The coalition was not celebrated.

  It was tolerated.

  That was already enough.

  The recalculation lasted several minutes. No one spoke. Even Kael remained still, arms crossed, as if moving might influence the verdict.

  Then the line appeared.

  [Human Cohesion Index: Stabilized.]

  [Comparative Status: Eligible.]

  [Interdimensional Event Activated — Day 5.]

  A collective breath passed through the plaza.

  Not a battle.

  An event.

  Rin lifted his eyes toward the dark vault.

  They still had two days before the mandatory end.

  Seven days.

  Not one more.

  Not one less.

  And on the eighth…

  transfer.

  —

  The fifth day did not begin with an alarm.

  It began with a configuration change.

  The central plaza transformed.

  Not physically.

  Functionally.

  Circular zones appeared, outlined by glowing lines on the ground.

  Three large spheres of influence.

  One for each dimension.

  [Comparative Trial — Stability Model.]

  [Duration: 6 hours.]

  [Objective: Maintain territorial and economic integrity.]

  [Lethal violence prohibited.]

  Ha-joon blinked.

  “So… it’s a simulation?”

  “No,” Mi-sun replied.

  “It’s real. Just limited.”

  Rin understood immediately.

  This was not a battle.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  It was pressure.

  Each dimension had to maintain its flows:

  — Resources

  — Organization

  — Internal defense

  — Conflict management

  If one of these parameters dropped too far…

  its sphere would weaken.

  And the others could invade it.

  Not to kill.

  To destabilize.

  —

  The beastmen aligned naturally.

  Rhazgar gave a brief command.

  The clans spread out.

  Instinctive coordination.

  The dwarves activated their mechanisms.

  Bjorn supervised an immediate redistribution of materials toward critical points.

  Among the humans…

  the silence lasted one second too long.

  Then Kael took position on one flank.

  A?cha on the other.

  Eleanor stayed in the center.

  Rin positioned himself at the boundary.

  Not as a leader.

  As a joint.

  —

  The first hour remained stable.

  The spheres glowed with similar intensity.

  Then the pressure began.

  An artificial overload struck the human district.

  Redistribution costs suddenly increased.

  [Economic Variation Detected.]

  Murmurs of panic spread.

  Some humans began spending too quickly.

  Others hesitated.

  Rin understood.

  The Tower was testing resilience under stress.

  “Temporarily pool resources,” he said calmly.

  Mi-sun understood immediately.

  “A?cha, cover the peripheral flows.”

  “Kael, centralize excess Shards.”

  He was not giving orders.

  He was adjusting.

  Eleanor intervened without hesitation.

  Lightly injured individuals were treated quickly to prevent any drop in efficiency.

  The sphere wavered.

  But did not fall.

  —

  Second hour.

  The beastmen suffered a disturbance.

  A simulated internal conflict erupted between two clans.

  Rhazgar intervened.

  Directly.

  The hierarchy held.

  Stability maintained.

  The dwarves received a structural overload.

  One of their mechanisms failed.

  Bjorn corrected it without panic.

  They did not speak.

  They repaired.

  —

  Fourth hour.

  The spheres began interacting.

  Pressure lines appeared between them.

  Boundary testing.

  A poorly coordinated human group attempted a symbolic incursion toward the beastmen’s sphere.

  Rhazgar pushed them back calmly.

  Without excessive force.

  The human sphere nearly lost cohesion.

  Rin intervened.

  He briefly activated Flux Rewriting.

  Not to cheat.

  To streamline.

  He locally reduced the resistance of human movement.

  Accelerated rotations.

  Optimized routes.

  The overload stabilized.

  Not spectacular.

  Effective.

  —

  Fifth hour.

  Indicators finally appeared.

  [Humans: 78%]

  [Beastmen: 83%]

  [Dwarves: 86%]

  Not overwhelming.

  But visible.

  Ha-joon exhaled.

  “We’re holding.”

  Rin nodded slightly.

  But he knew.

  This was not a victory.

  It was a demonstration.

  —

  Sixth hour.

  The pressure peaked.

  Triple overload.

  Economy.

  Organization.

  Borders.

  For a few seconds…

  the human sphere dropped to 72%.

  Then rose again.

  Then 80%.

  The coalition held.

  Imperfect.

  But coherent.

  —

  The event ended.

  The glowing lines vanished.

  The plaza returned to neutrality.

  [Comparative Trial Concluded.]

  [Viable Models Detected.]

  [Transfer to Next Floor in 2 Days.]

  The silence was different this time.

  No panic.

  No pride.

  A lucid fatigue.

  Kael looked at Rin.

  “Temporary.”

  “Yes.”

  A?cha cracked her shoulders.

  “That could’ve been worse.”

  Eleanor closed her eyes briefly.

  Marcus was already observing the future implications.

  Rhazgar inclined his head slightly.

  Bjorn nodded.

  Minimal recognition.

  —

  The sixth day began under a heavier atmosphere.

  They knew now.

  On the seventh day…

  the city would reject them toward Floor 3.

  No choice.

  No extension.

  No escape.

  Rin looked up at the dark vault.

  Synchronization was complete.

  The comparison finished.

  They had two days left.

  Two days to adjust.

  To decide.

  To prepare for what came next.