The clang of steel, the roar of the crowd, the weight of ambition—these were the sounds that had become normal to Shubh inside the Tower. He had already cleared the earlier floors with ease, each opponent nothing more than a stepping stone on his path. But today was different.
Today was Floor 10.
The massive gate creaked open, revealing a battlefield unlike any before. The arena had shifted into a scorching wasteland, the ground cracked and glowing faintly with heat. Waves of dry air burned against his skin. Shubh tightened his fists, his eyes steady as he stepped forward.
"Floor 10… so this is where things begin to get serious," he muttered.
Before the fight began, three figures approached him in the waiting chamber. Each carried themselves with the wary confidence of fighters who had survived the Tower.
"You're Shubh, right?" one of them asked, a tall girl with ash-grey hair tied back. "We've been watching your climb. You're strong. Too strong to stay solo. Why don't we form an alliance? Together we can clear floors faster."
Shubh didn't answer immediately. He studied them carefully. He had seen plenty of alliances crumble—fighters turning on each other the moment the Tower dangled a reward.
"What's in it for me?" Shubh asked calmly.
"The Tower's difficulty doesn't scale equally for everyone. Past Floor 50, even the best fall without allies. You'll need people watching your back. You can't rely only on strength forever."
Shubh smirked faintly. "Maybe. But I'm not here to rely on anyone. I'm here to prove myself."
Another member of the trio, a scarred boy with wild eyes, stepped forward. "At least consider it. Not all of us are your enemies."
Shubh glanced at them one last time before the call echoed through the chamber.
"Floor 10: Enter the arena."
He turned his back. "I'll think about it. But for now, I've got a fight."
---
The heat struck like a wave as he entered the wasteland. His opponent was already waiting—a Manipulator of Affinity, a rank far above the usual fighters he had faced.
"Welcome, challenger," the man said with a cold smile, dust swirling around his hands. "I command sand and water. This desert is my home. You won't last a minute."
The gong rang. Immediately, walls of sand rose around Shubh, twisting like serpents. Jets of water hardened into spears, aiming for his chest. The ground itself tried to swallow him whole.
But Shubh didn't flinch. He planted his foot into the cracked earth, his aura shifting. Gravity pulsed outward from him in invisible waves, crushing the sand walls to dust, forcing the water spears to crash uselessly against the ground.
The Manipulator staggered. "Gravity…? That's your affinity?"
Shubh's eyes glowed faintly as he clenched his fist. "I don't need tricks. My strength is enough."
With a burst of speed, he closed the distance, his fist slamming into the man's chest. The impact sent shockwaves across the arena, flattening the cracked wasteland floor. The Manipulator collapsed, coughing blood, his powers dissipating like smoke.
"Winner: Shubh!"
The crowd roared.
---
Back in the waiting chamber, the trio of fighters approached him again. This time, their eyes carried not doubt, but respect.
"You beat a Manipulator on Floor 10… without breaking a sweat," the girl whispered.
Shubh simply wiped the dust from his hands. "I told you. I'm here to prove myself."
The scarred boy grinned. "Then maybe you'll let us prove ourselves alongside you. Think about it, Shubh. The Tower is long… and alliances can be more than chains. Sometimes, they're weapons."
Shubh didn't reply immediately. His gaze lingered on the massive Tower walls, stretching higher and higher into the clouds.
For the first time, he wondered if he might need more than just his fists to reach the top.