Ash and Ravok walked side by side.
Toward Floor Four.
Snow crunched beneath their boots.
"…Dig."
Yes, Participant Ash.
"…Do we need to register something to form a squad…"
"…or is it just a verbal agreement?"
A brief pause.
A squad formation requires confirmation from all members.
I am now sending a request to Participant Ravok.
Ravok stopped walking.
Blinking once.
"…Yeah."
"…Got it."
A faint glow appeared in his vision.
"…Request accepted."
A soft chime echoed in both their minds.
Squad formation confirmed.
Ash raised an eyebrow slightly.
"…That was easy."
New squad traits have been unlocked.
Ash frowned slightly.
"…Traits?"
Correct.
As members of the same squad, you now share the following benefits:
First—
Your Guides are now linked.
Within communication range, you will be able to hear what your teammate's Guide says. Even when separated, you may exchange information and communicate with each other through the Guide system.
Ash blinked.
"…So it's like a phone?"
Correct.
Ravok smirked slightly.
"…That's actually useful."
Second—
You will now possess squad awareness.
Ash tilted his head.
"…Meaning?"
You will be able to sense the relative position of squad members within a one-kilometer radius.
Ash's eyes narrowed slightly.
Thinking.
"…So we can't lose each other easily."
Correct.
Ravok cracked his neck slightly.
"…Good."
"…That means you won't get lost."
Ash smirked faintly.
"…Funny."
They continued walking toward the gate.
Toward Floor Four.
"…Hey."
Ravok glanced at him.
"…What?"
Ash tilted his head slightly.
"…Why didn't you tell me your animal was Cerberus?"
Ravok didn't hesitate.
"…You didn't ask."
Ash blinked once.
Then smirked faintly.
"…Fair enough."
Ravok continued walking.
Calm.
Unbothered.
"…Besides…"
A short pause.
"…When people hear what I am…"
"…they usually start hovering around me."
Ash raised an eyebrow.
"…Looking for protection?"
Ravok nodded once.
"…Or advantage."
A pause.
"…I don't like that."
Ash nodded slowly.
"…Yeah."
"…Makes sense."
Then—
Ash glanced at him again.
Curious.
"…So what abilities do you actually have?"
Ravok exhaled slowly.
Thinking briefly.
"…Two passives."
"…Two actives."
Ash frowned slightly.
"You can have more than one passive ability?"
"Wait… only two actives?"
Ravok nodded.
"…The second one took time."
He raised his arm slightly.
"…First passive."
"…Infernal Scent."
Ash tilted his head.
Listening carefully.
"…My sense of smell is far beyond normal."
"…It lets me detect movement…"
"…Track enemies…"
"…And stay aware of my surroundings."
Ash nodded slowly.
"…That explains how you noticed them before I did."
Ravok continued.
"…Second passive."
"…Guardian Physique."
He flexed his fingers slightly.
"…My strength and stamina are increased."
"…Roughly thirty percent beyond other participants."
Ash whistled quietly.
"…That explains why you hit like a truck."
Ravok continued calmly.
"…First active."
"…Hellish Roar."
Ash smirked faintly.
"…Yeah, I remember that one."
Ravok nodded.
"…It forces nearby enemies to focus on me."
"…They become aggressive..."
"...Enraged..."
"…Tunnel-visioned."
Ash nodded.
Thinking.
"…So that's why they ignored the flag…"
"…and chased you."
Ravok continued.
"…Second active."
A brief pause.
"…Cerberus Awakening."
Ash's expression sharpened.
Serious now.
"…That transformation?"
Ravok nodded once.
"…Hybrid transformation."
"…Claws."
"…Fur."
"…Increased power."
"…Increased durability."
A pause.
Then—
"…But it drains stamina."
"So I usually stick to partial transformation…"
"Just fur, claws, and teeth…"
"And only when necessary, I use the full transformation."
"Like you saw during the trial."
Ash nodded slowly.
Understanding.
"…So that's the ability that took you time to unlock."
Ravok exhaled quietly.
"…It took me three months to master that one."
Ash smirked slightly.
"…Yeah."
"…Worth it."
A pause.
Then—
"…But wait…"
Ash frowned slightly.
"…I've only been here for a month and a half."
He looked at Ravok.
"…How long have you been here?"
Ravok answered calmly.
"…Almost four months."
Ash's eyes narrowed slightly.
Thinking.
"…Does that mean new people arrive every two months?"
He paused.
"…Dig."
Yes, Participant Ash.
"…Do new participants join every two months?"
A short pause.
Silence.
Then Dig answered:
Sorry, Participant Ash.
I do not have that information.
Ash exhaled.
"…Tch…"
"…I guess the Ruler wouldn't give you all the information about the Tower."
© 2025 Moku. All rights reserved. The Tower of the Animal Kingdom is an original work by Moku. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.