Alex opened his eyes at dawn. Light filtered through the bedroom window, soft and warm, but his heart was beating faster than usual.
Today was the day he would ascend the Tower of Ascension. He had been waiting for this since he had transmigrated to this world and merged with the memories. Now that the day had come, the excitement rushing through him felt almost unreal.
He washed up, slipped into a light outfit, and pulled open his door.
He went to the reception area at the ground floor.
His mother Elizabeth was already standing there. Beside her waited his third uncle and their old butler, Dominic. Their expressions held pride, worry, and excitement. Behind them stood five unfamiliar men and women in formal alliance uniforms.
One of them stepped forward.
"Good morning, Mr. Moriarty. We are from the Alliance. We are here to escort you to the tower."
"Thank you for coming," Alex said.
His mother and uncle nodded politely at the group.
"Shall we go?" one of the alliance members asked.
"Yes."
They moved together toward the flying ship waiting outside. Alex didn't eat anything for breakfast.
Challengers were not advised to eat breakfast. Instead, they drank special energy potions created by the alliance. One potion kept the body and mind active for two to three days. Most challengers took one or two.
Alex planned to take ten.
They stepped inside the ship. The interior was polished and quiet. Once they were seated, Elizabeth turned to her son.
"You already know the basic structure of the tower, but let me give you a quick reminder. The Tower of Ascension has exactly one hundred stairs. Each range reflects a person's cultivation talent."
She spoke clearly.
"One to ten is F rank.
Eleven to twenty is E rank.
Twenty one to thirty is D rank.
Thirty one to forty is C rank.
Forty one to fifty is B rank.
Fifty one to sixty is A rank.
Sixty one to seventy is S rank.
Seventy one to eighty is SS rank.
Eighty one to ninety is SSS rank.
Ninety one to one hundred is unknown."
The alliance members listened quietly. Even they did not interrupt.
Elizabeth continued, "But cultivation talent is not everything. The true treasure is the bloodline talent. Every tenth stair can grant it. The tenth step gives an F rank bloodline. The twentieth gives an E rank, the thirtieth a D, and so on. These talents include things like elemental manipulation, physical enhancement, spiritual gifts like telekinesis, or even rarer abilities."
She paused, letting the weight of it settle.
"But there is a rule. If you pass the tenth step and reach the eleventh, but fail before the twentieth, you receive no bloodline talent at all. Only the cultivation talent. So unless you are certain you will reach the next top stair, never ascend beyond the previous one."
"I understand, mom," Alex said. "I'll be careful."
The five alliance escorts exchanged looks. Their respect for Elizabeth was clear. One of them turned to Alex.
"Mr. Moriarty, the alliance has very high expectations for you. Some hope you might even surpass your father."
Alex nodded politely. "I will do my best."
The flying ship landed near the tower shortly after. The place was crowded with groups of young people. Today was not only his birthday but the birthday of many others. Everyone who turned fifteen this day was eligible to take the trial.
They had barely stepped down when a large group of reporters rushed toward them. Cameras flashed.
"Mr. Moriarty, do you want to say anything before entering?"
"Do you feel confident?"
"How many stairs do you expect to reach?"
Alex blinked, confused. "Mom, I thought cameras were prohibited near the tower?"
But one of the Alliance members said quickly,
"They are," she said. "But the alliance made an exception for you. Only the entrance part will be broadcasted, not the trial itself. You do not need to say anything if you want."
Alex faced the cameras.
"There is no benefit in talking. The results will speak for themselves."
He then asked for the energy potions.
People gasped as he asked for ten bottles. Some whispered. Some stared wide eyed. But after remembering his achievements before this day, the escorts simply handed the vials to him without complaint.
He opened each one and drank them all in one smooth motion. Glowing warmth spread through his limbs.
Elizabeth pulled him into a light hug.
"You must enter the barrier alone. Only fifteen year olds can enter. Be calm. Be confident there."
He held her hand for a moment. "I will."
He waved goodbye and walked toward the shimmering barrier that circled the tower.
Behind him, different thoughts filled different minds.
Kael Moriarty watched his cousin with a quiet stare from his room in the live broadcast.
"You walk like you have already conquered the world. If you rise too high today, the clan will change. The elders will start favoring you again. I cannot allow the clan to shift so simply. Reach high if you want, Alex, but I'll crush that height with a single step."
Anna, who had watched Alex with irritation for years, stood with her arms crossed. Her voice inside was cold.
"Ten potions. Is he trying to show off? Can he even reach my level?"
Several other teens at the place glanced his way too—some impressed, some envious, some nervous. A shroud of expectations followed him.
Alex stepped into the barrier with others of his age.
A soft rippling sound greeted him. The world bent around him as if he passed through a curtain made of flowing silver. His senses vanished for a heartbeat. Then everything stabilized.
He opened his eyes.
A colossal staircase floated before him. Each step rose like a stone platform several meters in height. The base stretched wider than a stadium. The upper part of the tower shimmered in the distance like a second sky.
Near him stood dozens of other fifteen year olds. Some stared at the stairs with trembling legs. Some whispered among themselves. Some kept glancing toward Alex, trying to guess how far he would go.
Alex took a breath and stepped onto the first stair.
The pressure hit immediately. A dense weight pressed down on his muscles and mind as if the air had suddenly thickened into liquid metal. Alex braced himself and felt the force settle over his skin.
His body accepted it without difficulty.
He climbed to the next stair. The pressure increased again, but it still felt manageable. By the time he reached the ninth stair, he had not slowed at all.
Other challengers looked in confusion.
"Did he train with extra weights all his life?"
"Why does he look so relaxed?"
"Is he pretending or is it really that easy?"
He reached the tenth stair.
A pale light wrapped around him, pulling him into a white mental arena. Only he could see it. His body in the physical tower did not move at all.
A calm voice echoed in his mind.
"Challenger. You have reached the first threshold. Do you wish to advance and attempt the next tier?"
"Yes."
A grade 1 beast appeared. A horned wolf with dark eyes and a snarling mouth. It rushed at him.
Alex lifted his hand.
Snap.
The beast fell apart like dust and faded from existence.
The arena dissolved. He stood on the eleventh stair.
Whispers from nearby challengers rose again.
"He already passed ten?"
"Is he some genius from a top clan?"
"His bloodline talent might appear soon."
"Or he might fall before twenty."
"True. The tower gets harder fast."
Alex ignored the voices and advanced.
Twelve.
Thirteen.
Fourteen.
Fifteen.
Eighteen.
At the twentieth stair, the light pulled him in again.
This time two peak low level grade 1 beasts materialized. Alex ended the fight in two heartbeats.
When he returned, he noticed a few boys staring at him with pale faces. One girl bit her lip and stepped back after seeing his speed.
He reached the thirtieth stair.
One mid level grade 1 beast. He cut it down in a moment.
Fortieth stair.
A stronger beast. Still too easy.
Fiftieth stair.
Two beasts. Done in three breaths.
Sixtieth stair.
Ten mid level beasts. A small challenge, but still not enough.
Alex swept through them like walking through fog.
When he returned to the stair, someone whispered behind him.
"Is he even human?"
"The tower's pressure is nothing to him."
"He is making it look like a walk."
He stepped onto the sixty first stair.
Everything changed.
The pressure multiplied like a falling mountain. His bones vibrated. His thoughts felt heavy for the first time. Spiritual force pushed down at him so strongly that even the air refused to move.
Some teens cried out when they reached this step, but Alex straightened his back.
His spirit energy rose quietly and brushed aside the pressure.
He continued climbing.
Sixty two.
Sixty five.
Sixty seven.
Seventy.
Seventy five.
Several challengers stood frozen at the lower stairs staring up at him with wide eyes.
"He is going for SS rank."
"I never thought I would see someone do it so calmly."
"Is he a monster?"
Alex reached the eightieth stair.
The arena swallowed him again.
Two hundred mid grade beasts surrounded him in a tight circle. Their growls shook the air.
Alex exhaled once.
He raised his wrist. The band activated, forming a glowing sword. It felt light and sharp in his hand. Using it in a mental battle was effortless.
The beasts charged.
He moved like flowing water. His sword created arcs of light. Each strike cut through illusions of flesh and bone. The beasts shattered one after another until the ground was covered in fading sparks.
He stood alone.
He returned to the physical staircase.
Eighty one.
Eighty five.
Eighty six.
Eighty seven.
Eighty eight.
Eighty nine.
The teenagers around him fell silent. For many, fear mixed with admiration. They had never seen someone ever reach this point.
He was already a SSS rank cultivation talent, rare throughout the world.
But could he reach the 90th level and snatch that Supreme bloodline talent?
The information about the SSS ranked martial artists was highly confidential, so they knew nothing about them.
Alex stopped at the ninetieth stair.
He was pulled into the battle arena again.
But this time, something unexpected appeared in front of him.