Damn, that was good. If life could always be like this, I'd have no complaints.
Ethan lay back, feeling the afterglow. But that mont of peace only reinforced his goal—power. He still rembered his first desire: to be strong enough to laze around. Yet, once his system awakened, he put that dream aside, choosing the path of the Giver instead.
Now, though… Now that he had tasted flesh, pleasure, the sheer intoxicating thrill of lust—he wanted it all. He wanted the freedom to indulge whenever he pleased.
But he knew better.
Damn it. Why wasn't I reborn as a god?
[Host, control your emotions. Your next trial awaits.]
Tch. Fine.
He turned toward Esray and Anita, who were talking and laughing in the distance. An angel and a demon—two beings who should be natural enemies, yet here they were, bonding over their shared devotion to him.
They were deep in conversation, already plotting the foundations of his church, when Ethan spoke.
"I've wasted enough ti. I'm moving to the next trial."
The two girls turned to him.
"What about us?" Esray asked.
"I guess you can co with ?" Ethan mused before looking up. "Tower, can they?"
{No.}
The tower's voice echoed across the entire resting zone, not just in his mind.
{Like all climbers, they must start at Trial Zero.}
{If you are ready, simply will it, and I will send each of you to your respective trials.}
Ethan sighed. "Thought so. Thanks, Tower."
{You are welco, O Giver.}
Esray's eyes widened. He talks to the Tower like it's a person… and it responds to him differently.
Normally, the Tower was cold, chanical, only speaking to climbers to explain trials and rewards. But with Ethan? It was almost… considerate.
This wasn't normal.
"Esray, you can leave whenever you're ready," Ethan said before turning to Anita. "But Anita, I never asked—what's your talent and grade?"
Anita smiled proudly. "Anita's talent is Healing. SS Grade."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. SS-grade healing? That's rare.
He grinned. "That's a great talent, Anita. You'll be valuable."
Hearing his praise, Anita's golden eyes sparkled. "Then can Anita stay with Mister?" She clasped her hands together, looking up at him with puppy eyes.
Ethan hesitated.
Luckily, Esray stepped in.
"Anita, you need to climb the Tower too. You can't always rely on Ethan—he needs to rely on us as well. The only way to do that is if we get stronger."
Anita bit her lip, then nodded firmly. "Okay! Anita will beco strong and help Mister!"
Ethan smiled. He liked this little girl, but she was right—he couldn't afford to slow down.
"Take care of yourself," he said, placing a necklace in her hands. "This will protect you if you're in danger."
The artifact was SS-ranked, enchanted for defense. He wouldn't let his people die.
"Thank you, Mister! Anita won't disappoint you!"
With a final wave, she disappeared.
Esray approached Ethan, her arms wrapping around his neck. "Now that she's gone, I can give you a proper goodbye, my lord."
She pulled him into a deep kiss, her body pressed flush against his. Their tongues entwined, heat rising between them, the quiet forest filled with the sultry sounds of their passion.
When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless.
Esray leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "I'm going, Master… and don't go fucking other girls while I'm gone. You already have and my sisters. That's enough, right?"
Ethan chuckled. "More than enough."
She grinned. "See you soon, love."
And then, she was gone.
For the first ti in a while, Ethan stood alone.
He exhaled, steadying his mind. "Ti to go."
He willed the trial to begin.
{Your third trial will start shortly.}
Darkness swallowed him.
{Third Trial: The Forsaken}
When Ethan opened his eyes, he was in a massive prison.
Stone walls stretched endlessly in every direction, lined with iron-barred cells. Inside them, figures lurked—humans, elves, beastn, even monsters. So lay motionless, their eyes hollow. Others stared vacantly at the walls, their spirits broken.
{Trial Description: You are in one of the most guarded prisons in the lower floors of the Tower. The prisoners here have lost the will to live. Restore their hope.}
{Objective: Save at least five prisoners to pass.}
{Rewards: S-Grade Armor Card, S-Grade Weapon Card, C-Grade Sound Affinity.}
Ethan's gaze sharpened.
Interesting.
⸻anwhile
Anita stood in the sa darkness Ethan had, but unlike before, her deanor had changed.
Gone was the innocent, wide-eyed girl. Here, she was cold. Indifferent. A sharp contrast to how she acted around her 'Mister.'
{Analyzing…}
A sickening sensation washed over her. She felt the Tower peeling through her mories, her soul, her very existence.
She clicked her tongue. "Tsk. Disgusting."
{Analysis Complete.}
{Your bloodline nears its original state. Your potential is limitless.}
{You wield an SS-Rank Healing Talent.}
{Your existence is unique. This is your second life after death.}
{You qualify for a special trial.}
{Prepare yourself, O Angel of Loss.}
Anita scowled. "Angel of Loss? Change that. I'll be whatever angel my Master wants to be."
The Tower ignored her.
Darkness swallowed her, and when she opened her eyes, she was in a ruined village.
Corpses littered the ground. The air reeked of rot. Villagers lay sick in their hos, their bodies ravaged by poison. Frogs the size of wolves prowled through the streets, their eyes glowing with malice.
{First Trial: The Ruined Village.}
{Objective: Cure all villagers and eliminate the poisoned frogs. If even one villager dies, you fail.}
{Ti Limit: 7 Days.}
{Rewards: Two A-Grade Skill Books.}
Anita cracked her knuckles.
This is annoying.
She sighed. "Mister, I already miss you."
anwhile—Esray's Trial
Esray stood in the void, her expression unreadable.
Unlike before, there was no lust in her gaze, no reverence—just calm neutrality. This was the real her. Her lustful and reverend side is only for her master, Ethan.
{Analysis Complete.}
{You possess a Supre-Grade Talent. Your future is boundless.}
{You were once a goddess of the Tower. Your identity is special.}
{You are a demon—specifically, a succubus. A race blessed with imnse mana and power.}
{You qualify for a special trial.}
{Brace yourself, O Demon of Lust.}
Esray narrowed her eyes. "Demon of Lust? I'm only lustful for my Master. Change it."
Silence.
Then, darkness.
She opened her eyes in a graveyard filled with tombs and rotting corpses. The ground pulsed with eerie magic, and undead beasts lurked in the shadows.
{First Trial: Graveyard of the Cursed.}
{Objective: Command the undead and make them your army.}
{They are at least A-Rank.}
{Ti Limit: 3 Days.}
{Rewards: Ring of the Pri Goddess of Death.}
Esray grinned.
"Controlling A-Rank undead as an E-Rank?"
She licked her lips.
Bring it on.
—End of Chapter 40—
Reviews
All reviews (0)