Chimaera's Conquest: The Legend Of The Devourer-Chapter 288: The Tower (2)

Adrian stood at the base of the Zeta Tower, the last of the 72 towers to appear on Earth. The structure loomed over him, an endless spire stretching into the clouds.

The structure was made of stones, but they were no ordinary stones. People said that the towers were made from the remnants of countless destroyed planets.

Obviously, it was one of the many theories Adrian had heard since stepping into the compound. Suddenly, Adrian was distracted by loud noises.

"Best prices on mana potions!" one merchant shouted.

"Get your enchanted swords here!" another bellowed.

Around the tower, the scene was bustling with activity. Makeshift stalls and tents had been set up, creating a marketplace for adventurers and hunters.

Vendors loudly advertised their wares—gleaming weapons, sturdy armour, and potions promising various enhancements and healing properties. Groups of people haggled over prices and inspected gear with keen eyes.

These were people who wanted to make the most out of the tower without venturing inside. Adrian even noticed some people were sporting torn and worn DRA uniforms.

It was weird to see the remnants of a once prestigious organisation in such a state. But at the same time, it was good to see that some semblance of the organisation had survived.

Thankfully, no one seemed to notice him there. Adrian was expecting people, especially Sophia, to throw a fit when they realised what he had done.

That’s why Adrian stayed away from the DRA officers, thinking they might be looking for him. Even if he had changed his appearance, there was no knowing what kind of skills they might possess to see through his decision.

’Getting in using Mimic was the right decision.’

<I told you. The entities have had a three-year head start on Master. It’ll be unlikely they won’t interfere with Master’s progress if they recognise him.>

Other than that, Adrian’s attention went to the tower’s entrance where a recruitment office had been established. Large makeshift posters were plastered on the walls selling the beautiful life one could lead within the tower with bold letters reading: Join the Fight! Register for the Tower Trials Today!

Having taken in the surroundings, Adrian finally stepped up to register for the trials, where a stern-looking official sat behind a desk.

"Name?" she asked without looking up.

"Arnold Ling," Adrian replied, embracing his false identity.

"ID?" ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"Don’t have any," Adrian confidently replied.

Along with the man, George had left a few other things for Adrian. One of which was a note, explaining the procedure so that Adrian didn’t stand out there like a moron.

The note said if asked for an ID, he could decline if he wished as it was merely a method for the DRA to know if an entrant was affiliated with the government or the DRA. In other words, declining the ID check wouldn’t cause any problems.

"Another wannabe hero," the official commented, eyeing him. She then scribbled his name on a list and handed him a small token. "Next trial starts in half an hour. Wait near the entrance."

Adrian took the token and moved to the designated waiting area. A group of candidates had already gathered there, some chatting nervously while others stood silently, lost in their thoughts.

Having nothing else to do, he found a spot on a stone bench and sat down, scanning the crowd. Just then, a cheery guy with bright eyes and a wide smile plopped down next to him.

"Hey there! First time in the tower?"

Adrian didn’t feel like talking, but he did it anyway. He didn’t want to seem rude and draw attention from the others. Besides, there was no telling what they might have to do once the trial started.

"Yeah, just registered for the trail," he replied.

"Me too!" the guy said, extending his hand towards him. "The name’s Felix, and you?"

"Arnold."

Adrian got his first good look at him. Felix was a young man in his mid-twenties with an energetic and friendly demeanour that immediately set him apart in a crowd.

He had a lean, athletic build, standing around six feet tall. His skin was lightly tanned, suggesting he spent a good amount of time outdoors. Even his brown hair was as upbeat as him and seemed to have a life of its own, bouncing slightly with every movement.

But the most interesting thing about Felix was the choice of his weapon. It was a rusty trident with a weird power drum attached to it.

"So... have you made up your mind?" he asked, his hair bouncing as usual.

Adrian sighed. He was getting annoyed by all the questions, but he knew Felix might have some useful information about the tower. So, Adrian decided to go along with it.

"About what?"

"The faction which you’d like to join?" Felix asked casually.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. This was the first time he had heard about it, but he had a hunch about what it might be. Old habits were hard to break, and there was no way the entities would stop wanting followers just because they were mortals now.

Still, he asked Felix what the factions were, prompting him to stare at Adrian as if he were a caveman.

"Have you been living under a rock or something?" Felix chuckled. "The factions, man. Groups like Olympus, Asgard, Devas, and others. They’re the big players inside the tower and everyone wants to join one faction or the other"

Adrian smiled inwardly because his guess was correct. But he shook his head, acting intrigued to get more information out of Felix.

"I hadn’t heard about them before. What’s the deal with these factions?"

"Well," Felix began, leaning in so no one else could hear them, "Joining a faction can give you a big boost. Each one has its own perks and style. For instance, I’m aiming for Asgard.

He kept blabbing on, "They’re known to support newbies, help them get stronger, you know? Unlike Olympus, which just throws newbies at one another and only takes in the survivors. It’s brutal."

"What about the Devas?"

Felix shrugged, "Nobody knows. Those who manage to join them are sworn to secrecy. It’s a bit difficult to know about them, to be honest."

Adrian nodded along. He was hoping to get to know about these Devas as even he didn’t know much, if anything about them. After all, all his interactions had been with Olympians, Asgardians and demons like Sloth.

"So these factions, they help you inside the tower or something?" Adrian continued.

"Exactly," Felix said. "They offer protection, resources, and training in some cases. It’s tough going solo in the tower, especially at the higher levels. Having a faction’s backing can mean the difference between life and death."

"Makes sense why someone would want to join a faction," Adrian mumbled, wondering if he should try joining one just for the sake of it.

"Well, we’ve got time to decide," Felix smiled as he tended to his gear. "The trial’s coming up soon. Maybe we’ll both get lucky and find a good faction."

"Hopefully."

As they continued to chat, the crowd around the entrance grew larger. Over a hundred people had gathered there when the doors leading inside were opened for them.

"Good luck in there, Adrian," Felix said, standing up as the group slowly moved inside.

"Thanks, Felix. You too," Adrian replied, getting to his feet. "Wait... I never-"

Adrian turned around, but Felix was already gone, leaving him confused. Adrian hadn’t told Felix his real name, so how did Felix know he was Adrian and not Arnold?

’Lucina, did you get a-’

<No, Master. I couldn’t read his mind. No, it was more like I was trying to read the mind of a hologram or something.>

’Just who was that guy...’

***

Still contemplating about Felix, Adrian entered the massive structure. The heavy doors creaked shut behind them once everyone was inside. The room they found themselves in was vast and dimly lit, with walls etched with glowing runes.

As the last sliver of light from the outside world disappeared, the room was plunged into darkness. Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted from the centre of the room, blinding everyone for a moment.

Adrian shielded his eyes, blinking rapidly as his vision adjusted. A moment later, he heard everyone gasp and opened his eyes.

In front of them stood a breathtaking angel, her beauty beyond words. She had long, golden hair, and her eyes shimmered like liquid gold.

She wore hardly anything, her clothes more like thin strands of fabric than real clothing. But even that added to her aura and mystery as she looked at them indifferently.

The men in the room were visibly awestruck, their jaws hanging and eyes wide, hoping to get a glimpse of the forbidden fruit hanging above them. A few even let out low whistles or murmured words of admiration.

The women in the room, however, were less impressed. They glared at the men, viewing their reactions as pathetic and disgusting. The angel noticed this and smiled, a knowing look in her eyes.

"Welcome to the Zeta Tower," she said, her voice was melodious and soothing. "I am Zelina, your guide and protector within these walls. At least for those of you who survive the first challenge."