Level Up Legacy

Arthur smiled as he gazed at the cell he had mentioned. It was lined with runes, rendering it a thousand times stronger than a regular cell. However, this half-demon did not realize that Arthur could dismantle the runes themselves with his black lightning or alter them with his creative abilities.

“How long have you been here?” Arthur inquired, changing the subject. The shadowed man paused, then turned away from him. “Are you truly ignoring me right now?”

“Yes.”

“That’s cold. Humor my bothersome questions, half-demon. After all, we have nothing else to do here.”

“I have a name,” the half-demon retorted as he turned with a frown. Arthur watched with a smile as he managed to provoke him. “My name is Ramiel Pureheart.”

“…Pureheart?” Arthur muttered with surprise. “It’s the first time I’ve heard of someone with a surname within this tower. You must have been born here, right?”

“I carry this name with pride,” Ramiel stated with confident eyes. “Make yourself known, human.”

“My name is Seika.”

“That sounds like an alias.”

“It is.”

“You possess so much strength, yet you’re afraid of revealing your true name,” the demon said with a grin. “It seems the past haunts everyone, Seika. What are you running from?”

“My father is not someone who would make me proud,” Arthur replied with a shrug as he lay down. “I bear his name because he cursed me with a great fate. I was raised to be the savior of all except my own.”

“…that sounds relatable,” Ramiel admitted after a pause. “My parents were just hopeful that I would bring about significant change to all worlds. In the end, I failed everyone who held such hopes and ended up in this prison.”

“This is not your final destination,” Arthur said as he stared at the ceiling. His eyes gleamed in the dim cell light. “We all share the same final destination… death. As long as we’re alive, it can never truly be over.”

Ramiel didn’t respond and appeared to be pondering his words. Arthur himself was preoccupied with his own decisions and future. Once he cleared this tower, he would reunite with his friends and guild. It would be at that time that he would uncover the truth about Diana.

As the two sat in silence, a visitor arrived. The soldiers saluted him, their armor clattering, creating noise that echoed throughout the prison, drawing attention to their cell. Arthur and Ramiel didn’t even spare the guest a glance, despite him standing outside their cell.

After instructing the guards to depart, the newcomer addressed Arthur. “We meet again,” he said, his voice familiar. Arthur turned his head, his gaze falling upon a man covered in armor. His long hair cascaded over his shoulder as he squinted in the light. “You managed to escape from the dragon.”

“I spared it.”

“I can’t decide… whether you’re confident or arrogant,” the knight remarked with a sigh. “Either way… I owe you my gratitude and an apology. You saved us from the dragon even though we were your enemies.”

“You’re not my enemy, Jonathan. We share the same adversary: this tower,” Arthur retorted as he turned his body to the side. “The Tower Master wants us to fight against each other to hinder our progress. I dislike being manipulated, and I’m sure you do too.”

“As I suspected,” the knight said, squinting his eyes. “This tower was constructed to welcome your arrival. You’re a man unlike all those who call themselves lords.”

“Be cautious with your words,” Ramiel interjected with a frown. “You might lose your head if the corrupt lord hears those words.”

“My lord is different as well… and he knows it,” the Knight of the Silver Rose stated, shifting his attention to the half-demon. “That’s why he spared your life despite finding you near his daughter’s corpse. Be grateful, demon.”

Ramiel glared at the knight but refrained from rebuking his words. Arthur observed the exchange between the two before sitting up and facing the knight. His interest had been piqued.

“You’re not just here to welcome me, are you?”

“I’m afraid not,” the Knight of the Silver Rose answered resolutely. Then, he scanned the surroundings to ensure no guards were nearby. “I reported yesterday’s events to my lord, and he doesn’t trust you.”

“A wise lord.”

“However, I believe that you can put an end to the conflicts on the second floor,” Jonathan said with a frown. “And more than that, you’re the one who will conquer this cursed tower and lead us back home.”

“Even if you led happy lives here, I would still conquer this tower,” Arthur admitted, not wanting to mislead the knight. “My goal here is personal. I came to vanquish the tower master.”

“That suits me just fine,” Jonathan replied with a nod. “As long as the war comes to an end, we can find solace. I’m willing to entrust that task to you.”

“You need to outline your plan before I can agree,” Arthur stipulated. “Ending the war on the second floor might not be necessary if I can clear the tower. If it’s something that wastes my time, I’ll ask you to wait until I reach the final floor.”

The Knight of the Silver Rose fell silent, then sighed. Finally, he pointed a finger at Ramiel, who furrowed his brows in annoyance. “This man is just one example, but many were born in the tower. Where would you send them if they have no place to return to?”

“Wherever they desire.”

“And what if their desire is to keep living here?” Jonathan questioned, causing Arthur to frown. He hadn’t considered that possibility, although it wouldn’t alter his plans to conquer the tower. “This tower is a wretched place, but it’s home to many.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Put an end to the conflict on the second floor and allow them to continue living here,” Jonathan proposed. “I’ve read about the next floor. It’s overrun with trials and monsters. This floor might be the only safe haven, once we attain peace.”

“So you want me to become the Tower Master?”

“You can return to your world even if you do,” Jonathan stated as he sat on the ground, placing his hands in front of his knees. Then, he lowered his head. “I believe you’re the Demon King, but that means nothing. We’ve been forsaken by the gods, so why shouldn’t we trust demons?”

“Even if I agreed to that request,” Arthur murmured after a few seconds, “I am not the Demon King, Jonathan. Such a concept doesn’t even make sense to me.”

“A Demon King isn’t an inherited title or a race,” Jonathan explained, raising his head to lock eyes with Arthur with resolute determination. “A man who defies the gods and leads races in a war against them… is called The Demon King.”

“I wouldn’t claim to be a king, but… I’ll agree to your request,” Arthur announced as he rose from the ground and approached the iron bars. “You’ve shown yourself to be deserving of my respect. Someone who would humble themselves for the sake of others is someone I cannot refuse.”

Arthur extended his hand for a handshake from behind the bars. Jonathan gazed at him, a mixture of surprise and relief on his face, before rising from the ground with a smile. He accepted the handshake with grateful eyes.

“On behalf of all of Xeloria… I thank you,” his voice carried sincerity as he closed his eyes.

“Xeloria should thank you, Jonathan,” Arthur replied before releasing him. “So, what’s your plan?”

“My lord doesn’t trust you, but you can earn that trust by rising through the ranks as a soldier,” Jonathan explained with a nod. “If he trusts you enough, he might allow you to participate in major conflicts.”

“How would that be helpful?”

“To unite all the lords, we must defeat them,” Jonathan clarified with a determined expression. “Before peace can prevail, there must be chaos. I want to initiate an all-out war between the ten cities.”

The words landed heavily, resonating more loudly than any sound, causing both Arthur and Ramiel to widen their eyes in shock. The man before them wasn’t just a hero, but a daring one. He intended to throw the entire second floor into turmoil to unite its inhabitants!

“Are you mad?” Ramiel exclaimed, shaking his head. “You want to save Xeloria by plunging it into war? If the entire second floor is weakened, we’ll be wiped out by monsters within a month!”

“You’re playing with fire, Knight of the Silver Rose,” Arthur remarked with a smile. “One misstep, and the entire second floor will be obliterated!”

“Change was never risk-free,” said Jonathan with a grin. “I know how crazy my plan is, but I’m confident that we can achieve it!”