The staircase grew colder with every step.
Kai could feel an invisible pressure pressing against his shoulders, forcing him to slow down.
Nova looked around nervously.
"Master..."
"This place feels strange."
Kai nodded.
"Orion said the Fourth Guardian doesn't believe in mercy."
"Stay alert."
At the top of the staircase stood a pair of crystal doors instead of the usual stone entrance.
The moment Kai touched them, they silently opened.
The room beyond was unlike any floor he had seen before.
There were no walls.
No ceiling.
Only an endless white space filled with thousands of floating mirrors.
Each mirror reflected a different scene.
One showed a kingdom celebrating.
Another displayed a battlefield covered in flames.
A third revealed a world consumed by darkness.
Nova slowly walked toward one of the mirrors.
Inside it, she saw herself as a gigantic nine-tailed fox whose body stretched across the heavens.
"W-Wow..."
"Is that... me?"
Before Kai could answer, a voice echoed through the endless white space.
"Those are possibilities."
A beautiful woman stepped out from between the mirrors.
She wore a long silver dress, while countless crystal butterflies circled around her.
Her eyes were different.
One was blue.
The other was gold.
"I am Selene."
"The Guardian of the Fourth Floor."
Kai bowed politely.
"It's an honor."
Selene smiled faintly.
"You have good manners."
"But manners alone won't let you pass."
The mirrors suddenly surrounded Kai and Nova.
One of them drifted in front of Kai.
"Tell me."
"If you could change your past..."
"Would you?"
The mirror shimmered.
Suddenly...
Kai found himself back in his previous world.
He was standing outside the convenience store where he had worked.
His mother was healthy.
Emma laughed happily beside her.
His father was still alive.
The family was smiling together.
Tears unconsciously formed in Kai's eyes.
"Mom..."
"Dad..."
He slowly stepped forward.
The mirror world felt so real.
He could almost reach out and touch them.
A voice whispered in his ear.
"Stay."
"You don't need to suffer anymore."
"You can live the peaceful life you always wanted."
Kai's hand slowly reached toward the mirror.
Then...
He stopped.
His fingers curled into a fist.
"No."
The illusion trembled.
His mother's smiling face looked at him.
"Why?"
Kai smiled sadly.
"Because..."
"You're not really my family."
"My family is waiting for me in another world."
"Lily."
"Mia."
"And Nova."
"They need me now."
The mirror shattered into countless fragments.
Selene watched silently.
"You rejected your deepest wish."
Kai nodded.
"I'll always treasure my memories."
"But I can't live inside them."
"They belong to the past."
The Guardian smiled for the first time.
"A beautiful answer."
Before Kai could relax—
Another mirror floated toward Nova.
Inside it...
Kai lay lifeless on the ground.
Nova cried desperately as darkness swallowed the world.
"No..."
The little fox trembled.
"No..."
A shadowy voice whispered,
"You can prevent this."
"Abandon him."
"If you leave now..."
"You'll survive."
Nova looked at the unconscious Kai in the mirror.
Then at the real Kai standing beside her.
Tears filled her eyes.
"I..."
"I don't care."
The illusion asked again,
"You'll die with him."
Nova smiled through her tears.
"Then..."
"I'll die protecting Master."
The mirror exploded.
Golden light surrounded Nova.
The System immediately displayed a notification.
Companion Growth Condition Met
Loyalty has reached the highest possible level.
Evolution Requirement Reduced.
Kai gently picked Nova up.
"You silly fox."
Nova rubbed her head against his cheek.
"I promised."
"I'll always stay with Master."
Selene clapped softly.
"Excellent."
"The Trial of Destiny has been completed."
The mirrors slowly disappeared.
Only one remained.
Unlike the others...
This mirror was completely black.
Selene's expression suddenly became serious.
"Do not look into that one."
Kai frowned.
"Why?"
"It does not show possibilities."
"It shows..."
"...the inevitable."
Before she could stop him—
The black mirror activated.
Kai's reflection disappeared.
Instead...
He saw himself standing atop a mountain of corpses.
Entire kingdoms burned beneath a crimson sky.
The gods who had reincarnated him were chained in the heavens.
Nova's body lay covered in blood.
In Kai's hand...
Was a jet-black sword dripping with divine blood.
His eyes were completely empty.
A cold voice echoed from the mirror.
"You cannot escape your fate."
The image vanished.
Kai stumbled backward.
His heart pounded violently.
"What..."
"...was that?"
Selene looked away.
"The future."
Kai shook his head.
"No."
"It can't be."
"The future isn't fixed."
Selene remained silent for a long time.
Finally, she spoke.
"Perhaps."
"But that future exists."
"It is one of many paths."
Kai took a deep breath.
"Then I'll make sure it never happens."
The Guardian smiled.
"That determination..."
"...is why you still have hope."
She raised her hand.
A crystal key floated toward Kai.
Reward Obtained
Mirror Crystal
Rank: Legendary
Effect:
Creates one perfect illusion capable of deceiving enemies.
Kai accepted it.
"Thank you."
Selene nodded.
"Go."
"The Fifth Guardian..."
"...has been waiting impatiently."
The staircase to the fifth floor appeared.
As Kai and Nova climbed, the System suddenly spoke.
Hidden Information Unlocked
The Beast Tower originally possessed one hundred floors.
Current Accessible Floors:
10/100
Kai smiled.
"So this really is just the beginning."
Far above them...
On the Tenth Floor...
A man wearing white robes slowly opened his eyes.
He smiled warmly.
"The child is coming."
"It's almost time..."
"...for us to meet."