Free Web NovelChapter 145: The Expedition
The emergency summit continued long after most of the capital had fallen asleep. Within the Grand Strategic Hall, exhaustion was becoming increasingly visible on the faces of those gathered around the massive circular table. Reports continued arriving from every corner of the Empire. Military scouts. Provincial governors. Merchant guilds. Noble territories. Everyone had information, yet none of that information provided the answers humanity desperately sought. The Celestial Tower remained an enigma. It stood upon the horizon like a silent god observing the world beneath it, refusing to explain itself beyond the brief heavenly announcement that had shaken civilization the previous day. The Empire possessed armies, mages, scholars, and saints capable of overcoming almost any challenge. Unfortunately, none of those resources were particularly useful against a mystery.
The Emperor leaned back in his seat while rubbing his temples. Despite his composed expression, the strain of the past twenty-four hours was impossible to conceal entirely. Beside him sat Grand Duke Caelion, whose normally relaxed demeanor had been replaced by rare seriousness. The two men represented some of the most powerful figures on the continent, yet even they found themselves navigating unfamiliar waters. Around them, military commanders debated logistics while scholars proposed increasingly complex theories regarding the Tower’s origin. The discussions had become repetitive. Everyone understood that speculation alone would accomplish nothing. Eventually, reality would need to be confronted directly.
"We require information," the Emperor finally stated, silencing the room. "Not theories. Not assumptions. Information."
Nobody disagreed.
The statement was obvious.
Yet obvious truths often carried the greatest importance.
The Emperor’s gaze moved toward Aurelion.
"What is your opinion?"
The Crown Prince remained silent for several moments before answering. His eyes briefly drifted toward the distant horizon visible through the enormous windows behind the throne. Even from this distance, the Tower remained visible against the night sky. The silver runes covering its surface glowed faintly beneath the darkness while the gigantic celestial rings surrounding it continued their eternal rotation.
"We send scouts."
The answer was simple.
Direct.
Necessary.
Several military officers immediately nodded.
Aurelion continued.
"The Empire currently knows nothing. Every decision we make is based upon incomplete information. Before discussing long-term strategies, we need to understand what exists near the Tower itself. We need environmental data. Mana readings. Geographical changes. Wildlife observations. Everything."
Grand Duke Caelion folded his arms.
"And if the scouts don’t return?"
Aurelion met his uncle’s gaze calmly.
"Then that becomes valuable information as well."
Silence filled the chamber.
Nobody particularly liked the answer.
Yet nobody could refute it.
Sometimes information required risk.
The Emperor eventually nodded.
"Agreed."
The decision was made.
The Empire would dispatch a reconnaissance unit.
Not an army.
Not an expeditionary force.
A reconnaissance unit. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
Their purpose would not be conquest.
Their purpose would be observation.
For the first time since the Tower’s appearance, humanity would actively move toward the unknown.
As discussions shifted toward operational details, Aurelion found his attention drifting elsewhere. While generals debated supply requirements and military formations, his thoughts wandered toward something far stranger. Specifically, toward his previous life. Throughout both his lives, one fact had become increasingly difficult to ignore. He had reincarnated into a romance fantasy novel. A genuine romance fantasy novel. Noble politics. Heroine routes. Romantic interests. Succession conflicts. The entire setting had originally revolved around those themes. He knew that because he had read the story himself before dying. Yet somehow, reality had now introduced a gigantic world-altering tower capable of shaking civilization itself.
The situation was absurd.
Completely absurd.
And yet strangely familiar.
Aurelion had spent countless hours reading fantasy novels during his previous life. Tower novels. Dungeon novels. System stories. Regression stories. Transmigration stories. Entire genres built around mysterious structures descending into the world and transforming ordinary individuals into powerful figures. The similarities were impossible to ignore. A heavenly announcement. One hundred floors. Trials. Ascension. Opportunities for growth. Every detail felt suspiciously familiar.
His expression twitched slightly.
"Please don’t tell me that’s actually what’s happening."
The thought remained internal.
Unfortunately, the more he considered it, the more plausible it seemed.
After all, he was already living inside a fictional world.
Reincarnation itself should have been impossible.
Yet it happened.
Knowledge from a previous life should have been impossible.
Yet he possessed it.
If reality was already operating according to fictional logic, then perhaps the appearance of a Tower wasn’t particularly surprising.
In fact, considering how these stories usually progressed, things could become significantly worse.
Aurelion mentally reviewed various tower stories he had encountered over the years.
Some involved monsters flooding into civilization.
Others introduced systems visible only to selected individuals.
Several featured apocalyptic scenarios where humanity struggled to survive.
A few involved gods manipulating mortals for entertainment.
The possibilities were endless.
And none of them were especially comforting.
"Maybe I should stop thinking about it."
He immediately ignored his own advice and continued thinking about it.
His greatest concern wasn’t the Tower itself.
It was unpredictability.
For years, his advantage had originated from knowledge. Even after changing the original story, he generally understood the world’s underlying structure. He knew how politics worked. He understood noble society. He could predict people’s behavior. The Tower changed everything. Suddenly, civilization had entered territory where nobody possessed experience. Not even him.
That realization was simultaneously frustrating and exciting.
A genuine unknown.
A mystery untouched by foreknowledge.
A future that had not yet been written.
Eventually, the strategic discussions concluded. Orders were distributed. Resources allocated. Objectives clarified. The Empire’s first reconnaissance mission would depart before sunrise. Every attendee understood the historical significance of the moment. Future generations would likely remember this operation as humanity’s first deliberate approach toward the Celestial Tower.
The following morning arrived beneath darkened skies.
The storm surrounding the Tower remained visible even from the capital. Black clouds spiraled endlessly around the distant structure while flashes of silver lightning occasionally illuminated the horizon. Citizens gathered throughout the city to witness the departure of the reconnaissance unit. Rumors regarding the mission had spread rapidly during the night. Curiosity overwhelmed fear. Everyone wanted answers. Everyone wanted to know what existed beyond the horizon.
The Imperial Military Headquarters became the center of activity.
Rows of elite soldiers stood assembled within the fortress courtyard. Unlike ordinary troops, these individuals represented the Empire’s absolute best. Veterans of monster extermination campaigns. Special operations experts. Battle-hardened officers. Every member of the unit possessed years of experience surviving dangerous situations. Their equipment reflected their status. Dark silver armor engraved with protective enchantments covered their bodies. Specialized mana-resistant cloaks hung from their shoulders. Each soldier carried communication artifacts designed to transmit information across enormous distances. Their weapons had been selected specifically for versatility. Swords. Spears. Bows. Magical catalysts. The Empire intended to prepare them for as many variables as possible.
At the front stood the mission commander.
A decorated officer named Commander Reinhardt.
Tall.
Experienced.
Calm.
The type of individual capable of maintaining composure under impossible circumstances.
He reviewed final preparations while military staff loaded supply wagons with provisions. Portable shelters. Medical equipment. Mana detection artifacts. Mapping tools. Emergency signal devices. Every conceivable resource had been included. Nobody knew what conditions awaited near the Tower. Therefore, the Empire prepared for everything.
Aurelion observed the preparations from a nearby balcony alongside the Emperor and Grand Duke Caelion. The atmosphere below carried a strange mixture of determination and uncertainty. These soldiers were among the finest warriors within the Empire. Yet for perhaps the first time in their careers, they couldn’t accurately estimate the danger ahead. The unknown possessed a unique ability to humble even the strongest individuals.
Grand Duke Caelion exhaled slowly.
"Do you think they’ll find anything useful?"
Aurelion considered the question.
"Definitely."
His uncle raised an eyebrow.
"You sound confident."
"I am."
Aurelion’s gaze remained fixed upon the departing soldiers.
"They’ll either discover information."
"Or they’ll discover problems."
A faint smile appeared.
"Both outcomes are useful."
Caelion laughed softly.
Trust Aurelion to view potential disaster as research data.
The final preparations eventually concluded.
Commander Reinhardt stepped forward.
His voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Formation!"
Hundreds of armored soldiers immediately moved into position.
Perfect discipline.
Perfect synchronization.
The result of years of training.
Silence descended upon the gathering crowd.
The moment felt significant.
Historic.
The first humans officially marching toward the Tower.
Toward the greatest mystery in recorded history.
The Emperor rose from his seat.
His gaze swept across the assembled soldiers.
"Today, you represent the Empire."
His voice carried throughout the courtyard.
"You march not for glory."
"Not for conquest."
"Not for personal achievement."
"You march for knowledge."
The soldiers listened attentively.
"You will observe."
"You will report."
"And you will return."
The final words carried unmistakable weight.
Return.
That objective mattered more than anything else.
Information was valuable only if it reached civilization.
The Emperor raised his hand.
"May fortune guide your journey."
The soldiers saluted.
The gates opened.
And the march began.
The reconnaissance unit advanced through the capital’s streets beneath the watchful eyes of thousands. Citizens lined roads and balconies. Some offered prayers. Others cheered. Many simply watched in silence. Nobody knew whether these soldiers would return. Nobody knew what awaited beyond the horizon.
The column gradually disappeared beyond the city walls.
Toward distant mountains.
Toward dying forests.
Toward storm-covered skies.
Toward the Celestial Tower.
Aurelion remained standing upon the balcony long after they vanished from sight. His gaze lingered on the horizon where the colossal structure continued piercing the heavens.
Something told him this mission would change everything.
Not because the soldiers would conquer the Tower.
Not because they would uncover all its secrets.
But because they would become the first witnesses.
The first humans to deliberately step into the shadow of the unknown.
And history often remembered such people.
Whether they succeeded.
Or whether they disappeared.
[To Be Continued]
