Jold District No. 4, Arte's Star-Watching Tower
A huge tower stood majestically in the middle of Jold District No. 4, in the city's core area. This place was quite close to the prestigious Freya Academy. From the outside, the tower looked magnificent; its top was always hidden by clouds, giving it a mysterious allure.
Unlike typical towers in this magical world,full of mana, monsters, and floor bosses,this tower was completely devoid of mana. It wasn't meant for awakeners to raid. Instead, it had become a tourist attraction. Thousands of people climbed it daily, hoping to reach the top, enjoy the scenery, or test their luck.
Despite having no mana, the tower had a strange phenomenon: illusions. Inside, a seemingly endless spiral staircase wound upward. Countless visitors tried to climb it, but all eventually found themselves inexplicably outside the tower, as if they had never ascended at all.
Because of this, people nicknamed it the "Illusion Stair Tower."
You might wonder, "Why haven't S-rank or SS-rank individuals investigated it?" Well, simple: the tower had restrictions. Those ranked A or above couldn't enter,or the tower would self-destruct. This protected its annual tourism revenue, which was critical for the district and investors.
So, why hasn't a B-ranker succeeded? Because this tower was designed for the world's chosen,a child of luck capable of turning fate itself in their favor. In short: Fade, the protagonist. Only someone like him could overcome the tower's illusions.
The Tower's Backstory
On a cloudy night during Awakeners Era 3108, lightning struck the barren Arte's Dead Desert, and a tower suddenly appeared. This area, named after the Earth Wizard Arte (a deceased S-ranker), was otherwise lifeless. Some lucky passersby witnessed the tower's sudden arrival and attempted to explore, but repeated failures discouraged them.
The story spread quickly. Awakeners flocked to the site, forming a small settlement that eventually became Jold District. Over a thousand years, no one ever successfully climbed the tower. Its fame grew, attracting neighboring races and tourists, while the original purpose,to conquer the tower,faded from memory.
"Huh… so this is what the top looks like. Not bad," Rio muttered.
Sadly, I can't bring Lia here, sigh~
At the very top, the tower had no ceiling, offering an unobstructed view of the sky. Looking down, it felt as if the clouds weren't even there.
A rather strange phenomenon… Rio noted.
What he didn't realize was how ironic it was to stand here at a place untouched for a thousand years,considering he even planned to have a date here.
The evening sky began to darken, the fading red sunlight casting a stunning glow. Despite the tower's height, the winds were gentle, carrying a refreshing breeze that rustled Rio's black hair.
It'll take a bit more time… I'll wait, he thought, settling in.
As he waited, memories of the past few days returned. He had been busy managing the aftermath of the chaos, and now seemed the right moment to reflect.
I didn't expect my interference to cause such a huge change in the story… at least it's better than the original, he mused.
In the novel he had read in his previous life, over 100 people had died in the bombing, and even more were killed by the disguised attackers. Fade's role had been minor: he caused a commotion before the fireworks, tried to warn people to evacuate, but his efforts backfired. Arguments broke out, delaying his actions, and he eventually gave up to find Ms. Anna. By the time they arrived, hundreds were dead.
Link had been sitting among the corpses, desperately calling, "Riya, please wake up!"
Riya had been a cannon fodder character in the original story, dying in the first chapter at the hands of Yug. Her death had triggered Link's rampage. He destroyed everything around him and killed indiscriminately, only coming to his senses after defeating Yug.
This tragedy marked the beginning of Link's downfall. Mentally shattered by Riya's death, he became crueler and more sadistic, his reputation plummeting from top-tier to infamous in mere months. Even his father scolded him for failing to protect Riya, further deepening his despair.
Yet, in this altered reality, the outcome was far better. Only forty people died, including those killed by the bomb and the Black-clad attackers. Rio's intervention prevented Link from killing innocents, and his rampage never occurred. Even though Ms. Anna and the professors arrived slightly later than originally planned, everything ultimately turned out well.
The most important change:
I was able to save humanity's greatest frost mage, Raji Croft's younger sister, Riya Croft.