Shio-ram is situated smack dab in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean. The entire artificial island created by Principal Neriel serves as the grounds for Shio-ram.

About half of the site is dedicated to dungeons maintained and managed for the training of the cadets.

The other half is taken up by commercial areas that inevitably form where people gather,  educational facilities for the cadets, with the remainder being vacant land.

“Phew…”

A deep sigh escaped me involuntarily.

Clutching onto my frayed nerves after a vanished weekend, I stepped out of the dormitory.

A short ride on the campus bus and I arrived at the central plaza.

In the midst of Shio-ram, the central plaza may take up a small percentage of the whole area, but once you’re there, it’s hard to grasp the sheer expanse of it.

Even if I stretched my spatial perception to its limits, I couldn’t contain its vastness, which branched out into the main roads leading to the different zones for each school year.

And right there in the center of the plaza stood a massive ivory tower.

So wide that multiple soccer fields combined would not measure up, the tower seemed to pierce through the clouds and strike the sky.

“…The Tower of Growth.”

The last gate phenomenon was the manifestation of The Tower of Space.

I wondered if sensing The Tower of Growth would lead to an incident like before, so I swept the tower with radar spatial perception which I don’t normally use anymore.

Thankfully, nothing extraordinary happened. Or should I say, it was unreadable. It felt like tapping a solid stone wall with my fist.

On one side of the spacious plaza, numerous cadets gathered under the guidance of their professors.

The total number of first-year students was over 500, wasn’t it?

Feeling the bustling presence, I headed towards Professor Liana’s energy signature.

I arrived where the familiar presence was felt.

[▼Ipchun class, this way▼]

Below the billboard-sized hologram stood Professor Liana. She had enlarged the hologram projected from her smartwatch.

She was clad in a robe, similar to the ones she always wore. Familiar presences clustered around her.

I moved slowly. Thanks to practically passing out over the weekend, my body was almost back to normal.

But still, I could feel something bubbling inside me. It seemed like I hadn’t fully absorbed the elixir yet.

“Good morning.”
“Hi~”
“Hello.”

[Good morning to you all.]

As I moved towards the Ipchun class group, cadets I recognized greeted me.

I had received many greetings on the first day, but now there was a noticeable increase in warmth.

It seems familiarity had grown from sharing classes and brushing elbows, especially since stories spread from the last sparring session and dungeon practice.

There were surely still those who talked behind my back, but that wasn’t something I could deal with.

“Ah, you’re here.”

Among the gathered Ipchun class cadets were Elia, Atila, and Aidan.

Atila, who was indifferently tapping on his smartwatch, waved his hand, and Aidan, upon seeing me, nodded awkwardly.

“It’s funny to ask after just a week, but have you been well?”

[Yes, I’ve been fine.]

Nothing much, just a couple of minor incidents.

Like suddenly fainting due to a childhood trauma, or choking on my own blood after ingesting an elixir.

Ultimately, one was resolved well… and the other is currently being addressed.

[Atila, have you been okay?]

“Yes. I’ve been fine.”

Atila shifted his gaze away. Aidan, who had been looked at, awkwardly turned his head.

Why are they acting like this… Oh, right.

[Can I ask how the sparring went?]

“Ah, that─”

“That guy got his ass whooped.”

Aidan choked, his shoulders shrinking. That seemed to explain why he had been looking so downcast.

“I held my own for a while, but I conceded the decisive hit. The flow was similar to when I sparred with you, Hayul… Idiot.”

“Ugh…”

“Talking big about showing the superiority of the sword and then… Idiot.”

“Cough…”

Aidan crumbled under the sharp criticism. Calling him an idiot… seemed a bit harsh… right? I’m not sure. I guess they’re close, so they tease each other like that.

Anyway.

“……”

[Good morning.]

Elia’s reaction was unmistakable. After approaching and greeting me, she stared at my face and cocked her head in confusion.

[Is there something on my face?]

“No, no. Nothing’s on your face.”

Nothing seemed amiss when I checked with spatial perception.

“It’s just… um… hard to explain. You seem different somehow…”

Elia herself wasn’t sure, shaking her head in doubt.

‘Is it because of the elixir?’

If there were a reason for change, it would probably be the elixir.

After a brief chat with the three of them, I headed towards Professor Liana. I figured I should at least mark my attendance.

“Alright, gather here… Huh?”

As I approached, Professor Liana finally seemed to notice and turned her head. But her reaction was not what I expected.

I thought I’d receive a warm welcome, but instead, she stared at my face blankly and blinked. She scanned my body from head to toe, her head tilting in puzzlement.

“…Eh?”

Her reaction was clearly one of confusion.

Then, still staring at me dumbfounded, Professor Liana reached out and grabbed my cheeks. My lips pouted out like a fish.

Then suddenly, she brought her face close to mine.

“Sniff, sniff…”

‘?’

She started sniffing me, particularly around my neck. The tickling sensation made me shrink back.

When I stood frozen in bewilderment, Professor Liana finally lifted her head, her face still full of questions.

The surrounding cadets were also looking over, whispering among themselves.

It wasn’t just Ipchun class here.

The other five classes, Usu, Gyeongchip, Chunbun, Cheongmyeong, and Gogu, were also present. Some of their gazes were pulled in this direction too.

“Eh…?”

[Why did you do that?]

“Uh… Ah… Sorry. I wasn’t in my right mind.”

Her actions made no sense to me. When I asked via the hologram, Professor Liana shook her head, still looking confused.

After a moment, she apologized, saying she was sorry. I merely nodded, still not understanding what had happened.

“……”

“……”

After marking my attendance with Professor Liana, I returned to my spot. Elia had stepped away for a bit, leaving me with Aidan and Atila, who were throwing me lost glances.

They exchanged an awkward conversation, and I stayed silent without giving an explanation.

…

…

…

“Alberth Kaniazel, the professor in charge of Gogu class, will explain the details of the ascent.”

A stout middle-aged man climbed onto a temporary podium.

Despite his age, his slicked-back golden hair brimmed with vitality, and the scars scattered across his face hinted at a not-so-easy past.

As his spirited speech continued, I glanced around with an embarrassed expression.

Right next to me stood Hong Yeon-hwa, her presence unmistakable. With her arms crossed, her indifferent eyes gazing at the podium, it didn’t feel like a good sign.

“Ah…”

After being sniffed by Professor Liana, I recalled the weekend’s events the moment I sensed Hong Yeon-hwa enter the range of my folded-back spatial perception.

Right after coming to consciousness on Saturday, I remember checking my texts, meaning to reply after getting up for a bit, but I completely neglected to do so.

And just now, in a panic about possibly being late, I rushed out without finding time to respond.

That was my situation. From Hong Yeon-hwa’s perspective, after being given such a precious elixir and then being ignored, she must have been quite upset.

The thought of being disliked by Hong Yeon-hwa made my head spin. Just moments ago, I was full of thoughts about the ascent, but now they had all but evaporated.

[I’m sorry I didn’t reply. It’s no excuse, but I was asleep all weekend after taking the elixir.]

I couldn’t stay silent forever. I shrank the hologram and cautiously displayed it to Hong Yeon-hwa.

[I’m sorry.]

Hong Yeon-hwa glanced at the hologram and her lips twitched.

“…Phew.”

After staring at the hologram for a moment, Hong Yeon-hwa exhaled deeply and reached out to poke my cheek.

The gesture felt positive, and my face brightened up immediately.

“Heh.”

Hong Yeon-hwa let out a resigned chuckle and kept poking my cheek.

With a guilty conscience, and feeling somewhat pleased, I allowed my cheek to be fiddled with.

After a while, Hong Yeon-hwa inquired.

“Hayul, what was that about with the professor just now?”

‘Just now?’

Pondering what could have prompted that question, I realized she was referring to Professor Liana’s recent odd behavior.

[I’m not sure myself.]

“Really?”

Hong Yeon-hwa made a curious face, then leaned in to sniff my neck. The light breaths tickled me, causing my shoulders to contract.

“It smells nice, though.”

“Maybe you should keep the displays of affection outside the dorms,”

Ignoring Baek Ahrin’s muttered comment with a disgusted face, Hong Yeon-hwa lifted her head.

‘No smell of blood, then.’

I was worried that the scent of blood would linger after being surrounded by a pool of it for nearly a day. Thankfully, it seemed the cleansing and purifying spells I’d cast were effective.

“Did you take the elixir? How do you feel?”

[I was tired right after taking it, but now I’m feeling okay.]

“Good to hear. The elixir was supposed to be stabilized by processing, but it’s relieving to hear it directly from you.”

…Hm. So the elixir was safe after all… Then what was with me? But then again, my body has always been a strange sort from the previous world.

As we exchanged small talk, the professor on the podium finished his speech and began the detailed explanation.

Professor Alberth Kaniazel’s voice captivated the cadets as he spoke.

“Shortly, the cadets will enter The Tower of Growth. This ascent aims for survival amid the tower’s hostile environment and threats posed by monsters and fellow cadets.”

The Tower of Growth.
The expansive ivory tower at the center of Shio-ram, the reason for the academy’s existence.

Not only does The Tower of Growth offer its blessings, but the benefits of entering the tower are comparable.

Both in the original work and here, it is commonly referred to simply as “the ascent.”

The ascent is an event that greatly influences the current iteration’s stat increase.

In the first iteration, the lack of knowledge meant almost everything was problematic, but the ascent event getting thoroughly messed up meant that the growth curve did too.

Especially the first ascent is a critical event. To get the Snowball rolling, one must gain a lot from here.

However, I couldn’t manage that in the first iteration.

“The ascent will last for five days, during which direct combat and competition among the cadets are permitted. If a cadet sustains an injury deemed life-threatening, they will be disqualified and moved to a separate training room to spend the remaining time.”

I failed because of that competition.

Being a special admission student, whether I liked it or not, I was the focus of attention. In the tower’s interior, could anyone actually compete on the same level as a special admission student?

Like Aidan’s case, there were plenty who would directly confront me. And now, with other classes mixed in, there would be even more.

And then…

“This ascent’s scores will be represented by the points earned from defeating monsters and fellow cadets.”

As the professor tapped his smartwatch, a large hologram sprang up, visible from all sides for everyone to see.

▶Scoring◀
[8th-tier monster: 1 point]
[7th-tier monster: 10 points]
…
[Basic sub-major cadet: 20 points]
…
[Advanced combat-major cadet: 100 points]
…
[Class vice-representative: 450 points]
[Class representative: 500 points]
…

A score chart appeared for monsters and cadets based on rank and major. It somehow reminded me of a butcher shop menu with its detailed breakdown.

I felt a strange sensation as I checked the very end of the hologram.

At the very bottom.

[Special admission: 1,000 points]

…Hm.

I pondered and then nodded. With such a score, it was obvious I’d be a target. There were ample reasons, both emotional and practical.

I sighed internally and carefully removed the smartwatch from my left wrist.

Smartwatches couldn’t be brought into the tower. The same went for other equipment. You could only bring along your primary weapon.

In other words, without the hologram function of my smartwatch, I transitioned from being a temporarily mute person to a mute person altogether.

It was a regrettable situation. The thought of temporarily parting with my smartwatch, which had become part of me, filled me with deep gloom.

Fortunately, Professor Liana assured me that I could bring my arm covers. I was relieved not to expose my ghastly scars amidst the bustling crowd.

“Gogu class will enter first.”

The ascent was now right before us.

“Gogu (Grain Rain), enter!”

I swallowed hard and fidgeted with my awkward wrist.

…

…

…

“Cheongmyeong (Clear and Bright), enter!”

The ivory tower’s size was majestic. At its base was an arch-shaped entrance, as dark as a starless night sky.

“Chunbun (Vernal Equinox), enter!”

The entrance began with the later classes like Gogu class entering at five-minute intervals. The cadets lined up and entered the tower as scheduled.

“Gyeongchip (Awakening of Insects), enter!”

While there was a gap between entrance times, time inside the tower varied by only a few seconds. This meant there was no advantage based on the order of entry.

“Usu (Rain Water), enter!”

Once inside the tower, as soon as you open your eyes, the test begins. That moment marks the start of five days of survival.

“Ipchun (Start of Spring), enter!”

Soon it was Ipchun class’s turn. Cadets from Ipchun class started to move in order.

Among the last of the Ipchun class, Hong Yeon-hwa paused to watch before turning her head.

“What are you going to do?”

Next to her stood Baek Ahrin. Playing with her hair and wearing a measured smile, Baek Ahrin glanced over.

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“Hmm…”

Baek Ahrin hummed thoughtfully, her fingers ceasing their twirling in her hair. Her aquatic hued strands fell over her shoulder.

“I have something in mind.”

“What is it?”

“Oh, I can’t tell you that. It’s a competition after all.”

“Tsk.”

Hong Yeon-hwa clicked her tongue and turned away. Baek Ahrin giggled softly, watching the tower’s entrance, where the cadets were steadily entering.

Just then, the entering cadet was the special admission student, Lee Hayul. He looked tense as he threw himself into the gateway.

“…I have a plan.”

Whether it would work or not remained to be seen.

Baek Ahrin let out a small chuckle.

…

…

…

Life seldom goes as planned. The world just isn’t like that. If everything went as thought, there would be no unhappy people.

It’s a fact I’m quite aware of.

I smiled broadly, inhaling what I presumed would be air filled with the essence of nature.

But.

‘Why, why can’t I see anything again?’

Where the hell did my spatial perception go?