Return Of The Strongest Player

A single mistake would cause a fatal explosion.

The vines suddenly sprouted in new directions, causing a bright smile to blossom on Arthur's face. The procedure was finally displaying some progress. A warm sensation permeated across Arthur's body.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. As they dripped down to the platform on which Arthur sat, the sweat diluted the potency of the pool of blood. The deep shade of crimson that the platform was dyed lightened.

'I need to make ten new openings,' thought Arthur, clenching his teeth as he continued the procedure.

The thickness of the mana circuits flickered, and at that moment, mana began spilling from within the vines. The spill was as large as a grain of rice, yet it caused a massive reaction within Arthur's body.

The crimson-eyed man's eyes widened, and the crimson streaks within his sclera began more distinguishable. His irises narrowed, while his abdomen tightened. Arthur desperately prevented further spills while trying not to cough out blood–in turn ruining his progress.

Usually, one would fail at this step, as loss of concentration for even half a second would result in the detonation of all variables present in the procedure.

Suddenly, several cramps formed, beginning near the lower abdomen–near Arthur's crotch–and spreading upwards towards his neck. The knots were in the exact places where the new sprouts were to form.

'Fuck…'

'I get why people failed this procedure in the past,' Arthur remarked, enduring the urge to abandon everything. The more he tried, the less he wanted to continue.

The world itself was preventing him from continuing.

His eyelids drooped, while his heartbeat slowed down. It was as if he was being naturally sedated by the atmosphere around him. The procedure had no such side effects, yet Arthur could feel a cloak of exhaustion embrace him.

He suddenly felt immense comfort, and although he was aware it was simply an illusion, it didn't change anything.

He desperately wanted to escape the discomfort; to step into a life of eternal bliss. That was a feeling no one could resist, no matter how easy or difficult their life was. Eternal bliss was something all living beings desired.

However, it was only an illusion.

Such a concept did not exist, and would never exist.

Eternal bliss–in a sense–was merely a concept revolving around "point of view." Bliss for someone might be a curse for another. And while one could bask under the umbrella of "eternal bliss," they would merely be abandoning their peers, family, and goals.

They were merely abandoning life, and although it may feel comfortable at the start, it would soon degrade into something not worthy of mentioning.

The concept of Eternal Bliss was a mere hoax.

Flames of determination crackled in Arthur's chest, and the metaphorical shackles that restricted his movement shattered. Muttering a short monologue internally, he continued to sprout new "vines."

The second vine sprouted shortly after. This time, a sense of fear overtook Arthur's body and mind, forcing him to imagine the consequences of failing the procedures. The visions that played before his eyes were terrifying, and would cause a regular human to vomit almost immediately.

A regular human could not stomach such vulgar thoughts and sights.

A lump formed in Arthur's belly, while his face paled. The movements in his body slowed, while the urge to abandon everything arose again. It seemed to be a pattern, and when a new "vine" sprouted, a different emotion assaulted his mind.

But why?

Did the world itself not want Arthur to finish the procedure? Was the procedure condemned by even the laws of existence?

Were the Guardians behind it? No, they wouldn't care about such a minor aspect, unless it concerns the ecosystem of the entire tower. Arthur wasn't certain if anyone else had access to make such changes.

Was it the will of the world?

But how was that possible? Was the world alive?

It was absurd how a procedure involving the extension of his mana circuits had evolved into such a mystery. Arthur was aware that mana circuits were sacred, and that interfering with them would have consequences.

But what was this?

This was not akin to any consequence Arthur had ever faced.

The fear corroded Arthur's mind. The more resistance he offered, the more difficult it became to resist. It was an endless spiral that led to the destruction of Arthur's mental barrier, resulting in the dissipation of his consciousness.

Eventually, if this continued, he would become a mindless zombie.

But there was a way to prevent that.

Simply by giving up on the procedure.

'This is affecting me a bit more than I expected,' Arthur let out a bitter chuckle, clenching and unclenching each muscle in his body to re-establish his mind-muscle connection after being stationary for so long.

Soon, the third vein began sprouting, then the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth.

Arthur's state of mind fluctuated rapidly, causing all his mental strength to be drained by the time the tenth vine was to sprout. With a rather pale face and an expression that accurately displayed his exhaustion, Arthur let out a sigh.

It was finally the moment of truth.

He had already suffered enough pain during the growth of other "vines," and was almost entirely drained of his energy. Barely a sliver of mana remained in his circuits, even though hours had passed.

His mana should have recovered.

But it didn't.

Now, as he sat between the boundary of failure and success, only a few thoughts lingered in his mind.

Thoughts about his family.

They were the only ones he trusted completely.

Because they were the only ones that offered unconditional love.

He couldn't help but feel apologetic as he delved into such a dangerous procedure, wondering what would happen if he died here.

'I have to survive…'

Finally, the tenth vine began sprouting.

Arthur's body underwent massive changes.

Suddenly, his eyes widened as a translucent, blue screen manifested.

[The tenth mana circuit extension has begun.]

[Quest: Conquer the Agonizer Nova.]

[Penalty: Death.]

[Reward For Completion: Trait]