Is this… the island? The second tier?

Pablo looked around—the warm sand beneath his feet, the rolling waves stretching endlessly, palm trees swaying ahead, and the vast, unbroken blue sky above.

It felt surreal.

The experience in those white rooms… it was nothing like the VR. Especially the moment his blade had pierced flesh, the weight of someone's life pressed into his hands. Sure, he knew that person would return to Earth, but that didn't change the feeling. The sensation of his sword thrusting through a beating heart. The sound.

And if it had shaken him this much… what about Alonso?

What about him, going through those rooms alone, not knowing what to expect? Thinking death was final. Taking another life without the certainty that person would ever come back.

The Tower was certainly a cruel place… especially for those exploring the unknown, leading the path forward.

Pablo took a deep breath. The change in scenery was welcomed. He was tired of those endless white walls.

He walked forward, grabbing a couple of coconuts from a nearby palm. A swift crack, and he drank the cool water inside before peeling away the white flesh and eating it. The taste was refreshing—simple, real.

But then, movement caught his eye.

A figure jogging toward him along the shoreline. No… not just one. Three.

His senses sharpened.

Were they friendly? Or did they come with bad intentions?

He remembered the newly established Climber Conduct & Engagement Protocol set in place before their departure. While Gen-1 was exempt from any legal consequences for their actions inside The Tower, the same did not apply to them, the Gen-2.

Authorities had leveraged the fact that visuals of them should exist at all times, implementing a strict set of rules that could lead to prosecution upon their return.

One of the most critical regulations outlined the conditions under which two Climbers were allowed to fight to the death. First, both had to agree. This was signaled by raising their swords and forming an X between them before stepping back, officially initiating a sanctioned duel. Second, a Climber who had absorbed seven human orbs was prohibited from initiating a duel and could only retaliate if attacked first.

If these conditions were not met, the offender would face a predetermined prison sentence upon returning to Earth, the severity depending on the nature of the violation.

And with the expectation that there were clear visuals on all of them—at least in theory—there was no escaping the consequences.

But Pablo, like everyone else, knew there were a lot of loopholes to this. What if there were no visuals of Climbers after reaching Tier 2? What if a Climber had no knowledge of these regulations? What if they simply didn't care?

He stood up, his sword in hand—not aggressive, but ready. Just in case.

The three figures came into focus as they jogged closer. Two men and a woman, all looking weathered but composed, their eyes scanning him with the same caution he had for them. They weren't sprinting, nor did they seem tense, but there was an unspoken understanding—everyone here was prepared for anything.

The man leading the group, tall and broad-shouldered, lifted his hands slightly in a gesture of peace. "Just arrived?" he asked, his voice steady.

Pablo nodded. "Yeah. Not long ago."

The man studied him for a moment before speaking again. "Good, you speak English. We're gathering a group before heading inland. Figured it'd be safer that way." He motioned to the other two beside him. "We've been running along the coast, looking for English speakers. Up to seven total. That was the recommended number in ASCENT's Climber Handbook."

Pablo narrowed his eyes. So they'd read the manual. That didn't mean they were trustworthy, but it was a start.

The leaner man beside him, nodded. "We figured if we're going to survive this, we might as well do it right. Safety in numbers and all that."

The woman, crossed her arms, scrutinizing him but remaining silent.

Pablo knew going in groups was the best choice. While he knew some Gen-1 Climbers went solo—like his good friend Alonso—he also understood it wasn't a good long-term strategy.

"Sure," Pablo said eventually and brought his hand forward. "Pablo."

The tall man smiled and grasped his hand in a firm shake. "Eric."

Pablo nodded. They released the hold, and Eric gestured toward the leaner young man. "This one is Oscar, and the pretty young lady, Lina."

Lina rolled her eyes but said nothing.

"Well then," Eric continued, looking down the coast. "We will continue going along the beach looking for others. You good with that?"

Pablo glanced back at the ocean, taking a final moment to himself before exhaling. "Yeah. Let's go."

October 24, 2024 - Melbourne, Australia

It was getting tiresome. Every day in this fucking camp. No goal, no objective, just… waiting. Waiting and waiting while these damn bastards threw some money at him and thought he was happy with it.

Curse these fuckers.

Squeezing the Climbers like some kind of entertainment for the whole world. The internet flooded with unfiltered, raw footage of them, no respect for privacy, nothing. People criticizing the returnees for giving up when they had no damn idea what it was like inside.

The world was fucked up. Every day more than the last.

He sighed, rubbing his face before turning back to the screen. Pablo seemed to be finishing something in the last white room.

And then, suddenly, the screen went black.

Huh?

"MAI, what the fuck happened?"

"There are no longer visuals of Pablo. Trying to access his feed displays: No Visuals Currently Available."

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

What?

"But… is it for everyone who reaches Tier 2? There's no longer any feed?"

"Yes. There are more than 900 cases that have already reached the second tier, and all display the same prompt."

I see. He hadn't even thought to ask about it.

He sat back on the floor, his head slumping against the bed behind him.

Every day felt like an agony. His two friends were inside, pushing forward, while he was stuck rotting in this shit world. That power they had… the ability to jump high, swing a sword with impossible speed, control objects with nothing but their will.

He wanted it. More than anything.

He wanted to wield it, to change the world, to make it better. But—

"Urgent notice. Urgent notice: Event available for climber Alonso Shemson."

WHAT!?

"What the hell is an event? No matter—just put it on, quick!"

He couldn't believe it. There would be visuals on Alonso?! After all this time.

His heart pounded, all the exhaustion, the frustration—gone in an instant.

Suddenly, a holographic screen materialized before him. It showed—

This…

Wait! Jack scrambled for the VR helmet and jammed it on.

"MAI, put it on the big screen."

The room around him faded into black. A massive screen filled his vision, displaying—

A breathtaking landscape.

Towering cliffs loomed over cascading waterfalls, their mist glowing in the sunlight. Lush greenery clung to the rocks, vines draping toward shimmering pools. Rivers cut through the land, winding toward the vast ocean stretching endlessly into the horizon.

Jack barely breathed.

Alonso… where are you?

"Analysis complete. Based on physical body dimensions, the following entity has been identified as Alonso Shemson."

Huh?

The image suddenly zoomed in… on a person?

A sleek black helmet concealed his face, and his arms and legs were clad in a streamlined, smooth black armor. From his shoulder plates, not quite a cape, but something more like… tendrils? They extended outward, shifting subtly.

At his waist, two swords rested alongside a pouch.

This person, dressed in such a distinct setup… was Alonso?

Jack kept watching, but something else caught his attention. Alonso—and everyone around him—stood still, their gazes fixed in the same direction.

Toward the ocean.

Without him prompting, the visuals zoomed out.

Jack's mouth fell open. What the…

"The Tower is hard to predict. For the boss of the Isles to appear before the one in the Swamp…" Wang says, watching the massive tsunami rolling toward the Isles.

"Damn, if I knew this was coming, I would have brought my bathers," Lukas mutters, shaking his head.

Chiara's voice is sharp and analytical. "The current size of the wave is approximately 1.61 kilometers in height. Given its estimated volume and projected momentum, the energy carried by this mass of water is roughly 5.3 x 10¹⁷ joules—comparable to a magnitude 8.4 earthquake."

She pauses for a second, mentally running more calculations. "Assuming an average seawater density of 1,025 kg/m³, the total mass of the tsunami exceeds 6.8 x 10¹² kilograms. Factoring in its velocity—around 170 meters per second—the impact force on the Isles' coastline will be catastrophic."

Lukas whistles. "And how bad is 'catastrophic,' exactly?"

Chiara adjusts her mental model. "Based on the topographical data we've gathered, the Isles have an average elevation of only 21 meters, with the highest cliffs reaching approximately 370 meters. The wave's penetration depth depends on terrain resistance, but at its projected force, 91% of the landmass will be submerged, leaving only the taller cliffs above water."

A beat of silence follows.

"So, we wait for the initial crash. The cliff near us should be safe, but let's not take any risks. We'll stay near the border and observe," Lukas says, exhaling. "We still have no visuals on the boss, but with the Field Effect: Water Zone activated, we should expect a lot of big octopuses moving around freely."

"Water Zone? You used to play card games? D&D?" Chiara suddenly asks.

"Perhaps…" Lukas smirks. "Anyway, let's enjoy the show, shall we? It's not every day you get to watch a tsunami three times larger than the biggest ever recorded on Earth from such a prime spot."

"Oh, I have a better spot, thank you," Chiara says, lifting off effortlessly.

Lukas smirks. "Go on then, enjoy your skybox while we plebs fight for ground seats."

"I will head up too," Wang says before rising into the air.

Lukas shakes his head and looks at me. "You too?"

I look at Ayu. She does not say anything, but…

"You wanna go with me?"

"It's ok. Don't push yourself before the fight. You can go with Chiara and Wang, I will wait here with the others," she transmits back.

"You can already counter 85% of your body weight at 35% Overdrive right? I can help you with the rest without even reaching full-state."

Ayu hesitates.

I send her an image—us together in the sky, watching the massive wave from above. I paint the scene a bit more romantic, adding a sunset in the background, even though it's just the afternoon.

She shakes her head and smiles.

"Lukas, we'll be going up," she says, grabbing my hand.

"Oh, at least someone has the decency to inform their commander before taking action," he smiles. "Alright, enjoy, you two."

I hold Ayu tightly, wrapping my arms around her and using my tendrils to lock her in place with ease.

"Ready?"

She sends a thumbs-up.

We begin rising, slow at first, as I feel her waves working to counter most of her own weight.

Gradually, we gain speed, ascending higher into the sky.

"Oh, by the way, while you're all up there enjoying the view, just a quick reminder that this is actually a boss fight—just in case that information got lost somewhere," Lukas transmits dryly. "Anyway, send visuals when you have them."

I laugh and send a confirmation back, then shift my focus to the view ahead.

The tsunami now looks much, much bigger as it nears the coast of the Isles.

From this height, it's a monstrous wall of water, stretching across the horizon, devouring everything in its path. The deep blue of the ocean is distorted, the crest of the wave curling forward like an open maw, ready to consume the land below.

Ayu reclines her head against me, her warmth pressing into my chest.

She's steady, silent, watching with the same intensity as I am.

"...It's incredible," she says softly.

I hold her tighter, adjusting slightly mid-air, ensuring the force of the winds doesn't unsettle her. Below us, the coastline is mere moments from impact. Trees tremble under the approaching force, the air itself humming with pressure.

Then, it happens.

The first impact.

A thunderous explosion shakes the world as millions of tons of water slam into the land, obliterating the coastline in an instant.

The shockwave ripples outward, sending massive sprays of water shooting into the sky. The entire landscape quakes under the sheer force, cliffs crumbling, forests vanishing beneath the surge.

For a brief second, everything is chaos—white foam, shattered land, water engulfing everything in sight.

She exhales, leaning into me just a bit more.

"So, this is our third date… right?"

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