Cassian trudged along the cracked sidewalk, his school backpack slung carelessly over one shoulder, the weight of another monotonous day at high school pulling at his steps.
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the suburban streets of his quiet neighborhood, and the distant hum of traffic blended with the chatter of birds settling in for the evening.
He was lost in thought, replaying the usual frustrations boring classes, superficial friends, and the nagging sense that life was just... ordinary.
At seventeen, Cassian Dawn felt like he was meant for something more, though he couldn't quite put his finger on what.
His orange-tinted eyes contacts he wore to stand out in a sea of bland conformity scanned the horizon absentmindedly as he kicked a stray pebble down the path.
Suddenly, the air around him shimmered, like heat rising off asphalt on a summer day. A translucent blue panel materialized out of nowhere, hovering inches from his face with an ethereal glow that seemed to pulse with otherworldly energy.
It wasn't ordinary; no, this felt ancient, powerful, like a relic from a forgotten myth. Cassian's heart skipped a beat, his eyes widening in a mix of shock and recognition.
He froze mid-step, the pebble rolling forgotten into the grass. He knew what this was stories whispered in online forums, urban legends passed around like forbidden knowledge.
The Tower. The gods-forsaken land, a colossal 1000-floor labyrinth that plucked people from countless worlds, races, and realities, offering them a brutal chance to ascend, to grow stronger through sheer will and skill.
And now, it seemed, it had chosen him.
The panel's text flickered into clarity, as if responding to his gaze:
**The System**
**Name: Cassian Dawn**
**Class: None**
**Skill: None**
**Awakened Trait: Demon King of Pride**
**Race: Human (changed to Demon through the trait)**
Cassian's breath caught in his throat. He stared at the words, his orange eyes narrowing as disbelief morphed into a cocktail of confusion and intrigue.
"What the fuck do you mean by that?" he muttered aloud, his voice a low growl laced with irritation.
He reached out tentatively, his fingers passing through the holographic display like it was made of mist. "And race? This is some kind of game? You just... made me a demon?"
His mind raced, piecing together fragments from those late-night forum dives. Only those who awakened a trait got invited rare gifts that defined your path in the Tower.
But Demon King of Pride? That sounded ominous, like something out of a dark fantasy novel. He felt a strange warmth spreading through his veins, subtle at first, then intensifying, as if his very blood was rewriting itself.
His skin tingled, a faint reddish hue creeping along his arms barely noticeable, but enough to make him glance down in alarm.
Curiosity overriding his unease, Cassian focused on the trait line, willing more information to appear. As if sensing his intent, the panel shifted, expanding with a soft chime that echoed only in his mind:
**The System**
**The Demon King of Pride stands as an existence that recognizes no superior. Pride is not emotion but authority a force that bends the world to acknowledge his supremacy.**
**Those bearing this trait cannot kneel in spirit or will. The more overwhelming the opponent, the more their power rises in response. Submission weakens others but strengthens him.**
**Effects:**
**- Dominion Aura: Enemies with weaker willpower suffer suppressed abilities and reduced combat efficiency in his presence. Their instincts hesitate; their power falters.**
**- Absolute Self-Authority: Mental interference, fear effects, and coercion magic are drastically reduced or outright rejected.**
**- Crown of Defiance: When facing stronger foes, all core attributes scale upward proportionally to the gap in power.**
**- Unbowed Soul: Cannot be forced into contracts, bindings, or oaths against his will.**
**- Pride Manifest: The more he refuses to retreat, the more his attacks gain destructive amplification.**
**Drawback: Pride rejects retreat and compromise. Strategic withdrawal, deception, or submission-based tactics become difficult or impossible without severe backlash or power loss.**
Cassian's eyes widened further, his pupils dilating as he absorbed the description. A rush of adrenaline surged through him, his heart pounding like a war drum.
This wasn't just a trait it was a game-changer, a blueprint for unchallenged dominance. He knew the Tower's rules from the rumors: no easy leveling systems, no magical pop-ups granting skills out of thin air.
Strength came from grinding, from mastering techniques through blood, sweat, and relentless practice. You honed what you had, learned new abilities the hard way, or perished in the climb.
But this... this trait turned pride into power. As long as he stood tall, unyielding, he'd grow stronger against any odds. A demon? Fine. If it meant wielding this kind of edge, he could embrace it.
A shameless smile tugged at the corners of his lips, spreading into a full grin that revealed a hint of sharpened canines another subtle shift from his new race.
"Well, being a demon isn't so bad after all," he chuckled to himself, his voice gaining a confident edge. Who was he kidding? Just moments ago, he'd been on the verge of panic, a flicker of fear twisting in his gut at the thought of losing his humanity.
"Don't call me shameless," he murmured, as if arguing with an invisible critic. "Who was crying just a while ago about being turned into a demon? Pathetic."
He shook his head, the smile lingering as he reread the trait's effects. Groundbreaking didn't even cover it. No skills yet? No problem. With this, raw power would come from within from refusing to bow.
Before he could ponder further, the air around him warped again. A swirling portal ripped open in front of him, resembling a door framed in crackling black energy, its edges flickering like flames in the void.
The pull was immediate and irresistible, like a vacuum cleaner on steroids, yanking at his clothes and hair.
Cassian's grin faltered into a startled yelp as his feet left the ground. "Whoa. hey!" He flailed for a split second, instincts kicking in, but there was no fighting it.
The portal swallowed him whole, the suburban street vanishing in a blur of colors and disorienting motion.
The last thing he felt was a surge of exhilaration mixed with dread the Tower awaited, and whether he was ready or not, the climb had begun.