Free Web NovelChapter 146: The Shadow of the Tower
The departure of the Imperial Reconnaissance Unit quickly became one of the most discussed topics throughout the Empire. Wherever the soldiers traveled, they found crowds gathered along roads and village entrances, watching them pass with expressions ranging from admiration to concern. The sight of hundreds of elite Imperial soldiers marching toward the Celestial Tower carried a symbolic weight that nobody could ignore. For many citizens, these men represented humanity’s first attempt to confront the unknown. They were not simply soldiers anymore. They were explorers venturing toward a mystery that had already reshaped civilization. Mothers whispered prayers as the column passed through their towns. Children ran alongside the roads hoping to catch a glimpse of the Empire’s finest warriors. Even hardened veterans watched silently from tavern windows, understanding better than anyone the risks hidden behind such a mission.
Commander Reinhardt rode at the front of the formation atop a heavily armored warhorse, his expression remaining calm despite the countless uncertainties surrounding their objective. Years of military service had taught him that fear accomplished nothing. Preparation mattered. Discipline mattered. Information mattered. Fear merely clouded judgment. Behind him marched nearly three hundred carefully selected personnel, each chosen specifically for their expertise. Some specialized in combat. Others in survival. Several possessed advanced magical knowledge. The Empire had not simply assembled strong warriors. It had assembled a team designed to investigate. Every member understood their role. Every member understood the importance of the mission. Yet despite their professionalism, occasional glances toward the distant horizon betrayed a simple truth. They were nervous.
The Tower remained visible throughout the entire journey.
That alone was deeply unsettling.
Normally, distance diminished the presence of even the largest structures. Mountains appeared smaller as one moved away from them. Castles eventually vanished beyond the horizon. The Tower obeyed no such logic. Day after day, it continued dominating the skyline. Whether viewed from a city, a forest, or an open plain, the colossal structure remained visible. Its upper sections disappeared into the heavens while the gigantic celestial rings surrounding it slowly rotated without pause. At night, silver runes illuminated portions of its surface, creating an eerie glow that transformed the distant monument into something almost alive. Many soldiers found themselves staring at it during rest periods. Some claimed the runes moved differently each time they looked. Others swore the structure appeared larger than before. Nobody could prove such observations. Yet nobody felt comfortable dismissing them either.
The first several days passed without major incidents. The unit maintained steady progress while gathering environmental data from surrounding regions. Teams of mages continuously monitored mana fluctuations. Scholars accompanying the expedition recorded observations regarding wildlife behavior and plant life. Initially, conditions appeared relatively normal. Villages continued functioning. Forests remained healthy. Rivers flowed peacefully through the landscape. However, subtle changes gradually emerged as they advanced deeper toward the Tower’s location. Wildlife became increasingly scarce. Birds that should have filled the skies were noticeably absent. Entire sections of forest seemed unusually quiet. The natural sounds that typically accompanied wilderness travel began disappearing one by one. Several soldiers commented upon the silence. It wasn’t complete silence. Rather, it felt incomplete. As though nature itself had begun withdrawing from the region.
By the sixth day, the environmental deterioration became impossible to ignore. The lush grasslands that once covered vast stretches of countryside gradually transformed into dull gray fields. Trees appeared weaker. Leaves lost portions of their color. Streams contained noticeably fewer fish. One evening, a scouting team returned with disturbing news regarding a nearby forest. According to their report, hundreds of animals had been discovered moving away from the Tower in organized migrations. Deer. Wolves. Rabbits. Even predators that normally hunted one another appeared united by a single instinct. Escape. Commander Reinhardt listened carefully before requesting additional verification. The following day, multiple teams confirmed the same phenomenon. Nature itself was retreating.
The realization spread unease throughout the expedition.
Experienced soldiers trusted their instincts.
And every instinct currently screamed that something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Several more days passed.
The Tower continued growing larger.
The environment continued deteriorating.
Then they reached the point where everything changed.
It happened shortly after sunrise.
The expedition had been advancing through a vast plain when the lead scouts suddenly signaled for the column to halt. Commander Reinhardt immediately rode forward to investigate. At first glance, nothing appeared unusual. The landscape remained open and unobstructed. No monsters were visible. No enemy forces had been detected. Yet the scouts’ expressions suggested otherwise.
"Commander."
One veteran soldier pointed ahead.
"Something’s there."
Reinhardt frowned.
"There?"
The scout nodded.
"We can’t see it. But something’s there."
The commander dismounted and walked forward several meters. Initially, he felt nothing. Then it happened.
Pressure.
A strange pressure settled upon his body.
It wasn’t particularly strong.
Not yet.
Yet it definitely existed.
The sensation resembled walking into deep water. Invisible resistance surrounded him from every direction. Every movement suddenly required slightly more effort than before.
Reinhardt’s expression darkened.
He wasn’t imagining it.
Something had changed.
Orders were immediately issued for magical analysis. Several mages stepped forward and began examining the area. Their results only deepened the mystery. No barriers could be detected. No spells were active. No mana formations existed beneath the ground. Yet despite those findings, everyone who advanced beyond a certain point experienced the same sensation. Resistance.
Pressure.
Weight.
The expedition continued forward cautiously.
With each passing kilometer, the phenomenon intensified.
The change remained subtle initially.
Then it became noticeable.
Then impossible to ignore.
Conversations gradually decreased as soldiers focused on maintaining pace. Every step felt heavier than the last. Their equipment seemed to weigh more despite remaining unchanged. Breathing became slightly more difficult. Fatigue accumulated faster than normal. Even the horses began displaying signs of discomfort. The powerful military mounts that had accompanied the expedition throughout the journey grew increasingly agitated. Several refused direct commands. Others struggled to maintain formation.
Commander Reinhardt quickly realized they had encountered their first major obstacle.
The Tower was affecting them.
Directly.
No visible mechanism existed.
No explanation accompanied the phenomenon.
Yet the effect was undeniable.
As evening approached, the expedition established camp. Reports from every division confirmed identical observations. The pressure intensified in direct proportion to their proximity to the Tower. The closer they moved, the stronger it became. Several scholars proposed theories involving mana density. Others suggested divine influence. None of the explanations adequately accounted for the phenomenon.
The following morning provided further confirmation.
Several soldiers who had slept normally throughout the night awoke exhausted.
Not physically.
Mentally.
Many described vivid dreams involving the Tower. Others complained of persistent headaches. One experienced mage reported feeling as though something was observing him throughout the darkness.
Nobody liked that report.
The expedition continued regardless.
Three days later, the situation worsened dramatically.
The pressure had increased to the point where ordinary movement required concentration. Soldiers remained capable of marching, but the effort demanded far more energy than before. Horses began collapsing periodically from exhaustion. Communication artifacts suffered intermittent malfunctions. Long-range magical transmissions became unreliable. Several enchanted devices stopped functioning entirely.
Most alarming of all, the landscape surrounding them had transformed completely.
Nothing lived here.
Nothing.
The forests had become skeletal graveyards of dead trees. Rivers contained stagnant water. Grasslands resembled endless fields of ash. Even the air felt wrong. Cold. Empty. Lifeless.
It was as though the world itself had died.
One evening, while examining a nearby ridge, Reinhardt finally witnessed the Tower up close for the first time.
And his breath caught.
The structure dwarfed imagination.
From distant cities, it appeared enormous.
From here, it appeared impossible.
The Tower consumed the horizon entirely. Its black-silver walls stretched endlessly upward until they vanished beyond the heavens. The rotating rings surrounding its structure appeared larger than entire mountain ranges. Silver runes moved across the dark surface like living stars. freewёbnoνel.com
For the first time since beginning the mission, genuine fear entered Reinhardt’s heart.
Not because of danger.
Because of scale.
Humanity simply wasn’t meant to create something like this.
The realization lingered as the expedition resumed its advance.
And then they discovered the second problem.
The Tower had no entrance.
By the time the expedition reached the base region, every soldier expected to find gates, doors, pathways, or some indication of access. After all, the heavenly announcement had encouraged humanity to challenge the Tower. Naturally, people assumed entry would be straightforward. fгeewebnovёl.com
They were wrong.
Terribly wrong.
The structure’s colossal walls rose from the earth like an eternal cliff face. Smooth black stone extended endlessly in both directions. No doors existed. No windows. No openings. Nothing.
Just an uninterrupted wall.
The expedition spent hours searching.
Then an entire day.
Then another.
Nothing.
Every team returned with identical findings.
No entrances.
No weaknesses.
No explanations.
Commander Reinhardt personally inspected the surface. The stone felt cold beneath his hand. Unnaturally cold. Several mages attempted magical analysis only to discover their spells dissipated instantly upon contact. Soldiers struck the wall with enchanted weapons. The attacks accomplished absolutely nothing. Not a scratch appeared.
One particularly powerful battle mage launched a high-tier offensive spell against the structure.
The result shocked everyone.
The spell simply vanished.
Absorbed.
Consumed.
As though it had never existed.
Silence followed.
The soldiers stared at the wall.
The wall remained silent.
Immovable.
Unchanging.
For the first time since reaching the Tower, many began questioning whether entry was even possible.
The heavenly announcement had spoken of ascension.
Of trials.
Of one hundred floors.
Yet humanity currently stood before an indestructible wall with no visible entrance.
As darkness gradually descended across the dead lands surrounding the Tower, Commander Reinhardt gazed upward at the colossal structure towering above them.
The Empire’s first expedition had succeeded.
They had discovered information.
Important information.
The Tower could not be approached casually.
The Tower exerted overwhelming pressure upon its surroundings.
The Tower killed the land around it.
And most importantly...
The Tower did not appear interested in letting anyone inside.
[To Be Continued]
