Tower Of God: Life As Hoaqin

"Vice Commander, how many troops do we have?"

Honestly, this was kind of fun.

I didn't really understand the full scale of Zahard's army, but being able to command the so-called strongest military in the Tower felt strangely entertaining.

I might even get addicted to this.

Though in 48 hours we'd go back to being strangers.

Perhaps because he knew that too, the vice commander looked at me with clear displeasure as he replied.

"The 1st and 3rd divisions have fully assembled. The 2nd division is still gathering, and the 4th division is arriving with the Corps Commander."

"The Corps Commander? He's coming too?"

"…The Corps Commander sir is coming. Even if he's only a fallen prince, the opponent is a top-tier threat ranked 65th. It's better to be certain."

Since they belonged to the 3rd Corps, the arriving commander would be the 3rd Corps Commander.

I'd never seen his face before.

Though the 4th and 5th Corps probably had new commanders now too.

"I've never really led troops before, so I'll leave most of the unit management to you, Vice Commander. When I give the signal, deploy the Rankers."

"A signal…?"

"You'll recognize it when you see it."

Whoooosh—

As I gathered shinsu, white waves began to surge.

....

"Cult Leader. The ritual is proceeding smoothly."

"I see."

At Asinus's command, the cultist bowed and immediately descended.

Inside the ancient floating fortress Leruie, a ritual was underway.

A ritual meant to manifest the Ancient Species once again in the Tower—its soul fragmented and sealed.

Asinus felt strength gradually draining from his body.

Naturally.

He had carved the ritual sigils into his own flesh and was participating directly.

Once the ritual finished, his strength would return.

What mattered now was the Ancient Species itself.

Seven swords. Seven souls.

But only six swords and six souls had been gathered.

Reviving the complete Ancient Species would be impossible.

But… that has its advantages.

With one fewer component, the ritual time shortened drastically.

Even if all seven swords were gathered, Asinus had planned to use only six and absorb the final one later.

Everything was proceeding as planned.

Except for one detail—

The need to kill someone and take their sword.

Still, Asinus didn't smile.

His violet eyes stared coldly at Zahard's fleet above.

Those fanatics were the real nuisance.

Even if only two divisions had arrived, Zahard's army was still Zahard's army.

If that earlier bombardment hadn't been stopped by someone mysterious, he himself would have had to block it.

His presence was already known.

It was only a matter of time before the Corps Commander arrived.

Before that—

He had to complete the ritual and annihilate Zahard's forces.

No… the best defense is attack.

Rather than merely guarding the ritual, destroying them outright would be simpler.

Crack—

Veins bulged across Asinus's body.

Dark, indescribable tendrils began creeping from his shadow.

Then—

"…!"

A sword.

Breaking through the clouds above, a colossal sword appeared.

The problem was its size.

It was larger than the fortress itself.

Just its mass alone could destroy the fortress.

Had the Corps Commander already arrived?

No—

The 3rd Corps Commander didn't use attacks like this.

No time to ponder.

Asinus expanded his shadow.

Ignoring the natural laws that created shadows, it grew monstrously large, covering the entire fortress.

The sword descended.

Rumble—

Awaken briefly, Ancient One…

BOOOOM—

Something burst from the shadow and swallowed the sword whole.

Not as impressive as it looked.

If it had been powerful enough, the Ancient One would have signaled damage.

But there was none.

Meaning the attack was merely High Ranker level—around the top 300 at best.

Once the flashy but hollow attack ended, Asinus scanned the sky.

The sword's mass still threatened the fortress.

He traced the flow of shinsu back to its source.

Soon—

He found the attacker.

"The Arie boy… so it was you."

As the entity dragged the sword into the shadows, Asinus stared at the boy's face.

More precisely—

At his lips.

The boy was speaking.

And Asinus could read the words.

"You blocked it pretty well."

"Tch… insolent brat!"

The boy's lips moved again.

"Then what about this one?"

Asinus ignored him.

Whatever the boy meant—

Whatever side he belonged to—

It wouldn't matter once he was devoured.

His shadow expanded again.

This time spreading wide enough to engulf the entire village center.

"…?"

Asinus tilted his head.

That wasn't his shadow.

His own shadow only covered the fortress.

But now—

A much larger shadow covered the village.

Then he realized.

This… isn't mine.

The shadow darkened.

And grew.

Which meant—

Rumble—

Another sword was falling.

Far larger than before.

Its tip aimed directly at Asinus and the fortress Rulie.

The Judgment Sword — Guillotine descended.

.....

"You… really passed Hon's test? What in the world is that…?"

"Haha… it's bigger than I expected."

The first sword used only the power I had during Hon's test.

The second—

Used the power after fusing with Baekya.

I'd never had a chance to use it properly before.

The result exceeded expectations.

Maybe a little too big.

But I'd practice controlling it later.

While watching the falling sword with the vice commander, Cheonhwa contacted me.

—Ho-Hoaquin! That sword… that was you, right? I know I shouldn't complain, but if something like that falls on the village—

"Don't worry. He'll block it."

BOOOOM—

Right on cue, the shadow monster roared again.

Something sword-shaped burst from the shadow, opening a massive mouth to swallow the descending blade.

But—

This time the sword was much bigger.

The creature struggled to swallow it.

I snapped my fingers.

Snap—

The sword of shinsu detonated instantly.

BOOOOOM!!

ROOOOAR—

Blinding light burst outward.

The monster screamed in agony and retreated back into the shadows.

"Vice Commander. What do you know about the enemy?"

"Leader of the Ancient Species extremist cult Leruie. Rank 65, Illensia Asinus. Fisherman / Sorcerer position. As you saw, he manipulates unknown creatures and uses shadow magic."

"Thanks, Vice Commander… wagon."

"…?"

Shadow powers.

The name reminded me of that scythe guy with the stone mask.

Anyway—

The probing phase was over.

Whooooosh—

I gathered shinsu into my right hand.

Baekya—now half my soul—formed slowly in my grip.

"Looks like he's the only active enemy. Don't deploy the troops. I'll handle this myself."

"Then what should we—"

I swung Baekya.

A brilliant white slash shot forward, aiming to split the fortress in half.

But the shadow rose and blocked it.

"You can figure that out yourselves. Oh—and tell me when all civilians are evacuated. I'm going to use large-scale attacks."

"…Understood."

Flash—

The moment I finished speaking, I tore through space and appeared right in front of Asinus.

"What—?!"

"Hello."

After that brief greeting—

My sword swung.

Baekya cut straight through him—

But I felt no resistance.

Behind me.

I turned instantly.

A pitch-black spike was already lunging toward my vital point.

Hundreds of spikes—like those of a lion's claws—were all sliced apart by ten precise slashes.

Asinus's real body was behind the raining spikes.

So earlier that had been some kind of illusion?

Well—no need to think about it.

Just cut him down.

I planted my feet firmly into the ground and raised my sword high, gathering shinsoo.

Crack—

I was only gathering power to unleash a technique—

Yet the shinsu in the air trembled.

The ground beneath my feet cracked.

Baekya sang joyfully, intoxicated by the overflowing power.

And I enjoyed every moment of it—

Before bringing the blade down.

Lion's Ten Split.

ROOOOAR—

A blue-white slash tore through the shinsu in the air, spreading outward with a sound like a lion's roar—or a scream.

Asinus removed the ruby earring from his ear and threw it toward the incoming slash.

CRACK!

The earring exploded in red sparks, altering the trajectory of the attack.

The slash barely missed him—

And flew straight toward the village.

In an instant, a massive crevasse split the village apart.

"…Ahem. How vicious… splitting the village in half like that."

"…? Wasn't that your attack?"

"…."

Sorry, Cheonhwa.

The unexpected damage caused the battle to momentarily stall.

"Who are you? There aren't many in this Tower who can cross blades with me. If you're an Arie who came with Zahard's army…"

He thought for a moment.

Then his eyes flashed.

"Never mind. Just die here. I'm busy."

"—!"

Spikes erupted from my own shadow, targeting my entire body.

Not shinsu.

Something else entirely.

Was this sorcery?

Cutting down the spikes wasn't difficult.

But in that brief moment, Asinus's hand reached into his inventory.

Shhhk—

A pitch-black scythe appeared in his grasp.

Its form flickered as if unstable.

"Very well. I'll at least hear your name. Illensia Asinus. And you?"

"Arie Hoaquin."

"Hoaquin… Hoaquin…"

Suddenly—

"Ah!"

Asinus's entire body twisted within his shadow.

His murderous scythe swung toward my neck.

His eyes were filled with madness.

"So it's you. The Arie who took Narmada."

Slash—

In the blink of an eye, the scythe had already been swung.

"I'll take it back."

"—!"

My survival instinct screamed.

A black line carved across space—

And from that line erupted a colossal wave of pitch-black shinsu.

More than ten Zahard military ships in its path exploded instantly.

Asinus smiled coldly.

Just one swing.

One attack.

And the destruction was astronomical.

This—

Was the power of top 100 High Rankers.

Even I had felt my life threatened by that single attack.

And yet—

I couldn't help but smile.

"…Blocked it."

Despite that overwhelming attack—

I stood completely unharmed.

I had blocked it.

With this sword.

"…What?"

Asinus's expression was priceless.

Only then did I realize something.

I could now reach them.

"Then it's my turn."

WOOOOOM—

Just drawing power made the space tremble.

Gripping my sword tightly, I swung it at him.

For this moment, I ignored everything—

And simply poured out my full strength.

Heavenly Soul Lion Sword.

SHHAAAA—

A white line carved across space in the opposite direction.

From that line burst a torrent of pure white shinsu.

"Hahaha! Come on then—let's have some fun."

.....

The warp gate opened.

The Vice Commander and the 1st Division Commander returned through it.

"Vice Commander!"

"What happened here?!"

"Silence."

At the Vice Commander's command, everyone fell quiet.

"From now on, ask no questions. Follow orders. Princess Maschenny Zahard has activated command authority."

"…!"

"Load the cannons. Prepare for a second bombardment at any time."

"Yes sir!"

All Zahard soldiers immediately resumed their duties.

Except for one man—

Who sat leisurely reading a book.

Rumble—

At that moment, white light from outside illuminated the room.

Thud—

The man closed his book and stood.

"The Vice Commander and Division Commander are both here, yet battle is ongoing… Who's fighting out there?"

"…Arie Hoaquin. A Regular currently exercising army command authority."

"A Regular…?"

At the word Regular, his eyes lit up.

"That's quite interesting."

Branch Director of the Ranking Administration Office -

Allen Avenue.

He tossed the book aside and looked outside toward the battlefield.