A scene most otakus would kill for—sitting atop a mountain of corpses, monsters torn apart like ants beneath his blade. The only light in the suffocating darkness came from a pair of crimson eyes. Eyes that did not belong to a human… but to a monster.
24 hours earlier…
I've always been obsessed with myths. The one that burned itself into my mind was the Tower of Babel—a monument to humanity's arrogance. Born from pride, fueled by defiance, it was mankind's attempt to rival the gods. They wanted power, authority, immortality. And in the end? It all crumbled.
But here's the thing—humanity never stops chasing power. Never.
Why? Simple. The answer is— "JADE!"
My name echoed through the classroom, dragging me out of my thoughts. I looked up at the petite teacher whose voice I found more irritating than anything else.
"Ma'am, do you need something?" I asked, forcing my irritation behind a calm smile.
"Yes. You'll lead the class project next week. No objections. Straight A student or not, I can make life difficult for you."
With that, class was dismissed.
As always, I left last. I had no friends, no girlfriend. Not because I couldn't, but because I hated drama. People called me a genius, but the truth was simpler: I just observed, studied, and spoke the facts. They called me handsome too, but that wasn't natural either. I worked for it. Day and night training, caring for my body like fragile glass balanced on the edge of a branch.
I wasn't doing it for anyone else. I sought one thing only—perfection.
And in this dull world, perfection was impossible. Boredom was my only companion.
When I got home, the house was empty. Mom was working a night shift again. Upstairs, I stripped for a shower and caught my reflection in the full-length mirror: 184 cm tall, a body sculpted from endless hours of training, crimson-red eyes under long, white curls that fell to my shoulders. Pale skin, a sharp jawline… the closest thing to perfection I had achieved so far.
Then the ground rumbled.
At first, I ignored it. But the tremors grew violent—an earthquake that sent me crashing to the floor. I staggered to the window and froze. My jaw dropped.
A colossal black tower had erupted from the earth, piercing the sky. Its peak was invisible, swallowed by the clouds. Even Everest was nothing compared to this ominous presence.
Then—a pop-up screen appeared before my eyes.
"You have been selected to participate in the raiding and completion of the Tower of Babel. God Candidate No. 2013455."
"What the hell…" I muttered. But I knew. I had read enough fantasy and fiction to recognize this for what it was. A large grin spread across my face.
Another message blinked into existence:
"Candidates will be transported in 10s… 8s… 6s… 3s… 1s…"
Light engulfed me. My body felt like it was ripped apart and hurled across space. When I slammed into solid ground again, my vision blurred and nausea clawed at my throat. Slowly, I regained focus.
I wasn't alone.
Thousands of people crowded the vast stone floor—businessmen, beggars, women, children—all confused and terrified.
"Alright, everyone. Please be quiet."
The voice drew every eye upward. There, descending like royalty, was a childlike figure crowned in gold. Silk robes flowed around its small body, wings sprouted from its back, and in its hand gleamed a golden arrow.
"What the hell is that thing?" a man in his forties growled.
"Isn't that… Cupid?" a teenage girl whispered, trembling.
The crowd erupted in noise. "Silence."
The single word cracked like thunder, silencing all. Authority radiated from the being's presence.
"Humans," it said, voice sharp with disdain. "So noisy. I welcome you, candidates, to the Tower of Babel. You will climb to the 100th floor. Those who succeed will attain godhood. But before that… I'd like to have some fun. Survive, if you can. I'll return once I'm satisfied."
With a mocking smile, the being vanished.
Chaos broke instantly. Screams echoed. A woman was snatched by a winged beast—its body like a bat's, but with claws, fangs, and massive black wings. More monsters circled, shadows blotting out the ceiling.
Another pop-up flashed before me:
"Mission Obtained: Objective—Survive."
My lips curved into a wide grin. For the first time in my life… I wasn't bored.