Regression: Reclaiming the End-Chapter 28: Reconsideration

On the 10th Floor, I already had one — Noel Bora. He was my closest ally in this relentless fight through the Rift, the one I trusted implicitly. We had come far together, and the difference his presence made was undeniable.

All we needed now was one more person to complete the team and finally push through the 10th Floor successfully.

I hesitated, fingers hovering over the keyboard.

Maybe Astraia’s proposal wasn’t just some distraction after all.

Maybe it was the edge I needed.

"You’re not wrong. But relying on others comes with great risk. Trust is earned, not given."

I paused, considering my next words.

"So here’s what I’m thinking — let’s keep grinding up the floors separately for now. Once I reach the 10th Floor, we clear it together."

In my mind, the plan was clear. I knew the layout, the traps, the enemies. That’s why I was building a team of three — the exact number needed to guarantee a successful clear.

This was the beginning of the shift — the moment everything could change.

Astraia’s reply came almost instantly. "Fair enough," she typed. "So when do you think you’ll clear the floors after the 6th? I’m curious how fast you’re moving."

I hesitated, not wanting to give her an exact timeline.

Instead, I replied with a vague smile behind the screen. "For now, we just have to wait. The Rift isn’t a race — it’s a test. I’ll be waiting when we get to the 10th Floor."

I put my phone down, the hum of the city outside mixing with the steady beat of my own thoughts.

’Nice. I have secured 2 people to clear that floor, we just have to be ready for that.’

The path ahead was still long, but now, there was something new — a connection, a challenge, and maybe, a future alliance.

As I set my phone down, a sharp thought sliced through the haze of my exhaustion. Before I could even consider the next steps with Astraia or the labyrinth floors ahead, I needed to check in with Noel Bora—my one and only trusted ally, the person who had stood beside me long before the Crimson Rift tore reality apart.

Noel wasn’t just another player or potential teammate; he was someone I relied on in a world that was rapidly unraveling. If I was going to entertain the idea of forming a trio to tackle the tenth floor, I had to know where he stood, what condition he was in, and whether he was ready to fight alongside me now.

I reached for my phone with a renewed sense of purpose, unlocking it and navigating straight to our chat. The thread was a mix of quick updates, shared strategies, and the occasional rare joke that had managed to slip through the cracks of this brutal world.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment before I typed:

"Noel, you around right now? Need to talk."

I hesitated before adding another line, just to be sure my tone was clear.

"It’s about the Rift — and what’s coming next."

I sent the messages and leaned back, staring at the cracked ceiling of my apartment. The humid air pressed down on me, but my mind was already spinning ahead—planning, calculating, and anticipating.

After what felt like an eternity, my phone buzzed softly on the worn table. I snapped my attention back to the screen.

The message was from Noel. "Just got outside the Crimson Rift. Took longer than expected this run."

I quickly typed back, fingers moving with steady urgency:

"Understood. Come straight to my apartment. I’m waiting."

I hit send and set the phone aside again, my mind sharpening with focus. Noel was on his way, and soon we would have the chance to strategize face-to-face — to align our plans and prepare for what was coming on the 10th Floor.

-

The knock came sharp and quick — two raps on the old wooden door of Room 307. I rose from the chair, steps steady, and opened it without a word.

Noel stood there, still in his combat gear, sweat lining his brow, faint bruises visible along his neck. But his eyes were the same — focused, alert, unwavering. That same reliable calm in the storm.

"Yo, what’s up?" he muttered with a smirk, stepping in.

I closed the door behind him. "We gotta discuss something."

He dropped into the second chair with a groan, stretching out his legs like someone who’d just survived a weeklong war. Which, for all intents and purposes, he probably will have.

I leaned back across from him. "What floor are you on now?"

"Fourth," he replied, running a hand through his damp hair.

"Not bad," I nodded, absorbing the answer. "Means you’re on pace. You’ll be hitting the Fifth soon."

Noel tilted his head slightly. "You already cleared the Sixth, right? I saw the notification."

I didn’t answer, but my silence was enough.

He shook his head with a quiet laugh. "Show-off."

I smirked. "What about your skill? Have you unlocked something new yet?"

His expression darkened just slightly — the weight of memory, or maybe a moment of internal struggle. "Yeah. I did. Got it right after I made the pact with Gethos."

"Can you control it?"

A pause.

"To a degree," Noel said slowly. "It’s unstable. Doesn’t always respond how I expect. Like I’m channeling something bigger than I can hold. I’ve been training it constantly, but it still pushes back."

I nodded slowly.

’That sounded like Gethos.’

"The Storm Bringer," I said aloud. "He really gave you a pact, huh?"

Noel shrugged. "He said I had potential. Said I remind him of the ocean before a typhoon."

"He talks like that?"

"He’s dramatic. But yeah."

I leaned forward, folding my hands. "Has Gethos given you another skill yet?"

Noel frowned, shaking his head. "No. Nothing after the default ones. Just that, and the usual passive stat enhancements."

I stared at him for a moment.

’So that meant...No Astral Overdrive yet.’

"Nothing fancy yet but I hope I get one soon," he confirmed, exhaling.