The next day...

  “Alex, what do we got for dinner tonight?” I asked, leaning against the counter. The smell was unfamiliar—sweet, buttery, almost burnt.

  Alex wiped sweat from his forehead with a dish towel and grinned. “An American staple. Apple pie.”

  Soto’s head lifted from the TV. “First time I’m having that.”

  His eyes glimmered like he was watching a commercial instead of real food.

  He’d been glued to the postseason games for hours, the faint crack of bats echoing through the room. The tower had every MLB match before twenty-twenty-five stored and ready—of course it did. Nothing in this place was random. It knew what Soto liked.

  Mary flipped through her healing book on the couch, half-smiling. “I can heal nearly anything,” she said, “but I can’t heal an empty stomach.”

  Alex chuckled, tapping the oven door. “Better keep me alive if you want meals like this!”

  A ripple of shadow slid up the corner of the room. Mei stepped out of it with her arms folded, unimpressed. “Stay useful, and we will.”

  Soto groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “What do you call that, Haruto? Second-year middle-schooler syndrome?”

  I laughed under my breath. “Mhm. Textbook example.”

  Mei’s eyes narrowed. The shadows curled around her again, swallowing her grin as she disappeared. “You guys suck!”

  Soto blinked. “Is she... always like that?”

  Alex smirked. “Yeah, and somehow she’s still less dramatic than you when the Yankees lose.”

  Three days later...

  “Mary, what would you have done?”

  She sat on the edge of her bed, posture tight, legs crossed at the ankles. Her room was tidy to the point of lifeless—books stacked, sheets folded, everything lined up as if control could keep the chaos away.

  Her eyes lifted to mine. “I’d like to think I wouldn’t have done what you did.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “Then you would’ve died.”

  Her brow arched slightly. “You asked to talk for validation? Why me instead of Isabella or Haruto?”

  I hesitated. The words caught in my throat. “Because I don’t want to ruin their image of me. To them, I was... I was—”

  A sharp snap echoed. Mary had flicked her fingers in front of my face. “Hey. Stop that spiral.”

  She stood and closed her book. The room smelled faintly of mint tea from her desk. “You can’t keep isolating yourself like this. The next floor’s coming soon. What if something bad happens again?”

  Her tone softened. “Eli doesn’t hate you, for what it’s worth. You need to forgive yourself before the tower breaks you.”

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Did this tower change me, or did it just peel back what was already there?

  The next day...

  The entertainment room on the Intermediary Floor was the only place that didn’t feel like the Tower.

  Alex leaned against the wall, holding a clipboard he clearly didn’t need. “Alright, boys and girls. We're onto the semi-finals now. Whoever wins this faces Sosuke! Remember! Winner gets Mary’s homemade shepherd’s pie.”

  That made everyone perk up.

  Soto rolled up his sleeves and grabbed a paddle. “Haruto, let’s go. Time to see if mana beats muscle.”

  I stretched my wrist, feeling the faint hum of mana running through my body. “Just don’t cry when you lose, Soto.”

  Mary sat cross-legged on a couch we moved in from the living room, hands clasped under her chin. Mei lounged behind her, pretending she wasn’t invested but glancing over every few seconds. Sosuke watched from the far corner, serene as ever. He didn’t need to say anything; his confidence was louder than all of us combined.

  Alex blew into a whistle that nobody asked for. “Semi-finals. Haruto versus Soto. First to five points. Begin!”

  Soto’s serve cut through the air fast—clean spin, tight control. I barely got the paddle up in time, the ball snapping against it like a gunshot. He smirked, “Too slow.”

  One, zero.

  "Great Mana Enhancement."

  The world sharpened. The ball’s spin became visible, each rotation clear as daylight. The next serve came—this time, I was ready. The return smacked across the table

  We traded volleys in a blur. Soto lunged left, returned right. I kept the rhythm, faster and faster, until my paddle hummed from the friction.

  Soto laughed between swings. “There's no way your speed matches mine!”

  He's right. He was still faster. But don't underestimate my years of ping pong expertise!

  I shot back. “Adapt!”

  After a while, it was four to three.

  He pushed forward, trying to curve the ball. I shifted my mana flow. Speed to strength. The paddle felt lighter, like an extension of my arm. When the next shot came, I slammed it with all the focus I had.

  The ball hit the far edge of the table, bounced once, then rocketed off the wall with.

  Alex raised a fist. “Game! Haruto advances!”

  Soto dropped his paddle dramatically. “If only I could use my full power...”

  It was now the finals.

  Sosuke walked up without a word, paddle in one hand, soda can in the other. His eyes were half-open, bored. He didn’t warm up. He didn’t need to.

  I tightened my grip. “You could at least pretend to take it seriously.”

  He smiled faintly. “I take everything seriously.”

  Alex gave the signal. “Three... two... one—go!”

  The serve came and vanished. I didn’t even see the motion. Just sound.

  The ball hit my side and bounced out.

  “What the—”

  I barely got the word out before another serve came, even faster. Another point. Then another.

  “Point! Point! Game over!” Alex declared before I even processed it.

  “Wait, we just started!” I cried.

  Alex tried to grasp my paddle, laughing. “Hey, man, take the L with dignity—”

  I jerked it out of his reach, glaring. “I’m serious. Back off.”

  The room went quiet for a moment. Soto stopped chewing on his chips. Sosuke, however, only smiled, calm and unbothered as always. “Let him.” he said softly. “He should try to get at least one point.”

  He tossed the ball underhand. I caught it, the small white sphere weightless in my palm. My breath slowed. I could feel the pulse of mana deep inside my chest. The others probably thought I was overreacting, but this wasn’t about pride anymore. I wanted to see how far the gap really was.

  “Great Mana Enhancement.”

  The blue rippled around me.

  Speed.

  My heartbeat quickened, every nerve lit with electricity.

  “Gravity. Maximum Output.”

  My legs bent, heavy. The floor cracked under the pressure as I forced my center of gravity downward. The paddle would be heavier than even a wrecking ball. The force would be monstrous.

  “Intimidation.”

  The lights flickered. Mei took a cautious step back, her expression sharpening. Soto’s smirk faded. The pressure filled the room, heavy enough that everyone felt it.

  I lifted my gaze to Sosuke. “This is all I've got! This may be a ping pong game, but it doesn’t matter! I want to see if I can match you as I am now!”

  I raised my paddle, the wood creaking in my grip, and swung with every ounce of control and fury I had.

  Swish!

  Tap!

  He returned it.

  You're kidding me.

  Sosuke could barely contain his laughter as he covered his mouth, "That was all?"

  I will surpass you. Not for the sake of our survival. Not for the sake of ego.

  But just to wipe that smirk off your fucking face.