Tower of Heaven

'As expected, this journey will not be a short one.'

Atlas sighed.

He stood outside the bounds of a city roughly five kilometers away from the mountaintop. The line to enter was extremely long, far longer than it should've been, and when he investigated for a bit, he easily found out why.

'To think they were able to set up this type of security in such a short period. I likely will not be able to enter any largely populated areas on my way.'

It was a shame, since the environment was quite the open one. He'd be exposed as he moved through most of it, but he had to take the risk regardless.

"Hmph."

The destination was roughly 1000 kilometers away, far outside of Atlas' perception. If it wasn't for [Intuition] guiding him through its mystical abilities, he would've been stumped for far longer.

However, though he couldn't see his destination easily, knowing the general direction was enough.

'It should take roughly 10 days. I must not continue to delay.'

Atlas raised the hood of his new cloak over his freshly blackened hair before setting off.

The Tower Shop, unfortunately, did not sell any regular items. The masks and accessories it sold were all imbued with effects, such as the [Perception Distortion] in his mask.

Common clothing without defensive reinforcement could only be purchased through normal transactions.

And those defensive clothes…well, it was best to say Atlas was too poor to afford them.

They cost Tower Points rather than gold, after all.

He couldn't enter a city, but stealing clothing from others wasn't a problem. This robe, along with a completely new outfit underneath it, were all gained through such means.

He originally didn't believe his hair would be a problem, but he used natural materials to dye it anyway. He had no plans of falling to his own arrogance, after all.

'The Formation Spark is useful for menial tasks like this, however, it is a bit shameful to use it this way before learning alchemy and forging from it.'

Nevertheless, his appearance was completely different from before, and even his qi was masked through a technique he learned in the past.

With this much preparation, he didn't have to worry when he set out.

The journey would be long, and danger would find him any time he dropped his wariness, but it didn't dishearten him.

This was the way of the world. It was cruel, greedy, and stomped on anyone who couldn't adapt.

It was a despicable world that punished people for the sin of weakness, but it was the world he knew.

He was glad. At least there was one thing that didn't change in the time he spent deceased.

News of the suspicious man plundering on the outskirts spread through the area he just left soon enough, and as forces gathered there to check if it was Atlas, he looked back with a smile.

'I may not have been praised for my nimbleness, but I cannot say it loses out to anyone.'

He was long gone.

His journey took him all the way through the 11th floor's scenery.

Whether it be the several human towns spaced only a few tens of kilometers away from each other or the large cities that appeared every hundred or so meters, the large mountains that rose up from every corner, or the rivers and lakes that decorated the plains below, Atlas experienced it all as he rushed to the nameless forest.

The enemies he encountered were surprisingly not very numerous, but that was more due to his own efforts.

He made sure to travel mainly at night, and used the daylight hours to scout his surroundings and understand his enemy.

There were mercenary forces prowling everywhere. The number of formal disciples and members of Societies was much smaller, but their power outstripped the rogues by miles.

Atlas was especially wary of them.

He could kill mercenaries easily, in the sense that news of their deaths wouldn't immediately spread. If he incinerated the bodies, he could be sure they wouldn't be reported missing for several days or weeks.

However, those who belonged to true influences were different. They were all equipped with talismans that would report their deaths instantaneously.

The mental exhaustion was more troubling than its physical counterpart. Day after day, whether awake or asleep, he had to keep his guard up. He had to eat somehow, but hunting too obviously would draw people to his location and ruin his efforts.

Truly the entire 11th floor was on the hunt for him.

Anyone who used a mask would be searched at checkpoints throughout the plains and at entrances to every city. Even if they didn't hold any resemblance to him, they'd be taken away to places unknown and never seen again.

Atlas didn't know whether keeping the mask on or taking it off had more risks involved, but for now, he decided to keep it.

He would eventually need to take it off, but these people did not deserve to force him into such a dire situation.

So he continued on as carefully as possible.

From the fifth day onward, strange birds began to fly around him. They would linger until he acknowledged them, and when he did, they'd drop small pieces of paper in his hand.

When he infused qi into those, they'd reveal a detailed outline of the enemies nearby. The second he finished understanding the information, he would burn the paper and continue onward.

Someone was helping him discreetly, because they couldn't do so in the open.

[Huntress of the Night says her child is worried.]

[Huntress of the Night tells you to pretend you don't know who sent the messages.]

Atlas, not being an idiot, was relatively clear on who it was.

'I will eventually repay you.' He thought to himself with a smile.

Though, it was curious why a Goddess was sending him strange messages in the process.

He decided not to question it for his mental well-being.

Thereafter, his journey continued with relative smoothness from then on. The sixth, seventh, and eighth days were so efficient he covered more than the expected distance.

And by the ninth, he'd already arrived at the entrance to the nameless forest.

'Tch. How thorough.'

He frowned.

It seemed Heaven's Gate learned of this Celestial Ladder before he could arrive.

There was a checkpoint with roughly 50 guards present at the forest entrance, complete with mostly Core Formation Realm cultivators with three Earth Sages at their head.

'Hm?'

Atlas was far enough away to be outside their regular perception, but he wasn't too far.

He was surprised to see another bird arrive before him in this situation, but it became clear over the past few days that these dove-like creatures were not simple in their own right.

However, his admiration for the creature disappeared behind a scowl the second he saw its message.

"It's a trap. There are at least a hundred of them beyond the checkpoint. Anyone moving to and from the nameless forest is a member of Heaven's Gate. Do not be fooled, and be careful."

It seemed there was a reason for his relatively easy journey until now. The enemy already understood his goal and waited for him to reach it.

If he couldn't get through this final hurdle, he definitely wouldn't have a good end.

'Though, with Aria's backing, I should not be killed or crippled, at the very least.'

He smiled wryly.

It was an unfortunate situation, but…

'...is this not what it means to be a cultivator?'

To fight against everything, including the Heavens themselves, for the sake of one's own growth.

That was the ambition that drove each and every successful cultivator.

And though Atlas was calmer than most at his age because of his past life, it was true that he hadn't escaped this hot-bloodedness quite yet.

'Very well.'

He crept forward determinedly.

'If a challenge is what you seek…'

[Treacherous Phoenix gazes at you with a strange expression.]

[Great Sage, Heavens Equal pumps his fist, saying this is how a man should be.]

[Huntress of the Night tells you to be cautious.]

[Many Gods have taken interest in you.]

[Many Gods anticipate your next move.]

Atlas grinned, ignoring the system messages. His qi subtly rotated around his body as he prepared to pounce.

'...then a challenge I shall present!'