Chapter 2: Parents

Parents... Arthur had known his parents once. The memory was faint, like a vestige of his past self.

As he heard the words, an unknown sense of longing ignited in his heart. His memories only contained a faint image of his parents' appearance. Family was a term he'd long abandoned, as it was the cost of power.

The Heavenly Spire. It was what he dedicated his entire life to.

But he didn't regret it. If he could choose between family and power, he would still choose the latter. The sense of invigoration and invincibility was too precious to abandon. Family was something of the past, anyway.

However, it was like Arthur's brain stopped functioning once he faced the three people behind the bearded man.

"Hey Magnus, Anna, Lily," greeted the bearded man enthusiastically. He then moved out of the way to allow the three to approach Arthur. "It seems Arthur woke up a bit early today. I was wondering if he wanted to work more after night fell."

"Don't overwork our son, Jeremy," said Magnus with a faint smile hanging on his lips. "You should cut down on drinking, Jeremy. Your cheeks are flushed, and I can practically taste the liquor from the scent you're exuding."

"Can't promise, Magnus," said Jeremy. "I take pride in my drinking addiction."

"Geez, it's not a competition, Jeremy," said Anna, letting out a giggle. Lily, Arthur's sister, also giggled alongside her mother.

"Uncle Jeremy," said Lily. "You should find a woman to drag you home from the bar every night. Dad says his back hurts."

"I'll do that, little one," said Jeremy with a bright smile on his face. "Hey, would you be my wife?"

"No!" Lily said before breaking out into a giggle. "I'm not strong enough to drag you home. Maybe Aunt Melinda can be your wife. She's been looking for a man with muscles recently. You're strong, right?"

"I sure am, little one," replied Jeremy. "I could lift Aunt Melinda with a finger. Although, she might not like that."

"Making such jokes to a child isn't okay, Jeremy," scolded Anna gently. "The fact that they're hidden beneath your words isn't helping, either."

"Sorry, Anna."

Anna, instead of acknowledging the apology, turned to face Arthur, who had spaced out with a blank expression clouding his face. "What's wrong, Arthur? Did you work too much today? You woke up due to fatigue, right?"

Magnus directed a glare towards Jeremy, whose eyes widened in indignance. "Hey, it isn't my fault. We worked a bit less than usual, actually."

"Still, lighten the load," said Magnus.

"He's the one who wanted a raise," Jeremy attempted to justify his actions by putting the blame on Arthur. "It's not my fault he's not man enough to handle it. He should live by his words, no matter how difficult it gets."

"Arthur?" Anna asked, ignoring the bickering between the two men. She waved her hand in front of her son's face, but he didn't display a reaction. "Arthur!?"

Unable to cope with the lack of reaction, she gently shook him. Suddenly, color returned to Arthur's face, and he hugged Anna as tightly as possible. He couldn't release her... after so many years...

He hadn't realized it at first, but he had returned to the past.

The stable owned by his employer and uncle, the clothes sewn personally by his mother, and the hay he had collected himself. They were all memories of the past he'd buried under the pretense of becoming stronger.

But he didn't understand one thing. He had died at the hands of the Demons, Angels, other clans, and his own clanmates. How was he able to return to the past? It was truly a mystery. Was time so easy to manipulate?

Neither the players on the 98th floor nor the transcendents on the 99th floor could access the domain of time.

There wasn't a trace of a living being on the 100th floor, although it was rumored that God sat there.

Could God have sent him back? It seemed unlikely, considering he'd never interfered with the Heaven's Spire. His presence wasn't even known.

People simply believed reaching the 100th floor would grant them a wish. However, some believed in the existence of God while others didn't. It was a controversial topic since some clans simply worshipped the Demons and Angels.

Anyway, he couldn't worry about the catalyst just yet.

Anna hesitantly hugged her son back, trapping him in a grip even the Demons and Angels would be fearful of. Pure joy was written all over her face as if she'd never received a hug from her son before.

"You said you were too embarrassed to hug your mother once you become an adult," said Anna. "It seems you just can't resist, huh?"

Magnus, Jeremy, and Lily simply watched, unsure of what to do.

The sun had already set, and the moonlight was the only source of illumination for the entire village.

Once the hug between Arthur and Anna was complete, the former quickly went ahead and trapped his father and sister in a similar hug. Although his family was unsure of what ignited such love, they didn't question it.

Arthur could show them as much love as he wanted.

"Such a wholesome moment," said Jeremy. "Truly. Just get to work on time tomorrow, or you're fired. Familial love shouldn't interfere with a man's work."

With those words, Jeremy excused himself. However, no one took his words as a threat. Jeremy was Arthur's uncle. He wouldn't fire him, no matter what deed Arthur committed.

"Um, Uncle Jeremy," called Arthur in a hesitant tone. He felt uncomfortable using the word "uncle" along with the childish voice of his current body. Although he was an adult, his deep voice was nowhere to be found. "I'm quitting my job."

Jeremy waved in dismissal. "I'm in no mood for jokes, little one."

"I'm not joking," Arthur persisted. "I'm quitting my job now. I wish to build my strength in order to potentially challenge and climb the tower."

Silence.