Chapter 11 The Survivor of Eight Years
The ruined city was silent again.
Dust drifted slowly through the red sky as the wind moved between the broken buildings. The tall stranger stood calmly in the middle of the cracked street, watching Arjun, Meera, and Kabir with quiet curiosity.
Kabir was the first to break the silence.
“…Eight years?”
His voice sounded half shocked, half suspicious.
“You’re telling me you’ve been inside this tower for eight years?”
The stranger shrugged slightly.
“That’s correct.”
Kabir blinked.
“…That’s not normal.”
Meera stepped forward a little, studying the man carefully.
Her voice was calm, but cautious.
“The towers appeared today.”
The stranger smiled faintly.
“For you.”
Arjun’s eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?”
The man looked up toward the dark red sky above the ruined city.
“It means time works differently here.”
Kabir groaned.
“Of course it does.”
The stranger began walking toward them slowly. His steps were relaxed, like someone walking through a familiar neighborhood rather than a deadly tower.
“Inside the tower,” he continued, “time flows faster.”
He glanced back at them.
“Or slower, depending on the floor.”
Kabir raised his hands.
“Okay, that already sounds confusing.”
The man stopped a few meters away from them.
“Let’s make it simple.”
He pointed toward the sky.
“For every day outside the tower… weeks or months can pass inside.”
Kabir stared.
“…You’re serious?”
Meera looked thoughtful.
“That would explain the environment changes.”
Arjun crossed his arms.
“But that still doesn’t explain you.”
The stranger smiled again.
“Fair enough.”
He extended his hand casually.
“My name is Raghav.”
Kabir shook it automatically.
“Kabir.”
Meera nodded slightly.
“Meera.”
Arjun hesitated for a moment before responding.
“…Arjun.”
Raghav studied Arjun’s face for a moment longer than necessary.
Then he looked away.
“So,” he said casually, “how did the Whispering Forest treat you?”
Kabir immediately pointed at Arjun.
“Ask him.”
Raghav raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?”
Meera answered instead.
“We cleared the floor.”
Raghav’s expression shifted slightly.
“…You defeated the Commander?”
Kabir grinned proudly.
“Team effort.”
Raghav chuckled quietly.
“That’s impressive.”
He leaned against a cracked stone wall nearby.
“Most players die on the second floor.”
Kabir suddenly looked less proud.
“…Oh.”
Arjun glanced around the ruined city.
“Why is this place different?”
Raghav followed his gaze.
“Because Floor Three isn’t a trial.”
Meera frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Raghav spread his arms slightly.
“Welcome to a settlement floor.”
Kabir blinked.
“A what?”
Raghav pointed toward the distant buildings.
“Some floors are combat trials.”
He pointed behind them.
“Others are safe zones.”
Then he gestured toward the city.
“And some are both.”
Arjun looked carefully at the broken structures.
“You’re saying players live here.”
Raghav nodded.
“For a while.”
Kabir frowned.
“…Define ‘a while.’”
Raghav smiled slightly.
“Until they die.”
Kabir sighed.
“Right. Of course.”
Meera crossed her arms.
“If this is a settlement floor, where are the other players?”
Raghav pointed toward the deeper part of the city.
“Inside.”
Arjun’s instincts suddenly flared.
Predator Awareness activated.
Hostile presence.
Not monsters.
Humans.
Multiple.
Watching them.
He scanned the nearby rooftops.
And sure enough—
Figures stood in the shadows.
Observing.
Kabir noticed too.
“…Okay that’s creepy.”
Raghav chuckled.
“Relax.”
“They’re just curious.”
Meera raised an eyebrow.
“Curious about what?”
Raghav glanced at Arjun again.
“New players rarely clear the Whispering Forest on their first attempt.”
Kabir looked confused.
“…Wait.”
He pointed at Arjun again.
“That part might be his fault.”
Raghav studied Arjun carefully now.
His calm expression turned more serious.
“…I thought so.”
Arjun felt uneasy under the man’s gaze.
“What?”
Raghav spoke quietly.
“The tower is watching you.”
Arjun froze.
Kabir blinked.
“…Isn’t it watching everyone?”
Raghav shook his head slowly.
“No.”
His eyes stayed on Arjun.
“Just him.”
Meera’s expression sharpened.
“What are you talking about?”
Raghav pushed himself off the wall.
“The tower normally observes players passively.”
He tapped the side of his head.
“But sometimes it notices someone.”
Kabir folded his arms.
“…And that’s bad?”
Raghav nodded.
“Very.”
Arjun’s mind replayed the message he had seen earlier.
The Tower has begun active observation.
Prepare for correction attempts.
Raghav continued.
“When the tower notices someone… it starts sending stronger trials.”
Kabir sighed.
“…Of course it does.”
Meera looked at Arjun.
“Did something happen on the previous floor?”
Arjun hesitated.
He couldn’t explain everything.
But hiding it wouldn’t help either.
“The Commander knew something about me.”
Raghav’s expression darkened.
“…That’s not good.”
Kabir scratched his head.
“So basically the tower hates Arjun now?”
Raghav nodded calmly.
“That’s one way to say it.”
Kabir groaned.
“Fantastic.”
The wind moved through the ruined city again.
Somewhere in the distance, a metal gate slammed shut.
Raghav straightened.
“Well.”
He gestured down the street.
“You might as well see the rest of the city.”
Kabir frowned.
“…Why?”
Raghav smirked.
“Because if the tower really noticed you…”
He pointed toward the deeper streets.
“…then you’re going to need allies.”
Arjun looked toward the distant buildings.
More figures moved between them now.
Players.
Dozens of them.
Some watching.
Some whispering.
Some clearly armed.
This wasn’t just a trial floor.
It was a society.
A dangerous one.
Kabir muttered quietly.
“…I think the monsters were easier.”
Raghav laughed.
“Oh trust me.”
He began walking down the street.
“Players are always worse.”
Arjun followed slowly.
Because something told him the tower wasn’t the only thing watching anymore.
And the deeper they walked into the Fallen City…
The more dangerous things were about to become.
The ruined streets stretched endlessly ahead.
Broken buildings leaned against one another like exhausted giants, their cracked walls stained by years of dust and decay.
Rusted metal signs hung loosely from poles, creaking softly whenever the wind passed through the empty city.
But the city wasn’t empty.
Not really.
If you’re enjoying Karma Tower: The Player Who Returns After Death, keep following Arjun’s journey through the tower. please support us and comment on our chapters, we will review and make changes.
Because on the next chapter, Arjun will discover the true rule of Floor Three — and why players sometimes become more dangerous than monsters.
