Kim Hajun opened his eyes. The silken fog that had bound him was lifting. Like smoke, it drifted upwards, the whole white mass rising at once. People gasped and exclaimed as they were set free, the whole-body immobilization uncomfortable for the ones who’ve never felt it before. Kim Hajun scanned the crowd, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. He recalled the first time he had been trapped by Geomi’s silk within his so-called prophetic dream; the silk was counterintuitive to escape from. The more one struggled, the tighter they’d be bound.
Unfortunately, Kim Hajun didn’t get to see Geomi, the cause of the fog’s descent. Instead, he saw Vur’s group standing together with Deowi and Yeol. The two members of the fire spirit race were sticking awfully close to the half-naked variable, and Kim Hajun clenched his hand as he walked over. Within Vur’s arms, there were three large…? Kim Hajun really wanted to describe the objects as chicken drumsticks, but they were green with red spots, and from the upper portions, green fluid flowed down. Somehow, they reminded Kim Hajun of Geomi’s legs, but he must’ve been mistaken. It didn’t make any sense for the guardian of the first floor’s legs to be in a newcomer’s possession.
Kim Hajun increased the pace of his footsteps. Although he was planning on joining the Iron Sword Society during his time clearing the lower floors of the tower, it was more important to investigate the variable that could warp the whole timeline of the tower. He could always join the society later; it wasn’t like the recruitment area ran away. People were joining the tower all the time; as such, the recruitment area was open every hour of every day.
As Kim Hajun got closer to Vur’s group, the room became more animated. After the guardian left, the newcomers and staff alike chatted with one another. Kim Hajun directed his attention ahead, filtering out unfamiliar voices. His efforts weren’t wasted; a familiar, boisterous voice caught his attention. “Forget about the Extreme Heat Clan,” the voice said. “We’ll disband it!”
Kim Hajun’s expression darkened, and his footsteps hurried even faster. He raised an arm as he approached Vur’s group. “Hello,” Kim Hajun said and slowed his pace once he was in talking distance. “We seem to be meeting quite often.” Even after he had spent such a long time to properly digest the Heart of Fire, he somehow bumped into Vur’s group once again. Either they moved really slowly, or they were messing with him. What were the chances of bumping into the same three variables repeatedly when nothing else in the world had changed? When Keulonoseu had used his ability to send Kim Hajun back in time, perhaps these three variables were caught up in it as well.
“Oh, hey, it’s you,” Deowi said upon seeing the newcomer. His red eyes lit up. “Did you want to join the Extreme Heat Clan? I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’re recruiting anymore.”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“We are not disbanding the Extreme Heat Clan,” Gaegukja Yeol said and glared at Deowi. Her flaming red eyes were burning so bright, Kim Hajun swore he could feel the heat from them radiating onto his cheek. “It was your stupid decision to say you’d personally help Vur if you lost against him, so only you should suffer from the consequences of your actions.” She turned towards Kim Hajun. “If you want to join the Extreme Heat Clan, you’re welcome to apply.”
Before Kim Hajun could respond, Gaegukja Yeol had already turned back towards her older brother. Deowi was scratching his head with an awkward expression on his face. “Are you sure you don’t want to disband the clan? You’re always stressing about it so much; there isn’t a night you’re not complaining about something.”
“I’m an easily stressed person,” Gaegukja Yeol said and placed her hands on her hips. “If the clan wasn’t around to cause me anxiety, I’d still find something else to complain about at night.”
“Well, I want to disband the clan, alright?” Deowi asked. “It’s too much work to manage, and I have to be on my best behavior at all times. Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to jump someone but held back because I didn’t want our clan’s reputation to be damaged?”
“Hey,” Tafel said, a gloomy expression on her face. “We don’t want a reputation of violence either.”
“You don’t?” Lindyss asked, raising an eyebrow. She looked over Vur and nodded. “Right. The two of you don’t do pedestrian violence. You conquer nations; I forgot.”
“See?” Deowi asked. “They don’t care if I knock the lights out of people who lowball or undercut me.”
Gaegukja Yeol took in a deep breath through her nose. “Are you seriously considering this?”
Deowi placed both hands on his sister’s shoulders. “If Vur’s group will have me, I will leave the clan.”
Kim Hajun’s eyes bulged upon hearing Deowi’s sentence. A loud ringing filled his ears, and the edges of his vision faded into orange.
“You…,” Gaegukja Yeol said, her voice practically a growl as she drew out the word. Her flames crackled with low pops as her body trembled. “And you think I’m going to manage the clan in your absence?”
“Why manage it?” Deowi asked. “Just give it up. Chase your own dreams.”
“Conquering the tower is my dream,” Gaegukja Yeol said. “And we’ve almost achieved it. We’ve made it to the eighty-third floor together. We’re rising rapidly in the weekly clan rankings. Just the other week, three sponsorship deals came in.” Gaegukja Yeol bit her lower lip. “Why are you giving up everything now?”
“It’s very simple,” Deowi said, nodding his head. “I can’t be the leader of a clan where I’m not the strongest person.”
“You don’t even act like the leader,” Gaegukja Yeol said. “You’re always goofing off or sleeping when you’re not climbing the tower.”
“And I can do that because I’m the strongest person there,” Deowi said. “Since you’re adamant about accepting Vur under our wings, the only thing I can do is resign and join Vur’s group, and if Vur’s group happens to join the clan, then I’ll rejoin and simply be a member.”
Gaegukja Yeol took in a deep breath. “Deowi, did you know?”
“Know what?”
“I hate you.”