Tower Of God: Life As Hoaqin

The Hell Train — one of its hidden compartments lay buried in silence.

THUD—

A deep tremor rolled through the floor, and an ornate door carved with ancient symbols slowly swung open.

FLASH— CLANG!

From within, the four of us tumbled out—me, Maschenny, Hwarang, and Luf.

Hwarang and Luf quickly regained balance and landed neatly, but I was too battered to even move.

Maschenny caught me mid-fall and touched down with me in her arms.

"…Ha… thanks."

My whole body still throbbed in pain, but now that it was finally over, all the tension drained away, leaving nothing but raw exhaustion.

Damn… I shouldn't stain her clothes with blood.

The pressure in my chest rose—another surge of blood fighting to escape.

"Cough— Maschenny… could you… put me down? You'll get blood on your—"

"It doesn't matter."

She gently laid me on the floor and lifted my upper body, using Luf's Lighthouse as a pillow beneath my head.

Splurt—

A mouthful of blood escaped anyway, splashing against her uniform.

Ah, damn it… I'm really sorry.

I didn't even have the strength to speak anymore—only to look at her with quiet, apologetic eyes.

She didn't seem to mind.

"…Mas—"

"Don't talk. You'll make it worse."

…Heh, yes ma'am.

Hwarang hurried over and surrounded me with his blue flames, but the wounds didn't heal.

Of course not—The Flame That Guards is exactly what its name implies.

It protects; it doesn't heal.

Its restorative power only applies to its wielder—if it worked on others, The Flame That Heals would've been out of a job long ago.

Still, better than nothing.

The blue fire lingered around me as Hwarang and Maschenny examined my wound—and then both of them gasped.

"What's wrong…?"

"Hoaquin—your stomach…!"

Maschenny's voice rose in alarm.

I tilted my head to look.

Ah… right.

Getting hit directly by Leviathan, Zahard's ultimate technique, multiple times and walking away unscathed—that would've been a bit much to ask.

A hole near my side, blood pooling through the torn white uniform.

No wonder they hadn't noticed earlier.

It wasn't as massive as the one Kallavan got from Ha Jinsung, but still—definitely not minor.

The moment I acknowledged it, the pain hit full force.

Blood gushed from the wound, and Maschenny quickly pressed her hand down on it.

Her palm was soon half-drenched in red.

"Doesn't the Hell Train have a hospital? Luf!"

"Uh—no, it doesn't!"

Right.

If it did, it wouldn't be called the Hell Train.

Its high death rate probably had a lot to do with the lack of any medical facilities—survival depended purely on one's self-healing ability.

Fortunately, mine was among the best in the Arie family, and we were nearing the final station.

As if to confirm it, Luf, after scanning through his Lighthouse, shouted,

"Hyung! Noona! There's a full medical bay at the last stop! Just hang on a little longer!"

I nodded weakly.

My body naturally drew in shinsu, so the injury wouldn't become fatal.

Still… the exhaustion was overwhelming.

"Guys… I'm tired. I'll just… rest a bit."

Maschenny, don't worry about stopping the bleeding—just wash your hands before you get an infection.

With what little strength I had, I mumbled my request, then slowly closed my eyes.

I didn't know how long I'd been inside the Hidden Floor, but judging by the train not yet arriving, not much time had passed outside.

– "This is your conductor, Haegil. We're nearing the final stop, so prepare yourselves. Rest while you can—The Hell Train is finally bound for Heaven."

That was the last thing I heard before sinking into deep sleep.

So warm…

Or was it… burning?

Ah well.

Too tired to care.

.....

"Hyung!"

That moment before Leviathan struck me—I saw Luf's Lighthouse flashing, teleporting me out just in time.

"KIEEEEEEHH—!"

"Hoaquin! This way!"

"Hyung, hurry!"

Right…

That was only a few hours ago.

The memories replayed like a montage.

I must be dreaming.

"Hoaquin! Grab my hand!"

Thud!

I saw myself clutch Hwarang's hand with all the strength I had left.

KZZZZZT—!

Maschenny's lightning spear impaling the Grand Quest's monster, clearing the final objective—and the gate to freedom opening above us.

Yes.

It was my friends who saved me.

Even though, during Baekhwa, I'd surpassed Zahard's data in raw power, in that moment, I could do nothing but struggle uselessly.

No matter how many times I struck him, Zahard regenerated endlessly, driving me to the brink of death.

It was Luf who saved me from falling, Hwarang and my sworn enemy who bought us time, and Maschenny who opened the door out of the Hidden Floor.

They were all weaker than me—yet because of them, we escaped alive.

A faint smile crept across my face.

Not out of amusement—out of gratitude.

Gustang was wrong.

And I was right.

He said a shark can't swim with sardines—but the shark was the one who needed saving.

Because from the start—my friends were never sardines.

.....

FLASH—

Without warning, my dream shattered.

My eyes opened wide.

The Hell Train had still not reached its final station.

The distant cries of Guardians echoed faintly through the corridors — a sign that it was night in the train's internal time.

I turned my head slightly. On either side of me lay Maschenny, Hwarang, and Luf, all sound asleep beside me.

Hmm… careful now. I didn't want to wake them. Slowly, I moved my arms and legs, testing my condition.

It seemed that a good sleep had helped. My strength had returned somewhat, and the bleeding had stopped—No, it hadn't stopped; it had been cauterized.

The more severe wounds were singed, as if burned closed by fire. That must've been why I'd felt heat in my sleep earlier.

....

— Pocket Message (1) —

Almost there for real this time! I'll call you when we arrive hehe ♡

A photo accompanied the message — Albelda, Anna, and Vicente.

Albelda and Anna were smiling brightly, while Vicente, as always, wore that stoic yet gentle expression.

Some things never change.

Seeing their faces, I couldn't help but smile.

I sent back a proper, heartfelt reply, then looked around our carriage.

It was dark — but peaceful.

So peaceful that it was hard to believe we'd recently escaped from a nightmare, fleeing from Zahard's monstrous data.

I wondered briefly about the Ten Family data who had stayed behind to hold him off.

Did they manage to stop Zahard? Or…

Whatever happened, it was out of my hands now.

That was the responsibility of the data I'd left behind.

If he's me, he'll do just fine.

And I have no intention of breaking the flow of the original story — my data knows that, too.

"Ah, whatever."

No point worrying about something I can't change.

I leaned back again, resting my head on the pillow.

Hmm…

Small, but comfortable somehow.

Though… it didn't feel quite like a pillow.

I turned my head — and froze.

Maschenny was asleep beside me, her face scrunched slightly in discomfort.

Then I noticed it — my head resting squarely on her arm.

"...!"

Wait—what? Why is her arm—

Oh no. Don't tell me I've been sleeping on it this whole time?!

My head's heavy—her arm must be completely numb by now!

"…"

I carefully lifted her arm and repositioned it so she wouldn't feel too uncomfortable.

"Alright… let's just sleep."

I pulled a spare pillow from my inventory, placed it under my head, and drifted back to sleep.

A small, clumsy moment — but still, a calm and cozy night.

....

The next morning, the intercom rang out again.

– Attention all surviving Regulars aboard the Hell Train.

We are now approaching the final station.

Repeating: the 44th floor, the final destination, is just ahead.

This marks the end of this D-Class express — better known as the Hell Train.

This was your conductor for this trip, Ranker Haegil.

Once again, congratulations to all surviving Regulars.

CHU– CHU– CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

As if giving everything it had left, the Hell Train roared toward its final stop, letting out a triumphant whistle.

A bright morning.

The electric lamps glowed like sunlight, and the train's bold horn echoed proudly.

We all woke up almost at the same time.

....

"Hoaquin! How's your body?"

"I'm fine. The wound's closing up bit by bit."

"Wow, that 'Shinsu's Blessing' body of yours really is amazing. The hole's actually sealing itself."

We chatted lightly as we prepared breakfast—but Maschenny's expression looked…off.

Hwarang noticed immediately.

"Maschenny, what's wrong?"

"…My arm's numb."

Oh no.

"Ahem! Cough—! My wound—! It's acting up again—!"

"What?! Really?!"

At my words, all three — Hwarang, Luf, and Maschenny — turned to me in alarm.

Yeah… sorry, Maschenny.

You can sleep on my arm next time, no complaints.

I managed to steer the conversation elsewhere, and soon—

The Hell Train came to a stop.

After more than a year of travel, the journey had finally reached its end.

The automatic doors on each car slid open with a refreshing hiss—

and beyond them stretched the view of the Final Station.

.....

"Hoaquin, come on. Let's get you to a hospital."

"Give me a minute. There's something I need to do first."

The train wouldn't depart again for several days, so I had time.

The hospital could wait — I had a promise to keep.

....

Hidden Chamber

"…So, you've returned, young one. The Hell Train has reached its end, then?"

"That's right. As promised, I came to say goodbye."

The God of Guardians, seated atop a rice pot in quiet meditation, slowly opened his eyes.

I tossed him a paper bag — warm fish-shaped pastries I'd just bought at the final station.

"Shrink before eating them. At your size, you wouldn't even taste them otherwise."

"…Understood, boy."

He took one out and handed it to me.

I accepted it with a grin and took a bite.

Soon, he did the same, chewing thoughtfully as he looked at me.

"You haven't changed. Still faint, yet unshaken."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It is. Considering how many have… changed."

"…When I leave, you'll be alone again, won't you?"

"In a sense, yes."

Urek Mazino.

Baam.

They wouldn't come for thousands of years.

He didn't know that, of course.

Watching him, I felt a faint sting of pity.

"Haha, such needless worry. I've waited through longer silences. After the Ten Families and Zahard, I waited for you. I sleep until a trespasser or Irregular appears — and when I wake, centuries have already passed."

"…Then that's good."

I didn't mention the "thousands of years" part.

We talked a little longer, sharing snacks until there was nothing left to say.

At last, I stood.

"Goodbye. I hope we meet again someday."

"That will not happen. But I'll be rooting for you — that you never change."

I bowed lightly, turned, and left the hidden chamber.

Even if I'd never see him again, the God of Guardians was still a bond I'd formed in this tower.

Artificial or not, he was a life — and a friend.

I only hoped that the time until he met Urek next would not feel too long.

Leaving the hidden chamber, I rejoined my waiting friends at the Final Station.

....

"Hoaquin, seriously—go to the hospital already. You look fine, but I bet you're wrecked inside."

"Haha, fine, fine. I'll get checked, then let's grab something good to eat."

"I heard the fried chicken here's amazing!"

"Clothes store first. Your blood ruined my uniform."

"Haha, we can visit both."

Even without the "Utopia for Regulars" name yet, the Final Station was already a place of peace — a haven for those who'd survived the Hell Train.

For us, too.

After a quick treatment, I spent the next week with my friends, exploring every corner of the station — eating, playing, laughing.

Hwarang and Luf were as lively as ever, and even Maschenny, though pretending not to care, got fiercely competitive when pride was on the line.

It was a simple, precious happiness.

And after resting enough—

We began climbing the Tower again.

As always, our journey was thrilling, perilous, and full of wonder.

.....

Two years later

Shaa— Rumble—

"...Huh? You're—"

"…It's been a while, young master Hoaquin."

That day, when he appeared, the floor that was said to never see rain—began to rain.

The night before the storm was anything but calm.