Tower: Rebirth of the Absolute Demon
Chapter 43: Ch 43: A Parting Gift

Chapter 43: Ch 43: A Parting Gift

After what felt like an eternity, Michael stirred, his consciousness returning with a faint groan.

He slowly opened his eyes, finding himself kneeling on the cold, ethereal floor.

The sight before him made his heart pound in a mix of fear and reverence.

Sitting nonchalantly on a throne of void, Ye Tian gazed down at him, exuding a pressure so profound it seemed to bend the fabric of reality itself.

His crimson eyes burned like molten fire, and the aura around him was a maelstrom of energy far beyond anything Michael could comprehend.

Michael’s thoughts raced.

This man... No, this being... This is no ordinary existence.

He’s beyond gods, beyond anything the cosmos has ever known.

For the first time in centuries, Michael felt true, bone-deep fear.

Yet, amidst the fear was a flicker of awe, even reverence.

In the memories Ye Tian had shared, Michael had witnessed destruction on a scale unimaginable, but also acts of salvation that transcended his understanding of good and evil.

"Well, well, kiddo..." Ye Tian’s voice broke the silence, smooth and filled with amusement.

"How was it? I saw you rolling around, screaming like a baby. Looked like you were having the time of your life."

Michael stiffened, his jaw tightening. Time of my life? What kind of man calls that torture ’fun’?

But he quickly swallowed his pride and replied...

"Uhm... Sir... Are you... Are you going to destroy this world too?"

His voice trembled slightly, the weight of his own question suffocating him.

Ye Tian’s smirk faded, his gaze growing distant.

"Destroy it?" he murmured, as if the thought hadn’t even occurred to him.

"Honestly... no. I don’t have any reason to."

Michael blinked, momentarily stunned.

"No... reason?"

Ye Tian leaned back, resting his chin on his hand, a flicker of boredom crossing his face.

"I’ve grown tired of killing. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it... it’s an art I perfected long ago... but back then, I killed for a reason. To survive. To ascend. To break free from the chains of fate."

He exhaled softly, his tone tinged with weariness.

"But now? There’s no one worth fighting, no threat worth erasing. Killing for the sake of killing... It’s just boring."

Michael listened in silence, his mind replaying Ye Tian’s words.

He understood them more than anyone else could.

After reaching the 9th circle of magic, Michael himself had experienced that hollow emptiness... the lack of purpose that came with standing at the peak.

For years, he had wandered aimlessly, his will to advance crushed by the monotony of existence.

Only the looming collapse of the world had reignited his drive, pushing him to ascend to the mythical 10th circle.

Michael chuckled softly, more to himself than to Ye Tian.

"Sir... Although you’ve likely already realized it, my time... Is near."

Ye Tian turned his gaze toward him, his expression unreadable.

"Yes. I know."

Michael’s mana flickered faintly around him, a candle on the verge of being snuffed out.

His life force had long since burned away, leaving him clinging to existence through sheer willpower and the remnants of his soul.

Mana, for all its power, lacked the rejuvenating properties of qi.

It could grant immense strength, but not the vitality needed to sustain one’s governing vessels... the heart, the body, the soul.

Michael smiled wistfully.

"Sir... My last hope was for one of my descendants to find me, to uncover the truths I left behind and save this world. But now... I suppose that dream has withered along with me."

Ye Tian remained silent, his crimson eyes studying the dying man before him.

Michael took a deep breath, summoning what little strength he had left.

"May I ask you for a favor? My final request."

Ye Tian arched an eyebrow.

"A favor? And what might that be?"

Michael hesitated, then spoke with quiet conviction.

"Please... Collect the five relics I’ve left behind and... kill the current emperor."

Ye Tian’s smirk returned, tinged with amusement.

"The emperor? Really? I thought you were a loyal lapdog of the royal family. Planning to stab them in the back now?"

Michael flinched but managed a weak laugh.

"It’s not what you think... The royal family—"

Before he could finish, his body began to dissolve, fragments of light drifting away like fireflies in the night.

Michael smiled, his expression serene despite his impending demise.

"It seems... my time has come."

He raised a trembling hand, pointing toward Ye Tian.

"The relics... They are hidden within the cores of the five great nations. You will find them there."

"Wait, you haven’t even explained anything yet, you old geezer!" Ye Tian snapped, his irritation breaking through his calm facade.

Michael’s smile widened.

"As a parting gift... I’ll leave you something precious."

Ye Tian’s eyes narrowed.

"What do you—"

Before he could finish, the space around them cracked, fractures spreading like veins of light through the void.

Michael’s form dissolved completely, his presence fading into nothingness.

The last thing Ye Tian heard was his voice, carried on the winds of the shattering space.

"Take care of this world... Sir Ye Tian."

Ye Tian found himself standing once more in the black forest, the oppressive stillness pressing down on him.

He glanced around, his expression unreadable.

But then, something unexpected happened.

A system window materialized before him.

---

[Loading...]

---

"What the—? Wasn’t this thing supposed to be disabled?" he muttered, frowning.

---

[Transaction complete!]

---

"Transaction? What transaction?"

---

[The first 10th-circle mage of the cosmos, Michael Eviar, has willingly sacrificed his mana and soul for Player Ye Tian.]

[As per the rule, a satisfying payment has been made!]

[Player Ye Tian will now be able to use the System as usual, with no payments required in the future.]

---

Ye Tian chuckled, shaking his head.

"That little rascal... sacrificing everything for me, huh? How amusing."

But something caught his attention.

The system window wasn’t its usual black. This time, it was green.

"What’s with this color change? What’s going on now?"

Before he could ponder further, another system window appeared, its black hue stark against the green.

---

[Karma beads have been successfully merged with the system!]

---

Ye Tian’s smirk widened as he stared at the notifications.

"Oh, things just got a whole lot more interesting."

*****

• Author Note:-

Helo, im here to deliver the last message of mine for this year!

Well so, my exams are starting so i wont be able to write as much, so i wont be able to give yall bonus chaps for the time being...

Although i will mass release Chapters every now and then and empty my stocks...

But yea the story will progress in the usual way with daily releases of chaps...

Amyways, this is my last note for now, I’ll be back on the 100th chap *winks*

Ciao!