The Infinite Ascent [A LitRPG/Progression Fantasy]

[WyrmScholar]

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Chapter 1 - The Tower Awakens

Eliard Grey stood at the base of the Tower of Ascension, his breath caught in his throat as he stared at the ancient structure. The Tower loomed above him like a black spear piercing the clouds, its surface smooth and seamless, with strange symbols glowing faintly in the fading twilight. It had always been there, a monument to the unknown, closed to all but the highest-ranking Ascendants.

Today, something was different.

The air around the Tower crackled with energy, and the ground trembled beneath Eliard's feet. The symbols on the Tower's surface blazed with light, shifting and rearranging as if alive.

He took a cautious step back, clutching his satchel. His instincts screamed at him to leave, but his curiosity refused to release its grip. The Tower had been dormant for centuries—what could have changed now?

Eliard was a librarian, not an adventurer. He lived for books, manuscripts, and forgotten knowledge—not danger. But this… this was the kind of mystery that could fill volumes.

And Eliard loved mysteries.

He glanced around. The plaza at the base of the Tower was eerily empty. Most of the city's residents had fled when the first tremors hit, fearing the ancient power that stirred within. Only fools or the truly desperate remained behind.

"I shouldn't be here," Eliard muttered, adjusting his satchel. His hand brushed against the worn leather cover of a journal he always carried—notes on ancient magic, obscure runes, and, of course, the Tower.

Before he could convince himself to turn back, the ground split open with a deafening crack. A surge of energy shot from the Tower's entrance, and a glowing portal formed in mid-air—a swirling vortex of light and shadow.

Eliard froze. His heart pounded in his chest as the portal expanded, its pull growing stronger. Papers and loose debris were sucked into its depths, vanishing without a trace.

And then it pulled him.

"No, no, no—!" Eliard's feet left the ground. The world spun around him as the portal swallowed him whole. Darkness wrapped around him like a shroud, and his senses overloaded—light, sound, and pure energy bombarding him from every direction.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence.

Then, the world reassembled itself.

Eliard landed hard on cold stone, the impact knocking the air from his lungs. He gasped, his vision swimming as he struggled to his feet.

He was no longer at the base of the Tower. He stood in a vast chamber, its walls made of black stone that seemed to absorb the light. Strange runes glowed softly, etched into every surface. The air was thick with the scent of ancient magic and something… darker.

A voice echoed in his mind, deep and commanding.

[System Initialization… Complete.]
Welcome, User. You have been chosen by the Codex of Possibility. Bonding process initiating…

"What?" Eliard whispered, his pulse racing.

Before he could react, searing pain shot through his body. He dropped to his knees, clutching his head as the voice continued.

Bonding Complete. You are now linked to the Codex. Accessing system permissions…

A glowing interface appeared in front of him, translucent and filled with text and symbols. It looked like something out of a storybook—except it was real.

User: Eliard Grey
Class: Undefined
Level: 1
Skills: None

Warning: No class detected. Custom class creation enabled.

Eliard blinked, struggling to comprehend what he was seeing. The interface floated before him, waiting. His fingers hovered over the glowing symbols.

"A system interface? Like the ones the Ascendants use?" he muttered. "But how…?"

The voice returned, more insistent.

Choose your class. Customization options available.

A menu unfolded before him, filled with dozens of potential classes—Warrior, Mage, Rogue, Priest, and many others. Each had detailed descriptions, skill trees, and progression paths.

But something at the bottom of the list caught his eye:

[Reality Shaper: A class without limits. Create and manipulate reality through will and experience. Warning: High-risk, high-reward. Not recommended for novice users.]

Eliard's breath caught. His instincts told him to play it safe. He could choose Mage or Scholar, something familiar. Something manageable.

But Reality Shaper…

He tapped the option before he could second-guess himself.

Class Selected: Reality Shaper.
Initializing class abilities…

A surge of power coursed through him. It wasn't like the searing pain from before—this was something different. It was as if a door inside him had opened, revealing endless possibilities.

New Ability Acquired: Reality Surge – Manipulate the physical world for a brief moment, altering its properties. Cost: High Mana.
New Ability Acquired: Essence Conversion – Convert raw mana into experience or physical enhancements.

The interface flickered, and a new notification appeared:

[First Trial Initiating… Survive.]

A deep rumble shook the chamber. The runes on the walls blazed with crimson light, and a portal opened at the far end of the room. From its depths, a creature emerged—a towering beast with eyes like burning coals and claws that glowed with molten energy.

Eliard stumbled back, his heart hammering. He had read about Trial Beasts before, but seeing one in person was something else entirely.

It snarled, its eyes locking onto him.

"Oh, come on!" Eliard shouted, raising his hands. "I don't even know how to use these abilities yet!"

The beast charged.

Instinct took over. Eliard extended his hand, focusing on the power within him. The air around him shimmered as Reality Surge activated. For a brief moment, the world bent to his will—gravity twisted, and the beast's charge slowed as if moving through water.

Eliard darted to the side, barely avoiding its swipe. His pulse raced as the surge ended, reality snapping back to normal.

"I can work with this," he muttered.

The beast turned, snarling in frustration. Its eyes flared, and flames erupted from its mouth, filling the chamber with searing heat.

Eliard ducked behind a pillar, sweat pouring down his face. His mind raced. Essence Conversion… Maybe that could help. He focused again, drawing on the raw energy in the air. It felt like trying to catch a river with his bare hands, but slowly, he directed it into himself.

His body surged with strength, his senses sharpening. He felt faster, more focused.

The beast roared, lunging again. This time, Eliard was ready.

He activated Reality Surge once more, this time focusing on the floor beneath the beast. The stone warped and cracked, forming jagged spikes that pierced its legs. The beast howled in pain, thrashing wildly.

Eliard seized the moment. He ran toward it, channeling every ounce of power he had left into a final surge. The air rippled, and the beast's body froze mid-motion. With a shout, Eliard released the energy, and the creature shattered into a thousand shards of light.

[Trial Complete. Experience Gained: 1,500.]
Level Up! Level 2 Reached.
New Skill Unlocked: Mana Threading – Manipulate and weave mana into physical objects.]

Eliard collapsed onto the cold stone, gasping for breath. The interface flickered, displaying his updated stats and abilities.

"Well," he said between breaths, "that was… something."

The chamber dimmed, the runes fading back to their soft glow. The portal at the far end of the room remained open, beckoning him forward.

Eliard pushed himself to his feet, wiping sweat from his brow. His heart still pounded, but a slow grin spread across his face.

The Codex hummed softly in his mind, almost like it was pleased.

"Guess there's no turning back now," Eliard said.

With a determined step, he walked toward the portal, ready to face whatever lay beyond.

The Infinite Ascent had begun.



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[WyrmScholar]

Eliard stepped through the glowing portal, his body tingling with residual energy as the world shifted around him once again. He landed with a thud on soft ground, his boots sinking into damp moss. Blinking, he scanned his surroundings.
A dense forest stretched around him, the sky above swirling with stormy clouds that glowed faintly purple. Giant trees with black bark and silver leaves loomed overhead, their branches twisting into shapes that defied logic. Strange bioluminescent plants dotted the forest floor, pulsing softly like a heartbeat.
He had read about this place before in the ancient texts—a fragment of the Shattered Realms, one of the countless dimensions connected to the Tower of Ascension. Each realm had its own rules, its own dangers.
The Codex's voice echoed in his mind.
[Welcome to the Verdant Expanse.]
Objective: Explore and survive.]
Reminder: Death in the Shattered Realms results in permanent loss of progress. Proceed with caution.]
"Comforting," Eliard muttered, brushing dirt off his cloak. He checked his interface.
User: Eliard Grey
Class: Reality Shaper
Level: 2
Abilities: Reality Surge (Basic), Essence Conversion (Basic), Mana Threading (New)
His mana reserves were dangerously low after the Trial. He needed time to recover—and, more importantly, he needed information. What was the Codex's real purpose? Why had it chosen him?
The faint rustle of leaves interrupted his thoughts. His body tensed. Something—or someone—was nearby.
He crouched, slipping behind a twisted tree trunk. The forest was unnervingly silent except for the occasional crackle of energy in the air. His eyes darted across the shadows, searching for movement.
Then he saw her.
A woman emerged from the shadows, moving with the grace of a predator. She wore a dark leather cloak, her face partially obscured by a hood. Twin daggers glinted at her hips, and her eyes—sharp and calculating—glowed faintly purple in the dim light.
Eliard stayed perfectly still, watching her. She didn't appear hostile, but something about her presence set off every alarm in his head.
The woman stopped suddenly, her gaze locking onto him.
"I know you're there," she said, her voice calm but firm. "You're not very good at hiding, you know."
Eliard cursed under his breath and stepped out from behind the tree, hands raised in a show of peace. "Easy. I'm just passing through."
Her eyes narrowed. "Passing through? Nobody just 'passes through' the Verdant Expanse. What are you really doing here?"
"I got… pulled into a portal," Eliard said. It wasn't technically a lie. "Still figuring out where I am."
Her lips twitched into a smirk. "Let me guess—you're one of those rookies who stumbled into the Tower thinking you'd strike it rich, and now you're stuck here with no clue how to survive."
"Something like that," Eliard admitted, lowering his hands. "And you are?"
"Selene," she said, folding her arms. "And if you're smart, you'll turn around and head back through that portal before the real trouble starts."
Eliard glanced back, but the portal had already vanished, leaving nothing but a faint shimmer in the air.
"Yeah, about that," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "I don't think that's an option."
Selene sighed. "Figures. Look, this place isn't kind to newcomers. The Verdant Expanse has a way of… weeding out the weak. Stick with me, and you might live long enough to regret it."
"Generous offer," Eliard said, smiling wryly. "But why help me?"
Her eyes glinted with something unreadable. "Let's just say I have a soft spot for lost causes. And you're about as lost as they come."
Eliard chuckled, relaxing slightly. "Fair enough. I could use the help."
"Good," Selene said, turning on her heel. "Try to keep up."
They moved through the forest at a brisk pace, Selene leading the way with the confidence of someone who had survived this realm for far too long.
"So, what's your story?" she asked over her shoulder. "You don't look like a typical Ascendant."
"I'm not," Eliard said. "I'm a librarian from Miradon. This whole 'system interface' thing is… new to me."
"A librarian?" Selene raised an eyebrow. "That's a first. Most people who get caught up in the Tower's trials are mercenaries or desperate fools looking for power."
"I'm starting to think I might fall into the 'fool' category," Eliard muttered.
Selene laughed—a genuine, musical sound that caught him off guard. "You've got guts, I'll give you that."
The forest began to thin, revealing a wide clearing dominated by a massive stone structure—an ancient ruin covered in glowing vines. Symbols similar to those in the Tower were etched into the stone, pulsing with a faint blue light.
Selene stopped at the edge of the clearing, her expression turning serious. "We need to be careful. This place is crawling with mana constructs—guardian creatures left behind by the Tower's original creators. They don't take kindly to intruders."
Eliard studied the ruins, his curiosity piqued despite the warning. "What are they guarding?"
"Artifacts. Ancient knowledge. Power," Selene said, her voice lowering. "But none of it's worth dying for."
Eliard's heart quickened. Ancient knowledge? That was exactly what he needed.
"Let's take a look," he said.
Selene shot him a skeptical glance. "You're braver than you look, librarian. Or dumber."
"Let's hope it's the former," Eliard said with a grin.
They moved cautiously into the ruins, the air heavy with magic. The Codex hummed in Eliard's mind, reacting to the energy around him.
[Warning: Mana construct detected.]
A low growl echoed through the chamber, and a hulking creature stepped out of the shadows. It was made of stone and mana, its eyes glowing blue. Cracks in its body pulsed with raw energy, and its massive arms ended in jagged claws.
Selene drew her daggers, her body tensing. "Stay behind me."
Eliard's pulse quickened. He glanced at his interface, his mind racing. Reality Surge was still on cooldown, and his mana reserves were dangerously low.
But he wasn't defenseless.
He activated Mana Threading, weaving strands of raw energy into a barrier between them and the creature. It wouldn't hold for long, but it bought them a few precious seconds.
Selene darted forward, moving like a shadow. Her daggers flashed, carving glowing runes into the creature's body. It roared in pain, its movements slowing as the runes disrupted its core.
"Now!" she shouted.
Eliard focused, drawing on every ounce of mana he had left. The Codex's power surged through him, and reality bent once again. The ground beneath the construct warped, trapping its legs in a twisting mass of stone.
With a final, desperate strike, Selene plunged her daggers into its core. The creature let out a final, echoing roar before crumbling into a pile of shattered stone.
The ruins fell silent.
Eliard sank to the ground, gasping for breath. "That… was intense."
Selene wiped her blades clean, offering him a hand. "Welcome to the Verdant Expanse."
He took her hand, pulling himself to his feet. Despite the exhaustion, a grin spread across his face.
"I think I'm starting to like this place," he said.
Selene chuckled. "Careful. The Verdant Expanse has a way of growing on you… in more ways than one."
Eliard glanced at the glowing symbols on the walls, a spark of determination igniting in his chest. This place was dangerous, yes—but it was also filled with possibilities.
And with the Codex at his side, he intended to uncover every secret it had to offer.
The Infinite Ascent was only just beginning.

Support the story's creation and read 10 chapters ahead on Patreon. patreon.com/WyrmScholar
I'm always open for commission. 5$ per 1k words. Message me for commission.

Thank you Patrons: Canbone, Purple Feather, Jeremy Ramos, Daniel teague, Luci alarri, Tyson shoemaker, omar amurrio, roguewolf23, deadpooll113, avoidedwinter, Tom hildebraunt for supporting the story's creation on Patreon!