The screen flickered one last time before fading to black. Azrael leaned back in his chair, his long white hair spilling over his shoulders as he exhaled deeply. The words "Congratulations, Challenger Azrael. You have reached the 50th Floor—the End of All" lingered in his mind, their weight sinking in slowly. Five years. It had taken him five years to conquer the Tower of Eternity, the most brutal virtual reality game ever created.
He ran a hand through his hair, his purple eyes reflecting the dim light of his gaming room. The victory felt hollow, though. No fanfare, no grand celebration—just silence. The game had always been a solitary journey for him. An orphan with no family to share his triumphs, Azrael had poured everything into the tower. It was his escape, his purpose, and now… it was over.
He stood, stretching his stiff muscles. The game's advanced neural interface made every movement, every battle, feel real. His body still remembered the countless fights, the near-death experiences, the moments of sheer desperation. The Tower of Eternity wasn't just a game—it was a second life. And now, it was done.
Azrael glanced at the clock. 3:47 AM. He should sleep, but the adrenaline from his victory still buzzed in his veins. Instead, he grabbed a bottle of water and stepped onto the balcony of his small apartment in Seoul. The city lights stretched out before him, a sea of neon and shadows. He took a sip, letting the cool night air wash over him.
That's when it happened.
A low rumble shook the ground, so deep it felt like the earth itself was groaning. Azrael gripped the railing, his eyes scanning the horizon. The sky, once clear and starless, began to warp. Clouds swirled unnaturally, forming a massive vortex. And then, it appeared—a colossal structure, descending from the heavens. The Tower of Eternity.
Azrael's breath caught in his throat. This wasn't possible. The tower was a game, a virtual construct. Yet there it was, materializing in the real world, its 50 floors towering over the city like a monolith of ancient power. The sight was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.
Before he could process what was happening, a blinding light enveloped him. His vision went white, and a strange sensation coursed through his body—like his very cells were being rewritten. When the light faded, Azrael found himself standing in the same spot, but something was different. His senses were sharper, his body lighter, and a strange energy pulsed within him.
A holographic screen materialized before his eyes, glowing faintly in the dark. It displayed a message:
"To the one who reached the summit, who grasped the end of all things, we offer this gift. You are no longer bound by the limits of mortality. You are something… more."
Azrael blinked, his heart racing. The screen changed, revealing his stats:
Level: 1
Strength: 13
Agility: 17
Vitality: 14
Mana: 30
Soul Power: 10
Bloodline: #####
Skills: None
His eyes widened as he scanned the numbers. These were his starting stats, but they were far beyond what he had expected. When he had first started the game five years ago, his stats had been decent for a beginner—Strength at 8, Agility at 9, Vitality at 7, and Mana at 10. Back then, he had been proud of those numbers. They were above average, giving him a solid foundation to build on. But now? These stats were superb.
"Thirty mana…" he muttered under his breath. Humans started with a mana stat between 5 and 15. Yet here he was, starting at 30. His other stats were no less impressive. Strength, agility, vitality—all far beyond the starting stats of humans. The Arch-angel Physique had clearly elevated him to a new level.
But it was the last few lines that truly puzzled him. Soul Power: 10. He had never seen this stat before, not in the game, not in any guide or forum. What did it mean? Was it related to his new physique? And then there was his Bloodline, described by a string of cryptic symbols: ##### The characters shifted and writhed as he looked at them, as if they were alive. He couldn't read them, but they felt… ancient, powerful, as if they held secrets far beyond his understanding.
Finally, his Skills section was blank. None. It was a stark reminder that, despite his impressive stats, he was starting from scratch. No spells, no combat techniques, no passive abilities—nothing. He would have to rebuild everything from the ground up.
The screen continued:
"You have obtained the Arch-Angel Physique. A fragment of divinity now resides within you. Embrace it, and you shall transcend."
Azrael's mind raced. This wasn't just a game anymore. The tower had become reality, and he was no longer just a player. He was something… other. The energy within him felt alive, as if it had a will of its own. It whispered to him, not in words, but in sensations—a pull toward the tower, a call to ascend once more.
The next few hours were chaos. News outlets exploded with reports of the tower's appearance. People across the globe awoke to the same holographic screens, their stats laid bare for the first time. The world had changed overnight, and no one knew what it meant.
Azrael stayed in his apartment, watching the news and testing his new abilities. His mana control was effortless, as natural as breathing. He summoned a ball of light, its glow illuminating the room. It was beautiful, but also unnerving. He was no longer human—not entirely.
But there was one glaring difference. In the game, he had accumulated countless skills and an enormous amount of stats, but now, all of that was gone. He had no skill, no items—nothing but his base stats and the Arch-Angel Physique. It was a sobering realization. He was starting over, and this time, the stakes were real.
As the sun rose, a new message appeared on his screen:
"The Tower of Eternity is now open. Challenges await. Ascend, and claim your destiny."
Azrael stared at the message, his mind racing. He had conquered the tower once, but this was different. This was real. The stakes were no longer virtual—they were life and death. And yet, despite the danger, he felt a strange sense of purpose. The tower had always been his escape, his refuge. Now, it was his calling.
He didn't know why he felt such urgency, but he couldn't ignore it. The pull was magnetic, as if the tower itself was summoning him. He grabbed his jacket, pulling the hood low over his face, and stepped out into the city.
The streets of Seoul were in chaos. People were panicking, some trying to flee the city, others gathering in groups to discuss the tower. Azrael moved through the crowds unnoticed, his presence blending into the background. He didn't want attention—not yet. His goal was clear: reach the tower. But it wasn't just curiosity or a sense of duty driving him. It was something deeper, something he couldn't quite put into words.
As he walked, his mind wandered. He thought about the five years he'd spent climbing the tower in the game. The countless hours of training, the battles that had pushed him to his limits, the moments of despair and triumph. It had all led to that final moment, standing at the top of the 50th floor, the words "End of All" flashing before his eyes. And now, here he was, facing the tower again—but this time, it was real.
He didn't know what awaited him inside. The tower had always been unpredictable, each floor a new challenge, a new world. But he knew one thing for certain: he had to go back. Not just because he was the only one who had reached the top, but because he felt like he belonged there. The tower was a part of him now, just as much as he was a part of it.
As he approached the base of the tower, the sheer scale of it took his breath away. It loomed over the city like a god, its surface etched with intricate symbols that seemed to shift and change as he looked at them. The air around it crackled with energy, and the ground beneath his feet hummed with power.
Azrael reached out, his hand hovering over the massive doors. The symbols glowed faintly, and the doors began to open. A voice echoed in his mind, deep and resonant:
"Welcome back, Challenger. The tower awaits."
Azrael stepped inside, the doors closing behind him. The air was thick with energy, and the walls seemed to pulse with a life of their own. He took a deep breath, his mana flaring to life around him. The first floor stretched out before him, familiar yet different. The challenges would be harder this time, the stakes higher. But Azrael was ready.