Chapter 8 — The Last Stand
The battlefield inside Tower Floor Sixty-Eight had fallen silent.
Moments ago, hundreds of monsters had been roaring across the ruined terrain. Hunters clashed with claws and fangs, spells and steel.
Now…
Only one presence dominated the floor.
The armored warrior.
His black armor reflected the faint crimson light of the tower sky. Strange runes glowed across the surface, pulsing slowly like a heartbeat.
The warrior lifted his blade again.
The sword looked simple.
Yet the aura surrounding it distorted the air itself.
Devendra Dev tightened his grip on his spear.
"Fall back!" he shouted.
Hunters immediately retreated several steps.
Everyone could feel the overwhelming pressure pouring from that figure.
This was no ordinary enemy.
Even the Nascent Soul hunters present felt their spiritual energy trembling.
Kavya stood beside her father, sword raised.
"Father…"
Devendra spoke without looking at her.
"Stay behind me."
"But—"
"That's an order."
Kavya clenched her jaw but stepped back.
The armored warrior slowly turned his head.
His glowing blue eyes scanned the battlefield.
Then he spoke again.
The same ancient language.
A voice deep and cold.
Devendra could not understand the words.
But the intent was clear.
Contempt.
As if the warriors before him were nothing more than insects.
The warrior raised his sword.
Energy gathered along the blade.
A massive wave of power surged forward.
Devendra lunged.
His spear thrust forward like lightning.
CLANG!
The spear struck the warrior's sword.
The impact exploded with violent force.
Devendra was thrown backward across the battlefield, crashing into a stone pillar.
Kavya rushed forward.
"Father!"
Devendra forced himself to stand.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
"Too strong…" he muttered.
That enemy was beyond anything they could defeat.
The warrior stepped forward again.
One step.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
Another step.
Hunters instinctively retreated.
Then—
A calm voice echoed across the battlefield.
"That armor style…"
"…it's from the Northern Continent military."
Everyone turned.
Aarav Dev walked through the tower gate.
His footsteps were steady.
Unhurried.
Kavya's eyes widened.
"Brother?!"
Devendra stared in shock.
"You shouldn't be here!"
Aarav ignored the warning.
His gaze remained fixed on the armored warrior.
Yes.
He remembered that armor.
It belonged to a kingdom from his first life world.
A soldier of the Northern Continent.
The warrior's glowing eyes shifted toward Aarav.
For the first time since arriving…
he hesitated.
Then he spoke.
"You…"
His voice carried faint surprise.
"You understand our language."
Aarav smiled faintly.
"Of course."
"I used to live there."
The battlefield fell into stunned silence.
Devendra whispered,
"…what?"
Aarav ignored the confusion around him.
His attention remained on the warrior.
"You crossed the portal by accident, didn't you?"
The warrior slowly lowered his blade.
"You are not from this weak world."
Aarav shrugged.
"I am now."
The warrior studied him carefully.
"But you have no cultivation."
"That is correct."
The warrior tilted his head.
"Then you are irrelevant."
He raised his sword again.
Kavya shouted,
"Aarav, move!"
But Aarav did not move.
Instead, he looked toward the sky inside the tower.
Then he sighed softly.
"So it really ends like this."
The warrior's attack came instantly.
A blade of energy large enough to split a mountain descended toward Aarav.
Devendra lunged forward.
"AARAV!"
Too late.
The attack struck.
The explosion of power shattered the battlefield.
Stone pillars collapsed.
Dust filled the air.
When the dust cleared…
Everyone froze.
Aarav Dev still stood there.
Barely.
Blood ran down his arms.
His body trembled from the impact.
But he had not been cut in half.
Instead, his hands pressed against the blade of energy itself.
The warrior's eyes widened slightly.
Impossible.
This man had no cultivation.
Yet he had stopped the attack.
Aarav smiled weakly.
"Well…"
"Stopping one attack isn't that impressive."
His arms trembled violently.
The energy wave finally exploded.
Aarav was thrown backward across the battlefield.
He landed hard against the ground.
Kavya ran toward him.
"Brother!"
Devendra followed.
Aarav coughed.
Blood stained the ground beneath him.
His body had reached its limit.
Without cultivation, he could not survive another attack.
But that was fine.
This had always been the plan.
Aarav looked at his family.
Kavya.
Arjun.
His father.
His mother.
They had become strong.
Strong enough to survive the future.
That was all he needed.
Aarav slowly looked toward the armored warrior again.
"Before I die…"
"…let me ask one question."
The warrior spoke coldly.
"You have little time left."
"Your portal."
"Where does it lead?"
The warrior answered without hesitation.
"To the Northern Continent."
Aarav nodded slowly.
Just as he expected.
The worlds were connecting again.
History was repeating itself.
But perhaps…
This time would be different.
Aarav closed his eyes.
Inside his broken body…
something ancient finally awakened.
A voice echoed in the depths of his soul.
Primordial Sovereign Physique detected.
Ten-life cycle complete.
Activation conditions fulfilled.
A brilliant light exploded from Aarav's body.
The battlefield trembled.
The armored warrior stepped back in shock.
"What… is this power?"
Aarav's eyes opened one last time.
Golden light filled his pupils.
He smiled.
Then whispered quietly.
"See you again…"
"...in ten years."
His body disintegrated into light.
The entire tower floor shook violently.
And somewhere beyond space and time…
the wheel of fate began turning again.