A Pyromaniac's Ascent: Nothing Fire Can't Burn

"Now, regarding the red stone: every time you reach a new realm, you'll receive another red stone. Breaking that stone will instantly transport you to the realm above. However, after using one, there's a 72-hour cooldown before you can use another. Once that initial cooldown passes, you can use the stones freely, but you can never descend back to a lower realm. My advice is to make sure you're strong enough to ascend, or you'll find yourself facing enemies much stronger than you," Halgon explained.

"The tower is filled with corrupted elementals from across the universe. Remember, the realm above you always harbors stronger foes."

"Never underestimate corrupted elementals. Think back to the ones you've encountered on your home planet or elsewhere. Now, imagine them a hundred times stronger. That's the kind of threat you'll face in the tower."

Finn's mind raced. He'd never encountered a corrupted elemental before. He had no idea what they looked like, let alone how strong they were. The worst thing he'd ever encountered was a stray dog, and that hadn't even taken him a week to befriend.

"The first realm is filled with low-level corrupted elementals. It's the easiest one to conquer. At your current level, you could probably wipe out large groups of them without breaking a sweat. We've even made it so your first red stone has no cooldown, so if you want to skip the first realm and dive straight into a greater challenge, you're free to do so. Think of the first realm as a warm-up before the real danger begins," Halgon continued.

"The tower has seven realms in total, as you saw in your invitations. The seventh realm is the peak. If you make it that far and survive, you'll be bestowed the title of a demigod, gain immense power, and rule your own planet. You can ascend the tower however you choose—work together with others, go solo, use the system to your advantage, avoid danger by stealth, or fight every enemy you encounter. It doesn't matter. Reach the seventh realm, survive, and you win."

"And remember," Halgon's tone grew more serious, "in the Tower of Ascension, always expect the unexpected. Burn that into your minds."

"And with that, I'll leave you to your fate. Good luck, candidates."

With that, the whirlpool in the sky appeared once again, swallowing Halgon and vanishing without a trace.

Before Finn could voice his concerns about the trouble he was likely in, a voice cut through his thoughts.

"Finn. Come with me, I need to speak with you."

It was Halgon's voice, but hadn't he already disappeared?

Confused, Finn scanned his surroundings, trying to pinpoint where the voice had come from.

"You will not be able to see me there, but I can see you," Halgon's voice echoed again.

"Where are you?" Finn asked, still searching for the source.

"Do you see the white stone in your right hand?" Halgon replied.

"Stone? What st—"

Finn's question died in his throat as he suddenly felt something cold in his right hand. He glanced down, and sure enough, there was a white stone, about the size of a fist. How had it gotten there? When had it appeared? He hadn't even noticed it.

"That's the one. Break it. It's soft enough for you to shatter with one hand. Just squeeze it tight, and you'll be teleported straight to me," Halgon instructed.

"What's wrong, Finn?" Yukha's voice came from behind.

"I... I'm hearing Halgon's voice, even though I can't see him. He told me to break this stone and talk to him," Finn explained, still holding the stone in his hand.

"You should do as he says," Yukha grunted.

"It's your chance to ask about why you were summoned here, without an invitation, and without the system."

"Yeah, you're right," Finn agreed, though his voice was uncertain.

"But it's still pretty scary. Will this even work? Is just breaking this stone really going to transport me to where he is?" Finn hesitated.

"Let me see," Yukha said.

Finn raised his hand, showing Yukha the stone he was clutching.

"That's a teleportation stone alright." Yukha confirmed. "It's the same kind we use to move between locations. Look around, it's how it works."

Finn followed Yukha's gaze, scanning the area. He saw individuals vanishing one by one into thin air. Seeing people disappearing just like that was surreal. He turned just in time to see the intimidating orc he had bumped into earlier crush a red stone in his hand, vanishing instantly.

"Are they being teleported to the tower's first realm?" Finn asked.

"Indeed. These young ones are brimming with determination," Yukha said, his voice steady and measured, yet carrying a trace of admiration. "If it were me, I would take a moment to center myself—clear the mind, prepare thoroughly. It is wise to approach such challenges with composure rather than haste."

He paused, his weathered eyes seeming to look beyond Finn for a moment.

"Halgon wanted you to speak with him, didn't he?" Yukha asked.

"Yeah," Finn answered.

"Why don't you go speak with him then?" Yukha suggested. "I'll wait here and get myself ready. Only if you're still wanting to go with me to the tower, of course."

"Seriously?" Finn asked, his surprise evident.

"You don't want to?" Yukha asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course I want to! You seem strong, and you know a lot. I'd feel better going with someone like you. But are you sure? I don't even know if I have the system, or if I even understand it. I might just be dead weight," Finn admitted, feeling unsure of himself.

Yukha grunted, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "A strong tree doesn't stand for itself," he said. "Its shade is for others. My wife... she used to say that. She's already gone now. Stronger than I ever was, but she always helped the weak. I do the same now, in her honor. As for the tower, I have no grand ambition to reach the top. I am not driven like the others. If I can help someone along the way, I will. That's enough for me."

Finn fell silent, taken aback by the weight of Yukha's words. He felt a wave of gratitude. To be saved from the fire, to be summoned here, and to have found an orc like Yukha—it was more than luck.

"Thank you, Yukha," Finn said earnestly.

"You're welcome, Finn," Yukha replied with a nod. "Now go. Who knows? Maybe you will be the one helping me survive instead."

"I hope so," Finn said quietly.

With that, Finn crushed the white stone in his right hand. The stone crumbled, pieces fluttering in the air, and in an instant, Finn was transported to another place once again.

"Welcome, Finn," a deep voice said.

It took Finn a moment to reorient himself. Teleportation was a disorienting experience—one second, you were in a familiar space, feeling soft grass under your feet, wind brushing your skin, the hum of life all around you. Then, in a blink, you were somewhere else entirely, surrounded by sensations that felt foreign, unnatural.

Here, there was no grass, no wind, no sound beyond his own breathing. Just an endless expanse of pure white stretching out in all directions. There were no walls, no sky, no floor he could discern, yet he stood solidly on something. The temperature was unplaceable—neither warm nor cold but hovering in an odd, neutral void. And amidst this emptiness stood one figure: Halgon.

"Halgon… this place," Finn said, his voice trailing off as he tried to grasp the strangeness of it all. "What is it?"

"It's a temporary realm I created," Halgon replied casually, his tone almost lighthearted. "You can just call it The White Room."

Finn gave a hesitant nod, still unsure what to make of his surroundings.

"Anyway, please, sit down," Halgon said, gesturing. "This is only your second time teleporting, right? I imagine you're still not used to it."

Finn glanced behind him, and to his surprise, a brown chair materialized from the floor as though it had grown out of the white void itself. The texture was rough and hard, like solid rock, yet when he sat down, it was unexpectedly comfortable.

Before he could comment, something else caught his eye. A table—crafted from the same stone-like material as the chair—had appeared in front of him. Resting on top was something utterly unexpected: a Hawaiian pizza, fresh and steaming, and a mug filled with dark liquid that unmistakably smelled like coffee.

Finn blinked, dumbfounded. It wasn't just any pizza—it was his favorite combination. Hawaiian pizza and coffee. How could Halgon have known? Where had it even come from?

His stomach growled loudly, bringing a flush of embarrassment to his cheeks. The stress of everything—escaping a burning building, being whisked into another dimension, encountering Gods and towers—had made him forget basic needs like hunger. But now, with his favorite food in front of him, the familiar smell tugging at his senses, hunger struck him like a hammer.

Without a second thought, Finn reached for the pizza, ready to devour it. Manners could wait.

But just as his hand hovered over the first slice, Halgon's voice interrupted him.

"You look terrible, Finn. Let me fix that first."

Finn paused, realizing what he meant. He didn't need a mirror to know how bad he must have looked—dirty, disheveled, and covered in grime from crawling through a burning house. His clothes clung to him with sweat and soot.

"Hold your breath for a moment," Halgon instructed.

Before Finn could ask why, Halgon snapped his fingers. Instantly, a torrent of water wrapped around him, swirling like a living current. It wasn't painful, but the sensation was overwhelming, like being dunked into a washing machine. The water rushed over every inch of his body, scrubbing away the filth and grime with an efficiency no bath could match.

After a few seconds, the water vanished as abruptly as it had appeared, leaving him soaked and shivering.

Halgon snapped his fingers again, and the lingering wetness evaporated, the droplets hovering in the air before disappearing entirely. Finn blinked as his clothes dried, leaving him feeling oddly refreshed.

"There," Halgon said with a satisfied nod. "Gotta be careful with that technique, though. Don't want to drain all your bodily fluids and turn you into a raisin."

Finn stared blankly. "What?"

Halgon chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm just messing with you. Cleaning someone up like that is nothing to me. I've done it a hundred times before."

Finn exhaled, shaking his head. The man—or whatever he was—had a strange sense of humor.

"Now," Halgon said, gesturing to the table. "Go ahead and eat. Fill up your stomach."

With everything else seemingly taken care of, Finn didn't hesitate any longer. He grabbed the first slice of pizza and sank his teeth into it. For the first time in what felt like ages, a sense of comfort began to settle over him.

Finn devoured the delicacies in front of him with ravenous intensity, as if it were his last meal. Slice after slice, he polished off the family-sized pizza, barely pausing to breathe, and then gulped down the coffee in long, satisfying swallows. In less than ten minutes, there was nothing left but an empty plate and a drained cup.

"Thank you for the food—and for cleaning me up," he said, leaning back in the stone chair with a sigh of contentment.

"You're welcome," Halgon replied, a small grin on his face. "I'll admit, I had a taste of those foods myself, and I have to say, they're surprisingly good. Also, unexpectedly cheap."

"You bought them? Wait, can you get stuff like that even if you're not on Earth?" Finn asked, curiosity piqued.

"We'll get to that later," Halgon said, waving the question away. "For now, I know you have a lot on your mind. Go ahead—ask. I owe you at least that much."