Albert

Biodata

Background / History

Albert is introduced as the ninety-one-year-old principal of Three Towers Academy, a Level Seven facility where Three Towers powers can be used within the academy grounds. Despite his age, he remains physically imposing and actively involved with the Tower of Slaughter. He describes himself as having spent his life specializing in that tower, though he regrets being unable to explore all three towers simultaneously. 27 28 29

He was the teacher of Wen Renjing, Xun Hui, and Wen Chaohua—whom he regards as his three most accomplished disciples. His inability to pursue the Tower of Desire and Tower of Deception led him to cultivate students with different aptitudes instead. 24 26 29

When Wen Xishu returns from his first Tower of Deception exploration with a Level Six Hospital, Albert discusses the youth's unprecedented achievement with Wen Renjing. Rather than assuming Wen Xishu's success is solely due to Wen Chaohua's legacy, Albert argues that making effective use of an advantage is itself a form of strength. He resolves to investigate Wen Xishu personally. 24

Albert later enters the Security Bureau's interrogation room, condemns the treatment of Wen Xishu, and removes him from custody. He then enrolls Wen Xishu in Three Towers Academy under the temporary name Wen Xun, mentors him, and expects him to become a student capable of exploring all three towers. 25 26 27 29

Early Life in Isaacra

Albert grew up in an impoverished household in Isaacra. His father was an unfaithful, heavy-drinking street violinist who abused his mother and resented having a child. Exposure to violence, public ridicule, and his mother's inability to escape the marriage shaped Albert into a distrustful and violent child. He fought other children and began imitating his father's abusive behavior. 292

His mother died of illness when he was thirteen, after which his father abandoned him. The house she left behind prevented him from becoming homeless, but opportunists repeatedly attempted to seize it through force, fraudulent agreements, and claims about his father's debts. Albert increasingly treated everyone who approached him as a potential threat. 292

During the winter of his thirteenth year, Sister Matina brought him clothing, food, and medicine. Although Albert initially beat her and drove her away, she continued returning. Alesia, an orphan raised by the church whom Albert had previously harassed, joined Matina in helping him and reading him stories. Their refusal to abandon him eventually broke through his hostility. Alesia's explanation that changing him was right even when fearing him would be easier became the foundation of his lifelong creed. 292

Albert began working, studying, and earning money honestly. By fifteen, he was recognized as a gifted and hardworking young man rather than a delinquent. He excelled especially at boxing, became a young boxing champion, and entered his preferred university alongside Alesia. The two eventually married, and Albert became wealthy and accomplished while remaining devoted to her. 292

The Apocalypse and His Vow

Albert and Alesia eventually settled near the church in Isaacra. When the apocalypse reached the city, grotesque flesh cocoons and black blood vessels began transforming people. Albert could not save Matina from mutation, and Alesia was infected while fleeing with him. Before her transformation, Alesia asked him to remember her, live well, and not avenge her or Matina. Albert was thirty when he lost them. 292

Their deaths transformed him into an avenger. Finding the source of the mutations and ending the apocalypse became the task he considered right to accomplish with his life. His ultimate ambition is to break through the Tower of Slaughter's hundredth floor, reach the Three Towers Battlefield, drive away the monsters, and return humanity to its own world. 196 274 292

Partnership with Old Jin

Albert and Jin Zhenyuan, commonly called Old Jin or Mr. Jin, were the twin heroes of an earlier era of tower exploration. Old Jin initially possessed advantages that Albert lacked, but Albert's extraordinary combat aptitude and ability to learn allowed him to catch up. At the ninetieth floor, he became the only person who could continue alongside Old Jin. 229

Old Jin subsequently became withdrawn and eventually left the Five Elders to govern the Bunker. Albert continued climbing and sustaining humanity's defenses, hoping that his former partner would help him break through the hundredth floor. Their differing views prevented that reunion, and Albert prepared himself to reach the battlefield alone if necessary. Old Jin later explicitly acknowledged that Albert had surpassed him. 115 196 229 246

Albert was also once offered an opportunity to leave the Bunker by a mysterious figure whom he suspected might be one of the Twelve Zodiac Signs. He declined the offer. 174

Appearance

Albert is an elderly man whose appearance and physique belie his age.

• At introduction, he is ninety-one years old, but looks roughly fifty to sixty. 24
• Initially white-haired, with sharply defined facial features. 24 27
• Maintains a muscular build, healthy complexion, and powerful physical presence. 24
• Is often described as laughing heartily or wearing an easygoing smile. 24 25 27
• After receiving news of Old Jin's apparent death, his usual vigorous bearing is visibly diminished by grief, making him seem unusually old and lonely despite his undiminished physical power. 262
• Heart-Questioning later removes wrinkles and restores some of his lost youth. Wen Xishu independently notices the change when they meet again. 331 333
• By a subsequent meeting, he appears approximately forty-seven or forty-eight, with fewer wrinkles and hair that is no longer entirely white. 350

Personality

Albert is boisterous, eccentric, and deliberately difficult to read. He enjoys novels, anime, and imitating fictional character archetypes; he openly calls himself a “super otaku” and claims to be playing the role of a benevolent elder. His teasing can be unsettling, particularly when he jokes about Wen Xishu's eyes or secrets. 27

Behind this unserious presentation, Albert is an exceptionally perceptive mentor. He recognizes Wen Xishu's distrust as a defensive response, avoids forcing him to reveal Wen Chaohua's secrets, and instead tests the youth's understanding of the Three Towers. 27 28

Albert is also pragmatic and politically influential. He does not rescue Wen Xishu merely because others request it; he acts after judging Wen Xishu worthy of recruitment and valuable to humanity's future. He supports placing Wen Xishu's Level Six Hospital on the lower Bunker levels rather than taking it for the academy, stating that the people below are already suffering enough. 24 26

Conviction and Vengeance

His defining principle is to do what is right rather than what is easy, a lesson learned from Alesia and Matina. His insistence on facing difficult choices shapes both his personal conduct and his martial path. He regards his devotion to Alesia as one of the few things that was both right and effortless. 292

Although initially driven by the loss of his wife and benefactor, his hatred has broadened into opposition to the monsters that destroyed humanity's world. Every bereaved family and every cry of suffering in the Bunker reinforces that resolve. He rejects the idea that people should simply accept such losses and reconstruct their lives around them. 298

Albert admits that he fears death, but fears a futile or humiliating death more. He refuses the conventional role of an elderly mentor who dies merely to advance the younger generation's growth. Instead, he demands that his students improve and catch up with him while he continues pursuing his own battles. 286

Pragmatism and Authority

Albert prefers straightforward action to elaborate political maneuvering or investigations controlled by hidden adversaries. The opportunity to confront Sagittarius directly delights him because it allows them to attack the source of their difficulties rather than merely respond to its schemes. 274 286

His permissive manner conceals an autocratic streak. When others vote against the proposed duel with Sagittarius, he ultimately rejects their objections and decides to fight. He nevertheless pauses seriously when he learns that Wen Xishu must accompany him, weighing whether he can protect his student. 286

His pragmatism can be ruthless. He admits to secretly killing people to relieve the Scorpio Curse and supplies Xun Hui with a political target opposed to restoring Wen Xishu's rights and rewards. He is willing to bear moral consequences if continued tower exploration requires it. 106 107 286

For much of his life in the Bunker, Albert focuses on climbing and cultivating talented students rather than daily government, trusting Old Jin to manage other matters. His minimum concern is that people from the lower levels retain the opportunity to develop their talent and enter Three Towers Academy. After the Great Devourment, he acknowledges that his concentration on personal advancement helped allow the Bunker's government to deteriorate. 136 196

Abilities & Skills

Tower of Slaughter Mastery

Albert is an elite Tower of Slaughter ascender who was initially stalled at the ninety-sixth floor and later advances to the ninety-eighth. A prior rumor placed him at the ninety-first floor, but Albert states that he had been stuck on Floor 96 for some time. His progress to Floor 97 is subsequently confirmed, and by his later Floor 98 expeditions he is still some distance from breaking through to Floor 99. 25 28 289 331

• Has survived far beyond the levels reached by ordinary climbers. 28
• His progress does not mean he has defeated every monster on the preceding floors; many Leader-class enemies remain unconquered. 32
• Is considered too strategically important for the Bunker to risk resetting his progress by sending him into the Tower of Deception. 28
• Possesses extraordinary combat and learning aptitude, allowing him to catch up to and eventually surpass Old Jin. 229 246
• Reaches godlike levels of strength, speed, and destructive power despite being human. Cancer previously avoided confronting him directly, and Sagittarius recognizes him as an opponent worthy of his full strength. 231 290
• Continues improving after the battle with Sagittarius, learning to unleash his powerful punches in succession rather than requiring longer intervals between them. 331

Tower-Derived Power in the Bunker

Albert can use Three Towers-derived power outside the towers, a feat most Bunker citizens initially believe impossible.

• Moves from the interrogation-room doorway to the doctor’s side so quickly that observers cannot perceive how he did it. 25
• During Wen Xishu’s rescue, fifty-four guards outside the interrogation room are rendered unconscious. 26
• His actions cause Xie Changfeng to conclude that the rumors of Albert retaining Three Towers power in reality may be true. 25
• Later confirmation establishes that the Five Elders also possess the ability to bring Three Towers power into the Bunker with Mr. Jin's help. Albert's overwhelming pressure forces them to abandon their resistance to his decisions. 196
• During the Great Devourment's mutation stage, he kills 137 of the 329 Mutants recorded over four hours, including Tokugawa Keiryu with a single punch. 137
• Outside the tower, he destroys Yellow Springs and its Pseudo-Netherworld, earning a Tower-Exit Kill notification. 388

Limit Break Punch and Boxing

Albert's preferred method of combat is to defeat enemies with his fists. His hands are the strongest part of his body, and he has honed Limit Break Punch to its peak. Despite its prominence in his fighting style, he describes it as the weakest Sequence he possesses. 115 289

• Has practiced boxing since his youth and became a champion before the apocalypse. 292
• Values technique while disliking unnecessarily elaborate attacks, preferring the simplest effective means of killing an enemy. 289
• Can restrain or release his power precisely and compress tremendous destructive force into a narrow line. 289 291
• Uses the force and air pressure of his punches to defend and attack simultaneously, dispersing Sagittarius's elemental inferno while continuing the attack beyond it. 290
• Stops the Cursed Arrow at a distance with compressed punch force, preventing its poison from touching him. 291
• His punches can strike immaterial targets and carry causal effects. His later attacks against Yellow Springs are described as guaranteed to hit. 292 388

Slaughter Sequence 7: Unity

Albert's strongest disclosed Sequence is Slaughter Sequence 7: Unity, also described during his battle with Sagittarius as Return to One. It makes his acquired Sequences and runes serve a chosen foundation, integrating their benefits into a single method of combat. Albert builds this foundation around his fists. 289 291

His dedication to using one method against every enemy is central to the Sequence. When he possesses the courage to risk his life and the unwavering determination to defeat an opponent with that method, Return to One can make the method more complete and develop a response to the obstacle before him. 291

• Integrates decades of accumulated Sequences and runes into his fist-based combat. 289
• During Sagittarius's death-infused fifth arrow, Albert's flesh initially decays, exposing bone. His resolve and Sequence then produce a force capable of opposing death, regenerating the damaged tissue as he advances his punch. 291
• His strongest punches already function at a Sequence Ultimate level; his later concern is adding further rules to his fists rather than merely increasing numerical attributes. 314 331
• After fighting Yellow Springs, he considers using Unity to incorporate nether energy into a Fist of the Undying. This remains an idea he has not fully mastered. 398

Perception and Combat Analysis

Albert possesses highly developed combat perception and can rapidly infer the workings of unfamiliar abilities.

• Murderous Intent Search detects resentment and killing intent within Wen Xishu after a dangerous power changes from an item into a personality. Albert identifies the threat without panicking and assures the others that he can contain its effect on those nearby. 198
• Accurately distinguishes the strength Luo Feng puts into Piercing Hand demonstrations, allowing comparison with an assassin's imitation. 263
• Sweeps his perception across the entirety of Three Towers Academy and locates Xiao Jin within a few breaths. 275
• Recognizes that Wen Xishu 001 is not the young man he knows by observing his extraordinary strength, world-weariness, and loneliness. 408 410
• Deduces after two attacks that Yellow Springs draws incoming power into another dimension and converts it into undead creatures. Changes in conversion time allow him to identify the mechanism's limits. 388

Mental Resistance and Resolve

Albert identifies resistance to mental invasion as his relative weakness. A Red House is able to invade his cherished memories, requiring Xun Hui's Selfless State to protect the group before Albert destroys it. 289

Nevertheless, his will is exceptionally difficult to break.

• Resists most of the despair projected by Xiao Jin while the latter imitates Evelyn, then uses his presence to force Xiao Jin out of the disguise. 275
• Overcomes Sagittarius's Arrow of Nihility by reliving the deaths of Alesia and Matina and rekindling his determination to avenge humanity. 292
• Defeats the following Gluttonous Beast Arrow after recovering the conviction it was intended to strip away. 292

Scorpio Curse

Repeatedly reaching the Tower of Slaughter's killing threshold afflicts Albert with the Scorpio Curse, intensifying his bloodlust and urge to kill. He explains that it can be alleviated through killing or by spending time away from the tower, and admits to having secretly killed people for relief. He recognizes the same developing condition in Xun Hui. 106

Heart-Questioning and Rejuvenation

Albert's Heart-Questioning tests his commitment to his martial path, his attitude toward stronger Sequences, and his willingness to sacrifice himself for potential successors. He refuses to abandon his chosen way merely for a theoretically stronger power and identifies additional lifespan—not power bestowed by a god—as his greatest need. 331

The reward restores some of his lost youth rather than visibly altering his attributes or granting a new item, rune, or Sequence. Subsequent appearances show further rejuvenation. Albert understands that time will allow him to continue growing and compensate for the aging body that limited him during the Sagittarius battle. 331 333 350

Mentorship and Strategic Judgment

Albert is a veteran educator and an insightful judge of tower climbers.

• Correctly identifies Wen Xishu’s potential after testing his theory that the Tower of Deception should be explored before the Tower of Desire. 27 28
• Assigns Wen Xishu to Tower of Slaughter Academy for combat training while allowing him to audit Tower of Desire courses and specialize in Tower of Deception exploration. 29 30
• Establishes double academic credits for Tower of Deception exploration and immediately assigns Wen Xishu to a new climb. 35
• Personally arranges Yue Yun and Nissen as Wen Xishu's dormmates and potential teammates, then arranges for Xiao Jin to join them. 85
• Explains that the Tower of Slaughter provides humanity with military strength while the Towers of Desire and Deception also prepare it for diplomacy and interaction with the wider world. 85
• Agrees to arrange a Tower of Slaughter guide if Wen Xishu achieves Level Six Completion on his fourth Tower of Deception trip, later asking Xun Hui to accompany him and Old Jin's grandson. 85 106
• Recognizes Wen Xishu's growing ability to trust and support companions, regarding that emotional development as positively as his increasing strength. 314
• Proposes and organizes a Bunker Sequence Trade Fair with Wen Xishu to help him obtain a suitable combat Sequence and benefit other climbers. 314 315

Power Progression

Equipment / Items

• Mysterious CEO Call — A Level Six telephone item brought back from the Tower of Slaughter. Albert can force a target’s phone to connect, while the recipient cannot call back or identify his number. 35
• Forgot My Keys — A low-stat pair of gloves owned by Albert and loaned through the Materials Department. It grants Attack +5 and exceptionally high bonus damage against doors “in all senses.” 37
• Level Five Boss Office Chair — A chair Albert brought back from the Tower of Slaughter and keeps in the principal’s office. 35
• Unyielding Gauntlets — Level 89 purple gauntlets that convert fighting spirit and rage into combat power. They once saved Albert when he was near death. Although he has not needed them for some time, he selects them from his stored equipment before the Sagittarius duel because of their personal significance. 287
• Login Device — Used to enter and leave the Three Towers, including after his Floor 98 expedition. 331
• Stored Tower Equipment — Albert has access to a large collection of items, some belonging to Old Jin. The collection includes a Horse-Cleaving Saber with a fifteen-percent chance of forced stun, an attack-reflecting shield, an Externally Implanted Bone Arm, paralysis-enhancing equipment, speed-boosting shoes, and flight-enabling wings. Most are of little use at his level; he notes that the shield could not endure even one of his punches. 287

Relationships

• Wen Xishu / Wen Xun — Rescued him from the Security Bureau, enrolled him in Three Towers Academy, and acts as his unconventional mentor while repeatedly testing his potential. 25 26 27 29 Their relationship develops into a partnership: Albert publicly protects his reclaimed identity, secures him senior offices, fights Sagittarius alongside him, and increasingly regards him as a fellow traveler who can help secure humanity's future. 125 196 292 294 331
• Wen Renjing — Former student and current Tower of Desire Heavenly Ladder leader; Albert plays chess with him and discusses Wen Xishu and Wen Chaohua with him. 24 Albert later facilitates Wen Xishu's requested meeting with him. Wen Renjing opposes the Sagittarius duel out of concern for Albert and the Bunker's future. 58 286
• Xun Hui — Albert’s most accomplished disciple and the Tower of Slaughter Heavenly Ladder’s number one. 24 Albert warns him about the Scorpio Curse, asks him to accompany Wen Xishu's first Tower of Slaughter exploration, and later brings him into the Sagittarius operation. Xun Hui's Selfless State protects Albert and the group against a Red House's mental invasion. 106 286 289
• Wen Chaohua — One of Albert’s three most accomplished disciples; Albert knows of his accomplishments across all three towers but refuses to explain his crimes to Wen Xishu. 26 29 37 He recounts Wen Chaohua's changing ideas about the towers and proposed reforms, and reacts with uncomplicated pleasure when he learns that his former student survived and found a way out of the Bunker. 85 174
• Liu Jinsen — Cooperates with Albert during Wen Xishu’s rescue, deploying agents to secure Albert’s safety and negotiate Wen Xishu’s release. 26 Albert later informs Wen Xishu that Liu Jinsen will become his assistant in connection with his new responsibilities. 125
• Jabbar — Albert’s assistant, who handles administrative errands and summons Wen Xishu to the principal’s office. 35 Continues coordinating meetings and quietly supports Albert during personal occasions, including his celebration with Evelyn. 298 333
• Alesia — Albert's deceased wife and lifelong love. Her persistent compassion helped reform him as a child, and her principle of doing what is right rather than easy became his creed. Her death during the apocalypse remains central to his determination to restore humanity's world. 292
• Mother Matina / Sister Matina — The nun who cared for Albert despite his initial violence and helped Alesia reach him. Albert regards her as a benefactor and maternal figure. He was unable to save her from mutation during the apocalypse. 292
• Jin Zhenyuan / Old Jin / Mr. Jin — Albert's old friend, former climbing partner, and the other great hero of their generation. Albert deeply misses their partnership, resents Old Jin's withdrawal, and grieves when told that Sagittarius has killed him. Old Jin acknowledges that Albert has long since surpassed him in combat. 115 229 246 262
• Evelyn — An old friend and one of the Five Elders. She assists Albert and Wen Xishu in investigating Xiao Jin's altered memories and fears losing Albert after Old Jin's disappearance. After the Sagittarius victory, she expresses romantic feelings, but Albert refuses her, remaining committed to his chosen path and his war against the monsters. 229 286 298
• Xiao Jin / Jin Shan — Old Jin's supposed grandson, whom Albert places with Wen Xishu's roommates. Albert initially seeks to avoid harming him out of regard for Old Jin, but intervenes decisively when Xiao Jin attempts to kill Wen Xishu. 85 106 275
• Five Elders — Albert initially tolerates their government largely because of his friendship with Old Jin. After the Great Devourment, he demonstrates that they cannot overrule him and later becomes the Bunker's de facto supreme authority. 196 315
• Sagittarius — A Constellation whose attacks threaten the Bunker's future. Albert defeats him with Wen Xishu's assistance, although he acknowledges that the eighth arrow exceeds what he can personally withstand at the time. 286 292 293
• Wen Xishu 001 — An overwhelmingly powerful alternate Wen Xishu who visits Albert in Universe 046. Albert recognizes that he is not his own student, listens to his dilemma, and urges him not to waver while reminding him that companions and hope still exist in his world. Information from their conversations later helps Albert explain the Bunker's true nature to his own Wen Xishu. 408 412 413

Story Role / Major Arcs

Wen Xishu’s Interrogation and Rescue

Albert first appears while discussing Wen Xishu’s Level Six achievement with Wen Renjing. After deciding to see the youth himself, he intervenes in the Security Bureau interrogation, rebukes its treatment of Wen Xishu, and takes him to Three Towers Academy. 24 25 26

Liu Jinsen and elite First Bureau agents provide cover by claiming to be protecting Albert. Albert carries the unconscious Wen Xishu away and accepts the requirement that the student regularly explore the Tower of Deception. Privately, he regards the rescue and his initial assessment as a satisfactory first admission interview. 26

Academy Enrollment

At the academy, Albert evaluates Wen Xishu rather than demanding Wen Chaohua’s secrets. Impressed by Wen Xishu’s interpretation of the Three Towers, he accepts him as a student and places him in Tower of Slaughter Academy while preserving his Tower of Deception specialization. 27 28 30

He later reveals that he specifically selected Yue Yun and Nissen as suitable companions for Wen Xishu and arranged for Xiao Jin to join their dormitory. When Wen Xishu challenges the assumption that his talent should be confined to particular towers, Albert agrees to arrange a Tower of Slaughter guide if he earns another Level Six Completion. 85

The Identity of Wen Xun

To protect Wen Xishu from noble students familiar with the Wen family’s history, Albert orders him to use the name Wen Xun until the midterm examinations. The name reflects Albert’s hope that Wen Xishu will explore all three towers. 29

As the Great Devourment approaches, Albert authorizes him to reclaim his real name and publicly announces at an academy assembly that Wen Xun is Wen Xishu. He warns against threatening the student, offers him protection and the position of Tower of Deception Assault Team safety adviser, and names Liu Jinsen as his future assistant. Wen Xishu's announcement that he controls Wind City astonishes Albert enough that he decides to verify it in the Tower of Slaughter. 125

Tower of Deception Assignment

Albert makes Tower of Deception exploration worth double credits, then uses the policy to send Wen Xishu on a dangerous new climb. He also connects Wen Xishu with Liu Jinsen and Sha Ruijing through the Mysterious CEO Call, making clear that the Security Bureau continues to pressure the student. 35 36

He later praises Wen Xishu for returning with Level Six supplies and the Capsized Boat House, explains the changes the Great Devourment can cause to the Bunker's layout, and warns that others may assume he possesses valuable secrets. At Wen Xishu's request, he also arranges contact with Wen Renjing. 58

The Great Devourment

Albert helps organize the response to the Great Devourment, explaining its mutation and vortex stages. During the initial outbreak, he personally kills 137 Mutants in four hours, a substantial share of the 329 recorded during that period. His performance reinforces his reputation as the defender who had nearly single-handedly reversed the previous Great Devourment. 137

As Wen Xishu tackles increasingly dangerous Orange Vortices, Albert recognizes him as humanity's foremost Tower of Deception explorer and worries about his survival. He later warns him when two Orange Vortices merge and permits a visit to the sealed Wen Family Old Residence after the disaster ends. 147 174

Following Wen Xishu's success, Albert confronts the Five Elders and rejects their attempts to preserve exclusive control. He recognizes the Xishu Divine Church, appoints Wen Xishu permanent senior adviser to the Security Bureau, and makes him dean of the newly established Tower of Deception Academy. His overwhelming presence forces the elders to accept that he is informing them of his decisions rather than seeking permission. 196

Scorpio's Chessboard and Sirius's Rescue

During Wen Xishu's time-related journey, Albert explains that activating Scorpio's Invitation Letter has placed him on a path toward confronting Leo. He escorts Wen Xishu to an escape point on the chessboard, after which the student continues toward Sirius's prison. 223

Old Jin and Xiao Jin's Secrets

Albert joins Wen Xishu and Evelyn in investigating Old Jin's withdrawal and Xiao Jin's past. Evelyn reveals that Old Jin repeatedly asked her to erase and reshape Xiao Jin's memories to make him conventionally kind, gentle, honest, and loving. Albert supports Wen Xishu's proposal to use fear to recover the memories concealed beneath those alterations. 229

They later meet Old Jin to discuss Sagittarius, who threatens the Bunker through causal attacks. After Albert returns with news that Old Jin has died in the Tower of Slaughter, his grief is apparent. He nevertheless continues investigating the assassination attempt against Wen Xishu, using Luo Feng's demonstrations to help assess the culprit's imitation ability. 246 262 263

Albert and Wen Xishu then locate Xiao Jin at the academy. Initially unwilling to corner or harm someone important to Old Jin, Albert becomes uncompromising when he recognizes Xiao Jin's determination to kill Wen Xishu. He suppresses the emotional assault produced through Xiao Jin's imitation of Evelyn and protects his student. 274 275

Duel with Sagittarius

Wen Xishu proposes using Fated Duel to bring Sagittarius into a direct confrontation with Albert. Although their companions vote against the plan because losing Albert could destroy the Bunker's future, Albert insists that a chance to remove the obstacle to humanity's progress must not be abandoned. 286

Albert leads Wen Xishu, Xun Hui, Nissen, and Yue Yun through Isaacra on Floor 74. He destroys a Black House and a Red House, reveals Unity, and protects Wen Xishu from Sagittarius's Arrow of Fate before the Constellation is summoned into the mortal world. 289

During the duel, Albert catches or neutralizes successive arrows through his fists. The death-infused fifth arrow badly damages his body but triggers a breakthrough in Return to One, allowing him to regenerate and counterattack. He later relocates the battle through a spatial fissure and overcomes the Arrow of Nihility by reliving his past and reaffirming his purpose. 290 291 292

Wen Xishu survives the Arrow of Annihilation using his own abilities, creating the opening Albert needs to land a devastating punch that breaks Sagittarius's armor and leaves him defeated. Albert candidly admits afterward that he could not withstand that eighth arrow himself at his current level. 292 293

Albert initially intends to kill Sagittarius rather than allow a dangerous enemy to return to an unreachable refuge. Sagittarius warns that his death would greatly strengthen the other Constellations. Wen Xishu subsequently establishes Fate Resonance with him, and Albert sees in his student's achievement the possibility of a successor who may one day surpass him. 293 294

Post-Duel Leadership and Heart-Questioning

After celebrating the victory, Albert rejects Evelyn's romantic overture and explains that his hatred of the monsters remains the force driving him forward. Evelyn, in turn, resolves to resume her own Tower of Desire climb and investigate the danger behind Ruinbringer. 298

Albert and Wen Xishu organize a Sequence Trade Fair with support from the Six Great Families and the Xishu Divine Church. By this period, Albert has effectively become the Bunker's “emperor”: the elders no longer dare assume that he will remain uninvolved in politics. He also holds publicized talks with William Gordon concerning cooperation over the fair. 314 315

Albert's subsequent Floor 98 exploration demonstrates continued improvement from the Sagittarius battle. After returning, he undergoes Heart-Questioning and receives restored youth. He credits Wen Xishu's efforts for making this opportunity possible and eagerly seeks out his fellow traveler to discuss it. 331 333

Destruction of Yellow Springs

After the Academy Spirit locates Yellow Springs in Hujiang, Albert chooses to confront it personally rather than send Xun Hui. He discovers that the creature's Pseudo-Netherworld converts incoming attacks into undead forces and identifies the conversion's limits through repeated punches. He then overwhelms and destroys both Yellow Springs and its special world. 388

The Tower-Exit Kill yields exceptional rewards, although an ordinary kill of a monster at Yellow Springs' level would contribute little to Albert's existing strength. The encounter also gives him insight into nether energy and the possibility of incorporating it into a future fist technique. 398

Alternate Selves and the Fourth Tower

During the Old Acquaintance event, Wen Xishu 001 visits Albert in Universe 046. Albert recognizes that this powerful, lonely visitor is not his own Wen Xishu and offers counsel about his resolve and the hope remaining in his world. After speaking with him twice, Albert is able to distinguish his own student's eventual return and understands much of what happened during the trial. 408 410 412

Using information supplied by the strongest Wen Xishu, Albert explains that the Bunker is itself the fourth tower. Its stages depend on humanity's advancement in the Three Towers, and its middle stage will admit outside Tower Challengers with seven-day tasks, including the assassination of residents capable of affecting the Three Towers War. Albert and Wen Xishu agree to strengthen security and patrols while seeking ways to identify or stop these challengers. 413

Albert subsequently reflects that their world's hope is not limited to its strongest climbers. The contributions of people such as Wen Xiange demonstrate that many otherwise unremarkable residents can still achieve extraordinary things, giving him a broader sense of companionship in humanity's struggle. 416

Notable Quotes

“My name is Albert, just an ordinary old man.” 27

“The Three Towers Academy is still short one enrollment slot.” 25

“Don’t disappoint me.” 28

“Do what is right, not what is easy.” 291

“Of course I'm afraid of death. That's why I haven't dared enter the Strange Tower all these years. But I'm even more afraid of dying a pathetic death.” 286

“You are a god with a high-ranking Three Towers sequence, but who says my Slaughter Sequence cannot surpass yours?” 291

“That's why I need time. I don't need power bestowed by a god, because given time, I can gain the power to kill gods.” 331

Trivia

• Albert calls himself an ordinary old man despite being regarded as one of the Bunker’s living legends. 24 27
• He enjoys chess, anime, novels, and fictional-roleplay. 24 27
• He claims to be too important to humanity’s survival during the Great Devourment to risk exploring the Tower of Deception. 28
• Although he says he does not handle much of the academy’s daily administration, he personally intervenes when he takes interest in a student. 27 35
• Wen Xishu jokingly proposes trading Slaughter Sequence 199: Limit Break Kick for Albert's mastered Limit Break Punch, claiming that Albert should train his legs as well as his hands. 115
• He nearly smashes his treasured Mysterious CEO Call in anger, then stops because he cannot bear to destroy it. 85
• Before the Sagittarius duel, he admits that its importance kept him from sleeping properly the previous night. 287
• Despite his vast equipment collection, the item he selects before that duel is an old pair of purple gauntlets with sentimental value rather than one of the rarer alternatives. 287
• His Heart-Questioning reward initially appears to be absent because his statistics do not change; he realizes what he received only after noticing missing wrinkles in a mirror. 331

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