As the first light of dawn filtered through the window, I jolted awake.

Sitting up, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, my body still sore from yesterday's challenges, but my spirit remained unbroken.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I focused on the clear plan ahead: head to the reception, deal with the sword, properly prepare myself this time, and then delve deeper into the Tower.

After a quick splash of water on my face to shake off the last remnants of sleep, I dressed in the clothes I had laid out the night before.

Stepping into the corridor, I found it quiet, with most adventurers still in their rooms or just beginning their day.

As I made my way to the reception area, the familiar clink of adventurers' gear and the murmur of early conversations grew louder.

The receptionist, whose presence was always a welcome sight, greeted me with a warm, professional smile.

"Good morning, Kaien!" she greeted cheerfully. "I hope you slept well. Let's get straight to business, shall we? Your enchanted weapon sold overnight."

Her efficiency was as reassuring as ever—direct to the point.

"Morning," I replied, a hint of relief in my voice. "That's great news. How much did it go for?"

The receptionist pulled out a small ledger and flipped through a few pages before stopping at the relevant entry.

"The Bonesplitter Blade fetched a solid price. After deducting the commission, your share comes to 90 silver coins."

I whistled softly, impressed by the amount. "That's more than I expected. Thank you for handling the sale."

She smiled, clearly pleased with the outcome as well. "It’s a good sum for a first floor enchanted item. This should give you a nice boost for your preparations in delving into further floors." she said as she handed me the pouch filled with the silver coins.

I nodded in agreement. "Definitely. I’ll be able to gear up properly for the next floor."

"Stay safe out there, Kaien. The Tower isn’t kind to anyone, but you’ve shown you have what it takes to make it through."

With a final nod to the receptionist, I turned and made my way out of the reception area.

As I walked, I slipped the 21 silver coins I had earned from selling the carriage and horse into the pouch with the rest of the silver coins from the enchanted weapon sale.

111 silver coins jingled softly in my pocket—a substantial amount that would go a long way in addressing my current shortcomings.

"Now, what to buy?" I pondered, weighing my options carefully. I needed items that could cover my weaknesses, even if only temporarily.

My immediate thoughts went to protective gear. My Self-Immolation ability left me vulnerable and without armor, so something that could offer some defense without burning away would be essential.

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"Maybe some heat-resistant clothing?"

As I approached the door, ready to step outside and begin my shopping, a sudden burst of force knocked me to the ground.

"Gah!"

The door had been flung open from the other side with considerable force.

"Hey, watch it!" I muttered, picking myself up and dusting off my pants.

"Tch, who just lounges around in front of a door? Wait...?"

"Huh?!"

Looking up, I found myself staring at a group of people I recognized all too well.

"Ho~, what do we have here? If it isn't Kaien, the disgrace of our family."

"S-Sebastian!? What are you doing here?"

They were familiar faces from the coming-of-age ceremony—children of the Arashi family who had received their abilities the same day as me.

"What do you think? we're here to hone our strength, as the family demands!"

"But who would've thought you’d drag yourself to the tower, Kaien. This place is for the worthy. Or is it that you're trying to prove the family wrong, hmm?"

"..."

That team in front of me had a special significance in my past life. They were a group specially formed by the patriarch.

Each coming-of-age ceremony, the patriarch would personally assemble the strongest composition of the current generation and send them to the tower to grow stronger.

And here they were—the very same team as my past life, the strongest children from this generation's coming-of-age ceremony.

Sebastian, an elitist who sees everyone as beneath him, nothing more than ants.

I remember clearly how much disdain he had for me in my past life.

Before I received the cursed skill, the family saw me as a genius, and Sebastian viewed me as nothing but an eyesore, someone unworthy of the title.

That bastard. It felt like just yesterday when he would often visit me in my bedridden state, flaunting his achievements and diminishing my existence.

He reveled in my misery. Eventually, he stopped visiting, likely because he no longer needed to compare himself to me once he was so far ahead in life, unable to fathom wasting his time on someone like me.

But I had always seen him as nothing more than a pitiful ego seeker, desperate for attention.

I looked at him with an unwavering expression and responded,

"It seems like this year's main party has been formed. I'm surprised you're part of it, Sebastian. I guess the fact that I was kicked out was the only chance you had to be included in this so-called elite composition of this generation."

Sebastian's face twisted with anger, but he struggled to maintain his composure, his knuckles whitening as he clenched his fists.

"Watch your mouth, Kaien. Your presence here is nothing but a fluke, a disgrace. You don't belong among the elite, never did."

I met his glare with a calm, unyielding expression. "Funny, considering you're here now because the real competition was removed. Maybe you're just filling a gap that I left behind."

Sebastian's composure cracked, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You’re lucky you even survived this long with that useless ability of yours. You think you can challenge me?"

I’m here to grow stronger, just like everyone else. If you want to waste your time belittling me, that's your choice. But I have more important things to do."

He took a step closer, his voice low and threatening. "Mark my words, Kaien. The tower will chew you up and spit you out. You'll never reach the heights we will."

"Who knows, you might be surprised at what I'm capable of since I'm a genius myself," I said, my voice steady. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have preparations to make."

Turning away from him and his entourage, I pushed through, quickly glancing at the other three individuals who formed the team of four.

Two of them I had never spoken to or seen before. They were likely the lesser of the group, compared to Sebastian and.... Hikari, the Phoenix Caller.

Hikari stood by, not showing a single glance of interest at me or our discussion, as if everything happening was nothing more than a waste of time in her eyes.

'As always, calm, silent, and collected. Truly deserving of her reputation in my first life.'

I pushed through the door into the bustling market area, leaving Sebastian and his venomous words behind.

Knowing full well that this would not be the last of them.