Chapter 49-Tower of Blood(2)

After what felt like hours, George stood alone. The field was silent once more, littered with the broken bodies of the villagers. His sword dripped with blood, and his vision blurred from exhaustion.

The voice of the tower spoke again, softer this time.

"You have passed the test. The peace is gone, and the blood is spilled. Such is the nature of sacrifice."

George dropped to his knees, his chest heaving. "What kind of strength demands this? What kind of world requires this…?"

Before him, a pedestal rose from the ground, holding a shimmering red crystal.

As George grasped the crystal, pain lanced through his body, and he let out a cry. The power surged within him, filling the void left by his guilt with raw strength.

The field faded, replaced once more by the cold, unyielding walls of the tower. The door to the second floor appeared, shrouded in crimson mist.