Chapter 30 – Iyas, More Complex Than We Think
In a room drenched in darkness, the cold air gently slapped Iyas's face, as if the room itself were testing his resilience. Nothing could be seen beyond three steps, and a gray mist enveloped the space in heavy silence.
Iyas exhaled lightly, his tone confident, laced with sarcasm:
"I suppose this challenge is nothing but a cliché, stolen from ancient books…"
With a sudden flick of his eyes, he unleashed a blue air wave that cut through the darkness and vanished into the void. His eyes glowed a radiant blue, transforming his vision into an immersive night-sight, coloring everything ahead in icy shades of blue.
He smiled, as if he had traversed this tower hundreds of times before, and said:
"With my… extraordinary intellect, I can adapt any cell in my body to any circumstance. Tower… you didn't need to choose this test for me."
He proceeded down a long corridor. Faintly flickering candles lined its sides, decaying wall carvings twisted grotesquely, and ancient portraits revealed faces of royal lineage swallowed by time. He paused before a painting of a stern-faced man, with an inscription in an ancient language: "King Poseidon."
He studied the painting with indifference and said coldly:
"The same recycled trope from old stories…"
Yet what piqued his curiosity was that he could read the words in a language he had never known. For the first time, he understood such mysterious symbols.
He continued until reaching the corridor's end, where a wall covered in ancient inscriptions centered a massive door. He opened it without care and entered.
The next room was vast and empty, scattered with cold water over its floor, the air thick with suffocating humidity. At its center stood a massive royal throne, blocking the doorway behind it. Iyas advanced steadily toward the middle of the room, and there he saw…
A young boy, no older than fifteen, sitting upon the throne. Not an ordinary child, but a merchild.
His slender body shimmered with a faint blue glow, his long tail gradating from silver to navy, translucent fins radiating with every movement. His wide eyes mirrored the sea at dawn, greenish-blue hair floated around like soft seaweed. Shimmering scales adorned his shoulders, and tiny shells crowned his forehead like a gift from the ocean itself. Despite his innocent features, his gaze carried a mysterious royal weight.
Iyas took another step forward. At that moment, the boy awoke, stood, and gripped a trident made of water, striking it against the floor. The sound echoed through the room like thunder.
In a sharp, childish voice, reverberating through water and walls:
"I am the First Prince… Poseidon. My title is 'The Reckless Young One.' I will not allow any intruder to pass to the next chamber."
Iyas smiled, relishing the challenge:
"Then I must face the princes of each room to reach the Royal Hall…"
As he stepped forward, rapid water bullets shot toward him. He twisted his body, dodging them gracefully, as if dancing amid danger.
"I see… you won't let me pass peacefully." he said calmly, raising his right hand forward, index finger pointing at the prince's head. With his left hand, he gripped his own right finger, like drawing an arrow on an invisible bow.
A dense aura formed at the tip of his finger, a small point glowing with unbelievable power. Sensing imminent danger, the prince gathered his oceanic energy, forming a frozen water arrow he launched from his trident with immense force.
Before Iyas released his attack, he muttered confidently:
"If you can withstand this…"
Then he fired. The air surged like a piercing arrow, leaving a devastating roar behind. The two forces collided mid-room; an explosion of water and air obliterated everything around them. Yet Iyas's power pierced through the water arrow mercilessly, shattering the young prince's head, the throne, and the door behind him.
Iyas exhaled sharply, wiping sweat from his brow:
"I think I've cleared two rooms at once…"
Suddenly, a sharp pain gripped his chest. He fell to his knees, clutching his heart.
*"Not now… not your time to emerge…" he shouted, restraining his rebellious body. Then he stood, breathing heavily, and said firmly:
"I got carried away… this body is still weak. I must finish this floor quickly."
Coldly, he stepped over the fallen prince, whispering:
"It would have been better if you let me pass peacefully."
He continued to the next room. The scene mirrored the previous: an empty hall, a massive throne, and a door behind it. But this time, a man in his twenties sat on the throne, solid and imposing. His face was angry, his right hand bleeding—struck by Iyas's previous arrow.
Iyas smirked sarcastically:
"I thought my arrow at least pierced your heart…"
The prince said, voice brimming with rage:
"I am the First Prince Poseidon… my title is 'The Rising Young Man.' I will not allow you to pass. And I will never accept this insult!"
His words seemed more mature than his previous form. The anger in his eyes was no longer childlike, but the fury of one who understands royal pride.
---
Elsewhere, far from this confrontation, Celine stared at Saman in shock and confusion:
"What do you mean this book could change the concept of spirit powers?!"
Saman paused, then said gravely:
"Celine… do you remember the superpower levels?"
Celine was startled, as this was knowledge even children knew. Yet she replied:
"The ranks are: Common, Ordinary, Unusual, Rare, Excellent, Legendary, Epic… each with three tiers: e.g., Common, Common+, Common++. They cover everything: weapons, tools, power books, maps, treasures…"
She stared at him in bewilderment:
"But why ask this now? What does the book you hold have to do with it?"
Saman smiled bitterly, flipping the e-book between his hands:
"Let me tell you how I obtained my special power… the Spirit Force. On the seventh floor, my mission was to confront a cursed summoner. He summoned skeletons endlessly. For every one I struck, two more appeared. After a long struggle, I infiltrated and killed him… and found his research. He was not just a summoner, but a researcher. His book on spirits is what gave me my power now."
Celine gasped: "But… how did you obtain something that wasn't even a prize?!"
Saman whispered softly:
"I think the Tower cursed him because of his research. And now… I fear Iyas will face the same fate if he meddles in the Tower's secrets."
Heavy silence followed. Celine said sadly:
"So that book was Excellent level. What makes Iyas's book so different that your expression is this tense?"
Saman lowered his voice to a whisper:
"You might not believe me… but I suspect Iyas's book could be Legendary… or even higher."
Celine trembled, collapsing in her chair, staring at the ceiling in deep worry, murmuring to herself:
"Iyas… perhaps we need to return you to the place we found you…"
---
End of Chapter 30