Chapter 435: Screwed

Almost as if it could sense Ethan’s dwindling mana, the Leviathan watched with amusement as the human’s summons continued attempting to escape its shrinking domain.

Storm darted from one side of the enormous water barrier to the other, unleashing lightning and accelerating with Thunder Dash. Wolfy, meanwhile, repeatedly charged the barrier from beneath the surface, using its immense strength to slam its body against the churning water.

Neither accomplished anything.

The Leviathan barely paid attention to their efforts.

Its enormous green eyes followed their movements with the casual interest of a predator watching insects struggle against a glass jar. It had already demonstrated that they couldn’t escape, yet it seemed content to let them exhaust themselves trying.

Eventually, the two beasts realised their efforts were futile.

They changed tactics.

Storm abandoned the barrier and turned toward the Leviathan, gathering electricity around its body before firing a concentrated blast directly at its head. Wolfy emerged from the water moments later, launching itself toward the enormous beast’s exposed side with its claws extended.

For a brief moment, their attacks seemed to come together.

Then the Leviathan moved.

A wall of water intercepted Storm’s lightning, dispersing the electrical energy before it could reach its target. At the same time, a powerful current swept Wolfy away, sending the Fenrir crashing into the ocean once again.

The Leviathan hadn’t even needed to turn its full attention toward them.

It treated their attacks like those of unruly children, correcting their behaviour whenever they became too troublesome. Wolfy and Storm were frightening B Rank beasts. Against most opponents, their combined strength and complementary abilities would have made them a formidable pair.

But they were helpless against the Leviathan.

It had already experienced their abilities, understood their tactics, and demonstrated that it could counter both of them without much difficulty. Even Ethan’s ultimate attack had only managed to crack a handful of scales.

There was no reason to believe his beasts could accomplish what he hadn’t.

Ethan could do nothing but watch as the two creatures struggled against an opponent far beyond their current capabilities. His mana was almost completely depleted, and he could barely keep himself afloat, let alone summon enough strength to intervene.

With a heavy heart, he recalled both beasts.

Their forms disappeared, leaving Ethan alone in the vast ocean.

He didn’t want to see them die.

Not like this.

If he kept them summoned, the Leviathan would eventually destroy them, and Ethan would be forced to watch helplessly. At least by unsummoning them, he could spare them from the immediate danger.

That was the only consolation he had left.

Ethan floated on the water, his mangled arms hanging uselessly at his sides as he stared up at the enormous creature looming over him. Its green eyes remained fixed on him, watching him with the quiet pleasure of something that knew it had already won.

Ethan swallowed.

’I really am screwed.’

For once, he couldn’t think of a clever plan, a desperate gamble, or some ridiculous way to turn the situation around. He had thrown everything he possessed at the Leviathan, and it hadn’t been enough.

There was only one thing left to try.

’Hey!’

Nothing happened.

’System?’

He called out again internally as the Leviathan slowly drifted closer, its enormous shadow spreading across the water.

Ethan clenched his teeth.

’Come on, help me out here!’

A familiar notification appeared before his eyes.

{How may I assist the host?}

’Let me leave! Just let me exit the Tower while fighting a beast this one time!’

{That is not possible.}

Ethan stared at the message.

’What do you mean, it’s not possible? You literally run this place.’

{The rules of the Tower are absolute.}

’Then give me a skill! Anything! A teleportation skill, an escape skill, a skill that lets me turn into a fucking fish! I don’t care!’

{That is not possible.}

’Are you kidding me?!’

The notification disappeared.

That was it.

The System had given him an opportunity, provided him with the means to grow stronger, and watched as he challenged a monster far beyond his capabilities.

Now, it was leaving him to deal with the consequences.

’Maybe there’ll be another error in the system, and I won’t die again.’

Ethan let his head fall back.

’I fucking doubt it.’

That error was because he was the last candidate for the trial, and the system didn’t seem to be lying when it said that the rules were absolute.

’I’m really going to be killed by this overgrown water snake.’

Ethan wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry.

He had faced death before and had always managed to remain calm even when everything seemed hopeless. But this time he was barely keeping it together, which was understandable considering the giant beast that was towering over him.

’Just when my life was starting to be good.’

For years, his life had been a miserable cycle of survival.

But things had finally begun to change.

Ethan had found people he cared about. He had a daughter he wanted to spend time with, a woman he loved, and friends who had stood beside him when things became difficult. For the first time in years, he had something to look forward to beyond surviving the next day.

He had started to believe he could build a life worth living.

And now, he was going to die in a tower in his mind because he had been too impatient to prepare properly.

The thought made his chest tighten.

Everything around him felt strangely quiet.

There was only one thing that refused to leave his mind.

Talon.

Through Beast Communication, he could hear the Griffling calling out to him.

Its cries were frantic, growing increasingly desperate as it repeatedly begged him to summon it. The sound echoed inside Ethan’s mind, filled with an urgency that was impossible to ignore.

Ethan squeezed his eyes shut.

’Not now.’

Talon called again.

’Not now!’

He could practically feel the beast’s stubborn determination through their connection, its insistence growing stronger with every passing moment.

And that’s when Ethan finally snapped...