"Am I audible? …Yes, I think the recording has started.
It's time to leave my legacy behind. Not because I'm dying—no… no… I'm not going to die. It's just that today is my last day in this Tower. And before I leave, I want to tell you how to obtain a skill capable of turning this entire Tower upside down."
"Lick."
"Lick."
"Stop it, Debo… What? You want to be part of the recording too?"
Ahhh… I almost forgot to introduce you. Well, it's not too late. This is Debo—my companion through this Tower. We first met on the fifty-first floor, and from that moment onward, we've been together.
Ahem.
I was talking about my legacy, so I suppose I should start from the beginning.
Five hundred years ago, a Tower appeared across the world. It was just like the manga I used to read. A structure with countless floors, each inhabited by beasts—some friendly, most hostile. And just like in those stories, humanity began to change.
Power awakened within people.
But not everyone was chosen.
Those above the age of twenty gained nothing. They remained ordinary humans, living powerless lives in a world that had moved beyond them. But those who were twenty or younger awakened and entered the Tower. They gained strength beyond human limits, skills that defied logic, and the ability to hunt monsters within the Tower's depths.
Only the awakened could enter. Normal people could only dream.
My name is Shiddharth Malhotra. I was born in the fifth Tower Century. After the Tower appeared, the world abandoned the old calendar, and from that moment onward, history was measured in Tower Centuries.
I was born into a rich and reputed family in India. My father was one of the finest Hunters in the country. Because of his influence and achievements, our family never lacked resources, especially when it came to nurturing the next generation.
I was one of those heirs.
From the time I was young, I listened to my father's stories about the Tower—about the battles, the fear, the triumphs. Each word carved itself into my heart. I didn't just admire him. I wanted to stand beside him, to fight monsters with him, not as a child watching from afar, but as an equal.
Since our family lacked nothing, I began training early. I pushed my body relentlessly. Harder than anyone my age. By the time I reached my teens, I stood above all my peers. Even among beginners who had already awakened, my physical strength could rival theirs.
At eighteen, the Awakening process begins. Those chosen awaken before the Tower itself.
Once humanity understood the process, a massive hall was constructed near the Tower. Everyone gathered there, touching the invisible aura surrounding it while making a wish born from a pure heart. Those accepted could pass through the gate hidden just beyond the aura and enter the Tower.
I went there as well.
The first time, nothing happened.
I still had two chances left, so I trained even harder, believing effort alone would be enough.
On my third and final attempt, whispers followed me.
"Isn't that Shiddharth Malhotra? He's here again."
"I heard this is his last try. What terrible luck. All his brothers and sisters awakened, but he's still stuck."
"If he fails this time, he'll live his whole life as a normal person."
"He's stronger than anyone here, but maybe his heart isn't pure."
"What a waste of talent."
"It's time. Move along."
Their voices faded as people stepped forward, one after another, placing their hands on the Tower's aura and speaking their wishes.
"I want to enter the Tower and earn money."
"I want to become strong enough to support my ally."
"I want to provide for my family."
"I want to explore the Tower."
When it was my turn, I spoke the same wish I had carried since childhood.
"I want to become strong and support my father in his Tower adventure."
A message appeared before my eyes.
[ You didn't make your wish with your pure heart. ]
[ Tower is rejecting your prayer to be awakened. ]
Just like the previous two times, I failed again.
I didn't understand. I was certain of my desire. I truly wanted to fight alongside my father. Yet the Tower rejected me, as if it could see something I could not.
Standing there, surrounded by whispers and silent pity, I realized something terrifying.
Perhaps the Tower wasn't wrong.
Perhaps… I didn't truly understand my own heart yet.
[...] In this tower talks with awakeners.