novelraw Chapter 431: First Hurdle in the Tower—4
Chapter 431: First Hurdle in the Tower—4
The negotiation was completely over. Velrith just wanted to see this arrogant worm suffer eventually.
His fangs protruded fully, all pretense of civility and politeness utterly abandoned.
The overseer sneered with a genuinely murderous expression that promised future violence, openly throwing explicit threats.
"You have overstepped your bounds tremendously, you filthy lower-world human! Just you wait patiently—sooner or later, I will discover your precious secret! You cannot hide from me forever behind these restrictive tower rules!"
His voice lowered to a threatening growl filled with malice.
"After I find out exactly what makes you so special and unique, I will slowly, methodically kill you using the most painful methods I know. Along with everyone you know and care about. Your family, your lovers, your friends—all dead."
His smile turned absolutely vicious.
"Your entire filthy world will burn to ashes. Every single living thing on it will scream before they die. And I’ll make sure you watch every moment before I finally end you."
Then, as if a switch had been flipped instantly, his fangs retracted completely, and his expression became pleasant and friendly again—as if those horrific threats had never been spoken at all.
"Now then. This is your very last chance, human. Sign this generous contract to save yourself and your filthy world from the inevitable future consequences of your arrogance."
Administrator was sure that threat would work at very least, he didn’t want to go that far, but it had come to this, it doesn’t matter if he was a reincarnation of some powerful being, right now he was an ant before him.
Those specific words made Leon genuinely afraid. Yes, he was terrified hearing such detailed, explicit threats from a being of such overwhelming power who clearly meant every word.
He could actually do all of that once the Tower rules no longer protect me. Destroy everything I’m trying to build and protect.
But more than fear, far stronger than terror, he felt absolutely burning rage.
How DARE he threaten my life! Threaten the people precious to me!
Vivid images flashed rapidly through his mind—Seraphine’s beautiful smile, the awakened humans trusting him completely with their lives, Ira’s fierce, devoted love, Archon Vrya’s determined devotion to save her people, everyone depending on him for protection and safety.
Leon knew rationally it would be incredibly difficult and dangerous after reaching the 50th floor and connecting to countless other worlds filled with powerful beings.
But in that precise moment, staring at this arrogant creature, he made an absolute iron resolution.
I’m going to kill this worm. Sooner or later, he’s dead by my hand. I don’t care how long it takes.
Instead of cowering before the threats like Velrith clearly expected, Leon felt his resolve to grow stronger crystallize into diamond-hard determination that nothing could shake.
For the first time in his entire life across both existences, his desire to gain power burned hotter than it ever had before—fueled not just by ambition or survival instinct, but by pure hatred and the overwhelming need to protect what truly mattered.
The overseer’s threats fell on ears that acted completely deaf to intimidation.
Leon answered not with fear or submission, but with cold, absolute resolve and completely undisguised hatred toward the creature he would eventually destroy.
Unconsciously, without even realizing it, he activated Leximancy—his spatial trait ability that he’d never properly focused on developing before, a subtle power that infused his spoken words with reality-warping force.
"Start the trial, you worm."
Those five words hit the trial overseer like an actual physical blow to his ear.
This INSECT HOW DARE HE!!!
For a brief moment, Velrith actually paused mid-breath—not because of any external binding force, but because he felt a strange, completely unexpected ripple pass directly across his soul itself, it doesn’t
Was that... an attack? Did this insect just attack my soul with words?
It didn’t do anything, but he felt it on his soul.
The tower rules still bound him completely from retaliating since it hadn’t been registered or considered a direct attack by the Tower. But to affect the soul—even on just a molecular level—of a being so much higher in cultivation with mere spoken words?
Is it a legendary artifact? Some soul-bound treasure? Or... something else entirely? Another secret this human possesses?
His burning resolve to obtain this human’s secrets increased exponentially to the point of obsession.
And the fact this lowly insect actually called ME—Velrith Moonscar of the Purple Moon Clan—a worm...
Velrith decided with absolute finality in that instant: even if Leon had signed the contract and revealed everything, he would have completely destroyed the human world anyway and brutally killed everyone remotely related to him, purely for the profound disrespect and insult.
No one calls me a worm. NO ONE! not even the Clan head!!
But the tower rules bound him absolutely to proceed with the trial explanation as required by protocol.
Through gritted teeth hidden behind a false smile, Velrith began explaining in a deliberately monotone voice, speaking as quickly as rules allowed.
Leon listened with a cold, emotionless heart, his mind already racing ahead to intensive thoughts of how to get dramatically stronger as quickly as possible—what type of absolutely brutal training regimen he should implement when he returned outside.
I need power. Real power. Enough to crush beings like this eventually.
The trial structure was straightforward and simple:
He had to defeat opponents that would materialize and attack him in successive waves. Depending on how many stages he successfully cleared, he would receive rewards befitting that achievement level.
He could choose to give up and exit the trial mid-way, but only after clearing at least the first stage completely. Before that critical threshold, it was either complete victory or permanent death—no middle ground, no escape.
After finishing the mandatory explanation as required by tower protocol, Velrith asked with barely concealed hatred dripping from every word:
"Are you ready to begin, worm?"
He deliberately used Leon’s insult back, his voice promising future suffering.
Leon only nodded coldly, his expression carved from absolute ice.
His hand moved with practiced precision, and his sword materialized instantly in his grip—the blade gleaming with barely suppressed holy power.
Right after that confirmation—
FLASH!
An intense blue light formed at the opposite end of the large arena, maybe a hundred and fifty meters away. The light coalesced rapidly into the distinct shape of a small bipedal creature.
Within just a few seconds, it fully materialized into solid form.
A green-skinned creature stood there, noticeably smaller than Leon—maybe only chest height at most. It gripped a crude iron sword in one clawed hand, the weapon looking primitive but functional.
A goblin.
Leon recognized it immediately at first glance from his accumulated knowledge of monster types and classifications.
But he absolutely didn’t let his guard down despite its relatively small size and seemingly weak appearance.
Size means nothing. Cultivation rank is everything.
He immediately checked its status with his system:
[Trial Goblin - Ascendant Rank]
Same exact rank as me. And no other useful information is available.
Leon settled smoothly into a ready combat stance, his muscles coiled like compressed springs ready to explode into action.
His holy energy reserves churned powerfully inside him, ready to burst forth at any moment he commanded.
The goblin’s glowing red eyes locked onto Leon with predatory focus, and it released a piercing, ear-splitting shriek.
SCREEE!
Then it charged forward with surprising explosive speed, covering ground far faster than its small legs should allow.