Compared to the openness of the top of the tower, the room HyunJin got was suffocatingly small. The only things in it were a tableau and a table with a plain metal watch nearby. In the high corner of the room there was a radio rupor, but when she expectantly looked at it, it kept silent.

HyunJin walked up to the table and put the bracelet on, a hidden door immediately opening. 

She stared at the tableau for a bit longer than needed. The tablet with instructions had the name of the route completely scratched out and a new one written above in a neat handwriting.

“You are on an a-maze-ing Path. Get to the base of the Tower.”

A corner of threatened to tick upward as she pushed it down and decidedly turned around, walking through a doorway and into a hall.

Despite never being in a maze before, HyunJin had little doubt that she would be good at them - back home she used her sense of smell and direction almost daily. 

She got this!

---

What a suspiciously nice labyrinth to start off with for such a dangerous exam, mused HyunJin.

A bit claustrophobic, sure, to the point that she had to move on her stomach at places. Not even enough space to go on all fourths, yes. 

For some reason, it was also three-dimensional, where climbs upward were not supplied with ledgers, forcing her to climb by pushing against the opposite wall.

Aside from being tight, this maze had a rather confusing layout, angles not being straight in some places, making internal mapping more difficult. She had to backtrack and turn so many times, she gave up counting. 

HyunJin half-expected this to be a claustrophobic experience because of that, but no. Maybe if she was a muscular man it would’ve been a different story, but she was of mediocre height and built. Bit more athletic than an average woman, but nothing out of the ordinary.
There was a grumble in the tunnels a couple times and HyunJin froze each time, listening carefully for any signs of danger. However, nothing came at her. 

The simplicity and absence of threats made this obstacle an okay one in her books, even if it took her a while to find the exit. Even longer before she realised - in another maze entirely - that the rumble was from shifting walls.

It would not be the last time she went through one of those, too.

At least there were no traps.

---

A whistle past her ear.

She found traps.

Ducking, she dashed forward, avoiding the needles. While she was good in signs and traps in nature, HyunJin sorrowfully found out that man-made ones were a major trouble for her. Like a whole new language.

The winding path was riddled with them. She previously triggered another darts one and several dropping stones ones and one massive rolling boulder. Good thing, she was triggering them less. Bad thing, she was triggering them at all. 

---

It was a maze, she supposed, a different one but still a maze. Again!

Who would’ve thought. 

HyunJin was betting that after three mazes in a row there would be something else. But no.

Whoever wrote the improved title of this path clearly went down here before.

This time it was an underwater maze. She crouched on the entrance porch, staring down the tunnel. HyunJin could see dim light from intersecting tunnels two meters lower.

She obviously knew how to swim, but her experiences were limited by rivers and a lake, neither of which were all that deep. She also knew how to jump down the waterfall, but it was neither here nor there.

HyunJin hummed as she took off her shoes, tying them outside of her backpack. Would there be air pockets further down? She was quite good at holding her breath, but how big was this specific obstacle?

At least tunnels were wide enough to swim and turn around freely, it seemed. 

Taking a deep breath, HyunJin stepped forward.

What if there were artificial currents? Would they do something like that?

---

In a semi-spacious bathroom HyunJin was drying herself to the best of her abilities, nearly tearing her outer t-shirt above the sink as she wrung it. Several strands of badly coddled hair fell back in her eyes and she flicked her head, throwing offending tangles back.

She threw her clothes on a warm pipe that ran across the wall. It was arbitrary, really. There was no chance of it drying up fully, but the feeling of wet oversized clothes clinging to her skin was unwelcomed in the chill air of the Tower.

Inspection of the backpack was a positive one - none of the sealed bags got water leaked in them and nothing broke from all the throwing around. Her first-aid medkit and phone were both intact. 

Watch on her wrist blinked, going below the sixty-hour mark. HyunJin had been going through the obstacles at a steady pace for the past twelve hours. Unfortunately, there was no indicator as to how much there was left until the finish line. 

HyunJin yawned. She didn't feel comfortable taking a nap at the moment, but she also passed only two other bathrooms up until now. HyunJin glared at her clothes through the strand of hair she was working through with her fingers. Good thing she took spare hair ties. Previous ones were lost forever. 

If she took a break, her shirt and shoes would have time to dry off, too.

Should she, shouldn’t she?

There also was no way of knowing how far she got by this point. Who even builds tower this tall? And why? A prison surely didn't need to be so big. HyunJin was genuinely curious what the architect was thinking, both on size and the content of the structure.

Actually, this probably was a group project. This tower qualified for a skyscraper in its height and then some more.

HyunJin threw untangled hair back and glanced at the watch. Fifty-nine hours, fifty-four minutes left. With a closed-mouth yawn, she pulled her bare feet closer, laying her head on the knees.

Mazes, that were the majority of the rooms on her way, were usually harmless. Or at least not intentionally hostile. Unlike rooms in-between them.

Earlier, HyunJin half-expected that her whole path would be just mazes, but other types of rooms started to pop up here and there.

The one with razor-sharp blades that jumped out from the walls on approach. The one with the falling floor. That one hall with a suspicious, barely-noticeable smell, which was likely the reason for a strong wave of nausea a couple rooms later.

The danger meter was slowly ramping up.

Fifty-nine fifty-one.

Four hours she could spare.

---

HyunJin slowly walked the tightrope high above someone else’s challenge room. Her section wasn’t illuminated, and the rope was easily seen in contrast with the lit floor far below. It was unlikely anyone would notice her even if somebody walked in there.

HyunJin was thankful to her previous self that decided to take a nap. Even with her inborn balance, it felt safer, especially with her nerves flaring up at this specific obstacle. Somewhere halfway done, HyunJin couldn't help but ponder how she would fare even if she were to fall. 

Would she just rise up in a couple hours, just like the last time?

It was a pointless thought. Even if she was lucky like that again, HyunJin couldn’t afford to waste a couple hours on that. Atop of the tower she already thought of jumping down - the quickest route down for sure. 

Maybe if HyunJin had any guarantees… There were none, but just imagining clearing this phase in one step was both tempting and nerve-wrecking. How much longer would a fall from so high up feel, HyunJin mused. The last time those seconds were terrifying, but also too short to really experience anything.

She stepped on the ledge on the other side.

---

This had to be the biggest crossroads room she encountered - nearly twenty doors leading from it. The hall to it was long and had several broken angles jabbed into it. The doors were placed at irregular intervals, but she didn't count those.

Other than an unusual amount of doors, there was a large tableau and rows of various weapons on the walls. In particular, several pairs of shackles on the wall near the main entrance caught her eye.

HyunJin came closer to the tableau. 

“In groups of two make a choice - either both applicants continue together or one has to be left behind. The path for two is thrice longer than the path for one. The person left behind is immediately disqualified.”

Frustrated groan left her lips as she dropped her backpack at a wall, sitting. It seemed HyunJin had to wait. God, she hoped the other person was coming here soon. 

Or coming, period.

…What a funny-shaped axe, how would one even hold it? Oh, it's lighter than expected, but not by much. And those nunchaku... HyunJin always wanted to try one of those out…

---

“Oh,” feminine voice echoed in the room. HyunJin raised her eyes from the door she zoned out on to see a short woman standing at the entrance. Pin on her pink blouse had 246 written on it. She seemed rather short, even more so than herself. A tall yellow hat over loose teal hair barely gave her any illusion of a greater height. 

For a moment neither of them moved, cautiously examining each other. HyunJin jerked her head to the side, pointing with her chin at the instructions hanging on the opposite side of the room, near a pair of godforsaken nunchaku that repeatedly landed quite a number of hits on her. 

She will get her revenge one day.

The woman slowly walked to the tableau not taking eyes away from her, ignoring weaponry all around.

Only when 246 looked away and began reading, HyunJin rose up, waiting for the other’s decision.

In a couple seconds, her nose caught something in the air. It took time for the smell to reach her across such a big room, but after it did, HyunJin couldn't hold back a shocked blink. Chemicals. Strong smell of chemicals and… something else mixed with them. She eyed the woman’s backpack and held her breath. HyunJin could halt it for six minutes last time she checked. 

246 was one of the few other women taking the exam. For all the solidarity that brought, if she made a single hostile move, HyunJin wouldn't hesitate. 

The woman hummed, looking back at her again, this time more appraisingly. A tense minute passed, where HyunJin could see other’s thought process, before 246 jovially propped hands on her hips.

“I’m Ponzu,” she introduced with a challenge. (“Like a sauce?” thought HyunJin, the association bringing up pleasant thoughts.) “To be honest, I'm not looking for a fight.”

HyunJin smirked back, letting out with her words as little air as possible. “HyunJin. Likewise.”

If she was completely honest, Ponzu seemed rather… tendid, almost thinner than HeeJin. Which meant that she ought to have some tricks up her puffy sleeves.

HyunJin also couldn’t see any visible weapons on her. Which meant those tricks were serious ones.

HyunJin raised the watch to her eye level, sneaking a glance at it while keeping Ponzu in her peripheral vision. Forty-three hours. “I’m up for a joined path.”

Ponzu glanced at her own watch, before looking back at her. She chewed on her lip, eyeing the lack of any obvious weapons on HyunJin. That didn’t mean much - she put her oversized shirt back on right after her nap.

There also really was not a single weapon on her. If HyunJin had caved in to her mom’s reasoning, she would’ve had a couple throwing knives.

She hadn’t. HyunJin always trusted her fists over anything else, first of all, and second - a non-lethal option was always better. She was strong as is, to add any blade to that was a step she was firmly against.

Ponzu seemed to mull over both decisions, glancing back at the rules. For a moment it seemed like the woman would choose a fight, but then she sighed, raising her palms up.

“You’ll owe me.” HyunJin’s lip curled up at a bold statement. At that, Ponzu smirked. “No offense, but I can easily leave you here, newbee. However, examiners here like to throw prisoners to fight examinees and I’m,” Ponzu motioned at herself from head to toes, “not good at sudden fighting on-demand. Generally speaking, not many prisoners here are good fighters, but sometimes it's not one on one and...” she trailed down.

HyunJin cocked her head. Ponzu was the first person she met on her route. This was the first time she heard of a possibility of combat here, actually.

“So my deal is for you to fight my opponents too. Is that allowed, warden?” Ponzu addressed the rupor. Interestingly enough, this one had a couple bents, unlike the others.

For the first time in her journey, rupor by the ceiling cracked, turning on. “Mmm. If your obstacle demand a direct fight, you want examinee 390 to fight in your stead, correct?”

“Yes.”

“… I’ll allow it. 399, do you agree with this condition?”

HyunJin sent a sideways look at Ponzu. “If I fail her fight?”

“It will be counted as her loss and depending on the situation may lead to both of you failing the route.”

So, basically, HyunJin was getting screwed over here. She would have to fight twice as much on thrice as long route in exchange for... not fighting Ponzu?

Sounded like a load.

Was the other girl bluffing?

Rupor turned off.

Or could she really have something that dangerous in her pocket? Ponzu said she wasn’t good at fights on-demand but how truthful is that? Was the problem specifically with a crowd or?..

On the other hand, why would Ponzu subject herself to thrice as long path and leave her success in the hands of the other? She completed previous phases just as HyunJin did, physically she was definitely above average.

Did this tell that Ponzu was honestly unable to handle unprepared combat?

Then HyunJin might be able to take her down and give herself an easy way down, right?

On the other other hand, she still held her breath because of the chemical scent earlier. HyunJin did not want to get her eyes and nose full of acid or something. Or get poisoned just by breathing. Or with a cut. 

.

HyunJin let out her held breath, sighing.

“I agree to your conditions.”

---

The route for two turned out to be similar to her route before merging, but in places of mazes there were teamwork puzzles instead.

And even if Ponzu had her issues (god, the smell) - she was smart.

She cracked logic puzzles that made HyunJin stare blankly into space and stepped away when HyunJin felt her instincts could carry them through.

Tentatively, she could call the two of them a quite good team.

Then, after hours of steady progression, they finally met somebody else.

---

A door closed behind them just as torches lining up the walls lit up, illuminating an arena that took up almost the entire room. 

She and Ponzu stood on a protruding porch, big enough to fit a couple more people, separated from the arena by a bottomless three-meter wide ravine.

On the opposite side, on the porch identical to theirs, six hooded figures moved, some leisurely standing up, others just turning their heads. Each had thick shackles on their arms, connected by unmoving rods instead of chains that HyunJin usually saw in movies.

She squinted at the other side. Making brief eye contact with Ponzu, HyunJin shrugged off her backpack and began stretching, as their observing examiner chimed in. 

“Seven fights! To proceed you have to win at least four of them. Each loss will shave off six hours of your remaining time. Good luck!”

Ponzu cocked her head at HyunJin, before addressing the rupor. “Which format will this have?”

The answer came, unexpectedly, from one of the opponents. It was impossible to know which one. “Each prisoner chooses rules for their challenge for themselves.”

“Originally you should have gone one after another, choosing your opponents for yourself,” added the examiner. “But since you proposed your own limitations, every fight challenge - if there are any - will be fought by 390. Every other challenge - if any - will be dealt by 246.” 

Huffing, HyunJin stepped on a still extending bridge and walked across the arena, closer to the prisoners. Each of the figures had their heads hidden under formless hoods. Seeing her evaluating gaze, one of them (not the most muscular one, but well built nonetheless) flexed their arms a couple times, bulging muscles under a ragged shirt.

HyunJin squinted and pointed at the figure to their left. “You.”

She let her eyes linger on the overeager inmate for a second longer, hearing several huffs, before shifting focus.

With a clang, shackles on the convict she chose fell to the floor. Confidently stepping on the bridge, he threw his hood down into darkness, revealing a reflective gleam of a bald head. 

As he walked onto the arena, HyunJin felt how his sad-looking swamp-green eyes judged her. When the prisoner stood tall, giving her an easy smirk, he towered over her for two heads. 

“Straightforward hand to hand fight,” he said, lazily rolling his shoulders. His back popped slightly as he bent backward, a satisfied smile stretching his lips. “Just a simple fight.”

HyunJin realized she didn’t look much, but she would’ve appreciated some more concern or wariness on his account. Nodding, she cautiously put some distance between them, waiting for a signal.

“Conditions for the win?”

“Mmmmh, lets see~” He dropped into a low leg stretch. “Coerce an admission of a defeat or get the opponent outside of the arena,” he glanced at her with a smirk after rising up again.

The corner of HyunJin’s lip twitched downward. 

This man will throw her out of the arena only over his broken back.

“Sure.”

Short beep aired and HyunJin had to immediately jump out of the way, her opponent shooting himself forward. Rapidly changing direction, he followed her retreat as she zigzagged around the arena. HyunJin let him follow her, watching.

Left fist came towards her in a wide arc.

She caught it, gripping it in her hand. HyunJin might be shorter, but her hands were big enough to easily block stunts like these.

Expectedly, his right fist immediately followed, flying straight at her stomach.

She caught that one too, coming to a grinding halt, half-bent legs pushed against the floor, the man's momentum closing the distance. He shoved their arms apart, throwing a knee forward as best he could in that brief window of time.

Lip curling, HyunJin threw the man to the left, narrowly avoiding the attack, sending him just over a meter away.

Weak attacks. Slow legs.

She had little experience apart from her mother, but this was not exciting at all .

HyunJin will definitely win this. With ease.

Watch her.

She turned to the prisoner, who was only now beginning to raise up, and stepped closer. 

Now, she knew there was no threat radiating from her, or strength, or warning.

With a comparatively short stature, oversized clothes and soft face, HyunJin met more people skeptical of her abilities than she could count.

That was expected in her day to day life. As a rule, she even kept her strength in check, careful of the possible lethality of it.

But she was taking the Hunter Exam! This specific room offered inmates to fight any of the examinees here! The ones that already proved themselves to be capable previously!

Mom said this exam was a gateway to the monster world.

Then - start goddamn treating her as such !

HyunJin made another step and put her weight on the left leg, wounding up the right one, watching the man sluggishly raise his head.

His eyes finally found her serene ones.

HyunJin’s leg connected with his side. 

Throwing all her weight - and a third of her strength - HyunJin swept him clean off his feet.

Her undivided attention was devoted to the fight. To this feeling.

Him, airborne for a single moment, flying in the direction of the examinees porch. His shock morphing into pain. She probably broke a rib. Or two. 

Landing several meters away, skidding another two before coming to a full stop. Frozing, clutching his side.

Closer than ever to the edge.

HyunJin didn’t stop there. Momentary confusion on the man's face morphed into concentration as he jumped to his feet, blocking her next punch, his other hand supporting first with visible effort. He mirrored her previous tactic and clasped her fist, immediately twisting it. His supporting hand clasped her twisted arm’s forearm as he spun with a step, pivoting her around him and towards the edge.

HyunJin let herself be whirled for a moment, before planting her heels firmly on the ground, bending knees for some winding. She latched onto his hand with her free one. Her other - warily released in a jolt from her sudden movements - gripped his shoulder. 

With his arm slung over her, in one continuous fluid motion, HyunJin hurled his body over her shoulder with just enough strength, towards the edge, releasing him at the apex of the arc.

Precisely right.

Ponzu jumped to the side to avoid being hit. The man landed heavily on his back, air leaving his lungs with a loud wheeze, three meters outside of the arena, on the examinees’ porch.

In the moment of silence, she felt her cheeks hurt in a telltale sign of grinning too hard.

“Zero - one to the examinees.”

“Hell yeah!” Threw arms in the air Ponzu in earnest joy, disregarding the prisoner still laying at her feet, staring at HyunJin with wide eyes. “Holy ! That was so fast ! HyunJin, you are awesome, a unstopable force, oh my god! Holy hell!..”

She looked at Ponzu, hurrahing her on with fists high in the air, and schooled her features into a less wild grin. 

HyunJin turned to the quiet prisoners. “Who’s next?”

High on adrenaline and victory glow, she strode back to the other side, as the rumble of the extending bridges filled the room. Before anyone could move, she zeroed on a person to the right of the flexer. “You are.”