Ultimate Level 1-Chapter 446: The Tower Awaits

Chapter 446 - The Tower Awaits

A soft groan came from Tanila as Max’s fingers worked the knots in her shoulders.

“You’ve gotten far too good at that, my love,” she purred.”Keep that up, and you’ll be forced out of adventuring and made to do this full-time.”

Smiling, he leaned forward and kissed the back of her neck, his nostrils filling with the scent of her hair that hung over the front of her bare chest.

“As much as we both might like that, I think other duties will eventually require us to do other things. I can feel our child moving more.”

“Which, by the way, is not fair at all! I can sense them and feel them, but you still haven’t told me if it will be a boy or a girl.”

“Because I don’t know. Bob won’t tell me, and a wall blocks it in my mind. Anytime I might know, he takes it away because I don’t want to spoil it.”

She grunted and then moaned as his fingers worked a spot that was always tight.

“I’m just glad there wasn’t any vorpal rabbit on the menu tonight.”

Laughing, Tanila nodded.

“Those… bunnies. I feel for Jazzjak’s wife. She is a strong woman to control them as she does.”

Max wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her neck again.

“You’re tired and need to rest. I need to get to work if I’m going to make things for us. Besides, tomorrow we’ll start the 60th floor in the tower.”

A shiver ran down Tanila’s exposed back, and as she clutched at his arms for a moment, he could sense some reservation.

“It’s… hard to believe we’re there. I mean… just a year ago, we managed to reach level twenty-five. Now…”

“Soon, we’ll be much higher. For now, rest. I know you’re tired.”

He felt her lips against his arm, and then she patted both of them softly.

“Go… I know your mistress is calling to you, and I am tired.”

Laughing, he moved till her face was before his and drew her close, kissing those soft red lips, ignoring the desire that welled up inside him to spend more time as they just had.

“She is a demanding mistress,” he replied. “But if I recall, she was thinking about having me make you something.”

Rolling her eyes, Tanila flopped down on the bed and used her hand to shoo him away.

“Go and have fun. Tell Tom I said hi again.”

***

“Gods, Max, you’ve brought back quite a load of items.”

Nodding, he continued to pull out a few chests that would not be stored in the guild vault and allowed the Faction trainer to inspect them.

“I’m focused on a few things, and I want to try to finish them. In my mind, I’ve got some ideas but getting them made is going to be the hard part.”

“Something better than the staff you made, Batrire?”

He could see the look on Tom’s face and just shrugged.

“Each time it’s different. Like in my mind, an idea springs to life, and I know I can make it.”

A large block of green metal appeared in the trainer’s hand, and then almost fell to the floor for a second before Tom caught it.

“What in the gods is this?!”

“Something perfect for a hammer or perhaps some armor. Jazzjak knows the name of many of these materials.”

A snort came, and Tom quickly stored the metal.

“You bring back enough items to destroy the market completely and thirteen rabbits, which I know two can easily bite my head off. We’ll ignore the other eleven who act worse than a teenager.”

“Still, all they want is to be safe. Surely, we can find them a place in our world for that.”

Nodding, Tom began to peer through the chest Max had been waiting for.

“Power cores? Like the one you put in Dexic’s sword?”

“Yup, and those all have more power than that one.”

Whistling, the trainer held one in his hand, admiring the light that reflected off its glossy outside.

“I don’t suppose I could put in a personal request.” freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Without hesitating, Max pulled two swords out, each with a pink blade slightly longer than his arm. The grip was perfect, and he knew it. Flipping them around and holding it out, he waited.

“For me?”

“For you.”

It only took a second before Tom took the first one, and his eyes lit up, and Max was informed that he had inspected it. The second sword caused the same reaction and a grin stretched across the older man’s face.

“You… when… I mean, thank you!”

“I didn’t want you to think I only love Everett. So I made you something I knew you would enjoy.”

The look of utter joy was written all over his face. Often, it only displayed frowns as he carried out his job as the Faction trainer. Now his lips were curled upward, and if his cheeks rose any higher, they might fall off. Every few seconds, his head would bob up and down as he inspected each sword over and over.

“These… are way beyond what I could ever have hoped for. You’re certain?”

“Absolutely. Perhaps one day I’ll make something better–”

“Better?” Tom croaked. “Each sword gives me 50 points in Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution! That’s a hundred points for each of those three attributes when combined! Surely, you must be joking.”

Max’s only reply was a shrug as he patted his friend's shoulder and motioned at the forge waiting for him.

“Play with them later. I need some help, and you’re the only one allowed in here.”

Laughing, Tom gave each of them a playful swing once more before sighing and storing them.

“Fine… I’ll wait till tomorrow… but if you keep giving me things like this, I might actually be able to take you.”

Rolling his eyes, Max shook his head.

“We both know that day will never come.”

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***

Max watched as each member of his party shuddered the moment they appeared on the tower floor after him.

“What was that?” Cordellia asked as she shook her arms. “Like a–”

Each of them was staring ahead at the space before them, eyes darting around at the figure seated on a black stone chair.

“Who… who is that?” Batrire whispered, not mentioning anything about where they were seated.

Every inch of the fifty-yard square room was made of precious metal, almost making it seem worthless as a being with no face and just a silver chrome body sat there.

It was easily twenty feet while sitting, and the blank, shiny surface where eyes and a mouth should be was focused upon them.

A deep voice echoed off the gold floors and walls.

“Congratulations are in order. You five have achieved a feat that most will never manage to accomplish. Please sit and listen while I tell you what lies beyond this floor.”

A silver hand that shone like a gleaming mirror gestured to a spot before it, and five stone chairs like the one it sat on rose up.

“Uh… I guess we sit?” Fowl asked.

Max nodded and moved first.

It’s… strong… like…

Nothing we would ever fight. It is probably something brought here by the system like Wekime and the demon we faced in that dungeon. I can… remember something, but I’m not sure what.

Every step felt like they were being measured, and the lack of a face on the one speaking to them made it hard to pick up on any visual cues. The muscular humanoid shape returned its arm to the spot on the throne.

When all five were seated, it snapped its finger and the image of their world appeared before them.

“This is your home planet, and it appears you five have all… somehow left it. Not a feat I can recall happening before on this world. The scent of… something powerful… ancient is present, yet I cannot recall what it is, even though I should know.”

Slowly, the figure leaned forward, towering above them and appeared to be glancing at each of them individually.

“No matter. Your travels are not the reason for this moment; perhaps it will make what I say easier to understand. Know that what we discuss will be a secret. Any attempts to talk about it outside of this area or with anyone who has not yet stepped foot on this floor will result in pain.”

A thick tree trunk appeared in its left hand off to the side, and the sound of crushed fibers rang out.

“At first, it will hurt like someone is squeezing the very life from you, and even though you won’t be able to speak of it, you’ll experience this pain in a way that should remind you to stop. If you decide to keep trying…”

The sound of the tree exploding as shards of wood flew in every direction, striking a barrier that suddenly had appeared and prevented the pieces from striking them.

“This is simply an image to drive home what will happen to you. Do you understand?”

Gulps came from some of them as they nodded.

“Good. Now, this floor starts the real challenge. What you thought was difficult on the 51st floor was simply a test. It was designed to make the weak quit. Those who are not up for what comes next will never have the chance to achieve what lies beyond.”

“What… what does lie beyond?” their ranger asked.

The mirrored face turned to Cordellia who seemed to shrink under the focus of its attention.

“Godhood.”

Grunts and gasps came as everyone looked at each other, eyes wide and mouths hanging open.

“You’re serious? Godhood?” Fowl asked.

“Jokes are not something I tell. I do not find emotion to be worthy of my time. Stories and rumors have spread across your world for thousands of years. Defeat the tower, and you will have the chance to become a god. Like the three you worship. Just know…”

Its right hand motioned to an area where the room began to change. Dirt replaced the gold, and thousands of grave markers appeared.

“So many have died trying to become one. Few have made it. Most are not worthy or strong enough to do what must be done for it. Perhaps one of you will be worthy.”

“One of us?” Max asked the little warnings he had been given from Phaius going off in his head.

“All things are revealed in time. That is not what I am here to show you for now.”

It snapped its finger, and a small gold pedestal began to rise before each of them.

Once it had stopped forming, a blue gem, a color darker than any Max had ever seen, appeared on each of them.

“Take that, crush it, feel what comes next.”

As one they did as instructed, almost unable to resist the command.

It was cold, like water from a cold stream, similar to the one he had dunked under while fleeing from his home a year ago.

Each edge of the gem felt perfectly smooth, yet inside was a well of power that Max knew he wanted.

Crushing it sent a surge of power through his arm.

[ Tower Achievement Acquired ]

[ 60th Floor Reached ]

[ Gem Experience Granted ]

[ Automatic Tower Experience given per floor ]

[ Stat Bonus Granted ]

[ +5% to all stats ]

[ Aura has been unlocked ]

As the power rushed through him, Max immediately felt the increase that came.

That was… amazing!

True power lies beyond. We will be wise to stay here as much as we can.

“Five percent,” Batrire whispered. “I got five percent.”

“Me too,” Cordellia said.

“Ditto.”

Tanila chuckled and nodded, and the rest turned their attention to Max.

“I got the same,” he stated with a grin.

“Yes, the tower has granted you all the same boon. Just know what you think about this place will be tested. The floors will not be like what you expect.”

A question burned inside and Max wanted to ask, yet wondered if doing so might cause problems for everyone else.

Ask it. We may never get another chance.

Clearing his throat, Max looked up and saw his own reflection in the being's face.

“The floors that are coming. Are they all beings from other worlds?”

A tremor ran through the room, and the very floor shook, causing their chairs to vibrate as whatever god or being this was bent down, stopping only a few yards from where Max sat.

“That question… it is one most do not figure out till much later. You–”

Suddenly, the being seemed to freeze, and its head twitched slightly from side to side.

As quickly as it had bent over, it returned to the position it had been in when they first arrived—seated upright on its throne, looking straight ahead.

“Our time is done. Know that choices must be made. Those who think they are wise will learn that not all choices are easy and sometimes the cost of them will have consequences that last eons.”

A loud snapping sound came, and the room pulsed with a bright white light.

Each of them blinked, and Max immediately sensed the change in where they had been, now in a forest, the sounds of animals and the sweet scent of trees and flowers reaching his nose.

“What… where are we?” Fowl asked, jumping from his seat.

“In the tower,” Max replied. “It’s time to see what it has in store for us.”

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