The 50th story arc of the Tower of God series consisting of chapters 232 - 259 from the second season. The arc centers around the Hell Train finally arriving at the 43rd Floor of Death where the Bam and Rachel teams go about trying to complete the goals they set out to achieve.
Arc 49 | Return to the main Tower of God recap page.
43F - Hell Train: The Floor of Death
After Bam succeeds in his Hell Train Rice Pot training to make a Shinsu Black-Hole Sphere bang, the God of Guardians questions if Bam can take the next Floor test after said training left the boy in a rough state. Bam answers he can since his body now feels lighter as if something within him that was closed is now open.
Shortly after, Bam's group have all arrived to take the Hell Train's Floor test that will grant them access to the 43rd Floor. The test being that they have to destroy a group of Big Crystal Shards within one hour. Bam, Khun, and Endorsi end up taking on the test solo to show off the results of their training. First, Bam easily destroys all of his crystals with a Shinsu Black-Hole Sphere. Second, Khun destroys all of his test crystals thanks to his enhanced Lighthouses (Beta being stored in one) along with his new spear throwing skills that Evan taught him. Evan pointing out that Khun could have been at the Spear-bearer Position due to the Khun Family heritage. Finally, Endorsi easily destroys all of her test crystals thanks to the training she received from Yuri.
Meanwhile, the Boro/Sachi/Bero/Iruroe/Hockney team manage to destroy all of their test crystals thanks to the Scout abilities of Hockney. Sachi then asks Hockney about journeying with them to the 43rd Floor of Death, but Hockney makes it clear that he will never go there since it's a place where all life goes to die. Hockney further explains how the Floor of Death is filled with monsters, and has an atmosphere that feels like you're being devoured, which he reveals that he knows this because he had once lived there. He warns the group not to go to the Floor of Death as the paths that lead into it are defended by powerful monsters known as "Gatekeepers."
Following the 42nd Floor test, Boro and Sachi return to their room to discuss about Hockney. Sachi explaining how the reason Hockney boarded the Hell Train was due to information he received from the Emily terminal. As a result, the two of them are left worried that Rachel's team is trying to control Hockney through Emily. Khun and Bam then reunite with them to prepare to enter the Floor of Death.
Elsewhere, Yuri and Evan remain in a Hell Train waiting room during its journey to the Floor of Death. Having never been there, Yuri questions if Evan's been to the Floor of Death. Evan answers that he had once for a Guide pilgrimage, but never travelled as far as the Floor of Death's center. Thus, he doesn't know what to expect either. He points out that he's worried about the Regulars since Rankers will be in danger on the Floor of Death as well.
The Hell Train suddenly becomes dark as all the people on board realize that the express is making its way into the 43rd Floor of Death. Bam feeling like he's realized that the Floor of Death is a place he needs to go to. The journey through the darkness lasts for a month, which finally provides everyone some time to rest. Eventually, the Hell Train arrives on the Floor of Death. Said Floor appearing as an ominous red ocean with many mountainous rock spikes sticking out of it.
Poro Poe acting as the new Train Conductor provides the announcement to everyone of their arrival to the 43rd Floor of Death. As Bam's group looks upon the Floor of Death, Hwaryun arrives to inform them that they'll have to jump since there's no 43rd Floor train station. The group remains confused by what's going on, which Hwaryun explains how what they current see isn't actually the real 43rd Floor of Death. That the red ocean and rock spikes is actually the blood and corpse of the 43rd Floor Guardian that was killed by the Irregular, Enryu. Thus, the corpse of the 43rd Floor Guardian is acting like an outer shell that covers up the real Floor of Death. Claiming that they need to go through the 43rd Floor Guardian's corpse to reach the Floor of Death, Hwaryun gives the group a final warning to not just believe in what their eyes see since they're about to enter a really hostile place.
Meanwhile, Team Rachel that consists of Rachel/Yura/White/Traveller/Wangnan/Miseng gets ready to enter the 43rd Floor of Death. Rachel points out that despite White still being sealed to the Hell Train, he can head out onto the 43rd Floor specifically since the Floor Guardian being dead means that the Tower rules aren't active, which White remains excited to finally leave the Hell Train for the first time. Rachel then asks Yura about Hockney. Yura answering that she already threw the bait by sending him a message through Emily that he can find the missing piece of his Red Light painting on the Floor of Death. Yura also advises to have Hockney keep travelling with Bam's group so that they have a spy in their enemy. With everything set, Team Rachel heads off to enter the Floor of Death.
Elsewhere within the Hell Train, Karaka is seen on his own having been exploring around the express. He arrives at a locked Hell Train room, but before he could investigate trying to enter it, he hears the announcement of the Hell Train's arrival on the 43rd Floor of Death. As a result, Karaka heads off to enter the Floor of Death.
At that same time, Bam's group along with Yuri and Evan gather to enter the 43rd Floor of Death.
Bam's group make final preparations before entering the 43rd Floor of Death. The Emily terminal provides them nothing about what happened to Wangnan's Team Sweet-and-Sour, and Khun informs the group that the female White clone went into hiding on the Hell Train so that White can't find and absorb his final piece (the final piece, Albelda, being part of the female White clone). Hwaryun then explains to everyone how they're to jump off the Hell Train. That all they need to do to is jump into the blood ocean of the 43rd Floor Guardian's corpse that covers the real Floor of Death. As a fellow Guide, Evan informs them that what Hwaryun said is correct.
Shortly after, Bam's group arrives at the Hell Train's side exit that will take them out to the 43rd Floor. As Khun tries to pressure Boro to jump first, Hockney arrives, which he assures the group that the jump's not going to kill them. Boro proceeds to introduce Hockney to the group as the great Scout from the 40th Floor, but remains confused since Hockney told them that he wasn't going back to the Floor of Death. In return, Hockney explains that he's changed his mind since the Emily terminal just sent him a message that the missing piece of his Red Light painting will appear on the Floor of Death in two days. Khun thinks things over having been told about Hockney, and gets the gist that Team Rachel is using him through Emily by baiting him to enter the Floor of Death. However, seeing the benefit of having someone who's been to the Floor of Death, and as an opportunity to use Hockney against Team Rachel, Khun suggests for Hockney to tag along, which the latter accepts.
Before heading out into the 43rd Floor, Bam's group wait it out until their enemy arrives. Said enemy arrives with Yura holding her luggage carrier, and a hooded up Wangnan appearing out of Yura's teleportation ability. As Wangnan hides his identity behind his hood, Yura orders everyone to leave so that her team can enter the Floor of Death. Khun rejects it not wanting to be backstabbed by Team Rachel, and orders that they settle things now. Khun guessing that Rachel's hiding within Yura's luggage carrier, which Yura doesn't deny it. In addition, Yuri and Evan remain out of it since the Hell Train's rules keep Rankers from interfering with business between Regulars aboard the express. As a result, Yura offers them a deal. That in exchange for letting Team Rachel leave the Hell Train, Yura offers them information on where to find the 2nd Thorn fragment, and what happened to their friends from Team Sweet-and-Sour. In return, Bam agrees to it since such information is to good to pass up.
Moments after, Bam, Yura and the hooded Wangnan are seen above the Floor of Death standing atop Khun's Lighthouses outside the Hell Train to go through with the deal. Khun warning them that he and Yuri will attack if Yura tries any funny business. Bam first wants to know what happened to Wangnan's team. In return, Yura avoids telling them about the deaths of Arkraptor and Prince, and that the remaining members became part of Team Rachel. Instead, she claims that while they set a trap on Team Sweet and Sour, Cassano betrayed them, which Wangnan's team were able to go back into hiding, and that Cassano went back to wake up Horyang. Bam's glad to know that Wangnan's team is okay, but Khun can't help but feel that something happened to them since Wangnan hasn't contacted them once if they really did escape. Yura then reveals the information that they know about the 2nd Thorn fragment. That they need to seek out the home of the "Princess of the Deep Covered Sea Leaves" that's somewhere on the Floor of Death, and that at a place where three waterfalls flow, they must follow a red light that will take them to the 2nd Thorn fragment. The mention of the Princess catches Endorsi's attention since she's seeking out the former.
With all the information told, Yura orders Bam's group to hold up their end of the deal and let her go. However, Khun refuses due to how vague the Thorn information is, and that it's obvious that they're not telling them the truth about what happened to Wangnan's team. However, it's at this point that Karaka appears out of the Hell Train, which grabs everyone's attention. Karaka attempts to attack Bam's group with his World of Darkness shinsu since all his enemies have appeared before him, but he's quickly intercepted by Yuri. As a result, Karaka's attack causes everything to devolve into chaos. Yura uses Karaka's distraction to make her escape with the rest of Team Rachel as Wangnan realizes that he's now in front of the man who Hwaryun warned him about. Karaka then orders Yura to follow along with him knowing that she has White and Rachel within her luggage carrier. Yuri attempts to stop him from leaving, but she struggles to properly control her shinsu attacks due to the 43rd Floor not having a Floor Guardian making shinsu usage unstable on the Floor of Death.
Karaka protects Yura and the hooded Wangnan with his World of Darkness orbs as Team Rachel escapes down into the blood ocean to go to the real Floor of Death. Before going as well to escape from Yuri, Karaka casts a World of Darkness orb at Viole to take the latter along with him since he can tell that Bam is the Slayer Candidate despite the hair cut. However, Bam counters with a Shinsu Black-Hole Sphere while Evan tries to protect Bam with his Adam's Glove item. In the end, Karaka escapes down into the blood ocean as well. However, Evan can't believe what he's seeing where it wasn't his Adam's Glove, but the Shinsu Black-Hole Sphere that stopped Karaka's attack from taking Bam. As he watches the Shinsu Black-Hole Sphere suck in Karaka's Ranker-level shinsu, a shocked Evan is left wondering what Bam learned on the Hell Train.
Above the 43rd Floor Guardian's corpse, Bam and company regroup after the encounter with Karaka. Upon witnessing Bam's Shinsu Black-Hole Sphere suck in Karaka's World of Darkness attack, Evan is left in disbelief over how quickly Bam is getting stronger, and wonders if this is what Irregulars are capable of. Evan can't help but wonder if they've been raising a monster that will one day become a great threat to everyone as Yuri comes over to discuss her confusion as to why Karaka's still alive when she thought she killed him off back at Name Hunt Station. Yuri questions if Karaka's an immortal being, but Evan reminds her that it's only King Jahad and his Ten Great Family Leaders who made a deal with a Tower Guardian to become immortal. Both of them figure that Bam is now in danger of being attacked by Karaka again as Yuri announces that its time to go into the blood ocean in order to go to the real Floor of Death.
Shortly after, some of Bam's team is still scared of jumping in. However, Hockney knows it's safe since he's lived on the Floor of Death, and is already seen swimming atop the blood ocean. Hockney assures the group that they'll be alright, but also warns that they must stick together swimming through the blood ocean as there's water currents that could send them off to different locations of the real Floor of Death. After Sachi pushes the hesitant Boro in, the rest of the group follows. As they sink down through the blood ocean towards the real Floor of Death, Bam can't help but sense how it feels like he's returned to a place that he once lived. He then sees something shining in the distance, and swims towards it as if its calling to him.
Noticing Bam drifting away from the group, Hockney realizes the danger of Bam becoming separated from them, and swims after him. Sure enough, Bam and Hockney get caught up in a water current that sends them away from the group. Bringing them back with shinsu proves useless as it turns out that Yuri and company can't use their abilities within the blood ocean. As a result, Khun and company are forced to watch Bam and Hockney become separated from them. Within the water current, Hockney manages to grab Bam with his fishing pole weapon so that they remain together only for him to realize that Bam has fallen unconscious. After losing Bam and Hockney, the rest of Bam's group consisting of Khun/Endorsi/Sachi/Boro/Iruroe/Yuri/Evan get caught up in a different water current.
The current shoots Khun and company out of a tunnel exit that takes them out of the blood ocean, but they're now falling towards one of the real Floor of Death's entrances. Yuri's able to use her shinsu again now that she's out of the blood ocean, and casts out her shinsu bubble upon everyone to provide a safe landing. They eventually land on the ground of the real 43rd Floor of Death, which the 43rd Floor Guardian's blood ocean corpse acting as the outer shell is now seem above them as if it's the sky. Once Khun and company regroup, they discuss the problem of Bam ending up alone with Hockney since the latter is currently being tricked to follow Team Rachel's moves through Emily. Endorsi also points out that they have another problem where it turns out that Hwaryun's no longer with them, which Hwaryun's actions is brought to question if she saw the split with Bam coming through her Guide abilities. However, Evan being a fellow Guide assures them that Guide abilities are useless on a dead Floor. Yuri can't help but feel that the Floor of Death is dangerous due to it making her shinsu abilities unstable, and hopes that Bam ended up safe. Their attention is then brought to one of the Floor of Death's beasts approaching them.
Just like Khun's side, the Bam/Hockney duo end up at a different entrance into the real Floor of Death. Bam remains unconscious, which Hockney checks on his shinsu usage hoping that he doesn't run into a Gatekeeper. However, he's suddenly attacked by a large Floor of Death beast that can talk. The beast points out how it's been a long time since anyone came to the Floor of Death, and is surprised to see the newcomer is Hockney of all people. Thus, the beast questions why Hockney has returned to the Floor of Death.
The story flashes back to three months ago where a Wolhaiksong ship is seen stationed near Name Hunt Station. It turns out that Ehwa and Danhwa survived the fall off Name Hunt Station, and are now resting in the ship. Within the ship, Wolhaiksong's Urek Mazino and his assistant, Yuje, are seen watching over Ehwa and Danhwa. Yuje explains how Ehwa used her abilities in time to protect herself and Danhwa from Yuri's massive Rose Shower shinsu attack, which gave Yuje an opening to go in and rescue them. However, the shock of the attack caused Ehwa to fall unconscious, which she's been asleep ever since. Yuje then notes how it's become clear that Bam's group is headed for the Floor of Death, and reminds Urek that the latter has unfinished business there. Urek admits that to be the case.
The Name Hunt Station flashback from 3 months ago continues. On the Wolhaiksong ship that's stationed by Name Hunt Station, Danhwa eventually wakes up. Danhwa thanks Urek and Yuje for the rescue only for Yuje to reveal that even though he was the one who retrieved them, it was actually Ehwa's Great Yeon Family flames that protected her and Danhwa from Yuri's Rose Shower attack. That Ehwa's Yeon flame acted on its own as a self-defense mechanism to save its owner from a moment of certain death. However, Ehwa's been left in a coma since her body drained of her Yeon flame wasn't ready for such a powerful flame to hold back the attack of a Ranker, which Yuje figures that she will wake up once her Yeon flame's rejuvenated. Danhwa then asks if they rescued Rak as well, but is provided the bad news that they never saw such a person during the rescue, which leaves Rak's fate a mystery. Urek remains hyped after hearing that Bam's group is heading for the Floor of Death, and decides that they should go there as well.
Returning to the present, Hockney and the unconscious Bam are met by a talking large giant centipede-like beast who appears to know who Hockney is. Hockney recognizes the voice as someone he knows named Mata, which a Regular named Mata appears out of the large beast's mouth, and happily greets Hockney. Thus, showing that Mata is a friend of Hockney when they were both living on the Floor of Death. Shortly after, Hockney and the unconscious Bam are brought into the head of Mata's large beast, which they can see out of the beast's eyes. As Mata commands his large beast that he nicknamed "Manyleg" to take them deeper into the Floor of Death, he shows off the floating Blue Orb he's using to control it, which is is ability as a parasite-type Regular. Wanting to know why Hockney's returned to the Floor of Death, Mata questions who the unconscious newcomer is. In return, Hockney states that Bam is just a teammate who also has an objective to complete on the Floor of Death. Mata gets excited hearing that Hockney has finally made a friend only for Hockney to reject it claiming that he's a monster who doesn't deserve friends.
Hockney then announces that his goal is to go to the Floor of Death's South City. Mata warns Hockney that Hell Joe will kill him should Hell Joe learn that Hockney has returned to the Floor of Death. However, Hockney states that he has no choice but to go. Hockney shows off his hand-held Emily terminal to Mata, and explains how Emily told him that he will find the last missing piece of his Red Light painting on the southern end of the Floor of Death in two days. Suddenly, their attention is brought Mata's Manyleg running into another beast, which Hockney and Mata realize that they've run into one of the Gatekeepers.
At that same time, the beast that approaches Khun's group at their Floor of Death entrance location turns out to be another Gatekeeper. Yuri and Evan agree to leave the Gatekeeper for the Regulars to handle so that they can get some battle experience, which Yuri warns that they're going back if they can't defeat it. Endorsi's impatience causes her to attack the Gatekeeper alone, but thanks to her training with Yuri, she quickly overpowers the Gatekeeper. Endorsi then finishes the Gatekeeper off with her Endorsi Jahad Special Skill: Chiffon Sword technique that she learned from Yuri. The Gatekeeper falls to the ground in defeat. However, a small yellow ball-like object shoots out from the Gatekeeper's corpse, which looks similar to the Blue Orb that Mata was using to control Manyleg.
The Yellow Orb that appears to be alive since it has an eye and mouth flies at Endorsi to continue trying to attack her, which Endorsi realizes that said orb is the Gatekeeper's main body. Khun watches the fight wondering what the Yellow Orb is that came out of the Gatekeeper, and concludes that it will be trickier to deal with. Avoiding the Yellow Orb's attacks, Endorsi wants nothing more to do with it, and pushes Khun forward for him to take it on. Khun then prepares himself for the fight by bringing out his enhanced Enna Core Lighthouses from his training with Evan. Khun's enhanced Lighthouses now appearing with 9-by-9 checkered sides.
Nearby, a small pink creature with one big eye is seen spying on the Gatekeeper's fight with Khun's group. Implied to be communicating with someone else, the pink creature notes how the enemy consists of seven intruders, and that two of them (Yuri and Evan) appear to be powerful. Said creature claims that they will get rid of them all, and calls for the Richie Palawan to attack.
Khun goes about preparing with his Enna Core Lighthouses to take on the Yellow Orb Gatekeeper that's blocking the entrance into the Floor of Death. His companions remain on standby to watch the fight, which Yuri questions what Evan taught him. In return, Evan just states that he taught Khun a sneaky and vicious skill perfectly suited for him. Khun then asks for Boro to stand at a specific spot underneath one of his Lighthouses, which Boro does so, and stands ready to strike with his sword-like needle weapon. The Yellow Orb then charges at them. Sachi summoning out his thorn-vines to help stall the orb until Khun's fully prepared. Eventually, Khun's done programming his Lighthouses. The result is his Enna Core Lighthouses casting out an Enna-Core: Mystery Sphere that traps the Yellow Orb within a honeycomb-like barrier sphere.
The Yellow Orb Gatekeeper becomes enraged to the point of trying to bash its way out of the Mystery Sphere. However, it's unable to break out no matter how many times it hits the sphere as each of the honeycomb panels just teleports the orb back to the sphere's center. Evan explains to Yuri how he upgraded Khun's Lighthouses with an advanced Enna Core technique that allows the Lighthouses to compute calculations of up to nine Lighthouses within just a single Lighthouse. The result is the ability to make a Mystery Sphere that has such high calculations for each of its honeycomb panels that they all can teleport the attacker back to the center, and leave them trapped within it. Evan also adds that it took using an Enna Core Upgrade Kit to pull off, which is a Lighthouse USB-drive item that's expensive and illegal to get. Overall, Yuri finds it surprising that Evan's having a Regular support Rankers. In return, Evan states that he's been forced to do so given the dangers of the Floor of Death, and that no Tower position would be more useful to them at the moment than a Light Bearer. Thus, he's chosen to upgrade Khun.
Meanwhile, Khun's battle with the Yellow Orb Gatekeeper continues. He switches his Mystery Sphere to Red Crystal mode, which the Mystery Sphere that was once blue turns red. The orb becomes even more enraged, and tries to use a powerful bash to break out. However, Red Crystal mode allows Khun to teleport the enemy wherever he likes. As a result, the charging Yellow Orb gets teleported to directly in front of Boro the moment it hits the Mystery Sphere's honeycomb panel. The Yellow Orb is caught off-guard as Boro proceeds to stab and kill it with his needle. With the Gatekeeper disposed off, Khun's group make their way into the Floor of Death in order to begin their search for bam. The small pink creature that's spying on them noting their successful intrusion.
At that same time at Bam/Hockney/Mata's location, Mata's Manyleg battles it out with the Gatekeeper on their end. With the help of Hockney utilizing his unique eyes to see the Gatekeeper's movements, Mata's Manyleg easily destroys the Gatekeeper vessel with its large hammer weapon. The true Yellow Orb host comes shooting out of it. However, Hockney continues to see the orb's movements, which allows for Manyleg to easily slam its hammer down upon the Yellow Orb, and destroys the Gatekeeper. Mata thanks Hockney for the help pointing out how useful Hockney's eyes are, which he suggests that they get moving before a higher level Richie Palawan Gatekeeper shows up. Hockney remains worried for Bam's companions, and asks for Mata to go look for them while Hockney heads off on his own. However, Mata refuses. He warns Hockney that the latter escaping the Floor of Death means that Hockney is no longer a resident that can avoid the rules. Thus, Hockney being a newcomer now has to give away his soul to the Final Gatekeeper that guards the Entrance Hall into the true Floor of Death.
Nearby, the unconscious Bam is left wondering during his sleep what the light was that was calling out to him during the journey through the blood ocean. Bam then wakes up as Mata is heard announcing that they've arrived at the final gate, the Entrance Hall. Bam, Hockney, and Mata look out of Manyleg upon the Entrance Hall, which a being known as the Final Gatekeeper is seen blocking the entrance. Seeing Mata's Manyleg, the Final Gatekeeper reminds Mata that the living aren't allowed in, and orders Mata to tell its soul's assignment. Thus, heavily implying that the Final Gatekeeper has Mata's soul, which would allow Mata to pass. Mata explains how his assignment is to be a parasite that watches for intruders, and asks to pass since he's finished up his task. It's at this point that Hockney notices that Bam has awoken, which Hockney warns the former to stay quiet. Hockney adding that their souls will be taken away if the Final Gatekeeper, known as the High-Leech Monk, notices that Mata's trying to sneak the two of them into the Floor of Death.
As Khun's group walks makes their way towards the true Floor of Death, they all desire to know how Khun improved his Lighthouses. Khun refuses to answer, which Evan thinks over how there's one secret about Khun's Enna Core Lighthouses that he didn't even tell his Princess Yuri. That Evan found out how Khun's been storing Workshop's Living Ignition Weapon, Beta, within one of his Lighthouses since Beta's not a true Regular, which he's stored within Lighthouses as a weapon in order to climb up the Tower. As a result, it's with the help of Beta's calculations within the Lighthouse that allows for Khun to run the Enna Core system. However, it's also a weakness in that the Enna Core won't work if Khun suddenly loses Beta. Khun and company are then suddenly met by a group of large Stag Beetle-like creatures, which they get ready for a fight.
Meanwhile at Bam/Hockney/Mata's location, they remain within Mata's Manyleg creature standing before the High-Leech Monk that's blocking the tunnel into the true Floor of Death. As Mata's trying to convince the High-Leech Monk to let them pass, Hockney explains to Bam how the Floor of Death's Gatekeeper system is set up. That it starts with the Yellow Orb controlled Watchmen, and if those are defeated, the watching Eye Bugs will call upon the stronger Stag Beetle Leeches to dispose of the invaders. Hockney explains how the Stag Beetles can't die because they had their souls taken away, so they can just keep coming back. In addition, that the people living on the Floor of Death also had their souls taken away, and that while these people can't die, they become trapped on the Floor of Death. Hockney warns that this is what he and Bam would have to do to enter the Floor of Death by giving up their souls to the High-Leech Monk. However, they would become trapped on the Floor of Death since the High-Leech Monk won't give them their souls back. Bam notes that Hockney seems to have escaped, but before Hockney could answer, they're interrupted by the High-Leech Monk denying Mata and his Manyleg entry into the Floor of Death.
Despite already having Mata's soul, the High-Leech Monk explains how as the one who can see souls, he can tell that Mata's trying to sneak two others who still have their souls intact into the Floor of Death. Claiming that one must be "dead" in order to enter the Floor of Death, the High-Leech Monk orders for the two newcomers to come out of hiding, and hand over their souls. Two divine sea fish known as Soul Devourers appear before Manyleg to eat Bam's and Hockney's souls, which Hockney advises Bam to go back since there's no point having his soul taken away. However, Hockney states that he's going to give up his soul since he needs to find what he's searching for (his missing painting piece). However, Bam makes it clear that he also needs to enter since he needs to search for something. That something possibly being connected to the "light" that he sensed during the swim through the 43rd Floor's blood ocean. Despite Hockney wondering why Bam's so desperate to enter the Floor of death, he realizes that Bam's not going to stop.
Bam and Hockney exit Manyleg, and introduce themselves to the High-Leech Monk. As a result, two Soul Devourers fly over to Bam and Hockney, and then place their arms on their chests to pull out their souls. Hockney's soul is taken out and eaten by his Soul Devourer, but said Soul Devourer notes that something about Hockney's soul is missing. Meanwhile with the other Soul Devourer, everyone can't believe what they're seeing as it pulls many souls out from Bam's body given that his body holds White's billion souls that he absorbed from the Dallar Show. Everyone remains confused as to what Bam actually is as Bam asks if he can just give up his own soul since the other souls in his body is something that he must protect. Despite Bam trying to assure the High-Leech Monk that he's just a normal Regular, the High-Leech Monster denies Bam entry while also deeming the boy to be a monster, and decides to attack. As a result, the High-Leech Monk summons out multiple large bamboo spears to fire them upon Bam and company.
The Bam/Hockney/Mata trio prepare for a fight as Bam powers up his Thorn, which the High-Leech Monk takes note of as if he knows what it is. The High-Leech Monk then fires a bamboo spear at Bam to test him. Using his Scout observation skills, Hockney advises Bam to use his Wave Controller shinsu to destroy the bamboo spear's weak point, which is the bamboo's hollow center. Bam goes along with it by throwing a Shinsu Black-Hole Sphere into the bamboo spear's center, and sure enough, the sphere easily destroys it, much to everyone's confusion and amazement over Bam's display of power. The High-Leech Monk becomes even more suspicious by all the oddities surrounding Bam, and aims to kill the boy ready to fire all his bamboo spears. However, it's at this point that an Eye Bug appears before the High-Leech Monk ordering the latter to stop. That the order's been given by the North City hermit, Garam, to let Bam and Hockney through with their souls still intact. The order leaves the High-Leech Monk bewildered as to why Garam is suddenly interested in outsiders.
At that same time, Khun's group is seen fighting the Stag Beetle Leeches at their location. Despite having the Ranker power of Yuri and Evan, the Stag Beetles refuse to die since they're soulless beings that keep coming back.
Meanwhile within a building at a cold snowy location of the Floor of Death, a woman in a winter coat, and her large helmet-wearing subordinate, are seen using Eye Bugs to watch video footage of Bam's and Khun's group locations. Watching Bam, the woman notes that the boy's going to eventually die if he keeps showing off his unique power thoughtlessly. Her helmet subordinate questions how they should handle this, which she answers that there's no need to help since Bam's coming here of his own accord. Wanting to see if the boy's the real deal or not, the woman claims that she wants to see Bam. She then heads outside and looks upon a pile of skeletons. The woman thinks about how it's been a long time since the legend was made of the day that Enryu killed the 43rd Floor Guardian, and that now, Bam has appeared here displaying a power similar to Enryu. As a result, the woman can't help but wonder if this is the start of another legend. If Bam really is capable of changing everything.
After receiving the order from Garam to let Bam's group into the Floor of Death, the High-Leech Monk notes how this is the first time since Urek Mazino that Garam's been interested in seeing anyone. Thus, the High-Leech Monk announces that he will let Bam and Hockney pass with their souls still intact. However, it warns the two of them to only stay for a week as the dead will be attracted towards Bam's and Hockney's souls, and attack them.
Shortly after, the Bam/Hockney/Mata group riding on Manyleg make their way through the High-Leech Monk's tunnel towards the true Floor of Death. Bam notes the red liquid that's flowing through the tunnel, which Hockney uses the moment to explain how its the blood pouring in from the 43rd Floor Guardian's corpse, and that the highly-concentrated shinsu from said blood is what allows people to live on the Floor of Death. Hockney further explains how tunnels, such as the one they're walking through, were made by some unknown person to allow for the blood from the outer shell corpse to flow into the Floor of Death. However, a problem has come up in that there's now a warlord on the Floor of Death trying to take control over it. Before Hockney could explain any further, he's taken aside by Mata, who remains suspicious about Bam after all the oddities he just witnessed. Talking with Mata, Hockney's perfectly fine with the situation since Bam's actions allowed him to pass by the High-Leech Monk with his soul still intact. Hockney also remains convinced that Bam doesn't come off as a bad person, which ends up exciting Mata that Hockney's finally found himself a friend from outside the Floor of Death, and that Bam can help Hockney find his missing picture piece.
It's at this point that the woman in the winter coat arrives, and jumps into the Manyleg through its mouth in order to speak to Bam. Seeing that Bam's got a cute face, the woman states that she gets why two Jahad Princesses (Yuri and Endorsi) are traveling with him. Hockney warns Mata not to do anything stupid since the former can sense that the woman is one of the strongest people he's ever met, which the woman notes Hockney's unique eyes. The woman then points out how Bam's not what she expected as she believd that he was going to be another rough person like Urek. Wanting to speak to Bam at a more private location, the woman takes control of Mata's orb that he's been using to control Manyleg in order to take them to the Floor of Death's North City.
At that same time, Khun's group is forced to go on the run due to their inability to kill the invulnerable Stag Beetle Gatekeepers. Once they reach a wide tunnel, Yuri prepares to use her powerful Rose Shower attack against the chasing Stag Beetles despite such a large attack possibly hurting her teammates. Before Yuri launches the attack, a red-haired woman suddenly pops up from a nearby hole claiming that Hwaryun sent her to retrieve Viole's companions. The red-haired woman assuring them that she can lead them out of danger.
Back at Bam's group, Bam remains bewildered as to who the woman is knowing that she's important enough for Urek to meet with, and wonders if she perhaps knows something about him. Eventually, the Manyleg arrives at North City, which appears as a wintery location on the Floor of Death. Arriving at a cliff, the woman then gets off Manyleg, and states that they'll have to ride a different beast into North City. Since the woman only desires to speak and give something to Bam, Hockney and Mata are given the choice to head back. However, Mata no longer wants to split up since he's now seen that Bam has had a positive effect on Hockney, and may lead to Hockney finding something really important. With Mata and Hockney read to follow along, the woman calls for Yadu, which appears as a giant winged beast she has control over that flies down to the woman's location. Just like with Manyleg, Bam's group enter Yadu to ride it to North City. Only this time by flight. Since they have some spare time during the flight, the woman takes Bam aside knowing that he probably has some questions for her.
Bam first asks who she is, which she reveals herself to be Garam, the Jahad Princess who ran away with two of the 13 Month weapons a long time ago. Bam pieces it together that Garam is the Jahad Princess that Yura provided him the info on regarding the search for the second Thorn fragment, which his next question is wanting to know why Garam's on the Floor of Death. In return, she answers that she had to go into hiding since her choice to disappear with two of the 13 Month weapons was a betrayal to the Jahad Family. Garam explains that her betraying the Jahad Family was due to finding out too much about the truth, such as learning why Jahad Princesses are chosen, why Princesses fight but can't rise to higher positions, the kind of person that Jahad actually is, and most importantly, about why Bam came into existence. The last of which catches Bam's attention. Garam points out that Bam has the right to know about himself, and asks if he wants to know. He admits he does, which Garam agrees to tell what she knows.
Meanwhile at the location of Khun's group, they're seen being led down a secret passage stairwell by the red-haired woman that was sent by Hwaryun. The red-haired woman assuring them that Hwaryun's already inside the Floor of Death. Endorsi remains annoyed that Hwaryun apparently already knew of a path to enter the Floor of Death, and went on ahead without them. Yuri toying with Evan since he's a guide who didn't see such a path. The red-haired woman then passes along a message to them from Hwaryun of something that she wants Khun's group to do for her in return for showing them the way into the Floor of Death. Hwaryun's message being that she wants Khun's group to get rid of the bad man, King Hell Joe, who rules over the Floor of Death's South City. The red-haired woman explaining that Hell Joe's aiming to take control of the dead 43rd Floor Guardian's shinsu for himself.
At that same time in South City, a huge tower known as the Red Fortress is seen. A large red crystal-like object being at the top of it. Within the Red Fortress is a group of hooded people, which consists of King Hell Joe and his white-masked subordinates. The subordinates ask Hell Joe for orders regarding the group of intruders (Bam and company) that they've lost track of, and also inform him that Karaka will be arriving soon. However, Hell Joe remains disinterested as he continues to read a comic book.
While riding on Yadu in the Floor of Death's North City, Garam and Bam remain alone for their private conversation regarding Bam's past. Garam warns Bam that she will only explain his past to a certain extent as she worries that Bam will mentally fall apart if he learns it all at once, which Bam accepts. She assures Bam that he will learn it all as long as he continues his journey, and then asks first what Bam knows about the Tower's King Jahad.
Elsewhere on the Floor of Death, Karaka is seen having transported Yura and the hooded Wangnan through his World of Darkness orb to a safe location within the 43rd Guardian's corpse. The rest of the team, such as Rachel and White, still stored safely within Yura's luggage carrier item. Karaka warns them of the Gatekeepers, and states that he'll act as their protector to get them into the true Floor of Death, which Yura questions how they're getting in due to the rumor that they need to give up a soul to something. In return, Karaka informs them of the roadblock where everyone must give up their souls (the High-Leech Monk roadblock), but he assures Team Rachel that he knows of a different way in that will keep their souls intact. As Karaka guides them to the hidden path, Yura can sense said FUG Slayer's immense power. Thus, she concludes that there's no stopping him if he's aiming to take the 2nd Thorn fragment for himself, which she'll have to form a new plan with Rachel to get her the Thorn. As for Wangnan, he thinks over how he needs to put his revenge on Team Rachel on hold until Karaka's not around.
Meanwhile as Khun's group is being led into the Floor of Death by the red-haired woman sent by Hwaryun, Yuri asks about the mission to defeat Hell Joe. The red-haired woman explains how the Floor of Death is split up as the North and South Cities. That while the North City is currently safe under the control of Grand De Lee, Hell Joe ended up becoming the evil tyrant of South City who rules with an iron fist. She explains Hell Joe's past where he started off as a lowly hole-repairman as one of many who fixed the tunnels that provide the 43rd Guardian's corpse shinsu to the true Floor of Death. Hell Joe's impressive hole-work was noticed by the South City's previous leader, Grand De Sah, who brought Hell Joe into South City's Red Fortress, and provided him the high-end job of Top Hole-Master. However, Hell Joe decided to aim higher, which thanks to his work as a hole-repairman, Hell Joe took control over the hole network, and basically held South City hostage since he had control of the shinsu that they need to survive. Thus, Grand De Sah's subordinates turn on him in favor of Hell Joe, which led to the latter launching a successful coup to take over full control of South City.
Getting the gist of how Hell Joe took over South City, Yuri next asks why Hwaryun is so invested in removing Hell Joe from power. In return, the red-haired woman explains how it turned out that Hell Joe had decided to team up with FUG (Karaka's side), and that after discovering the Thorn fragments, Hell Joe's been sending said fragments out of the Floor of Death in order for FUG to get their hands on them. The red-haired woman further explains that Hell Joe sent out three Thorn fragments into the Tower for FUG to grab. One of which FUG found, but ended up in Bam's hands at the Workshop Battle. The other two fragments that Hell Joe sent out having still not been found yet. In addition, there's rumors of there still being one final Thorn fragment somewhere on the Floor of Death, which Hell Joe's currently searching for. Thus, there's a total of four Thorn fragments: the one Bam has, the two somewhere in the Tower, and the one that's still somewhere on the Floor of Death. After hearing the story, and hearing that Hell Joe poses a threat to Bam, Yuri agrees to go along with the plan to defeat Hell Joe. The red-haired woman then returns to guiding them into the true Floor of Death.
At that same time in South City's Red Fortress, one of Hell Joe's subordinates, Ssong, asks what they should do about Karaka's visit knowing that the latter is coming for the Floor of Death's last Thorn fragment. Ssong being the one who opened a hidden tunnel for Karaka in order for the latter to bypass the High-Leech Monk roadblock. Ssong is someone who desires to finally escape the Floor of Death, and reminds Hell Joe that Karaka promised that he would help the soulless finally escape in return for the Thorn fragment. However, Hell Joe remains disinterested since there's no point seeing Karaka when they're still searching for the last fragment. Thus, he dismisses Ssong, and orders the latter to tell Karaka to find the fragment himself.
After being sent away, Ssong is seen alone in the Red Fortress. Ssong remains irritated that they're struggling to find the last Thorn fragment since they originally relied on Hockney's unique eyes to find the fragments, which is no longer possible since Hockney ran away. He's eventually met by another of Hell Joe's subordinates, Charlotte, who unlike Ssong has lost all interest in leaving the Floor of Death since they're soulless. Despite being soulless, Ssong refuses to give up on his goal of returning to climb the Tower with Hell Joe. It's at this point that Eye Bugs arrive, which they inform Hell Joe and his subordinates of Karaka's arrival at the Red Fortress.
Despite Hell Joe's subordinates trying to convince Karaka that their leader doesn't want to be disturbed, Karaka makes his way into Hell Joe's lair. Karaka gives Hell Joe a friendly greeting having been sending the latter gifts, such as comics and a television. However, Hell Joe is enraged that Karaka hasn't kept his end of the bargain. Karaka having supposed to have freed Hell Joe and his subordinates from the Floor of Death in return for sending out three Thorn fragments into the Tower. Karaka reminds Hell Joe that trying to restore the Hell Joe faction's lost souls to allow them to escape hasn't been an easy task, which Hell Joe continues to complain that he's sick of his television just showing the news. Hell Joe wants out of the deal only for Karaka to inform him that all the problems will be resolved if Hell Joe goes after the recent intruders. That there's one amongst them (Bam) who has the power to finally get the soulless out of the Floor of Death, which finally grabs Hell Joe's attention.
Back at Bam and Garam, Bam explains what he knows about King Jahad. That Jahad entered the Tower as an Irregular long ago, and that with the help of his Irregular companions, the 10 Great Family Leaders, they climbed the Tower up to the 134th Floor where they made a deal with a Floor Guardian to become immortal beings. From there, Jahad became the powerful King who rules over the Tower, and that FUG came into existence to oppose him. Garam admits that's the case, and adds that ever since, Jahad's left his descendants to be the ones who watch over the Tower. However, Garam notes of a problem where it turned out that Jahad's blood is too strong to mate with a woman and make a child. Thus, one of the 10 Great Family Leaders, Poe Bidau Gustang, came up with the idea to inject Jahad's blood into selected female children who've shown outstanding potential. That it's these selected female children who became the Jahad Princesses, which the goal is to have the Princesses duel one another in order to create the most talented Princess for Jahad to take on as his wife. In addition, each Jahad Princesses is given one of the 13 Month weapons. One having to gather all 13 weapons in order to become Jahad's wife, which obviously hasn't happened yet.
Garam further explains how while that's supposed to be the story of Jahad and his Princesses, the reality has been much different. That due to an evil magic within the 13 Month weapons, the original Jahad Princesses ended up hating and killing one another, which carried over into the relations between the 10 Great Families becoming distorted. Everyone would eventually forget the original goal of finding Jahad's mate, and resulted in the Princess competition becoming nothing but non-stop murder and chaos. Garam having been born into this, and grew tired of it all as the competition never looked like it was ever going to reach a resolution. However, Garam explains how there was one standout Jahad Princess who appeared one day named Enne Jahad. Garam describes Enne as the perfect child having been born from two Great Family leaders, and as the wielder of the 13 Month Weapon, Colorless December, Enne was proving to be someone who could finally end the Jahad Princess competition. However, Garam reveals that it all came to a screeching halt due to Enne suddenly going insane.
Continuing the story, Garam explains how the crazed Enne ended up getting imprisoned in a mysterious labyrinth after she went on a murder spree killing off any member of the Jahad Family she came across. As a result, Garam broke into the labyrinth in order to meet with Enne, and find out what happened. Garam eventually comes across Enne's prison, which is where Enne explains Jahad's dark secret to her. Garam explains to Bam what Enne told her that King Jahad never actually intends to marry a woman. That the whole Jahad Princess competition has been a sham to manipulate things behind-the-scenes by getting rid of any competition to his rule. Garam states that Enne apparently found about this secret after she decided to confront Jahad directly one day, which Jahad also revealed to Enne that he had a true first love long ago that he can't forget about. The one he fell for being a woman named Arlene Grace, which catches Bam's attention given that his Slayer Candidate name uses the Grace surname. Garam reveals that the existence of Arlene Grace is why the Tower is currently in such a poor state, and that Arlene was the person who brought Bam into this world.
Bam and Garam's private conversation on Yadu continues. Upon hearing Arlene Grace's name from Garam, Bam remembers how Arlene was the name of the arm structure that FUG set a trap for him at before the Workshop Battle, and that his Slayer Candidate name, Viole, has the Grace surname. Thus, Bam can't help but remain interested in wanting to know who Arlene is. Bam questions if this means that Arlene's his mother, which Garam answers that it's possible despite not being sure herself due to how weird the story is. However, Garam assures Bam that it was Arlene who brought Bam into their world. Arlene explains how back when Jahad and the 10 Great Family Leaders climbed the Tower as the first Irregulars, it was actually a group of 13 people rather than 11. The proof being that when the decision was made to split up the key to the 135th Floor. It became 13 Month weapons instead of 11 since they were to be shared between Jahad and his 12 companions. One of which was given to Arlene Grace.
Overall, Garam states that there was supposed to be 12 Great Family Leaders instead of 10. Garam further explains that she heard of this from the crazed Enne Jahad in her prison, but found it hard to believe that there were two hidden Irregulars amongst Jahad's companions. Enne assured Garam that the latter will believe it if she goes looking for the Pocket she hid away in the Tower, which Garam does eventually find. However, just like Enne said, Garam realizes that the former spoke the truth because the Pocket wasn't Enne's. It was the Pocket that once belonged to Arlene Grace, which Arlene left behind her story within the Pocket as if it was her diary. Showing Arlene's Pocket to Bam, Garam states how she had to accept that there actually was an Arlene Grace who existed at one point.
The writing in the Pocket explains how Arlene was one of Jahad's 12 companions who climbed the Tower with him. In addition, that Jahad had a crush on Arlene, but Arlene couldn't return his feelings, because she was interested in someone else. That person being "V," the other Jahad companion who no longer exists. Garam pointing out to Bam how his Slayer Candidate name, Viole, might be in honor of V, and that FUG's current leader, Luslec, who gave Bam his Slayer Candidate name, was once a subordinate of V. Garam continues the story where Arlene and V started a relationship, and that when the time came where Jahad decided to stop climbing the Tower at 134 Floors in order to become the Tower King, it was Arlene and V who rejected it as the only ones who wanted to continue climbing the Tower. Jahad had also proposed to Arlene to become his Queen after making a deal with the Floor Guardian for he and his companions to become immortal beings. However, Arlene rejected him since she was already engaged to marry V.
Following the rejection, Arlene and V left to form their own organization where they went to war against Jahad, and the 10 Great Family leaders who chose to side with Jahad, in order to steal the key to the 135th Floor. However, Arlene and V ended up losing the war, and were forced to go on the run as fugitives. It was also around this point where it turned out that V had gotten Arlene pregnant, which catches Bam's attention wondering if that's him. However, Garam reveals that the baby was one day murdered by Jahad since he was able to track Arlene down, and killed the baby right in front of her, which destroyed Arlene's sanity. Garam continues on that Arlene tried to commit suicide several times since she was unable to handle the loss of her baby, but couldn't due to the immortality that was given to her by Jahad's deal with the Floor Guardian. However, it turned out that V wasn't given the immortality. Thus, V one day decided to commit suicide in the hopes that Arlene would forget about him, and return to Jahad and the 10 Great Family leaders. However, Arlene chose not to, and instead became a wanderer of the Tower in the hopes of finding a way to escape it; taking along the corpse of her baby believing that she can save it if she gets outside.
Garam then points out how the last thing said on Arlene's Pocket is that she finally found a way out of the Tower. A place away from Jahad and the Tower where she can see the sky and its shining stars. However, since Arlene couldn't let go of her losses of V and her baby, Arlene made the decision to offer up the corpse of her baby to the God who resides outside the Tower. Arlene hoping that God's power will enter her dead baby, and awaken him again. Garam states the last words mentioned in the Pocket, which is Arlene hoping that her awakened son reappears in the Tower as an Irregular who opened it himself, completes her revenge against King Jahad, and reveal the truth to the Tower to rid it of its corruption. In addition, that God's Messenger will appear to provide her child with a Red Thorn to cut the throat of the greedy King, which will allow her child to get the key to the 144th Floor that will finally allow everyone to go to greater heights.
Overall, Garam remains convinced that Bam as Jyu Viole Grace must be the child mentioned in Arlene's story having somehow gone through a resurrection. Garam explains how Jahad and the 10 Great Family leaders went to extreme lengths to make sure that all records of Arlene, V, and their baby were erased from the Tower's history. However, Garam points out how fate seems to be against that given that Arlene's Pocket still exists, and that Bam has managed to make it this far to learn her story. That it was destiny for Bam to make it here.
Elsewhere in South City, the rest of Team Rachel are finally let out of Yura's luggage carrier since they're now safe in a bedroom of Hell Joe's Red Fortress. As Rachel and company get used to being out of the carrier, Karaka takes White aside to properly introduce himself since they've never met. Despite White getting annoyed that Karaka seems to be looking down on him as if he's the stronger FUG Slayer, Karaka assures White that there's a way on the Floor of Death to restore White's lost power. This excites White as they head off to discuss this more privately.
Meanwhile as Rachel's getting situated in the bedroom, she can't help but notice Wangnan giving her the dirty eye. Wangnan questions Rachel as to why a nice guy like Viole would choose to follow around someone as horrible as her, which she avoids it by just stating that Bam's indeed the nice one while she's the bad girl. Rachel explains how she wanted to keep this side of her as a secret from Bam only for Wangnan to call her out in pretending to be a nice girl when she's already killed so many. Wangnan then calls out Rachel as a psycho since her motivations make no sense, which he questions what's so important that she would go down such a dark path as if she's aiming to become the Dark Lord. In return, Rachel answers that she's just seeking the boundless sky filled with stars, which that alone will be enough to satisfy her. Rachel also points out that a certain person wanted this her whole life. Thus, revealing that Rachel knows about Arlene. Rachel refuses to tell Wangnan about Arlene, but uses the moment to think about her. Rachel thinks over how she doesn't care what Bam is to Arlene, and that once she's obtained the Floor of Death's Thorn fragment, she has to be the one who makes Arlene's dream come true.
Nearby, Karaka and White have their private meeting. Karaka explains how he knows that White's power is themed around eating souls, which Karaka reveals that there's a place on the Floor of Death known as the Spirit Room. Karaka further explains that the Spirit Room is where all the Floor of Death's souls are hidden, and that there must be tens of thousands of Regular and Ranker souls there. Excited at the chance to eat some souls, White goes along with it.
At that same time, Hell Joe holds a meeting with his five primary subordiates: Ssong, Charlotte, Sanchez, Walcott, and Fabregas. Hell Joe asks for their opinions on Karaka's claim that hunting Bam's group will help them escape from the Floor of Death. In return, the opinion is split with Charlotte and Sanchez claiming that they shouldn't believe Karaka while Ssong, Walcott, and Febregas believe that they should give Karaka's idea a chance. Hell Joe thinks things over that while Karaka's idea is too good to pass up, they shouldn't go racing off just on Karaka's word alone, and that it will be dangerous anyway since Bam's group disappearing means that they probably made it to safety in North City. Reading through one of his comics where a character decides to "attack a castle," Hell Joe gets the idea to make his Red Fortress the castle bait that his enemies will be forced to attack. Hell Joe gives the order to his subordinates to send out a message for everyone on the Floor of Death to hear that Hell Joe has found the Thorn fragment, and that they will have to attack his castle to get it. Hell Joe believing that this is their opportunity to defeat all their enemies, including Karaka and FUG, in order to return to climbing the Tower.
Elsewhere, Khun's group is seen having been led by the red-haired woman to Gallstone Village; a secret place in the Floor of Death that's run by the Red Witch Guides. The red-haired woman being one of the Red Witches named Ai. Before Ai could take them into Gallstone Village, Hwaryun appears from said village to greet them. Despite some of Khun's group getting annoyed that Hwaryun ran off to Gallstone Village without them, Hwaryun invites them in as she has something to discuss with them regarding Hell Joe.
Back to Bam and Garam, the latter asks for Bam's opinion after hearing Arlene's story. Bam doesn't know what to say except that it's such a surreal story to buy into. In return, Garam asks if Bam ever felt like he's returned home after coming to the 43rd Floor of Death, which Bam admits he did. As a result, Garam reveals how it was actually the 43rd Floor where Arlene gave birth to Bam, and raised him during his time as a baby. Garam further explains how after Arlene disappeared, Jahad decided to one day build a shrine for people to worship him on the 43rd Floor just because he was obsessed with her, and knew that it was the land that Arlene cherished. Garam then explains how Arlene must not have liked Jahad defiling her land as it was here that God's Messenger appeared afterwards to turn the Tower's shinsu blood red by disposing of the 43rd Floor defilers. In a flashback, the Irregular being known as Enryu is seen hovering over the 43rd Floor. Enryu being God's Messenger, who was tasked to deliver the Thorn fragments to Bam.
Still being transported on Yadu around North City, Garam continues to explain to Bam the story of what happened on the 43rd Floor after Enryu appeared. That the Irregular threatened everyone with death who believe in the false King, Jahad. While many retreated off the 43rd Floor, those who were fanatical followers of Jahad chose to fight against Enryu. As a result, Enryu easily killed all the fanatics with countless spears of red shinsu. The wholescale slaughter of the Jahad fanatics ended up enraging the 43rd Floor Guardian into attacking Enryu, yet despite it throwing everything at the Irregular, Enryu still easily defeated a being that was once thought to be immortal, and rips the 43rd Floor Guardian to shreds. Afterwards, the blood of the Floor Guardian rained upon the 43rd Floor, which resulted the land being transformed into the current day's Floor of Death.
Following the death of the 43rd Floor Guardian, Garam explains how Enryu hid his Thorn weapon on the Floor of Death that was rumored to be capable of killing the immortal King Jahad. Thus, FUG went looking for it, and awaited the day that someone could use it to kill Jahad. As a result, Bam pieces it together why there's a part of FUG who seem fine with making him a Slayer Candidate who wields the Thorn. That there's someone within FUG who must be convinced that he's Arlene's son. This leaves Bam lost in thought wondering if this was his destiny. To become a FUG Slayer who kills King Jahad with the Thorn.
Meanwhile, Hwaryun brings Khun's group into Gallstone Village, because she has something to show them regarding Hell Joe. Hwaryun explains how after first arriving at said village, she learned of Hell Joe from her fellow Red Witches Guides, and of something terrible that Hell Joe did to them. So terrible that even Hwaryun now has a grudge against him, which the Red Witches are now asking that Yuri and company to kill Hell Joe. Yuri's surprised to hear that someone managed to piss off the Tower Guides, which Hwaryun explains how Guides like the Red Witches and Silver Dwarves on the Floor of Death are just normal people since there's no 43rd Floor Guardian anymore to help them see the 43rd Floor's Tower paths. Despite that, Guides are still sent off to the Floor of Death to complete their pilgrimage. Being a Silver Dwarf Guide, Evan notes how the place the Silver Dwarves used to go to for their pilgrimage on the 43rd Floor was destroyed, which Hwaryun points out that Gallstone Village as the place for Red Witch pilgrmages was lucky, because they got covered up by the corpse of the 43rd Floor Guardian. Thus, they went unnoticed when Jahad sent out his army to slaughter all of the Floor of Death's survivors to make sure that the rumors of Enryu's appearance doesn't spread.
Hwaryun continues on explaining how two High Rankers named Grand De Sah and Grand De Jah created a system on the Floor of Death to allow its remaining citizens to live. That De Sah and De Jah created the Spirit Room for the citizen's souls to be stored at so that they can live as ageless beings on a dead Floor. However, they're now unable to leave the Floor of Death while they remain as soulless beings. Hwaryun notes how the soulless citizens did what they could to make sure that rumors of what's happening on the Floor of Death never got out into the Tower, but that all changed when Hell Joe appeared. Hell Joe being someone who wants to escape the Floor of Death, which he took control of South City by ousting its leader, De Sah, to work towards such a goal. Hwaryun explains that it was here that Hell Joe decided to team up with people outside the Floor of Death, which FUG promised Hell Joe with freedom from the Floor of Death in exchange for the last Thorn fragment that's still hidden somewhere.
Hwaryn stands before a coffin pointing out that Hell Joe's search for the last Thorn fragment led to him harming a Red Witch Guide who was currently on her pilgrimage to the Floor of Death. She removes the coffin's lid, and sure enough, within it is a corpse of a Red Witch Guide. Hwaryun explaining how the dead Red Witch was Ai's predecessor that Hell Joe ended up catching during her pilgrimage, and that Hell Joe eventually killed her because she wasn't telling him the location of the last Thorn fragment. Hell Joe not knowing that without the 43rd Floor Guardian, Guides can't see the Tower paths on the Floor of Death, yet he killed her because he believed that the Red Witch was hiding the information from him. Hwaryun further explains how Guides can see where their deaths will eventually be through the Tower Paths. However, Hell Joe took that away from the Red Witch Guide by suddenly murdering her on a dead Floor where a Guide can't see the death coming. As a result, Hwaryun states that the sin Hell Joe committed is that he's defying destiny.
Shortly after, Hell Joe sends out his announcement for everyone in the Floor of Death to hear. He introduces himself as the ruler of South City, and like he planned earlier, he lies that the Thorn fragment the intruders are searching for can be found in his South City castle. Thus, he orders the intruders to come at him and his servants to get the Thorn fragment, or else he will hand it over to his allies within FUG (Karaka's faction). After everyone hears Hell Joe's announcement, Hwaryun warns Khun's group that it's most likely a trap. However, Hwaryun's glad that the fragment's there since it lines up with her desire to dispose of Hell Joe, which she figures that Viole will be heading there as well. Overall, Hwaryun questions what Yuri's move will be.
Back at Bam's location after they heard Hell Joe's announcement, Garam goes over Hell Joe's story to Bam. She then warns Bam of Hell Joe's deal of FUG helping him escape the Floor of Death in exchange for the final Thorn fragment, which is still hidden somewhere on the Floor of Death. Garam also takes note of how Hell Joe must not know of Bam's arrival, which she figures that it's Bam's companions elsewhere that Hell Joe is challenging. Thus, she figures that Hell Joe should be dealt with by his companions. Garam then reveals to Bam that what Hell Joe stated is a lie as the missing Thorn fragment is actually hidden away within North City's Spirit Room. In addition, that it's currently being guarded by High Ranker De Jah since he retired after leaving North City to be watched over by his Ranker successor, Grand De Lee. Garam reveals that De Jah was there when Enryu attacked the 43rd Floor, which as one of the few who knows of the Thorn fragment's location, De Jah will provide a test to those who want it.
Meanwhile, Hockney and Mata see that Yadu has arrived at the tunnel leading to De Jah's castle, which Hockney starts to sense something from his unique eyes as if they're giving him a memory. Back at Garam and Bam, Garam remains convinced that Bam being an Irregular compared to just a D-rank Regular will impress De Jah into giving him the test for the Thorn fragment. In addition, she assures Bam that despite everything he heard about his past, and the destiny that appears to be laid out for him, it's still Bam's choice to decide if he should follow it or not. That she wouldn't criticize Bam if he decides to go down a different path given how big of a burden it would be for him. Overall, Bam decides that he will indeed follow the path that revolves around Arlene, but assures Garam that it's his own choice rather than it being destiny forcing him to do it.
Bam rejoins with Hockney and Mata to inform them that he needs to go off on his own. That he will be going on ahead to De Jah's castle to get what he needs, but isn't convinced that Hockney and Mata would survive if they came across anything dangerous there. Implied to have seen something important from his unique eyes, Hockney asks Bam if he could join the journey to De Jah's castle despite the danger as he feels that he needs to be there too. Mata advises against it, but Hockney points out that it's like Mata said that he might obtain something valuable there, which catches Mata's attention knowing that he wants Hockney to be happy. As a result, Mata goes along with it, and offers to lead them to De Jah's castle since he's been there before, which Yadu continues on towards said castle. Thus, Bam ends up sticking with Hockney and Mata for now.
At Hell Joe's Red Castle, Walcott's been left to guard the main entrance. As he ponders over Hell Joe believing that he's strong enough to guard the entrance himself, Walcott suddenly sees Yuri and Evan having arrived. Yuri wanting to get the fight with Hell Joe over with so that they can go back to searching for Bam. Walcott powers up while finding it unbelievable that Yuri and Evan appeared alone, which Yuri stands ready for a fight. However, Walcott doesn't feel threatened since being soulless has made him an immortal being.
Meanwhile, Sachi uses his Thornbush shinsu to create a vine ladder up the side of the castle, which is seen by another Hell Joe subordinate, Sanchez. The rest of Khun's group remain on standby waiting to attack the moment Yuri ignites her two 13-Month weapons, Black March and Green April.
Flashing back to Gallstone Village, Hwaryun goes over with the group how Hell Joe's faction will be immortal due to the High Ranker's De Sah and De Jah's spell. However, they can break the spell as long as they use something stronger than the High Ranker immortality spell that was cast. Hwaryun points out that the answer they have at breaking through the spell at this very moment is the two 13-Month weapons in Yuri's possession once they've been ignited.
Back to the present during her fight with Walcott, Yuri realizes that the plan is flawed since she's never actually been able to ignite a 13-Month weapon. She begs for the Black March and Green April to ignite, and manages to call out the two weapon spirits. Black March and Green April agree to allow Yuri to ignite just this one time since she's managed to gather two 13-Month weapons in one place. However, they also warn Yuri that she can only ignite one of them since doing more than one will cause her to go insane. Despite the warning, Yuri refuses to go along with it, and orders them both to ignite thinking that a Princess using two ignited weapons will look cool. Black March agrees to go along with it since it will teach Yuri what it means by going insane as the two 13-Month weapons ignite.
Before the Bam/Hockney/Mata group departs to De Jah's castle, Garam provides Bam with Arlene Grace's Pocket, and then watches them leave. Now alone, Garam then gets word that Yuri has just ignited both her 13-Month weapons at once.
After igniting the Black March and Green April, the insane Yuri begins to attack everything in sight. Even Evan, who had been supporting her against Walcott. Unable to block the attacks from the 13-Month weapons, the right side of Walcott's body gets destroyed, and isn't able to recover despite the immortality spell, which forces Sanchez to charge in and support. Yuri's 13-Month attacks then finish off Walcott for good, and cuts off Sanchez's right arm. From within his castle, Hell Joe watches over the fight, and is shocked that Yuri's attacks are having an effect on them. Ready to head out to battle, Hell Joe is left convinced that Yuri is the one that Karaka was talking about regarding the person that can help him escape the Floor of Death.
Meanwhile, the Bam/Hockney/Mata group enter De Jah's castle. After Mata disposes of the Floor of Death lizards protecting the path, Hockney uses this moment to explain a bit about his past. That Hell Joe one day found out about his ability of putting souls into paintings, and ordered Hockney to do the same for him. However, Hockney rejected it, which caused Hell Joe to take Hockney's Red Light painting, and sold it off to people outside the Floor of Death. Hockney further explains that he doesn't like the eyes he currently has since they have the ability to see a couple seconds into the future, which screws up his paintings since the pictures become distorted whenever he tries to paint something that is currently right in front of him. As a result, Hockney considers the ability to see into the future as a curse.
Moments after, the Bam/Hockney/Mata group arrive at the gate of De Jah's room. Bam notes he's able to sense the Thorn fragment behind it. Before they could enter however, they're greeted by Rachel, who warns Bam to give up the search for the second Thorn fragment before Karaka and White arrive.
Beforehand while Team Rachel was still at Hell Joe's castle, Rachel gets a message from her Emile terminal that Hockney is on his way to the Spirit Room with Bam. Rachel realizes that they need to go to Hockney's location since Bam must have discovered where the Thorn fragment is, but this is overheard by Hoaqin, who now wants to go to where Rachel is going in order to get his revenge on Viole. As a result, Karaka strikes a deal to show Team Rachel the way to the Spirit Room as long as they provide the location of Viole, which Rachel's group agree to go along with. Moments after, Ssong offers to lead Karaka and Team Rachel down a Floor of Death path to show them the way to the Spirit Room. While following Ssong, Emile picks up Hockney's nearby signal, which causes Rachel to sneak away from the group while Yura provides a distraction in order for Rachel to reach Bam before Karaka and Hoaqin. However, Rachel running away didn't go unnoticed by Karaka.
Returning to the present, Rachel attempts to convince Bam to run away before Karaka arrives, but Bam realizes that Rachel isn't actually worried about him, but is worried that Karaka will take away the second Thorn fragment from her. Ignoring the warning, Bam states to Rachel that he needs to go since he now has a reason to do so, which catches Rachel's attention. Taking along Hockney and Mata, they approach De Jah's gate, but have it blocked off by Rachel's lighthouse barrier, who orders Bam to explain what his new reason is. She figures that Garam Jahad most have told him something important, which Bam reveals that he knows about Arlene Grace.
Bam points out that while he may not know much about Arlene Grace compared to Rachel, he knows that Arlene considered the world he and Rachel were originally at as a paradise. However, he calls out Rachel that he knows for a fact that Rachel never saw that as a paradise like Arlene. Destroying Rachel's lighthouse barrier, Bam announces that he's decided to climb the Tower in order to find a real paradise where everyone can be happy, and that nothing within the Tower will stop him from finding it. Entering beyond De Jah's gate, Bam says goodbye to Rachel, which causes Rachel to damn destiny.
Beyond the gate, Bam's group meets Grand De Jah, and the current ruler of North City, Grand De Lee. Seeing Hockney's eyes, De Jah is excited to see that his eyes have returned to him, and that it must be a sign that the one to resolve the current problem has finally arrived. Bam announces that he's here for the test in order to find the Thorn fragment, but Rachel arrives soon after, and orders De Jah to allow her to take part in the test as well. Despite De Jah sensing evil within Rachel, Bam asks De Jah to allow her to take the test, which De Jah agrees to do so. De Jah then shows off their test, which is to defeat Hell Joe, and free his brother, De Sah, that Hell Joe imprisoned. The winner will be shown the location of the Thorn fragment.
Meanwhile at the tunnel where the rest of Rachel's group is, Karaka beats up Yura knowing that she helped Rachel ditch the group, and threatens to kill her if she doesn't reveal Viole's location.
Long Summary
Within the Hell Train's Rice Pot room, the God of Guardians remains on standby watching Bam create his first Shinsu Black-hole Sphere. The God of Guardians points out how it seems that Bam is finally able to control at least one shot, yet also reminds the boy that this was such a dangerous training route to go with. It calls Bam lucky to still be alive considering that it was having a hard time controlling the Shinsu Black-hole Sphere to a point that it wouldn't kill Bam right away.
The God of Guardians adds that while Bam has now learned to use the Shinsu Black-hole Sphere, he won't have much time to rest given that the Hell Train's 42nd Floor Test is coming up soon. It asks if Bam will be able to test the Shinsu Black-hole Sphere in the test given the boy's current injured state, which Bam answers that he'll be ok. The answer confuses the God of Guardians, which Bam answers that while it's hard to describe, it feels like something within himself that was plugged up beforehand has now opened itself up. Bam states that he's confident he can do it since his body now feels like it's gotten lighter. Some time later, Bam is seen within the Hell Train's Testing Area for the 42nd Floor Test.
The announcement is heard that the test will now begin, and asks for any Regulars participating to approach the starting line. Massive floating objects known as Big Crystal Shards appear above Bam, which the announcer explains that the goal of the test is simply to destroy the shards by any means necessary. The announcer also adds that the Big Crystal Shards must all be destroyed within the next hour in order to ride the train up to the next Floor.
Looking up at the Big Crystal Shards, Bam thinks to himself that this is his first test on his own ever since his Dallar Show fight against Hoaqin. He figures that he has to find a way to end the test as quickly as possible since his body has almost reached its limit doing the Shinsu Black-hole Sphere training. The announcer asks for the test to begin as Bam gathers up shinsu to perform the Shinsu Black-hole Sphere. Bam gathers up as much strength as he can possibly muster at this point, and throws his own Shinsu Black-hole Sphere at the Big Crystal Shards.
Up in the air, the Shinsu Black-hole Sphere begins to explode, and easily begins to break apart the Big Crystal Shards. Moments later, Bam now remains alone with the remains of the Big Crystal Shards falling to the floor. Bam thinks to himself once more that he will be able to do this as the announcement is made that Bam has passed the Floor Test.
Meanwhile at another 42nd Floor Testing Area, Khun is see utilizing his upgraded lighthouses, and having picked up spear-throwing, to easily defeat the Big Crystal Shards. He notes how he hasn't thrown a spear in ages as the announcement is made that Khun has passed the Floor Test. Evan, who watched over Khun's performance in the test, thinks over how Khun's new technique allows him to switch to the spear-bearer position, which is obviously a result of Khun's Great Family heritage.
At another 42nd Floor Testing Area, Endorsi warps up her test having easily defeated her Big Crystal Shards as well. The announcement is then made that Endorsi Jahad has passed the Floor Test. Being watched over by Yuri's ball speaker, Endorsi asks if the Ha Princess is done bothering her at this point, which Yuri answers that she's not even close.
Continuing the 42nd Floor Tests is the Boro, Sachi, Bero, Iruroe, and Hockney, group having also been announced to have passed the Big Crystal Shard Floor Test. Boro points out how it was a lot easier taking the test this time around thanks to having a dependable Observer user in Hockney. He also notes how he never expected to go up against such a massive Big Crystal Shard, but figures that it probably had something to do with the fact that they took the test as a five-man group. Hockney replies that he's just doing his job, and that the tests were tough when he was someone who had to take them solo beforehand, which Boro answers that overall, Hockney has still proven himself to have tremendous skills.
Sachi is the next to speak asking if Hockney has rethought his proposal from before, which the scout realizes that Sachi is referring to going to the Floor of Death with them. However, Hockney apologizes by stating that he's decided to never go to the Floor of Death. He then points out how he doesn't understand why Sachi and company would want to go to such a place since the Floor of Death isn't meant to be a place for people to be, which confuses them. Hockney states that it's because the Floor of Death is a place where life goes to die.
The scout explains how the Floor of Death is a place where you will be surrounded by monsters and those of the dead. In addition, you feel as if your soul is being devoured for just standing in the place. It's for this reason that the 43rd Floor is known as the Floor of Death, and why it's no place for living people, such as Sachi and company, to be heading off to. Sachi notes how Hockney seems to know a lot about the Floor wondering if the scout has been there before, which Hockney answers that it's not that he's been there before, but that he used to live there, which shocks Sachi and company.
Boro yells how he's never heard of people living on the Floor of Death, which Hockney answers that he was once a 43rd Floor native. He warns Sachi and company not to go to the Floor of Death, because even if they try to go there, they will end up dying before they even get the chance of setting foot on the 43rd Floor. Sachi and company remain confused by what Hockney means by that, which the scout explains that there are countless paths leading up to the 43rd Floor of Death. However, each of said paths are guarded by gigantic monsters known as the Gatekeepers.
As a result, people who try to visit the Floor of Death from the outside will most likely end up becoming food to the Gatekeepr beasts. Boro asks what Hockney means by Gatekeepers, which the scout explains once more that they're monsters who devour anyone that tries to enter the Floor of Death. He also adds that no one knows exactly where the Gatekeepers came from. Hockney warns Sachi and company that it will be impossible to avoid the Gatekeeper monsters if their goal is to truly reach the Floor of Death, and that even if they try to fight said Gatekeepers, all that awaits them is death. Once more, Hockney states that their only option is to give up trying to get into the Floor of Death. Some time later, Boro and Sachi return to their Hell Train room to get some rest.
Boro points out how he never considered the threat of the Gatekeepers keeping them from the Floor of Death. He also asks if Sachi knew about Hockney being a former resident of the Floor of Death, which Sachi answers that just like Boro, he only just found out about it today. Sachi explains how Hockney told them how he decided to get on the Hell Train thanks to information provided to him from Emile. As a result, it's a major possibility that Rachel may have tricked Hockney into perhaps going back to the Floor of Death. However, Sachi points out that he has no proof that this speculation of his is the truth.
Boro puts together what Sachi just told him that Rachel's plan may be to use Hockney for some reason, which Sachi agrees is what he believes as well. Sachi assures Boro that Hockney isn't a bad person, but will have to watch out for Hockney if it turns out that he's connected to Rachel in some way. At this point, Khun enters their room, and asks if the two of them are finished preparing for the Floor of Death since Boro and Sachi appear to relaxed. Boro is glad to see that Khun is finally back, and asks if this means that the latter finished his training with the Ranker guide. Khun answers that to be the case, but adds that the training wasn't enough to satisfy him.
Sachi figures that Khun must be exhausted since they could hear the racket going on in the room that Evan was training him, which Khun replies that Endorsi apparently had a much harder time than him. Khun points out how Endorsi is someone that has had to deal with Princess Yuri hounding her every day. Within her room, Endorsi is seen trying to get some rest, but is greeted by Yuri's speaker ordering the former to return to training. The order enrages Endorsi complaining for this to stop, and let her get some sleep already.
Khun notices that Bam still hasn't returned yet, but a moment later, Bam comes through the doorway claiming that he's just now made it back, which surprises Khun. In return, Bam states to Khun that it's been a while since they last saw one another. Khun notices how Bam's face is a complete mess, which Bam replies that Khun looks like he had a tough time as well looking like someone that's lost weight. Khun next notes how their numbers have gone down a bit more than he expected only seeing Bam, Sachi, and Boro, standing with him. He states that everyone who's decided to go to the Floor of Death is pretty much here.
In another Hell Train room, Yuri and Evan discuss how they're about to arrive at the Floor of death. Evan asks what kind of prank fate is playing on them that it turned out this way, which Yuri explains that it's apparently against the rules for Jahad Princesses to approach the Floor of Death. Evan points out that this doesn't matter for Yuri since she just does as she pleases, like go down the Tower to Headon's 1st Floor. He also points out how they don't have much choice but to leave the Hell Train soon since the punitive order on them has already been given for breaking into the Hell Train originally.
Yuri asks if Evan has been to the Floor of Death before, which he answers that he went once for a pilgrimage. However, he adds that this will be his first time going to the center of the Floor of Death, and states that no one in the Tower knows exactly what kind of place the center of the the 43rd Floor is. Evan then states how he's worried about how the Regulars will be able to handle the Floor of Death, but he also warns Yuri to remember that they will be in just as much danger going there as Rankers.
Back to Bam and company, the lights of the Hell Train begin to dim, which they notice right away. Boro asks if this means that they're finally entering the Floor of Death. At Team Rachel's location, Wangnan and company also notice how the light is beginning to vanish.
Wangnan however remains confused about what's going on since there's still a lot of time left before it's supposed to become nighttime. Returning to Bam, he finds what he's currently feeling to be strange as if his heart is racing. He deduces that it's a feeling like he's going somewhere that he absolutely needs to go to.
One month passes as the night continues throughout this time. Bam and company remain on standby as Khun thinks to himself that they finally got a chance during this one month interlude to rest their tired bodies. Looking up at the Hell Train ceiling, Khun notes how quiet the journey to the 43rd Floor is. After spending many more hours riding the Hell Train through the calm area, the express finally arrives at the Floor of Death.
As the Hell Train flies over the Floor of Death, Substitute Train Conductor, Poro, makes the announcement for everyone on the express that they've arrived on the 43rd Floor. Poro looks down at the rock spikes shooting out of the red water of the 43rd Floor of Death, and says to himself that the sight of it always sends shivers down his spine whenever the Hell Train returns here.
Bam, Khun, and Endorsi, look down at the Floor of Death in awe not able to believe what they're seeing. Khun looks at the rock spikes shooting out of some sort of red liquid, and states that the 43rd Floor looks as terrifying as the rumors have said. At this point, Hwaryun comes up behind them stating that it looks like they've finally arrived, which catches the attention of Bam and company. Hwaryun asks for them to get ready to jump down from the Hell Train since there will be no proper Floor station for them to be dropped off at, which shocks Bam and company hearing that they got to make a jump.
Khun asks what Hwaryun means by jumping off since there's nowhere on the Floor of Death to land at. The guide answers that it's because what they're seeing at the moment isn't the real Floor of Death, which confuses Khun even further. Khun asks if the rock spikes shooting out of the red liquid is some kind of hallucination, which Hwaryun answers that it isn't. She explains that the red Floor liquid they're seeing at the moment is actually the blood of the Guardian that was murdered by the Irregular, Enryu.
Hwaryun then reveals that the true Floor of Death is the actual body of the 43rd Floor Guardian. She explains that Bam and company will see what the real Floor of Death is like once they go inside the corpse of the Guardian. Hwaryun leaves off warning the group to not believe anything they see with their own eyes as the 43rd Floor of Death is a place that will be hostile to the living.
Meanwhile, Rachel's current team (Rachel, Hoaqin, Yura, Traveller, Wangnan, and Miseng) gather to enter into the Floor of Death. Rachel informs them that they've arrived at their destination, which Hoaqin asks if this means he will be allowed to travel with them as well. Rachel answers that this is indeed the case since Hoaqin's contract to remain stuck on the Hell Train is a spell connected to the Floor Guardians, but since there's no longer a Guardian watching over the 43rd Floor, the spell is considered void for this particular Floor. However, she reminds Hoaqin that overall, he still won't be able to go to any other Floor.
Hoaqin talks to himself wondering how long it's been since the last time he got to walk freely in the outside world. Wangnan pokes fun at Hoaqin asking how he could be so sentimental right now, and then asks if this is a similar feeling to someone in jail that gets to have a brief vacation.
He asks if Hoaqin wants to go get some beers with him, which causes Hoaqin to call him a gutless little bastard. Hoaqin asks why Wangnan is talking to him as if they're on close terms since the yellow-head was threatening to kill him awhile back, which causes Wangnan to laugh. Wangnan asks in return why this matters at this point since they're companions now, and states that now's not the time to go about stepping over each other. Rachel next asks about Hockney, which Yura answers that she's already thrown the bait. Yura explains that she told Hockney through the Emile terminal that he can find the picture piece he's been searching for somewhere on the Floor of Death.
The idol continues to explain that for now, she will put off telling Hockney the identity of Team Rachel since it would be funny to have him act with their enemies for the time being, which Rachel allows. As Rachel asks for everyone to check their gear for the Floor of Death, Wangnan is left wondering who the Hockney person is that they've been talking about. Rachel then announces that it's time for them to go to the Floor of Death.
Moments beforehand, Karaka is seen by himself scouting out a location of the Hell Train. He remains in front of a door, and notes how it won't open no matter what he tries to do. Karaka wonders if the door will only open with some special requirement as he places his hand on said door. He questions if behind the door is perhaps one of the hidden cars on the Hell Train that he heard about. Before Karaka could inspect the door any further, he hears Poro's announcement that the Hell Train has arrived at the Floor of Death. Afterwards, Karaka begins to walk away from the locked door knowing that his time spent exploring the Hell Train is now over. He states to himself that it's finally time for him to go outside again.
Back to the present, Bam's 43rd Floor expedition team remains on standby ready to make the jump down to the Floor of Death. Yuri and Evan are with them as well, which the Ha Princess states that it's time for them to get moving. A member of Bam's group asks if anything has been heard back from Wangnan's team.
Khun answers that they did using the Yellow Prince title on the Emile terminal that Miseng informed them about, but still haven't discovered anything yet. Another asks about the status of Hoaqin's clone, which Khun answers that the billion soul girl has decided to hide within the Hell Train at a location where not even Emile will be able to locate her. Khun also informs the team that even if Hoaqin was able to find her, he wouldn't be able to absorb the clone girl in her current state.
Sachi agrees with it as he heard the rumor that Hoaqin's final clone has power on the level of a Ranker. Bam asks if they're ready to leave the Hell Train at this point, which Boro asks how they're supposed to drop since there's no 43rd Floor station. Khun points him in the direction of Hwaryun since she was the one who told them how they're supposed to reach the Floor of Death.
She explains their current situation to the rest of Bam's companions, which shocks Boro hearing that they got to jump off the Hell Train. Boro objects to the idea believing that the jump from such a height could kill them. However, Hwaryun asks him to be quiet assuring the group that they're not going to die.
Hwaryun explains how the red sea they see on the Floor of Death is actually the blood of the Guardian that had been killed by the Irregular, Enryu. She also informs them that the Guardians blood is a pool of shinsu, so they won't die if they manage to land in the blood after they perform their jump.
As a result, they need to jump into the Guardian's blood in order to reach the true Floor of Death. Hwaryun adds that the true Floor of Death is the corpse of the Guardian, which is why the place has been nicknamed the Floor of Death. At this point, Evan and Yuri arrive, which the former states that what Hwaryun said is correct.
Bam and company turn their attention to the two Rankers, which Evan adds to Hwaryun's explanation that the red sea they currently see is nothing more than the outer shell of the true Floor of Death. Evan states that while he's never actually been to the real Flood of Death himself, he knows for the fact that they got to enter the outer shell they're currently looking at in order to reach the Guardian's corpse. He also warns Bam and company that at this point, none of them can predict what they will come across once they've entered the Floor of Death. Evan leaves off stating that they won't be able to see any of the truth until they perform the jump down to the 43rd Floor.
Moments later, Khun and Boro stand at the edge of the opened Hell Train side-entrance looking down at the outer Floor of Death. Boro finds this current situation insane unable to believe that they're supposed to drop from such a height. Khun states that it will be a simple process as they will just follow after Boro depending on if he manages to survive the jump. In return, Boro calls out Khun for saying something scary as if it was nothing. Boro goes against it not having the courage to jump, which Khun calls him out for being a baby. Bam offers to go first, but Hockney appears at this point, and informs Boro and company that the jump is going to be safe. Boro and company are surprised to see Hockney here, which the scout states that they're not going to die from a simply jump if their overall goal is to enter the true Floor of Death.
Bam asks who the new guy is, which Boro introduces the scout to him as David Hockney, the scout Regular who boarded the Hell Train at the 40th Floor station. Boro explains that after completing the Hell Train tests, Hockney was spending his free time away from everyone else searching the interiors of the express for the missing piece of one of his paintings.
Khun realizes that he's standing before the person that's been to the Floor of Death before, which Boro asks why Hockney is here now since the scout has already told them that he doesn't plan on going. Hockney explains that he's changed his mind recently after a message he got from Emile yesterday. He reveals to Boro and company that Emile told him how the picture piece will show up on the Floor of Death in two days, so he's got no choice at this point, but to re-enter the Floor of Death. Boro remains shocked by the announcement asking if Emile really did saw that, which Hockney answers was indeed the case.
Thinking over the person known as David Hockney, Khun points together how he's a mysterious scout that entered the Hell Train on the 40th Floor, and that said scout was one a resident of the Floor of Death. Khun deduces how there's definitely a chance that Rachel is using Hockney through the Emile terminal, but also notes how Hockney doesn't seem to have noticed just yet that he's most likely being used.
As a result, Khun figures that if they play their cards right, they could use Hockney against Rachel. Khun asks if Hockney wants to join their group, which catches Bam's attention. He explains that it wouldn't hurt for Hockney to come along with them since both their goals are going to take place on the Floor of Death.
Hockney accepts the offer, and asks if they're about ready to leave. However, Khun informs him that they're holding off for a bit as there's still enemies on the Hell Train they got to deal with. A moment later, Yura, and a cloaked figure, appear before Bam and company having been teleported to their Hell Train side-entrance location using Yura's transportation ability.
Yura asks why Bam and company are standing around at the side-entrance instead of leaving, which Khun replies that their enemies have now appeared. She next orders Bam and company to quickly leave already as they won't be able to leave the Hell Train while they remain blocking the exit. Khun replies that they were obviously choosing to wait so that they can deal with Team Rachel before said team attacks them on the Floor of Death. Meanwhile, Bam looks towards the cloaked person next to Yura wondering who that is. The cloaked person remains silent as he looks at Bam and company with his yellow eyes (heavily implying that the cloaked person next to Yura is Wangnan)
Khun states how he figures that Rachel must be hiding in Yura's suitcase, which Yura answers is indeed the case. In return, Khun orders Yura to let Rachel out already since they can just settle things here without having to wait for the Floor of Death. Yura replies how surprised she is by Khun's confidence since he's choosing to threaten her despite the fact that they currently have Hoaqin on their side. She figures that Khun's acting like this simply because he's currently being backed by a big shot, which catches Yuri's attention. Despite liking the idea of being a big shot, Yuri informs Yura not to worry about her since as a High Ranker, she's not allowed to attack Regulars on the Hell Train unless they outright decide to attack her.
Yuri thinks over how Yura is from her Ha Family as she informs the idol girl that she has no intetion of getting involved in a matter that concerns Regulars. In return, Yura thanks Yuri for the confirmation, and states how she was worried over nothing. Turning her attention back on Khun, Yura asks if he would like to make a deal with her, which confuses him. Yura explains how she will provide them information on the Thorn fragment, as well as the whereabouts of their missing Tangsooyook companions, if they simply allow Team Rachel to exit the Hell Train.
Bam and company are shocked to hear that she knows of such information, which Yura assures them is the case, and that this is a very reasonable offer they shouldn't refuse. She orders Bam and company to make their choice if they would rather let them leave in return for information, or just flat out devolve into an all-out battle. She leaves off warning Bam and company that if they decide to fight, they will most likely lose their chance to get their hands on the Thorn fragment, which catches Bam's and Khun's attention. Bam states to Khun that they should take the offer, which Khun admits that they don't have much choice at this point.
Moments later, Khun, Bam, Yura, and the cloaked Wangnan, stand atop Khun's lighthouses outside the Hell Train while the rest of Bam's group watches from the Hell Train side-entrance. Khun warns Yura that if she tries to escape, his lighthouse is set to attack her. He also warns her that now that they're outside the Hell Train, the Ranker, Princess Yuri, will have the right to attack. Yura admits that she understands, and states that Khun has to promise to let them go once she provides the imformation, which Khun accepts. Bam asks first wanting to know about Wangnan's status, which surprises Yura seeing that he would choose to start with that.
Yura partially lies to Bam that Wangnan's team are currently hiding somewhere on the Hell Train. She explains that Team Rachel planned out a trap using Emile, which Team Tangsooyook fell for. However, despite being really close to catching Wangnan's team, they ended up failing to trap them due to Cassano's betrayal, who decided that it was finally time to save Horyang.
Yura's lie excites Bam asking if that really is the truth, which Yura lies that it stunned Team Rachel as well. She assures Bam that he should be able to see Wangnan's team again if they keep going up the Tower since she heard Wangnan say at one point that they're going to leave the Hell Train once it passes over the Floor of Death. In return, Bam breathes a sigh of relief since he heard it from his companions that Cassano left the Hell Train to return to Horyang. He also admits that he didn't know Cassano leaving was actually for the sake of going back for Horyang, and figures that being told to search for Yellow Prince on Emile was Wangnan's way of telling them their current Hell Trian location.
Khun thinks Yura's explanation over, but deduces that something about it doesn't sound right. He remains confused as to why they haven't come across Wangnan again if he did truly manage to escape Team Rachel's trap. Khun also remains confused as to why Yura would go so far as to make a deal that would have her providing them this kind of information. He deduces that the only logical answer is that something happened to Team Tangsooyook while they were away.
While the confrontation is going on, the cloaked Wangnan continues to remain silent looking at Bam and Khun. Yura next gets to the second main subject regarding Team Rachel's information that they know about the thorn fragment, which grabs Bam's attention. She explains that they will need to find the house where the Princess of the Deep Colored Sea lives, and asks her where the location of the Thorn is at. Yura adds that the place of the Princess is where three waterfalls flow, and that if they follow the Red Light from there, they will reach the location of the Thorn fragment. Bam and company remain confused by Yura's information, but Endorsi notes the description of the Princess of the Deep Colored Sea possibly being the person she came searching for.
Having nothing else to say, Yura states that this is the only clue they have, and that Team Rachel are forced to use it as their only clue to search for the Thorn fragment. Khun objects to Yura's words finding her information to be too abstract, which Yura orders him once more to let them go as it's all that she knows. She calls out Khun asking if he's planning to backstab them after she kept her end of the deal, which leaves Khun silent.
He questions himself what he should do in this situation ready to activate his lighthouse against Yura, but Bam calls out to him to get him to stop. Khun asks for Bam to think this over as Yura has provided them clues that have too many strange holes in it. He points out that it's odd how Yura has decided to tell them all this through a deal, and that in the end, something must have happened to Wangnan's team when they were off doing their own thing in the Hell Train. As a result, they have no logical reason to just let Team Rachel go right here.
At this point, a voice is heard asking why they've all gathered here outside the Hell Train. Bam and company turn to the location of the voice, and are shocked to see Karaka floating above them. Karaka states that his plan was to leave the Hell Train without being noticed, but never expected to see his enemies just sitting around at the side-entrance of the express.
The FUG Slayer adds that it's like his enemies are just praying for him to come kill them. Preparing a shinsu attack, Karaka announces that he will make their dream come true if death is what they're seeking. In return, an enraged Yuri jumps from the Hell Train up into the air, and intercepts the attack that Karaka was preparing. Leftover shinsu from the attack Karaka was preparing shoots off in different directions as some are sent towards Khun's lighthouses.
Bam and Khun are forced to move to dodge Karaka's shinsu beams as Yuri and Wangnan realize that this is their chance to escape using this moment to jump from Khun's lighthouses. Yuri asks how Karaka is alive since she was sure that her overwhelming Rose Shower attack had killed him back at the Name Hunt Station.
In return, Karaka jokes that he doesn't know other than the fact that he's an immortal god. Yuri replies by ordering the FUG Slayer to cut the crap as she punches Karaka away. At this point, Karaka catches sight of Yura and Wangnan.
Karaka asks Yura if Hoaqin happens to be in that carrier of hers, which catches Yura's attention. He also asks if the person known as Rachel also happens to be in it. Yura remains confused as to who she's talking to, which Karaka introduces himself to her as the God of FUG.
The introduction shocks Wangnan, who realizes that the FUG Slayer before him is the person that Hwaryun warned him about. Bringing a World of Darkness sphere close to Yura and Wangnan, Karaka announces that they're going to come to the Floor of Death with him, and asks that they follow along.
Yura and Wangnan get sucked into Karaka's sphere along with the carrier that has Rachel and Hoaqin in it as Yuri sends a shinsu blast in their direction, but fails to get them in time. Her failed shinsu beam leaves Yuri annoyed deducing that the unstability of the Guardian-less 43rd Floor is making it hard to control her abilities. Karaka then appears out of one of his World of Darkness spheres, and commands one to head towards Bam.
The FUG Slayer states to Jue Viole Grace that a simple haircut is not enough to fool him, and that the Slayer Candidate will be coming with him as well. Khun calls out to Bam worried for his friend's life as Bam looks upon Karaka's World of Darkness sphere realizing that he won't be able to dodge it.
Creating a Shinsu Black-hole Sphere, Bam figures that his only option at this point is to destroy Karaka's sphere before it gets him. As Bam throws the Shinsu Black-hole Sphere at the black sphere, Yuri yells out to Evan wanting him to save Bam. Evan does so by summoning one of his Adam's Gloves to grab hold of Bam, and gets the boy out of the way before Karaka's sphere reaches the boy.
The Shinsu Black-hole Sphere activates in the air as Evan checks on Bam in his Adam's Glove to see if the boy is ok. Yuri also congratulates Evan for managing to save Bam at the last second. On the other hand, Karaka is left disappointed that the Ranker guide, Evan Edroch, got in his way of claiming Jue Viole Grace.
The FUG Slayer then sinks into his World of Darkness sphere, and figures that he will just forget about getting the Slayer Candidate for now, and just worry about his original plan. A moment later, Yuri sends multiple blasts of shinsu towards Karaka, but has each of them blocked by his World of Darkness spheres. Seeing Karaka's sphere gone, Yuri's left annoyed upon realizing that the FUG Slayer has succeeded in getting away with the members of Team Rachel.
Meanwhile, Bam thanks Evan for grabbing him out of the way using the Adam's Glove item. In return, Evan scolds Bam asking what the boy was thinking just standing in place against an attack from a Ranker. However, something above Evan catches the guide's attention as he stands confused as to what's going on. Evan looks above himself in the location where Bam threw his Shinsu Black-hole Sphere, and sees the leftover black shinsu of Karaka's World of Darkness spheres gradually disappearing into it. Bam remains disappointed that he still isn't strong enough to face Karaka, but a shocked Evan is left wondering what the boy learned while he was on the Hell Train.
Listening to Bam talking to himself that he still needs to get even stronger, Evan thinks over how Bam looked like nothing more than a boy with no power whatsoever when they first met on the 1st Floor. In addition, it's only been a few years between now, and when they first met. Evan is left stunned finding it unbelievable witnessing with his own two eyes that Bam has grown as such an alarming rate. The Ranker guide thinks over how he thought Bam was perhaps a different race than someone like Urek Mazino, but realizes that this wasn't the case one bit. Evan is left wondering if this is to be expected from all people who end up classified as Irregulars.
Picturing Bam as a giant silver eel greature, Evan wonders if perhaps they've been looking after a boy that has the potential to become a monster that will end up becoming the greatest threat to everyone in the Tower. Interrupting his thought, Bam asks for Evan to release the grip of his Adam's Glove item currently holding him in the air as it's squeezing him so tightly to the point of hurting. The statement surprises Evan as he motions his Adam's Glove to let go of the boy. Bam then summons his shinsu platform so that he has something to stand on as Endorsi flies over to him using the Bong Bong to check if he's ok.
Yuri heads over to Evan, and states how unbelievable it turned out to be that the bastard, Karaka, turned out to still be alive, which Evan agrees with given the overwhelming attack that Yuri hit the FUG Slayer with back at Name Hunt Station. Evan notes how he would have never guessed that Karaka would still be alive after taking hits from the Kranos item and Yuri's Rose Shower skill. Yuri adds that Karaka still looks perfectly fine despite being hit by said attacks, and has apparently been riding the Hell Train alongside everyone else. She asks if this means that Karaka really is some sort of immortal god, but Evan answers it can't be the case since only Jahad and his Ten Great Family leaders made a deal with the Tower Guardians to be granted immortality. With all that said, Yuri figures that overall, this simply means that they now have one more thing to watch out for now that Karaka is confirmed to also be on the Floor of Death, which Evan agrees with. Evan adds that this also confirms that no matter what, Karaka will continue going after Bam. Turning her attention to look down at the blood ocean of the Floor of Death, Yuri states that it's about time for them to go inside.
Moments later, floating right above the blood is Bam, Khun, Boro, and Sachi, standing atop Khun's lighthouses getting ready to jump in. Iruroe is also near them still using her pillow to float around. Boro asks if they will die jumping into the blood, which Sachi replies that overall, it looks safe given how Hockney is currently swinning in the blood. The afloat Hockney orders them to hurry up and jump in already as they all need to go in simultaneously so that they end up at the same path entering the true Floor of Death.
Hockey explains that if they were to go in separately, there's a huge chance of them getting pulled apart by different currents inside the dead Guardian's blood. As a result, the chance is high that they won't end up at the same Floor of Death location after passing through the blood. Hockey also warns the group that if anyone does get split up on the Floor of Death, it's essentially their death sentence.
Having heard Hockney's explanation, Sachi taps Boro to jump already, and notes that he will cry for Boro if his friend ends up dying. Sachi also adds that Boro dying overall won't matter much since he's just a side character, but Boro still remains unconvinced. Getting annoyed, Sachi kicks Boro forward, which causes Boro to finally fall into the dead Guardian's blood.
Khun turns to Bam stating that they should get going as well, which Bam agrees with. They all then begin to jump into the Floor of Death's blood near the exact same time as one another. Finally, Yuri and Evan follow closely after them.
Bam and company begin to sink into the dead 43rd Floor Guardian's blood as Bam closes his eyes realizing that he's beginning to feel something that comes off warm and quiet. He deduces that it's the kind of feeling as if he's retured to a place where he once lived at for a very long time. Looking in a completely different direction than everyone else is sinking towards, Bam spots a glowing light in the distance, and begins to move towards it.
Hockney notices Bam drifting towards a different direction than everyone else, and is left confused as to why Bam has decided to go that way. Fearing that Bam may end up going down a different path than everyone else, Hockney begins to swim to the boy's location. Hockney calls out to Bam to grab the boy's attention, which the rest of the group notices as well. The scout orders Bam to snap out of whatever trance the boy may be in, and to return to sinking through the blood with the rest of the group. Hockney continues to try to grab Bam's attention, but at this point, the group comes across one of the blood currents that Hockney warned everyone about earlier.
The group are all shocked to see Bam and Hockney get caught up in the blood current. Khun calls out to them worrying for his friend's life as Yuri prepares her shinsu to attempt rescue. She notes how no matter what happens, she apparently can't take her eyes off the boy given the crazy stuff that always happens to him. However, to Yuri's shock, she realizes that her shinsu abilities aren't working while they're inside the dead Guardian's blood. Khun starts to move in an attempt to save Bam and Hockney, but Sachi grabs hold of his foot ordering him not to go.
Sachi warns Khun that at this point, there's no opening left to try to bring Bam back to them. He also states to Khun that the most important thing at the moment is to keep together the remaining group members that are still here. Sachi continues to explain to Khun that the situation will only get worse if the blood current that's on top of everyone at the moment ends up sending everyone else to random locations, which leaves Khun annoyed nothing that Sachi is speaking the truth. Inside the blood current, Bam and Hockney continue to get sent off to another Floor of Death location. Hockney looks towards Bam, and notices how the boy looks like he's gone unconscious.
The scout fears that at this rate, Bam will end up drifting away to the point of being completely separated from everyone else. Activating his lantern pole weapon, Hockney deduces that at the very least, he needs to at least try to stick together with Bam. A beam of shinsu is then sent out of Hockney's lantern, and manages to grab hold of Bam's foot, which excites Hockney seeing that he now won't break away from the boy. At this point however, Hockney and Bam remain stuck within the current as the two of them disappear from the sight of the rest of the group. Back to the rest of the group, Khun asks Endorsi if she can save Bam and Hockney using the Bong Bong fairy, but she informs him that like Yuri's shinsu, the Bong Bong fairy isn't able to work within the dead Guardian's blood either.
The group begins to get irritated questioning what the hell kind of place this is that they just entered, but before they could decide on what to do next, they end up getting struck by another blood current. Moments later, Khun's group reach the end of a tunnel, and are now falling towards a wide open area of the Floor of Death. As Khun's group continues to fall within the open area, Boro is heard screaming in terror at the fact that the blood they were just swimming in is now gone. Spotting some sort of bridge below them, Boro yells out that it appears they're now falling to their death. However, Yuri stops their fall by summoning her bubble shinsu to hold the rest of the group in place. Seeing that they can now use their shinsu again now that they're no longer in the dead Guardian's blood, Khun and company attempt to catch their breath in relief knowing that they managed to survive for now.
Looking down at the bridge from Yuri's shinsu bubble, Boro asks if this is perhaps one of the pathways into the true Floor of Death that Hockney told them about earlier. He also states how it feels like they're now inside someone elses body, and asks if this is what it feels like to be in a place of a dead Guardian. Meanwhile, Yuri clenches her fist in frustration wondering why her shinsu didn't work inside the dead Guardian's blood when she tried to save Bam. Moments later, Khun's company of himself, Boro, Sachi, Endorsi, Iruroe, Yuri, and Evan, land on the bridge path that they were falling towards. Boro asks about the situation regarding Bam and Hockney, which Khun answers that it appears the two of them got separated from the group.
Khun reminds the group of what Hockney said about there being multiple paths to enter the true Floor of Death. As a result, there's a good chance that Bam and Hockney simply ended up at another path away from everyone else. Khun also states how he doesn't know if it's a good thing or not that Bam ended up alone with Hockney, which Sachi reminds the group of how it's possible that Rachel may be trying to control the scout through Emile. However, Khun replies that overall, it's still just a theory that Rachel may be trying to use Hockney.
Endorsi is the next to speak asking them to pay more attention as it appears that another person in their group is missing apart from Bam and Hockney. Khun remains confused by what she means, which Endorsi answers that the Hwaryun girl is gone as well. The revelation of Hwaryun's disappearance shocks Khun and company realizing that the guide really is missing amongst them. Endorsi is left irritated by Hwaryun's actions asking if the guide knew ahead of time that Bam was going to get split up from the rest of the group, which Khun agrees is a possibility given Hwaryun's guide abilities.
Yuri turns to her guide, Evan, and asks if he also saw a future group split going down, which Evan answers wasn't the case. He explains that the guides power of seeing the future paths is almost useless on a Floor that the Tower has no control over given the 43rd Floor Guardian's absence. Evan states that overall, there's a very slim chance that Hwaryun saw the future of Bam going down a different path than everyone else. Hearing Evan's explanation, Yuri looks back at her hand, and thinks back to how she wasn't able to control her shinsu within the dead Guardian's blood.
The Ha Princess ends up having a strong feeling that they've entered a really dangerous Floor, and hopes that Bam made it somewhere safe. At this point, Khun and company hear a howl coming from the entrance at the end of the bridge, which grabs everyone's attention. Boro notes how it sounds like the roar of a beast as he warns the group that something is coming towards them. From the dark entrance, a pair of glowing eyes is seen looking at them.
At another Floor of Death location, Hockney and Bam have made it out of the dead Guardian's blood having made it through a different tunnel exit. However, Hockney is seen standing near a still unconscious Bam, who's lying on the floor. Hockney looks around at the nearby Floor of Death walls, and talks to himself that due to getting caught up in such a powerful current, they ended up getting separated from everyone else. The scout also notes how he's having a hard time adjusting to the Floor of Death again given how long it's been since he was last here.
Creating a ball of shinsu in his hand, Hockney wonders what will happen if he runs into one of the Gatekeepers in his current state. A moment later, a massive person with giant red horns is seen approaching Hockney and Bam's location, which shocks the scout. The giant states that he was interested to see who the newcomer is since it's been ages since outsiders have decided to come to the Floor of Death. However, the massive person then states how surprising it is to see a familiar face, and asks why Hockney has decided to return to the Floor of Death.
Flashing back to three months ago on the 39th Floor, the setting switches to a hidden structure somewhere near the Name Hunt Station. Ehwa, revealed to have survived the fall off the station bridge, is seen asleep on a bed inside the structure while two people, revealed to be Urek and his assistant Yuje, watch over her. Urek asks if Ehwa has woken up yet, which Yuje answers that she hasn't given the shock she must have endured trying to withstand the tremendous power of Yuri's Rose Shower attack.
Yuje continues to explain that he went in to try to save Ehwa as quickly as possible, but the reason they both were able to survive was actually thanks to her Yeon abilities. Yuje also warns Urek that Ehwa has suffered a shock greater than they could ever imagine. Urek admits he understands, but also notes how this won't be good for Ehwa if she continues to sleep longer than she already has. Urek's assistant agrees that this isn't a good situation for Ehwa, and adds that they still need to catch up to the Hell Train. He then informs Urek that it appears the group connected to Ehwa seem to be on their way to the 43rd Floor of Death. Yuje asks if Urek remembers that the two of them also have unfinished business on the Floor of Death, which Urek agrees that they do.
On a bed next to Ehwa's, Danhwa, who's shown to have also survived the fall at Name Hunt Station, thanks Yuje and Urek for saving their lives. Yuje replies not to mention it as he's just relieved that Danhwa has managed to wake up. Danhwa asks why Yuje and Urek went out of their way to help them wondering if they're perhaps Rankers from the Yeon Family. Yuje answers that while he can't give away too many details, being Rankers connected to the Yeon Family is a good enough answer. He also points out to Danhwa that under orders from his superior, Urek, he had been observing Danhwa and his teammates this whole time. Pointing Danhwa towards the sleeping Ehwa, Yuje adds that it was thanks to the power of her Yeon flame that the two of them managed to survive, and that he should go about thanking her once she finally awakens from her deep sleep.
Danhwa asks what Yuje means by her Yeon flame, which the latter answers that it happened the moment Yuri Jahad used her powerful Rose Shower technique at the Name Hunt Station bridge. Yuje remembers back to the brief moment where he saw the Yeon flame exploding out of the the Rose Shower attack. He reveals to Danhwa that it was actually the Yeon flame that's been asleep within Ehwa's body that was able to allow her and Danhwa to escape the Rose Shower.
Yuje explains to Danhwa that the Yeon flame is only passed down to those who are female Direct Line descendants within the Yeon Family. He deduces that Ehwa's descendant flame activated the very moment to protect its master when it felt that Ehwa's live was in danger. However, given that Yuri's power was on the level of a Ranker, Ehwa's flame was only strong enough to protect Ehwa and Danhwa from fragments of the Rose Shower attack for a very brief moment. In the end, Yuje states that it was thanks to Ehwa's flame protecting the two of them that he was able to get Ehwa and Danhwa away from the Rose Shower. Danhwa admits that he understands the situation better, which Yuje informs him that Ehwa has been asleep this whole time because she was forced to use a power greater than what her current abilities as a D-rank Regular are capable of.
However, he figures that Ehwa will wake up once the power of her Yeon flames return back down to the normal level. Noticing that someone amongst his companions is missing, Danhwa asks what happened to Rak, which confuses Urek and Yuje. Urek informs Danhwa that it was only the two of them that were saved by the Yeon flame, which shocks the swordsman. Urek explains that they never saw a third person, and that Yuje was only able to save two people, Ehwa and Danhwa.
The answer leaves Danhwa confused, who explains that there was definitely a third person that fell off the Name Hunt Station bridge with them. He describes Rak as a little alligator wearing red clothes, which causes Urek to ask if Yuji happened to see someone like that. Yuje answers that he didn't, but knows from the data he received on Viole's group that there was definitely a teammate amongst them that fits Danhwa's description. Danhwa remains stunned in disbelief wondering what's going on as he thinks over that Rak definitely fell off the bridge with him and Ehwa. He's left thinking about the worst-case scenario wondering if Rak perhaps died to Yuri's Rose Shower.
Urek next asks if what he heard earlier is correct that Viole and company are aiming for the 43rd Floor of Death, which Danhwa answers is indeed the case. The Irregular admits he understands the situation, and thinks over how hard it is to predict what the Viole kid is going to do next. Biting into an apple, Urek admits that things are getting interesting, and figures that it would be best for him to go to the Floor of Death as well. Urek leaves off stating that he will finally have the chance to let himself loose after such a long time.
Back to the Floor of Death, Hockney stands before the massive person prepared to defend the still unconscious Bam. However, he's able to recognize the voice that came from said massive person. Hockney asks if the one before him is Mata, which causes the massive person to open his mouth. Inside the mouth, a smaller second person appears behind one of the teeth complaining about his bath. Waving hello, Mata greets Hockney, and states that it's been awhile since they last saw one another. He points out that Hockney is still as short as ever, which causes Hockney to grin seeing Mata again.
Moments later, Hockney takes the unconscious Bam along with him into the interior of the massive creature's head to discuss with Mata what's currently going on. Mata asks why Hockney has decided to return to the hellhole that is the Floor of Death, and if it's perhaps because Hockney missed him. Hockney answers that he didn't, which causes Mata to laugh in enjoyment at the fact that Hockney is still someone who never lies. In return, Hockney notes how Mata is still choosing to live inside a giant creature, which Mata answers that given how he's a parasite-type Regular, it's how he goes about living. That in order to survive, he needed to invade the body of a larger creature, and go about controlling them.
Pointing Hockney in the direction of a nearby table with a blue orb floating above it, Mata explains that as the orb stays connected to the giant creature that's currently acting as his host, it will have no choice but to obey all of Mata's orders. He asks if Hockney thinks this is great, and reveals that he nicknamed his giant host as Manyleg. Mata then asks if Hockney finds the name cute, which Hockney answers that he's never been able to figure out Mata's odd taste. Hockney next asks if he and the boy can stay in Mata's host for the time being, which catches Mata's attention.
Looking at the unconscious Bam that Hockney carried into Manyleg, Mata asks who the boy is, and if it's someone that Hockney met outside the Floor of Death. Hockney answers that the boy is just someone who happened to enter the Floor of Death alongside him, which excites Mata. Tapping Hockney in congratulations, Mata reminds the scout that he put his life on the line to help Hockney originally escape the Floor of Death, and points out how great this turned out to be since Hockney was able to make a friend.
Mata adds that Hockney even looks like a more respectable person now, which Hockney replies that he only just met Bam, and doesn't really know him all that well. Hockney explains that the boy is just someone who happened to share the same purpose of needing to come to the Floor of Death. He corrects Mata's assumption that they aren't real friends like Mata believes them to be, and that Bam shouldn't be friends with someone who's a monster. Hearing Hockney call himself a monster saddens Mata, which Hockney continues to explain that Bam's real friends are probably looking for him at this very moment. He states to Mata that he's decided to leave the unconscious boy here while he goes off on his own.
Hockney asks for Mata to deliver Bam to his friends if he comes across any of them, which leaves Mata confused. He asks where Hockney is going off to on his own, which the scout answers that he's going to the Floor of Death's South City, which shocks Mata. Mata asks why Hockney has decided to go to South City, and that Hell Joe will no doubt try to kill him if he finds out that Hockney has returned to the Floor of Death.
Hockney agrees that this will probably turn out to be the case, but he reveals to Mata that he has to go as he knows that the last piece of his lost picture will be there. Showing Mata his Emile terminal, Hockney explains that Emile revealed to him that he will be able to find what he lost on the south side of the Floor of Death in two days. He explains to Mata that Emile is a device that will tell you anything, which Mata admits he understands.
Hockney reminds Mata that he's returned to the Floor of Death in order to find the last piece of his Red Light picture, which catches Mata's attention. The scout asks for Mata to remember that the painting is his very soul, and that no matter what, he absolutely needs to have the picture returned to him. At this point, Hockney and Mata's conversation is interrupted by the Manyleg host being forced to move, which grabs their attention. Manyleg swipes at something attacking it, which Mata realizes that their enemy has finally arrived. Looking through the eyeball of Manyleg at a giant enemy, Mata informs Hockney that one of the Floor of Death Gatekeepers has appeared before them.
Meanwhile at Khun and company's location, a similar giant creature is seen approaching them. The group remains confused as to what they're looking at, which Boro answers that it must be one of the Gatekeepers that Hockney previously warned them about. Yuri discusses with Evan that something interesting has appeared before them, and asks her guide how they should go about this. Evan answers that it would probably be best to leave this to the Regulars since as the Rankers, they can't go about protecting them forever, and that they need to get an idea as to how well the Regulars will be able to handle the Floor of Death.
Agreeing with Evan's deduction, Yuri calls out to the Regulars, and asks for them to beat the Gatekeeper themselves. If they fail to do so, they will have no choice but to return to the Hell Train. Boro asks if they really will be able to do this themselves given how dangerous the Gatekeeper is. Khun replies that they should at least attempt to fight it since they've only just entered the Floor of Death, which Boro reminds him that Hockney claimed the Gatekeepers are really strong. However, Endorsi steps forward asking why they're just waiting around instead of getting this over quickly, which catches Khun and company's attention.
Powering up her Bong Bong fairy, Endorsi reminds the group that they have no time to waste since they need to search for Bam and Hwaryun. Applying the Bong Bong fairy to her leg, Endorsi lands a devastating kick against the Gatekeeper's face, which knocks it back. The kick shocks Khun and company, who realize that Endorsi has decided on her own to begin the fight against the Gatekeeper. The Gatekeeper attempts to counter Endorsi with an arm strike, but she evades the attack by flying behind it with the Bong Bong fairy. Endorsi next begins to gather a familiar red-and-black colored shinsu Bang in her hands, which Evan quickly realizes that she's using Yuri Jahad's Special Skill.
Having been trained by Yuri, Endorsi uses the Yuri Jahad: Chiffon Sword technique to send a blast of shinsu down upon the Gatekeeper. Blood gushes out of it from the attack as the Gatekeeper falls to the ground, which Khun protects the rest of the team from the shockwave by using his lighthouse field. Boro yells out in excitement that this isn't as bad as he thought since the Gatekeeper already looks dead, but Sachi points out that this may just prove how strong Endorsi truly is, which Boro agrees with. At this point, something shoots out of the Gatekeeper lying on the ground, which catches everyone's attention.
The yellow object heads toward Endorsi, who remains confused as to what she's looking at. She evades the yellow object flying away using the Bong Bong fairy, and then looks in the direction of the yellow object once more. Looking at it, Endorsi sees a yellow ball swarming in purple shinsu with one eye and a mouth. She is shocked to deduce that the yellow ball she's looking at is most likely the main body of the Gatekeeper. Seeing the yellow ball giving off a nasty looking grin, Endorsi notes how she doesn't like the way it's smiling at her.
From the ground, Khun thinks over the new yellow ball enemy, and notes how it's small and fast. He deduces that what they're now dealing with will be trickier to face, but remains confused as to why it was hiding within the giant monster host.
Yuri is amazed by this change of events finding it interesting that the yellow ball is the Gatekeeper's main body, which Evan reminds her that this is no time for them to be playing around. Endorsi remains floating in the air opposite the yellow Gatekeeper ball, but is greeted by many beams of black shinsu being given off from it, which she goes about dodging. Seeing her clothes get ripped a bit due to that last attack, Endorsi heads over to Khun's location, and states that it's now his turn to deal with it, which confuses him.
Endorsi adds that she did her part defeating the giant monster, so it's up to Khun to defeat the little yellow ball. She then points out that she basically did all the work, which Boro finds to be ridiculous since the yellow ball is the main Gatekeeper body. An angry Khun also yells back that it's obvious Endorsi is backing off, because she doesn't want her clothes to get any further ruined.
Looking at the yellow ball Gatekeeper enemy before him, Khun is left wondering what he should do in this situation. He thinks over how it's still a bit too early to use his new skill, but figures that he should probably test it at least one time. Summoning out a rubix-cube lighthouse, Khun prepares to use his new skill known as the Enna Core against the yellow ball.
Near Khun and company, a small pink creature with one eye is seen spying on them from afar. The pink creature is heard informing someone that the seven intruders (Khun, Endorsi, Sachi, Boro, Iruroe, Yuri, and Evan) have taken the bait. It also notes that two of the seven intruders appear to be a threat, and that they will have to get rid of all of them. The pink creature orders the person it's communicating with to call for Leech Falawan.
With his Enna Core lighthouses ready, Khun stands before the yellow-ball Gatekeeper. Boro remains confused about what he's looking at seeing the odd-looking rubix cube lighthouses floating around Khun noting how the lighthouses look like they've been split into pieces. Yuri asks Evan what the latter went about teaching Khun, which Evan answers with a smirk, and asks for the Princess to wait and see it for herself. However, Evan assures her that he went about teaching Khun a sneaky and vicious skill that it perfectly suited for someone like him. Khun gives off a laugh, which one of his teammates notes that he looks like a dark aura is coming off him.
Looking at his Enna Core lighthouses, Khun finds it to be a relief that he's having no problem controlling them, even on the leaderless Floor of Death. Khun next asks Boro for a favor which catches the latter's attention. Moving one of his Enna Core lighthouses in front of Boro, Khun asks for him to stand at the shining spot below it, and have his needle sticking straight out ready for combat. After moving into position, Boro asks Khun if this will do, which Khun states is perfect, and asks for Boro to not move from that position no matter what. In return, the frozen Boro remains confused as to why he has to stand still, and what Khun is planning to do.
Khun turns his attention back onto the yellow-ball Gatekeeper seeing it laughing at the group. He thinks over how the ball flys around through the air quickly, and performs long-range attacks. As a result, Khun deduces that very few people on the team will be able to face an enemy like this. Khun figures that given this new Enna Core skill, he's someone who will be able to take on the Gatekeeper.
The Gatekeeper charges toward Boro underneath the Enna Core lighthouse, which causes Boro to yell back at Khun what he's going to do at this point. Khun orders him to wait just a bit longer, which shocks Boro. Activating his thornbush mace, Sachi provides support for Boro by summoning several vines to shield Boro from the Gatekeeper. The vines end up blocking the Gatekeeper's long-range shinsu attack from reaching Boro, which causes him to ask Khun how much longer he has to keep still. Sachi also yells out to Khun to hurry up testing out his new move, which Khun informs them a moment later that his Enna Core lighthouse installation is finally complete.
Using the Enna Core: Mystery Sphere, the group witnesses Khun placing the yellow-ball Gatekeeper within a honeycomb-like lighthouse field sphere. Within the honeycomb sphere, the yellow-ball Gatekeeper remains confused about what's going on. Boro and Sachi remain confused about what they're looking at, which Khun informs them that he has trapped the Gatekeeper within his new Enna Core lighthouse field. The yellow-ball Gatekeeper becomes enraged, and attempts to smash through the honeycomb sphere. To Boro's surprise, he watches the Gatekeeper bounce off of it leaving no damage on the Enna Core field.
The confused yellow-ball Gatekeeper continues to smash into other locations around the honeycomb sphere, but is unable to break out. The result makes the Gatekeeper look like a pinball bouncing around the inside of the Enna Core field to the rest of the group. Yuri asks Evan what she's looking at, which he explains to be an advanced technique known as the Enna Core. He explains further to her that it's a technique where nice lighthouses perform calculations within a single lighthouse. As a result, the nine panels that Yuri sees on each side of the rubix cube lighthouse is split into nine different sections that perform different calculations.
Evan notes that overall, the Enna Core is actually an extremely simple skill theoretically, but is actually quite difficult since the division of the Enna Core sides could result in a massive overload of the lighthouse. He then explains that because of the Enna Core lighthouse's tremendous calculating power, the honeycomb sphere that Khun used to trap the yellow-ball Gatekeeper has numerous teleportation surfaces that allows the user of the Enna Core to easily capture opponents.
He leaves off stating that this technique is known as the Enna Core: Mystery Sphere. Yuri asks if what Evan is implying is that Khun, a simple Regular, is now able to use a high-level skill, which Evan laughs to be the case. Evan explains that it would have been too hard for Khun to learn the Enna Core on his own, so he took the liberty of upgrading Khun's lighthouse for him.
The guide reveals that he used a secretly made Class-A object known as the Enna Core Upgrade Kit to enhance Khun's lighthouse. Evan explains further that it's an incredible kit that upgrades ordinary lighthouses to ones that will have an Enna Core, but notes that it's an extremely expensive item, and is actually illegal to use.
Surprised by what she's hearing, Yuri notes how this isn't like Evan to provide such a high-end item to a Regular. Evan replies that he had no choice since this route was the most fail-safe and effective method to help them survive the Floor of Death. He also adds that the illegal part isn't much to worry about since he can simply tell everyone that Yuri, a Jahad Princess, made him do this.
Evan reminds Yuri that they're currently on the Floor of Death where even they have a good chance of being in danger. As a result, they have to take into account who amongst the Regulars will be able to help them out the most. Evan then states to Yuri that the most logical answer he came up with is the current team's light-bearer, Khun. Yuri asks if Evan has decided to place his trust in Khun, which Evan admits is indeed the case despite Yuri possibly finding it as a ridiculous idea. He leaves off assuring Yuri that Khun is someone who will definitely be helpful to them.
Meanwhile, Khun continues to control his Enna Core: Mystery Sphere, which he admits to be fun seeing the yellow-ball Gatekeeper continue to bounce around the inside of the honeycomb lighthouse field. He figures that it's about time to end the fight with the Gatekeeper as he changes the Mystery Sphere to Red Crystal mode. The yellow-ball Gatekeeper stops bouncing wondering what's going on as the rest of Khun's group notices how the honeycomb sphere has suddenly changed color from blue to red.
The Gatekeeper becomes even more enraged, which causes it to charge directly towards Boro's location. Khun orders Boro to continue remaining in place with his needle sticking out in front of him no matter what happens. He then informs Boro that the yellow-ball Gatekeeper will be coming out of the Enna Core sphere in a few moments, which shocks the latter. Soon enough, the Gatekeeper comes bursting through the honeycomb barrier, which causes Boro to yell out in confusion what's going on. However, having kept his needle in place in front of him the entire time, the yellow-ball Gatekeeper ends up charging right into it.
Boro is left surprised to see his needle stabbing into the eye of the Gatekeeper as the black blood of the yellow-ball comes bursting out, which then breaks into pieces, and falls to the floor. Yelling back at Khun, Boro asks what happened just now, which the former answers is the result of his Enna Core's Red Crystal mode. Pointing out how Red Crystal mode was the red honeycomb sphere they witnessed just now, Khun explains that the mode has the ability to turn a charge attack against his enemy when they try to break out of the Enna Core lighthouse field with tremendous power.
Evan adds that the Enna Core: Mystery Sphere is designed so the user can teleport an enemy's attack to any place they so desire. As a result, he notes that while it's not a powerful means of attack, it's a faithful assistant skill for those who have the role of light-bearer. He leaves off informing Yuri that in the end, it will take a tremendous amount of effort for even the strongest opponents to find a way to break through the Enna Core: Mystery Sphere.
With the battle against the yellow-ball Gatekeeper over, Endorsi orders Khun to stop acting cool since they need to go into the Floor of Death now. She reminds Khun that they still need to find Bam, which causes Khun to ask if she's jealous at the moment. Meanwhile, the pink one-eyed creature that had been spying on Khun's group informs the person it's communicating with that their enemies have bypassed the Gatekeeper.
At that same time back at Bam's location, Mata's Manyleg host is currently engaged in battle with another Gatekeeper. The Manyleg smashes the head off the giant Gatekeeper host, which Mata, who's controlling the Manyleg through his orb, congratulates his host for a job well done. The true yellow-ball Gatekeeper comes bursting out of its destroyed host, which Hockney provides support by using his scout abilities to inform Mata of the path that the Gatekeeper is going to move. He informs Mata of the spot ten seconds from now where Mata can hit the yellow-ball dead on, which Mata agrees to go along with.
The yellow-ball Gatekeeper moves along the path seen by Hockney, and ten seconds later, it's met by the Manyleg's massive weapon, and is smashed to the ground. Mata yells out in excitement that they were able to finish the fight in one shot, which Hockney notes that Mata's pose makes it look like his armpits are talking. Turning back to Hockney, Mata states how he forgot how remarkable the formers eyes are as a scout.
Mata asks if Hockney is relying on them again, which the latter admits that he is a bit. Seeing the smashed yellow-ball Gatekeeper on the ground, Hockney explains that they will be in great danger if they don't dispose of those as quick as possible since remaining stuck in the fight could result in a Leech-level Gatekeeper eventually coming after them. Still excited over defeating the Gatekeeper, Mata states that they should keep this energy going, and should at least go to the Floor of Death Hall together.
Hockney is left worrying about the others, and hopes that they don't act out carelessly as it will cause them to come across a Leech. He asks once more for Mata to simply worry about the rest of Bam's group as he can go to the Floor of Death Hall himself. However, Mata reminds Hockney that the latter is no longer just another bug that use to crawl around the Floor of Death, which catches Hockney's attention.
Mata explains to Hockney that in order for the latter to re-enter the Floor of Death, he will have to pass by the Final Gatekeeper at the entrance to the Hall, who will probably go about asking for Hockney's soul. Hockney remains silent knowing the danger he will be in, which Mata assures him that he will do his best to hide Hockney so that they can reach the Hall together. Mata orders Hockney to stay with him until then, which causes the scout to thank him knowing that this is his only option now. Moving the Manyleg, they begin to make their way to the Hall entrance. During the journey to the Hall entrance, Bam remains unconscious thinking in his mind that he's now in a dark place.
Bam thinks back to the light that was calling to him earlier when he was in the blood ocean, and is left wondering where it went. Beginning to wake up, Bam hears Mata informing Hockney that they've arrived at the Hall entrance, which Hockney notes that the Manyleg bug is quite fast. Mata states in excitement that this is a given since the Manyleg doesn't have all those legs for nothing. Hockney asks how having many legs is related to moving fast, which the confused Mata states that speed and multiple legs must be related somehow. As a result, Hockney concludes that Mata doesn't actually know.
Bam gets up to a sitting position, and looks around. He spots in front of him Hockney and Mata moving within the Manyleg towards a massive gray entrance tube in the distance that is blocked by a floating person. He's left wondering where he is now as Mata asks how he's supposed to go about tricking the Final Gatekeeper blocking the way. The Final Gatekeeper looks down at the Manyleg, and asks if the person riding the bug is trying to get into the Floor of Death.
The Final Gatekeeper introduces himself, and states that those who are living are not allowed to enter this place. It explains that the dead must offer it their soul's name, which Mata introduces himself to the Final Gatekeeper as Yuliu Mata, a parasite that keeps a watchful eye on possible Floor of Death intruders. Mata asks to be let back into the Floor of Death having finished his task, and would like to head home. At this point, Bam calls out to Hockney, which catches the scout's attention seeing that Bam has finally woken up.
Hockney runs over to the boy to check on him, which Bam asks about where he is currently. Bam also asks about the others, which Hockney asks for the boy to be quiet for a minute, which confuses Bam even further. Hockney explains that he could tell Bam has a lot of questions at the moment, but warns the boy that things will get really complicated if the guy Mata is talking to at the moment finds out that they're trying to sneak in hiding within the Manyleg bug. The scout reveals to Bam that the person Mata is talking to is known as High-Leech Monk, the Final Gatekeeper. Hockney warns Bam that if the Final Gatekeeper realizes that they're trying to sneak into the Floor of Death riding inside Mata's Manyleg bug, the High-Leech Monk is going to try to take away the souls from their bodies. Still confused, Bam asks what Hockney means by the Final Gatekeeper taking away people's souls.
At that same time, Khun's group continues to walk down a Floor of Death path after bypassing the Gatekeeper. Endorsi asks how Khun is capable of controlling nine lighthouses at once, and claims that it must be some kind of sneaky skill on the level of cheating. Laughing back at her, Khun gloats that she sounds jealous of his new abilities, and asks if she really wants them so badly, but Endorsi replies that she doesn't envy him, and adds that he's useless without her fisherman skills anyway.
Listening to Khun and Endorsi's conversation, Evan thinks to him self that what Endorsi is calling out Khun for isn't entirely incorrect since he actually kept something important about Khun's Enna Core a complete secret from Yuri. That she doesn't know of how Khun has a powerful ignition weapon called Beta stored within his lighthouse. Evan thinks over how Beta has been considered a part of Khun's lighthouse for ages within the Hell Train, and that because Beta can be considered as a weapon instead of a Regular, he's been allowed to ride the Hell Train with everyone else.
Continuing to think things over, Evan goes over how it's thanks to Beta's presence that Khun's been provided the solution to allow him to use the Enna Core. That as an ignition weapon, Beta's been performing the calculations for the Enna Core that would be impossible for any low-ranking Regular to be able to handle.
He adds that the discovery of how Khun has been storing Beta within his lighthouse turned out to be extremely lucky since Khun wouldn't be able to do the Enna Core calculations without Beta's help. As a result, the Enna Core lighthouse works, because it's a collaboration between Khun and Beta. Within Khun's lighthouse, Beta is heard complaining like usual that remaining stuck inside a lighthouse feels too stuffy. Evan continues to think over Khun's Enna Core that it's actually the lighthouse Beta's been stored in that acts as the true Enna Core. However, he adds that even Beta's lighthouse could become unusable if it was to somehow overload. That the Enna Core would fail completely if Beta's lighthouse was to somehow get damaged from an attack.
As a result, Beta's lighthouse ends up being the critical weakness in Khun's Enna Core ability. Evan notes that it was unexpected luck that Khun ended up being someone that could control the Enna Core, but also adds that the boy should make good use of the Enna Core as long as he doesn't expose said critical weakness. At this point, the group stops walking as they notice something coming towards them. Yuri informs the group that she knew something was approaching them in the distance, and sure enough, it's now here before them. To Boro's shock, he prepares his needle as he sees several giant stag beetles (the Leech Falawans) approaching them from the front. Yuri turns back to the group to warn them that these new enemies look tough.
Back to the entrance to the Floor of Death's Entrance Hall, Bam, Hockney, and Mata remain inside Mata's Manyleg standing before the Final Guardian known as the High-Leech Monk. Mata asks to let him pass, but the Final Gatekeeper orders him to wait. Bam asks what Hockney meant earlier about the High-Leech Monk being someone who takes people's souls, which Hockney explains that as the Final Gatekeeper, the High-Leech Monk guards the Floor of Death's Entrance Hall by stealing away the souls of anyone that tries to enter. Explaining how the Gatekeeper system works, Hockney points out how it's divided into three components: the Watchmen, the Eye Bugs, and the Giant Leech Falawans.
First to appear are the Watchmen, who will shoot out a yellow-ball orb if they're defeated in order to buy time for the Eye Bugs to determine the enemy's location. The Eye Bug then calls upon the Giant Leeches to deal with the enemies. He adds that the Giant Leeches are Gatekeepers without soul and ego, so as a result, the the giant stag beetles won't die no matter how much damage is inflicted upon them.
Continuing the explanation, Hockney states that the people living on the Floor of Death are people like the Giant Leeches who have had their souls stolen, which catches Bam's attention. Hockney adds that these people have become trapped on the Floor of Death, and are now unable to even die since they're now soulless shells. Overall, Hockney informs Bam that in order to enter the Floor of Death, they need to hand over their soul to the Final Gatekeeper standing before them. However, he also warns Bam that they will never be able to get their stolen souls back, which means that they will never be able to leave the Floor of Death ever again.
Bam asks how Hockney is someone that was able to leave the Floor of Death, but before Hockney could answer, the two of them hear the High-Leech Monk announce that the parasite known as Mata is not allowed entry to the Floor of Death's Entrance Hall. Mata asks why he's not allowed to go since he's already considered one of the dead that has offered his soul to the Final Gatekeeper. However, the High-Leech Monk replies that Mata already knows why, and reveals that it already knows about the two living people currently hiding within his Manyleg bug.
The High-Leech Monk reminds Mata that it's someone who can see people's souls, so no matter what, its eyes can't be deceived. Mata begins to fear for the worst realizing that their plan has already been busted, which the High-Leech Monk announces that the living aren't allowed to enter the Floor of Death. As a result, the two living people hiding in his bug must hand over their souls, and become ones of the dead. As two odd-looking Divine Sea Fish approach Mata's Manyleg, the High-Leech Monk states that the two living will hand over their souls to these creatures if they desire to enter. Hockney isn't surprised by this turn of events knowing they weren't going to be able to trick the Final Gatekeeper.
Bam asks what the two fish are, which Hockney answers that they're known as Soul Devourers; Divine Sea Fish that take away people's souls. Hockney asks for Bam to ride Mata's Manyleg back to his companions since doing so will most likely allow the boy to get away without having his soul taken by the Final Gatekeeper. He adds that he believes Bam is someone who won't be able to handle this place.
Bam asks in return what Hockney is planning to do, which Hockney answers that even if it means losing his soul, he needs to enter the Floor of Death no matter what since there's something (his Red Light painting) that he needs to find there. Mata asks if Hockney has really thought this through, which Hockney answers that it's a given for him since he didn't come all this way just to suddenly turn around and leave. Shocked by what he's hearing, Bam announces that he wants to go with Hockney, which surprises the scout. He explains to Hockney and Mata that even if it costs him his life, there's something on the Floor of Death that he also needs to find, and is unable to turn back at this point.
Bam further explains that he felt some kind of light the moment he entered the Floor of Death, and as a result, he needs to find the source of this light no matter what. Hockney remains confused by what Bam means thinking to himself that he never saw such a light. The scout wonders if Bam is someone that saw something he didn't see on the way here, and remains confused as to what Bam's overall goal is to the point of putting his life on the line to enter the Floor of Death. Overall, Hockney concludes that he can tell that whatever Bam's goal is, he won't be able to stop the boy from entering the true Floor of Death.
Hockney agrees to let Bam come along, and asks the boy to follow him. The two of them step out of the Manyleg, which the High-Leech Monk states to them that they must be the two intruders trying to enter the Floor of Death. The Final Gatekeeper orders the two men to introduce their names, which they reveal as David Hockney and 25th Bam. Sending the two Soul Devourers towards them, the High-Leech Monk orders David and Bam to now hand over their souls. Hockney informs Bam to stand still as the two Soul Devourers get close to them. He explains that they're now going to take away their souls, but also assures Bam that they will still go on living after this.
One of the Soul Devourers digs into Hockney's body, and pulls out his soul. It then eats Hockney's soul, which is then placed within the container on the back of the Soul Devourer's body. However, the Soul Devourer remains confused as something about Hockney's soul appears to be missing. Before it could think any further on this, the Soul Devourer and Hockney are shocked at the sight of the second Soul Devourer pulling out endless souls from Bam's body. The confused Hockney asks why Bam is someone that has so many souls placed within his one body. Bam's Soul Devourer is left completely surprised by what it's witnessing, which the High-Leech Monk is left confused as well seeing many souls appearing out of one person. The confused Hockney asks who Bam truly is, but Bam remains speechless seeing all of the souls coming out of his body. Looking at the souls, Bam remembers how they're the souls that he obtained from Hoaqin's female clone.
Bam asks the High-Leech Monk to just take his one true soul instead since he still needs to protect everyone all these other souls. In return, the Final Gatekeeper asks if Bam is some sort of monster. Bam thinks things over believing that the High-Leech Monk isn't going to believe him if he tells the story about Hoaqin, but also knows that he can't reveal his Irregular status. As a result, Bam states that he's just an ordinary Regular, and asks once more to take only his true soul away so that he can enter the Floor of Death. Summoning many bamboo-like weapons, the Final Gatekeeper denies Bam's request, and prepares to attack them.
Mata warns Bam and Hockney that the High-Leech Monk has summoned his shinsu bamboo spears ready to attack them. In return, Hockney and Bam prepare for battle as well. Bam quickly activates the Thorn, which catches the attention of the Final Gatekeeper noting how it looks like a Red Light. The High-Leech Monk states that it now plans to test Bam as he throws one of his bamboo spears in the boy's direction.
Mata yells out that a spear is heading towards them, which causes Hockney to ask what Bam's Tower position is. Bam answers that his is wave controller, which Hockney quickly deduces that Bam must be a powerful user of shinsu. Hockney explains that their only means of attacking is for Bam to aim a shinsu attack directly into the center of the bamboo spear since there will be no way to avoid it.
He adds that going for the bamboo stick's empty center will be the only way to destroy it, which leaves Bam confused. Hockney asks for Bam to trust him on this since the empty center acts as the core of the bamboo spear. In return, Bam does so by creating his Shinsu Black-hole Sphere ready to attack the bamboo spear's center.
Using as much shinsu possible on his Shinsu Black-hole Sphere, Bam throws it through the center of the bamboo spear, which causes the spear to instantly begin to break apart. The sight of the bamboo spear breaking apart shocks Mata, as well as Final Gatekeeper, who can't believe that his spear had been destroyed in one shot. The two Soul Devourers also can't believe what they just witnessed. Bam asks if his attack worked, which Hockney remains shocked as well thinking to himself that the boy who just destroyed the High-Leech Monk's bamboo spear didn't look that strong. The High-Leech Monk looks at the Shinsu Black-hole Sphere destroying his bamboo spear, and wonders what it's looking at.
The Last Gatekeeper notes how even after one shot, it can tell that the Shinsu Black-hole Sphere is some sort of unique shinsu to the point of being able to sense a mysterious power emanating from it. Looking at the boy known as 25th Bam, the High-Leech Monk goes over how he's a boy with the souls of several people in his body, and also happens to be a user of a mysterious item and a mysterious shinsu. The Last Gatekeeper concludes that Bam is an extremely suspicious intruder.
Preparing all its bamboo spears to attack, the Last Gatekeeper deduces that no matter what, it can't allow Bam to enter the Floor of Death. Before the High-Leech Monk could commence the attack however, it's ordered by an Eye Bug appearing out of the Floor of Death entrance behind it to stop its actions, which grabs the Last Gatekeeper's attention. The Eye Bug orders the High-Leech Monk to let them enter the Floor of Death alive, which confuses the Last Gatekeeper asking the Eye Bug who ordered it.
The Eye Bug answers that it was ordered by the Hermit of the North City, Garam Jahad, which catches the Last Gatekeeper's attention. The High-Leech Monk remains confused asking the Eye Bug why the Princess would suddenly decide to take an interest in outsiders. Meanwhile, at that same time at the location of Khun's group, Yuri and Evan go about breaking apart the giant stag beetle leeches.
The Eye Bug that's been spying on them is left surprised to see that the intruder group has people capable of easily breaking into the Leech Falawan's strong armor. It admits that the group turned out to be more powerful than it originally thought, but in the end, their overwhelming strength isn't going to matter. The Eye Bug thinks to itself that no matter what they will never be able to defeat the Leech Falawans since their bodies are immortal. The sight of the giant stag beetles coming back to life surprises Yuri, which Evan thinks to himself how annoying it is that resurrection appears to be a trend nowadays.
At another Floor of Death location, a hooded woman, Garam Jahad, looks over two screens provided by two Eye Bugs; one screen being of 25th Bam at the Floor of Death entrance while the other is Khun's group fighting the Leech Falawans. Garam notes how the boy (Bam) at the entrance appears to be a persistent one, but notes that he will come to regret it one day if he keeps showing off his incredible powers so thoughtlessly. A person near Garam asks what she wishes to do about this, which the Jahad Princess answers that there's no need to go in and save the boy since he's confident enough to enter the true Floor of Death on his own accord.
Giving off a laugh, Garam adds that if the boy continues to climb the Tower like this, he will end up dying at some point. Seeing the boy's Thorn floating above his shoulder, Garam announces that she's decided to meet with him. Walking out the exit of the building she's been in, Garam informs the person that was with her that she's going to see for herself if the boy is real or not. Outside the building, Garam looks upon the skull of a dead 43rd Floor creature implied to be the head of the dead Floor Guardian.
Garam thinks to herself how it's been a long time ever since Irregular Enryu killed the 43rd Floor Guardian. That it's been so long that what Enryu succeeded in doing has become a tale passed down to the point of becoming a legend. However, it's now currently a time where a boy with power similar to Enryu has finally appeared again on the 43rd Floor. Garam wonders to herself if this could be the start of another legendary tale about a boy who has the power capable of changing everything.
Meanwhile at the Floor of Death Hall entrance, the High-Leech Monk thinks over how surprising this turn of events turned out to be with Garam showing an interest in outsiders. Looking at the boy known as 25th Bam, the Last Gatekeeper realizes that this is the first time that Garam has shown interest in someone since Urek Mazino. The High-Leech Monk announces that he doesn't have much choice but to let them pass at this point, which shocks Bam and Hockney.
The Last Gatekeeper explains that he will let Bam and Hockney enter with their souls intact, and that they will soon find out why they're being allowed to pass. However, the High-Leech Monk also warns the two of them that they only got a week to work with inside the true Floor of Death while holding onto their souls. The Last Keeper explains that if they stay any longer than that, they will end up becoming prey for the dead. It advises Bam and Hockney to get out of the Floor of Death before that happens.
Some time later, Mata's Manyleg carrying Bam, Hockney, and Mata, is seen having walked beyond the High-Leech Monk's Hall entrance. Moving along a tunnel, the Manyleg reaches a pool of blood that begins to walk over. Bam looks around in surprise at how insanely complicated the path they're going through is, and asks what the red ocean was that they had to swim through to reach the true Floor of Death. Hockney answers that the red ocean was spilled blood from the dead 43rd Floor Guardian. Continuing the explanation, Hockney states that the 43rd Guardian's blood is a high-concentration of shinsu that's a necessity for those living on the Floor of Death.
However, the shinsu of the inner Floor of Death where they are now as a much lower density. As a result, the blood they're seeing the Manyleg walking over at the moment within the true Floor of Death had actually been brought in here in order to adjust the low density so that they would be allowed to survive better. Bam continues to listen to Hockney's explanation, which the scout points out how there are many blood vessel pipes within the 43rd Guardian's corpse that connect the outer blood ocean to the inner Floor of Death. As a result, it allows for the outer blood ocean to flow into the inner Floor of Death.
Hockney states that while no one knows exactly who made the pipe system, the hole they're currently traveling through happens to be the largest gateway to reach the Floor of Death's inner city. However, the inner city is currently dealing with a problem where a certain warlord is trying to take control of everything. Hockney reveals to Bam that there's a chance that someone could make it into the true Floor of Death by going through the smaller blood vessel pipes, but the paths are extremely complicated and dangerous to the point of there being no one on record that has ever made it through. At this point, Mata grabs hold of Hockney, and pulls the scout a way so that they can have a private talk.
Mata asks Hockney why the latter has brought someone like Bam to the Floor of Death, and points out how not only is the kid a total weirdo, he's someone who has many souls within his body, and is a user of a strange shinsu. He continues to warn Hockney that it doesn't make sense why the Final Gatekeeper would let Bam in with his soul still intact, and that there's a possibility of the boy being extremely dangerous. However, Hockney replies that this turned out to be a good thing since they made it into the Floor of Death due to Bam being with them, which leaves Mata unconvinced.
Hockney states to Mata that the latter shouldn't think of someone as dangerous simply because they're a user of a strange shinsu power. He also says that Bam doesn't look like a bad person despite everything that Mata mentioned. Hockney orders Mata to not be suspicious of people for no reason, which leaves Mata unable to say anything back. Mata asks if Hockney has found someone he can relate to, which leaves Hockney confused.
The scout deduces that Mata is implying that he is feeling a similarity to Bam, which Hockney admits that the boy is an unusual person just like him. The answer excites Mata, who points out that this is Hockneys first step to becoming friends with someone. Grabbing hold of Hockney's shoulders, Mata states that he senses a kinship forming between him and Bam.
Giving off an excited laugh, Mata congratulates Hockney for finally finding a potential friend, which Hockney refuses to accept trying to reply back that this isn't anything like that. Mata continues to yell out that Hockney now has a friend, which Hockney orders him to shut up. Watching the two from a distance, Bam remains confused as to what's going on between Hockney and Mata.
Getting back to the subject at hand, Mata reminds Hockney that Bam is someone who's currently separated from his companions, so they might as well ask the boy to help search for the missing picture, which Hockney replies that there's no need to go that far. Outside the Manyleg, a person is seen moving along the pool of blood, and climbs up the creature to enter through the Manyleg's mouth.
Mata senses the Manyleg letting someone in, but a moment later, Garam Jahad is seen suddenly appearing before them, and sits on the orb controlling the Manyleg. Mata asks who the hell the intruder is, which Garam ignores, and states to Bam that the boy looks cute now being able to look at him up close. Bam remains confused as to who's talking to him, which Garam continues to speak that she's beginning to understand why the boy has Two Jahad Princesses following him around.
Mata orders Garam to stop sitting on the orb that's allowing him to control the Manyleg, but Hockney warns him not to speak out any further, which catches Mata's attention. Taking a look at Garam, Hockney warns him that the women is probably the strongest person he's ever looked at, which shocks Mata. Meanwhile, Garam takes a look at Hockney, and admits to herself that there's something unusual about the man's eyes.
Putting her attention back on Bam, Garam states to the boy that he's different than what she imagined, but has concluded that he isn't someone that's going to be as rough as Urek. The mention of Urek surprises Bam, who asks if she happens to know the guy. Garam answers that she does, but would rather not know about him given how Urek is nothing more than a fool. Placing her hand on the orb controlling Mata's Manyleg, Garam states that it's time for them to go somewhere else so that they can continue this conversation.
Mata remains confused as to what she's doing to his Manyleg, which Garam inputs the Floor of Death's North City into the orb. The Manyleg accepts the order and begins moving, which Garam praises the creature for. She orders Manytoes to start moving, which enrages Mata since its name is Manyleg. However, Hockney reminds Mata that his creatures name isn't what's important at the moment.
Switching over to Khun's group, Yuri and Evan are seen running away from the Leech Falawan Gatekeepers while Khun and company are being carried by Evan's Adam's Glove item. Looking back at the stag beetles, Yuri asks why it seems like there's even more of them than before, to which Evan answers that it's because the creatures can't die. Yuri asks Evan if there's really nothing they can do about this, which Evan answers that their only option is to continue running since they're dealing with something that's immortal.
The answer leaves Yuri annoyed, but a moment later, the group reaches a large open area within the tunnel they're running through. Turning around to fight, Yuri gets excited that they've managed to reach a wide enough location. She orders Evan to continue running with the rest of the kids, which confuses the guide. Yuri states that running away isn't something that suits her, and that she will make sure that the Leech Falawan Gatekeepers won't be able to follow them for awhile.
To Evan's shock, he sees Yuri gathering up shinsu to perform her powerful Rose Shower attack, and questions what it is that the insane Ha Princess is up to. Evan begins to run away with the kids still being held in his Adam's Glove knowing that he has to get away from Yuri's Rose Shower as soon as possible. However, a girl with red hair is seen popping out of a hole in the floor in front of the guide.
From the hole, the red-haired girl asks if Evan and company happen to by Jue Viole Grace's companions, which confuses Evan. He asks who the girl is, to which she replies excitedly that they must be given that Yuri Jahad is also here. Meanwhile, Khun looks at the girl with red-hair, and notes how its the same exact color as Hwaryun. The girl explains that Hwaryun asked her to come here in order to lead the way for Viole's companions.
Back to Bam's side, the Manyleg continues to walk through a Floor of Death tunnel towards the location that Garam had ordered it to travel towards. Mata remains annoyed by the fact that his Manyleg is being controlled by someone else, which Hockney warns him to control himself for the time being since the women is strong enough to kill him. However, he also reminds Mata that the latter wouldn't actually die since he's the only one here that's without a soul. Mata falls to his knees worried about his Manyleg, and complains that he hates the girl controlling it, which Hockney asks him once more to calm down.
Meanwhile, Bam continues to look at the woman before him, and wonders who she is given that she also knows Urek. He deduces that she doesn't appear to be here to hurt anyone, and that it may be possible that she knows a bit about Bam's true identity. A moment later, Garam informs the three of them that they've arrived at their destination, which she congratulates the Manytoes for being fast. The name irritates Mata once more reminding her that his creatures name is Manyleg.
Ignoring Mata's complaing, Garam officially welcomes the three of them to the Floor of Death's North City. Dropping out of the Manyleg, Garam orders Bam, Hockney, and Mata, to follow along. She explains that they're now going to ride another beast to a different North City location.
Mata complains back that they're being dragged, and ordered, around without any explanation, and asks Garam why they should go about listening to her. Garam replies that there's no need for the two extras to follow along. She assures Hockney and Mata that the two of them can head back since the only one she's interested in is the boy (Bam). Garam states to Bam that he needs to come with her since there's something she needs to give to him, which catches Bam's attention.
Turning to Hockney and Mata, Bam states that the two of them should go back since he's made the decision to go with her. Mata remains confused warning Bam that the woman is suspicious, which Bam admits that what Mata is warning him about is indeed the case. However, he also states to Mata and Hockney that she seems like someone who would have the information he's come to the Floor of Death searching for.
As a result, Bam states once more that this appears to be where they're going to have to part ways, which surprises Mata and Hockney. Mata replies back that there's no point leaving Bam since they've already come this far together. He informs Bam that they're going to follow along, which catches Hockney's attention. Mata explains that he feels bad about sending Bam off like this, and asks if Hockney feels the same way.
Hockney answers that he still needs to find his missing picture, which Mata replies that they can put off the search for it for at least a day. Mata also states that this is Hockney's chance to find something really important, which leaves Hockney confused. At this point, Garam calls out for something called Yadu. In the distance, Bam and company spot what looks like a giant winged creature flying towards their location. Seeing the flying creature known as Yadu now in front of them, Mata informs Bam and Hockney that it's one of the Floor of Death's Winged Beasts.
Mata admits how shocking it is to realize that someone is able tame a Winged Beast, and asks once more who the girl is that's been ordering them to follow along. Moments later, Bam's group follow Garam into the inside of the Winged Beast. Seeing the orb Garam is using to control Yadu, Mata is amazed that he's getting to see the inside of the flying Floor of Death creature. Walking to another location within the Winged Beast, Garam asks for Hockney and Mata to stay put, but for Bam to follow along with her. Seeing Bam walk away with Garam, Mata asks what's going on, but Hockney warns him that they have no right getting interested in other people's business.
Now that it's just the two of them, Garam states to Bam that he's probably curious about a lot of things at the moment, and assures the boy that she will answer whatever he wishes to know. Bam simply asks first who it is that he's talking to, which she properly introduces herself as Garam Jahad, a Jahad Princess who went missing with two of the 13-Month Series weapons a long time ago. The introduction surprises Bam as he remembers back to what Yura informed him about back at the Hell Train exit. That he needs to find the house of where the Deep Colored Sea Princess lives, and to ask about the place where three waterfalls flow. Only then will Bam be able to follow the Red Light to eventually come across the location of the Thorn fragment.
Thinking it over, Bam wonders if the information Yura provided them earlier was actually the truth. For the next question, Bam asks why a Jahad Princess has been living on the Floor of Death. Garam reminds Bam of what she just said that she chose to disappear with two of the 13-Month series weapons. That she chose to betray the Jahad Family, and has been hiding out on the Floor of Death ever since.
Garam explains that as time went on, she found out to much about the truth, and decided that she could no longer remain as a part of the Jahad Family. She points out how she found out why they were selected as Jahad Princesses, why they've been unable to rise to higher positions, and what kind of person their father, King Jahad, turned out to be. However, she also informs Bam that she also learned about why he exists, which leaves Bam stunned.
Bam asks if Garam truly knows about why he exists, which Garam answers that she's known for quite a long time. Garam explains that she doesn't hold any absolute beliefs about Bam's existence, but he's still a boy that has the right to know who he truly is. She asks if Bam wishes to know about his true self, which Bam quickly answers that he does.
Garam accepts Bam's wish, and states that she will now go about telling him what she knows about his past. However, she also warns Bam that from here on out, he will have to take responsibility for what he's about to hear.
At that same time, the red-haired girl sent by Hwaryun is seen leading Khun's group down a hidden stairwell. One asks if Hwaryun told the red-haired girl about them, which she answers that the guide did, and that Hwaryun's already waiting for them inside the true Floor of Death. Endorsi points out that she figured Hwaryun knew about another path into the Floor of Death, and that the guide decided by herself to go through the easiest path on her own, which Khun agrees that he understands what's going on. Meanwhile, Yuri is left annoyed that her guide couldn't do the same.
Yuri asks Evan if what he said earlier was true that guides lose their sense of direction here despite Hwaryun being able to do it. She warns him that it might be time for a guide switch, which causes Evan to sweat in fear admitting that this turn of events feels strange. The red-haired girl next asks for Yuri's attention, and informs the Ha Princess that Hwaryun wishes for Yuri to do something in return for being shown the way into the true Floor of Death. Yuri asks what she means by favor, which the red-haired girl explains that Hwaryun believes that Yuri will definitely do it in return for being shown the way.
Irritated that nothing is ever free, Yuri asks what the favor is. The red-haired girl explains that there's actually a very bad person currently on the Floor of Death that Hwaryun would like disposed of. Yuri asks who the person is, which the red-haired girl explains that he's currently the ruler of the Floor of Death's South City.
The red-haired girl explains to Yuri that the person is someone who's seeking to defy fate by trying to control shinsu that was lost by its 43rd Floor Guardian owner. As a result, the man is using the dead Guardian's shinsu as if it was his own. The red-haired girl reveals that this person is known as King Hell Joe.
Meanwhile, at a South City location known as the Red Fortress, one of Hell Joe's minions informs their boss that the Floor of Death intruders that appeared today have suddenly disappeared. He asks the boss what they should do about this since Karaka will be appearing here soon. However, Hell Joe orders his minion to not disturb him since he's in the middle of something important. His minion asks what he means by that, which Hell Joe answers that's currently busy reading his comic book.
Back to Bam and Garam, the Jahad Princess informs the boy that she will only tell him a small part of the story, which confuses Bam. She explains that Bam will eventually be able to find out the information she's not going to reveal to him on his own once he's become strong enough to take responsibility for it. Bam tries to speak back, but Garam quickly interrupts him by stating that she knows Bam is curious about his true self, and reminds him that she's only going to tell him what he can currently handle. She warns Bam that knowing everything right away could end up ruining him.
Despite refusing to tell him everything, Garam asks for Bam to not be too disappointed since he will certainly find out everything in the long run as long as he doesn't get lost. Bam half-heartedly accepts, which causes Garam to ask if it's now time for her to start the story. She starts by asking how much Bam knows about the current Tower King, Jahad. At another location of the Floor of Death, Karaka's World of Darkness orb is seen reaching the end of a tunnel into a larger room.
Karaka then falls out of the orb along with the members of Team Rachel. Yura asks where they've been taken to, which Karaka answers that they're now inside the Floor of Death. The answer shocks Yura and Wangnan, which Karaka warns them to be careful given how dangerous the Floor of Death is. Karaka explains that the Floor of Death is a dangerous place even for Rankers since it's a Floor inhabited by the dead who've lost their souls, which Yura admits that she understands.
Still holding her luggage carrier, Yura asks if it's the right time to take White out, but Karaka answers that it's not. Karaka explains that he still has to protect the two of them from the Floor's Gatekeepers, and that it's better for him to protect just the two people outside (Yura and Wangnan) rather than having to also protect a third person if White is let out. Yura brings up the rumor they've heard that they need to offer the soul of a single person in order to enter the Floor of Death, and asks if it's true or not. Karaka answers that it's not a true rumor since what they really need to do is offer up the souls of everyone currently living in their group.
The answer shocks Yura, but Karaka assures her that there's nothing to worry about since they're going to be entering the true Floor of Death through a hidden route. He also asks for Team Rachel not to panic if they come across any enemies along the way, and simply remain still so that he can deal with the issue, which Yura accepts. Watching Karaka walking in front of them, Yura thinks over how she never expected arriving at the Floor of Death with a FUG Slayer, and wonders how he managed to get on the Hell Train. Continuing to think things over, Yura admits that she can feel Karaka's tremendous shinsu from just his walk, and deduces that he's probably someone who's also after the Thorn fragment.
As a result, she concludes that there's no way Team Rachel will ever be able to defeat him, and that they need to change their plan to deal with this. Meanwhile, Wangnan is also left thinking things over finding it unbelievable that the FUG legend, Karaka, has decided to join them. Wangnan concludes that his plan to backstab Team Rachel has now become a lot harder, and that he has to do it when Karaka is no longer around them.
Switching over to Khun's group, Yuri asks what Hwaryun's red-haired associate means by dealing with Hell Joe, and adds that it's an unusual name. The red-haired girl answers that Hell Joe is the current warlord ruling over the Floor of Death's South City. She further explains to Yuri that the true Floor of Death is divided into two locations, South City and North City. In addition, the North City is ruled by a person named Grand De Lee while South City, like she said, is ruled by Hell Joe.
The red-haired girl continues to explain that Hell Joe rules South City like a tyrant to the point of everyone fearing him. She also points out that his persona comes off like a maverick who refuses to trust anyone else, and that those he comes to dislike end up getting trapped in his Eternal Prison. As a result, Hell Joe is now considered to be an evil and lawless man.
Explaining Hell Joe's backstory, the red-haired girl reveals that he started off having a Hole Repairman job in South City. She points out how the Floor of Death has special organ pipes known as Holes that allows for the true Floor of Death to pull in shinsu from the outside. Over time, Hell Joe learned everything about how these Holes work thanks to his long time work as a Hole Repairman, and as a result, the previous ruler of South City, Grand De Sah, took notice of Hell Joe's skills.
Believing he could trust Hell Joe, Grand De Sah called the Hole Repairman to his South City castle, and promoted him to Top Hole Master. However, it soon turned out that Hell Joe had set his sights on a higher goal than that. Thanks to being named as the Top Hole Master, Hell Joe was given the ability to change the structure of the Floor of Death's organ Holes to suit his own will.
The red-haired girl explains to Yuri that controlling the Holes meant that Hell Joe essentially had control of all shinsu and life in South City. As a result, Hell Joe informed Grand De Sah of what he had done, and ordered them to work for him now that he had control over the shinsu they need to live on. Inciting a rebellion, Hell Joe managed to convince a majority of Grand De Sah's servants to switch over. Hell Joe then led an attack into the heart of South City's castle, and managed to suppress Grand De Sah. The result of the victory meant that at this point, Hell Joe had officially taken control of South City.
Having heard the story, Yuri admits she understood it, but asks why Hell Joe needs to be disposed of. Yuri explains her confusion that she doesn't understand why Hwaryun, who's a FUG guide, would want to get involved with a simple rebellion. The red-haired girl answers that it's because Hell Joe is actually working with FUG, and that it was he who originally sent the Thorn fragments out of the Floor of Death into the world beyond it. The answer catches Yuri's attention asking if what the red-haired girl is referring to is the object that Bam's been using. The red-haired girl answers that this is indeed the case.
Khun, who had been listening to the story, asks if what she said is correct that Hell Joe is the one that had originally discovered the Thorn fragments, and sent them outside the 43rd Floor of Death. The red-haired girl answers that Hell Joe controlled a monster with strange eyes (referring to Hockney) that had the ability to locate the Thorn fragments.
However, Hell Joe found out later on that people were after him in search for the Thorn fragments. So his only choice was to begin sending the Thorn fragments away from the Floor of Death. The red-haired girl reveals that after digging further into Hell Joe's work, they discovered that he had sent three Thorn fragments out of the Floor of Death.
Explaining the three Fragment whereabouts, the red-haired girl states that one ended up in the hands of FUG, which was the one that was delivered to Viole during the E-rank Workshop Battle. However, they still haven't discovered where the other two fragments ended up. In addition, it was later discovered that there was actually a fourth, and final, Thorn fragment still remaining that hasn't been found yet on the Floor of Death. Even to this day, Hell Joe has continued to search for that final piece.
Yuri asks if the overall goal is to destroy Hell Joe before he locates the final Thorn fragment. The red-haired girl answers that this is indeed the case, because it's the only way to keep Hell Joe away from Jue Viole Grace, who isn't strong enough yet to face him. She states to Yuri that given how the Ha Princess has also arrived here to help Viole, defeating someone who's a threat to him isn't an unreasonable request. She asks what Yuri thinks of this, which causes Yuri to think things over.
Yuri admits that there's still a few things suspicious about all this, but that she also has no choice but to go along with Hwaryun's plan since she needs to be shown the path into the Floor of Death. Having come to a decision, Yuri agrees to go along with it, which excites Hwaryun's colleague, but also shocks Evan.
He asks how Yuri could go along with such a suspicious request, but an enraged Yuri replies back what she's supposed to do since their own guide can't lead the way. She asks Evan if he wants his senses brought back by sending him back to fight the stag beetle Gatekeepers, which causes Evan to fear for his life. Turning back to the red-haired girl, Yuri makes it clear that they're only going along with the plan so that they can be shown the way to Bam, which Hwaryun's colleague happily agrees with.
Back to South City's castle, Hell Joe continues to remain alone reading his comic. One of his servants walks up to him asking for Master Joe's attention, and if he's finally finished with reading his comic. In return, Hell Joe orders his servant not to disturb him. Despite the order, the servant informs Hell Joe that the FUG Slayer, Karaka is currently on his way here. The servant also states that Karaka is probably stopping by, because he's here for the Thorn fragment that was promised to him a long time ago. Hell Joe replies back that none of that matters since they still don't have the Thorn fragment to provide for him.
He asks his servant if there really is a problem here just because Karaka has decided to stop by, which his servant reminds him of the promise they made to the FUG Slayer back then. Hell Joe asks if the promise his servant is referring to is the wish to finally escape from the repulsive place known as the Floor of Death, which his servant admits is indeed that promise. Speaking louder, Hell Joe's servant complains that nothing about their situation has changed ever since they handed FUG the first Thorn fragment. That the only things they've gotten in return are a few books, and a television connecting them to the world outside the Floor of Death. The servant also informs Hell Joe that he even went so far as to open a secret Hole that will allow Karaka to safely enter the Floor of Death.
However, Hell Joe yells back at his servant to inform Karaka that if the bastard FUG Slayer decides ot come here, he will no longer cooperate with him, and that Karaka will have no choice but to find the final Thron fragment himself. Hell Joe leaves off ordering his servant to get out so that he can return to reading his comic, which leaves the servant unable to say anything back. Heading for the exit, the servant asks for Hell Joe to perhaps reconsider working with FUG, which an enraged Hell Joe orders him once more to screw off asking if his servant has bullets stuck in his ears.
The answer leaves the servant annoyed knowing that Hell Joe's reckless personality is a pain to deal with. Now alone outside Hell Joe's room, the annoyed servant pounds down on a windowsill yelling out that this is all Hockney's fault. The servant states that they would have been able to find the final Thorn fragment already if said bastard with freaky eyes was still around, and yet he ended up running away from the Floor of Death.
Revealed to be named Ssong, the servant deduces that they need to find the answer before Karaka gets here. At this point, another of Hell Joe's servants walks up to Ssong asking for his attention, South City's Military Commander, Charlotte the Temptress. Charlotte asks Ssong why the latter is going on a bit of a rant all by himself.
She figures that Ssong probably provided Hell Joe another one of his strange ideas, which irritates Ssong. He asks Charlotte what she means by strange ideas, and points out how said ideas are plans for their future. Hearing Ssong talking about their future, Charlotte asks why thinking about their future matters as people that don't even have souls. Ssong yells back that Charlotte can go ahead and live here forever, but he's already decided to leave the Floor of Death, and return to climbing the Tower once he's reclaimed his soul. After that, he and Hell Joe will seize the Tower's tremendous wealth and power.
Charlotte is left unsurprised by Ssong's words finding him as ambitious as ever. A moment later, an Eye Bug flies up to Charlotte to inform her that Karaka has arrived at the castle. Another Eye Bug enters into Hell Joe's room to inform the ruler of Karaka's arrival as well. However, Hell Joe remains silent continuing to read his comic.
Outside Hell Joe's room, Karaka is seen walking alongside the members of Team Rachel. Ssong begs Karaka to hold up for a moment, but Karaka replies that they got no time to waste if Viole's group has truly disappeared from their sights. He warns Ssong that their enemies are also after the Thorn fragments, but Ssong warns Karaka that Master Joe is currently busy. Ssong instead asks for Karaka's group to have a little teatime break, which Karaka replies that he doesn't recall ever eating food from someone of another territory. He orders Ssong to open the door as Karaka and company enter into Hell Joe's room.
Hell Joe turns his attention to Karaka, which the FUG Slayer greets the former stating that it's been awhile. Karaka asks if the gifts he's been sending has suited Hell Joe's tastes, which causes Hell Joe to jump down to Karaka's location. He states to Karaka that he has so nerve showing up here on the Floor of Death, which causes the FUG Slayer to ask what the problem is. Karaka also asks why he hasn't been given the Thorn fragments yet despite all the goods he's provided. In return, Hell Joe yells back to cut the crap since the original deal was to allow Hell Joe and company to finally be allowed to leave the Floor of Death. Karaka informs Hell Joe that it's not an easy task to reclaim peoples souls that were lost on the Floor of Death.
However, Hell Joe finds the answer to be ridiculous, and asks how much longer he should continue trusting what Karaka says to him. He also reminds Karaka that it's already been too long ever since he provided FUG the first Thorn fragment. Getting even more enraged to the point of his powers exploding before Karaka and company, Hell Joe also points out that the television provided to him only has a news channel.
The South City ruler yells at Karaka why his television only provides the news when he would prefer to have channels that have exciting shows. Hell Joe also complains that anyone who watches this television will naturally become expressionless, which Wangnan, who felt the shockwave of Hell Joe's power, wonders what the lunatic before him is blabbing about. Hell Joe continues to complain asking if Karaka understands what it's like watching the news all day. He also points out that Endorsi Jahad doesn't even appear on the news nowadays.
Hell Joe then asks if Karaka really thought that Hell Joe would like staring at old men in suits all day, but Karaka answers that he actually only watches the news. He asks Hell Joe how the news isn't the most interesting thing to watch, but enrages Hell Joe to the point of ordering the FUG Slayer not to force his tastes onto him. Getting back to the main topic, Hell Joe makes it clear that he's not provided another Thorn fragment unless Karaka promises to get them out at this very moment.
Having heard Hell Joe's order, Karaka answers that he realizes he has no choice at this point. Karaka explains that if Hell Joe manages to bring the Floor of Death intruders that disappeared earlier, everything will be resolved. The answer enrages Hell Joe even further asking if Karaka has bullets in his ears, but the FUG Slayer replies back that it's Hell Joe who doesn't understand. Calling Hell Joe an idiot for not realizing what he's implying, Karaka reveals that one of the intruders has the ability to get him out of the Floor of Death, which catches Hell Joe's attention.
Returning to Bam and Garam, Bam goes over the question regarding what he knows about King Jahad. That while he's never met the King, he knows that Jahad is an Irregular that climbed up the Tower with the Ten Great Family leaders. Eventually, Jahad made a deal with the Tower Guardians to become the King of the Tower, and in return, he was given an immortal body, and a commander of powerful shinsu. In addition, one of Jahad's greatest enemies is the terrorist organization known as FUG. Stating that this is all he knows about Jahad, Garam replies that the information he knows is correct.
Garam explains that as a great King, Jahad attacked the Tower, and made a deal to become an invincible warrior that will be praised by everyone within the 134 Floors of the Tower. As a result of his Tower climb, Jahad ended up taking pity on the people living within it, and chose to become the Tower King to rule over everyone. Afterwards, Jahad decided to leave the Tower to his descendants. However, it was then eventually discovered that Jahad's blood was so strong that he was unable to create a child with any woman. In order to solve the issue, the Great Family leader, Po Bidau Gustang, proposed the idea to select outstanding female children amongst the Tower families who would then get injected with Jahad's blood.
After becoming Jahad Princesses, these girls would then climb up the Tower competing against one another in order to make an extremely talented survivor that would eventually become King Jahad's wife. With the Jahad Princess system now set up, these acknowledged girls are then provided one of the 13 Month Series weapons, and must battle against one another in order to gather all 13. A Princess that gathers all 13 will be the one that becomes Jahad's wife, but after all this time, no Jahad Princess has been able to accomplish such a feat yet. Garam ends the tale by stating that this is a story between Jahad and his Princesses that has been passed down for ages.
Garam continues on that the reality of the Jahad Princess system wasn't what anyone could have imagined. As a result of the system, the first group of Jahad Princesses ended up being consumed by the evil magic of the 13 Month Series weapons, and came to hate each other so much to the point of killing one another. The Princess competition turned out to be so intense that relations between the leaders of the Tower Families ended up becoming distorted. Garam adds that by the time it was her turn to become a Jahad Princess, the original purpose of the competition had disappeared, and all that remained between the Jahad Princesses was a murder competition. The result of the Jahad Princess system created a fight amongst the families that will now never be resolved.
Having to endure endless days consisting of attempts to slash at one another's throats, Garam states that she could no longer endure the chaos between her fellow Princess sisters. Bam remains stunned in silence unable to believe what he's hearing, which Garam reveals that as the endless war between the Jahad Princesses went on, a genius popped up amongst the pack that led Garam to believe that she was the one who could finally end the tragedy. She reveals to Bam that this Princess was known as Eurasia Anne Jahad.
Garam explains that Anne turned out to be one of ultimate descent having the blood of two Family leaders mixed within her, and was provided the Colorless December of the 13 Month weapons. Anne would then enter the Jahad Princess competition like normal, but the overwhelming talents she displayed were so great that the feuding Tower leaders had no choice but to acknowledge Anne as the strongest. However, at the moment it seemed like Anne was about to end the cruel Jahad Princess competition, something odd happened.
She reveals that Anne ended up going insane, which leaves Bam confused as to what happened. Continuing the story, Garam explains that after going insane, Anne went on a rampage murdering anyone from the Jahad Family that she crossed paths with. In return, the Jahad Family had no choice but to keep her trapped within a mysterious labyrinth.
Garam next reveals that back then, she couldn't believe that Anne, the Jahad Princess she greatly admired, could end up going insane. As a result, she risked her life by breaking into the labyrinth so that she can meet Anne. Able to reach where Anne was locked away, Garam states to Bam that it was here that she learned of Jahad's secret from the crazed Anne.
Bam continues to listen in silence, which Garam explains that Anne told her of how from the very beginning, King Jahad never intended to get married. That the reason the Jahad Princess system was created was to wipe out any immediate threat to the King. She also reveals the true reason of the incident that caused the first group of Jahad Princesses to all die off that resulted in the Tower families turning against one another. That it was actually a tragedy manipulated by Jahad from behind the scenes. Garam states to Bam that Anne found out about all this one day, and went directly to Jahad to question him about it. However, in return, Jahad provided her some very cruel secrets.
Garam reveals to Bam that as it turns out, Jahad actually has a first love that he's never been able to forget about. Bam asks who the person was, to which Garam answers that Jahad's first love was a woman known as Arlene Grace. Garam also reveals to Bam that it was Arlene Grace who caused the current Tower tragedy to begin, and that she is also the one who brought Bam into this world.
After hearing the name Arlene Grace, Bam thinks over how he heard the name from somewhere before. He puts together that Arlene was the 28th Floor's Hand of Arlenee structure where he was led into FUG's trap, and that Grace was the name that was given to him as the Slayer Candidate, Jue Viole Grace. However, Bam remains confused by what Garam means by Arlene Grace being the person that brought him into this world.
Bam asks what Garam means by that if she's perhaps revealing that Arlene was his mother. Garam answers that while it's somewhat odd to explain, she isn't sure if Arlene should be considered his mother, which confuses Bam even further. Garam explains that she doesn't have all the details since Arlene Grace has existed within the Tower longer than she has, but she assures Bam that Arlenee played a crucial role in bringing Bam to the Tower. She also reveals that like the current Ten Great Family leaders, Arlene was an Irregular who entered the Tower alongside them, which shocks Bam. He questions how that's possible since there's only Ten Great Family leaders, which Garam answers that while this is indeed the case, there were actually originally 13 that climbed the Tower including King Jahad.
Garam questions why Jahad bothered to split the 13 Month Weapon series into exactly 13, and answers that it's within some legends that the hometown Jahad originated from had a 13 month year. However, she then points out that there had to be another reason for the 13 Month Weapon split. She reveals that the 13 Month Weapons were actually created to be split amongst Jahad and his 12 companions he climbed the Tower with. One of which was the woman, Arlene Grace. As a result, instead of there being Ten Great Family leaders, there was supposed to be 12.
Continuing the explanation, Garam states that she never imagined the possibility of the Tower keeping an Irregular hidden. Back then, she figured that the revelation was nothing more than a delusion created by Princess Anne due to her going insane. However, when Garam met with the insane Princess within her labyrinth prison, Anne told her that everything will be explained if Garam finds the Pocket that Anne hid away. After meeting with Anne, Garam went about breaking through the Jahad Family's obstacles until she eventually found said Pocket, and it was then that Garam realized that what she thought was Anne's delusions wasn't a lie.
Next, Garam reveals to Bam that the Pocket turned out to be the one that was used by Arlene Grace. She informs Bam that while she doesn't know how Anne came across it, within the Pocket was a diary left behind by an actual person named Arlene Grace. As a result, this was living proof that there actually was such a person that once existed at some point.
Garam reveals to Bam that Arlenee's diary explained how she went on an incredible journey alongside Jahad and the other Ten Great leaders, and was a user of mysterious spells. However, despite Jahad having a crush on Arlene, her heart was actually looking towards someone else. The man she actually loved was the second of the 13 companions that was lost in history, which she affectionately called as V. She informs Bam that the name, Viole, probably originates from the warlord V nickname.
Garam also reveals that Grace Mirchea Luslec, the current head of FUG, was someone who once served under warlord V, which catches Bam's attention. Continuing the story, Garam explains how Arlene and V confirmed their love for one another during the climb up the Tower, and began a relationship. However, at the end of their great journey, Jahad came to the decision to become the Tower King, and ended the Tower climb completely.
Amongst the 12 companions, V and Arlene were the two who criticized Jahad's decision, and that Arlene claimed how Jahad was someone who had become blinded by falsehoods. Despite V and Arlene rejecting, Jahad went through with the plan, and became the Tower King after the deal had been made with the Tower Guardians. He then proposed to Arlene to become his Queen, but given how Arlene was already engaged with V, she rejected Jahad's proposal, and chose to ran away with V.
After running away, V and Arlene went about creating an organization that opposed Jahad, which started a war in an attempt to steal away a certain Key in Jahad's possession. In return, the enraged Jahad fought back against the rebel organization. Throughout the war, Garam describes how there ended up being conflicts amongst Jahad's Ten Great leaders, but none of it was put into detail in Arlene's Pocket diary. However, one thing that was known for sure was that the Ten Great leaders chose to side with Jahad for some reason, which resulted in V and Arlene ultimately losing the war, and became fugitives that were forced to go on the run. It was at this point that Arlene became pregnant.
Bam figures that the baby may have been himself, but Garam reveals that Arlene's child back then had actually been murdered by Jahad, which leaves Bam confused. After Jahad heard the rumors about Arlene giving birth to a baby, he managed to track down the child. He then proceeded to kill the child in front of Arlene not long after it was born.
Garam points out that within Arlene's Pocket, this incident was described as a moment where Arlene felt extreme loathing and resentment towards Jahad. She also explains to Bam that the writing within Arlene's diary from then on no longer felt normal. That Arlene was writing as someone who was failing to live on with her sanity intact after her child was murdered. In the end, the combined hatred of Jahad, and the loss of her child, seemed to have driven Arlene insane.
Garam continues the story that after Arlene went insane, the Pocket diary explained of how Arlene tried to commit suicide several times. However, she was unable to die having become immortal like Jahad and the Ten Great Family leaders after the contract with the Guardians was made. It later turned out that V was not a part of the contract since he was the only one that was never granted immortality for some odd reason, meaning that V was technically a mortal being.
The diary explained of how V chose to commit suicide having been unable to stand watching Arlene continue to lose her mind. His suicide message was left behind asking for Arlene to forget about everything, and return to Jahad and the Ten Great leaders so that she can live on happily from then on. However, Arlene chose not to return.
From then on, Arlene wandered alone searching for another means of escaping the Tower. She apparently wandered around for many years, and used some sort of magic to keep the body of her dead child from rotting away as she carried the corpse around with her along with the keepsakes from V. The reason Arlene did this was because she believed there a possibility of bringing the child back to life if she somehow made it outside the Tower. Garam notes that the last message in Arlene's Pocket goes about her claiming that she finally found a way to get out of the Tower.
Looking up at the artificial ceiling sky, Arlene states how she knows of a place that won't include Jahad or the Guardians. She points out how despite not knowing where the place will be, nothing else matters at the moment as long as she can continue seeing the vast sky and shining stars. Arlene also mentions how despite that fact that she found her means of escape, she couldn't let go of her dead love, and continued to feel pity for her dead child.
As a result, Arlene offered the child's body to the God outside the Tower, and asked for God's power to enter the child's body so that he could awaken again. Garam continues Arlene's final message that once the child has awakened, he will someday return to the Tower by opening the door himself. The child will also achieve vengeance for her dead love, V, and finish the war that the two of them started against Jahad.
The overall goal the child will bring is to destroy the corrupt power, and finally bring truth to the Tower. In addition, God's Messenger will appear to provide the Red Thorn for the child, which said child will use to cut the throat of the greedy King. Finally, the child will find the hidden key that will open the door to the areas beyond the 163rd Floor, and lead everyone to greater heights. Garam makes it clear that this child being described by Arlene's prophecy is Jue Viole Grace, which leaves Bam speechless realizing that he's probably Arlene's son.
Continuing the explanation, Garam reveals how Jahad and the Ten Great leaders went about erasing all evidence of Arlene and her son ever existing. Everything was destroyed from structures and recordings connected to Arlene, and memories of the past ended up being fabricated within Workshop to not include Arlene's involvement in anything. However, all this was still not enough to change the destiny that was to come since Arlene's Pocket was found, and Bam, the son of Arlene, now stands before Garam on the 43rd Floor of Death. Garam leaves off stating to Bam that it was destiny for the boy to arrive here.
Meanwhile at Team Rachel's location, Yura finally lets out the rest of her teammates from the luggage carrier. Rachel gives off a couple stretches complaining that Yura's suitcase felt uncomfortable being stuck in there for so long. In return, Yura apologizes for since they had to all stay in there until they passed by Bam's group.
Rachel admits that she understands while nearby, Karaka greets Hoaqin calling him by his FUG Slayer name, White, and introduces himself as the new FUG Slayer, Karaka. The introduction angers Hoaqin, and calls out Karaka as an arrogant punk for looking down on White simply because he's currently no longer a FUG Slayer, and going about messing with him by pretending to be of help. However, Karaka informs Hoaqin that there's a way to fully revive his White form on the Floor of Death, which catches Hoaqin's attention. As a result, Karaka asks if they can talk about this in private, which Hoaqin excitedly agrees to do so, and changes his impression of Karaka claiming that he's actually a decent guy. Seeing Karaka and Hoaqin walking away, Yura and Rachel are left speechless wondering if they really are people that can be trusted.
Now alone, Yura admits to Rachel how surprising things turned out that FUG Slayer Karaka was hiding on the Hell Train this whole time. Rachel replies in agreement stating that it's confusing even to her as to how they got teamed up with Karaka. Looking in Wangnan's direction, Rachel sees him looking directly as her, and asks if something's wrong. Seeing Rachel's folded clothing, Wangnan replies that he just happened to notice how skilled Rachel is at tidying up. In return, Rachel thanks him for the compliment, and explains that she's been good at cleaning since she was a child. Wangnan points out that he was actually saying that as an insult to her, but Rachel still thanks him for taking an interest in one of her hobbies.
Changing the topic, Wangnan brings up how he doesn't understand why someone as nice as Viole would go about chasing after someone like Rachel. In return, Rachel agrees that Bam really is a nice boy, and that she is the bad one. Wangnan adds that she's also twisted, but Rachel says once more of how true it is that she's a bad person, and would have preferred to keep this side of her a secret from Bam. Wangnan calls her out for such a dream trying to pretend to be a good person despite having killed people, which Rachel agrees that her last statement was pushing it too much.
Giving off a laugh, Rachel claims that she's done describing herself, which causes Wangnan to not find her as a sane person, and calls her a psycho. He asks Rachel why she's going through all this trouble trying to climb the Tower, and if it's perhaps all for the sake of money, power, or even to become the Tower's Dark Lord. In return, Rachel answers that she's simply after a blue sky filled with countless stars and a cool breeze. A ridiculously beautiful view that a certain person wanted her entire life. Looking up at the ceiling of the Floor of Death, she states to Wangnan that just the sight of it will bring her satisfaction. The answer leaves Wangnan confused asking what she's talking about, but Rachel informs him that this is something he doesn't need to know about.
Looking through things on her lighthouse, Rachel uses the moment to think about Arlenee Grace. She goes about claiming to herself that she doesn't care about the connection Arlene had with Bam, and that she will be the person of the legend that will obtain the Thorn in order to make Arlene's wish come true. Rachel shows her determination that it has to be her to make Arlene's wish a reality.
Meanwhile during Karaka and Hoaqin's private meeting, the latter asks for the former to reveal already the plan to revive his White form. Karaka reminds Hoaqin of how his power surrounds eating souls, and that even if he hadn't eaten his siblings, Hoaqin is still capable of becoming strong enough to break the Hell Train shackles currently on him if he just eats a numerous amount of souls.
Hoaqin agrees that this is a given, and that when he was at the height of his power as White, he had the strength to beat any imitation spell. In return, Karaka reveals that within the Floor of Death, there's actually a location known as the Spirit Room.
Karaka explains that the Spirit Room is where all the souls of the people living on the Floor of Death has been stored away. That the room houses tens of thousands of souls, and includes some that are on the level of Ranker. Realizing what Karaka is getting at if he was to obtain all those souls, Hoaqin gives off a nasty grin, and asks for FUG Slayer Karaka to tell him more about the Spirit Room in greater detail.
Back at the South City castle, Hell Joe continues to watch his television. However, he uses the next moments thinking over Karaka's words of how there's someone amongst the enemies that can help Hell Joe and company finally escape the Floor of Death. Seeing his five subordinates nearby that include Ssong and Charlotte, Hell Joe asks for their opinion on what Karaka told them.
Army Commander, Sanchez the Piercer, states that they should pay no attention to it since it's clear that Karaka is simply trying to take advantage of them. In agreement, Army Commander, Charlotte the Temptress, adds that she believes Karaka's words to be a lie.
However, Army Commander, Walcott the Windy, believes that they should give Karaka a chance since they have no reason to lose faith in the things that Karaka tells them. In agreement, Army Commander, Fabregas the Bloody, adds that even if Karaka is lying, Hell Joe's faction still has the strength to deal with everyone later on. Finally, Army Commander, Ssong the Traitor, adds that they should at least consider Karaka telling them the truth since it's a chance to escape the Floor of Death that they can't afford to miss.
After hearing his subordinates' opinions, Hell Joe thinks to himself that this truly isn't an opportunity they can't afford to miss if Karaka is indeed telling the truth about there being someone amongst the enemies who can help them escape the Floor of Death. However, due to being a higher priority than FUG, Hell Joe also thinks over how it won't put him in a good position if he was to get tempted into Karaka's offer, and went after the intruders himself. He also goes over how given that the intruders disappeared, the only logical explanation is that they all must have ended up in the Floor of Death's North City. Hell Joe is left questioning if there's a way to easily catch the intruders without making himself look like a food. Looking at his comic, Hell Joe reads the current page of how the main character plans to attack the castle in order to recover a stolen holy sword.
As a result, Hell Joe comes up with an idea. Turning towards his five subordinates, Hell Joe orders Sanchez, Charlotte, Walcott, Fabregaz, and Ssong to send out a message to the entire Floor of Death this instant. The message being that if one desires the Thorn fragment, they will have to attack Hell Joe's castle.
The message leaves the five subordinates confused as to what's going on. Hell Joe also announces for the message to include the lie that he's obtained the Thorn fragment, and that if they manage to beat Hell Joe at the South City castle, he will provide the Thorn fragment to whoever beats him.
He assures his subordinates that this is the way to make their enemies come to them. One of the subordinates points out the main problem that they don't actually have the Thorn fragment, but Hell Joe replies that it's not really an issue since the announcement is just bait to bring their enemies to the South City castle.
Hell Joe also orders to have them state in the message that FUG will also need to participate if they desire the Thorn fragment. He explains that this is their chance to teach FUG a lesson since if they manage to defeat FUG here, said organization will no longer be the ones in power over the Hell Joe faction demanding that they provide a Thorn fragment for FUG.
Hell Joe adds that he wishes for his five subordinates to participate in this scheme as well, which confuses Sanchez, Charlotte, Walcott, Fabregaz, and Ssong even further. Getting excited for what's so come, Hell Joe makes it clear that they're going to wipe out the recent outsiders when they show up for the Thorn fragment. After that, they will finally have a way to escape the Floor of Death, and return to climbing the Tower so that they can eventually become the new rulers.
At another Floor of Death location, Hwaryun's colleague continues to lead Khun's group to another area. Yuri asks how much longer they're going to be walking, which Evan admits that it's felt like they've been walking for ages. However, the red-haired girl leading them answers a moment later that they've finally arrived at their destination.
Khun's group all look up at an odd structure hanging from the ceiling with a stairwell leading up to it. The red-haired girl welcomes them to Gallstone Village, a secret place for the Red Witch Guides within the Floor of Death. Continuing to look at the Gallstone Village structure, Khun states that the place is huge while Endorsi is left wondering what Hwaryun's colleague means by Gallstone.
The red-haired girl informs Khun's group that she will now lead them to Hwaryun, but a new voice is heard claiming that there's no longer any need for that. Seeing Hwaryun popping out of the Gallstone Village entrance, the guide states that she will lead Khun's group from here on out. Khun is heard complaining asking why Hwaryun disappeared by herself, which Endorsi agrees that such an action was unfair. However, the red-haired girl urges them to go on. Asking once more for Khun's group to follow her, Hwaryun informs them that she has something to tell them about their enemy, Hell Joe. As a result, Khun is left confused about what's going on.
Back to Bam and Garam, the Princess asks how the boy feels after hearing stuff about his origins. Bam replies that he's not sure what to think of it as it all seemed so surreal to him. Garam admits she understands, but asks if Bam perhaps felt a sense of longing around the time that he first entered the Floor of Death. She explains further if Bam felt like he returned to a place he would call his home, which Bam admits that he did. As a result, Garam reveals that the reason Bam felt that was because this was the place where Arlenee first gave birth to Bam, and raised him as a baby.
Hearing that the Floor of Death is the location where he was born and raised shocks Bam, which Garam states is the truth. She also adds that at some point down the line, Jahad decided to create an altar on the 43rd Floor once Arlene disappeared. Garam explains how Jahad came off as someone who was unusually obsessed with Arlene, and as a result, he placed a self-worshipping shrine altar on the 43rd Floor that he knows was the land that Arlene cherished.
Following that, Jahad made many of his followers flock to the altar to continue worshipping him. However, it was further down the line that someone would appear who couldn't forgive Jahad for choosing to defile the 43rd Floor. As a result, this person, the Irregular known as Enryu, choose to turn the Tower's shinsu red by killing the Floor Guardian.
Garam reveals that Enryu's purpose as the messenger from god was to arrive at the 43rd Floor to deliver the Thorn to Bam. Meanwhile back at Hockney and Mata, they look out at the surroundings of the 43rd Floor's North City through the eyes of Garam's Winged Beast. Mata is left amazed that they're able to see so much snow falling through the creature's eyes.
Back to Garam and Bam, the Princess goes over what she already told Bam that the 43rd Floor is the place where Arlene gave birth and raised the boy. In addition, Jahad turned the 43rd Floor into a shrine to worship himself after Arlene disappeared, and that Jahad went to such efforts to erase any trace of Bam's previous existence on the 43rd Floor. However, the Irregular known as Enryu would appear soon after as someone unable to forgive Jahad for defiling the 43rd Floor. As a result, the day Enryu appeared resulted in a red rain falling down upon the sky of the 43rd Floor.
Garam explains that when Enryu first appeared, the Irregular gave the people living on the 43rd Floor a warning that only those who believe in the false Tower King will face death. In return, the people living on the 43rd Floor looked up at Enryu confused as to what's going on, but were able to tell that Enryu was no ordinary person. Enryu's warning caused many people to run away from the 43rd Floor. However, those that were Jahad's fanatical followers chose to stay, and attacked Enryu. In return, Enryu countered them by dropping countless spears of red shinsu down upon the battlefield.
As it turned out, none of Jahad's 43rd Floor followers who attacked Enryu were able to withstand such an overwhelming attack, and they all ended up dropping like flies. Disposing of Jahad's fanatical followers resulted in the enraged 43rd Floor Guardian to appear, and attacked Enryu by itself. However, despite the Guardian changing between several forms throughout the fight, the Guardian was still no match for Enryu. Even the Guardian's ability to control the flow of the Floor's shinsu wasn't enough to stop Enryu. As a result, the 43rd Floor Guardian's body, which was throught to be indestructible, immortal, and invincible, was viciously ripped apart by Enryu's attacks.
Throughout Enryu's fight with the 43rd Floor Guardian, everything about the Floor's terrain, from its mountains, to its seas and buildings, were destroyed. In addition, the ground and water had all been turned to the color of blood red. Once the fight was considered over, Enryu came out the victor over the 43rd Floor Guardian, and was put to sleep. As a result, the shinsu of the 43rd Floor had lost its master.
Garam continues to explain that after the defeat of the 43rd Floor Guardian, a rain of shinsu poured down upon the 43rd Floor for a very long time. The 43rd Floor would eventually be given the title as the Floor of Death, and that rumors began to spread throughout the Tower of an object that Enryu left behind on the 43rd Floor before he disappeared. A divine Thorn which has the ability to kill King Jahad. Due to the rumors, FUG went about scouting out the 43rd Floor of Death in the hopes that they would be able to locate the object known as the Thorn. Afterwards, they would wait on a person to appear that could obtain the Thorn, and use it to cut Jahad's throat. The last part of Garam's story catches Bam's attention realizing that he was most likely the person FUG's been waiting on to use the Thorn against Jahad.
Bam thinks things over that he's starting to understand why FUG gave him the Thorn. He deduces that there's more to FUG just wanting to make him an upcoming FUG Slayer out of their deep hatred for Jahad. He concludes that there's someone amongst the FUG organization who truly believes that Bam must be Arlene's son. Bam questions himself if it was his destiny from the very beginning to one day become a FUG Slayer, and if it's also his destiny to one day use the Thorn to slay King Jahad.
Returning to the Gallstone Village, Hwaryun continues to lead Khun's group to another location. Yuri asks if there's more to Hell Joe's story despite everything the red-head girl told them about him earlier, which Hwaryun answers that she only learned about all of this herself during her first visit to the Floor of Death. Hwaryun explains that compared to the rest of Khun's group, she entered through a different Floor of Death path that only the Red Witches knew about. However, given that the situation changed, she had to go by herself instead of leading Bam's expedition through the Red Witches hidden path.
Hwaryun asks how much Yuri knows about Hell Joe, which Yuri answers that she got the basic gist of it being the Red Witches wanting her to fight Hell Joe in order for Bam to obtain something known as a Thorn fragment. However, Hwaryun adds that there's actually a different reason the Red Witches wish for Yuri to get rid of Hell Joe, which confuses the Ha Princess. The guide states that given how she's also a Red Witch, she happens to have a personal grudge towards Hell Joe. The revelation that even someone like Hwaryun is holding a grudge against someone comes as a surprise to Khun.
Yuri asks if Hwaryun is implying that there are actually people within the Tower going as far as making Tower guides resent them. In return, Hwaryun answers that given how the 43rd Floor has no Guardian anymore, the Tower guides who have the ability to predict the future are no better than regular humans while on said Floor. Hwaryun further explains that it's a necessity for Red Witch Tower guides to go to the Floor of Death for their pilgrimage, and that they rely on the memories of their past ancestors to find this hidden Red Witch hideout known as the Gallstone Village.
Turning her attention to Yuri's guide, Evan, Hwaryun points out how his Silver Dwarf guide race go to a different Floor of Death location for their pilgrimage. Evan answers that is indeed the case, and that while the 43rd Floor location of his pilgrimage was completely in ruins, he knew about there being a place somewhere for the Red Witch guides. Hwaryun states that it's not a surprise his pilgrimage location was a ruin since everything about the 43rd Floor changed after Enryu's attack.
She explains that most of the people on the Floor of Death died, because even the strongest Rankers of the Floor were struggling to survive trying to live on shinsu that was no longer controlled by the Guardian. Hwaryun points out that the Red Witches were lucky, because their Gallstone Village hideout happens to be surrounded by the Guardian's body isolated from what's going on outside the corpse. However, those who survived on the outside of the 43rd Floor's Guaridan weren't so lucky as they were subjected to aging, and lack of food.
In addition, the survivors weren't allowed to leave the 43rd Floor of Death, because Jahad had given the order to his army to kill off any 43rd Floor survivor in order to keep the rumors of Enryu's attack from spreading any further. Some time after, two High Rankers known as De Sah and De Jah found a solution as the leaders of the Floor of Death.
Using their magic, the two High Rankers created a Floor of Death area known as the Spirit Room where the souls of all the 43rd Floor citizens are stored. A method to allow for the 43rd Floor people to keep living on forever without ever aging. However, the cost of such a spell resulted in those without souls never being allowed to leave the Floor of Death. Meaning that they will be stuck on the Floor of Death for all eternity.
As a result, the people of the 43rd Floor have spent ages guarding the entrance Holes into the true Floor of Death to make sure that such a secret doesn't leak to the outside world. Continuing the explanation, Hwaryun informs Khun's group that this plan changed once Hell Joe got involved. It turned out that Hell Joe is someone wishing to end the spell created by De Sah and De Jah, so he drove out De Sah, and conquered the High Ranker's South City.
Hell Joe then went on to break the rules created by De Sah and De Jah, and joined forces with an outside power, the FUG terrorist organization. FUG had promised to finally get Hell Joe out of the Floor of Death if he provides for the organization the Thorn, which caused Hell Joe to begin the hunt around the Floor for the Thorn Fragments. However, Hell Joe's hunt led to him harming a Red Witch guide that was currently on a pilgrimage.
Hwaryun opens up a stone caskit in the room showing to Khun's group a rotting Red Witch corpse, which surprises them. She explains to Khun's group that the female corpse is the predecessor of the red-haired girl that brought the group to Gallstone Village. Hwaryun further explains that the dead Red Witch was caught by Hell Joe, and pressured into locating the missing Thorn fragment. However, when this Red Witch refused, Hell Joe made her suffer a cruel death by stealing away her vitality.
Khun and company remain silent unable to believe the sight of the Red Witch corpse, which Hwaryun explains that it's obvious Hell Joe didn't know that the abilities of Tower guides don't work within the Floor of Death. As a result, Hell Joe was under the belief that the Red Witch guide would be able to locate the missing Thorn fragment. Hwaryun explains that Tower guides are able to see their own destiny, so when the time for their death finally comes, they accept their fate, and feel no fear or try to avoid death, since they already saw their death coming ahead of time. However, that ended up not being the case with the dead Red Witch in the caskit.
Hwaryun reveals that the dead Red Witch in the caskit was someone who tried to go about avoiding death since she was never meant to die on the Floor of Death. However, Hell Joe ended up dragging her to his South City castle, and killed her in a pretty gruesome manner despite her begging to be spared. As a result, Hwaryun states that Hell Joe is someone that's going about defying their destiny. At this point, a loud announcement from Hell Joe begins, which catches the attention of everyone within the Floor of Death.
Hell Joe introduces himself as the ruler of South City, and asks for the recent intruders to pay attention to him. He states that while he doesn't know how they made it in, he knows that they've come to the Floor of Death searching for a certain object. Mata and Hockney are seen listening to the announcement, which Mata asks if by intruder, he's referring to the boy known as Bam. Hell Joe continues his announcement adding that the object the intruders are searching for are actually within his South City castle. He asks for the intruders to spare him the game of hide-and-seek, and attack his castle.
Explaining his plan, Hell Joe announces that he will give the intruders what they're after if they manage to defeat him and his servants. However, he will hand what the intruders are after over to FUG if they decide not to come. He asks for the intruders to be sure to come to his castle, and hopes that they're all strong enough to to provide him a bit of fun. Ending the announcement, Team Rachel are seen haven't heard it as well. Rachel is left confused by what Hell Joe was implying that the Thorn Fragment is possibly at his castle.
Meanwhile at Gallstone Village, Yuri is left confused by Hell Joe's announcement just now, and asks what he means by the object they're searching for being at his castle. Evan adds that the announcement a moment ago just proved to them that Hell Joe is going to be more of a nuisance than they originally thought. Hwaryun states that Hell Joe is obviously referring to the missing Thorn fragment, which surprises Khun's group. Evan asks if the Thorn Fragment really is at Hell Joe's castle, which Hwaryun replies that while it sounds like an obvious trap, it works out for them since she already asked Yuri for the favor of disposing of Hell Joe.
Hwaryun states that they now have more than enough reason to take on Hell Joe if the Thorn Fragment really is at his South City castle. She also points out that Viole will most likely be heading for South City at this time since he should have heard Hell Joe's announcement just now as well. She asks Princess Yuri Jahad what she plans to do now, which leaves Yuri thinking things over.
Meanwhile on Garam and Bam's side, the Princess points out that Hell Joe has chosen to stir up some trouble. Bam asks who Hell Joe is, which Garam answers that he's currently the ruler of South City. She further explains that Hell Joe became the new leader after he imprisoned the old warlord, De Sah, and that she heard how he's working with FUG currently in order to provide for them the Thorn fragments. Bam asks what she means by Hell Joe providing FUG the Thorn fragments, which Garam answers that Hell Joe made a deal with FUG to give them the pieces of the Thorn in return for FUG helping him finally escape the Floor of Death. However, he's been unable to locate the final Thorn fragment. Using the next moments to think things over, Garam points out to Bam how the Final Gatekeeper probably hasn't told Hell Joe yet of Bam's group entering the Floor of Death. She also adds that the rest of Bam's expedition group must have made it in since they haven't been reported yet, and is left impressed thinking that Bam's friends are still alive somewhere on the Floor. She deduces that their best option is to just leave Hell Joe to Bam's companions, which leaves Bam confused as to what's going on.
Garam states that what Hell Joe just announced is a lie since the final Thorn fragment is actually right here within North City, which shocks Bam. She reveals that the Thorn fragment is actually hidden deep inside the North City's Spirit Room. Garam explains to Bam that the Spirit Room is the place where the souls of everyone living on the Floor of Death is stored away. In addition, the previous leader of North City, De Jah, is the one currently defending the Spirit Room after he retired his North City leader position over to De Lee.
Further explaining De Jah to Bam, Garam states that the High Ranker is one of the few people remaining that actually saw Enryu in person. She also reveals that it's De Jah who knows where the Thorn fragment is hidden away. As a result, Garam warns Bam that De Jah is prepared to test the boy's power. She also informs Bam that if he passes De Jah's test, he will find out where the missing Thorn fragment is.
Meanwhile, still watching their surroundings through the eyes of Garam's Winged Beast, Mata realizes that Garam has brought them to the entrance of De Jah's castle. Mata remains confused as to why she brought them here, but Hockney begins to feel pain within his head. He questions what he's feeling at the moment, and realizes that some sort of memory has returned to him.
Returning to Bam and Garam, she informs him that ordinary D-rank Regulars at this level within the Tower would never be able to pass De Jah's test. However, given Bam's current situation as an Irregular, she figures that if Bam is indeed the real deal, De Jah will acknowledge him, and provide for the boy the location of the Thorn fragment. Seeing Bam remain silent in confusion, Garam admits that she expected this reaction from him. However, she makes it clear that regardless of whatever destiny originally brought Bam to the Floor of Death, it's still his choice to decide what path to take from here on out.
Garam assures Bam that even if he chooses to go down a different path in order to avoid the destiny that has been provided for him, she will not criticize him for it. She states that wanting to avoid such a destiny is a given since it's such a massive, and difficult, burden to bear. However, Bam answers that he will do it, and that he's choosing to do it not because it's his destiny, but because it's of his own will.
Moments after, Bam returns to Hockney and Mata at the front of Garam's Winged Beast. Mata asks what Bam what he and Garam were talking about given how long they were gone, which Hockney reminds him not to butt into other people's business. However, Bam replies that he needs to go on by himself at this point, which confuses Hockney and Mata. Bam explains that he needs to enter the upcoming area in order to look for something, but given how dangerous it looks, Bam figures that they shouldn't follow along. Mata realizes that Bam is referring to De Jah's castle, which Bam points out is indeed the place he needs to enter. Thinking it over, Hockney asks to go along with Bam into De Jah's castle, which surprises Bam and Mata. Hockney admits that he understands how dangerous Bam's mission sounds, but adds that he's got a feeling at the moment that he needs to follow along.
Mata asks if Hockney has gone insane given that it's De Jah up ahead, and reminds Hockney that he still has the picture to look for. Hockney replies that while he does still need to find said picture he's taking into account what Mata told him earlier. That this is his chance to obtain something even more valuable. Surprised by Hockney's answer, Mata wonders if Hockney wanting to join Bam's mission is part of his destiny. Grabbing hold of Hockney, and accepting his friend's will, Mata yells out to Bam that he's decided to also go with the two of them, and adds that he can show them the way through De Jah's castle since he's been there before. Bam remains surprised by the announcement, which Mata explains that since they've already come this far together, it's not right to just go on alone at this point, and adds that eventually, Bam might get lonely not having any company. As Garam's Winged Beast goes through the entrance of De Jah's castle, Bam, Hockney, and Mata, agree to continue travelling together.
At the entrance of South City's castle, Army Commander Walcott the Windy stands guard at the door. Walcott remains annoyed at the fact that it was forced to guard the entrance alone, and believes that the others chose it, because they think that Walcott is the weakest amongst Hell Joe's subordinates. Feeling the power in its fist, Walcott claims that even though it was definitely the weakest before, no one can beat it anymore now that Hell Joe has given it some extra power.
Continuing to think things over, Walcott realizes that it must have been assigned to guard the castle entrance, because Walcott has the strongest power that could take on anyone who appears for a fight. A heart symbol appears on Walcott's tail as it thinks about how Lord Hell Joe must have trusted Walcott to the door for this reason. As Walcott congratulates Hell Joe for making such an impressive castle, its attention is brought to Yuri and Evan arriving before it.
Walking towards the South City castle gate, Yuri states that this must be the place that Hell Joe's been hiding out. She then tells Evan that they should get this over with so that they can search for Bam afterwards. Shocked that Yuri and Evan have decided to attack Hell Joe's castle alone, Walcott prepares himself for battle enlarging itself to a bigger form, and asks if the two of them are insane. Seeing the massive Hell Joe subordinate before her, the excited Yuri admits that the attack on the castle is off to an impressive start. In return, Walcott warns the mortal girl before it that she better wipe away the smile she's giving off.
Ordering Yuri to die, Walcott sends a massive shinsu attack towards Yuri and Evan, who dodge out of the way. From a higher location of the South City castle, Sanchez is seen looking down on them standing atop a lighthouse controlled by one of his allies. He realizes that Walcott's fight has begun, and states his disappointment that he should have been the one put in charge of holding down the entrance. However, Charlotte, the one on the other end controlling the lighthouses, informs Sanchez that he's stationed where he is because of his Spear-Bearer Position. Seen in her control room, Fabregas explains to Sanchez through the lighthouse on her end that Spear-Bearers are meant to stay at a distance, and that it's still not guaranteed that the intruders will choose to only go through the main entrance.
Sanchez asks why any of this should matter since they're current bodies can't die anyway, but Fabregas still orders him to not let down his guard. A moment later, Fabregas notices something coming towards Sanchez's location, which catches his attention as well. The two of them remain on standby watching as Sachi's Thornbush vines begin shooting up the castle towards their location. Confused by what they're looking at, Sanchez notes how they look like rose vines, and soon realizes that they're rising up along the side of the castle.
From a location at the bottom of the castle, Sachi is seen activating his Thornbush shinsu, and moves the vines to go up along the castle wall. Standing alongside the red-haired girl who led them to the Gallstone hideout, Sachi informs her that he's reached the limit to which he can extend his vines. The red-haired girl assures him that the distance he was able to reach up the castle was enough. Nearby, the Khun, Hwaryun, Endorsi, Boro, and Iruroe, group remain on standby noticing how Sachi has already started. Hwaryun makes it clear that they will go for the castle using Endorsi's Bong Bong fairy once Yuri has ignited her 13-Month weapons.
Flashing back to an hour earlier at Gallstone Village, Yuri is heard giving her answer to Hwaryun that they're going to head for Hell Joe's South City castle. Evan remains confused by the answer, which Yuri explains that they've already made the promise to go through with this, and that they should get it over with quickly so that they can return to searching for Bam. Turning her attention back to Hwaryun, Yuri states that she needs to know one other thing, which the guide asks what it is.
Yuri points out how the Floor of Death people they will be facing have immortal bodies due to being soulless, and asks how she's supposed to fight them. She also reminds Hwaryun that her powers didn't even affect the stag beetle Gatekeepers, so as a result, she won't be able to damage Hell Joe and his subordinates no matter how strong she is. Hwaryun agrees that this is indeed the case, but also assures the Princess that this is precisely the reason that she's asking for Yuri's help rather than relying on other Rankers from FUG.
The Ha Princess remains confused by what the guide means by that. Hwaryun explains that the people of the Floor of Death are indeed immortal, but it's an incomplete immortality unlike the Ten Great Family leaders who have true immortality. The difference being that the Ten Great Family leaders have immortality thanks to the contract they made with the Tower Guardians, but the people of the 43rd Floor of Death have immortality due to their souls being used as the medium.
Continuing the explanation, Hwaryun points out that the only reason things have immortality on the 43rd Floor of Death is because of the soul spell. As a result, it will be possible to kill the people of the Floor of Death if certain weapons are used that have the ability to break through the spell. Hwaryun answers that such weapons that can perform this task are the 13-Month Weapon Series, such as the two currently in Yuri's possession. Surprised by the answer, Yuri asks if what she heard about the 13-Month weapons was correct, which Hwaryun answers was indeed the case. Hwaryun adds that the Jahad Family don't know much about spells since they consider the usage of it to be taboo.
Despite that, spells of mysterious power has existed within the Tower since the very beginning, and that said spells have laws that govern them. The first law is that one cannot violate the rules after the spell has been set. The second law is that one needs to receive help from a powerful medium or divine being. The third law is what determines the power of the spell depending on the being or medium that helped perform the spell. As a result, it's possible to destroy, or neutralize, spells with another spell that are simply higher ranking. Overall, Hwaryun notes that it can be established that the 13-Month Series Weapons can be viewed as the Ultimte Spell Items. She points out that the enchantment on the 13-Month weapons are so powerful that not even the Guardian of whatever Floor they're on would be able to break it. As a result, Hwaryun claims that if Yuri was to ignite her 13-Month Series Weapons against Hell Joe's immortal faction, she will have the power to break through the immortality spell, and truly kill them off.
Hwaryun explains her overall goal that Hell Joe's group currently considers themselves immortal, and won't be expecting someone to show up that has the ability to kill them. As a result, the minions currently guarding Hell Joe's castle should be thrown into chaos the moment they realize someone actually has the power to kill them off. Hwaryun continues to explain that once Yuri has shook things up igniting her 13-Month weapons, they will use that opening to knock down Hell Joe's protective barrier, and help Grand De Sah finally escape the South City castle. Back to the present, Sachi and the red-haired girl being their climb up the Thornbush vines, which causes Charlotte to warn Sanchez that the intruders are coming.
Meanwhile, while continuing to evade Walcott's attacks, Yuri thinks over how all she has to do for the plan is appear at the front gate, and kill the enemy before her with the ignited 13-Month weapon. As a result, the enemy seeing the death of their immortal comrade will cause them to become bewildered, and weaken the overall security of the castle. Afterwards, the rest of Khun's group will use the opening created by Yuri to break into the castle to release Grand De Sah, and attack Hell Joe with the help of the newly released High Ranker.
However, Yuri begins to sweat since there's a problem with the plan. The problem being that she's someone who's never managed to successfully ignite her 13-Month weapon. Nearby, Evan calls out to Yuri asking why she's been stalling since the Regulars of the group have already begun to move. He orders her to ignite the 13-Month weapon already since the plan will only work if she manages to draw the attention of their enemies, which Yuri admits that she understands despite still fearing that she won't be able to do it.
Thinking about Evan, Yuri remembers how he's someone who believes that the Ha Princess is able to ignite a 13-Month weapon. She remembers back to a time when Evan stumbled into a private conversation Yuri was having with someone on her Pocket. Evan overheard the person on the Pocket calling Yuri a stupid little baby not being able to ignite her 13-Month weapon, which Yuri yells back that she has definitely ignited it recently.
The answer comes as a shock to Evan, which Yuri remembers that she had to lie about this, because she got sick of being teased about being a little kid that the 13-Month weapon spirit refused to accept as its master. Yuri next remembers how after Evan overheard her lie, he ran off in excitement to inform everyone in the Jahad castle that Yuri has successfully ignited her 13-Month weapon.
She watched in horror as Evan yells at everyone to give him a bonus for supporting the Ha Princess in this regard, which everyone else remains shocked that Yuri was actually able to pull it off. In the present, Yuri holds her head in frustration knowing that she's screwed since her lie has bloated into such a giant mess. She thinks over how she was supposed to apologize to everyone being an idiot who's never ignited a 13-Month weapon before, and that it's supposed to be a given that she should be able to do it since she's a powerful High Ranker Princess.
Meanwhile, Walcott is left unamused by Yuri's antics seeing that she's just been running away after showing up at the entrance with so much pomp. Believing that he shouldn't waste any more time, Walcott enlarges himself into a much bigger form claiming that he will finish Yuri off at full power. He then sends a massive blast of shinsu in Yuri's direction. She manages to dodge out of the way in time while Evan calls out to her worried about the Ha Princess. Pulling out both the Black March and Green April from her Weapon Inventory, Yuri stands ready to try to ignite the two 13-Month weapons believing that it's at least better than doing nothing. In return, Walcott stops his attack confused as to what Yuri is trying to do holding two new weapons.
Hoping that she will be able to ignite at least one of them, Yuri yells for the Black March and Green April weapons to ignite. A moment later, Black and Green smoke begin to rise off the 13-Month weapons, which surprises both Yuri and Walcott. The spirits of the Black March and Green April appear next to one another, which Green April states that she had a feeling another 13-Month was nearby while Black March is surprised to see that the other she's been with turned out to be Green April. Excited to see the two spirits, Yuri waves the Black March weapon at the two of them to get their attention. Green April points out that Yuri looks like an idiot while Black March orders the Princess to stop shaking her weapon during a greeting wave. As Yuri yells out that it's nice to see Black March again, and asks for the two spirits to help her out, Black March and Green April go about ignoring her.
Black March points out that there's apparently two other 13-Month spirits nearby, which Green April admits she understands. The spirit of Black March then states that it's probably Princess Garam that has the other nearby 13-Month weapons. However, Black March is also left wondering if a certain day is coming up soon, which leaves Yuri confused as to what the spirit is talking about. Turning their attention back to Yuri, Black March states that despite the day coming, they still got to keep playing around.
Green April agrees with the statement since its their job to make the Jahad Princesses continue fighting and hating one another. Yuri remains confused as to what's going on, which Black March states that they have no choice since its due to the curse a certain man put on them. Green April adds in agreement that they need to continue doing this until their true master appears that can combine the 13-Month weapons into one. Getting up close to Yuri, Black March tells the Ha Princess that they will help her just for today out of courtesy of being someone who's managed to obtain two of the 13-Month weapons at once. Yuri remains shocked by what she's hearing which Black March warns the Princess that there will be a condition. That she can only borrow power from one 13-Month weapon.
Black March explains that the curse placed upon the 13-Month weapons will result in Yuri going insane if she chooses to activate two 13-Month's at once. As a result, Yuri can only choose to ignite either the Black March or Green April. At the same time, the spirits of Black March and Green April ask Yuri who between the two of them she will choose. However, Yuri answers that she obviously wants to use both of them, which leaves the two 13-Month spirits silent in disbelief.
Green April asks if Yuri even bothered listening to their warning reminding the Princess that she won't be able to handle using both 13-Month weapons at once. The spirit of Green April also warns Yuri that the Princess will definitely go insane since she will be igniting a weapon that she wasn't chosen for. Despite being warned, Yuri gives off a laugh, and tells the two spirits that it will look way cooler commanding two 13-Month weapons at once. Green April continues to not accept this, but Black March points out that there's no use trying to convince her since Yuri really is nothing more than an idiot.
Yuri asks that they should at least try to do it since she's confident enough that she can pull it off. She also asks if this will make her more awesome than her sisters if she manages to handle two 13-Month weapons at once. Turning to Green April, Black March points out that this might not be so bad since this would allow Yuri to come to her senses once she experiences going insane.
In return, Green April asks if Black March wishes for a repeat of what happened to Yuram Jahad (a deceased Jahad Princess). Green April also calls out Black March for simply wanting to push Yuri over the edge. A moment later, Walcott charges at Yuri asking if she's mocking him by simply standing around while her weapons remain at her side. However, Walcott gets blasted back by Evan before he could reach Yuri.
Evan, who relied on the Destructive Urge desire of his Frog Fisher item to shoot a beam of shinsu at Walcott, remains confused as to what's currently going on with Yuri. He then looks to Walcott, and sees that his attack had no effect on the enemy. The enraged Walcott calls Evan a little dwarf, which leaves Evan unsurprised that Hell Joe's minions really aren't able to die through normal battle.
Evan turns back to Yuri confused as to what's going on, and orders her once more to ignite the 13-Month weapon already. However, he realizes that something else has caught Yuri's attention since she's ignoring everything around her (Evan is unable to see the two 13-Month spirits). He deduces that something has definitely happened at her location. Meanwhile Yuri continues her discussion with the two 13-Month spirits.
Green April asks once more to choose one of them for help, but Yuri excitedly answers once more that she wants to use both. Knowing that talking with a moron isn't getting them anywhere, Black March states that they should just stop trying to convince Yuri since she's been a stubborn one to argue with ever since she was first given to the Ha Princess. As a result, Black March decides that they should just allow Yuri to go ahead and ignite them both, which shocks Green April.
Black March explains that this is their chance to teach Yuri a lesson. However, she also warns Green April that if Yuri dies because of her stubbornness to use two 13-Month weapons at once, the two of them could end up stuck on the 43rd Floor of Death. Turning to Yuri, Green April orders Yuri to let the two 13-Month weapons go if the situation becomes too dangerous. Green April also adds that she would prefer to not see Yuri go insane. Waving around the Black March weapon in excitement, Yuri agrees with it, which leaves the spirit of Black March annoyed seeing her weapon getting shook around again.
Gathering up their power, Black March asks if Yuri is ready to get started, which Green April agrees that it's time to do so. Yuri yells out to start the ignition, which the two 13-Month spirits begin their chant. During the chant, the two mention how as beings created by a pledge, they will continue the destiny of blood and the curse until the day that their true master arrives to become one being. As the green-grass April, and the dazzling-dark March, the two spirits claim that their cursed power will dance until the day finally arrives. Black March and Green April end the chant ordering the power to dance gorgeously, which shocks Yuri feeling the dangerous, and enormous, power pouring out of the 13-Month weapons. The 13-Month weapon ignition combo begins, which surprises Evan and Walcott feeling the power coming from the Ha Princess. From the ground, Khun's group is left surprised being able to feel the shockwave coming from the 13-Month weapon ignition.
Meanwhile, Hell Joe watches from afar seeing Yuri's 13-Month weapon ignition from a distance. He's left confused as to what it is that he's looking at.
Returning to North City, Bam, Hockney, Mata, and Garam remain on standby outside the Winged Beast. Garam informs Bam's group that they will eventually reach De Jah's castle if they continue to follow the path before them. She also believes that Bam is someone who's truly capable of being able to pass De Jah's test. Before leaving, Garam provides for Bam Arlene's Pocket since she won't be needing it anymore.
Confused as to why the Pocket is being given to him, Bam points out that the object is something precious to Garam. However, Garam replies that she's ok with giving it away since it's something that technically belongs to Bam since the very beginning. Taking the Pocket, Bam thanks Garam for everything that she just told him, which Garam replies once more that it's her that should be thanking Bam.
Giving off a grin, Garam states that she wouldn't know anything about the Tower if it wasn't for Bam existing. As Bam's group begins to walk away, Garam leaves wishing the boy good luck. Moments later in the distance, Garam can hear Mata complaining about how cold North City is while Hockney orders him to put on some clothes.
Looking down in disappointment, she thinks to herself that in the end, she couldn't tell Bam about another certain story that she believes will cause the boy to resent her later on. However, she figures that at the moment, Bam should simply be worrying about De Jah's upcoming test. Garam continues to think things over that De Jah hasn't been in his right mind recently, but deduces that Bam is someone that will show everyone a miracle if he truly is the one that Arlene prophesied.
Now alone, Garam contacts a person on her Pocket to discuss her meeting with Bam. She informs the contact that Bam was just sent off to take De Jah's test, and that she's put her trust in Bam to pass it despite the fact that it's going to be a pretty tough test. However, the contact informs Garam of something crazy that just went down, which shocks Garam upon hearing that Princess Yuri has activated two 13-Month weapons at once.
Back to the South City castle, Evan and Walcott continue to look at Yuri in confusion as to why the Ha Princess is now shining brightly. Khun and company on the ground are also stunned in surprise feeling the shockwave from Yuri's 13-Month weapon ignition. Meanwhile, upon seeing Yuri activating her two 13-Month weapons on his television, Hell Joe wonders if the Yuri girl is the person that Karaka informed him about earlier. The shockwave from the 13-Month weapon is also felt by Sanchez atop Charlotte's lighthouse.
The latter of which is confused as to what's going on. Yuri remains on standby floating along with her ignited Black March and Green April. Still confused, Evan continues to look at Yuri, who now has an aura glow along with shinsu pouring out of the two 13-Month weapons. A moment later, Yuri suddenly opens her eyes, but Evan deduces that something about this current situation isn't right. Yuri goes about swinging the Black March and Green April, which sends attacks off in random directions. Her actions shock Evan, who realizes that Yuri is attacking despite him still being nearby.
About to be hit by the massive 13-Month shinsu blast. Evan attempts to use the hunger desire of his Frog Fisher item to try to absorb the attack. However, he's unable to fully absorb it, and ends up getting slightly overwhelmed by the blast, which hits Walcott as well. The crazed looking Yuri looks down upon Walcott, who was also struck by her 13-Month attack. Evan, who now has a bloodied right arm from Yuri's attack, uses the next moment to deduce what's going on, and concludes that Yuri is totally out of her mind for some reason.
Khun's group continue to remain on standby watching the current events unfold, which Khun admits that what he's seeing at the moment is incredible. However, Endorsi points out that something about this is strange since they just witnessed the Ha Princess attack her own ally. Meanwhile, Walcott looks at his body, and sees that the right side of it has been blown off. However, he remains stunned in disbelief at the fact that for some reason, his immortal body is refusing to recover. Walcott realizes that had Evan not attempted to absorb the 13-Month attack just now, he may have ended up getting blown away completely. Seeing Yuri about to perform another attack, Walcott concludes that he's currently in a dangerous situation, and attempts to make a run for it.
Walcott manages to evade Yuri's next 13-Month shinsu beam in time as Sanchez arrives to support his ally. Unleashing his massive true form, Sanchez attempts to hit Yuri with his scythe weapon, and orders the Ha Princess to explain who she is, and what the hell she just did that's keeping Walcott's immortal body from recovering. Sanchez next creates a massive ball of shinsu within the teeth of his claw-like scythe, and attempts to blast Yuri away with it. However, Yuri easily blocks it with a shinsu wall from her Black March, which shocks Sanchez having just witnessed his attack having no effect.
Fabregas warns Sanchez to watch out since the attack isn't over yet, which Sanchez quickly realizes that the shinsu ball he created is about to be sent back at him. He tries to evade out of the way, but the shinsu ball ends up blasting off his right arm. From her lighthouse, Fabregas calls out to Sanchez hoping that he's still ok. Seeing that she's focused on Sanchez, Walcott attempts to charge at Yuri from behind with a shinsu attack ready, but Yuri quickly turns around, and stabs him with the Black March. The result is the remainder of Walcott's body exploding.
Sanchez and Fabregas from his lighthouse look on in confusion at the fact that Walcott was no more. Seeing the remains in his body, they ask if Walcott really is dead. Giving off a laugh, Yuri questions what the hell is going on, and gloats that Hell Joe's faction dies a lot more easily than she thought given that they're supposed to be immortal beings.
Getting a feel of the Black March and Green April, Yuri excitedly claims how refreshing this is finally feeling the outside air after so long; showing that she's been taken over by the spirits of the 13-Month weapons. Meanwhile, Evan continues to watch Yuri from nearby, still unable to understand what's going on.
Within the castle, Hell Joe continues to watch the battle going down on his television between his subordinates and Yuri. Fabregas calls up Hell Joe to inform him that Walcott is officially dead, which stuns Hell Joe questioning how such a case is possible. He also informs Hell Joe that everyone else in the castle was shaken up by the recent attacks from the Ha Princess, but Hell Joe concludes that he found the person that Karaka told him about earlier. Ready to head out, Karaka deduces that he will finally be able to escape the Floor of Death if he goes after Yuri. Standing atop a Floor of Death creature under his control, Hell Joe gives the order for the two of them to get moving.
At that same time back in North City, the Bam/Hockney/Mata group continue to make their way through De Jah's castle to reach the test location. Bam points out how quiet it is asking if De Jah really does live here, to which Mata answers that it is indeed the case, and that they haven't yet reached the true spot where De Jah's been living. At this point, the 3-man-team is greeted by several Floor of Death lizard creatures guarding the castle. Mata explains that the lizards are usually quite docile, but are vicious if people intrude upon the castle.
Bam prepares for battle, but Mata steps in claiming that he will deal with them. He shines a bright light at the lizards from a control orb, which causes the lizards to scatter. Giving off a laugh, Mata explains that the Floor of Death lizard's weakness is that they're scared of light. He also points out that it's best to just drive the lizards away since their method of attack is to swarm their enemies to make up for not being immortal like the Leech Falawan Gatekeepers. On the move again, Bam thanks Mata for his efforts since they would have gotten in trouble fighting against the lizards without him being here, which Mata happily replies that there's no need to thank him.
Knowing that Mata had obviously been to De Jah's castle before, Bam asks if it's the same for Hockney, but Hockney answers that he's not sure of it himself. He reveals to Bam that he has almost no memories of his past, and that after he lost them somewhere, his first memory from then on was that he was found by Mata. Hockney explains that Mata told him a little about who he was previously during the memories that were lost, and that while he doesn't remember what caused his memory loss, the one thing he knows for sure is that Hell Joe's been hunting for him this entire time. In addition, Hockney knows that for some reason, a part of his soul had been absorbed into one of his pictures known as the Red Light, and that because such a thing happened, he was allowed to escape the Floor of Death.
Bam asks what Hockney means by a part of his soul being in a picture, which Hockney answers that he's not sure of how it happened, but knows for a fact that it's thanks to such a case that his soul was able to escape from the Floor of Death's Spirit Room. Some time after, Hell Joe found out about this case, and believed that Hockney had the ability to place people's souls into pictures. As a result, Hell Joe captured Hockney, and ordered the painter to draw a portrait of Hell Joe. However, Hockney reveals that he refused to draw the picture, which resulted in Hell Joe selling off the Red Light painting to the outside world out of petty anger. Still listening to the story, Bam asks why Hockney refused to draw the portrait, which causes Hockney to pout.
Hockney answers that it's an artist's thing of not wanting to draw something when someone is forcing them to do so, which Bam admits he kind of understands. Hockney adds that he's never actually seen the completed version of the Red Light with his own eyes since the picture was already sold off some time before Mata found him after his memories were lost. However, one thing he knows for sure is that he's felt empty inside due to the loss of the Red Light picture.
The painter Regular states that it's his belief that if he's able to find all the pieces of the Red Light, the empty spot in his heart will finally be filled, and that his memories will finally return. He also states that once his memories return, he hopes that his current monstrous eyes will finally return to normal. Bam asks what Hockney means by his eyes, which Hockney answers that his current eyes allow him to see both the future and present.
The answer confuses Bam, which Hockney explains that within the same field of vision with the eyes he currently has, he's able to see the present, as well as a few seconds into the future. He provides an example of currently seeing someone running, but then falling to the ground a few seconds into the future. Hockney adds that he sort of has the ability to block it if he tries not to see it, but the look into the future will still be forced upon him during the more important events.
Continuing the explanation, Hockney states that many would love to have the ability to see seconds into the future, but for an artist like himself, he views it as more of a nuisance. He points out how paintings are a means of drawing a single moment on a fixed canvas. However, due to his future-seeing ability, it causes the pictures to become distorted.
Despite how much focus he puts in the painting, it will distort into a picture that includes what he sees in the present and future. As a result, Hockney considers his future-seeing eyes to be a curse. Hockney next tells a story of how he met a girl on the same team as him during their Tower climb that wished to have a picture drawn of her.
He adds that the girl was a really good person, and that he agreed to draw the picture since he needed a model at the time. Remembering how she had a round face that was always smiling, Hockney points out that what he desired to draw at the time was that smile that was always on her. However, while he was creating the pencil painting of the girl, it ended up distorting her face a few seconds into the future. A pained face as a result of a needle being impaled into her back.
Realizing what was up, Hockney tried to warn her about what was about to happen. However, the needle had already come flying into the back of her neck the moment he shouted, and the result was the girl instantly dying on the spot. Hockney explains that he found out later on that it was a plan of the girl and her teammates to use the picture as bait to kill him, and steal away all the items he was carrying. However, thanks to his future-seeing ability, his warning shout to the girl he was drawing caused the teammate performing the assassination to mess up his aim a bit, and ended up hitting the girl instead of Hockney.
Hockney admits that it's thanks to his ability to see the future that he was able to continue living by messing up the assassination attempt. However, he adds that he would prefer to just see the present as is. Hockney explains that even if he had been killed by the needle, he wanted to appreciate the girl's smile that had a sense of pure beauty, even though it turned out to be a fake smile. He continues by stating that he simply wanted to draw that very moment, and that whether its past, present, or future, he considers the most valuable moment to be where one is currently standing. Hockney leaves off stating what matters to him most at the moment is living based on his past self rather than knowing the him in the future.
Having heard Hockney's speech, Bam states that the two of them should look for the Red Light painting together, which shocks Hockney. Bam explains that since Hockney is already helping him here, it's only right for him to help search for the picture once his business with De Jah is done with. Hockney replies that there's no need to go that far for him, but Bam answers back that he's ok with it since they're both actually in a similar position. The reply leaves Hockney confused, which Bam states that this is why he wishes to help him, and that he's sure that his other friends that he arrived with on the Floor of Death will also want to help out with this. However, he points out that Khun might get a bit annoyed by what Bam wishes to do.
Thinking over the mention of Bam's friends, Hockney agrees to go along with it, and thanks Bam for the offer. In return, Bam states that there's no need since Hockney is already helping him with the current issue. Meanwhile, Mata sheds a tear due to being touched by the bonding between Hockney and Bam. At this point, the Bam/Hockney/Mata team reaches the end of the tunnel, and enter into a massive room. The three of them stop due to the path ending, which Mata points out that they've arrived. High up across the open room, they see a massive pair of doors on the other side, which Mata explains that behind the door is where De Jah's been living. Looking at the giant doors, Bam hears what he believes to be the sound of a waterfall, and realizes that he can sense it. Due to what he's feeling, he comes to the conclusion that the Thorn Fragment is definitely behind the doors before them. Meanwhile, an unknown person within the castle sees the Bam/Hockney/Mata team arriving at De Jah's gate, and wonders if the three of them are intruders.
Back outside De Jah's gate, Mata asks Bam if he and Hockney can stay behind at this point. Mata explains that he's kind of scared given how terrifying Grand De Jah is to the lower creatures. He also points out that their job is over at this point since they've finished showing the way for Bam. Mata asks if Hockney is ok with this as well, but Hockney points out that Mata has already come this far. Mata agrees that is the case, but states that he'd still prefer to stop going any farther at this point.
Thinking Mata's words over, Bam agrees that it's only going to get more dangerous the deeper they move into De Jah's castle, and informs them that there's no reason to force Mata and Hockney to go. Mata agrees, but Hockney asks why the former is suddenly getting cold feet. Before Mata could answer, a voice is heard behind them asking for Bam to give up. Turning around, Mata asks who the newcomer is. Breathing in exhaustion having to catch up to Bam's group, the person informs Bam that White and Karaka are on their way, and orders Bam to forget about obtaining the second Thorn Fragment. To Bam's surprise, he sees that the newcomer standing before them is Rachel.
Flashing back to 30 minutes before Yuri began her attack on Hell Joe's castle, Team Rachel and Karaka are still within Hell Joe's castle. Ssong brings the group to a tunnel entrance, which he explains to Rachel and company that the path will lead them to the Floor of Death's Spirit Room. Asking them to follow, Ssong stands at the front to begin leading them through the passage. As they begin their journey to the Spirit Room, Rachel is left annoyed that she's ended up in a bad situation.
Another flashback occurs an hour before Yuri's attack after Team Rachel just heard Hell Joe's announcement ordering the intruders to attack his castle. Hoaqin is left confused as to what the purpose of the announcement was, and asks if the announcer really does have what their enemies are after. Karaka informs Hoaqin that the announcer is actually the ruler of South City known as Hell Joe, and that he's apparently come up with something to deal with the intruders. Karaka uses the next moment to think over why Hell Joe ordered the intruders to attack his South City castle, and deduces that given their earlier meeting, Hell Joe has obviously not obtained the last Thorn Fragment yet. As a result, Karaka figures that Hell Joe is lying in order to finish the intruders off himself.
Getting back to the subject at hand, Karaka asks for Hoaqin to not worry about Hell Joe's announcement for the time being since reviving White comes first, which Hoaqin agrees with. Hoaqin begins to walk away, and asks for Karaka to lead the way to the Spirit Room since he's now looking forward to finally returning to his ultimate form. Karaka agrees to go along with it, but he thinks to himself that in the end, it doesn't matter if Hell Joe really has the Thorn Fragment or not since Karaka plans to take away all their souls while the fighting goes down.
Meanwhile on Rachel's side, Yura questions if Hell Joe's announcement is true that he really has the Thorn Fragment, to which Rachel replies that it sounds more like a trap being set up. A moment later, Rachel gets a message on her Emile terminal. To Rachel's shock, the message reads that Hockney is heading to the Spirit Room with Bam. Rachel informs the group that they need to go to the Floor of Death's Spirit Room since it appears that Hockney is heading there.
She adds that since Bam is travelling with him at the moment, it's an obvious sign that the Thorn Fragment must be within the Spirit Room. Yura provides the bad news that they don't actually know how to reach the Spirit Room, but Rachel claims that they need to get there no matter what since Bam is also on his way there. At this point, Hoaqin enters the room, and was able to overhear that Jue Viole Grace is on his way to the Spirit Room as well.
Giving off a grin at Team Rachel, Hoaqin is happy to hear this news as Karaka is the next to appear wondering what's going on. Hoaqin informs him of the good news that Jue Viole Grace is apparently also on his way to the Spirit room, which catches Karaka's attention. Giving off an excited laugh, Hoaqin claims that once he's finally recovered the full power of his White form he will be able to wipe the little brat off the face of the earth. In return, Karaka is left wondering how Team Rachel knows about this, and asks them how they know where Viole is headed.
Before Rachel could answer, Karaka suggests that they make a deal. He explains that he's in contact with one of the Floor of Death executives that knows the way to the Spirit Room. As a result, Karaka offers to take Rachel's group to the Spirit Room if they desire to go there, but in return, they need to tell him the exact location of where they believe Viole is. Karaka leaves off stating that this should be seen as a very good proposal, which Rachel half-heartedly accepts.
Flashing forward to just 10 minutes before Yuri begins her attack on Hell Joe's castle, Team Rachel and Karaka are seen following Ssong through the tunnel towards the Spirit Room. Ssong thinks to himself that he feels bad leaving the South City castle after Hell Joe's announcement, but also reminds himself that Karaka promised to get him out of the Floor of Death if he showed them the way to the Spirit Room. He makes it clear to himself that he's doing this for Hell Joe's sake rather than being viewed as some sort of betrayal. While following Ssong, Rachel thinks to herself that she will end up in serious trouble if Karaka ends up capturing Bam after he manages to find the second Thorn Fragment. Hoping that Emile picks up Hockney's signal soon, she figures that her only option at this point is to reach Bam before Karaka, and make him run away from the Spirit Room.
Meanwhile, Karaka thinks to himself that Viole must be on his way to the Spirit Room, because it's been discovered that the Thorn Fragment is hidden there. Realizing that this is an unexpected opportunity, Karaka deduces that this will be his chance to get Viole and a Thorn Fragment at the same time. Ssong continues to lead them through the passage, which he warns the group to follow carefully since the Floor of Death paths only get more complicated the further they travel.
A few moments later, Rachel sees that Emile has finally picked up Hockney's signal going through a nearby tunnel. Rachel turns to Yura to get the idol's attention, which Yura nods in agreement knowing that Rachel wants to put her plan into action now. Screaming out, Rachel falls to her knees, which causes everyone to look in her direction wondering what's going on. Yura lies that Rachel must have twisted her ankle, and explains that she will put her in the transportation suitcase for the time being, which Karaka accepts.
The group back turns around to continue following Ssong, which Karaka states that they've just wasted a bit of time over nothing. However, Wangnan turns around, and sees Rachel running off in the opposite direction. Karaka is also seen paying close attention implying that he knows Rachel has chosen to run away. Meanwhile, as Rachel continues to run away, she looks to her Emile terminal in order to follow where Hockney's signal is going. She deduces that if she takes this short-cut, she will be able to reach Bam's location before Karaka and Hoaqin.
Returning to the present, Rachel explains to Bam that Yura is currently buying them time by lying about the current situation, but soon enough, Karaka will make it here as well. She warns Bam that once Karaka arrives, he will surely catch Bam, which will also result in the loss of the Thorn Fragment he currently has. She then orders Bam to run away since retreating from De Jah's room will mean that Karaka won't get his hands on a Thorn Fragment. In return, Bam remains silent unable to believe that Rachel is here while Mata and Hockney note the mention of the Thorn Fragment. Hockney realizes that it must be the same final one that Hell Joe's been searching for this whole time.
Mata asks once more who the newcomer is, and if the girl is perhaps someone that Bam knows, which he answers that she is. Hearing Rachel calling out to him, Bam thinks to himself that the reason Rachel is ordering him to run away is not actually because she's worried about him. He deduces that she must be worried that Karaka is going to steal away the Thorn Fragment from her. He questions if things will really return to the way they were beforehand if he actually does what Rachel says, and gives up his current search for the Spirit Room's Thorn Fragment.
Thinking back to the time he spent outside the Tower with Rachel, Bam is left wondering if Rachel would be just as happy as him if returning to that life was actually possible. However, Bam realizes that he's now reached a point where going back is no longer possible. He finally speaks back to Rachel by stating that he's going to continue going after the Thorn Fragment, which shocks her. Rachel asks what he means by that, and reminds him that he's going to die if he doesn't give up. In return, Bam creates his shinsu platform ready to float over to De Jah's gate, and states that he now has a reason to go. The answer catches Rachel's attention, which she asks what the reason is that Bam's talking about.
Ignoring the question, Bam offers out his hand to Mata and Hockney to stand on the shinsu platform to help carry them over. Bam apologizes for forcing them along, but he warns them that staying behind will result in them becoming hostages to Karaka's group. Despite Mata reminding them that he's still scared of De Jah, Hockney drags him along as the two of them get onto Bam's shinsu platform. Unable to believe what she's seeing, Rachel blocks De Jah's gate with her lighthouse field, and orders Bam once more to tell her what's going on. Bam turns around to face Rachel as she approaches his group atop one of her lighthouses.
Rachel yells at Bam that she's deduced how he must have met with the water-colored Princess (Garam), and orders him to reveal what said Princess told him. Jumping onto Bam's shinsu platform, and kicking Mata away, she continues to order him to reveal what the Princess told him about. In return, Bam answers that he knows about the existence of Arlene Grace, which leaves Rachel stunned.
Bam explains how he heard that Arlene is someone that may have been his mother, and that the place Arlene ran away to outside the Tower was actually a place Arlene viewed as a paradise. However, Bam adds that he's come to realize that the cave the two of them started off in wasn't actually a paradise. As Hockney helps Mata up after he was kicked away, Rachel asks what Bam would know about that place they started off in.
Bam agrees that he may not know as much as Rachel, but he's also come to realize that Rachel actually despised the place that Arlene saw as a paradise. Bam thinks to himself that it was indeed a paradise for him since having Rachel by his side was enough, but at this point, there's no going back. Sticking his hand out to destroy Rachel's lighthouse field, Bam announces that he's decided to find the real paradise that will make everyone happy.
In shock, Rachel watches as her lighthouse field blocking De Jah's gate breaks into pieces. Continuing to speak, Bam announces he will consider anyone who gets in his way of finding the real paradise, whether it be Jahad, FUG, or the Ten Great Families, as his enemy. He makes it clear to Rachel that he's not going back anymore from here on out. Bam states that his overall goal now is to gather the remaining Thorn Fragments, and climb up the Tower. In addition, he will obtain the Key that will finally open the door to travel beyond the 134th Floor.
As Bam, Hockney, and Mata, enter through De Jah's gate, Bam leaves off stating that he's doing all this because there must be something on the other side. Unable to believe what she's hearing, Rachel yells at him to stop being ridiculous. She asks why he would choose to do such a thing, and if he's some kind of hero trying to show off.
Rachel also yells at Bam that the things he's talking about has nothing to do with him. She orders him once more to just give up, and wait for her like before. Rachel then yells that it's been hers for ages, but before she could further explain herself, Bam interrupts her by simply telling her that this is goodbye. Shocked by Bam's farewell, Rachel damns destiny in her thoughts.
Shortly after Bam's group passes through De Jah's gate, Mata asks if Bam is ok given how extreme that meeting with Rachel was, and asks if he's really just going to leave her. Breaking down into tears, Bam gives off a smile, and replies back that he's fine. Watching Bam continue to walk forward, Mata and Hockney are surprised to see that the boy is now crying. A moment later, Bam's group enters the main room of De Jah's castle. Within the room, Grand De Jah introduces himself, which shocks Mata upon seeing that they've already come across the guy.
Before Bam's group, a large skeleton person wearing a crown is seen while a shorter gray-colored person stands to the skeleton person's right. The large walking skeleton being the ex-lord of North City, Grand De Jah, while the shorter person next to him is the current lord of North City, Grand De Lee (the unknown castle person that noticed Bam's group earlier). De Jah asks the intruders what the purpose of Bam's group is that has brought them to his castle. Mata struggles to properly answer why they've come, but Bam provides a clear answer that they've come to find the Thorn Fragment that was left behind by Enryu. Surprised by the answer, De Jah asks if Bam and company are people who work for Hell Joe, but before Bam's group could answer, De Jah notices something else. Upon looking at Hockney, De Jah realizes that his eyes have returned, which confuses Bam's group.
Giving off an excited laugh, De Jah turns to De Lee, and explains how he knew the day was going to come that his eyes were going to deliver the message that would bring a savior to the Floor of Death. De Jah then asks how De Lee didn't recognize his eyes right away, which De Lee apologizes for. Convinced that Bam's group is worthy given that they've come before him with his eyes, De Jah agrees to let them take part in his test. The announcement surprises Bam, which De Jah repeats himself that they are indeed worthy enough to take the test. While Mata remains silent, Hockney asks what the ex-lord of North City means by having De Jah's eyes. Before De Jah could answer however, Rachel arrives at this point, and asks him to let her take part in the test as well.
Rachel announces that she should also be allowed to take the test since she's also worthy. She explains how she's dreamed of walking this path for ages, and that it was she who brought Bam to this place to begin with. Rachel then accuses Bam of being nothing more than a thief for trying to steal away something that's supposed to belong to her.
As a result, she claims that this is the reason that she's a far more worthy candidate of being the one who should obtain the Thorn Fragment. Bam remains silent thinking over what Rachel just said, but De Jah points out a major problem that he's able to sense an evil energy emanating from her. The answer shocks Rachel, which De Jah explains that while he may not currently have eyes, he can sense the chaos within her very soul. Despite De Jah's claim, Bam speaks out, and states that Rachel is someone who also deserves a chance, which stuns Hockney and Mata. Bam explains that just like him, she has the right to take the test, and asks for De Jah to allow her to take it as well. He further explains that Rachel is someone who put her life on the line to make it here, and that she's right that he wouldn't be here either if it wasn't for the fact that he's been chasing after Rachel this whole time. As De Jah remains silent thinking things over, Bam asks once more to allow Rachel to take the test.
Suspicious about what's going on, Rachel asks what Bam is up to, but Bam remains silent. De Jah then comes to a decision, and agrees to allow Rachel to take part in the test since she won't be able to control the Thorn if she's not the true owner anyway. Stating that Bam and Rachel will take the test, De Jah explains that whoever wins will be the one that learns the location of the Thorn Fragment. De Jah next shows off an image of Hell Joe, which he announces that the test will be to punish this enemy, and to rescue Grand De Sah; the brother of De Jah who was imprisoned by Hell Joe. The test announcement comes as a surprise to Bam and Rachel, which the former asks if what he just heard was corrent.
At that same time, Yuri with her two ignited 13-Month weapons remains on standby ready to continue her fight with Sanchez, who lost his right arm. At Karaka's location in the, Yura is now on her knees bleeding out while Hoaqin, Wangnan, Miseng, and Traveller watch. Karaka is shown to have beaten up Yura, and then points out to the idol how ridiculous she is in believing that he would fall for such a pathetic trick. The FUG Slayer orders Yura to tell him right now where Jue Viole Grace is, or else her life will truly be in danger the next time he attacks her.
Hell Train: The Floor of Death Tropes
- Arc Villain:
- Team Rachel continues to serve as the villains here. Wangnan and Miseng have also become members due to the last Story Arc.
- Karaka also enters the picture again.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Sachi calls Boro a side-character.
- The Bus Came Back:
- Urek and Yuje appear again, having been absent from the story since the 21st Floor Story Arc.
- The spirit of Black March is finally seen again.
- Character Death: Walcott is killed off by Yuri using her ignited 13-Month weapons, Black March and Green April.
- Not Quite Dead: Ehwa and Danhwa survived from their Disney Villain Death falling off the Name Hunt Station bridge. They were protected by Ehwa's Yeon flame, and were taken to a safe location by Urek and his assistant, Yuje.
- Wham Shot:
- The sight of the Floor of Death once the Hell Train enters the 43rd Floor.
- Bam's Shinsu Black-hole Sphere having an effect on Karaka's shinsu, who's a FUG Slayer Ranker.
- Bam hears that he's probably the son of Arlene Grace.
- Yuri summons the 13-Month spirits of Black March and Green April.
