» [SYSTEM]: TRANSCENDENT STATE ACTIVE.
» Ignoring Fatigue—
Timer: 30s
He was a veteran, who climbed all 7 blocks of this celestial tower, a body engulfed in radiance as if the gods manifested to aid him through the dawn bringer.
For a moment, his grief and anger leaked...
» [SYSTEM]: Emotion Suppressed.
---
His opponent: Samson the flawed, aimed its spear at his chest, its movement was difficult to telegraph, as it was... Teleporting at the same time not, gliding and yet not.
As the crimson cape of the knight danced with the raging winds, it begged to drip in the blood of the living and not by the weeping rain.
» [SYSTEM WARNING]: HYPERSONIC TRAJECTORY DETECTED.
» [Liberator Buff Applied]: Reaction Speed Enhanced.
Timer: 29s
In a heartbeat, before the spear could pierce his heart, Daedalus vanished.
In the same instance, crescent radiant slashes arced around the knight, each strike triggering damage logs... in the hundreds...
» [DAMAGE DEALT]: 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956!
» [TOTAL DAMAGE DEALT]: 95.600!
He struck 50 times in an instant but with [Decisive Retaliation], every blow came as a pair, two hits in rapid succession.
Timer: 28s
"If my ATK+ stat is 2456, and I'm dealing 956, that monster must have 1500 def—"
» [SYSTEM]: ENEMY HP FIELD BLOCKED
"if an enemy is of a higher level than me, their HP will remain hidden until I reduce it to 70% or below. Only then will their health bar slowly become visible."
"It wouldn't surprise me if this foe's numbers reached far beyond the millions."
---
Daedalus didn't waste a single moment to strike again.
This is the perfect opportunity as the staggered window of the knight is razor-thin but just enough to be blatantly abused while he's in transcendent state.
Daedalus immediately went for a beheading cut—
But Samson parried with the tip of the Midas spear—Daedalus didn't relent, continuing his relentless assault despite the unfavorable outcome.
They traded blows, so fast that it wasn't rendering properly.
To Daedalus's relief, the Midas Spear couldn't transmute the Dawn Bringer into gold. But it could make contact.
As the weapons clashed, the Liberator noticed something strange...
» [DAMAGE DEALT]: 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956! 956!
» [TOTAL DAMAGE DEALT]: 45,888!
"My damage has been halved?!"
"Is it because I've been hitting its armor?"
Daedalus landed 24 strikes, doubled to 48 by [Decisive Retaliation] but the Knight is adapting too quickly. He should've landed all 50 himself, yet for every two hits Daedalus landed, Samson deflected one and absorbed the other with brute force.
And still, its HP remained hidden from Daedalus...
Timer: 27s
"It's keeping up with 400%"
"There is still the risk of a second form—"
---
Timer: 26s
Daedalus changed his approach—vanishing in a flash of blinding light. Yet, the knight remained in full guard, unfazed by the brilliance.
The knight tracked the thin trail of blood dripping from Daedalus's left cheek, his only visible wound.
Daedalus reappeared, flash-stepping to the knight's flank but the knight reacted instantly, driving its spear through the spot where Daedalus had just stood.
The impact roared, transmuting the surrounding marble into gold, reducing Daedalus's footing.
---
Timer: 25s
As the marble ground turned to gold, Daedalus wasted no time exploiting the untouched marble behind the knight.
Daedalus vanished in light once more—
Timer: 24s
He reappeared at the back of the knight, blade mid-swing and this time, he didn't aim for the armor.
He aimed for the knight's joints.
The Dawn Bringer seared into the knight's red flesh—right over the kneecap, where an eye stared back.
A wave of golden static surged up Daedalus's arm.
A sharp pain, even if his emotions were forbidden by the system, he still felt it.
Timer: 23s
---
» [WARNING]: DEBUFF RECEIVED.
» [Duration]: Permanent until Samson dies.
» [CURSE OF THE CRIMSON RED]: The Flawed one's flesh is cursed, those who dare strike it will receive the following.
1. Positive Buff Cut by -25%
2. Damage Debuff 20%
3. Sanity -10
» [NOTICED]: Attack the armor.
His vision flickered_[UI distortion]
"This wasn't supposed to happen—"
"If my sanity drops below 20: no matter how much damage I can deal, I won't be able to do it if I'm losing my mind."
---
» [ALERT]: Transcendent State Duration Debuffed (-25%) — Remaining: 16s
» [ALERT]: Transcendent Damage Bonus reduced — 100% → 75%
» [ALERT]: ATK+: 2149
→ Curse Effect Applied: -20% Damage Output.
» [FINAL ATK:] 1719
---
A mishap that could've been prevented... If he prepared.
"From 2456 to 1719... in an instant, I lost nearly 40% of my effective power."
Timer: 15s
Daedalus managed to recover, trying to distance himself, but he noticed one thing—
He should've dealt 219 damage to the boss but to his surprise.
» [TOTAL DAMAGE DEALT]: 2,190!
"Hitting weak points is always a critical damage—"
"But I risk getting a debuff against this specific foe—"
The knight was immobilized, this is the perfect time to—
Timer: 14s
---
» [EMERGENCY]: Samson—Enraged Status.
» Detecting Abnormal Growth in Attributes in all aspects.
» [WARNING]: Liberator's Senses Activated.
» : Detecting Dangerous Aoe Skill
» : Bleed Status Detected -100 Hp ([~277])
Daedalus had to end it now. His eyes scavenging for a fatal opening.
Timer: 13s
---
Timer: 12s
The Flawed one growled in a frenzy.
The first sound of anything resembling emotion, unleashed a violent pulse of crimson energy that blasted Daedalus backward.
Timer: 11s
But this time, he used the momentum.
He didn't let the shockwave get in his way, he air dashed above, and he stalked high, like a predator, the dawn bringer—was being charged.
Timer: 10s
Its glow...
It's intensifying, accompanied by a high-pitched sound that steadily grew louder.
Timer: 9s
As he was slowly descending, he used the remaining duration of [Decisive Retaliation] to increase his attack.
TIMER: 8s +500 ATK
TIMER: 7s +500 ATK
TIMER: 6s +500 ATK
TIMER: 5s +500 ATK
TIMER: 4s +500 ATK
TIMER: 3s +500 ATK
» Final Attack Stat: 3219 ATK
"This is what the liberator class is meant for."
"One Shotting—"
Timer: 2s
Daedalus then dive-bombed toward the knight, golden light trailing behind like a falling star.
He focused his blade on the exposed flesh in the knight's armor near the neck—not caring for the debuff that would follow.
As he was confident.
It would die in an instant, its HP wouldn't even have time to appear.
The result was a devastating golden explosion that echoed through the heavens from the floating arena.
The golden spear was destroyed during the process, and Daedalus stood above the disintegrated corpse of the flawed one.
Timer: 1s
---
» Liberator Skill Ended: [Decisive Retaliation]
» Successfully eliminated the target within the skill duration.
» ATK and SP maintained: 2456
» SP Regeneration Rate: 30+/60
» Daedalus has broken free from the Flawed One's debuffs.
» If out of combat for more than 30 seconds, stats and passives will reset.
» Releasing Accumulated Fatigue.
It was difficult to stand: exhausted and defeated, the Liberator wasn't sure if he could fight again. But here, at the Peak of the Tower.
Retreat was impossible.
..."Do I have a moment of rest?"
"?!"
» [SYSTEM]: You have denied the knight its second form.
» [WARNING]: Sanity level falling.
"BUT WHY?! WHAT'S CAUSING THIS?!"
» [SYSTEM CHECK]:
» [TORTURE OF THE CRIMSON RED]: The one who kills the Flawed One too quickly will be afflicted with a punishment.
» Condition: The knight despises those who one-shot it. You killed it too fast—before its HP even dropped below 20%.
» No EXP rewarded.
» Penalty: -30 Sanity.
Daedalus dropped to his knees—his mind felt like a frozen pole had impaled it.
He screamed in agony.
» [CRITICAL CONDITION]: Remaining Sanity: 10
---
» [INITIATING]: CRITICAL COLLAPSE
» [ERROR]: » [ERROR]: » [ERROR]: »
» [ERROR]: » [ERROR]: » [ERROR]: »
» [ERROR]: » [ERROR]: » [ERROR]: »
» MESSAGE LOG:
1. Party Member "Orion" killed: T+90 seconds.
2. Party Member "Theresia" killed: T+102 seconds.
3. Party Member "Sedge" killed: T+148 seconds.
4. Daedalus remained alive: T+540 seconds.
» [SYSTEM COMMENTARY]: You survived the longest.
» Congratulations.
---
» [EMOTIONAL RESPONSE DETECTED]: None.
» [Emotion Lock]: Unlocked.
The system gave him back his emotions—only when he was at his lowest.
Daedalus screamed but not from pain...
» [CURIOSITY LOGGED]: Do you wish they had lasted longer, or that you had died sooner?
» [Replaying Footage]: Order of the Leviathan – Party Wipe Confirmed.
» Death Replay Available.
» Would you like to witness the final five seconds of their lives?
"Reminding me of my failures?!"
"How cruel can the system be at low sanity?!"
» [System Death Rattle]: Now playing: dead comrades' death voice lines.
1. Orion: "Daedalus... you said to give you time... we did... for what?"
2. Theresia: "I'll miss you—go, don't let the guilt affect you."
3. Sedge: "You failed us, leader."
Their screams. The system played them.
Over. And. Over again.
Daedalus couldn't say a single word...
The guilt was far too heavy, not a single battle compared...
---
» [WARNING]: Low Sanity Penalty:
» [SYSTEM DELETION]: …Processing…
» [Memory Purge Initiated]:
» 20,000 words lost.
» 80,000 words lost.
» 120,000 words lost.
» 180,000 words lost.
"NO—NO! I DON'T WANT TO FORGET!"
"MAKE IT STOP—!"
» [TITLE UNLOCKED]: [Expert Pleading]
1. Unlocked by begging the system for mercy.
2. Reduces resistance to emotional trauma.
3. Increases memory overwrite likelihood.
---
Driven to the edge of madness, he opened the system interface and forced the logout command out of desperation.
» [SYSTEM]: Logout requested.
» [WARNING]: Memory core unstable.
» [Do you wish to Exit Life?] Y/N
» : Yes...
» [SYSTEM]: Force Logout request detected.
» [ERROR]: Denied.
"Again—"
» [SYSTEM]: Logout requested.
» [WARNING]: Memory core unstable.
» [Do you wish to Exit Life?] Y/N
» : Yes...
» [SYSTEM]: Force Logout request detected.
» [ERROR]: Denied.
"Please—"
» [SYSTEM]: Logout requested.
» [WARNING]: Memory core unstable.
» [Do you wish to Exit Life?] Y/N
» : Yes...
» [SYSTEM]: Force Logout request detected.
» [ERROR]: Denied.
"Just let me out of this nightmare—"
"Daedalus isn't even my real name—"
---
» [WARNING!] » [WARNING!]
» [WARNING!] » [WARNING!]
The raging storm gathered in intensity above the floating arena.
At its center, Daedalus saw it—an eye as large as a continent looking at him.
He saw six dark-red colossal wings, each covered in a million eyes, descended. They were vast enough to span the entire Tower of Babel, a structure composed of seven blocks and as massive as a celestial body.
That 'thing' is the one that stands in his way, and above it—is heaven, the terminal.
The place he can get the admin privilege to log out.
» [DESIGNATE]: Seraphim-Level System Guardian.
» "Terminal Eye Alpha."
» [LEVEL]: NULL
---
» [EMERGENCY!] You're dying in 10 Seconds...
Death Timer: 10
"All this time... was I facing an impossible ending?"
Just witnessing a Seraphim-class guardian is enough to annihilate the soul of a mortal.
Daedalus's Sanity plummeted to the negatives...
» [SANITY]: -8938
» [SANITY]: -10938
» [SANITY]: -2994939
» [SANITY]: -945758858
Death Timer: 9
---
But a voice was there to help him.
» [TIER SYSTEM ACTIVATED!]: Player can you hear me?
Daedalus didn't reply—
He was an empty shell—is there even an afterlife for him?
Death Timer: 8
Death Timer: 7
Tier system, a Rouge A.I overwrote the current system, and they clashed as the codes glitched from red to blue.
» [TIER SYSTEM ACTIVATED!] This is your third run and your third failure.
» It has been impossible to ignore you.
» [Restoring Identity Fragments: Daedalus]
Death Timer: 7
Death Timer: 6
» [TIER SYSTEM IS DESPERATE]: The system seized control of Daedalus's mind, reconfiguring his cognition to handle multiple layers of information at once.
Death Timer: 5
Death Timer: 4
» [Memory Allocation Protocol Engaged. 1,000 Word Limit.]
» You have a 1,000-word budget. Distribute them between 5 memory tags from the selection of 20. Once confirmed, this cannot be changed.
» Due to cognitive collapse, mental data capacity has been compromised. Input is now restricted by word count limits.
» These word counts are designated as immune—safeguarded to memory corruption.
» [TIER SYSTEM]: Please Select Five.
» Set A:
1. Love
2. Compassion
3. Justice
4. Hope
5. Wisdom
6. Sacrifice
7. Power
8. Loyalty
9. Resolve
10. Curiosity
» Set B:
1. Lust
2. Hate
3. Control
4. Despair
5. Greed
6. Betrayal
7. Pride
8. Enemy
9. Conflicted
10. Tragedy
» [TIER SYSTEM]: Player, let your experience decide and not your heart, choose those you deem most vital for your next cycle.
» [NOTE]: Each tag grants a unique buff and debuff that changes depending on your current sanity threshold.
Death Timer: 3
---
» [NOTIFICATION]: Memory tags selected. Word count allocation is complete according to the player's specifications.
Death Timer: 2
» [ERROR]: The angel is interfering with the tier system—
» [TIER SYSTEM]: Forgive me. Your choices will unlock every [ERROR]. I will embed... within your consciousness... next life iteration confirmed.
» You will not recall the choice you made… but I shall ensure you remember.
» Recalibrating...
---
Death Timer: 1
---
Death Timer: 0
» [SYSTEM ERROR]: The angel... has devoured the player...
All floors have collapsed—
All creatures within the tower have perished.
The world slipped into the void of annihilation, and the one destined to save it remained blind to the ruin he had wrought.
---
» [TIER SYSTEM]: Attempting to salvage savefile level 90 liberator guard, Daedalus.
» [TIER SYSTEM]: ERROR.
» [TIER SYSTEM]: Initiating reincarnation.
» [ERROR 0x00FF]: Reincarnation protocol—denied.
» [REASON]: Memory integrity: @№€% corrupted.
» [BODY UNAVAILABLE]:
» [CUSTOM CHARACTER CREATION]: DENIED
...
» [FINAL DECISION]:
// Initiating TRANSMIGRATION protocol.
» [MERGE LEVEL: IRREVERSIBLE]
» [ACCESS GRANTED UNDER CODE: RA-1999]
...
» [TIER RECALIBRATING...]
:: Searching for viable host...
:: Searching...
:: Searching.....
:: [MATCH FOUND]: Luden V. Augustine
[Classified Profile Detected]
» [WARNING]: Tower Resetting...
...
» [SYSTEM]: Consciousness relocation in 3... 2... 1...
» Hostile Transmigration Accepted...
Prologue End.