The 100th floor of the Tower was an unending expanse of blackened ground beneath a dead, starless sky. The air was heavy, crackling with a pressure that felt alive. Kael stood amidst the silence, his battered body trembling. Across from him stood, a towering figure of crimson armor and glowing, piercing eyes. His presence alone warped reality around him, each step reverberating like the toll of a death knell.
"You've reached the end, mortal," the figure said, his voice calm yet thunderous. "This is where your fleeting dream shatters."
[System notification]
[Mori, God of manifestation]
[Rank: ???]
Kael's hands tightened on his sword without warning, Mori raised his hand, and the battlefield rippled like water. Shadows coalesced into monstrous forms giants, serpents, and faceless horrors, each radiating an oppressive aura.
"They are the embodiments of your failures," Mori said, his tone mocking. "Let's see how long you last against your own past."
The creatures surged forward, their combined roars shaking the void. Kael gritted his teeth, dodging the first strike—a massive claw aimed for his head. His blade sang as it cleaved through one of the beasts, but the effort left him open. A second monster slammed into him, sending him skidding across the ground.
Pain lanced through his body, but he forced himself to rise. Every swing of his blade cost him dearly, but he fought on, refusing to yield. The monsters kept coming, relentless and overwhelming.
Mori watched with a disinterested gaze. "This is the difference between us, mortal. You struggle against my creation, while I command reality."
With a snap of his fingers, the battlefield shifted again. The ground dissolved, leaving Kael suspended in an endless void. Weapons blades, spears, and arrows manifested around him, each aimed at his heart.
"Die knowing you were insignificant," Mori intoned. The weapons rained down, a storm of destruction.
Kael gritted his teeth, using every ounce of his strength to dodge and deflect. But he was too slow. A spear grazed his side, another cut deep into his shoulder. His body faltered, his knees hitting the ground.
Mori stepped forward, his voice colder than the void. "Pathetic." He turned, his back to Kael. "You're not worth the effort."
"You talk too much" Keal said as his breathing was ragged, his vision blurring. But in the depths of his despair,every battle he had endured forced him to his feet, his grip on his sword tightening. "If you're so powerful," he rasped, "why turn your back?"
Mori stopped, his shoulders stiffening. He turned slightly, glancing over his shoulder. "You're still alive? Annoying."
Kael lunged. It wasn't a perfect strike. It wasn't even clean. But it was fast faster than Mori had expected. His sword pierced through Mori's chest, golden light erupting from the wound.
Mori staggered, his crimson armor cracking. "Impossible…" he muttered, his voice filled with disbelief. His form began to disintegrate, fragments of light drifting into the void.
Kael collapsed to his knees, his blade still lodged in Mori. "You underestimated me," Kael said, his voice a whisper. "That was your mistake you should not talk too much while fighting"
As Mori's body dissolved, the air around Kael grew heavy with power. A deep, resonant hum filled the void, and a cold, mechanical voice echoed through the air:
[System Message: Congratulations, Challenger!]
[You have conquered the Tower.]
[You are now recognized as the King of the Tower.]
Kael's wounds began to mend as golden light enveloped him.
[Unique Skill Unlocked: Void Manipulation]
[Title Acquired: King of the Tower]
Kael gasped as a surge of energy coursed through him. He could feel it the void, infinite and unyielding, now at his command.
The System continued:
[Void Manipulation: Any enemy killed by the user will be transported to the Void, their essence transformed into shadows that serve as loyal subordinates Create command word .]
"Create a key word? Uhmm.... Come forth."
[Complete].
Kael's gaze fell to the remnants of Mori. The air swirled violently as black tendrils lashed out, consuming the fragments of Mori's form.
"I don't know how this works," Kael muttered, extending his hand toward the swirling energy. "But let's see."
COME FORTH!!.
The void pulsed, and from its depths, a figure began to emerge. Mori stepped forth, his form darker, his eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.
The System chimed:
[Void Soldier Created: Mori (Level 1)]
Mori stood before Kael, silent and imposing. Yet, there was no defiance in his stance. Instead, he bowed, his voice now devoid of arrogance. "My king," Mori said, his tone filled with reverence.
Kael stared at him, a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction crossing his face. "I didn't think it would actually work."
"CANCEL SUMMON"
Without a word, Mori dissolved into the shadows, leaving Kael alone on the battlefield.
Kael exhaled deeply, his body finally relaxing as the weight of the battle lifted. The System's voice echoed once more, breaking the silence of the void:
[Congratulations, King of the Tower. Your conquest is complete.]
[You may now return to your world.]
Kael froze at the word returning. For months, he had climbed the Tower, facing death at every step. He had been so consumed by survival, by the need to overcome every challenge, that he had almost forgotten what waited for him outside.
Mom. Ah-In.
The faces of his mother and sister flashed through his mind. His mother's gentle smile, always masking her worry. His sister's fiery gaze, her voice sharp yet filled with love. They were the ones who had kept him going, even when he thought he wouldn't survive.
Kael clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening. "It's been so long," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Too long."
He looked at his hands, now brimming with power he could barely comprehend. His regeneration mending his wounds, leaving only the cold strength of the Void within him. He had become something far greater than the hunter who had first entered the Tower. But as that realization sank in, so did the weight of what he had sacrificed to get here.
"I made it," Kael muttered, his voice steadying. "But none of this matters if I can't see them again."
The System's voice spoke again, pulling Kael from his thoughts:
[Your title, King of the Tower, has been etched into eternity.]
[Returning to your world in 10 seconds.]
The void around him began to shift, the endless darkness rippling as a portal formed. Kael took one last look at the battlefield the place where he had bled, fought, and survived for what felt like an eternity.
Kael turned to the portal, his heart pounding. "I'm coming home."