"Wow," I breathed out, incredulous, "that's a considerable amount."I was awestruck by the vast array of weapons that Arthur had crafted using his Gift. The assortment seemed to span into hundreds, a testament to his prowess and dedication.He chuckled uneasily in response, an awkwardness hanging in the air as he acknowledged his handiwork. Arthur shared that he believed having a substantial arsenal would prepare him to confront the Demons. This belief had driven him to hone his skills, to explore the possibilities offered by his Gift. Yet, despite his impressive output, a tangible fear of the outside world remained nestled within him.Making a decision, I spoke up, "Alright then, it's time to get to work."Given the circumstance, it was clear that the seventy or so Demon Cores I possessed wouldn't be enough to smith the vast array of weapons spread before us. However, the objective wasn't to enhance every single weapon. Arthur looked towards me, a gleam in his eyes that suggested ex
After a restful few hours, I stirred Arthur from his slumber, as we made ready to embark from the sanctuary he called home. Cautiously, I stowed all essential items within the confines of my [Subspace], meticulously arranging them for easy access when required. Every significant object was carefully positioned, and its location committed to memory to ensure an uninterrupted focus during combat.“Time to go!” I said, looking at Arthur with a comforting smile. He responded with a hesitant nod.The prospect of stepping out of the house for the first time since the apocalypse would indeed be a daunting task for anyone. His apprehension was palpable, yet I was certain he would soon come to understand the futility of his fears.With a resonant vwoop, the deep freezer and refrigerator that had fortified our entrance seamlessly found their places amongst the other items in my [Subspace]. As the barricade disappeared, the door slowly swung open. With my senses heightened, I cautiously set foot
Despite my rising apprehension, I couldn't help but flash a defiant grin. "Bring it on!" I declared, primed to confront the monstrous presence barreling towards us.Turning my gaze to Arthur, I found him frozen in place, pale-faced due to my ominous warning earlier. His proximity to the forthcoming clash would only complicate things; he'd be more of a liability than an asset in the imminent showdown. However, I couldn't afford to lose sight of him either; a stray demon might take advantage of his vulnerability while I was occupied. Besides, observing the battle might serve as a reality check for Arthur, helping him appreciate the gravity of our partnership and the peril that came with it.Without wasting any more time, I issued my command, "Arthur, stay here… I’m heading down!" "W-wha?! B-but-"Before he could voice his protest, I sprang into action, descending the stairs in one swift leap. There, at the bottom, I finally caught sight of the titanic demon making its grand entrance.T
Pausing, I took a deep breath, "Huu…” and summoned my trusty freezer to act as a barricade between us and any possible danger. Arthur and I were once again venturing into the unknown, stepping inside yet another unidentified apartment.Darkness engulfed the room, but I was well beyond being bothered by such trivialities.“Settle down…” I instructed Arthur, acknowledging but not commenting on the trembling of the scared underling following me.Choosing one of the sofas in the living room, I settled myself, the soft surface providing some relief to my strained muscles.“Haaa…” I sighed, reflecting on the recent battle.Despite the number of Demons I had managed to slay moments ago, fatigue was hardly setting in. The aftermath of the horde's obliteration, including the formidable Hell Kobold Spawn (Adult), had led to a wild increase in my levels. Nonetheless, I didn't let my guard down. Instead, I employed my heightened senses to sweep across the vicinity, in search of any residual prese
Standing at the crossroads of decision, I found myself faced with three formidable 'Skills,' but space to accommodate only two.'Spike Attack''Venomous Spikes''Venomous Claws'However, with 'Claw Attack' already anchored in my Skill Slot, I was left with just two vacancies."I see…" I murmured, absorbed in the dilemma that lay before me.The typical approach might be to supplant my 'Claw Attack' with an ostensibly stronger Skill, such as 'Venomous Claws.' However, that could prove to be a catastrophic blunder."I have honed my 'Claw Attack' to its pinnacle, thereby enhancing its efficiency and longevity in combat," I reminded myself.Even though 'Venomous Claws' promised a surge in power, it couldn't possibly compete with the endurance and recovery time of my pre-existing skill.After all, I had possession of only a single (Adult) Demon Core. There was no prospect of amplifying the 'Venomous' skills in the near future.One might consider opting for both Venomous skills and forfeitin
My assessment of our preparedness brought forth a satisfied smile as I glanced at Arthur, who responded with a nervous affirmation. A peculiar blend of anticipation and fear tingled at the edge of my senses as my gaze landed on the foreboding door ahead. Freedom from this desolate confinement was within grasp, but the path ahead was strewn with formidable obstacles.Gently tapping the obstructions, I sent the freezer back into my [Subspace], clearing our path. With the task done, I navigated towards the door, instructing Arthur firmly, "Stay behind me!" He promptly fell in line, tailing me closely as we embarked on our journey.The voyage across the hallway of the first floor towards the stairwell was interrupted by a few roaming Demons, most likely stray remnants from the levels above. With deft agility, I unleashed a flurry of blades, dispatching the intruders swiftly. Arthur, caught between eagerness and caution, scurried to collect their fallen Cores. After successfully neutralizi
Utilizing the combined force of my three Skills, I released a volley of Spikes and Claws, along with the entire array of blades I had summoned. >SWOOOOOSHHHHHFTWIP
Excruciating pain tore through my body, each heartbeat a reminder of my dire state. The steady rhythm of blood dripping from my shredded clothes underscored my suffering, and I swayed with the waves of encroaching unconsciousness. Yet, I held onto my sword tightly, my glare unwavering at the group of Demons standing before me."Fifteen...when...will it end...?!" I gasped out, my chest heaving with exertion. There was no answer to my desperate plea, no respite from the oppressive fatigue that wrapped itself around my body like a vise.The Kobold Guardians took deep, ominous breaths, heralding the commencement of their vile skill. I cursed under my breath, and through sheer force of will, propelled myself beyond the reach of their impending sonic assault. The invisible shockwave rushed past, causing the hairs on my skin to stand on end just from the residual force.Seeing an opening, I charged at the immobilized monsters, momentarily incapacitated by the after-effects of their skill. Wi
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