Aaric Vale woke before the sun.Not because he wanted to—but because the Tower never let anyone sleep peacefully.
The faint tremors of distant monster roars shook the settlement built on the Third Floor. Lights flickered in the wooden shacks as climbers prepared for another day of collecting essence crystals. The air smelled of damp moss, iron, and faint traces of blood. Life here was harsh, but this was the lowest floor where weak climbers could survive.
Aaric sat on the edge of his narrow cot, rubbing his eyes.
Another day.
Another reminder that he was living in a world slowly dying.
He tied his black raven-hair back and grabbed the oversized jacket that once belonged to his brother. It hung loose around his shoulders, the sleeves covering his hands.
It still smelled faintly like him.
Kael Vale.
The prodigy.
The hero.
The one who reached Star Rank 5 at just twenty-two… and one of the only few humans in history to do so.
And now…
Gone.
Aaric shook his head, forcing the thought away as he stepped out of his shack. The settlement was waking up—smoke rising from cooking fires, merchants shouting prices, guild scouts checking armor and weapons.
"You're up early again, Vale."A hunter passing by nodded at him.
Aaric forced a smile. "Morning."
"You joining today's run with the Stanners?"
"Yeah… I need the crystals."
The hunter hesitated, then sighed. "Stay close to your team. Heard the monsters in the south grove are acting strange."
"Thanks. I will."
The Stanners—three-star workers specialized in collecting essence crystals—often hired laborers like Aaric to carry the loads. Three-stars weren't strong enough to fight higher-tier beasts, but they were skilled enough to survive on Floor 3.
Aaric, barely a 1-star, couldn't dream of fighting anything.Not yet.
He walked down the narrow, muddy path, passing by banners hung by powerful guilds:
Dragonsong Guild — Floor 23 Stronghold
Nightveil Alliance — Floor 40 Dominion
Eclipse Cohort — Sovereigns of Floor 51
Each name carried weight. Each symbol reminded him of how far humanity had climbed… and how far he was from reaching any of it.
The Tower wasn't just a dungeon—it had become humanity's home.
The Waking World outside was collapsing.
Cities fell.Nations crumbled.Monsters poured from the cracks of reality.Energy was scarce, and people depended on essence crystals gathered inside the Tower to survive.
That was why most of humanity now lived within the lower floors of the Tower, building settlements where they could. Stronger people—guilds, cohorts, elites—lived above, claiming territory on higher floors.
But Kael… he had gone higher than almost anyone.
To Floor 91.
Aaric swallowed hard, memories rising like a ghost.
— Flashback —
Kael laughed as he cleaned his blade."You don't need to worry about me, Aaric. I'll clear Floor 91 with my team and come back before your next birthday."
Aaric frowned. "You always say that… Can't you stay? Just this year?"
Kael ruffled his hair."I can't. The world out there is dying, little brother. Someone has to climb. Someone has to reach the top."Then he knelt, looking into Aaric's eyes."But when I return, I'll take you with me. We'll climb together. That's a promise."
"Promise?" Aaric whispered.
Kael smiled—bright, fearless."Promise."
Aaric blinked away the tears forming. The memory still cut like a blade.
Kael hadn't returned.His entire cohort—thirty-two elite challengers—had vanished on Floor 91. No bodies. No signals. No fragments.
Just… gone.
And with Kael's disappearance, Aaric's family fell apart.His mother died soon after from illness. His little sister, Mira, grew weaker each day. Now she lay bedridden in a rented hut, surviving off the essence crystals Aaric brought back.
He tightened his fists.
He wasn't climbing for glory.He wasn't here for adventure.
He was here to keep her alive.
He reached the Stanners' camp by midday. Their team leader, Darnell, a four-star warrior with a scar down his cheek, waved him over.
"Vale! Grab the hauling straps. We're going to the southern grove today. Big crystal cluster detected."
Aaric nodded. "Understood."
Darnell eyed him for a moment. "You look tired."
"I'm fine."
"Tired gets people killed," Darnell said quietly. "And I'm not losing another kid."
Aaric looked away. He knew Darnell had fought with Kael once, long ago. Maybe that was why he tolerated Aaric's weakness.
The team moved out—five Stanners armed with spears and knives, and Aaric carrying empty crystal containers on his back. The forest on Floor 3 was thick, glowing faintly with the energy of the Tower. Strange vines pulsed with blue light. The air shimmered with essence.
To some, it looked beautiful.
To Aaric, it looked like a cage.
They reached a clearing where crystalline growths jutted from the ground.
"Perfect. Let's work," Darnell ordered.
The Stanners began mining the crystals, each strike sending sparks of essence into the air. Aaric knelt to gather them, storing them carefully in his containers.
He worked silently, letting the rhythm drown out his thoughts.
--
Then… the forest grew quiet.
Too quiet.
Aaric looked up, heart tightening. Birds stopped chirping. The wind stilled. The glowing vines dimmed.
"Captain," a Stanner whispered, "the forest's… wrong."
Darnell raised a hand. "Stay sharp."
Aaric felt a shiver crawl up his spine. Something ancient, something powerful, stirred in the shadows between the trees.
A low growl rolled across the grove.
Darnell's face drained of color. "No… no, this can't be on Floor 3—"
The creature stepped out.
A hulking beast, twice the height of a man, covered in jagged stone armor. Its eyes glowed crimson, burning with hatred and hunger.
A 4-star monster.
A beast that should NOT exist on this floor.
Everyone froze.
Everyone except the monster.
It charged.
The ground shook. Trees snapped. Essence crystals shattered into dust.
"RUN!" Darnell roared.
But it was too late.
Aaric watched in horror as the monster tore through the first Stanner with a single swipe. The man didn't even scream. The second was crushed under its massive claws. Blood splattered across the glowing moss.
Darnell lunged at the beast, his blade glowing with star energy.
"Over here, bastard!"
Their captain fought bravely, each strike sending sparks flying. He moved with desperation, blocking an attack that would've torn Aaric in half.
"Vale!" he shouted between blows. "Run! Take the crystals and RUN!"
Aaric couldn't move.His legs trembled.His breath vanished.
He watched as the monster slammed Darnell into a tree, cracking his ribs. He coughed blood but still stood, swinging again.
"PLEASE—MOVE!" Darnell roared.
And then…
The monster roared with fury and lunged, its claws sinking into Darnell's chest. The captain's eyes widened—but he smiled through bloodied lips.
"At least… you live, kid…"
The beast tore him apart.
Aaric screamed, stumbling backward, falling to the ground as Darnell's lifeless body hit the floor.
The monster turned.
Its glowing red eyes locked onto him.
The ground trembled as it slowly approached—the last survivor of the grove… a trembling, useless, 1-star nobody.
Aaric crawled backward until his back hit a tree.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
His thoughts were only of his sister.
Of his mother.
Of Kael.
And then—
A cold whisper brushed his ears.
"Not yet, little brother…"
Aaric's eyes snapped open. The world froze. A faint blue screen flickered before him—
[Will Resonance Detected…]
[Inherited Will of Kael Vale — Awakening…]
The monster lunged forward.