Arc 2: The Tower of Power
45° Um Futuro Distante?
After completing the fortieth floor, the participants continued their climb until they reached the forty-fifth—the Floor of Dreams. At this point, only fifteen participants remained, utterly exhausted—some injured, others on the brink of collapse.
As the survivors opened the elevator doors to access the forty-fifth floor, they found Mr. Berbatov—the organizer and overseer of the tournament—already waiting for them. Seeing their condition, with some being carried by others, Berbatov quickly understood the severity of the situation. He called in doctors and nurses to provide immediate medical assistance.
"Rest for a while. You all need to recover your strength," Berbatov said, addressing the group in front of him.
The forty-fifth floor was a medium-sized room, its walls painted white and illuminated with lights of the same color. Various chairs lined the walls, and some tables were scattered randomly throughout the space, meant for eating. As the wounded lay down, the medics worked swiftly to treat their injuries, at least superficially. Those still able to walk were served military rations—energy bars and hard bread.
One boy receiving treatment on the floor noticed Berbatov nearby and seized the opportunity to ask:
"Mr. Berbatov, what's the next challenge?"
Berbatov looked at the boy, then forward, clearly ready to reveal the next phase.
"First, congratulations for making it this far. Truly, well done… Now, as the name implies, this is the Floor of Dreams. We'll be testing each of you within your own deepest dreams." — At that moment, several hooded figures entered the room from doors to the left — "Don't be alarmed. These individuals are mages. They will place you inside your dreams."
I thought mages didn't exist anymore.
Weren't they extinct?
"Quiet down... Once everyone is ready, please choose a random chair. A mage will approach you, place their hand over your head, and begin the process. Your only task is to escape your dream. Nothing more, nothing less. Any questions?"
A feral, still trembling—perhaps from exhaustion or anxiety—raised his hand.
"H-huh… If we fail to complete the objective… and we don't wake up… w-what happens?"
"You'll be trapped. You'll fall into a magically induced coma. Your mind will be at stake. Remember, a few minutes in a dream can feel like many hours in the real world. So… well, as long as you don't stay too long, there shouldn't be a problem."
The Shisui sisters sat with Rebeca, chatting while nibbling on rations. They sat on the floor, speculating about the dreams.
"Big sis, what do you think your dream will be like?" Helena asked, her expression adorably curious.
"It could be anything… even something buried deep in our subconscious that we've never imagined," Nora replied, staring at the floor, lost in thought.
"If you two don't wake up, can I keep your share of the supplies?" Rebeca asked without a hint of concern.
"Fine by me…" Nora answered.
"Sure! But trust me—I'll be the first to wake up, hehe," Helena said with a thumbs-up. She always managed to draw cheerful energy from the bleakest of situations.
Once he noticed everyone was ready, Berbatov spoke up loudly:
"Let's begin. I've got other matters to attend to. Mages, start the process."
At the command, the mages approached the fifteen participants one by one, placing their hands on each person's head. They initiated the dream ritual, using a mysterious spell that began with the word "Trance." As soon as the word was spoken, each participant fell into a deep sleep.
===
"Huh...? What's this? Where am I?" Nora murmured, waking up in a cotton hammock inside a modest tent. Her head spun slightly from the sudden awakening. Looking around in confusion, she noticed her sister Helena asleep in a nearby hammock.
"H-Hey, Helena! Wake up… Heleeena, come on, wake uup!" Nora shook Helena's hammock vigorously, but it wasn't enough.
"I'll dump you out if you don't answer me…"
"Huh...? What is it…?" Helena replied groggily, eyes still closed.
"Where are we? What are we doing here?"
"Go back to sleep… It's the middle of the night. We have another battle in the morning—maybe even against Asura—so rest."
"W-What? What do you mean?"
Growing irritated, Helena sat up slightly and snapped:
"Did you forget? We're here to dethrone our father. We're up against Asura and possibly worse. Just left. Today will be a long day…"
Nora couldn't remember anything from the last few days. Panic rose in her chest, her heart pounding, breath growing short. Her hands clutched her head as sweat poured from her face. Then a single thought echoed through her mind:
"What's happening to me?"
continued…