Two days later Adrian is finally released from the climber’s ward and he is ready to once again enter the Tower.

  He had already talked to his parents yesterday about it, and after a talk with the healer in charge of him, they agreed to the request. Later that evening, they sent him one of his old bags with a new stash of food and medicines and some new clothes as his last ones all burnt up.

  The most devastating news of all is perhaps the destruction of his Blood Pouch. Unable to stand a single explosion.

  The next day while going towards the Tower, Adrian pays for the new one on his own, from the remaining money he has saved. He still owes Matthew for one of these, and he is not eager to add more into that debt.

  His party waits for him by the bridge and as he nears them, he can sense that they too have gotten stronger from the day he has been missing.

  “Did I miss something?” He asks as they make their way through the bridge.

  “We killed a boss yesterday ourselves. A carbuncle. The one I used as a Sacrifice. Also hunted a few more things to make up a few more levels,” Leah answers.

  “I’m level 5 now!” Buren yells.

  “I reached level 6, and so did Leah,” Matthew says. He wears an extra chainmail over his clothes now. Now with his 21 Mind stat, Adrian can sense even better how forced Matthew’s smile is.

  Did he take the blast too personally? Well it is his job to protect others. Adrian shrugs. He had to act that day because Matthew had not been fast enough, and he would not have been able to handle a blast of that level. His ultimate shield too would’ve gone to waste as not enough time has passed for him to actually stack too much defense into it.

  At level 6 now, perhaps things will be different and he will actually be able to do his job better.

  “We also filled our Blood Pouches. Just you are left now,” Buren smugly says.

  “I’ll get that done in a few hours,” Adrian sighs.

  Like last time a red gate appears in front of them as they appear closer to the Tower. Adrian jumps in followed by others, and is spat in a much different location this time, the gate still shimmering behind them.

  “Wouldn’t it be cool if we can actually use this gate to enter the Tower at some other point and actually visit other places?” Adrian mutters.

  “The Tower is already providing us with too much,” Matthew pats his shoulder and says, “We should not be too greedy with it,”

  “But what if I actually want to go see other places?” Adrian frowns.

  “Well there always are caravans running around the Tower. If you catch one, they can take you to a different city. Why would you wanna go someplace else? I don’t understand it at all,” Matthew shakes his head in exasperation.

  For someone like Matthew, whose whole life is dedicated to the Tower and the clan, understanding it is very difficult.

  Better not to push it anymore.

  “Adrian, are you planning on deserting?” Leah asks with a smile. It’s not a nice smile.

  “No. I was just curious. You hear tales of the high climber always moving to other places and I idly wondered what that would be like,” Adrian shrugs, casting Avatar as 10 copies of himself emerges from himself. He assigns one of them as the leader, hands him his Blood Pouch and the blade, and sends them forward to deal with as many small creatures as they can–after taking their position from Buren, of course. This scout of theirs isn’t as bad as he expected. They are ordered to at most only defeat a splintercow if they can find it and if they are all together. And to NOT lose the Blood Pouch.

  He is really glad that his avatars can work so well autonomously.

  “They really are useful, huh,” Buren mutters.

  “Hmm. By the way, did we find anything valuable from the Fire Bovine that day? Something worth selling?” Adrian asks.

  “None. It blew up the Fire core in its lungs,” Leah shrugs.

  “I’ll be more careful killing it the next time,” Adrian says.

  “You are still planning on killing one?” Leah asks, looking at him weirdly.

  “Yes? Why not? They sell for quite a lot after all,” Adrian answers.

  “Adrian,” Matthew pats his shoulder–Adrian is already getting annoyed by this habit of his–and says, “it is okay to take a small break. You went through something traumatic. You don’t have to keep a brave front, you know,”

  “What nonsense are you spewing? I’m perfectly fine. I’m even stronger actually! It was just a small explosion. I am alive, aren’t I?” Adrian retorts, moving deeper into the plains, away from the gate where more climbers are entering from.

  I wonder if I’ll meet one of the others from the Trial.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  The others look at each other concerningly, but follow him anyway.

  #

  An hour later, Adrian stands over the body of a Fire Bovine, this one killed and its core removed before it can explode itself. Just like things are supposed to be done. An altar appears where it died, magically sprouting from the ground.

  I really should learn to kill my enemies before counting my wins. Even in the trial I lost a Sacrifice because of it. Although things have turned out fine for me, they could very easily go down a worse path.

  “Good job!” Leah cheers as they stand before the completely still Fire Bovine. She had insisted that they do this one as a team, and hence Adrian is stuck sharing exp.

  Not that he minds it too much. For the past hour, he has been getting many notifications and a lot more exp.

  You have killed a splintercat (lvl 3)

  You have killed a splintercat(lvl 4)

  You have killed a splintercow (lvl 6)

  You have killed a kappa (lvl 7)

  You have levelled up! Manifold Warden lvl 9

  The kappa is a surprise. Usually very conscious and shy, they live under the lakes and only attack lonely climber tents when at night. Their danger comes from their high physical strength and their high defense.

  How did they kill one? I wish I can talk to my avat-

  Adrian stops himself. Has he ever tried to talk to his avatars? Can they talk? Huh, this might be interesting. Let’s call them back and see. Anyway it’s time to ascend. I should have enough blood collected by now.

  Tugging at the connection which connects him with his avatars, Adrian recalls them as they wait by the altar, all of them with their Blood Pouches in hand.

  They make small conversations while they wait, until Buren stops them. “Someone is coming,”

  Everyone tenses, until he says, “He’s with Adrian’s copies. He seems to be talking to them? They can talk? Creepy. Anyway, it looks like he knows you, Adrian.”

  Adrian waits for the avatars to approach. Being the place it is, with wide plains and very sparse apple trees, he sees them coming before they are actually here.

  Adrian relaxes as he sees who is coming with them. I did not actually expect to meet someone.

  “Adrian! Why are you still stuck on this floor!?” Michael, the guy with the earrings, yells from where he stands, his voice booming through the distance into Adrian’s ears. He must have a nice Body stat.

  Adrian does not shout like the other guy did, instead letting him come closer. A mistake, because the guy quickly engulfs him in a hug and lifts him like a kite. He has a really nice Body stat.

  “I did not expect to see you on this floor, Michael,” Adrian says as he struggles out of the hug.

  “I’m glad I did though. I wanted to thank you for the hint back in the last test. You really saved our asses,” Michael smiles and says.

  “Don’t worry about it. It was Ji-a in the first place who hinted me towards the answer. You should thank her.”

  “I will do so when I meet her. I think she’s already on the second floor though. I think everyone from our trial is on the second floor. I always thought you were more of the capable one, so I’m actually surprised you are still here,” Michael says.

  “Oh, I actually had a bit of an accident dealing with a Fire Bovine and I wasn’t able to climb for two days. I’m all done though, was just waiting for my avatars to bring me the blood to ascend now,” Adrian motions to the avatars beside him, the one with the Blood Pouch coming forward at his direction and hands him the Pouch, filled to the brim. He starts to spend his mana on the Pouch, the runes on it glow as it begins to infuse the blood with magic.

  It’s a nice convenience, not having to do it yourself.

  “Oh yes I met them. Not the best conversationalists, but they are fun. This is a neat power you got. I found them fighting a Kappa and decided to help.”

  “Thank you. So why are you still here?”

  “Oh… um actually I’m looking for that exact kappa’s core that you have there,” Michael smiles wryly.

  At his confusion, one of the avatars comes forward and hands him a small shimmering orb containing the essence of the Kappa’s ability. “A Defense core,” Adrian mutters.

  “Yes. I need that one for one of my ability upgrades.”

  “It’s a good one… but are you sure you want this one? Among other defense cores, this one is pretty weak, no?” Adrian looks at Matthew for confirmation who nods in agreement.

  “Also,” Adrian continued as he looks at the loose clothing of Michael, the katana on his shoulder, and asks, “Are you even a defense type climber?”

  “Oh no I’m not, but there’s actually a recipe I have in mind which I think will bring a nice upgrade to one of my abilities. I’m sure, I’ll have to check by the Tower once I get the other core, but I think it will work.”

  Adrian nods along. Using two cores for an upgrade is the most common way of doing things if you want a specific upgrade to your ability. Adding more types of cores can although bring very specific results, it also leaves the ability far too specific and removes its future upgrade potential.

  It makes one wonder if using a single core is possible, but a single core simply does not have the required energy to bring the change. Unless the core belongs to a creature from above the tenth floor.

  “Also you know, Adrian, cores are not just elements like defense or fire or water. They also contain the lives of the magical creatures. There’s a lot in there that can bring some very unexpected results,” Michael smiles as he says it.

  “I apologise for bad-mouthing it.” Just because something is from a lower floor doesn’t make it inherently bad. He should’ve known to stay away from underestimating someone.

  “Don’t worry about it. Sooo… do you wanna give me that?”

  “I can think about it,” Adrian smiles as he tosses the core in the air, “What will you give me in return?”

  “I already helped you kill that…”

  “And I would’ve done it without help as well. You just stole some of my exp as well!”

  “Ugh, I’ll think about it. Hold onto it for now. Should we ascend now?” He looks at others behind him, where Buren and Matthew are busy whispering to each other and says, “Hello, I’m sorry to hog your teammate like this. But do you think I can ascend with you guys?”

  Leah looks at Matthew and Buren, who both shrug, so she too shrugs, and says, “Sure. Friend of Ad. You can tell us things about his time in the trial!”

  “Of course!” Michael excitedly exclaims, moving to the altar.

  Adrian sighs in defeat and joins them too, his 8 avatars circling around them–two of them dead–as they pour all the blood they have on the altar. The altar greedily drinks all of it, leaving a clear surface behind and a red gate in front of it.

  Adrian notes that the gate looks redder than the previous one, but that might just be his hallucination.

  Adrian jumps in with the others, onto their next adventure.

  #