Tower of Heaven

The clear notification for the 14th floor never came. Atlas saw it a long time ago. He only needed to enter the elevator to reach the next floor.

The rewards for the intermediary floors were quite meager as well. At most, he was only given a little bit of gold, which didn't mean much after he gained everything in Kallos' treasury.

Nevertheless, the intermediary floors were no longer important. Atlas put aside everything he left there and focused on what was in front of him now.

And that was another holographic window, along with a group of seven people.

[20th floor Cumulative Trial: Tomb of a Fallen Immortal]

[Description: A tomb created by an Immortal who fell from the Celestial Realm. His Divinity was cursed and his name forgotten, but his tomb lives on within the Tower. He hopes to find a successor to his will, and tests all those worthy enough to arrive at his tomb.]

Qualifications: Ascended to the 20th Floor

Time Limit: Undetermined

Conditions for success:

1. Complete the Fallen Immortal's Trials

OR

2. Attain the Fallen Immortal's approval

[Reward: Based on contribution]

'Another contribution-based reward, and most importantly, the first signs of an Immortal.'

Atlas' eyes narrowed as he read over the trial message.

He and the seven others were inside of the so-called Fallen Immortal's Tomb. They stood surrounded by cracked stone walls on three sides. The last was an open corridor that led into the darkness.

'It does not seem like the trial requires us to work together.'

Just like Kallos' tomb, the group here was filled with competitors who were aiming for the same rewards as him.

Though, the facts insisted that they'd been grouped together for a reason.

'There must be some trials ahead that require collaboration, and…'

Atlas glanced at the ground, taking note of the debris and patterns in the dust.

"...we are not the only ones in this tomb."

Atlas looked up in surprise.

He was not the one who spoke. Rather, the owner of that voice was a man who stood not far away.

He had the head of a falcon and the body of a man. He wore what seemed to be tribal clothing made of gold. It could even be considered something of an armored kilt covering his lower body.

His upper body was left bare, showing off his bronze skin and toned muscles. Unlike most people in the tower, he wore a considerable amount of jewelry, including a thick gold chain around his neck and bracelets on his wrists.

He looked like a beastman, but that was clearly not his lineage.

'A curious fellow.'

Atlas glanced at him along with the rest of the members of their group.

"I am aware that Ascenders are meant to be solitary beings, but I believe we must work together to clear the trials ahead. If we ever reach a point where we must fight, then let us do so in earnest. However, until then, how about we form a pact of nonaggression?"

The man's idea was not a bad one. He introduced himself to the group, trying to form a slight bond with them so they felt more inclined to accept his proposal.

"I am Horus. It is a pleasure to meet you all."

"Is that it?"

As expected, he faced immediate opposition.

A nearby man with a much more common appearance sneered at the falcon-headed Horus.

"If you want to latch onto someone else's achievements, that's fine, but leave me out of it."

"Ah," Horus responded in slight surprise.

"That is not my–"

He wasn't able to finish his words, as the man in question had already started walking into the tunnel ahead.

The remaining six looked between each other.

Ascenders at this level were not particularly skilled, but they were surely arrogant.

Everyone wanted to make the most of the rewards they received. As the trial was graded based on contribution, moving alone was obviously the best option to maximize rewards.

Or so many people assumed.

Everyone in the group was an adult. They were allowed to make their own decisions.

Despite three others also following the first man's lead and leaving the group, Horus didn't try to convince anyone otherwise.

He merely sighed as he watched them make their choice.

"So, it is just the four of us," he said with a wry smile that looked quite strange when it was made with a beak instead of a mouth.

"Shall we do another round of introductions?"

The two who remained were a man and a woman. They looked to be acquainted already considering how they stuck close to each other.

"I am Joseph, and this is my sister Melida," the man among them said.

"We discussed among ourselves and decided that your idea seems to be rational, so we will stay with the group until we see that it is unnecessary."

His words drew a clear line between the siblings and the two strangers they decided to accompany, not that either Horus or Atlas particularly cared.

Still, with their introduction complete, it was Atlas' turn to do the same.

He only said his name, an alias, of course, and something along similar lines as them, agreeing with Horus' intuition.

For now, it was better to remain silent and observe the actions of his group members.

'The Fallen Immortal's Tomb…'

Atlas returned his attention to the environment as the other three got ready to move.

The name alone was enough to suggest that this trial's objectives would not be easy to accomplish.

An Immortal was a being from a realm that Atlas didn't know. In his past life, he believed that he had reached the peak of the world when he consolidated his World Core.

Only when he was reborn did he realize just how much of a frog in a well he was back then.

Immortals existed in a completely different plane. To them, mortals were merely playthings or tools. The life of a mortal genius didn't mean much to people like them.

This tomb may have been used as a Cumulative Trial, but that did not mean that it would be any friendlier to the people who tried to claim its rewards.

'Not to mention, the clear conditions are far too vague.'

Clearing the tomb's trials was simple enough, but what was the part about gaining the Fallen Immortal's approval?

'I can only learn more by exploring.'

Atlas could form many trains of thought as he stood at the tomb's entrance, but he wouldn't find any evidence to support his claims until he truly saw what lay in store for him.

Luckily, the other members of his group had equipped themselves properly in the short time he took to digest the information he was given.

At that point in time, Atlas didn't yet understand what a Cumulative Trial truly was.

It was a place for cultivators to be put to the test. It was a place where those deemed unworthy were crushed, and a place where those with the proper qualifications could only shine if they survived.

It was an environment where death was more prevalent than anything else.

But, ironically enough, an environment of that nature was perfect for a cultivator who craved growth.