CHAPTER 3: IS IT REALLY WORTH IT?

{{{{{{{ I added a paragraph at the start of chapter 1 , so please check it out }}}}}}}

"So what will it be ?" The lecture hall went into silence , the oni opened his lips again. "Aren't bored from your current lifestyle? I mean sure you can have anything you want in here , but deep down you already know that this is nothing more than a luxurious cage.Don't you wanna see what the real world look like ?Go on adventures and gain friends , allies and subordinates along the way ? Experience the joy of success , the fear of failure? " .The students eyes were full of excitement.

"Power,Honor,Fame,Eternal life,Wealth,Knowledge , you can have all of this things and a lot more just by challenging one place , so what do you think ? ".The students started cheering , some of them started to seriously consider challenging Babylon. The oni could be seen leaking a sinister smile as if he was waiting for this moment.

"But if Babylon present you with all this opportunities ,what can you offer in return?" All the students went silent, the oni then looked around the room.

"You can't win the lottery without buying a ticket,except that in your case you have to pay a lot more that ordinary people."The oni looked behind him and started going through the text visible on the board screen ."So you should read the document that i sent before we continue."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The document had a total of 9 pages , every couple of pages contain some basic information about the bureau , the general rules , the ranking system,etc. Anyway page 5 and 6 , along with some information on the ranking system , can be summarised into four major points :

1-People challenging Babylon can be divided into 2 categories :

*Climber:is someone who entered Babylon , but still didn't clear the 20 floor trial .

*Ranker :Once a climber pass the trial one the 20 floor , he is assigned a rank and therefore called a ranker:

-Semi-ranker:is someone who cleared the 20 floor trial .

-Low ranker : is someone who cleared the 40 floor trial.

-Mid ranker : is someone who cleared the 70 floor trial.

-High ranker : is someone who cleared the 85 floor trial.

2-Once you challenge Babylon , you citizenship is revoked and you can't gain access to the 51 floor unless you pass the 20 floor test.

3-During the tests on the first 20 floor, a climber have up to three chances after failing the first time . Exhausting the three chances or failing to advance to the 21 floor result in being exiled from Nexus .From the 21 floor and onward , a ranker is allowed to retake a test as long as he's paying a certain fee, the fee double with each failure .

4-The tests on the 20,40,70,and 85 floor are called trials , passing them result into gaining access respectively to Exilis , Middrift , Adlig and Paradise. Rankers can't enter the areas on the 51 floor ( Exilis , Middrift , Adlig ) unless they gain access by passing the trail and give up the right to challenge Babylon any further .Only then, they are provided with a citizenship and can't leave middle area anymore. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unlike the other areas on the 51 floor,the majority of the residents in Adlig weren't interested in Babylon in general .That wasn't always the case , before Hwallyeog, a substance that extend a person lifespan, was created by the ML industries ,Adligish people used to be very active in Babylon ,blaming their ancestors for failing to clear the 100 trials , and losing their chance to gain eternal life.Over the decades , only curiosity remains,although information about Babylon was public knowledge , only those with former rankers in their families or a person interested in history or the outside world ,knew that their power and influence is only applicable inside the middle area.

While some students were shocked by the content of the document , others were enraged it .Arnaz was lost in his thoughts,unlike many other rankers working for the bureau who where sent to the 51 floor , he was a high ranker working directly under Zero ,also known as the strongest guide .Zero words still lingered in his mind " Listen Arnaz , the world is changing, the balance that we kept for a long time is slowly starting to falter "; "The keys that started reappearing 18 years ago , Babylon opening it's doors,i believe it's all connected " ,"We can't have people drank on delusion nor comfort, or something worse than last time will happen."

Arnaz still clearly remember the chaos in Babylon the first time the doors were opened even though it was 400 years ago.He was still a mid ranker back then and lost too many of his clan members , so he believed that people should really know what life look like really out there ,and that this safe land may disappear some day.

"Excuse me, how is it fair that we can't go back to our home if we fail the test?"And how that it make sense to fight for something that we already have?" The student voice echoed across the room , many other students could be seen with smug look on their faces as if they're agreeing with his statement.

"There isn't anything illogical about it , to have it all , you have to give up everything first .Do you think it's unfair that you were born here while others have to fight for it? , or do you think it's fair to go home after failing while other are fighting for their lives? ".The oni eyes focused on the students .

"A test is only a test when you have something to lose , and on the other hand have something as valuable to win . Or did you think that it was some sort of event that you will brag about later to you friends ? You should all wake up , this isn't a game, this is what the real world look like ."Replied Arnaz.

"Sir, it says in the document that to access the 51 floor we have to pass a trail and give up the right to challenge Babylon, what that supposed to mean?" Said another student.

"Past the 20 floor ,on each couple floors exist artificial cities where rankers stay to prepare to take or retake a test , while others just decide to live there, the only difference between them and rankers on the 51 floor , is that those on the 51 floor can't take test or leave the middle area. That is why it's called giving up the right to challenge Babylon."

"I see that there isn't any more questions ." Said Arnaz while scanning the room. "The reason i'm here today is to inform you that for the next 6 mouths , there will be a special camp for those who wish to challenge Babylon, and of course i will be your supervisor .For more information , contact the principal office.That all , thank you for your time ."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well that wasn't a complete waste of time , training with a high ranker is really a rare opportunity , even though i frequently spare with my mom , but she never went all out with me . Anyway it's good to be finally home , i don't understand why my mom forcing me to go to school though considering the fact that i am leaving by the end of the year.

"Mom i'm home"Said Alex while opening the door ."I'm starving i hope you prepare something good to eat."

"Welcome home sweetie." Replied the man siting on the kitchen table , he was a tall weak looking man with long ears and short blonde hair ,wearing a long lab coat with the crest of the moonlight industries.At first glance you wouldn't guess that he was a former ranker and Laura,Alex mother, former teammate.

"Uncle Kelvin!! What the hell are you doing here?"Alex looked surprised by the sudden appearance . Alex knew that Kelvin showed up rarely at their residence , and most the time he did was to take Alex blood samples or take him to his lab to run some tests.It was all under the pretext to better understand how Alex power of creation worked , and since his mother was on board Alex didn't see any reason to refuse,although he found it a little bit strange.

"You're not here for my blood?Are you?".Alex could see Kelvin smiling.

"See, that the reason you're my favorite guinea pig , you always understand what i want ." Kelvin put his hand on Alex right shoulder.

'What the hell is he trying to do? And what was that favorite stuff all about ?Does that mean that he have other living beings that he experiment on in his lab? '

"Don't worry brat , i'm just here to make sure that things are the way they supposed to be."

'What the hell is that supposed to mean ?'

"Wherever, just were are my mother ?."

"She just went to get some fresh air , she will be here soon."Kelvin then reached to his pocket, and took what look like a candy bar ."Here ,why don't have this snack,it's not even in the market yet ."

"Just give me that , who's the guinea pig now ?.Don't you ever wonder why those guys on the 54 floor give you this free samples ?" Alex then started unwrapping the candy bar before taking a bite .

'This stuff is so delicious .Maybe i should ask the bastard to give me more.'

"You're the one eating ,so you tell me ."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours ago , Kelvin parked Delta in front of Laura front yard .Delta is a floating airship the size of a car made by moonlight industries, equipped with a mineral called Schwerelosigkeit , Schweruim for short , that create a zone of zero gravity around the airship making into a flying mechanism .

Laura just like most the citizens of Adlig , lived in a residential district , that have a prevalence of detached single-family homes,most houses differ per design ,but all of them have only 2 floors.

DING-DONG!DING-DONG!DING-DONG!DING-DONG!DING-DONG!

"I'm coming , i'm coming."Said Laura while moving towards the door in a hurry,she was 6 feet tall with dusky skin, blue eyes and black hair .

"I was wondering what kinda jerk is knocking on my door , but it was just you."

"Nice to see you too Laura."

"So what bring you here today ?"

"You know why i'm here , I'm a busy man so why don't we cut right to the chase,when are you going to tell Alex ."

"That's none of your business,don't act like you care about him.You just want to find out what he is."Laura then hold her head and sat on the sofa .

"I'm sorry i didn't mean it,i just don't know what to do anymore ."

"You know that he's already suspicious ,with all the test we run on him and the fact that you didn't try to stop him from entering Babylon,who wouldn't be?"

"I can't do it Kelvin,what if his start hating me for lying to him all this time ?".Laura then put her hands on her face and started crying.

Kelvin sat in front of Laura and hugged her tightly while rubbing the palm of his hand on her hair ,he knew that after losing her husband and her other teammates on the 75 floor , that baby was the only reason for her to live. But now was the time to let go of him, so Kelvin decided to give her one last push.

"You know that he's a smart kid so he will figure it out eventually , and it better to tell him now,than him finding out on his own .I'm sure he will understand , you are a good person and a good mother. So why don't you go out for a while ,organize you thoughts and i will stay here until Alex came back ."