A thunderous bang followed the sound, shaking the heavy stone gate.

"The gate—it's open!" someone shouted from the crowd.

A sharp breath of cold air rushed out from the towering gate stirring dust and whispers among the gathered people. Standing on the rock stairway above them was Cao, his tall figure framed by the flickering light of the torches.

He swept his gaze over the restless crowd and barked, "Those heading to Black Tortoise City, line up! One at a time!"

Liyi Yi glanced at her companions and nodded. "Let's go. We'll take the lead."

With Carson and the others close behind, she ascended the steps—becoming the first group to pass through the newly opened gate. Their confident stride immediately calmed the uneasy crowd. People craned their necks to watch, murmuring as the group disappeared inside.

For a moment, the atmosphere shifted—hope and curiosity replacing fear.

Cao stood by the entrance like a statue, his expression severe but not unkind. "Welcome to The Wall," he said coolly as more people stepped forward. "Keep order. No fighting, no shouting."

But soon, the voices inside turned chaotic.

"What? Cost? What's that supposed to mean?"

"A low-grade, middle-tier fierce beast spar—for a piece of paper?"

"This is daylight robbery!"

"Forget it, I'm not paying that."

"Wait, you can't enter the city unless you hand over the spar?!"

A wave of frustration rippled through the hall. Some of those who had been excited moments ago now turned back, cursing under their breath. The line outside began to thin as word spread.

The fee was simple but steep—one low-level and one mid-level beast spar per person. For many ordinary travelers, that was a small fortune.

Cao didn't try to stop anyone from leaving. His face remained unreadable, but deep down, he knew this was precisely what Luciel had intended.

Those who cannot even afford a single beast spar have no place in the upper districts of Black Tortoise.

It was a deliberate filter. The "entry cost" was not merely a toll—it was the city's first test. Those unwilling or unable to pay would never make it past the gates. Luciel understood that the commercial streets would collapse into chaos if flooded with the desperate and the unprepared.

The "cost" served as both a price and a measure of worth.

"What do they mean by 'cost'?" Carmilla muttered, tilting her head. She had heard the word whispered at least ten times now, each tinged with confusion or resentment.

Mia's crimson eyes flickered. "We'll find out soon enough," she replied coolly, her feline ears twitching as she caught the faint sound of scribbling and murmurs beyond the counters inside.

After a long wait, it was finally their turn.

They stepped into the Watch Tower's hall—a vast chamber lined with rows of wooden counters. Behind each sat a clerk in dark gray uniforms, their expressions brisk but weary.

"Next!" one of them called.

"Here!" Carmilla bounded forward with her usual energy.

The staff member looked up, unimpressed. "Remove your hood. Covering your head is forbidden inside Black Tortoise. If you can't comply, you may leave."

"..."

Carmilla froze, eyes wide, and turned to Mia as if pleading for rescue.

"Take it off," Mia said flatly.

"Alright…" carmilla sighed, reluctantly pulling back her hood to reveal her golden hair and youthful face. She looked like a doll—too delicate, too bright for a place like this. If not for fear of being recognized as an orc's target, she would never have hidden her face to begin with.

The clerk nodded. "To enter Black Tortoise City, you'll need a Customs Clearance Certificate. The fee is one low-grade and one mid-grade beast spar." He raised a stamped parchment for them to see. "Do you require one?"

"I do," Carmilla said eagerly, fishing a small crystal from her pocket. It gleamed faintly in her palm as she placed it on the counter.

The man accepted it with practiced ease, his tone softening as he smiled. "Very well. We'll proceed with a brief verification. Please answer a few questions."

"Go ahead!" Carmilla grinned. She hadn't expected the entry process to be so formal. Her curiosity was already bubbling.

The clerk dipped a quill in ink and began. "Name and age?"

"My name's Carmilla," she said brightly, puffing out her chest. "I'm twenty years old this year!"

The man blinked at her petite frame and cherubic face, clearly doubtful. "You're... twenty?"

"What's that look for? Can't I be twenty?" she snapped, her twin ponytails flicking in irritation.

The clerk flinched. "My apologies, miss. I didn't mean anything by it."

He quickly moved on. "Place of origin?"

"Amestris City." Carmilla's tone was smooth, without a hint of hesitation. She wasn't foolish enough to give her real location.

"Understood." The man pressed a red seal onto the parchment and slid it across the counter. "Here is your Customs Clearance Certificate. Keep it safe—it will be checked again at later gates."

"That's it?" Carmilla blinked. "I thought there'd be... more?"

The clerk chuckled. "Most can't even read the form. Complications only slow the line."

Mia stepped forward next, completing her own verification with calm efficiency. While she answered, Carmilla's gaze drifted toward the entrance—and froze.

Three tall figures had entered, cloaked entirely in black. Even through the heavy fabric, their powerful frames betrayed them.

"Mia," Carmilla whispered sharply. "Those three again."

Mia turned. Her eyes narrowed, cold light flashing in the crimson depths. She recognized them instantly—the three orcs who had been trailing them since Amestris.

"Don't worry about them," she murmured. "They wouldn't dare act here."

And she was right.

Inside Black Tortoise, even orcs hesitated. No one knew the full power of the city's mysterious guardians. If the three leaders of Amestris themselves could fall to Black Tortoise's might, what chance did a few orcs have?

"Do we still go in?" the wolf-headed orc muttered.

"Forget it," the lion-headed one growled. "They won't let us enter with our faces covered, and we can't reveal what we are. We wait outside."

The bear-headed orc sighed but said nothing. Reluctantly, the trio withdrew into the shadows, choosing to stand guard instead.

"What now?" Carmilla asked softly. Her playful tone was gone, replaced by unease. "If we leave the city, they'll catch us for sure."

"Then we don't leave," Mia replied calmly, turning toward the upper stairway. "We'll stay here for now. Once there's a chance, we return to Amestris."

Carmilla nodded, falling into step behind her.

They passed into the next section of the Watch Tower—known as the Hanging Pavilion. Here, guards stood on both sides, checking everyone for weapons.

"Short blades stay. Long weapons, surrender them," one of the guards commanded.

Mia and Carmilla moved through without trouble; their weapons were small enough to pass inspection. But others were less cooperative.

"What? You want my weapon too?" a man shouted. "I already paid the spar—what more do you want?"

"Yeah! I'm not handing over my sword!" another protested.

The argument swelled—until a sudden swish of silk filled the air.

Snap! Snap!

Several strands of glistening spider silk shot across the room, binding the troublemakers mid-sentence.

Gasps filled the hall as a massive crimson ghost spider, four meters tall, crawled down from the ceiling, its eyes gleaming with eerie intelligence.

"Silence!"

The crowd froze.

The spider's presence was overwhelming, its limbs twitching as if it could crush anyone who dared move.

Up above, Zanyan—Luciel's trusted enforcer—stood with his arms crossed. "Take them down," he ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Several guards hurried forward to drag the bound men away.

Once the noise had died, Zanyan's cold gaze swept across the hall. "No one is forced to enter our city," he said slowly. "But understand this—those who break order will face the City Guard's spirit beasts."

"Spirit... beasts?" Mia echoed under her breath.

Her mind flashed back to the Thunder Spirit Beast's egg. Could it be that one had already hatched—and was now guarding Black Tortoise?

Carmilla's golden eyes widened in wonder. "A living spirit beast... here?"

"The second trial is complete," Zan Yan continued. "Those who passed may proceed upward. Welcome to Black Tortoise City."

He gestured to the staircase spiraling toward the higher platforms.

Mia accepted the second clearance document, noting how perfectly identical it looked to Carmilla's—down to the smallest stroke of ink.

"That's strange," she murmured. "Even the handwriting is exactly the same."

Carmilla tilted her head. "You think it's magic?"

"Maybe," Mia replied. "But it doesn't matter. Let's go."

The blonde girl's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Finally! I can't wait to see what Black Tortoise looks like!"

With that, the two of them ascended the spiral stairs, leaving the murmurs of the Watch Tower behind—and stepping closer to the heart of a city that would soon change their destinies forever.

.

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