My Charity System made me too OP

It had been a week since he returned from the Zekrath Dungeon, resting in his Arune Key Space. Leon led the two sleeping pets as he covered them, mumbling, "What should I do?"

Leon was getting bored because everyone had gone off on their quests or were still accepting new ones. Realistically, only 14 days had passed, but for him, it had been over eight years.

"Hmm, I should go back and see how everyone else is doing," he muttered while standing near the portal in his Arune Space.

The Arune Space was a special, individually personalized space within the Arune Key. It was also the place where the portal to the tower, as well as the portal back to their real world, existed.

Leon looked at the portal labeled "Earth." Earth was the name of the planet he had been reincarnated into, carrying memories of his previous life. However, the only similarity was the name—nothing else was the same on this Earth.

The year was 3895, close to nine hundred years since the first time Tower set foot on this planet and people here began their magical journey.

"I wonder how everyone else is doing," Leon mused as he gazed into the portal. His surrounding s were engulfed in light as he stepped through it And when the light subsided , His vision locked onto a familiar sight—he found himself in a simple room.

It was an ordinary space with a single bed, a study table, and a shelf.

"Huh... my room," Leon muttered as he took a seat. It was, without a doubt, the room he used to live in—the simple room given to every orphan in this orphanage.

"Welcome back, Little Leon," a beautiful voice suddenly sounded. Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire

Leon looked back at the screen in his room. "Good to be back, Selestia," he said.

A stunning face on the screen smiled at him—it was Selestia, the AI that ran this orphanage.

Of course, the orphanage also had human workers, but they only cared for the children until the age of ten. After that, all orphans were raised under Selestia's guidance, preparing them for their upcoming Tower journey.

"How is everyone?" Leon asked.

Selestia's expression remained neutral as she responded, "Out of the 30 children in your batch, 23 have already died and returned to Earth. The rest are still exploring or climbing the Tower."

Leon sighed but didn't find it surprising. He might have suffered the same fate if not for his Charity System, which had given him a much-needed advantage.

After all, unless they were born into extreme wealth, children here had to survive with only the weapons and abilities they were randomly assigned. Some might receive something powerful, while others could end up with something utterly useless.

"Those 23… what abilities did they have?" Leon asked.

As an Ascender, one had the right to keep their abilities hidden. However, after death and failure, there was no more privacy—abilities had to be revealed in order to receive compensation upon returning to Earth.

After all, Earth had Dungeons too, though they were mostly used for farming. These dungeons weren't as deadly as those in the Tower and were primarily used to gather materials like monster meat, mana cores, and other resources.

But still, Hunters or failed Ascenders were required to enter dungeons and farm those resources.

"Out of the 23, 19 had common abilities like super speed and similar enhancements. Three had uncommon abilities such as Magic Ball, while one had an Epic ability called Mercury Control," Selestia reported.

"Hmm… how did the one with the Epic ability die?" Leon asked. Epic abilities were considered strong, with over 70% of Ascenders possessing abilities within this range.

"He got overconfident after awakening an Epic ability and ended up challenging a dungeon far beyond his grade," Selestia replied with a sigh. "He failed spectacularly."

Leon nodded in understanding.

Leon leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Mercury Control was a powerful ability, one that could have easily carried its wielder far. But in the end, arrogance had led to his downfall.

"Any noteworthy Ascenders still climbing the Tower from my batch?" Leon asked, shifting the topic.

Selestia's screen flickered for a moment before displaying a list. "Out of the remaining seven, three are performing exceptionally well. Venessa, who awakened a Frost-type ability, has reached Floor 14. Ragnar, with his Might-type ability, is on Floor 15. And lastly, Aeron, who has an Illusion-type ability, is currently at Floor 19 but has been steadily rising."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "Seems like they got lucky with their ability awakening."

"Indeed," Selestia confirmed. Then, she turned the question on him. "What about you?"

"I'm merely at Floor 10," Leon replied.

Selestia narrowed her eyes slightly. "You have always been cautious-type, yet you've reached this far already… That means you must have awakened a good ability," she remarked.

Leon simply nodded. "My ability is related to Merchant skills. I've been trading and acquiring valuable items before coming here. It also allows me to climb higher." he said lying about his true abilities.

As he glanced at the items he had collected, a thought crossed his mind.

'Time to earn some Charity EXP.'

The orphanage was just a small-scale establishment with around 1,000 workers—though 100 of them were dedicated caretakers. Compared to the larger orphanages, which had over 10,000 people, this one was relatively small. However, given that they are in a village, it was understandable.

"What better way to earn EXP than by giving to a small orphanage that truly needs it?" Leon thought to himself.

He turned to Selestia and said, "Call the Director and tell him I'm coming to meet him."

Selestia nodded in acknowledgment while Leon began walking out of his room, packing all his belongings into his Arune Space.

As he walked down the familiar halls, the distant sounds of children laughing reached his ears. Their joyful voices felt like a melodic chime, ringing with pure innocence.

Leon paused for a moment, his gaze softening. This place... it was his home once. He had been just like them, running through these same halls, dreaming of the future, unaware of the challenges waiting beyond.

A faint smile formed on his lips before he shook his head, refocusing on his goal. "Time to give back." With that thought, he continued walking toward the Director's office.

As Leon walked through the orphanage halls, memories of his childhood resurfaced. The once towering walls that had seemed endless in his youth now felt much smaller. The scent of freshly baked bread from the kitchen wafted through the air, blending with the faint smell of old wooden furniture and clean linens.

Passing by the common room, he saw a group of younger children gathered around a worn-out holographic projector, watching a cartoon about a hero ascending a mythical tower. Their eyes sparkled with excitement, their innocent laughter filling the space.

Leon slowed down, his gaze lingering on them. How many of them would make it? How many would survive the cruel trials of the Tower?@@novelbin@@

He pushed the thought aside and continued walking. Outside, the orphanage's small garden was still well-maintained, with patches of brightly colored flowers blooming in neat rows. A few children played near the old oak tree, its bark carved with the names of past orphans—including his own, etched faintly near the base.

A sudden high-pitched cry caught his attention. Turning toward the playground, he spotted a little girl who had fallen off a small slide. Her knee was scraped, and she was on the verge of tears. Before Leon could step in, a slightly older boy—perhaps seven or eight—rushed to her side.

"You're okay! Just a little scratch," the boy reassured her. He gently helped her up before running inside to fetch a healing patch from the infirmary.

Leon watched with an amused smile. They already understood how to look after one another.

As he approached the Director's office, he passed by a tall metal gate that separated the orphanage from the rest of the city. Outside, the sprawling metropolis of New Aether City stretched out before him—massive holographic billboards, sleek hover cars, and towering skyscrapers filled the landscape.

It was a world of opportunity and danger—where only the strong survived.

Finally, he reached the Director's office, its wooden door slightly worn from age. Taking a deep breath, Leon knocked twice before stepping inside.

The door creaked slightly as Leon stepped inside, greeted by the familiar scent of old books and polished wood. The office was modest yet well-kept—lined with wooden bookshelves filled with records and manuals about orphanage management, education, and even outdated Tower guides. A large window behind the desk let in soft daylight, offering a clear view of the orphanage's small courtyard, where children continued playing.

At the center of the room sat Director Alric, an aging yet sharp-eyed man with neatly combed gray hair. His attire was simple—a well-maintained brown coat over a plain gray tunic. Despite his aging features, his posture remained straight, exuding an air of discipline and authority that made it clear he had once been an Ascender himself.