Naida seemed greatly satisfied. If, somehow, her Master didn't have this much aspiration, she didn't know how long she would have endured before giving up.
Fortunately, that was not the case.
She then patiently explained the Tower's usage.
"Master Aegis, the Sea God's Tower has a total of 13 floors. Each floor contains a powerful guardian. As long as you defeat them, or prove your worth through a trial, you will receive the previous Sea God's inheritance, little by little. These trials are essential for mastering your Sea God's Physique."
She paused, offering a faint, reassuring smile. "However, as per my knowledge, there is no guardian on the first floor. You can just enter and unlock the gifts waiting there."
Aegis understood clearly. The Tower was essentially a tiered progression system tied directly to his power.
"I see... Let me check in then."
Inside his heart, a strange anticipation was born. And why shouldn't it be? The fantastical elements he had only played with until now, were finally coming to reality.
He resummoned the miniature golden tower, which seemed to resonate with the entire Aquabyss Domain.
"Naida, how do I enter?"
"Just focus, Master. The tower will listen to your wish," she answered with a faint smile.
"Oh, alright..." Aegis scratched the back of his head, feeling slightly embarrassed by the simplicity of the instruction, then focused intensely on the golden tower in his hand.
In an instant, he vanished from the palace courtyard. The miniature tower, along with him, was gone.
Naida stood alone, patient and waiting with hopeful eyes.
"I hope this time everything turns out different," she murmured, her eyes reflecting a deep sadness she always hid.
Meanwhile, Aegis arrived in a new space, standing in front of a massive, temple-like structure.
Dong! Dong!
The sounds of a resounding bell, followed by powerful blowing winds, made his black hair flutter wildly.
The casual grey pant and blue shirt he still wore became disheveled. His overweight body, however, felt like a sore point in this beautiful, dramatic scene. That's what he thought at least.
Shaking off the thought, he focused on the immediate situation.
He noticed a glowing blue orb floating inside the temple structure, perched high up. He had a strong feeling this was the "gift" Naida had talked about. So, he immediately started climbing the grand staircase leading to the top.
However, each step on the wide stairway felt like climbing a mountain. This was no exaggeration. The last time he checked his body weight, it was above 150 kg
It wasn't like he never tried to lose weight. But every effort had failed. His physique was just different from ordinary people. If one had to put it a certain way, his body didn't waste a single nutrient. He could absorb nutrients more efficiently than others, which effectively made him bloated like a balloon.
He gasped, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead, his legs burning from the sudden, strenuous effort.
He also understood that: this first floor wasn't a fight; it was a physical test tailored to his most severe weakness.
Thump... Thump...
He leaned against a stone pillar, desperately trying to catch his breath. The climb was agonizing, but the glowing orb represented the start of his true power.
He couldn't give up just yet.
With sheer willpower, he pushed on. He remembered the faces of the classmates who had humiliated him publicly, the relatives who always mocked him without saying a direct word. He recalled the disgusting looks of the girls whenever he passed by, throwing remarks like "Fatso," "Meatball," and worse.
He leveraged the sheer, accumulated rage and self-pity of a lifetime, turning it into raw, burning fuel. His body screamed, his lungs felt like they would burst, but he dragged one heavy foot in front of the other.
"I won't be that guy anymore."
Gasping, trembling, and utterly soaked in sweat, he finally reached the top platform.
The magnificent blue orb floated silently, waiting.
He extended a shaking hand and claimed the glowing orb.
Instantly, a gentle coolness immediately washed over his mind, replacing the exhaustion.
[ Congratulations! You have cleared the 1st Floor Trial of the Sea God's Tower! ]
[ You have received the Skill: Water Manipulation Ultimate (F) ]
The description expanded slightly:
Water Manipulation Ultimate: Grants the user the ability to manipulate the water element from the creation level. This is currently limited by the user's insufficient divine energy reserves and physical constitution, resulting in a temporary (F) grade. Mastery will unlock its true Ultimate potential.
In simple terms, he could create water from thin air and manipulate it in any way he could imagine. The only limits were his imagination and energy reserves.
Anyway, the power was now his.
His body instinctively knew how to wield this power.
With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a shower of cool water above his head, instantly cooling the sweat and grime from his arduous climb.
After that, he felt refreshed and alive.
For a while, he just remained seated on the platform, watching the endlessly sprawling green landscape all around him.
He couldn't tell if this place was an illusion or not. But if it wasn't an illusion, there was a possibility he could use this as farming land. In the Sea God's Palace, he hadn't seen any cultivatable land at all.
Ahem, it didn't mean he was thinking of eating immediately, but he needed to eat to stay alive, right?
That being said, why didn't he feel any hunger at all? What was going on? By now, he should have been starving. But now, he felt neither hunger nor thirst.
Could it really be possible that he didn't require food to sustain himself?
Was the Sea God's Physique somehow connected to this?
It was the only possible explanation for the disappearance of his hunger.
"Maybe the water is the source of my energy," he murmured.
It was a trait befitting the Sea God.
With everything tentatively sorted out, Aegis decided to leave.
Plop!
With a simple wish, he appeared exactly at the place he had disappeared from. The miniature golden tower also reappeared in his palm as well.
Naida was still waiting there. As soon as she saw him, her eyes widened.
"Master, you look different."
"I look different? How?" Aegis asked, confused.
He expected to change, but it couldn't be happening this quickly, right?