Novak's unexpected gesture stunned the resident of Room 101.
Beneath the blood-red gaze, a deep, guttural voice rumbled. It was distorted, almost as if multiple voices overlapped, whispering in an unrecognizable tongue.
It was obvious—this language was not from the Faeloria Country.
However, thanks to the Cosmic Will, the words automatically transformed into something Novak and the others could understand.
"What are you doing?!"
The voice was low, oppressive—like a monster slumbering within the depths of the building, where no one dared to make a sound, lest they wake it.
Novak shrugged.
"Didn't I already say? I'm here to pass your test. Now, tell me—what exactly is the test?"
There was no point pretending to tiptoe around the rules anymore.
The laws of this Black Tower were bizarre, and while Novak had no intention of violating them unnecessarily, he refused to be restricted by a mere Secret Realm.
The blood-red eyes lingered on him, as if assessing him carefully. But after a long pause, the owner finally spoke:
"My test is simple. Find something in this room that does not belong to the Black Tower and show it to me. Then, you pass."
Novak frowned.
In his past life, he had heard stories of the twisted demands made by the residents of this place.
But hearing it firsthand still made his head ache.
Something that doesn't belong to the Black Tower?
How were they supposed to know what counted as an outsider's object when they had no clue what the other residents possessed?!
"Fine. Let's look."
The scarlet-eyed figure stepped aside. Without hesitation, Meimei and Crow hurried forward, feeling their way through the darkness.
But no matter what they picked up—whether it was a chair, a book, or even a cup—the blood-red eyes shook in disapproval.
Time slipped away.
Just searching Room 101 had already taken over half an hour.
At this rate, how were they supposed to clear the entire building within four hours?!
Crow was getting visibly frustrated.
Novak felt the same.
His gaze flickered toward the figure still seated in the darkness, the one watching them with silent amusement.
Then, he took a slow, deep breath.
And in the next instant—
A chilling smile crept onto his face.
Under Crow and Meimei's stunned eyes, something shifted within Novak.
The air around him tensed—a heavy, suffocating aura exploding outward.
Then—
Black flames ignited.
The resident of Room 101 flinched, retreating slightly. In the darkness, the sound of something scuttling away echoed ominously.
But Novak did not stop.
As the black flames burned around him, a pair of wings unfurled from his back, their shadowy form stretching across the room.
And atop his head—
The curved horns of a Demon emerged once more.
In that moment—the pressure in the room skyrocketed.
The resident's blood-red eyes widened in shock.
Even his voice trembled as he audibly swallowed.
Novak's pure-blooded demon form was something that should not exist in this place.
The sheer suppression of power he exuded was overwhelming, unlike anything the Black Tower's inhabitants had ever encountered.
Novak had no desire to break the rules if it wasn't necessary.
After all, handling things diplomatically was always the best approach.
But—this test was utterly unreasonable.
And if there was one thing he knew—rules existed to restrain.
And demons?
They had never been a race bound by rules.
"Y-You… what are you trying to do!?"
The resident's voice quivered, struggling to maintain composure.
"Do you understand the rules of the Black Tower?!"
Despite his threatening tone, the fear in his voice was unmistakable.
Because no matter how mysterious the origin of the Black Tower was…
No matter how twisted and powerful its residents were…
There was one universal truth across all realms and dimensions—
The terror of demons was absolute.
They were creatures synonymous with cruelty, destruction, and power.
And now, standing before him was a human—who possessed a pure-blood demon lineage.
Fear gripped him.
For the first time ever, a resident of the Black Tower felt fear.
What kind of lunatic is this?!
Does he not understand the rules of this place?!
Or worse—does he not care?!
Of course, Novak knew.
He could feel it—something was gradually fading away the moment he activated his demon avatar.
But this was not the time for hesitation.
Not the time for questions.
Why can't sound be made here?
Why can't there be light?
A smile flickered in Novak's eyes, but the crimson glow within them—the gaze of a true demon—was far more terrifying than the owner of Room 101.
All these meaningless rules...
What a joke.
He spoke calmly, his voice carrying an undeniable weight:
"You have one minute. Go outside, find the other residents on this floor, and tell them we passed the test.
Or..."
Novak raised his hand.
Black and red hellfire ignited at his fingertips—consuming the coffee table before him in an instant.
The flames burned silently—turning the table to ash within seconds.
Another loud gulp echoed in the room.
In the next moment, the resident of Room 101 vanished.
He didn't hesitate.
Didn't question.
He threw open the door and fled into the hallway.
In the dead silence of the Black Tower, the only sounds were:
Hurried footsteps.
Knocking on doors.
The resident of 101 was moving fast.
Because at this moment—between following the rules and preserving his life—
The choice was obvious.
Novak leaned back slightly.
Power.
It really was the most useful solution.
Sure enough, the Black Tower had restrictions on power usage, but—it didn't forbid it entirely.
As for memory loss?
Novak had a trump card.
His gaze flickered inward—toward the Hourglass of Time in his soul.
A radiant artifact, shimmering like crystallized diamonds.
Mysterious. Ethereal. A force outside the rules.
Its glow swayed gently, stirring an indescribable emotion within him.
The resident of 101 was efficient.
It wasn't long before several figures appeared at the doorway.
The darkness made their faces indistinct, but Novak could still make out vague silhouettes.
He didn't bother standing up.
Instead, he simply crossed his legs on the sofa, looked at them lazily, and said—
"Alright, hurry up. Pass your stupid test already."
The figures hesitated.
Then, almost obediently, they stepped forward.
Meanwhile—
Crow and Meimei stood frozen.
Completely dumbfounded.
This...
This wasn't how things were supposed to go!
Hadn't they just talked about building good relationships with the neighbors?!
Where was the friendly diplomacy they had agreed upon?!