Chapter 04 Part 1: The Tower of Agata
Nathaniel's Point of View
Moments after stepping out of the room, I found myself in a corridor that was hauntingly familiar—a scene lifted straight from the pages of my own comic.
There was no doubt about it: I was inside Agata Tower, just as I'd suspected. But this place was vast, a labyrinth of halls and chambers, and I had no clue which part of the tower I was in. A sudden wave of unease washed over me, making me feel like a lost child wandering in an unknown realm. My frustration flared, fueled by a burning desire to find that reckless angel, Koko, and demand she take me back home.
"Where are you, you crazy angel?!" I shouted, my voice echoing down the empty corridor.
There was nothing I could do but search, but where was I supposed to start? As I wrestled with my predicament, a spark of realization hit me. This world had a way to help me pinpoint my location—a high-tech system used within the tower and its games. This remarkable tool, relied upon by most players, provided information about the Crimson Game and its intricacies.
With a mere thought, I activated the system, marveling at its advanced technology. A translucent interface flickered to life before my eyes, displaying my details. As expected, there was nothing extraordinary about my profile—likely because Koko had sent me here as an ordinary human, the weakest race among Endoryo's diverse creatures.
Agata Tower was a marvel of magic and technology, housing thousands of games across its hundred-plus floors. Every major city in Endoryo with over fifty thousand residents boasted its own Agata Tower, and what made them truly extraordinary was their interconnectedness. Players could compete with others from different towers, no matter where they were in the world.
For the inhabitants of Endoryo, playing in the tower was the primary source of livelihood. From the moment they were born, every being—child, elder, disabled, or of any race—was registered as a player. The tower welcomed all, and countless relied on it to meet their daily needs.
This was why many called the tower a gift from the god Crimson to his creations. It offered a variety of games where players could win money and other rewards, many of them simple enough for anyone to join. In short, earning a living through the tower was achievable, but the size of the prize depended on the game's type and difficulty.
That's why many players ventured to the tower's higher floors, where the most challenging and bizarre games awaited—some so perilous that players risked their lives for the promise of immense rewards. Over the years, the situation had grown increasingly complex.
The games on the upper floors weren't always so dangerous or brutal, but greedy players, driven by the lure of grand prizes, had turned them into ruthless contests.
There were no rules explicitly allowing players to kill each other to secure victory, but neither were there penalties for doing so. As a result, bloodshed became rampant on the higher floors, where players showed little regard for their fellows, caring only about winning.
Points were everything in the Crimson Game, and some resorted to extreme measures—like eliminating competitors—to amass them.
Points were crucial because they determined a player's ability to join certain games that required an entry fee, paid in points. They also dictated one's social standing in Endoryo. The world was divided into seven ranks, each based on the points a player had accumulated:
Beginner: 10,000 points
Warrior: 30,000 points
Gamma: 100,000 points
Beta: 300,000 points
Alpha: 1,000,000 points
Columbus: 3,000,000 points
Warlord: 10,000,000 points
To move beyond Beginner, a player needed to gather ten thousand points, and the requirement tripled with each rank. Achieving Warlord status brought unimaginable rewards: wealth, a kingdom to rule, and privileges both within and beyond the tower, such as creating custom games or conquering towns to claim as one's own.
These rewards drove countless players to aspire to Warlord status, to be hailed as the mightiest in all of Endoryo. It was a complicated system, but in a world like this—where survival and respect hinged on relentless victory—who wouldn't chase such a dream?
But what did any of that matter to me? My only concern was finding that lunatic angel.
After a few minutes of wandering, I spotted an elevator that could take me out of the tower. I hurried toward it, and within seconds, its doors slid open. Inside stood several creatures, their appearances strange and varied, making me hesitate to step in.
But then I remembered: no player could harm another inside the tower. That rule eased my nerves, at least for the moment.
A small robot, the elevator's operator, greeted me with a cheerful chirp. "Which floor, sir?" it asked.
"Take me to the main lobby," I replied, stepping inside and waiting as the elevator descended.
After just over a minute, I arrived at the main lobby and stepped out. The sheer grandeur of the place was breathtaking. The lobby buzzed with activity, filled with countless players—warriors, mages, and beings of every kind. Its vastness was staggering, easily able to hold thousands, but its size also left me disoriented, unsure of where to go or how to begin my search.
As I scanned the crowd for a starting point, I noticed a group of people gathered to one side, their attention fixed on a sign mounted on the wall. Curiosity piqued, I approached, hoping to find something—anything—that might help me.
"Eskapa Recruitment," the sign read.
The commotion was about the Eskapa group, which was seeking new members to join their military forces. "That's right," I muttered to myself. "The towers are where they often recruit new soldiers."
Eskapa was a band of warriors dedicated to fighting evil and protecting the weak against criminals. Their name stood for:
ES – Espada (Sword)
KA – Kalasag (Shield)
PA – Pananalig (Faith)
These three principles guided their mission to save Endoryo's creatures. Recognized as a legitimate organization, they were led by the ninth Warlord and could participate in the Crimson Game, though their goals often centered on apprehending lawbreakers who defied their god's decrees.
Eskapa boasted ten elite warriors, known as the "Weapons of God," hailing from various corners of Endoryo. They proclaimed themselves divine instruments, tasked with eradicating evil and resisting the Warlords' abuses. Their leader was a Hagen named Magdalena Cross, rumored to be the true daughter of the god sent to save Endoryo from certain doom.
As one of Endoryo's ten Warlords, Magdalena ruled over allied nations, united by her faith and her mission to preserve life. Her convictions inspired millions, swelling the ranks of her devoted followers.
As I observed the crowd, I noticed varied reactions to the recruitment. Some showed determination, eager to join Eskapa, while others turned away, dismissing the opportunity.
"Let's get out of here, Mimi. We're just wasting our time," said a female warrior, her voice sharp with disdain.
"Huh? Aren't we going to join them?" her companion asked, confused.
"Are you serious? There's nothing to gain from that cult except death," she snapped.
Her harsh view of Eskapa wasn't entirely baseless. In Endoryo, one could survive by sticking to the tower's lower floors, avoiding the Warlords' conflicts. To her, Eskapa was a facade, falsely claiming the existence of a god other than Crimson.
Their relentless crusade against the Warlords, she believed, was a power grab disguised as righteousness.
"Pathetic weaklings, hoping to be saved by some so-called daughter of a god," she scoffed, her laughter cutting through the crowd.
She and her companion walked away, hurling insults as if daring anyone to respond. "I'd never join those losers," she added with a sneer.
Her words grated on me, though I couldn't pinpoint why. Perhaps it was the way she dismissed Eskapa, ignorant of the countless lives they'd saved and the protection they offered. But she had a point. In my comic's lore, many joined Eskapa not out of faith or a desire to save others, but for the benefits—protection, resources, and privileges. They cared little for the god or the mission, only for what they could gain.
Life here was complex, especially for warriors from towns under Warlord rule, where survival often meant navigating treacherous alliances. But I had no reason to worry about that. I wasn't from any town in Endoryo, so no Warlord claimed me.
Moments later, a commotion behind me caught my attention—a young woman's voice, struggling through the crowd.
"Excuse me, please!" she called. "Let me through, I beg you!"
The throng was so dense that moving forward was a challenge, and despite her efforts, the woman stumbled and fell to the floor with a thud.
"Oh no, oh no!" she gasped.
Thud!
Hearing her fall, I turned to help. As I did, my eyes met a creature of striking beauty.
"Oh dear, how embarrassing!" she said, sitting on the floor, her cheeks flushed.
I froze, struck by her appearance. "My God, what a radiant being," I whispered to myself, half in awe.
From her soft, silvery hair to her flawless skin and gentle voice, she seemed like a fairy from the fantasy tales I'd read. She wore glasses, but her golden-hazel eyes shone through, complemented by her rosy lips. Her white dress and skirt, paired with a matching beret, gave her an ethereal charm, her long braid adorned with a delicate pink ribbon.
But something peculiar caught my eye—a faint outline on her back, almost like a turtle's shell, though I couldn't be sure. She gazed up at me, her eyes sparkling with a quiet plea.
"Could you help me up, kind creature?" she asked, her voice as sweet as a melody.