The rhythmic tapping of footsteps echoed in the corridor, growing louder with each second. The distinct cadence hinted at the approach of a group of individuals.With the soft sunlight filtering through my curtains, I realized morning had already dawned. This was expected, though; it was only a matter of time before they came to confront me.Judging by the distinct pace and muffled voices, I estimated that there were five of them. Their steps, while measured and deliberate, also betrayed a sense of urgency.As the footsteps neared, a smirk tugged at the corners of my lips. 'They decided to show up early.'Shortly, the group paused right outside my door. As anticipated, a knock followed."Damian, it's Annette," a familiar voice called out.Pushing down my initial amusement, I focused on arranging my features into a more neutral expression. I couldn't help but chuckle silently, thinking, 'This practiced look might be unnecessary, b
Restructured Narrative:"No, Damian, we couldn't impose like that," Anne began hesitantly, grappling for words to explain their decision to abandon me.I mentally willed her to halt, 'You better not say it.'"Consider them a token of gratitude," I interrupted warmly. "I don't wish to be merely a burden. With these resources, I believe I can be of help. There's more in the other rooms too," I added, ensuring my smile conveyed only sincerity.The palpable tension in the room shifted, replaced by the weight of my proposed generosity. It was palpable, watching them struggle between their prior decision and the allure of the supplies. I reveled silently at the sight, already anticipating their change of heart. But Anne, forever bound by her unwavering sense of duty, tried to voice their initial decision again."Damian, I really tried to persuade everyone but—" she began.Inside, I grimaced. 'Could she be any denser?'I was pr
My breath came in ragged gasps, each one tinged with the coppery taste of blood. "It's useless… I can't… I can't win!" I stammered, a fresh trickle of crimson spilling from the corner of my mouth.Every part of my body was a symphony of pain. The force that had opposed me had left me broken, battered, and on the brink of oblivion. There was no strength left to fight, no energy to flee. And even if there were, this being, this creature that faced me was faster, more powerful, and entirely invulnerable to anything I might have thrown at it.As it slowly descended towards me, its eyes locked on mine, the reality of my situation settled in. Sweat coated my skin, my heart pounding in my chest as the thoughts in my head spiraled into a chaotic whirlwind of terror."I don't want to die… I don't want to die… I don't want to die!"The fear was primal, a terror that reached into the very core of my being. I had faced danger before, encountered foes that seemed insurmountable, but this was diffe
My breath came in ragged gasps, each one tinged with the coppery taste of blood. "It's useless… I can't… I can't win!" I stammered, a fresh trickle of crimson spilling from the corner of my mouth.Every part of my body was a symphony of pain. The force that had opposed me had left me broken, battered, and on the brink of oblivion. There was no strength left to fight, no energy to flee. And even if there were, this being, this creature that faced me was faster, more powerful, and entirely invulnerable to anything I might have thrown at it.As it slowly descended towards me, its eyes locked on mine, the reality of my situation settled in. Sweat coated my skin, my heart pounding in my chest as the thoughts in my head spiraled into a chaotic whirlwind of terror."I don't want to die… I don't want to die… I don't want to die!"The fear was primal, a terror that reached into the very core of my being. I had faced danger before, encountered foes that seemed insurmountable, but this was diffe
"Get in formation, everyone!" Anne's voice rang out, assertive and clear, as she stepped forward. Her body began to glow with a fiery orange aura as she activated her Gift [Armament], preparing for battle. Damian watched the energy envelop her, fascinated by the transformation.As expected, the group positioned themselves to shield Damian, their bodies forming a protective wall between him and the approaching Demon. To them, the creature was a rapid threat, but to Damian's heightened senses, it appeared sluggish and unimpressive.He could sense every detail of the battle, even from his shielded position. It all depended on perspective, and his was honed to perfection."Stay behind us, Damian. Don't worry, this will be over soon!" Anne reassured him, her eyes filled with consideration and compassion. He was taken aback by her focused attention and suddenly remembered the tale he had spun.'Oh shit! I nearly forgot that I told her the whole story about my entire comrades being killed by
“Huu… good job, everyone,” Anne smiled, her face glowing with satisfaction. With a graceful motion, she wiped the sweat that had formed on her forehead while deactivating her Armament.A sense of ease settled over the group with the death of the Hobgoblin. Damian's eyes widened in astonishment as he witnessed their levels increase. Larry and Daniel advanced to Level 17, Peter reached Level 19, Anne soared to Level 22, and Lily climbed to Level 13—all from a single Hobgoblin subjugation!‘That’s… unbelievable… how low are their Stats for them to have all leveled up?’ Damian thought, his mind buzzing with the incredibility of it all.It occurred to him that perhaps their EXP had been on the brink of 100, so the death of the Demon tipped the balance and caused them to level up. That was the only reasonable explanation.When a Party hunted Demons, the EXP was distributed according to individual contributions. The system behind it was an efficient, uncomplicated method to gain Levels, and
Her inquiry into my Gift caught me completely off guard, landing with the force of a sledgehammer! It was the one question I hadn't been expecting. Even Anne and the other team members hadn't asked about it. It was Katie who finally dared to raise the question.Her voice, innocent as it was, had unintentionally attracted the attention of everyone present. Their eyes turned in our direction, filled with curiosity, and I knew I had to come up with something. A torrent of thoughts rushed through my mind, trying to form a coherent response.However, they all ended in the same panicked thought: ‘Oh crap, what do I say?!’“Oh, yeah. That’s true… I’m curious as well,” Peter chimed in, leaning in our direction, his interest piqued.Daniel, though busy with shrinking objects, glanced at us from time to time, his eyes betraying his curiosity. Larry remained silent, but his enigmatic Alignment meant I couldn't take his silence at face value.It was clear that everyone wanted to know.“I-I’m sorr
We continued on our journey, maintaining our usual formation. Anne was often behind me, her watchful gaze fixed intently on my movements. At the forefront was Katie, vigilantly scanning for monsters, with Peter's steadfast support.The others formed a balanced, airtight defense around us, taking care of our flanks. More than once, I felt Katie's eyes on me, a mix of curiosity and perhaps even a hint of envy.She seemed to long for the attention Anne bestowed upon me, a thought I found rather amusing.'You can have her for all I care… it’s not like I like having this overbearing woman around me,' I thought to myself, almost wailing at the idea.Our path led us to encounters with a few more Hobgoblins, though fortunately never all at once. The group dispatched them with the same proficiency as before, their movements seamless and practiced.We took pauses, of course, not only to work around the limitations of Daniel's Gift but also to accommodate the physical endurance of the team.Well
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