Chapter 36 – The Tower of Endless Trials
The Trial Tower existed beyond ordinary space.
Every participant entered the same tower...
Yet no two people experienced the same trials.
The Tower did not merely test strength.
It peered into one’s soul.
It examined talent, character, instincts, and potential.
It judged whether someone deserved to continue climbing.
Floor One
Azrael’s breathing steadied.
His Eclipse Wings beat once as he circled his opponent.
The clone mirrored every movement.
Silver-black eyes met identical silver-black eyes.
Neither attacked.
Not immediately.
The clone suddenly smiled.
"You’ve realized it."
Azrael nodded.
"You’re not here to kill me."
"No."
"I’m here to remove your weaknesses."
The next instant—
Both figures disappeared.
CLANG!
Two Astraeus blades collided in midair.
Shockwaves spread across the endless plain.
The clone attacked with perfect efficiency.
Every strike flowed naturally into the next.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
Azrael blocked the first.
Dodged the second.
Redirected the third.
Instead of forcing his own attacks...
He began learning.
Minutes passed.
The battle became smoother.
Every exchange refined his swordsmanship.
Every mistake disappeared.
Finally...
The clone stepped back.
It lowered its sword.
"You’ve learned."
The copy slowly dissolved into silver particles.
Before disappearing completely, it spoke one final sentence.
"Never become satisfied with your current self."
"The greatest enemy of evolution..."
"...is complacency."
The System chimed.
Floor One Cleared
Evaluation:
Perfect
Rewards:
Sword Mastery Increased
Origin Perception Enhanced
Origin Step Mastery +10%
Azrael smiled.
"So that’s how this Tower works."
Instead of simply rewarding strength...
It forced growth.
A staircase of light appeared.
Without hesitation, he climbed.
Floor Two
The environment changed.
A vast canyon stretched endlessly before him.
The wind howled through jagged cliffs.
Across a broken bridge stood another figure.
Not a clone.
A young swordsman dressed in ancient armor.
He carried no halo.
No wings.
Only a weathered sword.
The man opened his eyes.
"You seek power."
Azrael nodded.
"I do."
The swordsman shook his head.
"Wrong answer."
He drew his sword.
"Come."
Outside...
The floating screens updated.
Students throughout the Academy watched in fascination.
Marcus had already reached Floor Three.
His challenge involved defeating an enormous stone titan.
Ryan was solving a battlefield strategy puzzle while defending a fortress from endless enemies.
Sophia was silently moving through a labyrinth filled with invisible assassins.
Elena faced successive duels against legendary swordsmen.
Then...
Everyone’s attention shifted toward another screen.
Valeria.
She had already reached Floor Seven.
Crimson flames erupted from her broken halo as she defeated another guardian.
The audience erupted into cheers.
"As expected of Rank Two."
"She’s incredible."
Lucian calmly continued climbing.
He had already reached Floor Nine.
Every trial before him seemed effortless.
The professors nodded in approval.
"The Student Council President has become even stronger."
Back inside...
Azrael faced the ancient swordsman.
Unlike his clone...
This opponent possessed completely different techniques.
The old man never rushed.
His sword moved with calm precision.
Azrael attacked first.
The swordsman blocked effortlessly.
One gentle movement redirected Astraeus completely.
Azrael stumbled.
The old man spoke.
"A sword..."
"...is not swung."
"It is guided."
Again.
Again.
Again.
Every attack Azrael launched was redirected.
The old man never once struck back.
He simply defended.
Finally...
Azrael stopped attacking.
He closed his eyes.
The wind brushed against his face.
The canyon became quiet.
His Origin Perception expanded.
For the first time...
He sensed not only mana.
But intent.
The swordsman’s breathing.
His balance.
His heartbeat.
Azrael smiled.
"I understand."
He moved.
One step.
One strike.
The old man’s sword shifted to intercept.
Instead...
Azrael altered the angle at the last moment.
Astraeus stopped gently against the old man’s shoulder.
Silence.
Then...
The old swordsman laughed.
"You’ve learned faster than expected."
He bowed respectfully.
"The path of the sword welcomes you."
The trial dissolved.
Floor Two Cleared
Reward:
Sword Intent Unlocked
Current Stage:
Beginner
Far away...
Seraphina stepped onto Floor Two.
The dying forest she had restored disappeared.
Now...
She stood before a village consumed by plague.
Hundreds of frightened villagers looked toward her.
Children cried.
The elderly struggled to breathe.
The System spoke.
Floor Two
Heal the village.
Success Condition:
Save at least 90%.
Seraphina immediately got to work.
Golden vines spread through the streets.
Her Genesis Aura expanded.
The disease wasn’t ordinary.
It was corruption.
Dark energy hid within every victim.
She closed her eyes.
Bloom Halo.
Activate.
Warm golden light spread across the village.
The corruption slowly emerged from the villagers’ bodies.
Tiny black wisps floated into the air.
Golden flowers immediately absorbed them.
The sick gradually recovered.
One elderly woman held Seraphina’s hands.
"Thank you..."
Before Seraphina could answer...
The entire village dissolved into light.
Floor Two Cleared
Evaluation:
Perfect
Reward:
Purification Skill Advanced
Genesis Aura Range Increased
Meanwhile...
Marcus had reached Floor Four.
He stood before an enormous banquet.
Roasted beasts.
Golden fruits.
Ancient wine.
The System announced.
Floor Four
Resist Temptation.
Marcus stared.
"...This is evil."
Outside...
Ryan nearly fell off his seat laughing.
"He’s doomed."
Marcus cautiously reached toward a roasted drumstick.
The moment his fingers touched it—
The entire banquet transformed into monsters.
One bit his arm.
Another kicked him across the room.
Marcus screamed.
"I KNEW IT!"
The audience burst into laughter.
Even Headmaster Orion smiled.
"The Tower knows every weakness."
Several hours passed.
One by one...
Participants began failing.
Some collapsed from exhaustion.
Others were defeated.
The number of remaining candidates rapidly decreased.
Participants Remaining
12,684
↓
8,913
↓
6,240
↓
4,011
The professors silently observed.
One dragon professor looked toward Azrael’s screen.
"Interesting..."
"He isn’t climbing quickly."
Another nodded.
"He’s learning everything."
Headmaster Orion smiled.
"And that’s precisely why he’ll climb higher."
At that moment...
Azrael reached Floor Three.
The moment he stepped onto the platform...
Every hair on his body stood on end.
The space around him distorted.
Countless broken swords covered the ground.
A lonely figure sat upon a mountain of blades.
His face remained hidden beneath a straw hat.
Without opening his eyes...
He spoke.
"I have waited..."
"...for ten thousand years."
Azrael frowned.
"For me?"
The old warrior slowly nodded.
"No."
"For the first person..."
"...worthy of drawing my sword."
A terrifying pressure erupted from the ancient swordsman.
Even outside the Tower...
The floating screen trembled.
Several professors immediately stood.
Headmaster Orion’s smile disappeared.
"...Impossible."
"The Tower summoned him?"
The elderly dragon professor whispered in disbelief.
"That should only happen beyond the fiftieth floor..."
As the old warrior slowly rose from his mountain of broken swords, he drew a single black blade from the earth.
The moment it left its sheath...
The sky split apart.
The mechanical voice of the Trial Tower echoed across every floor simultaneously.
Hidden Trial Activated
Candidate:
Azrael Ashbourne
Special Opponent Selected
Reward:
Unknown
Failure:
Unknown
For the first time since the entrance examination began...
The Trial Tower itself had altered its own rules.
And every professor knew exactly what that meant.
The Tower had decided to personally test the first Aetherion.