"Evil Dragon?"
I scratched my head, trying to recall something.
|Huh? You don't know?|
"Umm… No."
The voice of the giant tree started to stammer.
|The world… The world you destroyed was the lair of the Evil Dragon!|
Ah… I'm doomed.
|We're finished! We're going to die! I thought you destroyed the Evil Dragon's lair because you were hunting it and had a plan. Don't tell me…|
"Well… I just got stranded there."
Tee~ he~
|Do you even know how powerful the Evil Dragon is?|
"How strong can it be?"
|A 7 Star monster. The one on the 6th floor is its avatar. But even an avatar possesses immense strength... How about we run? Before the Evil Dragon awakens—|
SWOOSH—
An unbearable heat swept across the entire mountain, even causing Arov's soul, wrapped in the Power of Will, to evaporate.
"This is…"
|We're too late.|
A massive dragon, the size of a mountain, descended. The ground beneath its feet instantly melted into lava.
"Wait, that dragon…"
I had seen it before—it was the dragon that had captured me back then.
I turned my soul's body around.
The red dragon was right in front of my face.
Gulp—
"Hi, little mouse."
The breath from its nostrils burned my soul.
"How about we play for a bit?"
***
The surroundings instantly changed to a world filled with lava and volcanoes.
But what set it apart were streams of purple energy that sent shivers down my spine.
"Let me try."
I attempted to analyze it with the Power of Will, but something seemed to block my willpower.
CRASH—
RUMBLE!
An earthquake and volcanic eruption startled me.
I looked up to see the cause of the eruption.
Its form was utterly perfect—a harmonious combination of beauty, grace, cuteness, and even maturity that left me speechless.
Her long, ancient crimson horns were the clear mark that she wasn't human.
A throne of fire descended.
Her hair blazed with flames at its ends, and her figure, more stunning than any top model, sat on the fiery throne.
My heart nearly exploded at her beauty.
But alas, I was just a soul.
|I can hear all your thoughts, Stupid Monkey.|
Oops.
"I—"
|Silence.|
A powerful pressure forced my body to kneel.
No matter how hard I pushed my Power of Will, it was futile.
This woman completely controlled my soul.
I knelt, raising both hands in surrender.
Why did this scene feel like a husband caught cheating with his girlfriend, only to come home and find his wife waiting with a gun?
|Your imagination truly runs wild.|
Her glowing eyes intensified, and the pressure on me grew heavier.
Ah, I forgot she could read my mind.
|I've been watching you all this time.|
Stalker.
|Didn't I tell you to shut up!?|
"Urgh!"
Damn, the pressure increased.
|Hmm? Not bad, you passed the first test.|
?
Her expression soured, and killing intent surged toward me.
|Why aren't you happy?|
My frustration hit its peak.
"You told me to shut up, you bastard!"
I stood up, flipping her the middle finger.
CRACK—
"Uh oh."
The armrest of her fiery throne shattered with a single squeeze.
Alright, stay calm. I'll kneel again.
I knelt, raising my hands once more.
"..."
|...|
The lava's turbulence slightly subsided.
My soul grew weaker.
The woman stood and flew toward me.
|Do you know the sins you've committed?|
Nod—
Nod—
I nodded.
|Name them.|
"First, I entered the Honorable Lady's lair without permission. Second, I caused a commotion in the Lady's lair. Third, I destroyed the Lady's lair. Fourth, I failed to take responsibility for sins one through three. And fifth, I cursed the Lady with vulgar words."
The woman smiled, extending her jade-like finger to lift my chin.
I deliberately emptied my mind as a defensive measure against potential hypnosis.
|Sixth, attempting to flirt with a woman as attractive as me.|
Gulp—
Cold sweat poured down my soul's body.
Wait, since when could souls sweat?
|For now, rebuild your body. You can do it, can't you?|
"Yes."
|As penance for your previous sins, I'll take you to the 7th floor. Do you object?|
I shook my head.
"No, not at all, Ma'am!"
|Good.|
A fiery red light glowed in her hand, piercing my soul in an instant.
This… was a mark?
This woman marked my soul!
It felt as if escaping would cause this mark to annihilate my soul instantly.
|Now, go.|
SWOOSH—
I didn't reply and left immediately.
"This place is terrifying. Is this a domain?"
But it felt like an independent world.
Golden light radiated from my soul's body as I analyzed every part of this world.
I pushed my Power of Will to the limit, breaking through the boundary of this world and reality.
The Power of Will condensed into a sword in my hand.
Power of Will is strong, but pure archetypes require a catalyst to amplify their power.
SWUNG—
I swung the sword, slicing through the spatial rift of this world.
CRASH—
Without looking back, I left the cursed place.
Behind me, the woman remained seated.
She continued watching Arov's every move.
|To think that a Stupid Monkey could reach 6 Star…|
***
A dimensional corridor opened at the other end of the world.
Arov exited with a heroic landing.
His mind was in chaos.
It had truly been an accident.
But who would believe such a claim when the perpetrator was fully aware of his actions?
No one!
Even I wouldn't believe it.
Right now, I was in a truly unique position.
I was like a criminal awaiting execution.
A criminal who had destroyed someone's home while visiting.
"..."
|That woman… No, what is the Evil Dragon doing?|
"There are some things I want to ask. I've lost my memory. Could you tell me more about this world?"
The lie flowed as easily as water from my tongue.
I sensed the giant tree doubted me, as the aura of the Evil Dragon still lingered deep within my soul.
After a brief silence, the giant tree broke it.
|Fine, I'll assume you've lost your memory.|
Power of Will radiated from the giant tree, and our surroundings shifted.
For some reason, the projection was similar to what the system showed.
But that didn't mean the two shared the same origin.
It was more like a universal method accessible through archetypes.
|This is the race that inhabits the 1st floor: the Stupid Monkey race. They are a very weak race, with their highest potential capped at 3 Star.|
"..."
I think I understand why they're called Stupid Monkeys.
They didn't even resemble humans!
What I saw was a monkey! Yes, a monkey!
How could they think we were similar?
"Sorry to tell you late, but I'm not part of the Stupid Monkey race…"
The Will surrounding us condensed into the form of a young girl.
|Then, what exactly are you?|
She circled around my soul's body.
"Have you ever heard of humans?"
The giant tree in the form of a little girl raised her eyebrows, seemingly deep in thought.
|No—there's no such race across all the floors.|
"Ah…"
Had humans not evolved yet? Or something?
I couldn't think of any possibilities.
|Perhaps your race hasn't yet awakened supernatural abilities or left its planet. Some lower races are like that. So, it seems you're a pioneer of the human race. You're truly remarkable.|
"If that's the case, don't call me a Stupid Monkey anymore, giant tree. I come from the human race!"
For some reason, I felt pride from deep within my nonexistent heart.
The girl opened her mouth.
"Just call me The Glimpsed One, Minerva, from the Yggdrasil race. You don't mind if I ask your name, do you?"
"What kind of silly question is that? Of course not! My name is Arov."
"Hmm? Why didn't you use your token?"
"Eh? Token?"
"It'll be quicker if I show you."
FLICK—
Minerva snapped her fingers, producing a beautifully decorated token brimming with magical energy.
"This is a token containing the title of an entity. Only those who've reached the Ascension Gate can obtain it."
The token in Minerva's hand opened mysteriously, revealing strange energy similar to hers, yet distinct, floating serenely.
"Its first function is identification. You've noticed that the aura emanating from this token is similar to mine, haven't you? We use this energy as our official signature."
The scenery shifted, revealing a colossal monument floating in the void. It stretched endlessly, with no discernible top or bottom.
"The second function is as an entry to the Monument of Ascension. With this token, your title will be displayed inside the Monument of Ascension. Look over there."
Minerva pointed to a name etched into the Monument.
The Glimpsed One.
"To enter the Monument of Ascension, you must be on the 7th floor and possess a token with your title. Unfortunately, we're still on the 6th floor, so I can't show you the real thing."
"In that case, does every 7 Star individual have their own title?"
"Unfortunately, no."
Minerva gazed at the Monument of Ascension with a hint of sadness.
"It's been so long since a new title was recorded. The last was when the previous Monster Emperor made history by defying fate. What you see now are titles passed down through clans or powerful families."
Minerva floated closer to the Monument of Ascension, gently touching the title The Glimpsed One.
"Those blessed with a title by the Ascension Gate only appeared during the First and Second Chaos Eras. The rest inherited titles from entities who received them directly from the Ascension Gate."
Minerva pointed at me.
"And you, Arov. This is your first time stepping into the Ascension Gate, and you've yet to officially reach 7 Star. Your journey is still long. I'm unsure if you'll ever receive a title, but I'm certain you'll achieve something extraordinary in the future."
"…I have a question."
"Go ahead."
Minerva smiled, her pearly white teeth glinting.
"When did the Monster Emperor receive their title, and how did they obtain it?"
"Emm… It's a bit of a long story. But one thing is certain: the Emperor defied the fate set by the Ascension Gate."
"…!"
---
Done (10/10), the current schedule is 7 chapters per week. It seem I giving too much infodumps in this chapter, but I want to finish this arc as soon as possible. Sorry for the shameless author.