Kyran watched with wide eyes as the crates inside the caravan got lifted off the floor from the lack of gravitational pull. As a matter of fact, he, too, got lifted from his seat as they fell.
He was about to scold Gustaff and Nolan for not telling him about this part of the journey when the caravan shook. Afterwards, the crates inside fell back into their places. Luckily, the crates did not crash onto each other.
Kyran also slumped back on his seat. The abrupt movement hurt his bottom, and he winced from the pain.
"Why didn't any of you warn me about that?" He asked through gritted teeth.
Gustaff and Nolan, who seemed to have awoken, answered simultaneously.
"Because it is fun to see the reactions of newcomers."
"Tell you and spoil my fun? No f*cking way."
The two exchanged glances and grinned at each other.
Kyran glared at them.
The caravan started to move, and Kyran noticed that the caravan was moving smoothly, unlike the previous bumpy ride in the forest.
Nolan tilted his head over the windows and said, "Go look outside."
Kyran did not need telling twice. After noticing the different movements of the caravan, he had already looked out the window.
What he saw stunned him.
Outside, they were no longer in the forest but drifting along a body of water. The air was filled with fog, and Kyran could barely see at a distance because of the darkness. However, amid the darkness, a few hundred kilometers ahead, there was a huge building where its top was hidden behind the darkened clouds that lit up the whole place. At first glance, the building appeared filled with lights that almost blinded the area around it. But upon closer inspection, those were not round lights, they actually came from above the dark clouds, and they snaked down the outer part of the building.
The more Kyran observed the lights, the more he realized that those were not lights but bolts of lightning. However, it did not make a sound, so he failed to recognize it.
These silent bolts of lightning circled the building in a timely and orderly manner. It amazed Kyran. As far as he knew, bolts of lightning were unpredictable. They moved freely and would strike down anywhere it was attracted.
Activating the Regis Body Tempering Technique, Kyran squinted his eyes to observe these bolts of lightning further. But instead of focusing on it, he caught sight of some movements at the bottom of the building.
The building itself stood in the middle of the body of water. It was not the sea but something else because the air around them did not carry any scent of saltwater. The air was damp and felt a little warm. Below the building, there was a land area filled with different sized boulders surrounding it. At the moment, there were similar looking caravans parked at the edge.
"That is the Tower of Tribulation."
Nolan's voice brought Kyran out of his reverie. He turned to look at him, and the first thing he said was, "There are caravans there."
"Pfft!" Gustaff tried to contain his laughter as he looked at Kyran in amazement, "That's the first thing you notice?"
"No, but…" Kyran suddenly felt a little embarrassed. He was not supposed to yell out his thoughts, but he was startled to see caravans drifting along the edge of the building.
Gustaff smiled and spread his arms, "Well, this place is hard to get in after all. Us small-time merchants have to take advantage and sell our stuff."
"You mean those caravans are also merchants?"
"Yes. Just like me, those merchants managed to enter the tower but failed. Since we are allowed to return, instead of risking our lives trying to succeed on the current floor, we prefer to sell and make money."
Somehow, Kyran got disillusioned after hearing Gustaff's explanation.
The image of the Tower of Tribulation in Kyran's mind, which was filled with danger and mystery, had been replaced by stalls and burly men selling all sorts of stuff.
"This caravan has been given by the Tower," Nolan suddenly spoke beside him.
Kyran looked at him.
"Gustaff did fail but he was still given a chance to choose his consolation rewards. This caravan is one of the rewards he had chosen," Nolan explained while also looking at the Tower of Tribulation.
Kyran raised his brows at him, "Are you allowed to say that?"
"I can't say much outside. But we're within the Tower, so it's safe." Nolan replied with a shrug.
"What kind of restriction is that? Others can speak outside but you can't?"
Nolan gave him a blank expression and said, "Are you the one with the cursed ability? Why are you the one asking questions here?"
Suddenly, his blank expression turned into panic as he realized something.
"F*ck! Oi, Gustaff asked some questions!" Nolan said while turning to Gustaff. "If not those water demons might appear and attack us!"
"Water demons?" Kyran asked.
"Well, that's the thing," Gustaff replied while scratching his head. "The truth, my ability has been inactive for a while. But I don't sense any water demons around."
Nolan also frowned. He spread his magic sense, and sure enough, he did not sense any living creature around them. Not even those small-sized water beasts.
"That's strange."
"Indeed."
Kyran, on the other hand, could not help but clear his throat. With this kind of setting, it was not a surprise to have beasts lurking in the darkness, especially in the body of water. Kyran knew that, but he also thought Gustaff's ability was in effect and did not think much about it. Besides, he did not believe his weird circumstances would work on 'sea creatures.'
Sensing the awkwardness of Kyran's reaction, Nolan turned his attention to him. However, he did not ask openly and chose to communicate telepathically.
[Is this your doing?]
Kyran was unsure how to reply. So he shrugged in a not so obvious way.
"Maybe those guys ahead scare them away, ahahaha!" Gustaff suggested with a lighthearted laugh.
Fortunately, he did not see the subtle exchange between Nolan and Kyran, or else, he might have started another round of questioning.
After a few minutes, they finally arrived at the edge of the land around the Tower of Tribulation. They were a distance away earlier, so Kyran thought the land around the tower was small. But it was spacious, and the edge near the body of water was at least a hundred kilometers away from the tower.
"I won't see you off," Gustaff told Nolan and Kyran as they disembarked the caravan.
"No, but we'll probably ask for a ride back after he's done," Nolan told him.
"No problem."
Kyran nodded at Gustaff as thanks before he and Nolan went on their way to the tower.
The people manning the caravans nearby made furtive looks at Nolan and Kyran when they left Gustaff's caravan.
They were familiar with Gustaff; however, these two were new faces.
Of course, of them recognized Nolan. As for Gustaff, he had known Nolan personally since they were young, which was why he recognized him. It was also why Nolan told Kyran he was 'safe.' Gustaff was aware Nolan was 'Gray,' but the big guy cared nothing about it.
Having evil thoughts, were a big no within the Tower of Tribulation. It was one of the reasons they were sure the Royal Family would never be able to get in.
As for the people making furtive looks at them, they were allowed to enter the premise of the Tower of Tribulation, meaning they might be curious about Nolan and Kyran. Still, they did not harbour any malicious intent. For them, selling their goods was all that mattered.
Kyran looked at the tower before them and was again struck with amazement. He wondered how these bolts of lightning managed to move about the tower's facade in an orderly manner. Not to mention not making any sound.
"We're almost within the line," Nolan said, stopping in his tracks.
Kyran followed suit and looked at him questioningly, "What line?"
Because as far as he could see, there was no such line around the tower.
"The line is invisible to new bloods. But once you cross that line, the tower will record everything about you," Nolan explained while looking at Kyran meaningfully. "Remove your mask and give me your space storage. You can't take them inside the tower."
Kyran immediately frowned. Before he could complain, Nolan continued to explain, "The Tower of Tribulation is a testing slash training grounds. You can't bring in cheat items."
"What cheat items?" Kyran retorted in annoyance. He did not even have any magic weapon, nor a magic item. The only thing worth mentioning from his items was his two obsidian swords.
"Besides I only wear the mask to hide my identity."
Although he complained, Kyran still took off his pouch and mask and handed them over to Nolan.
"You don't have to worry about your identity. You won't be meeting anyone inside," Nolan assured him. Then he looked at Kyran's pouch and asked, "Are your parent's jade rings inside?"
"Yes," Kyran replied, feeling a little perplexed by his question.
"Okay, cheat items secured. I can't go in because I'm in disguise. If I step on the line, my disguise will automatically be removed."
"Alright. I'm going," Kyran replied and turned.
After taking a few steps, Nolan suddenly called, "Oh right, I forgot. Cover your ears!"
However, Nolan's advice came too late as Kyran stepped inside the line.
He did manage to stop and asked, "Cover my ears—?" before a deafening roar of lightning filled the air.
CRACK! BOOM!
"Argh!" Kyran winced in pain as he covered his ears and crouched down.
A series of lightning flashed around him, and soon another round of deafening lightning roar filled the air.
"Nolan, you asshole!" Kyran yelled and turned to glare at him.
However, he soon found that the scene behind him had changed.
There was no Nolan. No patch of land with different sized boulders. No caravans.
There was only darkness.
"Where—?"
CRACK! BOOM!
Kyran flinched involuntarily at the lightning roar. He used the Regis Defensive Technique to protect his ears before standing up. Then he reached out the space in front, where he had just been and found an invisible barrier.
It seemed Nolan also forgot to tell that entering the line also meant getting 'trapped.'
Reigning his annoyance at Nolan's lack of warning, Kyran took a deep breath.
His parents probably entered the Tower of Tribulation without knowing anything. So he could not complain all the time. As a matter of fact, he was already in an advantageous position compared to them. Because at least Gustaff told him some of his experience.
At least, Kyran believed his parents had no idea what to expect.
'Training has already started,' Kyran told himself as he turned and looked at the Tower of Tribulation.
"Let's do this," he muttered under his breath and finally made his way to the tower.