‘I’ve faced countless Demons, I’m stronger than I was before. I shouldn’t be scared of Chloe anymore. I’ve changed!’Reciting this mantra to convince myself, I could feel her approach the door. In a few seconds, she would be here. In just a few seconds, I would once again see the person who had tortured me for so long.‘Shit! This can’t be… I’m so nervous!’Apparently, I had assumed that I had changed. Meanwhile, deep in my core, I was still the same feeble Jeremy. I only convinced myself to be in control of everything, since my opponents so far were evil monsters and naïve individuals. However, against the shadows of the past… was I still so helpless?>CREAK< The door opened.I buried my face into the book I was reading, pretending to be unaware of the girl that entered the room. A whole second felt like an eternity to me. I struggled to hide my nervousness, but it appeared my acting skills were failing me.‘Keep it together, Damian.’“Oi, who are you?!” She suddenly asked.Clearly,
“Where have you been all this while, you creep?” Chloe kept looking at me condescendingly. I placed my book by my side, and while it pained me to do so, I withheld my desire to kill her.HOWEVER, I absolutely refused to act inferior to the bitch.“This is quite the surprise… Chloe, it’s a shocker to meet you here.” I smiled.My response fazed her a little. Clearly, she wasn’t expecting such a smooth response. While it was possible for me to act the way she remembered me, I had no intention to stoop so low.Why?Because there was no merit in doing so!Unlike in the case of Anne and her group, Chloe proved to be of no worth to me, at least at the moment. My innocent, kind, act had earned me the trust of my current supporters. They thought of me as harmless, and so didn’t give in to suspicion or burrow deeply into my words.As a result, my position among them was cemented. But, with this brat, there was no benefit whatsoever. Not only was she weak, but her attitude would make it difficu
“Tch. You…” Chloe was nearly speechless after our brief exchange. Apparently, her trump card, Daniel’s existence, did her no good.‘As expected. She hasn’t changed, still leeching off the authority of others…’ I thought to myself.I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t a little frightened of Adam, or his existence within the Camp. I certainly hadn’t expected to meet the two worst people I knew in my life in the same place.‘Does this mean… even more of my classmates are here?’ My mind rang.If that were the case, then that would be bad. I don’t think I would be able to control myself with so many targets for revenge in my line of sight.Merely seeing this bitch was enough to send thoughts into my head. I didn’t want more distracting flies buzzing around me.“Why are you here?” I asked, glaring at her.The sooner she left, the better. If possible, I would prefer she left before Anne’s group returned.‘I don’t want them to see another side of me.’“That’s none of your business!” Chlo
>BOOOOOMMMM!!! The extreme collision between Anne’s powerful fist and Chloe’s sturdy barrier sent waves across the room, causing everything around to shake violently. Things turned out to be more serious than I expected.“I’ll ask you once again, Chloe… and you’d do well to answer me. Explain yourself!”Chloe gulped this time, appearing extremely fazed by Anne’s look.The fact that she was all alone in a room full of people who were suspicious of her didn’t help matters.“Calm down, Anna. Jeez… I only came to talk about something when I saw that twerp. I didn’t know he was-““Twerp? Are you trying to dismiss what you just did right now? You know the sanction that awaits you for this, don’t you?” Peter interrupted, glaring at Chloe as he spoke.His annoyed tone, coupled with the slight look of satisfaction at the situation clearly proved that Peter had something against her.“Relax, okay? I did
“After the meeting, I was a little worried that something might happen between you and Annette, so I came to look for you,” Adam said with a concerned face.“A-ah, is that so…?” Chloe laughed awkwardly.Adam nodded affirmatively, moving closer to Melissa with his usual charming gait. His well-built body and youthful exuberance made him admired by most, even now during the Apocalypse.“It turns out I was right. Something definitely happened for you to look so annoyed.” He whispered.Gripping Chloe by the waist and drawing her closer to himself so he could smell and hold her in his arms, Daniel smiled and closed his eyes charmingly.“Talk to me, babe. What happened this time?”Chloe felt her annoyance slowly ease away, and her fear dissipated. Now that she was with her man, nothing would hold her back.“Those bastards nearly killed me! Shit, if I hadn’t erected my shield on time, Anne would have bashed her fi
Adam was scum!No, he was much worse. Everyone around him knew how selfish he was. He had wealth, power, influence… and strength. Because of this, he was able to get anything he wanted with no consequences attached.His favorite hobby was picking on the weak, and while he had scores of toys to play with, he enjoyed ‘teasing’ Damian the most.He was an absolutely repulsive and selfish person, the perfect match for an opportunist like Chloe.Since she was also smart, beautiful, and influential, their union wasn’t a surprise to anyone that knew them. And so, they started dating.They both hated the weak, especially Damian, and trampled on them due to their high esteem. Those were the time of their lives, fun moments… until the Apocalypse began!The world turned into hell overnight, and everything was plunged into chaos.Their prospective futures turned into dust, and the wealth and fame that their families bui
After we concluded our meal, Katie took all our dishes and placed them outside. Upon noticing my surprise, Anne decided to explain things to me.“Duties are split among the Camp members. Usually, they would even be the ones to bring our meals for us, but since we have one extra mouth to feed, I had to talk to the food distribution unit. Plus, the rest wanted to come along with me and ask for extra, since this was a special night.” Anne said with a warm smile.Words could not express the kind of disgust I felt once I realized that this meal was actually dubbed as ‘special’.‘It pains me to think of the usual food these suckers eat.’I understood that they were trying to conserve resources, but I would rather leave such a Camp and fend for myself than share my find with a bunch of losers who could only do domestic work and grovel for their daily bread.“A-ah, I see…” I muttered.Before more conversation ensu
Using my Sanitizer and water well, I cleaned up nicely.Feeling squeaky clean, I placed them back into [Subspace], also putting the mat in the trash area.‘There’s no way I’m ever using that again. It’s as good as shit now.’ Finally, I returned the Gas mask as well, holding my breath as I quickly exited the horrific area.“Haaa… Haaa…” I heaved heavily upon stepping out.“Wow, you did a good job. I was so sure you’d run out screaming.” Peter smiled, giving me a surprised expression.‘This bastard actually wanted to see me terrified?’>SighAt this moment, I knew I had to complete whatever I wanted to do and leave this filthy place quickly. I wasn’t sure how long I could survive living this way.As we walked away from the men’s toilet, my eyes caught the female’s side of the restroom as well.Seeing that they were divided, I had a feeling that
In the quiet aftermath of the tumultuous ARMAGEDDON, I found myself standing at the precipice of a new reality. The remnants of the battle lingered in the air, and I could feel the residual power and (G) Essence coursing through the fabric of existence. As I gazed upon the aftermath, a solemn determination settled within me – a resolve to forge a reality free from the influence of both Demons and Gods.With newfound purpose, I raised my hands, drawing upon the remnants of power that swirled around me. As I concentrated, the very fabric of existence seemed to warp and bend to my will. The Demons and Gods, the Administrators of this chaotic universe, were to be left behind in the debris of ARMAGEDDON.In a surge of cosmic energy, I began to shape a pristine reality, one untouched by supernatural forces. The skies cleared, the land became fertile, and the seas calmed. I meticulously crafted a world where the laws of nature reigned supreme, untouched by the meddling hands of higher bei
"Oh well, there's nothing else I can do…" Even if I was annoyed about the whole thing with Arthur, it was still a fact that he lost.Thanks to their emergency escape, the Pariah party missed their chance to challenge the Hidden Floor of the Tower Of Conquerors.Not only that, but their plan to use Leah and the others as hostages didn't work. They were in my [Subspace].'It's not like they matter to me at this point…'I could simply keep them as (G) Karma Point banks.Now that I could once again resort to farming (G) Karma from people, wasn't this the perfect opportunity to gain as many points as I could?'Ah, but I need quite the number of Points to advance to B Rank…'My Gift was currently in C Rank. While the abilities were pretty broken at this point, I couldn't help but wonder what awaited me if I could get a higher Rank.'With this whole gods business, I need to get as strong as possible…'With a smile, I gazed upon the warbling portal in front of me."Speaking of stronger… I sh
What happens when a person keeps climbing the Tower?Yes, with each Level Up, wounds heal and the body is restored. However, mental fatigue is something that piles up. The strain a person has is something that gathers over time.The Rankers knew this quite well, so they all agreed to climb together. It was very obvious what they were planning on doing.—Letting the other person die!In this world, there were many ways to get stronger. It was also possible to use certain loopholes in the System—especially if one wasn't an Evil Aligned yet.Since the Rankers were in a Party, they must have been very certain of their Alignments, making them completely 'trust' one another.But, these things could be deceptive.Just as I managed to kill a bunch of people without a change in my Chaotic Neutral Alignment, the same applied to a lot of people—especially in a dangerous place like the Tower.As they fought monsters, it was certain that Rankers would get weakened. Then… if, by chance, some 'accid
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT!][The Tower Of War Has Been Cleared!]Torrents of thoughts flowed in my mind as I looked at the System Window displayed in front of me.'What the hell…?'Why?How?Who?It didn't make any sense.The average Level for the current denizens of the world was 50. The strong ones were about to reach Level 100, but I didn't expect anyone to have attained Level 150 talk-less 200.The Levels and Grades of the monsters climbed as one advanced through the Floors, and since the Towers had similar difficulty, I expected others to receive the same treatment I experienced.No one could have succeeded in that venture, but me. It wasn't pride… but reality!However…'Could it be.—?!'Perhaps it was something I failed to consider. I had always suspected it, but after the Tutorial ended and I kept a watchful eye on the Leaderboard, Auction, Tower Updates, and several other elements of this new world, my doubts were cleared.There shouldn't have been anyone else who was granted somet
"Rise and shine, sleepy head." A voice greeted Abhoth as he opened his astral eyes.His vision blurred, but it only lasted for a moment.Soon, he could see everything around him. It was the exact scene he remembered before dying—the underground room where he was brewing his Elixir.Did he not die? Had he managed to survive?Countless thoughts lurked in Abhoth's ghost-like body… until he realized the fact… that he was in a ghost-like body.He nearly shrieked, seeing as he had a near-transparent form, and floated like a ghost. A purple aura emanated from him, and his body was incorporeal—well, nearly.He was made of energy, and he could even see his actual body—his corpse—lying on the ground.Abhoth didn't need a prophet to tell him that he was dead.'Ghost Magic…?!' His thoughts rang, and imaginary cold sweat broke out on his forehead.He was a ghost, so he couldn't really sweat.Still, Abhoth understood the implications of what had happened to him. As an expert in Magic, he knew of th
The audience was astonished!Sweat fell from their brows and their bodies shuddered. Even though they were protected by the sturdy pink layer, none of them were immune to the chill that coursed through their bones.The group had thought they saw the full extent of the Masked Man's powers—or at least close to it. However, his current actions shattered their preconceived notion."I-impossible…""This can't be real… right?""I can't believe this… is he really human?""Masked Hero! You're so amazing!"They all had different ways of expressing their shock.For starters, the group didn't know how it was possible to clear the battlefield of corpses. They had seen so many dead bodies—like an insurmountable sea—yet, in an instant, the Masked Man cleared them all.It was a feat like none other.As if that wasn't amazing enough, a massive Dragon suddenly emerged from a dark cloud and soared into the sky. The Demon—a being that far surpassed anything they had seen up until that moment—charged bri
There were many ways to win.I knew that from the get-go. I could use [Subspace] to shave off parts of the Dragon's body, reducing its health until it completely fell apart.I could use my purification to severely weaken it and blast the monster to kingdom come. An easy solution would also be to use the seventy-one Treasures OF War to impale the beast on all ends. If I added my Mana to them and increased their efficiency, the monster stood no chance.I could keep going on and on as to how I could win, but what was the point?Once in a while, a person needed some excitement in their life—I was no exception."COME!"My declaration prompted the Dragon Of Storms—or rather, what was left of him—to charge at me with frightening speed.>WHOOOOSSHSHHH
The area around the beast was charred, and nothing but black, sooty grounds surrounding it. Impaling it were several weapons; ranging from spears to blades.They all looked very powerful and valuable.There were seventy-one of the weapons that pierced the monster's body… most likely what killed it.My eyes narrowed on the dead beast, and a wry smile appeared on my face. It now made sense why I sensed such powerful energy from beyond the gate back then.This monstrosity was the cause.Laid on the ground, surrounded by destruction and carnage was one of the most powerful races of Demons that existed.—A Dragon!Judging from the battle scene, I had a fair idea of what transpired here… at least what the narrative of this Floor was.A battle occurred, and the several races combined forces. They had a common enemy, and that was the fallen beast at the center of the battle. I had an idea of the difficulty if seven hundred thousand individuals ganged up on the creature.'It's at least a Grade
I realized my childish body was too inefficient.In so many ways, the fact that I was below average in height and build was going to impede my future plans… which was why I decided to solve the problem.Using Lara’s Gift, now my Skill, I could shape-shift into any form I desired. However, it consumed Mana, and it also had a duration despite how much I maxed it out. Since I couldn't maintain it for too long, the ability was useless as a permanent solution.Scouring for a solution in the SHOP, I finally found my answer. It was a Potion known as the Perfect Growth Compound. After reading its description, I understood its function.The potion simply elevated whoever drank it to their ideal, most perfect physical state. As a result, it could take me to the peak I could ever attain physically.I was a little worried that I was going to remain short, but seeing as there was also a Reversal Potion being sold, I decided to take my chances.Who would have thought… it actually worked!I grew to