- Between Life and Death -
Endorsi then suddenly barged into their room and asked Bam to take her with them to go to the Floor of Death.
To their surprise, one of the Ten Bosses that Endorsi defeated was a ticketer and had a ticket. With that ticket, she could go to the Floor of Death and meet the princess who she had wanted to meet for a long time.
Khun and Bam started to sweat drop coldly over this tricky situation. The two of them had a strong feeling that if Yuri and Endorsi met with each other, the train might get destroyed.
"Charlotte!" Endorsi turned around to look at the brown haired lass who was handing Rak a glass of water. "You don't mind if I go to the Train with you guys right?!"
It was a bad choice to ask Charlotte right now because both Bam and Khun knew that when Charlotte indulged herself in whatever she was doing, her mind would not be working properly and that she would be ignorant.
"Sure" said Charlotte nonchalantly, just like what the three others expected. "If you want to come then come. If you don't want to come then don't. You have the ticket right?"
"Yes!" Endorsi happily said with a grin. She turned her head around to Bam, "Hear that, Bam? Your sister agrees. You won't make her disappointed right?"
"W- well...."
Khun glared at Charlotte who shrugged off again. Her nonchalant behavior made his vein popped.
"I will make sure that you won't be able to eat apples for the rest of your life" he threatened.
"Do you have any other idea to prevent her from getting on the train then?" Charlotte asked Khun back. "You don't right? Then just let her get on the train."
"......"
Before he could retaliate, the four of them then felt the ground was shaking.
This shocked the four of them as they wanted to take a look outside the window to see what happened. Rak who also wanted to see couldn't move at all since Khun stepped on him.
Turned out, there was a serious fight between two high rankers, Yuri Ha Zahard the Zahard Princess and Karaka the Slayer. Evan Edrock the Silver Dwarf was also there with his gigantic bag.
Karaka had destroyed the bridge earlier to prevent the slayer candidates and his companions from entering the train but with Evan's item, Evan restored the bridge to its former state.
Endorsi' Bong Bong would be a great help if they wanted to go across the bridge so they had no other choice but to allow her to come with them. Now that the bridge was being stored, it was their perfect chance to leave the Station Name Hunt before Karaka destroyed it again.
Khun wanted to forbid those who were injured to go across the bridge but as if all of them were going to listen to him. The fight between the real rankers happened near the regulars' area and the administrator did not even do anything to stop them. Could it be because the administrator find this fight necessary? He didn't know about that, but he warned the others that crossing the bridge was their own decision and if they weren't fast or lucky enough, they'll die and no one could save them.
Though Charlotte was afraid since her luck had always been harsh on her, she had no other choice but to take this risk. She had to follow the Bam until the end, just like Ehwa who even though was injured but dared to risk her life.
She had left the Sweet and Sour team just to get to the Floor of Death. If she couldn't dare to risk her life, where should she put her face?
Shibisu's team chose to stay behind and Endorsi left the team to follow Bam to the Floor of Death. He wished them the best.
When Evan found these insane and crazy regulars wanted to get on the train, he was surprised. But he still maintained his expression and thought that since they were going on the train at this kind of life and death situation, he should help them. He should help them by making sure that Karaka won't notice them.
With the Adam's Gloves, one of this items, he made sure that Karaka wouldn't be able to notice these regulars. With the gloves, the sound of their footsteps had vanished.
Khun warned the others to be careful and try to not use Shinsu too much or Karaka might notice and kill them right on the spot.
Endorsi was the first to reach the end of the bridge. It was indeed hard to keep up with her without using shinsu, but they made it and Endorsi teleported them to the other side of the bridge before returned and waited for the others before sending them again.
Charlotte was surprised that she made it.
'Usually, my luck will come up with a way to torment me. But now, it is actually being quite nice by letting me pass this dangerous bridge.'
But for a moment, she felt that there was something wrong. The two high rankers stopped fighting for a moment and she glanced at Karaka, afraid that he might notice something.
Khun also warned Endorsi through Pocket to not use Bong Bong right now since he could feel that there was something off with Karaka.
Yuri had noticed the regulars were trying to get on the train at the situation like this and chose to draw his attention by showing a weapon.
"It looks like you know it too" she said to Karaka while holding the weapon. "This needle is Kranos. It's one of the most powerful weapons that Quadrado, the high ranker who traveled with the Ten Great Families Leaders long ago, used to carry. His life story with them is drawn on the sealing stone surrounding the needle.
Although he lost it while charging Urek, it's an almost unfairly powerful weapon that allows you to use ultimate ignition just once, regardless which floor you are in. I brought it here because of some reasons. I thought it would be better to use it in lower floors, and it looks like I can use it now."
Regretting of being careless was already too late for Karaka.
"I'm getting tired of playing ball now, so let's end this, slayer" said Yuri, swinging the Kranos.
Yuri glanced at Khun who understood it and immediately told Endorsi to use the Bong Bong to get the injuries away from the bridge. Endorsi had to use Bong Bong when the weapon was ignited by Yuri.
It was a gamble but they had to try it if they wanted to survive.
"Kranos. Your master. Yuri Zahard orders you" Yuri held Kranos with both of her hands, ready to ignite it any moment which was right now, "With a single flash, destroy everything in front of me! Ignite!!"
There was a bright, flashing red light coming from Kranos.
Yuri Ha Zahard wondered why Karaka wasn't getting out of the way even though right now she was using a powerful weapon that its attack could be deadly to most of high rankers. Yuri Ha Zahard wasn't aware that Karaka, he was waiting for something or rather a group of people.
He observed the bridge carefully before he noticed something pink like ball with bunny ears jumped, crossing the bridge. When he saw that, he used his item to shield himself and sacrificed one of his arms before showing himself before the regulars.
"Now, which one of you do I have to kill to make Jue Viole Grace or Nox appear before me?" Karaka asked.
Now, Rak, the swordsman, Endorsi and Ehwa were in a hard time since Karaka was before them.
"That tin can is really persistent!" said Estrella in worry. She gritted her teeth, wishing that there was something she could do. "He sacrificed his arm just to get on us, regulars!"
Karaka gathered shinsu on his hand. He threatened both Bam and Charlotte that if they didn't show themselves up, he will kill every single person there. Aside from the regulars that Karaka found, thanks to Evan, they couldn't be seen by Karaka which was the reason why he was shouting and threatening his teammates. Otherwise, he would have also attacked Bam and Charlotte who were near him.
When Kranos was activated, they turned off the invisibility for a moment. Both Yuri and Evan didn't expect that Karaka would be that tough and put his life on the line just to get both Charlotte and Bam.
Karaka knew damn well that Charlotte's and Bam's strength and weakness were that they were too soft or loyal to their teammates. None of them would stand seeing their teammates being caught as hostages so he was completely sure that they will show themselves up, rather than hiding like a cowards and let their friends die.
Bam didn't hesitate to pull out the wig that he hid in his pocket or the black ball thing. After trusting Charlotte to Khun, he walked to greet Karaka who wanted to see him so bad.
"Brother....."
Charlotte didn't need Hwaryun to tell her that Bam won't die there. But what she was worried was because right here, they will have to let some people go and she knew that it would hurt her brother's feelings.
But in the terms of strengths, she was nothing compared to her brother. Both of them were irregulars indeed, but Bam wasn't restrained by any chains and he had the thorn to unlock his ability while Charlotte, all her strengths were sealed by the ridiculous Thirteen Chains and she had just unsealed one of them. This made her felt frustrated.
But she gritted her teeth, clenched her fists and decided to hold herself back. She felt that she couldn't cross the line more than this since she won't be any help for her brother or Yuri. Seeing how his sister could hold herself back at this situation, Altaira felt a bit surprised.
Karaka was rather curious with where Nox was. For what he knew, Nox always followed his brother everywhere like a puppy. But Viole replied to him that Nox wasn't there to deal with him.
"Let the others go that now I'm here" said Bam with the wig.
"I can't do that. The moment I do that, there's a good chance that those high rankers above will attack me" Karaka responded. "I suggest you don't do anything foolish. All I have to do is snap my fingers and your companions are dead."
It was the first time Bam to meet with Karaka directly. But he was able to recognize him since Charlotte had told him about Karaka. She described Karaka as an annoying jerk with grey mask that covered his head like a ball with a pair of yellow eyes. She also mentioned that he had some kind of red ring with a symbol and always wear dark clothes. He looked like Karaka who Charlotte disliked.
"My master once told me. You, Karaka, are using FUG for your own revenge. Of course, FUG may also be using you too....but he is worried that someday your madness would endanger everyone."
Speaking about Ha Jinsung, right now, he was wondering whether the two of his stubborn disciples have ascended to the next floor or not. He wasn't aware that his three disciples were meeting each other for the first time and they were ready to beat each other.
"I have no idea why you wanted to cause chaos for everyone else, but you've bothered people around me, and now you are trying to control someone precious to me. It angers me that you are harassing people around me!"
But Karaka didn't care about that. Even though Bam threatened him, even though Karaka was aware that the two slayer candidates who FUG were raising were monsters--
"Since when a slayer candidate could threaten a slayer?"
'A slayer candidate couldn't hurt a slayer yet....but the lady behind you will torment you with a hundred ways if you scratch his face' Altaira thought.
Behind Karaka, there was also Yuri who was using Shinsu and was ready to kill Karaka if he dares to hurt Bam.
"Endorsi!" Ehwa Yeon called Endorsi. "If we can distract that idiot for a moment, would you be able to use Bong Bong and get on the train?"
"W...what are you talking about?" Endorsi asked Ehwa Yeon in disbelief. "Of course it wouldn't be hard for the two of us to get on the train but how on earth are we going to create an opportunity to get away from that monster?"
"I'll slash this path with the swordsman's blade!" Ehwa answered.
"What?!"
"If you use that moment to take Viole to the train using Bong Bong...."
"Wait....! Then what about you guys?!"
"I....it's okay" the swordsman said to Endorsi. "Rather than getting taken hostage and being burden like this....it would be better for the two of you to get on the train. If that's what Ehwa thinks.....then we will try our best to survive. Since we promised to.....from the very start."
Endorsi knew that leaving the three of them here could be extremely dangerous for them. If she had a chance, she could have entered the train on her own. But she can't leave these three injured people alone and let them face the danger when she was running away.
"You guys....."
But at this moment, she couldn't waste even a second on hesitating. The tower has always been like this. If you hesitate, you'll die. If you don't have the courage to take the risk, you'll die. At the end, she chose to use the Pocket and told Bam to distract Karaka, the said big idiot for a moment.
Bam was wondering what Endorsi had in her mind. But he listened to her words and looked at Karaka. He believed that she must have came up with a good idea.
"Hey, Karaka" Bam looked at the slayer and spoke to him again. About the ring that you're wearing.....I have met someone who was wearing the exact same ring."