On entering the 17th floor, Ron received a quest.
"Ding! Discover the mysteries happening on this floor."
Suddenly, Ron found himself teleported to a dense forest.
"What the hell is this? There's nothing significant about this forest," Ron muttered, scanning his surroundings.
Activating his detection skills, he muttered, "Let me see… hmm, there are people here. Wait, they look more like small men. I think they're called dwarves."
One of the dwarves noticed him immediately. "Hey, what are you doing there? Come over here!"
Ron approached the dwarf, whose eyes were sharp and filled with experience. It was clear he was a blacksmith.
"Hello, sir. I'm Ron. Is there anything mysterious happening here? I need to know right now," Ron said.
The blacksmith gave him a calm look. "There's nothing wrong happening here right now, but something significant is about to happen."
"What's going to happen?" Ron asked, curious.
The blacksmith smirked. "Since you're so curious, let me tell you. I'm working on creating something magnificent."
Ron glanced at the object the blacksmith was forging. "What the hell? It looks like armor, but it's… strange. It doesn't seem like anyone can wear it."
The blacksmith nodded. "You're right. It's not ordinary armor. It can only be worn by someone who satisfies its EGO."
Ron raised an eyebrow. "EGO?"
"Yes. This armor doesn't have a fixed shape. It spreads across the wearer's entire body and offers unmatched protection. It's not from this world—it's based on nanotechnology from a different universe. I infused my magical powers into it, and it awakened as an EGO, not just as armor."
The blacksmith's voice grew somber. "It's going to be made of super nano-particles. But… it's not ready yet."
Ron stepped closer, intrigued. "Can I try it? It seems like my energy is attracting the armor."
The blacksmith shook his head. "No, it's not ready. There's still one last step. The EGO is weak, and I… I'm too old. I'll need to make a sacrifice to complete it."
Ron frowned. "Sacrifice? Don't you have any wishes before you die?"
The blacksmith chuckled sadly. "My wish is impossible in this life. That's why I'm doing this. I'll combine with the EGO, and it will transform into a devouring type of energy. Perhaps, one day, someone worthy will inherit it."
Ron hesitated, then spoke. "My goal is to challenge the tower, save my parents, and live a peaceful life. But it seems like everyone here only wants to become a god, not to die."
The blacksmith's eyes gleamed. "I've fulfilled all my worldly wishes, but I'm still searching for the ultimate truth."
"Ultimate truth? What's that?"
The blacksmith stared into the distance. "Even the Greater Gods have never seen the ultimate truth. My wish was always to see it, but they laughed at me. When I offered them my greatest masterpieces, I asked for just one thing in return—to glimpse the ultimate truth."
Ron pressed further. "What is this ultimate truth?"
The blacksmith smiled wistfully. "The ultimate truth is to see the ONE. An image of the ONE sleeping in the cosmos of the Sea of Worlds. The ONE is energy itself, infinite and eternal, stretching to the edge of nothingness. That energy became worlds, dimensions, and races. Each dimension follows its own rules and dharma, all dictated by the ONE."
He paused, then continued, "The ONE is the ultimate source. Even the God of Destruction, Shiva, bows before it. Only the God of Creation and the God of Death understand the ultimate truth, yet even they have never fully seen it."
Ron's curiosity deepened. "What happens to those who see the ultimate truth?"
"Anyone who glimpses it becomes immune to destruction and creation. They transcend the gods themselves. But such a being can never be seen by gods. Even the Destroyer and Creator are but aspects of the Controller, who is part of the ONE."
The blacksmith sighed, his voice tinged with reverence and sorrow. "That's all I've learned after millennia of life. And that is why I'm willing to sacrifice myself—to leave behind something that might one day help someone see the ultimate truth."
Status
Strength: 998
Stamina: 1007
Intelligence: 915
Agility: 1012
Cultivation
Inner energy: Foundation Middle Stage
Body Cultivation: Steel Body(92.6%)
Skills
Gigantification: (39.8%)
Super strength: (40.3%)
Martial Addict: (20.7%)
Energy Recovery: (94.1%)
Player Skills
Swordman Ship- Peak : (48.5%)
Dash: (61.4%)
Evolution technique: (15.8%)
Poison resistance: (78.4%)
Heavenly slayer technique (11.7%)
Number of skill memories possessed: 6