Tower of god: A different Baam

Darkness.

It was the only word that came to mind as I faced this unknown environment that was engulfing me.

I was floating—or something close to it—in an ocean of absolute darkness, without the slightest reflection, without the slightest light.

A total void.

No sound, no taste, no smell. Nothing to touch. Nothing to see. Just this infinite nothingness.

At first, it was peaceful. A strange quietude enveloped me, as if I were only a thought suspended in the universe.

I was nothing more than a point lost in an unfathomable immensity. I was everything and nothing at the same time.

And yet, in this space where everything seemed to have ceased to exist... I felt like I was the only one to exist.

The more time passed—if time even exists in this space—the more fragments of memories resurfaced. I was slowly remembering what I was. A human. I had hands, feet, a body...

…

Okay, let's stop this stupid introspection.

My situation was easy to understand.

I'm dead.

Eventually.

Oddly enough, I took it well. That was what surprised me the most. Usually, people would panic, terrified at the idea of ​​being trapped in an abysmal void for eternity. But me? Nothing. Maybe my emotions had died with me.

Or maybe... it was just that I couldn't do anything about it.

Death is an inevitable cycle for all living beings. An end that no one escapes. I could tell myself that it was destiny.

Even if one thing was likely to haunt me for a long time.

Boredom.

Contrary to some beliefs about life after death—heaven, hell, reincarnation—the idea of ​​nothingness seemed the most widespread. A place where consciousness is extinguished, where it is impossible to think.

But my case was different. I could think as clearly as when I was alive. I remembered everything. My past life, insignificant. Orphaned. A mundane daily life. Nothing worth regretting.

Yet the idea of ​​an eternity in this infinite void... that made me anxious.

The last moments of my earthly life resurfaced.

Especially this strange software.

A quiz claiming to offer me a chance at reincarnation. Then this searing pain in my chest...

I could swear that I had never had the slightest heart problem in my entire life.

Too big to be a coincidence.

Was this survey really real? And if it was... why me? Among the 8 billion humans on Earth, what could one possibly expect from someone like me?

I mentally sighed. Too many questions. I had never been the type to think so much.

And then, if this really was an Isekai or some other delusion, where was my ROB? My divine entity ready to welcome me and grant my wishes?

Despite everything, the idea cheered me up a little. If I had a chance to get a better life than my old one… I would seize it.

So I waited.

Patiently.

.

.

.

1 day later.

Well… It's been a day. But I can understand. This place is big. There must be navigation issues, right?

Patience is a virtue, after all.

Yeah… Well, that's what I read in a stupid cultivation novel.

.

.

A month later.

...

Okay. I think there's a slight delivery issue.

But hey, I wasn't going to complain. I'd been through this kind of hassle before. Once, I had the brilliant idea of ​​ordering from AliExpress... Three years of waiting to receive a ridiculous counterfeit.

That day, I should have smashed that fake iPhone on the delivery guy's face, even if he had nothing to do with it.

Reasonable crash-out, right?

.

.

A year later.

F*CK YOU!

I screamed in my head. My mind had taken a big beating in this silent hell.

I had never been a very social person, but the total isolation was another level of psychological torture.

And all of this… it was only for a single year.

How did I know?

Simple.

I had counted.

Okay, it wasn't precise, but it helped me stay sane. Well, if you could still call it that…

I exhaled, even though it was nothing but emptiness.

F*ck…

I should have never accepted that damn notification! Look where it got me! I was promised reincarnation and in the end, I just got f*cked! A pure and simple scam!

I want a refund for fraud!

...

Of course, no one answered.

Only silence… again and again him, like an invisible companion who refused to leave me in peace.

I felt… how to say… depressed, anxious, angry, sad and…

Scared.

Afraid of the idea of ​​staying here forever.

An oppressive tranquility that would accompany me until the end of time…

But this tranquility did not last.

Suddenly, at the most unexpected moment, when I was reaching the bottom of my pathetic existence… something happened.

For the first time since I arrived here, an unknown phenomenon appeared.

If I still had a body, my eyes would have widened.

Finally!

I had always known that patience bore fruit!

Let's forget that depressing monologue from earlier, okay?

The phenomenon—whatever it was—began to distort the space around me.

Then, a light burst forth.

If I still had eyes, it would have surely blinded me.

Light? I had almost forgotten what it looked like.

Putting aside this irony, I focused on this strange bluish and ethereal glow.

It gave off something soothing… much more pleasant than the nothingness that surrounded me until then.

The light gradually condensed, tightening on itself, until it formed…

A square.

No…

A transparent window.

My gaze fixed on this strange window, trying to understand what it was.

But in reality, I didn't even have to think long.

Thanks to my experience as an avid reader of manhwas and other fictions, I knew exactly what I had before my eyes.

And before I could even concretize this thought, the window confirmed my suspicions.

[Host's soul is stabilized.]

[System integration in progress.]

[Loading: 1%]

...

Oh.

Things are finally starting to get interesting.

So this was the system that quiz promised?

Well, I guess I owe him an apology for all the insults I've been throwing around... But do I forgive him for this interminable wait? Absolutely not.

...

Wait, why am I reacting so calmly?

My old self would have exploded with excitement at the sight of this. After all, it's every otaku's dream, right? A system, a real one.

But now...

Nothing.

No uncontrollable excitement, no panic either.

My mind is clear. Stable.

As if the madness that threatened to break me had suddenly dissipated.

It must be the system, right?

This light... It must have done something to my mind. Cleaned my mind, readjusted my thoughts. Giving me a rational direction.

This is good news. I don't want to be seen as a deranged person as soon as I arrive in a new world.

A new world...

The Tower...

Maybe I made a mistake by underestimating what it represents.

A world very, very different from Earth.

But is this really where I'm going to be reincarnated?

Nothing guarantees it.

Nothing tells me that I'll be the main character either.

I should focus on the present, before getting lost in suppositions.

[Loading: 2%]

Hmm... Now I'll just have to wait and see where all this will lead me.

.

.

.

[Loading: 100%]

Ah, finally! I felt like this was going to take forever.

Honestly, it reminds me of those endless updates you had to endure before you could launch a game. What a pain...

Anyway, it's time to find out what awaits me with this system. A classic based on reincarnation? A thing to make its user stronger? Or something more... original?

I have no idea where it comes from, but as long as it can get me out of here, it doesn't matter. We'll see about the details later.

[Welcome, host. The Omniscient System welcomes you.]

A message appeared in front of me, projecting immaculate letters into nothingness.

Well... The name lacks originality, but it at least has the merit of being intriguing. Well, if only I understood what it really implies.

Omniscient, huh? I guess that means it knows everything? It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

[The host can change the System's name to suit themselves.]

Oh, no, that'll do. "Omniscient" is fine. I have no other ideas in mind, and besides, there are far more pressing matters to attend to.

Anyway, what are your functions? Can you communicate in ways other than these text windows? By voice, perhaps?

[Neither. The System sends information directly to the host's soul and displays messages visually for convenience. As for the System's functions, they will be revealed once you are reincarnated.]

I rolled my eyes, exasperated.

Really? What are these requirements? What if I wanted to know what you could do before you were dropped into a chaotic world? Wouldn't that make more sense?

[I'm sorry, host. Time is running out. The dimension you're in—a place where neither time nor space exist—is on the verge of collapse. Outside interference has weakened its structure. It's already been difficult for the System to locate your soul in an endless infinity.]

I slowly assimilated this new information. Convenient, to have this data directly anchored in my mind... but one thing intrigued me.

Outside interference? Who is responsible? Your creator? Another being?

This time, the message appeared in red, with a cross above the window, like an alert.

[The host does not yet possess enough Divinity to access this information!]

Divinity?

It didn't really surprise me that I had to reach a certain level to access other functions of the system, but... why this notion of "Divinity"?

Almost immediately, a new window appeared, returning to its original color.

[Divinity represents several aspects. However, the reason why the System wishes to guide you towards transcendence remains unknown to the host. You must reach a certain threshold of understanding to grasp its true implications.]

Great. More questions than answers.

System, I suppose you can't tell me your final goal either, or why I am your master when anyone else could have answered the same questions as me?

[The host does not yet possess enough Divinity to access this information!]

If I had a physical body, I would probably have pinched the bridge of my nose, while wondering what the hell I got myself into.

So, in short, I must blindly follow a System that refuses to tell me what it really wants? That's suspicious as hell.

Well, no point going around in circles.

I think you can at least explain to me how to gain Divinity? And while you're at it, why am I reincarnated in Tower of God, mainly as the 25th Baam?

There must be a reason.

[The host need not worry. While these questions are accessible to your level, each answer will come in due time. However, there are only a few minutes left before this dimension of nothingness collapses, permanently annihilating the host's soul. It is advisable to use this time to select your starter pack before entering the Tower.]

Urgh... As frustrating as it may be, I don't want to end up erased into nothingness.

Might as well focus on that famous 'starting bonus'. I had briefly heard about it during the quiz... before dying miserably.

I sincerely hope that this pack will boost my abilities. Because Baam, at the beginning of the story, is pathetically weak. If I could avoid this miserable period and ensure my survival at least a little, that would already be a good start.

After all, who says the story will follow the canon exactly?

What if Yuri wasn't there to give me the Black March? What if I had to face that damn giant eel alone?

Nothing guarantees that this reality is identical to the original...

I shook my head. No time to worry about the future. The present itself is a threat.

I have to get out of here. Quickly.

System, select the welcome gift, I declared mentally, my lack of voice making verbal communication impossible.

Immediately, a new interface appeared, casting a soft glow in this pristine and immaculate environment. My eyes immediately fell on what could help me solidify my foundations from the beginning of my story.

A yellow gift, similar to those found under a Christmas tree, appeared in the tab. It bounced slightly, as if trying to build excitement. Then, with a soft pop, it finally opened.

[Congratulations, host! You have obtained a divine-rank gift :

God of Shinsu !]

God of Shinsu? The name alone sounded incredibly powerful. And given its rank—although I don't know the exact order of classifications yet—it seemed to confirm my suspicions.

But to be sure... System, can you provide me with a detailed description of this gift?

At my request, a list of words appeared before my nonexistent eyes, detailing in detail the effects of this gift.

[God of Shinsu:

- His name is not there by chance. As soon as you enter the Tower, your body and soul will be reshaped, rebuilt and purified by the divine water of the Tower.

- As a result, you will become one with him. The Shinsu will always be linked to you, worshiping you as if it saw in you its true God.

- Your talent for manipulating Shinsu as well as your resistance to it will place you far above any living being in the Tower.

- However, this blessing does not make you invincible. Entities more powerful than you or more masterful of the Shinsu can still surpass you.]

I let the words sink in, until my mind fully assimilated the weight of this gift.

Holy sh*t!

My silent outburst was more than justified. This gift was simply too OP! Even my future incarnation, the 25th Baam, praised for his innate talent with Shinsu, seemed paltry in comparison.

Just that thought led to another, far more intriguing one…

If Baam possessed the highest potential among the Irregulars… then where did I stand in comparison to them?

A smirk stretched across my imaginary lips.

So, I was becoming a living embodiment of Shinsu, a being that this divine energy itself would naturally recognize and follow?

My mental smile grew even wider.

This will make my climb much more interesting…

This was only a first step, and while it didn't make me invincible, it was more than enough to guarantee my survival up to the 20th floor…

Unless something unexpected happened to compromise my plans along the way…

While I was deep in thought, a dull pressure suddenly crept into the void, breaking its omnipresent silence.

An invisible force weighed on my being, oppressive, intangible, but terribly real.

A shiver ran through me—or at least, that's what it would have felt if I still had a body.

Something was changing.

The darkness was no longer this peaceful, stagnant void. It had become a heavy, suffocating, almost threatening presence. A strange sensation washed over me, a mixture of anxiety and uncontrollable anticipation.

Sh*t… don't tell me this is…

System! I screamed internally, panic erupting in my mind like a clap of thunder. My voice echoed in the void, so loud it could almost be heard from outside. Get me out of here, now!

[The reincarnation process begins now…]

At those words, something began to move.

In the midst of this absolute darkness, a bright light burst forth.

At first it was fragile, like a flickering light in the heart of a bottomless pit. Then it grew, throbbing, pulsing slowly like a star about to explode.

The glow spread, devouring the shadows, invading my entire field of perception until it blinded me.

Before I could even comprehend what was happening, an invisible force brutally tore me from my immobility.

The nothingness disappeared.

And I fell.

I fell again and again, without ever stopping. I could do nothing, prisoner of an invisible force that was inexorably dragging me towards the unknown. I felt like a fish caught on a hook, forced to the surface without the slightest control.

The nothingness had long since disappeared, replaced by a spectacle of indescribable beauty. Around me, filaments of light of all colors danced and swirled, like shooting stars splitting the infinite cosmos.

It was… magnificent.

Then, as if time itself had ceased to exist, my fall came to an abrupt halt. My inexorable descent was stopped dead in its tracks by an invisible force.

The flashes of light around me dimmed and dispersed as a huge crack opened up before me. Space itself seemed to tear itself apart, revealing a gaping opening, like a door opening to invite me in.

Wait… A door?

The contours of the fault became clearer, taking shape before my eyes. It was not a simple breach, but a colossal door, exceeding a hundred meters in height and width. A spectacle both impressive and unreal.

It was the door of the Tower, it was even more massive and seemed almost divine if I compared its adaptation in the Webtoon or in the anime.

The crevasse widened even more, and the two leaves opened completely, as if they were trying to embrace the whole world… Well, the comparison was strange, but that was the image that came to mind.

Behind the door, a bright light awaited me. Much more blinding than anything I had seen so far. Instinctively, I closed my eyes for a moment, fearing that this intense brightness would truly make me blind.

However…

The filaments of light began to converge towards me, enveloping me without me doing anything. They danced around my being, as if they were afraid that I would disappear in the next moment. Then, to my amazement, they seeped into me, merging into my essence with disconcerting ease.

My soul—or rather, my very existence—synchronized with this mysterious light, absorbing it, consuming it greedily.

To my surprise, there was no pain or discomfort. On the contrary, this light strengthened me. It purified my being, shaping it, elevating it to a more perfect form.

The pieces of the puzzle aligned in my mind.

The gift of the God of Shinsu!

This light… it had to be Shinsu! This divine water capable of anything, provided you know how to master it.

This feeling of power growing within me was exhilarating. For the first time in my life—no, in my two lives—I felt this surge of strength, this exhilarating feeling of transformation.

But this moment of ecstasy was short-lived.

Suddenly, my body began to race toward the door again, as if guided by an invisible trajectory.

In an instant, I was propelled through the immense opening, disappearing into the golden glow that swallowed me up entirely.

Behind me, the door slowly closed, while the surrounding Shinsu returned to their eternal rest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello again I guess.

Here is another chapter, basically this chapter should be in chapter 1, but I decided to cut the chapters in two to finally make it, thinking that it would have been too long for a first episode.

I would like to add that for those wondering how strong the MC will be on the test stage, well, extremely strong, at least compared to his original monologue. He's not going to beat high Rankers like Evan or Yuri right from the start of the story, although I'm not going to lie to you, he might catch up with them very soon. Just his gift makes a difference.

But of course, who says the MC will be overpowered, the power scaling must be too. The characters in my story will undeniably be more powerful than the canon ones for the sake of the MC progression, and also I have some issues with the power level that SIU has implemented.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, the next one will probably come out tomorrow. Bye ;)

Throw stones to support my story !