A Pyromaniac's Ascent

The man looked to be in his mid-twenties, clean-shaven, with an almost regal air. His light silver armor glimmered faintly, the polished plates catching the celestial glow above them. At his hip rested a scabbard, completing a knightly visage.

Finn stared for a moment, his thoughts betraying him. This person... he's the very definition of a knight in shining armor.

"Beautiful place, isn't it?" the knight said, his voice smooth and conversational.

"Yeah," Finn replied absently, still trying to process the situation.

"Anyway," the man continued, "how are you feeling, Finn? Did you like the gift I gave you? I've been looking forward to meeting you. It's been so long since I've seen a fellow human face to face."

"What gift? And how do you know me?" Finn asked.

The knight tilted his head thoughtfully. "Wait, didn't that guy—what was his name? Halgor? Halgrin?"

"Halgon," Finn corrected, the name slipping out before he could stop himself.

"Ah, yes, Halgon. I thought he introduced me to you already."

Finn frowned. "I don't remember him saying—wait. Are you the one from Earth he was talking about? The one who gave me this coat?"

"Exactly!" The knight's smile widened, pleased. "But he didn't even tell you my name? That guy… I ought to teach him a lesson."

There was an edge to his tone, a casual dismissal of Halgon's importance that caught Finn off guard. Isn't Halgon supposed to be a demigod like him? And shouldn't he outrank this guy since he's a messenger of the Gods?

The knight sighed theatrically before continuing, "I'm Julian. Nice to finally meet you, Finn."

Before Finn could respond, Julian was suddenly in front of him, his hand extended. The movement was so swift and seamless it left Finn blinking in disbelief.

"I'm Finn," he said cautiously, shaking Julian's hand.

The moment their hands parted, Julian was back where he'd started, seated cross-legged as if he'd never moved.

How is he doing that? Teleportation?

"You look good, Finn. The color I chose suits you perfectly," Julian said.

"Uh, thanks?" Finn muttered, caught off guard. Then, without thinking, he added, "But hearing that from someone who looks as good as you feels like an insult. Especially with this huge scar on my face."

He wasn't exaggerating—this guy looked good. The kind of good that made any compliment about someone else feel like a backhanded insult in comparison. He had the polished, effortlessly perfect appearance of a model, the type who dominated social media feeds and racked up followers by the thousands with nothing more than a casual photo.

When Halgon first mentioned him, Finn had thought his story sounded like something straight out of an isekai light novel. Now, seeing him in person, he looked the part too—like a textbook fantasy protagonist, a walking, talking self-insert come to life.

Julian laughed, a warm, genuine sound that somehow annoyed Finn even more.

"Thank you, Finn. But I meant what I said. Even the scar—it suits you. Makes you look cooler."

Finn didn't know how to respond to that, so he stayed silent.

Julian leaned forward slightly, his expression turning curious. "What do you think of the system? You like it? I'm the one who came up with the idea to apply RPG mechanics to the Ascension Ceremony."

"It's fine, I guess. Easy to understand, at least," Finn replied with a shrug.

"You've got it easy now," Julian said, leaning back with a wistful smile. "Back in my day, it was complete chaos. I still don't know how I managed to survive it."

"That was 100 years ago, right?" Finn asked, raising a brow. "And yet you look like you're in your mid-twenties. Are you immortal? Are demigods immortal?"

Julian's smile faltered for a moment, his expression growing distant. "Demigod, huh," he muttered, almost to himself.

"Yes, it was exactly 100 years ago—1991," he finally said. "How's Earth now? I haven't seen it in so long."

Finn hesitated, unsure how to answer. "I mean, I don't really know how it was before I was born. But probably the same as in your time—just with way better technology. Games have changed a lot, too."

"Games, huh?" Julian's eyes lit up with a flicker of nostalgia, though he didn't comment further.

"By the way," Finn started cautiously, "is this really the first realm? Are you even allowed to be here?"

Julian's expression shifted, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "This isn't the first realm," he said.

"What? Then where is this? And what happened to Yukha?" Finn asked, alarmed.

"This place is called the Eternal Realm," Julian explained. "It's a domain the Ancient One created—a place that predates even the universe itself."

"The Ancient One? Who's that?" Finn's voice rose, his confusion mounting.

"Calm down," Julian said, raising a hand. "As for your orc friend, don't worry. As far as everyone is concerned, you and he are still mid-teleportation. Time passes differently here—slower. By the time you return, it'll seem like you just arrived in the first realm."

Finn frowned, trying to wrap his head around it. "A realm that predates the universe? What does that even mean?"

"That's not important for you to know right now," Julian said, his tone firm but not unkind. "Just focus on surviving the tower."

"Then why am I here? What's the point?" Finn pressed.

"Consider this a welcome," Julian replied. "If you manage to grow stronger and survive, you'll definitely come back here—and see me again. All the questions you have now? You'll get your answers eventually. But for now, you need to prove yourself. You're not worthy to know more at this point."

Finn's jaw tightened. "Worthy? And what about this Ancient One? Is he going to help me ascend the tower?"

Julian let out a chuckle. "Nope. You're on your own."

"What?" Finn's frustration spilled over. "Then isn't this whole meeting meaningless? Shouldn't you guys have called me when I was stronger—when you were ready to actually tell me something useful?"

"Now, now, don't be like that," Julian said with an easy grin. "The Ancient One might be a bit… selective, but I'm willing to help you. I gave you that coat, didn't I?"

Finn crossed his arms, unimpressed.

Julian's smile widened as an idea seemed to strike him. "How about this? You're able to receive quests through the system, right? How about I give you a personal quest? If you manage to complete it, I'll teach you something that will greatly help the next time we meet."

Finn's curiosity piqued despite himself. "What do I have to do?"

Julian paused, tapping a finger to his chin as he considered.

"I've got it. My quest is for you to kill every corrupted elemental in the first realm," Julian declared without hesitation.

"What? Are you joking?" Finn asked, incredulous.

"Not at all," Julian replied, his face calm.

"That's impossible! Have you even seen my stats? I'm level one!" Finn protested.

"It's not impossible, Finn. Trust me," Julian said with a slight grin. "Let me tell you a little secret: humans are far more capable than you think."

Finn hesitated, still skeptical.

"But it's your choice," Julian continued. "I'm not forcing you to do it. Still, it'll be much better for you if you give it a try."

Finn sighed, defeated. "Alright. I'll at least try to kill as many as I can."

"That's a good start," Julian said, nodding. "But keep in mind, my quest won't appear in your system—it's not official. This is just a promise between the two of us."

"Speaking of the system, why can't I summon it here?" Finn asked, suddenly remembering its absence.

"You're cut off from the universe here," Julian explained. "Blessings, skills—you can't use any of them here. That's all I'm allowed to say."

Finn frowned, unsettled by the answer.

"That's why I have to say, I really liked the stunt you pulled earlier with Maris and the others," Julian said, his grin returning. "That was wild—I can't believe you actually did that. It was worth it just to see her reaction. I kind of don't like her, so it was especially satisfying."

"Hey, are you trying to get us killed?" Finn asked, bewildered.

I just barely got out of that situation, and this guy's trying to fan the flames again!

Julian let out a hearty laugh, shaking his head. "Don't worry, Finn. Nobody can hear us here—not even the Gods. I told you this place is cut off from the universe didn't I?"

Finn's expression softened, but Julian wasn't finished.

"Besides," Julian added with a sly grin, "even if she did hear me, there's nothing she could do about it."

"You mean she's not allowed to harm you?" Finn asked.

"No," Julian said, his tone dropping into seriousness. "I mean she couldn't beat me even if she tried."

"What?" was all Finn could manage to say.

"Anyway," Julian said, standing up, "that's all you need to know for now. It's time to send you to the first realm for real."

Finn's mind swirled with unanswered questions, but he held back. It was clear Julian wasn't going to answer much until he proved himself worthy. Still, there was one question he couldn't resist.

"You know about the Gods, right?" Finn asked. "What do you know about the Fire God?"

"Not a thing," Julian answered immediately.

"Seriously?"

"She's a recluse. Doesn't even talk much to the other Gods. How would I know? You curious about her?" Julian asked.

"Just a bit," Finn replied.

"Then if you really want to know more about her, you know what to do," Julian said. "Just keep climbing the tower." He paused, his voice turning somber. "Just… don't get too attached, Finn—not to anyone. It'll be better for you."

Finn's brow furrowed. "Why?"

But before he could press further, Julian spoke again.

"So, are you ready to finally step into the tower?"

"No," Finn replied. "But you'll send me anyway, right? So just do it."

"That's the right attitude," Julian said, smiling.

"But killing every corrupted elemental in the first realm? Really? That's crazy. But…" Finn trailed off as his body began to disintegrate, halfway through the teleportation.

"I know you can do it, Finn. I believe in you," Julian said softly, his voice carrying a rare sincerity. "Just… don't die, alright? I like you, Finn. I'd like to see you again."

The last of Julian's words echoed faintly as Finn fully teleported away.

************

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