With their three-day break coming to an end, Vahn, Phae, and Gandr had gathered inside a large lecture hall alongside the other remaining Regulars. They had all been informed on their Pockets earlier that day to gather, so, after enjoying a rather lively breakfast, everyone slowly migrated to the room in order to learn about the Positions they had been assigned.
Since the Admins had yet to arrive, Vahn spent his time silently analyzing each of the Regulars who had passed through the first series of Tests. As for Phae and Gandr, the former just sat silently at his side with a smile on her face while the latter, having become friends with most of the Regulars, was asking Khun, “So, Baam is still unconscious?”
Though he wasn’t particularly fond of anyone in the ‘Empire’s Team’, Khun was sensible enough to understand there was no merit in making enemies. Thus, after interacting with Gandr during several meals, he had slowly become more sociable with everyone in the former’s social circle.
In response to Gandr’s question, Khun released a tired sigh before answering, “The medical staff has said there’s nothing wrong with him. He just hasn’t woken up…”
Since Phae had already taken a look at Baam’s condition, confirming there was nothing wrong with him, Gandr didn’t press the issue too much. Instead, he just offered an awkwardly cheerful smile as he said, “Cheer up. That Baam kid is pretty special. I’m sure he’ll pull through soon so don’t let this incident get you down.”
Though he wanted to believe in Gandr’s words, Khun couldn’t prevent another sigh from escaping his lips before replying, “I hope that is the case…Baam is one of the few people I can call a friend. If he doesn’t wake up soon, I’m not sure what I’ll do…”
Feeling slightly troubled by the melancholy in Khun’s tone, Gandr’s smile became somewhat wry as he turned to fact Vahn. This earned him a casual smile from the latter, who, having heard the entire conversation, simply replied, “Once this conference is over with, I’ll head over and take a look. Now, stay focused. It looks like the Admins are about the arrive.”
Beaming in response to Vahn’s words, Gandr turned back to face the confused Khun, his tone filled with an infectious vigor as he said, “Everything will turn out fine once Master gets involved. Let’s all go visit Baam together once this is all over~!”
Khun wanted to remark that Gandr’s faith in his Master was without merit, but, considering who they were talking about, it was difficult to make such a claim. He had no idea how capable the Sage Dragon Emperor truly was, only that he seemed capable of doing pretty much ‘anything’. This was constantly attested to be both Gandr and Phae, almost as if they were trying to cement the idea in everyone’s minds…
Deciding there was no reason to argue, especially since the Emperor might actually be able to help Baam, Khun just nodded in response. Then, as if lending veracity to Gandr’s claims, a group of three Rankers entered the room alongside Administrator Lero-Ro; just as the Emperor had ordained…
—
While his Admin Assistants moved to take their seats, Lero-Ro moved to the central lectern that was located at the very front of the room. Behind him, a digital blackboard immediately lit up, and, after everyone’s attention was focused on him, he opened by saying, “Good morning, Regulars. Though it seems our young friend has yet to awaken, I hope everyone else was able to enjoy the last three days. It might not have been a long break, but it should have given you plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the facilities and form a few personal connections. Remember, even Jahad himself had the aid of Ten Great Warriors and a vast army of natives during his ascent up the Tower. If you want to forge your own legend, you will need to find strong allies who are willing to shoulder the burden alongside you.”
Hearing Lero-Ro’s words, the Regulars who had spent their time avoiding the ‘competition’ began to look a little nervous. As for the rest, specifically the large group that had gathered near the back of the class, they all had confident smiles on their faces. This was especially true for a certain boyish Vanargandr, who, noticing Lero-Ro’s gaze shift to him, rubbed the back of his head while snickering mischievously.
Returning a smile of his own, Lero-Ro motioned towards the display behind him as he said, “Now then, allow me to explain the next Test in greater detail. As many of you are well aware, we analyze the data of each Regular from the moment they enter The Floor of Tests. Using this data, our staff of qualified Rankers get together to determine which Position is best suited for everyone. Some of you might qualify for multiple Positions. However, for the duration of your stay on the 2nd Floor, it is required that you complete the curriculum that has been assigned to you…”
Following Lero-Ro’s statement, the display behind him turned a hazy gold color as five columns of names showed up. Then, before anyone could ask questions, Lero-Ro explained, “Though it would surprise me to learn there are people who are unaware of this, I will briefly explain the five primary Positions most commonly associated with Regulars climbing the Tower. The first, and, according to many, most powerful position is that of the Fisherman. They are chiefly responsible for disarming and defeating enemies using powerful reel inventories. Because of this, they are both the vanguard and primary attackers within many parties, constantly fighting on the frontlines or taking individual activity to secure objectives…”
During Lero-Ro’s explanation of the Fisherman Position, the display behind him had periodically changed to show many different people wielding needles, hooks, and swords. Many of these were placed into peculiar artifacts that seemed to float around the individuals, likely Reel Inventories if the literal reels placed at the ends were anything to go by. What Vahn found most interesting is the fact there were multiple weapons placed within these Inventories, and, based on their small size, it was safe to say there was some kind of spatial compression integrated into the peculiar device…
With his explanation of Fishermen complete, Lero-Ro pressed a button to change the display, this time showing various powerful and muscular figures wielding spears. It was pretty self-explanatory what their Position was, but Lero-Ro still patiently explained, “The next Position, often supporting the vanguard from a distance, is the Spear Bearer. They generally focus on landing heavy blows on the targets that have been distracted by the Fisherman, but, throughout the Tower’s history, there have been numerous Spear Bearers who were exceedingly proficient at close-range combat…”
Since the duty of a Spear Bearer didn’t require much explanation, Lero-Ro quickly moved on to the next category, his face lighting up as he explained, “Next is the Position known as the Light Bearer, my personal favorite and the Position I am best known for. There are many places within the Tower that light cannot reach so it is the duty of the Light Bearer to illuminate the darkness, collect battle data, and convey it to the members of their team. Because of this, they are often the leaders of the team, commanding the battlefield while manipulating versatile Lighthouses to monitor the situation and protect their allies…”
Based on the massive grin on Lero-Ro’s face, it was easy to see how much he favored his Position as a Light Bearer. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a seminar to discuss the pros and cons associated with the Position, so, after a quick button press, he went on to explain, “Often working in tandem with the Light Bearer, the next Position is known as the Scout. As the name implies, they are responsible for observing the enemy’s movements, investigating routes ahead of the team, and using Observers to feed information back to the Lighthouse. In niche situations, they will fight alongside the Fisherman, targeting various weak points using their precision strikes and high-speed maneuvers…”
Though the Scout was one of the more versatile and intensive Positions, only people who had been Scouts for a long period of time could explain the specifics. All that could really be said was that it required the keenest senses and an inordinately refined instinct. Those without these things would not last for very long, as, even more so than the Fisherman that fought on the frontlines, Scouts had the most dangerous job of all.
Since there would be professionals instructing each of the Regulars in their Positions, Lero-Ro didn’t waste time explaining the finer details. Instead, he simply pressed the button his remote, changing the display as he added, “The last position, Wave Controller, controls Shinsu to assist in battle, often using powerful support skills to aid allies and powerful ranged attacks to defeat enemies. Though it is said that Fisherman is the most powerful Position, there is no arguing that Wave Controllers have the greatest firepower and versatility. They are known to dominate the battlefield, and, though they generally require the protection of the Light and Spear Bearers, there have been quite a number of Wave Controllers that specialized in body reinforcement…”
With his summary of each Position completed, Lero-Ro pressed his remote one final time, restoring the display to the five original columns. Each listed a specific Position at the very top, followed by a number in brackets. Beneath this, a list of the presumed candidates for each Position could be seen, some containing a designation as ‘Best Seed’ next to them. Though the meaning of this was rather self-explanatory, one of the rather average Regulars, the boy with a horn protruding from the base of his skull, asked, “Sir! What does the ‘Best Seed’ written beside some of the names represent?”
Not expecting someone to ask such a question, Lero-Ro smiled wryly as he said, “Best Seed? Those with ‘Best Seed’ next to their names have been evaluated to have the greatest potential for a given Position. These designations were decided after a considerable amount of deliberation, so, even if you don’t agree with them, the decision cannot be reversed. Now, are there any other questions?”
Though it looked like a few people wanted to argue, the serious expression on Lero-Ro’s face was more than enough to deter them. The only one who didn’t back down was Khun, who, upon seeing Baam’s name under the Wave Controller Position, asked, “Pardon me, Administrator Lero-Ro. I want to ask about what will happen to the candidates who are currently absent. How will they be able to take the Test?”
Shifting his attention to Khun, Lero-Ro stared at the boy for several seconds before answering, “The Position Test takes place over a thirty day period. There are no penalties for failure to attend classes, only a risk that you will not have enough points to actually pass. As you can all clearly see, there is a number next to each of the Positions. This is the number of candidates who will be allowed to move up to the 3rd Floor following the completion of the final exam. Those who fail will be forced to give up their status as Regulars.”
Dissatisfied with Lero-Ro’s explanation, Khun was prepared to defend his friend before his leg was suddenly kicked by Gandr. This confused the blue-haired boy until the latter pointed towards the direction of the seated Rankers and said, “There is a person missing.”
Though Khun was confused by Gandr’s meaning, Lero-Ro smiled as he stated, “As expected of the boy who was selected as the Best Seed for the Scout Position. Yes, it is as you suspect: the teacher for the Wave Controller Position has yet to arrive. As a result, the seven candidates for the Position of Wave Controller are free to attend any of the other lectures or simply enjoy a free day. Once the teacher for the Wave Controller class arrives, we will inform you through your Pockets.”
Understanding the meaning behind Lero-Ro’s words, Khun released a sigh of relief before briefly glancing towards the smiling Gandr. The latter obviously noticed this, his smile growing to show off his teeth as the ears atop his head twitched happily…
———————————————-
[Fisherman(4)]
Best Seed: Anak
Endorsi
Cheonhwa Hong
Deod
Leo Clocker
Dede Cancho
Kon
…
[Spear Bearer(4)]
Best Seed: Ghost
Rak Wraithraiser
Hyun Seoung
Alexay Amigocharz
Erik Biyon
Guun
Pitzru
…
[Light Bearer(2)]
Best Seed: Ha Phae Stios
Best Seed: Khun Aguero Agnes
Best Seed: Michelle Light
Leeron 3
Chung-Chung
Levin
…
[Scout(3)]
Best Seed: Gandr
Best Seed: Shibisu
Hatsu
Narae Seonwoo
Palgyeon
Katan
Beckster
…
[Wave Controller(2)]
Best Seed: Vahn Aldrnari Mason
Phonsekal Laure
Hwa Ryun
Hoh
Lozeal
Grey
The 25th Baam
———————————————-
(A/N: Alternate Titles: ‘Gandr is a little social butterfly…’,’Light Bearers are OP’,’One of these Best Seeds seems out of place (O w O)…’)
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