When I finally managed to open my eyes, I found myself suspended in a completely white space, an immaculate void stretching infinitely in all directions. Confusion seized my senses as I tried to recall how I had ended up there. My mind, sharp and analytical even at ten years old, worked swiftly to process what had happened.
I had touched that gem—a stellar core, according to my knowledge—out of mere curiosity, and now I was in this inexplicable place. Questions piled up in my mind like a chaotic storm as the warm sensation I had felt moments before slowly faded, leaving behind a trail of uncertainty.
Suddenly, an ethereal voice echoed in the void, enveloping my being with its omnipresent presence.
[Welcome to the Tower of Paradise.]
My body tensed instinctively, every muscle braced for the unknown. The voice continued with a cadence that sent shivers down my spine:
[Arceus, will you begin the evaluation?]
In that precise moment, a flood of information overwhelmed my consciousness. The Tower of Paradise… that legendary name. A place feared by many, where those who managed to clear the first floor would gain exceptional abilities and become "Ascendants."
My mind, privileged with memories of a previous life, quickly grasped the significance of all this. This first step was equivalent to absorbing a stellar core, a shortcut to awakening without the need to seek one of those elusive cores so coveted by the powerful.
The tower, as I recalled, had a peculiar habit of abducting different species, usually individuals aged fifteen and up. Those chosen at random were transported to this interdimensional world, and if they succeeded in overcoming it, they would not only gain unimaginable powers but also return to the real world transformed.
An ironic smile crossed my face as I contemplated my privileged situation.
"Luck is finally smiling on me," I thought, clenching my fists with determination. I had entered the Tower five years earlier than anyone else, meaning I could awaken much sooner than the rest. Five years of advantage to strengthen myself… the possibilities were truly fascinating.
I had always believed that life was a series of chained decisions, each with the power to irrevocably alter our destiny. As long as we continued walking the path of existence, we would always have the chance to make new choices. There was no point in dwelling on past mistakes when the future awaited, malleable like fresh clay, ready to be shaped by our hands.
Novels and cartoons had been my refuge for years, windows to fantastical universes where anything was possible. Now, suspended in this empty space, I felt that my moment had finally come.
This was my chance, my true chance.
The ethereal voice interrupted my musings with an announcement that resounded like thunder in my consciousness:
[Select the Tower's difficulty. Based on the chosen difficulty, the dangers of the stages will increase, along with the growth rate and rewards.]
I carefully analyzed my options, which appeared before me like an ethereal menu: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Hell. It was a complex decision, with no clearly right or wrong answer.
After a moment of deep strategic reflection, I made a choice many would consider reckless: I selected Hell difficulty.
The voice resounded again, unperturbed by my audacity:
[Choose your weapon.]
Before my eyes appeared an impressive array of weaponry, as if I were looking at the interface of one of those video games I had enjoyed so much in my previous life. They were beginner weapons, mostly devoid of ornaments or accessories, clearly designed for purely functional purposes.
"Which one should I choose?" I wondered, meticulously evaluating each option.
Sword, spear, katana, axe, hammer, bow… the repertoire was varied, and each choice would bring different consequences.
After thorough analysis, I determined that melee weapons would be the most sensible option for my situation. While ranged weapons offered the undeniable advantage of maintaining a safe distance during combat, that advantage would only materialize if I had someone to protect me from close-range attacks.
Driving a sword into an enemy's face definitely exerted a different kind of psychological pressure than piercing them with a spear. It was a reality I couldn't ignore.
Except for the bow and staff, any other ranged weapon was automatically ruled out. By the same logic, blunt weapons like clubs were also out of consideration: they lacked the intimidating edge of a sword and were generally too heavy for someone with my physical build.
After weighing all relevant variables, the only viable weapons for me were the spear, sword, and axe. There were multiple variants of each category, except for the axe. Although some axes weren't excessively heavy, they simply didn't appeal to me intuitively.
That left the sword and spear as my final options. Many strategists would argue that the spear offered significant advantages due to its superior reach and apparent ease of use, but the reality was more complex than it seemed at first glance.
The spear was a surprisingly advanced weapon that no beginner could easily master. It would only be more effective than a sword if the user could maintain the optimal distance at all times, which would become extraordinarily difficult if the enemy managed to close in.
I had no idea what kind of adversaries I would face in the tower… I wasn't even certain if I would face any. But if they were stronger, faster, and more precise than me—which was highly likely—using a spear could prove problematic.
Despite all these reasonings, I chose the spear.
I chose it because it gave me a sense of security, because it would allow me to fight while keeping some distance, because I feared facing an enemy with a short weapon. It was a decision partly driven by fear, but something about it drew me irresistibly. I felt an inexplicable connection, as if we were destined to stay together for a long time, despite it being a notoriously difficult weapon to master.
My heart pounded as I gazed at it… It was as if there were a predestined bond between us, as if we were inseparable from the beginning of time.
I hadn't seriously considered any other option. I trusted my intuition and began examining the various spears available to find the one best suited to my needs.
Finally, I settled on a one-handed spear of appropriate dimensions, which appeared instantly in my fingers. It was considerably heavier than I had anticipated, a cruel reminder of my current physical weakness.
The ethereal voice resounded again, with a tone that seemed slightly more somber to me:
[The objective of the following trial is "survival."]
[We wish the user a satisfactory outcome for their choice.]
[Reward for success in the trial: Unlocking of an innate ability.]
[Penalty for failing the trial: Death.]
—…Damn —I murmured, as the reality of my situation hit me with full force.
If my existence had a definitive turning point, this was undoubtedly it. My voice faded into the void as I watched the scenery around me begin to transform before my astonished eyes.
The immaculately white space enveloping me began to gradually take on color, as if an invisible artist were painting reality around me with powerful, unseen brushstrokes.
[You may only leave after fulfilling the conditions.]
[Begin mission: "Goblin Extermination."]