The echoes of Shubh's victory on Floor 38 still reverberated through the Tower. Whispers spread like wildfire: the boy who wielded multiple affinities had defeated a top contender in a single strike.
Some were awed, some envious, and others… afraid.
Williams approached, clapping Shubh on the shoulder. "You've grown," he said, both proud and wary. "But be ready—the Tower doesn't forgive arrogance."
Shubh nodded silently, eyes scanning the empty arena. Even in victory, a weight lingered in his chest. His rival's absence gnawed at him, but he didn't yet know the truth: the Sun of West had already sealed his fate.
---
Night fell over the Tower, but the shadows had life. A figure moved like a wraith across the rooftops—a trained assassin from the Shangan clan, eyes gleaming with deadly intent.
Before Shubh could sense him, a lightning-fast strike came from above.
"Thunder Fang Dash!"
Shubh barely dodged, feeling the wind rush past his face. He countered instantly, flicking his wrist. Sparks of light converged around his hand.
"Celestial Blades!"
Blades of shimmering light spun into the assassin's path, slicing through the shadows. The attacker rolled back, summoning a bolt of lightning, but Shubh raised his palm.
"Heaven's Disperse!"
The bolt disintegrated before it reached him. The assassin's eyes widened—this boy was no ordinary fighter. Gravity shifted subtly beneath Shubh's feet. With a step forward:
"Gravity Bind!"
The assassin's movements slowed as invisible chains of weight pressed him down. He gritted his teeth, summoning one last surge of lightning, but before he could strike again, Shubh's Collapse Strike slammed the ground beneath him. Stone shattered, and the assassin was hurled across the terrace, unconscious but alive.
Only one clue remained—a sigil burned into the stone, glowing faintly in the moonlight. Williams knelt, recognizing it instantly.
"Shangan clan," he muttered.
Shubh's eyes narrowed. "So they're watching… waiting."
---
The next morning, the Alliance gathered outside the entrance to Floor 40. Rain fell in sheets, lightning cracking across the sky. The Tower's next trial awaited: the Storm Arena, where challengers faced two guardians simultaneously, one mastering Lightning Affinity, the other Wind Affinity.
The girl leader turned to Shubh. "You'll need more than brute strength here. The guardians are unpredictable, and their combined attacks can kill in an instant."
Shubh looked at the sky, letting the wind and rain whip around him. His hands glowed faintly—gravity, light, fire, water—all affinities simmering within him.
He clenched his fists. "I've faced death, I've faced betrayal… I've lost before. But now, I decide how history changes."
Williams nodded. "Then let's see them try."
The massive doors to the Storm Arena creaked open. Thunder rumbled overhead as Shubh stepped forward, the rain soaking him to the bone. The air crackled with electricity and power, and at the center of the arena, two figures awaited—the Storm Guardians.
Shubh's cloak fluttered in the wind, his gaze unwavering. A spark danced across his fingers as he whispered:
"Let them feel… UNBREAKABLE."
The storm above mirrored the battle to come, a harbinger of the clash that would shake the Tower to its core.
And with that, Shubh stepped fully into the arena, ready to face the fury of two masters at once