“First are the simple ones,” Yuki says, smiling. “Do you intend to slaughter weaker climbers than you for fun, sport, minor grievances or similar? Do you intend to cause massive casualties?”
I snicker at that question and easily shake my head. “No, I don’t intend to.”
Yuki nods. “There is some leniency on crushing the weak. If they start things, you may strike back, within reason. But if their actions are in defense, and especially if their potential is high, do not nip a flower before it buds.”
“Like how Respitia tried with me? Or Flamando?” I ask, tilting my head.
Again, my clone nods, pale hair bobbing in the motion. “Yes, precisely. It attracted the Tower’s Wrath. They were displaced and punished. Ezekiel’s party was penalized, and you were granted additional preparation time. It was a fair challenge, and had they been less arrogant, you may have died. But it was made to be fair.”
“Seems reasonable. I don’t intend to kill people who don’t deserve it,” I say calmly.
“How far do you intend to pursue vendettas?” Yuki asks.
That makes me think for a little while. “Well, it depends,” I say slowly. “If someone’s just gonna be rude to me, I’ll ask them to stop. Or leave. But if someone tries to kill me-”
“Like Vincent?” Yuki asks, head tilted to the side.
My lips press into a thin line. “Yes, like Vincent. I intend to be merciless. Well… that’s wrong. I can forgive trying to kill me,” I say easily. “I cannot forgive disrespecting my boundaries, or trying to kill my friends.”
Yuki simply nods in assent. “As expected. How very efficient.” The last word is laced with meaning. The avatar’s hands reach out, grabbing more papers, filing through them. “Something more simple. Do you believe you will control your powers well enough to avoid collateral damage?”
I shake my head. “Not completely,” I say. “Collateral is a little inevitable, isn’t it? Especially once I’m over level hundred, or two hundred… But I’d say my build is generally geared to minimizing destruction.”
Once more, Yuki nods. “Indeed. Then, do you intend to honor any and all verbal agreements you make?”
“Hecc no,” I snicker. “I will lie. Almost inevitably. There are truths I do not want to mention.”
“How very honest,” the avatar notes, looking at me with a glint. “Are you lying in this evaluation?”
“No,” I shake my head easily. “There would be no purpose.”
“Reveal your full familial history to us,” Yuki suddenly demands, leaning forward. Pressure settles on me, and the walls of the room suddenly seem tighter. I can’t breathe, and my stomach clenches.
“No,” I shake my head. My face stays perfectly calm, poised. I know it’s a question meant to enrage me, meant to incite me, to test my anger and whether I can control it. And knowing that makes me less angry. It turns it from a probe, like when Jess did it, into more of a pathetic jab. I’m not so weak.
Yuki hums at my response, nodding slightly, noting something down. “Your rage is tempered. Would you call yourself a good person, Snow?”
At that question, for the first time, I faintly smile. “No,” I say again. “But I try to be.”
“Adequate,” Yuki says, waving a hand. One of both hands. For the first time I note that the clone has two arms to my one. “Would you describe yourself as violent?”
I tilt my head, then slowly shake it. “No.”
“Would you describe yourself as honorable?”
“No.”
“Would you describe yourself as kind?”
“No.”
“Would you describe yourself as cruel?”
I hesitate for a moment, then shake my head again. “No.”
Yuki regards me with a calm stare, then, finally, nods. “Are there any questions you have for the tower?”
“What is the purpose of this test?” I ask, instantly.
At that, the avatar smiles. Not a kind, gentle one like before, but a vicious grin. “The Tower must be fair,” Yuki says. “Because mediocre people can make it reasonably high, and excellence will be snuffed out by them. Reducing the degree of excellence snuffed out has proven to produce more excellent climbers.”
“Does that mean talented ascendants get treated with more leniency?” I ask.
Yuki’s grin widens. “They are treated with more attention.”
Instantly, the meaning is clear. And as I get it, I can tell Yuki knows. That attention isn’t always good. I have attention, yes. The Deceptive Manipulator and Respitia are attention. The Master of Suffering is attention. They help me as much as they hinder me. Some want to raise me higher just to see me break.
I look at Yuki. “The higher they climb…”
“The further they fall,” the clone replies with a grin.
There it is. The thin line between careful raising of talent and the absolute callous disregard for life and happiness that the tower shows. Feeling like I got a small glimpse into its motivations, I go to ask another question, but Yuki raises a hand before I get to it.
“No more. Your thoughts have revealed much to the Tower. You are worthy, Snow Okiyama - Ion. You are worthy to climb. To ascend. You are worthy of the authority you have plundered, and worthy of the requests you will gain.”
Then, that other version of myself gives me another nod, and the whiteness consumes the simple room again. It creeps in from the edges of my vision, and the last thing I see are those pale eyes, staring at me. And then, the challenge finishes.
[Challenge completed. Ascend.]
[Additional note: standard procedure dictates partial memory erasure. Conflict with user’s skill-profile. Memories preserved for use and party. Bribe of one lesser request in order to keep information of ascendancy trial secret. General knowledge - questionnaire - may be shared.]
I blink at the notification, and smile in acceptance. “I won’t talk about my interview, don’t worry.”
[Affirmative. Bribe applied. You have received one lesser request.]
[Congratulations!]
[You have made it to the fifth floor! For your performance in the ascendancy well, you have acquired 2 minor requests.]
I smile faintly as I climb up the stairs and emerge on the other side. The glowing gateway behind me shimmers as the others step through at nearly the same time.
In front of me is the fifth floor - but not only the fifth. I can see the sixth, seventh, eight, and ninth floor, too.
The ground in front of me is made from carved rocks. The sky above is positively drenched in clouds. The winds tear at my clothes as I stare at tall spiralling buildings, ornate and beautiful. So much so that the system alerts me.
[You have made it to Downpour. The city that houses the next five floors of the tower. Good luck.]
I stand on a floating island - rings upon rings of floating islands, in fact. And between the gaps, the long fall down… leads all the way to the fourth floor, where the boneyard awaits. “I guess now we know where all the corpses fell from,” I note. Then the storm starts.
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