Tal was spending the last moments of his life the best he could - turning to the game-world of Valeria to escape reality. What he didn't know, was that he was actively participating in a recruitment program. Ultimately, Tal was given a choice. One that would see his whole life turned upside down.   Enter the ancient world of Valeria. A world of gods, demons, and myriad other magical creatures. A world scorched by the ever-hungry, and slowly expanding Shroud. A world where the magic ‘System’ is flailing wildly, summoning individuals from all over the multiverse in a desperate bid to preserve the worlds under its contention.  Marked as a 'Contender' and teleported to the very real world of Valeria, Tal finds himself alone and trapped in a mysterious Tower. There, he learns just how much of a boon The Tower truly is. If only he can survive long enough to find a way out of its halls.  Authors Note: Patreon: Not currently avaiable Discord: https://discord.gg/dCJ94YRtEK