars lined up, organized by the same omegas who were on the sides, each group was entering the capsule that would teleport them to the subway city. When it was their group's turn, one of the omegas approached Khun with an envelope. It was a man taller than him, but with an androgynous appearance, a rather rare beauty in the tower.  

"My king sends you this gift, please accept it."

Khun looked at the envelope with some disdain, without much desire to receive it, when an alpha gave a gift, it was for a reason: he was initiating a courtship.  

"Tell your king that I will have to refuse it, he will have to try to deliver it himself to even think about accepting it,” with his head held high, he entered the capsule.  

.

.

.

The first thing they all saw was absolute darkness.  

Shibisu and Hatz used their own devices to illuminate a little the place next to Khun's headlights, letting them see a little the place where they would have to survive: big houses could be seen in the distance, surrounded only by sand and more rocks. Next to them, they had the tools provided in the test: a bag to keep the treasures, some flashlights and a metal detector.  

"All right, let's try to explore this area first and verify that there is nothing around here." 

It was easier said than done, they were not used to the caves and it showed, the only one who moved naturally was Baam, he didn't even carry flashlights, he was only guided by the wall.  

"Now I'm believing that you really lived in a cave,” he commented, following him into his headlightt. He was on the lookout for enemy movements.  

"Huh? Well, it's no secret, I lived most of my life underground, that's when Rachel found me."

Again that name, he used to express some nostalgia when he named her. Now he didn't know his feelings for her.  

"I see, I'm glad to know we have an expert to explore."

"Leave it to me!"

After long hours, they barely found some trinkets and almost reached the city. Khun checked the time, as they did not have the light of the shinso, they had to rely on these clocks to keep track of their sleeping hours.  

"Let's make camp nearby, surely most of the regulars will want to get to the city quickly and will want to fight each other."

"What is the problem? We are stronger,” the princess of Jahad commented proudly. 

"Remember it will be 2 long weeks, let them kill each other and then we will claim the spoils."

"Seriously, it's a good thing a psychopath like you is on this team."

They all set up a makeshift camp taking care of different tasks: Shibisu, Hatz and Khun set up security devices in a long perimeter to make sure they wouldn't get ambushed in the middle of their break. They also set up an itinerary to keep watch so that they would know what was going on around them. Others took care of the food and set up tents to sleep next to a cave.  

However, when night fell, Khun was unable to fall asleep.

.

.

.

The first two days were ideal for learning to move, luckily, Dan had gotten some night vision goggles, so he had managed to steal the treasures of some groups without them noticing.  

It was already much easier to move and start searching, when they least thought about it, they already had in their hands a long collection of treasures.  

Although the road has not been easy at all, a sandstorm threatened their camp the first night, and there were several insects of dubious origin that almost caused Endorssi to blow up the site.  

Their main concern was to know how to ration their food and water well, too much time being cooped up could slowly affect their sanity and spirits, so Khun avoided claiming victory so quickly, besides, there was surely something else that made this trial so dangerous. 

At this point, they had already entered the city, where they managed to fight a few teams, steal their treasures and get more supplies that were strategically distributed during the test. Still, at the suggestion of the scouts, they stayed in what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse, it would only provide them with a roof over their heads and a good location to put their security devices.  

Khun pretended to fall asleep using one of the sheets, completely covering his body until he looked like a cocoon. But the truth was that his eyes were still wide open staring into absolute nothingness, just dirt and darkness.  

When he tried to close his eyes, unpleasant dreams appeared: a group invaded his territory without him noticing. A kidnapping, him trapped with ropes or chains and looks that always gave him the same feeling of disgust; as if he were an appetizer. He even thought that it might be possible that the king of the floor was ambushing him in order to trap him and make him the loser of the test to avoid arousing suspicion. All these imaginary scenarios ended in the worst possible way: with the uncontrolled heat.  

He didn't like being in a confined place at all, even worse, a place totally unknown to him; he couldn't trust the information from his headlamps or the scouts' surveillance devices. Sure, each floor was a different place, with different enemies, but this time he feared that the stupid alpha who tried to woo him before, would do his best to make them lose that test. It was horrible, that feeling of not having any insurance. 

He hated feeling like that, he wasn't anyone's prey, he was quite the opposite, but when facing an unknown enemy, no precaution was enough. But he could hold on like this, he'd gone several sleepless nights before.  

The hours they slept, passed quickly as he tried to draw up different plans for his next step to take. When they all woke up and ate some of the canned food, Khun gathered them together to explain their itinerary for the day. 

Before leaving the warehouse, he noticed how Baam's gaze seemed to be inspecting him, it didn't take him long to address him:  

"Khun Are you okay?"

"Sure, it's just that it's harder to tidy up being underground,” he touched his hair, which already had a more wavy shape at the ends.  

"You just look more tired." 

"It's normal, we are in enemy territory, you can never be calm."

Baam did not seem convinced, but the team was ready to leave, so Khun entered his lighthouse to keep track of the exploration.  

The rest of the day they faced several regulars, obtained some treasures and, by the time his watch showed it was night, managed to find an abandoned house with some food and a proper bathroom; needless to say, he and Endorsi saw this as an oasis.  

After scanning the site making sure there were no traps, they were able to arrange their things. The treasures were stowed in one of the lighthouses and they were ready to sleep.  

The house was not as big as the ones they used to rent as they moved up the floors, so they had to share. The usual trio together with Laure, Hatz and Shibisu, while the girls shared the front room. That day Aleksai and Vespa started with the guard shift.

There were only two beds, Laure used to sleep wherever so they left him on the floor. Rak took one bed and Khun insisted that Baam take the other. The chestnut agreed with some reluctance, but he knew it would only tear them apart more to argue about it.  

Aguero used the same strategy as he did every night, tucking himself in until his whole body was covered and in a corner. He wasn't used to sharing a room, and even if they were his teammates he'd known for years, he had trouble falling asleep.  

Knowing that his heat could get out of control now brought him doubts about everything a little. 

'Remember not to be so close to alphas if you don't want the process to speed up' Great, as if he could do that easily when half of his team had that secondary gender.  

Tonight, his mind decided to replay the memories of the times when some alpha would come into his room to try something with him, once he murdered them, his mother watching proudly from the door frame; it was just another test, surely if they succeeded in their task of abusing him, he would be sold like cattle. After spending months with insomnia, only the presence of his sister and Kiseia, was the only thing that made him feel safe again.  

But this time he could not ask anyone for that, it was one thing to feel safe with betas of his family, not with alphas; that would stain his pride.  

.

.

.

The next day, his dark circles under his eyes were more pronounced than ever, the lack of coffee was starting to take its toll on his body as well, he felt much slower in every way, still, he hoped no one noticed this so he tried to pretend everything was fine as usual. 

Already a week had passed, his insomnia was still as present as ever, but he wasn't the only tired one, his equipment was also worn out. Ran even mistakenly destroyed a large area of the city, losing several treasures in the process by not being able to handle his strength, and falling limp after this demonstration of power.  

Another mistake could cost them everything, their treasures gained so far could be stolen if they got at least a little careless. So, to everyone's displeasure, they decided to opt for more defensive strategies. It was partly the best course they could take.  

They decided to split into teams: one would be in charge of guarding the treasures obtained, while the other would be the exploration team, who would search for food and other treasures if possible.  

"We could take a big break if we could get the rarest of them all, with that we would have won the test,” commented Khun, reviewing the list they were given when they entered the test, which showed a picture of the treasures and the points they were worth.  

"I think all the teams are thinking the same thing,” Shibisu commented next to him. "We're going to be in trouble if we don't get a sizable lead quickly, the team's mood is being affected"

"It's a miracle Anaak and Ran haven't destroyed the city already."

"As long as they're separated, nothing bad will happen,” he pointed out as the two youngster sat at different points. "Still, my biggest concern is that our star strategist hasn't slept at all since we started"

It was obvious he would notice.  

"As long as it doesn't affect the team's performance, it's okay, besides, I'm a Khun.... I hold up much better than any other regular."

"Well, then don't blame me if you end up collapsing somewhere."

They decided to leave the conversation there, now was not the time to waste their time arguing with each other.  

Khun checked his lighthouses again, now with better information than they had the first day, even having plans of the different zones of that subway city, possible locations of some treasures and information of the regulars that could be found on the way; with an X he marked those who had already defeated in previous occasions.  

"Khun" Baam called him in a whisper, forcing him to look away from the headlights "It's time for you to rest, it's not your turn to stand guard”  

Ugh, again that hour so horrible for him, but necessary so that the little sanity of the others would not be affected (more than usual). He didn't like sleeping in the tents they had set up when it was their turn to sleep outside the city, if he didn't have a clear view of the outside, he felt even more anxious than usual.  

He decided to go to the nearest wall, as usual, covered with a blanket and hugging his knees, at least this way he could pretend to be asleep so as not to worry anyone.  

Damn, since when was he so weak? Even if he always denied that being omega was a weakness, right now he was proving quite the opposite, if only he was stronger or could control his pheromones 100%, none of this would be happening.  

Before he could curse whoever dared to sit next to him, further disturbing his sense of security, Baam's alluring scent and the strong presence of the crocodile, was the answer he needed. Each took a seat next to the other, like two bodyguards. 

He looked at them with some surprise, now that he thought about it, they had hardly spent any time together since the test began. Though he quickly frowned, then turned to Baam: 

"Your back will hurt if you sleep against the wall. Lie down in one of the tents with the others,” he turned his gaze to see the lizard with an unfriendly face. "Move over, crocodile, you're in the way"

"Well, if you sleep like that every night, I might give it a try,” commented the Baam with that smile of feigned innocence. "Does it bother you?"

Ugh, that was playing with his feelings.  

"Hmph, blue turtle is very stubborn. Big Rak will do his surveillance here, leave if you don't like it"

"I'm so exhausted I don't want to argue with you. Do as you please."

Both Baam and Rak looked at each other smiling victoriously.  

The omega had the firm determination to continue without sleep, even if his body was destroyed, willing not to hide his fangs in the rest of the test, however, the intoxicating aroma that Baam's pheromones gave off, had a lulling effect on his person; as if a wooded forest was protecting him. Inevitably his mind wandered down that dark path that led him to usually not so pleasant dreams, but when he finally got there, he found a comforting feeling.  

For the first time in a whole week, Khun Agüero Agnis managed to fall asleep without any nightmares in between.  

Baam and Rak looked at each other proudly as they saw the aforementioned sleeping peacefully on the former's shoulder.  

"Hmph, if he only needed our presence, he would have said so in the first place... stubborn turtle"

Chapter Text

For the first time in a long time, his body felt like new. If he were outdoors, he could even enjoy the sound of birds singing or some fairytale-worthy stupidity like that. In part, that tranquility he had been craving for days, was thanks to the presence of Baam, who allowed himself to be used as a pillow to ensure his good rest.  

Though of course, this earned several comments and an angry reaction from Endorssi; he couldn't help but feel he won some fight in a roundabout way, enlarging his ego.  

He could go on about how great it was to share quality time with his "best friend" (an alpha), but all of the above was just part of those little moments where his omega side managed to take a bit of control of his thoughts. So he quickly dismissed all those emotions pretending it was a consequence of the insomnia of the last few days.  

Khun Agüero Agnis thinking about the pleasant feeling of being with someone? He would never admit it openly, first of all: because he was used to being alone all his life, he would not depend so openly on someone. Second: He was in the middle of a deadly ordeal, where any mistake could cost him his life (and possibly his freedom), so he couldn't let those stupid thoughts absorb him completely.  

He apologized to Baam for using him as a pillow, but Baam only said there was no problem, Rak intervened only to demand a thank you for keeping watch all night; needless to say, he was cruelly ignored.  

Now with his mind a little more recharged, he assembled the team to separate the groups that had previously been described. Those who would be left in charge of guarding the treasures would be: Laure, Anaak, Hatz, Novick, Rak and Vespa. The rest would be in charge of going to look for more, while facing the other teams.  

"It is possible that several have done this same strategy, so the ideal would be to attack these small groups, but at the same time, look for treasures of our own," said Khun, opening a map with the information gathered from the scouts.

It could be seen that some areas were still without any information, some were more difficult to access, so it was a clear indication that something valuable was there; although they could not expect much, after all, this type of traps were normal in the tests of the tower.  

Other clues they had found throughout the tests were certain passages written on statues or stone pedestals. At first, everyone ignored them thinking it was just part of the ancient civilization they had based the test territory on, until Shibisu rephrased it: 

"It takes a year to make this test, the time is to show that every detail is taken into account, so everything must have a meaning, maybe here are the clues to obtain some of the rarest treasures"

That said, they now followed those clues that were encrypted with metaphors and an ancient language that they could not fully understand. Luckily, Khun managed to get all the necessary information from that language to be able to translate it.  

Thanks to these deductions, they managed to obtain valuable clues about the location of the rarest treasures, some of which were in hidden places, but they had to fight for them since they were not the only team that managed to decipher the riddles, although other fools thought they could follow them and steal them as if nothing had happened; a serious mistake.  

Now, the attitude of all the regulars was comparable to wild animals trying to survive in the wild, and Khun's team especially, could be considered hunters ready to destroy any prey that got in their way.  

None of them held back in their attacks, as if it was a way to release the accumulated tension of the past few days. Thus, any enemy they saw was quickly defeated with no chance of revenge.  

"Look, I understand that it's do or die, but if you destroy the damn city, we're not going to get anything!" He ended up telling them in a fit of rage.  

"Tsk, it's easier to win if we destroy the others, isn't it?" Endorsi put both hands behind her neck, looking away disinterested.  

Baam noticed that the vein in Khun's forehead was about to burst, so he quickly intervened. 

"Relax, eh, Endorssi, if we find more objects it will be better and then we can rest until the end of the test"

For some reason, Baam's magic worked on even the most capricious princesses.

"Pity you're not an omega, or else I'd think we were destined somehow" 

Khun felt a not very pleasant shiver bristle all over his skin, he even had to restrain himself from letting out a warning growl. Hell, he was annoyed by the princess's attitude, but not to start acting like an animal either.  

"Anyway, let's move on. If the clues are correct, there must be something around here," Shhibisu changed the subject to the more important matter.  

They continued exploring, managed to enter a house that had a secret passageway, which led to another cave. 

Seriously, this whole scenario was making him more and more claustrophobic, even if they had already been there days ago, being in such narrow spaces without much light was going to drive him crazy at some point.  

He was extremely grateful to have controlled his cycle before the test, after all, stress was a big trigger for his pheromones to go out of his control, leaving him one less worry. Still, he didn't want to be completely confident, until he had his heat again in 3 months, he couldn't guarantee that his treatment had worked, it would be best to leave that floor that represented the worst situations for the omegas.  

After wandering around the cave for a long time, they found what looked like a statue of a queen sitting under a tree. In her hands, she wore a crown made of gold and decorated with various precious stones. 

"No traps?" asked Khun, checking his lighthouse to detect any danger.  

"Just a moment," Shibisu pulled out some tracking devices, which worked to scan areas and detect possible traps or mechanisms before entering new territory.  

The scout sent all the information to Khun's beacons, giving him a broader view of what that room had.  

"Apparently, there's some sort of switch that activates when you take the crown. I don't know what kind of mechanism it will turn on, but we'd better head back and come up with some plan before we get locked in here."

Since the way back was quite long, they decided to stop in a part farther away from the treasure, so they could discuss the plan. Without knowing what would happen when the lever was activated, the ideal would be for someone fairly fast to take the crown and get out as soon as possible, so the most ideal for this would be Endorsi, who would use her Bong-Bong to get back to the meeting point as soon as possible. 

"Most likely it's a trap that will lock you in, or release some mechanism to fight, it's best to avoid any confrontation, we're in a delicate terrain so if you fight you could get buried" Khun warned. 

"Pft, don't treat me like a rookie, I know what I'm doing"  

"Are you sure you want to go alone?" asked Baam.  

"Worried? Well, I wouldn't mind having your company" 

Seriously, since when did Endorssi Jahad blatantly flirt with someone without expecting something in return? Did something happen in the days he was gone? Although for his part, Baam seemed to be acting the same as before so that reassured him a bit.  

"If we leave it to the lovebirds it will be a waste of time, I'm going," Ran commented, letting out a sigh.  

"Look, I don't doubt your speed, but I'm afraid you'll destroy the whole place," said Khun with a sigh. 

Ran just shrugged his shoulders looking for a place to sit. 

"Sorry for not being more helpful, this would have been a perfect job for me," lamented Dan, who in one of the previous confrontations injured his ankle.  

"Easy. Let's stick to the original plan then. Endorssi, if Baam goes with you, won't it affect Bong Bong's speed?" Shibisu interjected.  

"Not at all, if it were a larger group, possibly yes"

"Okay, then just get the damn crown to get out of here. Let's support them from the outside if anything happens, we don't know how much ground the trap could cover"  

Khun and company managed to get out of the place, giving the signal to Endorssi to start collecting.  

"Relax, I don't think Endorssi will get anywhere with Baam," the scout commented out of the blue.  

"Why are you telling me these things?"

"I mean, she's a princess of Zahard, alpha, and Baam definitely represents everything she can't have; it's a whim"

"It's not like I care much about their relationship," he employed an annoyed tone. Worrying about romance should be the least of his problems. 

It would be stupid for any of the three of them to think about anything related to love right now; first, the princesses of Zahard couldn't have a partner, it was already a problem that Endorssi was on the same team as a former FUG assassin candidate and next to his niece, who was not accepted by the king either. Second, and related to the above, Baam had to deal with an extremist group that wanted to take his power from him in some way or another, so he didn't have the mentality to worry about other things. Lastly, a Khun worried about love issues? What a good joke, the feelings of the last few days were only due to his hormones and more animalistic side, a rather annoying post-heat effect in his opinion. 

A great tremor was felt in the area, but the houses seemed to be strong enough not to start collapsing on the spot. But just as the tremor came, it suddenly stopped, leaving only an expectant silence: everyone was waiting for their two companions to walk out the door alive.  

Fortunately, after a few long seconds, a red glow illuminated the entrance, only to show both browns emerge almost unharmed, only with a little more dust on their clothes than normal.  

"Mission complete!" said the princess victoriously, wearing the crown on her head. 

"At least the treasure was unharmed," muttered Khun.  

"Hey! It wasn't easy at all, suddenly everything started to fill with sand, if it wasn't for my great skills, not everyone would have made it out. Besides..." She took Baam's arm in an affectionate way, "thanks to him, not even a dirty rock touched me."  

A vein of anger was starting to leave Khun's forehead at this image, he knew that the princess had a certain preference for Baam since she knew him, but already these displays of affection were going too far. Was it the confinement? Did she need a little male approval? Ugh, he didn't like to think about these things too much, but he hated how she involved Baam in her tantrums knowing that the poor guy had a hard time saying no.  

"Anyway, let's get back to the group. If my calculations are correct, this already guarantees us victory."  

Khun snatched the crown from Endorssi to keep it in his lighthouse. At last a sigh of relief left his lips, he could not wait for the moment when the trials would be over and finally all this chaos would end, so he could get off that floor.

.

.

.

The last two days of the test were chaotic, although they managed to calm down a little by getting a lot of points, the other teams in the midst of their desperation to get more rewards, looked like hungry scavengers, attacking in large groups to anyone they saw in order to steal their treasures. Even if they were in the majority, that didn't mean they were well organized, besides many of them looked deplorable, showing that they couldn't even think coherently at this point.  

They were called the strongest team for nothing, so those rascals did not represent a major threat, but little by little the physical exhaustion was noticeable in all their teammates; they all wanted to get out of that damned hell.  

So, as soon as the scoreboard on the gadgets marked "0", certain columns were illuminated by an artificial blue light, calling everyone's attention, but before they could wonder what it meant, a voice resounded throughout the place:  

"Congratulations regulars who have survived the cave. Step up to the glowing columns so we can return to the surface and tally the treasures obtained."  

For the first time all week, there was a calmness in the air that could only be affected by the nerves lying in wait for the final result of the test. Although Khun was almost 100% sure that they would get first places, having no guarantee of the others' scores, he could only depend on his own strategies to know that he did a good job.  

"Okay, let's go," he patted Baam's back to begin walking with his group toward the lights.  

The very modern transportation mechanisms contrasted perfectly with the atmosphere of the abandoned city, making it look more like a model than the real thing. In each capsule to return to the surface, there were test supervisors.  

"Remember to leave your bags in the capsules as soon as you reach the surface so we can do the count properly," one of the supervisors suggested with a smile. 

Khun did not trust that smile, but perhaps it was the fact that he was wearing the symbol of that self-proclaimed King on his neck, which reminded him that he was still trapped in that place until the results were given.  

"Is there any possibility of a mistake in the counting with this method?" he asked, putting his hand on the door to prevent it from closing.  

"Of course not, I'll explain the process: Once you enter the capsule, it will store the data of the team members and the valuables inside. Our system allows us to detect how many objects were collected in total and of what type, without the need for manpower, thus allowing peace of mind for the regulars who fear an error in the results. Therefore, if you leave, the data will not have any variation,  even if you remove some objects or enter new ones. Therefore, we suggest to make sure that all the treasures are in the bag, so we avoid misunderstandings in the future."

"All right..."  

Actually, he was still not so sure, his fears were not completely gone, could they blame him? I mean, besides being omega, the Khun have always been known for trying to kill each other to show their strength and intellect, he had been trained to detect any trap or manipulation, so it was better to think the worst until the last second rather than relax.  

"I don't think a 'king' and test administrator would cheat to leave people here, by now Zahard's army would have done something" commented Endorssi who seemed to be the most eager for some civilization.  

'Yes, maybe for an alpha it would be easy to think of justice' was all Aguero could think, after all had the tower ever shown justice for his kind? It was even said that Jahad himself despised them, that's why all the heads of the 10 great families were only alphas. Even the oldest stories told how when they reached the top floor, the reward they all received was the change of their sub-gender to the one known today, thus creating the hierarchical pyramid that everyone has to learn since they were children. In the end, they were just old stories that lost meaning with time, there was no way to corroborate that currently.  

It wasn't worth giving his mind any more work, so he decided to think that he wasn't important enough for some test administrator to cheat on his own floor. Besides, throughout the test he saw no suspicious or third party actions, so he could rest easy.  

A little more and he could regain his sanity.  

.

.

.

As much as everyone wanted to receive the results quickly, what they were really looking forward to the most was a good shower to wash off all the dust and dried blood on their clothes.  

"The counting process of our servers usually takes two hours to ensure that the result is accurate. You can access the other building where we have showers and rest rooms for you," one of the omegas indicated in a helpful voice.  

Ugh He just hoped they weren't shared bathrooms, but at this point, I couldn't be too picky about it.  

"Hmph, turtles are weak if they need constant water," scoffed Rak, who was now in his small form to save space, so without hesitation, he was an easy victim of the two most vain of the group who didn't hesitate to give him a well-deserved smack upside the head. "Hey! More respect for your leader".  

"I have to go quickly before more people arrive," commented Khun, heading quickly for the showers. 

Luckily, many of the regulars (especially male) saw that it was more feasible first to have a delicious dinner in the on-site casino, so when Khun arrived at the bathrooms, he was lucky to find them almost deserted. They were much like the showers at the training sites, with a divider for at least a little privacy, a sauna (which he refused to enter) and some locker rooms outside.  

"If you were hungry, you could have gone with the others," Khun said as he activated his headlamp to have the privacy to change, he couldn't know when more people would arrive. 

In part he felt guilty for worrying Baam, since the brown without a second thought had followed him.  

"Don't worry, I don't feel comfortable with so much dirt either," admitted the brown ashamedly as he watched Khun disappear behind the blue headlight. 

"A.A. has always been a cleanliness addict, so you're right," Ran mentioned softly, surprising Baam a little, who had not noticed his presence until now.  

"Shut up Ran! It's called being a civilized person"

"Yes, yes, as you say."

.

.

When Baam finished showering, he noticed how Khun still hadn't come out, while Ran had long since left them to enjoy a nice nap somewhere in the building.  

"Khun?"  

"If you want to go ahead, I don't think I'll be out for a while."

Actually, this was not an option that he saw viable, he saw how many men or masculine creatures entered and left the establishment, even if Khun was a person perfectly capable of defending himself alone, something inside Baam demanded him not to leave his side, at least not in that place that was still owned by that nasty alpha. Oh, it seemed that paranoia had rubbed off on him a bit too, although it was inevitable after hearing so many stories. 

"They say that the best performing team can even request a night with one of the king's "Wives". I want to check if doing it with an omega is much better than anyone else"

Ugh, that conversation didn't sit well with him at all, did people really have so many stereotypes about omegas? Every day he justify Khun's actions a little bit more, and likewise, reaffirm her decision to support him however he could. For that reason, he decided to wait for him at the exit, sending a message to the others via his contraption to warn them that they would be a while.  

'Just don't do anything improper in the bathroom' was what Shibisu wrote.  

"Improper?" Baam repeated under his breath, well, he probably meant something like stopping Khun from stabbing any alpha who got too close to him.

.

.

.

The charisma of Khun Agüero Agnis was something that stood out thanks to his great cover letter: his appearance. Once he entered the casino, everyone stared, impressed to see someone who stood out from those mere mortals who seemed destroyed after such a difficult test.

'Did this guy really pass the same test as us?' It was what many asked themselves.

His hair was completely straight, his suit was perfectly ironed and his face did not show any type of fatigue. Khun smiled to himself, he loved leaving that impression on people, he recognized the good attributes of him and reminded everyone that he was born to rule.

Behind him, Baam followed him without attracting much attention, after all, he did wear more comfortable clothes.

Once they sat down with their other companions, none of them said anything, already accustomed to this type of behavior and reactions that the omega generated, and not exactly because of his pheromones. However, if everyone could think of someone who surpassed him on this topic, one person was the answer everyone agreed on.

Now, as if it were a catwalk, Endorssi also entered completely renewed, with a smile of superiority when she saw how she managed to obtain the look of admiration (and even envy) from the majority of those present.

"Am I the only one who feels very normal in this group?" Dan asked quietly.

"You're not the only one, friend," Shibisu replied, shaking his head.

Endorssi sat with them after ordering her food, taking a seat next to Baam much to Khun's annoyance. But really, as much as his physical appearance screamed perfection, the reality is that he was mentally tired, so the atmosphere was quite quiet, especially because some of the team came and went, either to go take a shower or look for a place to rest. 

Most people's pheromones only show the anxiety about waiting.

"Don't you want to sleep a little?" Baam asked sweetly when they finished eating.

He didn't know if it was on purpose, but he could detect how the “alpha” next to him expelled some quite calming pheromones.

"No, thanks. I prefer to sleep when we get to a more private place" luckily, his will was stronger, he refused to be captivated by the pleasant aroma of Baam.

However, such calm often represented a bad sign.

.

.

.

"What does this mean?"

It was the only thing he could say when faced with the results shown on the screen. No one was able to say anything else, as if they were trying to reread what the screen dictated a thousand times more in search of some error in their own reading, perhaps fatigue itself was doing its thing. It was the negotiation they were making in their minds, after all, it was the first time they had to deal with this.

"Teams that lost and wish to take another test, please go to the next room"

Amid shouts of joy from the other regulars, he refused to move from his place. His fists were tense, to the point that his nails were already leaving marks on his palms, it was a way of trying to contain his anger in vain. This had to be some kind of trap.

Perfectly on the board, you could read two different lists: one that announced the winners and another further down one that determined the losers. The difference was almost unfair, just a few more points and maybe they would have been able to pass that damn infernal test.

Fuck this! This wasn't a matter of luck, that damn alpha asshole definitely managed to rig the results somehow. He knew that he could not be trusted, but how to check the administrators' cheating? It was a tedious process that would involve people from the army, who would not be happy at all to see how a former FUG member and an illegitimate princess were part of his team.

His extremities were getting colder and colder, as if they were no longer part of his body. His head throbbed announcing an endless headache produced by the anger he felt at that moment. For a moment, he could even feel that everything that was happening, he was observing from a third point of view as a spectator, not as a protagonist. Oh, how great it would be if he wasn't the protagonist right now.

"Khun!" Baam shook him a little by the shoulder, he looked worried "Calm down a little, let's find some solution to this."

He surely accidentally let his “killer” pheromones spread throughout the premises, everyone was looking at him with a certain disgust and caution.

"I demand a recount of the results" he quickly addressed one of the organizers.

"Our system is approved by the same council of King Zahard, it is impossible that there was any error" with a condescending smile, he practically showed that he would not lift a finger to check again.

He was not stupid, he had no proof, since the machines checked everything and it was logical that they would not return their bags to do the respective recount, since they could consider it cheating.

"If you want another way to pass the test, please continue to the next room," another omega indicated with a smile.

He felt chills all over his body, he could see the dirty intentions behind those grimaces they called "smiles", they were omegas who possibly also fell under the same tactics, now they rejoiced to see him go through the same fate.

I greatly appreciated Baam's support at that moment, since, between everyone's confusion, the allegations of the most explosive ones, and the confused look of the others, someone had to take the lead. In this case, the brunette helped calm everyone down and brought them into the room together.

The room reminded him a little of the one on the first floor, where for the first time they were given their positions and the winners or losers of the tests were announced. However, the biggest contrast he could have were the colors and the atmosphere, of course, in the tower (and more so for the losers) tension seemed to be your daily burden, but in this case, he felt like he was going to his own guillotine to be executed.

'Although that would be better than letting someone mark me.'

He sat in the back with his team, all waiting to find out what this test would be about. Administrators of test rarely gave second chances, and in the rare cases where it did occur, it meant that it was a much worse test than the original; a way to demonstrate how little power they had.

However, they were not just any team. If he had to burn the damn place down, then he would do it.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, regulars. I introduce myself, I'm Liam, the examiner of this second test" there he was, the guy who tried to give him the gift of that damned 'king'  "We regret that his efforts have not yielded the expected results, but our king is quite merciful and believes in second chances, especially given how long it usually takes for this test to be retaken"

He spoke with an elegance worthy of any important family leader, his gestures were delicate and surely he would have already caught the attention of more than one alpha asshole.

"However, the only condition we have to pass this test is a very simple one: each team must have at least one omega with them"

If Khun were a cat, he would surely already be with all his fur standing on end, his instincts screaming at him of imminent danger; Of course, this wouldn't be a test, it was a damn bargaining chip.

"Don't worry, I know that many will think about those terrible rumors, but we are not going to force you to sell your teammates," he tried to joke to calm things down. "Rather, it is to demonstrate your great teamwork"

He began to narrate how the test would go: everything would begin at the celebration party that was usually given for the regulars who had passed such a tough test, however, they could only arrive if they showed the “invitation” in the form of some accessory that would be delivered that day, being the means by which they would confirm their desire to participate in the test.

The importance of the object lay in the fact that, at the end of the night, it would show who would be the winner; At the party there were different omegas belonging to the king's family, each of them had a precious stone which they had to obtain in any way. Once the stone was obtained, it would be embedded in the accessory. When the empty spaces were filled, the omega would have to go to the king to obtain his direct approval for him and his team to move to another floor.

'Too easy to be true' was the only thing Agüero could think. He considered himself a potential scammer and manipulator, he knew the expressions the presenter used to make everyone believe that he would be a piece of cake. 'But what's the trick? The end? No, it will surely take place at the party.'

"Now, you can wait for the invitation letter in your residences"

.

.

.

Arriving back at the place where they stayed, it felt like anything but a cozy and quiet place. Tension was in the air, no one could say anything to try to calm the situation or at least propose an idea. Everyone was wary of the place, but they also didn't want to wait a full year to take the test again.

"Let's rest, then we will have a meeting and make a decision"

To everyone's surprise, Khun looked calmer and almost seemed like he wasn't worried about this at all. However, those who knew him best knew that this could only represent the tranquility that was perceived before a natural disaster.

Baam looked at him as if he wanted to say something else, maybe a few words of encouragement or something to help him vent.

"I'm fine, you better go to sleep." As if he wanted to make him understand that his body couldn't take it anymore, he pushed him a little with his index finger, making the brunette sway a little in his place. "See? You can't even stand up anymore" 

'His hands... are colder than normal' was the last thing he thought before going to his room.

Many times, Khun Agüero Agnis intrusive thoughts reached a point where he wanted to cut off his own glands to stop producing those horrible pheromones. It would be easy, he had experience using a knife, and as long as he didn't touch any important nerves, he only needed to stop the bleeding. It was unfortunate to admit that these thoughts kept recurring over the years, especially with his mother's trials. He even once asked Kiseia (and he never asked for favors) to cut off that annoying addition to his biology, however, she managed to calm him down; They never talked about that day or the possible consequences it would have.

Instead, with Maria, she managed to calm those instincts, remind him that they could be her own weapon and thus, both of them could conquer the tower one day. Of course, all this before being abandoned by her.

He simply couldn't sleep, his head was racing a mile an hour in an attempt to look for some point where he could be fooled throughout the entire test, to reproach himself for trusting the examiners so easily and not thinking twice before creating a list with the objects obtained to have at least a minimum of proof to prove their victory.

His only means of distraction was to play with the knife in his hands. Instead of thinking about mutilating himself, he rather thought about how good it would feel to kill all those who intervened to change the results.

If he maybe wasn't exiled from the Khun family, just maybe, they would have thought twice before doing that. However, he would show them why he would be the one who would end up having the last laugh.

.

.

.

The next morning came with decent food after a week of surviving on canned food. However, the food was far from enjoyable, the anxiety was palpable and more than one person inadvertently left an aroma of stress in the air. How lucky were the betas to not perceive pheromones or else they would feel worse.

It didn't help much that Khun hadn't shown up all morning, except to send them a message letting them know the time of the meeting, but taking into account the seriousness of the matter, no one put up any resistance and didn't hesitate to arrive early.

Khun was in the room without showing much change in his appearance, in front of him, was the “invitation letter” that they mentioned the day before: a beautiful black choker (1), a large precious gem decorated the center and of it, the pendants that hung were transparent in color.

"Ugh, what a bad taste," was the only thing Endorssi could say to this.

Baam seemed a little confused at this sentence since he didn't see anything strange with the object, he would ask Khun later about it.

"Yes, it's horrible in every way," Khun stated.

"Eh, well, then I guess we're going to vote if we want to go to the test or not, right?" Shibisu looked around, not knowing how to properly approach the situation.

“Clearly we will take it.” Everyone was surprised that Khun stated this without a shred of doubt.

"You're crazy?! It's obviously a trap!" Hatz burst out.

"Hmph, why are you so afraid of a test? Weak turtles"

"Shut up! I had a bad feeling about this” Endorssi commented.

"I hate to agree with the witch... but I hate more the idea of ​​having to retake this test in a year"

"It doesn't matter if we kill those who have the jewels, right? It would be hard to deceive us then"

Baam only saw how this turned into a war of opinions, the accumulated stress definitely had to explode in a situation like this.

"Listen to me first, then you can give your opinion" Khun turned on a projector to get everyone's attention.

Nobody knew why the most distrustful omega in the entire tower was so calm on a floor like this, especially when he seemed to be the target of all this.

"It would be foolish to think that this is not some kind of trap, especially with the rumors that are flying about how the king got such a large harem, but if it takes us a year to get to another floor, we have to take into account other risks that we could suffer: possible kidnappings, being intercepted by FUG on lower floors, some event that could destabilize the group... Well, there are many variables.

Sure, a year could pass quickly, but without any plan for how to move forward, the disorder could create more chaos and damage the group's stability.

"The point is that we have to find out what the trap is in all this, the only way to do it is to play your own game, in the worst case, make an escape plan and try next year"

"It's true, we also have to work on some signals to be able to communicate without them realizing it"

"In the group we are 3 omegas, including me, I think it is logical that they expect me to participate, after all, Verdi appears to be a little girl and Vespa has her own... principles"

"Not understand the customs of humans, if we omegas are the ones who rule the food chain" answered the mentioned. Of course, bees had their own hierarchy, very different from humans.

"Then I will be the representative, the good thing is that I have great charisma and I know how to develop myself in social events" he said with clear pride. "We are going to separate into groups, there are 5 gems, the faster we get them, the better. We can divide ourselves between two people, one who will get the stone and the other who will be vigilant that nothing strange is happening. If we see the slightest sign that they are going to make us lose (again), we get out of there as quickly as possible"

Having said this, the atmosphere seemed calmer, everyone agreed on their roles; Khun definitely had the gift of convincing....

.

.

Once the meeting was over, everyone left, except Khun who was looking at the choker distractedly, as if at some point it was going to explode or something like that.  

Baam took advantage of this moment to approach him. 

"Uh, I don't know if it sounds rude to say it, but.... Is there something wrong with the necklace? Everyone seemed to despise the idea"

Khun turned his attention to Baam, forming a smile that wasn't mocking at all, more of a relief to know that he was still somewhat innocent of certain things. For sure, a choker was just an object, nothing more, but it wasn't so simple to him.  

"You know how we omegas have different types of garments to protect the gland at the back of our neck, don't you?"

"Yes!" Baam was a motivated student. "Patches that are single use to hide pheromones and bite protection collars, those have quite a variety"

"All right, you did your homework," he joked a little lightening the mood. "Those were created as protection methods, that no one can get close to our most sensitive spot, but these kind of chokers... they're quite the opposite"

"Huh?"  

"Their use is not very well known, only the most traditional and powerful families know this custom. When the subgenswe of an omega is revealed for the first time, a presentation party is held before the public, the chokers practically indicate that an omega is single and ready to be bonded"

"But... the omegas here wear something similar and are supposed to be bonded right?"

"Yes, it can be a bit confusing, but both serve the same function: to give a message to the world. The difference is easy: if a choker does not have a characteristic color or symbol, it means that the omega is ready to be married by anyone. However, those that carry some symbol or colors of the family it represents, means that the alpha is telling the world 'look at the treasure I found' "

"That's horrible" Baam looked terrified, now realizing why Khun seemed so upset with so many omegas bearing the symbol of the ruling family of the floor.  

"Practically from the moment you arrive he's already sending you a message of, "look at all I've accomplished and you can be next," it's very distasteful"

"Definitely" a reflexive silence ensued, though a doubt seemed to flash before Baam's mind, though he didn't seem too sure about saying it. 

"What's the matter?"

"Can I ask you a question? I-I don't know if it might make you uncomfortable, though"

"I think we're in pretty good terms since I let you mark me with your scent," Khun smiled as he saw the embarrassment on the chestnut's face. 

"Ehm... Did you ever wear them?"

"Yes... " It was a simple answer, he could leave it at that, not tell him about how humiliating it was that everyone saw you as cattle to be bought. Nor how her mother made sure they were the heaviest and most uncomfortable necklaces possible to show off her family's wealth, he simply added: "They're not comfortable at all, It is a very old-fashioned custom, but very current among the 10 families. Of course, being one of the few Khuns with this genre... this whole thing seemed to be a circus."

"I see" he contained the apology that was trying to come out of his mouth, to not make things more uncomfortable.

"It's a shame, I really look so good wearing one of these"

"You could make your own design, tell the world that you only belong to yourself" 

"Whoa, it's a great idea"

They both shared a knowing smile, along with an intimate moment of exchanging glances.

Khun would never admit that the gold in his eyes helped him think that everything would turn out well.

.

.

.

Later that night, Baam had an unexpected visitor.  

"Hwa Ryun?!"  

The night had come faster than expected, but even so, Baam found himself unable to rest, so he went to the kitchen to get something to help his nerves. What he least expected was to see the scarlet witch sitting there as if nothing had happened.  

"Long time no see, Viole"

"Indeed, I thought I wouldn't see you again for a long time"

"How could you think that? I will always come to guide your way, even if you don't want to relate to FUG, that doesn't take away my curiosity for the unknown path you are about to cross"

Really, he didn't know how to take those words, but one thing was clear: his path would go through many more difficulties. 

"Are you here to help us?" With more confidence, he took a seat in front of her, and without realizing it, he already had a cup of tea in front of him; she was obviously waiting for him.  

"Of course, I can't let my god run into the same obstacle again"

"So, they did make us lose the test, didn't they?"

"Yes, it's not the first time FUG does something like this, don't you remember what happened to you on the second floor?"

Oh yeah, how could I forget? He had barely managed to get out of that cave with Rachel, both arriving to a new world, full of challenges, with terms that Rachel never cared to explain to him. Until the final test came to reach the second floor. 

'Come on Baam, if you do it, we can see the stars together'

For that reason alone, he agreed to fall into the abyss and fake his death. Baam 25 would no longer exist in the records, only Jyu Viole Grace would remain in his place.  

"Wait a minute, does that mean that the ruler of this floor...?"

"Yes, he's part of FUG" she answered as if they were talking about the weather. "Although many hate his personality, he has a big business that even some members of the 10 families agree to: the omegas".  

It was inevitable not to make a face of disgust at this answer, although in part, it did not surprise him at all.  

"That's exactly why this floor is too dangerous for the omegas, even if they are from the Khun family. Thanks to his contacts within FUG and even the support of some people in Zahard's army who want his services, he has never had to face any charges, plus he has the great fortune of being an elite alpha".  

Again, there was the example that the strongest could do whatever they wanted in the tower.  

"So, surely the next test is just another trap, right?" 

"Yes, that's why, I propose that you do another kind of test"

Baam listened attentively to the story his guide was telling him, looking more and more surprised at the information provided.  

He would definitely use this tool.  

The night of the party arrived, everyone wearing their best outfits for the night.  

When Baam came out of his room, he saw the others ready, the only one missing was Khun, who was nowhere to be seen. So he went to his friend's room to make sure everything was all right. He had not yet mentioned anything about the plan to him as he wanted to use it as a last resort. 

He knocked on the door a couple of times before he received an answer that would allow him to continue.  

It was no surprise to him that Khun was one of the most beautiful people he had ever met in this life, after all, it was noticeable that he loved to take care of his physical appearance and wear the best clothes. However, seeing him that night, he could confirm that, if Khun wished, he could highlight his beauty much more.  

The omega wore an impeccable three-piece suit of a dark blue, enhancing the paleness of his skin. His hair was perfectly combed with braids on the sides that joined at the end to form a half ponytail, revealing the silver earrings he was wearing at that moment.  

"Sorry for the delay, but perfecting a work of art is not so easy"

"Well, you did a good job," he complimented him without thinking, as Khun put on a pair of black gloves. "Hey, are you going to wear .... the necklace?" He asked with some shyness when he saw nothing decorating his neck, other than the tie.  

"Of course," he turned around and looked at his right arm, there was the choker wrapped around his arm as if it was part of the decoration. "They never specified where to wear it"

"Pft, you always see a way to bend the rules, don't you?"

"Of course I do, I hate following them without any sense," Khun stared at him, making him a little nervous. "Stand still" 

Baam tensed in place as he watched Khun approach him and raise his hands to touch him.  

"Is this the first time you've worn a suit? Your tie is a mess"

He felt them move his collar slightly, Khun's nimble hands worked over the knot of the tie, undoing it and then beginning to work to organize it.  

The silence only lasted a moment, for, when he least noticed, Khun was patting his chest nodding at his good work. How could he do it so quickly? It took him hours and he thought it was a more or less decent knot.  

"Thank you Khun"  

"You're welcome, now, let's go crash that party"

.

.

.

Upon arriving at the site, the test examiner looked at him with some doubt as he saw the location of the necklace, but said no more as it was not against the rules.  

Quickly everyone split up, trying to blend in among the other guests. Khun went straight to the buffet, Baam following close behind; for now, he didn't feel like leaving him alone.  

"We have to keep an eye out, you know what signal to make when you find someone," he mentioned quietly. "For now, let's enjoy the food, it's the only decent thing on this floor".  

Khun chose that place not only because of the food, but also because of the possible people that could approach the place, the more interested he seemed in the party than in the test, he would lower the guard of the examiners who were surely watching his every move.  

A beta, came up to congratulate him on his arm decoration, having a light chat about the atmosphere and other unimportant things.  

Ugh, what he hated most was having to use his "event expert" side.  

.

.

Baam had moved away a little while he watched the food without much interest, not that he was very hungry, nerves and his instinct of wanting to protect Khun put him in a constant state of alert; even so, to disguise a little, he got a glass that he hoped had no alcohol in it.  

"Excuse me," a soft voice caught his attention.  

When he realized who it was, he noticed that it was the same omega who tried to give Khun a gift before they went to the test and the one who gave them the instructions about this party: Liam. Although this time, he wore a much more extravagant necklace, along with a white suit that enhanced his dark hair and his grayish look; although something about the guy, didn't give him a very good feeling, he should take his distance.  

"You come with the omega Khun Agüero Agnis, don't you? Fu, you don't have to get defensive, I won't do anything to him"

"Does this have to do with the test?" he asked somewhat doubtfully.  

Heck, he was turning his back to Khun so he couldn't throw any signal to him without looking so suspicious. Even bringing his hands behind his back was already a risky move.  

"Of course," the omega showed his necklace, with a small white pendant. "I can give it to you right now, but on one slight condition".  

He definitely didn't like that smile at all, so he simply nodded. 

"You can't tell the son of the Khun family that I gave it to you, you will keep it until the end of the night"

"What...?" Baam looked at him dumbfounded at such a statement, although it only amused the omega.  

"This is a trade test if you want to pass it the easy way: one omega for the chance to go up to the next floor," the brown-haired man couldn't hide his look of terror at such a cruel description. "If you can't pass the survival test, this is where the bonds and ties of the team members are confirmed. What do you choose: the chance to climb the tower or to be stuck here with a partner?"  

"I definetly wouldn't leave anyone behind!" Baam exclaimed. 

This floor was only becoming a much colder and more horrible terrain, it was one thing to know the darkness that FUG held, but apparently they weren't the only one he had to watch out for. It horrified him to think of how many people were left behind just because of her subgender, and how her peers didn't hesitate for two seconds to take the deal leaving them behind without a shred of remorse.  

The feeling of resentment was beginning to cloud his head.  

Again he felt that same anger he felt in the workshop test, a beast he kept hidden inside him that asked him to destroy everything whispered in his ear again that this would be the right thing to do if he wanted a new start in the tower.  

Maybe it could, if it meant that such a floor would cease to exist.  

"Baam!" Khun approached him, worried about the commotion, some people were whispering around him. "What happened?"  

"I was just explaining the rules of this game, nothing serious," answered the omega showing the charm they needed to get. "But it seems that your partner is not willing to follow certain rules, it's a pity"  

"Uh?" The light bearer looked at his friend in search of an answer, but the only thing he perceived from his companion was a look full of repressed anger towards the examiner.  

"Where is your king?" he said in a deeper voice, as he grabbed Khun by the arm, as if refusing to let him go.  

"Wait a minute, what are you planning? We can't see him yet," the grip on his arm was getting tighter, to the point that it was hurting him a little. Seriously, he didn't understand what was wrong with the brown guy and was worried that things would get violent too fast.  

"He's on the top floor, but even if you see him, it won't change the rules of the test," he said in a condescending tone as he folded his arms.  

Baam dragged Khun along (almost forceful), passing through the entire room until he reached the stairs. However, the omega used some force to get loose and stop his friend's strange behavior.  

"First, can you tell me what the hell happened there? If we go straight to the asshole king our plan will fail," he didn't hesitate to hide his anger, even if Baam was showing him a bit of regret at that moment he wouldn't let him do what he wanted.  

"Do you trust me?" he asked suddenly taking him by surprise.  

"What's that about?" The word "trust" wasn't in the Khun family dictionary really (unless it was about trusting himself), but he couldn't ignore everything they've been through so far either.  

"Because if you don't, then I'll stop what I was thinking of doing"  

It was the first time Khun had seen him so serious, he could almost even compare him to a high ranking alpha. If he got like this, it was hard to deny that they were really past the point of having a simple buddy trust. At this point, Khun would trust him with his life, if he was honest. He didn't know if it was instinct or the ability the chestnut had to get to people's hearts, but even knowing all that was yet to be discovered about him, he didn't stop having absolute trust in him.  

"Yes, I do," he concluded. 

"Then let's go on," this time he went ahead without taking him by the arm abruptly as before, trusting now that Khun would follow him without problems.  

.

.

They were able to go up to the second floor without major problems, surely because that omega had already given the news that they were on their way. Khun really had no idea what Baam was planning, especially since he hadn't suggested anything between meetings. Oh, for sure his companions were puzzled by this strategy, he could already feel his artifice filling up with messages full of doubts about what they would do next.  

Finding the king's office was not difficult, a large wooden door carved with the familiar symbol and others referring to the history of the floor, was answer enough to know that it was there. However, they would not know what awaited them behind it.  

Khun wrinkled his nose even before entering, the pungent pheromones of the alpha were invading the place, a strong smell that demanded his omega side to surrender to it; obviously it wouldn't pass, but any other omega not used to this, would be on his knees by now.  

"A pleasure to see you here: Khun Agüero Agnis and Jyu Viole Grace, I am pleased by your presence" 

The alpha was with two omegas, who were apparently in heat by the exorbitant amount of pheromones they left in the air, barely white robes covered their most important parts, but without leaving much to the imagination of their figures.  

He really didn't want to know what was going on in that room before their arrival. Although the simple aroma left a disgust in his mouth.  

"What a pity not to see you wearing a choker, I got it thinking it would look beautiful on you," he indicated to the two omegas to leave, while he stood up from his seat without taking his eyes off him for a second; Aguero felt disgusted just looking at him. " I doubt you passed the test so quickly, I hope you come here to tell me that your team accepted the exchange"

The doubt was reflected in Khun's eyes, the king let out an amused laugh at this. 

"Oh, they didn't tell you?" The alpha was getting closer and closer to the two of them. "I proposed an interesting idea to your team: if you would stay with me, they could pass this floor without any problems. Don't you think it's a great offer?" 

Before he could even get close to Agüero, Baam stepped between the two of them, his warning pheromones now coming out to tell him to stay away.  

"I come to refuse your offer," Baam explained. "I won't leave any of my friends behind, especially when we're still here because of you"

"Are you suggesting I cheat on the test results?" His gaze changed to a crueler one.  

"Whether you did or not, it doesn't matter now," he returned her gaze with an intensity worthy of being called an assassin. "I don't accept that result or the conditions of this test, so I'm going to propose something else: A Guardian test."

Note 1: The choker sent to them has this desing 

Chapter Text

“Thousands of years ago, long before the 10 families even existed and were consolidated as they are known today, King Jahad and his companions climbed the tower through the trials of the guardians; entities that administered each floor, with an inexplicable power that could go beyond human knowledge. Thus began the path of the future king, who showed his courage after each test he passed and won the favor of the guardians”. 

Most stories that narrated the heroic deeds of how Jahad became such a respected king, blessed with immortality and other powers of an incomprehensible nature, always involved the trials of the guardians. Adding a touch of mysticism to this story thrilled all the regulars who wished to climb to the top of the tower. 

It was one thing to hear it through legends, he being part of the 10 families got to hear about it on several occasions. However, he believed it as a legend only to extol the 10 great heroes, even, on the first few floors he got to ask for a test of these, only to receive mockery from an examiner who only told him in a sarcastic tone “are you an irregular?”  

Now seeing Baam stand up so bravely to the king, I could only think, “Oh, no wonder irregulars are so feared...the rules don't apply to them”.  

"Guardian test?" the alpha let out a smug grin. "Oh, I've heard of you, irregular: FUG's Assassin candidate, Jyu Viole Grace. What will the higher-ups say when they learn you're using your gifts to defend a mere omega?"

"I have nothing to do with FUG anymore"

"Yes, yes, yes, I heard something like that" Khun's instincts gave a warning cry at that moment. 

"Wait a minute, the test results, was it to leave Baam here?" Khun had to restrain the growl that attempted to come out. This situation only made him angrier.  

"Obviously, I couldn't let them up so easily, especially two potential threats to the tower" he let out a wry laugh, obviously trying to justify all his actions "If you lose here, I'd have a nice omega for my collection and FUG would give me a big reward for giving them back the thorn".  

"You're a bastard..."  

"You may say that at first, but I promise you'll like life here" again he tried to approach the omega, but it slapped him away. 

He was so intent on trying to kill the king with his eyes, that he didn't notice the moment Baam initiated the communication with the guardian of the floor. 

He was no longer in the room with Khun, the atmosphere became totally black, but he could feel the shinsou gently surrounding him. Before him, a giant figure appeared, large red eyes looked at him intently, and although no muscle moved, he began to speak to him.  

“An irregular... years ago no one would summon me” their voice pierced his mind directly.  

"I wish to take your test!"  

“Uh? Were the results not to your liking?”  

"Of course not, this floor is unfair in every way, so I come to demand other conditions".  

“Are you sure? I'm going to test your desire to climb the tower, your essence and your desires. How much will you be willing to give to follow the path to the top? Once you lose, you could face greater risks than you do now”  

"Of course I am, I want to fairly climb the tower together with all my companions, I refuse to leave anyone behind".  

“Uhm, I've forgotten the meaning of companionship years ago, the actions that occur on this floor don't matter to me unless they seriously affect the rules of the tower, but in this case, it will be worth it to test you. If you win what do you wish for?”  

"Anyone who lost the first test will be allowed to go up to the next floor. Besides... no omega can be used as a bargaining chip in any test anymore, they will have the same rights as alphas or betas to go up".  

A deep, chillingly inhuman laugh flooded the whole place.  

“You want to ruin the traditional dynamics of this floor? So hard that the ruler took so long to build this empire and you want to destroy it in one day? Interesting, very interesting, if you win, your wishes will be granted, after all: the winners are the ones who choose the rules”  

In the blink of an eye, he found himself back in the room.  

Both regulars were motionless in their position, as if time had stopped, but in truth, it was expectation that left their bodies static. Neither knew how these tests were assigned, much less what would happen, but there stood the irregular as if nothing had happened.  

The floor ruler eyed him warily, inwardly wondering if he really succeeded in summoning the test, just as if the guardian read his thoughts, a message appeared on his own contraption. The slight grunt it left was answer enough for Khun. 

"So, if you made it,” Khun muttered under his breath.  

"I told you to trust me, didn't I?"  

Ah, that smile would definitely drive him crazy one of these days.  

"As much as I'd like to kill you both right this instant, the floor warden has spoken and I can't interfere with his wishes. In a little while... you'll have the details for the next test"  

If it were not for the fact that at that moment the guardian had one eye on them, a bloody battle would surely have occurred on that very spot.  

.

.

.

"And at what point were you going to tell us you were an irregular?"  

After a chaotic night, the team was gathered in the living room of their temporary home. Many were shocked to receive the news of the suspension of the test due to the guardian's intervention, and even more surprising, to learn Baam's true identity.  

"I'm sorry..."

"I told him not to say anything, to avoid such a scandal"

"Obviously we need to know so we don't get these surprises!"

"Hey, it's ok, I understand, I did this without consulting with anyone.... But, I couldn't agree with this whole situation"

Seeing Baam so remorseful, was reason enough for more than one to feel some empathy and tenderness at that moment.  

"What does that have to do with our victory?" Raak, as always, seemed totally oblivious to the situation.

"Are you not listening to anything we say?! Stupid crocodile"

"Stop saying such complex things!"

"They're not complex, your little brain just can't grasp them"

"Well, I found the situation quite suspicious too,” Shibisu interrupted the discussion. "If we didn't accept their conditions, they would set us really absurd challenges"  

"It's true, it would be very difficult to win the old way"

"So what is this new test all about?"

At Anaak's question, Baam and Khun looked at each other with some concern. It would be a long night of questions and answers. But first, Baam had something to consider.  

"Doesn't it really bother you? I mean, my situation is not the best and since I arrived I haven't stopped causing them problems"  

Khun looked at him out of the corner of his eye, he knew it was a stressful time for him, he considered them important friends and wanted to protect them, but he also knew that not everyone would be happy with his irregular condition.  

"Look, I don't know if I speak for everyone but-?"

"Do you think we care about those things at this point? If we're talking about problems, we've always had them, whether it's the crazy plans of this psychopath,” he pointed at Khun immediately, ”or the fact that I'm traveling with my niece from a sister I've never met. I'm here because I want to be, the moment I stop feeling this is the way to go, I'll leave"

"I agree with her,” Hatz said, ”It would go against my principles to abandon you just because things get tough" 

"Are you serious? Are you all going to ignore the big speech I was going to make?" 

"Shut up old man, we don't want something so sentimental now,” Anaak silenced him. 

"Guys..." 

Baam was touched by the situation, he wondered, if he had met them on the second floor and their secret came out so soon would they have accepted it too? In part, he was grateful to have spent time with them, to get to know them better.  

"Yes, yes, very nice talk, but we need to concentrate"

A long night of preparation began. 

.

.

.

Nervousness before a test was a feeling shared among several regulars, but he did not consider himself equal to them, not for nothing his team had the ability to quickly cross the tower defeating everything in its path; nerves were a sign of weakness, of not trusting in your abilities, an uncertainty that could put his life at risk if he began to doubt his decisions.

“Once I enter, I won't be able to go back so easily” was what he kept repeating to himself as he saw the huge entrance that looked much more threatening up close. 

The goal of the test was easy: enter the maze, get an object and get out without getting lost. Easy, wasn't it?  

As always, the explanation differed greatly from the execution of the plan itself, and the more details that came into play, it was a wonder anyone didn't want to give up as soon as they heard the conditions.  

Apparently this floor had several archaeological relics, since they were again near such an ancient village, existing even before the reign of Jahad. Anyway, they surely depended on these things as they had no more creativity for other kinds of tests, after all, they only had one that was given annually. So he would give the benefit of the doubt to whoever planned this ridiculous test. 

But of course, only a few could enter the labyrinth: two people agile and intelligent enough to go through that place without getting lost, but of course, one had to fulfill the condition of being omega (of course, as if that floor never tired of repeating to him the importance of the subgenre).

So there he was, the light bearer of the team, in front of the gates of what would be his new hell, without any security to get out of there alive other than the trust placed in his teammates; which mortified him quite a lot to tell the truth.  

Outside the labyrinth, the rest of the team did not have it easy either, they had to supervise that the attached town did not interfere in any way with the test, and incidentally, help them to analyze the labyrinth to get out of there, so it was essential that the two scouts were outside.  

Meanwhile, Baam was at a totally different entrance, so it was another challenge for both of them to meet at the same time. 

When he entered the labyrinth, he felt like he was teleported, just by looking around he realized he was in a different spot: high marble walls trapped him, luckily, the path was narrow enough for even a large group to cross without problems.  

The deadly silence was interrupted by the roar of a beast, the sound echoed in the corridors avoiding to know well where it came from.  

Seriously, what kind of monster did this place hold? Now he had to find a way to meet Baam and get out of this alive? 

.

.

.

"We have to save the turtles right now!"

Rak's loud shout echoed through the place, right now, the team was observing from a distance a transparent dome that guarded the labyrinth where their other two companions were. The problem? They were in an open space, they could not see any tool at a glance that could help them contact or help them.  

All they could see were the rocks and the night sky, further north they could see some kind of civilization, should they go there? Although according to the comments of the organizers, it was a rather hostile people and they would do everything possible to intervene in the test.  

Then, Shibisu had an important realization: to help them, they had to get information of a specific location so they could have a clear idea of what was going on in there. A labyrinth that had such modern features as that dome, such thin walls and trap-like mechanisms, had to be being monitored from somewhere.  

Now the problem was how to find it? And secondly, what to do if it was inside the town?  

Agüero was already fed up with closed places, if the next time he had to be in a similar place, he would end up going crazy. The walls all looked the same, he could not ascend with his headlamps to see Baam since a force field prevented anyone from going any further, so even though the sky was still visible, the feeling of confinement was worse than ever. It was also nighttime, so the darkness only made it feel more claustrophobic. 

Thanks to Isu and Hatz, he had certain devices installed in his headlights to detect easy traps, but he still had to tread carefully, one false step and he would end up being killed in some exaggerated way.  

He was worried about Baam, he had no idea where he might be, not even any sound that would indicate he was in danger, wait a minute.... That's right! He could set off some trap or generate some explosion to make his location known.  

He just hoped that rumored monster wasn't nearby or it would be a bigger problem....  

. 

.

.

He walked without understanding very well where he was, his senses were more alert than ever, he used all his senses to try to detect the presence of Khun in this huge structure, but he only found himself with the feeling that something was disturbing the shinsou of the area, a monster, perhaps?  

He didn't quite know what to do, so he just continued on his way, encountering different traps, which if it wasn't for his instinct, would have surely hurt him in some way or another.  

He couldn't even destroy the walls, well, not that it was entirely impossible, but they were made of such a resistant material that it would surely take too much energy to make a single hole, so he discarded this option. He tried to use his shinsou disk, in an attempt to climb beyond the walls and see from above the whole labyrinth, but obviously it wouldn't be that easy, as he felt some kind of force field forcing him to be at a certain height.  

He would be lying if he said he didn't feel somewhat irritated by it all.  

So he kept walking rather cautiously, only encountering other traps, and some sort of beacon that, for the moment, didn't illuminate at all. Were they a way to further hinder their way? He hopes this wasn't the case. 

"Too bad it didn't serve to illuminate your doom"

Baam reacted just in time before a large spear pierced his chest. As he positioned himself better, he noticed a person dressed in a black cloak, whose hood helped hide the upper features of their face.  

"Who sent you?" Bangs began to form around him, ready to fire their energy at any moment.  

"You didn't think this would be so easy, did you? The floor guardian allowed my king to place a series of obstacles here, if we can get them to fail in their mission, we will be rewarded" 

The chestnut said nothing more, it was clear that they would not receive any help but more obstacles than expected.  

Luckily, the stranger did not imply more risks, being defeated in a matter of seconds.  

"I hope Khun is well..."

.

.

.

Obviously, the guardian's test would not be easy in any aspect and of course, the king himself would make sure that everything would fail; especially if we take into account how he wanted to obtain a certain omega above all things.  

Khun knew how to detect traps anywhere, so far, his ingenuity had not been surpassed by a more perverse and cruel mind, but it was one thing to prevent it and quite another to confront it directly.  So he gave up the idea of drawing attention to his location with some noise or something, he was afraid of setting off some more complicated trap. 

The objects he found so far, seemed to be of no use so far: a red thread of an indecipherable length and an empty chest, which was the first indication that things were not going to go so well.  

His headlights didn't allow him too much information about his surroundings, even if he had tools that Isu and Hatz taught him, they were pretty basic, so it was like walking with a small flashlight that barely illuminated the path in front of him.  

For that reason, his mind was attentive to any detail, the noise of a while ago was gone, so he could only assume that Baam defeated the obstacle in front of him (in the best scenario), now, the silence turned against him: his ears tried to adapt to any sound, even the wind seemed to be threatening whispers and soon, paranoia would end up defeating him.  

The claustrophobic sensation generated by the white walls of the labyrinth did not help much, he had no idea if he knew which was the right way or if he was going in circles in the same place.  

Again he found the empty chest from earlier, or at least that's what he assumed from the fact that it was in the same position. However, his sixth sense told him (too late) that it was a trap.  

"Wow, there's nothing more frustrating to know that some treasure is empty, is there? That usually means someone beat you to it"

That playful voice and the knife pressed against his back, was not what bothered him most about the whole thing: couldn't they stop screwing with him at every test? “Fed up” was not enough to express his displeasure at the situation.  

“Millennia ago, the labyrinth was used to test the ... of the alphas.... 

The great beast hid, waiting for the day that someone would end his cursed immortality.... Years passed and his wrath grew ever greater.... The helpless omegas feared every night to be....”  

"Some of the words are too blurry to translate,” Novick commented, reading the stone description that decorated the entrance to the village.  

"You really are useless,” Ran muttered, kicking him in the back.  

"We'll have to infiltrate, there's no file to help us discover the secret of the labyrinth and I fear for the safety of the two of them,” Shibisu muttered.  

"Isn't it that strange spherical building?" Anaak pointed.  

"We lose nothing by going, and if they refuse, we always have other methods,” Endorssi hinted with a far from innocent smile.  

"According to the examiners, this town is very reluctant to new faces, we must know how to camouflage ourselves well so as not to arouse suspicion" 

"But we must act quickly, we don't know how Khun and Baam will be down there...." commented Hatz with a gesture of concern.  

"All right, let's split up as a team: one of us will generate a distraction and the rest of us will infiltrate to that location, let's pray it's the right one"

They all nodded at Shibisu's plan, hoping that whatever the labyrinth was hiding wasn't deadly enough to do something to their companions.  

.

.

.

"Okay, I didn't see you at the party or at any of the tests, so I must assume you came on someone else's orders, right?"

Khun held his hands up, in a vain attempt to stop the person who grabbed him from trying to stab him so soon.  

"Well, the rules never stipulated that only your team could participate, did they?" It was an uncomfortably flirtatious voice, which didn't help the situation much. 

"If you're a regular why help someone so horrible? You're an omega, aren't you?"

"All alphas are horrible, there is no exception. If I have to be a slave to some jerk, I'd rather be next to someone who can give me the ease of having a comfortable life, instead of marking me and abandoning me in some corner of the tower"  

"I see, you can't climb with your own power so you decided to give up right?"

"Shut up! You will never understand the true hardships of the lower class omegas" the pressure of the knife against his back only increased, tearing his clothes a little and leaving a faint trickle of blood "Does an omega of the 10 families know what it's like to live without any power? Without even being able to think about food, giving priority to a suppressant more expensive than any rent?"

Agüero rolled his eyes at such a cliché and repetitive story, if he had a coin for every enemy he thought deserved to climb the tower because of his sad past, he would be a millionaire by now.  

"Just because you find this to be the only way for you and other omegas, doesn't mean I should agree with it"  

In one swift foot movement, he managed to knock his attacker off balance, taking advantage of that brief moment to flip things over and take possession of the knife.  

However, his opponent was not armed with only that. He was wearing a blue hood, highlighting his reddish hair, but what he was really paying attention to was what he was wearing underneath this garment: variety of small arms, so he only had a second to react and activate his headlights to activate a defense.  

"Why do you think this floor has so many weird stories but no one has done anything? Easy: Because it's a place that works for everyone!"

Small daggers were trying to break through the defenses, but he couldn't be confident, it was just a distraction to get closer and attack him directly. Indeed, a minute later, the omega leapt at him, forcing him to use the newly obtained knife to defend himself in melee.  

"At best you get a rich alpha who meets all your needs, you can even be part of the king's harem! Do you know how much influence he has around the tower? He could even compete with that of a leader of the great families"

A desperate speech, a cry for help that the gods refused to listen to, making him fall into a torrent of acceptance for such a cruel fate.

"If you kill me, could you be the king's new pet?"

"Killing you is equal to receiving a punishment, you are a very valuable specimen to let you die here" Khun did not enjoy such a long confrontation very much, so he managed to bring his armament of weapons to use for defense and take some distance.

"Too bad, death seems more attractive to me than any alpha"

"You are missing a great opportunity, aren't you tired of containing your pheromones? You could have a quiet life, full of luxury, and with the help of the king, they would surely accept you back into the Khun family"

That last sentence was enough to break the little patience he had.

His poor rival had no idea what hit him, but when he realized, it was too late: a knife pierced his chest.

“He... wasn't that fast at the beginning.” He couldn't speak because the blood was beginning to flood his throat. The last image he would see would be of Khun Agüero Agnis, holding the bloody knife in his hands, giving him one of the coldest looks he had ever seen, along with warning pheromones that made his nose itch, making it even more difficult for him to breathe.

“The only way I will return to the Khun family will be when I take control of it.”

The knife moved again, but now it only left everything in black.

.

Now there were two problems he had to take into account:

First, the existence of enemies around the labyrinth indicated that, not only did he have to prevent the traps set from the beginning, but he also had to be careful of possible ambushes; so he couldn't try to call Baam without attracting the attention of hungry predators.

Second, he still didn't have even a percentage of the labyrinth covered, or any idea of ​​what to do with the obtained items, not even a small sign that he would soon reach the right path and worst of all, how would he get the information from Shibisu? He knew that his gadgets had the communication option restricted for this test. That is, the information would surely be obtained from some object he found in the labyrinth.

He looked again at the objects obtained so far (including those he stole from his rival): a red thread, a lamp, a dagger and a strange white marker. What use could they have?

.

.

.

Baam sped up his search by a lot, with enemies nearby he had to be twice as careful and Khun not being around only helped his restlessness continue. He had no way of contacting him, he wasn't even close enough to be able to feel his pheromones.

Along the way, he ran into two other assassins, who argued about not losing their "paradise", both omegas, even one of them was in heat, surely in an attempt to "distract" him, but unfortunately, Baam wouldn't fall for such low tricks. The heat of the omegas was only like a strong perfume, but it didn't cause changes in their behavior like normal alphas.

Anyway, he couldn't leave those poor omegas there, so he left them in one of the corners of the labyrinth.

In the middle of his search, he found curious objects: some tubes that had a button (he still hadn't touched it since he had no idea what they did) and some black and white fabrics, which he didn't know what use to give to, other than being a reference point to avoid getting lost in the labyrinth. In addition to the beacon obtained from the beginning, he felt that these hid some hidden meaning and that he still couldn't find the answer to this.

Even so, he had to admit that the labyrinth held a mystical power that called him, it wasn't a disturbance as such of the shinsou, but definitely a great power lay there inside and that called him to continue entering it.

With only his instinct, he moved forward without looking back without knowing if this action would lead him to the right path.

Things on the surface weren't going so well.

The infiltration team managed to get clothes similar to those of the inhabitants to go unnoticed, the problem lay in where to start the revolt and ensure that security was directed towards them.

At one point Endorssi and Anaak decided to separate and start the destruction in different places, however, Shibisu was worried about the current strength of their opponents, because, although the two were princesses of Jahad, they couldn't underestimate everyone so easily. Especially since they didn't know how long they could continue fighting without getting tired, while they got the information and sent it to the labyrinth team.

Therefore, the best case scenario would be to make three teams, so the smallest team would be the infiltration team and the one that would raise the least suspicions.

"That's why I would go with Hatz, we are both explorers and I know that he would never let me die" Shibisu indicated with some pride.

"Take Laure just in case, I think he'd rather be with you"

"As long as it's quiet... yes" he answered after letting out a big yawn.

"I feel like I'm forgetting someone, or is it just my imagination?" Shibisu muttered, observing the teams.

In the end, Endorssi led a team to the south and Anaak another to the north (Ran stayed in the rear to avoid major accidents) they were asked to make as much noise as possible but without the need to hurt innocent civilians, only the guards, also, if they could avoid the destruction of property it would be the best, but they highly doubted they would be so careful in that sense.

Therefore, he and Hatz put on their disguises (luckily they were robes that covered most of their features), along with Laure who they wrapped him in such a way that he only looked like an oversized luggage; And no, he didn't seem uncomfortable with the situation as long as he had his pillow nearby.

"I'll launch a red flare as soon as we get out of the place and we can meet up with the boys in the labyrinth. Understood?"

Everyone nodded, and began the mission.

Shibisu and Hatz positioned themselves near the building they believed to be the operations center, pretending to be normal citizens who were just passing by, but as soon as they began to hear the explosions, several guards began to withdraw from their posts to check the situation, while chaos formed among the civilians who ran looking for a safe place. Such disorganization allowed it to be easier to enter the building.

"Okay, let's get to work"

"Quietly, please..."

"Sorry..."

.

.

.

Agüero was wandering through the labyrinth, experimenting with the different objects he had obtained. In the middle of his journey, he realized that he arrived to (of what it looks like) the exit, and remembering a famous legend from one of his books, he decided to try sticking it with the dagger on one of the walls, while he walked around the place; that way he would know how to return when he got the object; he also marked it with his pheromones with the slight hope that Baam would know that it belonged to him and could follow him...

The white marker didn't seem to have any use, while the lamp only illuminated a meter away, so it was a better idea to use his headlights to have better lighting.

"Although... if there are enemies nearby, it will be better to have as little light as possible."

He tried to turn off the light of his headlights, leaving the lamp on. He could accustom his eyes to this darkness. As he walked, something caught his attention: as the light of the headlight passed over the walls, letters and symbols were revealed, but they were hidden again when the light was turned off.

“Hum, secret messages?”

He scanned the inscriptions with the headlight. A strange letter appeared before him, but thanks to his headlight, he managed to translate them:

“Blessings for the omegas who enter here, because they will be the last steps they take.

Alphas, turn around, since your strength here is useless.

Once the beast awakens, all life will be eliminated.”

“This is too spooky…”

He continued walking, the thread tied to his little finger, to feel if someone came to move it. He was trying to find as much information as possible, something that would help him know which path to take or at least, where he could get more information.

“If you manage to read this, there is still hope for your poor existence.

Nothing is useless here, every object has its function.

If you want to get to the ‘truth’, take 200 steps north, 50 south and there you will find the heart of this place”

The handwriting was different, in a language he recognized more easily and from its strokes, he could see that it was put there recently, surely for this type of test. Although the doubt arose here: was this place not created to challenge the regulars?

He would try to decipher that later, now he had a long way to go and he needed to do it soon, before someone else found his position.

.

.

.

Baam finally reached what seemed to be the center of the labyrinth. Three corridors converged into a large, round room. Bones of different species, dirt, and a bed of straw decorated the place. The smell was strong, and he had to hold his breath for a few moments to avoid getting dizzy.

To win the test, he had to take a valuable object. The examiners did not specify what the object was like, but he would know just by looking at it; something shiny, surely.

However, there was nothing there. Wasn't the treasure supposed to be in the center? Now, everything around him looked like a dungeon where a monster slept, but there were no signs of it nearby.

He looked in every corner, even using the lighthouse, but he didn't find anything interesting. So he decided to leave, leaving a black flag at the entrance through which he arrived so as not to get confused, and a white flag on the new path he would take in case he ever returned to the site. As he was about to leave, the lighthouse revealed a tiny letter as if it were a plaque:

“SLAUGHTERHOUSE”

A shiver ran down his spine at that phrase, the urgency to find Khun became greater, so he didn't waste any time. Now with his new discovery, he hoped to find the easiest way.

...

In the middle of the dark corridors, metallic footsteps could be heard, but they weren't those of a person; they were small but large footsteps, which resonated with a “tok tok” with each step he took.

The being woke up from a long sleep, he felt hungry and lost. When was the last time he felt another presence in that place? Hunger grew, while his nose received different smells...

Oh? What was that wonder he felt? Sweet smells scattered all over the paths, there was only one unpleasant one, but he would take care of that after his dinner, hunger made his stomach growl louder. He walked again with more vigor, ignoring the red thread at his feet.

Shibisu and Hatz successfully infiltrated the facilities, which were in complete contrast to the modest village appearance on the outside: the laboratories seemed to be as advanced as those in the Workshop, secret rooms, experiments with creatures they didn't know about, and other things they didn't want to investigate because it would take them more time.

They took a poor guard hostage, forcing him to tell them everything he knew about the labyrinth, the only thing he could say to keep his life safe was that this research center was locked a few floors below and only a few could enter. Luckily, the greatest security was outside, fighting against two princesses of Jahad, so the few guards who were there were just a game for such an experienced swordsman; they didn't even have to bother Laure.

One of the scientists offered to help them, with the only condition that they didn't damage the laboratory any more as it could ruin the many experiments they had there.

"We just want information to get our friends out of there"

"Your friends are inside?" the scientist looked horrified, everyone in that town wore robes that covered most of their features, so he could only barely guess the gender of the person just by the tone of their voice. "No, this can't happen, we have to get them out of there before that thing wakes up"

Both explorers looked at each other confused at this reaction, wasn't the monster imposed by the king and the guardian to make the game more interesting? Although well, being a test of the guardian, it could be something that existed there for millennia ago.

"Don't take them Enka! It could be a trap to obtain our confidential information" one of her companions protested when he saw how they headed to the elevator.

"I prefer to believe in them, before allowing that thing to cause terror in our lands again" she indicated clenching her fists. "Before our scientific advances, we could only venture into the labyrinth to obtain information, risking hundreds of lives a year. If we can now control the situation from here, it would be the best scenario. If the neighboring country has planned all of this, we will gladly return the favor in due time"

With this last said, Enka and the others got into the elevator, to head to the most classified room in the entire labyrinth.

"Um, excuse me, but could you explain to us what... 'that thing' is?"

"If they are adventurers from far away lands, you have been very unlucky to have arrived here..."

Shibisu has read about these civilizations before, ignorant of the rules of the tower, with no idea that there is a supreme king who rules them, and they have had their own customs, ideas and wars within their floors that they consider as their entire world. It was difficult to get to explain to her that all of this was a test, a whim on their part to be able to fulfill their objective, when for her it seemed that this news was the end of the world. He never thought that the guardian would take advantage of this to carry out a test of this kind.

“Of course, I will gladly explain: two thousand years ago these lands were full of political tensions, wars were the order of the day and the few moments of peace were ruined by the whims of fate. It all started when a diplomat from the neighboring country died here under strange circumstances, those outside considered it murder, those here said it was an accident, but no matter what the truth was, in the end another war arose.

"Unfortunately, we lost. The king of the neighboring country, not content with his victory, decided to impose something on us: he would leave our affairs alone, as long as we fed the beast that tormented his lands. We accepted without thinking about the consequences and without specifying what the true terms were. We do not know where such a beast came from, it was brought by thousands of warriors, since nothing could kill it, not even the most deadly poison had any effect on it. They left him in the place where his friends are currently, but before it was a labyrinth, it was just a normal dome with a wide area"

“Then, we realized a harsh truth: no food was useful to him. Sure, at first our livestock was enough, but that beast began to show discontent, as if it were not enough. Until one day, misfortune happened: he left his enclosure and entered the town, kidnapping two omegas who were in heat at that time, he took them to his lair and only the gods will know how much they suffered"

Both showed a gesture of greater concern at this last point, demanding an omega for his test was not an attempt to humiliate Khun, no, it was simply to increase the difficulty of the challenge.

The elevator opened, showing an empty base of operations, on the large screen he could see a map of the labyrinth.

"Why didn't the alarms sound?!" the scientist quickly went to one of the controllers, now on the map several points were visible.

"Wait a minute, are those all the people inside?" Hatz asked, the anxiety was more palpable than ever.

"Yes..."

"Please, continue with the story" Shibisu asked.

"We don't have time for that!" Hatz replied.

"I know! But the outcome must say how they defeated that thing, right? We must give all the information to Khun"

Enka looked undecided about what to do, she closed her eyes trying to know what was the best course of action to follow, it was the first time they saw an emergency of this type.

"Look, our friends are in there alone, without even knowing the true danger they face, please..." the explorer begged taking her by the shoulders.

"Okay, yes, I will continue. Here is everything that controls the labyrinth, if you want to look for something specific, you can use the monitor to find your friends"

Shibisu looked at Hatz and he nodded, quickly taking control of the control panel.

"Well, eh, where was I? Ah, right, in the darkest part of the story: when we realized that the food they forced us to give him was nothing more than omegas. It was a chaotic situation, but the ruler at the time preferred to sacrifice a few lives rather than witness the beast go out in search of food again. They quickly realized that omegas in heat were the best food, because the pheromones managed to control that beast, taking it to a deep sleep that could last for years. During the time he slept, and after making sure that he wouldn't wake up with anything, the construction of the labyrinth began"

"Why not something more enclosed?"

"I don't know exactly how they came to that conclusion, some scriptures dictate that it was a matter of trial and error: they put up walls of all kinds, but when the beast woke up hungry, it would destroy them again. Others say that it was an order from the neighboring country, as a method to make the sleeping times last longer and a form of entertainment; when you get a reward after looking for it, you sleep more satisfied. Others, which was a way to confuse him and that it takes longer to get to the city. It didn't matter why, after all, several omegas were sacrificed during those dark times"

"But, something was able to stop it, right? That's why they you able to live in peace until now"

"After the construction of the labyrinth, the omegas continued to be sent as sacrifices. However, many of them were already paired, and their alphas were not happy with these decisions. At which it was said that whoever managed to kill the beast would get their partner again and a great fortune would await them. Thus, thousands of alphas entered willing to finish it off, but their efforts were in vain. A genre that considered itself the top of the food chain could do nothing against that thing..."

“I found Baam! He is safe, but he's alone”

“Is there no way to communicate with him?”

"There are communication points at the facilities, if your friend gets there, you can talk to him directly. You'll have to use the signs to guide him there"

"Thank you, I'll look for Khun first, ideally both of them should meet at the same time" with that said, he continued searching through the cameras.

"If the alphas couldn't do anything, then did they receive any outside help?" Shibisu continued with the previous conversation.

"Something like that, the authors really still don't know who that person was... After the alphas became frustrated with their weakness, they begged the gods for some divine sign, and as if they responded to their calls, a hero surrounded by a golden halo came down to the labyrinth. It is unknown what his subgenre was, his pheromones seemed to be more dominant than the alphas', but he didn't fall for the omegas' charms. It was like something you only read in fairytales" 

“It sounds a lot like Baam’s physiology, although it may be something fake”

"Actually, his pheromones were the least of it, he had great strength and with this same he managed to subdue the beast, whom he nicknamed 'Taurus'. But, as you will remember, it could not be killed, so the hero put a spell on it. Together with his companions, they recommended to our ancestors to improve the labyrinth so that no one would enter, since this beast would wake up again in the presence of an omega. Thus, the labyrinth was sealed with our best technology, only betas are allowed to go there from time to time and we have security devices to prevent anyone from the town from entering"

"Whoa... you really went through a lot, I'm very sorry that we ruined all this"

"Fate works in curious ways, even if it hadn't been for you, this only shows that it could have happened at another time, there is always a lot to learn from mistakes"

Something caught the scientist's attention, who quickly went to the screen.

"Oh no, this is serious, it's moving..." thanks to the fact that the laboratory was quite large, they could use several screens, in one, Hatz was checking the cameras and in another, there was the map they saw initially. In this one, there were several red dots, but in the middle of them, a larger blue dot caught the attention.

"Is that Taurus?" asked Shibisu.

"Yes, although I prefer not to give it a name, it doesn't deserve compassion..." she muttered with some anger.

Noted: don't show even a shred of humanity for that beast that threatened the lives of your friends.

"Khun is heading to the communications area" announced Hatz.

"But the beast is following him closely, if he doesn't move faster his life will be in danger, it's difficult to fight in such a small place"

"I'll start by showing Baam the way, and sending a signal to Khun"

"A silent signal, we don't want to draw the attention of enemies who are near him..."

.

.

.

Indeed, Khun sensed that something bad was happening. He could feel the atmosphere getting heavier, something similar to when the alphas were in heat and sent out that feeling of dominance, but this time he didn't perceive the disgusting smell of them, however, it was there in the environment, that sensation that made his hair stand on end and demanded him to flee quickly.

He quickened his steps, the headlights were in position to protect him from any projectile. Just a little more and he could reach the right place.

The lamp was still his only means of light, but the constant darkness around him was already beginning to disturb him, he even thought for a few moments he saw something or someone moving nearby. He had to calm down, he's been through worse things.

The strange thing happen whe he saw a flickering light on one of the walls he was passing by, he thought that he was finally loosing it, but no, it was a weak blue light that advanced as he walked, almost as if it was following him.

“Now what?” He thought with some heaviness, hoping that it wasn’t a trap or something like that.

But, this couldn’t be a trap.

Even if the enemies managed to generate a light, it seemed to be inside the wall, and as he had noticed before, it was very difficult to pass through it without leaving any mark, doing so would mean a lot of work and time.

“Remember: your companions on the outside will have to provide the necessary information to you”

Only someone who managed the labyrinth would have access to this type of technology, by Jahad, he hoped it really was Shibisu or he would end up killing him.

Once he nodded, the light began to move faster, along with the white marble walls, it seemed as if they had a life of their own and were his veins running through his body, as if he were a great giant. Khun ran after it as discreetly as possible, he still had in his mind the steps that were yet to come, and it seemed that it was directly where that signal seemed to take him. However, this feeling of satisfaction would last little. The ominous atmosphere became stronger, the sound of footsteps that did not sound human but more similar to that of bovines, began to distress him, although he was not close, he must have been of great size to be able to hear it from that distance. He ran as fast as he could, the light accelerating equally, leaving only a trace of it that would disappear a little later. Although he was not as fast as Dan, he appreciated his genes that gave him greater agility than someone average. “It better be one of you” he cursed in his mind.

On the other hand, someone else was heading to the same point as Khun. Baam didn't hesitate to trust that signal, although in his case, the light had a more yellow color, like a shooting star illuminating the dark sky.

With his shinsou disk, he teleported as quickly as possible, hoping to see Khun soon, not knowing anything about him worried him quite a bit...

.

.

.

Meters behind Khun's current location, the beast was still prowling, the sudden encounter with multiple omega pheromones managed to confuse his mind enough to keep him in a sleepy state.

Therefore, when an enemy omega was looking for Khun's trail, he had the bad luck to encounter this beast.

"Uhm? The boss didn't tell me that there would be a similar monster" He stared at that strange monster for a bit: the upper part was similar to a large bull, however, the color of it was royal blue, its large horns seemed to be made of gold, at the moment it had its eyes closed, so he thought it was just asleep. However, looking at its lower part, he noticed that it walked on two legs, with several worn fabrics covering its entire crotch, but nothing else hid its body, only two broken chains could be seen on its wrists, its only more "human" part as it had two hands larger than its entire body.

The innocent omega let out a sigh of relief as he walked beside it, about 3 meters tall, and his large physique gave the impression that his strength would be enough to send him flying with a slap. That explained why the hallways in this place were so wide.

However, when he tried to move forward, strong pheromones appeared in the air, cutting off his breathing and the strength in his legs. It was similar to the pheromones of a dominant alpha in his heat, an oppressive sensation that told him who he should obey, but it was a thousand times worse... Instead of making him feel a tickle in his abdomen that could induce his own heat, it left a great heaviness in his chest, as if terror took over his body.

His mind demanded that he run, that his life was in danger, but his body was totally paralyzed, as if these pheromones were chains that held him tightly.

That monstrosity finally opened its eyes, a crimson red that only cried out for something to feed on, and its next meal was just a few steps away.

Stress pheromones began to come out of the omega's small body, but rather than being of any help, this only seemed to whet the being's appetite further.

Within minutes, a great cry of pain and despair ran through the entire labyrinth, sending a clear signal: "run away!"

Khun felt that scream increase the feeling of fear that he had been cultivating for a while. Luckily, he finally had a little hope that allowed him to stay focused.

He came to what seemed to be a dead end, but it was not a path in vain, there was a kind of computer similar to the operation of the inside of a lighthouse. The device turned on with a bright blue light, which almost blinded him for a few seconds as his eyes accustomed to the darkness, but boy, he preferred this view by far.

"Khun! You're alive!" He regretted what he had said before, the first thing he saw was Shibisu's face on the other side.

"Move away from the camera a little, I see all your freckles" he commented disdainfully. "I don't know how much time we have so I'll give you a summary of my situation: I haven't been able to find Baam, the king sent omega assassins into the labyrinth to make us fail the test, and I still don't see any signs of the object we must collect"

"Omegas you said?" the explorer's worried face didn't sit well with him.

"Yes, is that relevant at all?"

A female exclamation sounded near him, along with some worried murmurs, before he could ask who else was there, the explorer continued:

"Khun, listen to me carefully: you have to stay away from any monster you see, don't try to fight it... I don't have time to explain the whole story to you, so I'll send the information this way so you can save it in your headlight and read it. Baam is heading to your direction, I'll also send you a detailed map of the labyrinth so you can move around there more easily".

"Oh, really efficient work, now everything will be a piece of cake"

"I'll laugh after we win this test, now dad is very worried about all his children" Khun rolled his eyes at this joke "Please don't fight anything strange, Hatz and I are looking for where the object could be, by the indications it should be in the center of the labyrinth if no one has taken it"

"Tsk, it's very likely that someone has it. Do you have a way to send me information on how many people are currently in the labyrinth?"

"Yes, besides you and Baam... uhm, it's around 12 people. Huh?"

"What's going on?"

"Actually, it's 13"

"Are you so stressed that you can't even count properly anymore?"

"No, no, I swore it was 12... how strange. Anyway, on the map I'll mark the places where you could find the object along with the map with all the information. I suggest you wait for Baam here so we can come up with a plan together"

"Okay, that way it will be easier to work with my headlights"

"In the meantime, read what I told you, we can't keep the communication for long. There is another communication point on the other side of the labyrinth, but hopefully it won't be necessary to use it"

With that said, the screen went dark, letting darkness once again envelop the site.

Luckily, the file transfer to his headlith was effective. Now his view expanded further, he had a detailed plan of the eccentric labyrinth, with all the indications that Shibisu mentioned earlier.

He couldn't help but let out a smile of victory at this.

"Now, with Baam nearby, this will just be a walk in the park"

Of course, saying that was just like challenging the same tower. A roar of a hungry beast resounded, this time closer than last time.

He cursed under his breath as he remembered that he still had the thread with him, and now he had no escape. Still, he took a breath, if his ears didn't fail him, it wasn't that close to be able to lock him in either.

So he decided to quickly read the information sent about that monster. This evoked memories of his childhood, he remembered the great library where the Khun went to study and where he found a particular book to get out of boredom: stories of the great deeds of King Jahad on his way to reach the top of the tower.

This particular story tried to further embellish the nature of the current ruler, how he was an alpha among alphas and that the mere presence of his pheromones was enough to make the weakest omegas faint.

For this reason, it caught his attention how the story called this "golden hero" who was not determined by any subgenre, simply by being an envoy of the gods, had a dominant force incomparable to other mortals.

Still, it was interesting to see how this site of legends really continued to exist and it was more interesting that it had no affiliation to the Jahad empire, nor was it a known place for regulars. Couldn't even a king have his eyes everywhere? It was very possible, even today, there were unexplored places that were only known through rumors, tales and whispers that were carried away by the wind. But if King Jahad had come to this place before, why was there no connection to the regular zone? It didn't make much sense, but well, that would be another mystery to solve later.

He checked the map again, with the last location of all the living beings detected, so he left that alley to meet Baam faster and at least have another way to escape.

But as soon as he took a step towards another straight corridor, his body froze.

He could feel that dark presence, but how did it arrive so quickly? According to his calculations, it must have taken a few more minutes to arrive.

Damn! If he stayed there any longer, he was going to die.

Chapter Text

The strange feeling of “something bad is going to happen” only increased as he advanced through the corridors of the great labyrinth. A certain relief appeared when he managed to detect Khun's pheromones but this turned into a feeling of concern when he perceived what they were transmitting: a warning of intense stress, alerting him that the omega did not like what he was seeing at that moment.  

Baam quickened his pace hoping not to be too late, his instincts were screaming at him that something dangerous was near and it had to do with that mystical power he had been detecting for a while now.  

He was about to reach an intersection when he saw it, but rather than being happy, he was worried to see him standing still in one place, his pheromones getting stronger, as if he wanted to force anyone to get away from there immediately. It was a sour smell, which made his eyes and nose burn a little; which was a lot considering he hardly ever used to react to pheromones.  

"Khun!" He shouted to get his attention, but it didn't seem to work until he managed to get to his side.  

"...Baam?" he mumbled as if he was having trouble finding the words.  

"Are you all right, did something happen?" His concern was palpable, he searched superficially to see if this attitude was due to an injury.  

"I... " he closed his eyes tightly, trying to regain his composure.  

What horrible thing did he have to feel to make his instinctive side freeze like that? Was it that ominous presence that was getting closer and closer?  

He knew Khun didn't like to be touched without his permission, but he needed to get him out of there somehow. Apparently the omega understood this, because with his little willpower he clung to Baam, although it wasn't to be held or anything like that, it seemed he was looking to get his scent as close as possible. His nose brushed against his neck, seeking the gland where his pheromones came directly from.  

A slight tingle ran through Baam's body due to the closeness, but he remained still in place.

Sure, for Khun this had been a desperate and almost humiliating measure, having to resort to a scent of an alpha? (he still didn't understand if Baam was one at all or if it was another rare thing from the irregulars) But he needed to find his center again, and that oppressive presence didn't let him think calmly. Luckily, he knew Baam's scent well and deep down his omega side purred happily at being marked by it. 

Obviously this last intrusive thought he decided to keep deep in the back of his mind.  

Baam seemed to understand what he needed, and let out his most soothing pheromones, the same ones he used in the past to try to help him control his heat.  

From a distance, it looked like they were a happy couple to find each other after being separated for so long. Luckily, they were the only ones in that area, he just hoped that if Shibisu had cameras to keep an eye on him, he wasn't watching them right now.  

However, Baam quickly pushed him away, not because he was uncomfortable with the closeness, but because all his skin prickled as he felt an unusual disturbance in the shinsou. If this was how he, who had a great affinity to this one felt, he now understood a little more why Khun's whole body went into stress at that presence.  

At the end of the corridor, he saw how two large golden horns began to peek out, little by little the figure that seemed to dominate the labyrinth came into the light.  

"Let's get out of here!" was all Khun managed to shout, now a little more recovered.  

He did not have to be told twice before he obeyed.  

This action did not seem to sit well with that half-human half-bull beast, who let out a moo that resounded in his ears in an uncomfortable way, paralyzing Khun's body once again. So he had no choice but to carry the omega on his shoulder while looking for the quickest way to escape.  

Although at first it seemed that he was slow because of his size, this was only one facet, because after releasing that sound, he began to run at an alarming speed towards them.  

Khun had to speak, to explain the whole situation to Baam, but his brain and body were disconnected at that moment. He already understood why so many omegas suffered under a similar beast, was this how a prey felt in the presence of the king of the food chain?  

Again, he cursed his anatomy, the subgender and this whole damn floor that was turning his life upside down.  

Baam didn't seem to be in any better shape, the disturbance of the shinsou and having to take care of Khun gave him little choice on how to proceed. He summoned two bangs to try to attack from afar, but not being a large amount of shinsou, the monster was receiving his attack like a stream of water.  

A cry of pain from beside him, brought him out of his thoughts.  

"Khun?!" His condition seemed to be getting worse, but what worried him was a faint smell of blood. What was going on? 

"Baam..." Finally Khun could speak again. "I-I have the map of the labyrinth in my lighthouse, I can trace an escape route and also.... information about that thing...."

He was having a hard time speaking, he seemed to be using his last bit of strength for this. First, he needed to get far enough away from that presence to be able to use the information provided by Aguero.  

He imbued his body with shinsou to run faster than ever, he was able to turn around at the end of the hallway, this would give him some time to be able to throw it off. Although it would be difficult for both of them to run away, they had a treasure to obtain and they couldn't spend it running all the time, their energies would end up running out by then and even more if Khun wasn't in his best state. 

There was only one possible option.  

Baam stopped suddenly, calling the attention of the omega, who before he could ask him, was gently put down on the floor.  

"The only way out is to get the object, I'll face that monster to distract it while you look for it away from us,” Baam noticed a trail of blood leaving his lips.  

"This? Oh, well, they say that the best way to get out of a state of shock is pain" indeed, the one mentioned a few moments before used his last strength to bite his mouth, trying not to hurt his tongue. 

The loud mooing indicated that they had no more time.

"You must leave before his presence paralyzes you again,” said the worried brown.  

Khun was hesitant, but he knew that this was the best option for the moment, Baam was not like any other regular, he could at least gain a few minutes.  

Shibisu commented that there was another place to communicate, he could try to go there later if he couldn't find any way out. Still, he didn't like to leave him alone and without being able to give him new information about it.  

But the seconds were getting shorter and the beast could feel it from far away, it could not continue to be a burden for Baam.  

Khun prepared to run, but a great roar echoed throughout the place as if the walls were being torn down right there.  

He saw it all out of the corner of his eye but his impression only grew at the scene before him: that fearsome beast was trapped in the wall of the corridor by a bestial force, upon closer inspection, he saw something red piercing this beast itself.  

A sudden headache came to him.  

"TURTLES! THEIR GREAT LEADER HAS ARRIVED!"  

As if it were a movie, reinforcements arrived at the best possible moment.  

Rak appeared in his giant form, sneering as if he were the real king of the maze.  

He never thought he would be so happy to see the crocodile, he could even run to hug him right now; although of course it wouldn't happen.  

"Rak!" Baam was happy to see him too, although his expression was honestly sincere.  

"Wait a minute, why are you here?"

"Pff, why not? The other turtles didn't seem to come up with any quick solutions"

"Anyway, this time your intervention wasn't so unnecessary. I just hope this doesn't cause us to lose the test" although if he thought about it, the rules stated that at least two people should enter at the beginning, but it was never stated that that was the maximum number of people that could enter the labyrinth throughout the test.  

Although clearly, if he left the maze, he had to do it next to Baam and with the object in his hands for it to count as his victory.  

"Hmph! You should be more honest blue turtle, you smelled like a scared prey just now" 

Khun let out a grunt of annoyance, he hated it when he showed his weakness so openly.  

"Don't you sense the pheromones of that monster, Rak?" Baam asked when he saw that the reptile didn't seem to flinch.  

"I am the strongest! No rancid smell can defeat me,” was answer enough. 

"I have to find the treasure to get out of here, can you two handle it?"  

"Yes! We won't let him come near you,” said Baam confidently.  

"You'll see how easily the great Rak will defeat that cow! I don't need your help, black turtle"

"Huh?" 

"Go with blue turtle, he can hardly stand"  

"How dare you...?!"

Khun let out a resigned sigh at this last, before he could add another comment, a great angry moo was heard nearby. Damn it! Those pheromones were coming back stronger than ever.

"Get out now!"  

Unable to contradict Rak, they both looked at each other and nodded, starting to run off into the depths of the maze.  

Khun noticed that he didn't tell the crocodile anything, would he be okay? Well, knowing him he would surely say that his story was “ridiculous” simply for not admitting that there were things stronger than him.  

In the distance he could hear some pretty intense fighting sounds, but he was confident in that crocodile's endurance, after all, bad seed never dies. So he enjoyed that clean air that was beginning to pass through his lungs, feeling how his whole body began to relax again.  

"Feeling better now?"

"Yes, I can finally breathe normally... Sorry for showing you such a terrible side"

"It wasn't so terrible" if it was in a different context I would have even considered it “cute” but he wouldn't tell him directly. "But, if I'm a bit worried about all this, why did your body react like that?"

"I wonder about that too,” he let out a sigh at this. "Usually when alphas use their pheromones it's for the omega's submission for 'procreation' of sorts. But this feeling is nowhere near that at all, it's as if you realize you're a little mouse at the mercy of a big predator...."

Then, the chestnut remembered what he saw a few moments ago in one of the rooms, were these all bones of omegas who had the bad luck to come here? He shivered just thinking about it, it was a terrible scenario. 

Before Baam's gaze, Khun proceeded to tell him everything he discovered after his call with Shibisu. A short but substantial summary.  

"I'm thankful that this village remains far from the regular zone... I don't want to think what a psychopath like the king would do with this beast's information"  

The former FUG member could see a faint trace of fear grace Khun's trail. Sure, he remembered perfectly one of the drugs that was used against the omega, if the smug alphas discovered such a being, they would definitely want to use their pheromones for purposes that would not benefit the opposing subgenre at all.  

"Then let's get out, and forget this labyrinth forever" he gave him a light pat on the shoulder, Aguero seemed to appreciate this gesture as his gaze became more focused again.

.

.

.

Shibisu and Hatz were working hard with Enka to find the treasure to get out of the test, the scientist at first refused, indicating how dangerous it was for everyone to still be in there, but when it was explained to her that someone locked them in there and forced them to do that, they managed to get her help albeit with a bit of mistrust. 

Seriously, it was hard to explain that this was a test of regulars to someone who didn't even know King Jahad.  

They watched the chambers, deactivated all the traps and closely followed Khun and Baam's movements, they were quite surprised to see Rak in the labyrinth, and even more surprised to see how he was facing his new prey. 

"But he won't be able to defeat him, we should get him out of there"

"It's useless to take Rak out of a fight once it starts.... Besides, it's necessary for Khun to stay away from that thing"

"I finally found it!" Hatz exclaimed, pointing at the screen.  

The treasure they had to take out consisted of a kind of bracelet of a beautiful golden color, so pure, that not even a place as horrible as that could tarnish it.  

"Okay, Khun seems to be going to our communication point, let's leave the coordinates in the device so he can access them as soon as he arrives"

Enka looked at the situation with some suspicion, she questioned whether it was right to trust these people who seemed to be ignorant of the real dangers of the minotaur.  

"Enka!" A couple of scientists rushed into the facility. "What do you think you're doing helping the intruders?"

"The labyrinth was opened again without us noticing, I need all the help I can get to figure out how to put the beast back to sleep before history repeats itself" 

"With the intruders?!" the expression could not be seen, but his eyes reflected some pain. "I never thought you were so naive, it is obvious that they are doing all this to get some stupid treasure without caring about the conditions of our village"

"Hey, wait a minute, yes, I know, we weren't the best travelers, but it was for a good reason, our companions are locked up there!" 

"How do we know if their intentions are good? This is all very suspicious, aren't they spies from the neighboring country? Even if we're in 'peace', we're not in the best condition either. They might even have sent those other crazy people to destroy our city..."

"No sir, we don't know those people,” Shibisu lied quickly. 

Enka could only listen apart to the discussion between his companions and the strangers from other lands, although his rational side screamed to be on the side of his own kind, he just couldn't quite believe that they were evil. A contradiction between her brain and heart confused her greatly, so she could not think of the best possible outcome.

"Our main objective is not to repeat history, then, the travelers must commit themselves to at least put the beast to sleep again to continue our days of peace, thus showing their good will"

Hatz and Shibisu looked at each other not knowing what to do, according to the stories, it was impossible to defeat that thing, maybe with the help of the two Jahad princesses who being alphas could endure a little better the presence of that thing. However, if they refused now, they really only gave the impression of being treasure hunters, complicating (if posible) even more the test.

Damn, the guardian test was definitely on another level.

"Okay... we promise" at this answer, Hatz looked at him with some anger, he hated empty promises, even if it meant helping his friends; his code simply wouldn't allow it.

"If so, they will need reinforcements, I will go to that labyrinth,” said the samurai.  

"No, you should stay too, we don't trust you to hang around these areas"

The atmosphere was getting tense again, Hatz was very hard-headed in certain situations, so  Shibisu could see how he was ready to cut those who got in his way. He only managed to stop him with his arm, giving him a pleading look, which he unfortunately understood very well. 

"All right..."

"Good! Then let's give our companions the news" 

Agüero simply could not believe it, the stress would surely give him a bad migraine. He was hoping for good news, a light at the end of the road, but as always, if he didn't supervise things well, his team would end up acting on their own.  

"We barely managed to do anything with that beast, and do you expect us to be able to defeat it or anything!" exclaimed the omega, if it were possible, he would be strangling Shibisu right now.  

"Khun, my love, cute and lovely, please understand our situation"  

"You should understand our situation! Baam and Rak can't face that thing alone..."

The terror from an hour ago still permeated her whole body, it was not a feeling that could undo it so easily. 

"Khun... It's okay,” Baam indicated, touching his shoulder, again he felt his pheromones full of stress. 

"B-but-" 

"As always, we'll find a way out of this"  

"Thank you very much Baam, and sorry for this whole situation. I'll try to send you as much help as possible"

"It's okay, I haven't gotten the full potential of the thorn yet, it'll be good training for this"

Khun had a lot to say about this, but he knew it was the only thing they could rely on. If supposedly that thorn would be enough to kill the King of the tower, it could very well take down any beast. 

Before leaving, Khun noticed that the red thread in his hand was still present, right now he could put it to good use.  

"Baam, look at this,” he indicated the thread on his finger, receiving a confused look. "If you need to find me, just follow this red thread, and if you manage to defeat the monster, just pull it three times, so I'll know it's you and I'll be the one to follow you back"

"Okay, sounds like a good plan to me"

They both went their separate ways, but now, with the certainty that they would see each other soon and this whole nightmare would be over.  

.

.

Baam returned with Rak, it was easy to follow his trail since the sound of fighting was the only thing that could be heard in the labyrinth, the scratches and traces of blood on the marble walls only gave the feeling that the tranquility of the place was outraged.  

Upon arrival, he found a destructive scene: Rak was taking the horns of the beast in an attempt to test its strength, his red spear lay on the back of this being that seemed to pay no attention to the great wound on his back and threw the reptile against one of the walls leaving a large hole in it.  

The brown reacted quickly, summoning 5 bangs to attack it, however, the shinsuo seemed to act strangely around this monster as if it was repelling it.  

The desperation to save his partner made his body react, he approached at an incredible speed to that thing, in order to hit it and get it away from Rak. However, his attempts were useless and with one last lunge, he sent the spearman flying against the wave controller.  

"T-black turtle... that's my prey,” said the crocodile man stubbornly. 

Rak quickly got up to free the chestnut who was almost crushed by his companion. Baam watched as a trickle of blood ran down his companion's mouth; he definitely refused to leave him alone.  

"I know, but we have to beat him to get out of here…."

"Tsk, I didn't ask for your help at any time"

A great moo caught the attention of both of them, the minotaur upon seeing Baam, reacted with more fury, again getting into a charging position against them.  

"He still has a lot of energy.... Excellent! Come and get it!"

...

At the other end of the labyrinth, Khun could not shake off a bad feeling. He hated this awful vibe, but it was necessary to move on, Baam always managed to find a way out of trouble, they would only remember this as a bad experience.  

However, the trail of blood and the smell of terrified omegas did nothing to help him shake off that horrible feeling.  

Thanks to the indications of his lighthouse, he managed to find where the treasure was hidden, it seemed to be the place where that beast was guarded since several chains seemed to be destroyed, as if they were trying to contain something until the last second.  

In one of the corners, he quickly located a pure gold chain, which contrasted too much with the other objects and ruins of the place, by its position, it seemed that someone tried to take it out of its hiding place, but before taking it, someone or something stopped him. He could still feel the faint presence of an omega around the area, surely it was those ridiculous assassins they sent to stop them.  

In part he was grateful that it made their job easier, although the truth was another, now the hardest part began.  

Khun looked at the red thread in his hand, there was no movement of any kind, nor could he feel Baam's pheromones approaching. Did the monster pose more problems than they expected? It was very possible, now he had to think of a way to help them without falling prey to that terrible presence.  

He kept the chain in his headlamp, while he searched in it for some item that could be used to cover his nose and mouth. Once he found it, he kept it close while he retraced his steps to try to find Baam.  

He used a mask as he felt that the beast was possibly near, the sounds of battle intensified as well, he was definitely a great opponent so those two could not defeat him so soon; the legend did not lie.  

He hated this place, at no time could he feel safe, he wished to flee from there as soon as possible, but he could not leave Baam alone, so he continued. For a moment, the sounds of battle stopped and this worried him even more, which is why he decided to speed up his pace, only to see a terrible scene:  

The marble walls were destroyed, giving way to a larger battle space, but among the rubble, he saw Rak's body covered in stones with no sign of him moving soon and Baam.... lay face down on one of the large stones. In the middle of the room, the great beast stood without any apparent injury other than Rak's spear buried in one of its shoulders.  

Now it wasn't the horrible pheromones of that monster that left him unable to speak, he felt overwhelmed by the situation. How could he approach them without dying in the attempt? If he let himself get caught, he would be used as an appetizer for sure, but, he couldn't leave his companions there either.  

Before he could say anything, the monster turned to look at him now a little calmer, but began to take small steps to get closer to him. 

Luckily, his face shield prevented the pheromones from paralyzing him again or else this would be the end of him, which is why he found the little strength to run. 

-K...Khun... -was the only thing Baam could mutter, his vision was failing him and the last thing he remembered seeing was Khun running away from the place.  

.

.

.

A thud caught the attention of the scientists present, leaving aside the tense silence that formed after seeing the tragedy on the screen.  

"I can't take this anymore, I'll go help them,” he thrust his sword ready to leave. 

"Wait a minute, didn't you just see what happened? It would be suicide to go there"

"If we knew the risks, why did we let them take it!" he looked accusingly at Enka, who had her hands in her lap, looking like a remorseful child.  

"I-it's their fault for entering forbidden territory in the first place, now nothing can stop that beast.... It's your fault this situation!" One of the scientists pointed at both of them, Shibisu had to stop Hatz by the shoulders before the fight became physical.  

"Is there nothing you can do? I don't know what kind of research you're doing here, but don't you have anything to put that monster to sleep?"

The look several of the scientists gave him didn't bring much hope.  

"For years, we have feared that any movement could awaken it, we have never studied it in depth. Our only option is the total destruction of the labyrinth, but even with that, we can't destroy it... 

The anger was more palpable in the swordsman, he still couldn't understand how a test could become so complex because of the interference of those useless people.

"We have to get everyone out of there," the alpha insisted, his strong pheromones making even the betas tremble.

"Come on, come on, I know the situation is tense, but we gain nothing by entering without a plan." Shibisu appeared to be calm, but it was obvious that he was even more nervous than everyone else present.

Silence took over the room again, a moment that was taken advantage of by the beta.

"We'll have to end the disturbances outside, if they are as strong as they say, they could help us end this."

"With those lunatics? I highly doubt they'll listen to anyone."

'Oh, if only you knew' Shibisu thought as he left the room.

"What are you planning?" Hatz whispered, following him closely.

"If the hero mentioned in your story is King Jahad, we have two people who share his blood right here"

Hatz was surprised by the seriousness on Shibisu's face, but he was also a little comforted to see him like that.

Running with all his might didn't seem to be working, the mask only made it harder for him to breathe, but he knew he had to keep avoiding those damn pheromones if he wanted to survive. Shibisu didn't mention anything about another communication center and his pocket still showed no signal to contact the others.

The beast followed him closely, not as furious as the first time, but it did seem eager to get its new meal of the day.

He had to control his pheromones, that's the reason he was following him, but he couldn't calm down enough to avoid showing his stress.

With his headlights, he formed a barrier, it would only keep him still for a few moments and would surely end up destroying his two valuable headlights, but he needed time to be able to lose sight of him and find the way out of the labyrinth. Although, wouldn't that affect the test? If he went out alone, he would end up losing and all his effort would have been in vain, the other option he had was to go back for Baam and transport him with the help of his headlights, although he didn't know if he could do the same with the crocodile.

Damn, he needed more time.

He looked at the thread in his hand, it was no longer necessary to use it with a map and Baam unconscious, but he could still give it one last use.

The sound of the barrier breaking told him that he didn't have much time left, so he kept running.

.

.

.

Darkness surrounded his entire field of vision, he didn't know where he was nor did he remember what he was doing before this. His mind was numb, until a small red light appeared in his field of vision along with a voice whose origin he could not locate.

“You must prove who is stronger in this food chain,” the voice whispered like a demon in his ear, although it had no form whatsoever. "It is scared of you, because  it knows that if you realized your potential, it would fall back into a deep sleep"

"Who are you?!"

"Awaken your deepest instincts, stop hiding them... This is not a battle that you will win with brute force. No, this is a biological fight"

A loud laugh echoed throughout the place, and when he blinked, his eyes showed the same landscape he saw a while ago.

"Khun!" he reacted quickly, getting up with some difficulty.

His most superficial wounds were already healed, but he could still feel his body heavy and his mind light. But, he needed to save his partner, if he were to suffer another paralysis like before... he trembled just thinking about it.

He approached Rak, worried about his condition, lifted some stones that covered the reptile's body, discovering traces of blood on some parts of his body.

"Rak, wake up!" he moved him several times, he could feel his breathing so that managed to calm him down a little more.

A few moments later, Rak began to cough heavily, expelling all the dust from his airways. Without giving his body time to calm down, he jumped up, surprising the brown-haired man.

"Where is it?! I'm not going to let everything end with one round"

At least he still had energy.

"He's gone, he's chasing Khun right now, we have to find them before it's too late"

Rak stared at him seriously for a few moments, as if he detected a change in the environment, which began to worry Baam quite a bit.

"Hmph, let's save the blue turtle, he's useless if he's not by our side" was what he ended up saying. "No wonder the turtles become weak to this scent, it's even starting to bother me"

Being a person who didn't seem to be affected by pheromones, Baam couldn't understand that difference in the air like the others. Sure, he could notice a penetrating and strong smell, but besides that, what worried him most was the strange flow of shinsou that occurred around that beast.

Both decided to go out as soon as possible to help their light bearer, and because of this, Baam managed to forget the scene that occurred in his head a while ago, after all, the heaviness of his body must have been the fault of the fight a while ago.

.

.

.

Khun listened as the footsteps became increasingly distant until they were almost inaudible. He was finally able to breathe deeply after a long time, until he was sure that nothing and no one was bothering him.

He checked the map, plotting a new route to return to where Baam was, he hoped that his wounds were not serious enough to need urgent treatment, but he remembered that the brunette always seemed to be quite resistant, even many of his wounds healed as if nothing had happened in a matter of hours or minutes depending on the severity of them.

During his journey, he saw one of the omegas, she was so terrified that she was simply sitting hugging her knees, she did not react even to the sound of his voice, to which he could only assume that she was in a rather serious state of shock.

Too bad he was not a good person to stay and help her.

His only concern now was his survival. He completely gave up on the initial condition of that strange town, to hell with them and their customs, what was the worst that could happen to them? He just wanted to get out of that damn floor, remember the names of everyone who made this happen so he could kill them in the future.

He left those thoughts aside, now the important thing was to finish this stupid test.

The thread would now be at the other end of the labyrinth, he used a small tool that explorers use to investigate small areas: an automatic tracker in the shape of a fly. He impregnated it with his pheromones while he used one of the patches that Shibisu insisted so much that he use, who would say that they would be useful now? Although he did not know how long the farce would last, the patches did not serve to hide his scent 100%.

As he walked, he felt a slight change in the environment. A purer air filled his lungs, he only had to look up to know what had happened: the roof of the dome opened, although it was transparent, by looking more closely, you could find the differences between before and after.

The sound of static from his pocket indicated another good news.

"Khun!"

"Shibisu? How did you manage to activate the communication?"

"Uhm… it's a long story but we've practically made the labyrinth open to the public, it was a very tense negotiation: You owe me a big favor for this!"

"I'm looking for Baam to get out of here and at least pass the test"

"Okay, do it, I've already sent reinforcements that can help you with that monster"

Once the call ended, he proceeded to call Baam and check if he at least woke up.

"Khun! Are you okay?" the other's voice seemed tired, as if he had just run a long stretch.

"Yes, I managed to divert attention from that thing. Shibisu confirmed to me that we now have freedom to do whatever we want here, but I need both of us to get out to win the test. I have the treasure here"

"But, what about the monster?"

"I imagine that the others will come to stop it in the meantime. I'll send you the location of the exit to meet there, understood?"

"Yes, please take care of yourself" he said in a soft and sweet tone, leaving him speechless for a few seconds.

"Come on, it's not time to get dramatic" he tried to joke to ignore that strange feeling in his chest.

'It better not be my heat, stupid body!'

The call ended and the timer started counting down. If they managed to get out of the test, win it and then beat the monster, it would be a more than perfect result.

His body was screaming for a break, he doesn't know how many hours he has been running, but his legs were starting to hurt and he could see how the sky was slowly clearing up, they must have been in this labyrinth for more than 8 hours, and taking into account that they haven't had a proper rest for almost a month, it wasn't strange that he began to feel certain discomforts.

Despite everything, he tried to run as fast as possible before the beast noticed the bait.

The tower itself didn't seem to agree with his way of thinking, because in the distance he heard again that annoying moo that made him more nervous than ever; and that was saying a lot, he never got nervous.

“Faster” was the only thing he could think, trying to ignore how with every second, the sound of a knocking was heard getting closer, nor how he felt a slight tremor as the walls fell down due to a superior force. He wanted to think that it was all his paranoia talking again, it was impossible for him to be so close soon.

Now he only needed to go to the right to get to the exit, a single step to change his path.

A step that he simply was not able to take.

His body paralyzed, feeling those strong pheromones flood the environment again, much more intense than before, expressing the desperation of someone who had been craving something for a long time, and finally had the opportunity to enjoy it.

'Damn! Damn!...' He screamed in his mind since it was impossible to do it with his voice.

The wall in front of him was destroyed by a force, debris fell near him but without causing him much damage. But that wasn't enough of a relief, because when the dust finally settled, he clearly saw his predator in front of him.

Ah, he definitely hated this floor.

.

.

.

Baam's sixth sense warned him of imminent danger, something inside him told him that something bad happened and that he wasn't there to prevent it. So he quickened his pace trying to find Khun in the middle of the road, but all he heard was the sound of walls collapsing and the annoying moo of the beast.

Until suddenly, they stopped.

He summoned his shinsou disk beneath his feet, pushing his abilities to the limit, if he could teleport to Khun's side it would be ideal to calm the tension that dominated his entire body.

His heart beat faster with every meter he crossed, every trace of destruction he observed, until he faintly felt Khun's stress pheromones; a sour aroma, which crossed his nose and managed to generate something similar to the stress that the omega felt. A stress that could only mean one thing:

A danger alert.

The brown-haired boy didn't believe in anything, but he prayed to the same fate for Khun's safety at that moment, he blamed himself for leaving him alone. This only caused a large amount of negative feelings to invade his mind, also affecting the flow of shinsou around him, even the thorn seemed to react to his feelings, obtaining a more irregular elongated shape.

However, this disturbance would be nothing compared to what happened next.

Finally, he followed the path of destruction of that beast, it didn't take long to find it, but he didn't like the scene he found next at all: that being had something or rather, someone in its hands, with an expression like that of a child with a new toy. Would he appreciate it or break it instantly? The answer was the second, seeing how it opened its mouth revealing its long teeth similar to those of humans.

The worst of all? Seeing Khun as a motionless doll, who couldn't even scream in a situation like that, along with his pheromones that seemed to be screaming for help. He simply couldn't stand it any longer.

"Let him go!"

He said with a voice that seemed to come from a side of him that he never let on, an omnipotent voice that managed to frighten the alphas who a few floors back tried to do something to his light bearer. Although it didn't have a similar effect on the beast, at least he managed to get its attention, avoiding a fateful end for Khun.

He let out an angry growl, he seemed offended by his presence in his territory, but it was also similar to the anger of a predator seeing someone entering its territory without permission.

Taurus lunged at Baam with incredible speed and strength, but he already knew this movement well. Seeing that he still had Khun in one of his hands in an extremely uncomfortable position and surely breaking some bone, Baam could not dodge it or else he would hurt the omega more.

Thanks to the thorn, he felt his power flow more fluidly, he used an immobilization technique that his master taught him in his first years of training, especially useful for when someone or something was bigger than him. Together with one of his bangs, he managed to briefly hurt his wrist, causing him to release Khun, who would have fallen to the ground if it were not for Baam's quick reaction.

"Khun! A-are you okay?" he asked, not knowing what else to say when he saw him safe.

'He's shaking...' was the first thing that came to his mind as he held him in his arms. The light bearer had his eyes closed, but with an expression similar to that of someone who is going through a nightmare, his hands instinctively clung to his shirt and then began to move his head as if he wanted to cover her nose.

He hated seeing him like this, so vulnerable and weak...

The beast let out a roar, more like an angry cry than a moo, interrupting their brief meeting. It was ready to attack them again, so he had little time to have a plan of action.

Even so, his gaze never showed any doubt or fear before the beast, even his golden eyes began to show a more threatening glow and his pupils contracted until they looked almost feline.

'I must protect him, no... I will, I will definitely not let him die here'

Before the beast could collide against them, a pink ray burst into the center of the battle. This got Baam back into focus and cleared his mind, at least a little.

“Phew, I thought we wouldn’t make it in time.”

“If you weren’t so fat, we’d be faster.”

“Say it once more, and the next time you'll walk!”

“Endorssi, Anaak!” he exclaimed at the pleasant surprise.

"The reinforcement arrived” she commented confidently, but her smile changed when she saw Khun's state: he was clinging tightly to Baam's clothes, like a frightened child, nothing like the Khun who used to shout orders at them and scold her for her trusting attitude.  

She did not like this change at all. 

"Are you two all right?" Anaak was the first to ask, turning her back to him as if she felt she was watching some private moment.  

"It's that monster's pheromones, it paralyze any omega"

"Ugh, with that awful scent, I can see why he's in that state,” the more whimsical princess held her nose with one hand.  

While the omegas felt a sense of oppression, the alphas perceived a nauseating smell that simply caused them to move away as fast as possible from there, but did not cause any change in their body. That was either that or possibly the princesses of Jahad are much tougher alphas than average.  

"You'd better go quickly to win this ridiculous test and get out of here,” said the chestnut.  

Baam nodded and murmured a thank you, settling Khun better in his arms and then sped off on Shinsou's disc.  

The beast mooed with rage as he saw how his prey was moving away from him again, but before he could do anything, Anaak took out his sword which was quite elastic and with it he managed to entangle his feet making it fall.  

"Okay, now let's show him who reigns supreme in the food pyramid"

.

.

.

Khun's mind was fuzzy.  

Usually his brain functioned like a computer, which managed to bring him the right data when he needed it, also, it helped him quite a lot to put his feelings aside. Reason had always ruled his mind, never the heart.  

But now, those lines were quite mixed.  

His mind was screaming at him to pull himself together, to indicate to Baam that he could go on his own instead of looking like a spoiled child, but for some reason, he found himself unable to let go of the reassurance his scent gave him.  

Memories of his childhood came back, not the bad ones as they usually did, but those few where he could consider them happy ones. For example, when his sister and Kiseia used to sleep with him nights before his heat to soothe him, how his sister once defended him from an alpha who wanted to overdo it with him at a party. Those were times where the three of them didn't have to act like Khun Eduan's children, but as if they were normal siblings.  

'Until you betrayed her' his mother's voice reminded him.  

Ah, that's right, he wasn't allowed to think about attaining the feeling of a home when he was never worthy of one.  

This thought managed to reassure him, once again returning to the pragmatic mode that guaranteed him victory in most tests. This was no time for sentimentality.  

He took one last breath filled with Baam's soothing pheromones, a scent that seemed to come out sweeter as if it wanted to envelop him and keep that terrible feeling from before from leaving. Once he noticed that his body could move on its own again, he coughed lightly as if trying to get that horrible feeling out of his throat.  

"Khun? Are you feeling better now?"

He looked up, instantly closing his eyes against a blinding light. Dawn (if that's what he could call it in this false sky) was beginning to break over their heads, damn it, even his delirious mind believed for a few moments that it was Baam's face emitting such a glow.  

"Y-yes,” he cleared his throat, opening his eyes slowly, relief reflected on the chestnut's face, ”What happened? Where are we?"

He tried to pull slightly out of Baam's arms, indicating that he could put him down, but Baam refused to loosen his grip, in a very protective manner.  

"He managed to catch you before you reached the exit,” he replied.  

“Oh, that explains why I went into shock” apparently his defense mechanism to avoid the pain of death, was to turn his mind blank. 

"Andorssi and Anaak came to help us, at least to pass this test"

Khun was mortified at the prospect of the two princesses seeing him in such a deplorable state. Ugh, he hoped they weren't going to mention any of this in the future.  

"At least they came at the right time"

He looked again at the comforting arms holding him, he was surprised to feel how strong they were, was there a lot of muscle hiding behind that baby face? Hold on! He couldn't think about such things now. 

"Ehm Baam?"

"Yes?"  

"You can put me down now, I'm not a damsel in distress"

"Oh! S-sorry" he gently lowered him down, until his feet touched the shinsou disc, however, one hand was still firmly attached to his waist. "It's better if you hold on, I don't want you to fall"

The omega made no more complaints, the position was no longer so embarrassing and he could continue to enjoy those alluring pheromones. 

A guilty pleasure he deserved after so much stress.  

Although the exit on the map and the red thread at their feet indicated that they were about to arrive, the minutes seemed eternal. Finally, the grand entrance appeared before them, with its two doors open as if to indicate that they were already reaching the end of their destination.  

Baam quickened his pace, tensing to the brim with the expectation that something else would happen to prevent their exit. His heartbeat echoed in his ear, would Khun be able to hear it from this close? It was possible, he felt his chest heaving with every meter to go. Unintentionally, he tightened his grip on Aguero's waist in an attempt to calm his anxiety. 

Once they were out, it was hard to describe what they felt.  

It was not a victory as such, behind them there were a thousand issues to resolve and the distrust on that floor was such that they might try to cheat the results again. Even so, they allowed a false sense of tranquility to sit in their hearts as they felt the pure air, with no wall to obstruct their path, and with a sunrise that indicated a new day.  

Baam undid the disc, both of them touching the ground at last. It took a few moments for them to pull away, being so used to such closeness, but it was finally Khun who broke contact.  

"Here is the treasure!" Khun exclaimed, pulling the gold bracelet from his headlamp.  

At this call one of the examiners seemed to teleport to where they were, who knows what invisible instrument he was using to supervise the test.  

Again the feeling of uncertainty appeared stronger than before, it was the first time they had ever taken a test from the guardian, did this exempt them from any intervention in the results? How did they know that the guardian would keep his word?  

The examiner took the shackles in his hand, placed them in front of his device to be examined more closely. He said nothing, and the expression on his face did not detonate any kind of emotion, not even a muscle twitched so that he could analyze it.  

This only set his nerves on edge. 

"The guardian will dictate the results soon,” he apparently heard her thoughts because that was the only thing he uttered.  

Waiting didn't help at all, he looked at Baam for some comfort, hoping that being irregular would detect something he didn't, a third perspective that would help him not to go crazy and demand an immediate answer.  

"He won't cheat, I know" 

At least it lived up to their expectations.  

The notification sound from their gadgets put them on alert, they both looked at each other before opening the message:  

“Congratulations, you have won the right to go up to the next floor.” 

"The guardian has given his approval: congratulations" the examiner's smile could not have been more false. 

The mooing of the beast resounded closer than ever. 

"Although, I wish you luck to get out of here alive. Everything that happens from here on out will be at your own risk. When you're ready to move up a floor, take the nearest transporter” he said gruffly before disappearing again. 

"I'll kill them someday,” Khun muttered under his breath.   

His anger had to be restrained, as he saw that he had an incoming call from Endorssi. It did not bring good news:  

- “Tsk, he managed to escape and ran off in their direction, we're on our way.”  

“Can't you use bong-bong to get there faster?"

- “I've used it too much these past few days, I only have one use left.”  

“Okay, we'll see what to do here...”

He hung up the call and quickly called Shibisu.  

"Do you know where Rak and Novick are? This beast is tougher than I thought" 

-"They're on their way, we're still dealing with other issues here.  

“We've already passed the test, we can leave at any time, we just have to figure out a way to escape"  

- “That's going to be a problem.... You see, we're kind of hostages? Unless we defeat or neutralize that thing.”  

"What?" it wasn't a question, but rather an opportunity for Shibisu to change that sentence.  

- “Look, I don't want a massacre against innocent people either you know, I'll see how we can escape from here quietly, can you hold on?”  

Khun wanted to shout 'no' to him, he wanted to leave as soon as possible from there. He hated the atmosphere, the pheromones, having shown himself weak and useless on more than one occasion.... Seriously, he could even promise her a long vacation if that's what he wanted.  

"I don't want to leave things like this either,” Baam mentioned, interrupting his train of thought. "It wouldn't be fair of us to have awakened that beast and let the people suffer the consequences"

"Do you have a plan on how to defeat it?"

The beast felt closer, the wind caught a faint scent of its horrible pheromones and he couldn't help but grimace at this.  

"No, but I'll find a way"  

- “We'll try to find more information here to help you.”  

With that said, the call with Shibisu ended.  

Anxiety ran through Khun's whole body, settling in his stomach, facing the imminent presence of that beast. The mask was somewhat useless, so he didn't even try to look for something similar to avoid the scent.  

Apparently Baam saw his dilemma, as a solution, he took off the shirt he was wearing, leaving only a simple white cotton T-shirt. At Khun's doubtful look, he handed him the piece of clothing.  

"I don't know if my pheromones will help, but it's better than nothing, at least so you can run away if you see the moment"

The omega took the shirt in his hands, feeling somewhat embarrassed to wear it on his face, he knew it was a silly thing to do, Baam offered it to him after all, but he hated the idea of looking happy about something like this.  

'If this was a stage, it would look like some courting scene' He had to mentally beat himself up to get that stupid idea out of his head. 

He put the embarrassment aside and arranged the garment around his neck and face, hoping that this would at least give him some self-control when confronted with that thing.  

Meanwhile, Shibisu and Hatz were not having the best time. 

After convincing them that the two destroyers of all this were allied with them because of the situation, many were still wary of them, especially when Verdi and Vespa stayed by their side, since being omegas, he couldn't risk losing them on the battlefield. Therefore, they could not leave the building until this was all over.  

However, planning was a headache. Scientists kept throwing around various plans, ways to contain the beast, but there was no sure and definite solution, so among so many speculations, it was hard to agree.  

He and Hatz were trying to read different documents related to the monster, trying to find some clue, possibly the “hero” left something behind that they could use again, some weapon or a weakness. But the texts were old, so old that even some words were blurred.  

"We will have to evacuate the people,” said one of them. 

"Our political relations are not as tense as they used to be, we could ask for help and surely the outside world would have more information"

"We need to do something now, our friends are the ones struggling right now" 

"Hmph, pretty bold of you to ask for mercy when it's your fault all this is happening"  

"We were forced by this, the beast sure woke up before we arrived"

"Stop it! Discussing how or why won't help us at all, this is an emergency situation, we must think of solutions,” Enka insisted.  

"Oh, if only the hero would come again,” muttered one of the elders, or so it seemed from his voice and wrinkles around his eyes.  

"If the hero could defeat that thing because of its immunity to their pheromones, couldn't you create a much more powerful alpha suppressant?"  

Suppressants were usually used to calm the heat at critical times, i.e., they quickly plugged the pheromone output of the glands, while regulating the internal temperature. It was not known if that beast was in constant heat, but if they managed to prevent it from expelling more pheromones, it would be a great advantage for them.  

"We don't know how long it will take us to do something like this, especially for someone so resistant" 

"Well, it's better to do it now, isn't it? They've done too many experiments, surely they must have some drug that does something similar,” Hatz interjected with a disapproving gesture. 

The scientists looked at each other in embarrassment, as if they were practically being reproached for all their studies of the last few years, it was partly true, none of their research at the moment seemed to be useful for an emergency situation. It was a frustrating feeling.  

"Maybe not a suppressant, but it has been said that the pheromones of the omegas can calm it down, right?" Enka raised her hand, drawing everyone's attention. "We don't have suppressants, but I have been working on creating artificial pheromones, if we can inject these into some of his meals, we could buy some time"  

"See? It wasn't that hard to come up with a solution"

.

.

.

While one team was trying to plan, the others had to act immediately.  

Khun was in the rearguard inside his lighthouse helping Baam fight the monster. The latter was desperately looking for the omega, but the chestnut was preventing it from advancing, but any false move would break through its defenses.  

Fortunately, the lighthouse allowed him a shelter from the fresh air and the pheromones of the environment, but it was better to avoid any situation that would make him useless, so he was several meters away so that the smell would not reach him.  

Baam fought with all his strength, an inner voice demanded that he defend Khun at all costs, that he could not allow a being weaker than him to defeat him. And yes, something was really telling him that he had to stop holding back, not only in strength, but what his sub gender desired.  

Pheromones began to leave his body, he only realized it when the beast let out a moo of annoyance, as it moved its head from side to side as if trying to get rid of something annoying in its nose. Actually, the chestnut wasn't doing it at will, it was simply as if another side of him was resurfacing at that moment.  

In a desperate moment, it tried to overtake it and look for the lighthouse where Khun was. Clearly the omega at this point was out of his reach, but inside the headlights, the air was still getting through somehow or other and before long he would end up drowning in those horrible pheromones.  

This did not please the wave controller at all. 

The atmosphere felt tense and heavy, even the two alphas that arrived on the scene felt the strange need to quickly flee from there.  

"W-what is this?" asked Anaak, holding her nose.  

"Damn, what is this feeling?" Endorssi mumbled.  

For two alphas who always considered themselves more resilient than most, facing a situation that put them in a vulnerable position was an attack on their ego. Fear in the face of another alpha was a feeling they were unfamiliar with, at least, until that moment.  

They looked at each other determined, they didn't just rely on their subgender to show their strength. They were princesses of Jahad and that was title enough to know that they were not on the same level as the others.  

As if fate answered their determination, a message came to their contraption. It was Shibisu indicating to them that they had something that could possibly help them.  

'It may not be certain to work, but we lose nothing by trying'

The two decided to keep up, ignoring that strange instinct asking them to leave.  

"As if one bad smell was enough to defeat me"

"Your perfumes are much worse than this"

"Brat" 

.

.

.

Rak only knew that when he lost the black turtle again, it was because something bad happened to the blue turtle, therefore, he would have to go to rescue them as usual.  

However, the turtle in the sports suit ended up talking to him to give him an important mission, which would surely save his other two turtles, so he couldn't refuse, otherwise who would do his job? He loved hand-to-hand fighting, but being a spear bearer also had many advantages.  

A small electric device appeared in the sky, which carried some sort of harpoon that, to Rak's concept, didn't look as cool as his red spear, but hey, he'd get used to it.  

- “Do you have the weapon yet?”  

"Hmph, yes. Can I go to the battlefield now?"

- “I need you to stay there, you only have one shot and we don't want the beast to dodge it. Khun will send you the coordinates.”  

Sure enough, after his chat with the tracksuit turtle, a message from the annoying blue turtle arrived: 

“If you ever miss this, I'll kill you!”  

"The great Rak never fails!"  

He settled in at the highest point of the maze, thanks to the multiple debris in the place, the ground level was uneven which allowed him to climb better.  

Once he settled in a suitable place, he managed to visualize the bluish figure of the beast in the distance. 

This would be a piece of cake.  

.

.

.

Agüero felt like he was going to faint. 

No, rather, fainting would be the best scenario right now.  

He had heard that when two alphas decided to mark some omega or territory as “theirs”, a somewhat unusual fight would start: dog-like growls, aggressive behavior, showing their fangs as a means of intimidation, and of course, filling the whole environment with their horrifying pheromones.  

These were very archaic concepts, only seen in the residential area of the tower. The omegas that remained in between, could only explain the feeling of discomfort throughout his body, as if two forces were fighting so hard to dominate his senses, that in the end it ended up leaving sequels to them.  

Well, he didn't care about those fights, but now it wasn't just any old alpha fights. On the battlefield were two Jahad princesses, a beast with impressive pheromones and now, for some reason, Baam was giving off a similar or even more oppressive scent. 

He considered it an accomplishment not to have puked anything.  

Although he was in his lighthouse and it seemed to take him to a reality apart from the fight, the reality was different: it was a simple box where he could do his calculations, and although it helped a little to control his breathing, the pheromones in the environment were so many, that not even his lighthouse could repel them completely.  

The analogy he could make at the moment was akin to that of an animal trapped in a cage as everything caught fire around it.  

Luckily Shibisu seemed to come up with an accurate solution.  

Apparently, the beast could only sleep peacefully after obtaining a certain amount of pheromones from terrified omegas, functioning as a sort of tranquilizer for it. Thus, if they managed to inject a large amount of pheromones into its body, they could manage to paralyze it before the foreign body or calm it down at best. 

He only hoped that theory was true.  

Once she sent the coordinates to Rak, all she had to do was wait until he found the right moment to fire.  

He indicated their positions to everyone, hoping the pheromones weren't strong enough to make them behave like wild animals who couldn't read.  

Luckily, they managed to obey all his orders. 

...

Baam felt like he was in a different plane of reality, he could move almost alone because of his fighting instinct, but he couldn't stop having that feeling of “dominating” whoever was in front of him, which is why his pheromones were out of control. 

How was it possible, he is not an Alpha, his pheromones were never as strong as they are now. It wasn't him, it seemed like someone else was the one who was controlling all these physiological issues.  

If he kept this up, he wouldn't be much different from the Alphas that Khun hated so much....  

He detected in the distance a rapidly approaching point, surely it was the weapon Rak threw. Now, he couldn't worry about banal things, he had to hold position and get this over with for good.  

With his bangs, he restricted the beast's mobility a bit, while Anaak surrounded it with his weapon to immobilize its legs. Another trace of shinsou covered his body for a few moments to fill it with his pheromones, directing it towards the nose of the beast. 

This was a killing blow for it, but before it could react, the harpoon landed on its back piercing it enough for a strange liquid to begin to enter its entire body.  

The battlefield was silent, everyone's body tensed for every minute that passed, waiting for the moment to breathe easy. 

The beast let out a weak moo that alerted everyone, but it began to fall, first on its knees, until it finally collapsed face down.  

"Is it over?" Endorssi asked, not knowing what to do at that moment. 

Khun was the first to react, he got out of his lighthouse and headed towards the great beast. Baam tried to stop him but in vain.  

He feared that seeing the omega standing still was an indication that the beast was still conscious. But in the end, it turned to its companions with a determined look.  

"His pheromones are already under control, it seems we have won, for now"

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, including the two scouts watching from the cameras.  

"Thank you for your work. But this will not be the end..." with this message from Enka, the victory felt somewhat bittersweet.  

Still, the two scouts had to be on their way.  

"They will have to keep a better eye on him, at least, until they find a way to put an end to it"

"Yes, this day will be full of learning"

.

.

.

Shibisu and the others agreed to meet where Khun's group was, since there was the path that led them to the inner tower, and therefore, the way out of that damned floor.  

The guardian sent his congratulations to Baam through his pocket, indicating that all the omegas from the previous test ended up passing. Finally, thanking him for entertaining him after so long.  

However, he could not see this as a victory. It all happened so fast that even his mind had trouble remembering all the details. But, he still had a very present sense of frustration at all this: he couldn't do anything to that monster, he almost lost his friends, and worse, he realized that maybe his subgender wasn't the one he thought he had after so long.  

He approached the sleeping beast while the others were distracted, as if a force was asking him to do this. Guided by curiosity, he placed a hand on its horn, to his surprise, a mystical force ran through his whole body and something seemed to enter his mind:

Pictures full of feelings, seemed to want to tell him the story of a creature, who at first, lived in peace with those of his own species. However, the years went by, realizing that his anatomy was not similar to his peers and therefore, he could not find a partner to accompany him for life. Here, a feeling of absolute sadness filled his chest, as if transmitting that feeling of loneliness.

The pictures were losing color as the shapes became more diffuse, marked with a clear feeling of rejection that turned into anger, for being rejected by his group and ended up in the hands of a mad scientist who ended up damaging the little sanity he had left.

The images no longer existed, only the feeling of longing that he managed to rescue by feeling the pheromones of an omega, so much peace it brought him, but he was unable to pair with one, which ended up reaching the bizarre conclusion that they would serve as food to calm his instincts. Here, Baam did not know how to describe everything he was feeling? It was a mix of confusion, sadness, anger and a hunger that would not be satisfied with food.

'At least... I'm not the only one like this' was the last thought that beast gave him, until his consciousness, already quite weak, seemed to disperse in absolute darkness.

The only thing he didn't understand was where, that black box that seemed to absorb all this, came from.

He opened his eyes, somewhat dizzy from the large amount of information he received in a short time. When he finally focused his gaze, he realized that the great beast disappeared without a trace.

The witnesses who observed a bit of this whole event from the outside were stunned by this. They didn't know what to say, or how to explain how this happened. Simply, one second Baam approached the beast and the next, a strange light surrounded both of them, until it ended up disappearing into the air itself.

"Baam" Khun spoke up. "Did you do something?"

"I... I don't know" he looked around for any trace of it, but nothing. "It only showed me its thoughts and when I realized, it was no longer there"

"Its thoughts?" Khun murmured even more puzzled.

"Ehm, this is very strange, too strange. Was it a spirit?"

His body felt strange, heavier, a slight flame seemed to be burning the inside of his lungs. Did he have internal injuries? Those took at least a day to heal if they weren't serious. Although he would surely end up sleeping for days before fully recovering.

“I'm so exhausted that I just want to go to the next floor and forget all this,” at this comment from Agüero, those present nodded, already tired of thinking about complicated things that would not take them anywhere.

No, they were not wounds. It was something different, as if he had swallowed boiling water and it was flooding his entire body little by little.

The voice (or voices?) inside him laughed.

'Congratulations, you reached puberty!'

“Baam?” Khun approached him and was surprised by this, since when was his scent so sweet? “Your face is red, that thing didn't do anything to you?”

His reason and his newly awakened instinct were in a fight. He had to protect him, but from what or from whom? He wanted to have him close, to smell his pheromones closer, he wanted...

"Do you have fever?" 

The voice of his omega seemed like a lullaby calming his disordered mind, but when he felt his cold hand touch his forehead, something just broke inside him.

"Baam!" Cries of surprise echoed in the space.

Ah, now he understood what his feelings were.

He wanted to monopolize him.

Chapter Text

Khun, opening his eyes, was thankful the whole thing was just a horrible nightmare.  

He could still feel the horrible pheromones in his nose, the feeling of fear lingered on his skin, sending shivers down his spine that not even a good shower could take away. Worst of all, he had dreamed of Baam going mad because of his rut at the end of the test. 

He refused to believe it, Baam, would never be like the other alphas, he just wouldn't be able to act like that, would he?  

However, as he felt something heavy in his abdomen, the reality hit him like a bucket of cold water.  

Beside the bed, lay the chestnut, sound asleep, as he clung to him as if his life depended on it. As he tried to move him, the pain in his shoulder came back stronger than ever.  

Damn, at last everything that happened was not the delirium of his tired mind.  

. 

. 

The day before, just when he finally thought rest would be his reward after such a difficult test, he noticed Baam, looking a little strange.  

As soon as he approached to check if he was okay, Baam grabbed him abruptly by the shoulders, the force with which he grabbed him was such that he would surely leave bruises on his arms the next day.  

"Baam?" Was there something serious wrong with him?  

But when the two gazes met, a cold chill ran down his spine. 

That look was not that of the sweet Baam, no, it was someone different. His eyes reflected that of a being who wished to dominate whoever was in front of him.  

The others approached somewhat worried by this reaction, at this point, Ran and Novick were also present and were the first to approach, but the grip on their shoulders was stronger. 

"Go away!"  

He commanded in an almighty voice, so much so that the other alphas in the area, including the princesses, froze in place. Their reason and instinct had a contradiction, that was their teammate, but at the same time, someone they should fear.  
For some reason, that tone of voice did not affect Khun in such a way, but the whole situation already had him quite tense.  

"Baam? What's wrong?" He tried uselessly to dialogue with him.  

The smell of pheromones, much like that of an alpha in rut, began to emanate from the chestnut. Khun became even more alert, with that closeness, it wouldn't take long for his own heat to awaken, but with both arms immobile, he had no choice but to try to hold his breath.  

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Endorssi spat with a hand covering his nose, “Is this your first rut that you can't control it?"

Although it sounded sarcastic, it was probably the right answer.  

"Does anyone have a suppressant handy?" Novick asked, letting out a sigh.  

"You could have waited a little bit, you know?" Ran, added sarcastically.  

When Novick and Ran got closer to give the emergency suppressor to Baam, he growled louder. An animalistic snarl and just as threatening to anyone who heard it, even they both looked at each other not knowing how to proceed.  

Khun, unfortunately, couldn't live holding his breath all his life, and ended up getting a whiff of those (addictive) pheromones. He braced himself for the worst, his body tensing up waiting for things to happen as biology dictated, but to his surprise, he was met with one of the most comforting scents he has ever felt in his entire life.  

However, in constant fear of going into heat right there and then, he ended up head-butting Baam as a way to release his grip. It was sad, but, it was not the first time he had been in such a situation.  

Although the headbutt managed to disorient both of them a bit, as Novick came over to check on Khun, the alpha in heat growled again with an almost inhuman voice and his sharp fangs showing menacingly. His warning pheromones were directed at the spear bearer, who instinctively backed up a few steps, giving him just enough time to catch the omega in his arms again.  

Luckily, this time the position was a little more 'comfortable' but really, he only felt more in danger:  

Baam, was hugging him from behind, his two strong arms encircling his chest and waist, not giving him much mobility on the upper part. But what really bothered Khun at that moment, was the position of the chestnut's face; it was very close to the back of his neck, and once his nose brushed his gland, he purred contentedly.  

'Is he planning to bite me!' he thought alerted, trying to move his neck a little to try to protect that delicate part of his anatomy, managing to get Baam's mouth closer to his shoulder before his nape.  

Anyway, this was not a solution to the whole problem, how did he manage to calm an alpha in heat? Ugh, he hated to know the answer, but he still had to act fast before Baam did something crazy.  

"Relax, we just want to help you,” insisted Novick, who was taking light steps making sure he saw his every move.  

"He's mine..." he mumbled, growling again.  

"Yes, yes, no one wants to take it away from you anyway,” the lazy way he said it, gave him to understand that Ran was seeing this as something funny.  

He could feel how the chestnut's body tensed more and more behind him, this did not help him at all, he had to calm him down before even thinking of being able to inject him with the suppressor.  

"Okay, calm down, I won't leave"

Khun, let out some soothing pheromones, something difficult, since the stress didn't help much to send another message, but when he could do it, these helped a lot since he could feel how the grip was loosening, now it seemed a more normal hug. He was able to pull one of his arms out and opened his palm, indicating to Novick to throw the suppressor at him.  

However, this action Baam took as the omega trying to escape his grip, the pheromones were not enough to calm him. What instincts screamed at him at that moment was, “mark it!” And indeed, so he did.  

A great pain ran all over Khun's shoulder, mixed with a masochistic pleasure; the feeling of an (his) alpha taking him that way, force him to bite his lips to prevent any sound from coming out of his mouth . He was thankful it was his shoulder and not the back of his neck.  

Because of this action, the suppressor fell before both of their feet, and although it was close, it was now much more difficult to access it.  

Khun cursed on the inside, knowing that any shout or expression on his part would only further alert the alpha that was imprisoning him. He could tell how the expression of the alphas in the group became increasingly tense, their noses wrinkled as if they detected a terrible smell, and between them they were trying to see how he could catch Baam without hurting either of them.  

"Baam? Khun?!" Shibisu's voice made them all more alert.  

The rest of the group had already arrived, including the big crocodile who, upon seeing the scene, let out a laugh. 

"Ha! So at last the black turtle was properly presented, if you let yourself be marked you won't have to worry about anything else, blue turtle,” he crossed his arms, proud of what he saw. 

"Isn't that something to be happy about!" Khun exclaimed, he could feel the blood trickling down his body, surely his shirt was already completely stained with that red liquid.  

"Why not, Black Turtle is not like the other alphas, I can smell it"

"Yes, even I being a beta can feel something oppressive in the atmosphere" commented Shibisu with some shyness. 

"Oppressive? I only feel a relaxing scent coming from Mr. Baam,” Verdi interrupted the conversation, happily hugging her stuffed animal. 

"Wait a minute, if it's an alpha's rut? why aren't the omegas reacting?" finally Hatz asked the right question. "Vespa?"

"Uhm? It's a sweet smell, like an ideal flower, but I know its pheromones aren't calling to me"

Calling? What did that mean? Ugh, He really wished He would ask them more certain questions, because he was definitely feeling his head lighter, and it was probably due a bit to fatigue along with blood loss.  

"Mine!" he shouted the alpha again, alerting those present.

'Fuck! I need to calm him down and someone help me knock him out' Shibisu seemed to understand his plan with his eyes, as he whispered a few things to the swordsman in front of him.  

Khun let out soothing pheromones again, which came out even sweeter than before thanks to the alpha's rut, merging in the air and creating a unique scent. This seemed to leave Baam more at ease, who was now superficially licking the wounds he caused; a scene he really wished would have happened away from the public gaze.  

'Agh, looks like his mind regressed to his more animalistic instincts'

This was enough for things to work: Anaak, used his weapon to manage to take the suppressor, passing it to Ran ,who positioned himself almost at the same time behind Baam, and with the speed worthy of the lightning he wielded, inserted the needle into his skin.  

"Ugh...? " the alpha groaned under his breath. 

Surely going into, what seemed to be, his first heat, and then quenching it with such a strong drug, together with the mental and physical exhaustion of this ordeal, caused him to pass out, but still leaning as much as he could on Khun.  

"Okay, we need to get off this floor as quickly as possible before he wakes up,” said Khun as he felt his breathing more normal and the air cleaner. 

"Won't that be enough?" asked Shibisu.  

"No, as many of you have seen, Baam doesn't seem to be an ordinary alpha, surely that suppressor will only work for a short time"

"Then what? Are we going to lock him up until it wears off?" 

Khun saw Baam's calm expression out of the corner of his eye, and although the wound on his shoulder was warning enough about the possible dangers of staying by his side, something told him he couldn't do it. 

"No, right now his mental state is very delicate... I'll take care of him"

"I knew they were going to pair up!" Rak said. 

"I didn't think you'd take this opportunity,” Endorssi commented, rolling her eyes. 

"I say that because I have a feeling that a simple door won't hold him...." 

The next few hours, Khun transported Baam in his headlights, while the others prepared things to leave, including treating Khun's wounds. A teleporter was waiting for them outside their residence on that floor, luckily, no one was there to see them off.  

Getting to the next floor was easy, they asked for the house that had the best room for an alpha's heat and an emergency kit for these cases. When Khun managed to leave him in his room, he woke up for a few moments, looking for him as if he was afraid that he would leave at the first opportunity.  

"No... " he pleaded with a pitiful gesture, and he simply could not say no to those eyes.  

.

.

.

Khun, massaged his temples wondering how things escalated to this point.  

Surely his position changed in the middle of the night, he remembered falling asleep on the edge of the bed. Surely he was gradually lying down until he found a more comfortable position. But, actually, that was the least of his worries.

In what rational mind could it fit that an omega would guard an alpha from his rut? Did he do it out of loyalty, pity, or, somehow his omega side managed to tempt him enough? Still, he couldn't figure out how he was okay, other than that strange tingling he felt from time to time at the proximity.  

There was a possibility that it was not a rut as such, it surely had to do with the disappearance of that beast.... Although, the alphas of the group were more than sure it was a rut, such an annoying smell is not so easily forgotten.  

He let out a sigh, as he checked for new messages. Luckily, the tests had no specific dates on this floor, so they could give themselves at least a month off before proceeding with the tests. Time enough to learn more about Baam's subgenre.  

The chestnut looked so calm in his sleep, anyone would be hard pressed to think of the aggressive behavior he displayed earlier.  

Someone knocked on the door, so he decided to check who it was before Baam woke up, it would be problematic if he was still in the same mindset as before. On the other side, stood Shibisu, with an expression that detonated that his thoughts were not as pure as they thought. 

"Hey... Did you have a good night?" he analyzed him with his eyes, blushing more when he saw that the light bearer wasn't wearing a shirt, his eyes at that moment screaming exactly what he was thinking: 'By Zahard! They did it!'

"I'm sorry to tell you that nothing happened, pervert" Khun took the trays with food and slammed the door in his face. 

He left the food on top of a coffee table that decorated the room, equally, it wasn't that big a portion, whether it was omega or alpha, the rut whetted your appetite for many things, except food.  

Oh no, what if Baam was expecting something else, couldn't he be more of a fool! Obviously an alpha would want to do more than just sleep, but he refused to do anything with Baam in that state, he wouldn't be much different from alphas who took advantage of the omegas' dubious consent in their cycles.  

Although, did he really think what if it would be a good idea to do it with him when he had a clearer mind? He couldn't believe it, surely the pheromones if they were messing with his head one way or another.  

A slight grunt brought him out of his thoughts, he quickly returned to the bed, to check on the chestnut's condition.  

"Baam?" 

The latter stirred in the sheets, his lost and confused gaze seemed to be searching for something, then, upon meeting Khun's gaze directly, he seemed to calm down and desperately sought his hand as if to confirm his presence.  

Khun let him take her hand with some mistrust, prepared for any action that would indicate she wanted to force him into something. He mentally repeated to himself that he had been through this situation many times before, he could get out of there if necessary. 

But nothing prepared him to see how the “alpha”, sweetly took his hand to put it on his cheek and start rubbing against it as if it were an animal.  

Yes, it was a very radical personality change, so much so that he froze for a few moments, until he let his guard down and rather began to enjoy this. 

"Wow, I didn't know you could act so cute, I wish I could take a picture of you to make fun of when you regain consciousness"

Should he feel guilty about this situation? He really didn't know, it's not like he was taking advantage of him as such. Although, a fleeting thought did cross his mind, and he let out a little more of his soothing pheromones.  

"Mgh!" 

Okay, now he felt a little guilty seeing how Baam practically melted under his touch, he seemed desperate to feel him close, but not in a sexual way as many alphas would like to spend their rut, but rather as something intimate; that made him stop his movements suddenly. 

Definitely none of this was right, he was practically seeing Baam's most vulnerable part, could he give him that affection he needed without it interfering with their relationship? Something inside him feared that this side was more than just a way of helping him unconditionally by being his friend, is that the right word? It was the first time he cared so much about someone after Maria.  

He felt uncomfortable, something was terrifying him, but what? Because Baam definitely seemed more like an innocent puppy rather than a predator, was it something he himself was afraid to find out? As if something delicate would break if he overstepped any boundaries. 

As a way to escape from those intrusive thoughts, he remembered the tray of food that lay forgotten on the table. Even he hadn't tasted a bite of it.  

"Baam?" Two big curious eyes looked at him, luckily he seemed to understand. "We have to eat something, okay?"

The chestnut shook his head, pouting giving him a more childish appearance. Khun could only sigh.  

"I won't leave your side, okay?" he insisted with a sweeter tone, he didn't even recognize himself, as a matter of fact.  

He took Baam's other hand with the one he had free, and began to guide him out of bed, at first he seemed reluctant to do so, but little by little he started to get out when he saw that Khun wouldn't let go. It was kind of cute to see him so lost, but it also worried him that, throughout the course of the morning, he kept calling Baam “cute”.  

Sitting him on the couch was another challenge, because he wouldn't let go, hugging him around the waist and forcing him to sit on his lap. Khun prayed to whoever it was that the anatomy wouldn't fail either of them and make things more uncomfortable than they already were, but luckily, he was able to sit calmly. 

At least this position benefited him to bring some plate of food closer, but at the same time it was extremely embarrassing to be in such a compromising situation. They were not lovers, he was not Baam's omega, nor had they ever even hinted at being anything more. So the thought that all this was not his place haunted him making him feel guilty. 

'I'm just helping a friend' he kept repeating to himself as if it would soothe something inside him.  

"Baam, you have to eat something,” he remarked, but he only got that abandoned puppy look again. He took a long sigh, analyzing the situation: leave the other one without any food, running the risk of having to admit him to a hospital or, to avoid more problems, feed him.  

It was obvious that the second one was the right one, but, this was something so embarrassing that he would not know if he could do it normally.  

'Come on Aguero, this doesn't mean anything' he tried to remind himself futilely. 

He took a big breath, taking the bowl of soup in his hands, it was a little warm and in a little while it would be cold, but he didn't think that in that state, Baam would give any importance to the food.  

"Let's see, open it,” he indicated, taking a spoonful to his mouth, the brown looked at him curiously, but he paid attention to his indications, releasing a sound of satisfaction when he tasted it. 

But, when he followed with the second spoonful, he shook his head emphatically. He insisted several times, but to no avail, did he not like the taste? Would he want something else?  

To his surprise, Baam used one of his hands to caress his abdomen, this action made him shudder, as he felt his hand so warm colliding with his naked skin, he had completely forgotten to put a shirt on over it. But before killing his head any further, the next thing that happened simply left him speechless: Baam took the spoon he was holding himself and directed it towards his mouth, now he was the one being fed. The movement was kind of clumsy and the position they were in was not the most apt, so he had to take some of the soup to prevent it from spilling.  

Seeing this, Baam showed an extremely proud smile.  

"Perhaps... Do you want me to eat first?" He really didn't get it, was this really the rutting of an alpha?! Because now Khun was imagining that it was some strange magic rather than the natural cycle.  

Alphas came to be cruel, painful memories came like daggers in her stomach: horrible, oppressive pheromones, disgusting hands touching her skin and only seeking to open her legs, for all they could think about was that: reproduction.  

Suddenly, he was no longer so comfortable with that position. He was vulnerable, imprisoned, at the mercy of an alpha who could change his mind at a moment's notice, Baam was much stronger and he didn't have any of his weapons nearby to stop him.... Maybe he should use the knife he used on Hawryun and lock him up for a few days while he regained his sanity?  

Of course, how did he not think of that before? Those pheromones were definitely making him more trusting.  

As if his own scent was detonating his stress, Baam let out a pitiful moan, again hugging him tightly, rubbing his head against his chest as he released his own soothing pheromones. 

Baam's scent always reminded her of a forest, a place he'd rarely encountered throughout his life, but one that he was subconsciously drawn to because of all the secrets it could hold. Usually mystery was something people detested, but he, he was fascinated to know the truth behind things.  

Just as his mild panic attack came, it faded away, remembering that if Baam wanted to do something already, he would have done it from the beginning.  

"Sorry to bother you,” he whispered, nuzzling his head, receiving a purr from the alpha.  

Ah, it was hard to be cautious with someone like that. 

.

.

.

He spent the rest of the afternoon spoiling the alpha; unfortunately, it was a literal expression and not so much a figurative one. 

Once they finished eating, Baam wanted to take a nap in his lap, he didn't want to get away from him even to go to the bathroom, which led to the alpha looking depressed when Khun wandered away for short periods of time. 

'Seriously, he looks more like a pet than a person' was all he could think at this unusual behavior.  

However, that facet was a double-edged sword. 

In the evening, Shibisu again brought them some food, now with Baam awake, the errand was not so simple for the beta.  

Firstly, Baam practically clung to Khun as he approached the door, and secondly: he began to growl as a warning to the possible person who might want to intervene between the two of them.  

"Baam? Oh come on, I'm not going to take Khun away from you, calm down,” he insisted a bit nervously, not knowing very well whether to move or not, he still remembered the wound on Khun's shoulder and he didn't want the light bearer to be hurt again by a wrong move.  

"Calm down, we need to eat, remember?" He indicated to Shibisu to show what the trays contained, once the scout did this, Baam stopped showing his fangs and hid behind Khun but without stopping watching him.  

"Wow, you know how to handle him"

"For now, you should still keep an eye out if I send out any warning signals"

"Okay,” Shibisu was quiet for a few moments trying to analyze the situation. "We have alpha suppressors, I can pass them to you later"

It took him a few seconds to answer this.  

"Yes, it would help me a lot” 

.

.

"Luckily, the pheromone scent is not as intense as before,” Endorssi mentioned as she watched the scout arrive.  

"Is it my imagination, or are you angry about the whole thing?" said Anaak as she cleaned her sword. 

"Pft, I'm just thinking that in the end, biology is unfair, isn't it?"

"In what way?" 

"That tyrant thinks he could beat his omega instinct, but he hasn't, if he ends up coming out of there with a mark on his neck, I'll end up losing what little respect I had for him and his whole 'I'm not like the other omegas' speech." 

"Just admit that you're jealous of this situation"

"Of course not!"

"You're just bothered by the possibility that we can't run away from biology like we thought, aren't you?" Hatz interjected, receiving a threatening look. 

"Biology or not, we princesses can't fall in love in any way. But, you see, if I like some shoes, I won't hesitate to buy them and display them in my closet, but I'm going to be pretty upset if I see that they were sold before without my consent"  

"I don't think earrings would be so foolish as to offer to take care of it without taking their respective precautions"

"It's true, Baam seems to be in a more animal than human mentality, he doesn't seem to be conscious at the moment. It could even be a side effect of fighting that beast"

"No, it's definitely the scent of an alpha in rut,” Endorssi insisted. 

Alphas usually had peculiarities in their cycle: Endorssi would become much more capricious than usual and destroy everything in her path, then she would decide to go to the most expensive hotel in the area to be alone, even if the others warned her of the dangers of this. Hatz would increase his training too much as a way to strengthen his mind, but the strong scent of his pheromones gave him away. Anaak on the other hand, had a particularity and that was that his skin began to peel, it was something she hated so much that she simply preferred to lock herself in her room and not come out until further notice. 

Everyone had their own habits and reactions, but theirs pheromones acted the same in all cases, warning that that cycle was near. So seeing Baam's new behavior made them a bit surprised, but they only saw it as one of the disadvantages of the heat, especially if it was the first one.

"I have to agree with her, it still bothers my nose just remembering it"  

"Still, isn't it odd that he didn't unleash the heat on the omegas?" Shibisu questioned. As a beta, he didn't understand very well what the hormonal processes of the other subgenus were like, but he could get a general idea from everything he had heard and read. 

"It's true, what did you feel Vespa?"

"It's not a typical alpha's rut, usually humans don't know how to control their pheromones and alphas are worse, they want to make everyone fall in front of them, but.... Not this time, it seemed an appealing but not oppressive scent"

"You said it was a scent that wasn't directed at you, right?"

"Exactly, it seemed to be waiting for its right mate, it's not a reproductive rut"

 Well, that was a new term for everyone.

"Okay, that explains why no one has come into heat"

"Hum, that's why they're an inferior race, if they don't know how to make use of their own pheromones"

"Could it be that irregulars have different characteristics?" Shibisu asked aloud, he had a rather thoughtful gesture and the atmosphere at the table accompanied this feeling. 

"It's very strange, I tell you, there was the beast and suddenly it disappeared as if nothingness itself swallowed it,” replied the princess. "I think there must be some kind of spell or something involved, it's no ordinary rut"  

"But if we wanted to know more, we'd have to go to someone who knew about spells, it's not easy to find an expert"

"Most likely there is something supernatural about this, the suppressor only helped to calm him down a bit but his rutting is still present. We need to prepare for anything and I'm really worried about Khun"

"It's strange that he decided to accompany him, the rumors that he hates alphas has always been something that everyone is aware of,” Dan interjected.  

He remembered perfectly the day he met him: Khun tricked him by asking him to help him to obtain a rare item, only to tell him in the end that he wanted to recruit him into his team. The way he lost the bet was so embarrassing that he simply didn't want to tell anyone how he ended up on the team. That authority figure Khun exuded, however, was among his most present memories concerning him.  

Because of his job, he has heard all sorts of things from regulars of his rank and above, and whenever someone talked about Khun, they always said the same thing: 'Someone should mark that bitch to learn her place, although, it's normal that no one wants to bond with an omega as dysfunctional as him.'  

As a beta, he was never interested in those topics, but now, he was confirming why it sucked to belong to a different subgenre.  

The night, it was a scary time for Khun.  

It was one thing to sleep with a knocked out alpha, but now that said alpha seemed to be active, now he wasn't so sure what the sleeping thing would be like. Again doubts were coming, about when would Baam lose control? Where were his urges to want to do more? Would it force him to do anything? And though the whole day was rarely comfortable, he couldn't help but be alert to when that bubble would burst.  

So, when Baam took off his shirt, he began to assume the worst, but when it was thrown at him, the confusion began to get to him. 

The alpha began to go around the room, pulling his clothes out of the closet, sheets and towels he could find, with each item he got, he would carefully hand it to Khun, until Khun was no longer visible, but a large mountain of clothes.  

He left the things on the bed, assimilating the curious look of Baam who had expectations of something, but what? He could not understand it quickly. So, the chestnut in an attempt to make his message clearer, took one of his shirts, and started rubbing it against Khun's wrists. 

Oh, now he understood everything.  

Baam wanted him to make a nest. 

.

.

The nests are a badge for the omegas, although climbing the tower did not allow them to create their nest properly, many got used to it and even took it as a sign that their heat was near. Usually, the process took place in a private room that the omega took as his own, he began to collect little by little scents or pheromones that reassured him to alleviate the terrible effects of a heat. And if you had an alpha, it was practically a lottery, as his scent was all you needed to accommodate him.  

It was supposed to be a natural, Verdi usually had her plushies and days before her cycle, she used to ask everyone to carry one of these to impregnate it with their scent so she could build her nest more peacefully. Vespa had her own mini hive, collecting various plants to help her build it better. Each omega had their own way of doing it. 

Everyone but Khun. 

Yes sure, he knew that feeling, his body demanded a safe place when his heat occurred, but he had never built one properly, the last time, barely a Baam cloth might have been something enough to calm him down a bit. But before that, he didn't wear anyone's garments, preferring to suffer his fate rather than have to turn to others.  

He even tried it the last time he had his heat because of Baam's garments, who activated that need to create one, but still, it was done practically kicking and he was so ashamed to even try, that he preferred to bury that memory deep in the back of his mind. 

As always, why this happened to him had a very simple answer: his mother.  

At the start of his first cycle, Khun had been unwittingly collecting various items of clothing from his immediate family, including an expensive dress from his mother who had left it behind after it was worn to an event. He wanted to organize his bed with her garments, in a hidden way as if he was doing something wrong, but before his heat was at its peak and was the trigger for his future suffering, his mother found her dress on his bed and looked at it with disgust.  

“Who would be happy to have a dirty omega take her clothes? You disappoint me, Aguero.”  

His older sister tried to comfort him at the time, but he could feel her discomfort himself as she realized what he did. Sure, it was disgusting, a low act and one he couldn't do. Even if he had a nest, it would not be a safe place and his mother proved that to him later.  

When he realized, his heats was do or die moments, what could he build in those moments? The horrible smell of alphas coming to woo him only served to make him nauseous, he couldn't imagine how such scents would bring him peace of mind.

So, when he had his first heat on the second floor, the examiners provided him with a suitable room, but he was so expectant of something bad happening that, in all those days, he did not sleep and kept his knife tightly in his hand in case something happened. This process was repeated so much over the years, that Khun used to be a zombie after coming out of his rut. 

Only until recently, he could sleep or do other things more peacefully, but by the time he realized it, he never had anything to build his nest, making that hormonal period only more lonely and painful.  

So, seeing Baam providing him with so many things to create it, it overwhelmed him emotionally.  

"Uh?" Baam looked at him confused to see him so still, his scent began to trigger his disappointment at the situation. 

It was a funny thing to feel disappointed to fail his anatomy, he loved to show that he wasn't the same as the other omegas, that he did have judgment and wouldn't let his instincts beat him so easily. But, that made him a defective omega in all his splendor. 

He never thought of having a partner by his side, his goals went beyond love fantasies, he always thought of being alone, but now seeing that he could not fulfill a simple Baam situation, made him experience a greater loneliness than ever.  

He was not supposed to be there. 

It is not his place. 

He is not the omega that should accompany him during this cycle.  

"Ha... so stupid,” he let out a sigh, looking at the mountain of garments on the bed, ”it's useless Baam, why would an alpha want the nest of an omega?"

He sat on the floor beside the bed with a pitiful expression. Damn it, why couldn't he say no to that face? 

"All right, but help me!" he insisted, passing him a sheet.  

Khun decided to improvise, he shouldn't be so sorry for knowing how to put a few rags on. He would only do it for Baam. He began to organize the clothes, put a sheet on top, and started folding some clothes to put them around, remembering how the books portrayed this action. 

Baam helped him by handing him the clothes, looking carefully at every detail, without intervening in the process. Without realizing it, Khun concentrated so much on organizing things, that when he finished, he realized that at least an hour had already passed, but a feeling of pride appeared in his chest when he saw his result.  

Baam purred contentedly at the sight of their little creation, but gave no indication of wanting to enter the nest.  

Of course, in these cases he had to give her permission, didn't he?  

"Come on, you can come with me if it will help you rest,” he mentioned climbing onto the bed, but the brown shook his head.  

Did he do something wrong with the nest? Surely it wouldn't be to his liking if Khun wasn't in heat. 

To his surprise, the alpha started to take off his clothes the little that was left of his clothes, Khun scared managed to stop him before he lowered his underwear, but his hands were dangerously close to his crotch.  

'Don't look down, don't look down...'

"Uhm?" Baam had the nerve to look at him in bewilderment.  

"Not naked!" he exclaimed quickly letting go, getting a scolding expression from the chestnut. 

All right, he had to learn to be stronger to endure that look. 

"Let's go to sleep, shall we?" He used his pheromones to lull him to sleep and lead him to the nest, but Khun didn't think things through, and due to the shape of the nest, the space was considerably reduced and they were practically glued to each other. 

But damn, he had never found a bed as comfortable as this one.  

Was it a biological miracle? He even felt the need to lie down even more in this one and sleep for a long time, a great achievement for him, considering that rest was the least of his worries. He could even feel himself becoming more relaxed as time went by, his pheromones being evidence of this.  

Perhaps, he could get used to this little by little... it wasn't such a bad idea. 

That was his last thought before exhaustion got the better of him.  

.

.

The air became heavier, a great wave of heat managed to make him sweat, although he felt uncomfortable, physical fatigue prevented him from opening his eyes at all. Something seemed to press hard on his leg, not painful but quite uncomfortable, until it began to move up and down. 

He would kill anyone who disturbed him at this point.  

Before he fell asleep again, his mind set off an alarm, reminding him of where he was and with whom. He opened his eyes quickly feeling a slight nervousness invade his body. 

What he saw beside him, made him react almost by instinct.  

He summoned his headlight to draw one of his knives, placing himself in a defensive position. In one move, he changed position, choking the other person who was previously on top of him, with his forearm and constraining his leg movements with his own.

"Ugh!"  

"Baam?" for a moment his mind had to get used to this whole situation: Baam with that feverish expression, his whole body boiling, a more intense smell of his pheromones, and a certain part of his body seemed to be quite awake.  

"I-it hurts" for the first time he was able to utter a word more than some grunt. 

'Don't let him go, he's going to attack you as soon as he can' spoke the reason (or fear?) louder than ever.  

But how could he distrust that look that reflected a sincere confusion and fear of the situation? Inevitably, he remembered when he himself went through his first heat, he felt lonely, disconsolate, fearful of all those new sensations in his body and could only hope that it would end as quickly as possible.  

But, Baam was still an alpha in his rut.  

Khun leapt away, letting him breathe, but taking a considerable distance, getting out of the bed. He still held the knife firmly in his hands.  

The alpha cried at his absence, confused at the change of environment, but Khun refused to be fooled.  

"Khun..." he murmured in almost a pained whimper.  

He couldn't fall, not even if his omega part was also begging to support (his) the alpha in such a chaotic situation.  

He took in some air, which was already filled with pheromones similar to those of an alpha in rut. He had to use some suppressants before, as he would not risk inducing his own cycle by mistake, so he had to try harder to concentrate and stay calm. 

He looked at Baam, the poor guy looked anything but an alpha dominant how he has presented himself in the past, the terror was plausible in his gaze, the confusion in his gestures and his own body at the sensations he surely never felt before. He could not let his own fears get in the way, he promised he would help him and so he would. 

He sat down on the edge of the bed, dropping his weapon and hiding his headlamp, the chestnut only looked at him expectantly and afraid to chase him away again, even trying to hide his own pheromones in vain.  

"Come here, lie down,” swallowing all his pride and shame, he drew him into his lap so that he could lie down on it. 

Really, it was the best option at the moment, so at least he could avoid his other guy's crotch and have some peace in this whole process.  

It was said that the heat of the alphas ended after a week, the discomfort of it could diminish a little when they had sex, being more effective with an omega. Clearly he would not take that option, so he could only give him his own pheromones as a way to facilitate the whole process.  

The alpha gladly accepted, putting one of his arms around Khun's waist, settling his head on his lap.

He felt like he was floating in a vast sea of shinsou. It was difficult to move his limbs, but he didn't mind being like that either, it was as if his mind was numb and he couldn't elaborate his thoughts or worries better, but at the same time, to tired to care about it. 

He thought of nothing but at the same time he thought of everything: memories of when he lived in the deep darkness of that cave, the moment he saw the first ray of light in his life... they were happy memories, how did he end up drifting away from his light? Well, yes he could remember it well, that feeling of being betrayed was still present somewhere deep in his chest, but at the same time, he wanted to see her again so he could ask her “why did you do it?”  

'Baam, we do this so you won't go hurt others' was her typical answer, which she used a lot when he was surrounded by those people in white coats.  

A soft scent of blueberries changed the course of his thoughts.... Khun, yes, with him he felt safer than ever. He saved him when he lost everything, helped him understand more of this confusing world, and without realizing it, became his new light.  

But, the scent was different, it reminded him quite a bit of when they were in the labyrinth. 

“Wait a minute, Khun?”  

"He'll be fine,” the strange voice answered him.  

He shook his head awkwardly, finally giving an exact shape to that voice that had been bothering him for some months now. It was a blue figure, his face gaunt, highlighting his blue eyes that looked at him expectantly.  

"Who are you?" he asked rather confused.  

"The power you fear so much, boy. The yearning to destroy everything and rule anyone who stands in front of us, but... that doesn't matter to us at the moment. You brought a rather annoying guest" 

He pointed to a corner of that big black room, a light illuminated a blue colored bull sleeping peacefully.  

"Alpha instinct is not something you have properly, but thanks to that beast over there, your body is now experiencing the cycle of an ordinary alpha"

It didn't take him long to recognize what those words implied.  

He had never seen an alpha in rut, but he already knew how terrible they could be, Khun had mentioned it to him many times: how they only seek to dominate those closest to them, without caring about anything else. He needed to wake up!  

"I need to save him, how do I get out of here?"  

"If you let me take control, I could show you the way out"

Those words didn't seem to bring him any good. 

"Hmph, how stubborn,” he replied somewhat annoyed. "No one caught you here boy, solve this problem with this clue"

Again he was left alone in that black sea, but more confused than at the beginning.  

.

.

.

Slowly the immense darkness that surrounded him began to disappear, now, although he was not in a luminous place, he could already differentiate certain shapes.  

But his current location was what mattered least to him at that moment.

His body boiled to such an extent that he felt as if the flames of the Yeon family were running through him from the inside, he did not know if this was the cause, but he felt a great discomfort all over his skin, as if it became sensitive to any touch. The clothes he was wearing caused him great despair, the sheets felt rough to the touch, and adding to all this, he felt a strange tingling all over his lower part, which he was not enjoying at all. 

He desperately needed something to calm him down, but what? 

The answer came to him like a sweet-smelling wind that finally brought some relief from the infernal heat. Now that he was more aware, the whole place smelled pretty good, he inevitably settled better on the bed, though quickly feeling unsatisfied; it wasn't enough.  

He needed more of that scent.  

And at the same time, he needed to calm that strange discomfort he felt in his crotch.  

He sat up in one movement, exalted by this realization. His senses gradually stopped feeling so numb, allowing him to regain some rationality.  

Under the sheets, he realized that he was only wearing boxer shorts that were barely holding his physiological phenomenon. It wasn't the first time it had happened, rarely when waking up something like this happened, but a cold shower always solved it, the problem lay on the fact that it was the first time it hurt so much.  

He needed more than an urgent shower.  

But first of all, where was he? He didn't remember that room at all, were they able to pass the test? Where was Khun? He needed to know how he was doing.  

Though first he would have to calm down before searching for him like this. 

He was startled when he heard a door open, but was reassured to see that it was Khun who looked like he had just come out of the bathroom. He was only wearing pajama pants, but nothing on his bare torso, just a towel to dry his hair. 

He had a feeling that something very strange happened while he was not conscious.  

"Baam? What's wrong? You look scared,” he joked a little, though with an expression that made him feel quite embarrassed.  

Oh, right, he hadn't dealt with his little problem underneath.  

He hugged his knees in an attempt to hide it better.  

"I-I, uh... where are we?" 

Khun blinked a couple of times, surprised by such a simple question, but it definitely meant something else. He was worried to know that answer.  

"Well,” his gestures changed completely, he tensed up and cleared his throat as he approached him, "What's the last thing you remember?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, already feeling more calm about the reactions in his body, and he didn't have to put two and two together to know it was thanks to Khun's pheromones. Which only added more doubts to this whole situation, he really felt very lost.  

"We defeated the monster and from there I feel as if I fainted, I don't remember anything, did we make it past the floor, how are the others, why...?-" The last question died in his mouth as he didn't know how to conjugate it, why did he feel like that? Did something happen between them?  

Khun let out a sigh, his expression slightly more somber which only worried him more.  

"For some reason unknown to me, you went into a rut"

"Oh..." was all he could utter, but he was immediately alarmed at all the clues he had: the strange sensations in his body, the high concentration of pheromones in the room, and of course, the state he and Khun were in.  

"Did I hurt you in any way?"

He looked down in fear of encountering the truth. 

"Baam, look at me"

To his surprise, the light bearer did not wait for him to listen, but with his two hands he took his face, forcing their gazes to meet.  

"You didn't do anything, really" simple words, but with a conviction that calmed his mind. "It's the first time I've seen an alpha manage to behave so well during their heat, even though they're supposed to lose control..... you seemed to understand when I didn't like something. Although, I did manage to see other very unexpected reactions."  

"Uh? It was kind of embarrassing, wasn't it?" Now He could feel his face burning for a very different reason.  

"Don't worry, only I could see it" and for some reason, he sounded very proud of this. "It must be your first heat, right?"

"Eh, yeah, it's the first time something like this has happened. That's how bad you usually feel?"

"Well, for omegas it sucks, I don't quite understand what alphas feel, but I can deduce that it's not a pleasant experience either"

"I see... Will this last long?" 

"You're already 3 days like this, I guess you're over the worst if your cycle lasts a week, although seeing how you break all the rules, it's better not to trust us. You should lie down for a while, are you hungry? Thirsty? Anything else?"

Baam tried to forget his little problem from earlier, but his legs were already starting to go a little numb and the friction wasn't helping much. So he shook his head effusively. 

"Okay, now that you've regained your consciousness, I'm going to leave you alone,” he cleared his throat. "It's not a process you have to go through with me"  

"Wait!" His first reaction to this was to grab his forearm, preventing him from leaving. He didn't want him to walk away, or to show that grim expression again.  

"Baam..."  

"I don't mind your presence, really." 

Khun let out a small laugh, as if watching a child's tantrums.  

"You're just talking like that because of your condition and the influence of my pheromones. Believe me, I know that being alone will be better for you"

He wished to contradict him somehow, to find the magic words that would make him stay by his side a little longer. Where did this desperation come from? It made him remind his past self that he hated the idea of walking away from Rachel. 

Even as the years passed, his fear of loneliness was still more present than ever.  

"Don't make that face, it's not like we won't see each other again, I just want to give you some privacy" 

At that moment, Baam realized that his position had shifted as he tried to grab Khun's hand, the sheet pulling down just enough to show his more embarrassing side. How was it possible that he couldn't find a way to calm down? Ugh, seriously, he was only making things worse.  

So, reluctantly, he had to agree that Khun's idea was better. Besides, he could only see one bed in the whole room, surely it wouldn't be comfortable to share a bed.  

Once alone, he took the opportunity to go take his well-deserved shower and try to calm his problem.  

.

.

.

Khun tried to appear calm as he finished dressing, so he could leave the room (which was previously also his), trying not to see Baam at any time to make things easier for both of them; he only dedicated a final farewell to him and that he could write to him if he wanted to. But, once he left, his expression changed to a rather distracted one, letting out a long sigh as if he could loosen some of the tension in his shoulders. 

He hadn't lied to Baam at any point, had he? He hoped he had been clear about nothing happened..... well, rather, nothing bad happened between them.  

He was thankful he was so good at acting, or else he would have been more disappointed that all this theatrics were over and he couldn't keep looking out for his partner any longer. 

Sure, partners, they were just that. 

That thought depressed him for some reason. 

Luckily, he was lucky that the first person he bumped into were among the most discreet in the whole house and wouldn't make a fuss at the sight of him. 

"Earrings?"  

"Oh, harakiri"  

"Ehm... How is Baam?" He asked with some discomfort, they usually got along like cats and dogs, but the swordsman was still someone honorable who cared enough about his companions, no matter how annoying they were.  

At another time, maybe Khun would ignore it and pretend that nothing happened, but he really had his emotions running high, so he had to do his best to pretend that everything was really all right.  

So, He answered:

“Baam regained consciousness so I don't need to take care of him anymore" 

"I see, that's good. We have done some research on the matter, we believe that his irregular condition caused him to react that way"

"Well, I see you haven't been wasting your time,” he inevitably returned to his sarcastic tone.  

"Tsk, no use worrying about you,” he muttered under his breath. "There's a room available down the hall, you need your alone time too if you want to get rid of the pheromones, anyone else would misunderstand and I don't want Endorssi to make a fuss about it"

"Yeah, I was going to do that,” he cleared his throat to hide his discomfort, heading to the place Hatz suggested.  

"Seriously, he could let his guard down once in a while,” He muttered heading back to the living room, maybe he could update everyone on Baam's new status.  

On his way to the common room, he ran into the princess who seemed to have just finished some exercise routine.  

"You can relax now, nothing happened between them and Baam is back to normal, well, almost"

"Huh? Since when did it seem like I was worried?!"

"Well, then I'm just telling you that for information purposes,” she rolled her eyes at that haughty answer. 

"Hmph, it's not like it's some terminal illness, we've all been through a similar cycle"

"Yes, yes,” he let out a sigh as they both followed suit. 

"Don't you know how to read the atmosphere? You should keep asking me,” she ended up saying, tired of the silence. "Seriously, at this rate, you'll never get a girlfriend"

"It's not like I'm really interested at the idea right now"

The two alphas continued arguing, at least that was a good sign that everything seemed to be going well.  

.

.

Khun locked himself in his room, his heart pounding, now that the adrenaline was down a little, anxiety was now taking over his body as if he had awakened from a long sleep. 

The problem? That dream he experienced was so pleasurable that he really hated waking up from it. 

He usually joked that he was a con man who used his best ruses to accomplish his plans, but now he did, he felt that title carried a rather negative connotation for his liking.  

“You were with an alpha in heat, this is the pheromones' fault” he reminded himself trying to shake the tingle from his body. He hated feeling this way, so vulnerable yet safe, as if a single action on Baam's part was capable of taking him to heaven or hell.  

"It's just my pheromones,” he repeated aloud to himself as he headed for the shower, trying to wash Baam's presence from his body.  

The bite mark Baam left on his shoulder, however, was something much harder to erase.  

He stroked it with the digits of his fingers, watching in the mirror as it healed almost completely, the red color was no longer present and was beginning to darken to almost brown. 

He hated that he liked the way it looked on his skin. 

“Damn you, biology.”  

.

.

Two weeks passed, Khun decided not to visit Baam again at any time to see if that strange feeling in his chest would disappear. Isu and Rak were the ones in charge of bringing him food, the former didn't say anything but his look said it all, while the latter used to demand him to stop “Hiding in his shell” and visit the alpha. 

He wasn't hiding, he was just taking some distance before their relationship took a more complicated course to explain.  

"I thought at least you would let him mark you,” Ran commented casually, giving it the similar importance you were giving to the weather.  

"You know I won't let any alpha mark me" 

"But he's not like the others, and I'm not just talking about his personality"

And he hated to admit that his brother was right.  

Baam came out of his room, fully tidied up and with a more relaxed expression, smiling as he greeted the others.  

"I really missed you, guys" 

Who wouldn't melt at a man like that?  

Khun greeted him, congratulating him for surviving his first rut, but before walking away, seeing that someone else would want to talk to him, Baam grabbed him by the arm, preventing him from leaving. 

"I need to talk to you,” a serious look but full of determination, Khun could only nod weakly, before they were interrupted by Rak, who demanded to train with the black turtle again.  

'It's my omega side reacting to the touch of an alpha, nothing else' he repeated to himself mentally, trying to get rid of that slight shiver that the chestnut's touch left on him. It seemed that every physical contact, left an invisible mark on his skin, a sensation that he couldn't get rid of even if he tried to clean it somehow.  

He spent the rest of the day anxious, unable to concentrate and unable to advance any work regarding the next test, all because he was thinking about that important thing Baam had to tell him. Would it be about his first days of heat? Would Isu or Rak have opened his big mouth about how he acted those first days? He hoped not, because the last thing he wanted was for Baam to apologize to him. Why? He didn't know for sure himself.  

Maybe he didn't want to see their expression of pity or guilt, or maybe, he didn't want to answer their questions like, “Why did you do it?” “Why did you agree to help me even though you hate alphas?” Damn it, even he didn't have an answer. 

Neither of them would agree with a “just because I wanted to”. It was not like him.  

Hours passed, he forgot even about going to dinner, but anxiety left no room for hunger. Finally, someone knocked on his door and gave permission for someone to enter, it wasn't surprising to see Baam enter his room, but he did feel his body tense up as he couldn't remember how to act normally.  

"You didn't go to dinner" 

"Sorry, it slipped my mind. How was it?"

"It was pretty normal. To tell you the truth, I didn't have much of an appetite either"

A silence filled with the awkwardness of the moment.  

"So... how do you feel now? It's weird the first time, but then you get used to it"

"Well, it's still kind of odd...." He took a seat on Khun's bed, while Khun was still sitting in one of his headlights. "I was so afraid of losing control like that, what if I hurt you in some way? I would never forgive myself" 

The wound in his shoulder felt heavier than ever

"It felt like I was in a dream for the first few days, then it was knowing how my body worked. It's kind of uncomfortable to feel in a way you don't want to feel, to feel like your own skin is foreign to you.... Anyway, I feel that you already understand all this very well, don't you?"

In spite of everything, he gave him a sympathetic smile.  

"Even though it's the same process for everyone, each person goes through it differently, I may not be your best counselor, but I think others will have good advice for you on how to deal with it better. You don't have to fear your body, but get to know it" 

'Too bad I can't even take my own advice' All this time he had been running away from his complex emotions by relating them to his own subgenre, it wasn't the right thing to do, but he didn't know what else to do to keep from losing his sanity.  

"Thank you, Khun. I know it wasn't easy taking care of me the first few days"

"You don't have to thank me, we are friends aren't we?"  

Every day he turned to say that word without feeling a discomfort in his body. 

"Of course, uh, that's why I wanted to discuss something important with you,” he started to say. "Being alone during these weeks made me reflect on many things, on my biology, on who I am, and even on the most basic things. I know it's no surprise to you, but I've really climbed the tower without knowing a lot of things, and I thought I was okay with that, but after this, I know I can't go on with my ignorance and more so if it can put you at risk"

The alpha took a big breath of air, as if he needed strength to give his resolution to the whole speech. Inevitably, Khun, he could not prevent a bad feeling from settling in his chest.  

"That's why, I made the decision to find Rachel"  

Chapter Text

'Rachel'

Khun didn't know her at all, but he knew that this person had the same weight in Baam's life, as Maria had (or has) in his own.

He hated her for having abandoned Baam, for surely being one of the people who isolated him to turn him into a human weapon, and above all, he hated that she was the first person to meet him so as to be considered his “light”.

Of course, at the beginning he didn't care about this person, he saw her as someone from the past that they would surely meet in the future, but he didn't think it would be so soon, and even less, that Baam would decide to look for her on his own.

Ah, if his feelings could be compared to a stormy sea, hearing that only caused the hurricane to form.

"But what does she have to do with all this?" He asked, trying to regain his composure and reorganize his thoughts.

"I know it sounds very hasty, but she was the first person who found me, taught me several things and with whom I decided to enter the tower in the first place. I don't quite know how she initiated her contact with FUG, but... I have a feeling she knows something else"

"How can you be absolutely sure that she has the answers? There are many people here, even irregulars like you who possibly know what you want to know"

'Why her?' He added in his mind, feeling ashamed that he felt jealous of someone he didn't even know.

The look Baam gave him made him feel worse: “It can only be her,” he seemed to answer his question that still did not leave his lips.

"I still hold her in some affection, she was my light in my loneliest moments. I need to know several things, including why she put me through so much. It still haunts me to think that it was surely selfish of me not to listen to her reasons more, maybe she was even threatened by FUG or if it's another reason, I want to know it"

"Even if those answers are not what you expected?"

"Exactly, only then could I close the page and move on".

Then he realized that there was really no way to convince him otherwise.

"It's a very important decision, you know I support you in everything, but I feel we need to discuss this further. I don't know if the others are willing to go out of their way".

"Eh, to tell you the truth... I was thinking of going alone".

"What?!" For the first time in the conversation, he let his emotions take over.

"I don't want to bother you, besides it would be selfish of me to ask for your help with this"

"How do you plan to travel alone when FUG is still looking for you and you plan to go straight to them? It's too dangerous!"

"I know it sounds crazy, but I could get help, I just need to see Rachel"

"What if she decides to betray you?"

The pain that reflected in the brown's eyes was a direct blow to his heart.

"All the more reason I couldn't take you, I refuse to risk you on a whim of mine"

"Since when did you become so stubborn?"

Khun let out a sigh, massaging his temples, he felt they were getting nowhere with this argument.

"You just got out of a rut and it's late, tomorrow we can discuss this more calmly"

"Do you think I'm saying this because of a hormonal imbalance?"

"Look, I'm not saying it because I don't trust your judgment, but the first estrus is usually quite difficult and so is the aftermath"

"I didn't think you would fall for the 'our pheromones affect behavior' speech as well".

It was a comment that was not meant to hurt him, but it did. Aguero remembered why he wouldn't let anyone get too close.

'Something like that shouldn't affect me that much' he had to get his wits about him to keep his emotional side from taking over more of the course of this whole conversation.

"I'm worried about you and this seems completely crazy to me. So, if you want to convince me, try again tomorrow when we are calmer".

"Okay, good night".

As Baam left the room, Khun was finally aware of the heavy weight on his chest and his head lighter, as if he was living a dream.

It was the first time the two of them had ever disagreed so strongly on anything, he could even swear Baam was getting angry with him, and that last thing he said was something he never thought he'd hear from him. Did he want to see this Rachel so badly that he could swear that her cycle had nothing to do with his decision? If this was the case, he would simply feel worse.  

'If I had met Baam first? Would I have that same priority in his life?' 

A question his dreams were unable to answer.

.

.

.

Usually, the team's breakfasts were two hours apart, after all, everyone had their own routine and they were not a strict family that determined that everyone had to eat at the same time. The first to arrive was usually Shibisu and the last could be Hatz or Endorssi, depending on their training regimen at the time; Khun usually didn't even eat breakfast.  

So no one was surprised when Baam was alone with Rak at the table, but what left everyone a little confused was when Khun arrived.  

You couldn't tell for sure, but a great tension began to be felt in the atmosphere, despite the fact that both gave each other a cordial greeting. Baam's attitude was distant, and Khun's pride forced him to act even colder.  

The moment seemed eternal, as Aguero finished serving himself his breakfast, everyone held their breath and could only breathe again as they watched him retreat to his quarters.  

"Whoa..." was all Endorssi, who usually had a comment for everything, could say.  

"I didn't think the day would come when the two of them would fight," Shibisu added.  

"Hmph, now which bug bit the blue turtle?"

"I think it's my fault this time," admitted the chesnut, already feeling the weight of the curious stares.  

The questions that could have been asked remained in the air, even Baam didn't want to talk about it, and he showed it by getting up from the table to go somewhere else as well.

"Uhm? What happened to you guys?" Hatz arrived a little later, oblivious to the whole situation and, therefore, wondering how the atmosphere was quieter than usual.

As has already been evident, Khun, not the best person to handle his emotions, 

has he had fights before? Yes, of course, with a lot of people and surely his name has starred in many curses throughout the tower, but these aspects didn't matter to him, he never cared about the welfare of the other, always putting the outcome before the process itself.  

He had his constant conflicts with the swordsman because of their different ways of thinking, he used to debate countless times with Shibisu; but this usually helped him to have a broader view of the problem presented. But what was one to do when it was an issue away from the tower?  

He appreciated Baam, he didn't know to what extent (and he was afraid to find out), but he couldn't deny the great appreciation he had for him and that led to his next problem: for the first time he was afraid of hurting someone with his words.  

Even with Maria he didn't get to this point, the girl seemed to laugh at his sharp tongue and they both complemented each other quite well when debating various topics, even she could be more deceptive, since behind that smile, she hid a skill with words that would convince even a supreme.

But Baam? They both had different styles of looking at things, the chestnut always had a bit of sentimentality in all his actions, he wear his heart on a sleeve, he could see it... and get hurt just the same.  

Maybe that's why he wasn't being entirely objective with this situation.

.

.

.

Baam was in a dilemma as well.

Usually he was not someone selfish, he was quite considerate of others, after all, Rachel stressed to him a lot the importance of being someone kind who helped his friends.

'Too bad you couldn't help her to the end' replied a voice in his mind.

He wanted to know her past, to know why they both entered FUG, why he was the one who ended up climbing the tower alone, while she pretended to be a regular with her separate team; but apparently, Khun thought this was a bad idea.

Okay, maybe when he ran away that night they didn't end on the best terms, he was really disappointed in that person he considered his light, but he couldn't take away the affection he felt towards her for a bad action.

He could perfectly remember the surprised and disappointed face she gave him that day, before leaving.

Khun didn't know her as well as he did, surely if she would give him answers and wouldn't even sell him out to FUG, he could even tell her that they would escape together and she would become part of his new team. She had always been a person who didn't socialize very well, but he didn't think they would reject her in her current team; they were all very friendly with him despite the initial circumstances.

He just had to convince Khun, he loved plans, so if he could propose something coherent and logical, he would not be so reluctant to accept.

Hawryun was away that day, she commented something about having an important meeting but that would come in a few days. She only showed up when it was convenient for her.

He couldn't call his master, he didn't contact him since he ran away for fear of being implicated with her betrayal and bringing him trouble, so he was out of the question as well.

Wow, he really didn't have many people to trust within that organization.

So, he only had one person left.

"Viole? I'm glad you called!"

From his pocket, Wagnan's excited voice filled the silence.

"How's everything over there?"

"All smooth, we're taking our time climbing the tower. We don't have as strict a regimen as Khun's, but we're managing somehow"

He seemed genuinely happy at the mention of his team, a far cry from the grim figure he first met in the workshop.

"I'm glad to hear that, we might cross paths again. Hey, by the way... FUG hasn't been looking for you?"

"Everything has been quiet, too quiet I would say. Only that my brother sent me a message calling me “idiot”, I guess he won't miss me and that's why he won't even try to look for me. But, anyway, let's not talk only about me, how is everything on your side?"

The brown-haired man let out a sigh, to proceed to narrate his plan and how his teammate reacted to it.  

"Do you really want to go look for her?"

"Do you also think it's a bad idea?" 

"I've never met her personally, but I've heard terrible rumors, Viole. Despite looking so normal and not very strong, she seems to be involved in several secret plans with FUG"

"I need to talk to her, even if it all goes wrong. Do you have any information on her whereabouts?"

Baam could have sworn the blond was scratching his head in despair at this point. 

"Ah, damn, I just hope you don't regret this,“ he mumbled, ”Last I heard, she was trying to get to a dangerous area, where they found an artifact like the thorn you're currently carrying, and I think they mentioned something about a train. I don't remember what floor it was actually on, but I don't think you're too far from it".  

"Okay, I really appreciate it" 

"Hey! Don't tell Khun that I gave you this information, understand? You better not do anything crazy"

"I'll try to convince Khun, don't worry"

"It won't be easy, omegas tend to be quite overprotective and even more so if it's with their partners or children. I don't know whether to tell you that you are lucky or, on the contrary".

"I know he cares a lot about me, that's why I don't want to impose anything on him". 

Wagnan let out a sigh on the other end of the line, not knowing what to say to that comment. 

They chatted a bit more before ending the call. 

He felt like he was missing a lot of clues, he could ask Khun about some nearby or famous train, but things were still somewhat tense between them and he didn't think he'd get an answer willingly.  

He could no longer run away from the inevitable, he would have to convince him without losing his friendship in the process.

"Tell me Shibisu, what would happen if the group had some modification?" asked Khun casually, as if talking about the weather.  

They were both in the room of the aforementioned, reviewing the following tests and reliable information that no one was behind them.  

"Uhm, do you plan to bring anyone else? I know Ran, Novick and Dan will be a backup team, but I think we're pretty balanced at the moment"

"Baam plans to leave"

He dropped that news like you would a band-aid: quick to avoid more pain. 

"What?! And why are you so calm?" The scout looked away from his own lighthouse to look directly at him, in search of more answers. 

"I'm not," he answered sharply. "But, you know how Baam is, he makes a decision and plans to follow it to the end. Too bad, it's rare to find such a good wave controller". 

"Wait, wait, wait, wait.... Are you just going to let him go? No, the important thing is to know why he wants to leave, did they fight or something?"

Aguero might have the gift of the gab when it came to manipulating or making any of his plans, but when it came to personal things, it was about the hardest puzzle to put together in the entire tower. Shibisu had to ask any details before his friend made some foolish mistake out of pride.

Khun began to play with one of his lighthouses trying to feign disinterest, but Shibisu knew him too well to know that this subject was gnawing at his head. 

"He wants to see Rachel, the first person who found him and with whom he was climbing the tower until before he found him".  

"Eh, well, if they were partners before, it's very strange that she didn't come looking for him directly. Besides, she's from FUG too, isn't she? It would be very complicated to communicate with her just like that". 

"He wants to look for her alone to 'not bother us'”.  

"But it had the opposite effect".

"It's like he walked straight into the lion's den and more for a girl who seems to be not as good as he describes her. I have a bad feeling about this". 

"Can't it be jealousy?" He got a lethal look in response. "Okay, don't get mad either. Why did he want to look her up now?"

"I don't know what kind of things he thought during his rut, but apparently it opened his eyes to know that he has to find her and get several answers". 

"Sorry, buddy, but maybe it can't be as serious as you're making it out to be. I'm sure he just sees her as a friend". 

"I tell you: I'm not jealous, just worried".

"You asked me that question at the beginning for a reason, didn't you? What are you planning?"

"I need to know the status of this team and if they can move forward without one or more members. I won't let him go alone, even if he wants to refuse"

"That answer reassures me more than knowing you were planning to hold him against his will".  

"Nah, it would be a problem to transport between floors". 

"Did you really think about it?!"

.

.

.

The house felt strange... It wasn't that it had bad organization or anything to complain about, it was in perfect condition and having many points, they always used to rent the most expensive and far away ones. 

But the atmosphere was strange. 

Rak went for an emergency training in the mountains as he refused to do anything anymore, shouted something about some “extremely strong prey” that only he could beat and disappeared alone with his spear, while the others tried to do their own routine. 

The rare thing was to relax without having Khun demanding them to listen to their crazy plans for the next test and with a training regimen that ensured they would stick to it down to the last detail.  

Now, the light bearer was not someone who was very sociable outside of the trials, but at least he used to leave his room from time to time, refill his coffee cup, engage in a few perfunctory conversations and then disappear again.  

Since Baam's rut had passed, they thought they saw even less of him, even Endorssi made the crazy theory that he was sneaking out at night, to do surely something suspicious.

It didn't matter what theories were made, the truth was that things between Baam and Khun were very strange, which left everyone on the edge of expectation.  

Everyone was just waiting for both of them to make the passes so they could continue climbing, it felt strange to have so much free time after being on the brink of danger for so many days.

Khun woke up early that morning, since his slight argument with Baam and avoiding awkward moments, he was waking up earlier than usual to go out to pick up the food. He knew everyone's schedules well, so he had an idea of who would be around at what time, for that reason, he had to send the lizard to a training session in the mountains to avoid his interruption on the subject and avoided meeting Endorssi, who would not be quiet about the situation. 

That day, however, the house felt unusually lonely.  

In the kitchen, a handwritten note read as follows: 

“We went to some hot springs, enjoy your time alone”

The omega destroyed the message in his hands, he could see what the jerk wanted to achieve.  

"He could have left a message in my pocket," he mumbled under his breath, as he prepared something quick before running into the chesnut. 

Once he finished making his coffee and some croissants, something simple and light for his stomach.  

"Make me one cup too, with sugar"

It was really no surprise, but when he saw who it was, he only frowned: he knew that voice very well, especially for the feeling of displeasure it left him with.  

"I didn't know you were back". 

"If you'd come out of your room more, you would have noticed". 

"Anyway, are you just here to annoy me?" 

"Maybe so, it's nice to see you so worried. Even with all your plans, you can't know what he might do next".  

"I don't have to engage in meaningless conversations, if you don't plan to help me convince him to stay, then I don't have to be here anymore". 

"Are you afraid of losing him?"

Khun stopped dead in his tracks for a second at that question, as if her words had stung him like needles in his throat, preventing him from giving an immediate answer.  

"You know well that once he sets his mind to something, he won't stop until he gets it. Now, I can see which way you will go, but I still want to see how things develop. You both have a lot to learn from this experience".  

He kept walking without looking back. He hated that guide more than anything, that look that seemed to tell him she knew what his steps (and surely his feelings) were. What he hated most, was knowing that she would help Baam to get his answers. 

He ended up hating himself for coming to think so selfishly.  

He had to get this issue over with for good.

.

.

.

The good and bad thing about Baam was that he was a person who acted first and thought later. He was tired of Khun continuing to avoid him, and also of his own indecisiveness. 

Why was it so hard for him to leave without getting his approval? It's not like he wanted to force him to go with him, but he definitely wanted to know that, if he left, he would have a place to come back to and there would be no hard feelings behind him.  

He needed that confirmation, because he could have left Rachel behind, but he didn't think he would be able to do the same with Khun. 

He went determinedly to his room and knocked on the door several times, until someone came out to open it.  

He really wasn't prepared, and his breathing stopped when he saw Khun so close for the first time in days (actually, it was only two).  

"Come in," Khun said after a few long seconds of silence. 

The brown-haired man entered somewhat nervously, looking around. The room had not changed much since their discussion. 

"I guess you've come to tell me that you haven't changed your mind, right?" the omega said. 

They both stood in the middle of the room, staring at each other. 

"No, I'm going to continue with my plan". 

"Which is lousy, by the way"  

"Khun..." 

"Look, I understand why you want to do it, I just don't agree if you don't even have a plan. You can't go to war unprepared. Do you even know where it is?"

Silence was more than enough of an answer. 

"But! I already have a clue how to get there"

"Well, it's better than nothing, we could use that information and plan something coherent".  

"Wait a minute... Are you going to help me? I thought you didn't agree".  

"No, but I can't stop you either, so it would be safer if we went together".  

"Wait, wait, wait, but I said I wanted to go alone. -We can't all go for one of my whims!"

"Let's split the team, traveling with less people will be safer and the others are big enough to go on their way".  

He was speechless at that statement, although he wanted to contradict it in a thousand possible ways, he couldn't deny that a small part of him felt happy to know that he wanted to follow him despite the risks.  

"Why would you do this for me?"

The distance between them shortened, their gazes remained fixed on each other as if a magnetic force prevented him from looking away.  

At that question, Khun only smiled (and boy, did he look much better when he did).

"Must I have an important reason to do so?"

He wanted to show him his appreciation and affection in some way at that moment, his body moved just to fulfill that wish: one of his hands moved, intending to wrap him in a hug.  

Of course, that would have been the plan if they had no interruptions. 

"Blue turtle, you lied to me!" The big Rak appeared, destroying the door of the aforementioned.  

They both quickly took a step back. 

"Tsk, I thought you'd be gone longer".  

"I didn't find any strong beasts in the mountains: only rocks!" He pounced on the omega (luckily, it was in its compact form) and began to shake it by the neck.  

Baam watched the scene in amusement, totally forgetting what he was going to do a few moments before. 

All his life he had felt somewhat lonely, availing himself of what little time Rachel could give him from time to time, but now, that feeling seemed to have disappeared altogether.  

In his innocent way, he wanted these quiet moments to last forever.

"I didn't think your idea of reconciliation was a 'romantic elopement'", Endorssi snorted under his breath as he heard the next step to be taken. 

Everyone was in the room, listening to the new news; some of them looked worried and others did not let their emotions be so noticeable.  

"It's not a “romantic elopement”, it's quite a dangerous mission," answered Khun, crossing his arms. 

"But are you absolutely sure you're going alone?" asked Hatz. 

"It's easier to infiltrate, and be able to flee if the situation calls for it".  

"Eh, I was really hoping to go alone since I feel guilty for delaying them in your goals". 

"Ow Baam, as always, your intentions are so pure, you are an angel among so many demons," Shibisu exclaimed with emotion.  

"Hey-"

"But yes, it's not a hasty decision, I thought about the possible scenarios and this is the best one," interrupted Aguero. "The team itself is pretty balanced, even before Baam arrived. The idea would be for you guys to go the upper floors and know what we will face in the future when we are done with this".  

"You'll become a reserve team like your stupid brother, won't you?" Anaak remarked.

"Exactly, and this will prevent FUG from being able to interrupt the following tests so easily. If Baam is not with you, it is more difficult for them to follow you".  

"Besides, I doubt you can become hostages so easily".  

"And why are you going with them?" Vespa pointed to the crocodile who looked proud, as if he had the bright idea. 

"Both turtles need their leader, and I can't let the black turtle fall prey to someone else". 

"Anyway, you can keep him, he'll just be a nuisance".  

Rak didn't hesitate to headbutt Khun, thus starting another discussion.  

After settling a few details, they ended the meeting.  

"Hmh, that's strange, I thought the witch would be around," commented the light bearer somewhat thoughtfully. 

"I ran into her just now, she said she would meet me in my room later," answered Baam.  

"All right, we could take a short break before talking to her," nodded the strategist. 

"Khun," he called to him before he left. "Thank you".  

A simple phrase was able to make him feel good? It was rare to describe it, many people could dedicate words to him (insults especially), but 'thanks' was one of the things he was less used to.  

So he just gave him a smile before continuing.

He couldn't deny that he was doing something crazy. Right now, he was risking years of preparation, of building the perfect team that would allow him to accomplish his biggest goal in the shortest possible time, but now he was being sidetracked by a person he had known for a year. But what surprised him most, though, was that he didn't feel worried at all. 

Correction: yes he was worried, but not about him, but about Baam. 

He knew he would regret it more if he let him go alone, but, above all, he refused to let go of the person who seemed to be able to answer his biggest question about the meaning of his own existence. Something that went beyond just becoming the leader of the Khun, no, this went to something more transcendental as if a true purpose was born within him. 

He could feel guilty about many things, except his decision to follow Baam to the end of the tower.

.

.

.

If there was one thing he hated, it was the fact that he couldn't fully read Hawryun.  

Sometimes she seemed to scoff at a joke that no one else understood but her, other times as if she was giving him hints about her uncertain future or maintained a great seriousness that made him think things were very bad. He never knew which of those he might encounter at the end of his talks with her.  

Baam's room didn't look that different from the last time he went out, the only thing that changed was the cleanliness of the place, he could no longer sense her pheromones in any way and even the nest that took them so long to build was gone; he had to hide the ache in his chest at this.  

'It's silly, it was just a bunch of clothes' he had to rationalize his thoughts and not let himself be driven by instincts. It wasn't helping him at all if he wanted to maintain his friendly relationship with Baam. 

'A nest is for a bonded pair' he repeated to himself as if that would change how he felt. 

The crimson witch was sitting in what used to be the dining room where she forced Baam to eat at least one bite. He refused to sit down, but this only seemed to amuse the witch more, did she even know something happened there?  

"I see you are determined to go another way". 

"Talk fast, red turtle". 

Maybe they should have left Rak behind for this conversation.

"Do you know where I could find Rachel? Wag- I mean, someone commented something about a train" Baam was pretty bad at lying, even if he thought it was cute, later he would have to leave a reminder to that blond to know that he shouldn't meddle in these matters. 

"I haven't heard from her in a long time, since you left, she's continued with her infiltration missions and hasn't sent messages, at least none that we've been able to intercept". 

"Hmph, and yet you call yourself a fortune teller"

"But, if you're talking about a train, that's easy to answer," she expertly ignored Rak's presence. "On the next floor, class D regulars can board the Hell Train, it travels from the 37th floor to the 44th floor, but... only a few regulars are able to take it, it is extremely dangerous to get on it without being prepared"

"Only few make it all the way, it's like a test of courage and the reward for passing it is not so clear" Khun considered.

He looked into this transport when they became D-class regulars, however, the dangers seemed greater than the benefits so he didn't propose it at first. Even if they wanted to get to the top floor as quickly as possible, he also didn't want to risk his entire team without knowing what they were up against.

"What is she looking for over there?"

"Another of the tricks of the FUG elders, surely. Some say there is a secret room hidden there that the King overcame, but there is no more information. It's a place with many mysteries. Do you still want to go on?"

"Yes! I need answers".  

"Then," she looked at the other two, who nodded with determination. "You have a year to prepare, the only way to get on the train is with a ticket". 

"How do we get one?" Baam asked. 

"There's only one way: by stealing them"

Chapter Text

The landscape shown through the window reflected an intense blue, large white clouds passing over mountains of impressive height. A beautiful view, which he would surely love to see on some balcony of a luxurious building while sipping tea of the highest quality. 

Too bad this trip wasn't about appreciating the view. 

"Is there some stupid omega who forgot to take his suppressants?"

The loud voice of an alpha interrupted the peaceful atmosphere, he let out a sigh at this. 

"Hey you” sadly, those people didn't seem to appreciate the peace of the moment. 

Khun feigned ignorance, without taking his eyes off the window, but the reflection of the light allowed him to see that in the aisle next to his row, there were three guys, one was an alpha and the other two were betas. 

"Hey, they're talking to you,” said the shortest one, who looked like a badly drawn lizard.  

"We're just worried about your stupid pheromones making others uncomfortable” subordinate number 2 couldn't keep that superior smile off his face. 

"Or are you looking for an alpha to mark you? You're cute, I wouldn't mind doing you the favor,” the three of them let out a huge laugh as if they had told the best joke. 

One lesson wouldn't be enough. 

"I see this is the first time you've run into an omega, I don't blame you, with your face, no one would want to get close to you” the smiles died leaving a palpable tension.  

"What is he saying?" murmured some passengers. 

"Can't he see that they are ticket hunters?"

"They are going to kill him..." 

Several whispered and moved to another car to avoid being part of that party of violence. 

"It seems that someone should remind you of your position in the pyramid, bitch"

Just as I was about to grab him by the head, the train passed through a tunnel, screams of pain were heard, dry sounds of blows and something like liquid dripping. What prevailed at that moment was no longer the smell of blueberries of a moment ago, now it was replaced by the smell of blood.  

When the vehicle left the tunnel, it finally revealed the conclusion of the fight: 2 bloody corpses decorated the white corridors of the train, and the third one was under Khun's foot, a knife stuck in his throat, preventing the blood from flowing out and he died of a hemorrhage.  

"I understand why you envy the omegas, if I were a recessive alpha like you, I would also feel sorry for my pheromones were so useless that even a beta would stand out more".  

He bent down shaking his head, even though the look in that guy's eyes was now screaming for him to leave him alone, Khun wasn't one to forgive so easily, although he did consider himself someone compassionate, and he proved it by pulling out the knife with a slash that killed him quickly.  

"I won the lottery,” he searched the guy's jacket, finding several white tickets. 

"For a “hunter” I see you talked a lot, only one of these tickets is real. "Tsk, what a useless fellow".

He kicked the corpse and left the carriage, he didn't want to be near such imbeciles who didn't even realize who they were dealing with. 

.

.

.

"The tickets are acquired in various ways, but the most common is to steal them from other regulars,” Hawryun said months ago. "It is not easy, you will have to adapt in other teams, if the three of you go together, you run the risk of being detected more easily" 

"So... We have to form another team?"

"Yes, a team you are not afraid of losing, If FUG wants to go on the train, it won't be for a simple ride, it could involve something much bigger that affects everyone who wants to get on".  

"So, we have a year to prepare and get people we can use. That's easy" Of course, for Khun it was just another day, something normal that happened in the tower, but in Baam's look he perceived a great insecurity, it was clear that he didn't feel so comfortable with this. 

"I understand, I will" 

It was weird to be months away from each other, but he understood the logic behind it, it was easier to be part of a team being alone than accompanied, besides, it allowed them to get more tickets by covering more ground.  

However, those months did not pass alone, for the first time in years, he felt more alone than ever when his heat came, he desperately searched for those pheromones that were the only ones capable of calming him down, but without having anything to hold on to, he felt that almost his omega side would end up breaking from sadness right there. But as always, it was just the hormones talking and he was able to survive that fateful cycle, once the week passed.  

He didn't want to ask Baam about whether he himself went through that very thing, alphas usually had their cycle every 6 months, but it used to be more intense. Likewise, before parting, he gave him information about the different hotels or buildings that had rooms designated just for that, some even offered some omega so they could spend more “quietly” those moments, but he doubted Baam was one of those. 

Or would things change when he wasn't around? He wouldn't really blame him, it's not like they were in a relationship, many decided to opt for this option when desperation reached its highest points.  

If it wasn't for his great trauma with alphas, he would have surely accepted some of those services if it meant his rut would be shorter.  

“I already got a ticket, how is everything going on your side?” he wrote to Baam through the pocket, he felt nervous even sending a message, he wondered how much his friend could have changed in a matter of a few months, would he have needed it? Did he reflect on how bad an idea all this was? Surely not, or else they would have given up on being here by now.  

The train he took was one that took him to the first station at his last station, but for that very reason, it was one of the most dangerous, many regulars looking for a way to get a ticket and fulfill some childish fantasy they had. So, the moment they knew he had one, he would be a target for everyone in the carriage.  

So, he used another of his great ruses: acting. He pretended to be a lost traveler, who didn't understand much about the dynamics of the train and so, was adopted by a group of regulars who were also going up for the first time. 

“Good thing they didn't recognize me” was all he thought as the group started talking about strategies to get their tickets.  

He just hoped Baam was okay.  

The train city was a large dark-colored building that loomed imposingly, reminding the regulars who wanted to enter such a challenge, they would see the very gates of hell. The air was strange, the shinsou likewise felt uneasy, and of course, the killer instinct of several was more on edge than ever. 

"We're finally here!" exclaimed a pink-haired girl beside him. 

Hana Yu was a rather enthusiastic light bearer, whom he had helped in his quest to obtain tickets, since then she had remained close to him ever since.  

"You're acting like a child,” sighed a boy next to her. 

Sloan was a scout, who joined shortly after Hana, seeing her combat skills he exclaimed that they would be a great addition to his team. 

"My teammates are waiting for me, let's go,” he said, entering the facility. 

He felt anxious, it was the first time he spent so much time away from Khun, even though reports of his situation were given, it wasn't the same as having him in person. He missed him: he was the person he used to go to when he had doubts, or just to make comments, but it felt very impersonal to do so with messages. 

In this year, his rut did not return at any time. He marked the days exactly according to Khun's indications, and when it was supposedly time, he went to one of the hotels, but his body did not experience the same changes as before. 

But would it be a good idea to talk to him about it? He didn't think so, that were supposed to be intimate matters, and since the last time they saw each other, Khun still felt some discomfort talking about it.  

It would be better to forget about it, they had better things to take care of. 

"Mr. Baam, where are we going?" asked the girl as they reached the elevator. The panel had a sign for each floor, but he really didn't know where to go first. 

"If you have a ticket, you'd better go to the residential area,” a regular taller than him landed next to him and pressed the button that took them to their rooms.  

"Uh, thank you". 

"And if you don't have it, you could also take advantage to steal one from there, right now it must be a war zone" 

He determined more the subject, it was an adult male with grayish hair, it did not emit pheromones so it must be a beta. 

Indeed, arriving at the residential area was to feel the murderous aura more present than ever, all the regulars looked like predators to anyone who entered and waited for the right moment to attack.  

The good thing, is that because of his appearance, no one used to pay attention to him, even Shibisu told him that his pheromones were so weak that at first he thought he was a beta, so he would not draw attention in that sense either; definitely no one would notice him until he entered one of the rooms.

"Only people with tickets and their companions can enter, as soon as we get inside we will be easy prey for these piranhas,” Sloan commented. "Where did your companions tell you they would be?"

"This way" 

Baam led them through the crowd, Hana clinging to his arm like a frightened child, until they reached room number 50.  

Luckily, they entered in time and a big smile came on his face as he saw two figures in the middle of the room. 

"Rak! Hawryun!" Who knew he would miss the guide so much? 

"Welcome, I see you're in good company." 

"I hope you've grown stronger, black turtle"

"Whoa, a talking crocodile, great!" Sloan commented.  

Rak began to make a fuss about that nickname.

"Erm, what about Khun?" he asked when he didn't see him anywhere. They were both supposed to arrive on the same day to avoid delays in boarding.  

"He'll be fine, then, your new companions, do they have any questions?" The witch looked at them with an arched eyebrow.  

"Nope! None, we just want to get on the train quickly"

"Wow, my intuition failed this time, I thought you would bring someone more distrustful" she murmured somewhat thoughtfully "Definitely your paths are always hard to read...." 

"I'll go get some rest,” said the brown-haired man, while his two new companions were fascinated by the room and were looking for things to entertain themselves with.  

Once in his room, he brought up his pocket where he quickly began to write to Khun, just to make sure everything would be okay. 

“I'll be there tomorrow, don't worry.”  

Baam arched an eyebrow at this, it was very strange, Khun wasn't the type to procrastinate any longer, that just meant that something bad had happened or things didn't go as he expected.  

He didn't need to worry, he would trust him. 

.

.

.

"It's a rather small group” Hawryun commented as she entered the room. 

"It was hard to find peaceful people... and ones who didn't care about the subgenre too much". 

"Are you worried about your light bearer?"

He decided not to answer, Hawryun had that look of watching something funny. Probably to tease him. 

"We need to talk about tomorrow's tournament, you're still a pretty small group, you'll have to see new alliances or you probably won't be able to keep your ticket tomorrow". 

"If it's about fighting, no problem, I can take care of several on my own"

"The problem is not the number of enemies, but the number of allies. At least 5 people are needed for tomorrow".  

"Tomorrow?"

"There will be a tournament, but I will give you the details with the others, I hate to repeat things". 

In the living room, everyone was gathered. Hana and Sloan seemed really comfortable in the residence. 

"Do you know what 'Emily' is?"

"Yes! It's a super cool new device,” Hana replied. "You can ask her any question and she'll answer, they're even thinking of banning her from the tests since so many are using her to pass them"

"Does it give you the answers to everything?" Baam muttered to himself. 

"Some have even said they've managed to find missing people because of this"

“Missing people?” In other words, if he got to use that thing, would he be able to find out exactly where Rachel was?  

Hawryun went on to explain: 

"You see, the train only spreads out 100 tickets for them to get on, however, many can get here to get it or have a boarding pass, which will allow them to get on the train to steal some ticket. Thanks to Emily, information has spread that there will be a tournament tomorrow to get tickets, it is important to participate.  The problem is that it will be teams of 5 people, I will not be able to participate as I am not a regular, so the goal is to find others who want to take part".  

"But will anyone want to join our cause?"

“If Khun were here he would know what to do in this situation or help us get more allies...” pondered Baam.  

"You can go out now and take their chances, or wait until tomorrow when things are a little calmer. Alliances can happen at the least expected times"  

They had a picture transmitter that allowed them to see what was going on outside: many regulars were like vultures waiting at the doors or inspecting the new arrivals, until, at one point, a voice from the speakers mentioned that they would leave tickets for the 7 people of their choice.  

Needless to say how things ended.  

Baam turned off the screen, no need to watch anymore.  

The next day, everyone got up early to go to the dining hall, the supposed tournament would be held in the afternoon, but they needed plenty of time to get a proper team.  

“A team you can abandon” was what Hawryun reminded him privately.

He somewhat understood, if he became attached to everyone, he would run the risk of being more impulsive in his decisions and without really knowing what Rachel was planning, he couldn't worry about everyone's life. That was one of the reasons he left the others behind. 

There were few people in the dining hall, but even so, the pheromones of the others detonated a great tension, warning of approaching danger. Hawryun explained to him that there were some regulars who took that test constantly, partly to strengthen themselves, to know all their secrets, or simply as a kind of job. So, even though they were all E or D class regulars, their levels could be far behind the veterans.  

"Mr. Boro, what can we do, we can't find any more people!"

Baam wasn't someone who took much notice of other people, but he had to admit that even he knew this was all just a way to get their attention. 

"Besides Felix is hurt, I don't think there's much the two of us can do".  

"You're definitely right" that guy recognized him, it was the same beta he met in the elevator. "We'll just have to manage then".  

"Oh my, don't you have any team for the tournament?" Before he knew it, Sloan was standing next to them.  

"When did he...?" Hana wondered, looking skeptically at the situation. 

Baam watched the scene unfold, a casual conversation began between the two of them, but the remaining members of both teams eyed the situation with suspicion. Sure, who was friendly in a place as hostile as this? It was more than obvious that they were after something.  

"We'd love to make an alliance during the tournament,” Baam interrupted, arriving with a smile. He might not be an expert like Khun when it came to forming alliances, but he knew him well enough to have learned a trick or two. 

"Well, straight to the point, aren't it?"

"I don't think a friendly chat will help us to be trusted quickly"

"That's true, the train station is the last place I'd look to make friends,” the gray-haired man stood up, everyone was on the lookout for any suspicious moves. "My name is Boro, nice to meet you".  

"Baam, a pleasure".  

With a handshake, he got the missing members he needed, but he could tell by the look on that guy's face that it was only a temporary alliance and any suspicious move would quickly destroy it.  

They took advantage of the moment for everyone to get to know each other better, thanks to that, he realized that Boro apparently was a more or less recognized figure on the train, since the two people following him called him “master”. Some were talking about how excited they were to board the train. Rak wasn't saying anything because he was concentrating on eating as much chocolate as possible and Hawryun wasn't with them.  

"You have to keep their guard up at all times, the tournament is a perfect opportunity to get more tickets or lose them all"  

"Yes, sir!"

.

.

.

The tournament venue was quite large, a large court could be seen in the middle with lines of different colors, and around it were the general floors so everyone could see what was going on.

It was a strange event, usually the tests and events throughout the tower were always run by some test administrator, which usually consisted of a supreme, but this time, they could only rely on what the voice from the speakers told them.

Everything was boring, the game was quite simple and the opponents looked weak, besides, Khun still didn't show up and he had no clue about Rachel either. Wouldn't it have been easier to wait to board the train?

"Don't pout, black turtle"

"I'm not"

"Hmph, but that's normal, this tournament is very boring, the strong prey are nowhere to see"

Next to him, Hana was using a flat device where she could send messages, apparently it was the famous “Emily”, at what point did she get it?

"Oh, I didn't know you also use it," commented the chesnut man next to her.

"Mr. Baam! Don't scare me like that," she looked a little nervous. "Ehm, it's really useful for everything, it has information that no omega can overlook, especially in a place as secluded as the infernal train. Luckily, there are all kinds of tools for the heat of omegas and alphas, so it's one less worry."

"Good to know there's a way to deal with those issues over there, it doesn't do them any good to let everyone go into heat in that place either" just thinking about such a scenario sent a shiver down his spine.

“I wonder if Khun will have everything ready...” roughly it took almost a year and a half for the train to make its entire journey, leading to both omegas and alphas having that risk of suffering their cycle at least once during the ride. He just hoped that his body would remain just as strange and not go through the same thing again, he needed to help Khun as much as he could by not being affected by his pheromones.

Before Hana could add anything, the match was over and she was already announcing that her turn would be next.

Something inside him warned him of impending danger, but what was it? His opponents didn't look like much, and the tournament was relatively quiet. Maybe this was the calm before the storm that everyone was telling him about.

He beat the opposing team thanks to his great speed, Hana and Sloan celebrated behind his back as if they were taking some of the credit. Boro let out a relieved sigh as he saw that it was all over quickly.

However, a giant person, even more than Rak in his normal form, entered the court, drawing everyone's attention.

"Boro, what the hell is going on?" that person? Grabbed the aforementioned by the collar of his shirt, who rather than looking scared, looked annoyed.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Aka? Has all that time on the train fried your brain?"

"The doors closed suddenly, we can't get out of here... only someone who knows the station's facilities can foresee something like this"

"What...?"

"This was all a farce," commented one of the giant woman's companions.

"This tournament announced by Emily turned out to be fake, they wanted to keep us all locked up, who knows what they plan to do on the train"  

"And your first impression is to blame me?"

"Only a few people have been on the train for as many centuries as we have, besides, you're the one who hangs out with the most strangers, who knows what kind of friendships you've formed lately"

"There is an exit," Hawryun interjected, drawing everyone's attention. "It's very difficult to cross, it's practically a labyrinth" 

"And who are you?"

"I'm a guide, I can get you out of here. I have a slight feeling that FUG might be behind all this" 

Both Boro and Aka looked surprised, before their expressions showed feelings of anger.  

"Damn bastards... Are they going to interfere with the train again?" Aka mumbled, leaving Baam with more questions.

"We can't stay here too long, if the other regulars find out about our plan they will want to follow us and will only slow us down. Now let's pretend that it was just a fight between both teams and let's retreat before casting more suspicions"  

The chestnut looked around, several regulars were talking and whispering, trying to decipher what the others wanted to say. Even the presenter of the event was asking them to please leave so that he could continue.  

 "Well, while we are leaving, I hope you can explain why you know that FUG is here," Boro commented, and he did not sound as friendly as at the beginning.

Khun did not expect much less from the station of the famous infernal train. From the outside it looked imposing, where not any regular would be able to enter, but for him, it would be a piece of cake.  

"Wow, this place hasn't changed much," commented Khun's companion. 

He managed to get interesting companions along the way, he only cared about getting the best allies to help Bam in his journey, but for this reason, the negotiations lasted a little longer than expected and he arrived later than agreed.   

For now, he would give her a surprise. 

"Allegedly, Emily, indicates that a tournament is being held today, is it common in the stations?"

"It tends to differ over the years, sometimes it can even be a lottery, as a way to get more regulars to come together to get on the train"

"Well, we can't be left behind" 

The facility was practically empty, so he assumed everyone would be at the blissful tournament.  

However, when they reached the elevator that would take them to the place where the tournament was taking place, several regulars were there interrupting the way and they didn't look very friendly.  

"No one is allowed to pass from here," said one of them, standing with his arms crossed.  

"Wow, what a warm welcome," he said sarcastically. "I'm in a bit of a hurry so I won't be able to stay for a chat," he pulled one of his knives from the lighthouse ready to fight. 

Needless to say, those “keepers” were even inferior to flies.  

"Strange" Khun muttered, checking the control panel. "It's out of order"  

"It's not unusual, many get to do quite a few things to keep more regulars from coming. The problem is that the administrators of the place allow it" 

"We can't trust anything. Okay, time to split up"

Khun not only recruited a great ally, but also attracted other people who might be interested in getting on the hell train without taking sides. The last thing he wanted was for someone from FUG to want to infiltrate his group and him not being able to figure that out. Although he was quite scrupulous despite the time limit, at least he got something decent.  

He needed to contact Bam, but, on the other hand, something told him that something bigger was going on and he needed to check that everything was okay with the train.  

Luckily, he managed to get quite a bit of information from the facility itself, so he found another elevator that would take him to other floors. He just hoped his hunch was wrong, or really having looked for Rachel would have been a big mistake.  

Apparently, there was a second elevator, for now, a first group would go to the test site to check the status of the others and the second, would check that everything was okay with the train. It seemed like a simple plan, but that's why it usually ended up getting complicated.  

Getting the route was not difficult at all, the problem was the journey; apparently many regulars who were not in the tournament, seemed to be at strategic points to weaken other future train passengers or steal tickets, but something told him that surely FUG also had to do with this.

There was another elevator that would take him directly to where normally the train was boarded. His suspicions only confirmed that something strange was going on when he saw how the elevator was destroyed.  

"It seems that they don't want anyone to get to where the train is located..." he considered out loud. 

"Ugh, now how are we going to get up there? Do you have a super plan, Khun?"  

"It's nothing 'super', if the solution is simple" sure, some of his allies were not his preferred choice, but it was the safest.  

The solution if it was easy as he described, they just had to destroy the elevator car and with their own headlights, it would go up without the need to use the place's power. 

"If it's about destroying, that's my job," the man with red hair said, watching as the elevator door took on a reddish color thanks to the user's intense flames.  

"Are you sure you want to go up this way?" asked another man in a calmer manner. 

"When they put so many obstacles for something, it means the reward must be good, right?"  

He could look for Baam first before going up, but if something was really going on, he wouldn't give him enough time, he would have to rely on the others to make sure everything was okay. 

Besides, if he could find Rachel before Baam it would be all for the best.

.

.

.

Baam understood absolutely nothing, why would FUG want to steal the train? What was the relationship between Aka and Boro? Finally, why did they have so many obstacles in front of them? First with the gatekeeper and now with enemies preventing them from moving forward. 

The others had fallen behind, as Bam was the fastest among them all. At the top of the stairs stood a seemingly young man, wearing a cloak that covered almost his entire body.  

But knowing that it was difficult to advance only confirmed something: Rachel was near, he didn't know if it was a matter of her not seeing him directly but that didn't matter anymore, he could see her soon and that was the motivation he needed to overcome all this.  

"I can't waste any more time with you,” said the guy after launching a couple of powerful attacks. "You see, I don't want the train to leave me"  

"Daniel!" 

Just at that moment, Boro and company arrived, both he and Aka had the expression of having seen a ghost. Daniel, looked at them with restrained anger before showing a forced smile. 

"What a surprise to see you two together, do you want to reminisce about old times?"

"W-we thought you were dead...." Aka muttered.  

Oh, that explained everything, really the guy used a pretty dark power, by using people's souls, so surely this was all a big mystery. What had he to do with Rachel, why did she always seemed to know more than she appeared to? 

He remembered clearly how, every time he stayed behind training with his master, she would leave for months on end with false promises to return soon. He never asked her about those missions, but he could usually hear her getting angry when something didn't go right, but as soon as she noticed his presence, she would quickly change the subject. 

'Come on Baam, if you keep training, the day will come when we climb the tower together'

He only came to when he saw Daniel running off at an impressive speed. He couldn't catch up easily, he needed something or else he would never catch up.  

Everything happened in slow motion: Daniel launched a projectile that would go straight to the staircase, everyone was shouting for him to stop, the projectile was getting closer and closer, if he didn't get more speed he wouldn't be able to cross. A crack echoed in his mind and his body became much lighter than before.  

The thorn made its appearance again.  

After the smoke dispersed, Daniel showed an expression of surprise, he didn't have to look back to know that the others couldn't catch up.  

The chase felt eternal, but the light was getting brighter and brighter, indicating that they would soon reach the surface. It was strange, his whole body felt so light, he felt more energetic than ever despite his busy day.  

As he finished the stairs, he reached flat ground. The blue sky showed no clouds. But, what caught his attention most was the large train parked in front of him, but inmediatly, his attention was drawn to other people.  

A group of hooded people similar to Daniel were waiting to board the train, but one of them was fighting with her yellow headlights against another person, who Bam was quick to identify Khun as one of them, but before approaching with the initiative to help him, a strong wind blew down the hood of the other light bearer. 

Her yellow hair looked much brighter thanks to the daylight, her eyes of the same color showed a restrained anger against the person in front of her. His heart stopped at the sight of her, Rachel stood in front of him after years of not seeing her.  

Daniel's arrival caught everyone's attention, but Rachel just stared at him and then formed an expression of surprise and even fear? 

Khun Agüero Agnis was aware that plans did not always work out exactly, there were always unpredictable variables, but he had to admit that he never thought he would have to face Rachel. 

And worse, that Bam would see him face her.  

To his great relief (and sorrow), the brown man seemed to totally ignore his own existence by just staring at that woman, who, even though he had only known her for 5 minutes, he could already define her in one word: a bitch. 

How did things take this turn? He didn't quite understand.  

First of all, going up the elevator with his headlights was a fairly easy task. His team and he arrived to intercept the regulars who seemed ready to abandon them all and board the train.  

This is when it all got complicated. 

They were at a distinct numerical disadvantage, and he couldn't quite identify everyone thanks to the typical villain capes they were all wearing at the time.  

"Wow, I didn't know it was already time to board the train, did I make it on time?" he said with his typical smug tone.  

"Who are you?" a male voice asked, showing him his spear as a way to intimidate him, but a smaller person gestured for him to stop.  

"You are Khun Aguero Agnis, right?" That voice came from a woman, he managed to visualize a quite normal female face under the hood. 

"That moves the introductions forward, yes"  

"Where is Baam? Did he get tired of you and leave you too?"

He didn't let any other expression reflect what he was thinking at that moment. So she was Rachel, was she? Since Baam spoke so highly of her, he came to consider that she would have a strength and beauty akin to a princess of Jahad, but in front of him stood the complete opposite of this.  

"I just got a little ahead of myself, why don't we wait for him so you two can finally meet?"

The ugly girl made a gesture of disgust at this.  

"Wait for him? If I wanted to do that we would have met years ago. I care a lot about him, you know, I've been watching his every move, that's why I was so hurt to hear that he decided to go his own way. He wasn't meant to know freedom, so now we can't climb the tower together"

Didn't that sound like two totally different sentences? Something didn't add up

"To be very worried about him, it's strange that you only sent an assassin attempt to bring him back and didn't try more things" 

He didn't like this environment, her appearance could be very plain, and her voice, though sweet, seemed to bring a hidden venom that gave him a very bad feeling about this person. This was the so famous “light” of Baam? Unbelievable.  

"You wouldn't understand, you don't know who he really is" she frowned while approaching him, radically changing her expression "I just thought of something, why don't you join us?"

He had to make a superhuman effort to keep a gesture of disgust from showing.  

"And what would I gain from that?"

"I can't offer you much on my own, I'm not strong or the most skilled, but that's why I've learned to have allies by my side who know how to make up for everything I lack,” she said proudly. "I know you're a calculating person, you won't help me in good faith, but I can help you fulfill your objectives or any goal you want to achieve"

"Even giving me the title of head of the Khun family?" he indicated with a sarcastic smile.  

"Of course!" she said cheerfully. "Climbing the tower must fulfill all your dreams, right? And I will go to great lengths to do it, even if it means leaving anyone behind. I know we understand each other on that, look, I have great team and information that many supremes would envy, I know we would do great things together"

She sounded like a child talking about her meaningless dreams, not understanding how hard it was to achieve them, how did someone like that make it to this point? True, a weak person could not climb alone, but to get such allies is that her luck had to be very great or, to have done terrible things to reach them; like abandoning Baam to his fate, for example.  

"As tempting as your offer is, I must decline it,” she saw the moment when his fanciful expression changed to a colder one. "I don't like idealistic and fanciful speeches, you could fool other people with that, but not me. Wasn't it you who ended up hurting Baam that day?" He grabbed her arm so she wouldn't run away from the accusation.  

"Let go of me!" she shook her arm with force, retreating several steps, his companions behind became more alert. "You wouldn't understand! He is a monster, don't let his appearance deceive you, I should have finished him off as soon as possible"  

Indeed this mission was all a failure, Rachel would not help Baam in any way unless it was something to do with his death.  

“So this is your light huh?” he thought wryly.  

"If you don't want to be of any use to me, then you might as well die right here. You'll just be a thorn in my path,” she walked quickly away from him.  

"I hope you don't send any of your minions to defeat me, or do you know how weak you are?"

"Don't underestimate me!" Apparently his provocation worked as she summoned her own headlights. 

"Khun!" he almost forgot his companions.  

"Chang, Quaetro, I'm going to need your support to make sure none of those assholes interfere"

"Yes! Finally! I thought the boring talk was never going to end"

"Hum, I can't believe I got into this..."

That girl wasn't skilled, her attacks were simple to decipher and she didn't have the energy to give him a scratch. Khun didn't even need to summon his own headlights, just the knife obtained in the workshop was enough to deal with her. 

That only made her angrier and angrier.  

Hence, it came to this point.  

Bam didn't react to his call, he was paralyzed at the sight of her, he wanted to scream at him and tell him that she wasn't worth it, that they should get out of there as soon as possible. But his words died in his throat as he noticed how he simply didn't seem to see it at any point.  

He tried to ignore the pain in his chest at this, he had more important things to worry about now.  

"Baam!"

 What should he say to her? Finally he had her in front of him after so long. Thousands of questions were running through his mind, ways to start a conversation, although inside he knew he wouldn't get the answer he expected.  

“How are you, why didn't you contact me again, why did you... try to kill me that day?” he remembered perfectly the horrified expression on her face as Rachel fired that gun, her hands trembled enough to prevent her from aiming it at him again. 

However, she was the one who made the first move.  

"Why are you here, Baam? I thought I'd never have to see you again"  

A thousand needles pierced his chest at that moment, the happiness he felt at seeing her ended as soon as it began, now giving way to bewilderment. Did he mishear? 

"R-Rachel? What are you saying? You said we'd climb the tower together if I ever got stronger, didn't you?"

"How could I climb the tower with a monster like you?"

No, no, this must have all been a nightmare. The Rachel of his memories was kinder, yes, she might not always be patient with him, but she would never speak to him that way.  

"I should have killed you that day in the lab, if I hadn't failed...." She clenched her fists, looking at him with anger? sadness? Maybe it was a mixture of both.  

Deep down Baam knew it: Rachel didn't care for him at all. But he always hoped that this was a misunderstanding, after all, she took care of him for many years, practically taught him how to behave like a human, would he do that with someone he hated so much? Besides, he promised that he would never betray her, even if she had asked him to die at that moment, he would have possibly accepted it. 

"All this time I followed you because I had faith in you,” he admitted with a hand on his chest. "I don't care about the tower or the stars, I only cared about you. Can't we go back to that cave and forget about all this?"

His childish side begged to go back to those times when everything was simpler, where there were no subgenres, no wars and nothing separated them. He felt so desperate not to lose her, he didn't care if he lost himself in the process. 
His head was in chaos at the moment, full of memories together, along with his own inner thoughts. A buzzing seemed to whip through it, unable to get a logical train of thought, it seemed like a thousand voices inside him were telling him something different.  

She did not seem to hesitate at those words, nor did she look motivated, happy or even relieved. Her gesture was cold and determined:  

"I have a goal to accomplish, you know that" 

His mind seemed clouded, as if he was not living the situation but someone else. The murmurs in his head were becoming more and more anxious and fearful.

"Is that more important than me?"

"Yes" 

His head finally went silent. 

.

.

.

Khun watched the scene unfold like a simple spectator watching a movie on the TV transmitter: with no possibility of doing anything to change the events unfolding in front of him.  

Meanwhile, around him, both Chang and Quaetro were trying to contain some enemy forces that were more interested in fighting than watching the drama around them

What Khun hated at that moment was feeling inadequate, knowing that he really couldn't do anything to make Baam decide to abandon Rachel, even if Rachel just kept throwing daggers at his heart. 

However, the air began to get much heavier all of a sudden, as he got a better look, he could see Baam's spine growing unevenly changing the shinsou around him completely.  

"I'll force you to come with me” was all he muttered, though it wasn't Baam's voice, it was that of an alpha cheering for something he wanted.  

He felt a shiver run down his spine at this, that voice might not affect the alphas and betas around him, but he as an omega came to feel his legs getting a little weaker about it.  

He managed to pull himself together by biting the inside of his mouth, he had to do something! But it was really hard to get close to Baam at this point, he felt like he would run out of air at the presence of the thorn.  

The chestnut was lunging towards Rachel at an impressive speed, but was intercepted by the guy holding the spear.  

"You better fight against me"

A big fight started to unfold right there, everything was in chaos, some of Rachel's group were shouting to hurry up and get on, he had his ticket, he could easily get on, but then what? He was outnumbered and had no idea where the train would send them.  

Khun tried to approach Rachel, at least he could take her hostage and get all the information Baam needed from her; although a part inside him was telling him that killing her would save him a lot more trouble in the future.  

"Stop right there, bluey!" A shrill voice replied, it was one of Rachel's subordinates? To his surprise, she had Hawryun in her arms, at what point did they grab her? "I saw a cute redhead trying to go upstairs earlier, I wanted to give her her proper welcome. But, if you do anything, I won't promise her life"

Damn, things were only getting more complicated. Hawryun looked at him, still with determination in her eye, she pointed weakly at Baam.  

Of course, she'd put him before her own welfare as a priority too. 

The train rang its bell indicating it would be departing soon, however, no stairs were activated , so only those who could fly or take a big leap would be able to enter the train safely. Was the train conductor in conspiracy with FUG? Damn, they sure had their roots in the most complicated places.  

What was he to do? They had little time, few allies and besides, he had to make sure Baam didn't do something crazy. 

To his bad luck, they were much more prepared than he was, thanks to machines on the train itself, a bird-like animatronic flew over them to take them directly to the doors. The train slowly began to move, indicating to him that the stopwatch started its countdown.  

The spear-wielding fellow left Baam as he saw his transport leaving him behind. He launched a strong attack on the chestnut to give him time to get on the strange bird. But that didn't stop Baam. To everyone's surprise, the irregular followed close behind, using the strength of his legs along with the thorn to dangerously shorten the meters that separated them.  

They all watched expectantly as Baam headed full speed towards them, however, to their surprise, Rachel positioned herself in front of her companions opening her arms in an attempt to protect them.  

"You'll have to kill me if you really want to stop me from going up the tower, Baam"

That bitch, she might not have the physical strength to take him on, but she knew how to play with his mind. The chestnut lowered his fist loaded with a powerful attack, but instead of being greeted by warm arms on the way down, he watched as she shifted the position of her arms to push him off, just enough so that he couldn't get on the train with them.  

Seeing that scene only reminded him of how cruel the tower could be: betrayal could come from everywhere, even from those people you thought would never do it.  

"Baam!" he shouted as he watched him fall without even having the strength to reposition himself.  

“I swear I'll make her pay for all the damage she's done to you, Baam”.

He promised while running to save Baam from the falling. 

Chapter Text

The aftermath after a battle could leave wounds that were difficult to heal, more doubts than answers, and at best, a sense of relief to be able to move forward.

Right now, Khun felt something akin to defeat for the first time in a long time.

He regretted that he hadn't thought things through better, that he had let Rachel just walk away, let Hawryun be kidnapped, and worse: not being able to protect Baam. But how do you protect someone from an emotional blow of that magnitude?

"Khun" Chang, called out to him, bringing him back to reality.

After a few hours, everyone was able to meet again and thus effect a plan, although things were still in chaos since the train left a day ahead of schedule.

"I still can't believe what's happening" he heard Boro say, as he entered the room. They were currently in the residential area, to let Baam rest in some room.

"The ghosts of the past seem to haunt us" Aka mentioned with a tired tone, both veterans were looking at the same person with an axis of nostalgia.

"I'm surprised too, I didn't think so many things would happen even before the train left"

Sachi Faker, was one of the strongest D-regulars today, plus, he was another veteran with everything about the infernal train. Khun knew they needed such a high caliber ally to be able to take on FUG in such an unfamiliar place as the train.

So finding him and convincing him to join him was not at all easy, which is why it took longer than expected to arrive.

Nearby, there was the crocodile and what Baam considered a “team”, although he saw them somewhat weak and that made him question if the alpha understood the reason why they had to look for other people. Still, all had failed, it didn't matter anymore.

"We need to get on the train as soon as possible, which floor is the next station?" Agüero burst in, entering the conversation without any fear.

"Get on? Kid, that's impossible unless you've already done the tests on the upper floors" answered Boro.

"If you have to do the tests, there's no way you can get up there" Sachi said, folding his arms. "We'll take care of whatever FUG is planning".

"I don't think it's a good plan, I have to take revenge on Rachel for what she did and I'd rather do it personally"

"But how will you get through the tests in such a short time? It's practically impossible" Boro commented, looking at him as if he had lost his mind.

"I'll find a way. Besides, I don't think Baam will stand idly by" 

Unfortunately, he knew that this would not make him give up his initial objective, besides, they had Hawryun prisoner and although she was not someone he was fond of, he knew that Baam would not leave her behind either.

"It's no use arguing about probabilities now, we have to act," Aka resumed the course of the conversation. "Some of us will have to stay here to deal with the chaos, while you move quickly through the next floors"

"I'm fine with that"

In the end, they finalized a few details about the exact dates and when they would meet.

The race against the clock began.

.

.

.

"Well, see you later," said Khun, ready to leave the room.

"Why do you always leave us alone at dinner time? Stop being so selfish!" Rak, shouted.

"Because I need to get information, asshole. It won't be easy if I have someone as loud as you by my side" he replied with an annoyed tone.

Automatically, he exchanged glances with Baam, but he couldn't maintain eye contact and turned his back on them again to quickly get out of there.

Since when did he feel unable to look at him? Before, those eyes that seemed to absorb him now had the opposite effect. Where he used to find peace and security, now he could only see a path full of doubts and the closest thing to a pain similar to when Maria left him behind, but a thousand times worse.

Since the alpha came into his life, he realized how difficult it was to handle all his negative and new emotions. Before, he could ignore them long enough to move on, but Baam's presence was already so heavy in his life that spending time alone with him became suffocating.

When he was next to him, he felt like he couldn't breathe in peace.

Sure, he was partly annoyed, how could he still be so clinging to someone who tried to kill him, not just once, but twice already? How could he be able to ask her to leave together when he was right next to them?

“Let's go back to that cave and forget everything” that sentence was the worst of all, perhaps if she had accepted? Would he have left them all behind by now?

He let out a growl at these emotions, he couldn't let them take control, it's not like he could force Baam to be by his side either, he was free to make his decisions no matter how bad they were.

Still, the feeling of being betrayed wouldn't leave for anything in the world.

.

.

The next test was something easy, two teams played on different sides, one had to be the defender and the other the attacker, the latter had to evade the forces of the defenders to press a button, if they did this, they won, but if the defenders managed to prevent this from happening for an hour or defeat everyone, they were the winners.

Khun's team was on the defending side, he managed to organize everyone in a specific point, he had to remind Rak a thousand times that he could not move from his place, but now everything was well organized. Luckily, Chang and Quaetro, despite seeming to be rebels without a cause, in the end ended up obeying orders without problem as long as they saw sense, also included in the team Sloan and Hana, who seemed quite interested in continuing with the challenge of boarding the train; although Hana did not really convince him at all and it is not because she seemed interested in Baam.

The test began, a few minutes later, he verified by means of his headlights that some people had already started to fight, luckily, no one was in greater danger. Although he was avoiding Baam, his more overprotective side could not stop watching him closely, so he was able to observe the way he fought in this test:

At first he seemed gone, but suddenly, he showed an agility and fluidity in his movements that allowed him to deal cleanly with his opponents without receiving a single scratch. Something changed in him, it did not seem to be his same movements as before, they seemed different and much more polished.

The attackers ended up defeated in a matter of minutes and the test gave its completion.

“Congratulations, Khun's team has won!”

But none could celebrate at this, as they watched Baam, end up collapsed on the ground without giving any prior warning of this.

This was really serious, no one understood why Baam ended up fainting; his state of health was perfect and he did not receive any type of wound or spell during the test that caused this, surely it was another mystery that his body kept.

But, he woke up after two days and said he was perfectly fine, determined to keep climbing in order to make it to the train on time.

No one could tell him otherwise. It was true that they were against time at this point.

On the other hand, Khun had some uncertainty about what more secrets the alpha was keeping, and that was turning into a worry that was not benefiting him at all, since he had a lot of mixed feelings and he did not think it was the time to work on them.

Therefore, he did what he did best: avoid the subject.

"I always knew you were a jerk, but I didn't imagine you'd be so hard on even one of your teammates," Chang addressed him in the hallway, after having witnessed him turn down another invitation to have lunch together.

"It doesn't concern you," he grunted somewhat annoyed.

"It's true, but it's kind of funny," he shrugged to look him in the eye. "It sounds more like you're running away from something, or am I wrong?"

"I'm not running away,“ he almost choked on his lies, ”I just.... how can I look him in the eye after I found myself fighting with the person he appreciates the most in this world? And now, I plan to finish my work when I find her again, I know he won't be able to forgive me for that"

He didn't know why he was expressing himself so much with that guy, maybe because he knew that he wouldn't care about his problems and wouldn't want to give him any talk, Chang would just enjoy his suffering and that's it.

"They say that alphas are possessive, but I think it's the opposite in your case," was the only thing he said with a smile as if he had just told the best joke in his repertoire.

Khun was confused at that sentence, what did he mean by that?

"Mr. Khun!" Hana went to look for him, there was a huge worry on his face that could only indicate that something very bad had happened.

When he arrived at the room, he realized the reason for the panic: Baam fainted again for no apparent reason..

.

.

He woke up a few minutes later, his gaze vacant but he didn't seem to have any other complications.

"Baam? How are you feeling?" he approached him with the intention of touching his forehead for signs of fever, but stopped his hand and brought it to the edge of the bed.

"I'm... I'm fine," he answered somewhat forcibly.

"Dude, if you keep this up, we'll have to postpone the next test," Sloan commented behind his back.

"No, we can go on, I'm fine," it was hard to believe, but seeing the determination in his eyes, Khun, knew he was serious.

"We have little time to get to the next station, we can't take breaks," added Khun.

"Even if we make it through the next test, we won't reach the train in time," Chang remarked.

"Relax, the train will be waiting for us"

"How can you be so sure of that?"

"I have my ways of doing things," was a simple answer to such a complicated question.

"Thank you, Khun" for a moment they exchanged glances, he hated when that happened, because he felt weak again and that he would risk himself again for that idiot; he couldn't believe all the things he was doing for his well being.

“I'm just helping you get back together with her, though” he added in his mind, returning the bitterness in his chest.

The crocodile was insisting him to solve his problems, as he was really behaving like a jerk, especially demanding him to talk to Baam about it again.

Khun, hated to admit that that lizard was a bit right, everyone could tell that he hasn't been the same since that day at the station, and knowing that Baam also avoids the subject, he doesn't know if it brings him relief or worry about it.

He wasn't known for being an emotional being, he always tried to get his thoughts in order and leave the feelings later. Fuck, he wasn't even close to his cycle to feel so.... sensitive?

Luckily, the tests were distraction enough to take care of his work, after all, victory was something he was always looking for.

Everything seemed to be going perfectly, as usual, he had no flaws in his calculations and the test was easily passed thanks to Baam's new strength.

Unfortunately, he could not claim victory as he saw the wave controller fall unconscious again.

.

.

The atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense, everyone recognized that something very serious was going on with the chesnut, but they were also trying to get on the train on time, making the pressure on the group that much greater. Which path should they take? No one knew for sure and morale was only dwindling because of this.

Hana, quietly sobbing at his bedside, as if Baam were on his deathbed; he couldn't help but feel a certain annoyance at the spectacle. Who did she think she was to barge into that space? She had not been there long enough to pretend that Baam was someone very important in her life.

"What are we going to do?" Chang questioned, noticing the dissatisfaction on his face.

"We can only wait..." muttered Khun.

A doctor determined that everything was fine, it wasn't an issue with his pheromones either, and while he did find it odd that he hadn't had his cycle for over a year, he didn't notice anything worrisome about them either.

“Could it be stress?” he wondered internally.

"Now, I come to see my dear student after years and find him asleep. What a disappointment"

Everyone tensed at the new presence: at the door stood a grown man, his clothes were nothing extravagant and his appearance could even be considered careless, but Khun's instinct demanded that he should run.

"Who are you?!" Rak positioned himself in front of Baam's bed, ready to defend him from any danger.

"Uhm, I am the boy's mentor, I come in peace, don't worry," he raised both hands to prove his point. "I am Jisung Ha"

He looked directly at Khun, causing a shiver to run through his body; and not because he was an Alpha. That guy was the most dangerous person anyone from the ten families could encounter, thousands of stories told of his atrocities. If he didn't tell lies, he doubted very much that they would get out of there alive.

It was the first time someone's power had made him feel so unprotected, outside of his heat.

"What brings someone of your position here?" Khun questioned, his mind was blank, blocked, not knowing what he should do.

For this very reason, he hated surprises, he never thought he would have to prepare an emergency plan in case they came across a supreme of that caliber.

"I came to see how my dear disciple is doing," he placed the cigarette in his mouth without taking his eyes off him, it was more than obvious that he was analyzing him. "I see that you look a lot like your father, son of Khun"

“Damn, is he going to kill me?” As always, having the blood of that cursed man was not good for him.

"This is the first time we've met, and I thank you for taking care of Viole in such difficult times" he walked across the room and approached the bed, passing by Khun's side- ”Easy boy, I've changed“ his breathing stopped ”I don't kill the members of the ten families as soon as I see them anymore".

When he finally turned away from him to Baam, he realized that he had been holding his breath this whole time.

Everyone gave him their respective space as he approached Baam's bed, he stood watching him for a while before letting out a sigh.

"It's just what I was afraid of; he ended up collapsing.... Well, these side effects are something normal in someone who possesses the thorn" the atmosphere felt a bit heavy around him.

So this was Baam's master? To be honest, he would have a lot to thank him for, for his help behind the scenes with the whole FUG thing; but he just couldn't stand his presence; he hated feeling weak.

"You were pushed too hard and this is the result. But this is another adversity you must overcome on your own" he could detect a slight hint of anger and sadness in his tone. "What a cruel fate"

He turned to the group, damaging the small bubble of expectation.

"Well, can I talk to you?"

.

.

Agüero ended up explaining everything that happened to them at the train station, how they prepared for a year, their arrival and the robbery of the train itself. After that, the room was in an expectant silence.

"I'm sorry about what happened, I didn't expect them to end up involved in FUG matters"

Luckily, he seemed more diplomatic than rumor claimed.

"You don't have to apologize, Baam made it out of FUG thanks to you. This happened because we have a lot of room for improvement" an answer he rehearsed several times in his mind, he couldn't even look him in the eye, it was a strange tension, even if he seemed calm, he feared that any off-handed comment would ruin the mood.

“Daniel may be on the train to revive a person, if that ever happens, everything will go to hell” he remembered Sachi's words, during their last meeting at the station.

Everyone managed to make different theories about Daniel's resurrection and his target to board the train, all the veterans could only point to one person: Hoaquin, FUG assassin candidate.

"Do you know who Hoaquin is?"

The supreme lowered his gaze as if trying to remember something.

"I've never heard of any candidate by that name, but if it has to do with the hell train... I know someone comes to mind. I'm just guessing, but if this whole train thing has to do with reviving that person, it's someone extremely dangerous. It could all end in disaster"

It was an announcement that did not bring him any calm, it only confirmed to him that they were entering a much more dangerous terrain than expected.

"Can't you tell us more details about this person?"

"That's right, it's one of FUG's secrets," he looked up again. "Even if I could, knowing it won't help them at all and I'm not even sure if my assumption is correct"

This speech could only go one way that none of those present would like.

"Things are getting ugly for you and Viole, I advise you to take it easy: don't worry about the train, just go up the tower"

Khun stopped paying much attention from then on, it wasn't that he was a rebel without a cause who didn't accept any rule just because (well, maybe a little bit), but he hated it when they were imposed this way. Who did this guy think he was? It was the first time he appeared and it was only to set limits.

Granted, he didn't love the idea of boarding the train either, but it wasn't his style to leave things halfway and nod meekly just because an ex-psychopath asked him to.

"I can't do that, master"

To everyone's surprise, Baam was at the door.

"Baam! You still can't get up," he exclaimed without thinking about it, his gaze was still wandering and he didn't seem to have the best balance.

"I'm going to follow the train,“ affirmed the brown, recovering the determination in his look. "And I'm going to get on it to fix everything, with my 'own power'"

"Not this time" Jisung interrupted, unaffected by his apprentice's words.

"I don't care if you try to stop me!"

"It's not about what you want to do, it's about your abilities. If my suspicions are true, you are not powerful enough to overcome this challenge"

Khun could see his gaze change, he recognized those gestures, he felt betrayed again. There was no worse feeling than knowing you couldn't do what you were supposed to do.

As Jisung left it at that, Aguero couldn't find the strength to approach Baam and comfort him. What would he tell him? 'Sure we can go, I'll help you build your past back up' No, something hurt in his chest every time he thought that.

Was it even worth going through with all this? He could use this opportunity to have a dialogue with Baam and convince him that this was the right path: forget the train and Rachel, get to the top of the tower together and fulfill whatever other absurd desires they both had.

Maybe... he just wanted to monopolize Baam.

In the end, they ended up in a house lockdown.

Khun, Rak and Baam shared a room in a quiet hotel, it was run by FUG so they couldn't leave without someone giving Jisung Ha notice and the guy proved to be even faster than the wave controller, so it was practically impossible to get out of there.

Being there just made his thoughts weigh heavier than ever. what was the right thing to do? Or rather was he right with the decision he made at this moment?

"Hmph! I've had it! I'm going to beat that turtle!" Rak suddenly exclaimed.

"Are you stupid? It's impossible to beat him"

"I'd rather try than be depressed in this environment!" ouch, it was worse when he said it so bluntly "What else do you want us to do?! We can't leave the red turtle to its fate!"

"Tsk, how noisy, of course not"

"So?!"

"Baam, what do you plan to do once you find Rachel again?" he asked suddenly, ignoring the crocodile.

"Huh?" that question took him by surprise "What do you mean? I already told you, I want answers"

"It's not just that," he settled down so that he was facing him.

He felt extremely sensitive to his environment, different feelings were fighting each other and did not allow him to think clearly, besides, they were at a critical point in their lives, he had to know why he was really risking his life for that alpha.

"You want to make things right with her, don't you? What do you mean by that? Do you want to go up the tower with her or go back to where you came from?"

"I..."

“Are you planning to leave me behind?” was a question that hung in the air.

"I'm just saying that because she didn't seem very cooperative with you, and I don't know how far you can keep insisting on seeing her. I want to support you in your decisions, but I have to be sure what you really want in order to help you as best I can"

"I'm not sure... I know I want to see her, if possible, to convince her to give up her dream, but if I'm honest, I don't know what I'm going to gain from all this"

After thinking about it for a few minutes, he looked at Khun again.

"I know I won't be able to recover the past, I thought about it a lot, and I don't really want to, since my present is where you are"

“Stupid heart, it's not time for you to take a leap” he scolded himself. Besides, he couldn't fall, maybe seeing her again, would change that thought.

If Rachel, came to tell him “abandon everyone”, would he be able to do it?

"But I'm a selfish person, I want to at least try to have those two things until the end," he finished with a half smile. "It sounds silly doesn't it? It's okay if you don't understand my reasons, I'm already grateful that you have accompanied me to this point"

The omega was frustrated with himself, because he couldn't believe that he was so weak in front of a person. The Khun of the past would have already left him behind, after all, this was far from his original plans, but simply put, his will was similar to that of a moth following a light; he could not help but be attracted to his presence.

"Don't forget your leader, turtles!" Rak exclaimed, stepping in between the two of them, breaking the small bubble they were in.

"Well then, we should get moving"

Both Baam and Rak looked at each other in confusion at this indication.

"I said we couldn't see Jisung Ha, but that's not the only way to get out of here"

Just this once, he would risk following that light to understand more of those emotions that hovered around Baam, and perhaps, find the meaning of his own existence.

.

.

.

It was the first time he felt so nervous and excited about carrying out a plan. Usually in trials they didn't usually face opponents with power that far surpassed them and if anything, they had rules that helped them. Here? A single mistake and Jisung Ha, could use all his power to prevent them from being able to climb the tower again if he felt like it.

They met the supreme one in the hallway. He looked confused at their presence.

"Excuse me, master, but I have to go to the hell train"

What happened next was a vain attempt to stop him, but clearly they were instantly defeated. Even if the supreme did not use all his strength, he still stopped them without any effort.

Baam managed to run to the ship where the others were, in an attempt to flee. However, his master easily managed to board it.

"Viole, no matter what you do, you won't be able to stop me," his voice showed a tired and annoyed tone, he was already fed up with this.

"I'm sorry, but I'll go, I've already decided"

"This brat... If you can't get over here, I'll have to use my strength," he let out a sigh, but before he could get close to Viole again, he noticed the presence of some headlights and realized, too late, what was happening.

Khun's headlights managed to transport everyone back into the hotel, while the ship where Jisung Ha was already flying out of the designated area. If he came out, he would possibly disturb the administrator.

"Damn, I thought we weren't going to get out of this alive...."Khun let out a long breath, letting out all the tension he had built up.

"Hmph, if I had used all my power, I would have beaten him," Rak complained, crossing his arms.

"Hey, guys, I think we could save the fight for later" Sloan commented.

"Will we make it in time?" wondered Hana, worried.

A call came into Khun's pocket, it was Boro.

“Hey, Khun, the train will be here soon, where the hell are you?”

"Sorry, we haven't left yet"

The group was running to the ship that would take them directly to the station.

“What!”

"Because of a teacher who loves his pupil, we got a bit of a late start. We'll go as fast as we can"

"As fast as you can? Even if you hurry, you won't make it in time."

Luckily, they were already boarding the ship.

"We weren't going to make it in time anyway. I'm going to do everything I can, trust us and wait a little longer"

No one knew where the omega got such confidence to speak with such conviction, but since no one knew his plans, they had no way to contradict him.

"I'm hanging up, talk to you later," he ended the call, without giving Boro a chance to say anything else.

They all took their places while the ship took off at high speed.

Khun noticed the strange device Hana was carrying in her hands. He heard quite a bit about it, “Emily”, it was a new tool for the regulars, but everything about it was very suspicious.

"Look! Emily, she sent an announcement a while ago," commented Hana, drawing everyone's attention.

The message read as follows:

“All regulars who want to get on the hell train, meet at the ”wooden horse“ altar on the 37th floor at 11:00 PM! A special event awaits you!”

None of this could be a mere coincidence - Rachel, FUG, Sachi's former teammate, the previous candidate for assassin.... All these things were converging on the hell train and it gave him a bad feeling.

The atmosphere was tense, anxiety consumed them all bit by bit, wondering if they would be able to make it in time. Therefore, no one spoke more than necessary.

"Blue turtle, why did you ask that question to black turtle?" For the first time, Rak looked calm.

Khun looked around, realizing that the others were too tense to pay attention to the two of them.

"To pass the time," he replied curtly, really, even he didn't know what to say to that.

He didn't know what answer to give him. Was he expecting some confirmation of his suspicions? Was he expecting Baam to tell him “yes, I was wrong”? Or did he want an apology for everything that had happened? Even he didn't know for sure.

"Humph, yeah, of course. I didn't expect you to need comfort to go down this road," he folded his arms, letting out a snort.

"I wasn't looking for any kind of comfort, I just want the truth. What I do from it is none of your business"

After all, he would regret it even more if he didn't follow Baam as far as he could.

Again he received a call to his pocket, he formed a smile at this.

"A.A, I stopped the train for now. Sure, it will start moving soon, but, if that ship is fast, they're going to make it in time" that voice seemed to be amused by the situation. "I'm sure they're going to inform my father of this, so you owe me a big favor. I expect you to keep your promise."

"Okay, I promise I'll pay you back"

The call disconnected, he checked his headlights and realized that they would soon arrive at the site he marked in his coordinates. He looked at everyone, signaling them to get ready.

"Let's go to the train!"

With the use of his headlights, he transported himself along with Baam and Rak. Now, instead of the safety of a ship, they were falling from the sky, but they could visualize the train below them.

The first thing they saw was a white dot next to a group of people gathered on one of the stairs.

"Who the hell are they?" a voice exclaimed.

As they went down the stairs, they could better visualize everyone, including the albino who was holding a large sword. It didn't take long to see that Rachel, too, was there.

They all paused, watching as the newcomers fell down some stairs next to them.

"Be careful!" Boro interrupted the moment, running towards the stairs. "That's Hoaquin! FUG already woke him up"

“So that's him... we're late” thought Khun, thinking about his current alternatives.

Baam, stared at Rachel, surely with a thousand questions in his head.

"Oh, is that turtle Hoaquin? Damn, you said he was strong, so I thought he would be a worthy prey!"

Khun, couldn't say more, they really would be enemies anyway, but surely that didn't please someone as fearsome as him at all.

"Hmph, it looks like a smashed rice cake that's not even enough to feed a fly"

"What, what did you call me?! Do you have a death wish, crocodile?" Hoakin pointed his sword at him with an annoyed expression.

"I'm no crocodile! I'm Rak Wraithraiser!"

Down the stairs, Boro and company managed to catch up.

"Daniel! What the hell are you doing?!" Sachi exclaimed.

"Boro! You son of a bitch, I won't let you on the train!" He pointed his sword at them, intending to rush towards them.

Luckily, Baam, was much faster and approached him, stepping on the weapon and preventing him from continuing to threaten his companions.

Now, both were facing each other.

But Khun, could not notice the fight, as his stupid companion, decided to enter the battle as well.

"That's my prey!" he exclaimed as he used Khun's headlights as a ladder to pass between the two stairs leading into the train.

"Come back! Our priority is to get on the train" he clicked his tongue at Rak stubbornness.

"Shut up, I'm going after my prey!"

"Damn crocodile!"

He couldn't react in time, when Daniel and Rachel started to move at the same time, the first one, used an ability that pulled Rak from the lighthouse and sent him to the plaza, where it seemed that a few minutes ago, a battle happened.

"Why are you guys wasting your time here?" Daniel questioned, a few steps above Khun, "Do you think Jue Viole Grace has the power to beat us? What happened in the train town was just luck. He can't do much here, now that Hoaquin has awakened"

"Leave this to us, Khun," Sachi put a hand on his shoulder, then stepped in front of him. "It is our responsibility to make this fool see reason"

The omega noticed a tense battle taking place on the other stairs.

"Baam!" he exclaimed as he saw how the irregular was wounded by the albino's sword.

Without hesitation, he used his headlights to try to get closer, but was intercepted by another person. A girl with bright blue hair, and a gaze that seemed to hold the very stars.

"I can't let you pass"

Crap, a fight in the air was not among his greatest strengths. That girl was an alpha, though her scent was sweeter than usual, was it a perfume? It was odd, usually people preferred to wear something that resembled alphas.

A fight broke out, he tried to remember where he knew her from, a girl like that would attract attention wherever she was.

"You're not that strong but you're not weak. I seem to remember seeing you, Yura Ha" of course, he remembered how the news mentioned that many companies wanted to make her an idol, but she ended up disappearing shortly after. "What are you doing helping FUG?"

"I don't care about FUG, I'm here to help Rachel," she answered with an empty smile. "She promised me that if we went up together, we'd see the real stars. I hate all these assholes who only wanted me for my looks, if they want me on stage so badly, it'll be to take down all those idiots"

“How many have you brainwashed?” Okay, her weak appearance couldn't fool him, she had a much more lethal weapon: the influence she had on people. That explained why she managed to get so far.

"I don't care what you want, you're in my way," he summoned his headlights around her.

"You should know that shinsou control doesn't work on me"

"Who said I was targeting you? The target is the headligth you're using"

The look of terror upon realizing this, caused him much amusement. She could do nothing but scream as she fell into the void.

Now, with one less obstacle, he could help Baam. But would it really do any good?

That guy definitely belonged to the Arie family, that hair and especially his skill with the sword, gave him away. But, he had no information about that guy.

"Blue turtle! Behind you!"

Wait a minute, when did Yura Ha appear again? He had no way to dodge it in time.

But, as if time stood frozen, everyone remained still in their positions. He thought it was his own mind playing a joke on him, but on closer inspection, he realized it was the same sensation of being teleported somewhere else.

The atmosphere changed, it was no longer the outside, now steel walls surrounded them.

"I'm glad to see you guys" a deep voice caught everyone's attention.

In front of them, a structure was rising and on top of it was a person sitting on a chair. He conveyed a great deal of authority

"Welcome to the train from hell," no one couldn't quite make out his figure. "You made a big fuss out there, you may be candidates for assassination, but that was too much, don't you think?"

“How does he know that information?” wondered Khun, around him the atmosphere was tense, but no one was making any movement, not even Hoaquin.

"Ah, excuse me, I haven't introduced myself: my name is “ Pedro”, the driver of the train from hell. For your information, I am a great loyal follower of Mr. Karaka, the great assassin of FUG"

Another complicated name appeared, I already understood Jisung Ha's insistence, to prevent them from going up to this place.

“I knew it, it was the driver” He tried to remember well who Karaka was, it sounded familiar, wasn't it someone Wagnan mentioned once? If the driver of the train was a direct ally of FUG, his chances of survival were low, but, if he let them in it was for a reason.

"Hawryun..." Baam whispered, seeing the crimson witch in the distance.

Well, one less worry. Wait a minute, he couldn't see the crocodile anywhere, was it teleported somewhere else?

"Hoaquin, I see. It's the first time I've seen you, but I didn't think you'd be so short...."

"Don't say I'm small! I'll grow up soon," the albino exclaimed angrily.

"Whatever," he ignored the latter's claims. "I want to welcome you both to the hell train, it's not common to see two people qualified to become assassins. Although... one of you will be eliminated soon"

Khun, clenched his fists, this explained too much, he would not kill them instantly, it seemed.

"Only one of the two of you can become a candidate assassin"

Everyone held their breath at this.

"Since things turned out this way, how about we start a game? A game that will determine which of the two will become a murder candidate"

Okay, this could play in their favor, everything in the tower used to be done through different tests and as long as they could compete, all was not lost. The problem was to know how much advantage the enemy would have by then.

"That's not what you promised!" interrupted Hoaquin.

"What I promised? It's just a whim of a supreme, who sees the potential of a new star," he turned his gaze to Yura. "There's no official plan to revive you or anything like that"

"Don't you respect your elders?" It didn't help that someone who sounded like a child was saying it.

The whole thing was much more confusing than he first thought. Hadn't Hoaqhin already been revived? Could he awaken some much greater power? He knew of cases, of supremes whose powers are sealed as punishment, if this was the case, it would be a little more understandable everything that was going on.

Now, they were arguing about this whole thing, as he guessed in the first place, the FUG higher ups always had very different ideas from each other. He was lucky if he considered having allies (though he doubted this was the right expression) besides Baam's master, there.

"Sorry for the interruption,“ Baam spoke up, ”I resigned as a candidate and have no intention of returning to FUG, so I have no reason to participate here"

"I knew you'd say that, but as long as you have the thorn, you carry all the hope of FUG on your back. If you don't want to do that, then go back to the incinerator and melt with the thorn, but I doubt you want that"

Khun, clenched his fists at this. Again the thorn, was it a blessing or curse to have it? When he asked Jisung Ha why he decided to give it to Baam, he only replied:

"It's my way of protecting him, he won't always be able to escape from FUG, but with this, he will have tools to do whatever he wants"

It was partly true, for that very reason they were not being killed at that moment, but at the same time, it left a very big burden on Baam. He feared what this could mean in the future, he didn't think he could erase years of manipulation in the short time they had known each other.

"And since we knew what your reaction was going to be, we caught some people hanging around the train"

"Khun! Baam! Crocodile?!" From above they heard Sloan's voice, they could see some giant steel cages.

"Does it have...?" The chesnut's eyes widened in shock as he realized that they had the rest of his team trapped in there.

"If you give up or lose, they will end up being killed. So, you have an interest in participating, or not yet?"

Things could not look worse for them, once again, a dangerous game would determine their future. Now, subgenres did not come into play in any way, it was about the pride of two assassin candidates.

"In a month we will start the game. The winner will become a candidate assassin and all losers will die"

Afterwards, he explained the rules of the game, they would meet on level 4 of the train. On the 39th floor, where they will have to overcome different tests: the corresponding ones to climb between floors, the monsters that appear at night and the guards located in each room.

They started with a certain disadvantage, since they had to complete the first test as quickly as possible in order to go up one floor to the next. They could not fail any of them or it was considered a defeat and the hostages would die. Also, if they failed to complete it in a month, it would be the equivalent of losing.

"I wish you luck"

That was the last thing he said to them before teleporting them to separate locations.

All Khun could think, was, “Again, here we go.”

But hey, at least the issue of their subgenres was not given importance so far.

Chapter Text

They didn't even have time to process all the information given above, because before they knew it, the driver had taken them to a large bridge, but all around them, a red liquid resembling lava seemed to surround it: one fall and they could consider themselves dead.  

“So this is the test we must pass in order to continue on the train,” Khun began, looking thoughtful as he surveyed his surroundings. Until he spotted a purple creature with a human body but only one eye.

“Is that the enemy we have to eliminate?” Baam asked.

“It's ‘Yokim,’” Sachi replied, stepping forward. “It's a little complicated at first, so leave this fight to us. You guys rest.”

“No,” Hawryun interrupted sharply, “Viole is going to take care of this alone.”

Worst of all, Khun couldn't say much; he already understood where she was going with this.

“There's a month left until the game and the confrontation with Hoaquín. All help will be prohibited in that confrontation, and it's very difficult to prepare for something like that with so many dangers nearby.”

“That's absurd!” exclaimed Boro. “Are you going to make Baam strong enough to defeat him in a month? It's better if we all fight together.”

“It's very likely that the game will revolve around the assassin candidates. Their lives are now in Viole's hands,” the witch reminded them.

“Yes, you're right, but...”

Agüero had different reactions when someone called Baam by another name. He didn't like him being linked to FUG in any way, but as long as he had that name, he couldn't escape them.

“That's why, during this month, we'll leave all the battles to Viole,” she decreed.

“Wait a minute,” it was now his turn to intervene. “Baam is not in any condition to do that.”

Baam could faint at any moment, and the power of the thorn was still unstable. He didn't think pushing his body to the limit was the best way to go about this. He would end up breaking down before even facing Hoaquín! Of course, he had to get stronger, and fast, but he didn't think they would go this far.

“We don't have the luxury of thinking about those things. They almost killed me too,” she gave Baam a warning look. “All of this happened because we went after Rachel, am I wrong?”

Khun glanced at him sideways, catching a glimpse of guilt. The brown-haired man's fists were clenched tightly at his sides.

"Your ambition made you follow Rachel and put your teammates at risk, and now you're about to return to FUG, even though you recently managed to escape from them.

Every word was filled with cold truth, and even he couldn't deny any of them.

“You think you have different reasons for climbing the tower, but in my opinion, you're just another fool chasing something without caring about others. Don't you think it's time to think about the people who are with you? It's not just you and Rachel anymore. I thought you would understand that when you found a new team.”  

Baam fell silent, and Khun couldn't tell if this was a good thing or a bad thing. Haw Ryun let out a sigh. 

“If you feel even the slightest bit of responsibility for those around you, you must pass the test within a month.”  

“I understand...” was all he said, and he headed into battle. 

“Are you going to say something to me?” asked the redhead when he stood next to her. 

“No, I'm just surprised you were so direct with him.” 

“He needs to wake up. He's still tied to things from his past, and if he can't let go of them, he won't be able to have a future,” she said, crossing her arms. “You could say a thing or two to him too. Aren't you angry?”

“Why do you say that?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You saved him from the darkness, but he insists on returning to it. Isn't that frustrating? Besides, I don't have to smell your pheromones to know that it has affected you.”

“My pheromones?” He felt his face flush at this. If he had been careless about this, it would be very embarrassing. 

“I'm a beta, so it doesn't affect me, but I can tell just by looking at your expression,” she said with a mocking smile.

“That witch...” Yes, he definitely couldn't get along with someone like her.

Baam acknowledged his own mistakes.  

This path, which ended up being a search for the truth, became a much greater obstacle than he had imagined. He really didn't understand his emotions; something told him that Rachel could be saved, but another part of him said that this was impossible.  

He promised to protect Khun and his companions, but he led them into a deadly trap.  

His mind was also confused, similar to the feelings he had moments before and after his heat, as if he were controlled more by his instincts than his own reason.  

He wanted to know himself better, but he was only involving others in his past and getting nothing but doubts about all of this.  

Right now, he was not much different from the Rachel who had discarded him to achieve her dream. 

“I almost abandon the people I care about just to get what I want.”

Baam knew he still lacked many things; stronger enemies only appeared as he climbed higher up the tower. Now, he was no longer fighting just to be with someone; this time, he was fighting to keep his place with those he cared about. 

Yokim turned out to be a formidable opponent. Many times, he thought the pain would be so strong that it would block him, but the adrenaline did its job, and he didn't feel it as much. Thanks to his tenacity, he managed to overcome that challenge, although... no one celebrated it.

.

.

.

“Are you okay, Baam? Was it too much for you?”

Khun took him by surprise. Although he appeared neutral, Baam could detect a slight trace of concern in his voice. He didn't even seem interested in the train's strange architecture, unlike the other newbies.

“Yes. This is nothing compared to training at FUG.” 

Yes, his master was a difficult and cruel man, though he now appeared to be softer. At first, he was someone who taught him that any weakness could lead to total defeat on the battlefield. Yokim's blows didn't hurt at all compared to his.  

Shortly after, Sachi also came over to talk to him. He told him a little about what Daniel was like before, why he had changed so much, and the fact that everyone kept boarding the train even though centuries had passed since they first boarded it. He couldn't blame them for the decisions all of them made; he would surely do something extreme himself in order to return to his loved ones.  

Luckily, Khun brought him along with them; it was clear that he was very knowledgeable about this whole subject.  

They reached a portal, although many warned of the dangers it might hide: The guardians, other extremely powerful entities on the train that were a great challenge to defeat, seemed like suicide to try to see after their first test, but if he wanted to become stronger, he couldn't skip any obstacle that appeared in front of him.

Upon entering, they had the misfortune of encountering the “God of Guardians.” Sachi proceeded to explain a little about the origin of his name and the story he knew. Apparently, it was a very important test that even King Jahad and company had to overcome to obtain part of their current power.  

“We have to leave. If something goes wrong, we could all die,” suggested Boro. 

He couldn't back down; he needed to become stronger no matter what. 

“I want to do this,” finally said. 

Silence fell among those present as they tried to determine if he was serious. 

“Aren't you being very reckless?” Khun was the first to react. “You don't have to fight this guy.” 

“It's okay, I know that if I don't do this... I'll regret it.” 

“This is no joke,” Sachi interjected. “Even together, we couldn't defeat him.” 

“I know, I can feel it in his shinsou,” the brown-haired man nodded. “But I want to go there. I'll regret it if I don't.”  

He began to walk toward the guardian, despite Khun's protests. 

It didn't help that Aka mentioned the only time he saw someone fight that guy (or entity?), no one made it out alive. Khun's anxiety was palpable; his overprotectiveness toward Baam seemed stronger since they arrived at this place.

“What do you want, boy?” the guardian spoke in a voice that froze everyone; he didn't have to raise his voice to impose authority.

“I...” Baam didn't know where to start.

“You...” was all he said before jumping straight at them.  

Khun acted quickly and put up a barrier with his headlights in front of Baam, preventing any attack.  

But when he arrived, he just pointed at him with no apparent intention of hurting him. 

“Are you the one who ‘opened the door alone’?” 

“...Yes?” 

His hand moved dangerously toward him, but Khun was able to hold him back for a few seconds to give Baam time to back away. The thorn came out at that moment to give him the momentum he needed. He would have to use all his power if he wanted to at least scratch him.  

“You're different from any other regular,” he began to sniff the air, “or alpha... It's the first time in a long time that I've seen someone who crossed the same door as Zahard. The last one I remember was Urek.”  

“That name again...” Baam remembered.  

“It's strange,” he knelt down to get a closer look. “You're very similar to them, but at the same time very different; even your pheromones.”  

He remained thoughtful for a moment, until he finally grabbed him by the collar of his shirt with two of his fingers as if he were a doll.  

“I see, you need a ‘revolution.’”

“Hey! Where do you think you're taking him?” was the first thing Khun exclaimed. 

“C-Calm down, Khun! I'll be fine!” Baam shouted, which sounded unconvincing as he was being carried against his will, but no one else could do much for him.  

In the end, both of them were locked in a large container.  

“That fucker…” Khun muttered.  

“Calm down, they haven’t taken him away… yet,” Hawryun commented.  

“We’ll have to wait,” Sachi added.  

They arrived at a dark place, and the irregular was confused by his surroundings and the explanation of them. The guardian explained what the “rice cooker” was and the true purpose of the train: training for those who cross the gate.

“You will leave your ‘false self’ behind to find your ‘true self.’” 

“Who am I really?” He paused for a few seconds. “I can't figure that out. The people around me seem to understand it better than I do, and when I think I've discovered something about myself, it turns out not to be the right answer.” 

He clenched his fists, staring at the guard.  

“For now, I just want to get stronger so I can pass the test in a few days. If I can get through it and save my friends, I don't care about my true self.”

“You don't understand, do you?” He seemed disappointed with his answer. “Those who don't know their true selves cannot save others. If you don't change, you will always be a burden to others. To find yourself, you must be completely alone or, incidentally, die at least once"

"What...?!

"If you have no one to save you or answer you, the moment you face death, you will know who you really are."

.

.

.

He didn't know how many days had passed, nor where he was. His mind wandered so much that he even began to think that everything that had happened before was a dream and that he was still trapped in the darkness of that cave.  

“Here you are.” 

That voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't place where he had heard it before. 

In front of him appeared the monster he had seen when they passed the guardian's test and during his first heat.  

“I never thought you would come on your own. Something must have happened. Anyway, if you're here, it's because you need true power, am I right?” 

“Huh? What is this monster talking about?”  

“It may be soon, but you can release me now. I will finally stop being just a voice in your mind! I will be the one who takes you to the top of the tower and makes you the ruler of this pyramid.”  

He kept talking about a giant power that would make him a king. Since when had he become so talkative? He didn't think he would react like this. He always seemed to enjoy it when something bad happened to him, looking more excited than ever. Was this really the same being? 

“The suffering you are currently experiencing is due to your weakness, but thanks to me, you will be able to overcome everything that causes you pain.” 

“Moo!”

The atmosphere was interrupted by the sound of a cow? What was an animal like that doing here? Even that creature seemed confused. 

“Don't pay any attention to it, we're talking about something else right now.”  

“What was that?”  

“Ignore it,” he stood in front of him to prevent him from seeing what was behind him. 

However, the mooing grew louder, as if it were getting closer.  

Although the monster continued to try to get his attention, Baam turned to the new visitor. It was a bull, the one he had seen before.  

“Taurus?!” 

The blue cow approached him, sniffing him, then rubbing against him affectionately. He accepted the touch, stroking its back. It no longer resembled the beast he had encountered in the labyrinth, nor could he detect any kind of pheromone around it.  

“Don't pay any attention to it! We're talking about another important issue now," he crossed his arms, quite annoyed by the interruption. 

"If you're here, it means that the power you're talking about doesn't really belong to me, right?  

"Huh? 

"If that's the case, I don't need it.

Just remembering how someone else had control over his body was a reminder of how dangerous it was to let something else influence him from within.

“What the hell are you talking about?!” The blue aura around him became more explosive. “This is no longer a matter of subgenres! You need true power to save your friends! With power, even pheromones become useless, and you'll even be able to overcome any dominant alpha."

"That's true, but that power you're talking about... it's not my true power; it only makes sense if you're looking to ‘subdue others.’ Maybe whoever locked me up thought something like that, but I don't need something like that. Power that incites hatred and terror is completely false." 

His gaze was more determined, and the bull mooed contentedly at this. 

“Go away, impostor. Now show me my true power.”

“I'm surprised you're so calm.” 

Ten days had passed since Baam disappeared in that place, and there was no sign of him coming out anytime soon. 

“Normally, by now you'd be making a fuss to get Viole out,” added the witch. 

The two of them were sitting in front of the container, waiting for the moment when the irregular would come out.

“I don't think you would have chosen a path where Baam would get hurt, so I'm waiting for him,” his tone appeared calm, but it hid a hint of impatience. "The crocodile would already be trying to get into that room."  

Things were very quiet without Rak around, which was a plus. 

“But if something happens to him, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself,” he clenched his hands at the thought of this possibility. "I would regret having foolishly trusted a FUG guide" 

He looked up, hoping to see him soon, but no sound came from the container.

"If something like that happened, I would do whatever it took to revive him, just like that Daniel guy is trying to do, even if it meant making a deal with the devil himself"

It was a heavy statement, but he didn't regret anything. Things weren't great between them, doubts always lingered, and he could leave at any moment, but he would definitely lose something very valuable if Baam no longer existed in that world. 

“Oh? Are all omegas this intense, or is it just part of your personality?” Khun Agüero Agnis smiled slyly upon hearing his statement. 

“Shut up.” 

“If you put it that way, then I'll have to help you with that plan if things go wrong.”

.

.

“What?!” 

Finally, after three weeks of waiting, a noise was heard inside the container.  

A big verbal fight seemed to be going on inside, and everyone gathered around the structure to find out what the hell was going on. After three weeks of total silence, this was the first time they had heard anything.  

Finally, Baam came out, and even though he was agitated, he looked directly at Khun. 

“Khun, let's go to level 4!” were the first words he said to him.  

They didn't have much time to get a detailed explanation; they had a lot to do, and Khun made sure to organize everyone's time so they could get to the designated place on time. Those were difficult days, but luckily, Baam's mental and physical health seemed to be better than ever, and they were able to overcome various obstacles faster than expected. 

But seriously, he hoped to stop doing things with a time limit because he was getting tired of it.

.

.

.

They only had a week to reach level 4, but luckily, with the help of the train veterans, they were able to deal with various challenges, although of course, Baam was the only one who could fight. Many admired his tenacity in enduring all this alone, but Khun was worried that he was taking things too far. 

“If only I were stronger...” he began to think, as if that would change anything. 

Knowing whether it was day or night was uncertain; they could only tell by the appearance of enemies. But luckily, they managed to find some perfect rooms to rest in, and they really needed it.

Khun, as always, shared a room with Baam and Rak, but this time, he couldn't sleep peacefully. A bad feeling had been following him for a while, and he couldn't stop thinking about the many ways their reunion with Rachel could go, or whether that test would have some kind of disadvantage for them. He couldn't make another mistake; he needed to have everything covered.  

“Khun?”  

“Oh, sorry, the light from the headlights must be bothering you, right?”  

“No, don't worry,” he shook his head, still a little sleepy. “Everything okay?”

“Well, let's hope so. We haven't even reached our destination yet and I'm already exhausted,” he said jokingly, trying not to worry him.

“Thanks.”

“Why do you say that?”

"I feel like you've done too much for me: supporting me in my plan, finding powerful allies... How did you meet Sachi Faker?"

"Oh, well, it was tough negotiations, but I've got everything sorted out now."

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have gotten this far."

Khun wasn't used to that kind of gratitude, and he didn't understand why Baam seemed so thoughtful. Had something in the “rice cooker” made him realize something? 

“Come on, I can't take all the credit, this is all because you started it. You have a great power to bring people together, it's very difficult not to want to support you.”  

A loud snoring noise from the next room made them realize that some people wanted to sleep. So Baam moved closer to Khun so he could speak more quietly, ending up sitting on Khun's bed next to where he was working with the headlights.

“Aren't you sleepy?” Khun asked. 

“I have trouble falling asleep here.”

“I understand, but you must rest.”

“Same here, especially when you're the only one who's been fighting the enemies.” 

The silence hung expectantly, waiting for the words they both wanted to say. The tension between them grew like water slowly coming to a boil. Khun didn't want to ask any more questions for fear of the answers, and Baam, who barely understood how human relationships worked, didn't know how best to approach the situation.

“I don't think I've ever told you what happened the day we met,” Baam began.

“We all have parts of our past that we don't want to talk about.”  

“Even so, I feel like it's something you should know. I don't know if this will improve or worsen your perception of Rachel, but I want you to understand me.”

“Okay,” Khun turned off his headlights, leaving one on nearby that only emitted a faint blue light, enough to see each other's expressions. 

Agüero couldn't deny a certain expectation mixed with nervousness. He wasn't used to having a moment like this with someone. Talking about your feelings and circumstances took a back seat: no one cared about your motivations, they wouldn't do you any good unless you were someone strong.  

He knew that Baam wanted to do this because something was weighing on him about the whole situation, so he, being the good friend that he was, would listen and try not to judge him.

“You already know a little about my life before the tower and my life within FUG. Thanks to Rachel, I'm here.”  

Sometimes, the omega couldn't help but wonder how things would have changed if he had met Baam first. It would have saved him a lot of suffering, and he might not have made mistakes he regretted, but as always, it was impossible to go back to the past.

"I managed to get into the tower with her. We had some difficulties, but we finally made it to the second floor of testing. There... she met someone who told her that her dream would come true."

He used a lower tone of voice, remembering this with sadness.  

“I think I already told you that. It was then that she told me that if I wanted to continue climbing with her, I would have to follow a plan she had in place. I didn't question her; after all, I thought it would be great if I could continue with her, I couldn't lose her..." 

“Baam...”  

“On the testing floor, I faked my death,” Khun opened his eyes in surprise at this. Rachel told me, 'You can't continue to be Baam the 25th, you have to take another name or they won't let us stay together'. I believed her, so I accepted every instruction she gave me. That night, I woke up in a desolate place, where I found my teacher and Hawryun, but no sign of her."

He couldn't help but feel furious at this. How many sacrifices had Baam had to make in his life? And all for someone who didn't seem to do the slightest thing for him. Although, that explained why Lero Ro wanted to know his whereabouts and ended up leaving there to find out the truth.

“If I had met him on the testing floor, would I have been able to help him?” He would surely have known that something strange had happened with all this and would also have tried to find the truth, although the idea of witnessing something like that caused him pain in his chest. 

"My master told me that I would begin my training. I didn't understand things very well, only that I underwent hard training and constantly felt that my body couldn't take it anymore. The next thing I remember is that they took me to a building that looked like a laboratory. I think it must have belonged to the Workshop. There, Rachel visited me again, but she told me once more that it was impossible to ascend together with my current strength. The only people I remember consistently are my teacher, whether it was to train me or talk to me about other things" at least it seemed that he took the latter as good memories.

“Did you never doubt her words?” he asked, unable to contain his anger.  

“Why would I? For me, she was the only truth I needed.”  

That sentence stabbed him right in the heart. How could he blame him? Perhaps more than one person has been in that same position. 

“So... what happened the day we met?” 

“Usually, in the lab, people there talked about many topics as if I didn't understand them or because they thought I was asleep. I never really cared what they said, unless it was about Rachel.”

“That day, I heard that she had arrived at the laboratory, and I was surprised that she didn't come to see me, so I went to see her on my own. She was in a meeting with two scientists, listening to their plan to ”neutralize" me if things got out of control. Worst of all, I heard her accept this without hesitation." 

He lowered his gaze, as if the wounds from that day still hurt. Khun wanted to hug him, but all he dared to do was put his hand on his as a sign of support.

"I... didn't understand anything, so I went to demand answers about what she said. She seemed terrified to see me and insisted that it was necessary for us to be together, but I wasn't in my right mind and ended up complaining to her about these lies. I don't know what expression I had, but she looked scared as if she had seen a monster, and before I knew it, she had shot me with one of the guns she had nearby."

"My survival instinct was stronger, even though I wanted to stay, I knew that if I did, things would not turn out well for me. So, with what little energy I had left, I left there without caring where I was going. I had already resigned myself to everything. Losing Rachel was worse than that gunshot, so I just wanted to wait for death somewhere quiet, or rather, find a way to return to where I had come from"

He looked up, and now he saw a nostalgic sweetness. 

“I was very lucky that you were the one who found me.”

His heart ached at this, he felt overwhelmed by this unfamiliar feeling. How could someone look at him with such tenderness? His sins were too numerous to count, he didn't believe himself worthy of someone looking at him like that, with such deep gratitude just for doing something out of curiosity. 

He didn't deserve that kindness at all. 

“Baam, I don't think it was a big deal. You just made me curious, I didn't do it to be a good person.” 

He felt somewhat uncomfortable, as if suddenly the alpha was going to dig deeper into the depths of his soul, through something as foreign as the warmth that emanated from him. It was unfamiliar territory for him; he didn't know how to respond to that feeling, much less accept it so easily. 

Their hands were still together, neither of them tried to pull away, and without meaning to, their eyes locked in a way that prevented them from looking away.

“Maybe, but even so, you became an important person in my life.” 

“Don't listen, don't pay attention to him, as soon as he sees Rachel, he'll change his mind,” Khun repeated it to himself internally, because he felt that he would soon fall into a golden abyss and would not know what to do if he plunged into that color; he would never be able to get out of there.

Baam's pheromones began to emerge, but it wasn't a sign of rut; it was a single signal that only served to confuse him further: it was a scent that indicated happiness and comfort. A welcoming forest. 

Without meaning to, he moved a little closer, becoming more and more addicted to this scent. Could he touch it, even just a little? How would he react if he did?

“Baam...” he whispered his name as if it were a sin to say it, and of course it was, because intrusive thoughts appeared, ordering him to do things he would never think of doing in his right mind. 

He raised his hand, ready to caress his cheek, a slight touch was enough for Baam to decide to lie down on his hand. Damn, how could he look so cute like that? He assumed it was because of his jealousy, but Baam was a very affectionate person.  

However, they were not alone, and an external sound brought them back to reality. 

A few steps outside made them react. They froze and held their breath, thinking that someone had woken up because of them, but as the seconds passed and they heard no complaints or comments, they were able to breathe a sigh of relief.

“W-well, we should sleep. You need all your energy to keep going with all this,” he cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“What am I doing?” Aguero scolded himself. Like a fool, he wasn't setting appropriate boundaries in his relationship. Bam only saw him as a friend and wasn't even sure he would choose him over Rachel.  

He hated feeling this way, mulling over the same issue over and over again and not finding an answer that would make him happy. Why could one person provoke such contradictory emotions in him? He should have left as soon as he had the chance, but surely the regret would have been much worse to bear. 

Would he find a resolution at the end of this journey? He hoped so.

Right now, everyone had to put their feelings aside in order to move forward.

Aguero couldn't allow that conversation, in which Baam confessed a very private part of his life, to determine his performance in the most important test of their lives (for the moment). The brown-haired man seemed to act normal, but he knew that inside, a thousand emotions were eating away at him; he just hoped that none of them would worsen his performance.

“Ready?” asked Sachi, ready to take him to the meeting point.

They still had to get past other enemies, but at the pace they were going, that would be a piece of cake.

“Baam,” he called him before they took the portal that would lead them to that test.

The brown-haired boy looked at him curiously, relaxing his gaze when he realized who was speaking to him. Damn, how could he feign neutrality when he acted like that with him?

'If this were the last time we saw each other, wouldn't I have to tell him something important?' He had always seen people mourn the loss of their companions; romances were no exception, and even couples who were bonded ended up separated by the cruel evil that lay in these trials. In each of these cases, he witnessed how certain words were spoken. Before, he had thought it was stupid, but now he understood that need to get things off one's chest. 

What words would give Baam the strength to keep going with all this? Of course, his primary goal was not to lose, but at this point he knew that the odds were never zero.

“It's nothing,” he shook his head with a slight smile. “I'll tell you when we win.”

Perhaps it was best not to get their hopes up or make corny speeches. Right now, they just needed this sense of normalcy and the knowledge that a new day would come for both of them.

.

.

.

When they arrived at the meeting point, they noticed different groups around them, including some people they didn't expect to see in a place like this.

“Turtles!” Rak was at one of the points, along with people they didn't know, probably another group that had been involved in their attempt to board the train from hell.

“Rak!” Baam smiled broadly when he saw him alive and well.

The crocodile's cries could be heard perfectly from a distance. Seriously, what a headache, but something else caught Khun's attention:

'Who is that white kid next to him? Could he be another copy of Hoaquín?' Khun wondered when he saw them. Luckily, they had more allies on their side, but they still didn't know the nature of the game.

A short man with a face that looked like an extra came out to explain the rules: The game of “Dálar,” an ancient method used by the leaders of the 10 families to bet on their own possessions. It was basically a game where the person with the most coins won.

When the coins were distributed at random, those who had 10 of them were asked to be the first participants.

“It looks like it's my turn,” Khun announced, with a serious and determined expression.  

“Be careful, Khun.” 

“Don't worry, I'll be right back, Bam,” he said goodbye with a slight smile. 

'Luckily, my opponents aren't that strong' he thought arrogantly, seeing Rachel as one of the participants. 

The test consisted of catching the Ayu fish without killing it. The details? Irrelevant when victory was so clear. 

Once it started, the spear-wielding guy he met in the train city and a sturdy girl began fighting for some reason that didn't interest him much, to be honest. Perfect, that way he could face Rachel without any problems. 

“Do you want to try first?” Rachel seemed surprised by this. “I know I'll win this anyway, so I thought it would be nice to give you some kind of advantage.” 

The girl seemed irritated by his words. 

“I don't know you at all, but from your speech and the way you fight, I realized something: you can't do anything on your own, your incompetence leads you to depend on stronger partners because you know you can't do anything with your strength.”  

He remembered with anger everything Baam had to go through because of the false illusion of being by her side. How long did he suffer punishments and experiments without even receiving a “thank you” from her?

"You envy Baam's strength, so you decided to push him away so he wouldn't overshadow you. That's why I know you won't be able to catch that fish on your own, because that's how incompetent you are.

Those words didn't seem to sit well with her, her gaze betraying the anger she was trying to contain.  

“You shouldn't underestimate me without knowing me. I'll show you that I'm not as useless as you think.” 

'She doesn't even know how to respond when she knows deep down that I'm absolutely right'

Rachel used a very common and simple method to catch the fish, movements with his headlights that even a 5-year-old child could do: a net to catch the animal and trap it.  

“I take advantage of opportunities with my own strength. If it comes toward me, I can use my own hands without any problems.”  

Khun seemed very relaxed despite the situation. He could hear his companions shouting at him to do something, but he had his eyes fixed on the fish. Rachel finally realized what was happening, but it was too late, because the shape of the Ayu began to change. 

"You can't, because that Ayu is too big for you to catch"

The creature was compressed in that fish tank, so when it came out, it revealed its true size. It was so strong that even she, with her headlights, couldn't stop it.

Because, of course, Khun wasn't satisfied with just winning; he had to prove that he deserved the prize more than anyone else, and if he had to humiliate someone, it was just the icing on the cake. With his great skill with the headlights, he was able to hold back Ayu as if it were nothing. 

“I told you, you can't catch him,” he said, his gaze cold and indifferent. “You'll never be able to do anything on your own, and no matter what you try to achieve, I'll take it away from you.”

With that, the announcer gave his verdict on the winner of the round, securing his team's victory in the first round.  

“You know, even though you and Baam entered at the same time, he has shown considerable improvement, but you? It seems that you haven't improved at all in all this time, although that must be divine justice, since you're rotten inside, but what would I know?” With this sarcastic comment, he left her there and returned to the others. 

“Khun! You were great,” was the first thing Baam said when he saw him.

“It was nothing,” he said, trying to be modest, but that was the truth. “Although now I have this thing stuck to me.”

The Ayu fish fluttered around him for some reason. Was it a condition of the test? 

Everyone praised him, as if they didn't really believe that all this was luck. Seriously, did they think he was weak because of his appearance or because he was an omega? He didn't want to know.  

He approached Baam, but the air around him became a little more serious. 

“If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have stopped the fish,” Khun acknowledged. “I'm not as kind as you think. I can't promise I'll let her live if I face her again.”

'I have to shake this feeling off, even if you hate me' he thought to himself, looking away before his resolve wavered again.

.

.

They had a short break before moving on to the next round: transporting the Ayu. 

They would be divided into groups of three to carry the fish to the center of the pipes, but if Hoaquín's group managed to kill it before that, they would be considered the winners.  

After hearing the rules, everyone was teleported to different locations.  

Khun ended up with Hawryun and a swordsman who was part of Boro's group. It wasn't the team he had hoped for, but he could work with them. The fish returned to its giant form but didn't seem as aggressive as it had been at the beginning.  

The silence and calm did not bode well. They had no way of contacting their teammates, nor did they have any way of knowing how the others were doing in obtaining coins. The rules stipulated that whoever had the most would have total control of the map.

Ah, this was a nuisance, and he was even getting a little bored with the whole situation. 

Surely, his team was the furthest away from the others. After all, it seemed that the driver still felt a certain affinity for Hoaquín, so this wasn't a completely fair game. He couldn't be as confident as on previous floors; now they were directly up against FUG in unknown territory. 

“I guess we'll reach the exit soon,” Khun muttered.

“Everything is very quiet. I have a bad feeling about this,” Hawryun commented beside him.

Indeed, he was right. Two people wearing hoods that covered their faces appeared in front of him. It was the same cloak that Rachel's entire team wore. 

“Could it be...?” His hunch was spot on when he sensed someone else coming from behind.  

There was that annoying blonde who seemed to want nothing more than to ruin his life. 

“How about we start the hunt for Ayu?” she said with a victorious smile. 

“You waited until we were close to the exit? What determination.” 

“You're only seeing my exterior. I'm capable of even pretending to be disabled if it means I have a chance.” 

The two people in front of her showed their weapons. One of them seemed to have a strange spell on his arm because of the way the runes tattooed on it glowed. He didn't have much information about his rivals, so he was taking a lot of risks. 

“I don't know the combat ability of most of them, my team isn't that strong, and having to defend the fish puts me at a huge disadvantage.” Yes, it seemed that defeat was imminent here. “Anyway, they must have already realized it.”  

Luckily, the shout of his loudest teammate proved him right. 

“Blue turtle!”

“How did you get here?!” Rachel asked. 

Oh, he had to admit it, seeing her face turn angry when things didn't go her way was something to enjoy. 

“I made sure to give us a certain advantage,” Khun allowed himself to smile proudly this time. “On the way here, we used a dalar on each pipe door and closed them. Of course, the enemy could have found them, but statistically, it was more likely that an ally would find them and that this person would end up following us.”  

“So it was you, blue turtle?!” Rak reacted.

“I'm sorry,” he said, his tone clearly anything but remorseful.

“If it had been an enemy, I would have killed him!”

“Anyway, we were lucky,” Khun admitted, ignoring Rak's complaints. “In the end, we could have escaped if we had run away and closed the door. My team wasn't that strong, but we were agile.” 

“Damn it...” Rachel muttered, clenching her fists.

Her vengeful instinct was more active than ever; he wouldn't enjoy an easy victory, he had to prove his point. Though, deep down, Khun knew that even if he beat her a thousand times, he'd still be unsatisfied.  

“I thought: you wouldn't want to lose us here, and we didn't want to spend more dallars than necessary. So,” he said, moving closer to Rachel, without losing his expression of superiority, “how about we fight, and whoever wins gets each team's dollars? Just you and me.”  

Everyone was surprised by such a risky request. 

“And why do you want to fight her alone?! Don't hog all the fun, you selfish jerk,” shouted Rak, earning an angry look from Agüero.

He stared at Rachel, knowing that she was suspicious of this proposal, especially because Rachel knew very well that she couldn't beat him without some trick up her sleeve.

“Whoever wins gets all the dallars. I'll make sure it's a fair and equal battle for both of you, so neither of you will be at a disadvantage. What do you think?” 

The blonde woman remained thoughtful, looking at him as if trying to figure out what he was up to with all this. 

“Okay,” she finally said after a few seconds that seemed like an eternity. “I accept.” 

Khun smiled inwardly, thinking he had everything under control, unaware that this would only bring more consequences than expected.

Chapter Text

The next day, Khun would remember the rest of the test as chaotic, confusing, and definitely exhausting in every possible way.

He survived, yes, but at a very high cost.

Apparently, all of the above was just a prelude to this great disaster he was witnessing at that moment; of course, as if being on the train wasn't chaotic enough.  

It all started with that ridiculous bet he made with Rachel.

It was just flipping a coin, letting luck decide their fates. No matter how talented or strong you were, you couldn't do anything against the will of the gods, right? (If they existed in the first place).

Luck smiled on him that day; he won on the first toss. No matter how much the blonde complained about the results, Khun had witnesses who ensured that the competition was fair. He should have ignored her and continued on his way.

“If you toss it again and win... I'll tell you everything about Baam's past and mine, long before we entered the tower.”

How could anyone refuse the fruit of all knowledge when it was right there in front of them? It looked red and appetizing, surely with a taste unlike any other in the world. With this, he could finally solve the mystery that had been turning his life upside down: Baam on the 25th.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan, of course, with three rounds already played, there should be a clear winner.

Oh, self-confidence was a double-edged sword. His desire to beat Rachel at all costs made him arrogant; he wanted to destroy her completely, to make her regret everything she had done.

So, when he won two out of three times, he simply handed her a dallar so they could continue the game. After all, what was the point of revealing everything right there? Damn, he regretted not taking the opportunity, although, equally, it wasn't as if they had much time, and surely his companions were fighting with Hoaquín somewhere.

“Now, it's your decision whether to give up now or take this small chance to keep playing. But remember... the next time I win, you'll have to tell me everything.”

Obviously, Rachel decided to stay in the game. Maybe it was the little dignity she had left or the anger she felt towards him that drove her to continue, who knows.

He realized he had made a small miscalculation when, at the start of the third and final round, Baam confirmed that they were facing a former FUG assassin: White. This explained a lot, but at the same time made him rethink when the difficulty of all this had increased.

He could hear Jisung Ha's annoying voice saying, “I told you so.”  

The little he knew about the man was that he was a vile person who had killed thousands of people with his sword, and his massacre would have continued to this day if it weren't for the fact that, years ago, a princess of Jahad had managed to defeat him.

Ah, seriously, what other surprises did the tower have in store for him?

When they went through tense or adrenaline-filled situations, it was normal that shortly afterward, it was difficult to remember every detail clearly. Everything felt a little more diffuse, between new information and participants, Khun felt that the third test called “Journey to Hell” lasted days instead of hours. But in a place as enclosed as the train, the concept of time was difficult to appreciate.

Even so, he clearly remembered the harsh rules of the test: the possibility of saving or losing hostages.

If they had been other regulars, other assassin candidates, it might have been an easier game, but this was Baam; he wanted to save them all at the expense of his own well-being, regardless of whether they were friends or enemies.  

At least he had the opportunity to help Baam behind the scenes and resume his intellectual struggle with Rachel, who knew the disadvantages his team was facing. But damn it, he loved challenges more than anything, and overcoming them gave him greater pleasure than subduing useless alphas.  

“You know Baam isn't as ruthless as you are,” Rachel warned him, and he hated to admit that she was absolutely right. 

That test was a huge emotional blow to the irregular who had the biggest savior complex he had ever known throughout the tower.  

Baam pushed his body to the limit, but especially his conscience, when, after saving Sloan, he decided to also save Hoaquin's companions, since Hoaquín clearly wouldn't waste even a movement or a thought on them.  

How could he stop his determination? He hated not being able to contradict him, and worse still, agreeing to his wishes to spend his own coins on saving the enemy. 

“I'm definitely getting carried away by him.”  

“You make me wonder if kindness is contagious,” Rachel commented, amused by his own dilemma.  

A battle of ideals between two assassin candidates who seemed to be perfect opposites: someone who didn't care about killing thousands to achieve his goals versus someone who saw no point in his goals if he lost someone. 

However, something made him reflect: Rachel had many opportunities to kill Baam if she wanted to, but she simply didn't. She hated him, or so it seemed. She wanted to kill him, yet she didn't when she could. What was she really after? He hated that ambiguity in her; it was too difficult for her to read her true intentions.  

He remembered Baam's story and realized that perhaps, in the end, she was just afraid of him. But he couldn't know for sure at the moment.  

“Even so, he decided to look for me on his own,” was what she replied when he confronted her about this.

Ugh, remembering that smug smile just made him want to vomit. If she reacted to his pheromones, she would surely feel annoyed by the large amount of warning pheromones that were filling the space.

“I'm going to save them all!” declared the brown-haired man confidently, and Khun simply couldn't ignore his wishes.  

“Do you want to lose? If you save them all, we'll have a big advantage in the game,” Rachel said, looking confused. 

“I can't help it, that's just how Baam is. That's why you rejected him, isn't it?”  

Was the fear of confronting the light that emanated from the brown-haired man the source of all her fears? Just as he was once afraid to confront him because he feared that his worst sins would come to light, she was surely running away from him for something similar. 

'Am I already identifying with her? How ridiculous' 

“If we win, it means you lost to Baam's ideals: I will do my best to fulfill all his wishes.”  

Yes, it was very bold of him, remembering that brought him certain conflicts, because once again he felt that emptiness in his chest grow even larger.  

That girl who resembled Hoaquín appeared before Baam, offering him unparalleled power. But all great powers came at a great price, including the wrath of a former supreme being who wanted to obtain that same power. 

White took advantage of this, using cruel words (but true to a certain extent) and fighting him at every opportunity to prevent him from saving them all. He wouldn't deny it, his heart almost stopped a couple of times.  

“What the hell are you?! You're a monster!” 

That's what White exclaimed when he saw Baam use his own power against him, even imitating his sword, to finally defeat him. 

The victory was overwhelming: Baam saved everyone and didn't have to sacrifice any lives.  

“Why the long face?”  

“I think you already know the answer.” 

Khun looked up, his gaze cold and calculating. He didn't like the person standing in front of him at all. 

“Oh, come on, in the end, your candidate for FUG assassin won, didn't he? I should be the one suffering.” 

Hoaquín smiled, showing that he really didn't care about the final result. Perhaps it was his own way of dealing with the feeling of defeat: pretending that it hadn't happened at all or it wasn't a big deal.

“I thought you'd want revenge somehow. Aren't you taking your time killing me?” 

Okay, Agüero's pride would eventually kill him, but it wasn't really his style to stay silent either. He recognized Hoaquín's power and his madness, of course, but he had an ace up his sleeve.  

“I knew that Viole's omega wouldn't be just any bitch in heat,” he said with a much more sadistic smile, approaching him. 

Although his instincts screamed danger, he didn't back down and continued to hold his gaze. 

“You think I haven't noticed?” The tip of his sword grazed her neck, the cold metal making her shudder. “You're a damn nuisance. Where did you get a spell like that?” 

With one slash, he tore her white shirt, revealing a kind of red seal carved into her chest with ancient runes.  

“Before I met Sachi personally, I wondered why he decided to take the path of sorcery,” he leaned further against the wall, trying to keep his legs from shaking in the dangerous situation he was in. “I see that all these years he was preparing to face you again.”

“That bastard and his stupid group are the ones who always interfere with my plans,” he muttered with contained anger. "Very clever, the Khuns have always been damn swindlers, all of you never cease to amaze me"

Oh no, he wasn't liking this at all. Why did he suddenly seem so calm?  

“Do you think you're safe just because I can't take your soul?”  

Once again, the sword was very close to his neck. He could feel it. One slight movement and he would bleed to death right there.  

"It would be great to see Viole's face when I tell him how I ended up with his beloved omega and light bearer. How do you think he'll react? Maybe he'll cry a little and then be consumed by rage" Hoaquín's menacing face came closer and closer, like a predator about to devour its prey "Oh, can you imagine? Maybe he'll finally give up his stupid 'save everyone' speech when he realizes he can't save you and, in the process, wants to kill me with all his might"

“Do you want to turn him into a monster like you?” 

The sword touched his neck again, and he could feel it tearing a little bit of his skin. So he had to keep his mouth shut. 

“Do you know which souls are the most delicious?” he began to whisper in his ear. “They're not the cleanest or purest, they're the ones full of frustration: ‘Oh, why did this happen to me?’ It's like having a meal full of all the delicious things in the world, and let me tell you: suffering is the best seasoning.”  

He moved away from him, laughing as if he could enjoy the moment right there, even though the sword was still firmly pressed against his neck. 

“Ha, I see...” He swallowed hard, feeling how any heartbeat or slight movement would cause him to hurt himself with the weapon. “Do you know how you could cause him even greater suffering?”  

Perhaps it was time to tell him the truth: “I'm not Baam's favorite person. If you really want to make him suffer, you just have to kill Rachel.”    

Would that be okay? He didn't know the guy well but Aguero didn't think White was very loyal to anyone and could easily kill his companions to achieve his goals, but... He couldn't say something like that.

Because what he hated most about Rachel was that he could never replace her. Killing her like that would only make Baam continue to hold her in an important place in his heart. 

That idea made him nauseous.  

“Is this another one of your games?” asked the albino. “You shouldn't joke around now, you know how little I care about other people's lives.”   

“Another game? Never,” Khun looked at him with determination. “I'm just saying, it would be a waste for my corpse to remain on the train like any other extra who tried to overcome it. Don't you think that doing something to me in front of him will give you what you want?"  

“Oh?” He gave him a look of genuine interest. “Are you saying you're willing to cause him more pain? Wow, I didn't expect that. What do you gain from all this?”  

“Do you really want to know? I'm sure you won't like the answer,” Hoaquín frowned, signaling him to cut to the chase. “Maybe seeing me die will make him never forget me. How pathetic does that sound?”

Maybe it was a lie, but sometimes the best lies also contained some truth.  

“Ha ha ha!” He brought a hand to his face and let out a loud laugh. “I love it! You're a twisted bastard. How did you end up supporting someone as soft as him?” 

“So...?” 

“Okay, I think your plan is a good idea,” he put his sword away and licked the blood off it without taking his eyes off him. “We're going to cause Viole so much suffering that he'll never be able to forget it.”  

Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, White's cold gaze fell upon him.  

“But if this is another one of your tricks, I'll make you both suffer in ways you can't even imagine.” 

Seriously, again, how did he end up in this situation? 

.

.

.

“Now tell me... what happened before you and Baam entered the tower?”  

A simple question that had kept him awake at night ever since he found out that Baam was an irregular. There he had the person who would solve one of the most fascinating mysteries. 

Oh, he had been so close.  

But as always, nothing could turn out the way he wanted.  

Suddenly, they heard a commotion outside, and the cabin they were in began to shake violently. Outside, Khun saw boiling acid begin to fill the room. Rachel's reaction seemed calm. Was all of this her plan after all? 

“Of course, FUG wouldn't let you leave alive.”  

“What?!” 

“This place will be filled with boiling acid. From the beginning, they wanted to kill you at all costs,” she said seriously, without moving a muscle. “Of course, how could a deserter think he would find happiness so easily?” 

Damn, in the end, they did end up in a trap. 

When he realized it, the blonde was already about to leave. 

“Rachel!” Yura Ha's voice echoed. They definitely had an escape plan.  

“I'll tell you something,” she glanced at him before jumping. “We're going to stay on the train and head to the place where ‘an administrator died,’ the place where Enryu committed this act, and that's where they found the thorn that Baam carries.” 

He seemed somewhat surprised by this information. 

“Our plan is to find another thorn and perhaps discover Baam's true identity. To tell you the truth, the reason he was confined to the laboratory for so long was to find an answer to this, so I hope to find out when we get there.” 

Finally, he gave her a cynical smile. 

“See you later, Khun. That is, if you manage to survive.”  

“Rachel!” He reacted just in time to see her jump, straight towards Yura Ha.  

He needed to do something quickly. If he let them go just like that, all this effort would have been for nothing.  

He looked around, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. White was watching from where the acid was coming from, and Yura Ha seemed to be preparing some technique to get them out of there. That damn briefcase seemed to hold a great mystery in all this.  

He could use his spear and do something to at least prevent them from escaping, but it could also condemn them all.  

He looked around. Baam was heading in his direction with Rak, but then, he noticed how Haryun was staring at a fixed point. Was her guiding instinct working at this moment?  

'She's staring at where the acid is coming from, and I don't think it's because she's gotten used to the idea of dying today' he reflected. By this point, Rachel was already entering the briefcase of that strange alpha.  

“Baam! Stop her! Don't come for me.” 

The chestnut seemed confused by this strange request. After all, the place where Khun was located was the first to fall due to that dangerous substance. 

With his gaze, he asked him to trust him, and indeed, he did. 

“You better not die, turtle number two!”  

“He gets creative with nicknames when he's nervous,” he thought amusedly, letting out a big sigh to calm himself down. He looked up at the spot above them again. If it weren't for the deadly situation, he might even have stayed to appreciate the beautiful color falling from the ceiling. 

“I need to Focus!”  

The floor was uneven, and the increasingly hot air seemed to take away his oxygen with every passing second, but even so, he kept his gaze fixed. If Hawryun's abilities were of any use, then he had to listen to her instincs. 

He pulled the spear from his lighthouse. This could be his only and last throw, so he couldn't miss. At least, if he died, he would know that he had saved them all.  

'Baam has changed my life so much that I never thought I would be this kind of person”'he thought ironically.  

The position was uncomfortable, and surely with the force of the throw, the floor on which he stood would end up collapsing. Even so, his concentration was absolute, and he ended up aiming for the center of the ceiling. If he missed, he would surely only hasten everyone's death, so he had nothing to lose anyway.

The screams and voices around him faded away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.  

With one movement, the spear ended up at high speed on the ceiling, opening a larger space, but thanks to this, the structure he was on ended up collapsing. Neither Baam nor anyone else could get there in time to save him.  

“Damn, I would have at least liked to see how far he would go,” he thought sadly. 

“Khun!” Baam's voice echoed throughout the place. 

.

.

.

He couldn't sleep.   

Of course, how could he with a FUG assassin with a thirst for blood lying next to him? White, beside him, didn't even seem to be asleep, staring at his sword as if it would give him the answer to all his questions. 

Well, luckily it was just him. If he had been with someone else from his team, they would have already decided to kill Khun.  

Currently, they were both waiting for nightfall so they could continue crossing the train without any problems. They hadn't been able to rest properly in a room, and with two people, the number of monsters that appeared ended up leaving them extremely tired. Although, of course, the proud swordsman said that this was just a warm-up for everything else.  

"For Viole's partner, you're quite capable, even better than that girl... uh, what was her name?

“Rachel,” he replied coldly. 

“Yes! That's the one. I can't believe she's gotten this far, but it seems that what she lacks in physical strength, she makes up for in manipulation.” He seemed quite amused by this situation.

“I agree.” It was incredible that they were beginning to form a bond thanks to a derogatory comment about Rachel.  

Fortunately, the monsters began to appear, and they didn't have to keep talking.  

Seeing White's abilities made him realize that, if it weren't for the help they received at the end, Baam would have had little chance of winning. Worst of all, he was still an incomplete being, as far as he understood, so if he consumed the souls he needed, he would only become stronger; after all, he was a supreme before many years ago. 

How could he prevent that from his position? He knew nothing about spells, the mark that saved his soul was someone else's creation, and he wasn't particularly interested in sorcery either.  

First, he had to find a way to reunite with Baam and the others.  

The atmosphere was tense; a normal person would have remained silent for fear of making things worse. But of course, the train was far from being full of normal people. 

“Why are you so upset?” 

Baam looked up, meeting a curious gaze that seemed more like that of a little girl than a princess of Jahad.  

“I... I lost them all,” he replied, and misery took hold of him once again.  

“What are you saying?” she frowned, standing in front of him and slapping his cheeks with both palms so he would look at her. “As far as I know, we haven't confirmed any deaths, and if we were able to get out of there, that means the others are fine.”  

“Princess!”  

“So, drop that pitying expression. It doesn't suit your pretty face at all, okay?” 

“I-I'm sorry, really. She's a person who doesn't think much about what she says.” 

“What do you mean, Evan?” 

“N-Nothing...”  

The white dwarf stood aside, hoping that the girl's anger would not pursue him. 

Baam sighed. He still felt bad. Although he had not failed the test, the feeling of defeat accompanied him. His team was gone, and, oh, he was really too worried about Khun. Where could he be now? 

The two supreme beings began to talk to each other, yet he couldn't hear anything they were saying. He could only remember those last moments before the boiling acid consumed the place: 

Just as Khun said, he approached Yura Ha, who was apparently using her briefcase as a means of transportation. With his bangs, he prevented Hoaquín and Rachel from getting in, but when Rak pointed out Khun's situation, his heart simply stopped. 

He saw Khun begin to fall into the boiling acid, knowing he would never reach him. 

“Khun!”  

His throat nearly tore as he shouted his name. 

However, before he could think the worst, the large ayu fish emerged from Khun's lighthouse, pushing him with its head to prevent him from falling into a cascade of boiling liquid. This gave Baam enough time to quickly go after him, but the three of them stood sadly watching as the poor creature perished in the acid.  

“Do you want to kill us all, blue turtle?!” Rak reacted, grabbing him by the neck. 

But before Khun could respond, they noticed two figures emerging from the spot where Khun's spear had broken. It didn't take long to realize that they were really strong people. 

“Wow! Were you waiting for us?” That voice seemed very cheerful considering the situation. 

“Princess, I don't think this is the time for jokes...”

“Oh! You're right,” the black-haired girl looked around quickly, realizing what was happening. “I guess that's our target.”

She looked directly at Hoaquín, who tightened his grip on his sword, but for some reason, he seemed a little more lost than before. Had his defeat by Baam thrown him off balance?

“Yura!” Rachel exclaimed, signaling her to help him as soon as possible.

However, when the sparkling girl approached with her briefcase, she was no match for the strength of that stranger. 

No one could react in time when Yuri Jahad struck the blue briefcase, which exploded into several blue stars, absorbing everyone present. 

“Oh... no!” Yura watched in horror as her precious object emitted thousands of blue sparks that began to spread throughout the space, settling on each present.  

“Eh, oops?” The princess of Jahad shrugged before being touched by a star and absorbed by it.  

“Princess...” The white dwarf accompanying her could only sigh as he realized the gravity of the situation, while a star touched his head.  

“Khun!” Baam exclaimed as he watched his companion being absorbed by one of those stars, disappearing in the blink of an eye without even being able to touch his hand. "Rak!"

Unable to do anything, the blue completely covered them before his vision turned black.  

That day, there was a shower of stars inside the train from hell, each one ending up in different places, with no fixed destination to reach.

.

.

'If only I had reached him...' he thought with some frustration, but he couldn't stay there feeling sorry for himself forever; Khun would surely have scolded him for this.  

“You're... the same person I met on the first floor, right?”  

Both adults stopped talking when they realized this. 

“So you finally remember me,” she smiled nostalgically. “Even though we only saw each other for a few moments, I could never forget such a pretty face.” 

"We thought neither of you could get past that floor," Evan admitted, but rather than relieved, he seemed genuinely concerned.  

Many years ago, when the world was simpler for Baam, he had only one clear goal: to follow his light, even if it meant entering the tower he hated so much.  

They both ended up in an unknown dungeon, with drawings he had never seen before, and inside was the administrator of that floor: Headon.  

That being questioned them, saying they couldn't continue climbing the tower and set an impossible challenge for two teenagers who knew little about the world and their own abilities. 

“It's impossible!” Rachel screamed when she saw the great beast guarding the object.  

“Then your journey ends here.” 

“Rachel...” He should have been happy that they couldn't continue, but he simply couldn't allow sadness to consume his friend. “Sir, if I take the test... can we both move forward?” 

“Are you planning to carry her the whole time? The tower is not very friendly to those of her kind, and I don't know if you'll have the strength to face all this alone.” 

“As long as we can be together, I don't care about anything else.” 

So, he tried to enter that aquarium to get what he wanted, but a kick stopped him from moving forward. 

'Are you crazy?!' was what the expression on his face described. 

That blow marked the beginning of his first encounter with Yuri Jahad. 

“I would have helped you more, but I just didn't trust her,” she admitted, shaking his head.

“Jealousy is a bad thing...” his guide murmured under her breath. 

“But I'm glad to see you've found another reason to climb the tower,” Yuri concluded with a smile, which Baam returned.  

For some reason, she inspired him with a great deal of confidence, even though she practically abandoned him as soon as she gave him his device and said “see you later” before disappearing again.  

However, his calmness turned to guilt when he turned his gaze and realized that Khun was not by his side to ask him questions or make his usual comments.    

“Please, let him be okay.” He didn't know who he was sending his prayers to, so he hoped they would be heard. 

“Congratulations! You have defeated the guardian and can advance to the next floor.”

Khun sighed as he looked at the carnage. The guardian had been viciously cut down, and his blood was splattered all over the room. Was he a bad person for not feeling disgusted by this? Well, it wasn't the first time he had witnessed something like this. 

“Even though he used all his strength in the test, he can do this easily,” he reflected, watching from afar. His white appearance only stood out more in this gloomy place. 

“Interesting, you're not a bad light bearer,” admitted the assassin. 

“It's not like I'm helping you because I want to,” he replied without thinking. 

A chill ran down his spine as he sensed the albino's killer instinct. His sword grazed his cheek, but to his surprise, he wasn't aiming at him, but at a wall behind him. 

A small cry made him breathe a sigh of relief; for now, he was not the prey.

'I couldn't even react. If he wanted me dead, he would only have to swing his sword once,' he acknowledged with some frustration, touching his cheek to make sure it wasn't bleeding. 

“Who's there?”  

“W-wait a minute! We come in peace.” 

That sturdy girl was walking alongside the pinkhead who wouldn't let go of her pillow. They had probably also separated from the others, and although they weren't part of his team, Khun felt a great sense of relief when he saw that they weren't affiliated with FUG. 

“Huh?” The assassin tilted his head thoughtfully. “Anyone is welcome to join me. I know we've had our problems, but you can always start over.” 

Agüero was always a little unnerved by the cynical way he referred to people. Beneath that polite smile lay a hidden truth much darker than he could have imagined. He wasn't someone who killed just for the sake of it; he saw life as mere entertainment.  

He was the worst kind of psychopath: he wasn't driven solely by anger or bloodlust; he knew how to analyze his environment and those around him. One had to be careful when dealing with him directly.  

The chestnut-haired girl and her friend exchanged glances, but before the former could respond, the latter floated closer with her pillow. 

“It's better to be in a large group to keep moving forward,” she replied simply. 

“Hey! You didn't listen to my opinion.” 

The quartet moved on a little further, coming across an area full of rooms, which meant they could finally get some proper rest, have fresh food, and finally take a nice bath.  

“I don't even know how long we've been here, but it's so strange that my heat isn't even close,” Aguero thought with some relief and surprise. 

“Yes! Rooms!” celebrated Bero Bero, running like a little girl to see the surroundings. Next to her, her partner followed her silently. 

“There are rooms for heat in this area,” explained Hoaquín without looking directly at him.  

He didn't like that comment very much, tensing his body in anticipation of some (disgusting) follow-up. 

“Of course I know that.”  

“I figured,” White looked at him sideways, leaning his sword lazily on his shoulder. “Anyway, I don't think you'll need it anytime soon, omegas are incapable of going into heat when they feel in extreme danger.”  

He said it with a smile, definitely enjoying the situation. 

“Really?” he found it hard to believe. After all, issues with omegas going into heat were one of the main reasons they were considered so weak and a hindrance in many cases; their cicles always seemed to appear at the most inopportune moments. 

“The train has something special; it doesn't allow our secondary genders to interfere with the tests. I've seen omegas who go through all the floors without going into heat once, as well as others who, when in company, have their cycle regularly. Isn't it amazing how biology works in these cases?” 

"This is the first time I've heard anything like that. I couldn't find that information with my lighthouse"

"Of course not, the whole subject of subgenres is fraught with rumors, stigma, and exaggeration all the time. Our biology is perfect. How we can show so much and so little at the same time with pheromones is something to be appreciated"

“I didn't think you cared so much about biology.”  

“Of course not, but it's part of who we are and how we get our strength. Even if I had been born an omega, I would have followed the same path without hesitation, because in the end, the idea of being the strongest has nothing to do with being an alpha or an omega, but how we use our abilities and advantages to achieve that strength. Haven't you been doing that all along?"

That look froze him in place; he didn't like feeling exposed to the enemy at all.  

At the same time, he felt a strange discomfort in his chest. Could he really take the idea of subgenres so simply? If Hoaquín had been an omega, would he have been able to say those same things without hesitation? He had no way of knowing, though the conviction in his voice and the little he had seen of his personality told him that yes, he would indeed be the kind of person who only sought to be the strongest, no matter the methods.  

'Would I have thought the same thing if I were an alpha? Or would you have appreciated that my strength comes from my biology?'

Surely, he would never have answers to that question. Now, the best thing would be to find a way to escape from that guy and be reunited with Baam.  

“Baam? Where are you going?” 

Yuri and Evan looked at the brown-haired boy in dismay.  

“I have to find my friends, but first, I have to go back to a place,” he replied.  

“Are you sure? We're almost at the next station. It could be your last chance to meet up with everyone” said the guide.  

“Then I'll be back before we get to the next station.”  

“Be careful, I hope you don't get lost,” Yuri said goodbye with a smile, which gave him enough confidence to move forward without looking back. 

Once the irregular left, the guide looked at the princess reproachfully. 

“Are you sure you want to let him go just like that? We're here on a mission.” 

“Of course, that's why it's best to stay by his side. If what Repelista said is true, something big is happening here, and we can't let him leave.”  

“I'm still suspicious of that boy. An irregular like him is going to pose many dangers.” 

"Even so, I feel like supporting him, you know? 

“You're not just falling for appearances, are you?”  

A loud bang echoed through the train after this comment.  

.

.

.

He arrived at the rice mill, which was just as he remembered it, but he was disappointed not to see any familiar faces nearby. He thought that Khun might have returned to this place in search of clues. But before he could lament further, the king of the guardians appeared before him.  

At least he would have to get something out of this.  

'If I become stronger, something like this will never happen again'

However, Baam would learn that physical strength was not the only important thing when it came to protecting his loved ones.  

He entered that dark place again, where the deprivation of his external senses allowed him to connect with what was hidden inside. The atmosphere seemed to have changed, that blue demon seemed much more aggressive, Taurus was sleeping, but most noticeable was that light that seemed to illuminate the place like the sun.  

“These are the souls you devoured.”

That being seemed proud of this, even though behind him, thousands of souls were sobbing pitifully and others were demanding revenge. He had no words for all this. Little by little, he was getting used to the idea that other beings lived inside him and that, apparently, he could absorb many more. 

"Your power... consists of devouring everything," continued the blue being, explaining how his ability was perfect for a place as competitive as the tower. 

"Are your decisions always the right ones? Of course not. You got the thorn at the expense of others' sacrifice, and you wasted it in an attempt to save your friends. You can't even console yourself with the idea that you helped them, because you lost them all. That justice you dream of is not within you."

He simply couldn't bear that truth any longer and had to leave.  

Was all this true? It was possible. The whole train incident only proved to him that his irrational decisions were affecting others, that his new power was not doing any good but was completely risking the lives of of their closest friends and companions. 

He criticized Hoaquín's selfishness a lot, but weren't his methods similar? His desire to solve things for Rachel caused all this. He didn't think about his companions because he naively believed that their encounter would be different.  

Damn it, that demon was right: he too was following the nature of the tower.  

He had an idea of how to get out of there.  

It was risky; one wrong move and White would kill him without batting an eyelid. What's more, there were now two new people involved, whom he didn't know well enough, but he knew they would be a hindrance to his escape attempt.  

According to his previous research, the next stop was the “Name Hunt” station. He never intended to go to that floor; he had heard horrible things, and neither alphas nor omegas were spared there.  

From what Boro had said earlier, Hoaquín couldn't leave the train; apparently, he had some kind of contract that prevented him from leaving in his incomplete form. Therefore, his only alternative was to get off the train alive and then look for Baam at another door. How could he convey this plan to the others? It was difficult. Practically no communication system worked. The devices could only use their basic functions, and only with those who were in the same place. Any further away and the signal was lost.  

“Hey, blue boy,” whispered the brown-haired girl, looking around to make sure Hoaquín couldn't hear them. "Do you have any idea how to get out of here?"  

Khun couldn't hide his surprise at her stupid audacity in asking such a direct question. She reminded him in a way of a certain crocodile, but at least she had the decency to say it quietly.  

“If you didn't want to follow us, you could have escaped as soon as possible.” Avoiding the subject was the best option. 

“In my defense, I only saw you from behind. I didn't realize that guy was with you.” He crossed his arms and snorted. “Seriously, this is so problematic. Why did we end up like this?”  

“I wonder that too.” Seriously, whoever was controlling his fate must have been enjoying this whole spectacle.  

“I have to at least find the exit door, and besides...” Khun looked around, bumping into Cherry, who had been practically silent since she arrived.  

Okay, maybe he had something to work with.  

.

.

.

Not far from there, you could hear the echo of two people's footsteps. 

“I'm so sorry I got distracted. If I had done everything faster, we wouldn't have to be wandering around here.” 

“Don't worry, that was just a small unexpected event in our plans,” said the other girl, looking at the device in her hands, which showed the way forward. "There's still time before we get to the station we want, and in the meantime, Emily will help us find the right way"

"What a great idea you had to bring her. With this, it's more than clear that White will have to obey you no matter what"  

"Besides, it looks like I'll be able to kill two birds with one stone today"

The following could be read on Emily's screen: 

“The FUG slayer White is very close! He is currently accompanied by three other regulars, two of whom belong to the Khun and Phonsekal families.”  

Rachel couldn't hide her smile as she thought about all the possibilities this encounter would bring. 

At the station, everyone was eagerly awaiting the arrival of new people (a.k.a: victims), new names, new belongings—all of which brought stability to this place that everyone seemed to want to avoid at all costs.  

From what appeared to be a hotel room, Endorssi watched everything with a slight smile.  

“Finally, we will see each other again, Baam.”  

The strange tranquility that surrounded her seemed to herald the beginning of a storm rather than a peaceful reunion.