I returned home—
But my mind didn't.
---
Those words…
Still echoed.
---
"The purer the bloodline…"
"…the closer you are to the beast."
---
They clung to my thoughts like chains.
Heavy.
Unrelenting.
---
I sat in silence for a long time.
Not training.
Not moving.
Just thinking.
---
The room was still.
Too still.
---
Even my breathing felt loud.
---
Every moment replayed in my mind—
Caelion's gaze.
His tone.
His certainty.
---
He wasn't warning us.
He was stating a fact.
---
And that fact…
Included me.
---
Eventually—
I exhaled slowly.
---
"…Thinking alone won't get me anywhere."
---
Analysis without action…
Was meaningless.
---
If something inside me was awakening—
Then I needed to be ready.
---
Not later.
---
Now.
---
The Next Morning
I woke early.
Earlier than usual.
---
The room was silent.
Calm.
---
But this time—
My mind was clear.
---
No hesitation.
No doubt.
---
Only decision.
---
I stood up slowly.
Then began stretching—
Rolling my shoulders.
Twisting my torso.
Loosening every joint.
---
Simple movements.
But precise.
Controlled.
---
Every motion had purpose.
---
My body responded instantly.
Smoothly.
---
Better than before.
---
Stronger.
Sharper.
More… alive.
---
A faint smile touched my lips.
---
So it's already affecting me…
---
Then—
---
> "Good morning, Master."
---
The system's voice echoed in my mind.
---
I paused mid-motion.
---
"…Morning."
---
My tone was calm.
Unbothered.
---
I resumed stretching.
---
"I enjoyed my day off."
A slight smirk formed.
---
"But what's with the sudden change in address?"
---
Silence.
---
For a brief moment—
Nothing.
---
Then—
---
> [Trial Initialization in Progress…]
[Y / N]
---
I stopped.
---
A prompt.
---
A decision.
---
No explanation.
No warning.
---
Just a choice.
---
I stretched one final time—
Extending my arms fully above my head.
---
Then—
---
"…Yes."
---
The Shift
Light erupted beneath my feet.
---
Blinding.
Sudden.
Absolute.
---
SWOOOSH—
---
Space twisted.
Reality bent.
---
The world folded in on itself—
Then snapped back into place.
---
And in the next moment—
---
I was somewhere else.
---
The Trial Zone
Heat.
---
That was the first thing I felt.
---
Not warmth.
Not discomfort.
---
Heat.
---
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Burning against my skin.
---
I stood still.
Eyes scanning.
Mind analyzing.
---
Mountains.
---
Massive.
Towering.
Endless.
---
Their peaks pierced the sky like jagged blades.
---
But something was wrong.
---
They glowed.
---
Cracks ran through them—
Filled with molten magma.
---
Like veins.
Pulsing.
Alive.
---
The ground beneath my feet was dark stone.
---
Cracked.
Unstable.
Radiating heat.
---
Not far away—
---
Rivers of magma flowed slowly.
---
Thick.
Bright.
Deadly.
---
The air shimmered violently.
Distorted by heat waves.
---
Breathing felt heavier.
---
Controlled.
But noticeable.
---
And at the center of it all—
---
A massive volcanic mountain.
---
Larger than everything else.
---
Dominant.
---
As if it ruled this entire domain.
---
"…A volcanic territory."
---
My voice was calm.
But my eyes—
Sharp.
---
This wasn't random.
---
Nothing the system did—
Was ever random.
---
Which meant—
---
This place…
Was chosen.
---
For me.
---
Then—
---
A glowing red screen appeared before me.
---
Different.
---
Not like my usual system.
---
This one felt…
---
Ancient.
---
Heavy.
---
Authoritative.
---
> [Welcome, Challenger, to the Tower of Trial]
---
The words burned into the air.
---
Not displayed.
---
Imprinted.
---
> [Congratulations on Completing the First Stage]
[Rewards Are Being Calculated…]
---
I watched silently.
---
Then—
---
> [You Have Been Awarded: 1,000,000 Points]
---
My eyes narrowed slightly.
---
"…Points."
---
Useful.
---
But incomplete.
---
"What are they used for?"
---
"They can be used to purchase items within the Tower Store."
---
The answer came instantly.
From my system.
---
Efficient.
As always.
---
The red screen shifted.
---
The Tower Store
A new interface unfolded.
---
Rows upon rows of items.
---
Weapons.
Armor.
Skills.
Consumables.
Artifacts.
---
All categorized.
All labeled.
All priced.
---
My eyes moved quickly.
Scanning.
Analyzing.
---
Some items glowed faintly.
Others pulsed with energy.
---
A few radiated pressure strong enough to be felt—
Even through the interface.
---
But—
---
"…Nothing extraordinary."
---
At least—
Not for now.
---
Either the truly valuable items were locked—
---
Or far beyond my current reach.
---
Which meant—
---
Climb higher.
---
Get stronger.
---
Unlock more.
---
Simple.
---
DING—
---
A sharp sound echoed across the domain.
---
> [Congratulations on Fully Entering the Tower of Trial]
---
My blue system interface flickered to life—
Overlapping the red one.
---
The difference was obvious.
---
My system—
Precise.
Controlled.
---
The Tower—
Ancient.
Dominant.
---
Two systems.
---
Separate.
---
Coexisting.
---
Or competing?
---
Before I could analyze further—
---
> [Reward Granted]
---
The air trembled slightly.
---
Then—
---
> [You Have Received: "Tiger God Physique"]
---
Silence.
---
For a brief moment—
Nothing happened.
---
Then—
---
Pain.
---
BOOM—!!
---
It exploded from within.
---
Not external.
---
Internal.
---
My entire body locked.
---
Muscles tightened violently.
Bones trembled.
---
My heart pounded—
Once.
Twice.
---
Then accelerated.
---
THUD—THUD—THUD—
---
I dropped to one knee.
---
"…Tch—!"
---
Heat surged through my veins.
---
Not from the environment—
---
From inside me.
---
It spread rapidly.
---
Like fire.
---
Like something awakening.
---
My vision blurred—
Then sharpened.
---
My senses expanded.
---
Every sound became clearer.
---
Every movement—
Sharper.
---
More defined.
---
Then—
---
A deep pulse echoed from within my chest.
---
BOOM.
---
And something changed.
---
Fundamentally.
---
My body…
Was being rewritten.
---
Stronger.
---
Denser.
---
More durable.
---
My muscles compressed.
Not expanding—
Refining.
---
My bones felt heavier.
More solid.
---
Unbreakable.
---
"…So this is…"
---
I exhaled slowly.
---
"…Tiger God Physique."
---
The pain faded.
---
Gradually.
---
Leaving behind—
---
Power.
---
Raw.
Controlled.
---
Perfectly integrated.
---
I stood up slowly.
---
Flexed my fingers.
---
The air around them distorted slightly.
---
Not from energy—
---
From pressure.
---
A faint smile appeared.
---
"…Good."
---
Very good.
---
But then—
---
A voice.
---
Soft.
Familiar.
---
"…You feel it, don't you?"
---
My body froze.
---
That voice again.
---
"…the awakening."
---
Cold.
Ancient.
---
"…my cat."
---
My eyes darkened slightly.
---
"…You again."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
A low chuckle.
---
"You've grown."
---
A pause.
---
"But not enough."
---
The heat around me intensified.
---
Not from the volcano.
---
From within.
---
"…Who are you?"
---
No answer.
---
Instead—
---
> [Floor 2 Trial Will Begin Shortly]
---
The red screen flashed.
---
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
---
The ground trembled.
---
The magma rivers began to surge.
---
And from the massive volcanic mountain—
---
A roar echoed.
---
Deep.
Ancient.
---
Alive.
---
My eyes lifted slowly.
---
Something was coming.
---
Something powerful.
---
And for the first time—
---
A smile appeared on my face.
---
Not calm.
---
Not controlled.
---
Predatory.
---
"…Good."
---
My pupils flickered faintly blue.
---
Lightning danced briefly—
Then vanished.
---
"Let's begin."