Chapter 262: The First Floor

Chapter 262: Chapter 262: The First Floor

The Dark King arrived at the gate.

He descended from the sky without any aircraft, his black cloak billowing in the wind. His presence was suffocating, a weight that pressed down on everyone within a kilometer radius as they quickly rushed into the gate. His eyes, pools of crimson darkness, swept across the gathered powers with cold indifference.

Behind him, four figures emerged from a spatial tear. Declan Rhys was the first, his composed expression masking the calculating mind beneath. Beside him were three new apostles—a woman wreathed in shadows, a hulking brute with bronze skin, and a man whose body crackled with contained lightning.

"The gate has opened," the Dark King observed, his voice a low, resonant rumble. "The Tower of Primordial Ascension. I have waited a long time for this moment."

Declan stepped forward. "My lord, the other powers have already entered. The Chinese, the Americans, the vampire clans, the Church of Dawn. They all seek the treasures within."

The Dark King smiled, a cold, terrifying expression. "Let them seek. They are merely ants, scrambling for crumbs while the dragon watches. The true treasures of the Tower are not on the first floor, nor the second. They are at the very top."

The shadowy woman spoke. "Shall we eliminate the competition as we go?"

"No," the Dark King said. "Not yet. Let them thin the herd for us. The beasts of the Tower are ferocious. We will conserve our strength and strike when the moment is right."

He turned to Declan. "You will lead the way. Your spatial abilities will be useful in navigating the Tower’s unpredictable terrain."

Declan bowed. "As you command, my lord."

The Dark King stepped into the gate, his apostles following close behind.

A few moments later, a group of figures in mysterious robes appeared. They did not speak, did not announce themselves. They simply walked into the gate, their faces hidden, their auras suppressed but unmistakably dangerous.

The Dark Order had entered the Tower.

The First Floor

Lucian landed hard.

CRASH!

The ground cracked beneath his feet as he dropped from the spatial rift, the impact driving him to one knee. The gravity on this floor was ten times heavier than Earth’s, a crushing, invisible weight that pressed down on his shoulders, his chest, his very bones.

"Ugh..." Lucian grunted, his hands pressing against the blood-red earth. "What the hell is this?"

The sky above him was a terrifying canvas of shattered stars, fragments of celestial bodies floating in a void of absolute darkness. The air was thick, suffocating, dense with mana so concentrated it felt like breathing liquid fire.

BZZZT!

A holographic screen materialized in front of his eyes.

[Welcome, Participant, to the First Floor of the Tower of Primordial Ascension.]

[Floor 1: The Barren Expanse — A wasteland of primordial mana and ancient beasts. Gravity is 10x Earth’s standard. Mana density is 500% above normal.]

[Objective: Locate and reach a Sanctuary City before nightfall. The darkness that falls at night is absolute. Those who fail to find shelter will be devoured.]

[Survive. Ascend. Reach the top of the Tower to claim the Primordial Ascension.]

Lucian stared at the screen for a long moment, then let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "Of course. Nothing’s ever easy."

He sat down cross-legged, closing his eyes. The gravity was crushing, but his vampire physique was already adapting, his bloodline working to reinforce his bones and muscles. He activated the Origin Devouring Art, and his body began to greedily absorb the dense ambient mana, using it to fuel his adaptation.

Hmmm... Lucian thought. This mana is incredibly pure. If I could cultivate here for a few weeks, I might break through to the Astral Realm.

His Blood Sense suddenly screamed a warning.

Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

Lucian’s eyes snapped open. Approaching from the east were dozens of figures—massive, four-legged beasts with matted, blood-red manes and eyes like burning coals. Blood-Maned Lions. Behind them were smaller, faster creatures, their bodies covered in armored scales.

[Threat Assessment: Peak Tier 3 Blood-Maned Lions (B-Rank) — 12 identified. Early Tier 4 Blood-Maned Lions (A-Rank) — 3 identified. Additional Tier 3 beasts — 30+]

Lucian rose to his feet, the Blood Reaver materializing in his hand. "Finally, something I can kill."

The lions charged.

ROOOOAAAR!

Lucian activated Light Steps, vanishing from the spot. He reappeared directly in front of the lead lion, the Blood Reaver already swinging. SHUNK! The blade cleaved through the beast’s skull, killing it instantly.

He didn’t stop. He fired a Light Bolt at the next lion, the beam piercing through its chest. But before he could finish it, another lion lunged at him from the side.

CRASH!

Lucian was sent flying, his body tumbling across the blood-red earth. He quickly recovered, his regeneration already healing the gashes on his chest.

"Tch. Stronger than they look," he muttered.

BZZZT!

Another notification flashed.

[Warning: Nightfall in approximately 2 hours. Navigate swiftly.]

Lucian looked up. The shattered stars were already dimming, the sky darkening.

He brought out the Blood Reaver, the blade glowing with dark Sword Intent. "Eclipse Sword Art, Second Form: Sky Breaker!"

SWISH!

A massive arc of crimson energy tore through the air, slicing through multiple B-Rank beasts and injuring the A-Rank lions.

The tiny system materialized beside him, its small white form yawning dramatically. "You called?"

Lucian glared at it. "What a time to show up! Can you help me locate a city? I don’t want to find out what happens when night falls."

The system tilted its head. "Give me a moment." It vanished.

Lucian cursed under his breath. He summoned the Dark Wyvern, the massive beast materializing with a deafening roar. ROOOOAAAR! The wyvern opened its maw, unleashing a torrent of dark flames that incinerated the rushing beasts.

A few moments later, the system reappeared. "Go south. The closest city is about 200 miles away. The layout of the first floor has changed since the last opening. Instead of a labyrinth, it’s an open wasteland with multiple sanctuary cities scattered across it."

Lucian leaped onto the Dark Wyvern’s back. "Explain on the way!"

The wyvern launched into the sky, flying with blinding speed. Below them, the wasteland stretched endlessly, a sea of red earth and shattered rocks. Other figures were visible in the distance—cultivators from other planets, all running desperately toward the sanctuary cities as the sky darkened.

"This floor is different from the last opening," the system explained. "The Tower adapts. The cities are the only safe zones."

Lucian’s eyes narrowed. "And the other participants?"

"From what I can sense, there are hundreds. Some are from Earth. Most are from other star systems. The Tower opens gates on multiple planets simultaneously. You’re not the only one seeking the Primordial Ascension afterall."

Lucian processed this. It made sense. The universe was vast, filled with countless civilizations. Earth was just one of many.

The Dark Wyvern suddenly began its descent. The city was visible in the distance—a massive, walled metropolis with towering spires and ancient architecture. At its center stood a colossal statue of a dragon, carved from azure stone. Behind them, a huge cloud of darkness was slowly taking over the expanse.

The dragon’s eyes glowed with a faint, protective light, and a visible halo of energy radiated outward, covering the entire city like a dome.

"The Azure Dragon," the system said. "One of the four mythical beasts. The city’s guardian. The halo is what keeps the darkness at bay."

The Dark Wyvern landed at the city gates, and Lucian dismounted, the beast quickly returned to the beast space. He stood before the massive dragon statue, feeling the ancient, overwhelming aura emanating from it.

The statue was at least two hundred meters tall, its wings spread wide, its serpentine body coiled around the city’s central spire. Its eyes, glowing with azure light, seemed to look directly at Lucian.

"Welcome, Participant," a voice echoed from the statue. "You have arrived before nightfall. You may enter the Sanctuary City of the Azure Dragon."

Lucian stepped through the gates, the halo washing over him. The suffocating darkness behind him crashed against the barrier, unable to penetrate.