The sound of conversations filled the aircraft as the awakened inside talked among themselves.
So were tense, others excited.
A few looked lost in thought, staring out the small windows as the ground slowly disappeared beneath them.
"I heard you're supposed to team up in groups of four when you first enter the Tower..."
Soone said.
"Yeah."
Another replied.
"It's mandatory for the first floor. No solo attempts allowed."
"Hopefully, we get tead up together…"
Adam sat quietly, listening but not joining in.
His hands rested on his lap, fingers lightly tapping against the edge of his permit.
Teaming up, huh.
It was an obligatory rule.
Every new awakened was required to form a four-person team before being allowed to freely explore the Tower of Yxthar.
This wasn't just a asure for safety.
It was a way to train cooperation and teamwork early on.
After all, Stream Hunters weren't ant to work alone.
It was more encouraged to work together to clear the floors.
In Adam's opinion, it was a good system.
If only there weren't so many 'protagonist wannabes' who thought they could do everything on their own.
He had seen their type before.
The ones who believed they were different, special, and better.
They would abandon their teams at the first chance they got, convinced they could carve their own path alone...
Until they learned too late that the Tower didn't favor reckless arrogance.
Adam sighed softly and leaned back against his seat.
'I wonder if I'm a protagonist wannabe now...'
He thought.
He had mocked those who let their abilities get to their heads, but now that he had undergone the evaluations...
It was hard not to feel sothing stir within him.
Confidence? Pride? He wasn't sure...
He pushed the thought away.
It didn't matter if he couldn't survive till the end of the tower after all.
Nurous geniuses have already fallen from trying to conquer it...
Shifting his gaze to the window, Adam caught his first clear sight of the Tower of Yxthar.
It was massive...
Far larger than any structure built by human hands.
A spiraling monolith that stretched far beyond the clouds, its form constantly shifting depending on where one looked.
So parts were jagged and fractured, like broken stone forced together, while others were impossibly smooth, as if molded by an unknown force.
Runes glowed faintly along its surface, shifting in patterns that seed almost alive, pulsating like the slow breath of so ancient being.
Even after centuries of exploration, no one truly understood what the Tower was...
Yet here they were... countless of awakened, standing at its doorstep...
Hoping to carve their own fate within its endless floors.
Comnts from other awakened took over the aircraft as the others caught sight of it.
"…It looks unreal."
Soone muttered.
"Just looking at it gives chills!"
Another whispered.
"This is where we're going? We're supposed to survive in that?"
Despite the nervous murmurs, there was also a quiet excitent in the air.
The Tower was terrifying, but it was also an opportunity.
One that could either raise a person to greatness or crush them completely.
Adam said nothing, simply watching as the aircraft began its descent.
...
The landing was smooth.
The mont the doors opened, governnt personnel were already waiting outside, their sharp eyes scanning the new arrivals.
One by one, the awakened were led off the aircraft and into a strict inspection process.
Bodies were checked, permits verified, and final dical scans conducted to ensure no one was entering the Tower in a weakened state.
It was efficient and thodical.
Adam went through the process without issue, though he noticed a few others fidgeting under the intense scrutiny.
Once inspections were complete, they were escorted into a large facility near the Tower's entrance.
Inside, screens displayed real-ti information about teams, current rankings, and mission requests.
The entire building had a polished, high-tech atmosphere, designed to handle the endless stream of awakened passing through.
Then ca the grouping process.
Awakened weren't simply thrown together randomly.
The governnt had developed an algorithm to determine compatibility.
Making it so that individuals were matched based on skills, personality profiles, and overall battle potential.
It was an attempt to reduce early casualties by ensuring teams could at least function together.
Adam watched the screen as nas and roles solidified, his own appearing alongside three others.
[TEAM FG-42]
Adam Codranel – Tank/Healer (Body Blood Magic)
Elara Novane – Scout (Shadow Step, Night Vision)
Rei Callum – lee DPS (Stone Fist)
Nathaniel Graves – Ranged Support/DPS (Wind Arrow, Keen Sight)
His eyes flicked over the list.
Their abilities weren't anything shocking... they were low-tier and practical, but functional.
Shadow magic for the scout, basic earth reinforcent for the fighter, and wind-based attacks for the archer.
Around him, the newly ford teams murmured among themselves, so with excitent, others with hesitation.
A voice spoke up from behind.
"So, you're Adam Codranel?"
He turned to see a sharp-eyed young man with dark hair and a lean fra.
His expression was neutral, but there was a quiet confidence in the way he carried himself.
"Nathaniel Graves."
The man introduced himself.
"Ranged support."
Adam gave a short nod.
"Adam... Tank and healer."
Before Nathaniel could reply, another voice cut in, a girl with short auburn hair and a relaxed smile.
"Body Blood Magic, huh? Guess that makes you the one keeping us alive."
"Elara Novane."
She continued, adjusting the straps of her gear.
"I specialize in scouting, quick movent, and not getting stabbed, haha."
Adam glanced at her.
Shadow Step was a weak skill, but useful for positioning.
The last mber of their team approached with a roll of his shoulders, sizing them up with an easygoing grin.
He was tall and broad, built like soone who preferred to fight with his fists rather than weapons.
"Rei Callum."
He said.
"I hit things hard, that's all there is to ..."
Adam stared at the broad-shouldered young man in front of him, rolling the na over in his mind.
'Rei Callum… where have I heard that before?'
A sudden mory flashed through his mind.
He rembered a na... Isaac Callum.
One of the top rankers in his previous life.
A man who had risen to fa as one of the first few to challenge the Tower's deepest floors.
His achievents had once been considered legendary... until they led to disaster.
Adam's fingers twitched slightly.
Isaac Callum had been a na etched into history, not just as a prodigy, but as one of the people who conquered the first 30 floors of the tower...
Who is this guy to Isaac Callum? His older brother? Father?
The resemblance was there...
The sa last na... and even the annoyingly tall fra.
It couldn't just be a coincidence.
Before he could think twice, the words were already leaving his mouth.
"Do you know Isaac Callum?"
Rei visibly flinched. It was subtle, but Adam caught the way his shoulders tensed for a fraction of a second before he forced a casual smile.
"Ah, you know my older brother?"
Rei scratched the back of his head.
"That's rare. Most people only bring him up if they're trying to compare to him."
Adam didn't reply imdiately. He was still thinking about sothing.
After all, in his last life... Isaac had died on the 31st floor.
So this was his younger brother...
Before the conversation could go any further, a firm voice cut through the air.
"Team FG-42, you may now enter the tower."
One of the soldiers in charge stood at the entrance, waiting.
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