"The tower's remaining energy reserves are 2.57%."

This data was received by Ayla after the attack.

It was a dangerously low level. If the Proxima Centauri civilization had continued its assault for another hour, the tower's electromagnetic shields would have been overwhelmed, and the entire structure would have been vaporized by the dark matter explosion.

While seemingly simple defense and offense, both sides had expended centuries of accumulated resources.

Logically, the Type 1.8 Proxima Centauri civilization should have possessed at least 100 times more energy than Luna, requiring only 1% of its total energy to destroy the tower, with plenty to spare.

But the calculation of energy resources in a civilization isn't so straightforward.

Energy isn't solely allocated to military purposes. A civilization's functioning requires vast amounts of energy for residential use, transportation, industrial production, and numerous other necessities. These consume a significant portion of a civilization's energy resources.

Military energy consumption is strictly the surplus after these essential needs are met—what could be termed reserve energy.

These reserves are not only tied to military strength but also deeply intertwined with a civilization's economy, similar to gold reserves.

Excessive military energy expenditure leads to economic instability, halting industrial production, and potentially causing societal collapse.

Luna, as a nomadic civilization, allocated a significant portion of her energy resources (76%) to weaponry.

This was Luna's strength.

The Proxima Centauri civilization still possessed over 70% of its energy reserves, yet they couldn't continue the attack.

"This civilization shows unexpected resilience."

"Advanced civilizations have complex structures, leading to more cautious decision-making."

"Fortunately, we're facing a Type 1.8 civilization. Against a Type 1.9 or higher civilization, Project Babel would have had no chance of success."

"Now that beings have entered the tower, activate Tower of Babel."

Ayla nodded.

"Tower of Babel is complete. God has changed his mind."

"He has placed the greatest treasures within the tower, awaiting those who seek them."

"To obtain these treasures requires overcoming trials, each testing one's worthiness to become a god."

"Those who reach the summit will find divine power. They will claim this power, becoming gods themselves."

"Luna, what do you think of this story?"

Luna sat in a priest's chair, performing bicep curls with 140kg weights.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

After ten intense repetitions, the robot retrieved the weights.

She breathed heavily and sighed.

"It needs refinement. A complete story should be a rich epic."

"But real history never has a neat conclusion; there's always a sequel."

"After becoming gods, humanity won't ascend to heaven but will return to Earth, spreading the gifts of the gods, bringing humanity closer to the divine, proclaiming the god as lord, and worshipping it."

"God's test is how to become a worthy god. My weapons against the Proxima Centauri are humanity's beautiful culture."

"Neither God nor I are deceiving them. God truly offers treasures, and I offer a passport to civilization."

Beings who receive this passport become part of humanity.

...

The Tower.

Standing before this colossal structure, the Proxima Centauri beings felt a profound sense of awe.

This was the tower that had withstood their relentless attacks.

It was a symbol of a superior civilization.

"Let's go in!"

Some were overcome with excitement.

"Or should we wait and see?"

Others hesitated.

"I shouldn't have come here."

Some retreated.

But inevitably, a creature stepped forward, entering the 50-meter-high entrance, bathed in brilliant white light.

"What... what is this place?"

It stared in awe and fear at the scene before it. The tower contained an entirely different world.

This world was unlike their own; vibrant colors, dazzling lights, and breathtaking beauty filled the space.

Another being approached.

It shouted, "Who are you?"

The first creature turned its head, and they stared at each other.

"You..."

"Is this what the beings of a higher civilization look like?"

"We're so ugly, yet somehow, there's a sense of perfection."

"Perhaps all beings that evolve to achieve high intelligence are the culmination of millions of years of evolution."

"But this body... it's so weak."

"According to the prophecy, the tower will test us. Has the test begun?"

"What should we do?"

They waited, lost in confusion, until hunger struck, reminding them of their basic needs.

As darkness descended, they realized they needed warmth.

A downpour began on the second day, reminding them of the need for shelter.

Survival!

Perhaps survival as humans understood it—this was their first test.

After tens of thousands entered, the first test concluded. Thousands awoke in darkness, a bright doorway before them. Passing through it, they reappeared outside the tower.

They stared at each other in confusion.

"What happened to us?"

They had no memory of their time within the tower.

The remaining beings entered the second level, facing the second test.

Poetic culture.

They would experience stories created within poetic contexts, becoming the protagonists, reciting the poems themselves.

Those who could experience the emotions within the poems passed; those who couldn't, were eliminated.

The third level.

The five senses.

They experienced heightened human senses and the resulting pleasures, gradually losing their sense of self, viewing their original bodies as inferior.

Aesthetic appreciation, honor, mythology, fiction...

Anything that could evoke human pleasure became a test.

It stimulated their desires and emotions, driving them to extremes.

These were just some of the tests. Later, they would be returned to their original selves, experiencing the most unpleasant aspects of their own civilization, fostering a sense of comparison.

Then, they would "glimpse" the future.

The happiness their civilization would achieve after adopting human culture.

Then, they would experience "becoming human again," feeling the superiority of humanity over their own civilization.

During this process, they would confront deep-seated questions about their identity and beliefs.

These tests were iterative.

Gradually reshaping their minds into a "human" mindset.

To prevent deception, their original bodies were controlled by robots within the tower, connecting directly to their nervous systems, accessing their deepest thoughts.

This was a form of brainwashing, a form of indoctrination.

God harvests his followers; Luna harvests followers for human civilization!