Chapter 50 – A World at Pause

The world reformed around them in a sudden hush of wind and light. Tower space gave way to gravity, to scent, to breath. The moment Blackhunt stepped through the return gate, their feet landed on Earth again—Haryana soil, cracked by heat and time, beneath a sky bluer than they remembered.

But something about this time… was different.

For the first time since Ankit's awakening, the world felt small.

The Tower had carved weight into their bones. Scars into their hearts. And though they were alive, not all of them had returned whole.

They were quiet as they walked across the training compound built near Ankit's childhood village—now the registered territory of Guild Blackhunt.

Small watchtowers. A central command tent. A provisional guild building still under construction. And scattered across the field were the new initiates—sparring, training, resting, dreaming.

Raunak looked around and whistled. "We've been gone barely a month in Tower time, but back here, almost five weeks passed."

Vikram scratched his head. "I don't like that math."

Kaido chuckled. "Doesn't matter. We're back, and the sun smells like victory."

Riya muttered, "That's sweat. You need a bath."

Sana glanced toward the medic camp. "A lot of new faces. Most of them seem C-rankers. Some low B. They're eager."

Toni was already scanning the recruitment board. "Seven new applicants. Four unaffiliated climbers. Two small guild dropouts. And one… Tower-born?"

That caught everyone's attention.

"Wait," Asha said. "A Tower-born climbed down to Earth?"

Toni nodded. "Yeah. Name listed as Azerin. From Floor 3's Echo Cluster. Applied for Blackhunt two days ago. Left no message. Just coordinates."

Ankit looked over the entry log.

His eyes narrowed.

"We'll meet him. But later."

He looked at the rest of them. "We've got one month. Use it well."

The next few days passed with an odd mix of tension and warmth.

Kaido taught sparring classes with some of the recruits. Raghav set up a proper training course. Raunak ran mana control drills with high enthusiasm and low effectiveness.

Toni buried himself in optimizing their supply chains and revising climbing strategies for Floor 6.

Asha walked often with Riya, discussing team formations and illusionary stealth tactics. Riya didn't say much. But she didn't leave either.

Sana opened a healing shelter for wandering climbers. Every morning, she whispered Tower prayers for the ones they lost—even if no one else remembered their names.

Ankit spent his time alone more than usual.

His body still ached from the Remnant Duel. Vijra—his now evolved soul weapon—remained sealed in partial dormancy, adapting.

But his thoughts weren't on himself.

He was watching the new generation.

He watched as one boy clashed wooden swords with his older sister. A girl balanced three stones in one hand while reading a spellbook in the other. Two more sat in the dirt, arguing over what beast was the hardest to kill.

Ankit sat beneath a neem tree, leaning back.

This world was still flawed.

Still broken.

But the Tower had given him a chance to fix at least a part of it.

—

On the seventh day of return, he met Azerin.

The man waited exactly where he said he would—at the base of a hill south of the compound. Tall, ash-grey skin, eyes like still water. No visible weapon.

When Ankit approached, he bowed slightly.

"You're him," Azerin said.

"Who told you that?" Ankit asked.

"The Tower."

They stood in silence.

Then Azerin held out a folded banner made of rune-threaded cloth. A sigil glimmered faintly on it.

"From Floor 3. The Echo Cluster remembers what you did."

Ankit took the cloth.

Azerin continued. "They said… if you lead, the war will come slower."

Ankit studied him. "You want to join Blackhunt?"

"I want to help you climb faster."

Ankit didn't nod. He just turned around and said, "Keep up then."

Azerin followed without a word.

—

By the tenth day, the full guild was back in rhythm.

Their current lineup:

Ankit Kumar (Guildmaster, Soul Weapon: Vijra – Talwar Hybrid)

Toni (Vice Master, Soul Weapon: Vijaya Bow)

Kaido (Frontliner, Gravity Gauntlets)

Riya (Tactician/Support, Cryo Veil Gloves)

Asha (Illusionist, Ember Mirror Shard)

Raunak (Rune Bomber, Sigil Plates)

Sana (Healer, Soul Channeling Staff)

Raghav (Defender, Iron Fang Spear)

Vikram (Shadow Flanker, Void Bombs)

Azerin (Unknown, rumored Memory User)

The base had expanded. Training halls were finished. Communication glyphs installed.

And then—

On the fifteenth day, the sky cracked.

The Tower's summons came.

A ripple of blue light, seen across continents.

The world paused.

Climbers everywhere froze mid-step. Notifications flashed in every mind.

[Tower Summon Initiated – Floor 6]

Climb Window: 72 Hours

Delay Beyond Timer Will Revoke Soul Weapon Synchronization

Current Participant Cap: 1,000

Gate Activation: By Soulmark Only

Blackhunt gathered at sunset.

Ankit stood before them, hands behind his back.

"No long speech," he said. "You know what we are. You know what we're not."

They nodded.

"We climb not to rule. Not to boast. Not to survive."

He looked to each of them.

"We climb because if we don't… someone worse will."

He turned toward the glowing gate.

"Suit up. Thirty-six hours. Then we ascend."

—

Back inside his quarters that night, Ankit received a private message from the system.

It wasn't text.

It was a memory.

One not his.

A boy—barefoot, sobbing, staring at a city crumbling behind him.

And a voice: "Come higher. You haven't seen the real war yet."

The message ended.

Ankit clenched his fist around the cloth Azerin had given him.

"Let's see what Floor 6 has for us," he whispered.