Became a stagnant person in a squalid prison cell

**Chapter 44**

“What’s all this?”

“Hmm, a swarm of flies?”

Helios glanced at me and nodded.

“Can we just walk past them?”

“Probably. It doesn’t matter.”

The guards wouldn’t stop us anyway. Whether we talked or went inside, no one cared.

But just as I said that, someone stepped in front of us.

“Well, well… are you the famous faces everyone’s talking about lately?”

The man smiled widely.

He had several earrings—flat ones, rings, and piercings on his nose, eyebrows, and lips.

His hair was half-shaved. If we were in Korea, you’d think he was in a rock or punk band.

Even his prison uniform had been customized however he liked.

His face looked unhealthy and pale.

“Nice to meet you, brothers. In the same cell block, we’re all family, right? Mind if we chat for a bit?”

Despite his friendly tone, you could tell that if we made a wrong move, he’d attack with *Kia* (energy).

“Oh! You’re that guy, right? Rolled from guard to prisoner! Pow!”

“…”

When I didn’t answer, the guy shoved his face closer.

**Whack!**

His head snapped back.

‘Oh.’

I meant to knock him down, but he managed to take the hit.

“Even if I wear prison clothes now, my name is still on the guard list.”

“…”

“If you don’t get it, go ahead—try me.”

I loosened my fists slightly, letting out a bit of Kia.

The guy’s threatening look quickly changed.

“Ah, ahh! I get it! My bad! Sorry about that—I totally forgot. You used to be one of the big shots, huh?”

“…”

“Tsk. Guess the rumors were true. No wonder that bastard Groggy got knocked out.”

Even though I still didn’t reply, the guy backed off respectfully.

“Actually, I’m here for him. Mind if I talk to him?”

I quietly stepped aside. The guy turned to Helios.

I clicked my tongue in my head.

*Tsk. Just like Groggy. Why do the creeps always go for him?*

I had thought this guy was mid-level, but no—he was pretending. He was actually a **high-level** prisoner.

Probably **2nd tier**, and not bad for his level.

Also, people with that pale look? They’re the ones to watch out for.

It meant he was probably **addicted** to something.

“Hey, hey. You’re the super rookie, right? Big bro here is so impressed! I get chills just hearing about you! Made it to the 30th floor without dying once, huh? Ever lost an arm? A leg? Felt your heart stop?”

He kept talking excitedly to Helios, who looked tense.

*His Kia even gives off a nasty vibe.*

I narrowed my eyes.

The man pulled out a crumpled paper from his pocket.

“My name’s **Chika**. I’m with the ‘Tower Committee.’”

Ah. That made sense. I was expecting that name.

“We’re a prestigious fam with lots of experience climbing the Tower. We’re really interested in your skills, bro. Wanna join us? We really take care of our rookies.”

“…”

He smiled and pulled out a pen.

“Just write your name here.”

Sweat dripped down Helios’s temple. I whistled inwardly.

*Wow, he’s holding out well.*

The Tower Committee was the **oldest gang** in Niflheim—and the worst.

They started for survival but later did all kinds of awful things.

Rumor had it they even experimented on people while climbing the Tower.

Since no one dies in the Tower, they used that to do horrific stuff.

*Whether he accepts or not, this’ll mess up his prison life.*

Old gangs like this are the most corrupt. They’re full of bullying and power games.

Their offer isn’t really an “offer.” Once they pick you, they’ll **force** you to join.

That paper? It was made from Kia—it’s a **contract**.

*I remember Deril cursing it, calling it a slave contract.*

Once you write your name, you’re trapped. You can’t leave unless the fam allows it.

Helios was resisting hard—his hand was being pulled toward the paper by Kia, but he held on.

“Hmm… handsome rookie bro. We’re not bad guys, you know? We’ll treat you real nice. Just sign right here.”

Though he was smiling, I noticed Chika’s eyebrows twitch slightly.

Just as he reached out toward Helios’s hand—

**Ping!**

“Don’t touch him. Let’s keep it peaceful.”

Blood trickled from Chika’s hand.

“You can hold back when you want to.”

A golden disc floated beside me—it had smacked his hand away.

“If you touch him, I’ll report you for abusing authority over someone two ranks lower.”

“Hahaha! Just like the rumors, huh?”

Chika raised his hands in mock surrender.

“It was just a **friendly** offer. F-r-i-e-n-d-l-y.”

“Sorry, but I’ll have to decline,” Helios said, drenched in sweat. He was polite—even to the guy who tried to force him.

“Oh, come on, bro. Just hear me out! We could—”

“Thank you, but I don’t plan to join anyone right now.”

As soon as he finished, a **blue spear** formed in Helios’s hand.

“Please don’t try to force me again.”

“…”

Chika’s smiling face twisted oddly—but he still looked like he was grinning.

“Haha. I see. Bit of a misunderstanding, huh? We’re not bad people\~ Catch you later.”

Chika stepped back. As he walked away, he sneakily sent some Kia toward me—trying to provoke me.

I didn’t hesitate. I smacked him in the back of the head with my own Kia.

“Let’s go.”

We walked away. No one followed us.

Which meant—we were the only ones who made it out.

As we reached the hallway, Helios finally asked, after staying quiet the whole time:

“Why did you let him try to recruit me?”

“Hm?”

I turned my head.

“Well, I’m just your cellmate now. I don’t control your relationships.”

Of course, if he had tried to sign it, I would’ve *sneezed*. A huge sneeze that would’ve blown the paper away.

With how often I sneeze, that slave contract never would’ve been signed.

Helios huffed and stepped toward me.

“Then… what if I didn’t even want offers like that? What if I never wanted people like him near me?”

“And… without fighting?”

“Without fighting.”

I thought about it. Chika was hiding his strength, but he was a high-level prisoner.

I’d already dealt with many threats before Helios’s group could even encounter them in the Tower.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll do it.”

It’s the same thing, after all.

“Then…”

Helios wet his lips. His face was hard to read, but I could feel the tension.

“Be greedy. Raise me yourself.”

His big hand grabbed mine. I saw it coming—but didn’t avoid it.

“Don’t think about handing me over to someone else. You raise me. You alone.”

Hearing that made me realize—Chika trying to force Helios really *had* bothered me.

“Your answer?”

I already planned to.

I just said “Alright” and tapped the back of his hand gently. Helios pulled away, saying it tickled.

He was the one who grabbed me first, and now he acts all awkward?

Teenagers.

“…”

“I can still give you a heads-up though—those guys are bad news.”

“Are there even good guys here?”

“Touché.”

Honestly, as long as Helios reaches the top, that’s all that matters.

Even if he’d accepted Chika’s offer and joined their fam, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world.

If he survived their abuse, he’d gain strength.

But… if he stayed in that group all the way to the top, his **body** would be corrupted.

Would his **mind** stay intact?

*Hmm…*

As I thought about it again, I realized—

*I want him to reach the top without being stained by anything.*