Chapter 44 – Side Story: The Weight Behind the Blade

Arc: Interlude – Between Floors

The Temple of Blades had fallen.

And with it, the pressure of Floor 4 dissolved like mist under sunlight.

The platform returned them to the safe zone of the Tower—a pristine marble city on the edge of nowhere, suspended between sky and void. This was the only rest zone climbers were allowed between floors.

No monsters. No time limit. Just one rule:

You only get one month.

After that, the next floor calls, or the Tower strips you of your soul weapon forever.

Ankit stood at the edge of the floating city, watching wisps of energy rise from the cracks in the stone. Each step forward now was into history.

But for the first time in a long while—

There was no need to rush.

📍 Safe Zone: Sanctuary of the Skyborn

Marble towers pierced the air like ivory spears. The sun here never set, and neither did the tension.

Even in rest, everyone trained.

Blackhunt had secured private quarters in the eastern district, under a garden of memory trees whose petals fell in slow motion. After the Temple, the team had earned two things: respect, and fear.

They were no longer just new blood.

They were the guild that felled the Last Wielder.

But that fame came with weight.

🌒 Late Night – Ankit's Balcony

Ankit sat shirtless, bandaged, both swords resting beside him like sleeping wolves. His arms were bruised. His fingers twitched from phantom blows.

He hadn't spoken much in three days.

Just trained. Meditated. Listened.

Toni approached, carrying a flask of herbal drink.

"You're not still replaying the Wielder fight, are you?" he asked.

Ankit didn't respond right away.

Then: "He didn't want to win."

Toni frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He was testing if we were ready," Ankit said. "And when we passed… he let himself fall."

Toni sat beside him.

"Maybe. But that's not your burden. You didn't kill him. You proved you're worthy to replace him."

Ankit exhaled.

"That's the part that scares me."

🔹 Flashback: One Week Earlier – Guild Medical Quarters

Asha winced as the healer wrapped her arm.

Raunak stood beside her, arms folded, his usually sarcastic grin gone.

"Thought you were invincible," he muttered.

Asha smiled weakly. "Turns out illusions don't block pain."

Riya sat in the corner, cleaning her frost-gloves, watching them all. She hadn't spoken much since the Temple.

Kaido walked in, holding the first physical copy of the new bounty report.

"Guess what?" he said. "We've been tagged."

Riya raised an eyebrow. "Tagged?"

He dropped the scroll on the table.

📜 [Guild Alert – Faction Watchlist]

Name: Blackhunt

Status: Rising Power

Watch Level: Red

Known Climbers: Ankit Kumar, Toni, Asha, Kaido, Vikram, Riya, Raunak, Sana, Raghav

Estimated Power Tier: High-Rank C – Ascending

Recommended Caution: Immediate

Raunak chuckled. "Look, Ma. I'm famous."

But none of them missed the unspoken truth:

They were being watched now.

Not just by factions.

But by rivals. And worse—by those who feared what Blackhunt could become.

🥋 Side Story: The Girl from Floor One

That afternoon, as others rested, Ankit wandered into the Sanctuary's public garden, where lower-level climbers often mingled.

There, he saw her.

A girl with short-cut hair and a spear almost too big for her body.

She was sparring with two dummies and… losing.

He watched for a moment.

She fell, groaned, and stood again.

And again.

And again.

After a while, he approached.

"You're holding the spear wrong," he said softly.

She spun, startled. "I—I wasn't—!"

He smiled. "I didn't say stop. Just adjust."

He stepped forward and guided her grip.

She blinked. "Wait… are you—Ankit? The one who—?"

"I'm just another climber," he said. "And you?"

She hesitated. "Dia. I cleared Floor One last week."

He nodded. "You climb alone?"

"My guildmates… didn't make it."

Silence.

He handed her a water flask.

"Train smarter," he said. "Not just harder."

She nodded. And for the first time, smiled.

—

Later, as he walked back, Toni met him.

"You recruiting again?"

Ankit shrugged. "Just reminding myself why we started."

📜 Character Card Update – Dia (Future Companion?)

Name: Dia

Age: 14

Soul Weapon: Ironspike Spear (Grade: Normal)

Status: Survivor

Emotional Bond: Neutral – Growing

Potential: Medium–High

Hidden Trait: ???

Fate Path: May intertwine with Blackhunt

—

🐉 Side Glimpse – Far Away in the Tower

On the 8th Floor of the Tower, a man with violet tattoos sat in the middle of a beast's ribcage, meditating.

He opened his eyes as a report floated to him.

📜 [Report – Blackhunt has cleared Temple of Blades]

Participants: 9

Survivors: 9

Soul Weapon Evolution: Triggered

Title: He Who Bears the Flame

The man grinned.

"So… it begins."

He rose, grabbing a twin-headed halberd that bled red mist.

"Time to prepare a welcome for the next floor."

—

💭 Ending Reflections

Night fell.

Riya practiced new aura flow beneath a waterfall.

Vikram crafted specialized bombs using temple shards.

Asha painted flames onto her illusion mask.

Sana nursed her staff under moonlight.

Raunak made jokes with locals, as always.

Toni sat at the guild table, adjusting plans for Floor 5.

Kaido scouted incoming climbers quietly.

And Ankit… just listened.

To the silence.

To the heartbeats of a guild that had once been a dream.

Now a storm.

—