Catching his breath once more, Seran rose from the ground. After straightening his uniform, he turned his attention to Lud, who was watching him with interest.
"From what I've observed, you have solid fundamentals, a clear lack of experience, and a certain repressed anger. At the moment, you would have no issue dealing with a Tier 0 Evox—an expected result for an IHE graduate. As for a Tier 1, your greatest weakness right now is your mind. You rush your attacks, driven by instinct rather than planning, as if you were almost trying to get yourself hit," Lud analyzed.
Seran lowered his head, fully aware of what had just been demonstrated, almost overcome with a sense of shame.
"I don't know what happened to you or what brought you here, but I assure you this world can be far crueler than you imagine. Remember your objective—the drive that led you to become a Tower—but do not lose yourself in your emotions. Learn to control them."
Lifting his head again, taking a breath, Seran said:
"Thank you for your evaluation. I will make use of your judgment."
Nodding in approval at the boy's spirit, Lud replied:
"Good. Thirty minutes to analyze this first exchange. The next thirty, I will change combat style, attempting to imitate the fury and rage of an Evox. This will continue until 14:00 for lunch."
And so, the next six hours passed.
At first, Seran kept repeating the same mistakes: direct attacks, predictable rhythm, no reading of his opponent. Each time, he was effortlessly stopped by Lud.
But as time passed, something changed. His movements became more cautious, less instinctive. He no longer chased Lud—he tried to read him.
His strikes were still imperfect, but no longer desperate.
When Lud changed his style, simulating the fury of an Evox, Seran was overwhelmed multiple times, yet he began to withstand longer exchanges, seeing for the first time small openings.
By the end of the six hours, he was exhausted—but his gaze was different from before.
After a quick shower to wash off the dirt and tension accumulated during training, Seran continued thinking about Lud's teachings, while stumbling into his cabin and trying to dress himself with a spare uniform from the provided locker.
Heading toward the cafeteria following Lud's instructions, he arrived at the entrance—where his instructor was already waiting.
"14:13. You are late," Lud said, tapping his right foot nervously against the ground.
Looking at his wristwatch, Seran realized it was set twenty minutes behind.
"Damn me and my watch for making me late," thought the hopeless young man.
"Let's go."
Standing in line to receive his ration, Seran noticed many of the other candidates accompanied by their guides.
Some looked exhausted, others indifferent, others laughing with their supervisors.
After sitting at an empty table with their trays, the two began eating in silence.
The meal consisted of balanced portions of rice, meat, and vegetables: food designed to restore energy without weighing down the body. Over the years, even nutrition had evolved—becoming more efficient and richer at the same time.
The presence of Mana within living organisms had slowly altered the entire ecosystem: plants and animals had adapted, developing higher nutritional properties and overall improved quality compared to the past.
The silence between them was broken when Lud spoke:
"Good. Now that we've eaten, we will go to the study room near the gym. There, we will analyze hunting terrain, fauna, and tactical approaches. Any questions?"
"Yes," Seran said.
Lud nodded, signaling him to continue.
"Earlier in the gym, you said you are a stalled F1. What did you mean by that, if I may ask?"
The expert slightly widened his eyes.
"It means I no longer have the possibility of advancing to a higher Floor," he replied briefly.
"Why?"
The man's gaze stiffened, as if unwilling to speak about it. But due to the contract signed with the Armed Forces—which legally required him to provide all explanations a candidate might need in preparation for the Tower System—he eventually yielded.
"In the first three Floors, the changes we undergo due to Mana alter our biology. These three phases are known as the Tempering Period. Just like metal tempering—if temperature and applied force are not controlled, the result becomes unstable—our evolution follows the same principle. In our case, 'temperature' is the Mana absorbed, and 'force' is the time spent within a Floor."
Taking a breath, he continued:
"A Floor 1 can remain as such for three years before entering stagnation. A Floor 2, five years. A Floor 3, ten years."
Seran was astonished by this new information. It meant his plan had to be revised—time was no longer an indefinite variable, but a precise one.
"I hope I was clear. Now, let's go."
Both of them stood up calmly from the table and headed toward their preparation session.