Within the barrier city, a group of men were engaged in a heated discussion.
Aleron was a one-man army.
They had all witnessed him singlehandedly slaughtering countless abominations.
Even without an origin ability, he was comparable to those who had one.
There was no doubt that he was valuable.
At the far corner of the room sat a middle-aged man with flowing blue hair.
His appearance was striking, especially with his dark brown eyes that seemed to pierce through anyone they focused on.
Staring coldly at the group in front of him, he cleared his throat and spoke.
"I think you are right. It is best if we make him our specimen. What do you say we hand him over to the Genesis Coil?"
He paused, then added with a small smile, "They specialize in all kinds of research, and we would be handsomely rewarded for finding such a unique specimen."
Aleron was completely unaware that they were already discussing what to do with him.
To them, despite his feats—having slain thousands of abominations and even forcefully shutting down an abomination portal—it was not something they believed they could not replicate.
Aleron was, after all, still only at the Origin Apprentice Realm. In their eyes, someone like him could be taken down at any moment if necessary.
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed from outside the meeting room.
This room was stationed not far from the barrier itself, a strategic location to allow reinforcements to be dispatched quickly and to monitor the abomination horde.
Sensing urgency in the voice, the men quickly rushed toward the city's edge.
Upon reaching the outer sector, they were greeted by guards standing still, their faces pale and drenched in cold sweat.
Even without words, it was clear that something had gone terribly wrong.
Without waiting, the blue-haired man moved forward, eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"What the hell is going on here?" he asked sternly, locking eyes with the stunned guards.
The guards trembled at his voice. None of them dared delay their response.
They knew very well who this man was.
He was a rank-holder.
Since Aleron had slain the abominations, several hours had passed. No one expected anything unusual to occur in the aftermath.
But now, something dark and unexpected had arrived.
From the direction of the horde, a strange energy began to leak into the surroundings.
It was black, almost ink-like, and carried a sizzling sound that made the hairs on their arms stand on end.
The guards could only watch in shock. None of them had ever encountered anything like this before.
Meanwhile, Aleron was already on his way to the city and had no idea what was happening behind him.
As the black energy spread, everyone present began to feel its effects.
A wave of dread settled upon them, thick and heavy, like a shroud of despair weighing down their chests.
Darkon, the young man with flowing blue hair, stood rooted to the spot. He recognized this sensation.
He had felt this energy before.
As he racked his memory to identify the source, his eyes suddenly widened in disbelief.
Abyssals.
"What in the world?" he muttered under his breath, then shouted at the top of his lungs, "Everyone, get back inside the city immediately!"
His voice was sharp and commanding.
The guards, though initially stunned, could feel the gravity of his words.
Without hesitation, they turned and rushed into the city.
Darkon raised his hand and summoned a powerful gust of wind that blew fiercely across the surrounding area.
This ability came from his summoned beast, the Cloud Gale Eagle.
Upon reaching the Origin Expert Realm, a summoner could draw upon their beast's unique traits and skills to enhance their own abilities.
While most beasts had elemental powers, some rare ones possessed extraordinary talents that granted their summoner new powers entirely.
At the edge of the barrier, the wave of wind generated by Darkon pushed the strange black energy backward.
However, deep inside, Darkon was troubled.
He had not expected a connection between the abominations and the abyssals.
This meant that something much bigger was at play.
A hidden plot was unfolding.
He had to alert the higher-ups immediately. The abyssals, a forbidden line of creatures, were making a move.
Back near the hidden gate…
Aleron and Ashkar followed the mysterious voice's guidance and arrived at a large, dark iron gate.
"Is this the place?" Aleron asked curiously, his voice echoing slightly.
"Yes."
Faint buzzing and murmuring could be heard not far ahead.
Taking a few steps forward, Aleron passed through the gate.
Inside was a bustling underground market.
Crowds moved through narrow alleys, whispering to vendors selling strange items on cloth-covered tables. Many individuals wore masks, their identities hidden.
Aleron's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene. He recalled something he had read about in his past life.
The black market?
He turned slightly, unsure what to make of it.
Then the voice returned in his mind.
"Take a mask and conceal your identity. There may be others from the royal household here."
Aleron turned to his side and saw a rack of masks. He picked one and placed it over his face.
The mask was pitch black, made from an unknown material that adjusted itself to his features, fitting perfectly.
The voice resumed speaking.
"Head to the third shop on the left and drop the key. But before that, I will tell you everything you need to know about the Tower of Heaven."
Aleron hesitated. Trusting a disembodied voice was risky.
Sensing his doubt, the voice responded again.
"The gate is under the control of the noble households, but I know a secret path. Also, the Gate of Heaven will open tomorrow."
That shocked Aleron. He had not expected the gate to open so soon.
Was it truly a coincidence?
He remained cautious but continued listening closely.
"Entering the gate and surviving the tower's trials, from what I've heard, grants one a path to evolution."
"There are elves, umbras, sundares, and more. I cannot confirm all the details, but the noble families have already begun climbing the Tower of Heaven to trigger their evolution."
Aleron's breath caught for a moment.
Paths to evolution?
What exactly did that mean?
"Does that mean humans will no longer be limited to just being summoners?"
"Exactly," the voice said, sounding more animated now. "With the Tower of Heaven, humans can become so much more. This marks the beginning of a new era. Something ancient is stirring in the shadows…"
Aleron stopped walking.
His mind drifted to the words the system had spoken not long ago.
With the awakening of forbidden creatures comes the descent of the Tower of Heaven.
Become the master of the tower to explore the starry skies.
It all made sense now.
Everything that had been happening was part of a greater plan.
And it seemed that plan had just begun.