Tower of Heaven

"I've heard a lot about you. You're supposed to be strong, right?"

"I suppose so, but I could say the same about you. You should hide your fighting intent before someone takes it the wrong way."

"Ah? But what if that's how I wanted them to take it from the start?"

Two auras clashed in the air as their owners sized each other up.

In the midst of it all, Atlas only had one thought.

'How did I get here?'

He felt like he was no more than an observer in his own life as it all happened. He was pulled along by the current, and somehow, he ended up in this situation.

It all started when he was casually walking through the 35th Floor.

The trial here was no different from that of the other few floors. He was to explore an ancient ruin and excavate it. The differences would show themselves once he was actually inside.

However, before he could arrive, his path was obstructed by sounds of battle.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three loud impacts reverberated through the air, and by the time Atlas could see the two combatants, a victor had already been decided.

Laying on the ground was a man who'd accidentally impaled himself with his own blade. And, above him was an Ascender Atlas knew well.

"Shithead. If you're going to eye me like that, then at least have the strength to back it up. Now you're dead because you wanted to talk big. Sucks, doesn't it?"

Bang!

The woman slammed her foot on his neck, bringing an end to his life. Like all battles that took place in the Tower, this one could only end when one person died.

The force of her stomp shattered the ground and disrupted the trees that were hiding Atlas. She caught a glimpse of the lurking figure in her peripheral and immediately attacked without asking any more questions.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three bursts of qi shattered the tree apart. Atlas jumped back, but she was already in front of him with her fist out.

'It was a diversion. I didn't know she could think like that.'

In the air, she finally saw the appearance of her target. Her eyes widened and her fighting intent instantly diminished.

"Atlas?"

Bang!

It was too late for her to retract her attack, but Atlas wasn't just going to let her punch him. He grabbed her arm and used her momentum to flip their position. When they hit the ground, she was slammed on her back while he easily landed on his feet.

"I understand why you stopped, but you still shouldn't put your guard down in battle."

The woman on the ground, whose identity was more than obvious by now, grinned as she stood up, seemingly uninjured.

"Well, it's not like I can beat a monster like you, anyway. What's the point?"

"That's not what you said last time."

"Yeah, and I'm going to stick to that. Just wait until we get the chance to fight for real. I'm going to bring you down."

The two of them grinned at each other. Of course, she couldn't see his expression, but she could perceive them all the same. She'd known Atlas for long enough to understand that he was actually quite expressive under his mask.

"It's good to see you again," she said.

"Same to you, but why are you here? I thought you'd be far past this floor by now," Atlas said, bumping the fist that she outstretched in a greeting she'd taught him.

Artemia shrugged in response.

"I had to make some stops to train so I only just came back to the Tower a few hours ago. I never expected to run into you either. I thought you were already on your way to the 50th Floor."

Atlas shrugged back.

It looked like their progress was around the same.

They were two people who knew each other well. Atlas had lived with the Tatsuya Clan for several years, so it would have been stranger for them to be strangers.

In fact, Artemia was the one who shaped most of Atlas' grammar in this new day and age. He couldn't quite bring himself to speak as casually as she did, but her dialect was the one he followed when he spoke in a more modern tongue.

Now that they'd met like this, it wasn't really a question of whether they'd travel together or not. It was practically guaranteed.

'Even Alaric told me to look after her. If not out of personal desire, I can justify our cooperation through this.'

As they conversed about their experiences in the Tower and moved towards the trial ruin, however, they found that fate did not want to leave them alone.

Was it a natural encounter or one planned by some higher force? He was merely sitting at a campfire when they found him, but what were the chances that they ran into him of all people?

"Atlas?"

"Horus?"

Neither of them expected it, clearly, from their reactions.

The scene that played out after was what led to the current moment.

Atlas and Horus greeted each other and started talking when Artemia approached.

"Hey, I know you! You're that bird guy from the forums!"

"My name is Horus, but that should indeed be me. And you… you are that unruly Azure Dragon."

"Haha, are you trying to pick a fight?"

"Who was the one that spoke out first?"

"I didn't know the two of you were familiar with each other."

When Atlas chimed in, their hostility dropped for a moment.

"I mean, everyone knows everyone. The forums keep us all connected. You're really the only person climbing the Tower so quietly," Artemia said.

"Indeed. I tried to find news about you, but there was nothing after the Blood Moon Phenomenon. It is even a bit strange how you manage to stay so isolated from everyone else."

"Are you both trying to pick a fight with me?"

They were both geniuses of this generation that were well-known throughout the Tower. It was natural for them to be aware of each other. Still, it wasn't Atlas' fault that he wasn't the same as them.

He could learn language and he could learn culture, but these new technologies were beyond him!

"The forum is too complicated. I can't understand how to navigate through it, and the front page is always filled with nonsense."

It was a sentence that made both of them roll their eyes.

"Does he always act like an old man?"

"I've known him for less time than you, but he has indeed always acted like an old man."

With that, Atlas lost his place in the conversation. The two focused on each other again, and a familiar exchange took place.

"I've heard a lot about you. You're supposed to be strong, right?"

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"I suppose so, but I could say the same about you. You should hide your fighting intent before someone takes it the wrong way."

"Ah? But what if that's how I wanted them to take it from the start?"

Two auras clashed in the air as Artemia and Horus sized each other up.

As they prepared to fight, Atlas could only sit there and watch.

'Ah, youth…'

He sighed to himself.

'...I'm too old for this nonsense.'

In the next moment, his hair was whipped to the side by the extreme winds produced by the collision of two geniuses.

And he could only sigh to himself once again.