"What you climb isn't a tower.
It's a graveyard of failures, built on the bones of gods."
—Inscription at the base of the 1st Divine Tower.
[Location: Seoul Outskirts – Tower of Heaven's Gate]
The tower loomed.
A black spire piercing the clouds, veins of blue energy pulsing across its crystalline surface. It radiated pressure—like it was alive. Like it was hungry.
Hundreds of Awakeners gathered near the entrance gate. Cameras buzzed. Reporters crowded the lines. Guild representatives flanked their elites.
Everyone came dressed in enchanted armor, legendary gear, and support scrolls.
Everyone… except one.
Sage Hwan arrived in silence.
No weapons. No armor. No team. No guild.
Just his shredded hoodie, black combat pants, bandaged fists, and a calm, disgusted expression.
"Too loud."
His voice made nearby Awakeners freeze. Some recognized his face from the now-viral A-rank solo dungeon footage.
"That's him… the E-Rank freak who beat Dri'Varos."
"Is he insane? Coming here alone?"
"He's bluffing. He'll die by floor three."
Sage didn't respond. He stepped into the activation circle alone.
[Tower System Booting… Validating Entry]
Participant: Sage Hwan
Rank: E
Class: None
Weapon: None
Affinity: Unknown
Core Type: [RESTRICTED DATA]
Unique Trait: Evolution-Type Martial Construct (Unconfirmed)
Entry Confirmed. Welcome to Heaven's Gate.
Warning: Trait locked. All items sealed. Tower will judge only the body, soul, and will.
FLASH!
He vanished in a beam of white light.
[Floor 1 – Trial of Pressure]
The space was endless. A white void with one thing only:
Gravity.
An invisible force dropped the pressure to 30x Earth's normal level. Bones cracked. Muscles tore. Most Awakeners who enter this floor last 2 minutes before failing.
Sage didn't even flinch.
He stood there. Silent. Arms folded.
"This is your first mistake, Tower."
He took a deep breath, let his internal core circulate, then dropped into a horse stance.
Modern Martial Form I – Flowing Water Palm: Root Stabilization Mode.
His knees bent. Spine aligned. He began to move slowly, executing a sequence of ancient martial stances refined with modern biomechanics.
CRACK—POP—CRACK!
His body adjusted.
He adapted. Instead of resisting the pressure, he flowed with it, redirecting it through muscle control and breath regulation.
After 10 minutes, the system blinked.
Floor Cleared.
Bonus Reward Acquired: +1 Internal Core Resilience | Trait Slightly Evolved.
[Floor 2 – Trial of Echo Blades]
Twelve clones appeared.
Each was a mirror of Sage—but wielding different elemental martial arts. Fire-Fist Sage. Lightning-Kick Sage. Shadow-Grapple Sage. Wind-Feint Sage.
They all attacked simultaneously.
Normal Awakeners panic.
Elites fight strategically.
Sage? He smiled.
"So you copied my incomplete forms?"
"Cute."
He vanished mid-motion, moving between two attacks, and spun into a vortex of flame and wind.
Modern Martial Form IV – Ember Wheel.
SLASH—BOOM—THUD—CRACK!
One by one, his clones shattered as he used a different form to counter each copy. He didn't block. He didn't dodge. He humiliated them.
Every strike was arrogant precision.
Every movement said: "I created these. You're not even second-rate."
[Floor 3 – Trial of Kindness]
A child stood bleeding. Crying.
An elder lay dying, whispering for help.
A broken family screamed for a healer.
Behind them, a monster approached.
The Tower watched to see what the cold martialist would do.
Sage's expression didn't change. He walked toward the monster. It roared.
He grabbed its face and crushed its skull with pure telekinetic grip.
POP!
Then he knelt beside the child. Ripped his own shirt to make a bandage. Carried the elder to safety. Left food for the others.
He didn't speak.
He didn't ask for thanks.
He simply said:
"You're not enemies. So I don't kill you."
And he left.
Outside the Tower – Real World
Everyone was watching.
A live feed showed Sage solo-clearing each floor with pure martial skill, evolving his trait slowly, without system cheats or team buffs.
The Association Director leaned forward.
"He's not climbing. He's dominating."
Kael Yun clenched his jaw.
"Just wait. He'll fall eventually."
Back in the Tower
Floors 4 to 6:
• Trial of Speed (Cleared with Form II – Storm Fist, boosted by wind and lightning).
• Trial of Silence (Cleared by controlling his heartbeat and breath to move unseen).
• Trial of Elemental Fusion (Sage absorbs conflicting core types, stabilizes his internal circuit into a unique hybrid).
End of Chapter Moment – Floor 7: Trial of the Divine Duelist
A figure waited at the center.
Golden armor. Silver blade. Radiant aura.
"I am the Holy Sword Descendant of the 5th Heaven. State your name."
Sage cracked his neck, stepping forward, eyes bored.
"Your title's too long."
"Excuse me?"
Sage grinned coldly.
"I'm Sage Hwan. E-Rank.
But I only need one hit to send you back to god."