<h4>Chapter 31: Entering The Tower</h4>


    The distance between ground zero and the Tower Of Ascension was roughly 10 kilometers.


    And these 10 kilometers were easily the most heavily militarized zone on the entire.


    Magical turrets, giant crossbows, mythical cannons, modern missileunchers, modern machine guns, if it was a weapon that could kill, it was sure to be present on thisnd which was deemed as the battlefield of blood.


    Since ancient times, the battle between climbers of Earth and the monsters of the tower ured on this soil whose sands had now been permanently dyed red with the bloodshed that it had witnessed over thest dozens of centuries.


    Labeled as ''Battlefield of Blood'', it was thend where the climbers of Earth fought back against the monsters every four years when the year of death rolled around and the monster tide emerged.


    From ground zero, after every 100 meters, there was a deep trench and defensive position built to fight the onught of monsters, with climbers manning the trenches 24x7 whenever the year of death rolled around.


    As Rocky passed by all these defensive encampments in his armored vehicle, he could feel a sense of reverence for the hero''s of mankind who were ready toy down their lives to contain the monsters within the battlefield of blood.


    ''Someday soon, I''ll join their ranks'' Rocky thought, as he resolved to join their ranks someday when his services were needed.


    Only one single road led from ground zero to the tower of ascension and this area was guarded so heavily that any climber that was not supposed to reach the tower could never hope to reach it, as without the permission of the climbers association, smuggling anyone into the tower was impossible.


    Multiple checkpoints confirmed that only authorized individuals were allowed near the tower, as after a rough 20 minutes drive, Rocky finally reached the '' Bridge Of Hope'' as he found himself at the base of the legendary Tower.


    A deep trench spanning for 500 meters in length and 1000 feet in depth had been dug by humans all around the tower of ascension as the first and most effective line of defense against any monster tide, with a flimsy wooden bridge being the only connection to the tower''s entrance.


    In-case of a monster tide, it was protocol to burn the bridge of hope first. Removing the onlynd link to the tower.


    However, except for the monster raid, it served as the iconic passage that led a climber to the tower of ascension as walking down it made Rocky feel excited, as he had often seen clips of famous climbers and movie stars walking down this same bridge in an iconic scene.


    " Your first time entering the tower might be a little rough, Champion, the sudden shift in mana concentration may make you feel dizzy, however, don''t feel rmed, it''s very normal to feel this way when you first enter" Pope Cole said to Rocky, as he tried to prepare Rocky for what was toe next.


    " Vorithra Sylithen"


    " Vorithra Sylithen"


    " Vorithra Sylithen"


    Rocky heard the wind whispering something in his ears when he approached the tower, however, he could not understand the meaning of the words that it was whispering.


    " Vorithra Sylithen"


    " Hey, Pope Cole, do you hear this?" Rocky asked Pope Cole, who looked at him in surprise as he said " Hear what?"


    Rocky looked around and it seemed like his security detail also did not seem to hear the wind whispering anything, however, Rocky himself was sure that he was hearing a distinct chant.


    As he got closer to the tower, the chants only kept getting louder and louder as his tattoo, which had not pained ever since he woke up in the medical facility, began to sting once again.


    " VORITHRA SYLITHEN"


    " VORITHRA SYLITHEN"


    Rocky heard someone almost screaming in his ears uptil the point that he arrived at the entrance of the tower after which the voice magically vanished.


    '' What the fuck was that?'' Rocky wondered, as he had no idea what to make of this bizarre incident, however, since he hadpany alongside him who he did not wish to keep waiting, he decided to think about thister as he took a step through the magical entrance of the tower, which only allowed it''s chosen climbers to enter.


    ***************


    "Pah" Rocky fell to his knees almost instantly after crossing the tower''s entry threshold, as he felt every sense in his body going into overdrive.


    It was as if he had been living and perceiving the world at 20% his real capacity and the second he stepped into the tower, it got boosted to 100%.


    The colors he perceived became sharper and clearer than ever, the sound he could hear became crisp and detailed while he could pick up smells from his own body that he could not perceive just a moment ago.


    He could distinctly smell the bacteria in his underarms, the perfume masking it, while also smelling the leather of his shoes and the detergent used tounder his jeans.


    He could do all this, while feeling the subtle air currents around him, the pulsing blood in his veins and the thrumming beat of his heart against his chest, as all his senses seemed to have reached a hyperdrive that he had never experienced before.


    " Breathe, just breathe. What you''re feeling is your senses being enhanced by mana, it''s okay. Just breathe, you will soon learn how to dampen your senses to the usual levels" Pope Cole said as he stroked Rocky''s back in support, waiting patiently for him to regain hisposure.


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    /// A/N - Chapter 1/3 for the day, two more to go! ///