...
APRIL FOOL'S!
You thought a new chapter was published, but nope, IT'S DIO, YOU B*TCH!
...
Anyway, it's not funny.
In any case, how are you guys doing? Almost six months since we last saw each other, huh? Lmao, it's like a friend you haven't seen for months suddenly getting in touch. Well, I admit that's what I did, unfortunately...
Brief, I'll stop rambling and let you read this little chapter, because I have no excuse for an absence as long as my d-
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"Uh… do you happen have a brother?"
The words slipped out unfiltered, almost against his will.
Still seated on the ground, Baam looked up at the blue-haired young woman, his expression caught somewhere between pure disbelief and poorly concealed confusion.
It wasn't a random question.
Not at all.
Because standing before him… was someone who looked far too much like a certain person he knew all too well.
Blue hair.
Sapphire-colored eyes.
That refined, elegant face—almost aristocratic.
And that smirk—that damn smirk—the kind that could both charm and irritate you to the core.
Yes.
If you asked any TOG fan to describe that image, the answer would be immediate.
Khun Aguero Agnis.
Without the slightest hesitation.
…Except for one detail.
The gender.
And that detail—that detail—was a massive problem.
Baam froze, as if his brain outright refused to process what he was seeing. It had already been hard enough coming to terms with the fact that this Tower probably wasn't the same one he knew…
But this?
This was on a whole different level.
His future ally.
His walking strategic genius.
The guy with the oversized ego and monstrous talent…
A girl?
No.
No, no, no.
Anything but that.
Who the hell is the lunatic who did this to his GOAT?!
Did he… switch teams or something…? he thought, feeling completely dead inside, his eyes going blank for a split second.
In front of him, the young woman tilted her head slightly, clearly puzzled by his strange reaction.
Baam absolutely refused to accept this reality.
No. Impossible. That's gotta be his sister.
His mind latched onto that explanation like a lifeline.
Yeah, that's it. A sister. Maybe a hidden twin. Never mentioned. Probably died tragically in the original story from some random disease.
He gave a faint, almost imperceptible nod, as if he had just solved a complex equation.
Yeah. That has to be it.
He might've been going a little too far.
Alright—
Way too far.
But it was still more acceptable than the alternative.
…Or maybe he was just becoming paranoid.
Badly.
Maybe I should start taking meds… he thought, a little too seriously.
Pff—hahaha~
A soft, almost sugary laugh reached his ears.
Until now silent, the young woman finally couldn't hold it in any longer. She brought a hand to her lips, trying—unsuccessfully—to hide her amusement, her shoulders trembling slightly with the effort.
"Out of everyone I've met during this test… you're the first to ask me something like that."
Her voice gradually steadied, but her eyes still gleamed with playful mischief.
Facing her, Baam grimaced faintly.
…Okay, yeah. When you put it like that, it wasn't exactly the best opener.
But did he regret it?
Not really.
It had just slipped out.
"Still…" she continued with a light sigh, "it's better than the others. Most people just rush at you without even saying hello."
She shook her head gently, clearly tired at the mere thought of those so-called "opponents" who lacked even a shred of common sense.
"And to answer your question… yes, I do have a brother." She paused, then gave a small shrug, as if the detail didn't really matter. "Actually… it'd be more accurate to say I have a lot of brothers and sisters, scattered all across the Tower."
A smile curled her lips—this time tinged with colder irony.
"Let's just say my 'father'… is a very… productive man."
She let out a more genuine laugh, sharper this time, laced with barely concealed contempt.
Baam, for his part, allowed a faint smile.
The mental image of a certain patriarch surrounded by an absurdly large harem crossed his mind…
…but his amusement faded slightly when he caught the nuance in her tone.
That laugh wasn't just mocking.
There was something else in it.
Something colder.
"Haha… I guess I mistook you for someone," Baam said with a light, almost forced chuckle, trying to ease the atmosphere. As he spoke, he stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes as if that alone could dispel the lingering tension.
But deep down, there was no longer any doubt.
There was no point lying to himself.
This wasn't just a resemblance.
It was her.
Or rather… him, in another form.
Gender didn't matter—the essence was the same.
Standing before him was, without question, an alternate version of Khun Aguero Agnis.
The strategist.
The elegant manipulator.
The unwavering ally of the Baam he once knew.
…At least, that's what he hoped.
Because nothing guaranteed this version shared those same traits. Here, everything could be different—her past, her personality, her motivations. Maybe she had nothing in common with the loyal ally he once admired.
And that was far more unsettling than a simple gender swap.
Baam narrowed his eyes slightly, his thoughts drifting back to a theory he'd already considered—one he didn't entirely like.
Did… my existence here really change everything?
After all, he wasn't supposed to be here.
Not like this.
Maybe his mere presence had already altered the course of the story.
…
Then a thought surfaced.
Completely absurd.
Totally out of place.
And yet, it struck him with terrifying clarity.
His expression froze for a split second.
If Zahard is a woman in this world… His eyes darkened slightly. I swear I'll destroy her—and this entire Tower.
Silence.
No, seriously.
There were limits that shouldn't be crossed.
One change? Fine.
Two… and things started getting suspicious.
"Eh. Probably just some random Khun, born from one of my father's discarded flings… whose face I'll never even know—just like half my siblings, who all look like poorly printed copies of each other."
Her tone was perfectly detached.
Sarcastic. Cutting.
With a graceful motion, she brushed a strand of blue hair aside, then walked over to a nearby rock and sat down with effortless ease.
Baam blinked several times.
…
Alright.
She's definitely different from her canon counterpart.
He stared at her for a moment, expression blank—then something faintly strange flickered across his face.
That sarcasm… I'm not sure if I should be wary of it… or fall for it.
Without another word, he walked over and sat beside her. A heavy, almost dramatic sigh escaped him as he placed his hands against the cold stone and tilted his head back slightly, as if existence itself was already exhausting him.
Beside him, the young woman set her briefcase down and drew one knee up against her chest. She watched him openly now.
One eyebrow slightly raised.
Somewhere between confusion… and curiosity.
"You're really weird, you know that?"
Her voice broke the silence with calm bluntness.
Baam turned his head slightly toward her.
"You don't seem particularly strong. No weapon. Nothing. And yet you're just sitting here like everything's fine… right in the middle of a battlefield where you could die without even seeing it coming."
Their eyes met.
Then Baam looked away, without the slightest trace of irritation.
Her judgment didn't seem to reach him.
Or rather… he simply didn't care.
"Well…" he began calmly, deciding to play along—and perhaps already start building a connection. "I wouldn't say I'm bold. Let's just say… I try to avoid fighting."
A soft giggle escaped the young woman's lips.
"If you really wanted to avoid fighting, you wouldn't make yourself this visible out here on the plain…" she replied with a faint laugh, before glancing toward the massive creature beneath them. "…and certainly not by sitting on a Da-An."
Baam gave a slight shrug, a faint smile on his lips.
"I just thought it was more useful as a chair than as a Regular."
She giggled again.
"That's awfully mean toward such a peaceful species…" she cooed, subtly adjusting her posture, that teasing smile still lingering on her lips.
"It's just the truth. Not my fault," Baam replied in a perfectly neutral tone, as if his words carried no weight at all.
She let out a quiet, amused breath.
"Still… you're not wrong," she admitted easily. Then, tilting her head slightly, she added, "But, no offense… to me, you're not that different from that Da-An."
She paused briefly, her eyes lingering on him with an almost overly direct scrutiny.
"In fact… you look so fragile I find it hard to believe you're even a Regular."
Baam remained silent.
For a split second, he almost felt like rolling his eyes.
This fox…
Honestly, other people's judgments didn't really affect him. They were just words—nothing more.
But conclusions like that… based purely on appearance?
That was stupid.
In his old world, maybe it made some sense—weight classes, obvious physical limits…
But here?
Inside the Tower?
Size, build, appearance… none of that meant anything.
And yet…
He briefly lowered his gaze to his own body.
Small.
Thin.
Almost frail.
Yes, he was aware of it.
This body still bore the marks of the malnutrition he had endured in that cursed cave. But behind that fragile appearance…
Lurked a strength capable of sweeping through this entire testing field without effort.
So yes, he could understand how the canonical Khun might make that kind of judgment—back then, Baam truly had been weak.
But this version?
With that same look in her eyes?
That was… irritating.
His gaze drifted slowly across the plain.
Silence.
Scattered corpses.
Fresh blood staining the golden grass.
Obvious clues.
She should have connected the dots.
Or at least… questioned it.
Or maybe…
A sharper thought crossed his mind.
What if, in this reality, she's just… stupid?
The kind of useless female character—there just to slow the protagonist down or look pretty in the background.
…
He blinked.
Okay. That's going too far.
Baam took a quiet breath, pushing the thought away.
That was stupid.
And honestly, borderline.
Even he could admit his reasoning had veered into something vaguely misogynistic.
But deep down… was he really wrong?
"I'm not the kind of person who seeks bloodshed…" he finally said, scratching the back of his neck lightly, as if the gesture could soften his own words. "If I can pass this test without spilling too much blood, that would be beneficial… for me and for others. I prefer to choose my battles. Only go after the ones that bring me something."
At those words, the blue-haired young woman raised her eyebrows slightly, surprised.
"Really?" she said, a hint of astonishment in her voice. "Isn't that the whole point of this test?"
Her tone remained light, but something had shifted.
Baam could feel it clearly.
Without his heart racing, a subtler agitation vibrated within her—a mix of interest, curiosity… and excitement.
At least, that was how he interpreted it.
His eyes, almost imperceptibly, had taken on that unseen perception.
Shinsu Reading.
Around her, an aura began to take shape—blurred, yet distinct. A red hue dominated it, vibrant, almost alive, like a silent flame wrapping around her being.
Red…
Passion. Excitement.
If I go by what I know… it fits.
His face, however, remained perfectly neutral.
He observed without truly looking.
Is this really some kind of astral projection… or something else?
He wasn't sure.
But one thing was clear: this ability was… abnormally useful.
In his past life, he had never finished Lord of the Mysteries. Yet he knew enough to draw the comparison.
His Shinsu Reading strongly resembled a simplified version of Spiritual Vision.
Crude, perhaps.
But already precise enough to read a person's emotional—or even physical—state, almost like a Beyonder from the Fool pathway.
…This is absurd.
And yet, it was there.
Baam suspected that his attribute—God of Shinsu—was the key. Perhaps, unconsciously, he had shaped this ability… drawing from concepts he already knew through the manhwa and novels he had read in his previous life.
Fragments of other worlds. Other systems.
…
He exhaled slowly.
Too much thinking.
He would have plenty of time to figure it out later.
"The purpose of this test?" Baam repeated, slightly raising his head toward the artificial sky of the floor, a faint smile stretching across his lips.
A smile laced with sarcasm.
"Yes… it is a purpose. The one those above want their little sheep to follow."
His gaze drifted back down to her, calm, almost detached.
"And considering you didn't jump at my throat the moment you saw me—unlike certain idiots—and instead chose to talk to a complete stranger who could've stabbed you a hundred times in the back…"
He gave a small shrug.
"I figured you weren't that kind of sheep. Not someone who blindly follows the rules without ever questioning the path in front of them."
Silence settled between them.
This time, the young woman's brows furrowed slightly, her expression shifting into something more attentive… more analytical.
Who… is this guy?
The question refused to leave her mind.
At first, she had approached him out of simple curiosity.
This boy intrigued her.
The way he acted.
His absurd calm in the middle of a battlefield.
That ease… almost out of place… in front of her, even though she was, without question, a competitor.
At first glance, there was nothing remarkable about him.
Too frail.
Too calm.
Almost insignificant.
Just a slightly strange kid… with unusual bluntness.
But now…
Something was off.
Something she recognized.
His thoughts.
The way he saw the test.
They resonated strangely with her own.
I thought he was too ordinary to be a Regular…
Her eyes never left him.
But I was wrong.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile formed on her lips.
He's probably the most atypical one here.
Her gaze sharpened.
Calculating.
I don't know why… but I feel like he could be useful to me.
The smile deepened slightly.
I should make him an ally.
Straightening slightly, she suddenly moved closer to him.
Without hesitation, she extended a pale, elegant hand toward Baam.
The gesture was confident. Natural.
The boy raised an eyebrow slightly.
"My name is Khun. Khun Aguera Agnis." Her voice was soft, almost melodic, as if each word flowed with practiced ease. "And you?"
Baam smiled faintly before taking her hand without resistance.
"Baam. The 25th Baam."
Their hands clasped briefly.
"The 25th Baam…" she repeated under her breath, savoring the name.
Her eyes gleamed with newfound curiosity.
"That's… quite a peculiar name."
Baam had to make an effort to keep a neutral expression.
Really?
You're saying that?
Your parents just changed a couple of letters to feminize your name… if that's not laziness…
He almost closed his eyes for a moment, holding back a laugh that seriously threatened to escape.
Composing himself, he opened them again as if nothing had happened.
"Anyway, Baam…" she continued, a mischievous smile curling her lips, completely unaware of his internal struggle. "I assume you don't trust me, do you?"
Baam arched an eyebrow, amused.
"Wouldn't that be normal?" he replied with a hint of irony. "We just met. Being at least a little cautious seems logical."
In truth…
He wasn't, not really.
He was just playing along.
He already knew she wasn't planning anything against him—not with that aura still tinged in red, clear and readable to his eyes.
A soft laugh answered him.
"Hehe… don't take it the wrong way. It's understandable," she said, gently shaking her head. "The rules are simple: we're supposed to fight each other to keep climbing. So of course you don't trust me."
Then her tone shifted.
"But… like you, those rules don't really interest me anymore."
A confident smile spread across her face.
A resolute smile.
Her eyes locked onto Baam's.
"Because I've decided… to climb the Tower with you."
Baam didn't even flinch at the silence that followed Aguera's words, while she stared at him, clearly hoping he would grasp the sincerity behind them.
"Hmm…"
He tilted his head slightly, looking thoughtful.
"Is that a love confession disguised as an alliance proposal?"
His tone was flat, almost mechanical, but a glint of amusement was unmistakably shining in his eyes.
Across from him, Aguera simply blinked.
Once.
Then a second time.
Her expression said it all:
…What the hell is this motherf*cker even talking about?
"Nice try," she finally replied, her tone so dry it felt like she'd done an internship in empathy at ICE. "But that kind of trick doesn't work on me."
Baam immediately raised his hands, as if caught red-handed.
"Okaaaay, I surrender," he said with a crooked smile. "Sorry, but the moment was just too perfect to pass up."
At least…
She hadn't started blushing over nothing.
And honestly, he was almost grateful for that.
A cliché version of Khun, getting flustered at every word from the protagonist, would've been… unbearable.
This?
This was much better.
Way better.
In any case, he had just crossed an important milestone.
His first real ally.
And even sooner than in the original story.
Even if…
This was clearly not how he had imagined it.
But it didn't matter.
All he had to do was maintain this relationship. Stable. Solid.
Just like in the canon.
And with that… she could become his greatest asset.
Maybe even more, depending on how things unfolded.
…
No.
He shook his head internally.
No way he was going down that road.
With everything waiting for him in the Tower, he had neither the time nor the energy to get lost in something so dangerously uncertain.
Love, here, was almost a weakness.
A dangerous luxury.
But…
He remained honest with himself.
He was still a man.
With desires.
With wants.
And he wasn't about to pretend otherwise.
If something truly caught his interest…
He would make sure to obtain it.
…Within reason.
His survival came first.
And then, considering the ambiguous relationship between Baam and Aguero in the original work…
With this version…
Things might evolve much faster than he expected.
He suddenly froze.
A thought had just surfaced.
Brutal.
Unexpected.
…Wait a second.
His expression remained perfectly neutral… but internally, he was seriously analyzing the situation.
Technically…
Would it be gay to try something with her?
Silence.
Then he mentally shook his head.
No.
We are not going down that road.
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the neutral voice of his future "wife."
"I didn't know you brought a pet with you… brunette."
Baam frowned slightly, puzzled.
He followed Aguera's gaze…
And froze for a moment.
Behind him stood a massive figure.
A gigantic humanoid crocodile, its dark gray scales giving the impression of a body carved from stone. Every muscle was exaggeratedly defined, as if it had been forged for war itself.
Its shadow almost completely swallowed Baam and the young woman seated beside him.
It wore a red, gladiator-style garment—worn, yet imposing—topped with a black cape that drifted slowly behind its back.
In its claw, it held a crimson spear of savage beauty, its gleam suggesting it could pierce the sky itself.
Its scarlet eyes, cold and piercing, were locked onto Baam.
A predator's gaze.
A gaze that left no doubt about its intentions.
It wanted to fight.
Perhaps even devour him.
Baam showed no fear.
Not even a hint of hesitation.
Where anyone else would have stepped back…
He, on the contrary, seemed almost… pleased.
A faint smile stretched across his lips.
Ah… I almost forgot about this guy…
A spark of excitement flickered in his eyes.
The mascot of my future team is finally here!
Then a thought crossed his mind—quick and utterly absurd.
…Good thing it's a male.
Because if something like that had breasts… I would've WIPED this entire floor clean.
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