Chapter 32 - Ninth Floor (4)

Diana had shown Lumen how traditional Wave Controllers handled Shinsoo. Rather than forming it into Baangs, they would take over an area of Shinsoo and control the flow of whole battlefields. Combining that technique with his aura of an Irregular, he was able to block the Guide's ability to see the future.

Diana had speculated that would be the case, but they weren't able to confirm it. Testing it out on Merrie, Lumen now knew that her theory was correct.

With her ability to ability to see the future being blocked, Merrie felt extremely uncomfortable. As much as she hated the feeling, she didn't plan on escaping. Her fate brought her to him, so there must be a reason for it. She managed to calm down a bit and started her explanation.

"We, the Red Witches, have a connection with FUG. Years ago, one of our Elders had a prophecy about a boy that would bring great changes to the Tower. In that prophecy, the Elder saw a Red Witch that was guiding the boy. That Red Witch is currently in the custody of FUG." Merrie was speaking about Hwa Ryun, the leotard wearing woman from the 2nd Floor, that got her eye injured by Bam.

"However, around a year ago, the moment I was selected to climb the Tower, another Elder received a different prophecy. The vision was very unclear, and the Elder only knew that it had me in it, and a very bright being made of white light. Since the being was made of white light, the Elder didn't even know what the being looked like."

"Everything else about the prophecy was shrouded in darkness. That also got the attention of FUG, and they have been after me since then since they wanted to know who that being is."

"Ever since that moment, the path that I was following had changed. FUG had attempted numerous times to capture me, but following my new path, I was able to avoid them every time. My destiny simply doesn't lie with them. In the end, my path led me to you. I believe you are that being made of light that the Elder saw.." Merrie finished her explanation.

Lumen frowned, hearing that. "Is there anything else about that prediction. The first prophecy sounded a lot more complete, while the second one was vague, to say the least."

He wasn't sure if someone had actually been able to predict that he would come to the Tower. Around a year ago, he was still on Earth. Lumen wasn't sure if he trusted what Marrie had told him. He wasn't completely sold on the ability to see the future. Because of that's true, then isn't anything that will happen already set in stone?

Lumen was more in the mindset that the future is weaved by the present. That the future isn't something that is already decided and unable to be changed. It is entirely depended on the actions of those in the present, and no one should be able to predict the actions of millions or billions of different kind of beings.

"That's the biggest problem. Not only did the Elder have a very vague prophecy, but she also died after telling everyone else what she saw. That has never happened in the history of the Red Witches." Merrie answered him.

"Hmm." Lumen narrowed his eyes, not pleased with her response. "And what do you plan on doing now."

"Follow you until you prove if you are that being or not. Which wouldn't be easy, considering how much my sight is obscured when it comes to you. However, that is another reason why I believe you are that being." To Merrie, that was the obvious thing to do. An Elder had a prophecy about her with a being made of light. Lumen is able to manipulate light, and her path led her to him. She was almost certain that he is that being.

All the signs were pointing in his direction, she just couldn't confirm if he was the one, due to the way he was controlling the Shinsoo in the area.

"I really don't trust you." Lumen told her. Merrie could always be a member of FUG. She did say that the Red Witches have a connection with that organization. This could all be a ploy to get her in his group so that she could easily sabotage him.

"You don't need to. Just allow me to follow you, and you could ask about my advice whenever you need it. You don't even have to listen to me, but you could always take my words into consideration. I'm a Guide after all, and I take pride in my abilities. You are a unique case, and I can't see anything about you, but I could always be useful in seeing the fates of others." Merrie replied.

Lumen though how his team needs another member for the Test on the Floor. He decided to give her a chance. Depending on how she performs, he will either dispose of her or let her stay on his team. She might end up being useful in the future.

"How good are as a Lightbearer?" He asked her.

"Lightbearer? I'm average, but my skill lay in being a Guide." Marrie answered him.

"Average isn't good enough. From now on, start working on your Lightbearer skills if you want to follow me. At the very least, you should be able to do both positions at a high level if you want to be a part of my team." Merrie was stunned, hearing him.

A team of Regular would be extremely happy if a Guide is willing to join them, but this guy was telling her that being just a Guide isn't good enough. She also has to take on the role of a Lightbearer and has to be good at it as well. That was not what she expected from meeting him, but she was willing to put up with it. At least until she has confirmed whether he is the being that she is meant to follow or not.

Lumen turned around and continued going towards Leesoo's room. His teammates had already gathered there and informed him about that. Merrie quietly followed after him without saying a word.

Once he entered inside, all eyes were on him. They didn't even pay attention to the red-haired beauty that entered after him. Silence filled the room, and no one dared to say a thing.

"Why didn't you tell us you are an Irregular?" Androssi was the first one to break the ice with a straight forward question.

"Because you never asked me." Lumen already knew that he was exposed as an Irregular thanks to Urek. Leesoo is smart, so he was definitely going to piece it together.

"What?!" Androssi exclaimed. That wasn't the answer she was expecting.

"You were going to tell us if we had asked you?" She asked in wonder. Androssi believed that he will definitely keep it a secret.

"No." Lumen simply replied.

"..." Androssi just wanted to punch him in the face, but calmed down and asked him. "Why? Do you not trust us?"

"Even if I did tell you, it would make no difference." Lumen also didn't trust them completely, but didn't say that and kept if for himself.

"Me being an Irregular or not doesn't change a thing, but do make sure not to spread that information. Now, let's focus on our new teammate for the time being." He said and pointed towards the red-haired beuty.

"That's Marrie, and she is a Guide. She will join our team for the duration of the 9th Floor. Depending on her performance, she might end up being a permanent member." Lumen introduced her to everyone else.

The whole group sat down and started discussing how they would handle the Sky Chess game. With Marrie in the team, they had a pretty good understanding of how they would deal with the Test.e

Lumen left Leesoo's room and made his way towards his own. After taking a quick shower, he was prepared to go and grab something to eat when someone knocked on his door.

Opening the door, he saw Yuri there dressed in a black dress that stuck tightly to her body. For a moment, he was mesmerized by how beautiful she looked before she sent a punch his way. "Who told you, you could stare?!"

Yuri felt uncomfortable wearing a dress. It didn't allow her the same set of movements as her normal clothes do. She was also self-conscious about wearing a dress and had questioned herself over a hundred times already how she looks.

Normally, she wouldn't even care how she is dressed or how others perceive her, but Lumen's comment about how she would look even more beautiful in a dress stuck to her.

Yuri felt giddy and happy when she saw how stunned Lumen was after seeing her, but she didn't tell him that.

"Come on, let's go. We still haven't finished our date!" She pulled him out of his room and linked her arm with his voluntarily. "You still haven't told me how the story about Naruto ended!"

Lumen had even forgotten about his promise with Urek until the blonde Irregular interrupted them.

"Again?!?" Urek exclaimed as he saw them. He grabbed Lumen and disappeared with a sonic boom.

"Dude, be honest with me. How did you get another date? You have to tell me! I'm your big bro!!" Urek told him with puppy-eyes. He is a Prince of one of the greatest Empires in the Universe, and he can't score a date with a single Princess of Zahard, but his little bro got two in two days. He was actually jealous of him, and that's the first time he had ever experienced that feeling.

"I already told you. I got lucky." Lumen answered him truthfully. Had he not made that bet with her on the 1st Floor, this would have never happened.

"That can't be! You have to have some other advice, right?" Urek asked him with hope.

"Other than being yourself, there's nothing else I can tell you." Lumen replied.

"But I am being myself, and they don't want to go out with me! Am I simply too great for them? That must be it!" Urek came to his own conclusion.

"Whatever, we will talk about this later. Now, let's get started with your training. Today, I will show you the Mazino strengthening technique and how to increase your physical strength using it." Urek started teaching him how to infuse his body with Shinsoo, in order to permanently strengthen it.

The most important part of that technique is the existence of Shinsoo. Should Lumen attempt to train with it on Earth, he would have absolutely no success. However, that doesn't mean that it's impossible to train with that technique outside of the Tower.

So then why was there no Shinsoo on Earth? Urek had only one answer for that. The Guardian Spirit of the planet has died.

Every planet in the Universe is like a Floor from the Tower. Each planet gets born with a Guadian Spirit that infuses the planet with Shinsoo. Like in the Tower, you have to make a contract with that Guardian if you wish to manipulate the Shinsoo created by it. Only divine beings and their offsprings don't follow that rule.

Every planet that Urek had visited in his life had Shinsoo in the atmosphere, but his father has told him stories about planets that had their Guardian Spirit killed. Usually, they would slowly start crumbling away, and all life dies off shortly after the death of the Guardian Spirit. Well, it takes around 10 000 years, but that's a short amount of time for a divine being.

By the end of their training, Urek was looking at Lumen with a complicated expression on his face. In a day, he got the hang of the technique and had some success with it. While it took Urek over a month to get it to the same level.

"Well, your level could be considerate passable. It took me 1/10 of your time to master the technique, but you could improve in the future. Don't be disappointed since not everyone is as great as me." Just because Lumen learned it faster than him, didn't mean that he has to tell him that. It's not like anyone would know about that.

Urek walked up to him and put his hand over Lumen's shoulder. "So, bro. I'm teaching you my family techniques. Are you sure you can't give me some tips on scoring a date with a Princess of Zahard? Come on, I'm your big bro, after all!" Urek was dead-set on pestering Lumen until he learns his secrets.