The express route dumped them on Floor 3 in the middle of what looked like a luxury hotel lobby.
Yamamoto took in the surroundings: polished marble floors, crystal chandeliers, furniture that probably cost more than most people made in a year. A far cry from the volcanic arena they'd just left.
"Well," Yuri said, stretching her arms above her head, "that was fun."
"Fun." Evan floated next to her, looking like he'd aged ten years in the last hour. "Princess, we just watched him fight a Top 100 Ranker. He could have been killed."
"Please." Yuri rolled her eyes. "Evankhell didn't land a single clean hit. It wasn't even close."
She was right, but Yamamoto didn't comment. He was too busy processing what he'd learned from the fight. Evankhell had shown him how High Rankers used Shinsu, how they mixed it with ancient powers and techniques refined over centuries. He'd absorbed it all—the flow patterns, the density control, the way she transformed her body using Shinsu reinforcement.
Two thousand years of combat experience meant he learned fast.
"You're thinking," Yuri said, watching him.
"Always."
"About the fight?"
"About how this Tower's power system works." Yamamoto turned to face her. "Evankhell was strong. Her techniques... I can adapt them. Mix them with what I know."
"That's terrifying," Evan muttered.
"That's being an Irregular," Yuri corrected. She walked over to a couch and flopped down on it like she owned the place. Maybe she did—being a Zahard Princess probably came with perks. "No contracts needed, natural Shinsu control, and apparently the ability to just steal techniques by watching them once."
"Not stealing. Understanding." Yamamoto sat in a chair across from her. The furniture groaned under his weight—not because he was heavy, but because his spiritual pressure was still leaking. He reigned it in. "I've spent time learning how energy systems work. Shinsu is different but not that different."
"Show off," Yuri said, but she was smiling.
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment. Outside the windows, Yamamoto could see the floor stretching into the distance—mountains, forests, structures floating in the sky. The Tower was vast, each floor basically a world unto itself.
"So," Yuri said eventually. "What's your plan?"
"Climb."
"That's it? Just... climb?"
"What else is there?" Yamamoto met her eyes. "I spent my entire life fighting for something else. Protecting what I was told to protect, commanding armies, serving laws I didn't always agree with. Then I died." His hands clenched. "Now I'm here. Alive again. And I don't have orders, don't have duty, don't have rules."
"Freedom," Yuri said.
"Yes."
"So you're going to climb to the top just to see if you can?"
"Maybe." Yamamoto leaned back. "Or maybe I'll find a reason along the way. Something worth fighting for that I actually choose." He paused. "What about you? You're a Princess. High Ranker. You've got power, status, probably wealth I can't even imagine. Why follow an old man through tests you don't need?"
Yuri was quiet for a long moment. When she spoke, her voice had lost its playful edge.
"Because I'm bored," she said. "No, that's not right. Bored is too simple. I'm..." She struggled for the word. "Restless. I've been a Princess my whole life. People bow to me. Fear me. Want to use me. But nobody challenges me. Not really. Every fight I get into, I win. Every test, I pass. It's all too easy."
"Until now," Yamamoto said.
"Until you." She looked at him directly. "You don't care that I'm a Princess. Don't care about my rank or my name. You look at me and see... what, exactly?"
Yamamoto considered the question. What did he see when he looked at Ha Yuri Zahard?
"A warrior," he said finally. "Someone who loves the fight, craves the challenge. Someone who's been strong her whole life and doesn't know what to do with it." He paused. "You remind me of warriors I knew. Battle-obsessed. Only cared about finding stronger opponents. No politics, no hidden agendas. Just pure love of combat."
"That's a compliment?"
"From me? Yes."
Yuri laughed. "Okay then. I'll take it." She stood up, walked to the window, looked out at Floor 3. "You know what's funny? I gave Black March to another Irregular once. Kid named Bam. He was nothing like you—weak, scared, climbing for a girl. But there was something about him. Something that made me think he might shake things up."
"Did he?"
"Don't know yet. He's still climbing. Last I heard, he was gathering allies, making waves." She glanced back at Yamamoto. "But you're different. Bam's got potential. You've got power. There's no 'might' about you shaking things up. You're already doing it."
"Evankhell will talk," Yamamoto said. "Other Rankers will hear about the fight."
"Oh, she's definitely talking. Probably already sent messages to half the Top 100." Yuri grinned. "They're going to come looking for you. Some will want to recruit you. Others will want to test you. A few might try to kill you before you get too strong."
"Let them come."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that." Yamamoto stood. "I'm not hiding. Not playing politics. If they want something from me, they can ask. If they want to fight, I'll fight. If they want me dead..." He didn't finish the sentence. Didn't need to.
Evan made a small noise. "Princess, perhaps we should discuss—"
"Evan." Yuri cut him off gently. "I know what you're going to say. This is dangerous. Yamamoto's making enemies. We should distance ourselves before it gets messy." She turned to face the small silver-haired man. "But I'm not going to."
"Princess—"
"I'm going to stay with him and see where this goes. Because for the first time in years, I feel like something interesting is happening." She looked at Yamamoto. "Unless you don't want company?"
Yamamoto thought about it. He'd been alone for most of his life, even when surrounded by subordinates. The Head Captain's burden was isolation—nobody could relate to the weight of command, the decisions that cost lives.
But Yuri wasn't a subordinate. She was an ally, powerful in her own right, following by choice.
"Do what you want," he said. "But I'm not slowing down for anyone."
"Wouldn't expect you to." Yuri nodded. "So what's the test on this floor?"
"No idea."
"Want to find out?"
"Not particularly." Yamamoto headed for the exit. "But we're going to have to take it anyway."
They left the lobby and stepped into Floor 3 proper.
The world outside was strange—a landscape of floating islands connected by chains and bridges, everything tinted red by a sun that looked wrong. Yamamoto could feel Shinsu here, thicker than the lower floors, moving in patterns that suggested some kind of structure or control.
A person materialized in front of them. Not walking up—literally appearing from nowhere. Tall guy, late twenties maybe, wearing a sleek suit and a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Welcome to the Third Floor," the guy said. "I'm Hansung Yu's assistant, Test Administrator Quant. You must be the Irregular everyone's talking about."
"Yamamoto."
"Right. Well, Mr. Yamamoto, normally I'd explain the test, give you some background, let you prepare." Quant's smile got wider. "But I got a message from Floor 2 saying you think our tests are 'beneath you.' So we're doing something special."
"Special," Yuri said. "That's never good."
"Oh, it's very simple." Quant gestured, and the landscape changed. The floating islands in the distance started moving, rearranging themselves into what looked like a massive obstacle course. "Get from here to the other side. There's going to be people trying to stop you—other Regulars, some test rankers, maybe some surprises. First one to reach the end passes."
"That's it?" Yamamoto asked.
"That's it. Oh, and one rule: you can't fly. Have to use the bridges and platforms." Quant looked pleased with himself. "Should be fun."
"When does it start?"
"Thirty seconds ago."
Something hit Yamamoto from behind—a blast of Shinsu strong enough to shatter stone. He felt it coming, obviously, and his spiritual pressure created a barrier on instinct. The attack splashed against him harmlessly.
He turned. Five Regulars were standing there, all of them charging up more attacks.
"Sorry, old man!" one of them shouted. "Nothing personal! Heard there's a big reward for whoever takes you out!"
Yamamoto sighed. "Yuri, you might want to step back."
"Why?" She crossed her arms, looking amused. "I want to watch."
"Suit yourself."
The five Regulars attacked together. Coordinated assault, actually decent technique. They'd probably worked together before, built up some teamwork.
It didn't matter.
Yamamoto moved. Not fast by his standards, but fast enough that the Regulars lost track of him. He appeared behind the first one—a lizard creature with scales—and tapped it on the shoulder.
"You're out," he said.
The creature turned, tried to attack, and Yamamoto's palm caught it square in the chest. Not a strike, not an attack. Just a push, backed by spiritual pressure and perfect technique. The Regular went flying backward, hit one of the floating platforms, and didn't get up.
The other four hesitated.
"Four more," Yamamoto said. "Anyone want to leave on their own?"
They attacked.
Thirty seconds later, all five were down. Not dead—Yamamoto didn't kill people who weren't really trying to kill him—but definitely out of the fight.
"Efficient," Yuri said, sounding impressed despite herself. "You didn't even use Ryujin Jakka."
"They weren't worth it." Yamamoto started walking toward the obstacle course. "Come on. Let's get this over with."
Quant watched them go, his smile finally fading.
"Oh," he said quietly to himself, "we're going to need a bigger test."
Behind him, hidden in the shadows, someone else watched. An observer from higher up, sent to evaluate the Irregular. They'd seen enough.
This old man wasn't just strong. He was something else entirely.
And the Tower had no idea what to do with him.