Tower of Heaven

He was greeted by a severe headache when he returned to the real world. Those shadowy figures on the horizon couldn't be people he recognized, but he couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity in his chest.

'That's right.'

Their presence meant nothing, but they meant everything at the same time. That very feeling of familiarity was what reminded him of what he had forgotten.

'The 30th Floor. I was meant to receive a clue there according to Mireiya. Well…the trial is over, and a mere feeling of familiarity cannot be called a clue.'

He could only accept that the power of prophecy was not absolute.

'Prophets are able to see a myriad of different possible futures, but even the best of them cannot see which future will occur. Perhaps there was a way to find the clue in the Empire, but I did not discover it.'

"Haa…"

It was his fault for forgetting. In all of the madness that took place after that conversation with Mireiya, it had been pushed to the back of his mind.

'At the very least, I received something great.'

He looked at the bracelets on his wrists. When he came back to consciousness, they were already there.

Atlas gently injected them with a bit of qi, and suddenly, they expanded into the very same Sacred Chains Atlas used to purify the demons in the Empire.

'The demons that we were familiar with were not a race, but a people who had been corrupted by evil. Seeing the demons in this era, it is just a bit embarrassing to think that we associated such things with their name.'

Nevertheless, these chains were no joke.

'It is obvious that their aura is not nearly as powerful as it was in the trial, but that must be because they have acclimated to my strengths.'

In order for him to use them without facing the same repercussions, they had sealed away a portion of their strength. As he grew, the chains would grow alongside him.

'They are perfect. In fact, with the Sacred Chains, the Ancient Meteorite Iron's potential can be brought out to an even greater degree.'

If he combined the two materials, he could forge a new pair of chain sickles that were leagues above even the Iridescent Steel.

'No, if even the Iridescent Steel can be integrated…'

He saw the potential to do something majestic.

'However, for that to happen, I must find a truly splendid blacksmith.'

The average blacksmith couldn't care for such precious materials. He had to find someone who was recognized by the world for their skill.

'I will stay on the lookout as I climb, but even in my past life, I do not think I met a blacksmith who could confidently handle all of these things together. There are infinite possibilities in this new world, especially since there are now Immortals existing in conjunction with us mortals, but it will likely take some time.'

Nevertheless, his gains were not small. Even if he put aside the Sacred Chains, he received something great.

'The Spiritual Wood Constitution's effects have left my body, but the comprehensions that stemmed from them are still present in my mind.'

In other words, Atlas was almost ready to merge the Dao of Wood into his dantian and start using it as part of his main skillset.

Cumulative Trials truly were far different from their peers. Even putting aside the great rewards, their format was unpredictable and profound.

'Each Cumulative Trial has meaning. On the 10th Floor, I learned to accept myself in this life and the last. On the 20th Floor, Ascenders learn to use their minds as much as their bodies, and they face competition for the first time. Now, the 30th Floor…'

The 30th Floor was a trial so filled with emotion and knowledge that Atlas didn't know what to think of it. All he knew was that it left a deep impact on his psyche that he would remember forever.

As soon as he had such a thought, the Sacred Chains reacted.

They shined with a great light that enveloped the entire Celestial Ladder, and Atlas was sucked into a world of its creation.

His mind went there, and as he saw what that world had to offer him, a red gem came out of the Sacred Chains' body and entered his forehead, melding into his knowledge sea.

Atlas didn't notice its presence in the slightest.

What he saw was a scene of splendor.

"Have they been prepared?"

He looked over to the side as words he did not say flowed from his mouth.

"They have been completed, Your Holiness."

The person he directed his gaze at was a woman in pure white nun's clothing. She kneeled as she presented him with something he was already familiar with.

'The Sacred Chains…? But they are…'

Their form was the same, but the energy emanating from them could almost be considered Godly.

"With these…perhaps I can approach that barrier."

Atlas reached his hand out and grabbed the Sacred Chains. As he did, the scene changed.

He found himself on the outskirts of a budding society. He didn't recognize this setting, but he had to assume that it was the same Empire of Ataraxia that he knew at a far, far earlier point in time. Perhaps even thousands of years before he knew it.

"So this is what it has come to…"

More words flowed from his mouth. It was a voice that he didn't recognize, and one that was entirely different from the one he had in the first scene.

"Every time, it fails."

He spoke incomprehensibly to nobody but himself.

"Can we truly do it? Or has it been a meaningless quest this whole time?"

The man asked the question hopelessly as the scene changed again.

The destroyed continent where the Empire of Ataraxia once was. The Demon God's massive corpse was like a mountain range that ran through its center. From this high vantage point in the clouds, it was a terrifyingly beautiful scene.

"We were too late…" he muttered.

'This is…my voice. My past voice.'

This was the voice of the Heavenly Emperor. Only, this was not a memory he remembered.

'That is the Demon God that I saw in the continent's ruination. Was that not a simulation, but a reflection of past events?'

'Then…was I a part of the aftermath? Why are these memories foreign to me?'

A number of questions flowed through Atlas' mind.

"I never expected such a thing to happen to the Earth Spirit Continent. Even Dylian did not survive."

The Heavenly Emperor sighed.

"I suppose I should return."

There was nothing of note in the memory other than the fact that it belonged to the Heavenly Emperor, but it was still something Atlas did not remember.

And…

'The…Earth Spirit Continent…?'

He felt as if he'd stumbled upon something big, but he couldn't quite accept it yet. It was far too severe of a realization.

However, that had nothing to do with him.

The Heavenly Emperor's memories were undoubtedly related to him, but what about the other two?

Who were they? They were clearly related to the Sacred Chains and the Empire of Ataraxia somehow, but Atlas didn't understand why he saw those scenes of their actions.

'What are the Sacred Chains trying to tell me?'

Also–

'–is this supposed to be a clue?'

The first clue showed him exactly where the next would be. What about this one?

Rather than a clue, it was more like a heap of unrelated information that couldn't be deciphered. If anything, it left Atlas with more questions.

'Still…'

Undeniably, there was a memory of the Heavenly Emperor within the nonsense. It was the first absolute confirmation that he had about his memory loss. Moreover, it confirmed that the things missing from his mind were scattered across the Tower.

'If I can find them all, then I can regain everything.'

What was "everything?"

Even Atlas didn't know.

He only knew that there was a burning desire threatening to consume his body and soul.

He had to reclaim those things no matter what.

Otherwise, it was better for him to die and erase his presence from the world for good.