Tower of Heaven

The Celestial Ladder was a special thing.

It both existed and didn't exist. It opened when an Ascender needed it, and it physically manifested as if it was truly there, however, once it was closed, nobody could touch it.

Atlas leapt into the darkness confidently, not minding it at all as the winds fiercely whipped across his body.

After all, before he could truly descend into the abyss of the chasm, his body was enveloped by warmth.

He was inside that ethereal elevator. It flew out of the chasm, rising higher and higher until it was in the sky.

Atlas looked out and saw the large group of men that had been sent to catch him. He saw the Heaven's Gate Elder whom he still didn't know the name of, and that Elder saw him.

As their eyes locked, Atlas smiled.

It was a shame that it was hidden under his mask. Otherwise, the Elder's expression truly would've been a sight to witness.

It was a clean escape.

Despite standing right in front of the elevator, none of those people could touch it.

The Celestial Ladder had its own Ascender protection mechanisms. Those who had already cleared the 11th Floor would not be able to enter the same ladder as someone who was clearing it for the first time and leaving.

Of course, people who were clearing for the first time could enter the ladder together, but they wouldn't be able to fight inside.

What happened when they made it to the next floor…

Well, that was up to them to figure out.

Nevertheless, the atmosphere became a blur. The Heaven's Gate troops disappeared, and Atlas began his journey to the 12th Floor to truly begin climbing the tower.

As he sat in the elevator, he once again changed his appearance.

'Everyone wearing a mask will be persecuted for a time.'

There was no doubt. Masks were never rare in the tower, but with Atlas making such a big splash on the 11th Floor, there was no way anyone on the lower floors would be safe.

'It was an empty provocation, however, I have no doubt that they will eventually find me.'

And before that, he needed to become strong enough to fend for himself without running.

Atlas took off his mask.

His hair was still black, and his eyes were no longer grey, but red.

'My face…'

He felt uncomfortable not wearing a mask, though he didn't particularly know why.

'However, after seeing Kallos, I seem to have remembered some things.'

For instance, his old appearance. He'd never seen himself in a mirror in his past life's memories. With all his memories taking place from his perspective, he'd actually forgotten what he used to look like.

That was different now.

His old appearance, that of a stalwart, heroic man, was nothing like the one he held now.

Atlas Vaun and the Heavenly Emperor of the past could not be related to each other by anyone who couldn't see his soul.

Therefore, there wasn't actually a need for him to wear a mask.

'Or, at least, not to hide my identity from any who may know me.'

From now on, his mask could be used as a tactical advantage, not as a necessity.

Starting from the 12th Floor, his tower-clearing strategy would change.

'I must focus on training. Though my energy cultivation will not improve until I can comprehend another element, my physical cultivation is not inhibited.'

The Celestial Ladder didn't take long to travel between floors, as it was something of a dimensional mechanism, however, Atlas felt like he had all the time in the world to plan his moves.

'Before I reach the 20th Floor's cumulative trial, my physical and energy cultivation must be equal.'

No matter how long it took for him to achieve that, he would absolutely do so before continuing.

Fast progress was important, but not nearly as much as stability and the creation of a firm, unshakeable foundation.

Atlas' thoughts continued to flow, and before he knew it, the environment around him had shifted.

The strange illusionary space of the Celestial Ladder was gone, replaced by an expansive forest reminiscent of the one Atlas had just left.

'Have I returned?' He jokingly thought to himself.

However, the floating panel in front of his face confirmed otherwise.

'The 12th Floor's trial…'

Atlas' eyes widened slightly.

'...is surprisingly simple?'

The only goal of this trial was to kill 300 total beasts from at least five of the species living in this environment.

'It is a slightly tedious task, but there is nothing difficult about it.'

Rather than a test for Ascenders, this trial was more like a training for them, who oftentimes needed to experience their qi properly before they could learn how to use it.

'Still, roughly 50% of Ascenders are eliminated in the first twenty floors. This is a common fact that is spread all throughout the forums.'

Something about these trials was difficult. Perhaps it was just because Atlas hadn't experienced them that he underestimated their worth.

That was the open-minded mentality he used to approach the upcoming floors.

But that thought process was completely destroyed not long after.

Because Atlas got to see with his own eyes just why these floors claimed the opportunities of so many hopeful young Ascenders.

***

'They are weak.'

It wasn't a difficult consensus to reach. Atlas just hadn't had a chance to see it.

He was quite lucky. His tutorial group was filled with talented people, and once he left, he got tangled with the geniuses from Great Societies.

The common Ascender wasn't like them.

Those people didn't know much about cultivation. They needed aid and time to even have a chance to put in the effort required to become powerful.

They didn't know how to properly cultivate, so they were forced to rely on the forums and other cultivators to help them learn.

When those kinds of people reached the 12th Floor, fresh out of the tutorial and overconfident after easily hatching the Beast Egg provided to them on the previous floor, it was only natural for them to fail.

Because they never got stronger. They merely completed the floor's task and immediately moved on.

'The mentality of these people…it needs to be changed.'

It wasn't as if everyone was weak. Due to the sheer connectivity of the tower's society, anyone could learn anything they wanted. That information could be costly, sure, but it wasn't hard to make up that cost as long as one climbed the tower with their all.

There were several diamonds that stuck out from the pack, tigers who couldn't stand running with wolves.

Those were the people who would eventually be scoured by larger influences and come to represent them.

Atlas didn't really care about them.

But something drew him to those who were weaker.

It wasn't pity, nor was it concern. It was a completely different feeling that didn't involve superiority at all.

Perhaps the decision he made was related to that feeling somehow.

Because at some point, Atlas stopped climbing just for himself.

He wanted to help those people.

As for why he would even think to do something that any other Ascender would consider idiotic and pointless?

Well…