Tower Of God: Life As Hoaqin

"You bastard… what the hell are you doing?"

The rough words flew at me right from the start, but I didn't have the luxury to worry about that right now. I tried to force the brightest smile I could manage, but in this ominous atmosphere, it only came out looking awkward.

"Hahaha… h-hello, Lady Ha Yurin. Maybe we could start with a slightly more civilized conversa—"

KWA—AAANG!

Of course.

No questions asked—an air shock technique came flying straight at me.

I barely managed to absorb part of the shockwave with my sword before hurriedly spreading my wings and trying to retreat backward.

"After turning my palace into that, where do you think you're going?!"

Yurin leapt in front of me in an instant. Her ferocious momentum was like a wild beast—my body instinctively shrank back. She already looked furious thanks to me, but now the rage was palpable.

Her fist shot toward me. I swung Baekya to block it.

The moment fist and blade collided, a violent resonance traveled through the sword and into my body. My entire frame vibrated.

…Did I really just clash with a fist?

"You're dead!"

She focused shinsu into her legs and launched herself toward me like a projectile. The speed was absurd—she was in my face in the blink of an eye.

Knowing that attacking back would only make things worse, I deliberately maintained a defensive stance—

But then… why wasn't she attacking even though she was right in front of me?

The answer came immediately.

"I'm truly sorry, so could you please calm do—"

I'd been so focused on her fists that I completely missed her legs.

Yurin feinted a punch—and in that opening, wrapped both legs tightly around my waist.

This feels… bad.

"W–wait, hold o—WHOA!"

With her legs locked around me, Yurin shot straight up into the air, then dove vertically toward the ground.

I struggled desperately to break free, but damn it—what kind of strength is this?!

"HRAAAH!"

Just before hitting the ground, she spun once mid-fall and, using terrifying leg strength, hurled me downward.

I slammed into the ground at monstrous speed, not even having time to spread my wings.

BOOM—!

"Ghk—!"

SHUAAAK—

Ha Yurin–Style Martial Arts (?) Raging Screw Punch

Before I could even get up, Yurin's fist came crashing down. A vortex of shinsu spiraled around her arm as it aimed straight for my solar plexus.

I barely managed to block it with the flat of Baekya's blade.

The problem?

I was still embedded in the ground.

The rotating shinsu amplified the force, driving me even deeper into the earth.

Thud.

Yurin sat down on top of me.

"Don't know who you are, but you were prepared for this, right?"

"No, if we think about it logically—!"

THUD— THUD— BANG!

Sadly, my desperate protest went unheard.

All that echoed through the area were the sounds of relentless blows… and the occasional scream.

Ah… is that a river over there…?

.....

The Palace of Red and Black — partially collapsed

"...…"

Hoaquin.

No—what used to be Hoaquin.

Still alive… for now.

"…I didn't hit your face since it's decent-looking. Be grateful."

For a split second, I almost jumped up to argue.

You beat me until I coughed blood and my eyes rolled back, and you want gratitude?!

…Yeah. That would've gotten me killed.

Honestly, it was lucky my body was still regenerating—I physically couldn't move.

"…Hoaquin. Are you okay?"

Even Maschenny looked flustered as she watched my mangled body slowly regenerate.

No.

I am absolutely not okay.

After beating me senseless and finally cooling off, Yurin was now talking with Eduan and Hon in the palace's audience chamber.

I shot a resentful glare at Arie Hon's data.

He wasn't looking at me—

—but I know you're deliberately avoiding eye contact, Family Head.

"Hm. Yurin… sorry we came without notice."

"Like hell that matters. You're not in a position to apologize after throwing the first punch."

"Huh? I held back because it's been a while. You want me to really wreck things?"

"Think I can't?"

Grrrr—

Hon tried to mediate, while Eduan and Yurin bared their teeth like they were ready to kill each other.

Then why did you both abandon me earlier?

That thought made me even more bitter.

"Tch. Whatever. What's that?"

Yurin pointed at me.

I'd recovered enough to slowly stand, giving a casual nod.

"I was… looking forward to meeting you, Lady Ha Yurin. Name's Hoaquin. Not an Arie."

Hon visibly reacted to that.

That was intentional.

"Anyone can tell you're Hon's kid. And now you're saying you're not Arie? What kind of bullshit is that?"

"I was removed from the family registry earlier."

"Cough—! Th–that is… truly my fault…"

Still holding a grudge, I gave a half-hearted reply and turned toward Maschenny instead.

See? You can only rely on allies.

"…Anyway. Nice to meet you, Yurin. It's been a long time."

"What are you doing here?"

Eduan answered while grumbling.

"We came to see you. Be grateful—we went out of our way."

Tch. You fire shinsu blasts the moment we arrive—

Yurin ground her teeth, but Eduan didn't seem to care at all.

Eventually, Yurin sighed in resignation.

"…Stay for a bit, then get lost. Don't expect comfortable rooms—Hon's son stabbed my palace with a sword, so plenty of it's collapsed."

"Haha, understandable."

Hon replied calmly.

Yurin stood from her throne and turned away. Before leaving, she spoke briefly to the twin girls beside her.

The twins approached us and bowed.

"We are the twin daughters of our mother, Ha Yurin. We will guide you to your quarters."

Twins…

That meant they were likely Yurin's only children—born of Ari Han and Ha Yurin.

The Ha Family sect formed around them. I'd heard they didn't get along and fought often… but they seemed fine now.

Guess the Hell Train's data includes quite a few heavyweights.

Anyway, the twins led us to the guest rooms.

Along the way, Hon spoke to me.

"My son—"

"Who are you?"

"...…."

Hon looked completely stunned.

Probably the first child who'd ever treated him like that.

Not good enough for me.

The more I thought about it, the more annoyed I felt.

At least give a warning next time.

"…Pfft."

A laugh slipped out.

Hon stared quietly at Eduan, who turned his head away awkwardly.

Then Eduan slung an arm over my shoulder and laughed.

"Hahaha! Hoaquin, that's just how Hon is. Acts all clean, but he's the dirtiest bastard of us all. Same on the outside too, right?"

Eduan…

"You're not any different, Lord Eduan."

"...…"

You ditched me too.

I walked ahead to Maschenny, ignoring the looks behind me, joking around with her as we entered the guest room.

My body was mostly healed, but everything still ached.

I'll sleep well tonight.

....

That night, beneath a moonlit sky

Ha Yurin sat on the palace rooftop.

Because the sky itself was crimson, even the moon glowed red like a blood moon—but its beauty remained unchanged.

Drinking straight from the bottle while staring at the moon, Yurin sighed.

"…I don't have your kind of alcohol."

"Doesn't matter. I only drink wine anyway."

Eduan was sitting beside her now, somehow having procured a bottle of wine.

After draining it, he wiped his mouth.

Yurin tilted her head.

"With a face like that, how did you end up with such a shitty personality?"

"Ha. You're one to talk. And my personality's fine—my outside self's the problem."

"Pfft. Have some shame."

"...…"

Eduan was about to turn away when Yurin spoke again.

"So. Why are you really here?"

After a brief pause, Eduan answered.

"…To persuade you."

"Persuade me to what?"

"Not to disappear."

"…."

Silence fell.

Yurin shrugged.

"That mirror? Why shouldn't I disappear? Aren't you tired of people constantly barging in here? I find it annoying. If you hadn't come today, I would've gone through it."

She took another drink.

"You know as well as I do—we rule the Tower now. We're no longer some laughing adventurer party climbing together. As the Ten Family Heads, it's only natural to grow distant from the Tower's people."

Eduan smiled bitterly.

"…Aside from Arlene and V, who vanished long ago, has anyone else gone through the mirror? Hon and I were asleep for a long time."

"Tperie went first. Then Bloodmadder. The others are preparing."

"I see. Then we should hurry."

Eduan stood.

Yurin glared at him.

"How many times do I have to say it? Everyone's sick of the humans clinging to them. And—"

"Yurin."

His voice cut her off, heavier than before.

"We are not the Ten Family Heads. That's the outside us. We're still the rookies who laughed and climbed the Tower together. Why care what the outside versions became?"

"…Even so, why should we stay here?"

Eduan smiled faintly.

"There are many reasons. You met one today."

"That guy?"

Yurin clenched her fist, glaring.

"He feels like us, sure—but so what?"

Eduan avoided her gaze, looking at the red moon.

"Curiosity. Mystery. Fun. The things I feel from him—and the things I felt traveling with him. Words you haven't heard in a long time, right?"

"…Adventure."

"Exactly. I'm adventuring with him. And I plan to meet the others who remain. Watching his path reminds me of us, before reaching the Hell Train. And after he leaves… messing around with the leftover data sounds fun too."

"Just because of that one guy?"

Yurin raised her voice.

Eduan sighed, exasperated.

"Still don't get it?"

"What?"

"It might not stop with just one."

"…."

"Hoaquin appeared before us out of nowhere. Can you guarantee it won't happen again? One day, someone else might arrive here—someone who feels like us."

Eduan smiled.

"I'm looking forward to that."

Yurin snorted.

"You'd gamble on something that uncertain?"

"Of course. That's what an adventure is."

"…."

Bathed in crimson moonlight, Yurin stared at him for a long moment—then smiled softly.

"…Yeah. That's adventure. So—who do you think it'll be?"

"No idea. Maybe the child of one of our comrades. Like Hoaquin."

Clink.

Yurin's cup and Eduan's wine glass met.

That night, Ha Yurin threw away the mirror Zahard had given her.