Tower of God: Sequence Strength

Chapter 42: Cicada(1)



Rain littered the sea as the dark clouds ran through the sky, twisting and twirling in tandem with the waves as if they were alive. Gigantic mountains towered over in the eastern horizons and tumultuous waves crashed over the entire ocean.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

A lonesome boat, not too large yet not too small in size travelled amongst a sea of wooden remains, a graveyard of previous ships that had been crushed by the wrath of water and storm. Men glanced over the deck at the barren wasteland that had been made of the previously cheerful fleet.

Then one of them pointed out in one direction, where lay a lonesome floating piece of wood atop which was mounted a ginormous living creature.

A net was cast and the living creature was caught. It had a yellow, pale and deathly demeanor with a nose elongated and teeth protruding out from the sides. It's eyes were a bewitching boundless white and remained almost hollowed in the living creature's sockets and it's body was bulbous and rotund with two arms and two legs with claws marring each limb. Warts grew on the living creature in waves and from it's nose dripped a strange red snot that dripped down it's obese body.

The men took it back to the mountains in the horizons, hauling it upto the top upon large wooden rails. They set up the creature onto the front of the shrine of their gods, and the

creature got up.

The men knelt in fear while others brandished their weapons in alarm as the creature overtook it's large blue claws and slashed at its own skin.

And from it's skin, poured out treasures. Pearls of quality never seen by them before, blood in a colour of gold and silver nuggets pouring out like water from a dam.

The men stood in silence, entranced by the riches. The living creature snorted onto the women, turning them beautiful. The malnourished children were fed a small blue bead that the creature pulled out from it's skin, revitalizing the poor creatures.

The creature was revered, shrines were made and fishes were fed to it. The living creature brought prosperity and the small village soon turned into a metropolis upon which souls in search of food, shelter and opportunities all the same stumbled into to test their fortune and wits.

The lost souls guided themselves to the living creature to recieve it's blessing, each recieving all the successes they could hope just from a small glance by it's hallowed eyes that peered out from it's darkened face or from a single touch from it's clawed hands that could crush a man's skull whole and pierce through rock without trouble.

The creature grew larger with the fish and delicacies and the pilgrims continued on. The temples the living creature stayed in cheered with life and vigor as lost souls guided themselves in. Each time the creature slashed it's skin, gold, pearls, silver and diamonds would rush out, pooling at the pilgrims' feet.

Then, a lone man stood, his visage fierce and his figure malnourished with his eyes clouded in greed and in fear. He rushed through the crowd with a knife in hand and slashed at the creature's skin. The riches began to pool at his feet as the creature in a baleful scream backhanded the man, twisting his nose and blinding him in one eye in the process.

The guards rushed upon the man as the riches pooled at the floor. The priests fervently chanted scriptures in seek of forgiveness for the greater atrocity commented. The other pilgrims overcame by greed brandished their weapons, their faces contorted in madness and a deranged frenzy.

They laughed and laughed as they all rushed upon the living creature, tearing it's body in horror of the priests. Yet the priests were human too, consumed by their own greed.

The limbs of the creature were cut off, it's golden blood was drained. It's teeth were made of diamonds and bones were made of jade.

Pearls the size of a man's chest poured out from it's chest and head and the golden blood flowed through the ground and out into the streets. A strange laughter filled the air still as the creature was dismantled, eventually leaving nothing behind. The priests had their way with women who too were too clouded in their own euphoria; the men peed onto the corpse of the living creature, a being that they once worshipped. The eyes of the creature bred trouble and bloodbath. Dozens fought and one came out victorious that would take the eyes home.

Everything, was plundered. Everything, was ruined.

And so, a large storm enveloped the metropolis, decimation in all corners and regression of the area into a perfect domain of nature.

The mountain raised to the ground, only a plain ground not far from the sea remained.

The creature, nay, a husk of it stood tall amid the rubble, its body now blackened and carrying red and thin and frail, with bones protruding out as if it had no skin to speak of. It's face was disfigured and it's body was unrecognizable.

And from the clouds above that rained still, a black haired man came out, his long black hair flowing freely behind his back and his body adorned by long flowing white robes.

The man landed before the living creature and smile.

"You see now, don't you?" The living creature bellowed.

"See what?"

"People are flawed. Eventually, they all destroy themselves. That is the truth of this world. You and me. We need not concern ourselves with them, for they are below us. Feeble and tiny. Too consumed by their own faults to do anything else."

"What you created here was an example. Not the proof." The man declared, a simple smile on his face. "If you wish to test the toughness of glass, it is bound to shatter. Reversing the consequence and cause, all that just for the sake of winning. Causing chaos just to prove a point. How absurd."

The creature stilled, its red eyes gazing at the man.

"And what of you?" The creature said.

"What of me?"

"You came here not too long ago. You do not know how everything works."

"You see the worst in people. You have seen the worst in people, particularly that insufferable man. Perhaps that's what bothers you."

"...Maybe."

The man chuckled.

"If the news of this were to get out, chaos would ensue through the tower."

The living creature turned it's head to look at the sea.

"...why?" It asked.

The man turned simply and smile out to the sea.

Then, he muttered, "It's not everyday one can see you in such a state you know? Even High rankers might freak out."

The living creature remained silent, only glancing briefly at its blackened and red body that looked emaciated.

"Ahaha! Hahaha!" A childlike giggle rang across the streets. Rain poured down from the sky, tears of the clouds bouncing on the brick roads like musical notes falling on a great instrument.

Birds perched themselves on trees and under extended roofs, shielding themselves from the pour. Chuckles and giggles rang amid the sound of the rain as a small group of children ran along the streets, closely followed by a pack of dogs that circled around them in giddiness and

playfulness.

The children, drenched whole, smiled and smiled and laughed along as they passed many wooden houses and trees.

Pitter-patter

Pitter-patter

Then, as the pitter patter of rain continued to reverberate, the children suddenly stopped, the

pack of dogs stopping alongside them.

The kids glanced over to their front, where their path stayed blocked by a large figure.

It was a large man, standing about 7 feet tall in height. He had bright white hair with a pale silver skin, as if all blood had been sucked clean from his body. His eyes were bright red, mimicking the colour of blood which he seemed oh so deficient of. The man, who was smiling ear to ear had a strangely child like face, yet also wrinkles that ran along it; making him

appear quite odd.

If anyone were to describe his features with as little words as possible, perhaps the phrase 'incomplete' might come to mind. That's right. The face of the man seemed incomplete.

Though the kids were none the wiser.

The man wore a dark trench coat which glistened in the rain. He wore silver cargo pants on his legs and wore dark leather boots. In his hands was a black suitcase of sorts.

As the man noticed the children stopping at his appearance, his smile seemingly widened, if

that were even possible.

"Hello kids. May I ask you for some directions?" His voice was deep, yet somehow not, again, appearing increasingly strange.

As he spoke, the kids clamoured around and began to run the opposite way. The smile on the man's face dropped for a second before he shook his head.

Then he walked along the quiet brick road.

His disposition was serene and calm, in complete contrast with his hulking stature.

Walking for a while and passing through the streets of the small village, he came in front of a large house, in front of which were two benches.

Without a word, the man sat onto the bench. The rain drops and water atop the bench miraculously evaporated and moved away from his seat, as did the drops that were falling atop him. In just a moment, his surroundings turned inert of rain as if it was avoiding him like

a plague.

He sat around the bench for a time. The clouds above swaddled off towards the horizons, revealing a bright sun behind them. The petrichor that emanated from the rapidly drying

grass seemed intoxicating.

Then, the man turned his head upon hearing footsteps to the left. There, a man of a shorter stature walked along, a large bag full of wood on his back. The man stood at a height of 5 foot 11 inches or 1.80 meters and had light brown hair with a lazy, almost sleep deprived disposition. There was a hint of dark circles under his eyes and he yawned while he walked. The man wore a simple t-shirt with dark coloured pajamas and a pair of crocs at his feet.

As the man drew in closer, his eyes widened a bit seeing the hulking albino sitting at the

bench.

He approached and asked, "Who are you?"

The albino smiled, "I'm looking for someone."

"Heh." The man chuckled and walked behind him, heading towards the door to his house.

"Then you're in the wrong place, my friend." He shook his head and unlocked the door.

"Why do you say so?" The albino whispered, yet his words reached the man all the same. "People don't come here to find anyone. There's no one worth finding here." He turned back and looked at the albino's back. He had not moved from his seat at the bench.

As the man went to close the door, the albino spoke again, this time with volume.

"I'm here for a Theolis." He laughed. The man stopped in his tracks and widened the gap of

the door.

"Theolis Clear. Ring any bells?" The man turned his head slightly and looked on.

"Who's asking?"

The albino stood up and walked up to the door.

"Myself Samuel Helmons." He said. "Can I come in?"

The man looked on for a moment in suspicion, yet strangely enough, he let the albino in

without too much trouble.

The albino ducked under the door and walked inside, inhaling the slightly musty odour of

wood and a thick scent of coffee.

"You seem to really like coffee." Samuel chuckled.

The man shook his head, "It helps me sleep." He said.

The albino raised an eyebrow and asked with a quizzical expression, "Coffee helps you sleep?

That's odd."

The man laughed a bit. "No. I farm coffee beans. Brings in good money."

"May I have some?" "Depends on what you say next. Why are you here and why are you looking for me?"

The albino, with a compassionate gaze sat down onto a chair. Due to his tall stature, him sitting on the small chair looked rather comical.

"I'm looking for people. To help me... let's say to sort something out." Theolis sat down opposite him onto a rocking chair with a glass of water in hand. Then, taking

a sip, he spoke. "And what will they get in return after helping you?"

"Haha... it's the other way around." His eyes curved into a crescent moon shape. "In truth, the

one that's getting the benefits first is you."

"How so?"

"I'll get you into the inner tower." His deep yet soft voice bellowed.

Theolis raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Inner tower? You mean you'll take the people that agree to climb the tower?"

"Bingo! You get 10 points!" Samuel laughed.

"But that's impossible. Only the regulars chosen by the guardian can get into the tower." He

said.

"Heh. That might be the general case, but it's not the only possibility." He extended his

finger and shook it side to side. Then a mystical illusion began to materialize in the air. It depicted a large cylinder.

"Think of this as the inner tower. What the guardian does is transport everyone to the second

floor, the floor of tests." The bottom of the cylinder glowed. Then, from the bottom a number of lines began to extend into nothingness. Then, even the entire cylinder began to grow with lines that extended out from it's center and disappearing into the air.

"However, there are many paths still that one can take to get there. As long as one passes a certain threshold, they will be judged by the guardian and if deemed worthy, they will also be 'chosen'. As long as the guardian offers a tactic approval, there's no need to be waiting to get

chosen." Samuel smiled. "It's a very crude way of going about it, and most of the time, its not very appreciated by the tower populace and hence, the information is blocked about it. But the guardian seems to have no real problems with this."

"And how did you come to know about it?"

"I am a silver dwarf, I can see crossroads that others cannot. Finding a path is my speciality."

Theolis sat in contemplation for a bit.

"And what if the one that intends to cross the inner tower isn't chosen?" He asked.

"He dies in despair, knowing that there is no way from him to reach for the greater beyond.

He is locked from the tower forever." He said.

The illusion disappeared.

"And what of the thing you want in return? That has to weighed into the trade right?"

"But think of it. What greater favor can I do you than to put you in a place where you can

ascend beyond your wildest imaginations? What greater good can I do for you than to get you into the tower?" He asked.

"But still..." Theolis hesitated.

"There's no need to be so hesitant. All I will ask you is aid in restoring fate."

"Fate?"

"Yes. Someone has been quite riled up recently. Fate is in shambles, its barely following it's

original course, as if it will break apart into chaos at a moment's notice."

"But isn't watching Fate something the Red Witches do?"

Samuel scratched his chin.

"You're pretty knowledgeable. Now that I think about it, that would be a power of the red

witches rather than the silver dwarfs... I do apologize, I'm not too used to having such

abilities." He chuckled.

Theolis looked at him strangely, in puzzlement. Looking at such a large man apologizing to

him was quite a weird experience for him. However, there was one thing that caught his

attention.

"Not used to? That's quite a weird thing to say." He said.

Samuel shook his head.

"Is that really what we're here to discuss? Are you going to participate or not?"

Theolis clicked his tongue. Then, he said, "One last thing.

"Why me?" "Pardon?"

"Why me? I'm not something special. As a matter of fact, I'm as average as they come."

"There's nothing average about you." The man smiled knowingly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

that

"I can see paths. And the path has led me here, to you. And since the path has guided me, there must be something that's special about you." He said with confidence. "Not to mention I'm not choosing just one or two people. As a matter of fact, I've talked to hundreds of people.

I can talk to a random beggar on the streets and offer him a way into the tower. Even if there's

nothing special about them, that won't be the case forever right? Only special people survive

in the tower. Everyone that's mediocre gets culled out."

As his words landed there was silence for a moment.

If Theolis were to use his common sense, the man was nothing but shady. His motives were

questionable at best and there was no saying if he was a part of some organ trafficking organization. Any normal man in this situation would surely refuse, as would any intelligent

one.

"You wanted coffee?"

"Some biscuits if you have any."

"I don't. They attract rodents." "That's unfortunate."

With that, Theolis got him some coffee, unsure whether the decision he had made was the

right call or not.

A/N: Hello people! Volume 2, Hunter in the Waves; officially stars from here!!! Strap in!

I'm not sure if there will be a chapter every day, though that will be the goal. But that can change to a chapter every 2 days. We'll have to see. And there will be some breaks where I

don't upload for the day.

Also, the first part of this chapter was similar to a chapter in journey to the west, also depicted

in the third acts ending in Black Myth Wukong. Check out the ending, its real nice animation.

Also, perhaps read Journey to the West? It's leagues better than anything one might find in

the average webnovel fanfiction. Lol.

PS, check out the synopsis for the rough premise of the 2nd Volume.

Cheers~~~~

Throw some stones!!! Get the fic to the top of the rankings!!! We must assemble the previous

audience!!