Shinsu

As they arrived on the next floor, they were immediately surrounded by various groups, each comprising participants of the grueling and competitive Tower climb. Miya, one of the regulars, expressed her dissatisfaction with the teleportation experience and introduced herself to the group. Wangnan, however, did not appear to be interested in getting to know her, as he regarded her as temporary to the group.

"I'm Boyd, and this is Wangnan," Boyd said in response to Miya's introduction, as the group began to make their way through the floor.

Miya continued to lead the way, eager to explore their surroundings, while Boyd and Wangnan trailed behind. They soon found themselves in a box-shaped room, where the only exit was through a locked door. All the regulars in the room were perplexed and tried unsuccessfully to open the door.

Boyd, eager to get some insight, asked Miya about her thoughts on the next test.

"I believe that it will likely involve a group battle, but it may also be focused on our strength," Miya replied as she scouted the competition.

Boyd agreed that a group battle was probable, while Wangnan interjected, stating that eliminating the weak was the objective of the Tower climb, and eliminating regulars would achieve that goal.

The group's bickering came to a pause when the door began to open slowly, and every regular in the room peered towards the door with anticipation. However, to their astonishment, no one appeared to emerge.

Suddenly, a voice emanated from the dark room, resounding with a monotonous command, "Enter." Despite its apparent lack of emotion, some of the regulars hesitated to obey, speculating that the test had already begun and that this was some sort of trial of intelligence.

Miya, however, demonstrated a cavalier attitude, entering the room without a second thought. Boyd followed her lead, while Wangnan vacillated before ultimately acquiescing.

With palpable regret, Wangnan muttered, "Why did we have to accept her into the group?" regarding Miya's inclusion.

As they traversed the dark room, the lights illuminated their path with every step, culminating in a grand illumination upon reaching the room's terminus. Standing before them was a man with black hair and blue eyes who scrutinized the trio, assessing their physical prowess. Based on his observations, he inferred that Miya was the strongest, followed by Boyd, then Wangnan.

As the remaining regulars streamed into the room, unperturbed by any perceived danger, the man once again broke his silence and spoke.

Tata Lu, the distinguished test administrator and ranker of the tower, introduced himself to the assembled regulars. The awe-struck regulars watched in admiration, as Tata Lu commanded their attention.

"Before the main test, you regulars are required to take a pretest," stated Tata Lu. "Failure to pass this pretest will result in your failure."

The room erupted into an uproar of complaints from the regulars, but Tata Lu silenced them with a single word: "Silence."

The force of Tata Lu's words weighed heavily on Boyd. He was eager to inquire further, but he didn't want to draw any unwanted attention. He glanced over at Wangnan and Miya and saw the sweat drip down their faces from the pressure.

"This test is fairly simple," announced Tata Lu, extending his hand in front of him. An invisible force knocked all the regulars back.

"This must be shinsu," said Wangnan, as he picked himself up off the ground.

"If you cannot pass this test, it means you lack the talent to climb the tower," declared Tata Lu. Although some of the regulars were offended, none of them dared to speak up.

Boyd was left in awe of Tata Lu's commanding presence, which left a deep impression on him and his fellow regulars.

It had been some time since he had laid eyes upon a being of such immense power, outside of the leader of the Lost Lands. This experience had only fueled his desire to climb the tower and bear witness to any further displays of might.

"Shinsu permeates the tower, playing a vital role in sustaining us by facilitating our breathing and supplying us with water. However, in some circumstances, it can serve as a deadly weapon, capable of easily slaying all present in this room," cautioned Tata.

His final words elicited a shiver in all the regulars, except for Boyd, Miya, and a mysterious boy positioned towards the room's end.

Boyd's curiosity was piqued momentarily, only to be quickly dispelled as Tata resumed his instructions.

"The aim of this test is to assess your ability to withstand a specific concentration of shinsu, an ability that is fundamental to climbing the tower."

A female regular raised her hand in the air, and Tata acknowledged her query. "Do you have a question?"

His steely gaze caused the girl to tremble, yet she managed to regain her composure and inquire, "What occurs if one of our teammates fails to pass?"

"That team will fail," Tata replied, as he swiveled around to occupy his black chair, which matched the color of his attire.

"It seems rather unfair that we should suffer due to the incompetence of one of our teammates," the same girl who had previously spoken expressed.

"I am indifferent to your opinion regarding the matter's fairness. In any event, you are expected to comply with the rules. Without further delay, you may proceed with your attempt to traverse through the shinsu barrier."

After the conclusion of his sentence, the young man who had caught Boyd's attention earlier strode effortlessly through the shinsu barrier. With red eyes, white hair, a black and white shirt, and blue baggy pants, he made an impression on Miya. She recognized the Regular and felt a hint of fear, as she recalled her previous encounter with him. Observing her reaction, Boyd inquired, "Do you know him?"

Miya quickly regained her composure and replied, "No, he just seemed familiar." Boyd sensed that she was being less than truthful, but he didn't want to press the matter.

As the Regulars approached the shinsu barrier, Miya navigated it with ease, while the others struggled to pass through. Noticing Boyd's difficulty, Wangnan offered, "If you don't know how to do this, I can teach you."

Boyd expressed his gratitude, and Wangnan proceeded to demonstrate the technique. Placing his hands on the barrier, Wangnan advised Boyd, "You must exert all of your strength to pass through."

Despite following Wangnan's guidance, Boyd made no progress. In fact, it seemed that Wangnan was injuring himself the more he tried. Finally, Wangnan declared, "I think the barrier might be broken."