What if desires could be realized?
What if there was one wish you could have — just one? What would that be?
Would you ask for wealth beyond imagination? Power that could shake the heavens? Or maybe… just maybe… you'd wish for something deeper, something no amount of gold or strength could provide.
At least, that's what people believed.
And in the very center of this world, rising past the clouds and piercing the heavens, stood the Tower of Desire — a monolithic structure so massive that its peak was said to reach beyond the stars themselves.
No one knew where it truly ended.
Some called it the pillar of creation, comparing it to the World Tree from myths. They claimed it held the world together, that without it, everything would collapse.
But the truth? No one knew.
Because no one had ever reached the top.
This Tower was not just an awe-inspiring landmark — it was a challenge. From Floor 1 to Floor 1000, trials awaited, each one deadlier than the last.
Those who entered knew the risks, but they climbed anyway, chasing after that single promise: anything you desire shall be yours.
Yet, despite the legends, not a single person had ever returned from the highest floors.
And most importantly, not just anyone could enter.
The Tower didn't let people in just because they wanted to climb. It chose. It was said that only those with the strongest desires — unbreakable ambition, burning obsession, or desperate longing — would be selected.
No one knew exactly how it worked, but when the Tower called, there was no refusing it.
That's why I was confused.
Because right now, I was standing outside the Tower of Desire, its massive black doors stretching endlessly before me, as if they could swallow the entire world.
And I had no idea why.
I wasn't some hero chasing glory. I wasn't a desperate soul looking to resurrect a lost lover or take revenge on some cruel fate.
I didn't have any grand ambitions, nor could I even remember wishing for anything.
But here I was.
The vast plaza before the Tower stretched for miles, filled with people who looked just as bewildered as I felt.
Young men and women — some trembling, others wide-eyed with excitement — stood in silence, staring up at the colossal structure that had summoned us here.
The air buzzed with whispered conversations, but no one knew what was about to happen.
A man stood at a podium that seemed to hover in the sky, his very presence exuding an aura of serenity.
His robe was unlike anything I had ever seen — woven from living flowers, petals shifting in color as if caught in an eternal spring.
Soft pinks, deep purples, and shimmering golds, blooming and wilting only to bloom again.
His white hair flowed like silk, cascading past his shoulders, and his beard, long and unkempt, gave him the appearance of an ancient sage.
Yet despite his tranquil demeanor, his gaze was sharp. He wasn't simply looking at us; he was seeing through us.
When he finally spoke, his voice was deep, rich, and carried the weight of ages.
"Welcome, contenders, to the Tower of Desire."
The moment those words left his lips, a silence swept across the crowd. All eyes locked onto him.
The panic, the confusion, the hushed whispers that had rippled through the newly arrived contestants — all of it was swallowed by the sheer weight of his presence.
"I am Ordis, one of the many Guardians of this Tower. My purpose is not to hinder, nor to aid you directly. I am merely a guide — a watcher of the trials that unfold here."
His gaze moved slowly across the gathered people, studying us with quiet patience.
"You stand at the precipice of something greater than yourselves. Each of you was chosen — not by chance, not by luck, but because the Tower deemed you worthy… or rather, because it recognized within you the seeds of desire."
The seeds of desire?
I clenched my fists. That didn't make sense. I didn't have any grand desire. Not that I could remember, anyway. And yet, here I was.
I wasn't the only one confused. Whispers stirred again, some bolder than before. A young man to my left, wearing a tattered red cloak, narrowed his eyes.
"What do you mean, 'chosen'? I never asked to be here."
"Nor did I," someone else muttered.
Ordis did not react. If anything, the briefest flicker of amusement crossed his features.
"You misunderstand. The Tower does not seek your permission. It does not wait for your approval. It calls, and you are here because you answered, whether you realize it or not."
His words settled over us like a heavy mist. Some looked uncertain, shifting uncomfortably, while others straightened their backs, as if reassured.
"Now, listen well, for I will only explain this once."
He lifted a hand, and in that instant, the very air changed.
The space behind him warped, shimmering like water, and suddenly, glowing symbols etched themselves into the sky.
They burned like constellations, forming into words and images that shifted as he spoke.
"The Tower of Desire is an ancient thing. Its origins are unknown, its creator long forgotten, if such a being even exists. But what is known is this: it is a place of trials and rewards. From this moment on, you are all contenders. Your purpose? To climb. To survive. To prove your worth."
The glowing text shifted, revealing a massive number — 1000.
"There are one thousand floors. Each one a test, a battleground, a puzzle, or something far worse. With every floor you conquer, the rewards will grow, your strength will expand, and your path to your ultimate desire will become clearer. But let me make one thing abundantly clear."
His gaze turned cold.
"The Tower does not tolerate the weak. It does not show mercy. If you fail a trial, if you hesitate, if you make a mistake that cannot be undone… you will die."