Wrath of the Re-climber

Bam!

The blow landed hard, crumpling the medieval armor like paper. Its helmet bent inward, and the lifeless shell hurtled toward the wall with a deafening crash.

Bang!

Another suit of armor staggered, then collapsed, joining the countless others scattered across the ground.

Bang!

He glanced around the dimly lit chamber, taking in the sight of the fallen armors that once posed a formidable threat. Each piece lay scattered, a testament to the fierce battle that had just taken place.

Ding!

Ethan's bracelet vibrated as a panel showed up; the new system was better designed than the broken system of the fairies as if someone else had built it.

As he navigated the labyrinthine corridors, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he paused frequently to listen for any signs of movement. But all he heard was the echo of his own footsteps and the distant drip of water.

Sigh

Ethan breathed in relief; he was tired, despite having experience in fighting large numbers; he was just a twelve-year-old, and his stamina and the rest would run out faster than that of an adult.

Yeah, he defeated a prototype Drake, but that was mainly because he knew the weakness and he had the fairy's abnormal blessings with him; now, that has been transferred to the bracelet; it would be returned only after the completion of the tower.

"I need to get stronger," Thought Ethan; he walked towards one of the soldiers and picked up his weapon; it was a normal-sized sword without any special thing about it.

"...this is all I can get for now," He thought.

Ding!

Ethan opened his palms, and a hologram panel showed up; he was satisfied with the new system display; it was easier to understand than the trash one of the fairies.

[Ethan Grimm]

[Trait: Locked]

[Abnormalities: Vampirism, two souls ]

[Realm location: Migration Tower ]

[Strength: 20

Speed:20

Dexterity:20

Stamina:25]

[Calculating ruins collected]

The dead armor bodies on the ground glowed in white light, like in video games; a white orb came out of it and flowed upwards; Ethan already knew his next move. He lifted his palm up, and the orbs, with ruined patterns, flew towards the bracelet and were absorbed.

"Yeah, eat well; the more you eat, the stronger I become." That was the reason why it was named subjugation; it gave strength, and in exchange, you had to feet it with dead souls from the tower.

"The one who built this bracelet had a twisted mine," Thought Ethan, but whatever, he could feel his strength increasing.

[Ethan Grimm]

[Trait: Locked]

[Abnormalities: Vampirism, two souls ]

[Realm location: Migration Tower ]

[Strength: 20

Speed:20

Dexterity:20

Stamina:25]

[Ruin collected from ten dead souls: 20]

[Would you like to distribute it manually or equally by the system?]

[Manually/evenly by system]

"I would do it manually," Said Ethan. The system changed the pattern and opened up his stats, and Ethan started adding numbers to his desired stats.

"This would go for now" [Ethan Grimm]

[Trait: Locked]

[Abnormalities: Vampirism, two souls ]

[Realm location: Migration Tower ]

[Strength: 30

Speed:25

Dexterity:20

Stamina:30]

{Why don't you go back, it's preferable we move in a group}

Ethan held his throbbing head, "don't suddenly speak without warning; my soul is broken; any more damage and I will vanish," Warned Ethan towards his younger self.

{...}

"I know you want to look after her, but I don't have time to move with them; I... No, we need to reach the summit as fast as possible" Said Ethan.

{What's there... At the summit}

"Hell"

*

It hadn't been a day, but corpses were already lying on the concrete floor; Ethan dragged the sword as he distributed the ruins from the three monsters killed.

"They were pretty weak, they didn't even give me enough stats to share "

[Stamina +2]

He kept his pace as he encountered more iron monsters on his way to Derek's forge.

To grow rapidly, Ethan needed a durable weapon; he knew from experience that the weapons handed by the bracelet to hunt the monsters from the tower were only the main ones for them; beyond this realm, lies other realms with stronger opponents, and the energy weapons were useless there.

{So, in the past... In the future, a lot of people will die because of the issue regarding weapons.}

Asked the infant Ethan.

"Yeah, even though that wasn't the only cause of the death rate, that's one of the major causes," Said Ethan.

{I looked through the memories, some are locked up as if they would open, the more you become strong}

"I guess I don't know how it works. Can you stop talking? I am trying to focus here," Said Ethan.

{I also found out that we are pretty old in the future, don't we age anymore, is it our powers and strength or something more divine or mystical, damn, your hundred years old, I just approximated it, but it seems your even older, no wonder your emotions got diluted over time}

"..."

{Is everybody in the future as stoic as you who go badass killing beasts only with their feast and weapons stolen from them, damn, the manner you slaughtered that dragon back there was diabolical, stabbing his eyes, and letting him hit the walls, where did you learn all that?}

Boom!

{...}

"I would be glad if you shut up." Ethan's nerves were cracking, and his veins bulged up, not because he was angry. Instead, he was in pain; he wiped away the nosebleed and collected the soul of the four-arm iron monster.

"From here on, it would be better to inform me before talking," Said Ethan.

{How am I supposed to do that?}

"That's the point, since you can't, don't talk," Said Ethan; he walked towards the giant door and placed his hand on it.

"How long are you going to stay hidden!?" Shouted Ethan.

{?}

Ethan turned towards the dark and saw a small figure showing up while wiping her running nose, but Ethan was startled by the individual.

"A kid?"

{A kid!?}

Adult Ethan frowned, holding his throbbing head; damn, I already have to deal with one within me; I can't deal with another.

"Should I kill her?" Thought Ethan, his thoughts leaked out as his infant soul heard it.

{What?! No! No way you gonna assassin a kid only because I am disturbing, that's that human}

"Oh boy, I have done way worse than that; it would be fast; you wouldn't even realize someone was here," said Ethan; his hand cracked, as veins puffed out, and his killing aura grew as he approached the child, ready to strangle her.

{No, don't, stop... Watch out!}

Swoosh!

Ethan bends his head sideways, evading the arrow; his first thought is, "Not energy?" He immediately got ready for contact.

"Get ready, younger me, this one would not be an easy opponent," Said Ethan; the younger version was confused until he saw the figure.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Ethan wanted to laugh despite his old age.