Vol.3 Ch.156: Showdown 5

Showdown 5: This is the hundred and fifty-sixth chapter of Volume 3 of Tower of God. It follows the conclusion to the Showdown with Traumerei, with Traumerei gloating over his complete victory and Khun realizing that Baam is in danger. Meanwhile, the trap set by Traumerei is sprung and Baam's groups is attacked by High Rankers on all side, before being saved by the appearance of Gustang.

Synopsis
Lo Po Bia Traumerei explains that he played along with Khun Aguero Agnis's little game since he enjoys watching other struggle against his unstoppable will and likes watching the despair that this causes. Khun thinks to himself that Traumerei is the most twisted person he has met. Traumerei continue by saying that Khun have nothing, since he did not win the chess match and he did not win the Showdown with Traumerei, though Khun did not have a chance to begin with since Traumerei have been aware of the traitor for a long time. Khun is confused and asks why Traumerei did not capture the traitor when he became aware of them, which Traumerei answers that there was no point to doing so, since none of them are a threat to him and there is more to gain by acting unaware of the situation. Khun realize that Traumerei have been aware of Ha Jinsung's plan from the start and Twenty-Fifth Baam is in danger.

On the other side of the Gate, Ha Yuri Zahard meets up with Lo Po Bia Shilial Zahard, Lo Po Bia Lilial Zahard, Dravy, The Serpent Master, and Baam and tell them they need to get moving, since it would be disastrous if Po Bidau Tiara or Traumerei caught up to them. They run down some corridors and at the end they exit into a large open air shaft, where Lo Po Bia Goruro is there to meet them, who Lilial recognize as the Lizard Branch leader. Goruro greets them and explain the plan to escape using the submarine behind him, but they have to hurry for the plan to be successful. "You're the traitor!" someone shout from atop the shaft, with the person shouting being revealed as the Gray Wolf Family head Lo Po Bia Elbaba, with him being accompanied by the Ashen Badger Family head Lo Po Bia Umtiti, both having their associated Shinheuh along with them. Goruro asks them how they found out and Elbaba answers that they were told by Lo Po Bia Kirin, but Traumerei knew all along about Goruro being a traitor and working with FUG. The branch heads send out their shinheuh to attack and destroy the submarine, while Goruro urges them to get on the submarine before they call for reinforcements, with Goruro and Cha fighting off the shinheuh sent by the branch leaders. The regulars and Yuri run over a bridge towards the submarine, with Yuri being unable to join the fight against the branch leaders due to potential backlash of a Princess of Zahard harming a branch leader of a Great Family. However, before they get past the bridge a giant turtle shinheuh attacks them from beneath and they realize that there were at least three branch leaders sent to capture/kill them. They are surrounded and their situation seem dire.

Back to Khun, Traumerei explains that he does not trust anyone on the Lo Po Bia Family Mothership, not even his own children and since he does not trust anyone he can never be betrayed. Traumerei ends his monologue by telling Khun to not get cocky, since the little creatures like Khun are nothing to the Great Family Heads.

Back to Baam, Cha and Goruro try to clear the way for the regulars to get on the submarine, with Cha using Lethal Move Primal Punch Taerim against the wolf and Goruro using his shinheuh Six-legged Lizards against the badger. As the shinheuh are distracted, Khun arrives on the bridge together with Androssi Zahard using her Bong Bong and Khun starts to warn Baam about Traumerei's plan, but is interrupted by Baam who warns him of the turle attacking from below, which they barely manage to avoid. They are getting ready to escape using the bong bong, when Elbaba throws his spear at Khun, who tries to block it using a Lighthouse Barrier, but it is nowhere near powerful enough to stop a High Ranker's spear and he gets the realization that he is about to die, but before the barrier breaks completely one of Khun's Lighthouse start to glow brightly and emit a powerful Shinsu.

In the floating garden next to the Viridis Parus Hotel, Tiara is running away alongside Po Bidau Matte Ha, with Matte asking about the situation, which Tiara answers that it is an order from Po Bidau Gustang that if Baam became too difficult to acquire they would just need to make sure Khun and Baam are close together. Tiara is sure Khun went to the same place as Baam, so they just need to focus on escaping, since this is all likely according to Gustang's plan.

Back to Khun, the spear is about to break through his barrier when one of the lighthouses start emitting a bright light and Gustang appears and disintegrates the spear before it hits Khun. Gustang says that he was sure Khun would be close to Baam at just the right moment, before asking the branch leaders where Traumerei is and threatening to destroy everything if he does not show up.