"So… my prediction has come true. Luci lost to the challenger. I was hoping for the boy to win, but this outcome was determined before it even began."
When I first laid my eyes on the challenger, I could tell immediately she was different from the rest. She is a human yet able to wield mana like an athios. It was impossible for a human to use magic as their bodies don't have the requirements to wield it. At first, I thought she was a hybrid between humans and athios, but that thought was quickly banished as she had no horns. A hybrid of these races would always result in the offspring possessing horns since athios genetics dominate human genetics. With no horns in sight, she was one-hundred percent human.
That line of thinking since then had me stumped about why she could use magic as adeptly as she could. Nothing came to mind other than her possibly being a demigod, but I sensed no divinity in her either, so that idea was thrown out the window. I'll just have to ask this challenger myself when she arrives. She had just finished defeating three of The Crimson Knights, and she defeated them all in under five seconds. This challenger is in a hurry to climb. Her impatience is very apparent…
"Hmm…"
Many questions surround this challenger. The attire she wears on her back, the messy hairstyle tied in a band, this new weapon called a 'sniper rifle', and those weird swords that have craftsmanship I've never seen or heard before. She is a mysterious one, but most mysterious of all is how she was able to tame a dragon as a human. Dragons are part of the monster race and are a species that only bow their heads to the mighty. Since humans are considered the weakest race of the four, it's comical to assume any kind of human would have the potential of being a Dragon Tamer, unless they are a demigod. The fact that this challenger isn't a demigod, but a human that's also a Dragon Tamer is a miracle. I hope that my answers are answered soon to sate my curiosity…
"Oh? She has just defeated the final member of The Crimson Knights and has beaten the twenty-ninth floor. Marvelous! Looks like I'll be able to meet her after all!"
I had a visual laid out in front of me that allowed me to tap into the surveillance magic I'd cast on each floor. This girl is just about to enter my private quarters and meet I, the master of the Demonic Dojo and the final challenge of the Tower of Strength.
****
After swiftly dealing with the armor guy on the twenty-ninth floor, I dashed toward the door, unable to hold myself back after I'd finally reached the end of my destination. I peeked my head inside, my mind racing through many scenarios regarding my final challenge: the Demonic Dojo master. Contrary to my beliefs, which was me expecting to see some macho old dude with a bald head and a long white beard that touched the floor, what greeted me was a room that had a relaxing aura around it. In the middle of the room was a rectangular table with four red cushions on each side. Sitting on one of them was the Demonic Dojo master.
"Hello there!" A radiant and soothing voice called out. I fixed my gaze on the person who I presume is the Demonic Dojo master. It was a demon woman who looked to be in her late twenties. She had silky-smooth black hair tied into a topknot and orange eyes that carried immense wisdom that clashed with her young appearance. Instead of a gray Gi that the other pupils wore, she had on a simple black and red robe that complimented her beautiful and smooth red skin. The demon woman had a smirk on her face as she gestures for me to come closer.
Since I sense no hostility from her, I accepted the invitation and sat down on one of the cushions that seemed to be calling out to me. Once my butt touched the cushion, I could feel myself sinking deeper inside the fluffy but firm pillow. The fatigue that was accumulating inside my body washed away instantly, and I felt at peace the longer I sat. Solgac jumped on the cushion next to me, curious about why I seemed so relaxed suddenly. As soon as she touched the cushion, she let out a joyful cry as she snuggled deeper into the cloud of comfort, curling into a ball as she growled gratefully.
The woman chuckled at the sight. "I see you are enjoying yourselves..."
"When you've been fighting nonstop for a couple of hours, a few seconds of break time is heavenly," I curtly replied. Solgac cried out in agreement with my statement, still smuggled against the soft cushion.
"I can see that very clearly, challenger. I'm surprised you can even let your guard down this much when you're with a stranger," she mused.
I eyed the woman carefully. "You have no ill intentions, right? Most of your disciples have been respectful. I heard that a disciple mirrors the actions of their master."
"Oh really now? And what if I was the opposite of my dear disciples? What would you have done differently?"
I abruptly opened my eyes and tilted my head to stare at the smirking woman.
"Are you testing me or something?"
She shrugged her shoulders and said, "Was it that obvious? I thought I was doing a great job in hiding it."
I shook my head at the carefree woman and rested my arms on the wooden table. "I have a lot of questions to ask of you, and I'm sure you knew that."
"Mhm. The same goes for me too, Laila."
"We're on a first-name basis now? Even when I don't even know yours?"
The nameless demon placed a slender finger on her glossy lips as she pondered my question. "If you want to know my name," she started, "It wouldn't hurt you to know. You can call me Tisha."
"Tisha, the master of the Demonic Dojo? I have to hand it to you, for someone as young as you are, I'm surprised you're the master here. Usually, it's people who are old like around their fifties or sixties that are teachers. You don't look a day over thirty."
"Haha! Thank you for the compliment!" She laughed warmly; her head thrown back in fits of laughter. "Don't let my appearance fool you. I'm nearing my sixties."
At her words, I wrinkled my eyebrows and stared at her, aghast. How the hell is she near her sixties when she looks like that?! Do demons age slowly or do they have long lifespans? What's her secret?
"I see you are curious, Laila. Care to ask me why? I don't mind answering your questions. If you answer mine first, that is…"
Tisha straightened her back and curled her fingers as her brilliant eyes stared back at mine. That wisdom and strength I sensed earlier was no fluke. In fact, those traits have only grown stronger the longer I looked at her. Instead of feeling suppressed, I felt at ease. Why is that? Actually, my fatigue seems to be drifting away and I can feel myself regaining strength.
"…What did you do to my body?" I cautiously asked Tisha, placing my hand under the table.
"I didn't do anything at all. The chair you're sitting on is a special item that heals your mind and body over time. No need to pull out that Damastril weapon of yours," Tisha said with a wink.
Since she is aware that I can pull weapons out of thin air, I removed my hand away from under the table. In the corner of my eye, Solgac was still preoccupied with the cushion as every limb fidgeted from bliss.
"I love a person who isn't rash and uses their head to think things thoroughly," Tisha purred. "You're just like Luci. Powerful, yet level-headed."
"Level-headed? In my view, that man went a little crazy as our fight went on," I scoffed. "I'm dead set sure we aren't alike."
Once again, Tisha shrugged her shoulders. "That boy loves to fight opponents equal to him. He sees it as a way to better himself as he strives for his goals"
"Goals you say? Let me guess, is it to kill the Gods in the future? He did proclaim himself to be a future God-Killer."
"Ah yes… he did say that, didn't he?" Tisha's smile transformed into a solemn frown as she cast her eyes downward. "The boy seeks the path of revenge ever since he lost his family to the Warlords. Once he heard that the Warlords initiate wars just to curry favor with the god of war, he figured that to avenge his friends and family, he had to nip the problem in the bud- and that bud would be the gods. If I might add, the god of war revels in the acts and cruelty of war and encourages these Warlords to continue."
I was quiet for a moment as the words of Tisha lingered in the air. Who knew that Luci had a concrete motivation to walk the path he does… When I was told that we were similar, I thought it was funny. But, as I think back to Luci's face when he was full of disgust and fury when I mentioned the gods, it made sense.
"I guess we do have one thing in common," I muttered under my breath.
"Hm? And that would be?"
"We both want to personally kill the gods ourselves after the pain they have caused us," I sneered with flared nostrils. Tisha narrowed her eyes as she studied my face with lips slightly parted.
"Oh, I see now," she breathed softly. I looked at Tisha skeptically, doubting she truly understood. Before I could say anything, she abruptly stood up from her seat, the robe swaying from the sudden movements, and lifted a finger at me.
"You, my dear, are from the future! It all makes sense now!" Tisha proudly exclaimed.