Return of Tower's Phantom-Chapter 44 – Shadows of the Crimson Ball

---

Somewhere Between Floor 84 and 85 – The Hidden Chamber

The air shimmered with silence as Rael and Selene stood before an ornate door that had no place in the Tower. It hadn't been there before—yet now it was.

An envelope slid from the door and floated between them.

> [You have received a Special Invitation] [Event: The Crimson Ball – Hosted by Belladonna Maeve] [Time Remaining: 6 Hours] [Objective: Survive, Uncover Secrets, Choose a Dance Partner]

Rael narrowed his eyes. "A trap?"

Selene smirked. "A party."

---

6 Hours Later – Inside the Crimson Ballroom

The moment they stepped through, the world changed.

They were no longer in a dungeon, but in a grand ballroom suspended in twilight. Crystal chandeliers dripped starlight. The floor was obsidian glass reflecting constellations. The guests were... not all human. Some had antlers. Others had wings. All wore masks.

Belladonna Maeve stood on a rose-covered platform, whole again—regal and terrifying.

"Welcome, my honored dancers," she said. "Tonight is not about battle. It is about elegance... and truths."

She turned her gaze to Rael.

"Dance with me, and I will give you what you seek."

---

Selene's Side

She watched Rael get pulled onto the floor, her chest tight.

He wasn't smiling.

He wasn't comfortable.

But he played along.

Selene clenched her fists. "She's testing him. No, tempting him."

A masked figure approached her.

"Would you like to dance, Lady Moonblade?"

Selene declined—but followed the stranger's retreating back with her eyes. Something about him was familiar.

> [Hidden Quest Triggered: Unmask the Phantom Guest]

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

---

Rael & Belladonna – The Dance

Belladonna led with grace, whispering in Rael's ear.

"You have three bodies. One is breaking."

Rael's grip tightened. "You know."

"I know much, dear Rael. Your prophecy. Your betrayal. Even your third clone—the one locked in stasis by the Oracle."

He stopped moving.

Belladonna dipped him low, her breath warm. "Don't freeze now. The ball has just begun."

> [Hidden Skill Revealed: Memory Waltz – Learn enemy secrets through perfect synchronization]

Rael's eyes flickered.

He saw flashes—her past.

A massacre. A god's betrayal. Her rebirth as a Seraph's servant.

"You were like me..."

She smiled. "Once. Until I chose power over pain."

---

Midnight – The Twist

A bell rang.

Guests turned toward the center of the ballroom as the chandeliers shattered above.

A new figure appeared, cloaked in blue flames.

> [System Alert: The Blue Executioner has arrived] [Event Changed – Assassination Protocol Active]

Maeve's smile faded.

Rael stepped forward, drawing his blade.

Selene joined him, back to back.

"Party's over," she said.

"No," Rael replied. "Now it begins."

---