Seeing the concerned looks of his companions, Roy laughed to ease their minds. “I’m fine. Lavos pulled me into something similar to Olivia’s shadow realm, except different. I don’t know how to explain it. Anyway, I watched you guys finish off Aamon. Nice job!”
Olivia approached Roy and pinched his skin to make sure he wasn’t a ghost, and only after Roy yelped in pain did she nod in satisfaction. Jason gave Roy a hearty slap on the shoulder before turning to Lavos with some hesitation. “We thought you sacrificed yourself. Are you okay?”
Lavos only returned to his usual self when Jason spoke directly to him. For a moment, the minotaur struggled to find the right words. “It’s complicated. I should’ve died, yet I appear to have become a spirit.”
Carly quickly asked. “What does that mean? What’s a spirit?”
“A unique lifeform created from elemental energy,” Lavos explained with some confusion. “Only, they generally don’t have sentience. I’m unsure why I still have mine.”
At this moment, a familiar voice came from behind them. “When you summoned Sol, he noticed your talent and admired your sacrifice for the greater good. Instead of letting you perish, he saved your life and made you one of his own.”
Jason and the others spun around, wide-eyed, as the tower’s creator walked towards them. As usual a white glow, soft on the eyes, surrounded him, obscuring his appearance.
“Sol?” Lavos calmly observed the new arrival. “You are?”
“Ouroborus.” The tower’s creator replied, his voice light and pleasing to the ears. “Lavos, Sol intends to bring you to the spirit dimension. Only there can you survive and grow.”
Lavos immediately asked. “I can’t stay here?”
“NO!” A deep voice reverberated as Sol manifested in human form behind Lavos. Flames made up the spirit's body while a ring of condensed fire floated above his head. All in all, he gave off a majestic and powerful aura.
Lavos turned to face the origin spirit with respect and awe. “Mighty spirit, can I stay?”
Sol looked down at the minotaur. “It is only in the spirit dimension where you can maintain form and retain sentience. Otherwise, death!”
“I see.” Lavos let out a long, deep sigh as he accepted the truth. He wasn’t bitter; instead, he was hopeful. The minotaur hadn’t expected to survive after sacrificing himself. Lavos turned to Jason and said. “Tell the others I died in combat.”
Jason’s expression fell as he glanced hesitantly at Ouroborus. In response, a voice appeared in his head. Now that the trial is over, Lavos will cease to exist, at least normally. He is lucky to have caught Sol’s eye.
Hearing this, Jason faced Lavos and answered. “I will. Thank you for everything.”
When Lavos and Sol disappeared, the atmosphere grew tense. What should have been a happy farewell turned awkward with the arrival of the tower’s creator.
Surprising everyone, the first to speak was Carly, who mustered a lifetime’s worth of courage to ask, “Mr. Ouroborus, sir, um, are you reading my mind?”
Ouroborus laughed joyfully. “No, I’m not. I can, but I find it rude. Honestly, things are more eventful when you don’t know what everyone’s thinking.”
Carly immediately felt relieved, as if her deepest fear vanished, while everyone else felt their mood lighten after her unexpected question.
After a few moments of silence, Ouroboros looked over the party and spoke. “I imagine you all have a lot of questions. For those of you who are champions, your gods will answer any questions you have. Shenlong, Dubaku, and Carly, you three can either use your reward points to find answers or wait for your companions to share what they’ve learned.”
After Ouroborus finished speaking, a notification appeared in front of Roy, Olivia, and Amara. The group exchanged a few words before the champions teleported away, except for Jason, who wore a confused expression. Aros didn’t send him anything.
As Jason was about to ask something, Ouroborus said. “I wish to discuss some things with you, Jason. You can decline if you want.”
“Let’s go,” Jason replied as Tank leaped off Carly’s shoulder and landed on Jason’s head.
“I’m teleporting us now.” Ouroborus warned as Jason felt his surroundings spin. In the next moment, he found himself in a peaceful meadow. A family of deer drank from a nearby stream while colorful bees flew from one flower to the next. The sky was clear, except for a few clouds. Jason breathed in through his nose as his mind grew serene and peaceful, similar to when he drank the soul-awakening tea.
“What do you think?” Ouroborus smiled as he looked around curiously.
“It’s great. Perfect, even.” Jason felt more relaxed than ever had as he became one with the meadow.
Ouroborus summoned a table and a pair of chairs, as he explained, “This dimension’s environment changes depending on what the soul needs most.”
Jason took a seat, then raised an eyebrow. “So what you’re saying is I want to relax? Make sense.”
“Do you want anything to eat or drink?” Ouroborus asked before summoning a cold drink for himself.
“Coke would be nice,” Jason answered as Ouroborus summoned a soda from who knows where. For the next minute, the two enjoyed their drinks without exchanging a single word. Only when Jason finished did he speak. “Is there a limit to the number of questions I can ask?”
“There’s no limit, though some questions I won’t answer.”
Jason felt relieved upon hearing that. He had a whole list of things to ask, so he took a moment to organize his thoughts before continuing. “Are the monsters and creatures in the tower real?”
“Yes,” Ouroborus answered as he looked straight into Jason’s eyes. “Like you, they have souls, emotions, and desires. However, I’ve modified them a bit to make them follow the tower’s rules.”
Jason’s mind shook at this revelation. Ascenders speculated as to the truth, yet this was, without a doubt, the worst answer. It brought into question the morality of the tower and its creator, the very creator that now sat across from Jason. Even so, Jason asked his next question. “Why? Can’t you use life-like puppets?”
“I could, but I wanted the trial to feel as real as possible. Body and soul alike,” Ouroborus responded ruthlessly with a calm tone.
Jason took a deep breath to calm his emotions before asking his next question. “Why did you create the tower and its trial?”
Ouroborus refilled his drink as he said. “There are many universes, each with different rules. For example, yours lacks energy, while Aros’s possesses Qi.” Ouroborus paused for a moment. “To reach my level of power requires going through many stages, along with a few miracles. What I want to know is how lifeforms reach these stages under various circumstances. The tower is one of many experiments I have running, and it tests civilizations like yours who have no experience manipulating energy.” Ouroborus hesitated for a moment before adding, “Ultimately, I want to find the origin of existence.”
Jason’s opinion of Ouroborus sank even further as he asked. “Is what you're trying to find worth it?”
“I know what you’re thinking.” Ouroborus gave a bitter smile. “What I’m doing is evil, vile, and cruel. I frequently ask myself that very question, but I always come to the same conclusion: it is!”
Jason knew traveling further down this line of questioning would only negatively affect his mentality, so he decided to shift topics. “Why did you say you couldn’t revive humanity?”
“For one reason: you showed the potential of possessing a Greater Path as a mortal, so I decided to have you redo the test,” Ouroborus replied simply. “I find lying deeply uncomfortable, so I was a bit odd during our exchange the last time.”
Jason instantly latched onto a certain phrase. “What’s a Greater Path?”
“You’ve learned about the three paths, right?” Ouroborus asked rhetorically. “For the absolute majority of lifeforms, they must first progress through many stages using their body, energy, or soul
as a base. Only then can they encounter a higher form of power—Greater Paths. Think of them as a type of physical law.
Ouroborus pointed at Jason. “You, however, skipped the traditional route. As a mortal, you managed to attain the Unyielding Greater Path.”
“What does the Unyielding Greater Path do?” Jason felt excited as he asked, although he had some ideas.
“Many people find your Greater Path annoying.” Ouroborus chuckled. “Simply put, a form of immortality. Regardless of whether you use your body, soul, or energy, they gain the property of your Greater Path. If someone shatters your soul into a thousand pieces, they’ll naturally attract together. Same for your body. As for your energy, you’ll always get back what you spend.”
“You said I already have this Greater Path? Damn.” Jason was amazed, proud, and flabbergasted all at once.
“Pretty cool, I know, but I must warn you Greater Paths are like seeds. You need to nurture them, or else they will dissipate. As it stands, your Unyielding Greater Path will collapse after reviving you a few times.” Ouroborus’s warning brought Jason back to reality.
Jason followed up with a few more questions regarding his Greater Path, like how to train it, how it formed, and knowledge of other Greater Paths.
According to Ouroborus, the Unyielding Greater Path came into existence once unwillingness towards an obstacle or situation suffused your entire being. The core of the path lay in resistance, not retaliation. If retaliation were the core, it would become the Retribution Greater Path.
As for training the Unyielding Greater Path, Jason shivered after hearing the methods. Again, the core was resistance. Physical pain, emotional torment, suppression. Only by enduring these conditions would Jason’s Greater Path grow from a sapling into a towering tree. The ultimate goal of any Greater Path lay in reaching a threshold that allowed it to exist eternally. If Jason reached that point, no matter how many times he died, he’d revive.
While this sounded great, Ouroborus went to great lengths to make sure Jason didn’t get ahead of himself. Someone could take a piece of Jason’s body and seal it, sever the connection, or transform it into something else entirely. What if someone tortured Jason to such a degree he destroyed his own Greater Path to end his suffering? There were many methods to handle Greater Paths.
On a lighter note, it turned out you could have as many Greater Paths as you wanted; the only problem was acquiring them. For a mortal like Jason to have one was already unbelievable, so getting another in his current state was nearly impossible.
After Ouroborus’s explanations expanded Jason’s understanding several times, Jason decided it was time to ask one of the most important questions he had: What happens now?
Chapter 80
While Jason spent some time contemplating everything he’d learned, Ourouborus twirled his wrist, a gray ball appearing within his palm. Tank immediately focused on the small object, her nostrils flaring repeatedly. Seeing her interest, Ouroborus flicked his fingers as Tank caught the ball in her mouth. The turtle swallowed it in one gulp, after which her expression became one of extreme satisfaction.
In the next moment, to Jason’s surprise, Tank withdrew into his soul space as Battle Energy wrapped around her and formed a cocoon. Before she fell into a deep slumber, she sent Jason emotions of anticipation, safety, and smugness.
“What exactly did you give her?” Jason was bewildered by the sudden change, and why smugness?
“A gift.” Ouroborus placed his elbow on the table, then rested his head on his palm. “That pill contained an inheritance with instinctual knowledge on how to progress through many stages of power. Oh, I tweaked it so she can’t progress past you.”
“No wonder.” Jason smirked when he realized Tank wasn’t aware of the limitation. No wonder she felt smug. Speaking of stages, Jason thought this was an excellent time to ask an important question. “So, uh, now that the test is over, what’s gonna happen?”
“It’s up to you.” Ouroborus sat up and slowly took a sip from his drink before continuing. “Across the infinite universes, there are countless systems through which you can gain power. Many have flaws, but the most popular and refined one is the cultivation system. Aros and the other ‘gods’ follow this path.”
Ouroborus paused to make sure Jason was following along. “I offer you several choices: One, let everything be in the past. The tower will leave Earth, bringing with it all the powers test participants acquired. Two, the tower will leave Earth, letting test participants keep their powers. Three, the tower will stay, as long as you meet some conditions.”
“What conditions?” Jason instantly latched onto option three. It would be unfair to strip everyone of their powers, the result of their blood, sweat, and tears. Jason himself didn’t want to become a regular human again, either.
Ouroboros smiled as if knowing Jason would pick this option. “You’ll begin training in the cultivation system. For every stage you reach, the tower will stay on Earth for an additional one hundred years. Once you progress to a certain point, you’ll gain full ownership of the tower and its functions. Before then, you’ll only be able to work with the Architect to create or change floors, as well as various rules. For example, adding a respawn rule, so ascenders don’t die within the tower.”
“Really? What’s the downside?” Jason was doubtful. He had a negative impression of Ouroborus, the cause of so much suffering and death, so it was reasonable he’d assume there to be restrictions or cons attached.
As Jason imagined various possibilities, Ouroborus shook his head. “There’s no downside. Don’t you think it’d be cruel for me just to pack up and leave once I finish my experiment? Consider it a gesture of goodwill for everything I’ve done to you and your civilization.”
“If that’s the case, I choose option three,” Jason answered with determination, regardless of how he felt towards Ouroborus.
“Good.” Ouroborus appeared relieved upon hearing Jason’s response. “I was going to warn you by revealing the civilizations before you failed to get ownership of the tower, but with a Greater Path, your success is all but guaranteed.”
“Uh, I see.” Jason laughed awkwardly, lacking the confidence Ouroborus had in him. After hearing about his Greater Paths' weaknesses, he felt it wasn’t as impressive as he initially thought.
Ouroborus clicked his tongue after guessing Jason’s thoughts. “Do you know how many cultivators would cry to sleep after learning you had a Greater Path before even starting? You aren’t on the same playing field as them.”
Jason nodded half-heartedly and felt Ouroborus was trying to console him. The tower’s creator could only rub his chin and mutter, “Did I go too hard?”
After a few moments, the air warped as Aros appeared nearby. The ancient warrior gazed around the meadow and snorted in disgust before understanding the principles behind the dimension. His cheeks reddened, and with a cough, he approached the table. “You called?”
Ouroborus stood with a nod. “I’ve finished explaining things to Jason here. He’s decided to start training in the cultivation system.”
“Really?!” Aros guffawed and slapped Jason so hard his chair nearly shattered. “Good, good, good! Cultivation is the quickest and safest route to power. Eating souls? Bah! Beast taming? Garbage!”
Aros was sure to go off on a long tangent if Ouroborus didn’t interrupt. “You’ve made him your legacy disciple, so why don’t you guide him?”
Joy covered Aros’s face, but after realizing something, he let out an exaggerated sigh. “Ah, but shouldn’t you teach him?”
“Who are you trying to fool?” Ouroborus chuckled. “I’d feel terrible if I snatched someone’s legacy disciple. Besides, I planned on giving him an inheritance. He’d only be my disciple in name. You, however, truly care for him.”
“Pft! Care for him? Me?” Aros looked away from Jason and rubbed his beard, but he couldn’t hide his red cheeks.
Ignoring Aros’s antics, Ouroborus approached and tapped Aros�
��s shoulder. At that moment, Aros’s body and soul transformed on a fundamental level. Before Jason’s very eyes, Aros grew younger with every passing second, from an elder to a middle-aged man, to a youth in their twenties.
“What’s this?” Aros inspected himself in surprise.
“The contract between us is completed. As requested, I’ve perfected the internal cycle of life and death within you,” Ouroborus replied casually.
“Amazing, although I don’t understand the principles, it’s true.” Aros went to rub his beard, only to find it gone. Irritated, he reverted his outward appearance to one of an elder and winked at Jason. “The older I look, the more I can get away with yelling at people.”
Jason laughed at the unexpectedly hilarious reason. It was genius.
With a chuckle, Ouroborus turned to leave but stopped after a few steps. “The person you see before you is one of my clones. I’m usually hibernating, but if you need me for anything, ask for me. Oh, and don’t forget the reward shop.”
“Who should I ask?” Jason questioned as Ouroborus teleported away. Not receiving an answer, Jason just shrugged and decided to open the reward shop merely by thinking about it. A transparent screen appeared with three tabs. ‘Items’, ‘knowledge’, and ‘wishes’.
The items shop listed every object imaginable. Guns, spaceships, evolution potions, and even the m-serum was available. The knowledge shop contained many strange and esoteric concepts, from ‘gene editing’ to ‘faster-than-light engine’. The wishes shop was the vaguest. When Jason opened it, it asked, ‘What do you wish for?’
The first thing Jason thought of was his dad. In response, a notification appeared.
Do you wish to revive your father for 100,000 points?
Yes / No
Jason didn’t immediately hit yes. Right now wasn’t the appropriate time or place to revive his dad. Best to do it in a familiar environment. With Jason’s thoughts arriving this far, he remembered he had burned down his dad’s house. Well, that turned out to be a mistake. Whoops.
Towers of Heaven: A LitRPG Adventure (Book 3) Page 36