Chapter 86: The Tower''s Future


    On one of the upper floors of the Tower, the atmosphere was thick with an eerie silence, the kind that would unnerve any recruit stumbling upon it. The room was vast, filled with golden light that cast long shadows on the stone walls. At its center, a figure knelt, none other than the Overseer himself, a man feared by many within the Tower. His crimson robes draped around him, contrasting starkly with the dark, mysterious figure he knelt before.


    For any who might witness the scene, the sight of the Overseer kneeling would stir unease. It was a display of submission, something rarely seen by anyone, let alone one as powerful as him. The man standing over him was adorned in regal robes of gray, with golden threads tracing the hem, the intricate design marking him as someone beyond ordinary authority. On his chest, a golden dragon head gleamed, matching the brilliance of the accessories that decorated his form. His smile was disarming, yet it held a deep power.


    The Vice Tower Master was a figure cloaked in mystery, someone both feared and revered within the Tower, second in command to the elusive Tower Master. His presence seemed to carry an almost tangible weight, and wherever he went, it felt as though the air itself grew heavier.


    "There will be many recruits and soon-to-be apostles returning," the Overseer began, his tone steady but filled with deference as he addressed the Vice Tower Master. "This year’s intake could see the Tower rise in power once again. Ronald has already made his breakthrough, followed by Nando, Edmund, Tina, Agatha, and Tobias. Word from Wolf reports that Sena and Alisa are on the verge as well, returning soon, only steps away from their own ascensions. Isabella is not far behind either among others. The number of Rank One Apostles will increase significantly."


    The room felt charged with an unspoken tension, the air thick with anticipation as the Overseer paused, letting the gravity of his statement sink in. He stood before a towering figure, the Vice Tower Master, a man who commanded not only power but a presence that was impossible to ignore. Every word the Overseer spoke was weighed carefully, knowing full well that the Vice Tower Master dissected each syllable, searching for deeper meaning beneath the surface.


    The Vice Tower Master’s golden eyes gleamed, a sharp contrast to his otherwise calm demeanor. They held a mixture of anticipation and something darker—a hidden intent that only those who knew him well could detect. His charisma was undeniable, drawing attention effortlessly, yet beneath that polished exterior lay an ambition so cold, it could freeze the soul.


    “More apostles,” he began, his voice like velvet, soft yet with a weight that pressed down on the room. He paused, his eyes flickering with something dangerous. “Each as unique as the other… Strange affinities, some we’ve never seen in this tower before.”


    The Vice Tower Master’s voice was deceptively smooth, filled with a dangerous allure. There was purpose behind every word, a vision that extended beyond the simple matters of recruits and Tower duties. He wasn’t concerned with mere talents or individual distinctions. His focus was on power—pure, undiluted power.


    “Gifted or not,” he continued, his tone hardening just slightly, “it matters little. Power is the only currency that holds true value. And with more apostles at our disposal, we can finally deal with the true threat in the South.”


    His words hung in the air like a dark omen, heavy with intent. Despite the soft cadence of his voice, the underlying excitement was unmistakable. He leaned forward slightly, his golden eyes glinting with barely concealed eagerness.


    “Almost fifty apostles in total,” he mused, the corners of his lips lifting into a subtle smile. “That makes us the most formidable Tower in the entire Bask Region.”


    The Overseer remained silent, but his eyes flickered with a hint of unease. For all his own stature and experience, he could not entirely mask the trepidation that had settled within him. He knew all too well what the Vice Tower Master referred to. The southern dungeons—remnants of an ancient, forgotten enemy—had long been a looming threat, their dark magic left unchecked for centuries.


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    “Master,” the Overseer began cautiously, choosing his words carefully, “the southern dungeons… They aren’t like the ones we’ve dealt with before.”


    The Vice Tower Master’s smile widened slightly, his sharp gaze fixed on the Overseer. “Precisely. That’s what makes them interesting, don’t you think?”


    The Overseer suppressed a shudder. He had seen the reports and had heard the whispers of what lurked in those cursed places. Dungeons are designed not just to challenge, but to drain mana itself from the land, leaving entire regions barren of magical essence. The creatures inside were horrors not meant to be faced by ordinary apostles—beings of immense power that could only be tackled by those Apostles ranked above RankTwo.


    “The northern dungeons,” the Overseer continued, “they’ve been cleared thanks to the combined efforts of all of the central towers. But the South… It’s different. We’ve barely scratched the surface here. The surrounding area is fine but further south some dungeons have never been challenged.”


    The Vice Tower Master waved a dismissive hand, his golden eyes gleaming with something that almost resembled excitement. “The North is tame now,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain. “Yes, we’ve dealt with the threats there. But the South… The South holds potential. There’s power there, old power. Power that we can harness, if we’re willing to take the risk.”


    He leaned back, folding his arms across his chest, his gaze never leaving the Overseer. “That’s why these new apostles are so important. They are the key to unlocking the South. Every one of them is a piece on the board, and I intend to use them wisely.”


    The Overseer swallowed, feeling the weight of the Vice Tower Master’s words. For all the excitement in his voice, there was something deeply unsettling about his ambitions. The way he spoke of the new apostles—like tools to be used, pawns in a much larger game—sent a chill down the Overseer’s spine.


    “I want you to monitor the progress of the new apostles closely,” the Vice Tower Master continued, his tone sharp and commanding. “Especially those with the strange affinities. I sense something different about this batch, something we haven’t seen before.”


    The Overseer nodded, bowing his head slightly in acknowledgment. “Of course, Master. I will make sure their progress is… closely observed.”


    “Good,” the Vice Tower Master replied, his voice softening slightly. “Because soon, we will need all of them. The South won’t conquer itself, and if we can get the thirteenth tower to be here in the Bask region, our influence would improve, and we would have another hand in eradicating the dungeon from the whole south.”


    The southern dungeons weren’t like the ones near the central regions, where the Kingdom had eradicated some of these corrupted towers over the centuries. These were deeper, older, and far more dangerous. Towers in the central lands, near the capital of Lorencia, had more resources, more powerful apostles, and better defenses to fight against these dungeons and their corruptions. But here, in the southern region, Bask, the fight was still raw, and the dungeons remained an ever-present danger.


    The Vice Tower Master gestured out of the window. The sunlight fell through, bathing the room in a golden glow that seemed to only accentuate the tension between his lofty ambitions and the harsh realities the Overseer knew all too well. Outside, the land stretched out, seemingly peaceful, but both men knew that beneath it, the ancient threats still stirred. “The dungeons are waiting," the Vice Tower Master said quietly. "And this Tower, with its apostles, will be the ones to end it."


    The Overseer nodded, the weight of the task ahead pressing down on him. For all the excitement that lingered in the Vice Tower Master’s words, the Overseer felt the gravity of what they would soon face—the cursed dungeons that were far more than simple structures.


    “The three Towers of the South, the newest of the Rollen Kingdom, stand as the first line of defense,” the Vice Tower Master continued, his gaze intense. “Verdant Sanctuary and Duskfang Bastion are our sister Towers and the only other ones allowing non-gifted recruits apart from us. Together, we protect our territories from the corruption of the dungeons, our duty as guardians.”


    The Overseer remained quiet, absorbing the gravity of the words. Finally, he responded, “The more apostles we create, the better chance we have of destroying these dungeons. It’s our best hope of protecting the mundane lands from corruption and solving the strange magical cases that keep emerging.”


    The Vice Tower Master’s approving nod held a weight of expectation. “Indeed. These new recruits will prove to the rest of the Towers in the central region that strength is not limited to the gifted. We will show them that our path, including non-gifted, is the future.”


    As he turned toward the window, overlooking the vast lands below, the Overseer rose from his kneeling position. His heart was filled with anticipation, but also an undercurrent of anxiety. The future of the southern Towers and the Kingdom’s defense against these ancient threats now lay in the hands of the recruits. Only time would tell if they were up to the monumental challenge awaiting them.