Light swallowed them.
Then—
Darkness.
Cold stone pressed beneath their feet.
Ash blinked slowly.
The teleportation glow faded.
They stood inside a dim chamber.
Wide.
Silent.
Empty.
Ash's eyes narrowed.
"…This place…"
A short pause.
"…It feels familiar."
Not identical.
But similar.
Stone walls.
High ceiling.
Dim lighting.
Just like the chamber from the First Floor.
Nyro frowned.
"…Where are we?"
Korin shifted nervously.
"…This doesn't look like a normal floor…"
Ash spoke.
Quiet.
Focused.
"…Dig."
"…Where are we?"
The guide answered instantly.
…This is Floor Ten.
Silence fell.
Nyro blinked.
"…What?"
Dig repeated calmly.
…This is Floor Ten.
A short pause.
…However…
…this floor is not like the others.
Ravok narrowed his eyes.
"…What do you mean?"
Dig continued.
…Every ten floors…
…functions differently.
…These are known as Inquiry Floors.
Nyro frowned.
"…Inquiry…?"
…Yes.
A short pause.
…On this floor…
…you will not face trials.
…You will not fight.
Ash crossed his arms.
"…Then what do we do here?"
Dig answered calmly.
…You will be granted two questions.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Korin blinked.
"…T-Two questions?"
…Yes.
…Two questions to ask the Ruler.
The air suddenly shifted.
Cold.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Then—
Light fractured the darkness.
A figure appeared.
Tall.
Faceless.
Radiating authority.
The moment they saw him—
Memories surged.
The chamber.
The lightning.
The execution.
Fear gripped their chests.
Then—
The Ruler spoke.
"Greetings… participants."
Silence swallowed the room.
"You now have…"
A short pause.
"…two questions."
The Ruler's voice echoed calmly.
"Every question directed toward me…"
A short pause.
"…even if unintended…"
"…will be counted."
Silence filled the chamber.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
"You may ask anything you wish."
"…I will answer truthfully."
"…And if I feel it necessary…"
"…I may provide additional explanation."
"…But only if I choose to."
Silence followed.
Then—
"Understood?"
No one spoke.
The Ruler repeated—
"Understood?"
Ash stepped forward.
"…Yes."
The Ruler fell silent.
Waiting.
Ash turned toward his team.
"…Does anyone have a question?"
Ravok shook his head.
"…No."
Nyro crossed his arms.
"…Not really."
Korin shifted nervously.
"…N-No…"
Ravok looked at Ash.
"…We'll leave it to you."
Silence followed.
Ash turned back toward the Ruler.
Thinking.
Analyzing.
Then—
He spoke.
Slow.
Careful.
"…This world…"
A short pause.
"…feels like a video game."
The Ruler remained silent.
Watching.
"…We unlock abilities…"
"…We have guides…"
"…We see maps inside our vision…"
Ash narrowed his eyes.
"…Everything about this place…"
"…feels artificial."
A long pause.
Then—
Ash spoke again.
Clear.
Direct.
"…Are we inside a simulation…"
"…or is this reality?"
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Unforgiving.
The Ruler answered immediately.
"…This is reality."
The words struck harder than expected.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Just truth.
Ash inhaled slowly.
Processing.
Then—
He spoke again.
"…Then this is my second question."
A short pause.
"…On the first floor…"
"…you said we were deemed insignificant…"
"…in an overpopulated world."
Ash narrowed his eyes.
Thinking.
Calculating.
"…But in an overpopulated world…"
"…ninety-nine percent of people would be insignificant."
Silence deepened.
"…Which means…"
"…you must be hiding something."
Ash stared directly at the Ruler.
Unflinching.
"…What is it?"
Silence.
Longer this time.
Much longer.
For the first time—
The Ruler did not answer immediately.
Then—
"…You are the first participant…"
A pause.
"…to recognize that inconsistency."
Nyro blinked.
Korin stiffened.
Even Ravok's expression shifted slightly.
The Ruler continued.
"…You are correct."
"…Insignificance alone…"
"…was never the true requirement."
A short pause followed.
Then—
"…Participants were selected based on additional criteria."
Ash's voice remained steady.
"…What criteria?"
The Ruler answered calmly.
Cold.
Precise.
"…Criminal history."
"…Severe social isolation."
"…Emotional neglect."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Then—
"…Individuals abandoned by society."
"…Individuals rejected by those around them."
"…Individuals who lived without meaningful connection."
Nyro frowned.
Korin lowered his gaze.
Ash didn't move.
Didn't react.
The Ruler continued.
"…Those without support."
"…Without recognition."
"…Without purpose."
A pause.
Then—
The Ruler spoke again.
"…Individuals who, if they disappeared…"
"…would leave no noticeable void behind."
Silence pressed against them.
Suffocating.
Then—
The Ruler spoke once more.
"…You know what…"
A short pause.
"…I will grant you something extra."
Silence filled the chamber.
"…Because I find you… interesting."
Ash didn't move.
Didn't blink.
Then—
"…Participant Ravok."
"…Participant Nyro."
"…Participant Korin."
A pause.
"…All three were classified as criminals."
Silence deepened.
Then—
"…But you…"
A longer pause.
"…Participant Ash…"
The air felt heavier.
"…You were abandoned by your parents…"
"…Left alone on a bridge…"
"…As a newborn."
Silence fell.
Crushing.
Unavoidable.
"…The woman who found you…"
"…ended her life when you were four years old."
"…since that moment you were alone."
A short pause.
Then—
"…No one ever protected you."
"…No one ever loved you."
"…No one ever truly cared about you."
The Ruler's voice remained calm.
Unchanged.
Unfeeling.
"…That…"
A pause.
"…is why you became a participant."
Silence swallowed the room.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Unforgiving.
Ash didn't speak.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Only the echo of those words remained.
Lingering.
Like a wound that had just been opened.
© 2025 Moku. All rights reserved. The Tower of the Animal Kingdom is an original work by Moku. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.