Tower of Heaven

Atlas could never understand how much this moment meant to Akia.

Dusk was not a friendly organization. He, as the son of an Elder, had a position that others could only envy from birth. When his talent was discovered, his position became even greater.

However, he was given all of the responsibility of that position as well. He was still a young man new to the world, but he could never fail. The moment he failed, the moment he disappointed the people who gave him everything, his life would be over.

'I can't disappoint them.'

No matter what he had to sacrifice, he could not let his people down.

That was why he chose to take the risk. Atlas clearly had something up his sleeve. Still, he acted like a puppet and repeated the same move again.

[Revolving Dragons]

His path was predictable. He was relying only on power to back him up.

Only, he was facing an opponent who didn't do the same. That was the beginning of his undoing.

Atlas watched the man get close and didn't move from the platform as if to bait him. At the last second he retreated to the tip of the platform and made the jump.

He turned in the air and flashed his sleeve. His position was replaced by another being, one made entirely of stone.

Boom!

Akia had no choice but to land. His strike once again made the platform unstable. His eyes widened when he realized what had happened. He couldn't proceed forward with the statue standing there, and if he wanted to go back, he would be declaring defeat.

He jumped, unknowing of where he wanted to go. In his panic, he thought it was a good decision.

It was nothing of the sort.

Atlas watched from the distance with a certain gem in his hand. Under his gaze, the statue moved its arm and grabbed Akia, who was suspended in the air. In the same motion, it lifted its leg and slammed its foot into the ground.

Rumble!

The cracks Akia created were widened immediately, the foundation of the platform was destroyed, and within the second, the rock crumbled away.

"NO!"

Akia screamed as he understood his fate.

"YOU…! YOU WILL DIE FOR THIS! THEY WILL NOT LET YOU GO!"

It was a last-ditch effort. Atlas could still save him if he wanted to. All he had to do was order the statue to throw him to one of the nearby platforms.

But Atlas was not going to do that.

"Let them come," he said.

"We will see what they can truly do to me."

The fact that Dusk would antagonize him was something that was bound to happen regardless. Atlas already stole the Miracle Stone. Even if he survived here, Akia would only go back to his influence and send people after him.

More importantly, Akia himself was someone filled with killing intent.

'I confirmed after watching him fight, Though he is not at my level, his heightened cultivation combined with his training are enough to defeat me.'

If he was able to take Atlas by surprise, he would be able to kill him quite easily.

Keeping a person like that alive was nonsensical. That was Atlas' only thought as he watched the statue take Akia down into the abyss.

The echoes of the man's screams could be heard for the next ten seconds. When ten seconds passed, the world went silent. Atlas looked down into the abyss for a moment before leaving.

'What is that?'

The darkness was illuminated by a small light. It was almost imperceptible at the start, but as it got closer, it became larger and larger until it was roughly the size of a fist.

Once it reached a certain point, it tilted and changed its trajectory.

'It is…tracking me?'

Atlas' eyes widened slightly in surprise. He decided to ignore it and continue on his way, but since when was life that easy?

As Atlas dashed through the corridor, he realized that the orange ball of light was still following him at a rapid pace.

No, it was gaining on him.

Whoosh!

'It is faster than me.'

Atlas abruptly stopped and allowed the light to speed past him. When he started moving again, his patterns were more random.

He ran zig-zags between platforms, doing everything he could to outsmart the light.

However, he was facing an entity that did not have a mind of its own, therefore, it was not something that could be outsmarted. This strange battle was one Atlas was fated to lose.

No matter how he dodged, the light came back. No matter where he went, it followed. In the end, while Atlas was trying to trick it and move around it, the light changed its course and burned directly into his chest.

"Khhh..!"

Atlas could see the light at the end of the tunnel not far ahead, but he was forced to stop and clutch his chest in pain. He lifted his shirt to look at the point of contact.

'This is… I have been marked.'

On his left chest just under his collarbone, there was now a tattoo of sorts. It resembled a snake trying to devour the sun, and though Atlas had no contact with the influence it came from, he was able to discern what it was without a problem.

Not that he was happy with his conclusion.

'This is a tracking mark. Those people who call themselves Dusk will be able to track my position regardless of what I do.'

Disguises didn't matter in front of a tracking mark like this.

'I should have expected it from someone who is valued as he is.'

In fact, he was just commenting on how Selia was not granted these things.

'I will temporarily be fine, however, I cannot expect a peaceful life after I leave Vanatos.'

Atlas didn't know much about Dusk, but their reputation for not letting off those who slighted them was almost as great as Heaven's Gate's.

'Haa, such is the life of the cultivator.'

Of course there were consequences to his actions. There would always be consequences to his actions. That was the way of life.

Still, sometimes one had to act while disregarding those consequences. Sometimes, it was better to push forward and take the risk rather than sitting back and being passive.

[Perfect Adaptability] stabilized his mind, allowing him to stay rational.

Future problems could be handled in the future. In the end, by the time he reached a place where Dusk could get to him, he would be strong enough to fend for himself.

Without giving any more of his time to Akia, Atlas turned around and finished the course, reaching the other side. A light shined on his body and scanned him, confirming that he had the Miracle Stone in his possession.

Atlas left the corridor at that time, leaving the rest of the trial behind.

When he made it to the final room that stood past the tomb guardian, he was only joined by one person.

The one other final contender who made it past everything and everyone to get here.

What were the chances that such a person would be a familiar face?