The next day, Ash and Ravok arrived at the trial gates.
A guard stood near the entrance, arms crossed, watching the approaching participants.
His gaze shifted toward them.
"…Are you here to take the Floor Four trial?" he asked.
Ash nodded.
"…Yes."
The guard glanced between them.
"…Are you two together?"
"…Yes," Ravok answered calmly.
The guard gave a small nod.
"…How many members are in your squad?"
Ash replied:
"…Just the two of us."
The guard paused briefly.
"…Understood."
"…Since each team requires four participants, you will be assigned two additional members at random."
Ash glanced at Ravok.
Ravok gave a small shrug.
"…Understood," Ash said.
The guard stepped aside.
"…Proceed inside."
Ash and Ravok walked forward.
Through the gate.
Into the trial grounds.
Inside—
Forty participants had already gathered.
Heat radiated from the sand beneath their feet.
The air shimmered slightly.
Then—
Another guard stepped forward.
His voice echoed clearly across the field.
"Listen carefully."
Silence fell instantly.
"There are forty participants."
"There will be ten teams."
A pause.
"…And only five teams will pass."
Murmurs spread among the crowd.
The guard continued.
"This trial is a Scavenger Hunt."
"Five treasures have been hidden throughout the designated zone."
Ash narrowed his eyes slightly.
Listening.
"If one member of your team holds a treasure when the trial ends…"
"…your entire team will pass."
More murmurs followed.
One participant raised his hand.
"…What exactly are the treasures?"
The guard answered calmly.
"The treasures are tickets."
"You will recognize them easily."
"They emit a faint glow."
A short pause.
"They are hidden—but visible once discovered."
Ash crossed his arms.
Thinking.
The guard continued:
"Each of you will receive access to a tactical map."
"Your Guide will project it directly into your vision."
A faint glow flickered briefly in Ash's sight.
Then faded.
"The map will display the teams."
"And when a team finds a ticket, every other team will know who has it."
Ash nodded slightly.
"…So some teams won't even need to bother searching."
"They can just steal it from the others."
The guard answered calmly.
"Exactly."
A pause.
Then—
Ash spoke.
"…What happens if a team collects more than one ticket?"
The guard blinked slightly.
"…That has happened before."
A short pause.
"…There was once a team that secured all five tickets."
Murmurs spread again.
"…However," the guard continued, "there was no special reward for doing so."
Ash raised an eyebrow slightly.
"…No reward?"
The guard nodded.
"…Not directly."
"…But each ticket contains a unique perk."
Silence.
Now people were listening carefully.
"Some tickets may grant large sums of credits."
"Others may grant unique artifacts."
"Some may provide rare advantages."
Another participant frowned slightly.
It was Leonis.
"…So not all tickets are equal."
"Correct," said the guard.
Ash and Leonis locked eyes.
Ash spoke again.
"…How do we know which ticket does what?"
The guard shook his head.
"…You don't."
"…All tickets appear identical."
"…Their effects are revealed only after the trial concludes."
Ash smirked faintly.
"…So there's luck involved."
The guard met his gaze.
"…Yes."
A short pause.
"…Luck is always involved in this tower."
Silence settled across the field.
The tension thickened.
The trial had not even begun—
Yet the pressure was already building.
Ash glanced sideways toward Ravok.
"…This one's going to be messy."
Ravok smirked faintly.
"…Good."
"…I like messy."
The guard continued:
"The trial will start in… 30 minutes."
"Good luck."
In an instant, a screen appeared in Ash and Ravok's vision.
Then Dig spoke.
Participant Ash and Ravok,
your teammates have been assigned.
Participants Korin and Nyro.
You are Team 7.
As Dig finished speaking, two figures began approaching them.
The first walked with confidence.
A young man with fair skin and messy white hair, a single black strand falling across his forehead. His eyes were calm but sharp, always observing.
He wore a black-and-white striped puffy jacket with matching sleeves, camouflage cargo pants, and dark sneakers.
A carefully crafted blowgun rested across his back, and a metal canteen hung from his hip.
His posture was relaxed—almost arrogant.
He smirked.
"Hello. I'm Nyro… and you're welcome for having me on your team."
Ash and Ravok looked at each other, confused.
"…Huh?"
Then the second figure stepped forward hesitantly.
He was bald, his smooth scalp catching the light.
He wore a plain brown T-shirt stretched slightly across his chest, paired with dark blue cargo shorts that hung just below the knee and black sneakers.
Despite his nervous expression, his build told a different story.
He had fair skin and was bulky—broad shoulders, thick arms, and a solid frame. Not fat, not sloppy—just heavy and sturdy, like someone who could take a hit and keep standing.
His hands stayed close together, fingers tightening and loosening nervously, as if he didn't quite know what to do with them.
He spoke hesitantly.
"S–Sorry… he's joking… please don't hate us."
"Nice… to meet you… my name is Korin."
Ash and Ravok slowly turned to look at each other again.
"…Huh?"
© 2025 Moku. All rights reserved. The Tower of the Animal Kingdom is an original work by Moku. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.