Chapter 121: Legacy Tower

Malrik exhaled slowly, finally putting his previous thoughts aside. Only one section remained—the most mysterious of them all.

His eyes settled on the final option, glowing quietly within the golden light.

[Legacy Tower]

Without another word of hesitation, Malrik raised his hand and tapped it.

[Opening Legacy Tower...]

The golden interface rippled, but instead of displaying another neat list of names or items, a block of crimson text slowly materialized across the screen, accompanied by a warning chime.

[Notice: The Legacy Towers]

[A Legacy is the culmination of a great being’s life and everything they left behind.

It contains their remaining will, accumulated wealth, profound techniques, personal artifacts, and the physical manifestation of their Laws.

To claim a Legacy, a Challenger must enter the Legacy Tower and pass the [Trial of the Worthy Successor], proving themselves worthy of inheriting everything the original owner left behind.]

Malrik’s eyes gleamed as he took in the description.

"So it’s not just a single item, a Rune, or a corpse..." he muttered, leaning closer to the golden interface. "It’s everything. Their entire life’s work, their artifacts, their profound techniques—all bundled into one massive inheritance."

A flicker of genuine greed lit up his emerald eyes, only to fade the moment he reached the final line.

"...Of course there’s a damn trial."

Malrik let out a dry, exasperated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Why do these ancient, dead bastards always have such an obsession with tests? You’re already dead. Just leave the loot behind and rest in peace."

Still, his annoyance couldn’t hide the sheer value of what was being offered. A Legacy like this could turn an ordinary mortal into an absolute powerhouse overnight.

A cold, calculating smile slowly returned to his face as he imagined the possibilities. But before his finger could even touch the screen, a second block of text materialized.

[WARNING: High-Risk Selection]

[The Challenger currently possesses [1] Absolute Selection Right.]

[Choosing a Legacy Tower will consume this right upon entry.]

[Should the Challenger fail the Trial of the Worthy Successor, the Selection Right will be lost, and the Challenger will not receive nothing from the Treasury.]

Malrik’s smile vanished.

The silence in the room suddenly felt incredibly heavy. He stared at the flashing red warning, reading it over and over.

The System wasn’t offering him a free inheritance. It was offering him a gamble—a brutal, all-or-nothing bet.

If he returned to [Runic Inscriptions], he could select an Origin Rune and immediately gain an extraordinary foundation.

If he returned to [Corpse Selection], he could claim the body of a Transcendent Saint, gaining a powerful companion with exceptional abilities.

And if he returned to [Skills], he could choose one of the many Legendary Skills waiting for him.

All three options were safe. All three were guaranteed.

The Legacy Tower was the only gamble.

But the [Legacy Tower] was also the ultimate prize, locked behind a trial created by a dead legend. If he succeeded, he would inherit everything that powerful being had left behind.

But if he failed... he would lose his only Selection Right and walk away with nothing.

Malrik let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

The irony wasn’t lost on him. He had just convinced himself that potential meant nothing without the strength to survive. Yet now, the System had placed a choice before him that forced him to put those words to the test.

He could take one of the three guaranteed rewards and walk away stronger.

Or he could gamble everything on the Legacy Tower for the chance to gain something far greater.

Malrik’s emerald eyes narrowed as he stared at the crimson warning.

"Potential means nothing if you don’t survive..." A faint smile returned to his lips.

"But if you never dare to risk your life, you’ll never know how far your potential can take you."

Without hesitation, he pressed [Proceed], opening the [Legacy Tower] section.

[Opening Legacy Tower Vault...]

The crimson warning disappeared, and the interface returned to its usual golden layout. A short list of options appeared on the screen.

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[Legacy of the Undying King]

[Legacy of the Ethereal Warden]

[Legacy of the Iron Tyrant]

[Legacy of the Crimson Bloodlord]

____________________________________

Unlike the countless options in the other vaults, this list was surprisingly short, resembling the one he had seen in the [Runic Inscriptions] section.

Malrik studied the four names for a moment before tapping the first one.

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[Legacy of the Undying King]

[Founder: Morghur the Undying King]

[History: Morghur was a legendary Necromancer who mastered the art of binding souls within bone.

When an Abyssal Tear threatened to consume his continent, he led a million undead into battle against the horrors emerging from the rift.

For a hundred days, his legion fought without rest.

Morghur finally fell after exhausting every drop of his energy, but remained standing until the very end, becoming the final shield that allowed his people to escape.

Before his death, he left behind his crown and a single decree: only one capable of commanding his undying legion would be worthy of inheriting his Legacy.]

[Requirements: Necromancer (Hidden), Bone-Weaver (Epic), Soul Binder (Epic), Crypt Lord (Epic), Marrow Architect (Epic), Death Chanter (Epic)]

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Then he noticed the requirements—six different Classes, all centered around manipulating the dead, just like his own.

Malrik’s eyes narrowed slightly. "So... the Legacy doesn’t require me to have the exact same Class as its founder."

A faint smile appeared on his face. "As long as my Classes are compatible with the Legacy, I can still inherit it."

"Let’s see the rest first." He pressed the next option.

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[Legacy of the Ethereal Warden]

[Founder: Lyra, the Soul Warden]

[History: Lyra was a master of the soul arts who commanded countless spirits, forging the souls of ancient heroes into an immortal spectral legion.

When an ancient entity descended upon her world and sought to devour its entire afterlife, Lyra stood against it alone. Their battle raged until her soul was on the verge of shattering.

In the end, Lyra sacrificed everything she possessed, destroying the entity’s manifestation and severing its connection to the world.

Her body turned to ash, but her lantern remained, awaiting a successor worthy of inheriting her spectral legion.]

[Requirements: Soul Binder (Epic), Spirit Chanter (Epic), Wraith Walker (Epic), Phantasm Caller (Epic), Tomb Warden (Epic), Animus Shaper (Epic)]

____________________________________

Malrik stared at the description for a moment, his expression slowly turning serious.

"She sacrificed her own core just to cripple that thing and save an entire afterlife..." he muttered, his eyes narrowing with respect.

"What a monster."

He glanced at the lantern mentioned in the description.

"And she still left behind an entire spectral legion for her successor..."

Malrik’s gaze shifted to the requirements. "Soul Binder again."

A faint smile appeared on his face and opened the third name.

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[Legacy of the Crimson Bloodlord]

[Founder: Oros, the Crimson Bloodlord]

[History: Oros believed that the mortal body was nothing more than a cage that restrained the soul. He forged new vessels from the flesh and blood of slain leviathans, binding the souls of his most loyal warriors to them and creating the fearsome Crimson Legion.

When an ancient enemy descended upon his world, Oros fought alongside his legion until their numbers were nearly exhausted. Refusing to let his warriors fall with him, he sacrificed his own body and transformed it into a torrent of primordial blood, infusing the remaining legion with his power.

The Crimson Legion slaughtered the invaders, but Oros never returned.

Only his legacy remained, waiting for someone capable of mastering the bond between soul, flesh, and blood.]

[Requirements: Soul Binder (Epic), Flesh-Crafter (Epic), Blood Sovereign (Epic), Corpse Stitcher (Epic), Gore Shaper (Epic), Plague Weaver (Epic)]

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Malrik’s eyes gleamed as he read the description.

"He forged bodies from the flesh of leviathans and bound the souls of his warriors to them..."

He paused, his gaze lingering on the Crimson Legion. "An entire legion of immortal bodies..."

A faint grin appeared on his face. "And he turned his own body into the power that destroyed the enemy."

"The more I see, the more I understand why these Legacies are worth risking everything for."

He tapped the fourth and final option.

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[Legacy of the Iron Tyrant]

[Founder: Valerius, the Iron Tyrant]

[History: Valerius forged chains of black iron capable of binding the souls of those he defeated, whether warriors, monsters, or mighty beings. He used them to conquer a fractured world and unite it beneath his iron rule.

When five powerful enemies joined forces to overthrow him, Valerius refused to surrender. He unleashed every chain in his arsenal and fought until the battlefield itself was reduced to ruin.

He died laughing, dragging two of his enemies into the abyss with him. His chains remained behind, awaiting an heir with a will that could never be broken.]

[Requirements: Soul Binder (Epic), Subjugator (Epic), Chain-Maker (Epic), Dread Sovereign (Epic), Will-Breaker (Epic), Puppet Master (Epic)]

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Malrik stared at the fourth Legacy in silence.

Malrik’s eyes gleamed with raw ambition as he read the description.

"Binding the souls of the strong with iron chains... and dragging two beings far stronger than himself into the grave with him through sheer defiance."

A faint grin appeared on his face.

"Now that’s interesting."

Bones. Spirits. Flesh. Chains.

Four absolute legends, each of whom had mastered a different path while anchoring their power in the soul.

Each had accomplished feats far beyond anything Malrik could currently imagine, and each had met a death worthy of their name before leaving everything they had built behind for a worthy successor.

And all four had recognized Soul Binder as a path worthy of inheriting their Legacies.

Malrik looked at the four names again, his expression becoming increasingly serious.

Malrik was just about to weigh his options, feeling the heavy burden of choosing between four perfect inheritances, when the golden interface suddenly jerked.

BZZZT.

The screen flashed violently. The golden light distorted, static running across the smooth text. Malrik instinctively took a step back as the pristine interface tore and glitched, the yellow hues shifting sickly before restabilizing.

At the very bottom of the list, a new line of text had forcefully carved itself into the screen.

[Legacy of the █ █ █ █ █]

Malrik’s heart hammered against his ribs. The text was corrupted, as if the System itself was struggling to display it. Cautiously, he raised a finger and tapped the glitched line.

[Legacy of the █ █ █ █ █]

[Founder: ??]

[History: ??]

[Requirements: Bearer of a Legendary Death-Related Class]

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Author’s Note:

There was a technical error, and the wrong draft of the Chapter was uploaded.

I sincerely apologize to all of you for the confusion. You will all be compensated for the inconvenience.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.