Chapter 444: First Floor of Ascension Tower—13
The creature’s glowing red eyes seemed to brighten, gleaming with something that might have been amusement, pity, or perhaps both mixed together.
"Strange human," it said, and now the voice carried a subtle but unmistakable persuasive quality—not magical compulsion exactly, but the weight of genuine, reasonable advice. "Why not simply give up this tenth-layer trial? I can see quite clearly, with absolute certainty, that you have virtually no realistic chance of achieving victory against me. Why risk your valuable, promising life so foolishly when you clearly possess such remarkable natural potential for significant future growth?"
Its glowing eyes seemed to intensify their light, becoming almost hypnotic in their steady gaze.
"If you insist on taking even one step further toward me in combat, there will be nothing whatsoever but absolute despair awaiting you at the end. You can feel that fundamental truth resonating in your very bones, can’t you? Your body understands what your pride might not want to admit."
The deep hood shifted slightly, and Leon caught a brief but disturbing glimpse of what lay concealed beneath it—a pale face twisted into an unnaturally wide, deeply unsettling grin. The skin stretched in ways human facial muscles shouldn’t allow, as two prominent curved fangs were fully revealed in that grotesque, predatory smile.
"Give up now. Walk away from this challenge. Live to grow stronger through safer methods. This is genuine wisdom and survival instinct, not cowardice or weakness. There is no shame in recognizing an impossible battle."
For several long moments, Leon’s face showed genuine, visible hesitation.
Because even he felt, deep in his core and throughout his entire being, that what this creature was saying was absolutely, undeniably true.
He genuinely couldn’t win this fight through his current conventional means. The fundamental gap between their power tiers was simply too vast to overcome with technique or tactics alone.
It’s completely right. The power difference is overwhelming and obvious. Proceeding forward might genuinely be suicide. Why am I even considering this?
However, in the very next moment—
His face suddenly changed completely, shifting dramatically from uncertain hesitation to absolute, unshakeable resolve.
His gaze became sharp and intensely focused as vivid, powerful memories flooded rapidly through his mind like a rushing river.
The unfathomable overseer—Velrith Moonscar—who explicitly threatened to personally destroy my entire world and systematically kill everyone I care about. That vile creature who swore with complete conviction to massacre everything I’m trying to protect.
The mysterious, unknown, powerful being who wants to completely raze Ira’s world to the ground. Now that she’s become my woman, I care deeply about her world and all its people. I can’t abandon them.
That ancient red dragon is still somewhere out there, guarding the critical portal leading directly to my dimensional realm. According to Archon Vyrra, it was ten times stronger than it was several centuries ago. I can’t even begin to imagine how monstrously, impossibly powerful it must have become now after all this accumulated time.
Leon’s enhanced mind raced through the logical implications at lightning speed.
I don’t believe for a single second that just because the dragon apparently can’t break through to Ethereal rank means its raw combat strength hasn’t increased dramatically over hundreds of years of existence. Growth isn’t only about rank advancement.
Wasn’t I myself living, walking proof that rank classifications aren’t absolute? I’m technically only an Ascendant rank right now, yet I’m standing here about to challenge an Ethereal-ranked opponent. The system isn’t everything.
His scattered thoughts crystallized and unified into absolute, unbreakable certainty.
If I back down here, if I retreat from this challenge, how will I ever face those vastly more dangerous future threats? How will I find the strength and courage to protect anyone when it truly matters?
This is where I prove to myself that I can overcome impossible odds. This is where I refuse to accept limitations.
His mind became completely calm despite the overwhelming circumstances pressing down on him. His resolve solidified into something that felt utterly unbreakable—diamond-hard determination forged from necessity and purpose.
Then, without giving any verbal reply whatsoever to the creature’s seemingly reasonable offer of withdrawal—
Leon’s body blurred from its position in an explosive burst of speed, leaving behind only a brilliant streak of light as he closed the distance toward his target with absolutely everything he possessed.
I don’t believe for a single second that this thing’s offer was genuine kindness or concern for my well-being. There has to be something calculated and self-serving behind it. Some tactical advantage it’s trying to secure.
For all its seemingly polite and reasonable gestures, I can still feel the disgust and revulsion radiating from its core essence. And that nauseating, familiar stench—similar to the previous corrupted creatures I faced...
Leon was already thoroughly enraged at this being simply from its mere existence and that revolting, corrupted energy it continuously emanated.
Just another reason to completely smash its skull and finally end this entire trial.
His Epic rank sword blazed brilliantly with combined holy energy and multiple overlapping elemental auras as he accelerated directly toward his target, fully prepared to unleash absolutely everything he possessed in one overwhelming coordinated assault.
The creature’s glowing red eyes widened noticeably—perhaps in genuine surprise at Leon’s decisive, immediate rejection of its offer.
The creature was surprised—genuinely surprised—by Leon’s immediate charge rather than cautious retreat after its warning.
But that was all it was. Just a momentary flicker of surprise before cold calculation reasserted itself.
This human’s energy does create something resembling real danger in my senses, the hooded being thought, analyzing the peculiar sensation with clinical detachment. But afraid? No. With the gulf between our strengths, this human will either die or be forced to give up before it ever gets genuinely close to me.
The fact that Leon had charged forward so decisively after the warning—rather than hesitating or withdrawing like any rational creature would—told the creature at least one useful thing: this human wasn’t the type to quit once committed to a course of action.
Determination without corresponding power is simply expensive arrogance.
The creature’s pale lips curved beneath the shadow of its hood, forming a wicked smile that only it could appreciate.
This arrogant little thing thinks it can do as it pleases in front of me. How utterly entertaining. I’ll play with it for a while—keep my true depth hidden, let it exhaust itself hammering against what it believes are my limits. And when that perfect moment arrives, when it finally thinks it has found a real opening...
The creature felt genuine, almost physical pleasure radiating through its entire being just imagining the expression of absolute despair that would cross the human’s face in those final moments before death.
A genius who somehow cleared nine layers while standing at only Ascendant rank. Truly unprecedented in my experience. Finishing such a talent will surely earn extraordinary rewards back home.
The anticipation was delicious.
Leon’s speed crossing the arena was something else entirely.
He arrived in front of the hooded creature in what felt like less than a heartbeat, his body moving as a streak of brilliant golden-white light that left a faint luminous trail hanging in the air behind him. His gleaming sword buzzed with a deep, resonant hmmmmm of barely contained energy, blurry runic patterns pulsing visibly along the entire length of the blade as it came down with the full condensed weight of his holy energy behind the strike.
Then—
