2026-08-14 13:18:48A searing heat radiated across his cheek, triggering a sharp throb of pain that jolted Elang back to his senses. Through his blurred vision, he caught his reflection in the cracked restroom mirror.
There, instead of a pathetic high school student, he saw a faint shadow of the Sovereign. Wrapped in a billowing black cloak, the avatar’s piercing gaze stared back at him with deep, profound disappointment.
"Wake up, Elang! If you give up now, what difference does it make whether you're here or in your own world? You'll still be a loser!" the phantom hissed with sharp cynicism.
Elang felt suffocated, every tendon in his body tightening. He stared at the Sovereign’s figure through his hazy vision.
"I—" He gasped for air, struggling to find his voice.
Redi raised the nail-studded wooden plank once more. "What's wrong? Gonna cry? Just like when you begged for mercy behind the cafeteria last week?"
[Warning: Host's Mental State is reaching a critical threshold!]
[Failure to retaliate within 5 seconds will result in 'Soul Collapse'!]
"5..."
"4..."
As the countdown commenced, Elang felt a strange vibration deep within his chest. The dark-purple aura that had nearly torn him apart on Floor 1 flared up again. But this time, it was calmer, as if responding directly to his buried rage.
"I am not a loser anymore," Elang hissed.
The exact moment the wooden plank swung toward his head, Elang didn't dodge. With his bare hand, he caught the nail-studded weapon, catching Redi and his gang completely off guard.
The rusted nails pierced right through Elang’s palm, but he didn't even flinch. His eyes locked dead onto Redi's pupils.
"I-Impossible! How can you—" Redi desperately tried to yank the wooden plank back, but it wouldn't budge. Elang’s grip was ironclad.
"I. Am. Not. A. Loser!" Elang emphasized every word, his eyes flashing with a fierce glare.
With a brutal jerk, Elang ripped the plank from Redi’s grasp and snapped it in two as if it were a dry twig. He didn't care about the blood pouring from his punctured palm.
[Willpower has increased drastically: 12 -> 20!]
[Trauma Effect Cleansed!]
[Status 'Awakened Will' Active: Physical strength increased by 20% for 5 minutes.]
Redi stumbled backward, his malicious face now deathly pale. "W-What kind of black magic are you using, huh?! Attack him! Don't just stand there!" he shrieked to his two cronies, who were still frozen in shock.
The two lackeys charged forward. However, to Elang—whose Architect’s Sight was fully active—their movements appeared incredibly sluggish. He could see streams of dark energy driving their bodies. These weren't actual humans; they were mere manifestations of malice conjured by the Tower.
Thud! Crash!
Elang didn't use a weapon. With bare fists drenched in his own blood, he buried his punches straight into their solar plexuses. Each of his strikes was now coated in a thin, golden aura that shattered the structure of the illusion. Before they could even hit the floor, both of Redi’s friends disintegrated into shards of black light.
"Now, it's just you," Elang hissed, stepping toward Redi, who was already backed against the damp restroom wall.
"D-Don't, Elang! I'm sorry! We're friends, right?" Redi whimpered, attempting one final, desperate manipulation tactic.
Elang stopped inches from Redi's face. He could see the absolute terror in those eyes—the same eyes that had looked down on him and mocked him for years.
"We are not friends," Elang said coldly.
He raised his bleeding right hand and clamped his fingers tightly around Redi's throat.
"I don't care if you're not the real Redi. I don't care if you're just a bug created by this game. What matters is that I am no longer a loser, and I'm going to pay you back for every single thing you've ever done to me!" Elang roared with all his long-suppressed fury.
Elang’s grip felt like a pair of red-hot iron tongs. The golden aura enveloping his fist surged up Redi's neck, burning the illusory form until a horrific, sizzling sound filled the room.
"Die!" Elang growled.
CRACK!
Elang snapped the phantom's neck without a shred of hesitation. Redi’s form instantly exploded into black particles, which were promptly siphoned into the palm of Elang’s hand.
[Special Quest: 'The Ghost of the Past' COMPLETED!]
[Acquired Title: 'The One Who Conquered Fear']
[Level Up: 4 -> 9]
[Intellect increased: 8 -> 11]
[Status: 'Awakened Will' becomes Permanent. Mental Fortitude increased by 30%.]
[You have received 5,000 Cash. Cash can be used to exchange for available powers, purchase Stamina, or acquire necessary weapons.]
[Elang's name is becoming known to several Translators.]
[Translator 'The Warlord' is watching you.]
[Translator 'The Black Snake Clan' is watching you.]
[Translator 'The White Crocodile Demon' is watching you.]
Elang stared at the rows of text flashing on his blue status window, his breathing still heavy. His chest felt incredibly light—not just because his physical injuries were sealing up from the level-up, but because the heavy burden on his soul had vanished like smoke. He felt a profound sense of closure; he had finally exacted his revenge, even if it wasn't on the real Redi.
"Cash? 5,000?" Elang muttered. In the world of Tower Ascension, that amount was an absolute fortune for a beginner. He could instantly purchase a standard steel sword or boost his stamina to the level of a normal human.
However, his attention shifted to the last few lines.
"Translators? Who are they?" Elang frowned.
His knowledge of this game was extensive, but he didn't recall any 'Translator' feature in the mobile version. Was this a modification because the Tower was now real?
"H-Hey! Don't just stand there daydreaming!"
The Dragonfly Guide's voice snapped him back to reality. The creature hovered closer with unstable, erratic movements, its eyes bulging at Elang as if it were looking at a monster.
"Y-You just killed a trauma manifestation without a weapon?" The Guide swallowed hard. "And the Translators are already watching you? Are you insane?! You're only on the second floor and you've already drawn the attention of upper-floor entities?!"
"What do you mean?" Elang asked sharply.
"Translators are observers from the higher floors! They are legends who have reached the summit and now seek pawns or heirs on the lower floors to sponsor. Getting noticed by Translators means you are being watched by gods!"
Before Elang could respond, the restroom floor began to vibrate violently. Dimensional cracks splintered across the room, revealing a void crackling with purple lightning beneath.
"Quick! Use your Cash to buy something right now!" the Guide shrieked in panic. "This floor is about to collapse because you destroyed the core of its illusion! The door to Floor 3 opens in one minute!"
With the rapid, practiced movements of his fingers, Elang quickly opened the Shop Window.
[Quick Shop - Recommended Inventory]
Steel Longsword (Grade E): 1,500 Cash
Stamina Boost (+10): 2,000 Cash
Skill: Dash (Rank F): 1,000 Cash
Elang thought fast. This Tower didn't grant him a single moment to breathe. With an Intellect stat of 11, he knew exactly what he needed most right now.
"Buy the Stamina Boost and the Steel Longsword!" he commanded.
[Purchase Successful!]
[Stamina: 10 -> 20]
[Item 'Steel Longsword' has been sent to your inventory.]
A wave of warm energy surged through Elang's bloodstream, far more powerful than before. His muscles tightened, and the crushing fatigue weighing him down instantly vanished. He drew the new steel sword from thin air—a gleaming, immaculate blade, leagues ahead of the broken shard from the first floor.
The exact moment Elang's fingers wrapped around the cold, sturdy hilt of the Steel Longsword, the tremors beneath his feet turned into a violent earthquake. The ceramic restroom floor shattered into dust, leaving nothing but absolute darkness beneath him.
"Time's up! See you on the next floor, Player!" the Dragonfly Guide yelled as it bolted upward, vanishing into a dimensional rift in the ceiling.
Elang fell. His body plummeted amidst the dissolving fragments of his school memories. However, instead of landing on the next floor, the system abruptly froze. The status screen before him shifted from blue to an aggressively flashing crimson.
[Warning!]
[External interference from the Translators detected!]
[Translator 'The Black Snake Clan' has proposed a forced contract!]
[Translator 'The White Crocodile Demon' has rejected the contract!]
[A conflict over Pawn ownership is underway...]
"What on earth is this?!" Elang shouted, but his voice was swallowed by the silence. His body was violently yanked by two distinct chains of energy—one pitch-black, and the other a cold, silvery white.
The world around him abruptly stopped spinning. Elang now stood in an endless, empty white void. Before him, two colossal doors materialized. One door was adorned with carvings of hissing snake scales, while the other bore the terrifying pattern of crocodile fangs.
[System Malfunction!]
[Floor 3 has been modified by the will of the Translators.]
[Choose your door, Player!]
Left Door: Territory of the Black Snake Clan (High Reward, Risk of Soul Annihilation).
Right Door: Territory of the White Crocodile Demon (Limited Reward, Risk of Eternal Enslavement).
"Damn it, why is this happening?" Elang grumbled, completely trapped and bewildered.
Before Elang could make a choice, a line of golden text materialized directly between the two doors.
[Translator 'The Warlord' has sent a secret message...]
"Do not choose either. Destroy the doors right now if you want to remain human."
Elang’s hands trembled. In his right hand was his newly purchased steel sword, and before him was a decision that would determine whether he remained a Player or became a mere plaything for higher entities.
Suddenly, a loud cracking sound echoed from behind his back. Something far larger and darker than Redi, far more terrifying than the first-floor wolves, had just ripped through the fabric of the white void.
[Forbidden Entity: 'The Observer of the End' has entered the area!]
"Shit..." Elang muttered, raising his sword. "This game just turned into a living hell."
[Clue for Floor 3: There is no exit for those who hesitate.]
***
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 10 ~ Tower Bullies
"Hey! All of you, listen up!" A booming voice echoed across the middle of the grassy plain.A tall, heavily built man stepped forward, escorted by four Players trailing closely behind him. His silver armor gleamed in the sunlight, while a long red cape fluttered arrogantly behind his back. A name floated above his head:[Player: Ragnar — Level 18]"That's Ragnar," murmured a Player who recognized him."The highest-ranked Player on this floor!" another chimed in."Word has it he was a legendary arena fighter before entering the Tower!"Ragnar smirked with supreme confidence, crossing his arms across his chest.'Who is he? He wasn't an NPC in the game. Ah, I keep trying to map everything back to the game, even though there are clearly so many differences here. In fact, I haven't seen the two key figures on this floor—the Sovereign and Laila, the woman who possessed the most formidable magic, the one who constantly supported the Sovereign with her devastating spells as they climbed the f
Chapter 9 ~ 4th Floor
'Why is it so noisy?' Elang thought as everything remained pitch-black.His head felt like it was being struck repeatedly with a hammer. His body was completely numb, while unfamiliar voices echoed faintly in his ears."Is this kid dead? Hey, kid?" someone's voice drifted over.'Who is that?' Elang focused, trying to listen."Woah, is he actually dead? Or is he just dying? If I kill him right now, it might get rid of a competitor," the voice remarked casually.Thump!'Who is that? Why does he want to kill me? Damn it, I can't even move my body,' Elang complained internally."Then again, it feels kind of unfair to kill him while he's dying. Say what you will, but I am a grand warrior from the land of Java—the reincarnation of the White Tiger!" the voice continued, dripping with pride.'What kind of nonsense is he spewing...' Elang strained to open his eyes slowly.His vision was still blurry, but he could vaguely make out a skinny man squatting in front of him, holding a bamboo spear.
Chapter 8 ~ Against the Contractor
WHOOOSHH!!An appalling pressure descended like a crashing mountain. The Forest Guardian's massive body abruptly froze.Even if it was only for a fraction of a second, that window of opportunity was more than enough.BRAKKK!!!Elang's fist slammed directly into the crack on the Guardian's neck—striking the exact weak spot revealed by his Architect's Sight.The sound of shattering crystal echoed across the entire Hunger Forest. A massive fracture instantly spread throughout the monster's neck.ROOOAAARRR!!The Guardian roared in agony, thrashing around wildly.Its giant body thrashed brutally into the crystal trees. Yet Elang didn't stop. With light, agile movements, he leaped atop the Guardian's head.DUAAKK!!Another heavy strike slammed into the monster's skull.CRAAAKKK!!!The Forest Guardian's entire crystal skull shattered like a sheet of giant glass.The Level 15 monster's body froze for a second before slowly collapsing like a crumbling mountain.BOOOOOOMMMM!!!The resulting sh
Chapter 7 ~ An Offer from the War Sovereign Translator
Crash!Elang shot out from the blast smoke like a bullet. The Iron Gauntlets on his hands were cracked and emitting faint wisps of smoke, but his body was still intact.His HP had dropped drastically.[HP: 18%]"Ugh, that actually hurt," Elang grunted, a faint smirk forming on his face.The Black Fire Arrow earlier had almost burned his arms to a crisp. If it weren't for the Unbound Sovereign aura reinforcing his body, he would have died in midair."What?!" The Contractor's eyes widened in disbelief. "You blocked my Black Flame with your bare hands?!""Damn you! You filthy human!" the Contractor roared in a fit of rage. His face flushed red with anger and humiliation because his attack had failed to kill a low-level Player like Elang.The magic staff in his hand trembled violently. Black mana began pooling at the tip, forming a massive magic circle in midair."If one Black Flame isn't enough," he muttered venomously, "I'll incinerate your entire body until nothing is left!"The magic
Chapter 6 ~ 3rd Floor
Elang felt as though his soul were being forcibly dragged through a narrow time corridor.When he opened his eyes, he was no longer at the graveyard. He awoke in a strange forest. The trees here had no leaves; instead, they bore pulsing black crystals that emitted a dense purple glow.[Synchronization Complete!][Congratulations! You have changed your Class to: The Unbound Sovereign]Class Effect: You cannot be affected by forced contracts from Translators or Overseers.Passive Skill: Empty Throne – The more enemies nearby, your Willpower and Stamina increase by 1% per enemy.Active Skill: Sovereign's Command (Rank E) – Subdues entities with lower levels than yours for 3 seconds."Cough!" Elang coughed up the remaining dried blood from his throat.He looked at his hands. The steel sword he had bought for 1,500 Cash earlier was completely shattered, leaving behind only a cracked hilt."Crazy... That expensive sword only lasted a single slash," he muttered.However, the pain in his ches
CHAPTER 5: Toward the Third Floor
"Shit, what's happening?!" Elang struggled to brace himself as the violent tremors threatened to knock him off his feet.The massive shockwave from behind caused the empty white void to fracture. A bone-chilling cold seeped through the dimensional tears, numbing Elang’s sensory nerves until his very breath felt frozen.The Observer of the End was not an entity he could fight at a mere Level 9."A single second of hesitation means death," Elang hissed.The two doors in front of him seemed to call out, promising a false sense of security from the forbidden entity pursuing him. However, the Warlord's warning kept ringing in his head. Elang realized that the moment he stepped through either door, he would become nothing more than their pawn."I won't be anyone's pawn!"Elang slammed his foot down, fully mobilizing his newly purchased 20 Stamina. The muscles in his arms swelled, veins bulging as he gripped the Steel Longsword with both hands. The golden aura of Awakened Will began to fuse
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