Darkness engulfed them the mont they stepped inside. The air within the cavernous tunnel was cold and unmoving, untouched by ti.
Arlon instinctively raised a hand, preparing to cast a small light spell. Sothing simple—just enough to illuminate their path.
But before he could—
Agema snapped her fingers.
And suddenly—
The entire cavern ignited with light.
Golden, ethereal torches flared to life, lining the walls as far as the eye could see.
The soft glow of mana cascaded outward, revealing a massive underground chamber stretching endlessly before them.
The sheer scale of the space was staggering.
Arlon froze.
June stared, stunned.
This wasn't just a simple light spell.
This was sothing else entirely.
Arlon's mind raced as he quickly analyzed the spell. It wasn't just summoning light—it was commanding mana itself, bending it across an impossibly vast area.
He could never do sothing like this. Not even if he had years to master it.
Beside him, June was thinking the sa thing.
She had spent three months training under Agema. She had seen how powerful she was.
But even so—this was on a completely different level.
Agema turned back toward them, grinning smugly.
Her expression practically scread, "See? Wasn't that cool?"
Arlon and June, still in shock, remained silent.
Agema, pleased with herself, turned back and continued walking forward. "Co on, let's go."
Arlon exhaled, shaking his head slightly.
Even after all this ti—Agema still managed to surprise him.
They walked for a while, following the illuminated path deeper and deeper underground.
Then, without warning—
The passageway opened up.
The air shifted.
And before them, standing in the center of an enormous hollowed-out mountain, was the Tower.
A structure so massive it defied logic.
The Tower stretched high above them, its dark stone walls twisting with unfamiliar runes, glowing faintly in the dim light. Vast and ancient, it lood like a monunt to a forgotten era.
The sheer presence of it was overwhelming—an aura of power and mystery radiating from its surface.
It wasn't just old.
It was sothing beyond ti itself.
June's breath caught in her throat.
"This is…"
Agema's voice was soft, for once free of her usual playfulness.
"The Tower."
---
The vast underground cavern echoed with silence, the Tower standing before them like an immovable force.
The weight of its presence pressed against them, an unspoken challenge lingering in the air.
Arlon crossed his arms, staring up at the colossal structure. After a long pause, he finally broke the silence.
"Shouldn't we bring the others here?"
June turned toward him in surprise, and for a mont, Agema said nothing.
Arlon was thinking about the rest of the Gars Guild, about Maria, Carn, and Evan.
If the Tower truly contained powerful monsters that granted experience, wouldn't it make sense for them all to level up together?
But Agema sighed, shaking her head.
"It's dangerous—even for you two."
Arlon furrowed his brow. "Even ?"
Agema nodded. "Yes. Even you." She glanced at the Tower, her expression unreadable. "The Tower is sothing I only learned from Karl after I ascended. When I was alive, I didn't even know this place existed."
That made both Arlon and June pause.
Even Agema—the greatest magician in Trion's history—hadn't known about this place?
That alone proved how important and dangerous it was.
Agema crossed her arms. "Besides, the more people I bring here, the more I help them. And the more I help them, the more I ss with the balance of EVR.
She smirked, flicking Arlon's forehead playfully. "And I've already helped you two plenty."
Arlon exhaled, looking away.
He still wasn't sure how "the balance" worked, but he knew one thing—he and June were on their own in this Tower.
And that was fine.
Agema turned back toward the Tower, her playful expression fading slightly. "Alright. This is where I leave you two."
Arlon's fingers twitched slightly.
He had known this was coming.
But actually hearing it made sothing heavy settle in his chest.
Agema wasn't coming inside with them.
This ant… this was the last ti he would see her before the three months were up.
A realization he didn't like.
Agema noticed his silence.
Then, as if reading his thoughts, she suddenly grinned.
"What? Don't tell you're going to cry?"
Arlon rolled his eyes. "You wish."
But he still didn't move.
Agema smirked. "You're not getting rid of forever, you know. Co back in three months, and you'll see again. Besides—" She shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe we'll have other opportunities in the future."
Arlon wasn't sure if she ant it or if she was just saying it to make him feel better.
But he still nodded.
Because he wanted to believe her.
Before they could dwell on it any longer, Agema cleared her throat. "Oh, right. One more thing before you go."
Arlon and June both looked at her.
Agema pointed at the Tower. "Ti inside flows differently. The higher you go, the slower ti moves outside.
June blinked. "Wait, what?"
Agema smirked. "It's theoretically possible to reach the highest level in three months. But it depends on how fast you climb. The higher you go, the more ti slows down for the outside world."
Arlon's eyes narrowed. "And at the top?"
Agema tapped her chin. "My assumption is that ti stops completely at the highest level."
June exhaled. "So, we could be in there for years and only a few months would pass out here?"
"Pretty much."
That changed things.
This wasn't just a dungeon to grind levels.
It was a completely different world inside.
Agema grinned. "But don't worry if you can't reach the top. Your goal isn't to conquer the Tower—it's to level up."
That, at least, was sothing Arlon already knew.
Even if they spent months—years—inside, it wouldn't matter as long as they left stronger than before.
June took a deep breath, gripping her staff tightly.
Then, without hesitation, she stepped forward.
The mont she crossed the threshold of the Tower—
She vanished.
Arlon stared at the empty space where she had been just seconds ago.
His chest tightened slightly.
He wanted to stay here a little longer.
But—
Agema placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Go on, disciple. I'll be waiting for you."
Arlon exhaled.
Then, without another word—
He stepped inside.
And the Tower swallowed him whole.
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