Silence.
A heavy, suffocating silence descended upon the Light Domain. Not a single sound dared to break it.
[Congratulations to Alex Moriarty, the first ever human of the universe to reach the 96th stair.]
This announcement contained a secret that humanity had wanted to avoid until now.
They already had some idea that they were not the only living planet in the universe when the dark energy infiltrated their world and changed it forever. The Tower of Ascension, the cultivation system, everything gave them a clear message.
That message was simple. Other powerful lifeforms also lived in the universe and probably had their own versions of the Tower of Ascension.
Otherwise, why would it compare Alex with other humans in the universe?
Then a sudden, piercing sonic boom tore through the sky, shattering the silence.
Every camera, from high-tech news drones to simple phones, snapped skyward.
Floating calmly in the air was a figure in a flowing black trench coat. His long, black hair danced in the wind. His face, astonishingly handsome and radiating calm authority, gave off a presence far beyond anyone present here.
A ripple of coordinated movement swept through the Emperors already gathered.
These beings, who were godlike in their composure, bowed deeply in unison.
"We greet the Vice President," they said.
This was the Vice President of the Alliance, the second most powerful human on the planet.
Even he had come here to see the birth of a legend with his own eyes.
His arrival immediately stabilized the tense environment. His presence acted like a colossal anchor dropped into a turbulent sea.
The electric, dangerous atmosphere, thick with unspoken possibilities of conflict between the Emperors, dissolved instantly. No Emperor would dare act on his own while he was here.
This was likely another reason for his presence.
Meanwhile, in the Tower of Ascension, Alex stood on the 96th stair, facing another battlefield.
A sparse, rocky wasteland stretched under a twilight sky.
The environment mattered little to him.
His mind dissected the sword technique he had just acquired on the 95th stair. It was a graceful yet devastating skill that returned the opponent's force upon them, terrifyingly effective against stronger foes.
He analyzed the subtle shifts in stance and grip that maximized this energy redirection.
His new opponent appeared.
A man with raw, contained power wielding a broadsword.
Boom.
Alex attacked him directly without giving him any chance. He wanted to gauge his limit.
After a few exchanges, Alex estimated the man's strength at around 250 tonnes, a clear and expected increase from the last stage.
Alex did not employ the Rebounding Edge immediately.
He followed his usual method. Observe and learn before striking.
The clash began.
He parried and blocked, feeling the opponent's strength and swiftness. This man's technique focused entirely on speed.
The broadsword moved with blinding rapidity, whistling through the air in continuous sonic bursts.
It was a storm of offense designed to leave no opening.
Physically slower than the blade, Alex relied on his spirit mastery.
His spirit sense extended in a perfect 500-meter sphere around him, slowing everything within it in his perception.
Air, dust, even the trajectory of the lightning-fast broadsword were mapped in his mind with absolute precision.
What appeared as a blur to any ordinary eye became a calculated, predictable sequence to him.
For an hour, they fought.
Alex sustained only minor nicks, each moment cataloging, analyzing, and synthesizing the new sword form.
Frustration crept across his opponent's face. No decisive blow could land against a Spirit Master's foresight.
And Alex mastered this technique too.
He wanted to defeat his opponent using their own style.
Boom.
He executed the sword technique as well, but he mixed his Sword Intent with it.
Alex immediately felt the change.
This new technique increased his attack speed at least three times.
With that, he killed his opponent swiftly.
Schwing.
The broadsword-wielder froze mid-strike.
Disbelief and defeat flashed in his blood-red eyes.
A clean line appeared across his neck, and his body crumbled to dust.
[Congratulations to Alex Moriarty, the first ever human of the universe to reach the 97th stair.]
The announcement unleashed a roar of exhilaration, a universal celebration.
The spectators were no longer just witnesses. They were part of history, united by a living legend.
The pattern continued.
On the 97th stair, a katana-wielding opponent demonstrated Precision, a millimeter-perfect technique that exploited the smallest openings.
Alex spent another hour mapping the intent of the deadly strikes and channeled his Sword Intent into a needle-like point.
One flawless thrust ended the battle.
[Congratulations to Alex Moriarty, the first ever human of the universe to reach the 98th stair.]
The 98th stair presented a dual-sword warrior specializing in Feints and Misdirection.
Alex created a mental domain around himself to map every possible movement, turning the enemy's deceptive skill against him.
Victory came in a single decisive strike.
[Congratulations to Alex Moriarty, the first ever human of the universe to reach the 99th stair.]
Four new techniques mastered.
Four opponents overcome.
His swordsmanship was evolving every passing moment.
He defeated the opponent after playing with him for three hours.
This time he learned a sword technique that multiplied his attack power by five, but it left him completely open afterward.
This move was only suitable for desperate moments.
The 100th stair awaited.
[Congratulations to Alex Moriarty, the first Existence in the universe ever to reach the 100th stair. A special reward will be given to him for this.]
The Tower now used the word "Existence."
The world, still reeling from his achievements, struggled to comprehend the magnitude.
Even Arthur, the Vice President, allowed a flicker of intrigue to pass through his eyes.
Someone from Earth had just created the ultimate history of this universe.
A record no one would ever break.
The 100th stair arena materialized as a perfect crystalline white circle.
Nine figures appeared in a semi-circle.
His opponents were all the fighters from the 91st to 99th stairs, but this time they were enhanced and more refined than before.
Each one radiated sharper murderous intent.
The battle began.
Alex did not rely on brute force.
He started mixing and refining the stolen techniques.
Rebounding Edge parried simultaneous lunges.
Swift Edge forced defensive knots on the dual-sword warrior.
Precision strikes found openings created by Feints.
He was no longer copying.
He was creating something new for himself.
Three grueling hours passed.
Non-stop combat pushed Alex to his limits, forcing the synthesis of every skill into one cohesive, deadly Sword Art.
One by one, the nine refined warriors fell, dissolving into motes of white light.
Finally, the first warrior from the 91st stair remained.
Alex met his charge with a fluid stance, a culmination of all techniques, this time including the final technique as well.
He struck with a swift, precise, misdirecting blow, amplified by the rebounding force of his opponent's own momentum.
The last warrior shattered.
A dazzling pillar of white light erupted from the Tower, piercing the sky and soaring into the void of space.
Not a clap of thunder, but a glorious hymn of triumph.
A feat never before accomplished had been realized today.
[Congratulations Alex Moriarty for conquering the Tower of Ascension as the first ever existence.]
[Your rewards will be given now. You will be given 5 rewards at once.]
[All your rewards are upgraded to the highest level because of the special reward for being the first existence to ever reach this level.]
Alex's heart was beating faster.
He wanted to know what he would receive and what the highest grade truly meant.
[Eternal Grade Constitution: Primordial Chaos Physique]
[Eternal Grade Bloodline: Existential Nullity]
[Eternal Grade Eye Of Revelation]
[Eternal Grade Cultivation Talent]
[Eternal Grade Sword Talent]
Alex listened like a wooden statue.
He did not know what these meant, but the names alone were enough to tell him the level they belonged to.