Level Up Legacy

A giant screen appeared on each floor, visible to everyone. It could be the third floor where they were fighting monsters or Rodrick on the first floor inside Sith Town. The screen showed the infinite darkness of the moving universe and a figure standing alone.

Golden mana leaked from his back, standing straight against the giant darkness. Like dark clouds, the darkness began to reform into a giant creature, far bigger than any world. The scene zoomed out from the golden man to capture the magnitude of the dark creature.

The creature looked like a shadow with no definite features. In comparison to its size, the golden man was now no bigger than a dot about to disappear from existence. The crowd watched with shallow breaths, barely enough to sustain them.

"Every sentient creature faces the danger of extinction," said the tower master as he revealed their enemy. "At the moment, this tower is fighting against the same creature that robbed you of happiness, safety, and love. How many of your loved ones died because of nothingness?"

As they watched the scene and heard his words, the crowd was shocked. Inside the Red Tower, a religion existed to worship it. Although that religion was corrupted because of its leader, they had a certain idea that posed a question.

What if the tower saved them from a worse future?

In this realm where monsters struck every week and the strong ruled over the weak, none of them would die. It made living harder because they had to endure hellish things, but in the end, they would be safe as long as they did not attempt to conquer this tower.

Sith Town suffered an unjust tyrant, but once it was freed, they led happy and wealthy lives. Food was always present, and Rodrick governed them with justice. He did not attempt to grow stronger than he was and did not seek to exploit the weak.

"I know that you miss your loved ones, but I forced no one to enter this tower," said the tower master, striking when the iron was hot. "Everyone who stepped into this tower did it because they dreamt of a better future."

Dorian could feel the conflicted emotions his soldiers had. For him, the tower had always been his home. He could not envision a bigger world than the second floor, but many challengers arrived just recently. Their hearts yearned for open seas, vast lands, and the loved ones they left behind.

On the other spectrum of their emotions, they feared the creature outside this tower. It took away their homes and safety. Many fled a worse life before entering this tower, but they could not help but wish to leave every now and then.

"I carry the blood of many, but I also wish to believe that I rescued a few lost souls," said the tower master with eyes glimmering with gold. "I reveal everything now after three thousand years for a simple reason. This tower has been conquered by the man fighting outside right now."

Everyone raised their heads which were hanging low so far. Shock at the revelation made them stop breathing. The notion that this tower could be conquered never crossed their minds. Hope that they could return home soared through their hearts.

"If he wins this battle, he would send everyone home if they wished for it," said the tower master. "But for those without one, whose worlds have been destroyed by the nothingness, I offer you a place to live inside this tower."

After that, the man bowed and apologized again for entrapping them here, and the video stream disappeared. The screen still showed the battle outside, ensuring that the people witnessed such a turning point in history.

"I, for one, have no world to return to," said the Lord of Crestview as he stared at the scene with sorrow. "Even after this tower has been conquered, I still wish to be your advisor, Lord Dorian."

"Thank you, Lord Ishmael," said Dorian with a smile, but he saw hesitation on the faces of the rest. "We can discuss that after the war is over. For now, let's try to survive."

After that, none of the crowd said a word. They all watched the battle that would shake the universe and change the fate of countless worlds. The battle began when the golden mana exploded from his body as the Returning King raised his golden dagger.

"I lead not armies, but legions of liberation, forging a path where the oppressed stand tall and gods kneel," said Arthur as the screen showed his heroic resolve against Nameless. "The gods may dictate fate, but I am the author of my destiny, and their reign shall crumble before my wrath."

After the blood-boiling words, mana enveloped his body like a snake as chains began to materialize. They floated around his body as they commanded existence into the world, while a pair of red eyes appeared on the giant creature.

***

"An anomaly has appeared…" said a voice within the dark cosmos. Arthur stood strong against the massive creature that could swallow worlds whole, without an ounce of fear. "You must be the one I cannot see."

"And the last man you will see," said Arthur as he raised his dagger, mana searing from its edges. Black lightning crackled due to his wrath, but Arthur knew that this creature was immune to wrath. The gods might have designed it in that manner, to be the bane of the Returning King.

"A mere human with immense arrogance is not worthy of my attention," said Nameless as he raised a hand, and the entire cosmos shifted. Arthur could feel space losing its structure as the giant hand moved, like a black hole threatening to swallow everything. "Meet my horsemen."

Arthur saw three figures emerge from the darkness, riding horses of darkness with cloaks hiding their features. Each of them had a different figure. One was nothing but bones, another looked like a withered branch, and the last resembled a triumphant warrior with black armor.

"I thought there were four horsemen, not three," said Arthur with a smile. Nameless stared at him with giant red eyes that narrowed, but said nothing. "I have warriors too."

A group of eight warriors jumped from the Red Tower behind him, floating within empty space. Every last one of his comrades, even Ilia, arrived to help him in this fight.

"We arrived as promised, Returning King!" said Seraphine as she stopped behind him, not daring to dash forward without his command. "Please give us your command to fight against the darkness."

"The scholar guardian bought us a minute of spatial stability," said Arthur with a frown as he stared at Nameless and his horsemen of doom. "We are still within the boundaries of the tower. Once the fight begins, the spatial instability would wear us out. Take care of the horsemen while I handle Nameless."

"As you command!" chanted the nine as they split into groups of three before each choosing a calamity to tackle. Arthur was now free to fight against the dark shadow bigger than several worlds combined. However, he was far from worried.

"Kill them," commanded Nameless, and the three horsemen galloped toward them. Arthur raised a hand and his nine warriors jumped to stop them, since a fight near the tower might endanger its residents. Meanwhile, golden mana exploded as the chains of order began growing.

Arthur waved his hand and clenched it, sending the chains toward the unstable space. As they attached to space, it became easier to mobilize within it, and that's when he soared forward.

"Even demigods fear me, but you are odd," said Nameless as he stared down at the small creature rushing toward him. "Mortals are fascinating."

Arthur soared toward Nameless as golden mana protected him. As he got closer, the War Horseman rushed forward to hinder him. It clasped both hands together before summoning a giant sword and slashed toward Arthur.

Clang!

A lightning spear stopped the sword as Ilia tried to hinder him but was thrown into the distance. The horseman prepared to strike again when Ramiel arrived, slamming it with his golden club, throwing the War Horseman back.

Arthur soared past their battle as one of his chains rushed toward Ilia to transfer some golden mana to him. The reason his weapon failed against the horseman was its lack of creational enchantment which Arthur had given the rest.

The next to meet Arthur was the Death Horseman, raising its bony hand to summon countless wraiths. They screamed while rushing toward him, clawing with their death-painted nails. A blood scythe covered in golden mana flashed before Arthur, cutting through the ghosts with ease. Whisker then leaped forward in his feline form with golden claws, slashing towards Death.

Wheng!

As the golden mana struck the nothingness, a loud explosion echoed throughout the unstable space. If not for Arthur and Jizo working together to stabilize it, they would have all drifted to different parts of the universe, and that would be the best-case scenario.