Selene stood at the cliff's edge, wind tugging at her hair. Below, the corpses of the Gravemind and Morvak were being drawn into the ground — devoured by the living tower itself.
"It's being… sucked in," Selene murmured, eyes wide.
"Yes," Twilight said quietly, standing beside her. "The tower reclaims its own."
Selene turned to her, curiosity flickering across her face. "What happens when they're absorbed?"
"It's… quite sad," Twilight said, gaze lowering. "They don't really die. The tower revives them — again and again — until their minds fade."
Selene's expression softened. She looked out over the horizon. "I see… we should catch up with my team."
Twilight nodded, her form glowing faintly before dissolving into light. The radiance condensed into a sword that fell gently through the air. Selene reached out, catching it mid-fall.
She leapt from the cliff. The impact shook the ground, a shockwave bursting through the grass and soil.
Across the field, more Morvaks and Graveminds emerged, charging toward her like a tidal wave of flesh and bone.
Selene drew Excalithoth. The blade sang. She swung once.
The charging horde disintegrated — bodies sheared into countless fragments. A rain of blood mist drifted through the air, painting the field crimson.
Selene froze, staring at the carnage. "W–with one swing…" she whispered, disbelief trembling in her voice.
["That's just the surface of my power,"] Twilight's voice murmured from within the blade — soft, distant, like a memory of light.
"Incredible," Selene breathed. Then her eyes caught a flicker — another Gravemind moving far across the mountain. "There's another one… too far for me to reach."
["Try anyway," ]Twilight said.
Selene exhaled and swung. A flash — clean, silent.
Far away, the Gravemind exploded into blood mist.
["One hundred percent hit rate," Twilight said softly. "Even if they hide… teleport… or slip into another dimension, the strike will find them."]
Selene smiled faintly. "You're full of surprises."
She bent her knees and jumped. The wind roared as she broke through the clouds, sunlight spilling across her face.
"There's a sun here…" she whispered, awed.
Hovering above the endless white, she peered down through the shifting clouds, searching. Her gaze narrowed.
"There," she muttered. A black spiral portal shimmered between land and ocean.
She vanished midair — and reappeared beside it an instant later.
"They've already gone through," she murmured, glancing at the colossal golem slumped nearby — grass growing over its shoulders, a massive hole through its chest, one arm shattered.
Without hesitation, Selene stepped forward and leapt into the swirling black portal.
The twentieth floor of the Tower trembled.
A demonic giant loomed over the broken stone, its body a storm of shadow and lightning. Horns scraped the sky; arms like living smoke clawed at the black star mist above.
White fire burned where its eyes should've been—cold, hollow, and endless.
Eira, Alistair, and Elion stood at the edge of that darkness. The air hummed with pressure, as if the space around them were alive and aware.
Eira tightened her grip on her golden staff, its black crystal spinning weightlessly above the head.
"Where did it go?" she breathed, eyes darting through the mist.
A flash—steel screamed.
The creature's arm, massive as a tower beam, came crashing down—but Alistair's blade met it in perfect counter. The impact split the ground, sending a shockwave through the room.
(How did it move so fast…?) Alistair thought. Instantaneous teleportation… perhaps.
He took a steady step back, eyes narrowing.
"Elion. Eira. Back-to-back."
The three aligned, forming a defensive triangle, blades and staff at the ready.
Elion scanned the darkness. "It's gone again."
"Fire in every direction," said Alistair.
Eira nodded, closing her eyes as golden motes gathered around her.
"Hellfire," she whispered.
Crimson-black flames erupted from her staff, shooting outward in all directions. The inferno tore through the mist, igniting the air—but struck nothing.
"It's hitting nothing!" Elion shouted.
Alistair looked up slowly. "No… It's not moving through space. It is space. Every particle around us is him."
Elion froze. "You're saying—he's omnipresent?"
"Yes. But only spatially," said Alistair, voice tight. "This is still the twentieth floor."
Eira turned toward him, panic edging her tone.
"Then how the hell do we beat something that exists everywhere at once?"
"Omnipresent beings can't act freely—they need an interface," Alistair said, eyes flicking toward the shifting mist. "If he's manifesting, he's choosing a point of observation."
"So," Eira said, "he can't think everywhere at once?"
"Exactly. Omnipresent, but not omniscient—he sees from everywhere, but understands from only one logic at a time."
A low vibration rolled through the mist—a voice with no source, speaking from all directions at once.
"How clever… but you cannot defeat me. I am everywhere."
Alistair's lips curved faintly.
(This will cut my lifespan in half.)
He raised his sword—and slashed not at a target, but at the concept of "Here."
Reality cracked.
The black star mist recoiled, space itself splitting open. For an instant, Eira saw it—something vast and distorted, flickering between forms.
"There!" she shouted. "He's interacting! Every attack forces him to choose now!"
Elion's eyes widened. "Then we overload the present. Force him to observe too many outcomes—make him fracture!"
The mist rippled violently. A humanoid shape shimmered in and out, like an echo trying to exist.
"Ahahahaha—HAHAHA! You think revealing me will help you defeat me?"
The laughter shook the tower.
Alistair smirked. "No. But she can."
A new voice cut through the chaos.
"That's right."
From above, Selene descended—Excalithoth blazing in her hands like a falling star. The giant turned, but she was already mid-swing.
"It doesn't matter if you exist everywhere in the present," she said, her voice calm. "I've already locked onto you."
She swung.
Excalithoth cleaved the moment itself—striking not a body, but the entire present.
The omnipresent being convulsed, its form collapsing in waves of distortion.
It fell to its knees, the edges of its shape fraying like burnt paper.
"How…?" it rasped, its body fading.
Then, as its eyes met the blade, something like peace crossed its monstrous face.
"Oh… I see it. Excalithoth. Finally… I'm free. The true blessing."
Selene blinked. "Blessing of what?"
"The blessing of freedom." The giant smiled faintly as its form disintegrated. "I'm finally released from this hell. My body, my soul—they're dissolving at last."
Alistair stepped closer. "Hell? What do you mean?"
"If you die here," the being whispered, its voice thinning, "you become part of the Tower… forever. A monster bound to its floors. I'm glad I didn't kill you… all… too quickly."
You weren't even fighting seriously?!" Elion shouted, disbelief cracking his voice.
"Yes," it breathed, just before vanishing completely.
Silence fell. The storm ended.
"Silence fell. The storm ended.
Selene lowered her sword, breath steady, eyes tracing the dissolving mist.
Then—A crystalline chime rang inside Selene's mind.
> "Notice — Anonymous Skill Obtained"
Subject: Leo (20th Floor Boss) — Deceased.
Successor: Selene.
Acquisition Confirmed — Unique Skill: 「Spatial Omnipresent」.
Effect: Allows the user to perceive and interact with all points in the present space simultaneously, limited only by focus and intent.
Selene's eyes widened, a flicker of awe and confusion breaking through her calm.
(Spatial Omnipresent… how did I even obtain that?)
A soft, familiar voice echoed in her mind—Twilight's, gentle as starlight across still water.
> [One of my intrinsic skill—Soul Assimilation. When you slay an entity through me, you inherit its skills and power.]
Selene blinked, realization dawning.
"So that's… what you meant by 'sharing my essence,' huh," she murmured under her breath.
Before she could say more, light burst across the chamber.
The air shimmered—then exploded outward in a brilliant wave, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.
When the radiance faded, two swords hovered in the air before them.
The right sword pulsed with a dark heartbeat—its surface writhing like living shadow. Tendrils coiled around the hilt, and faint sigils crawled along the blade, whispering with a malignant hum.
The left sword gleamed with divine light. Its hilt curved like sculpted feathers, the blade translucent, glowing with quiet holiness—its surface humming in contrast to the darkness beside it.
Elion took a step forward, eyes widening.
Selene glanced at him. "Elion—you should take them. You're our dual wielder."
Alistair nodded. "Agreed. They'll suit your balance between order and chaos."
Elion hesitated only a moment before reaching out. The blades dissolved into twin streaks of light, embedding themselves into his palms before solidifying once more.
A faint pulse of power rippled through the air.
Alistair sheathed his sword. "We should leave the Tower. We've gained what we came for."
"Yeah," said Eira, brushing dust from her cloak. "And we still have that tournament to attend."
Elion lifted both blades, their contrast blazing in each hand. "With these, we're far stronger than before."
Alistair smiled faintly. "Stronger indeed. And more than that—you've ascended. All of you. You're now High Humans."
Selene turned, brow furrowing. "Then… Alistair. How do we measure up to the Spider Emperor?"
Her voice trembled slightly when she spoke the title. "Could it really be… him?"
Alistair's expression darkened. The air seemed heavier.
"If it truly is the Emperor from twenty thousand years ago," he said quietly, "then in his presence, we're less than ants. He ruled not a world, but the multiverse itself—and every being within it."
Their eyes widened in unison.
Selene's voice wavered. "But… that wasn't in any of the records. Nothing said he ruled the multiverse."
Alistair nodded slowly. "That's because it's classified. Most who knew the truth perished long ago. Only a few remnants remain—the Demon Lords' Council among them."
"Why keep it secret?" Elion asked, frowning.
Alistair's gaze softened. "That's a story for when we're home."
Eira nodded quietly. "Then when we return, I want to know everything. The real history of this world."
Alistair's lips curved faintly. He looked up—and froze mid-sentence.
"The Tower of Craves sent us—"
Blue light flashed around them. The oppressive darkness vanished. The next breath of air tasted open and clean.
"—back outside," Alistair finished, blinking against the sudden sunlight.
He sighed. "I didn't even finish my sentence."
Selene chuckled softly. "Looks like the Tower already knew what you were about to say."
Elion exhaled, shoulders dropping. "Finally. It feels good to breathe again. Every step in that place felt like walking beside death."
Eira looked skyward, her expression softening. "Yeah… but I wonder if our classmates are safe. They were sent to dangerous places too."
Selene nodded. "They're not alone. Each group has strong allies of their own."
Alistair's tone steadied. "Have faith in them. We shouldn't burden ourselves with fear."
Selene smiled faintly, looking at the horizon. "You're right."
"Yeah," Elion and Eira said in unison.
The wind carried their laughter across the open plains—light, brief, and human again.
Selene and her teammates, Elion and Eira, had finally returned to Solmaria, the shining kingdom they called home.
Now, they sat quietly in their classroom—still in their academy uniforms—surrounded by the low hum of other students. The peace felt almost unnatural after everything they'd faced in the Tower.
The teacher at the front glanced up from her notes.
"Selene, Elion, Eira—head to the principal's office."
A few whispers rippled through the room as the trio rose. Their footsteps echoed faintly down the marble hallway, lined with golden lamps and portraits of past heroes.
Elion walked beside Selene, hands shoved into his pockets, frowning.
"I wonder what the principal wants this time," he muttered.
Eira sighed softly. "Probably something serious."
"If it's the principal," Selene said, her tone calm but wary, "then it's never minor."
They stopped before a polished oak door. Selene pushed it open.
Inside, the office gleamed with luxury—velvet couches, glass shelves filled with ancient tomes, and the faint scent of jasmine tea. Behind a broad desk sat a confident woman with long red hair tied in a high ponytail, amber eyes glinting behind red-rimmed glasses. Her white shirt and navy blazer fit perfectly against her poised, mature frame.
Principal Raphael.
On the couches before her sat Celeste, Lyra, and Lazriel.
"Lyra!?" Eira gasped.
Lyra turned, her rosy hair bouncing, amber eyes bright.
"Eira! You're okay!" she said, rushing to her feet with a relieved smile.
On the opposite couch sat Dino, Seryn, and Seraphine, separated by a small tea table.
Elion's expression soured the instant his eyes met Dino's.
"Ugh," he muttered.
Dino turned away sharply, jaw tightening. "Ugh, you."
Kaien laughed from behind the couch, arms folded beside Lucien, who watched silently.
"Haha… you two still can't stand each other, huh?"
The brief tension vanished when Principal Raphael's voice cut through the room—smooth but firm.
"Everyone, quiet down."
They obeyed instantly.
"Thank you," Raphael said, folding her hands beneath her chin. "I'll get straight to the point. There's… bad news."
The air grew heavy. Even the ticking clock seemed to stop.
Seryn's eyes darted toward her. "Bad news?"
Raphael exhaled slowly. "During your missions to retrieve the universe's powerful weapons…"
Her gaze lowered. "Four of your fellow heroes—no… your friends—lost their lives."
The words struck like thunder.
Silence fell over the room. The warmth drained from their faces; disbelief and grief tangled in the air.
Selene's fingers tightened around her skirt. Eira's lips parted, but no sound came out. Elion lowered his head, fists clenched against his sides.
For a moment, not even breathing seemed possible.
"How… how could this have happened?" Celeste's voice trembled, disbelief cracking through every word.
Lucien's eyes narrowed, anger flickering beneath his composed expression. "Didn't they have allies with them—like us?" he asked, tone sharp and serious.
Raphael exhaled heavily. "They did. But it didn't matter. Everyone was wiped out… only the master survived."
Shock rippled through the room again—stronger this time, heavier.
Selene's brow furrowed. "Were their bodies found?" she asked quietly.
Raphael shook her head. "No. The survivor said they were caught in the middle of the explosion…" Her voice faltered. "You know what that means."
Lazriel's expression darkened. (If the explosion killed them, then how is he still alive?) he thought.
"Eira. Elion. We're leaving," Selene said coldly.
The two nodded without a word, following her out.
Lucien turned toward the others. "We're leaving too," he said, his tone clipped. "Staying here won't change anything."
"Call it pessimism if you wish. I call it certainty—humans betray even the heroes who give everything for them." Said Haruto