Chapter 54 – The Price of Rest

The transition back to Earth wasn't gentle.

One moment, the members of Blackhunt stood beneath the fractured skies of Floor 6, victorious. The next, they were engulfed in a burst of soullight—and thrown violently back into gravity, sound, and the weight of their mortal world.

They landed one by one, sprawled across a private return terminal in the Delhi Convergence Sector—a heavily guarded platform constructed after the Tower appeared to manage returnees and prevent unauthorized re-entry.

"...Ow," Kaido muttered, face down on polished stone. "Okay, I vote for smoother landings next time."

Riya groaned from nearby. "Did we just get punched by reality?"

Toni sat cross-legged, calm despite the chaos. "The Tower doesn't care about comfort. Only purpose."

Ankit stood up slowly, his eyes already scanning the surroundings. His heartbeat was still slowing down from the intensity of Floor 6. He could still feel the echo of Vijra's final strike.

We fought ourselves and won.

But they all knew this one-month break wasn't just for healing.

It was for building what came next.

The Blackhunt Headquarters – South District, New Delhi

Set up in the outer ring of the awakened zone, Blackhunt HQ was still under construction. Giant scaffolds wrapped the half-built walls, mana channels crackled through unfinished towers, and earthmancers shaped walls with bare hands.

But there was one complete structure: a sleek black hall with the Blackhunt crest—a burning claw wrapped in a crescent moon—etched into its doors.

As they walked in, a dozen newly recruited trainees snapped to attention.

"Guildmaster! Vice Guildmaster!"

Ankit gave them a small nod while Toni returned the salute with a measured bow.

Raunak grinned. "Feels weird being saluted."

"You'll get used to it," Toni said without turning.

Inside, the council room buzzed with activity. Maps of Earth and known Tower Floors were laid out across enchanted tables. Scrolls hovered mid-air, showing guild progression, supplies, and watchlists of potential recruits and rival guilds.

Asha stepped forward. "While we were gone, Earth's changed again."

She waved her hand, activating the central projection table.

Earth's New Tension

⚔️ A mid-tier guild in Europe, Lionblood Fangs, collapsed after their leader died on Floor 5.

💣 Multiple Tower returnees clashed with military forces in Brazil. Casualties: 200+.

🧬 A new Awakened Bloodline Clan, "Nagas of Varanasi," has surfaced. Their leader claims to be blessed by an ancient deity.

🏴‍☠️ A mysterious group known only as Ashveil is stealing soul weapons from returnees.

Toni frowned. "This is escalating. Earth isn't just reacting to the Tower… it's becoming an extension of it."

Ankit crossed his arms. "What about Ravencrest?"

Asha hesitated. "They haven't made a move. But they're still climbing. Last known floor—Eight."

Everyone fell silent.

Ravencrest wasn't just a rival guild. It was a ticking bomb.

The One-Month Plan

Toni addressed the team that night.

"We have 29 days. After that, we return to the Tower. Until then—rest, recruit, train, and prepare for Floor 7. I'm assigning missions based on specialization."

Assignments:

🧊 Riya & Kaido: Defense Squad Training & Soul Pressure Control.

🛡️ Raghav & Vikram: Combat Drills & Weapon Synchronization.

🧠 Toni: Strategy Archive Management & External Intelligence.

🧪 Asha & Sana: Healing Camp Outreach & Resource Optimization.

🕶️ Raunak: Shadow Recon and information extraction on Ashveil.

🔥 Ankit: Final evaluation and recruitment interviews for new elite candidates.

"Each of you will take one day off per week," Toni added. "Don't break your mind. We need it."

A Visit to Home

On the 4th day, Ankit finally returned to his village in Haryana.

The old fields hadn't changed, though a few were now cultivated using mana-soil. Windmills hummed with energy. The small, clay-walled house that once seemed insignificant now felt... eternal.

His childhood friend, Bhavya, met him at the entrance.

She hadn't awakened. Just an ordinary human. But she had eyes that missed nothing.

"You look taller," she said, grinning.

"I've seen things," he replied.

They sat together on the rooftop, watching the stars.

"I thought the Tower would make you forget us," she said softly.

"I thought so too," he admitted. "But it didn't. It just... reminded me how much I want to protect this."

There was a long silence between them. Not awkward—just full of weight.

"I'm going back in 25 days."

"I know."

He paused, then whispered, "I'm afraid. Not of dying… but of not returning."

Bhavya reached out and took his hand.

"Then come back stronger. And remember—no one climbs alone."

Meanwhile – Toni's Surveillance Discovery

Back at HQ, Toni studied the latest pattern shifts in Earth's awakened activity. His map lit up with red signals. One caught his attention—a repeated soul flare in a supposedly inactive ruin in Ladakh.

He enhanced the data.

Bloodline surge... but no system record?

"Ankit," he called via soul comm, "we may have found a rogue climber who's suppressing their presence. I want to investigate."

"Go," Ankit answered. "Take Asha and Raghav. No one else."

"Copy."

Day 10 – New Recruit Candidate: Aran Mehta

Ankit sat across from a tall young man, his eyes glowing with a faint blue hue. His soul weapon was a twin-spike glaive, and his profile showed his training was self-taught—but his skill mastery was unnaturally high.

"You climbed to Floor 3 solo?" Ankit asked.

Aran nodded. "I didn't trust anyone."

"Why Blackhunt?"

"Because trust needs to start somewhere."

Ankit studied him.

He saw hesitation. Pain. But also potential.

"Training starts tomorrow."

Day 15 – Guild Family Moment

That night, the entire core team sat around a bonfire behind the HQ.

Not as climbers.

Not as legends.

Just as people.

Kaido was roasting spicy meat, arguing with Vikram over seasoning. Asha laughed quietly at one of Riya's sarcastic comments. Raunak sat alone, polishing his daggers, but with a relaxed smile.

Ankit stared into the flames, letting the warmth soak into his bones.

Toni sat beside him.

"Still afraid?"

"Every day," Ankit admitted. "But now… I'm not alone."

Closing System Prompt

[Tower Entry Countdown: 14 Days Remaining]

[All current members of Blackhunt are eligible for synchronized transfer to Floor 7.]

[Warning: Difficulty curve increasing. Death rate for this floor among synchronized groups is 38%.]

[Recommendation: Strengthen team synergy.]

Ankit closed the notification.

He stood.

"Everyone," he called, "from tomorrow—joint drills. We fight together. We rise together."