TOG: The Hound

After I died I ended up in a void of sorts. I was floating aimlessly my body gone just my spirit remained.

"Welcome to my humble slice of reality mortal. I'm Q well my real name can't be processed by your feeble mind but Q will do."

A being with dear horns and sockets but no eyes with a grin that touched his ears wearing an expensive-looking suit materialized. I was startled but I couldn't move.

"Now I'll lay down the rules of what is about to happen. Yes, you will be reincarnated. Yes, you will get your wishes. But I warn you anything overpowered and I send you to Warhammer 40k as a futunari with a drug problem that addicted to every fetish in the known multiverse. Understood" 

I tried saying "Yes"

"Good. Now the world has already been selected. You will be sent to the world of the Tower of God. It's an intriguing verse, still ongoing, and yes I'm a fan Now your wishes must make sense to create a new you that can survive and entertain me. I'm tired of sending people to DC or Marvel or some anime It's boring sooo I'm trying something new. And you're my first guinea pig"

Great just great I haven't read that manhua in ages. I was catching up on other things. My memory of it was hast a best...fuck. I needed to be skilled that's a given. I had some skill with a spear but I wouldn't call myself an expert. But with a wish I can give myself the potential to surpass any expert. Now I'm pretty sure the energy in that world is called shi...something.

The first thing I need is.

"Give me a body and talent on par with Cu Chulainn from the Fate series, his skills, and abilities but I'll have to train to ingrain them into my body properly and I also want his cursed spear"

"...Interesting...very interesting. Done I'll convert the abilities to suit that works. But the Noble Phantasm will be the spear's ignition. So to use it you'll have to earn the spears recognition. Runes will use Shinsu instead of mana, and your abilities like magic resistance, battle continuation, and protection from arrows. 

Hmm...Magic resistance becomes Shinsu resistance, the battle continuation can be attributed to your demigod physique and warrior will should you develop that, and...hmm the skills will be given to you via memory like Deja Vu...a life you once lived, but to truly ingrain those skills into you muscle, your bones, your heart you must train. Hmm, this is a good start, done right you have a good foundation and a clear path to strength. You get one more wish and if it is just as good I may give a gift."

The being was clearly delighted, then again with the kind of generic wishes he has had to grant it was somewhat understandable. Now I have a strong physique and deadly abilities. What I'm missing is explosive power. Chu Chulainn is more about speed and technique with a power focus on precision strikes. Even his noble phantasm is more suited to one-on-one fights.

Don't get me wrong he's got the skills to run the fade with an army. But to wipe one out with one attack, maybe with the right runes, But one shooting armies? Nuking fortresses, the emasculate AOE attacks...yeah. That's not him....hmm well there is that altered version of his whose Nobel Phantasm is anti-army instead of anti-unit...meh.

I need something compatible. Abilities that can be seamlessly incorporated into a spear-fighting style. Sooo I need a buster lancer. Someone cracked, hmmm. Vlad III was strong in Apocrypha but that was mostly because he was summoned on his home turf. 

Fionn Mac Cumhaill...no, Elizabeth Báthory... not, Leonidas I... a GOAT but not what I'm looking for, Enkidu busted....very busted but does use a spear to fight...he like his best friend is an OP spammer. Hmm...yes...he could work...In fact, he's perfect.

"Give me the abilities of Karna from Fate/Apocrypha. Make a seamless blend of demigod physiques since both his and Chu Chulainn's father were Sun gods. Same deal as before as it relates to techniques."

"Delicious truly delicious. Since his divinity was A rank while Chu Chulainn's was B I'll roung you off to 3/4 god blood. He also possesses higher magic resistance so that's another boost. Now onto the Flame-type Mana Burst. Simple enough just change that to be power by Shinsu. Now the fun toys. You're not ready to handle any not even Brahmastra. They'll be special moves associated with your now-named Shinsu Burst technique. But since there more dangerous than Gae Bolg, you'll have at least somewhat mastered and attained a stable level of control of its ignition to use them. 

But I'm taking away Kavacha and Kundala for now. I might feel generous in the future and drop off somewhere on the higher floors. But at the start, it would make things too easy. You'll unlock your Shinsu Burst when you learn the ins and outs of Shinsu itself. 

As for Vasavi Shakti...hmm when you reach the level when your body can handle it. It will be available to you. But since using it requires you to temporarily sacrifice your armor, you should put it out of your mind until you obtain said armor."

Well, that was better than he expected to be honest. Karna had some busted abilities and...I actually wanted a challenge. 

"Now for my gifts. I let you customize how you look and the clothes you'll be wearing upon your entry to the tower. And hmmm something from the same verse as you wish to keep with the trend I suppose. Going with the Lancer theme you seem to like. I'll give you Diarmuid's love spot."

He started cackling after saying that. But seriously huh? That of all things. Couldn't give me his spear that negates magic. Which would in turn negate the equivalent of magic which is Shinsu in the verse that would be my second life. I'll take it I guess. And I'm not about to argue with the being that could up and decide to not reincarnate me. 

"How to this customization work"

"Design it in your head and that's how you appear from now on. Good luck. I'll be watching."

............

Headon is the Administrator of the First Floor. Headon has an appearance reminiscent of a white rabbit because of his long ears. He swirls a long yellow stick with two green balls at each end. Headons face is featureless except for a black, slit-like structure that can open to reveal narrow eyes or even his "mouth."

The chosen Regulars. Headon travels across all Floors and selects people that catch his eye. He's seen the best achieve greatness and etch their names into the annals of history and the subpar died and faded into obscurity, leaving nothing...not even a footnote. 

However, he had a feeling that today he might find someone of the former, rather than the latter. Just as he was about to teleport to get a new chosen Regular. There was a bright light with a burning orange-red glow, and with the flash of light came a gust of burning heat. When the light dies down Headon sees a young man on one knee. As he stood up he got a better look at him.

He was 5'10, had brown skin, with white unkempt hair that almost appeared transparent, and his eyes were a sharp reddish-orange that seemed to have a hint of a glow and a mole under his right eye just above his cheek. He was wearing black full-body tights covered in strange symbols(runes), grey metallic pauldrons, and a metal plate over his lowest abdominal section. Strapped to this stranger's back was a scarlet spear with an ominous design.

(Image)

The man looked at him and walked forward. Once he was close enough he bowed slightly. 

"My name is Hyeon Vritra, may I ask where I am sir?"

Hmmm, an Irregular with respect. Interesting, this day is going swimmingly already. I returned the bow.

"My name is Headon the humble Administrator of the First Floor. I welcome you to the tower child. Whatever it is you seek, Wealth, Fame, Power. It all can be attained as you climb." 

Hyeon nodded. Seeing this and the look of understanding in his eyes Haedon continued. 

"Now before you can proceed to the next floor. You must pass a test. Test or Examination is an assessment within the Tower, intended to measure a Regular's talent, knowledge, intelligence, fighting skill, physical fitness, especially their ability to control Shinsu during their climbing. The test may be administered verbally, on speaker, on virtual display, or in a predetermined area that requires a Regular to demonstrate their ability to compete with another Regular.

When a Regular is climbing the Tower, he or she has to pass one or more tests on each Floor. The tests are created to determine whether the Regular is worthy of going to the next Floor. Generally, the difficulty increases the higher one climbs. There are however a few exceptions, like the 2nd Floor and the 20th Floor, where the difficulty is particularly high.

Tests vary in style, form or shape, and requirements. There is no general consensus or invariable standard for test formats and difficulty."

Hyeon put his hand on his chin and pondered about the information he just received for a moment. 

"And you test. What is it about?"

Headon smiled. It would be an uneasy sigh to most but Hyeon had seen worse.

"The Ball Test. It is quite simple. The goal of this test is that the participant must pop the ball guarded by the keeper."

"The Keeper?"

"A...creature of my choosing"

Headon pointed to an area behind him. Where there was a second of the floor contained in a giant glass case. In the case was a floating black ball and more importantly, an Adult Steel Eels have a gigantic, snake-like body covered with heavy steel-like armor. It was seemingly swimming through the air. But it was actually swimming in highly dense Shinsu. 

Headon turned back to gauge the Irregular's reaction upon seeing the creature. What he saw was an almost predatory smile. The man had his blood-red spear in his right hand. The spear was two meters long and seemed to hum as he caressed it with his thumb.

He began to stretch his body and limber up. He then started to twirl the spear, moving between his fingers and exchanging it between hands. Then came thrust and swing, which increased in speed and momentum. He was practicing. Warming up as far as Headon could tell. 

What surprised Headon was the progress he was making. Before Headon would classify him as someone with basic training. But in those few minutes, he went from someone with a basic understanding to someone with a solid foundation. Headon had to hold himself back from cackling with glee. A treasure has entered the tower. An Irregular with raw potential that may rival Urek Mazino.

"I'm ready" he heard drawing him out of his musings.

"Go right ahead"

A section of the glass opened up large enough to fit a person. Hyeon walked in. The eel took notice and snarled before circling from above, observing his prey. Hyeon got into a stance. He lowered his body, spread his legs apart (pause), and grabbed the spear with both hands. 

The eel lunges forward with lightning speed aiming to crush and devour Hyeon in one bite. Hyeon sidesteps, evading the attack. He tightened his grip on his spear. H charges forward aiming a powerful thrust at the eel's exposed side.

The spear strikes the eel's scales, causing a powerful burst of Shinsu to erupt upon impact. However, the scales are tougher than expected and he didn't put his all into the strike, and the attack only leaves a shallow wound. The eel roared in anger and thrashed its tail, Hyeon used the spear and blocked on instinct and was sent skidding backward. 

Hyeon halts his momentum, still adapting to his newfound strength but the clash gives him a ballpark as to how strong he currently is. With a smile on his face, he shoots forward at the eel that was once again charging with its' mouth open. Hyeon increases his speed even further creating afterimages that confuse the eel and strike rapidly and repeatedly drawing blood from and marking the creature's massive body with several wounds. 

The creature was enraged and bleeding profusely from all the wounds on its body that weren't clotting. It kept exerting itself causing its wounds to bleed more in an attempt to kill this being that caused it more pain than It had ever known. 

And every time it would clamp down it would taste nothing, feel pain, and see that infuriating smile. 

"We that's enough fun. This body is wonderful. But you can't push me any further."

The eel charged once more. Hyeon vanishes in a burst of speed. Headon saw him in the air positioned directly over the eel that was frantically searching for him. Hyeon threw the spear, and a streak of red crashed into the eel's head. 

A slight tremor shook the floor. Hyeon landed on the ground and outstretched his hand and the spear flew into it. The eel lay dead with a gaping hole in its head. Hyeon tossed the spear again without looking. 

The sound of popping echoes before the spear once again returns to his hand as he exits the cage.

Headon was clapping with glee. 

"We done. A truly magnificent spectacle that was. Congratulations on passing the test. You may continue onto the next floor. But before that, I'd like to gift you something for your performance."

Hyeon was intrigued. This verse was mostly foreign to him. So any information or gifts could go a long way. A midnight blue sphere appeared in front of Headon.

"This is a pocket. You'll need this to understand all the languages in the tower, store items, call comrades whose numbers you store along the way, etc. Now usually all regulars who pass the test get an E-Ranked pcoket. But since you're not a Regular and surpassed my expectations with your performance I'm gifting you this B-Ranked pocket. High quality and if you're ever in a bind it will sell for quite the sum. Now then off you go...I shall be... keeping my ears out about how you progress. 

..........................................

Everything went black for a second before there was light again. The sight that greeted me was an area full of vast wheat plants and rocky terrain.

I rest Gae on my shoulder."Hmm". I picked up faint energy signatures in the area that seemed to be moved. Which indicated other people. So this could be a test more than one person could take at a time. I smiled.

"This new life continues to impress."