Tower of Heaven

The realization was not easy to bear. The implications of such an absolute truth were massive.

What happened to the world that Atlas knew, the people? Did they all get destroyed, was the entire culture torn apart and left as nothing more than vestiges littering the Tower's trials?

He didn't want to stay on the 34th Floor and think about these things, nor did he want to reminisce on the memories of Galhaven from the period that was taken by the Tower.

Once he finished the trial, he immediately left and entered the Celestial Ladder. This time, instead of going up, he went down.

It was not a complicated process, especially when the target destination was a Neutral Zone. As he was on the 34th Floor, there were thirty-four buttons on the construct's wall. He could use them to return to any floor of the Tower other than the Cumulative Trials.

There was almost no benefit in returning to a trial floor unless some kind of special instance occurred, but with this system in place, Atlas could enter any Neutral Zone he had access to, including the ones he'd skipped.

'I can go to Alfros at any time, which is nice. Once the Dao of Wood has been integrated, it would be nice to go there and improve my understanding of everburn.'

However, it was not his goal now. After choosing the option for Vanatos, he found himself teleported back into Vanlandi.

He exited the teleportation array and walked out of the city, finding a relatively isolated area before pulling out an insignia.

'That old man gave it to me before I left. It definitely makes my life more convenient.'

He never had to travel to the Tatsuya Clan on foot. With this insignia, he could request a teleportation directly into the palace.

And, unless there were unspeakable circumstances, that request would never be denied.

The palace array operator detected a signal from one of only six black insignias that had ever been given out by the Divine Dragons, and without hesitation, he accepted.

That was how Atlas arrived at his location. From there, he made a beeline for Mireiya's quarters.

"Come in."

She spoke the moment he arrived near the room so that the maids waiting outside would not question his presence.

'She was expecting me.'

Well, her prophecies hadn't been wrong thus far. Atlas did indeed find a clue to what he was looking for on the 30th Floor.

He could no longer doubt her and say that she was the same as any other prophet or seer. This woman, his senior, had unbelievable power.

When Atlas entered the room, he found himself separated from her by a curtain once more. It made him curious about what she looked like, but if he considered Artemis's features, he could almost guess.

"It's good to see you again, Mistress," he said with a bow.

"Oh? Since when were you one to be so courteous?" Mireiya responded playfully

"Well, even if the old bastard doesn't want to admit it, he is my Master. If he doesn't accept it, then I can only show respect in ways like this," Atlas responded with a shrug as he sat down.

"It may sound rude, but I assume you know why I came back."

Mireiya nodded her head, an action Atlas could see in her shadow beyond the veil.

"It is why you rushed here without thinking about anything else. Though I cannot say I am entirely aware, I roughly understand what is plaguing you."

Mireiya wasn't going to tell him directly, but Atlas had been appearing in her visions quite a bit. Through a single connection they'd made in the past, Atlas had become completely tied to the fate of the Divine Dragon Clan.

In other words, his actions would reflect on them, whether negative or positive. Because of this, Mireiya became invested in his story.

She couldn't see through all of his secrets, but she could roughly understand what kind of person he was and what he was searching for.

If she wanted to play a part in his future, and if she wanted to give him the answers he sought, then she first needed to know one thing.

"Answer me honestly…"

Atlas could feel her gaze piercing into his eyes.

"...you are someone who has reincarnated, correct?"

Atlas' body immediately became tense. His natural response was hostility. He needed to silence anyone who understood this secret of his.

However, when his rational mind came back and took the situation into consideration, he calmed down.

It was Mireiya, after all. With her abilities, she likely found clues to Atlas' reincarnation before even their first meeting. Merely, now that they had some connection between them, she decided to pose the question.

'My reincarnation has to remain a secret. The less people know about it the better, even if those people are my Masters and my closest friends. If I say something here…'

Seeing the troubled emotions in his eyes, Mireiya smiled wryly.

"If it is more comfortable for you, then I will swear a Heavenly Oath."

Atlas' eyes widened slightly.

"But…why? Are my secrets so valuable in your eyes?"

He couldn't fathom why she would promise him something that would seal her mouth for eternity. She had no obligation to do something like that.

"You may think I have no obligation, but that is not entirely the truth," she rebutted as if she could hear his thoughts.

"Atlas, your fate is something vast and far-reaching. Even I cannot see its end. If I must sign a Heavenly Oath in order to guide you on this path, then I will do it gladly."

Because, if she wasn't allowed to guide him…

'...I cannot allow such an ending to come to fruition.'

She didn't need to tell him everything she saw.
Discover hidden stories at empire

Atlas nodded his head hesitantly after hearing her words. If she promised absolute secrecy, then he was fine to talk about it.

'It isn't as if I was someone notable in her eyes. The Heavenly Emperor…the Immortals from the Immortal Realm likely have never even heard of such a figure.'

With his affirmation, Mireiya swore her Heavenly Oath, promising to never spread his information or use it to harm him.

That was when their conversation truly began.

Atlas came to Vanatos because he was curious about his future. He was concerned about his past and perplexed by his twisted fate.

The only person he knew who could unravel that fate was Mireiya Tatsuya.

And, his first confidant in the Tower who knew his true identity was the same person.

"In the past…" Atlas began, his voice somewhat quiet.

"I was a man titled the Heavenly Emperor."

It was the start of a story that was once familiar to many. In the Mortal Realm, it was a story that gave even the most untalented cultivators the motivation to chase their destinies.

However, it was a story that had been forgotten and buried in dust.

That story was being told for the very first time in this new world.

Only…

"I died somehow. I am unaware of how, when, or why. Including memories of that moment, I am missing fragments from my entire life, and I cannot say how deep the erosion of my memories goes."

…it was a story that appeared in bits and pieces.

Mireiya listened without saying a word. It was a good thing that Atlas couldn't see her expression.

Because, as he continued to speak about his fractured memories, as the pieces of the future she saw aligned with the pieces of the past he spoke of, she couldn't stop it from darkening.

She was starting to understand the life that Atlas could not.

However…

'...can I truly tell him what I see?'