Chapter 18
The Burden of Power
Miguel stood at the threshold of the trial chamber, his chest rising and falling as he steadied himself. The gravity that had once sought to crush him now lingered within him, a force he could feel thrumming at his core.
A system prompt flickered.
[Gravity Affinity Acquired: Unstable State]
[Warning: Uncontrolled use may result in physical strain.]
Miguel clenched his fists. Figures. Nothing comes easy in this damn place.
The passage ahead stretched into darkness, the air thick with something unspoken. He could feel the Tower watching him.
The Watcher's voice echoed in his mind.
"Now you truly belong."
Miguel exhaled and stepped forward.
---
The Descent into the Hollow Spire
The corridor sloped downward, the walls changing subtly the deeper he went. The smooth stone gave way to a darker, metallic surface, pulsing faintly with blue veins of energy. The air carried an almost imperceptible hum, like the Tower itself was alive.
Miguel slowed his steps, instincts warning him. He tightened his grip on his spear, testing the weight in his hands. His movements felt… different.
He crouched and pushed off the ground—
And nearly slammed into the ceiling.
He twisted midair, landing hard with a grunt.
[Warning: Gravity Affinity Active – Uncontrolled Surge Detected]
Miguel groaned. "Yeah, I noticed."
The power was there, raw and unrefined, reacting to his intent but without precision. He needed to learn to control it.
He stood, flexing his fingers, focusing on the weight pressing on his body. If he could manipulate it consciously—
He took another step, this time willing himself to stay grounded.
His body settled.
Miguel smirked. Not bad. Let's see what else I can do.
The path opened into a vast underground chamber.
Miguel's breath caught. This was different.
The walls curved upward, forming a massive dome of obsidian and metal, stretching so high that he couldn't see the ceiling. The floor was layered with crumbling structures, remnants of something ancient. Tower ruins… but why would ruins exist inside the Tower itself?
Then he saw it.
At the chamber's center stood a colossal monolith, a jagged, jet-black pillar covered in ancient runes. Unlike the rest of the Tower, it looked worn, cracked—as if it had been here far longer than it should have.
A system prompt flickered.
[Unknown Structure Identified: The Hollow Spire]
[Analysis: Origin Data… Corrupted]
Miguel frowned. "Corrupted?"
His gut told him this place wasn't part of the Tower's original design.
Something else had made it.
Then, the gravity changed.
The air thickened as a ripple of force spread outward from the monolith, causing loose debris to lift before slamming back down. Miguel staggered, adjusting his stance as the unseen force distorted the space around him.
It was subtle—shifting, like an invisible current—but it wasn't natural. It was like something was pulling reality apart at the seams.
He clenched his fists, the gravity inside him resonating with the disturbance.
And then came the growl.
Low. Rumbling. Like stone grinding against stone.
Miguel turned sharply, muscles tensing.
From the shadows of the ruins, they emerged.
Figures cloaked in darkness, hunched and unnatural, their bodies shifting like liquid shadow. Their eyes glowed faintly, staring at him with an intelligence that sent a chill down his spine.
A system prompt flashed.
[Enemies Detected: Hollowborn Sentinels]
[Threat Level: Extreme]
Miguel raised his spear, his instincts screaming.
Then, they attacked.
---
The Battle of the Hollowborn
The first Sentinel moved faster than Miguel expected, a blur of twisting shadow that coiled into existence in front of him. It struck with elongated claws, aiming for his throat.
Miguel barely dodged, shifting his weight—
And suddenly, he moved too fast.
His body surged forward with unnatural speed, gravity pulling him mid-dodge, throwing off his balance. He overcompensated, landing awkwardly as the second Sentinel lunged from the side.
Miguel gritted his teeth. Control. I need control.
The Sentinel struck.
Miguel planted his spear into the ground—
And willed himself to anchor.
The force locked him in place, his body refusing to move as if weighted by unseen chains.
The Sentinel's claws scraped against his armor, but Miguel didn't budge.
His Gravity Affinity had activated.
A smirk pulled at his lips. "My turn."
He twisted his spear—
And released the weight all at once.
The sudden shift launched him straight into the Sentinel, his spear piercing its core in a single fluid motion.
The creature let out a piercing shriek, its body imploding inward as the force crushed it into itself.
[Hollowborn Sentinel Defeated]
Miguel landed lightly, feeling the difference now.
This power—it wasn't just pulling or pushing gravity. It was rewriting the weight of existence itself.
The other two Sentinels circled, now more cautious.
Miguel grinned. "Let's see how heavy I can make you."
He raised his palm, focusing—
The nearest Sentinel lurched, its body suddenly dragged downward.
Miguel increased its weight tenfold.
The shadowy creature let out a garbled shriek as it collapsed under its own gravity, the stone beneath it cracking from the force.
Miguel sprinted forward, twisting his spear—
[Skill Activated: Gravity Break]
He slammed his weapon into the creature's core, and the sheer force of impact caused the very space around it to ripple. The Sentinel shattered like glass, its dark essence fading into the mist.
Only one remained.
It took a step back.
Miguel smirked. "Yeah. That's what I thought."
The creature fled into the darkness, vanishing among the ruins.
A system prompt flickered.
[Battle Complete: Gravity Affinity Stabilized]
Miguel exhaled. His body felt lighter. Stronger. He was starting to understand his new power.
But the monolith still stood in the center of the chamber, watching. Waiting.
And something told Miguel that this battle was only the beginning.
---
Outside the Game – Observation Room
The observation team watched in silence.
A technician adjusted his headset. "Sir… we just lost direct system access to the Hollow Spire."
Dr. Halloway's fingers drummed against the desk. "What do you mean 'lost access?'"
The lead engineer swallowed. "It's rewriting itself."
The storm outside flared violently.
And Miguel had no idea that he was rewriting more than just gravity.
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