Several months passed, and only two remained until the end of the school year. It was a joyous occasion, as admissions to enter Heaven’s Spire had opened up after so long. Everyone was excited.
In the past few months, not much had occurred.
Classes continued like usual, all events were in order, and there weren’t any movements on the enemy side. Arthur still believed Arcadia Academy was unaware of their plan. It was a time of peace… to enjoy oneself, and conspire to topple a world-level force.
Currently, the crimson-eyed man stood before a wooden signboard that held copies of the admission form and basic information about Heaven’s Spire. It was quite informative, but nothing could surprise Arthur about the tower.
It offered information about jobs in the tower affiliated to Arcadia Academy, the basics of the trials on each floor, mana, the forces that controlled the tower, the rankings of power, and the advancements in technology.
However, since retired climbers couldn’t reveal detailed information, the words on the signboard were broad and could be interpreted in different ways.
There were barely two months left until the end of the school year, and a month and a half until the final exams. Time passed quickly, forcing Arthur to quicken his plans and increase his strength at a rapid pace.
Not to mention, they had yet to move forward with the plan.
‘In two months, I should be able to get that skill,’ thought Arthur, inspecting his mana circuits closely. He planned on merging [Sin Toll] with a different skill prior to the reckless situation he put himself in.
In reality, he wanted his mana circuits to be powerful enough to withstand the creation of an entirely different skill, and then merge it with [Sin Toll] to form one of his strongest skills in the past.
Unfortunately, [Recovery] was the one to merge with [Sin Toll], which delayed his plans drastically.
But finally, his mana circuits were sturdy enough to withstand the new skill’s creation. Although he couldn’t merge the two, using them separately was still an acceptable option… he regretted his actions so much.
‘I missed the opportunity to propel myself in terms of strength,’ thought Arthur, clicking his tongue. Although, due to his new constitution, he could utilize physical combat a lot more, instead of solely relying on magic.
In his previous life, he never thought to form a constitution, which turned out to be a mistake. His physical prowess was underdeveloped due to that decision.
Interrupting his train of thought was Jake, who approached the signboard with glittering eyes.
Noticing Arthur, he dabbed him up. The two had become much closer during the months, as displayed by Jake’s casual behavior.
“Are you going to enter Heaven’s Spire?” Arthur asked, noticing the gleam in Jake’s eyes. He seemed like someone desperate to enter the tower, judging by his current demeanor. “You’re plenty qualified.”
“I’m not,” replied the dirty-blonde-haired man flatly. Yet, his actions betrayed his words. He sighed in disappointment before turning around to head home. Class had just ended, and so had the school day.
Suddenly, Arthur grabbed Jake’s arm. “Why is that? You realize the tower is the best opportunity for you to grow, right?”
For the residents of this planet, the tower was an ethereal abode flooded with riches and drugs that could make one invincible. It was something above the clouds at the apex of the Universe, which it truly was.
In layman’s terms, it was an opportunity one could not refuse.
At Arthur’s words, Jake’s expression became complicated. His steps came to an abrupt halt, and he seemed to be contemplating something. After thinking hard about something for a few seconds, he finally came to a conclusion.
Turning to face Arthur, he formed a solemn expression. “I’m about to tell you something you cannot tell anyone else.”
Arthur raised an eyebrow before tilting his head. “Uh… okay?”
Suddenly, Jake leaned in before bringing his lips to Arthur’s ear. “My father… his health is deteriorating…”
With those words, he dashed off into the distance.
Arthur stood blankly, unable to process the information Jake had revealed to him. It was absolutely shocking.
*
Swoosh! Woosh! Swoosh!
The crimson-eyed man moved around using [Mana Step] at terrifying speeds. A regular human would be unable to follow his movements, as they were truly rapid. Each step was precise and calculated.
With a streak of crimson following his every move, he seemed like a professional warrior.
Through continuous training, Arthur had improved his physical prowess several fold while refining sword techniques he knew about in his former life. They weren’t perfect, but served as an appropriate base. ．
While swinging his sword rapidly, he racked his brain. Apparently, Jake trusted him enough to disclose such sensitive information to him. The fact that Kyle Garcia’s health was deteriorating could cost the Garcia family everything.
If the information was disclosed to the public, the Garcia family would be wiped out in a single day unless they had a trick up their sleeves.
If a powerful force revealed any weakness, its competitors would pounce to take advantage. It was a simple, universal, unspoken rule. Arthur didn’t know whether to think of Jake as overly trusting or simply an idiot.
Revealing such vulnerable information about one’s family was taboo, and stupidity. But then again, Arthur knew the man wouldn’t have revealed it, had it been anyone else asking the question.
Swing! Swoosh! Woosh!
Crack!
Beneath Arthur’s feet, the ground cracked. It was a tiny crack, but a crack nonetheless. Realizing his mistake, the crimson-eyed man reduced the quantity of mana he used while training to prevent such damage.
His crimson aura faded, and sweat piled up instantly.
Once the feeling of invigoration dissipated, the feeling of exhaustion crept up. It had been a long day.
But Arthur felt that things were too peaceful. Peace was simply a prelude to war… it was a saying his clan, the Heaven’s Challengers, often chanted before a battle… a sense of nostalgia crept up.
‘Fuck, I’ll think about this tomorrow.’