Tower of Heaven

’The Immortal Realm

He never expected for it to be in such a place.

It wasn’t particularly surprising once he thought about it a little more. The Cyclopes were related to Legends too powerful for them to be ordinary beings. Even if they were listed as an ordinary species, they were nothing of the sort.

After all, didn’t Hades say that the three Cyclops brothers were the best craftsmen under the Heavens? The race that shared their name could not be so measly.

Regardless of whether they had an association with those three brothers or not, regardless of whether those brothers were located on the island where those Cyclopes lived, they were still important in their own right.

’This information is quite conclusive. It seems their existence isn’t unknown in the overworld either.’

Atlas saw a lot of the same things he heard from the servants at Hades’ Palace, but those assertions were now backed by facts.

’Firstly, they are indeed cannibalistic and barbaric.’

The records stated that they were known to eat the weak and took pleasure in slaughter. They were described to be overall negative beings that others would never want to associate with.

In fact, the records presented here were not pieces of information gathered by Heaven’s Eye. It was stated clearly that the knowledge was sold to them by a man named Odysseus.

’Nothing much is said about him, but he encountered the Cyclopes entirely by accident during a quest. Through the adventures he had while escaping them, he gathered this knowledge and eventually sold it to Heaven’s Eye. If it weren’t for him, perhaps there would be no records at all.’

Giant one-eyed creatures with the strength of giants and the forging capabilities of dwarves; they were beings who seemed too talented to be stuck on an island killing each other.

Especially when that island wasn’t even inside the Tower.

’Are the Neutral Zones in the upper floors different?’

The jade slip claimed the Cyclopes were located on the 70th Floor Neutral Zone, a place called Svartal. As it was assumed by those writing the information that those reading it would already be aware of Svartal, it wasn’t described in detail.

All Atlas knew was that there was an island there where the Cyclopes lived, and he needed to reach it.

’Hmm

"Are you planning to stay for long?"

When Atlas started falling deep into his thoughts, Scarlet Fox snapped him back to reality.

"I am not sure. I’ll stay for at least as long as it takes for me to find a method to reach the Immortal Realm."

Scarlet Fox nodded with a wry expression.

"That’s expected from you. You know that a mortal from the lower floors has never entered the Immortal Realm without properly ascending, right? You’re trying to accomplish a ’First’ in the Tower as if it’s nothing."

They were intriguing words. In 5000 years, nobody was able to find a method?

’Or is it that they never tried because it is essentially guaranteed that only death is ahead?’

Atlas didn’t care about the reason. He shrugged as if it didn’t matter to him because it truly didn’t.

"Whether it is a first or not, it is something I must do. That was decided a long time ago."

"Just who are those people?"

It was one of the only personal questions Scarlet Fox had ever asked him, but she couldn’t hold her curiosity anymore.

"Are they that important to you? It isn’t usual for a cultivator to go through this much struggle just to save a few ordinary comrades."

Her question was warranted. In fact, it was one Atlas had even asked himself before.

But the answer was just as simple as it was back then. No matter how hard he tried to delve into it, he found that nothing changed.

"They…"

He looked up at Scarlet Fox.

"They are people who I can trust. That is enough of a reason."

There was something about the firmness of his voice…

He spoke with such conviction that Scarlet Fox almost felt like she could see the look on his face through his mask.

"Though I can’t quite understand it, I admire it."

She turned away from him, aimlessly looking at the bookshelf behind her.

"Also, if something like that happens to me, don’t do all of this. I know I won’t do the same for you."

"Hahaha…"

Atlas couldn’t help but chuckle. She said it harshly, but he knew what she truly meant. She just wasn’t someone who could speak those words truly.

It was fine if she didn’t understand. Even he didn’t understand it himself.

He’d only known Horus and Artemia for so long. He’d only been traveling with them and experiencing their company for some months and years before everything went into the ground.

Scarlet Fox was right. A cultivator wasn’t supposed to go through these lengths for other people. It went against the selfish nature required to pursue the Heavens. Unless one was unreasonably altruistic, it was almost impossible to remain completely benevolent and self-sacrificing on this journey.

However, there was something about that word.

’Trust.’

Trust was not something Atlas knew well. He didn’t feel it often, yet he felt it more often than he’d prefer.

He trusted many of the Elders he’d met in this life. He trusted his parents. However, what about his own comrades?

Did he have comrades he could trust?

Did trustworthy comrades exist in this world?

The majority of people were rotten. They were bad to the bone and only wanted to pursue their own benefits while pushing others aside. Even the strongest relationships in the cultivation world could be broken by the existence of a single shred of greed.

Horus and Artemia weren’t like that.

This was a fact that his heart, his mind, his soul, and his eyes all agreed on. They agreed that no matter what happened, those two people would stand by his side.

He had this kind of thought when he was traveling with them, but he refused to entertain it.

He remembered that day on the 40th Floor. That day, he was unable to run from it.

The pure rage he felt in that moment, the rage that almost broke [Perfect Adaptability], wasn’t an emotion he could express for just anyone.

At some point, they’d become more important to him than he’d ever realized.

And, even when all of that was put to the side…

’Well, there’s no need to think about the rest.’

The reasoning changed nothing.

’Svartal. I can’t get there through ordinary means, however

Atlas knew several people who were very far from ordinary.

And, among them, there was one person he knew he could rely on.

’Aeon.’

They hadn’t spoken much since their last meeting, but if there was anyone who could help him make the impossible journey to the 70th Floor Neutral Zone, it was the person who the entire Tower acknowledged as the Voidwalker.

’She said she was going to pursue revenge. I hope she isn’t preoccupied with it.’

Was she in danger? Was she in the midst of a great battle?

He hoped neither was true.

Because right now, he really needed her to repay his favor from back then.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!