Tower of God: Sequence Strength

Chapter 108: True Self



The world bled crimson. The skies were darkening with rapidly forming mist. Winds blew south and cleared out the air which had been saturated with a red humidity.

Slowly, a red droplet fell on the platform.

Following that, a slight drizzle began to pour on the world, soon to transform into sheets of rapid downpour!

"What the hell?!" Zarhan yelled, seeing red shinsu drown out his vision and sense of hearing. The symphony of howling winds and battering rain filled his ears as red enveloped his eyes.

Everyone stopped their fight momentarily, shocked by the sudden, almost instantaneous change in the weather.

What had remained as a clear day now transformed into an apocalyptic downpour!

Theolis cracked a smile, his hair drenched in water as he stared at the boy, Jue Viole Grace. That's it... there's no denying it now... my power is of the same nature as that Thorn!

He thought, partly with a grim foreboding and partly with an unreal excitement.

Rapidly, he dashed towards his temporary 'team', covering them with a barrier of red, shielding them from the battering of the rain!

"What?!" Rachel screamed as she looked on at the changing scenery. Her eyes travelled to the strange red haired man. He was supposedly colluding with FUG and was an ally.

And seeing his strength...

Rachel's eyes shone momentarily.

Khun covered himself and his teammates with a lighthouse, sending one towards Team Sweet and Sour as well.

As he did that, he looked towards Bam.

Red shinsu trickled down from his head. His eyes were glazed over, overcame by the surge of power. His entire being seemed to have gone in a state of shock.

"Damn it! Bam!" Khun screamed, violently shaking the boy. Yet, nothing seemed to work.

Zarhan who stood beside him tightly clenched the red spear in his hand. His eyes shook, staring intently at the Thorn that floated with a humm.

Khun's eyes caught the figures of Rachel and her team, slowly heading up the ladders to the hell train, accompanied by a worker from the station.

When did he get there? Khun narrowed his eyes. As of now, getting atop the train or merely stopping Rachel wasn't the priority. The priority was to wake Bam up.

"Bam! Wake up!" Khun took a hold of his shirt and screamed at his face.

No reaction.

Whack!

Suddenly, a punch landed on Bam's face.

Khun stood in shock, looking at Zarhan who had thrown Bam down.

"...what the hell?!"

"What else am I supposed to do?! He's tweaking!" Zarhan yelled in his defense.

And almost immediately, miraculously, the rain began to slowly down.

And then, they heard a groan.

They turned to the figure of Bam, slowly getting up.

"Bam-"

Whooooosh!

Boooom!

Bam broke through the sound barrier, the Thorn by his side extending and getting stronger!

His figure travelled up, up and above and to the floating pieces of stairs that Rachel and the others were going towards!

His eyes glowed red and he balled his hand into a fist!

Shaaaaa!

But just as he was about to attack the red haired man, who in turn, also prepared for the clash, something flashed before him.

The young woman with yellow hair, Rachel stood in front of her group protectively.

"No!" She screamed.

Bam, who had lost all reason felt the cold grasp of clarity.

And then, as he landed on the platform, a shot shove pushed him off.

"Sorry, Bam. But you just stay here. You aren't meant to follow me up there." Hearing those words, Bam fell down.

...

Zarhan watched Bam gey shoved off from the platform. His clicked his tongue.

"Not again!" He yelled and poised the spear in his hand!

"Die!" With a yell, the spear was thrown.

A red line, frighteningly fast in it's wake rushed at the platform!

And then-

BOOOOOMMM!!!

Winston was floating.

On and on, higher and higher within a grayish white fog. He felt himself ascending constantly, walking through the fog as if he were walking up the stairs of ascension.

Every step he took, he felt a part of his mind free itself.

Every meter he covered, he felt his existence cry out in elation.

Every breath he took, every action he made, every thought that crossed his mind, everything

fueled his soul, his essence.

His momentum was unreal as he dashed through the void, tearing through the gray fog.

He wasn't sure where he was.

He had thought about being in the vicinity of the sefirah castle, but he eliminated that

thought.

It was unlikely that the God of Guardians could force him into the sefirah castle; one of, if not

the hardest sefirot to invade in the Lord of Mysteries Universe.

And so, the only other place he could theorize was his own mind.

His self. His soul.

Endlessly he walked. An eternity passed without a word, slowly but surely, he felt himself

draw closer to... something.

The God of Guardians told him to find 'himself.' But he wasn't sure what that even entailed.

Was he not himself already?

Was he someone else?

He did not think so.

He was himself fundamentally. What was the need for him to define it?

Lazily, he took another look around.

Nothing but fog, blocking out all senses.

How long have I been here anyway? He thought. Of course, there was no real way to tell.

The mental world that he had created was entirely sealed off from the outside world. Only a stimulation from his main body would be able to break him out. Either that, or he could

forcefully get back into his body.

Regardless, neither was something he wanted to do just yet.

Finding oneself was something that God of Guardians had expressed to be revolutionary, hence, the 'revolution road' and stuff. In fact, he knew it had transformed the irregulars that

went through revolution, turning them into entirely different beasts.

As he walked, the scenery, after all this time, finally began to change.

And his vision shifted.

A horse trotted in the middle of the desert. Red soil beneath the hooves splashed around as

the horse strode forth, carrying a young man on its back.

Winston widened his eyes, looking down at the body of the horse.

"What the?" He couldn't help but mutter.

Then, his eyes travelled up.

As expected, he saw the vast canvas of stars, innumerable and bright, covering the entire

night in a glimmer of radiance.

The milky way was brightly visible, and replaced the absence of the moon with it's own light.

Winston's eyes shone.

I'm back here?

He looked around.

He couldn't pinpoint the existence of this place, neither could he think of it's possible

importance.

Curious

Not minding the situation one bit, he let the horse take him away.

But just as he had begun to adjust, his vision changed again.

Now, his frail body lay atop a bed. By the side, stood the old man.

Winston's eyes widened.

"Huh?"

His vision changed again.

And he appeared atop a large tower.

His eyes looked down on the city lights. His arm was wrapped around the waist of a gorgeous

woman.

Behind him, a banquet was underway.

Then, it changed again.

He stood alone now.

His body was covered by a thin robe while rain poured down.

A glass of wine was in his hand.

The day before he was transported... ...curious indeed... Winston narrowed his eyes. Although he was a bit shocked at first, he adapted

quickly.

And then, his vision changed again.

One by one, visions of the tower enveloped his eyes.

His time on the second floor, 4th floor, 5th floor, 8th floor, 13th floor, 14th floor, and all the

others in between.

His eyes were glazed over, taking in each and every vision.

And as everything ended, here he stood again, in the same grey fog.

"Is that it?!" He yelled into the fog, seemingly referring to someone.

"At least give me something more!" He yelled again. "I haven't gone through the so called

'revolution' yet!"

"What do you want?" Suddenly, there came a voice behind him.

Winston turned, finding another him.

Only this one was him from the past. The accomplished Scientist. He held a stern look on his

face, as if scrutinizing each and every movement made by his counterpart. His eyes, held high

were eternally judgemental.

Winston smiled.

Which version?

Both.

"Well well. What are you doing here?"

"Am I not supposed to be here? I am you."

Winston rolled his eyes.

"Cut the crap. I'm here to find the 'real me' supposedly."

"I am the real you." Winston, dressed in a white lab coat spread out his arms. "I am the best

version of you. The result of all your efforts. What else do you wish for?"

Just then, another version of him appeared.

"Perhaps me?"

Both Winston's looked at the newcomer.

He wore a gentlemanly suit, as opposed to the lab coat and the shirt worn by the other two.

On his right eye, he supported a crystal monocle. His lips slowly stretched into a smile, deliberate and forced. His expressions seemed something not made from his own emotions,

but merely something trying to imitate human behaviour.

This was the Divine version of Winston. Undoubtedly, the strongest version of 'him.'

"And what are you doing here?" The lab coat version snarled. Seeing his expression, Winston laughed, in mock cheerfulness. "Well, what say you? Original? Will you take my hand?" He extended his hand, smiling

expectantly at Winton.

Winston stared at the outstretched hand for a bit, momentarily glancing at the other version.

And then-

"Nah." He shook his head.

Both or the versions stared dumbfoundedly.

"What?" Both spoke at the same time, overcome by a strange shock.

"Nah." Winston repeated. "I'm not gonna take any of you."

Suddenly, he turned to a certain direction. The other two followed his gaze. The fog rapidly cleared out, revealing a large shack.

The door opened, creaking. And in the corner, huddled a small child. Trembling, afraid.

Winston walked into the shack, standing just before the trembling child who held his head with his hands, hiding from whatever it was that terrorized him.

"So you'll choose the weakest version of you?" The scientist barked.

"Questionable." The Divine version commented.

Winston didn't pay them any heed. Gently, he squatted down and stroked the head of the

child.

Feeling a touch, the child twitched, but then relaxed at the gentle feeling.

Slowly, he peered out.

"Y...you are?"

"I'm you." Winston said.

The child stared at him, confused.

"I didn't know you still existed you know." He smiled. "Hidden away in some foggy corner of

the mind. I suppose traumas do have some effect on beyonders." He shook his head in

resignation.

Then, his eyes again met the child's.

"What's your name?"

"Winston." "No last name?"

"I... I've never had one."

Chuckling a bit, Winston said, "Call yourself Winston Heath."

Slowly, he watched as the child blossomed with a beautiful smile. "Fine then! Take his hand! I don't care anymore!" The scientist yelled. He could not, for the

life of him rationalize this decision. He, himself, would have chosen the Divine version

without doubt. It was the best decision to make. The one that promised the most power.

The Divine version said nothing, yet his silence was all that was needed. The child stood up, and with a beaming smile, he extended his hand. "Thank you for choosing me!" He laughed. It was a cheerful laughter, not something Winston

had the luck of enjoying.

And as everyone watched with bated breaths, waiting for Winston to take the child's hand, he

spoke.

"Nah."

...

---

...

"""WHAT?!""

All there versions collectively questioned him.

"What do you think? This ain't a story of heroism where the main protagonist accepts parts of

his troubled past and gains a hidden powerup through that. Do I look like an idiot to you lot?"

Winston pointed to himself.

"I alone am enough."

His declaration echoed into the void.

"I've never been at odds with any of my past. Any lingering troubles that may have persisted

have long been solved. There's no 'one' version of me." He said. "Humans are bound to be undescribable. Every encounter makes us grow. There no way for

me to limit all of myself to a certain version. There's no real 'real' me."

His eyes slowly scanned the figures.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"This? This is a joke." He declared.

And so, the space crumbled.

...

Winston opened his eyes, looking around, first thing.

"Oh? You're finally awake." He heard the God of Guardians.

But that was not the first thing that caught his interest. "Bam?" He raised an eyebrow. What the hell was he doing here?

He walked closer to the figure of the boy. He was standing some distance away.

"Oh, this boy came here sometime after you entered." The God of Guardians answered in a

matter-of-factly tone.

"Wait." Winston suddenly felt a strange premonition.

"How long has it been, exactly?" He asked.

"Hard to say. If I had to guess, about 7 months."

"..." Winston's silence was deafening.

"Normally, I would have woken you up when the train was crossing through the floors. But

you already had the qualifications to get to the next floors, so it was no big deal." He continued. "Speaking of which, your awakening isn't anything like I've ever seen before." He

held his chin in thought.

His eyes scanned Winston, taking in his form.

"You don't seem to have gotten any terrible increase in power like Jahad or Urek. But you are

still peculiar."

His eyes glowed.

"It's the strangest awakening I've ever seen. Matter of fact, I'm even debating if this actually

is an awakening."

Winston shook his head and sighed, silently looking though his own state.

As he did, he spoke.

"Which floor are we on right now?"

"We've passed through the 42nd floor and are about to enter the 43rd."

The Floor of Death!

A/N: The awakening process was originally going to be three chapter long, but I wasn't sure if

it was going to be enjoyable to read, so I wrapped it up sooner.

Anyways, I've been cooking up a LoTM fanfic. Though because of how expansive the work is,

it's going to take more than a enough time for it to be released. For now, it's merely an idea.

Cheers~