Needless to say, Ethan's trials were exceptionally difficult.
Most people faced tests like surviving an hour in a forest or killing low-level goblins depending on their potential and talent.
Ethan?
His trials were handcrafted. Personalized.
As if the Tower itself wanted to see him break. As if it was saying:
"Push yourself. Beco better."
He was not the first to be treated this way.
Throughout history, those with obscene potential were placed under the Tower's care. And if you were under the Tower's care and managed to survive…
You would beco untouchable.
A force beyond reason, shaped to match your potential.
People like that had a na.
Irregulars.
They were rare—extrely rare.
But if you ever t one, you had two options, either be on good terms with them and If you can't, then take your distance from them.
Because if you beca their enemy…
You were already dead.
And not even in the soul realm would you find peace.
Because their ans were special.
…
Ethan found himself in the sa forest as last ti.The one he had been sent to after his first trial.
The green sky lood overhead, and the soft rustling of leaves filled the air.
Tired beyond belief, he dropped onto his back, arms spread out.
"Let just sleep a little…" he mumbled.
'Mister! Mister! Are you sleeping?!'
'Ethan, don't sleep here. Let us out first. I feel suffocated here.'
His eyes snapped open. Esray? Anita?
Damn. No sleep, then. Might as well be productive.
"Where are you?" he muttered.
'Inside you.'
Ethan frowned. That was a sentence he never wanted to hear in his life.
'Just will it, and we'll co out.'
He exhaled. Fine.
The mont he did, two white orbs of light floated out of his chest.
In an instant, they transford into Esray and Anita—their soul forms.
Ethan glanced at Anita first.
She was eagerly looking around, practically vibrating with energy.
Holding herself back only because of him.
His lips curled into a small smile.
'She died so young. Then spent who knows how long in a nightmare. Her ntal age is still that of a child.'
He sighed.
"Anita, you can go play. I'll call you when I n—"
She was already gone.
A streak of gold disappeared into the trees, leaving behind an excited voice.
"Thank you, Mister! Anita loves you very much!"
Ethan shook his head with a chuckle.
"I should've expected that."
Then, he turned to Esray.
"You can do whatever you want too. And don't worry, I won't control you or anything. I just hope you won't do anything bad to or those I care about."
He said a little bit worryingly. After all this woman had many dangerous titles she might have her ans.
Esray smiled lightly.
"Of course. You don't have to worry."
Ethan nodded.
"Anita needs a body. But you…" His gaze sharpened. "Your body is still intact sowhere. Do you have a way to reclaim it?"
Esray shook her head.
"After a million years, my connection to it is gone, severed. I'm just like Anita now. I need a new body."
Ethan groaned.
'Shit. Anita's body already cost 5 billion. What about Esray's?'
His head was starting to ache again. Esray approached him and sat beside him silently, leaning on him.
Ethan didn't pay attention to it.
'System, give so good news. How much did I gain?'
[Host, for saving Esray Mindel, The Profane Queen, from her eternal tornt, you have gained 100 billion karmic points.]
[For putting your sanity at stake to ease her burden, you have gained an additional 5 billion karmic points.]
[For giving her back her life, you have gained an additional 10 billion karmic points.]
[Total: 117.5 billion karmic points.]
Ethan blinked.
'Wait… how much?!'
He rapidly rubbed his eyes and checked again.
Nope. Still the sa.
117.5 billion.
He whistled.
"Well… at least my suffering was worth it."
With this, he could easily create Anita's body.
And maybe… just maybe Esray's too.
'System, take 5 billion and create a body for Anita.'
'Wait. Is 5 billion the price for the best body?'
[Of course not. That price is for the most basic angelic body. But even that body is millions of tis better than yours, Host.]
Ethan's eye twitched.
'Shut up, you bastard. I didn't need to hear that.'
'What's the price of the best body? And what's the difference?'
[A better body ans a stronger bloodline, greater adaptability, and higher talent.]
[And the best body? It will have a bloodline extrely close to her origin.]
[That ans no other being of her race can suppress her aside from the direct children and their offsprings. And other races will feel pressure just by facing her if there bloodline is not at her level.]
Ethan groaned.
Damn it. I need to get my bloodline soon too. But every ti I want to, sothing else cos up! Fucking hell!
'You still haven't told the price.'
[As a mortal, and as a child, her body is cheaper. The price is…]
[110 billion karmic points.]
…Pardon?
'Co again?'
[110 billion, Host.]
Ethan collapsed onto his back.
Staring blankly at the green-tinted sky.
Questioning the aning of life.
He had suffered, almost lost his mind, and pushed himself to the brink for those points.
And he was about to spend them all.
Sure, he could pick a cheaper body.
But now that he knew how much Anita could benefit from this, how much it could protect her, there was no way he'd settle for less.
He sighed.
'Ah, seriously… fuck my life these days.'
'System… take the points. Give the best body.'
[As you will, Host.]
[How should the body look?]
Ethan thought of her trauma-induced form.
Golden hair, golden eyes. A cute, childlike face.
'Just like how she was. I think she'd want to keep the form she inherited from her parents.'
[Processing…]
He turned to the trees.
"Anita! Co here! I have a surprise for you."
Esray watched Ethan closely, her erald eyes filled with curiosity.
And then—
The body began to form.
Golden blood materialized out of thin air.
Muscles knit themselves together.
Veins spread like roots, pulsing with divine power.
The heart. The bones. The hair.
Piece by piece, life was being woven into existence.
Ethan and Esray stood frozen.
srized.
But Esray wasn't just srized—she was shocked. What she was witnessing surpassed all her knowledge of creation.
But for Ethan, sothing else stirred. So questions popped into his mind.
This power…The power to create sothing from nothing.
The power to wish for sothing and have it appear.
His fists clenched.
'What kind of being is behind my system… to wield such a power?'
Because even gods couldn't do this.
And Esray was proof.
After all…
She was once a god. Or rather, a Stage-1 god.
And she couldn't do this - not even close.
—End of Chapter 36—
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