Both John and Jin followed Oliver.
Jin felt like an idiot. He felt like he had gotten caught, like a child would after sneaking past their parents to play with friends. The only difference was that Jin wasn't a child, and neither was Allen his friend.
Then came the problem about his sudden improvement in martial arts. Unlike Jin, whose entire childhood was filled with blood and steel, Lian's childhood was relatively softer. He preferred books over spears, and discipline over dominance.
The only reason he wanted to become a challenger was so that he could support the household as Oliver did. Glimpses of his past mostly showed him either studying to become a doctor or simply sitting in Oliver's clinic, watching him closely as he tended to his patients.
Despite losing his parents and only brother, Lian had finally found a family he could call his own. He didn't want to lose that, too.
Unfortunately, the tower wasn't as forgiving as reality was. He died in the first trial and took Han with him to the grave.
'When did he even arrive? As far as Lian knows, no one in his family was supposed to be in this district.'
He leaned in John's direction and whispered, "How much does he know?"
John shrugged.
"I doubt he saw the fight himself. He must have heard your name when the host announced it, probably."
Jin sighed deeply.
'Perhaps he hasn't seen the fight and only thinks I got beaten up.'
For Jin, having Oliver think Jin was used as a training puppet was much better than having to explain the sudden change in his behaviour after returning from the tower.
Noticing that Oliver had stopped, they stopped as well. They had left the entertainment district behind them and were now entering the residential district.
Turning to John, he spoke roughly.
"You should return too. Your sister must be looking for you by now."
John looked as if he was disappointed in himself. It was clear that Oliver's words affected him as well.
Nodding subtly, he turned around and entered a dark alley. Jin didn't know where he lived, but he knew it wasn't a desirable place, at least.
The two began walking back home. The silence was unbearable, sharper than Allen's blows and heavier than the mutant ape's arms. He was starting to understand why he had gone to the entertainment district.
'Wanting to test this body was just an excuse; I just wanted to escape. How deplorable. As if possessing the Lian wasn't enough.'
Having to face Lian's family was a choice he had made himself. But running away from that responsibility so that he could find some respite in the heat of a battle—it made him disappointed in himself.
It made him think of Seo, who, unlike him, was great at handling people. But Seo wasn't here anymore.
'Should I say something? Should I apologize? No, Lian is old enough to make his own decisions. Does he even know about Han?'
By the time he could think of something to say, they had reached back home. Only now did he notice how strange their house was. Every other establishment around them had been destroyed decades ago, tall residential facilities now taking their place. Yet, their house was still standing.
It was the only thing that signified Lian's existence.
Jin knew that it must have something to do with Oliver, since he was the actual owner of the house. Unlike all the kids and adults in the house, he was the blood-related grandson of their grandmother. None of them felt like they were orphans, though.
The lamps inside were turned off, and the entire family seemed to be asleep. It was only natural, since it was almost midnight.
Oliver didn't look at him. Instead, his gaze was fixed on their house.
"Han's death wasn't your fault. He went inside the tower of his own accord, keeping himself alive was also his own responsibility."
His tone was grim, his voice wavering.
"Getting into meaningless fights due to the guilt will only make things worse. I doubt Han would want that."
He turned to Jin.
"I won't tell you whether you should keep climbing the tower or not. It's your life, you can do whatever you want with it. Just remember that from here on out, the price the tower demands will only rise higher."
It seemed as if he wanted to say something further. But he simply walked to the door and went inside.
Jin clenched his jaw.
It was clear that Oliver would have scolded Lian under normal circumstances. But somewhere in his heart, he felt like it was his fault that Han had entered the tower. After all, he knew how much the two looked up to him.
He knew that Oliver's pain must have stung much more than Jin's discomfort.
'A bigger price, huh?'
When he came to know about the tower, he thought it was too good to be true—he was right. In every trial presented by a floor, one would have to wager one's life. No one was capable of knowing what kind of trial they would have to face and how many sacrifices they would have to make.
Even if the tower rewarded the challengers accordingly, some things couldn't be replaced.
But that wasn't enough to stop Jin. He had sacrificed far more in his past and suffered countless adversities to be shaken by the tower's demands.
To get his body back, the fastest and surest way was to climb the tower. With each floor, he would slowly regain his powers. Perhaps not regain his own powers, but he would be able to reach a fraction of his prowess.
That much was enough for him to create a connection once again between his soul and his consciousness. He had set out to become a god, and he wasn't going to stop until he became one, even if it meant climbing the ladder of ascension once again.
He looked at the tower, its end hidden behind the clouds.
"I'm sorry, Oliver. I'll climb the tower… No, I'll reach its top. Because if I deny my own purpose, what will remain of me? I'm afraid that if I don't do this, I'll lose myself once again."
With a resolute gaze, he returned inside the house.