《God's Tower System》


 Chapter 1 (I) Origins

    ?The moon shone high above the skies, scattered with dark clouds, brightly illuminating the verdant rolling hillscape. Hundreds of tall emerald  Oaks, Maples, and Pine Trees adorned the hills, creating a thick and luscious forest.


    Smoke rose into the skies from amongst the trees, billowing as it came from a small cottage in a tiny clearing in the forest. It was a minimalistic one-room cottage with an equally little kitchte and a small table with two chairs. Intense mes roared from the chimney in front of an oversized chair; an elderly woman sat on the edge of a bed.


    She tucked in a young boy with shaggy, sandy hair and bright green eyes before grabbing a sizeable worn book from the nightstand beside the bed and ruffled the hair, covering his forehead with a warm smile.


    "One chapter! That''s it! We have an early day tomorrow, Jackson!" She said sternly as she wagged her finger at his face; he giggled and pulled the nket over his mouth.


    "Okay, Grandma!" Jackson replied innocently as she opened the worn and tattered binding of therge book.


    "Long ago, many years before you or I were born, our entire world was covered by humans. They lived on every inch of the ground and ruled over everything on Terra. However..." The elderly woman read as Jackson turned his head and stared out the window toward the bright moon.


    ***


    The skies turned a bright red as the clouds burst apart and disappeared. The trees exploded, sending ming thatch and splinters everywhere, creating a raging inferno across Terra. Lava began erupting beneath the''s crust, bursting from volcanoes and cracks underneath the oceans. The oceans started boiling as the mountaintops were split apart, and earthquakes ravaged the continents.


    Humongous towers began floating down to equally gigantic metropolis cities throughout Terra. The structures casually descended until they floated a few hundred meters above the ground creating massive gusts throughout the skyscrapers.


    Immediately each of the towers opened a massive panel on each face, and luminescent staircases began unfolding out and down to the ground destroying the buildings underneath as they expanded out and connected to each other, creating a starkly beautiful image amongst the destruction of the cities.


    A neverending sea of beasts emerged from the towers and began charging down the brightly lit red stairs. Giant wolves with dark fur,rge fangs, and ws ran alongside giant rats and massive insects that crawled along the ground beneath their rampaging feet.


    Panic set in an instant as everyone began trampling over each other as they attempted to flee from the towers. Local authorities tried to cull the beasts but were overrun in moments. Chaos ensued everywhere as people hid and barred themselves but to no avail.


    Militaries sprung into high alert and were dispatched, but even with the increased firepower of their armored and air divisions, more giant and stronger monsters emerged from the tower and were quickly able to defeat the armies that were protecting humanity.


    The world leaders were cut off from the public, and roughly half of humanity was eradicated from Terra in the brink of a few hours.


    A Young man with long, flowing golden hair and glowing blue eyes appeared in one of the cities, and with a single wave of his hand, a light obliterated more than one hundred of the beasts in front of him. He wore gold and silver medieval te armor covering his entire body from his neck down and a long, bright crimson red cape.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The bloodthirsty beasts charged at him from all directions. Each step he took unleashed a powerful burst, sending shockwaves, knocking them away as he flicked his wrists, disintegrating anything hit by the bursts of energy flung from his hands.


    Lucky survivors watched in awe, cowering behind the rubble of destroyed buildings as their mysterious savior singlehandedly pushed back the monsters.


    Simr events were happening across Terra as more men who looked identical to him were aplishing identical victories and killing every beast that spilled out continuously. All twenty-one young men began climbing the steps to the towers and vanished into them, sealing shut behind them.


    Saviors who rescued everyone without so much as uttering a single word. These men vanished as quickly as they appeared. The remnants of humanity grew bold once the monsters disappeared and approached the towers cautiously.


    Civilization was crippled and brought to its knees within mere hours by the emergence of the towers. People from the countryside began to flee the devastation brought by the to the cities and slowly began to rebuild.


    Lawlessness and anarchy reced the peaceful lives everyone once knew as gangs emerged and began to extort, kidnap, and murder anyone they pleased. Thew of the jungle became the onlyw that mattered.


    Survival of the Fittest! For two decades, humanity grew archaic, forgetting the advancements and technology through brutality and malnourishment. The strong eat the weak, and the weak can''t do anything about it, yet everything changed when the doors opened again. The only difference was the stairs were glowing blue and not red any longer.


    Civilization had settled next to the towers, and panic had ensued as everyone immediately rushed away, far, hiding amongst the moss-covered rubble of buildings long destroyed. The humans cautiously waited for days before finally approaching the towers.


    Upon reaching the top of the staircase, from within the pitch ckness of the tower''s opening, a swirling purple portal formed with white streaks circting within the purple mass.


    Prisoners of war were the first to be forced through the portals by the warlords who ruled the destroyed cities. They had sent ve after ve through the doorway, and none ever returned.


    After a week of losing dozens of ves, the warlords snapped and sent one of their own men through the portal. Once again, none ever returned. They quickly dismissed the outlets and ignored the towers again until a miracle happened...


    The portal changed to a bright blue, and one of the ves stepped through wearing leather armor. One after another, more stepped out wearing various clothing and armor, each wielding odd weapons.


    Standing atop the peak of the stairs, one person stepped forward and recited a well-rehearsed speech, "Surrender peacefully and release any person enved immediately or face the consequences!"

 Chapter 2 (II) Loss

    ?The raiders burst into a fit ofughter as they became unruly. The shackled enved people began screaming for help, rattling their chains from inside metal barred cages.


    More people stepped forward and stared down the gangs, which caused pain to everyone alive. The unbelievable happened; the people who emerged from the tower began unleashing magical attacks down onto the raiders.


    Through the help of the powers bestowed upon the people who had entered the tower, they were able to push back the warlord and his gangs to the outskirts of the city. Civilization began anew with the people working together across Terra and starting to rebuild the cities.


    The Warlords took control of the countryside and rapidly expanded in power in the wilds while humanity began to fortify the cities. The survivors no longer knew the advanced metalwork from the past and elected to build castle walls that were soon made out of stone and mortar.


    Peace returned to Terra once again as no one needed to venture out into the wilds and face the warlords, as they could travel to other castles through the towers. The people began to worship the buildings and powers, believing they were gifts from God, and affectionately referred to them as God''s Towers.


    ***


    The Elderly woman closed the book quietly and smiled at the slumbering Jackson, bending forward and kissing his forehead before slowly standing up and sitting in the chair in front of the firece.


    She reached into her blouse and pulled out an old corncob pipe and reached into her oversized chair, and pulled a small pouch of tobo out from between the cushion as she packed it and snapped her fingers, producing a me from her index finger and lit the pipe, taking a few puffs and sighing in relief, sinking into the cushion with a smile.


    She stared at a family painting hanging above the firece. In the picture was a young woman and her husband, a small child in their mother''s arms, and an older woman, "Where have you gone to now, my son..?" She asked the young man as tears welled up from her eyes.


    Her son, Jackson''s father, was a challenger, someone who climbed the tower for the sake of humanity. No matter what he was doing, he had always made sure to exit at least one day out of the month. It had been a year since he wasst seen...


    "Your little boy needs you..." She muttered as the tears streamed down her wrinkled cheeks, "I cannot give him what he needs from you..." She sighed, "He deserves the truth..."


    His mother, who she never understood why her son took her as his wife, dropped Jackson off with her one day out of the blue three months after he disappeared, and she never came back. She had changed her name, altered her appearance, and vanished into the wilds.


    She turned her face, wiping her eyes as she stared at the innocent young boy fast asleep in the nearby bed. She opened the back of the book, ced her hand on a hidden, sealed envelope addressed to Jackson, and frowned before taking a deep puff from her pipe.


    She puffed on the pipe absentmindedly and stared into the firece until she fell asleep.


    Hourster, Jackson awoke and sat up in bed, looking around as the beginning streams of sunlight began peeking through the trees and into the small clearing; he flung the nkets off him and exited the cottage, heading to a small hut that served as an outhouse on the other side of the clearing.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She was awoken by the door closing as she heard the sounds of small birds chirping happily outside the cottage. She turned to the bed and saw it empty and smiled as she slowly stood up, groaning as her bones ached, and slowly walked into the kitchte and opened the refrigerator, pulling out eggs and milk.


    After relieving himself, the young boy exited the tiny building, ran over to arge basin with water, rinsed his hands off, and sshed his face before running inside and sitting down at the table, "Good morning, Grandma!" He chirped.


    "Good morning, Jax! Breakfast is almost ready!" She said with a smile as she finished cooking the eggs on a me she had created before cing them on a small te and putting it in front of the boy with a ss of milk.


    "You''ll need to finish your chores early this morning; we need to go to the market and buy another stone to power the fridge." She exined as she sat down with a mug of coffee.


    "Okay, Grandma!" He said with a smile as he began to eat his breakfast. The elderly woman smiled and finished her coffee as she stood up and patted his head as she walked by him, heading outside and stretching her body with a loud groan.


    "Growing old is rough..." She muttered to herself, slowly walking into the clearing around the house toward a massive rock near the edge of the thicket of trees.


    She sat down and crossed her legs as she closed her eyes, resting the back of her palms against her knees. A pale, white, viscous-like energy emerged from her body as the rock began vibrating.


    Jackson finished his breakfast and burst out of the cottage, running as he quickly stopped, digging his heels into the ground and skidding to a halt as he stared over at his grandmother.


    Her eyes sprung open, glossed over, and brightly emanating the same auraing from her body. The massive rock immediately halted as it settled again into the dirt, and the aura vanished, and her eyes returned to normal.


    She groaned as she slid off the rock, adjusting her thick leather dress and jacket, dusting herself off as she approached Jackson, "The Mana Stone has been ordered, you need to hurry along now and finish your chores, or we''re going to bete!" She wagged her finger, scolding him.


    Jackson''s eyes went wide as he ran around the house to the small fenced-in pen with the singr cow and chickens. He quickly picked up the bucket outside the enclosure and hopped the fence as he attended to his chores.


    After he finished, he quickly ran to the water trough once more and dunked his entire upper body into it before shaking wildly and running to the front of the house and hopping into the carriage his grandmother was sitting on behind a singr mule.


    "Hyah!" She said and flicked the reins as they began their journey to the closest settlement, Duskgate.

 Chapter 3 (III) Duskgate

    ?The pair traveled along an overgrown dirt pathway that barely allowed them to pass under the thick branches of trees, creating a tight canopy overhead. The mule brayed as it swung its head to and fro, following the tunnellike road.


    The only vision was thanks to a magelight conjured by Jackson''s grandmother that floated around her head, projecting a soft, bright light in a small radius around the wagon and mule.


    Jackson sat next to his grandmother for a brief moment before standing up and grabbing one of the branches, ripping it from one of the dead trees, jumping into the back of the wagon, and starting to y swords with the branch, swinging it wildly against imaginary monsters.


    "You know you''re doing that all wrong?" The Elderly woman asked as she smirked at him, covering her face with her palm andughing at her grandson.


    "No, I''m not! I''m killing every monster thates at us from behind!" Jackson shouted defiantly, sticking his tongue out to his grandmother before turning around and iling the branch through the air erratically.


    "Oh hohoho! My brave little hero!" Sheughed once more before turning around and staring into the dark path, "Your father should have been the one to show you how to use a sword, oh he was such a skilled fighter, I wonder when he is going toe back..."


    "Tell me a story about my dad, Grandma!" Jackson said, throwing himself against the back of the wagon and flinging his arms over the edge into the seat as he looked up at his grandmother.


    "Oh, but there''s so many! However will I choose?" She chuckled with a giant grin as she stared forward, patting the top of Jackson''s head and ruffling his hair.


    "When we get back to the house, I''ll see if I can find one of his old training manuals for you to practice with. We''re close to Duskgate, so settle down." She said with a smile, snapping the reins and prompting the mule to increase its pace.


    Jackson groaned and jumped over the edge, sitting next to his grandmother and tossing the stick into the underbrush. Shortly after, the wagon emerged from the suffocating forest atop a hill leading down into arge valley where Duskgate nestled amongst the mountains.


    Duskgate was a sprawling city that had repurposed the remnants of skyscrapers from hundreds of years ago into security towers and blockaded the roads and lower floors with bricks to section off a massive amount of the ancient city.


    Citizens naturally gathered to Duskgate and settled around the tower. Duskgate had be the new city that never slept, built upon the skeleton of the once great metropolis. The city''s reconstruction was never entirelypleted, as millions called the city home.


    The pair traveled between sprawling fields sowed with wheat, vegetables, and cotton. Farmers were out tending to their work, taking brief breaks to say hi to the well-known travelers.


    "Mornin'' Sha! How are things out in The Ancient Bracherde Forest?" One of the elderly farmers asked with a smile, removing his straw hat and wiping his brow with the back of his arm and a smile.


    "Good morning, Ellis! Nice and quiet, just as I like it!" Sha replied with a smile and a wave as they trotted along the road.


    "Thank you for your service!" Ellis loudly said as he bowed to the passing mule-led cart.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What does he mean, Grandma?" Jackson asked as he turned and watched the elderly farmer as he ced his hat on his head and returned to his work.


    "I am the Warden of the South, Jackson. We protect Duskgate against attacks from monsters and raiders that maye from the south." The elderly woman said sternly with cold eyes as she overlooked the bustling city below.


    "Are you just like the heroes from the Great Testament?" Jackson asked, his eyes sparkling as he admired his grandmother.


    The sparkle in her eyes came rushing back as she smiled softly at her grandson and patted him on the top of the head, "That''s right, sweetie. Like your father, I, too, have ventured into God''s Tower and been blessed by The Progenitor."


    "I can''t wait to go into God''s Tower and get my own powers!" Jackson said, raising his fist into the air, "I''m going to be the strongest Climber and find my dad!"


    "Oh, my dear, sweet summer child! Don''t be in such a rush to grow up, Jax; you should enjoy being a child and y without a care in the world! You''ll be neen before you know it and be able to take the assessment to be a Climber." Sha said with a smile, ruffling his hair.


    They approached the gate, and his grandma reached into her jacket and produced a small token, signifying her position as a Warden, and the gates opened. Upon entering the city, Jackson marveled at the sheer number of people running around.


    Stalls littered both sides of the streets, and their owners shouted over one another, attempting to grab the attention of potential shoppers. The young boy marveled as he looked around at each of the stalls brimming with goods produced by them or their benefactors.


    Sha ignored all themotion and slowly guided the mule down the roads as the cart traversed to their destination deep within the city. A worn-down shack was nestled in the back of an alleyway of other shops.


    She turned toward Jackson, pointed her finger at his face, and spoke sternly, "Jackson, you had best not move an inch from atop this cart. So help me, not even The Progenitor himself could save you from being punished!"


    "Okay, Grandma! I promise!" Jackson replied with a smile, staring up at her innocently. She smiled and turned around, opening the ramshackle door and entering the tiny hut.


    Jackson sat and began twiddling his thumbs as he looked curiously at everything and everyone passing by. He started kicking his feet back and forth, bored, and kept looking at the door, hoping it would open, but it never did.


    He sighed dejectedly, and suddenly, the door swung open as two hooded figures in dark clothing rushed out of the small hut, darting off down the street and disappearing amongst the mass of people.


    The small hut blew apart not long after, exploding into a pir of fire that flew into the sky, destroying everything within it and flipping the cart on top of Jackson, knocking him out immediately.

 Chapter 4 (IV) Invasion

    ?Jackson''s small frame groaned underneath the weight of both the cart and the deceased mule on top of him. His senses had not been battle-tested, and his body was inplete shock in the aftermath of the explosion.


    Simr events were happening throughout Duskgate as explosives brought the city to its knees. The sts destroyed everything around them and spread mes to the nearby buildings. People screamed in terror as they rushed away from the explosions.


    Jackson''s ears were ringing loudly as his heart pounded in his chest. Adrenaline was pumping rapidly throughout his body as he struggled to move, his vision disoriented from the st''s shockwave. A small trail of blood dripped down his hair from the impact of the hard stone.


    He began crying and screaming for help as he attempted to crawl out from underneath the cart. His cries for help were drowned out by the screamsing from the streets.


    Immediately things went from bad to worse when all four of Duskgate''s primary gates were sprung open, and raiders began flooding into all directions, unleashing even more carnage and sowing discord throughout the city.


    The Climbers desperately attempted to defend the city, but unimaginably, the raiders soon started to unleash skills and sling spells in retaliation. Sirens were ring throughout the city as more Climbers arrived via God''s Tower.


    The raiders blockaded all passageways from God''s Tower and began to pige and kidnap people, immediately fleeing once they had obtained their goods. Thousands of raiders hit the city, and destruction swathed through the outer regions of the massive city.


    Jackson continued screaming for help as his vision had finally returned, and shortly afterward, the ringing in his ears stopped, and the screams came rushing in. His heart began beating faster as he hyperventted, looking around at the destruction.


    As he looked around, crying harder than before, his tear-filled eyes locked onto the raging fireing from the remains of the tiny hut his grandmother was in.


    "NOOOO!!!! GRANDMAAAA!!!" Jackson screamed as tears freely flowed down his face as he crawled out from underneath the cart. He scrambled against the ground toward the debris, repeatedly yelling at the top of his lungs for his grandmother.


    "Hey! Commere, punk!" A masked man shouted as he pointed to Jackson, ran over, holding a bent metal bat with nails through the end, and kicked him over onto his stomach.


    Jackson began coughing and gasping for air as he cried loudly, "Please!!! Help my grandma!!"


    "Shut it, brat!" The man shouted again as he picked up Jackson, hooked him under his arm, and began to flee toward the city''s exit. The young child started screaming for help as he began iling, trying to break free.


    The raider fled away from God''s Tower and ran for his life toward the exit. Overhead an arc of lightning danced through the sky, supercharging the clouds and instantly creating a torrential downpour putting out the fires throughout the city.


    Bystanders turned to God''s Tower and started pointing and screaming in happiness, "It''s Zander! The Rank One Climber! He''s here to save us!!" A woman shrieked, and other bystanders started excitedly chatting amongst themselves.


    Zander was a tall and slender man with frayed blonde hair and ck streaks. He had two lightning bolt tattoosing down his cheeks to his jawline. He wore a ck sleeveless vest with two blue lightning bolts going down each side and metal bands on his biceps.


    He had a long chain hanging around his waist and baggy ck shorts that stopped just below his knees, with sizeable ckbat boots.<novelnext></novelnext>


    From over his shoulder, a fireball in the shape of a bird flew at a blinding speed and began rapidly killing the Raiders as it erratically changed directions.


    "Can''t let you have all the fun, Z." A woman with flowing red hair said with a sultry smile. She wore a ck coat that ended just below her breasts with arge mane around her neck and a revealing crimson red dress and high heels.


    "This isn''t a game, Abellona! We''re here to save Duskgate!" Another woman with a short braid over her shoulder scolded as she pressed her sses up the bridge of her nose before throwing her hand out and releasing a gust of icy wind from her palm that flew down another main street and began to freeze the rain into spikes that began killing the Raiders.


    Onlookers began cheering excitedly, "I can''t believe it''s Amihan and Abellona!"


    "I can''t believe they teamed up! Frostforce and Hellfire Angels have beenpeting for the second-best guild for ages!"


    "Neither of them is remotely close to beating Lightning Guard, though!"


    Seeing more rankers appear, the civilians rxed and began cheering as their reactions wholly flipped.


    The Raider carrying Jackson was immediately disintegrated by one of Abellona''s Inferno Hawks as he tumbled across the ground, kicking up dirt into the air.


    The young boy groaned as he struggled to lift himself off the ground before he copsed, unconscious.


    The rankers quickly mopped up the remaining resistance by the raiders and began organizing the remaining climbers to sweep out and start looking for the wounded.


    "Back off, Abellona! Z doesn''t need you here; Frostforce and I will handle the rescue operations. You''re a little too hot-headed and might kill a civilian!" Amihan said with a smirk, adjusting her sses as she ced her other hand on her hip.


    "As if, Ami! Hellfire Angels are going to be the ones who rescue those people! You''ll just get in the way!" Abellona retorted, flipping her hair and turning around as she briskly walked away in a huff.


    Amihan pursed her lips together with a smug look before she turned around and walked away.


    Abellona, in her rush, failed to notice the unconscious child in her path and stubbed her toe against his head, kicking him away as he grabbed his forehead and began groaning in pain.


    Turning to see the young child, she knelt next to him and reached her hand out, "What do we have here..? Little boy, are you alright?"

 Chapter 5 (V) Orphan

    ?"Little boy, are you alright?" Abellona asked once more, sitting on the back of her heels as she knelt next to Jackson, reaching out and touching his shoulder with her gloved hand.


    The young boy looked up, crying in a hoarse voice; his wound had reopened, blood trickling down his hair, "Please!! Help my grandma!!" He threw his hand out, pointing to the alleyway.


    Abellona turned her head, staring down the alleyway the child pointed toward; her eyes lit up as she furrowed her brow as she watched the embers of the once zing inferno that had engulfed the narrow path.


    "I''m sorry, child. There is no one alive down that way." She said in a soothing voice, returning her gaze to Jackson with a faint smile. She extended her arm behind her, snapping her fingers before a young woman wearing the Hellfire Angel''s uniform.


    "Siora, take this young child to the rest of the survivors. His grandmother seems to have been killed down that alleyway." She said in a directive tone, standing as she adjusted her dress and coat before briskly walking away.


    Siora smiled softly, leaning forward as she offered her hand to Jackson, helping him to his feet, "I''m Siora. What''s your name?" She asked, wrapping her arm around the boy who stood a head above her waist and walking him towards the center of Duskgate.


    "Jackson..." He replied weakly, wiping his face with his wrist, smearing the soot on his cheeks.


    "I''m sorry for your loss, Jackson... I mean that! Who did you lose?" She asked, reaching into the bag slung across her shoulder and pulling out a small rag and kneeling in front of him, and cleaning off his face, "There! Good as new!"


    "M-m-my g-g-gra-grandma-ma-ma!" Jackson eximed as he began crying, wrapping his arm around Siora''s waist, sobbing uncontrobly.


    Siora sighed as she rubbed his back consolingly, holding him tightly, "I know, sweetie... I know..." She said, shushing him softly.


    "Come on; we should get you checked out; let''s head over to those tents over there." She said, pointing to one of the four central zas around God''s Tower, where emergency tents had been set up for the injured.


    The Climber''s Association was created by those ves thrown into God''s Tower, where they gathered and banded together. After breaking the warlord''s vice-grip on Terra, The Climber''s Association quickly became the sole power on the, controlling everything and everyone.


    Food, safety, and, most importantly of all, hope for survival had been provided by The Climber''s Association, epting and even approving of the regime that had instilled itself across the world. After long enough, it had simply be everyday life.


    Siora guided Jackson to one of the empty cots and gentlyid him down, "Just rx, and someone will be with you as soon as they can; I will go look for your grandmother, alright?" She asked with a smile as the young boy nodded, wiping the tears that had begun budding in his eyes once again as he turned over to face the tent.


    She quickly turned and ran down the street, turning down the alleyway, and searched everywhere but could not locate any bodies. She chewed on the inside of her mouth as she scratched her head, looking around.


    ***


    Jackson awoke hourster in the dead of night. Half of his head had been covered in bandages, his left arm, his right leg, and both feet. He sat up and looked around the tent at the inhabitants of the nearby cots.


    A few torches illuminated the tent as he quickly threw his shorts and tunic on over his bandages and walked toward the exit, stopping as he reached for the p and heard two people speaking outside.


    "Everyone has been ounted for, Zander. The nearbyir of The Void Eyes was located and expunged following the rescue of all hostages."


    "Good; tell Amihan I appreciate their assistance in taking care of this."


    "There was... one abnormality, however..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What?"


    "The Warden is missing. We collected her grandson, but we could not locate her. My subordinate exined that the boy said she was killed, but her body could not be located."


    "Could it have been destroyed in the explosion?"


    "It''s a possibility, but..."


    "Then that''s what happened. The Climber''s Association will appoint a new Warden. What''s the problem?"


    "You know exactly what the problem is, Z... The suits don''t simply appoint the Warden! It''s passed down from generation to generation!"


    "There isn''t any evidence of Krige''s death, and he may still be alive out there, ya know?"


    "I didn''t think you believed in those rumors..."


    "I don''t, but Sha did, and now she''s missing. Something''s going on here..."


    "Then what''s the point in telling The Climber''s Association?"


    "None of your business, Abellona; you did well today. I appreciate your help."


    "Sure, Z... Anytime..."


    Jackson opened the tent, peeking out as he watched Zander walk away from Abellona, who had a conflicted expression on her face. After a moment, she turned around, walking in the opposite direction.


    He poked his head out, looking around before exiting the tent and rushing down the main street toward the alleyway. The destruction from before was still wholly present, but the pandemonium and heat and smoke from the mes were nonexistent.


    Nothing remained of the building nor its contents. A small hatch frame was busted open as Jackson stared down at thedder leading to the darkness.


    ''She has to be down there!'' He thought to himself as he quickly climbed into the trapdoor and climbed thedder. His bandaged foot touched the cold, damp stone; he turned and looked down the long passageway ofplete darkness.


    His heart started to race as he gritted his teeth together, balling his hands into fists, doing everything to psych himself up and muster the courage to take a step.


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, recalling the words of his missing grandmother, ''Calm yourself and think with reason!''


    He opened his eyes, filled with renewed vigor as he began running down the secret tunnel. After what felt like a lifetime of running, Jackson came across a wooden door with a metaltch attached to a stone doorframe.


    He reached out, grabbing the door handle, when suddenly a hand covered his mouth and another wrapped around his body as a hushed voice seethed from behind, "Don''t say a word!"

 Chapter 6 (VI) Captive

    ?Jackson''s eyes widened as he began squirming against the firm grip of his capturer, mumbling incoherently behind the gloved hand, "Shut it! Quit moving around!" The angry whisper rushed into his ears once more as a knife emerged, pressing against his neck, and a tiny trickle of blood ran down to his chest.


    The young boy''s heart raced, and he immediately froze as the hand removed itself from his mouth, and his head was jerked backward, wincing in pain as his hair was grabbed as the knife moved to the front of his neck.


    "Good boy, now nice and slowly, open the door." The voice hissed as he was forced forward and his head forcibly held straight. Tears began welling in Jackson''s eyes as he reached for the door again, hesitantly grabbing the damp metal handle and tugging it free, swinging it open with a loud creak.


    Light crept into the shadowed passageway as lit sconces attached to the walls dimly illuminated small sections every dozen meters. Jackson and his captor slowly traversed through the passage one after the other.


    After what felt like an eternity of walking, another door came into view with two torches on each side; Jackson was pushed forward suddenly, stumbling along as he fell to his hands and knees, turning around as he stared at the hooded figure.


    It was a tall man wearing formfitting leather with bands across the chest containing dozens of small knives. A mask covered the bottom half of his face with a thick cloak concealing his head and most of his body.


    Pointed at was an intricately carved dagger with a white hilt and silver pommel connecting to the crossguard. The de was long, thick, and curved, with a ring along the spine.


    "Alright, kid. Open the door, slowly!" The hooded man coldly said from beneath his mask. Jackson nodded as he turned back to the door, standing slowly as he reached for the door.


    "Hide behind the door, Jackson!" A voice shouted from behind as Jackson quickly grabbed the handle, jerking it openpletely, throwing his back against the wall, and pulling the door in front of him as four knives mmed into the wooden door.


    The hooded man turned, deflecting two frozen arrows with his dagger, reaching his free hand out behind him as ck and blue whisps began to converge in his palm, spiraling around one another in a miniature cyclone.


    Amihan sprinted down the long hallway, holding arge bow created from ice behind her as she raised it above her head, transforming it into a massive spear before flipping through the air and mming it into the ground, creating spikes of ice that raced toward the hooded man.


    The circting energies converged in his palm, violently igniting into a purple me as he jumped backward, extending his palm forward as he passed through the doorway as the fire exploded down the hallway.


    Amihan''s eyes widened in shock as she quickly rolled toward the pir of ckish mes, her spear transforming into a shield as she dug her heels into the ground, her feet freezing into the stone as she held it ahead of her, freezing as it continued to expand outward.


    The mes engulfed her as it roared down the hallway, incinerating everything in its path. The hooded man smirked before turning around and disappearing as he escaped.


    Jackson winced in pain as he released the door handle, blowing on his red palms and waving them wildly. The door creaked forward as the burnt hallway came into view, smoke rising from every section of the hallway.


    Amihan''s body was covered in soot and sweat, kneeling as she panted heavily, holding her arms forward as steam billowed off her body. She sluggishly stood, wrapping one arm around her waist as she grabbed her elbow.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Jackson! Are you alright?" She said, breathing heavily as she slowly approached him. The young boy nodded and cautiously stepped out from behind the door and looked through it.


    Inside the doorway was arge roomfortably decorated withrge rugs and a massive desk, and an equally sizeable armchair behind it. The walls were lined with bookshelves, spilling out with countless books. On the opposite wall was an open door leading to adder to the surface.


    Amihan grabbed Jackson''s shoulder, spinning him as she looked over his body for injuries, "Good, you''re alright! What happened? Why are you down here?"


    "I was looking for Grandma! She went this way; I know it!" Jackson said as he turned, pointing to thedder.


    "Jackson, we''ve already been through here and up thatdder. It''s unlikely that you''ll find her up there..." Amihan solemnly said, adjusting her sses before she closed her eyes, softly shaking her head.


    "No!" Jackson shouted, pulling himself free as she ran through the room, grabbing thedder and climbing up.


    "Stop! It''s not safe! We don''t know where that man went, and he''s extremely dangerous!" Amihan shouted, throwing her arm out as the young boy disregarded her warning and frantically climbed out of the passageway.


    He was in a small utility closet and opened the door, stumbling to his knees into a grand marble hallway. He turned and looked around as the moonlight shone through the massive windows behindrge marble pirs supporting the second floor''s balcony.


    The gigantic, grand doors were flung open with the bodies of the two guards lying on the ground outside the entrance. Amihan ran out of the closet, grabbing Jackson and pulling him to her.


    "Jackson! I told you, it''s not safe!" She scolded him as she gasped, staring at the scene, "He would even murder the Royal Guard?!? This is worse than I thought!


    We have to get out of here quickly!" Amihan said, grabbing Jackson''s wrist as she quickly brought him back into the closet and down into the room. She scolded the young boy as she led him through the long corridor and back to the alleyway in Duskgate.


    "Jackson, you can''t do that again. Trust me when I say that we are looking for your grandmother. You will be the first person we tell as soon as we find her, okay?" She said, returning him to his cot and lying him down.


    "Okay..." Jackson replied weakly, nodding his head and rubbing his eyes.


    "Now, go to sleep! Tomorrow, everything changes for you!" Amihan smirked as she snapped the tent closed.

 Chapter 7 (VII) New Life

    ?The loud trumpeting outside the tent shocked Jackson awake as his eyes quickly opened and shot up in his cot. He looked around as the sunlight peeked through the gaps underneath the tent. Everyone else in the tent looked as confused as he did as everyone gathered and exited the tent together.


    A man in a suit with slicked-back hair and wide thin sses loudly spoke as he read from a clipboard, "Good morning, everyone! I am with The Climber''s Association, and we''re here to help everyone following The Void Eye''s terroristic attack yesterday!"


    Hundreds of survivors gathered, packed together as they exited the dozens of tents surrounding the courtyard.


    "Children under the age of seventeen, please step this way!" He said, raising his arm to one of the women dressed professionally, who stepped forward as a few dozen children began gathering beside her. Jackson remained back and did not gather with them, hiding behind the group.


    "Young adults seventeen to neen!" He called out, pointing to the next simrly dressed woman, working his way until each individual had been sorted into their age groups until only Jackson remained, and the man shouted, "Little boy, did you not hear me? Join the rest of the children!"


    Jackson quickly ran across the courtyard, joining the rest of the children as the man in the suit continued his speech, "You will all be reassigned to new duties from now on. Some of you may retain your old position under a new contract.


    If you are a minor who has not been tested yet, you will be cared for until you can be tested, at which point you will be ced in your respective fields."


    Jackson looked around curiously as hundreds of uniformed men rushed through the streets outside the courtyard, going in every direction. His attention returned to reality when the woman in a coat, tie, cored shirt, and long skirt pped her hands together.


    "Okay, children! Grab each other''s hands and follow me!" She chirped happily with a giant smile, grabbing one of the children''s hands and leading them away from the courtyard.


    One child grabbed Jackson''s hand, and another held his other hand, catching him in the middle of the line, dragging him away from the courtyard as the woman led the children through a tall metal gateway attached torge stone walls into a well-tended field in front of a beautiful three-storied manor.


    The children were lined up on the gravel passageway in front of the steps where arge, plump woman with white hair and a basic ck dress stood.


    "Good morning, children! I am Miss Dena! You are all ced under my care here at Saint Mary''s Orphanage for the Underprivileged. Here you will all be modeled into excellent citizens of Duskgate and work to support The Climber''s Association!" She shouted, gazing over each child briefly.


    "Now,e and enter; we''re just about to have breakfast, and you can be sorted into your dormitories!" She said with a smile, turning and extending her arm as both doors opened.


    All the children followed the instructions, but Jackson remained in his spot, looking around at therge manor. The woman in the suit nudged him forward by patting his shoulders as he reluctantly walked past Miss Dena and entered the house.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The doors mmed shut behind him as he followed the herd of children through dozens of corridors before entering a massive room with numerous tables pushed against one another in long lines and benches on both sides.


    A long line of kids wrapped around the cafeteria wall, entering one doorway, while kids steadily exited another door, further in the middle of the wall, as Jackson joined at the end of the line.


    After grabbing a tray and being served slop that could hardly be considered breakfast, he stood looking around as the children excitedly chatted amongst themselves as they ate.


    Jacksonmented, not remembering any of the other kid''s faces as he wandered around the cafeteria aimlessly, looking for an open seat, eventually sitting in the corner of a table in the corner of the room alone.


    Miss Dena appeared along with four women, standing on both sides of her, dressed in simr yet varying uniforms, "Good morning, children!" She shouted as the children all responded in unison loudly.


    "I bring great news this morning! We have new friends who joined us this morning and will be helping out from now on. Please, children, stand!" She shouted as the kids who had just arrived slowly started standing one after another.


    Jackson looked around and remained seated, not wanting to draw attention to himself, before a woman in muted colors appeared, whispering, "Up, up, up!" Grabbing him and bringing him to his feet.


    "Tch!" Jackson clicked his tongue, looking around, realizing he was the only one of the new kids to sit at this table. He turned his gaze, realizing that he had inadvertently sat at the outcast''s table.


    Scrawny, debilitating, obese... ugly! Jackson shook his head before staring at Miss Dena as she continued her speech, "They will be joining your Dormitories starting today; make sure to be good friends and help them get used to how things are done at Saint Mary''s Orphanage for the Underprivileged!"


    The four women behind her stepped forward, each in charge of one of the Dormitories, approaching and gathering the new residents. A woman with frazzled gray hair, dressed in an ankle-length ck skirt, heeled boots, and loose-fitting cored shirt with a tie hanging loose, wearing an oversized ck jacket that went down to her feet with purple trim around the edges and hems, smiled softly at Jackson as she sat down at the table across from him.


    "Good morning! You may call me Tara Le Doux. May I have your name?" She said with a sultry voice, the smile on her face melting Jackson''s uneasiness away as he returned to his seat.


    "I''m Jackson, but everyone calls me Jax. Good morning, Miss Tara." Jackson said with a smile, holding his hand out, causing the woman to grin, covering her mouth.


    "My, what manners!" She said, taking his hand and shaking it, "Wee!! To The Violet Toads!! I know you''ll fit in perfectly here!"

 Chapter 8 (VIII) Mementos

    ?The rest of the day proceeded smoothly. Jackson and the rest of the new children and their information were processed into the Orphanage''s systems. After being sorted into their dormitories, each of the children received a basic uniform consisting of a coat, shirt and tie, pants or skirt, and shoes. On their jacket was a pin representing their dorm.


    The dormitories were split into The Crimson Lions, The Azure Wolves, The Emerald Bears, andstly, The Violet Toads. The Children at Saint Mary''s were expected to help The Climber''s Association through various menial tasks that climbers couldn''t botherpleting outside of God''s Tower.


    Since the children couldn''t enter God''s Tower, they were tasked with errand running, document retrieval, and other chores within Duskgate. This meant long hours, 24 hours a day, and no pay. The tasks were received by Miss Dena and then assigned to each of the houses.


    The most popr dormitory, The Crimson Lions, received requests only during the daytime hours, and they were the easiest toplete. The Azure Wolves then received slightly more challenging, physically demanding tasks but remained within the walls of Duskgate.


    The Emerald Bears started to receive the slightly dangerous tasks, running outside Duskgate to the various farmers and hauling loads back into the city, never straying too far, but the dangers remained nheless.


    The Violet Toads were the outcasts within Saint Mary''s and were disposable in the eyes of anyone within those walls. These kids received the most grueling treatment and faced the most danger, frequently taking trips out to nearby viges that sprung up.


    Despite the terrible treatment that The Violet Toads were subjected to, Jackson was d to have the additional freedom of running errands outside the walls of Duskgate. He himself had never stepped foot within the walls until recently and preferred The Wilnds.


    Since he had only just joined, Jackson and the other children remained within Saint Mary''s walls for the first week, being instructed on how to behave appropriately to maintain the appropriate image.


    After a grueling week of aptitude tests,petency tests, physical evaluations, and mental assessments, Jackson was cleared to receive assignments. He had been nning his trip back to his grandmother''s cabin the entire week.


    There were numerous trinkets and baubles that she had instilled importance in him that he wanted to obtain; additionally, he wanted to grab the books that had been passed down through his family since before the appearance of the towers and the destruction of Terra.


    Atst, he received his first task from Tara Le Doux to travel to the north to a vige called Larkinge to bring back sacks of barley that had been harvested. It was a short thirty-minute trip by foot each way, and he would have to make ten trips to haul twenty sacks back to Duskgate.


    ''If I could freaking carry two sacks back!'' Jackson thought to himself as he walked back to his room from her office, his mind recalling the warning he had just received.


    "Now, Jackson! These need to be delivered before sundown. If you cannotplete these by then, you can continue working, but it is highly perilous! Please keep in mind that you will need to return tomorrow for the next harvest, so you must finish promptly so you can rest." Tara said with a stern expression across her immature face.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson opened the door to his room, gathering his dorm cloak and wrapping it over his shoulders, rolling the order slip into an interior pocket as he quickly ran through the Southern Gate towards his home.


    After sprinting for an hour down the dusty road through the forest, he returned to the cottage, dropping to his knees and panting heavily as he looked at the wreckage in the clearing, ''What happened here..?'' He thought.


    The doors and windows to the cottage were blown open. The outhouse was missing, the pen was destroyed, and animals were ughtered. Jackson cautiously stepped around the debris flung throughout the grass in the clearing.


    Slowly approaching the doorway to the cottage, he peeked in, witnessing even further destruction as the furniture was flung haphazardly, dishes and clothes strewn across the floor, and small decorations smashed.


    His heart began racing as he ran into the room, searching through the clutter. After frantically searching the cottage, he copsed onto his feet on the mattress on the floor.


    In his hands was the binding of his favorite novel, a collection of stories written through several first-person ounts of the fall of Terra. Several sections of the book had been ripped from the binding and thrown around.


    He felt a lump swell in his throat as he gritted his teeth together, fighting back the tears. He repeatedly wiped his face with his sleeve as his lower lip quivered, staring down at the book''s cover. He knew every word in the book his grandmother had read to him every night for thest four years, but its destruction hit him harder than the young boy could have ever imagined.


    After sitting there longer than he should of, Jackson stood up, returning the mattress to the bedframe and cing the remains of the book on it. He searched around, grabbed arge satchel, and flung it over his shoulder.


    He went into the small adjacent closet and dug through the mess, grabbing a small metal frame and cing it into his bag before climbing into the firece and standing up, reaching his arm into the chimney and around to the secretpartment, grabbing a small ss globe, blowing the soot off it as he stepped out and ced it into his bag.


    He looked at the ground, smiled at the rug still underneath the broken chair, and grabbed it as he tossed it to the side, revealing a trapdoor.


    Jackson eximed happily as he grabbed the handle, flinging it open to reveal a small crawl space filled with crates of dusty scrolls, a small stack of four books covered in cobwebs, and a small, locked chest.


    He crouched down, jumping into the crawlspace as he grabbed the chest, lifting it out and cing it onto the ground and grabbed the four books before putting them into his bag and sitting down and searching through the scrolls.

 Chapter 9 (IX) Gap

    ?Jackson looked through the scrolls but couldn''t make heads or tails of what they were for as each one was nk. He huffed in frustration, throwing them into the satchel and filling it entirely before he stood up and hopped out of the crawlspace, closing the trapdoor.


    The young boy ced the table upright as he picked up the locked chest, putting it on it. He ran over to the counter between the stove and refrigerator, hopping on it as he reached behind therge appliance and began pushing it away from the wall.


    As it fell against the hardwood floors, Jackson pushed it further away from the walls to reach into the gnarled, tangled mess of dust bunnies that used to live below the fridge.


    He stood up smiling as he brushed the dust bunnies off a shiny, tiny key. He slid it into the chest, turning as the lock clicked, and released the hold on the lid as it slightly sprung open. Jackson opened it, revealing a thin silver chain and simrly designed ring lying neatly on thick, plush velvet cloth sewn into the chest.


    Attached to the chain was an intricately designed cross with the roman numeral for nine designed to the face. The silver ring had a matching nine encrusted with diamonds that ran down the length of the center of the band.


    "Nine..?" Jackson whispered to himself as he lightly ran his fingers across the roman numerals. He grabbed the ne and ced it over his head, tucking it into his shirt, and ced the ring into his coat pocket with his order slip before quickly rushing back to Duskgate.


    He quickly made his way through the South Gate and quietly slipped back into his room unnoticed at Saint Mary''s Orphanage. He dumped his bag underneath his bed and quickly darted out through the Northern Gate toward Larkinge.


    The young boy was exhausted already from his previous exertions but pushed himself, sprinting toward the tiny farm vige to the north. He could see it in the distance, high over the valley surrounded by fields of golden yellow.


    He had lost three hours of the day making his trip down to the cottage and needed to make up for the lost time. After reaching the vige with no less than a dozen inhabitants, he copsed to the ground on his hands and knees, drenched in sweat.


    An elderly man with short white hair and a bushy mustache smiled as he removed his straw hat and approached, "Ah! You must be from Saint Mary''s! We''ve been wondering when you''d show up!"


    "Yes! I''m Jackson; nice to meet you!" The young boy said through heavy breaths, rising to his feet and holding his hand out. The farmer took it, shaking it firmly.


    "The first few sacks are over there, all ready for delivery!" He said, turning and pointing to the small pile of fiverge bags next to a building.


    "I''ll get right to it!" Jackson said with a smile, nodding as he slowly walked and picked up two bags, throwing them over his shoulders as he returned to Duskgate.


    ''If I take my time and slowly walk to the city and run back to the vige, I should be able to carry both the entire time...'' He thought to himself as he casually walked.


    So began his monotonous and tenuous task. The sun rose high in the sky, beating down relentlessly against the backs of those unlucky enough to work underneath its hot, overbearing rays.


    Jackson worked nonstop throughout the entire day toplete his work. He was curious about the books he had stashed underneath the bed in his room and eager to inspect them.


    Despite his attempts to finish on time, it was past sundown when he had finished and was just over an hourte. He sluggishly dragged his feet across the ground as he staggered through Duskgate.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Tara Le Doux was standing outside the gate to Saint Mary''s, looking around distraught and sighing in relief when she spotted Jackson, running over to him, "Jackson! Are you alright?"


    The young boy nodded softly, "Just tired..." He replied weakly as his stomach growled loudly, causing the older woman tough.


    "Come on, let''s get you cleaned up and some food in you before bed!" Tara chirped, standing up and cing her hand on his back, softly leading him into the orphanage.


    After washing up and eating a te of cold food from the previous dinner, Jackson was finally alone in his room. He copsed onto his bed with a loud huff before rolling onto his stomach and grabbing the satchel.


    He sluggishly stood before cing the bag onto the only other object in his room, a desk, opening it and pulling a drawer open as he dropped the half dozen nk scrolls into it and closed it.


    He pulled out the metal frame and ss orb, connecting the two pieces together and cing them on the windowsill. His grandmother had warned him of their importance, but she never exined why...


    He stared at the orb for a moment before sighing softly, reaching into the bag, and pulling out the four books. He spread them out across the desk, hanging his satchel across the back of his chair as he sat down and observed the cover of each book.


    There were no discernable features or words on the binding, nor intricate designs etched onto it. They were in, boring, unassuming nk covers. The young boy grabbed one of them, opened to the first page, and read the title:


    ''Nine Void Infinity Step Technique''


    Jackson stared at the title page, rereading the name a few times before flipping through the pages. Inside were hundreds of diagrams of a man in different positions. There were annotations pointing to various parts of his body, exining various techniques and their meanings.


    He quickly snatched the remaining books one by one, reading their titles:


    ''Inferno of the Twin Storms''


    ''Twenty Moons Under the One Sun Path''


    The final book did not have a title; however, it immediately started addressing him.


    "Dear Jackson, I know life has been difficult since my disappearance, and I''m sure your mother probably didn''t help much, but I want to preface this diary with an apology... I''m sorry, son."

 Chapter 10 (X) Graduation

    ?Jackson slunk into the chair in front of his desk, his mouth gaping as he read his father''s diary. He hung on to every word written as he continued to read the apology.


    "Dear Jackson, I know life has been difficult since my disappearance, and I''m sure your mother probably didn''t help much after I left, but I want to preface this diary with an apology... I''m sorry, son.


    Unfortunately, we probably won''t be running into one another for a while longer. There are... mysterious forces preventing me from returning... Just know that you will find all the answers at the top of God''s Tower.


    You will find my thoughts and opinions on my own journey through the tower. I love you; please, always take care of yourself!"


    Jackson ran his fingers down the page slowly as he fought back the tears in his eyes. He wiped them away with his arm as he stacked the tree tomes together and ced them into his satchel before falling onto his back in bed, reading the diary until he fell asleep.


    ***


    A shirtless man wearing loose-fitting ck shorts and ckbat boots stood in the courtyard of Saint Mary''s Orphanage for the Underprivileged. Scars covered his chest and arms, holding two long straight wooden sticks as the sun began to rise in the early morning skies of Duskgate.


    He quickly spun,unching a flurry of attacks with both weapons. His unkempt brown hair flowed through the air as his bright emerald eyes fiercely gazed at forces unseen.


    His well-defined muscles glistened with sweat as he deftly unleashed a dramatic flourish, freezing as he panted heavily. Nearby, a simrly aged brte woman stood holding a towel and a canteen filled with water as she watched in awe as the man approached.


    "Great workout this morning, Jax!" She said with a smile, holding out the objects in her hands. Her long hair cascaded down her Azure Wolf uniform.


    Jackson smiled as he grabbed them both, taking arge gulp from the canteen and pouring the water over his head and shoulders before drying himself with the towel, "Thanks, Megan! What brings you out here so early?"


    Megan immediately began blushing as she twiddled with her skirt, "Oh... Well, you see... Since you''re turning neen soon and still need toplete your assessment at The Climber''s Association, I thought that I would tag along! You know, for moral support!"


    "Oh! Thanks, but it''s not necessary. Head Mistress Le Doux is taking meter today after the ceremony." Jackson said with a smile, rubbing the back of his neck.


    Once a child reached the age of neen at Saint Mary''s, they were considered an adult and would be kicked out of the orphanage. The kids affectionately referred to it as graduating, turning it into a celebration.


    "Oh, okay! No worries! I need to go; see ya!" Megan said, waving as she ran off.


    Jackson sat down on the nearby stone bench, taking another gulp of water as he reached over and grabbed his shirt, putting it on, returning the silver ne over his head and the matching ring to his right index finger.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson sighed heavily as he slowly walked back into the orphanage. He hadpleted countless perilous tasks for Saint Mary''s in thest decade, and it was finally over today. Life was tough for an orphan, the physicalbor and constant dangers had chiseled him from an innocent child into a survivor of the wilds.


    He returned to his room, which had drastically changed over the years, now stered with dozens of hand-drawn maps with X''s drawn through circles for hundreds of kilometers around Duskgate.


    His search for his missing grandmother never bore fruit, but to this day, he still refuses to believe she passed away that night. Hundreds of dead ends and not a single trail to follow up on.


    The mysterious masked man never reappeared, resulting in yet another dead end. Jackson shook his head, looking at the scribbled notes littering the walls, disappointed but never discouraged by the results of his investigations.


    He quickly undressed before putting on his Violet Toad uniform one final time. He grabbed the satchel from the back of the chair, slinging it over his shoulder as he exited his room and walked toward the cafeteria.


    His expression was nk as he tucked both of his hands into the pockets of his jacket, turning the corner where arge group was gathered around the cafeteria''s entrance, throwing their arms into the air, eximing loudly:


    "Happy Birthday!!"


    Jackson smiled softly as he slowly entered the cafeteria, as everyone circled him. Behind the group, he noticed the new Head Mistress of Saint Mary''s, Tara Le Doux. Miss Dena had retired a few years prior, so she could spend more time with her own grandchildren.


    She smiled at him, nodding before turning to the woman who reced her as the Head of the Violet Toads before walking away as they chatted.


    Jackson was bombarded with questions about where he was going and what he was going to do by dozens of his juniors at the start of the small party and soon died down as he went and hid in the corner, watching everyone else have a good time.


    He smiled to himself, taking a sip of the drink in his hand. Over the years, he had be a source of rumors amongst the other dormitories. Initially, he was receptive and open toward the other kids but being an orphan doesn''t guarantee you''ll graduate and leave the orphanage...


    Especially for the Violet Toads. After a few of his friends never returned, Jackson never wanted to feel that hopelessness again and swore to rely on his own strength and not those around him.


    Through his repeated sess inpleting tasks, he was quite the mysterious superstar of the orphanage. This was in no small part why Tara Le Doux was chosen to rece Miss Dena. Her recement was a brutish woman who seemed to have it out for Jackson and would always assign him the most dangerous tasks toplete.


    It was through this weird ouroboros where Jackson was able to find peace. It was also why he had closed himself off from everyone; it was time for him to leave...

 Chapter 11 (XI) The Assessment - Part 1

    ?Megan approached and stood beside him in silence as the celebration slowly started to die down. Her thoughts raced, and her expression revealed the raging emotions within her. She had imprinted to Jackson shortly after she arrived a few years ago despite his withdrawn demeanor.


    "Hey, Jax..?" Megan whispered reluctantly as she grabbed the hem of her skirt.


    "Yeah?" Jackson replied, turning his face slightly as he watched the remnants of the party.


    "You''re going toe back and visit, won''t you?"


    "Of course, I will! I can''t leave you all alone with Miss Exme!"


    Megan sighed in relief before smiling, "Great! I need to go do something; I''ll see you before you leave!" She said, running off as Jackson smiled and shook his head.


    Shortly after, Head Mistress Le Doux came over with a smile.


    "Well, well, well, Jackson! I''m quite surprised you even decided to show up to your own party; the whole time I''ve known you, you never once attended!" She chuckled with arge grin.


    "With how hard Megan worked to n it, I figured I should at least attend this one! How much longer until we depart for The Climber''s Association?" Jackson asked.


    "Why''s this one different? She''s always worked hard to n these parties for you since she first arrived!" Tara joked, intentionally ignoring her question.


    "That should be obvious; it''s thest one!" Jackson countered, cing his cup on a table and crossing his arms as he stared at the headmistress sternly, "When are we going?"


    Tara began pouting, "Oh, you''re no fun!" She teased before relenting, "Soon, you all ready to go?" He nodded in confirmation.


    "You''re a rather particr case, Jackson Seraphin. Any other orphan who imed they would be a Climber would have beenughed out of here, but you..? There''s not a single doubt in my mind. I hope you find the answers you''re looking for; God''s Tower is a very dangerous ce." She said before turning and leaving.


    Jackson looked around and smiled before returning to his room. He quickly grabbed everything, returning the room to the once barren, empty state as he had found it a decade prior.


    Changing into the clothes he recently bought, he exited his room carrying a small crate filled with the three tomes and his investigation pages from the walls.


    He wore a long white jacket that stopped just below his knees, and underneath was a ck shirt tucked into loose-fitting ck pants and sturdy ckbat boots. Attached to his left shoulder was a pauldron strapped around his chest underneath the jacket, which allowed him to link the two basic iron short swords across his back.


    His silver ne rested against his form-fitting ck shirt. He wore a sturdy glove that came to his elbow, providing additional protection against attacks, and his silver ring sparkled on the index finger of his bare right hand.


    Jackson had long since memorized every word in the three tomes, but they were less valuable than he anticipated. He practiced their stances thousands of times but could never reproduce any of the effects mentioned.


    Arge stone firece with an intense fire was in themon''s room where Jackson knelt in front of it before he dumped the contents of the crate into the fire and tossed the box to the side, sitting back as the fire grew substantially.


    He stood up, staring at the mes with conflicted emotions. He would have liked to keep the manuals but feared them being stolen. Having spent thest decade memorizing every page and practicing each move was ingrained into every fiber of his being, he wasn''t worried about forgetting them, but his father wrote them for him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    They had saved his life many times but what he could reproduce from the texts wasn''t even one percent of their true potential, ''Yet another dead end... Thanks, dad!'' He thought sarcastically as he made his way out of Saint Mary''s Orphanage.


    Tara Le Doux and Megan stood next to each other at the top of the stairway leading away from therge manor. The younger girl beamed when she saw Jackson wearing his new clothes.


    "All set?" Tara asked as Jackson approached and nodded, "Great, let''s get going!"


    The three made their way across town, out of Duskgate''s slums, into the nicer, more developed section of the city where organizations settled, close to God''s Tower and the protection from The Climber''s Association.


    The massive capital building had been renovated utilizing masonry and repurposed to be Duskgate''s branch office for The Association. The medieval exterior starkly contrasted with the more modernistic interior of the building.


    The ss doors opened automatically as the three entered the building. Tara led the pair through the lobby, ignoring the long line of applicants at the front desk, pressing the call button for an elevator.


    Boarding, she pulled a key out from her coat and inserted it into the elevator as a panel popped out, revealing three additional buttons. She hit the middle one as the doors closed, and they began to descend to the subfloors.


    The descent surprised Jackson and Megan as they passed by dozens of floors before stopping. The doors swished open to reveal a massive, pristine tiled room with arge machine connected to pipes and wires from the ceiling.


    A group of men and women dressed in white coats were huddled close to one another as they stared at a clipboard, pointing and chatting amongst themselves.


    A woman with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes sat cross-legged to the machine as dozens of electrodes were attached all over her body. She smirked confidently as a monitor nearby quickly began processing billions of bytes of data as binary blindly scrolled across the screen.


    After a moment, a window appeared on the screen with a detailed report of the woman''s capabilities:


    [Power: SS]


    [Perception: S+]


    [Stamina: S+]


    [Speed: SS]


    [Instinct: SS]


    [Rating: SS]


    Jackson inhaled sharply as he gazed at the monitor before ncing at the woman again. She beamed arrogantly, seeing the results, an aura of superiority oozing out of her body as the scientists quickly removed the electrodes from her.


    Tara patted him on the back, "Your turn! You nervous?"

 Chapter 12 (XII) The Assessment - Part 2

    ?The woman, finally freed from the machine, was handed her coat by her assistant, who stood nearby and sultrily approached Jackson, their eyes fiercely connected.


    Electricity could be felt in the air as the duo stared each other down. Megan grabbed the back of Jackson''s arm, her other hand over her chest as she stared at him worryingly.


    "Mrs. Snow, we are on a tight schedule; you still have your meeting with Noble Crossfire." The bespeckled aide said.


    "One second, I want to see this guy''s ranking." She said, smirking at Jackson, "I''m Veronika, you are?" She asked, extending her hand.


    "Jackson." The man said coldly, taking her hand.


    Despite her deceptively small frame, she immediately exerted her full force, gripping his hand; when there was no reaction, her eyes briefly revealed her shock before she released it and stepped aside along with her assistant.


    The trio entered further as one of the scientists approached, exining the procedure.


    "Good afternoon, Mr. Seraphin. You''ll need to remove your jacket and shirt so we can connect you to the machine. It''s a short evaluation and non-invasive and will give us an idea of your estimated potential.


    Please be aware that this is by no means a certification of your abilities. These are estimates based on thousands of factors. I won''t bore you with the details, but this rating is not concrete, and I must thoroughly stress this. Your rating could peak before or potentially break through and go higher. That is entirely up to you."


    Jackson nodded, removing his jacket, pauldron with his weapons, and shirt to Megan, and took his seat on therge throne with a nk expression on his face.


    Despite his calm exterior, his heart was racing as the scientists quickly got to work, cing the electrode pads on his body and connecting the wires from the machine to his person.


    Tara, Megan, and Veronika stared at him with varying expressions as thest wire was connected and the throne thrummed to life. A loud mechanical whirring began increasing as the noise grew with it. cked-out panels on the chair started glowing a bright, ethereal blue as fluids began flowing from the ceiling down into the chair.


    Immediately the noise vanished as the monitor on the wall sprung to life. A sheet of paper began printing slowly with dozens of lines of unrecognizable script. One of the scientists ripped it from the machine and gathered around as the group started chatting amongst themselves again, reviewing the printout.


    Jackson took a deep breath and sighed, closing his eyes as he fought to slow his racing heart. The monitor was rapidly flooded with scrolling binary once again as the machine processed billions of bytes of data.


    Once the numbers stopped scrolling, the machine shed as his report waspleted and appeared in a pop-up window on the monitor:


    [Power: SS+]


    [Perception: SS+]


    [Stamina: SSS]


    [Speed: SSS]


    [Instinct: S+]


    [Rating: SSS+]<novelnext></novelnext>


    Megan squealed as she jumped excitedly, screaming in happiness as Tara smirked, muttering under her breath, "I knew you were something special, Jackson Seraphin!"


    Veronika gritted her teeth, spouting loudly as she quickly stormed off with her aide, "Impossible!"


    The scientists quickly jumped to release Jackson from the machine as Megan ran over and handed him his effects, and he got dressed, "Now what?" He asked, turning to the headmistress.


    "Well, now we can return to the first floor and get your official liscense and you''ll be free to do whatever you want. Normally, I''d suggest looking for a guild that was recruiting, but knowing you, I''d just be wasting my breath!" Tara exined as they returned to the elevator and waited for its return.


    "No. I''m not interested in joining a guild right now; it''s too tedious to follow their rules and regtions." Jackson replied, shaking his head.


    "Fine, I won''t press you!" Tara conceded, throwing her hands up in defeat.


    "When I be a Climber, will you team up with me..?" Megan sheepishly asked, looking at the ground as her face flushed red when Jackson ced his hand on the top of her head, patting her softly.


    "Of course! Why wouldn''t I?" The young man replied with a soft smile, causing the girl to blush harder as the elevator doors opened.


    Viktoria stood atop a staircase in front of a podium as dozens of reporters'' cameras shed, and she was being bombarded with questions following her assessment results.


    The trio quietly walked through the gigantic reception hall, far away from the congregation, while questions were being fielded left and right.


    Jackson approached the counter, greeted by the receptionist, "Good afternoon, how may I assist you today?"


    "My name''s Jackson Seraphin. I justpleted my assessment, and I''m here for my Climber''s Card." Jackson replied, cing his hand on the counter.


    "Absolutely, Mr. Seraphin. Let me get that for you real quick!" She said, swiping her hand in front of her as a monitor appeared, which she began tapping to navigate through the system to locate the profile, printing the document, "Aha! Here we are... One moment while I grab that for you!"


    Jackson nodded, turning his head away as she stood up and disappeared to an adjacent room behind her desk, joining Tara and Megan as they gazed at Viktoria''s press meeting.


    While speaking to the reporters, she noticed him, returning the stare as she smirked devilishly, "Honestly, you guys shouldn''t be hounding me for my ns! You''re missing out on the main attraction as we speak!"


    Jackson''s eyes went wide, and he immediately turned around, muttering, "She wouldn''t dare..!"


    "What do you mean?" Megan asked obliviously, turning to him.


    "Come, Megan. It''s about to get very crowded over here..." Tara said, wrapping her arm around Megan''s shoulder and guiding her out of the building as she fought, struggling to get back to Jackson.


    "No! Wait- Headmistress De Loux! I can''t leave yet!" She spat out, flustered as they exited the building.


    "Don''t worry; we''re just going to wait outside for him! We want to avoid being caught in the middle of what''s about to happen! I, too, have something I wish to give him before he leaves." Tara smiled at the young woman before she started looking along the street for a bench to rest on.

 Chapter 13 (XIII) Farewell

    ?Viktoria threw her arm out toward Jackson. All the reporters turned around to see who she was pointing to as she eximed, "Come on up, Jackson! You know you want to!"


    Jackson ignored the outburst, leaning against the counter with his back to the crowd. Reporters began taking pictures of him as he gritted his teeth together, staring at the revolving doorway, praying the secretary returned quickly.


    "Oh, Jackson! Don''t be like that! Come on up! Answer a few questions!" Viktoria goaded as the reporters began to approach, taking more photos and excitedly chatting amongst themselves about the mysterious surprise figure.


    "Jackson! Just a moment of your time!"


    "Jackson! Please, just one question!"


    "Jackson! Could you turn around?"


    "Jackson! What''s your rtion to Viktoria Snow?"


    He was bombarded with questions as the door swung open, the secretary jumping in shock at the congregation at her station, "Oh!"


    "Please, ignore them. Can I get my CC now?" Jackson pleaded, extending his hand toward her.


    "Of course, thanks to your rating of SSS, you are provided with a ck Climber''s Card. Please use it wisely! Do you have any questions?" She asked with a smile, offering a small ck case to the man.


    "Really..?" Jackson muttered, dropping his arm in disbelief as the reporters became frenzied.


    "Jackson! Are you really a SSS Ranked Climber?"


    "Jackson! How''s it feel to be ssified as part of a very small and elite group?"


    "Jackson! Please, what guild has sponsored your growth until now?"


    "Jackson! Quick, turn around once for the camera!"


    The reporters were emboldened at hearing the news, beginning to press against him, trying to get his attention. Jackson turned, ring daggers at Veronika, who stood with her arms crossed and a smug grin on her face.


    Jackson grabbed the case from the attendant and quickly moved away from the reporters before finally turning around and brushing his hair, "I''ll answer one question; that''s it!" He shouted, scanning the reporters before pointing to a nerdy-looking woman, "You."


    "Hi, Jackson, I''m with TITA; everyone really only has one question for you: What guild are you associated with?" She asked confidently into her microphone before extending it to him.


    "None and I don''t n to be." Jackson proimed before turning around and quickly dashing out of the building. He turned, catching Tara and Megan, before rushing over and grabbing both of their elbows before rapidly diving into an alley and disappearing from the streets.


    The reporters ran after him, but once they exited the building, they lost all traces of him, running down the streets searching for him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson peeked out from the corner of the alleyway and sighed in relief after a brief, silent wait, grumbling to himself, "I''m gonna make her pay, if it''s thest thing I do!"


    "It''s fine!" Tara said, dismissing his frustrations, "You should be happy to be in the spotlight! You''re going to be receiving VERY lucrative deals in theing days. You should seriously consider joining a guild."


    "You don''t understand..." Jackson replied, shaking his head. Tara ced both of her hands on her hip as she stared sternly at the young man.


    "I''m willing to bet I understand you more than you''d think! Why don''t you try me?" She huffed, flustered by the remark, "And to think, I waited here to give you a farewell gift!"


    "I need the freedom right now! Guilds will restrict my movements too much!" Jackson said, rolling his eyes, "Anyways, why would you get me anything? I''ve never heard of previous ''graduates'' receiving a gift."


    "Hah!" Tara scoffed, her mouth agape at the tongue on this boy before she smiled and ruffled his hair, "I''ve taken care of you since you were a young boy, Jax... You''re not just one of the students to me."


    She smiled softly, caressing his cheek briefly before he sternly pulled away, embarrassed at the motherly affection, as she reached into her jacket and pulled out a small leather pouch and rolled-up letter, grabbing his hand and cing them into his palm.


    "Please... Wait until I leave to open your gift." She said, smiling as she took a step back. Immediately, Megan stepped forward as she fiddled with her skirt again.


    "Here, I got something for you too! I''m really going to miss you, Jax... I really hope youe and visit soon!" She said frantically, flustered as she bowed and held out a small box wrapped in ribbon.


    "You guys..." Jackson said, choking on his words as he reached out and slowly epted her gift.


    "No! Don''t say anything!" Megan spat out, her face burning red as she stood, covering her face and quickly hiding behind Miss De Loux as the young man smiled and shook his head.


    "Thank you... Both, really!" Jackson said, smiling at the two women.


    "Take care of yourself, Jackson! I expect to hear about your achievements real soon!" Tara said with a smile, waving as Megan regained herposure and appeared from behind her.


    "I''m gonna miss you, Jax! Come back soon!" Megan said softly, waving goodbye reluctantly.


    "I''ll see you guys around!" Jackson said, not believing in goodbye, turning around as he stared up at God''s Tower, looming over him. He had a fierce gaze as he balled his hand into a fist, fixated on the dark, ominous entryway floating high in the skies.


    He turned, taking onest look at Tara and Megan as he turned the corner on the main street, disappearing from view in the crowd as he made his way to the tower.


    The see-through luminescent staircase rose high above Duskgate. Jackson took his first step onto the stairs as a soft blue light emerged beneath his foot. Another step, the next stair lit up, each one dimming and shining brightly underneath each step he made.


    At the top, Jackson turned around, looking far down at the city below him, no longer able to see the people running around, only seeing tiny specs of dust. He smiled, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight as he looked out over the majestic, lush hills sprawling out in every direction.


    Staring at the rotating portal before him, Jackson reached into his satchel, pulled out his father''s journal, quickly flipped through the first few pages as he read aloud its contents, "Before going through the portal and stepping into God''s Tower for the first time, always remember to exert the utmost caution when faced with The Guardian!"

 Chapter 14 (XIV) Tetrakyts

    ?Jackson had read this warning thousands of times in thest decade:


    "The Guardians are NOT to be trusted."


    God''s Tower was split into 100 floors, and a guardian oversaw each set of ten levels. The ten Guardians differed from one another and maintained the order and progress of the Climbers within the Tower.


    In the beginning, Climbers would naively hang on to every word uttered by the Guardians, resulting in a massive loss of life. This was also true for the newbies who arrived without the proper caution given by more veteran Climbers.


    Once a Climber reached thest floor of their domain, they would be challenged to break through to the next floor. Whenever a challenge waspleted, the floors under the realm of the Guardian would go silent for 24 hours as they were reset to allow Climbers the chance to continue.


    This procedure allowed for the creation of Guilds to groom future Climbers by creating specific guidelines for newbies to quickly obtain the necessary power needed to replenish lost ranks from the higher floors.


    Jackson closed the journal, returning it to his satchel as he stared at the portal. He felt anxious as he watched the energy vortex; he ced his hand on his chest and took a deep breath, noticing the objects in his pocket.


    He reached into his jacket, retrieving the pouch, box, and scroll. He returned the scroll and bag to his pocket as he removed the ribbon, and opened the box. Inside was a tiny silver earring hoop. Seated in the lid was a small note that said, "Wear Me!"


    He attached the earring to his left ear, grabbing the pouch. He opened the tiny sack into his palm as a meteorite the size of a golf ball rolled into it.


    The meteorite had a shiny, luminous center with sharp, rough, coarse rocks clutching it like a talon. It gave off a dull green light.


    Jackson opened the scroll and read Tara''s letter, and his eyes widened in shock.


    ***


    On the other side of Terra, on arge continent isted by oceans with a singr tower floating above the massive city of Freywatch. The skeleton of the metropolis on which Freywatch was built was primarily untouched during the event known as "The Arrival" by survivors, as most of the beasts that came through were winged creatures.


    Housing the most citizens and bing the central hub for humanity after the fall, it was thergest city on Terra. The Top Ten Guilds controlled most of, if not everything, that happened within God''s Tower. These Guilds were run by the Top 10 Climbers, known as the Tetrakyts, masters of one of the Ten Prime Elements.


    Each of the Tetrakyts raised its headquarters here, and before long, the city was affectionately nicknamed The City of Guilds. Freywatch bing the hub for Guilds attracted many legitimate and illegal opportunities.


    A tall, young man wearing a long red coat with ck pauldrons on each shoulder stood against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting outside arge double door.


    His bright orange eyes sternly gazed at the dark mahogany doors in silence until a woman in a skirted suit opened the door and bowed, "They are ready for you now, Lexx."


    He leaned forward, his sword rustling against his ck pants as he noisily walked into the massive conference room. Arge table ran down the room''s length, with ten chairs spaced evenly around it.<novelnext></novelnext>


    In nine of the ten chairs sat the currently ranked first through ninth Climbers, representing their guilds. Lexx confidently strode through the room, grabbing the back of the empty seat and taking his ce.


    An elderly bald man with a long white bearded goatee and simple ck clothing raised his arms into the air, "Wee, Lexx Seifer, the new Guild Master of ming Dawn!"


    "Thank you, Master Zayin! I will work hard to maintain the image of Tetrakyts!" Lexx said with a slight bow.


    "Barely out of your freshmen year and already in the Top Ten..? You''re hardly out of diapers! Zayin! He should not be here!" An older, bearded man with green hair and brown eyes mmed his palm against the table.


    "Oh, Viscardi, don''t be like that! He beat Xix fair and square for his position!" A colorful man who looked more like a jester than a Climber said, leaning back and kicking his feet up on the table.


    "ENOUGH!" Zayin boomed, tapping the ground with a in wooden cane, creating a powerful shockwave that shook the entire room. He scanned the room, looking at each individual.


    "You all know why we are here! Do not for an instant think that someone sitting in this room does not deserve to be here!" He continued as everyone looked at theirps.


    Zayin spoke again, opening his arm to a woman with long white hair matching her long, ted dress, "Imperia Snow, exin why you have called for us so urgently."


    "My oldest, Veronika, recently came of age andpleted her assessment in Duskgate." Imperia said, brushing a hair braid behind her ear, "She ran into an arrogant boy who disrespected her. She decided to stick around to y with him but was embarrassed when he scored better than her. She then reveals his rating, and he stated he wasn''t with any guilds and didn''t n on joining any."


    "Oho! I heard about this! I thought it was just a rumor! Is he really SSS?" The jester leaned forward, resting his technicolored elbows against the table and his hands holding his chin.


    "It is..." Imperia replied, closing her eyes as the room fell silent as the other Guild Masters began plotting how they could wrangle such a big prize for their own personal gain.


    "Viscardi, send the boy a message. You have men in the lower levels, no?" Zayin asked, breaking the silence.


    "My men recently cleared the First Trial..." Viscardi replied, stroking his beard casually, "The task should fall to Lexx."


    "Agreed!" A woman with blue hair and white eyes added, "He may have defeated Xix, but he has not proven his capabilities to us!"


    "Hmmm..." Zayin grunted, stroking his beard. After a long silence, he nodded, "So be it! Lexx, it will fall to you to defang this young lion before he can bare his teeth at us."


    "Leave it to me!" Lexx said, quickly departing the room, mming the door behind him as cracks formed in the walls around the frame, much to the joy of the jester, who broke intoughter.

 Chapter 15 (XV) The First Guardian

    ?"Jackson, enclosed within the pouch, is an object known as Hollow Spirit. Outside of God''s Tower, it''s next to useless, but within it is an object that will help a Climber grow stronger.


    Please, take care of yourself. I''m sorry for what happened to your family; I am happy to have met you and taken care of you all these years. If there is anything I can do, please know that you are always wee at Saint Mary''s, and I''ll do whatever I can to help.


    Love, Tara Le Doux."


    Jackson smiled at the words, carefully rolling the letter up, returning it to his jacket, and palmed the Hollow Spirit, holding it to the sun as he closed one eye, inspecting it.


    The green core''s light sparkled in front of the sunlight as he returned it to his pocket. The pitch-ck stone ws gripped the orb tight. He hadn''t seen one before, and it was only mentioned in passing in his father''s journal.


    Hollow Spirits provided Climbers with a monster''s essence, increasing various parameters of the one who absorbed that essence. There were five tiers to the spirits, each providing stronger boons, ranked from lowest to highest, White, Green, Blue, Purple, and Red.


    "Now''s as good a time as any!" Jackson sighed, stepping through the portal. Instantly, a feeling of nausea permeated throughout him as he felt his consciousness being pulled away from his body.


    Jackson''s body distorted as it was being drawn into the portal. He became disoriented as he was flung through, stumbling through the sand as he exited on the other side.


    Seagulls cawed as they floated through the sparsely cloudy day. Everywhere Jackson turned, there was the rolling tide of the deep ocean. Behind him was a lush jungle teeming with tropical foliage.


    He stepped toward the jungle when his body was flung thousands of meters into the air. Floating high on a cloud was a slender, ashen-skinned woman with long pointed ears. Her eyes were ck, and her iris was white, matching her snow-white hair that cascaded down her back.


    Jackson quickly ascended above her position and began falling as he crashed into a cloud and groaned at the hard impact. He turned around, catching the eyes of the woman before him.


    "Greetings, Mortal. Wee to Tutorial Ind! Since you''re new here, let me provide you with a small guideline on how to navigate through God''s Tower." She said in an ethereal tone, her smile betraying her intentions.


    "I''m Jax; nice to meet you." Jackson said, struggling to adjust himself on the cloud before huffing as he sat back.


    "You may call me Elissa. Now, onto business! In order to help you humans adapt to God''s Tower, we have provided an aide that will be able to assist you as you climb through the floors." She said, waving her hand as a sparking translucent orb floated through the air.


    It rippled through the air like a bubble before colliding with Jackson''s chest and disappearing into his body. Immediately, he was encased in the same soft blue light before it faded.


    "What was that?" Jackson asked as he inspected his body.


    "That was the Tower Auxiliary System or TAS. You may interact with it through your thoughts and navigate it using your vision. It will be instrumental in guiding you as you climb the tower." She exined.


    "What are somemands that I''m able to use?" Jackson asked. Immediately she smirked, crossing one arm across her ample chest as she rested her other against her cheek.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "My, not a verymon question! You think more people would ask that question, but no, most don''t even ask any questions at all! Status, Quests, and Inventory would probably be the most useful ones. I''ll let you figure out the rest." She said with a wink, licking her lips as she crossed her long fis-covered legs.


    "Do you have anything for me before I start?" Jackson asked, his gaze trying to pierce into her eyes.


    "Oho! You are just full of interesting questions! Since it''s been 3,141,592 people since thest person asked, why not! Here!" She said, throwing her arm toward him as a red, round glow sparkled, casually floating into his hands. Jackson began looking around frantically as his body burst into dozens of tiny blue lights as he began disappearing.


    "Now before you ask anymore questions¡­ Good luck!" Sheughed as Jackson''s body was transported back to his previous position on the beach of Tutorial Ind, mming into the sand, kicking it into the air around him.


    The man red into the skies, ''How could anyone mistake them for caring for you..?'' He thought to himself, rolling the glowing red orb with gold roots dancing around its circumference in his palm.


    He looked at the orb as a small window appeared before him:


    [Climber Starter Kit]


    [Rank: Mythic]


    [Everything a Climber needs to begin their journey through God''s Tower, with some additional features.]


    [Would you like to open the kit?]


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    ''Mythic..?'' Jackson thought, reaching into his satchel and grabbing the journal, quickly flipping through the pages before locating where his father had mentioned the starter kit.


    "Make sure you ask that damned subus for a gift before she dismisses you. Earlier this week, Vayne mentioned that one of the guys we started climbing the tower with was murdered yesterday. Apparently, he received aplete set of Umon beginner equipment from her."


    "..." Jackson closed the notebook, his eyes locked on the object in his hand, drooling as his eyes sparkled in excitement, ''YES!''


    A blinding, brilliant light burst from within the orb as it floated in the air as Jackson took a step back. The golden vines holding the sphere grewrger around it before twisting through the air as they braided around one another to the ground and spread out as the glowing gem burst apart.


    Hundreds of tiny glowing red shards floated around the small golden pedestal. They slowly started to rotate around it as the golden vines multiplied, creating arge tabletop as the shards shot through the air and shattered against its surface.


    After thest shard vanished, a dozen shapes of pure white light began to form and expand atop the table as each object began developing before the young man.

 Chapter 16 (XVI) Starter Kit

    ?Jackson stepped toward the table as each of the five objects finished with a flourish of sparkling lights. He ced his hands on the edge of the surface, inspecting each object before him, all of their information appearing before him:


    [Map & Compass]


    [Rank: Mythic]


    [Instrumental tools required to navigate through God''s Tower. Each increase in rank provides additional points of interest on the map and uracy of the direction and distance for thepass.]


    [Would you like to unlock the map feature?]


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    [Climber''s Cartridge Case]


    [Rank: Mythic]


    [A case filled with a dozen cartridges that contain all necessities for surviving God''s Tower. Each increase in rank provides more cartridges that can fulfill supplemental uses.]


    [Beginner Equipment Crate]


    [Rank: Mythic]


    [A crate containing your choice between six distinctive sets of Common ranked equipment. Each increase in rank provides additional equipment and increases the chance to grow to the next grade.]


    [Would you like to open the crate?]


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    [Hollow Whistle]


    [Rank: Mythic]


    [A small whistle which, when blown, will release a supersonic sound that attracts Hollows to the noise''s source. Each increase in rank extends the radius of the whistle.]


    [Gobbii Bag]


    [Rank: Mythic]


    [A mysterious bag that contains its own pocket dimension within, capable of storing objectsrger than it and without weighing down the user. Each increase in rank expands the pocket dimension''s size.]


    ''Yes.'' Jackson thought as the <Map & Compass> disappeared from the table, vanishing into a pale blue light. Instantaneously, a small mini-map appeared in the upper right corner of his vision.


    He took the old, brown satchel he had been using for thest ten years and ced it on the table. He emptied its contents out, running his fingers over the seams sewn in after being damaged countless times.


    He took a deep breath, sighing heavily at forlorn thoughts from his past before finally dropping it and turning his attention to the Gobbii Bag. He reached over and grabbed the surprisingly silky smooth ck leather strap, pulling it toward him as he inspected the two sizeable red letter Xs and smile sewn into one side.


    He opened it and felt disoriented as the faded red silk interior continued to descend through space until only darkness was visible. He blinked his eyes rapidly as he looked away, shaking his head.


    He quickly transferred the items from his satchel into the <Gobbii Bag>, grabbing both the <Hollow Whistle> and <Climber''s Cartridge Case> and adding them, closing the bag, cing it across his chest, underneath his coat.


    He grabbed the <Beginner Equipment Crate>, pulling it toward him, ''Yes.'' He thought, clearing the window as another window appeared with six choices:


    [Please select which Beginner Armor Set you would like.]


    [Beginner Guardian Set]


    [Beginner yer Set]


    [Beginner Scout Set]


    [Beginner Mystic Set]


    [Beginner Medic Set]


    [Beginner Supporter Set]


    God''s Tower ssified equipment into tiers that provide boons with specific attributes that allow any Climber to grow to their maximum potential ording to their distinctive personality.


    Guardians wore various pieces of heavy te armor and usually utilized a shield with their weapon of choice and specialized in taking a Hollow''s attention allowing their allies to attack unrestricted.


    yers wear a few pieces of chainmail and ent their equipment with te armor and leather to maximize movement while sacrificing defense to deal as much damage to Hollows in the shortest amount of time through techniques known as Martial Artes.


    Scouts wore light leather armor, allowingplete freedom of movement and utilizing the shadows and stealth to deal damage to Hollows using light or long-ranged weapons or avoiding them altogether.


    Mystics wear light clothing to not restrict their connection to the elements, instead focusing on staying far away from danger and unleashing powerful magical attacks known as Mystic Artes.


    Medics wear the same type of armor as Mystics; however, instead of utilizing offensive Mystic Artes, they use supportive abilities that heal their allies.


    Supporters wear mostly cloth-like equipment but choose to entuate certain pieces of any other type of armor. They also utilize Mystic Artes but are proficient enough to use some Martial Artes uniquely to boost their allies and debuff Hollows.


    ''yer.'' Jackson thought as the window disappeared and the nails on the crate bent as the top lifted into the air and the four sides fell open. A brilliant green light shed before him as he covered his eyes with his hand, squinting as the aura began to fade.


    He looked at the set of seven pieces of equipment thaty neatly in the center of the wooden panels, clicking his tongue, ''TCH! I guess I was too greedy thinking I would get a full set of Mythic equipment right of the bat!''


    [Beginner yer Half-te]


    [Rank: Umon]


    [Equip?]


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    [Beginner yer Pauldrons]


    [Rank: Umon]


    [Equip?]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    [Beginner yer Chainmail]


    [Rank: Umon]


    [Equip?]


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    [Beginner yer Half-te Gauntlets]


    [Rank: Umon]


    [Equip?]


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    [Beginner yer te Chainbelt]


    [Rank: Umon]


    [Equip?]


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    [Beginner yer Cuisse]


    [Rank: Umon]


    [Equip?]


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    [Beginner yer Half-telegs]


    [Rank: Umon]


    [Equip?]


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    ''Yes.'' Jackson thought as each piece of equipment vanished from the table. He extended his arms and legs as all his clothes disappeared from his body, his silver ne floating erratically in the air. The chainmail wrapped around his broad chest, creating a cor around his neck, and ran down both arms.


    The two gauntletstched onto his hands, ending at his elbows and creating a guard behind them. The two pauldrons attached to his shoulders, leather straps folding underneath the chainmail andtching tightly against his chest.


    A full-metal belt wrapped around his waist, chainmail unfolding behind his thighs. Two full-te boots slid onto his feet, protecting him up to his knees as rugged leather pants covered his legs.


    His two iron swords reappeared across his back, the scabbard''s straps attaching across his chainmail, sping together in the front.


    He grabbed the visor and slid it up, huffing in annoyance as he looked around at his reduced vision when a notification appeared:


    [Enable Hide Helmet Feature?]


    [Yes/No]


    ''YES!'' Jackson thought as it slowly melded away, disappearing from his head. He sighed in appreciation, looking at the table before him as it slowly began burning away, ashes floating on the breeze as it vanished.


    ''Status.'' Jackson thought as the menu appeared, disying his status.


    [Name: Jackson]


    [Age: 19]


    [Race: Human]


    [Power: 25(+7)]


    [Perception: 22(+6)]


    [Stamina: 30(+10)]


    [Speed: 28(+9)]


    [Instinct: 20]


    [Avable Points: 0]


    [Martial Artes: None Registered]


    [Mystic Artes: None Registered]


    Power is a representation of a climber''s physical strength. Their ability to lift increasingly heavier objects and how devastating the damage of their strikes is.


    Perception is how strong a climber''s eyesight is, allowing them to see further and discern objects easier. Inbat, a climber can premeditatively anticipate an opponent''s actions.


    Stamina increases a climber''s durability, reducing the amount of damage inflicted on them by attacks and their ability to take damage, how high their endurance is.


    Speed increases how fast a climber''s actions are, how quickly they can move, and how nimble or agile their body is.


    Instinct is aprehension of a climber''s Martial and/or Mystic Artes. This increases their understanding while learning new Artes and how they can utilize the contents.


    Jackson dismissed the screen and walked into the jungle, undeterred.

 Chapter 17 (XVII) Tutorial Island

    ?Tropical birds called out in the early morning skies, small simians leaping between the trees. The humidity hung heavily in the air, sticking to Jackson''s skin as sweat quickly covered his entire body. He brushed the massive ferns, cautiously following his mini-map toward a point of interest nearby.


    Pushing throughrge, dense foliage, Jax stepped into a clearing where a tall cliff roared loudly as a waterfall flowed into a massiveke.


    Standing next to therge fronds, he surveyed the area, checking for potential danger. God''s Tower wasn''t organic; safe havens were not magically found. Conscious hands created them.


    He stepped out to the clearing, walking toward the water''s edge as a small vortex appeared out of nowhere. As it grewrger, Elissa stepped through, walking down the air, like stairs, as she appeared in front of him.


    "Well, now! You''re a pretty fast one! It hasn''t even been ten minutes!" She said, pretending to look at a watch, checking her wrist.


    "What do you want now?" Jax said, balling his fist against his hip as he stared at her unamused.


    "It''s time for you to receive your challenge for Tutorial Ind! Why else would I want to be here?" She scoffed, flipping her long white hair. She popped her wrist toward him.


    [First Floor Challenge]


    [Wee to God''s Tower! We''ll take things slowly so you can get your feet wet. Tutorial Ind isn''t a singr ind; it''s an archipgo, and you''re on the smallest. It is gued by an infestation of an invasive species. Cull the Hollow from the jungle to advance to the next ind.]


    "How many are there?" Jackson said, dismissing the notification, staring sternly at the Elvish woman. She smirked and wagged her finger at him, shaking her head.


    "Nuh-uh-uh! You''ll be receiving no help from me!" She said mockingly as Jackson threw the Hollow Spirit Core through the air, being caught by Elissa, shocked at the surprise attack.


    "I want to sell that. Give me a fair deal and tell me how many Hollows are in the area." Jackson stated in a t tone. The Guardian raised the glowing green core into the air, closing one eye as she inspected it.


    "I''ll give you 50,000." She said, tossing it back to Jackson.


    "100." Jackson countered, a smile spreading across his face. He knew she was trying to cheat him and wanted to give her a taste of her own medicine.


    "You''re crazy, newbie! No one would pay 100k for only an Umon Hollow Spirit! 60, final offer!" She said, crossing her arms and huffing.


    "75, and you tell me how many enemies there are." Jackson said, turning around. Elissa began chewing her nails as she contemted the offer, frantically making calctions as his actions stressed her.


    "Fine!!" She shouted, throwing her hands toward him; he slowly turned around and gave her an incredulous look, prompting her to regain herposure and take a deep breath, muttering, "Asshole..."


    "Deal." Jackson replied, tossing the core to Elissa once more, "Now, how many Hollows are there?"


    "Ten." She replied, softly tossing the green orb into the air as it vanished into small blue lights. He immediately received a notification that the funds were received in his System''s Inventory.


    "Now that I have funds, I''d like to make a purchase, open the Market." Jackson demanded, turning toward her and crossing his arms across his chest.


    "You have to make it to the yer hub. I can''t open it now." Elissa exined, shaking her head as she began floating on an invisible chair, floating casually in the air.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Make an exception. It won''t be long; I need one item. I''ll even give you a tip for doing it!" Jackson said, stepping toward her.


    "A tip, you say..?" Elissa asked, her eyes turning to dor symbols as she waved her hand as a screen appeared before Jackson. He began to navigate through the menu, locating his desired item and quickly purchasing it.


    "Good choice!" She said as a giant purple fruit the size of a basketball appeared in her hand. It was an odd-looking fruit withrge swirling stiff mounds around the whole peel.


    He held his hand out as she ced it in his palm, as a system notification rang reflecting the loss of a 50% tip on a 50,000 Point purchase, immediately returning him to 0.


    "Good doing business with you!" Elissa said, smirking as she closed one eye and saluted with two fingers before the vortex appeared behind her, sucking her into it.


    Jackson smiled at the fruit, cing it into his Gobbii Bag and looking around the clearing, "Best I wait a bit before taking that..." He muttered to himself, walking through the brush as he began searching the jungle.


    ''Ten Hollows...'' He thought to himself, carefully traversing through the massive nts. While he had killed plenty of beasts in thest few years, he had never faced a true Hollow.


    God''s Tower, a synthetic creation, is not an organic structure; so naturally, so too are the Hollows. Beasts were the mutation of the Hollows that escaped out into the wilderness of Terra, evolving into animals and then... Multiplying.


    As he crept through the jungle, he heard a loud crunching sound and pulled both swords out of their sheaths. Crouching, he quietly approached the source of the noise. Using his de, Jax parted a massive fern.


    A dozen meters ahead of him was a giant wolf with pitch-ck fur. Its head had no hair, revealing its skull with two glowing green mes protruding from its eye sockets. Big white bone spikes pierced through its coat, running along its four shoulders and spine down to the tip of its tail.


    It stood over the bloodied corpse of a tiny monkey, crunching loudly as it devoured its prey, none the wiser that it had just be prey itself. Jackson cautiously passed through the shrubbery, quietly adjusting his body as he prepared tounch his sneak attack.


    The Hollow leaned down to take another bite when Jax quietly kicked off the ground as hard as he could, dashing with both swords crossed in front of him. It turned its head, startled at the noise, only to see the man leap into the air.


    Jackson soared through the air, raising both swords above his head and unleashing a powerful overhead sh, shing the Hollow''s side,unching it into a palm tree as it copsed to the ground.


    Jax quickly repositioned himself, his des at the ready as he stared at the motionless Hollow in disbelief, "It couldn''t have been THAT easy! If that''s the case, they''re even weaker than the beasts outside!"


    He slowly began approaching the downed Hollow, his eyes locked on its body, trying to discern if it was still alive. His heart was pounding in his ears as he inched closer.


    Once he was within a few meters, he reached out and poked its soft belly with the tip of his sword and nothing happened, prompting him to release a heavy sigh of relief.


    Instantly, green mes burst from the Hollow''s eye sockets as it roared,unching toward his neck. Jackson''s eyes went wide as his body moved autonomously, and he backstepped away from the wolf''s jagged jaws.


    When his foot left the ground, purple sparks shot out from under him as he was shot like a bullet through a couple of palm trees, skidding against the dirt to a halt as he tumbled, crashing against another tree. Loud explosions burst as each of the trees splintered and came crashing to the ground violently.


    The purple lightning arced across his fingertips as Jackson stared at his hand bewildered, panting heavily as he coughed, dust surrounding him as he looked at the charging Hollow more than a few dozen meters away.


    "What the fu..?" He muttered to himself.

 Chapter 18 (XVIII) Defense

    ?Jackson quickly got to his feet, staring down the charging Hollow Wolf. He crouched his body, raising both swords, crossing them in front of him. Hellish green mes fluttered out the back of its eye sockets as it charged closer, leaping through the air toward him.


    The young man pivoted quickly, spinning out of the trajectory of jagged fangs and ws, thrusting his des down, shing the defenseless Hollow across the side of his body.


    The Hollow, unfazed by the umted damage, spun through the dirt, turning to face its opponent, snarling before it raised its head and unleashed a blood-curdling wail-like howl.


    Jackson''s eyes went wide as he dashed forward, trailing one sword behind him as he held the other horizontally over his shoulder. He quickly ran ahead, weaving left with arge bound forward before rapidly leaping to the right, slicing the Hollow''s throat as the sound immediately came to an abrupt end, followed by a dense thud.


    Jax huffed, looking around as a myriad of ethereal wails began ringing throughout the jungle, "That strange power didn''t return..." His mind started racing, contemting various scenarios before arge smile returned to his face.


    He turned, looking at the corpse of the Hollow. He stared at it for a moment, returning his swords to their scabbards before clicking his tongue in frustration, "Tch!"


    He turned, instantly bursting into a sprint, running away from the battle scene. He threw caution to the wind as he rapidly darted around palm trees, crashing through therge nts. His heart began pounding as the thunderous roar of paws thudded against the grass behind him.


    He tried to recall that fleeting feeling when he was surprised by the Hollow Wolf earlier but couldn''t remember it precisely due to the copious amounts of adrenaline coursing through his veins.


    Snarls began surrounding him on three sides as he sprinted around the small ind, keeping the beach to his left. The charging paws grew closer as Jax withdrew both swords, smirking, "Time to test a theory!"


    He looked to his left and saw a Hollow Wolf chasing after him. He bolted behind it as it turned its head, snapping its jaws violently, narrowingly missing him as the remaining pack quickly altered their course chasing after the young man.


    Jackson spun in the sand, kicking it up as he cautiously backed into the tide as the water gently rushed around his boots. With the ocean to his back, he crossed his swords in front of him, his eyes darting around the six Hollow Wolves slowly approaching in arge semi-circle.


    Jackson''s heart was pounding in his chest; he took a deep breath, trying to slow his heart rate down as his eyes darted between each of his pursuers, gauging which one would attack first.


    The wolf on his left pounced when his gaze was elsewhere, but rather than a shocked expression on his face, Jax smiled. He spun in the water, narrowingly avoiding the attack and kicking as hard as possible,unching the Hollow over the rest of the small pack and crashing into the sand.


    Two wolves from his ten and two charged together, jumping toward different parts of his body. Jackson spun, raising his leg to avoid the jaws of one wolf while bending forward, preventing the attack toward his neck as he reoriented himself quickly, plunging both swords through both wolves, impaling them to each other.


    The leader instantly lunged toward him as Jax was disarmed momentarily. He grabbed the skull, falling on his back and kicking the wolf far into the ocean as the remaining two wolves saw their chance andunched themselves at him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson rolled out of the way, quickly spinning his leg out as he rose to his knee. The third wolf returned from the beach as Jax narrowingly avoided the ws and fangs flying in front of his face.


    Jackson backed away down the beach, his eyes locked on the three wolves in front of him as the fourth slowly paddled its way back to drynd.


    Jackson''s ears perked as he heard another pair of paws charging him from behind. He gritted his teeth as his eyes remained focused on the three in front of him, anticipating the sneak attack from behind.


    A seventh Hollow joined the attack as it leaped toward the nape of Jackson''s neck. The young man flicked his wrist as he failed to notice the electricity crackling against his fingertips.


    His hair stood on end as he felt the breath from the Hollow''s mouth on his neck, reaching up and grabbing the head, flipping the wolf over him with a massive explosion of sand flung into the air.


    ''It couldn''t be...'' Jackson thought to himself, recalling the maneuver from one of his father''s tomes. The three wolves began to rush toward him as their leader returned to the beach and ran to rejoin the fight.


    Jackson began to follow the motions of the ''Twenty Moons Under the One Sun Path'' engrained into his body. His body flowed like water as he slipped between the three attacks.


    His every move kicked up water, creating a veil that rose into the air, preventing the Hollow''s attacks from striking him. Despite the fact their attacks were barely off-target, Jax remained calm as he controlled the fight, returning to the two impaled corpses and retrieving both of his weapons.


    The four wolves quickly converged, each targeting one of his limbs as the young man continued to fluidly avoid each of the attacks, parrying with his swords and dodging the flurry of fangs and ws.


    Jackson felt something inside him stirring to life. His repeated continuation through the poses revealed a long-dormant ability within him.


    As his body autonomously flowed through each of the twenty movements, his mind had located that feeling and attempted to grasp it. It slipped away from him but simply interacting with that sensation triggered something within Jackson''s mind.


    Kicking off the sand with all his might, lightning arced from each grain to the bottom of his feet as he retreated a few dozen meters away from the wolves, staring at them with ferocity in his eyes.


    "Three dead... One''s severely injured... Four aggressors... Two unknown..." Jackson muttered as he changed his stance from a defensive position into one more aggressive, "Time to go on the offensive!"

 Chapter 19 (XIX) Offense

    ?The four remaining wolves rushed toward the lone man on the beach, kicking sand behind them, each fanning out to target a different attack angle. Jackson spun both swords around his body, holding them outward as he recalled the movements of the ''Inferno of the Twin Storms.''


    A tingling sensation rushed through his body as he took a deep breath. It felt like time had stopped as he closed his eyes, reaching within himself and searching for that fleeting feeling once again.


    His arms and legs were covered in goosebumps, and his hair stood on end as he located the viscous liquid-like energy floating inside him. He reached out for it, but it slipped through his fingers each time he attempted to grasp it.


    Jackson faced down the charging wolves as he anticipated their actions. A tiny purple me sparked from his emerald green iris, trailing behind him as he twisted his body, starting the first movement.


    He spun his arms horizontally, the momentum of the des increasing as the tips of the simple iron swords began to heat up, burning in the same color as the mes in his eyes.


    The wolves easily avoided the des, evading to the left and right as they bounded off thendscape,unching toward Jackson as he immediately flowed into the second movement, chaining wlessly into the third and fourth movements.


    Lightning began arcing from beneath his feet as he utilized the superior movement abilities from the ''Twenty Moons Under the One Sun Path'' to avoid attacks and string the movements from the ''Inferno of the Twin Storms'' together.


    The Hollows began to receive searing scratches across their bodies as they narrowingly avoided the rapid movements of the human. His swords danced around him, keeping the wolves fromunching a clean strike.


    The tempo of Jackson''s attacks increased as he gained more ground with each sh from his de, striking deeper into the tough hide of the Hollows.


    Despite the umted damage dealt to them, The Hollow Wolves'' movements were not slowing down, and their attacks remained as ferocious; Jackson''s des shed through the air, echoing as the edge of his sword struck true, cleaving its head cleanly from its body.


    The remaining three Hollows cared little for the loss of one of their own as they continued the assault against the young man. The scalding tips of his de burned brighter as another Hollow met its end when Jackson avoided its attack and brought his sword down, severing the wolf''s spine.


    Jackson quickly kicked the body away, crashing into one of the remaining two Hollows, rushing over, unleashing two crossed shes; as thest attempted to pounce him from behind, he turned, holding his de out, as the wolf impaled itself on his sword.


    He stood there panting heavily as the additional weight on his sword caused him to drop it toward the ground, using his boot to kick the body off his de. He knelt next to the two bodies, inspecting the Hollows beside him.


    He dropped one sword next to his leg before reaching out and grabbing the skull of the Hollow, looking at it extensively, "I wish he would have given more of a warning about these guys..." He muttered, sighing heavily.


    Another snarl sounded behind him as another Hollow appeared from the shrubbery, leaping toward Jackson. He rolled to the side, grabbed his sword, spun through the dirt on his knee, and thrust both swords between the Hollow''s ribs.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson stood up and looked around, "One more..." He muttered to himself as his eyes scanned the tall ferns around him. He saw a rustle and quickly changed his stance as a motionless Hollow corpse was flung through the air, thudding next to the rest of the carnage.


    "Huh..?" He said, looking at the body as the next moment, Elissa appeared with the final Hollow on a muzzle and leash, ferociously jerking and snarling in erratic directions.


    "What are you doing here!?!" Jackson shouted in disbelief at the scene of this frail-looking woman smiling as she restrained a feral wolfrger than her with no effort.


    "Finally!!!" Elissa eximed in exasperation, "I''ve been looking for you forever!!" She smirked, bending over and flicking her finger against the skull of the Hollow as it sat down obediently, wagging its tail.


    "You were having such an easy time; The Tower chose to upgrade your challenge on the first floor." She said casually as she removed the muzzle from the Hollow and walked around it.


    "Did you know... That if enough dead Hollows are gathered around one that is alive, the souls of the dead will converge?" She asked, tilting her head with a smile.


    "Hollows do not have souls; their objective is to consume a living soul to obtain their own." Jackson calmly replied. Elissa began clicking her tongue and wagging her finger as she patted the head of the Hollow.


    "Close, but not quite correct!" She cockily proimed, green mes floating out of the skulls of the dead Hollows as the wolf stood, and its tail began wagging excitedly as she continued her exnation, "You see, just because God''s Tower creates Hollows doesn''t mean that a soul is not included within the creation process."


    More than a dozen green mes had appeared, floating in the air before shooting, piercing the Hollow Wolf. The bones protruding from the fur began to grow and contort as it stood on its hind legs.


    The muscles beneath the pitch-ck hair began convulsing as it unleashed a loud wail. Its skull began growing and elongating, visceral fangs growing and curving beyond its mouth.


    Its front paws jerked as its bones burst forth,  growing longer as the fingers tapered to create grotesque ws. Growing twice in size, the Hollow threw its head back and unleashed another wail.


    Jackson took a step back, his eyes wide as he turned toward Elissa, who smiled at him and waved her fingers goodbye as she vanished, a notification appearing before the young man:


    [Challenge Modified!]


    [Your swift actions have caused one of the Hollows to mutate into a more powerful version of itself! Mutated Hollows are not the mindless beasts of their lesser forms. Defeat the Mutated Hollow!]

 Chapter 20 (XX) Modified

    ?Jackson red at the monstrosity before him, gritting his teeth as he dismissed the notification, "Why didn''t my father ever mention that a challenge could be modified..? Was he never strong enough to receive one..?"


    The Hollow Wolf roared, throwing both arms out, kicking off its feet, and charging on all fours before leaping toward him, snapping him back to reality as he harrowingly avoided the attack, his chainmail receiving arge gash across his chest.


    Confirming he wasn''t bleeding, Jax twirled his swords around him once and returned to his defensive stance, intent to not take any more damage in this fight.


    The bipedal Wolf quickly spun on its hand, kicking off a palm tree, and breaking the trunk as it charged toward him. Jackson immediately stepped back as he parried the flurry of ws with his des.


    "Damn, you''re ugly!" Jackson shouted, deflecting one of the Hollow''s sharp nails with one sword and avoiding the follow-up attack before dashing behind it, slicing both des across its abdomen, and spinning around through the dirt to face the now-wounded monster.


    The Hollow Wolf swiped his ws over the young man''s head as he slid through the dirt, turning to face him and unleashing a wail in frustration before vanishing with a blur, leaping toward him.


    Jackson backstepped again, briefly startled at the sudden burst in speed, crossing both swords in front of him as the Hollow reappeared, ramming its massive skull against his des andunching him violently.


    He gritted his teeth, tensing every muscle in his body as he crashed through a few palm trees. As the momentum decreased, he tucked his knees into his chest, backflipping through the air, digging his heels and swords into the dirt toe to a halt.


    He raised his head, his eyes glowing with the purple me again, and the contorted tips of his des began to burn once more. The Hollow Wolf charged on all fours as Jackson burst into a sprint with both swords held out to his sides.


    The purple lightning arced underneath his boots, bounding into the air as he shot off the trees, raising both des above his head; his eyes rapidly darting around as he calcted the Hollow''s movements.


    The Hollow Wolf easily trajected the man''s movements, following his every action before jumping into the air, opening its jaw wide and jagged hands out.


    Jax smirked as the entire length of both des began glowing brightly, matching the flowing purple mes in his eyes as he flipped through the air as purple mes ignited from the swords, shooting like a bullet toward the Hollow Wolf.


    "JUST DIE ALREADY!!" Jackson roared as skeletal fingers gripped his biceps as he plunged both swords through the Hollow''s chest; the mes slightly escaped from the ends of the wounds as both crashed into the ground.


    Despite the force and impact, the Hollow never released Jackson from its grip, exerting pressure on his biceps. The young man gritted his teeth, twisting his wrists as he pressed his body against the wolf''s chest, struggling to avoid its snapping jaw.


    The wounds began opening wider, mes growing more vigorous as they spread, catching onto the matted ck fur. Jackson released the hilts, struggling to push off the bottom of the jaw, pulling his head away and getting his feet against the Hollow''s chest.


    He winced as the ws pierced his chainmail, scratching down his arms as he pushed off with his feet and kicked both hilts with his boots, dismembering the Hollow Wolf.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jacksonnded a couple of meters away on his back, gripping both of his bloodied arms, wincing in pain. The purple mes from his eyes had vanished as his emerald irises stared into the clear skies, his body panting heavily.


    After lying exhausted for a while, he sat up and stared at the motionless corpse of the mutated Hollow, shaking his head, "For fucks sake..."


    He looked at both wounds, sighing in relief as they weren''t as deep as he thought. He grabbed the Gobbii Bag, pulling it into hisp as he reached into it, pulling out the <Climber''s Cartridge Case>.


    The grey metallic case was roughly the size of a thousand-page novel with a seam in the middle where it was maically sealed. Opening the case revealed a dozen tiny cartridges in various colors and designs on each side.


    Jackson grabbed a white cartridge with a red band wrapping around it with a small cross in the middle. It was roughly the size of a floppy disk with the depth of a thick cellr phone.


    He opened the seam that ran diagonally down the length of the cartridge''s face, causing a puff of smoke to burst out of the cartridge briefly as a first aid kit appeared in its ce, an information screen appearing.


    [First Aid Kit]


    [Rank: Mythic]


    [A hard case containing everything required to stabilize a wounded person until they can seek proper medical attention. Each increase in rank provides more tools in the kit and the quality of the materials. Materials contained within are finite, and any used materials will be restocked automatically at the end of the day if funds are avable.]


    ''Damn... This Climber''s Cartridge Case is too strong! No wonder dad warned me about keeping this a secret...'' Jackson thought, opening the <First Aid Kit> and tending to his wounds.


    Having tended to his wounds many times growing up in Saint Mary''s, it wasn''t long before he had tucked his chainmail back into his gloves and stood up.


    He approached the mutated Hollow and stood over it, staring nkly at the lifeless skull. He reached down, grabbing both of his hilts, pulling to reveal short jagged edges, groaning as he tossed them into the dirt.


    "Just great... Inferno eats my weapons!" He groaned, turning around and sighing as he sat on the dead wolf''s chest, resting his chin in his palms and his elbows on his knees, "I just bought those stupid swords with thest of my money! What am I going to do now?!?"


    In the bottom right corner of his vision, oblivious to Jackson''s notice was a tiny box shing red and white with an exmation point in the center.


    Lying on her stomach on a cloud above him with one hand supporting her chin while the other grabbed popcorn from a bowl and kicked her legs casually in the air, Elissaughed to herself, "Well, that was entertaining! I wonder how long it''ll take him..."

 Chapter 21 (XXI) The Second Isle

    ?Jackson sat in frustration staring at the jagged edges of the melted des lying in the dirt in front of him. Sighing heavily as his heartbeat returned to normal, he noticed the shing icon, bringing up the notifications:


    [New Martial Artes Detected!]


    [Creating New Martial Arte Skill: Twenty Moons Under the One Sun]


    [Rank: <Unknown>]


    [Mastery: <Unknown>]


    [Type: Movement]


    [A new Martial Arte has been born! The system requires additional time to evaluate and determine the Arte''s capabilities...]


    [New Martial Artes Detected!]


    [Creating New Martial Arte Skill: Inferno of the Twin Storms]


    [Rank: <Unknown>]


    [Mastery: <Unknown>]


    [Type: Twin des]


    [A new Martial Arte has been born! The system requires additional time to evaluate and determine the Arte''s capabilities...]


    [Modified Challenge Completed!]


    [The grotesque Mutated Horror Wolf and his pack have been exterminated from La Primera I, granting ess to the next floor! For your contributions toward thepletion of this challenge, you have received a reward!]


    [Reward: ''Rank A'' Martial Arte Skillbook Received!]


    Jackson swiped the notifications away as he thought about the small icon of a blue book as the screen began to ripple like water as arger book slowly floated toward him out of the window. A kaleidoscope of colors began to sh as the book appeared, dropping into his open hands, inspecting the sizeable blue book.


    [Asura of the Four Rivers Skillbook]


    [Rank: A]


    [Mastery: 0%]


    [Type: Unarmed]


    [Read this skillbook to learn a fisticuff-focused Martial Arte described as four rivers flowing violently against their opponents and beautifully for those lucky enough to spectate.]


    ''It''s like the system is taunting me for losing my weapons...'' Jacksonmented to himself, however, after opening the skillbook and flipping through the pages as he briefly nced at the various poses; his joy was too much to hide.


    With a massive grin, he ced the skillbook into his Gobbii Bag and stood up, turning around and staring at the chest of the deceased Hollow, ''Since it mutated, I wonder...''


    He dropped to his knees and grabbed the hilt of the destroyed sword icepick style, plunging it into the chest of the Hollow as he carved a massive hole, searching through the corpse.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Located in suspension with various muscles attached to it between the lungs and heart, a white sphere glistened against the tough tendons. Using the de, Jax carefully separated it from the Hollow, standing up as its body began to convulse, vanishing in a wisp of smoke as the skull cked against the ground.


    "Huh..." Jackson muttered as he knelt, picked up the skull, and turned it over in his hands as he inspected it.


    [Mutated Hollow Skull]


    [Rank: C]


    [A material often used by Climbers as a defensive material in the creation process of armor.]


    He ced it in his Gobbii Bag and carefully began using his fingers to rip the remaining bits of flesh from the <Common Hollow Spirit> as he casually strolled through the jungle toward the waterfall.


    Unlike the previous Spirit Core, the stone-like material gripping the stone was a faint copper color and did not grip as much of the orb. He knew better than to check for the cores from the remaining nine Hollows. His father had warned him about none of the Hollows having one until the tenth floor.


    Kneeling next to the pond, he plunged the Spirit Core into the water and shook it, cleaning it and removing the grease from his hands before he tossed it too into his bag.


    Jackson stood, brushing his pants as he observed his now serene surroundings, his gaze locking on a faint light permeating from behind the rushing waterfall, reflecting various colors.


    "Kinda clich¨¦..." He said, approaching the waterfall from the water''s edge. A narrow gap in the stone allowed him to slip behind the waterfall into a small cove, a blue portal floating in the center.


    Shaking his head, Jackson stepped through the portal. Once again, his body distorted as he was sucked into it; disorientation and nausea rushed through his whole body again.


    Forcefully exiting the portal onto the top of arge teau, Jackson stumbled forward, turning around as he saw the blue portal floating behind him.


    He walked to the edge, looking out over the second ind. It wasn''t muchrger than the first, but it included the mountain range Jax was currently standing atop. The forest was denser as more Arecales trees grew closer together, creating a thick nket of palm leaves.


    Large beaches extended beyond the jungle, meeting the ocean that stretched as far as the eye could see. Shades of yellow, orange, and red streaked the clear skies as the sun began setting within God''s Tower.


    He sat on the edge, taking in the scenery, turning his head, and noticing a small mountain path that descended the range into the jungle. Unlike on Terra, where a single day was 24 hours, within God''s Tower, time flowed three times faster.


    This was the peril that one faced within God''s Tower... Spending an entire Terran day within God''s Tower was equivalent to losing over a week of your life!


    To make matters worse, only particr floors maintained a checkpoint portal where one could leave and exit freely. On the higher floors, the checkpoint cities were more frequent, with the highest floors having one on each level; however, there was only one checkpoint within the first ten floors, and Jackson still had three more levels to reach it.


    "This seems like as good a time as any to set up camp!" Jackson said, stretching into the air as fatigue started to set in. Looking around the teau, he quickly gathered small branches, tossing them into a pile.


    Opening his Gobbii Bag, he grabbed his <Climber''s Cartridge Case> once more, grabbing a camouge-covered cartridge and opening it, tossing it out onto the ground as a massive cloud of smoke appeared.


    Waving his hands, Jackson cleared the smoke, revealing a decently sized campground fitted with a tent, sleeping bag, small metal frame grill, and arge three-legged stand holding a big pot.


    Jackson picked up the branches, tossing them underneath the pot, kneeling and using a flint and steel, it didn''t take long before a roaring fire was aze, and after a trip back to the La Primera I to fill the pot, it was boiling on the stand.


    He sat on arge rock next to the campfire, gazing into the mes; he waved his hand in front of his face and dismissed the notification, sighing heavily.


    [Time Remaining Until Next Challenge Begins: 00:02]

 Chapter 22 (XXII) The Second Challenge

    ?Jackson sat flipping through the <Asura of the Four Rivers Skillbook>, studying the poses while waiting for the timer to count down. His eyes glossed over as he reviewed the detailed notes for each posture.


    "I don''t see why it wouldn''t..." He muttered to himself as the countdown had ended, and arge window appeared in front of him, prompting him to close the Skillbook.


    [Second Floor Challenge]


    [That first challenge was kind of a doozy, huh? Since it was more challenging than anticipated, let''s settle things down and simply survive! The nights are freezing, and the darkness hides all the dangers! Only sunlight will reveal your path to the next floor!]


    Jackson rolled his eyes and dismissed the challenge notification, standing up and returning the Skillbook to his bag. Despite the fatigue, his grumbling stomach was a more pressing concern.


    He started descending the mountains, searching for food, "I wonder how monkey tastes..." He muttered to himself, recalling the unlucky simian who had be Hollow food on the previous floor.


    The sun started settling, but the growing darkness didn''t disturb Jackson. He had spent most of his adolescence hiding in the shadows, where he felt mostfortable.


    He expertly moved in silence as he darted through the jungle. He searched the dirt, scouring for tracks and looking for vegetation next to the roots of the tall trees.


    After foraging for an hour, he gathered some mushrooms, found a small animal''s trail, and began tracking it. While on the animal''s path, he noticed a parrot sitting on the branch of a tree, quickly vanishing and reappearing in a tuft of falling red feathers. He was hanging onto the tree''s limb with the bird squawking wildly in his other hand.


    Jackson dropped to the ground, grunting with a grin, "Guess I''ll savor that delicacy another time!"


    After snapping the parrot''s neck, he gave up his hunt for the monkey and returned to the camp, tossing the mushrooms into the boiling pot and preparing the parrot.


    While the stew was boiling, Jackson sat on the small stone and returned to the Skillbook. After flipping through the book a few times and reading it from front to back while enjoying his meal, the young man stood up.


    He returned to the beginning of the Skillbook, cing it on the rock and taking the first position. He adjusted parts of his body while examining the image in the book before being confident in his pose and starting to practice the first strike repeatedly.


    After practicing for a while, he opened his inventory and removed his chainmail and pauldrons, his chest and arms drenched in sweat, returning to his practice.


    Elissa began materializing on the other side of the campfire, casually walking through the portal. Her slightly transparent silk skirt was split, revealing both hips. Her bra matched the same material and was adorned with a gold metallic trim intricately wrapped around her ample bust.


    Her long white hair cascaded down her back freely, and gold adornments were on her long ears with many earrings. She circled to where Jackson could see her and leaned forward, smelling the savory aroma emanating from the pot.


    "My, my, my! What a lovely scent!" She said with a smile, turning and staring at his well-defined muscles, licking her lips. Jackson continued to practice in silence, ignoring the trouble that had arrived.


    "Diligent... Good, you''ll need it!" Elissa said, swaying her hips, her right hand resting against it as she approached him, circling him like a vulture, "I''m d you were able to put my gift to good use! It certainly has made the challenge here pretty trivial if you ask me..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What do you want?" Jackson coldly asked as he stopped, adjusting his resting pose and returning his armor to his body.


    "Tch!" She clicked her tongue, closing her eyes with a smirk, wagging her finger in the air, "I don''t want anything! I''m only curious to see if you are an ambitious one!"


    "Meaning what..?" Jackson crossed his arms over his chest, staring at her unamused. She crossed her arms underneath her chest, sticking her lower lip out as she rocked back and forth.


    "You''re no fun! I don''t think I want to give you a deal anymore!" Elissa pouted, turning around as she swayed her hips, slowly walking away.


    "I am ambitious!" Jackson groaned, rolling his eyes. The pale elf spun on the spot, sping her hands together with a massive smile, her red eyes sparkling.


    "I knew you were!" She squealed, excitedly stomping her thigh-high boots before regaining herposure and taking a deep breath. She smiled at Jackson and snapped her finger, "Starting now, you will no longer receive the typical Floor Challenges and will only receive Modified Challenges through to the Tenth Trial."


    "Wait-" Jackson shouted, throwing his hand out as a window appeared, blocking the Elven woman from his sight:


    [Challenge Modified!]


    [Simply waiting through the night for the daybreak''s safety, the portal next to your camp will now attract all Hollows located on La Segunda I. I hope you''ll be able to survive until sunrise for the path to the next ind to reveal itself!]


    "That''s more like it!" Elissa chirped, skipping around, grabbing Jackson''s hand, and tugging him as she walked, "With great riskes great reward!"


    "What''s the reward..?" Jackson sighed, shaking his head, failing to pull his hand free from the Guardian.


    "Oh no! Ady is entitled to some secrets! You''ll just have to find out afterpleting the Tenth Floor~!" She smirked as a portal began materializing behind her. She jumped in front of him, leaning forward as she left a lipstick mark on his cheek, quickly pecking him and disappearing through the portal.


    "Shit..." Jackson groaned, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand, snapping his head behind him as countless wails shrieked into the night skies.


    Hollows are nocturnal creatures; they cannot appear during daylight unless triggered by a challenge. However, in darkness, they are allowed to multiply endlessly.


    "Tch!" Jackson clicked his tongue, quickly stomping out the fire and returning the campsite to its cartridge. He was conflicted about fighting or running. Even if he chose to fight, the bodies piling up would only create a vicious cycle of Mutated Hollows.


    So began Jackson''s long night...

 Chapter 23 (XXIII) Waves

    ?Jackson contemted each choice: run away and hide, far away from the portal, or stay and fight. He grabbed the <Asura of the Four Rivers Skillbook> from his Gobbii Bag, inspecting his progress:


    [Mastery: 2%]


    ''It''s probably around midnight...'' He thought, rubbing his chin and raising his, staring at the giant moon floating directly overhead, ''Six hours left...''


    He rotated his shoulders, stretching his arms and legs. His muscles ached as he warmed his body up, prepared for the exhausting night ahead.


    ***


    The Tenth Floor followed a simryout for each of the Ten Guardian''s Domains. It was an evesting siege, sending countless waves of infinitely spawning fodder against each other in a neverending stalemate.


    La D¨¦cima I was two inds connected by a massive water bridge that could facilitate fifteen men standing shoulder to shoulderfortably when crossing. Both inds supportedrge rival kingdoms with castles, tillednd, and lush forestry.


    Lexx briskly paced, the tail of his long red coat whipping through the air when he turned around. His orange eyes stared down at the carpet inside the temporary office for ming Dawn. The stone walls shook as dust fell to the ground.


    "Fuck!" He shouted, mming his fist against the wall as mes roared from the impact, quickly dissipating. He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his short hair, calming himself as he returned to his pacing.


    "Damn you, Viscardi!" He cursed, moments like these caused him to regret having challenged the previous Guild Master, but he couldn''t let the geezer take all of his glory.


    "If he''s as strong as Imperia ims, it shouldn''t take him too long to get here..." He muttered, stepping to the window as he stared out into the distance overlooking the loud shing of battle on the bridge.


    "It''ll still take him a few days to get here... The Recruitment Office on the Fifth Floor will notify me of his response..." He continued to mutter to himself.


    "He''s definitely not going to ept, which means I have to stay here..." He sighed, shaking his head as he ced his hand on the hilt of the massive sword hanging behind his waist.


    His fingers traced around therge ruby attached to the pommel, lifting and releasing it as the maic apparatus clicked repeatedly. He slid his hand down to the tightly wrapped purple hilt, gripping it as he released the sword from the mas, twirling it around and resting it against his ck pauldron.


    His orange eyes illuminated as the stone window frame exploded, creating a massive opening in the castle. Lexx stepped out to the ledge, his jacket pping wildly in the wind as he looked down.


    The door to the office he was in burst open as a handful of armored guards entered with their weapons drawn; one stepped forward, lowering his spear, and asked, "Lord Seifer! What happened here?"


    Lexx turned around and smiled as he fell backward out of the window. The guards ran to the edge, witnessing him twirl through the air before two massive explosions burst from the bottom of his boots,unching him like a missile toward the bridge.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He soared rapidly through the air, his eyes locked toward the waves of Hollows shing against simrly armored soldiers. He flew over the men rushing to their deaths, raising his long sword above his head.


    His trajectoryunched him deep into the swarm of Hollows, cutting off their advance. He grinned maniacally as his sword ignited before violently crashing into the bridge, creating a massive quake along the entire bridge and a wall of mes to surround the man.


    He spun in a circle, his sword passing through the mes, separating from the fire above as the top wall turned clockwise and the bottom wall span counterclockwise.


    A pir of fire rose from beneath his feet as he rose into the air, repeating the process twice more until four walls spun in opposite directions around him.


    Instantly the pir under him shot him high into the air as he twirled again, gaining momentum as he flipped in the air and rocketed back into the bridge, his sword catching all four walls as each became small rings spinning interlocked around his sword.


    His sword mmed against the ground, creating arge crater as Lexx spun in a circle, shing his sword horizontally as a wave of mes shot out from the tip, burning everything around him to a crisp as dozens of Hollows turned to ash.


    He quickly dashed forward, swinging his de deftly despite its massive length; dozens of <White Hollow Spirit> cores cluttered the bridge behind him.


    He need not worry about looting anything; once the soldiers could gain the advantage and press forward, his guild members would collect the drops for him.


    He would throw himself against a million waves alone if it meant saving at least one member in ming Dawn. He couldn''t forgive the previous Guild Master for simply staying back and throwing wave after wave of members to clear a floor.


    ming Dawn was his family... his savior... his entire life. He couldn''t continue to watch those he called brothers and sisters dying every day under orders from a man he considered his father.


    His Mystic Artes made it impossible for him to team up with a group. Without them, his Martial Artes are enough for him to remain within the Top 100 Climbers, but he would lose his ce within Tetrakyts.


    This was his curse and his burden to bear. Lexx grinned as he released all the pent-up frustration he had been feeling, unleashing devastating explosions each time his sword ricocheted off the stone around him.


    He couldn''t go full power but could do just enough to not win the war and wait for the fool who would decline an offer to join a Tetrakyts Guild. Lexx knew that Jackson wouldn''t ept and would stand defiantly against the mountains.


    "You better not disappoint, Jax! I''m waiting for you!" He shouted, ughtering his way as he crossed over to the other ind. He swung his sword horizontally, sending Hollows flying away from him as he stabbed it into the ground.


    Lexx fell to his knees, raising his fists into the air, yelling loudly as a gigantic pir of mes consumed the entire ind, spiraling diagonally as it pierced beyond eyesight into the air as the sun began to rise in God''s Tower.

 Chapter 24 (XXIV) A New Day

    ?Jackson reclined asleep on a sturdy branch of an odd tree that rested close to the mountain range. The tree itself wasn''t bizarre; only its location on a tropical ind where it didn''t belong didn''t make sense.


    The sun was finally breaking across the horizon, the rays revealing the blood covering his entire body. Gnarly gashes shed across his chainmail in various locations, showing the bloodstained bandages beneath.


    When the rays of sunlight hit his face, he scrunched his nose and slowly opened his eyes, raising his hand to shade his face. He winced in pain, leaning forward as he straddled the sturdy branch.


    He checked on his mastery of the <Asura of the Four Rivers Skillbook> briefly before returning it, sighing heavily and shaking his head:


    [Mastery: 9%]


    ''Three hours and only a measly seven percent increase...'' He thought to himself, slipping off the branch andnding with a thud on the ground below before he ascended the mountain path.


    Using only his fists and rudimentary knowledge of Asura of the Four Rivers, Jackson could only remain atop the teau for three hours before he had to flee. He had picked that tree so he wouldn''t have to lie on the ground, and after bandaging himself up, he rested.


    Atop the mountain range were eight <Hollow Skulls> lying on the stone ground along with nearly a dozen <Mutated Hollow Skulls> and their <Common Hollow Spirit> Cores.


    "Not even worth the effort..." Jackson muttered to himself as he grabbed all the items, annoyed at himself for falling for The Guardian''s trap despite his father''s warning.


    cing thest item inside his Gobbii Bag, a notification appeared in front of him as a series of green floating orbs appeared, duplicating themselves every few meters as it led down the mountain pathway.


    [Modified Challenge Completed!]


    [The darkness has been lifted, and the path to the third floor is revealed. Your prowess and contributions were enough to receive credit for this floor; you defeated 118 Hollows! Continue on the correct route, Climber!]


    [Reward: 2/10 Modified Challenges Completed! Complete all ten to receive the reward!]


    Jackson began following the floating orbs when a whisper appeared in his left ear, "Jax... Are you there..? Jax... Can you hear me..?"


    He turned around, looking everywhere as his eyes darted around the mountains, searching for the source of the voice, "Who''s there?" He called out.


    Hearing no response, he shrugged his shoulders, following the path down. After a long silence, the whisper in his ear grew louder as he looked around, "Jax..? Jax..! Jax!!! Can you hear me..? It''s-"


    "I can''t hear you! Who are you?" Jackson replied, a bewildered look in his eyes as he looked around.


    A few hourster, "Can you fix this, please? I can''t seem to get through!!" The voice rang clearly inside his ear, instantly bing discernable: "It''s Megan! Jax, can you hear me?"


    "Yeah, I can hear you; are you okay?" Jackson said, smiling as he shook his head, "What are you doing?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Aha! There we go! Huhuhu!" Megan chuckled into his ear a few hourster, "I gave you a  Zo¨ªs Corde! I''m wearing its match so we can stay in touch! Isn''t this so cool?"


    "Yeah..." Jackson replied, "How did you afford them? Aren''t they ridiculously expensive?"


    "Ah... That... Well, it doesn''t matter! We have them!" She replied, quickly changing the topic as she caught him up on the nearly three days that had passed on the outside since he first entered God''s Tower.


    The Zo¨ªs Corde was a unique item made from a particr metal inside God''s Tower. Due to the extraordinary properties of the metal to conduct sound waves and how no matter how many pieces the metal is broken into, if one were to hear the sound, every part could listen to it.


    The only drawback is that due to the time dtion of God''s Tower, the earrings act more like a voicemail machine than a phone call.


    "I''m entering the third floor now; when I get to the fifth floor, I''lle visit, alright?" He said, stepping through a blue portal nestled in a secluded cave near the mountains'' base.


    Stepping through, Jackson was once met again with those disturbing feelings beforending roughly on another beach, shaking his head as the challenge window appeared immediately:


    [Modified Third Floor Challenge]


    [Normally, it would be your task on this ind to find a suitable weapon for the challenges that lie ahead. Instead, you are tasked with climbing to the top of Mount Nina Urqu. No Time Limit! Once you have reached the top, you will know what your objective is...]


    "Now we''re getting vague challenges..." Jackson shook his head as he surveyed his surroundings.


    The Third Floor was a rtively small ind with nearly no trees. The sandy beaches gave way torge rock formations. Dozens of mountain peaks pierced the sky, reaching for the gigantic Mount Nina Urqu.


    Various cracks and fractures broke through the mountain''s crust asva rivers freely flowed down the massive volcano, creating magma pools. Thousands of paths cut through the mountains, creating an intricatework of rare and precious materials.


    Reviewing his map, Jackson traversed across the ind until he found a suitable location to set up camp that provided the most protection. After establishing his temporary residence, he looked toward the mountains, recalling a throwawayment in his father''s journal,


    "I swear, Vayne must have an extraordinary power to gain information from people. Thanks to him, Zaxocid shut down and confiscated a small circle of Climbers who stayed on Tutorial Ind intentionally and created a massive fortune! Our guild will never need another credit!"


    Jackson pulled the tent closed andid down in the sleeping bag, tucking his arms underneath his head and staring up at the tent''s ceiling, his mind racing at the obstacles in his path.


    "Hmm..." He muttered. Typically the challenge would have a 72-hour time limit, but this development threw a wrench in his ns. He didn''t even know how much he could store within his Gobbii Bag; he may only need a little bit of time...


    ''What if I need more time..?'' Jackson thought for the first time. He had no clue about the limitations of the Gobbii Bag, and given its rank, it might be even more ludicrous...

 Chapter 25 (XXV) A New Plan

    ?A few hourster, Jackson awoke with a slight groan, exiting the tent, rotating his arms in wide circles as he awoke his stiff muscles, stretching his body and legs. He essed his inventory, removing his armor before running out to the ocean and diving into the cold water.


    "WHOOOO!!!!" He eximed, emerging from the water, shaking his head, and wiping the freezing, salty water from his face. He rushed back onto the beach, hugging his arms and his jaw shivering as he rapidly equipped his equipment.


    He returned to his tent and grabbed his Gobbii Bag, taking stock of the contents:


    [Journal]


    [Climber''s Cartridge Case]


    [Hollow Whistle]


    [Ho''Kikomo Fruit]


    [Mutated Hollow Skull x12]


    [Common Hollow Spirit x 12]


    [Hollow Skull x 8]


    [Asura of the Four Rivers Skillbook]


    "Alright! Let''s see how useful you are!" Jackson said with a smile, fully intent on filling the Gobbii Bag to its absolute limit. He turned toward the gigantic volcano in the distance.


    He climbed the mountains, approaching one of the manyrge tunnels dotting the entire mountainscape. The cliffs were barren; he heard not a single sound as he slowly ascended. Despite the eerie silence, he knew that whatever made these tunnels would probably be present.


    Jackson entered arge tunnel, strolling, passing a myriad of paths shooting off, twisting, and turning deep into the ground. Piercing through the rigid rock walls, various gemstones of different sizes and colors sparkled off the sunlight.


    Jackson knelt next to a bright deep-purple tanzanite, reaching for it, but could not free it from the sturdy rock. He balled his hand into a fist, the leather of his metallic gauntlet stretching before he pulled his fist back and punched the wall next to the gemstone.


    The stone splintered into dozens of tiny pieces as he punched around the tanzanite repeatedly until the rock wall could no longer support its weight, as it fell to the ground.


    The tanzanite was the size of a baseball, with jagged edges jutting out in various directions. Jackson brushed his hand over the gemstone, brushing some dust off as he shook his head, cing it in his Gobbii Bag.


    Unlike the gemstones found on Terra, precious stones collected from God''s Tower had this inner glow. Although the procedures for processing the gem are the same, the results are wildly different.


    You may be able to get many decently sized gems from a stone thisrge on Terra, but only one tanzanite can be processed per gemstone found in God''s Tower.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson sighed as he stared down the tunnel, tiny sparkles twinkling like stars as he began walking deeper, breaking away the walls and collecting every precious stone he came across.


    Hepleted this monotonous task for a few hours before he came across a massive cow-sized ant. He ducked into an adjacent tunnel and peeked out, observing the creature.


    Its exoskeleton was a dull glossy metal, and each metallic body part had a gap, revealing ck cable-like tendons connecting each section. With every step, it took, each of its six legs slightly crushed the rock beneath it.


    Mount Nina Urqu is home to a colony of giant ants called Mietjed Ants, and all of these tunnels were dug by these insects utilizing the sharp, metallic mandibles that jutted from its head.


    It began eating into the tunnel wall before turning around and excreting arge ga from its behind before vomiting on the wall, the thick, paste-like substance adhering the gemstone partly in the wall and clicking excitedly as it quickly dried.


    ''I can''t believe I''m picking up ant waste...'' Jackson thought, grimacing at the sight unfolding in front of him.


    The ant turned its head, looking around as its antennae began wildly jerking around in the air, and turned its nk blue eyes at him as he quickly ducked behind the wall.


    "Shit!" He whispered, quickly running down the adjacent pathway, sprinting away from the giant ant, thinking of what to do, ''I can''t kill it... That''ll only bring the rest of the colony here... Wait! That''s it!''


    Jackson dug his heels into the ground, skidding to a halt as he turned around, raising both fists, the floor slightly vibrating underneath him as the Mietjed Ant charged through the tunnels.


    "I was nning on waiting until tomorrow, but whatever, it''ll make this part easier!" Jackson grinned as the ant came into view. It rushed toward him, wildly clicking its mandibles, its antennae dancing wildly in the air.


    Jackson smacked the mandibles away from him as he slipped behind them; immediately, he raised his arm, pping his palm down with a sonic boom against the ant''s head.


    The ant stumbled slightly, the impact resounding through its entire body, violently reverberating its internal organs as it copsed to the ground; ckish oil-like blood began oozing out of every orifice.


    Jackson grabbed one of the metallic antennas and quickly began dragging it out of the tunnels and away from the volcano, huffing as he carried the extremely heavy ant up the nearby mountains.


    There was only one natural predator for the Mietjed Ants: a colony of fox-sized hos that build their nests high near the peaks of the mountains surrounding Mount Nina Urqu.


    The Mura?jo?ka Hos preyed upon the ants, utilizing their stingers to inject their eggs into the ant bynding on its back and stinging the gaps in the ant''s armored tes.


    Jackson dropped the corpse at the mountain''s base, looking high as tiny shadows fluttered around. He turned around and noticed more ants flooding out of the tunnels as they rushed toward him.


    He quickly darted away from the mountains, rushing toward the ocean. Although he may not have been sshed with blood, he felt confident that the pheromones released by the dead Mietjed Ants had marked him as a target.


    He sprinted into the water, diving in and floating on his back as he looked out to Mount Nina Urqu, arge smile on his face, "With the soldiers out fighting in an idental war, it''s time to pluck the castle clean!"

 Chapter 26 (XXVI) Trickery

    ?Hundreds of Mietjed Ants stormed out from the countless tunnels of Mount Nina Urqu, their legs crushing the ground beneath them, creating a massive quake that shook the entire ind.


    The ants charged forward, following the scent of their fallenrade. Near the mountain''s peak, the tip had been destroyed, creating enough space for arge ho''s nest to be built.


    The earthquake had caused a significantmotion within the hive as dozens of Mura?jo?ka Hos darted out of the nest. Their bejeweled bodies sparkled in the sunlight as they spotted the ants charging toward their nest.


    The hos dived toward the climbing ants, quickly descending onto their backs, jabbing their stinger repeatedly into the gap between the thorax and abdomen.


    Dozens of the metallic ants began falling toward the ground while the bejeweled hos flew to their next target. The ants crashed violently into the rocky ground, their weight turning the corpses into destructive cannonballs, kicking up giant dust clouds with each ant.


    The Mietjed Ants began to swarm over one another, protecting each others'' weak joints against the vicious stinging of the hos. asionally, one of the ants would catch one of the hos between its mandibles, squeezing them violently.


    The Mura?jo?ka Hos would swarm around the ant that caught one of their brethren, but their efforts in freeing it was an exercise in futility as the ants would crush their gemstone bodies, separating their abdomen from their thorax as the two pieces fell down to the ground and were instantly swarmed by the ants below.


    As the sun began setting, two earth-shattering shrill screeches echoed around the entire ind one after the other as both the Mietjed Ants and Mura?jo?ka Hos slowly returned to their respective colonies.


    Jackson was still gathering jewels when the Mietjed Queen''s call echoed through the tunnels; the severity of the noise caused him to fall to his knees, gripping his ears and squinting his eyes shut tightly.


    Rocking back and forth, gritting his teeth, he felt a faint vibration underneath his legs and opened his eyes, reaching down and touching the cold, rocky ground before eximing, "Shit!"


    He quickly stood up, looking around frantically before consulting his minimap before sprinting through the tunnels. One of the ants slowly entered, its antennae instantly detecting the intruder and turning to engage.


    Jackson gritted his teeth as lightning started arcing from the soles of his boots to the ground with each long stride, rapidly circling around the top of the tunnel and running around the Mietjed Ant.


    Even more ants began swarming the tunnels as he leaped from wall to wall, sparks of purple electricity trailing behind as he avoided dozens of surprise attacks.


    Even though their slow movements posed no threat to him, the sheer number of foes was too much, and eventually, disaster would strike, and Jackson was not one to risk his life so recklessly.


    Burst out of the tunnels, Jackson turned, digging his heels in and raising his fists, squaring his frame as he skidded to a halt. He raised his eyebrow, dropping his stance and staring surprisingly as the ants piled at the entrance, hissing and rapidly clicking their mandibles in anger.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He sighed in relief, smiling as he turned his back on the annoying tter before casually walking back to his camp. On his way back, he stumbled across hundreds of dead ants and wasp corpses.


    He approached the scene slowly, walking through the carnage of mangled bodies everywhere. He knelt next to a dead ant and lightly traced his fingers along the metallic carapace. Curious about its durability, Jackson raised his arm, balling his hand into a fist, and punched it as hard as he could.


    A loud gong sound echoed through the mountains, and the young man''s eyes went wide as there was hardly an indent in the metal. Greed shed across his eyes as he grinned from ear to ear.


    He grabbed a corner of the metallic shell and tried to pry it off, but his strength was not enough to separate it from the protected body. He shook his head, disappointment instantly setting in.


    "Tch!" Jackson clicked his tongue as he didn''t bring his destroyed swords from the first floor before he started looking around for something to dismantle the ant.


    Sitting a few meters away, his eyes stopped on the bejeweled abdomen of one of the wasps; he quickly rushed over, picking it up carefully as he inspected the stinger. He grabbed it at the bottom and snapped it off the severed abdomen.


    He returned to the ant and began using the stinger to repeatedly stab around the protective metallic shells. The work was sloppy and amateurish at best, but it was quick to remove it and store it in his bag.


    As he disassembled the ant''s corpses, he picked up the upper half of a Mura?jo?ka Ho; the wings were fascinating to him as he gripped the base, and much to his surprise, it effortlessly snapped from the body.


    He carefully ced it into his bag, grinning as it was epted, and quickly removed the other wing and added it. As much as he would like to take all of their bodies, the Gobbii Bag rejected the corpses, not allowing him to add them.


    This battle between the ants and wasps would rage for days as Jackson dashed through the tunnels, unleashing a powerful punch against one of the walls and collecting the gemstones.


    Every sunrise for the next two days, he would wait for the ants to charge toward the battle site and run through the tunnels, gathering every precious stone he could find and quickly disappearing out of the tunnels at sunset, circling around the ho''s mountain before diving into the ocean.


    After clearing his scent, he would head toward the battle site, collecting more metallic tes and insect wings for a few hours before returning to camp to practice his unarmed technique and rest until the next day.


    However, on the third day, no ants or wasps appeared. Jackson rubbed his chin in confusion as he stared intently toward both locations when suddenly Elissa appeared through a portal in front of him, swaying her hips with a huge smirk as she approached him slowly.

 Chapter 27 (XXVII) Unexpected Development

    ?"You sure are a naughty one!" Elissa chirped, "Even though you were boring, the ''War of the Bugs'' was quite entertaining!"


    "What''s going on? Why are you here instead of them?" Jackson coldly replied, walking past her toward the top of the small hill overlooking the remnants of the battles that had taken ce the past few days.


    "Well, no more fighters are left on either side; you made sure of that!" Sheughed, flipping her hair as she followed next to him.


    "That doesn''t make any sense... Who''s guarding the queens?" Jax asked, turning and staring at her.


    "Hmmm... I don''t know! Maybe you should go check them out?" Elissa smirked.


    "No, I think I''ll pass..." Jackson dissonantly said, turning toward Mount Nina Urqu and pointing, "If they''re done, then so am I, time to go to the top!"


    Elissa turned away as he started walking to the top, sucking on her teeth, her mind racing through various scenarios before a wicked smile appeared as she turned to face his back.


    She twirled her fingers around as small whisps of purple smoke appeared and danced around her fingers. She pulled her fingers to her lips, kissing them as the purple smoke turned pink, and she blew the kiss toward Jackson.


    The pink smoke floated off his back, lightly sparkling before vanishing. Elissa smiled and ced her hand on her hip, muttering softly as a portal appeared and swallowed her, "Had to choose the hard way..."


    Jackson climbed Mount Nina Urqu slowly, heading toward the peak toplete the challenge. He wanted to search through the tunnels onest time as his Gobbii Bag was only partially full despite the hundreds of items he''s thrown into it, but her suggestion bothered him, and he would preferably just move on.


    His breath became haggard as the rivers and cracks in the volcano flowed withva, producing intense heat. Despite thefortable leather tabard underneath his chainmail and ted gloves and boots protecting his skin, the conducted heat was unbearable.


    Jackson panted heavily, opening his inventory and recing his armor with his in ck clothes. Climbing higher, the path became steeper, and as he approached the top, a trail appeared, circling around Mount Nina Urqu toward the volcano''s opening.


    Two massive wails rang out from separate locations on the ind, shaking the entire ind as he stepped onto the tail, causing him to throw his back against the rocky wall.


    "That can''t be good..." Jackson muttered as he began sprinting up the path as the quaking became more intense.


    A gigantic Mura?jo?ka Ho burst out of the top of the hive, her wings creating a massive drone, and a crown-like spike crested her golden forehead with diamonds for eyes.


    A few hundred meters away from him, an equally enormous Mietjed Ant with a purplish-blue metallic exoskeleton and, simrly to the Ho Queen, she too had a crown-like horn in between her antennae, burst out from beneath Mount Nina Urqu, destroying massive parts of the volcano asva began flooding the ind.


    Both Queens roared, rushing toward the volcano''s summit as Jackson raced up the trail. Both humongous insects collided against one another, aiming for the small man, destroying a massive section of the opening and causing moreva to flow out of the volcano.


    Jackson was knocked into the air, frantically iling his arms as hended on the back of the Mura?jo?ka Ho Queen, tumbling as he quickly regained hisposure and looked around.


    He quickly noticed a small outcropping in the wall and ran along the ho''s body, leaping onto the Mietjed Ant Queen and running along her massive body before jumping over the bubblingva below the small tform.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Both insect queens began thrashing against each other, disrupting the vtile nature of the volcano. Deep within the magma''s surface, a shadowed figure was curled up, suspended asleep.


    The rapidly changing environment of the volcano disturbed its slumber as both eyes opened, revealing aparativelyrge yellow sclera with a ck iris with a vertical pupil.


    Unexpectedly, the center of theke ofva began to rotate, quickly growing into a magma whirlpool, prompting both insect queens to stop and stare intensely.


    "Oh, I''m gonna destroy her when I next see her!" Jackson gritted his teeth, pushing his back against the outcropping walls, watching theke''s center as a deep roar echoed from the bottom of the volcano.


    Both queens immediately began cowering, unable to move following the emergence of a third kaiju-sized beast. A jet of mes rose from the center of the volcano, flying high into the sky, the heat far more intense than theva.


    As soon as the mes disappeared, theva crashed together, settling once more with arge tform of cooledva floating in the center of the magmake.


    Standing defiantly in the center of the tform was a gigantic, fierce drake with dark maroon scales that retained theva on the tips. It shook its long, toned body, stomping its four legs one after another, sprayingva around it.


    Jackson''s eyes went wide, ''What the... How the hell am I supposed to beat that?!? Its ws are bigger than I am!'' Two notifications appeared in front of him, disrupting his view.


    [Objective Identified!]


    [Retrieve two ws from the Nina Urqu Drake!]


    [Secret Scenario Discovered!]


    [Bringing the Mietjed Ant Queen and Mura?jo?ka Ho Queen before the Nina Urqu Drake has fulfilled the hidden scenario for


    La Tercera I! Heartbroken from the loss of all her children, the drake entered a deep slumber, awaiting for the return of those who murdered her offspring.]


    [Additional Objective Received!]


    [The battle for La Tercera I has started! Survive until the end and reap all the spoils! Rewards will be provided following the conclusion of the fight!]


    "You''ve got to be kidding me..." Jackson muttered, falling to his knees as the drake violently roared again, stomping its front legs as the Ant Queen fell into theva and the ho queen took to the skies.


    The drake stared down into theva shooting a burst of mes out of its mouth into theva as the Mura?jo?ka Ho Queen quickly darted around and crashed into its side, repeatedly jabbing its stinger against her imprable scales as she turned her head and began snapping her jaw constantly.


    The Mietjed Ant Queenunched out of theva behind the drake, snapping her mandibles against the Nina Urqu Drake''s tail, nking loudly. Annoyed at the mosquito bites, she roared, spinning and unleashing mes around her, flinging both queens back into theva.

 Chapter 28 (XXVIII) Kaiju Kombat

    ?The Mura?jo?ka Ho Queen and Mietjed Ant Queen both rose from theva simultaneously. The Ho Queen''s wings beat violently as theva rolled off her body. The Ant Queen spilledva onto the hardened tform, her long antennae wildly signaling toward the Nina Urqu Drake.


    All three shed against one another in a blur as the two insect queens attempted to team up against the drake, but their attacks were an exercise in futility as they could not pierce through her interwoven scales.


    Jackson had long since abandoned the outcropping as the spray fromva was too high. He had punched a hole through the volcano''s wall and slid down to the trail, running back to the top and hiding as he watched the giant monsters brawl.


    Lava erupted around the tform in the middle of thevake as all three shed in the center. The drake swung her tail around, swatting the Ho Queen tumbling through the air.


    The Ant Queen raised her mandibles up, lifting the drake''s front appendages off the ground, snapping her mandibles repeatedly as the sound of metal grinding against each other echoed through the air.


    The giant ho regained herposure, aiming her massive stinger and shooting toward the drake''s ribbed stomach. The drake swiped her ws against the immense ant''s head, iling to break free as the stinger nced off her stomach, knocking the two behemoths over.


    The drake thrashed on her side, expelling mes from her mouth, violently crashing against the Ant and Ho Queens, who couldn''t escape the destructive iling.


    Jackson stared in awe, his head peeking out from hiding as he watched the brawl before him. The Nina Urqu Drake flipped the Mietjed Ant Queen onto her back, pinning her to the ground with one of her ws, simultaneously wrapping the Mura?jo?ka Ho Queen up with her tail before she unleashed a stream of blue mes from her mouth against the ant''s underbelly.


    The ant began squirming helplessly, screeching in pain as the ho began jabbing her stinger into the drake''s tail, which was tightlypressing around her body, repeatedly dealing ncing blows before finally piercing through the softer underside.


    The drake raised her head back, roaring in pain as the mes billowed into the air above her, violently flinging her tail and throwing the Ho Queen at Jackson.


    The young man''s eyes went wide as he instinctively activated his movement skill, Twenty Moons Under the One Sun, as he vanished from the spot, leaving an afterimage of himself sprinting along the edge before she crashed where he used to be located, destroying more of the volcano.


    The destruction of the volcano''s lip caused Jackson to beunched into the air, his eyes rapidly tracking all the rocks, quickly regaining hisposure and kicking himself off the falling pebbles, stones, and boulders in the air as a streak of purple lightning rebounding through the only path to safety,nding on the far edge of the tform in the center.


    "Tch!" Jackson clicked his tongue as a massive stream of wind caused him to stumble forward as the Ho Queen flew past him and crashed into the drake again, her stinger finally piercing her underbelly.


    The drake spun, flinging the Ant Queen over, tumbling across the tform as Jackson swore under his breath, looking for a way out of this hazardous arena. She gained herposure quickly, turning to face the drake as the young man dived forward underneath her swollen abdomen, crawling fast before she charged back into battle.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He quickly pushed off the hardened tform and began sprinting, spotting some floating boulders in theva beyond the fighting giants as he circled the arena, keeping their match in his peripherals.


    The Mura?jo?ka Ho Queen attempted to float away from her opponent''s attacks, but in a surprise maneuver, the Nina Urqu Drake leaped into the air, grabbing the ho mid-air, crashing down on top of her, causing the tform to rock violently.


    Jackson wasunched into the air,nding roughly and tumbling onto his back, above him, the Mietjed Ant iling as she fell toward him. He quickly rolled onto his stomach, using his hands and feet to dive out of the way as he was flung away by the shockwave.


    The young man began coughing as he was stuck between the drake pinning the ho to the tform and the ant frantically trying to flip off her back. He looked around quickly before he started running away parallel to both, toward the edge of the tform.


    The drake roared in pain from the potent venom coursing through her veins, ripping both wings from the Mura?jo?ka Ho Queen with her ws and grabbing between the ho''s head and thorax, throwing her to the side.


    Jackson quickly spun his arms backward as he stopped running, the queen''s body crashing in front of him as the gigantic beast unleashed an ear-shattering screech in pain. He turned around to see the drake rush toward the trapped ant, again pinning her to the ground.


    Blood was oozing out of the drake''s eyes as she raised her head back, unleashing a gurgling victory roar as blue mes began shooting into the air again.


    "Oh shi-!!" Jackson eximed, turning around and jumping on top of the dying Ho Queen and dropping behind her body, punching against her diamond-like thorax repeatedly as it began cracking like ss until he made a hole big enough to dive into.


    The Nina Urqu Drake lowered her head, superheating the Ant Queen as her dying screeches again filled the air. The mes flooded the entire tform, consuming everything on it and flooding out over theva to the edges of the volcano, rushing out into the skies.


    The mes slowly faded as Jackson slipped out from the charred corpse of the Ho Queen. He grimaced, shaking the muck off his body and wiping his face. He jumped on her body once again to see the drake lying on her side, breathingboriously, and the Ant Queen''s charred legs and antennae slowly moving back and forth.


    He grinned to himself at the development before him as a series of notification windows appeared before him. He jumped off her body and began casually walking toward the Ant Queen.


    "Please! Wait..." A sweet, seductive voice weakly called inside his head.

 Chapter 29 (XXIX) Quest Complete!

    ?Jackson looked around, expecting Elissa to reappear any moment, but the voice rang out once again, "Please... Human..."


    His gaze locked onto the body of the Nina Urqu Drake, struggling to rise and falling back onto the tform, ''It couldn''t be... could it..?'' He thought, cautiously approaching.


    "Are you the one talking to me..?" He said slowly, his eyes locked on the drake''s long face as she stared into his eyes and nodded once, her jaw falling back against the ground.


    "You need not fear me, Human... My final moments are upon me; there is nothing I can do to you... Please, listen to myst request..." Her words rang inside his head as he slowly approached, standing a few meters away.


    "What''s your request?" Jackson asked, slowly inching closer, uncertain to believe the words of a beast that could swallow him in a single bite. The drake began wheezing, ck bile being sprayed as it dripped down the corners of her mouth.


    "Once I pass... Theva will go... At the bottom... Please!!! Protect it!!! I can''t... I can''t fail... The Last Queen''s orders!!" Her voice broke as she cried inside his mind.


    Jackson choked back the lump in his throat; he could feel her emotions as if they were his own as she spoke. He approached and ced his palm against the crown of her head, stroking her rough scales softly.


    "I promise, I will protect it with my life!" Jackson consoled her softly as she closed her eyes.


    "Thank... You..." Her voice trailed off inside his mind as Jackson held his hand against her, as her final moments raged inside him before he was left alone.


    He dismissed all the notifications as the silence was disturbed by the Ant Queen''s legs shuffling around. He gritted his teeth, anger shing across his eyes as he strolled toward her, jumping onto the underside of her abdomen before jumping onto her thorax and falling to his knees, repeatedly punching as cracks began to spread.


    She quickly died, but Jackson continued to unleash the flood of emotions that the drake forced upon him. It felt like hours passed until, finally, the rage subsided. Jackson wiped the sweat from his brow, slowly rising to his feet.


    "Was that worth it?" Elissa asked, her body appearing from a portal behind the young man.


    "Yes." Jackson said, nodding to himself, approaching the drake and kneeling next to her.


    "For what it''s worth... I''m sorry..." Elissa said, cing her hand on his shoulder.


    Jackson nodded solemnly, softly replying, "Thank you."


    "I won''t take much of your time; I just wanted to tell you the path to the next floor has opened..." She said, turning around and slowly walking through the still-opened portal, vanishing.


    "I''m sorry..." Jackson whispered to the corpse of the Nina Urqu Drake, raising his fist as he started punching her ws repeatedly, breaking two of her nails off,pleting the challenge for the floor.


    The tform he was on jostled violently as theva began to recede, the now quiet arena floating slowly to the bottom to the entrance of the Magma Chamber, sealing it shut.


    Nearby, a tri-tipped obsidian pedestal held arge ck egg, and an orange portal floated behind it. The three arms were fashioned like dragon ws, the nails curling around the egg, nested tightly against the shell.


    Therge ck egg shimmered with various colors, and its shell looked as if it was covered in tiny ck scales. A band of floating white runic symbols rotated around the pedestal just below the egg.


    Jackson slowly approached the pedestal, reaching out to the egg, cautiously lifting it, and inspecting it, which flooded his vision with windows of previously ignored notifications:


    [Mura?jo?ka Ho Queen in!]


    [An impossible achievement has beenpleted! You participated in defeating the Mura?jo?ka Ho Queen. Compensation has been awarded based on your contribution points!]


    [Reward: +10 Avable Points]


    [Mietjed Ant Queen in!]


    [An impossible achievement has beenpleted! You participated in defeating the Mietjed Ant Queen. Compensation has been awarded based on your contribution points!]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Reward: +10 Avable Points]


    [Nina Urqu Drake in!]


    [An impossible achievement has beenpleted! You participated in defeating the Nina Urqu Drake. Compensation has been awarded based on your contribution points!]


    [Reward: +10 Avable Points]


    [Secret Scenario Completed!]


    [Mount Nina Urqu was created long ago by the Queen of the Dragons, and the Nina Urqu Drake was designed to protect the mysterious dragon egg. Through yourpassion, you were entrusted with safeguarding the egg until it can hatch.]


    [Reward: Orzas''s Dragon Egg]


    [Modified Challenge Completed!]


    [You have obtained the items necessary to forge your own weapon! Search around! Who knows, you might find something useful!]


    [Reward: 3/10 Modified Challenges Completed! Complete all ten to receive the reward!]


    [Orza''s Dragon Egg]


    [Rank: Mythic]


    [Incubation Timer: 13:59:59:59]


    [Bind to User?]


    [<Yes>/<No>]


    ''Yes.'' Jackson thought as the massive egg began glowing in a bright white light; his left gauntlet began glowing in a simrly white light, vanishing as a tattoo of a dragon flew up his fingers to the back of his hand.


    It flowed across his skin, circling his hand before settling in the center. The tattoo was ck with a white eye on the left and white with a ck eye on the right. Both wings were spread out, creating the illusion of a circle as the body twisted slightly between them.


    Jackson grabbed his hand, rubbing his thumb across the tattoo, staring intently before his hand began glowing again as his gauntlet returned, covering his hand.


    ''Two weeks...'' Jackson was at a loss for words, staring at the egg, reaching his hand out as it slowly descended into it.


    The egg shrunk nearly twice in size before Jackson ced it into his Gobbii Bag with a sigh of relief, turning to look at the three corpses of the previously rampaging behemoths.


    ''Search around!'' Jackson recalled the Challenge Completion window''s words as he approached the Ho Queen''s charred corpse, circling it before stopping next to the near pristine stinger.


    He leaned forward, grabbed the end, and quickly snapped it off; when he did, it immediately shrunk to the size of a long knife¡ªsmiling to himself as he stared at the Ant Queen, twisting it between his fingers as he walked over and quickly dismantled it, cing all the metallic tes in his bag with the stinger.


    He chewed on his lower lip, approaching the drake''s body, sighing heavily as he knelt next to her and gave a silent prayer. After a moment of silence, he broke the remaining talons on her ws, removed her teeth and eyes, and the six spikes at the end of her tail, cing all in his Gobbii Bag.


    He stood, dusting himself off before he turned to the rotating orange portal, shivering at the thought of nausea and disorientation he was about to experience, slowly walking through it to the next ind.

 Chapter 30 (XXX) The First Checkpoint

    ?///Author''s Note: It''s XXX as in thirty! Not XXX as in... hehe! No! Stop! Get your mind out of the gutter!!!///


    Jackson groaned as he stepped through the portal,nding on the sandy beach of La Cuarta I, looking around as the system window appeared:


    [Modified Fourth Floor Challenge]


    [Normally, you simply need to traverse the jungle to reach the next ind. Instead, you are tasked with exterminating all Hollows on this ind!]


    [Time Limit: Sunrise]


    The sun was setting as Jackson looked around the beach he was on, scanning the thick jungle in front of him. He had no idea what he would encounter.


    Jackson sighed and began to make his way to the tree line, ensuring he was alone and going to run into something. He didn''t want to be eaten by one of these monsters.


    If he couldn''t kill them quickly enough before sunrise, it meant game over... as usual.


    Jackson took a deep breath and continued on as the streaks of sunlight slowly gave way to night, trying not to worry too much about his safety. After all, he wasn''t the type who feared death. It was an end, nothing more; he felt no fear of dying, only the never-ending list of unanswered questions.


    As the moonlight illuminated the shadows around him, ethereal wails rang through the trees repeatedly. Jackson began running through the trees. He reached into his Gobbii Bag, grabbing the <Hollow Whistle> and gripping it tightly.


    "Now, to find a suitable ce to bring them to me!" Jackson muttered under his heavy breathing, dashing past the numerous trees, searching for a clearing. As he moved swiftly and quietly, a loud wail pierced the air, and several more followed.


    He burst throughrge fern leaves, grinning as he entered a small grotto within the jungle and arge enough open space away from the trees for him to stand his ground. He sprinted to the water''s edge, turning his back to it, and pulled the <Hollow Whistle> to his lips and blew hard.


    A piercing, high-pitched sound exploded from the whistle as the Hollows began wailing in pain. He returned the whistle to his bag and raised both fists in front of him, squaring up as he started bouncing back and forth on both feet, knowing they were quickly on their way.


    Ten monkies with jet ck fur and white skulls with ming green glowing eyes appeared before him. The one nearest to Jackson opened its mouth, revealing two rows of razor-sharp teeth, and began pounding on its chest as it advanced toward Jackson.


    He swung at the closest one with a powerful haymaker, knocking it off bnce. Jackson then ran forward and struck two more simultaneously with a kick, and another with a punch, sending them flying through the air,nding amongst the ferns, twitching in pain.


    He turned to face the next closest, swinging both fists at once and smashing both arms into the Hollow''s torso, sending it tumbling to the ground with a cry.


    Three charged toward him simultaneously, and he kicked one aside, striking the next in the head with an uppercut, knocking the Hollow backward onto its rear with a scream, and punched the other two down in a matter of moments, leaving the remaining four standing before him.


    With swift and robust moves, Jackson grabbed one by its neck and threw it into the nearest tree, breaking the tree. He then spun and punched another in the chest, sending the Hollow spinning, crashing against a tree, and falling out of sight.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Two of the injured Hollows stood, screeching, joining the two remaining standing surrounding Jackson as he activated ''Twenty Moons Under the One Sun,'' lightning arching from the ground underneath his boots.


    "Who''s next?!" he shouted, leaving an afterimage, lighting racing between all four Hollows as another afterimage appeared, punching through each and every one as if it was nothing, leaving only a few still standing. He then took out one more, knocking it to the ground and mming a kick into its skull.


    A third approached, but as soon as it stepped near, he kicked its feet out from under it, grabbed it by the head, and twisted it around, causing its head to snap as it slumped to the ground.


    Jackson panted heavily, looking around at the lifeless bodies surrounding him; a window appeared before him, signaling thepletion of the challenge.


    "Piece of cake..." He chuckled breathlessly, swiping the window away as the floating orbs appeared, guiding him to the portal.


    ''Nice and simple...'' Jackson thought as he began following the orbs, ignoring everything around him, his mind focused on a singr thing... Civilization!


    ***


    Jackson arrived, stumbling onto a beach of La Quinta I, looking around to see a singr palm tree atop a hill, the leaves blowing in the wind. He walked to the top, gasping as he overlooked a massive walled city as the system window appeared:


    [Modified Fifth Floor Challenge]


    [La Quinta I is your first safe haven in God''s Tower, but that doesn''t mean it''s safe! sa Port is a hub for everyone in God''s Tower,w-abiding citizens and yers from the unsavory underworld! Locate The Syndicate to gain passage to the next floor!]


    [Time Limit: N/A]


    sa Port has no official governing body¡ªinstead, it has a group of local thugs known as The Jackal Gang. While they have been known to help some climbers, it isn''t umon to find one of their henchmen lurking around every corner!


    The Jackal Gang has no official headquarters; instead, they use a set ofrge, interconnected warehouses as its base. In a sense, they''re is organized into small cells that patrol certain areas.


    Thergest site controlled by The Jackal Gang is the southernmost part of the ind, from the port to just north of the city gates. This area, known as the Port District, contained several dozen warehouses, inns, and bars.


    Jackson walked down the hill, approaching the gate as sand gave way to stone streets; he heard the screeches and roars of various caged monsters echoing through the streets as handlers shouted, trying to grab customers'' attention.


    He strolled down the bustling street, approaching a za with a massive stone gazebo housing a colossal floating blue crystal, a continuous stream of people vanishing and appearing in shes of white light; Climbers who reached it disappeared while others reappeared, walking away from it.


    "Time to go home!" Jackson said, approaching the massive structure.

 Chapter 31 (XXXI) A Small Break

    ?Jackson stood on the tform surrounding God''s Tower as he looked down at Duskgate. Despite only being inside the tower for five days, more than two weeks had passed on Terra. He casually strolled down the luminescent stairs, ready for rest and rxation, and was interested in catching up with Megan, Tara Le Doux, and everyone else at Saint Mary''s Orphanage.


    The day broke as the sun rose over the horizon, lighting the sky a bright red and sending rigorous bursts of light through the city''s thick skyscrapers. The night was achingly silent as a hound''s whimper wouldn''t be heard from one end of Duskgate to the other, not that anyone would pay any attention to the animal.


    Jackson quietly walked through the streets; sporadically, a person would pass by as the city began to stir. He turned onto a familiar road, stopping at arge ck gate bearing the words "The Gallery." The gate opened, and Jackson walked into a tall brick building, looking around as he entered the lobby, and walked up the stairs.


    He had prepared a room before entering God''s Tower, although he did not anticipate losing half of the month he had paid for. He opened the shabby door, entering the run-down one-room apartment. He looked around the basic room; there wasn''t much to look at besides a bed pushed into a corner and a chair next to a small desk with a tiny kitchte on the room''s other side.


    He closed the door, falling onto the bed with a huff, exhausted from his excursion through God''s Tower, and then quickly fell asleep.


    ***


    Meanwhile, inside God''s Tower on La Quinta I in one of the many headquarters of The Jackal Gang, an intimidating man sat behind arge desk, smoking arge cigar. He puffed out smoke between his thin lips and stared down one of his many grunts, groveling before him.


    He was The Jackal, a powerful criminal who had escaped Terra years ago, settling in sa Port. He quickly rose to power, taking out all rival gangs and drawing all criminals in the city under himself.


    "I swear, boss, it was him!!" The grunt pleaded, his face bruised and bloody from the beating he had just endured.


    The Jackal took the cigar out of his mouth, cing it on a nearby ashtray, shouting, "Get out of here!" as he pointed to the exit, his eyes fixated on the young man''s back.


    The bloodied grunt frantically nodded, leaving in a hurry and stumbling out of the room before closing the door. A woman stepped forward from the shadows in the corner of the room.


    "Notify ming Dawn. He''s arrived on the fifth floor and exited God''s Tower." The Jackal ordered.


    The woman nodded to confirm the message, vanishing as The Jackal picked up his cigar, staring at the door with a wicked smile. He tapped his desk twice rhythmically as another woman stepped out of the corner of the room.


    "Investigate the boy." The Jackal demanded, pointing down at the ashtray, "I want to know why Tetrakyts wants him."


    She nodded and disappeared into the shadows, leaving The Jackal alone, puffing his cigar, smoke escaping his lips as he grinned.


    ***


    Jackson awoke hourster, just after noon, sighing in relief as he stared at the ceiling of his tiny apartment. He left without eating, exiting the old art museum that had been converted into an apartment building.


    He strolled through the city, heading toward Saint Mary''s Orphanage, looking at the buildings around him and smiling. Being back home felt good, and he couldn''t wait to see his ''family.''


    The day was calm; he passed by arge group of people walking on the street before he finally arrived, staring up at the tall gate surrounding the orphanage. He smiled as he entered, seeing two girls running around the grounds, holding each other''s hands.


    He entered through the front doors, taking a small elevator to the fourth floor, heading straight to Headmistress Le Doux''s office. As he stood outside her door, he heard a slight rustling of papers followed by a gasp. He opened the door slowly, peeking inside, and saw her face buried in the pillow beside her desk.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Should Ie back..?" He asked with a smile, pointing his thumb behind his shoulder.


    She sat up quickly, rubbing her eyes, shaking her head as she turned to Jackson, smiling brightly.


    "Wee back, Jackson!" She stated, standing and walking over to him.


    She held onto his shoulders for a moment and then hugged him, giving him a gentle squeeze as she looked up at him, her brown eyes gazing into his bright green ones.


    "It''s so good to have you back! Megan was so worried!" She announced as she stood on her toes, kissing his forehead gently before hugging him tightly.


    Jackson smirked, rolling his eyes as he returned the hug, "Thanks, it took longer to reach sa Port than I anticipated."


    The Headmistressughed, sitting in her chair and looking back at her papers.


    "Does Megan know you''re back yet?" She inquired curiously, not looking up from her paperwork.


    "No, not yet." Jackson replied, crossing his arms as he stared at her.


    "Then what are you still doing here? Shoo! Catch her before breakfast!" She said, waving him away as she smiled softly.


    Jackson smiled as he exited the office, heading straight toward Megan''s room. He knocked before entering, smiling as she turned around from her desk in her seat. Her face lit up as she released an excited cry, smiling as she jumped out of the chair, wrapping her arms around his neck as he hugged her.


    "You''re finally back, Jackson!" Megan cried happily as she hugged him.


    Jackson smiled softly, rubbing her back consolingly, "Well, good morning to you too! Have you eaten breakfast yet?"


    Megan shook her head, stepping back, her brown hair flying behind her as she looked up at him with her bright green eyes.


    "No, not yet." She replied shyly.


    Jackson chuckled lightly, patting her head, "Let''s grab a bite to eat then!"


    He led her out of the room, walking down the hallway lined with doors and windows along either side until they reached the stairs, descending to the first floor, passing through simr hallways until they reached the cafeteria.


    It was bustling with childish banter as they grabbed their food trays and sat at their dorm''s table. A bunch of familiar faces smiled as Megan sat beside them, staring up at Jackson nervously as the other kids excitedly greeted him, some giving him hugs and others simply asking him about his journey in God''s Tower.

 Chapter 32 (XXXII) The Proposal - Part 1

    ?Jackson spent the rest of the day with Megan, exploring Duskgate together as she received the day off from Headmistress Le Doux. Later that day in the evening, he returned to her office, he needed answers, and she was the only one he could currently trust.


    They both sat across her desk from each other; she remained silent as he exined what had transpired inside God''s Tower, listening intently to his entire story.


    After Jackson finished reliving his experience, Headmistress Le Doux smiled warmly at him and nodded once, "Thank you so much for sharing such a terrifying yet exciting tale; I haven''t heard of a modified challenge before, but no one would reveal such information if they had it anyways..."


    "Secret Scenarios are rare but pretty well known. God''s Tower is filled with billions of them, some people think theye together to create a cohesive purpose for why they appeared, but no one knows for sure..." She continued speaking.


    "Thanks, I need some things; think you can get them for me?" Jackson asked, leaning back in his seat with his arms behind his head.


    She nodded, "Yes, of course, go right ahead. What do you need?"


    "I''m looking for some talented individuals; I need three..." Jackson said, leaning forward as he rested his elbows on his knees.


    Tara raised her eyebrow, intrigued as she smiled, leaning forward on her desk. Jackson quickly left an hourter with a sheet of paper, a list of names covering the entire page. He exited the orphanage and briskly walked through the cold night air gripping Duskgate.


    His eyes scanned the list, immediately removing names he recognized and did not like. A few caught his eye, first was Amelia Gearheart, though it seemed odd to include such an important name among a list of random street urchins. She was one of the most well-known mechanics in Duskgate, creating strange weapons and armor utilizing metallurgy and gears.


    He also recognized several acquaintances among the names on the list, such as Alijah, a street urchin. Duskgate was not kind to beggars, but Alijah was different. She had a silver tongue that could persuade even the most respectful child to p their own mothers, not that she would ask you to do it.


    Lastly on the list was a name he recognized but was eager to meet, a woman named Natane. She was well known amongst Duskgate''s underworld, who frequented the ck market, handling all materials Climbers didn''t want to hand over to the Climber''s Association.


    There was something different about her; it was hard to describe, but it wasn''t the way she handled the merchandise or the way she dealt with her customers; it was something else.


    Jackson walked to Amelia''s shop, entering and admiring the equipment and weapons. Inside was filled with equipment that he could only guess was used to create some of their inventions.


    Amelia and her brother, August, were a team of craftsmen who worked together to make everything from the smallest gears to the biggest machines.


    Jackson thought to himself as he continued looking around the shop in amazement quietly so as not to disturb August in the corner beating on arge sheet of metal.


    He found Amelia sitting across from an older woman he didn''t recognize far in the back of the shop, her hands busy at her side as she spoke while she smiled.


    "Hey! Jax!" She said with a warm smile, her eyes shining as her blonde bangs framed her face, tied back tightly into a ponytail.


    Jackson nodded, "Hi, what are you two up to? Who''s this?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Amelia turned back to the woman and said, "Natane is a dear friend; we were just chatting." She continued smiling warmly at Natane, then back to him, "How can I help you today?"


    Jackson leaned against one of therge shelves and crossed his arms, smiling, "Ah! Perfect! I was actuallying here to see if you knew Natane and could introduce me!"


    "Oh? Why are you looking for me?" Natane asked, tilting her head slightly and raising her eyebrow as Amelia chuckled.


    "Oh! Um..." Jackson said, rubbing the back of his neck.


    "Don''t be shy! I''ve always liked meeting new people, especially young men who work hard and y hard." Natane joked, gesturing for him to speak.


    "Well, I''m a Climber, and I wasn''t sure if you wanted to discuss business here or somewhere private." Jackson said with a slight smile, hoping his message would be received. Amelia giggled at Natane as her brother stopped his work and approached, standing next to her, hisrge arm resting on the edge of Amelia''s chair, his feet nted firmly on the ground.


    "Anything you have to say to me, you can tell both Amelia and August too!" Natane joined Amelia in her giggling. August leaned down, covering his mouth as he whispered to Amelia.


    Jackson felt as though he could feel Natane''s stare prating his skin. He rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling, "I have some items you might want to look at..."


    The older woman turned to Amelia, asking in a sweet voice, "May I?"


    She nodded with a smile and motioned for him to sit at a small table in the corner while the two women stood and approached the shop counter, whispering to each other andughing.


    "We''ll be right out," Amelia said, exiting through a set of ss double doors into the back room.


    Jackson sighed and rxed in the chair, taking his time in the process; He looked around the shop as August scribbled on a sheet of paper behind the counter, scratching his short, spiky golden hair with a furrowed brow.


    Outside the window, Jackson recognized a young woman sprinting down the streets, and shortly after, three young men chased after her, "August! I''ll be right back!" He shouted, dashing out of the store loudly.


    "Wait! They''re still talking!" August yelled, running out of the store into the street, waving at him.


    Jackson ran down the narrow road, racing after the group running at breakneck speeds after Alijah. His boots stomped against the concrete, diving down a side alley as he closed the distance between himself and the foursome, jumping over piles of debris littering the path; he was gaining ground as they continued chasing after Alijah.


    As he neared, she suddenly veered into another alleyway, smacking into a chainlink fence and turning around as the three boys stopped at the corner. Jackson jumped over the trash cans and wooden crates, leaping to the wall and kicking off it through the air.


    A moment before reaching the edge, he leaped into the air and spun mid-air,nding perfectly, turning his body upside down in mid-air so that hended in front of her, holding his arm out and staring at the three men intensely.

 Chapter 33 (XXXIII) The Proposal - Part 2

    ?"Leave her alone!" Jackson shouted angrily, catching his breath. Alijah quickly hopped the chainlink fence at the distraction and looked back at the group as one of the three men following her began to run toward Jackson, yelling angrily.


    Jackson shook his head at the man charging at him, fists clenched; he took two long strides, closing the distance quickly as he swung an elbow at his head with all his might.


    The man, unable to dodge, flipped through the air,nding on his stomach. The next guy ran in, swinging an iron bar. Jackson dodged easily, rolling to his feet to avoid the attack.


    Alijah quickly ducked around at the corner, peeking out nervously; her hands were behind her back, gripping the small bag she had stolen.


    She looked like a rabbit that could disappear in a puff of smoke. Jackson smirked, his shoulders raised behind his fists, as the man on the ground sluggishly stood up.


    "Come on!" Jackson shouted as all three menunched themselves at Jackson again. Jackson turned his body and blocked the strike from one of the men with one of his own. The other two punched and kicked at him repeatedly.


    He intercepted each attack, backstepping slowly, kicking one away with a strong kick before countering the other with an uppercut, crashing the man into a pile of garbage cans and trash bags.


    Jackson fell back and slid across the cement street as the man with the iron bar tried to hit him once again; this time, Jackson blocked the attack and caught him by his neck with both hands, lifting him into the air and mming him face-first into the concrete, his bones cracking loudly.


    The man groaned on the floor, gasping for breath as Jackson stepped over him to face the other two men. One was unconscious; the other was rolling on the ground.


    The man on the floor slowly rolled over, holding his broken neck with a grimace of pain as hey on the ground; his eyes were zed, and his skin was pale.


    Jackson kicked him hard, sending him tumbling down the street. Thest man stood, backing away, raising his hands in defense, turned, and ran away. He nced at Alijah momentarily before she disappeared behind the corner while he effortlessly hopped the fence.


    "What did you do this time..?" Jackson asked, cing both hands on his hips as he stared at the younger girl sternly.


    "Nothing!! I swear!!" She said, hiding the small bag behind her back with an innocent smile spreading across her chocte face. Alijah was a seventeen-year-old orphan who arrived at Saint Mary''s and quickly ran away and continued to escape until they gave up on bringing her back. She was a head shorter than Jackson, but her tworge afro-puffs on both sides of her head made her taller than him.


    "Yeah! Sure! Then what''s this?" Jackson asked, grabbing her by the cor and raising her off the ground before he snatched the bag out of her hands, shaking it.


    "Hey!! That''s mine! Finders keepers!!" Alijah protested, kicking her arms and legs futilely as she hung in the air before Jackson tossed her on her butt and threw the bag into herp.


    "I need your help." He said tly, smiling down at her as she winced in pain, huffing as she grabbed the bag and stood, rubbing her butt with her free hand.


    "Why should I care?" She scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest and shaking her head in annoyance, turning her head and sticking her nose into the air.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Because I''m going to give you food to eat, a ce over your head, and a job," He said in an annoyed tone, flicking her forehead.


    "You don''t have any money and no possessions, and yet you want me to help you? Why am I not surprised?" Alijah replied, wincing in pain as she grabbed her forehead. Jackson shook his head, reaching into his white coat, and pulled out his Climber''s Card, opening it and showing it to her.


    "When did you be a Climber!?!" She shouted, her mouth dropping as she tried to snatch it, but Jackson pulled it away in time.


    "You in or out?" Jackson asked, walking past her as he returned it to his jacket. Alijah chewed on her lip as she thought for a moment before chasing after him as they returned to Amilia and August''s shop.


    ***


    August was tending to a customer at an armor stand as Amelia and Natane gossiped, giggling at the counter. Upon entering, Amelia smiled, "Ah! Jax, you''re back! Come on in the back; I have a room you and Natane can use."


    She led the young man and two women through the back storage rooms to a small room with a simple table and two chairs, "I''ll keep an eye on this troublemaker while you two talk!" She said with a smile, standing behind Alijah and patting the top of her head.


    "Actually, what I have to discuss with Natane also involves you two, so please, stay..." Jackson said with a smile, taking a seat in one of the chairs as Alijah grinned, running out of Amelia''s grasp, brushing past Natane and stealing her chair.


    The two women shared nces as Amelia slowly closed the door behind her, "Is something wrong, Jax..?"


    "No, I just wanted to see if you three would work with me." Jackson replied, looking at all three women in front of him.


    "Why so secretive?" Alijah asked mockingly, reclining the chair back as she rocked on its back legs.


    "I can''t just trust anyone, you numbskull!" Jackson replied, shaking his head before he rubbed his forehead and eyes with his index finger and thumb.


    "What do you need, Jax..?" Amelia asked, hesitating as she took a step forward, her hand fiddling with the small ne resting in the center of her chest.


    "Before we can get to that... I''ll need you three to read these and sign." Jackson reached into his coat, pulling out three thick piles of papers. cing them on the desk and spreading them out as he put a pen on each one.


    "What are these..?" Alijah asked with curious eyes.

 Chapter 34 (XXXIV) Contracted

    ?"What are these..?" Alijah asked with curious eyes, leaning against the table as her hand slowly inched toward the closest stack of papers.


    "It''s a Binding Contract... Jackson, why..? I mean, how do you even have these?" Amelia asked, stepping forward, concern shing across her face.


    "I can''t trust anyone..." Jackson replied, raising his head and staring into her quivering eyes, "Just because I just entered God''s Tower doesn''t mean I''m like these other rookies that aren''t with guilds..."


    Natane approached the table and grabbed the pen, being the first to sign.


    "No! Wait-" Amelia eximed but couldn''t stop her friend from signing.


    "It''s nothing! Really, I sign at least a dozen of these a day! Calm down!" Natane smiled, shaking her head.


    "You should listen to your friend, Amelia... You know me, I wouldn''t put anything in there that wouldn''t benefit you and your brother." Jackson sighed, grabbing the signed contract and pulling it in front of him.


    "That''s true..." Amelia absentmindedly said as Alijahy on the table, signing the contract and sliding it to Jackson before returning to her chair, "No! Alijah, not you too!"


    "Come on! It''s Jax we''re talking about!" She said, waving her hand dismissively at the concerned woman.


    Amelia chewed on her lip, staring at the contract before huffing in frustration, "Fine! Give me a minute!" She shouted, snatching the contract and reading it in its entirety. Once she finished, she looked up at Jackson, who stared back with the same expression of concern.


    Amelia rolled her eyes and sighed, grabbing the pen, signing the contract, and handing it over to him. After all, the agreement was actually fair.


    The contract mainly focused on preventing the person signing it from betraying Jackson and vice versa; the first dozen stiptions covered the various aspects that protected both parties, such as providing information to others to even iming to know each other personally.


    The final agreements prevented Jackson from forcing the person to do anything they didn''t want to, and he wouldn''t ask them to do anything illegal.


    Jackson grabbed all three of the Binding Contracts and signed his name to each of them as each of the magical contracts began glowing brightly.


    Magical letters began to flow off each of the three stacks as they all began circling the four people present. Within seconds, the contracts faded into a translucent blue mist and disappeared without a trace as locks appeared before all four.


    Translucent blue chains shot out from the lock''s keyhole and wrapped around the arms, legs, and neck of everyone present, tightly coiling around them.


    As the ends of the chains exited the lock, the long arrowed tips of the chains shot into their bodies and wrapped tightly around everyone''s hearts as the lock shut and exploded into blue pixie dust.


    "What was that!?!" Alijah shrieked, leaning against the edge of a table, grabbing her chest as she panted heavily, frantically looking around at the others.


    "The Binding Contract is a magical agreement where if anyone breaks the terms, they will die." Amelia sighed, shaking her head, staring at him, "Why, Jackson?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I needed people I could trust..." Jackson exined, pulling his Gobbii Bag out from behind his coat, cing it on the table, reaching in and pulling out the journal, and throwing it on the table, "My father left me a journal... It has exceptionally detailed notes from his journey up the tower."


    "How far did he go?" Natane asked, grabbing the journal and flipping through it rapidly while Jackson reached back in, holding one of the Common Hollow Spirit Cores and cing it on the table.


    "I''m not sure exactly... That journal finishes with the 30th floor, but it doesn''t feelplete to me; I think he has another one..." Jackson replied before searching his bag and continued exining, "Something strange is happening in God''s Tower..."


    He pulled out a hollow mask, a metallic te, and a pair of bejeweled insect wings. He threw them on the table, returning the bag behind his coat, "In his journal, he clearly exins all of the challenges and how he would havepleted them if he knew how to clear them beforehand..."


    Natane''s eyes shed with greed as she dropped the journal and began pawing at all the items in front of her, "You got all this in the first four floors? You''re right, that is strange..."


    "No..." Jackson shook his head, hanging it and covering his forehead with his hand, "This is about 1% of what I''ve obtained... That''s why I wanted you three..." He said, looking around.


    Alijah looked around and squinted her eyes at Jackson, "What does a craftswoman, a broker, and the world''s greatest thief hav-"


    Jackson walked behind her and smacked her on the back of the head, interrupting her as she winced in pain, "You''re nowhere near the greatest thief!! I just saved your life!"


    "Everyone has an off day every once in a while!! Sheesh!" Alijah shouted, rubbing her head with both hands, crocodile tears in the corners of her eyes.


    "The materials are for Amelia to use to make weapons and armor and anything she cannot use will be sold by Natane through the ck Market." Jackson exined, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms and legs.


    "And you want me because..?" Alijah asked, leaning back in her chair, reclining on the back legs again as she looked at Jackson upside down.


    "Well, I need you to be a merchant. With that slick tongue of yours, you''d do well. I have Natane for the illegal goods, I''ll need a source for the legal ones." Jackson shrugged with a smirk.


    Natane and Amelia nodded inplete understanding as Alijah probed again, "Why do I have to be a merchant? I''m a thief, not a merchant! Can''t you just have Amelia sell the stuff?"


    "No." Amelia interrupted, "My shop is a specialty shop that deals with highly difficult-to-use weapons and armor. Without specialized training, you could injure or even kill yourself."


    "I see..." Alijah muttered, rubbing her chin as she stared at the table.


    "So what''s next?" Natane asked, smiling as she looked at Jackson


    "I have a list..." Jackson said, stepping forward, "I have things I need each of you to do, and they must bepleted before Iplete the fifth floor."

 Chapter 35 (XXXV) Preparations

    ?Jackson took stock of the items he had collected on the first four inds, filling the entire storage room with a massive pile of the items:


    [Mutated Hollow Skull x12]


    [Common Hollow Spirit x 12]


    [Hollow Skull x 18]


    [Unidentified Gemstone x300]


    [Mietjed Iron Shell x225]


    [Mura?jo?ka Stinger x75]


    [Bejeweled Insect Wing x150]


    [Mura?jo?ka Queen Stinger x1]


    [Mietjed Queen Shell x4]


    [Nina Urqu Drake w x20]


    [Nina Urqu Drake Fang x32]


    [Nina Urqu Drake Eye x2]


    [Nina Urqu Drake Thagomizer x6]


    The three women''s eyes lit up at the pile of gold in front of them as Jackson snapped his fingers to grab their attention, "Amelia, take everything you need to make me ''that'' and all the shells to make armor, stingers to make daggers, and ws to make swords."


    She nodded as she immediately exited the room to grab August to close the shop for the rest of the week.


    "Natane, sell everything else; I need a decently sized storefront close or in the za around God''s Tower with a few floors above; I need fifteen Umon Spirit Cores and two skill books; get with Amelia to get their names along with a list of what items to not sell." Jackson exined as she nodded, standing and walking past him, dragging her fingernail across his chest with a smirk as she exited the room.


    "What about me, Jax..?" Alijah asked, jumping out of her chair and looking up at him with big, eager eyes.


    "Right now? I want you to hang out in the za around all the merchant stands and watch all of them, study. Stay close to Natane, and once she has sold enough, ask her to sponsor you to take the Climber Association''s Certificate of Commerce." Jackson exined, patting the top of her head and smiling.


    "Once she has secured our building, it''ll be all up to you to turn it into a store and begin selling the stuff Amelia makes. Everyone will be counting on you." Jackson continued as Alijah''s eyes sparkled, dreaming of her as a wealthy merchant princess.


    "You can count on me!" She eximed, sprinting out of the store. Jackson smiled and nodded, waving goodbye to Amelia, August, and Natane, huddled over spread-out pieces of paper as they returned the gesture.


    By his estimations, Amelia would use the queen''s stinger in conjunction with two of the six thagomizers along with the queen''s metal to make his weapons and armor and would need the fifteen spirit cores toplete her blueprints.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Natane would need to spend about 500,000 credits securing the building and another 100,000 for Alijah to get her permit. The two skill books contain a unique martial technique for utilizing Amelia''s weapons armor; both would be another 250,000.


    Jackson crossed both arms behind his neck as he ascended the stairs back into God''s Tower. By his estimations, Natane should be able to make upwards of 750,000 credits, and all the armor, jewelry, and weapons made by Amelia and sold should upwards of 1.5 million.


    He sighed heavily, hesitantly entering the portal as he returned to sa Port, ''Three days!'' Jackson proimed inwardly, giving them a week to finish the preparations so he could start the second half of Tutorial Ind.


    Jackson exited the za, walking casually as a pair of boys whispered to each other, their eyes following him through the crowd. Instantly they sprinted down the alleyway behind them, zipping through the narrow passageways.


    Quickly navigating their way through half of the city, they ran up to an older woman, tugging on her dress before she knelt down, and they whispered into her ear and ran off.


    She quickly entered a nearby building and began shouting as two men wearing worn clothing burst out of it, and each ran down different streets, running to tell their handlers.


    The Jackal''swork is deep and interwoven through dozens of tediousyers until finally, the one man who openly meets with him was notified by his underlings.


    The same thin-faced man stood before The Jackal, wearing a suit and tie with slicked-back hair and narrow-framed sses, "Sir... He''s returned to sa Port."


    "Good..." The Jackal replied, walking back and forth in front of therge window, looking down as he smoked a cigar, staring out at the bustling port.


    "Find out what you can about him..." He smiled, looking at his advisor, "Make sure you notify Tetrakyts... Dy it leaking it to them, though!"


    "Yes, sir!" The man bowed low, bowing again, his eyes meeting the Jackal''s gaze for a moment before leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.


    ***


    Jackson turned down the streets of sa Port, scanning the buildings around him as he walked. He knew the Jackal had a base somewhere; he just needed to find it.


    A few turns down pathways, he saw a small wooden sign next to an alleyway that read: LQ qst. He looked up and down the streets, seeing the sign pointed to an apartmentplex with several levels and many balconies overlooking the ocean.


    Jackson stepped into the entrance and climbed the stairs, knocking on the heavy wooden doors. After a few minutes, a gruff voice answered from behind the locked doors, "Who is it?"


    "My name''s Jax..." Jackson said, looking down at the ground as he stood close to the door, "I''m looking for friends. Are they here?"


    "There may be friends here; who sent you?" The voice growled back.


    "A friend." Jackson replied with confidence.


    "Come in then." The man opened the door after a moment, and Jackson walked inside the dark building to hear thetch sliding shut behind him. He slowly walked through the dark, run-down hallway; when suddenly he was knocked unconscious over the back of his head.


    Jackson''s consciousness returned as he awoke a few hourster in a daze, bound by rope to a chair with a dimly litmp hanging from the ceiling above him. He looked around, catching the well-dressed man with sses in front of him and the gruff musclehead standing behind him.


    "Nice to finally meet you, Jackson! I''ve heard so much about you!" The bespeckled man adjusted his sses with a wicked grin.

 Chapter 36 (XXXVI) The Dingo

    ?"Nice to finally meet you, Jackson! I''ve heard so much about you!" The bespeckled man adjusted his sses with a wicked grin.


    Smooth and clean-shaven, he had short dark hair with brown skin covered by a ck suit and tie. His sharp eyes looked Jackson up and down, "So tell me, Jackson, why were you snooping around one of our back doors?"


    "As I told the doorman... I''m looking for friends." Jackson said, trying his best not to look defeated or intimidated.


    "Oh?" The man grinned again, leaning back as he tapped on the table, "What if there are no friends to be found here?"


    "That won''t happen." Jackson tried his best to sound confident.


    "So sure of yourself!" The man chuckled, leaning back in his chair, "How long did it take you to find us?"


    Jackson thought about the question for a moment but only came up with, "Trade secret... Now, you gonna remove these ropes?"


    "Sure thing..." The man snapped his fingers as a man came up from behind him to untie the rope binding him to the chair, "Now then, what will it cost me to have your full cooperation, Jackson?"


    "No strings attached, I promise. I just need safe passage to the sixth floor in three days. Until then, you have me..." Jackson replied with a smirk.


    The manughed and pped the table, "A deal then! You''ll get free passage to the sixth floor! You can call me The Dingo." He stood up, grabbed his jacket off a hanger beside the door, and walked out with Jackson in tow, "We''ll discuss everything there once I make some calls. For now, stay close; I''m not too fond of having you running loose around this ce..."


    The Dingo led Jackson through the maze-like pathways of the apartment building. Every door they passed had severalrge padlocks attached, and each hallway had an iron bar blocking it at the end. At the same time, he had several enforcers following closely behind, all armed with weapons.


    On the top floor, the door slid open as The Dingo entered. His office was clean, with white carpet, expensive-looking furniture, and art decorating the walls. An expensive-looking desk sat in the center of the room with several screens on the wall disying information about various people in different sectors.


    "Jackson, please take a seat." The Dingo motioned towards an armchair that had been positioned in front of his desk, "You''ve made some very powerful people very angry... Tetrakyts is looking for you; what''d you do?"


    "Nothing! I don''t think I''ve ever met anyone from Tetrakyts!" Jackson said as he sat down on the armchair, crossing his legs as he looked up at the man.


    "Well, they certainly know you and are looking for you. Since we''re friends now, I was hoping you''d do me a favor and go to their recruitment office in the castle district..." The Dingo said with a grin, sitting across from him as he lit his cigar, snapping his fingers, "So, just get your things and head there as soon as possible."


    Several enforcers came up behind Jackson, lifted him out of his chair, and led him out of the office and through numerous long hallways that led further into theplex, guiding Jackson through the dingy maze of interconnected apartments before exiting a building close to the central za in the Castle District. Standing on the stoop of the building, the enforcers shut and locked it behind him as he admired the stone architecture around him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    It was a bright sunny day, with blue skies above him. The streets were lined by cobblestone pathways that were filled with people. There were small shops scattered throughout the district. Jackson continued walking, trying to figure out where to find ming Dawn''s recruitment office.


    When he passed through another alleyway, he felt someone grab his shoulder, pushing him into a darkened passageway. A hooded man wearing a cloak pushed him against the brick wall, pinning him against it as he held a knife to his neck. He wore a ck mask and was covered from his neck down in leather armor.


    "You''re Jackson, right?" He asked in a hushed voice, "If you say anything, I''ll cut out your tongue! Now answer me... Why are you working for The Jackal?"


    Jackson nodded, looking into the hooded man''s eyes under the ck mask. "I am... Who are you?"


    "My name is Kain..." He looked around, pressing the de deeper into Jackson''s throat, "We''ve been watching you for some time; now, why are you working for The Jackal?"


    "Who is ''we?'' Why do you want to know?" Jackson tried to ask, but Kain pressed the de harder against his neck, causing blood to trickle, "Okay! I need his help!"


    "With what?" Kain asked as he red at Jackson, "He''s using you."


    Jackson nodded, "I can''t tell you more than that, but I know he is, but there''s nothing else I can do."


    Kain let out a sinister chuckle, removing the knife from Jackson''s skin and taking a step back, "What if there was another option?"


    Jackson shook his head, rubbing his neck and staring at the smear of blood on his fingertips, "I wish that was true... My only options are to cooperate with The Syndicate or wage war against it."


    "What if you had another option?" Kain asked, leaning closer to Jackson''s face as he reached inside his cloak, pulling out two rolled-up pieces of paper and handing them to him. Jackson epted the papers and stared down at them before handing one back to him, "ming Dawn''s recruitment office is to the left of the central za; refuse their offer."


    "What? How do you know about that?" Jackson asked as Kain leaped between the buildings,nding on top of a rooftop, and made a friendly gesture.


    "We know everything you''ve done since you arrived in sa Port, Jackson!" Kain shouted and disappeared from view, leaving Jackson alone in the alleyway, staring at the two pieces of paper in his hand.


    Jackson unrolled the pieces of paper, and his eyes went wide as he read their contents, "I guess there is a third option..." He smirked, crumpling them and cing them into his pocket as he exited the alley and continued into the za.

 Chapter 37 (XXXVII) Flaming Dawn

    ?Arge crowd was gathered around ming Dawn''s recruitment office. It was arge structure made from polished stone with intricate masonry etched into the side of the building.


    Numerous windows lined the side of the building, allowing bright sunshine to enter while breaking up the stone''s face. Multiple white gs with an orange and red emblem in the center were hanging outside the walls.


    As Jackson entered the za, he could hear excited chatter from people as they congregated outside the entrance. Away from the crowd, a couple men looking like guards stood, talking to one another, wearing full steel armor with a cloth tabard with the guard''s symbol in the center.


    He slowly approached the crowd as everyone excitedly chatted with each other as he pushed through, trying to make his way to the front.


    "I can''t believe she''s actually here!"


    "ming Dawn really is letting her climb with them!"


    "I can''t believe The Immortal Winter didn''t prepare a team!"


    "Why would they? Have you seen how powerful she is? It''s crazy!!"


    ''It couldn''t be...'' Jackson thought as he approached the front of the crowd. The man inside was dressed in a ck suit, with a ck shirt underneath a bright purple vest. He wore a bright red tie and had a pair of sses on, reading a clipboard of papers in his hands.


    When he noticed Jacksoning in, he put it down and got up from his seat, smiling. "Wee, Jackson!"


    The man shook Jackson''s hand and introduced himself, "My name is Gabriel, and I''m the head of recruitment! We''ve been expecting you."


    "Who would be expecting me..?" Jackson asked as he looked at the man''s face, still not entirely convinced who he could and couldn''t trust.


    "Please,e this way!" He gestured with his arm, ignoring the question as he was led through the lobby.


    On the walls of the office were paintings with gold frames of various Guild Masters, each showing them with glowing orange wings and bright golden rings around their wrists.


    There were also several portraits of prominent ming Dawn members hanging on the walls. In one picture, the group was gathered on a mountaintop smiling for the photograph. Another showed them inbat, fighting off a small group of Hollows.


    The room had a bright orange glow, with soft lightinging from the candles andnterns positioned around the walls. The whole building was filled with members wearing white cloaks with an orange circle and a red me.


    Gabriel knocked on the doors and opened them as a blonde-haired young woman turned in her seat while a dark-haired man with a goatee sat behind a desk and stared at them in surprise, "Oh! Excuse me, sir! I didn''t realize you were still meeting with Ms. Snow! Please, excuse us!"


    "YOU!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You!"


    Jackson and the blonde woman shouted simultaneously, pointing at each other while the man with the goatee stood behind his desk. Gabriel raised his brow, turned, looked between the two, and asked, "Oh? You two know each other??"


    Gabriel sighed before standing in the middle of the room and clearing his throat. He took a deep breath, looking over all three of them, while the man with the goatee nodded. "Well, this is quite the situation," He chuckled, looking at Jackson and gesturing to the woman, "This is Viktoria Snow; she''s the youngest daughter of Immortal Winter''s Guild Master. Ms. Snow, this is Jackson Seraphin; he''s an up-anding Climber!"


    "We''ve already had the displeasure of meeting!" Viktoria proimed, turning toward the goateed man, "Don''t tell me you''re thinking of recruiting him, Ramus!"


    "Well, Ms. Snow, that was the purpose for today''s meeting; why? Is there some problem?" Ramus asked, his te armor rustling as he ced both fists against his hips.


    "I cannot allow this; he doesn''t belong within Tetrakyts!" Viktoria shouted, stomping her foot on the ground while staring at Jackson, her hand resting on a long, ornate rapier''s hilt at her waist.


    She wore a tight white dress underneath a white cloak with a blue snowke on it. Her tall, white leather boots were decorated by thin chains dangling down from theces above her knees.


    "Ms. Snow! Please... We can talk about thister..." Gabriel said while putting his hands together before taking another deep breath. Viktoria turned towards him, crossing her arms under her breasts as she gave him a condescending smirk.


    "Fine! Then he will have to go through me!" Viktoria announced, huffing angrily as she red at Jackson.


    "What if I don''t want to join..?" Jackson asked, raising his hands in defeat.


    "Irrelevant! If you want to even speak with Ramus, you''ll have to go through me!" She shouted, stamping her feet. A momentter, she turned, lowering her head, and smiled apologetically at Ramus. "Heh. My apologies."


    "What do you mean you don''t want to join?" Ramus asked, stepping from behind his desk, brushing past Viktoria, and standing in front of Jackson.


    "I''m taking the solo route." Jackson answered, raising his head and staring into Ramus'' eyes. Standing defiantly, he crossed his arms over his chest, feeling confident enough that no one could challenge what he had nned for his future.


    "Wh-" Ramus opened his mouth and started to gesture with his hands but was immediately interrupted.


    "Solo? You''re crazy! Do you actually believe that childish fairy tale bullshit?!" Viktoria asked, folding her arms across her chest under the cloak as she red daggers at him, "Ramus, why would you waste your time on someone who can''t even tell fantasy from reality!?"


    Gabriel put his hand between them before they could escte further; he sighed loudly while looking down at Viktoria and shook his head at her, "Are you serious, Mr. Seraphin? No one has even made it off Tutorial Ind solo! Joining a Guild is the only way to guarantee you will make it!"


    "The Progenitor did." Jackson countered; he had no argument against the crazy path before him; he knew himself that it was crazy.

 Chapter 38 (XXXVIII) The Solo Route

    ?"You shouldn''t throw away your life so quickly, boy. It would be a shame if someone with your talent wasn''t helping clear the upper floors. ming Dawn will get you there in record speed." Ramus gruffly said, crossing his arms and grunting as he sternly stared at Jackson.


    The Solo Route has been a rumor about God''s Tower since its first appearance thousands of years ago. The Floor Guardians will supposedly provide an alternate series of challenges if a yer has never used the Group Feature of the system through the first half of the tower.


    Countless Climbers had attempted it but were presumed dead since they disappeared after leaving sa Port and were never seen again.


    "Let him run off and get himself killed! See what good that SSS Ranking you got is after you''re dead!" Viktoria snorted, turning her head.


    "I''ll be fine. If that''s all you wanted, I''ll take my leave now!" Jackson said, bowing and turning to leave.


    Gabriel walked over and blocked his path with one of his arms. He raised the other one high into the air for emphasis as he continued, "Now, please wait!!"


    He turned to Viktoria with an irritated expression but didn''t say anything; she rolled her eyes, huffing silently as she walked past them, flipping her long blonde hair. After closing the doors behind her, he pointed toward Ramus'' office and gestured with both hands like a traffic cop signaling people forward.


    Jackson sighed, turning around and entering the office with Ramus as Gabriel closed the doors behind them, and he took a seat in a leather armchair in front of therge desk.


    Ramus sat back down, picking up a clipboard while rubbing his goatee with his hand and staring at it in silence for a moment before looking up at Jackson, finally speaking up, "So... What happened with Viktoria?"


    The man was wearing white te armor from top-to-bottom and dark orange leggings beneath tall boots covered by thick socks with bright orangeces wrapped around them tightly several times. His chest tes were made of steel and decorated with red lines crossing each other above a gold ring in between each one.


    "We both took our assessments around the same time, and mine was higher. She''s had it out for me ever since..." Jackson replied coolly.


    Ramus chuckled nervously, tapping on the clipboard again. "You''re right! It does sound very silly!" He said while scratching his cheek with the back of his finger. He asked a dozen more questions, and Jackson replied as honestly as possible and was able to leave.


    Gabriel escorted him out of the recruitment office where Viktoria waited, surrounded by arge crowd, smiling and fielding dozens of questions.


    She stared at Jackson with cold anger radiating off her body when she noticed him standing next to Gabriel; she raised her hands at the crowd as they all fell silent before walking over toward Jackson slowly, turning toward Gabriel and bowing politely.


    "Gabriel, please escort Jackson and me to your Training Grounds. We have some unfinished business!" She announced, smiling at him before returning the re to Jackson.


    "Ah, but I don''t have any equipment! It was all destroyed, and mymission for new gear won''t be done for the next few days, so I won''t be able to fight you!" Jackson raised his arms, shaking his head with a slight smile.


    "Sheesh! How pathetic are you? You want to take the Solo Route?" She asked incredulously, staring at him in disbelief.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "It''s not like I want to fight with you. Can I just apologize for whatever I did, and we both go our separate ways..?" Jackson asked, shrugging nonchntly.


    "As if! You ruined my coronation!" Viktoria argued, throwing her fist down as she stomped the ground, "Fine! When you''ve received your equipment, you and I will battle!"


    "I''d rather not..." Jackson sighed, shaking his head. Gabriel''s mouth twitched as he forced a smile, stepping between the two.


    "I shall speak with Ramus and make the necessary preparations! In fact, we can market it as an exhibition match and sell tickets and offer bets for the public; everyone would receive a piece of the proceeds!" The man said with a smile.


    "That''s fine with me! Now I''ll have an audience when I defeat you!" Viktoria smirked,ughing haughtily as she covered her mouth with her hand.


    "..." Jackson was stunned; he covered his eyes and shook his head, looking at the ground and sighing heavily, "Fine! You win! I ept!"


    "Excellent! I''ll let Ramus know, and we''ll handle everything! See you two in three days!" Gabriel proimed, pping his hands and hastily retreating back into ming Dawn''s recruitment office.


    "Don''t chicken out!" Viktoria smirked, turning around and walking away as the crowd chased after her.


    "What the hell did I do..?" Jackson muttered to himself, dumbstruck over the situation he found himself in, sighing heavily before he turned, exiting the za as he walked through the Castle District.


    He pulled out one of the small pieces of paper that Kain had given him and read it:


    "Reject ming Dawn. If you want more answers regarding The Solo Route,e to The Drunken Mule after sunset. Order a ''Barcrawl'' from the bartender."


    Jackson was lost in thought as he casually strolled through the city. Whoever this mysterious group was, they knew far too much about him, ''No one should know about The Solo Route... I just dered it! How do they..?''


    The sun began setting behind the horizon, bathing sa Port with vibrant orange light along with golden streaks running down across the sky; Jackson stopped in front of a tavern near the outskirts of the Castle District, close to the Port District called "The Drunken Mule". It wasn''t very big or impressive, but it served its purpose. He pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside, feeling a st of cool air rushing up towards his face as he entered a dim room with tables lining both sides.


    A tall bar sat in the middle of the right wall where several different drinks were being prepared by four bartenders. There weren''t many people upying the dimly lit space; only three patrons were sitting alone around the table closest to the entrance as Jackson passed by them and approached the bar.


    "What''ll it be, darlin''?" A seductively dressed, long-haired redhead asked, leaning against the bar, revealing even more cleavage.


    "I''ll take a barcrawl." Jackson asked, sitting down and looking around the pub.

 Chapter 39 (XXXIX) The Third Option

    ?"I''ll take a barcrawl." Jackson asked, sitting down and leaning against the bar. The bartender returned a shocked look before clicking her tongue and walking behind the bar.


    He turned around, resting both elbows against the bar, and started looking around the pub. Arge stage and runway led to a back room in the center of the room. In the center of the stage were three long metal poles and a mic stand.


    The sun had set, and patrons began piling into the pub in droves as the once peaceful settlement was instantly transformed into a lively and electric atmosphere. The bartender returned with arge pint and ced a napkin underneath it, sliding it across the bar to the young man, "That''ll be two credits!"


    Jackson reached into his jacket, pulled out the two credits that Kain had included within the note, and slid the small coins across the bar, grabbing the pint as the bartender disappeared to assist other patrons.


    His drink came filled halfway with a reddish-orange liquid, which looked like fruit juice but tasted sour at first sip; however, after he got used to it, there was something sweet about it that left him feeling satisfied yet still hungry for another one.


    Taking notice of some men moving closer toward the stage, three scantily dressed women strutted on stage as an older woman dressed inrge, over-the-top clothing grabbed the microphone, "Wee to The Drunken Mule, everybody!"


    The crowd became unruly, shouting excitedly as she announced, "Please wee to the stage your three favorite gems; Sapphire, Ruby, and Diamond!!!"


    The curtains behind the stage pulled back, revealing a full band that started ying music loudly. At the same time, the three women approached the poles, grabbing them as they began dancing seductively for the patrons, who flew into a frenzy, waving their arms.


    Jackson took another swig of the alcohol and noticed the note on the napkin, grabbing it as he raised it to his face, ''Backroom, upstairs.'' He stood up, downing the beverage, crumpled the note, and ced it into his pockets as he walked around the bar.


    He stopped outside the door, turning and looking around the room before disappearing into the back, entering a massive kitchen with dozens of chefs running frantically as theypleted orders. One of the men noticed him and pointed to the corner with his knife before returning to work.


    Jackson bowed to the man, walking through the hot kitchen, avoiding the men and women running around him as he turned the corner, locating the stairs and climbing them into a long hallway. There were two doors on his left and a third at the end of the path.


    He stopped outside the door at the end of the hallway, knocking once as he adjusted his posture, waiting for a brief moment before it opened. A tall man gestured him into the room as Jackson looked around at the dozen of simrly dressed hooded men and women.


    The room was filled with a dozen couches and arge hearth, filling the room with an intense warmth. An adjacent door opened as three more hooded men entered, "Jackson! I''m d you could make it! Wee, to The Legion of the Last Age!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Um..." Jackson was shocked, "What am I doing here?"


    "Follow me; I''ll bring you up to speed." Kain said, waving his arm to follow him as he turned back toward the doorway he had just entered. The two men he entered with stepped back, allowing Jackson to pass by as the entire group watched menacingly.


    "Ah, don''t mind them; they''re just hazing you!" Kainughed as the door closed behind them, leading the young man to a small den.


    "Who are you guys?" Jackson asked, walking around the decorated room, looking at all the mounted beasts on the walls.


    "We''re The Legion of the Last Age, I told you already! We''re a group founded back when the first Climbers entered God''s Tower." The older man replied, removing his hood and mask to reveal a scarred face with jet-ck hair to match his eyes as he leaned against the desk.


    "Like a Guild?" The younger man asked, reaching his hands out as he lightly touched the items in the room.


    "Kind of, but we don''t operate in the open, nor do we have ties to Tetrakyts or any other Guilds... We know everything about you and think you would be a great asset to us and to you." Kain replied, reaching into his cloak and pulling out a stack of papers.


    "I can''t; I am doing the Solo Route." Jackson shook his head, turning to face him, "I can''t join any Parties, nor can I join any Guilds."


    "No, Jax, you don''t seem to get it. When you asked if we were ''like a Guild,'' I said ''kind of,'' not yes. The Legion of the Last Age is a group of supporters who assist a singr Climber in ascending God''s Tower. Everyone here had started the dream and given up before reaching Port sa.


    Many others wait for the next Climber to reach them on the higher floors. I know your dad''s been missing for fifteen years, but your grandmother should have prepared you. Do you not know about your family''s involvement in The Legion..? What about our ideology, ''Though we are many, we are one.''?" Kain asked with concern as Jackson walked around and sat down in a chair across a table from him, his eyes wide in shock.


    "You know my dad and grandma? Are they alright? Where are they?" Jackson asked excitedly, life flooding his eyes as he grinned wide,pletely ignoring the questions.


    "We haven''t heard from either in thest decade. We thought you were with your grandmother. Who the hell is the Warden then..? Shit, we would have traveled all the way to Duskgate to collect you if they had just done their damned job! Why weren''t we notified? What the hell have you been doing all this time??" Kain bombarded him with questions, gritting his teeth as he paced back and forth.

 Chapter 40 (XL) The Legion

    ?Kain tossed the stack of papers on the table in front of Jackson, "Read." Jackson reached out with a gloved hand, picking up several sheets and looking over them, "...Why me?" He muttered under his breath after reading through every page slowly over ten minutes. His face went nk, turning pale while his mind drifted into another world entirely.


    The young man stared off into space as images passed by his vision like waves hitting shorelines. They came faster and quicker until, finally, everything began slowing down.


    It wasn''t that the Climbers who attempted the Solo Route weren''t progressing through God''s Tower; it was just a dark secret hidden away from everyone.


    The Seraphin family had been Climbers for ages, spanning back numerous generations. Thest member of The Legion of the Last Age was his grandmother, "What about my father..?" Jackson asked, looking up at the older man.


    "Sha wanted Krige to join The Legion, but at thest minute, he refused and became the Co-Founder of the Guild, Zaxocid, whose current Guild Master was his best friend and current master of Tetraktys." Kain exined, turning behind him and grabbing another stack of papers containing all the information about Krige and throwing it on the table.


    "Tetraktys..." Jackson sighed, shaking his head and flipping through the pages about his father.


    "You shouldn''t even be on their radar yet; why did Sha allow you toplete your assessment after Viktoria Snow..? Has she finally gone senile in her old age?" Kain asked as Jackson exined the events from ten years ago, how his grandmother had been presumed dead, and his life growing up in the orphanage.


    ***


    After Jackson finished telling everything about himself, he fell silent for several seconds; his mind had suddenly cleared, as waves of every emotion flooded his heart. Telling the story had awakened something within his mind; No longer would he feel pity or anger toward anyone; no, now nothing existed inside of him other than determination. It felt so liberating to reach this realization.


    "So I''m going up God''s Tower alone, but The Legion is supposed to help... How does this make sense?" Jackson questioned.


    "It''s nothing more than a give-and-take rtionship, Jackson. We will give you information regarding the floors you will face, and in return, you will do something for The Legion. You finish the task, and we will provide you with all the necessary items and information toplete the challenges.


    You''ll receive a handler who will ry information to you from Headquarters. After youplete the task, they will send it to your apartment in Duskgate." Kain exined, standing up, pulling out the contract, and throwing a pen on the table in front of Jackson.


    "What about Sub-Scenarios and Challenge Modifications?" Jackson asked, grabbing the contract and reading it over.


    "You can just ignore the Sub-Scenarios, and what do you mean Challenge Modifications? No one on the Solo Route has ever received a Challenge Modification before...?" Kain asked, tilting his head and crossing his arms.


    "Then this contract is useless to me; I''ve had modified challenges on every floor..." Jackson sighed, throwing the contact back on the table and leaning back in his chair, "I guess the third option is a bust as well..."


    "Are you serious? What were they? How did you activate them?!?" Kain asked excitedly, taking a step forward with a sparkle in his eyes.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I think I might have a fourth option..." Jackson smirked as he leaned forward, instantly an idea popping in his head, "I''d have said no to your contract regardless; I have my own source of information that I trust far more than I do your word, no offense."


    "What''s this fourth option you speak of then..?" Kain asked, rubbing his chin as he leaned against his desk again.


    "It seems I was on the right track in tackling this Solo Route challenge as I have already started building my own team to operate outside of God''s Tower for me... Instead ofpleting tasks for The Legion, how about I trade information to you about the Solo Route modified challenges in case your people ever need it. In exchange, you will collect any information that I may need or favors for my own people."


    "Like father like son, huh..?" Kain muttered under his breath before nodding in agreement, extending his hand, "We have a deal!"


    Jackson stood, shaking his hand firmly, "Now, how am I supposed to get through The Syndicate so I can get past The Jackal to get to the Sixth Floor?"


    ***


    Jackson had returned to Duskgate following his meeting with Kain. When he arrived at his apartment, he noticed two Skillbooks on his bed and a folded note lying on top. He grinned as he walked over, picking up the letter and opening it, ''Your stuff is hot! Enjoy!''


    Below the letters was a key taped to the note and a bright red lipstick mark. Jackson removed the key and turned it over, revealing a white number eight painted on it, muttering, "Hot indeed... We''re ahead of schedule!"


    He tossed the note on the bed, pocketing the key, and picking both Skillbooks. These were essential if one wished to use Amelia''s absurd equipment without killing yourself. She came from an extended family of smiths, craftsmen, jewelers, and now a mechanic, who have all improved on their predecessors'' work, resulting in top-of-the-line quality.


    However, her predecessors had yet to imagine the advancements her mechanical genius would result in her family''s weapons and armor being considered among the most potent items known on Terra.


    The only downside was that their use became so difficult to use and learn, resulting in the family name being used to build creations for The Climber''s Association.


    Jackson sat on the bed, cing both Skillbooks on hisp as he ran his fingers carefully along the intricate silver trim flowing beautifully across the deep navy and vibrant crimson covers.


    He opened both covers, reading their titles with a massive grin on his face:


    "Swift Phantom of the Twin Moon Assassin"


    "Timeless Rage of the Meteor Behemoth"

 Chapter 41 (XLI) Headquarters

    ?Jackson grabbed the Skillbook for the Swift Phantom of the Twin Moon Assassin and opened it, flipping through the pages. He flipped through the opening pages, stopping on a page containing the blueprint for the weapons called ''Twin Moons.'' A pair ofrge convex curved swords withrge res on the back of the de. The hilt had a curved crossguard in the likeness of a moon.


    The two des could be connected by their pommels tobine into a double-ded sword known as a Warive. Jackson couldn''t help but think how beautiful they looked as he flipped through the diagrams of techniques on each page, like twin moons dancing in an endless sky filled with stars...


    Inside were various exercises involving techniques such as using his feet while moving through trees, jumping across waterfalls, climbing up cliff faces, swinging around high ledges, sliding down mountainside slopes, and much more to truly release the true power of the Twin Moons.


    "I should check in with Amelia and see how close she is to finishing..." The young man murmured, unable to practice half of the techniques without the weapon. He sighed before closing up the book, cing it back on hisp, and opening Timeless Rage of the Meteor Behemoth.


    "This will teach you a powerful new form of martial arts based around unleashing your full strength." Jackson read out loud from the title page as he nced over all its contents while running his hand along every line and curve engraved onto its leather cover. This one was moreplex than Swift Phantom since there were three training exercises inside to learn thisbat style.


    This skillbook revolved around a unique bodysuit that you wore underneath your clothing. The bodysuit contained a powerful ultra mesh exoskeleton WarFrame that can be loaded with armor that can be deployed as power armor while inbat without the burden of being over-encumbered.


    He continued reading the introduction on the first page:


    ''A true master must know when to unleash his inner self! For those who do not have what it takes for total domination or just simplyck patience, we introduce you to Timeless Rage of the Meteor Behemoth!''


    The young man stared at the pages as they began detailing the body suit itself; He noticed a unique function if the exoskeleton absorbed enough damage, it could activate its core system once fully charged, which would result in a massive surge of raw power being discharged from the WarFrame that could easily defeat most opponents with ease...


    But the downside? The process took time! There needed to be sufficient rest periods between activating so that its core wouldn''t drain itself into uselessness. If an enemy attacked during this recharge period, the bodysuit''s naturally high durability would be gone, meaning the user had no defense and was utterly defenseless against any kind of attack.


    Jackson yawned as he put away the second Skillbook, noticing another book, grabbing it off the nightstand beside him; he read the title ''Amelia''s Super Duper Training Manual.'' She had taken it upon herself to write this book for him when he had previously submitted themission.


    Inside were additional notes not provided to The Climber''s Association when they had strongarmed her family into giving up copies of their Skillbooks. Jackson smirked to himself and shook his head, "I guess every family has their own secrets..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    The notes detailed two extra abilities hidden in the bodysuit, which allowed the WarFrame two additional features. First was a pair of wings that could be deployed from the user''s back that would enable them to glide through the air, known as the ''Metallic Wings of the Phoenix.'' Secondly is a skill known as ''Eagle''s Hurricane Step,'' which fires a powerful burst of energy from the bottom of the user''s boots, giving a brief burst of speed for two seconds.


    Jackson yawned again, closing the book and cing it on top of the other two before lying down and mentally practicing and image-training the techniques detailed in the Skillbooks until he fell asleep.


    ***


    Alijah had been hard at work learning everything she could from Natane. She was present for all the transactions that Jackson was involved in and paid serious attention as she learned from one of the best merchants in Terra.


    She took everything in the next few days and was soon haggling with merchants and beating them at their own game. The rush of the game of cat and mouse excited her to no end. After the first victory, she became addicted.


    Natane had quickly found a ce for her to set up shop, and Alijah was off to the races. Thanks to Jackson''s materials, the ck Market veteran had quickly sold out of everything he had allowed her to sell. Alijah quickly utilized the remaining funds after Natanepleted her task and promptly set up the storefront on the ground level and the living quarters andmon rooms on the above floors in the building.


    Her biggest issue was she needed something to sell in her shop, but even if she did, she didn''t have any name to give the store even if it was open. She grumbled in annoyance despite the luxuriously soothing bubble bath she was soaking in with cucumbers on her eyes and her face covered in an avocado mask.


    "That damned Jackson! He gives everyone a list of chores and runs off without anyone being able to get in contact with him, and now we don''t have anything else to do! If he''s not back today, I swear I''m going to ban him from this building and keep it myself!" Alijah growled, unable to enjoy her early morning soak.


    As she made her deration, a sharp pain stabbed her in her heart as she winced in pain, jerking forward and grabbing her chest, "Okay! Okay! I get it! I''m just joking!" She shouted at nobody as the pain immediately subsided.


    "Sheesh! Can''t even take a joke!" She growled, closing her eyes andying back as she heard the front doorbell chime loudly, prompting her eyes to open rapidly.


    Throwing all caution to the wind, Alijah leaped out of the bathtub, slipping on the floor as she slid into the hallway. She frantically stood, sprinting and stumbling down the hallway and down the stairs, dripping with suds and water,nding at the foot of the stairs with a giant baseball bat in her hands.

 Chapter 42 (XLII) Overgeared

    ?Fifteen Minutes earlier.


    Jackson opened his window and looked around to ensure no one was watching before throwing himself backward off the side of his apartmentplex. His feet touched lightly onto the top ledge, where he quickly pulled them into position while swinging hard behind him, creating enough momentum for his body to slide across the wall toward the next building''s roof.


    He swung again once more and caught hold of another edge, this time using gravity against itself, letting go and jumping upward. Once atop its t surface, Jackson nced over to ensure there were Watchers, The Climber Association''s security force, and then began running along the rooftops of Duskgate.


    It didn''t take long for Jackson to arrive at the address, looking up and therge multistoried grey-washed polished stone building. Large windows filled the ground floor, while smaller ones dotted randomly around the building''s upper floors.


    The entire ce had an elegant feel about it but also a very modern design mixed within. Jackson made his way to the entrance, a pair of heavy wooden doors covered in silver trim engraved with intricate designs and ornately decorated iron bars around one side, protecting the locking mechanisms and blocking any kind of unwanted intrusion.


    Jackson reached into his pocket, pulled out the key, grabbed the handle on the right side, unlocked it, and opened the door, stepping inside as the bell above him dinged loudly.


    He looked around therge storefront. The room was filled with nothing stocking the dozens of shelves and stands for weapons and armor. There were several chairs and tables ced throughout the room. He stepped into the building, closing the door behind him as he heard rapid footsteps approaching.


    He turned to the stairs, witnessing Alijah running down the stairs naked, dripping wet with suds following off her body as she carried a baseball bat.


    "JACKSON!! What are you doing?!" She shouted, forgetting she was naked and running up to him as she lowered her weapon. Once they were face to face, she immediately pped him across his cheek while grabbing onto his shoulders and hugging him tightly.


    "Um... Alijah..." Jackson muttered, pushing her away from him as he stared into her eyes, fighting every instinct in his body to admire her curves.


    "Yes? What''s wrong?" She asked, popping her hip and resting her hand on it, still oblivious to the fact she was stark naked. Her long flowing brown hair cascaded over her bare shoulder as she crossed her arms across her chest. "You seem very concerned about me."


    Jackson swallowed hard before nodding quickly. A slight blush overcame his cheeks as he shook himself out of it again and cleared his throat. "Well yeah, of course! I mean, it''s just that you''re..." He blurted hastily as she stepped closer, herrge round breasts pressing against him.


    Alijah giggled softly as she took hold of both ends of her hair and ced them behind her head. This only caused more soap to drip off the top of her breasts. The soapy suds covering her slowly vanished as her entire body became visible.


    The young man had trouble focusing on anything else right now, and not even noticing, he reached forward until he shook his head and covered his eyes, "Can you put some clothes on, please?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Alijah tilted her head in confusion before realization dawned on her, and her eyes went wide as she unleashed the loudest scream before smacking him, turning around, and running to the top of the stairs, "Jackson, you nasty dirty perv!"


    ? "How am I to me..?" Jackson muttered to himself as he rubbed his red cheek and walked around the store. After a few minutes, Alijah returned with bows in her hair, a frilly white dress with leather ents, long white stockings, and knee-high brown leather boots.


    "You sure clean up nice!" Jackson joked with a smile, "You look much nicer in these clothes than your old street attire."


    "Shut up!" She shouted, her face turning bright red as she stomped on the ground, "Sheesh, learn to read the room!" She huffed, turning her nose up and crossing her arms over her chest, causing Jackson to burst into a fit ofughter as she startedughing too.


    "Seriously though, you''ve done great work!" He patted the top of her head, which caused her face to turn bright red again, "It''s a little empty in here, though; where is all the merchandise?"


    "Dyed! Because of your ''not-so-litte''mission, Amelia needed August''s help, and they couldn''t forge anything for the store! Not that it matters, as you never named the ce!" Alijah exined, rolling her eyes as she walked behind the counter.


    "Call the shop ''Overgeared,'' now; how are we going to fix this, then? We can''t hemorrhage credits and not have anythinging in..." Jackson asked, walking over and leaning against the counter next to Alijah as she hopped onto it. Behind them, the door opened as the bell rang loudly, drawing their attention.


    "I''ve already solved that issue!" Amelia proimed, throwing her hand into the air as she beamed, holding the door open as three simrly dressed, identically beautiful women with different colored hair entered, carrying their tool bags, and stood to the side, "Meet Abigail, Be, and Jolie! They''re sisters and just so happen to be looking for a workshop, and I couldn''t help but think of a certain someone who required some fine craftswomen!"


    "I have you..." Jackson muttered under his breath, stepping forward and asking, "Why would I-"


    "Good morning, Sir! It is our pleasure to meet you!" The blonde, brte, and redhead sisters all said in unison, interrupting him as they bowed their heads; Jackson''s mouth twitched, and his eyes went nk.


    "Ehem!" Alijah cleared her through, elbowing him the ribs and announcing, "Wee to Overgeared! We''re d to have you!"


    "Ah, yes! Good morning, Abigail, Be, and Jolie! We are overjoyed to have you! Pleasee in! Alijah, get some tea brewing for our guests!" Jackson grunted, forcing a smile and stepping forward as he extended his arms.

 Chapter 43 (XLIII) Warglaive

    ?The triplets wore a white tunic dress with gold trim around the shoulders and waist. Each had a frilly white scarf adorning their neck. All three women held one hand on their chests while another on their hips. Their thighs were exposed, d in a pair of dark leather stockings with small metal studs along its seam up their thighs to where the hem stopped halfway down her calves.


    They wore long ck bootsced with thick brown straps from ankle to knee above a set of golden anklets. A single thin ribbon wrapped twice across their midriffs, covering their breasts and creating a bow in the center of each bust line.


    The only difference between the three was their hair colors, the scarf tips, and the ribbon around their chests. Each had different colored streaks throughout their hair: pink, purple, and orange, respectively. Abigail wore red, Be wore blue, and Julie wore yellow.


    As if on cue, Alijah returned carrying a tray filled with tea cups and several tes piled high with cakes. "Here we go!" She said happily before sitting beside Jackson and cing it beside him. The trio walked over and took seats, pouring themselves some tea as they waited patiently.


    "So?" Jackson began, leaning back against the counter.


    Alijah smiled softly at her boss and raised an eyebrow, tilting her head curiously toward her employer. He cleared his throat and pulled out the three contracts, exining the terms as all three listened carefully, nodding as they flipped through the pages.


    It didn''t take much longer for them toe to a consensus; once satisfied with what was being offered, the three women signed, handing Jackson the contracts as he signed each of them as the soul-binding locks magically appeared in front of the four as the chains reappeared,unching into him and the triplets binding their hearts.


    "Alright, so what are each of your specialties?" Jackson asked, sping his hands together loudly as he smiled and looked at everyone.


    Abigail blinked and rubbed her forehead with two fingers before looking up and replying quietly, "I am a weapons smith."


    "Good! Can you make bows? Swords, daggers, knives, maces, and axes?" Jackson prompted. She nodded slowly, grabbing her tool bag and unrolling it to reveal the numerous hammers and pliers needed to forge weapons from metal and manipte leather and wood.


    Be followed her sister''s lead as she grabbed her tool bag and revealed the tools required to manipte tes of metal and rivets to create heavy te armor, chainmail, tools to stretch leather into armor, and needles and thread to stitch robes. She grinned mischievously before speaking, "I''m an armorer!"


    Julie stepped forward confidently and held both arms behind her back, staring straight at Jackson, dering proudly, "And I specialize in jewelry: nes, rings, bracelets, and more."


    She pulled several pieces of equipment from her bags: tools used to create or modify jewelry made of different materials, including silver, gold, tinum, etc., and other devices to manipte gems.


    "Perfect. Get with Amelia, and she''ll show you all the blueprints and materials required." Jackson ordered as all three nodded in unison.


    "Actually, Jax... I wanted to break our contract in exchange for getting these three to rece me..." She said, stepping forward, her eyes looking down to the floor as she held her elbow.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Hmm..." Jackson thought, stroking his chin before snapping his fingers and grinning as he turned to Alijah, "Find Natane and have her locate a suitable workshop for these three."


    The younger woman nodded and skipped out of the store as Jackson turned back to the triplets, "Head to Amelia''s shop and introduce yourselves to August; get the blueprints and start studying them! I want you to know them inside and out by the time she gets there."


    "Un!" The three women nodded, grabbing their tool bags and rushing out of the store.


    "We can break the contract, but I want the information uses to remain in effect." Jackson said, returning his gaze to Amelia, "While Natane is locating a suitable workshop, I want you to let the sisters use yours. I can''t have an empty shop."


    "I''d rather we didn''t. If you ept absolute dissolution, I''ll take these terms." Amelia said, smiling softly at the young man.


    "If you want that,plete themission for free and let them use your shop." Jackson sighed, hanging his head and shaking it.


    "Deal!" The woman giggled, grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the building, "Yourmission is done;e on, let''s go!"


    "You dirty cheater!" Jackson pouted as he grabbed the handle, locking the door as Amelia continuously tugged at him. She quickly led him back to her workshop, where August was polishing the equipment he had requested.


    Jackson opened his mouth when August smiled, turning around and holding up a tightly wrapped long hilt with two long scimitars extended from the ends, metal rings floating diagonally near the grip, and an intricately designed cross guard resembling two moons with multiple gears moving around it.


    It glittered under the lights in front of them; blue energy emitted around the edge of the des, extending the reach of the already long weapon. August spun the warive in front of him, twisting the hilts as the des separated, twirling both scimitars around his body.


    "If you''re impressed already, you haven''t seen anything yet!" Amelia joked,ughing as she yfully nudged him in the ribs, snapping her fingers as she walked past him, "Go grab the WarFrame and bring it out front!"


    "Alright!" August shouted, deactivating the des and cing them on the counter before disappearing to the back room. Amelia walked around the counter next to the swords, reaching under the counter and producing a case containing a gold bracelet, two white gold rings, and a white gold earring.


    "You had enough materials, so I threw these together. They work as a set and have to be worn together. They amplify the power of your abilities but also serve as a conduit for gathering energy as well as an additional battery for the WarFrame." She exined, sliding the case across the counter as August returned, pushing an object on wheels covered by arge cloth.


    "Aha! Speaking of the WarFrame! August!! Unveil our masterpiece!" Amelia eximed with arge grin.

 Chapter 44 (XLIV) WarFrame

    ?August pulled off the sheet, revealing an armor stand with a ck bodysuit disyed. Small silver lines ran along the suit, entuating where each muscle would be if worn. Jackson stepped closer, admiring the craftsmanship in awe; he noticed that the small silver lines were actually tiny tubes flowing with a silvery liquid.


    Jackson ran his hand up one arm, examining it closely, smiling softly at how beautiful the hexagonal design was. He ced his hand down and grabbed the sleeve, pulling it upward, observing as the line disappeared into a tube attached directly above the shoulder des. A simr line ran all the way to another point just below the elbows, which connected to a second tube. This created a continuous pathway leading straight to two pouches hidden near the small of the back of the suit.


    "Check this out!" August eximed, hitting the emblem on the chest as the WarFrame ejected from the bodysuit. A metallic exoskeleton unfolded along the suit. Immediately metallic scales began flowing out of the frame, covering the entire bodysuit.


    Clusters of gears emerged from his thighs, abdomen, chest, shoulders, hands, and feet, spinning as metallic tes appeared across crucial points on the bodysuit.


    Metallic tes extended across the head and wrapped underneath the mannequin''s chin as a visor made entirely from ss extended past the facete, giving 360¡ã vision. The helmet also folded inward around the neck, sealing itself. Finally, two additionalrge ck horns appeared in the center of the helm atop his forehead, jutting outward and ending just above his eyes.


    Large thick metallic pauldrons appeared from the gears on the shoulders and had a silver ring circling them like an arrowhead. The gauntlets grewrger, growing into thick metal gloves.


    The gears on the chest shifted positions, revealing six liquid-like metallic tes that extended downward to meet near his waist, spreading around the entire chest, stomach, and back.


    On the small of the mannequin''s back, a small tail with several rings attached formed, coiling down to the ground while four small bat-like metallic wings extended out diagonally toward the ground from the scap across the upper back.


    Arge gear spun around the abdomen as a metallic oval appeared while a thick leather belt wrapped around the waist, connecting to the buckle as several metallic tassels popped open diagonally along either side from the waistline and down the back of his legs, extending four inches outward, with each click.


    The legs were changed into tight-fitting ck material adorned with silver trim along the edges, hundreds of interlocking chains cascading around the outer edges of the legs as gears churned out metallic tes over them.


    The feet of the bodysuit became thick soles covered by ck leather straps overtop red ones wrapping the lower section of his calves before multiple gears unraveled a set of knee-high armored thigh armored te boots.


    Across the mannequin, the metallic pieces turned ck with small hexagonal scales and small silver trim formed between each hexagon and the rivets. From the center of the gear clusters around the mannequin''s body, Hollow Skulls appeared in various sizes and shapes, covering the gears while entuating the demonic look of the WarFrame.


    "Not bad, eh?" Amelia grinned pridefully while Jackson stood in awe at the masterpiece in front of him. August smirked, rubbing his nose with his finger before tapping the chest, converting the WarFrame back into only the bodysuit and removing it from the mannequin.


    "Here, you can put it on in the back!" He said, handing the bodysuit to Jackson, "Don''t worry about the armor popping out suddenly; the chest tap is the mannequin, not the bodysuit."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson nodded, sighing in relief as he grabbed the case with the jewelry, stepped into the back room, and quickly changed, putting the bodysuit on naked, returning his current and new jewelry before putting on his pants, shirt, jacket, and boots back on.


    He returned to the storefront, adjusting his hands, which were the only indication that he was actually wearing the WarFrame, eximing, "It''s way morefortable than it looks! It doesn''t feel like I''m wearing anything!"


    "Heh, what second-rate artisans do you take us for? We''re not just Archimedes in name, you know!" Amelia scoffed, bursting intoughter alongside August as he smacked Jackson''s shoulder.


    "..." Jackson was silent as he was at a loss for words while he looked at his hands. The older man grabbed the intricately designed ck and silver scabbards for the Twin Moons and held them out to him.


    White and gold ribbons fell to the ground where the scimitars were nestled in their sheaths along with long, sturdy, ck and silver twisted leather strings.


    Jackson held out his hands, taking the leather rope and wrapping it around his waist, tying them off as both des rested on each side of his hips.


    "You''ve read the Skillbooks, correct?" Amelia asked, stepping forward and cing her hands on his wrists, stopping him from removing the weapons.


    ? "Skimmed through it a few times and image trained..." Jackson muttered, looking away.


    "Promise me you will not deploy your WarFrame nor use the Twin Moons until you have mastered their respective Skillbooks!" She sternly replied, wagging her finger in his face, "I didn''t spend all this time creating these beauties only for you to go and kill yourself!"


    Jackson raised both hands in defeat, leaning back, "Okay! Okay! I promise! I promise!" Augustughed at the young man, walking toward a weapon''s rack, pulling two in swords off and grabbing two basic scabbards, handing them to him.


    "Good!" Amelia smiled, cing her hand over her heart; the contract was fulfilled, and glittering sparkles floated between her fingers from her chest, soothing every part of her body, "Now! Since I''m no longer part of your little harem, get out of my shop!"


    "Harem..?" Jackson muttered, raising his eyebrow in confusion as the woman began pushing him on the back, kicking him out of her shop, and mming the door behind him.


    He sighed, shaking his head, strapping the two scabbards across his chest and staring up to God''s Tower in the distance, "I guess it''s time I dealt with Viktoria and finished things with The Jackal..."

 Chapter 45 (XLV) Spy

    ?Jackson returned to his apartment, grabbed his small number of belongings, and threw them into his Gobbii Bag, returning the keys to thendlord a week before his next payment would have been due. He returned to the za, making a small stop and iming the entire top floor of the building as his before walking back to the tower''s entrance and stepping through the disorienting portal to Port sa.


    He returned in thete evening, passing by several other people headed home after their long day''s work as he strolled slowly through the streets leading toward the Port District. He needed to meet with The Dingo regarding going to the next floor.


    Even at these twilight hours, the port was bustling with activity, and it didn''t seem like anything had the power to change it, regardless of whether it was night or day. Most likely due to its location within a heavily popted city, partly due to most people refusing to climb higher or being unable to ascend to the next floor.


    After walking for ten minutes without seeing any familiar faces, he turned down one alley that led deeper inside the city center, following along until reaching an old warehouse, where he stopped outside and leaned against a wall beside arge dumpster.


    A couple of guys walked past nearby, talking loudly about how they wanted more money so they could buy food tonight, ignoring himpletely; no doubt just some poor brats ying around as he effortlessly pushed the dumpster, revealing a hidden entrance.


    Jackson crouched down, entering and returning the dumpster to its previous position before standing up and looking around the dark, dusty warehouse. A few wooden crates were scattered across the dirty, sandy ground, and several rusty barrels were sitting here and there, but nothing of much interest appeared from where he stood.


    As expected. This ce was meant for something other than exploring...


    "Hello?" He called out quietly to only receive silence in response. Jackson slowly began walking across the room, locating and climbing the stairs, making sure not to miss any spots that could trigger traps. It took thirty seconds to reach the topnding, where another set of doors awaited down a long corridor.


    He opened the door to see The Dingo leaning against the desk with his legs and arms crossed as he smiled at him, "Ah, Jackson! Good to see you again! I was wondering when you were going to return! It''s been almost 48 hours since youpleted that request! Where have you been?"


    "Busy outside the tower, it doesn''t matter. I want to meet The Jackal, set it up." Jackson coldly replied, ring into the smiling man''s eyes.


    "My, my, my! You sure have changed a lot since Ist saw you! You used to be meek! What happened?" The Dingo asked, walking around his desk and taking a seat.


    "I met with Kain; we''re done here, now set up the meeting or I spread a rather nasty rumor..."


    "Kain, huh..?" The suited man said, staring off into space for a moment, "Fine, I''ll set the meeting, but don''t think I''m not done with you! I have friends in Duskgate, and they said there''s this quaint orphanage with a fascinating girl there...


    Jackson gritted his teeth, taking a step forward as he reached up, grabbing one of the hilts of his sword, "Don''t even think about it you asshole!"


    "Hey, now!" The Dingo smirked, raising both hands in defeat, "I just wanted to meet my new friend''s friends, is all! As long as we''re still friends, they''re still my friends, capiche?" The man grinned, refusing to back down.


    "You had best noty a finger on her..." Jackson growled, ring at him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "As long as you continue to y nice, there''s nothing to worry about." The Dingo smirked, sliding a folded piece of paper across his desk, "Here, location and time. Don''t be even a secondte; you won''t receive another appointment."


    Jackson snatched the paper and exited the room, mming it shut. He stormed down the hallway, stuffing the note in his jacket as he descended the stairs.


    In therge warehouse, he walked past a stack of crates, unleashing his anger, punching the dusty wooden box, and shattering it into hundreds of tiny splinters.


    He walked directly toward an old closed bay door as he unleashed another punch,unching it off its hinges, crashing into the building across the street, and destroying a massive portion of the wall.


    The Dingo angrily stared as Jackson stormed out of the warehouse, watching from a window in his office, turning his head and speaking to the nearby shadowed corner, "Notify the boss that he has a VIP on their way."


    The only confirmation he received was a slight shuffle of feet as the entity in the shadow disappeared. The man slicked his greasy hair back as he watched Jackson disappear down the street, reaching into his pocket and pulling a small device that nestled perfectly in his palm.


    The edges had rubber grips with grooves for his fingers tofortably hold while in use.


    He pressed therger of three buttons as the screen above lit up as a line slid horizontally across it and began to wildly spike up and down as he spoke, "Get me a meeting with Kain!"


    "Copy." A voice replied as The Dingo lowered his hand, his eyes filled with anger as he gritted his teeth, muttering under his breath, "Someone must have talked... Neither The Syndicate nor The Legion should suspect anything..."


    ***


    Jackson strode through the streets in a hurry; he could finally leave sa Port, go to the next floor, and continue his journey. His eyes darted left and right as he remained vignt, trying his hardest to avoid Viktoria.


    Unfortunately, his destination was conveniently located in the central za in the Castle District. He approached the za, peeking his head around the corner and sighing in relief when he didn''t see Gabriel or Viktoria.


    He checked the vicinity onest time and merged with a crowd as they crossed the za, ''Come on...'' Jackson pleaded in his mind, his eyes locked on the stoop a dozen meters away.


    Once they started walking in a different direction, he started walking quickly toward the door, climbing up the stairs, and as he reached for the door handle, the loudest, most unpleasant screech rang out behind him.


    "Jackson! There you are!! I see you have your swords!!"

 Chapter 46 (XLVI) The Friendly Spar - Part 1

    ?"Are you all set?" Viktoria asked as Jackson turned around with an annoying look spread across his face.


    "What are you doing here..?" Jackson asked, reluctantly departing the stoop as he slowly approached her; she threw her thumb behind her, pointing to a man in a suit running toward them.


    "Gabriel just came and got me! I saw you enter the za and wondered why you were acting so suspicious, so I decided toe and say ''hi!''" She smirked, resting both hands on her hips.


    "Ah! Mr. Seraphin! I was just looking for you; we have some important business to discuss on our way to the Training Grounds! Please, follow me!" Gabriel said, exhausted, as he leaned forward, resting his hands against his knees.


    "If I must..." Jackson sighed, ignoring the daggers ring into his back as he passed Viktoria, who followed and continued stabbing him. Gabriel huffed, standing up and quickly smoothing his disheveled appearance, and led Jackson toward the small coliseum ming Dawn utilized as a barracks, armory, and training grounds.


    Along the way, Gabriel exined what Jackson''s initial cut of the proceeds was, as well as the odds the house was using tonight, his cut of what the house makes, the rules of the Exhibition Match, "In addition, the winner will receive ast-minute prize from Ramus as the initial draw from the crowd was not as strong as we anticipated."


    ''I can''t believe this entire thing gained traction!'' Jacksonmented in his head, rolling his eyes. Viktoria paused her incessant ring and raised her finger to ask a question as Gabriel immediately turned around and pointed at her with a re, "It will remain a secret until it is awarded to the winner."


    She threw her hands up, immediately surrendering with an innocent smile, as he turned back around and continued, "If either of you even thinks of taking it a step too far, do not think we will not hesitate to immediately disqualify you and intervene. Just because there will not be a referee down there with you two doesn''t mean we do not have people in the stands."


    They entered through a back doorway into the coliseum as Gabriel finished his exnation, and Jackson nodded, "I understand and agree to the terms."


    "Me too!" Viktoria cheered, throwing her hand into the air and doing a small hop. Gabriel stopped at an intersection and pointed down opposite hallways, "You each take one hallway and prepare in the locker room at the end. When you hear your name called,e out into the coliseum. Got it?"


    Both nodded as he turned around and departed, while Viktoria looked Jackson once over and huffed before turning and leaving the young man alone; he sighed and shook his head, muttering to himself as he walked down the hallway.


    ***


    Gabriel quickly entered the Emperor''s Box, nodding to Ramus, who grinned from ear to ear as he turned around. He stepped onto the elevated tform in the coliseum and shouted loudly with a massive boom, "Ladies and Gentlemen!!!! ming Dawn is proud to wee you to our Coliseum Training Grounds!"


    The audience had been waiting eagerly for this moment, and they''d already spent hours watching a few sparring matches with training swords. They could finally see the headline fight! The packed stands erupted into an ear-shattering roar of excitement.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Tonight, we''ll be having an exhibition match between two of the most promising up-anding Climbers: Jackson Seraphin and Viktoria Snow!"


    The crowd roared once more as bothbatants entered the arena, ring at each other as they walked to the center and stood on opposite ends of the stadium, facing each other.


    "The only way to win is to force your opponent to say, ''I yield!'' Now, let''s get started!!"


    "Let''s go!" Viktoria yelled, charging forward, her rapier held high in front of her and her buckler tucked close to her hip. Jackson took a deep breath and focused on the two swords in his hand, then he charged forward as well.


    Viktoria swung her rapier diagonally upward, aiming for Jackson''s neck, but he easily dodged by stepping back and swinging his sword horizontally to block her attack. She twisted her body and shed sideways with her rapier, forcing Jackson to jump back to avoid getting hit.


    Jackson pulled his right foot back and jumped off the ground, lightning arcing from the soles of his ckbat boots,unching himself straight into the air. Viktoria spun around and thrust her rapier toward Jackson''s chest, but he used his momentum from jumping to swing his sword downward, blocking her attack.


    Viktoria rolled backward andnded on her feet, spinning around to sh her rapier toward Jackson''s legs. However, he simply leaped over her attack,nding on the ground behind her. She turned around and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying backward.


    Jackson backflipped through the air, quicklynding on his feet and rushing toward Viktoria, twirling his two swords around his body. She rapidly blocked his attack with her rapier and pushed him away with her buckler, causing him to stumble backward.


    "Hah!" Jacksonughed as he recovered his bnce and readied his swords. Viktoria lunged forward with her rapier, but he quickly sidestepped and swung his two swords in a circle around his body, deflecting her attack andunching her backward.


    As her boots skid against the dirt, her intricately designed buckler began frosting over as ice crystals formed around the edges, growingrger and crawling along the face of her shield. Viktoria quickly regained her footing andunched toward Jackson, ice gathering and spiraling around her rapier.


    As her rapier thrust toward the ground, Jackson rolled out of the way, arge cluster of ice spikes gathering at the epicenter. Lightning shot from his feet as heunched toward her, spinning in the air as she shed both swords horizontally.


    Viktoria pulled her rapier back, mming her buckler into the ground as a block of ice rose from the dirt between her, blocking Jackson''s attack as he sliced it in half, backflipping off the chunk, kicking violently,unching it at her.

 Chapter 47 (XLVII) The Friendly Spar - Part 2

    ?"As if that would work!" Viktoriaughed, flicking her wrist casually as the chunk of ice flying toward her erupted into a thousand snowkes and gathered around her weapon. She rushed toward Jackson, swinging her rapier around her.


    Lightning danced around his feet as he quickly avoided the spikes of ice that shot out from below him, jumping rapidly as she chased after him, leaping between the peaks of the points.


    She continued to swing her rapier around, the spikes behind her erupting and quickly gathering around her feet as an ice slide gathered under her and rapidly expanded toward him as Victoria shot forward along it, twirling as she approached him.


    Jackson quickly ducked under the de, which sliced through the air where his head had just been, stabbing both of his swords into the ground as he fluidly turned around and grabbed her wrist with his left hand, pulling her forward, and she mmed her rapier into the ground, creating arge crater.


    Jackson released his grip on her arm and quickly grabbed his left sword into the ground, using it as a pivot point to kick off the dirt, lighting dancing across his legs to spin and swing his right sword around and slice it across her back. Viktoria screamed as the tip of his de nked against the chainmail under her dress, stumbling forward and quickly regaining her posture.


    Jackson rapidly spun in the opposite direction, pulled his sword out of the ground, twirling them around his body, slicing the air with both swords as he rushed toward her. She deflected his attack with her buckler, and he immediately kicked her in the stomach, knocking her back and sending her rolling across the ground.


    "Yield!" Jackson chuckled as he ran toward her, twirling his two swords in a figure-eight pattern. She scrambled to her feet and charged forward, raising her rapier above her head.


    "No!!" Viktoria growled as ice began forming in the air above her, forming long shards of ice that shot toward Jackson, who quickly ducked under the attack and sliced his left sword, smashing the second sword into the ice and breaking it into pieces.


    Jackson swung his right sword to block her third attack as the ice shattered into tiny pieces. Viktoria snarled, flying through the destroyed ice shards as they rapidly gathered around her rapier, and the two des collided with a loud ng.


    He quickly pulled his right sword back and swung it in a horizontal arc, deflecting her attack and throwing her away.


    Viktoria grunted as she stumbled backward, the ice from her shield shattering as all the shards flew and struck her in the shoulder. She winced, and a small crack appeared on her buckler, and the ice grew longer, wrapping around her arm and encasing her entire arm gauntlet.


    "You''re not getting away from me!" Jackson roared as he charged forward, swinging his swords in a vast, vertical arc. Viktoria raised her frozen arm and blocked the attack, taking a step as she flung him through the air.


    She quickly stepped forward and stabbed her rapier into the ground as Jacksonnded on his feet, quickly turning around and grabbing his right sword, twirling it around and slicing the air as he charged forward.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Ice spiked rapidly shot and grew in size toward Jackson as he charged forward, and he jumped, avoiding the attack, and shed his left sword, cutting the ice into smaller chunks.


    Viktoria flipped her rapier around and smashed the ground with her frozen arm, and the ice spikes shot toward Jackson, but he quickly kicked off the ends, dodging to the side while he shed his left sword, severing the ice into tworge chunks.


    Viktoria quickly spun around and shed her rapier diagonally upward, but Jackson deflected her attack with his right sword, then pulled his left leg back and jumped off the ground,unching toward her.


    Viktoria spun around and shed her rapier horizontally, but Jackson jumped over the attack,nding behind her. She turned around and cut her de sideways, but he was already gone.


    Her eyes darted left and right, spinning around, looking for him before the shadow above her grew; she looked up as her eyes went wide and raised her left arm to block the attack. Jackson spun violently; his entire body was enveloped in purple lightning as he struck the massive block of ice.


    A shockwave shook from below Viktoria''s feet, kicking dust in all directions around the arena. She gritted her teeth as she gripped her rapier tightly, her right arm quickly encasing in a massive ice spear, jutting far behind her elbow as she raised it.


    Jackson''s eyes narrowed as he kicked off her frozen arm,nding and crossing his two swords high over his head, and blocked the massive spear, throwing her arm up.


    Viktoria pulled her arm back, and the spear broke apart, falling to the ground. She quickly pulled her right arm free of the ice, and her rapier shed as she thrust toward Jackson''s chest, but he easily parried the attack with his left sword.


    He pulled his right sword back and swung it down, striking the ground andunching arge chunk of ice toward her. She leaped backward as the ice crashed into the ground, splintering into dozens of ice shards, raising her rapier into the air as the fragments spun in the air, pointing toward Jackson.


    Jackson quickly pulled his right sword back and sliced it horizontally, deflecting the attack, and he promptly shed his left sword, Viktoria quickly spun, spinning her rapier around her, and the ice spikes shot toward Jackson, but he quickly swung his right de, slicing the ice into severalrge chunks.


    Viktoria quickly spun her rapier around and mmed the dirt with her frozen arm as ice spikes shot out of the ground toward Jackson, but he quickly kicked off the spikes, dodging to the side, and sliced his left sword destroying the shards flying toward him.

 Chapter 48 (XLVIII) Berserk

    ?"Surrender!!!" Viktoria yelled as she rushed forward, swinging her rapier through the air as she shed at Jackson, who deflected the attack with his left sword; then he kicked off the ground, jumping into the air, and swung his right de, shing the air and creating a shockwave that pushed her back.


    "Viktoria!! It''s over!!! Surrender!" Jackson shouted, lightning dancing around his body as he dashed around her, brief afterimages appearing continuously circling her wild swings.


    "Shut up!!!" Viktoria screamed as she shed her rapier in the opposite direction, but Jackson pulled his left sword back and shed the air, creating another shockwave that sent her reeling. Electricity crackled around his arms and legs as he vanished, blitzing her from every direction.


    "Surrender!!!" Jackson shouted angrily, a trio of his afterimages rushing toward her and vanishing as she swung her rapier horizontally.


    Viktoria thrust her rapier around her, unable tond an attack as Jackson shed the air repeatedly, creating shockwaves that smashed into her causing her to stumble with each hit.


    She quickly turned around and shed her rapier toward him, but his afterimage attempted to deflect it but vanished as he appeared behind her, cutting the air with his left sword, sending a shockwave that knocked her to her knees.


    "GRRRAAAAHHHH!!!!" She screamed in frustration, clouds quickly swirling above the arena as it started to snow violently in the coliseum. The ice encasing her left arm shattered as she dropped her rapier and buckler, screaming in anger once more, sending a shockwave that pushed Jackson and the dozen Burning Dawn Climbers who had leaped into the arena away, mming into the coliseum walls, cracks spiderwebbing around their bodies.


    A cyclone formed with Viktoria in the eye, the snow pelting her body and freezing as her body became encased in a massive frozen dragon with her body sleeping in the dragon''s chest.


    The dragon slowly rose into the air, its wings pping as it circled the arena, and the wind howled as it flew over the audience.


    "Shit!" Ramus shouted as he braced against the powerful winds, "Quick!!! Get the audience out of here!! Get all avable Climbers here NOW!! He shouted as two men ran down the stairs toplete his orders.


    He pulled off the decorative robes he was wearing over his armor and grabbed his massive greatsword, leaping through the air, swinging the sword vertically, mming against the back of the dragon, knocking it to the ground with a powerful strike.


    The dragon roared, and the ground beneath Viktoria rumbled, and she opened her mouth as a subzero beam of ice shot from her mouth toward Ramus.


    Ramus'' eyes widened, and he blocked with his sword, his eyes glowing red as his de burst into mes. The beam struck his greatsword, and the fire began freezing and falling to the ground as he roared loudly, the mes burning hotter and began pushing the freezing beam back.


    He spun during his descent, destroying the beam of ice andunching a gigantic shockwave of mes toward the dragon, hitting her in the head and causing a massive explosion, covering the entire coliseum in an enormous smokescreen.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What the hell was that?!" Jackson shouted as hended on his feet, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area.


    "Stay back!! She went berserk!" Ramusnded on his feet, his sword still aze, and he ced it on his shoulder, staring toward the colossal cloud of smoke; shes of red brightly illuminated from within, rapidly appearing and disappearing as the ck smoke billowed away.


    The dragon roared as the ice began shattering and falling to the ground, the wings, arms, and legs crushing under the weight of the ice, breaking the body as Viktoria fell to the ground, her limbs encased in ice as it slowly started growing along her body once more.


    Ramus dashed toward her, shing his sword across one of her frozen arms, breaking the ice and grabbing her arm, mming his de down into the ground next to both of them as the mes engulfed them both, melting the ice away as she slumped in his arms.


    Jackson watched the unconscious Viktoria from afar; his eyes narrowed as he focused on her face, thinking, ''So that was going berserk, huh..?''


    Losing oneself under the weight of their powers is not something most standard Climbers have to worry about as they are not utilizing Heirloom Abilities passed down through a family and honed through hundreds of generations.


    When a Climber goes berserk, the powers gained from their unique familial skillbooks overwhelm their senses and will take on a formmonly known with that family. Jackson recalled the words in his father''s journal and shuddered, hoping never to experience it firsthand.


    "Holy shit! I don''t know how Zaxocid is going to bounce back... Vayne... He... He lost it during a sparring match, and out of nowhere, he turned into this massive ck hydra and destroyed half of Edgetown!! After he woke up, he told me he went berserk because of his skills!


    What a great way to join Tetraktys!!! The Climber''s Associated banned us from the entire eastern continent!! We can''t even operate there anymore!! He says he will handle everything, but I need to find out... I may have to talk to some of the other council members and get this corrected before something worse happens.


    No one ever told me this! We lost half of the guild overnight, half of our ie, and I had to call in favors from everyone!! You must be careful at all times, Jax!! Never give into our family''s arts... I fear there might be noing back if we were to ever give into their powers."


    Momentster, Viktoria''s eyes shot open, and she quickly looked around, broke herself free, and raised her rapier toward Ramus; a look of confusion spread across her face, "W- Wh- What..? What happened???"


    "I''m sorry, Viktoria... You went berserk, and we had to intervene... You lost the exhibition match." Ramus exined, giving her a sympathetic look.

 Chapter 49 (XLIX) Victory

    ?Due to the emergence of the Berserk Climber, the audience had been evacuated, so the award ceremony was canceled. Viktoria had been resting in the medical wing of the coliseum, and Jackson was told to wait in one of the fancier locker rooms higher in the stadium.


    After a while ofying on a bench, staring at the ceiling, a member of ming Dawn arrived in their white uniform and cloak, escorted him through the stone hallways and up to the Emperor''s Box, which had cracks in the foundation from the force of Viktoria going berserk.


    "Congrattions on your victory!" Ramus said with a slight smile, turning to greet him, "I guess a win by disqualification isn''t as satisfying, but a win''s a win either way.


    You can go to any of the payout windows and collect your share. It''s all been set aside for you, including your reward for winning."


    "I''m just d this is over... I never wanted any trouble with Tetraktys..." Jackson sighed, shaking his head. Ramus frowned and looked at the ground.


    "Onest time, before you leave sa Port, would you reconsider joining ming Dawn?" He asked, staring into Jackson''s eyes with a fiery determination.


    "I can''t; I really am taking the Solo Route. Why are you guys so hell-bent on recruiting me??" Jackson asked, resting his hands on his hips as he stared at the bearded man.


    "Just trying to make life in The Tower easier... You''ll find out soon enough... See ya around, kid!" Ramus replied, patting Jackson''s shoulder as he passed by.


    Jackson turned, but Ramus was gone.


    He walked casually through the coliseum and quickly located one of the numerous booths stationed all over the exits that handled bets and payouts. He approached the woman dressed in a fine white cored shirt and ck vest with a red bow tie and ck skirt, introduced himself, and provided his Climber''s Card before she disappeared to collect his winnings.


    "Here you are! Your portion of the proceeds and your prize!" She eximed, handing him his Climber''s Card, which had been uploaded with the 250,000 Credits, before lifting a small cage covered with a sheet, "Please wait until you are alone before removing the sheet; if she imprints on someone else and not you, we are not held liable."


    "She..?" Jackson asked, taking his case containing his card and returning it to his pocket as he took the cage reluctantly.


    "The prize is a hatchling from a Beast Egg we obtained a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, there isn''t anyone within ming Dawnpatible to synchronize with her. Gabriel confirmed that both you and Viktoria werepatible, and she became the reward! We''ve had to hold off the imprinting process, so she''s be a little unruly... Anyways, have a great day!" She eximed, pping her hands together and smiling.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You too..." Jackson replied dumbfounded, carrying the cage as he exited the coliseum., and started wandering around sa Port, conflicted. He could already feel the ring eyes of the followers tailing him, hoping to steal the imprint off any fool who would risk it in broad daylight.


    ''I guess I''ll have to rent a room and do the imprinting before my appointment with The Jackal, there''s still a few hours until the meeting...'' Jackson thought as he looked around for an inn.


    He quickly spotted one nearby, walked toward its doors, and entered through therge front entranceway with many tables scattered throughout a spacious dining area with several private rooms leading down into each section and various bars lining either wall with two women dancing provocatively onstage. A bartender walked through the room, offering drinks to customers as patrons watched on with lustful looks.


    Jackson smiled as he stepped inside, ncing around the lively room as he walked toward the center counter where the innkeeper was rying orders to the dozen bartenders behind the counter as he shouted over the music, asking, "Excuse me, I''m looking for a room, how much is a night?"


    "For tonight? 5000 Credits. Includes free breakfast in the morning." She said curtly.


    Jackson nodded at her and ced the covered cage next to him on the counter while grabbing his Climber''s Card and paying the price as she smiled, "Perfect, you''re in room 304 up top, here''s your key." She reached for the key under the counter and slid it to him before she curtsied, leaving him.


    As soon as she left, an attractive woman approached, handing a menu containing food and drink selections for the evening, "The meals are 1,000 and drinks are 100, what''ll it be?"


    "Nothing for now; I''ll be backter tonight to eat!" Jackson replied, grabbing the key and the cage, turning to leave for the upper floors where the rooms were. He quickly found the staircase; it curved from the floor-to-ceiling with a single lightbulb illuminating each step so people could see when walking down the hallway upstairs towards their doors.


    As he passed by one of the doorways that opened onto the first level on the secondnding, he noticed something strange. His eyes widened briefly at the sight: a woman lying on the ground wearing only a bra and panties with someone licking away at her exposed chest before moving down between her thighs. She turned her head, winking at Jackson as she smiled, closing the door.


    His cheeks began to warm slightly as he continued up the staircase to the third floor. He walked down the hallway and located his room, which had an illuminated sign over it reading ''304'', opened the door and locked it behind him, and ced the cage on the bed beside the window facing out into the cityscape. Jackson walked around inside, looking at everything carefully.


    The windows faced eastward toward sa Port and gave him a clear view of the central za in the Castle District. Arge stone fountain upied most of the center area, surrounded by statues and flowers nted around it to give the impression of water.


    Numerous shops and bars lined both sides of the main roads, giving way to multiple smaller alleys between them. Many lights lined either side of these alleyways leading away from The Central Portal all through town.

 Chapter 50 (L) Pact

    ?The room was small for the price, but the quality of the room more than made up for it. Despite its small size, it felt spacious, with enough room to move about without bumping into anything. Two wooden chairs and a small table sat against one wall near the entranceway.


    Next to the massive windows overlooking the city, nestled in the corner, was a nightstand beside the bed at the back of the room,plete with its own bathroom attached.


    An adjustable showerhead rested over a jacuzzi-sized bathtub that looked big enough to fit a couplefortably. To get the hot water, you used a button next to the sink in the corner of the room where the washcloths and towels were hanging alongside basic toiletries: shampoo and soap.


    Jackson turned around and stared at the sheet-covered cage, taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling before he walked over and grabbed the top of the sheet. After slightly tugging the center of the fabric and gently lifting the sheet off, his eyes widened when they beheld an adorable little Winged Snowdrift Panther cub staring out at him innocently. She had bright blue eyes and pure white fur except for spots on her ears and along her chest and belly, which were covered by shades of light grey patches with small pure white wings protruding behind her shoulders.


    Her tiny paws reached towards him curiously, her long tail twitching in the air behind. Her sharp ws could have easily torn Jackson''s arm if she wanted to. He smiled softly as he crouched down, reaching his hand into the cage and stroking her head with his fingers, rubbing the soft hair that stuck straight up between each finger; it seemed like cotton candy.


    This caused Khione to purr loudly, nuzzling them happily. It sounded almost like an owl, although more profound than any bird or bat could ever make their ''hoot,'' making her seem even cuter. Jackson leaned forward slowly until he sat cross-legged on the bed, opening the cage as she slowly ventured out onto the bed in front of her, still petting her.


    "Hey there, cutie!" He cooed as she began chewing on his thumb. He chuckled softly as he removed his jacket and shirt, revealing his muscr physique underneath the ck bodysuit. The young man gently ced his fingers under her head and lifted her chin. She looked back at him with wide blue eyes as the system chimed, and a window appeared before him:


    [Please submit name:]


    Jackson stroked his chin while thinking of names as he smiled at the small cub, "Kh... ee-on." He muttered while nodding his head repeatedly before he typed "Khione," causing the window to disappear and another to pop open:


    [She will now be known as Kione.]


    The system confirmed the new name and continued:


    [Begining the Synchronization Process...]


    [Please Wait...]]


    A white circle with a ck line within it floated around Jackson while the little girl rubbed against his leg curiously, looking up at him expectantly. Khione crawled toward him and pressed her face right through the system''s window, leaving only its outline behind. Her tiny mouth was visible inside the screen for a moment as she opened and closed rapidly several times; the windows disappeared as bright lights flew from her blue eyes into his bright green eyes.


    Khione started disappearing as glowing threads flew from her and jumped out along Jackson''s left shoulder, his bodysuit being temporarily removed by the system. It stretched from where his bicep and corbone meet his shoulder down his back to his scap.


    Bold lines seared into his skin with vibrant colors and deep cks, resembling a leopard with sharp ws on big paws, a long tail, muscr hindquarters, and strong chest muscles underneath a thick white pelt with grey spots,rge white feathered wings covered part of the leopard''s back.


    Jackson winced in pain, gritting his teeth, before sighing in relief as the searing pain finally subsided, followed by a notification appearing:


    [Synchronization Completion!]


    [Khione is now listed as a Spirit Beast. You may now Call her.]


    ''Khione!'' Jackson thought after dismissing the notifications as his snow leopard tattoo lost all vibrancy and faded as the image slowly changed until Khione was sitting on top of him, gazing upon him with bright blue eyes as she purred quietly.


    A single paw reached up, brushing against Jackson''s cheek affectionately before she walked back to sit next to his head and continued chewing away at his thumb again. She looked almost like a plushie toy rather than a real pet, cute enough to make someone want to pick one up if they weren''t told otherwise.


    He continued to pet her with one hand as she chewed on his other, bringing up her status screen:


    [Name: Khione]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Species: Winged Snowdrift Panther]


    [Spirit Rank: Queen (Evolvable)]


    [Spirit Trait: Inspire Loyalty]


    [Spirit Level: 2]


    [Affinity: Ice]


    [Power: 17]


    [Perception: 19]


    [Stamina: 18]


    [Speed: 21]


    [Instinct: 30]


    [Avable Points: 0]


    [Spirit Artes: None Registered]


    Beast Spirits were categorized into five tiers: the weakest, Duke/Duchess, Prince /Princess, King/Queen, Emperor/Empress, and finally, the strongest, God/Goddess. ''Not a bad rank for my first pact, and she can increase her rank!'' Jackson thought as he smiled down at Khione, stroking her softly.


    Some Beast Spirits are capable of increasing their rank to the next tier, but not every beast is guaranteed one, and only their potential can determine if they can break through to a higher ss.


    Jackson inspected her Spirit Trait as another window appeared:


    [Spirit Trait: Inspire Loyalty]


    [Khione''s presence alone is enough to increase the morale of herpanions.]


    [Rank: 1/5]


    [ While summoned, all allies, including her, receive a 25% increase in all base stats. For each partner buffed in this manner, opponents suffer a 5% decrease in all stats. Each rank increases the power of the buff and debuff.]


    Spirit Beasts did not start with any Spirit Artes, but they developed new abilities that suited theirbat style as they grew more powerful. However the Climber utilized them inbat and allocated their points would determine how they would grow.


    "She''d be really powerful if I was part of a Guild... Her affinity must have been the reason ming Dawn didn''t form a pact her... If Viktoria ever found out I received her... She''d probably flip out even worse..." Jackson muttered to himself, shuddering at the thought of her reaction.

 Chapter 51 (LI) The Jackal

    ?"AHHCHOO!!!" Victoria eximed, rubbing her nose and sniffing as shey in a medical bed covered in bandages.


    "Is there a draft Ms. Snow? Would you like me to close the window?" A ming Dawn nurse eximed as she frantically rushed over, reaching out as Viktoria pped her hands away.


    "I''m fine! Get off me!!" She shouted, causing the nurse to flinch before returning to her post as Viktoria turned her head, staring out the window.


    ***


    "Okay, Khione, Return!" Jackson ordered, exiting the bathroom wearing only a towel as the kitten mewed, leaping off the bed into the air and vanishing before his tattoo regained its vibrancy; he returned the bodysuit and got dressed, leaving his hotel room and departing the massive inn.


    He turned toward the za, heading toward the meeting''s location with The Jackal. He passed through the main gate of the city''s walls and stepped along the cobblestone road leading down from the castle district until he arrived at an area where many shops lined both sides of the street.


    No signs indicated what kind of business these ces offered, but each storefront sold random sorts of goods. One shop sold leather armor; another, swords made of steel or silver. Another ce seemed to sell nothing more than foodstuffs, while another disyed various clothing for men and women alike.


    He passed by all of these, heading for the stoop of a high-end residential building where Viktoria had stopped him earlier. It looked like any other apartmentplex on the outside, so it wasn''t easy to tell that this particr home belonged to one of the most notorious people in The Tower.


    He knocked twice and waited. After about five minutes, the door opened slowly. Standing inside were two figures: one tall and thin, the other short and stout. They wore matching ck suits¡ªthe taller man''s suit coat open, revealing a white shirt underneath, while the shorter figure wore a long, dark gray trench coat. Both their faces bore expressions of extreme displeasure.


    Jackson ignored their looks, stepping forward between them and entering the house without being invited. Once inside, they followed behind him silently. There was scarcely any furniture except for somerge cushions around the floor. In front of those sat three seats facing each other across a low table.


    The taller man moved first, brushing past Jackson''s shoulder as he approached the back of the room, leaning back against the wall next to the door. The man''s eyes never left him as the short man brushed past his shoulder, took up position opposite his friend, and knocked on the door twice.


    After several seconds, someone else entered the room. This person walked up to Jackson and said, "You''rete."


    It was none other than The Jackal, Victor Dalton himself, who stood eye to eye with Jackson despite having been born decadester. His face was still young, but his body showed signs of age under his clothes.


    "Sorry," Jackson replied simply, "I was held up by personal matters."


    Victor nodded once, then motioned him to sit down, "So, what is your name again? I can''t remember ever seeing you here before today."


    "My name is Jackson... but everyone calls me Jax." He replied, taking a seat and sitting cross-legged on one of the cushions.


    "Very well, Jax. You are aware why we have called you here today, yes?" Victor asked, turning his attention to the short man standing beside him, holding a cigar and snapping his fingers.


    The short man sprang into action, pulling out a match and the lighting end of the cigar for his boss, who drew deeply, inhaling deep enough to make his chest puff outward slightly as Jackson replied to his back, "Yes, I''m here to request passage to the Sixth Floor."


    "Ah, yes, that''s right, I remember now. Tetraktys wanted you, the ''Solo Climber''..." Victor muttered quietly, exhaling smoke as he sat across from Jackson, ring into his eyes.


    "That''s correct. If possible, please allow me to progress on to the sixth floor." Jackson requested politely.


    "Hmmm, how interesting. Well, let me think about it. How much are you offering?" Victor asked, blowing out another cloud of smoke.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, if you want my help, I''ll need something in return. What will you give me?"


    "What could I possibly offer you?" Jackson wondered aloud.


    "Well, you must know that The Tower has certain rules regarding visitors. As far as I am concerned, you may pass freely through the portal, but s it''s not up to me."


    "Tribute...?" Jackson repeated.


    "Yes, exactly. That means you bring things to us. Weapons, items, anything valuable. And every time you visit, you may be provided with a task toplete. Do you understand?" The Jackal exined bluntly.


    "No, not really..." Jackson admitted.


    "Don''t worry about it too much, we''ll ask you to collect something from this guy, deliver something to that guy, rough up someone who isn''t following the rules, stuff like that!" Victor suggested, waving his hand dismissively.


    "What if I decline?" Jackson inquired doubtfully.


    "Then you won''t get permission to ascend to the sixth floor. But don''t feel bad about it. Most people refuse. Those whoe back empty-handed after refusing usually regret it very quickly, but you don''t look like that kind of guy, am I right?"


    "No, sir." Jackson answered honestly.


    "Good. Then there should be no problem. Now, I''ve already heard everything from Tetraktys, so you might as well tell me yourself. Why did you decide to climb to the top of The Tower alone?"


    "I thought I''d try doing it myself. To prove that I could do it better than anyone else."


    "Why?"


    "Because I wanted to be stronger."


    "Huh, sounds pretty selfish to me, but whatever, you''re life kid." Victor shrugged, shaking his head, "What do you have for tribute?"


    "Tch!" Jackson clicked his tongue, "I have credits and two basic swords, nothing else of value to offer."


    "Now, I find that hard to believe! Whatever, it''s 100k to buy a ticket." The Jackal squinted his eyes, ring at him, smoke floating out of his mouth.


    "100k!?!" Jackson eximed, "No Climber is going to have that kind of cash on the fifth floor!"


    "Good thing you''re not a normal Climber, now, isn''t it?" The Jackal smirked as Jackson gritted his teeth together, handing over the credits reluctantly.

 Chapter 52 (LII) The Sixth Floor

    ?"I knew you were holding out on me!" Victorughed, reaching into his pocket, pulling out a device, and pressing it against Jackson''s Climber Case as it automatically deducted the 100,000 credits from his bnce, "There''s no way a newbie would have this much money. How''d you get it?" Victor mused, staring at the disy screen.


    "Where''s the portal?" Jackson asked coldly, ignoring The Jackal''s jabs, trying to remain calm.


    "You''re no fun!" Victorughed again, sliding a folded piece of paper on it, "It''s in the basement of this building." Pointing behind him as he stared at the young man before pointing toward the note, "They''ll show you where the elevator is. That''s the code for the elevator."


    Jackson reached forward, grabbing the paper, when The Jackal''s hand pped the table, "That''s a nice shop you have in Duskgate, I''ll send one of my men over there when I need to speak with you."


    Jackson''s eyes narrowed as they filled with rage as Victorughed once more and removed his hand,ughing as the younger man stood and turned to leave.


    The two men followed him down the stairs and through the apartmentplex before stopping at an intersection and pointed down a hallway with the elevator at the end before he left and returned to the inn alone.


    He grabbed a meal and drink from the bar and headed for his room, where he sat on the bed, calling forth Khione. The kitten appeared instantly and jumped onto hisp, purring loudly, her furry body curling into a ball in hisp as he stroked her softly.


    "Time to finally leave for the sixth floor..." Jackson muttered under his breath, gazing out of the window at the night sky before carefully cing Khione on a pillow, "Stay here, I''ll be back soon."


    Khione gave him a sleepy-eyed nce, mewing softly before closing her eyes and falling asleep. He put on his shoes and left the inn, returning to Duskgate.


    ***


    The following day, Jackson awoke with Khione asleep on his head, cuddled against his pillow. Dawn was just breaking over sa Port, the sun''s rays shining through the window, illuminating the small bedroom.


    "How does anyone ever get used to this time dtion?" He yawned, rubbing his eyes. When he returned to Duskgatest night, the sun was just rising and up when he returned to the pitch darkness of the night of sa Port.


    He would be gone for a long time and needed to make sure that everyone had their tasks and goals, and preparations to set in motion for when he would next be able to return to Duskgate.


    "Mew!!" The kitten stirred, then jumped off his head and hopped onto the bed, stretching and yawning as she woke up. She stretched again, arching her back and opening her wings, pping them rapidly.


    Jackson chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck gently, "Good morning to you too!"


    He got up and walked to the bathroom, where he took a quick shower and washed his hair. Once he was done, he returned Khione to his body before getting dressed and went downstairs to the dining room, where he ate theplimentary breakfast and checked out at the front desk.


    He only had one thought on his mind as he returned to the apartments from the day before, entering and walking through the long hallways before locating the elevator. He approached, opened the note Victor gave him, and entered the code onto the keypad.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The doors slid open, and he stepped inside. He pressed the only button on the panel and waited patiently as the elevator descended deep underneath sa Port. The floors were made of metal and could withstand a lot of weight.


    "How did Climbers even build all this..?" Jackson muttered to himself as he looked around the interior of the elevator. After several minutes, it stopped, and the doors opened, revealing a long, dimly lit corridor. The walls were lined with torches, giving the ce a rather eerie atmosphere.


    "Hello? Anyone here?" Jackson called, looking around the area. There was no response, so he continued deeper into the tunnel, which eventually came to an end.


    The wall ahead of him slowly rose, bing arge door covered with runes. The entire surface glowed faintly as he approached; stepping through the frame, a notification appeared in front of him:


    [Modified Challenge Completed!]


    [You''ve located The Syndicate and peeked behind the curtains of the three major powers at y within God''s Towers! Keep your friends close and your enemies closer as you continue to climb The Tower! Hopefully, you''ve learned a lesson or two and are better prepared for the floors ahead...]


    [Reward: 5/10 Modified Challenges Completed! Complete all ten to receive the reward!]


    Jackson dismissed the windows and stepped into the dark room, the only illuminationing from the rotating yellow portal in the center of the room. It spun quickly, emitting a bright light that pulsated, increasing and decreasing the amount of light giving off.


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing himself for the next floor before he opened them and stepped through, reaching the next floor as he arrived on a massive ind withrge beaches along the coast and a gigantic jungle covering the rest of the sixth floor.


    Jackson looked around the beach, taking a few steps away from the portal, when a voice boomed from above, causing him to jump slightly.


    "About time you made it! I was starting to get a little bored with you!" Elissa joked, floating on her stomach behind him in the air as she rested her chin against her hands and kicked her feet back and forth above her.


    "I''m not here for your amusement." Jackson replied, turning back toward the jungle and ignoring the Floor Guardian.


    "I mean... Technically you are!" Elissaughed, rolling through the air as she clutched her stomach before floating down next to him, "Anyways, why didn''t you just kill The Jackal and go through the portal? You didn''t need to waste your time doing all that tedious stuff!"


    "Where''s my challenge?" Jackson asked, annoyed, walking casually through the jungle as she floated alongside him.


    "It''s being prepared! You''ll receive it soon enough! I''m not here for that! The other Guardians and I were quite impressed by that little Exhibition Match you humans cooked together! It was quite the spectacle and since we all enjoyed ourselves so much, we got you something!" Elissa exined excitedly as they passed through a thicket of trees.

 Chapter 53 (LIII) The Pill

    ?"I don''t want it..." Jackson said tly.


    "Oh,e on, it''s a gift; what''s the harm? I can''t believe you''re acting like this after everything!" Elissa eximed, throwing her arms out, trying to draw his attention.


    "What do you expect me to say? Nothing you Guardians do is ever out of the kindness of your heart." He replied, ignoring her as he continued to walk through the jungle.


    "Oh,e on, you know we''re not bad people!"


    "I don''t care. I can''t trust a single word out of your mouth." Jackson turned to face the floor guardian, "So unless you have any further business with me, I''d appreciate it if you left."


    "Fine, fine, but you''re missing out!"


    "I doubt it." Jackson turned and kept moving, leaving the floor guardian to float in the distance.


    "Well, you''re gonna miss out on this!"


    "What is it?" Jackson asked, stopping in his tracks as he heard a loud crashing sound behind him.


    "It''s a present for you, silly human!"


    Jackson rolled his eyes and sighed, "What is it?" He asked again, growing impatient.


    "It''s a surprise, but I''ll give it to you anyway." The floor guardian giggled, "Just follow me."


    She flew past him, floating down the path and over to a clearing where a small wooden box was resting on a stone b. She turned around and threw her arms out, presenting it to Jackson with arge grin, "Ta-da!!!!"


    He shook his head, sighing as he approached the small box. The lid was carved with intricate, beautiful flowers blossoming. He leaned over, picked up the box, and ran his fingers along the wood, feeling the smoothness of the carving.


    "Don''t break it," Elissa warned as he lifted the top of the box to see a small ck sphere inside.


    "What in the world is this?" He wondered, lifting the object out of its container and examining it closely.


    "It''s a very rare item; it''s known as a Growth Pill."


    "A growth pill!!?" Jackson repeated, holding the small orb between his thumb and forefinger, "Why would the Guardians want me to have this?"


    "I knew you would buy one here soon; otherwise, why would you have bought the Ho''Kikomo Fruit?" Elissa questioned, staring at him with sparkling eyes and a bright smile as Jackson red at her.


    "What''s the catch..?"


    "No catches, no tricks. Just take it and use it soon. Your fruit only has a few more days until it''s ripe; if you wait too long after that, you''ll miss your chance, and you''ll have to get another."


    "Fine..." Jackson agreed, cing the tiny ball in his pocket before turning to leave.


    "A little appreciation wouldn''t hurt!" Elissa chided, leaning forward as she floated in the air, pulling her eyelid down with her finger and sticking her tongue at him.


    "I already told you, I don''t owe you anything!"


    "You sure about that?"


    Jackson stopped and turned, looking up at the floor guardian, who was smiling at him.


    "I''ll be waiting." She winked as a portal appeared around her, slowly disappearing with a grin, "And I''ll be watching how well you handle it, don''t disappoint!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson stared nkly as the floor guardian disappeared, "..."


    He continued to stare into space, lost in thought, before finally shaking himself out of the trance, cing the pill in his Gobbii Bag, and looking around the clearing.


    ''This isn''t that bad a spot, actually¡­'' Jackson thought, looking around before nodding and calling out to Khione.


    He set the tent, lit a fire, and sat down, taking a sip from a canteen filled with water and eating a piece of dried meat and giving some to the kitten, who gobbled it up and ran inside the tent and started cleaning herself.


    He stood, stretching before consulting his minimap for a water source. After a bit of searching, he found one and headed through the jungle to it.


    He knelt next to the stream and scooped some of the clear, cold liquid into his canteen, filling it halfway before filling arge pot from the running water. He then carried it back to his camp, setting the pot on a tripod, and stoked the fire under it.


    After a while, the pot began boiling, and he added the contents of his pack, including vegetables he had collected from previous floors.


    While his stew slowly cooked, Jackson grabbed his swords and began practicing the techniques described in the ''Swift Phantom of the Twin Moon Assassin'' Skillbook.


    He started with the basic attack, a powerful downward strike with both des. After a few dozen attempts, he felt confident enough to move on and attempt the next skill.


    The technique was a series of quick shes, each ending with a thrust.


    His swordy was precise, fluid, and fast, making him look almost like a blur as he moved through the forms. His movements were so graceful that they seemed to defy physics.


    After a half hour of practice, he took a moment to stretch, seeing the shing notification and opening it:


    [New Martial Artes Detected!]


    [Creating New Martial Arte Skill: Swift Phantom of the Twin Moon Assassin]


    [Rank: S]


    [Mastery: 1%]


    [Type: Twin des]


    [A Martial Arte utilizing two swords that canbine and transition fluidly between a deadly broad sweeping movements and a flurry of rapid attacks.]


    He dismissed the notifications smiling, choosing to begin practicing abilities from the ''Timeless Rage of the Meteor Behemoth'' Skillbook.


    Unlike practicing with his weapons or the WarFrame, the Meteor Behemoth Skillbook required Jackson to meditate and look within himself.


    He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, slowing his heart rate and calming his mind. He tried to find the center of his being, the part of him that was not afraid, angry, sad, happy, excited, anxious, or any other emotion.


    He let go of all of those feelings, and eventually, he reached a calm ce. He opened his eyes and gasped, looking around at the familiar grotto from his childhood, and saw the familiar blue sky above him and the sun shining brightly.


    He was in the middle of a clearing in front of his grandmother''s rock and looked around in amazement; he could feel the grass beneath his feet, the wind blowing against his skin, and the warmth of the sunlight.


    In the distance, he heard the sound of a bird chirping and the rustle of leaves as a breeze blew through the trees.


    "JACKSON!!!" A young voice shouted behind him, startling him.

 Chapter 54 (LIV) Exploration

    ?Jackson gasped as his eyes widened, grabbing his chest as he leaned forward, breathing heavily. Khione mewed softly, leaning forward on his knee as she tilted her head, staring at him.


    Jackson looked down at her standing on his leg, smiling softly as he held his hand out, rubbing her ears and petting her head.


    She mewed at him once more before returning to the tent and lying at the entrance, watching Jackson as he took a deep breath, letting the sensation of his surroundings sink in.


    He returned to his training, beginning with the first ability, a simple movement of his wrists and fingers. He focused on a pebble in the distance, hoping it would rise off the ground and hover in the air.


    After another half hour of training, Jackson sighed, drenched in sweat, pulling the notifications up and nodding in approvement:


    [New Martial Artes Detected!]


    [Creating New Martial Arte Skill: Timeless Rage of the Meteor Behemoth]


    [Rank: S]


    [Mastery: 3%]


    [Type: Armour]


    [A Martial Arte focused on expanding the limitations of the user. A central focus on increasing the body''s durability and unleashing an explosive counterattack.]


    ''Whatever that was, it definitely has to be important if it gained 3% when I only gained 1% for the other in the same amount of time!'' Jackson thought and then went back to cooking dinner.


    Once the food was ready, Jackson pulled the pot off the mes and ced the stew inside a y bowl, adding several pieces of bread to the mix before pouring a bowl for Khione.


    She quickly scarfed down her meal and licked her lips clean before curling up in the corner of the tent and closing her eyes.


    Jackson finished his own meal and cleaned the dishes before putting them away and settling down inside the tent. He turned to face the entrance, where he noticed Khione sitting with her head raised slightly, looking at him.


    She meowed at him again before turning over and falling asleep. He smiled at her before lying down to rest.


    The next day, he woke up early and gathered his equipment, deciding to explore the ind.


    He walked out of the tent as Khione followed him sluggishly, stretching with each step. He stopped as he exited, opening the notification that had arrived in his sleep:


    [Modified Sixth Floor Challenge]


    [The sixth floor is now open for business, but you will need to prove your strength before you are allowed to leave La Sexta I. The challenge is a test of endurance, requiring you to survive!]


    [Time Remaining: 6:17:48:23]


    "A week?!?" Jackson eximed, falling to his knees in disbelief, "I won''t be able to go home for at least a month¡­"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Mew..?" Khione questioned, looking up at him curiously while her master''s jaw hung open, stunned at the window.


    He shook himself and stood up, regaining hisposure as he started to look on the bright side of things; first, he would have time to practice all his skills and increase their mastery.


    Secondly, he could consume the Fruit and Growth Pill to increase his overall physique and improve his fitness.


    Third, and what Jackson was most excited about, was Orzas''s Dragon Egg was close to hatching, and he was going to be alone when the Spirit Beast hatched from the mythical egg.


    He couldn''t wait to see the creature hatch; he was sure it would be amazing, and he was determined to be the one to witness it.


    He shook his head, trying to shake the thoughts of how long he would be gone, and instead, focusing on how much he would improve.


    He picked up the Gobbii Bag and strapped it across his chest before heading out of the camp, tapping his thigh as Khione ran to catch up, following obediently.


    He made his way across the ind, taking note of the nts and animals he passed, where to set traps, and where to forage.


    He came upon arge pond and decided to stop there to fill his canteen before continuing on when Khione approached and began drinking.


    After a few hours of walking and exploring, he found a cave, which he entered, finding a small room with a stone pedestal in the center with a pile of bones, leaves, and some scraps of leather collected into a pile beyond the pedestal, a tunnel leading deeper into the cave.


    Antern was hanging from the ceiling, dimly lighting the small room as Jackson inspected the pedestal as Khione yed in the pile of leaves.


    He inspected every inch of the strange object but couldn''t trigger anything or budge it from its position.


    He sat on the floor and rested for a moment, unable to find anything of note, taking a drink from the canteen and sharing a piece of dried meat with the kitten.


    As he ate, he checked the minimap for any enemies nearby, noting that the only thing within a few kilometers of him was a singr dot roaming the jungle.


    He stood and stretched, exploring the tunnels deeper, finding himself in arge cavern with ake filling nearly three-quarters of the room.


    Near the wall was a pile of leaves collected and built into a small nest. Khione bolted for the stack and pounced into it, rummaging through it wildly, throwing leaves into the air as Jackson smiled at her, kneeling and muttering, "Whoever was here must be long gone by now¡­"


    Jackson stood, approaching theke as Khione popped her head up from the leaves, snickering as she watched him dip his fingers into the water and taste it, "BLECH!!"


    Theke''s saltiness was overwhelming as he frantically reached for his canteen and took arge swig, swirling the water around his mouth and spitting it out.


    "Must connect to the ocean¡­" Jackson muttered, standing up, looking around the chamber, turning around as Khione started to leave, and following her through the tunnels until they finally emerged back to the forest.


    He was surprised that they had nearly wandered around the entire ind without realizing it and were quite close to the camp.


    He was about to turn around and go back when he heard the sound of a twig snapping behind him.

 Chapter 55 (LV) Not Alone

    ?He spun around, drawing his swords and raising them to guard, his eyes darting around the area, searching for any threats.


    Khione growled and hissed at something in the distance, arcing her back, hair standing on end.


    He saw nothing, but he knew that something was near, so he continued to listen, waiting for any other sounds.


    After a minute, he consulted his minimap, seeing the dot running away from his position. He rxed and lowered his weapons, sighing softly as Khione looked up at him, meowing loudly.


    "Yeah¡­ We should go check it out¡­" Jackson nodded at her before the duo walked through the trees, following the dot.


    They traveled for a short time beforeing out onto a cliff overlooking a river that flowed into the ocean.


    In the distance, Jackson could hear the rushing of the water as a shadow moved far below, on the opposite bank, disappearing into the jungle as Khione snarled at it, growling.


    "Let''s go!" Jackson said as the pair jumped off the cliff. Khione flew toward his shoulder, digging her ws into his jacket as she hung against his back.


    Lightning cracked around his feet as he grinned, digging his feet into the sloping cliffside as hended, sliding down and kicking a dirt trail into the air behind him.


    As they approached the ground, his entire body was enveloped in purple lightning as he crouched, leaping off the cliffside.


    A purple bolt of lightning danced through the air over the river, crashing onto the riverbank as Khione leaped off his shoulder and ran into the underbrush.


    Jackson bolted through the trees, chasing after her as they ran after the dot on his minimap.


    The sound of cracking branches filled the air, and Jackson cursed at the noise, ncing back at the sound only to see a tree falling to the ground, blocking his path.


    He gritted his teeth and turned back, charging forward, jumping over the fallen trunk,nding on another branch, and climbing higher, pushing through the foliage.


    Jackson looked up and smiled, spotting Khione standing on a branch above him. She meowed at him and then looked back to the ground, her tail flicking in agitation.


    Jackson darted forward as she leaped down, running after him. She mewed again, looking up at him, and then turned to face the direction of the dot.


    It had stopped moving hardly a kilometer away, and the pair rushed toward it.


    As they closed the distance, the dot vanished, "What the..?" Jackson muttered in confusion, rushing through the trees into a clearing.


    He stopped and scanned the area, seeing a dead wolf lying motionless. He looked down and noticed the grass was ttened as if someone had run across the field.


    He knelt down and touched the earth with his hand, feeling the coolness of the soil and the warmth of the sun.


    He stepped closer to the corpse, inspecting it, and noticed the fur around its neck was matted and stained. He pulled at it, revealing a gaping gash across the neck of the animal, oozing blood.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He nced at the wound, noticing the flesh was torn as if it had been shed open, and the skin had peeled back in a wide arc, exposing the bone.


    He examined the body, examining the wounds, and he felt a chill as he realized that this was not the work of a beast.


    He stood up, wiping his hands on his pants and scanning the area again, searching for a set of footprints, but there were none besides the trampled grass leading to the wolf.


    "The hell..?" Jackson muttered, furrowing his brow as he looked around the clearing.


    He sighed in frustration and shook his head, turning to leave, Khione trotting along next to him.


    They returned to camp, where the familiar sight of the campfire greeted them.


    He sat next to the fire, pulling a piece of meat from the pot to eat as Khione curled up next to him, purring contentedly as he stroked her.


    "We''re not alone, Khione¡­ I don''t know where they went or how they did it, but another beast couldn''t have done that." Jackson said, finishing his meal and tossing the bones aside.


    He stood and stretched, building a couple of traps around the camp''s perimeter, setting them to trip any intruders who tried to sneak up on them while they slept.


    He gathered more of the jungle vines and sturdy sticks nearby, building noose traps and returning to the previously noted locations and cing traps there as well, for a source of meat.


    He returned to the camp as the sun was starting to set over the horizon, watching the orange light fade, smiling at Khione curled up on his bedroll.


    He spent the next few hours practicing both of his new Skillbooks next to the fire, taking notes and experimenting with differentbinations of skills.


    He was still working with his swordy and was trying to perfect his technique atbining the two des at the hilt, but not using the Twin Moons made it awkward.


    He also was trying to find a bnce between attack and defense, trying to find a middle ground that would allow him to be able to defend himself while striking an enemy with enough force to cause damage.


    He was trying to find a rhythm with his breathing that would make it easier to concentrate, trying to find a pattern that would keep him calm and focused.


    So began his repetitive schedule of waking in the morning and checking the traps with Khione, letting her kill the tiny creatures and allowing her to gain experience.


    Training from sunrise to sunset and remaining vignt in monitoring his minimap, but the mysterious figure never returned.


    On the morning of the third day, he awoke and grinned as a delicious aroma drifted from his Gobbii Bag in the corner of the tent.


    Khione rapidly paced back and forth next to it, meowing and trying to get inside. Jackson''s mouth drooled as he knelt next to the bag, brushing her out of the way, opening the pack as the aroma burst forth.

 Chapter 56 (LVI) HoKikomo Fruit

    ?"Woah¡­" Jackson murmured, inhaling deeply as the aroma from the Ho''Kikomo Fruit as he pulled it out of the Gobbii Bag.


    Therge basketball-sized fruit glowed golden as the aroma flowed off it; the scent was sweet and tangy, like abination of pineapple and mango.


    The fruit swirled with long lines creating the illusion of waves of water, looking almost as though it was carved from marble.


    The rind was smooth and green, and it was covered with tiny bumps resembling the scales of a fish.


    The smell was intoxicating, and Jackson was tempted to immediately take a bite and let it melt on his tongue, grinning wide, "It''s finally ready!"


    He reached into the bag and pulled out the Growth Pill, holding both objects in his hands as he stared between the two.


    The Ho''Kikomo Fruit used to be quitemon and could be found on nearly any floor, but after centuries they had be scarce.


    It provided an unbelievable amount of energy when consumed, increasing every aspect of the Climber, but the effects were temporary.


    Climbers used to consume them haphazardly to clear challenging floor bosses until they learned of the effects of the Growth Pill.


    The Growth Pill, when consumed, would open the channels within a Climber''s body and allow them to collect the energy in the air over a short period of time.


    When consumed together, the Ho''Kikomo Fruit and Growth Pill would rapidly take in energy and increase the Climber''s attributes explosively.


    His father had warned him about both items in the journal, urging him to consume the fruit earlier thanter.


    Jackson initially intended to purchase the pill when he started on the tenth floor and consume them both before engaging with the Floor Boss to gather the most energy, but the modified challenges had thrown a wrench in that n.


    Khione meowed as she sniffed the air, walking around Jackson, rubbing against his legs as he held the fruit in his hand.


    She was bing increasingly impatient, meowing loudly as she padded around him, her tail swishing back and forth.


    Jackson grinned at her, then turned his attention to the fruit, hefting it in his right hand, admiring its beauty, and standing up.


    Khione began circling around and between his legs as he walked out of the tent. He stopped, popping his head back into the tent and looking back at her, waving his hand, giving her the signal to stay.


    She meowed at him, her tail twitching, rapidly shuffling her feet as she looked at him.


    He grinned at her and waved his hand again, pointing at her as he walked away. She meowed, and her ears perked up, listening to his footsteps as they faded into the distance.


    Jackson walked through the jungle, keeping his eyes maintained on his minimap as he approached a freshwaterke he discovered during his exploration of the ind.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The water glistened in the morning sunlight as birds chirped overhead, darting through the trees.


    He walked toward the shore of theke, his boots sinking into the soft mud as he continued to walk toward theke''s center.


    The water wasn''t very deep, stopping just below his waist, but it was crystal clear as he looked down, seeing the reflection of the trees and the sky above.


    He stepped forward onto the muddy bank, feeling it squish under his feet as he approached the center of theke.


    He stopped, kneeling and taking a deep breath, not excited about what was about to happen; his father wouldn''t have given him such detailed instructions if it wasn''t crucial.


    He stared at the fruit in his right hand and back to the pill in his left, slowly raising the Growth Pill to his mouth and throwing it in.


    He rolled the hard round gumball around his mouth before cracking it open between his teeth. The bitter taste of the medicine filled his mouth, and he swallowed it, grimacing as it hit the back of his throat.


    He felt a tingle in his chest as the liquid traveled through him, spreading throughout his body in a matter of seconds. He felt a sudden rush of heat, and his heart began beating faster, his skin flushed, his muscles tensed, and his vision blurred.


    His hands shook as he stared at the fruit in his hand, his vision showing a cluster of hands holding fruits.


    He felt a sharp pain in his stomach, a gnawing hunger the like he hadn''t felt in his entire life, grabbing his midsection and groaning in agony.


    The aroma of the Ho''Kikomo Fruit filled his nostrils, causing him to salivate as his stomach growled. He looked down at the fruit in his hand, unable to wait any longer, biting down on it as he lifted it to his lips, chewing as it melted on his tongue.


    He gasped as his senses were overwhelmed by the vor of the fruit, the sweet and sour sensation flooding his mouth, the juice running down his chin.


    He began to eat the fruit in a frenzy, his hands shaking, the pounding in his head intensifying. He gorged himself on the fruit, devouring it, his body feeling hotter and hotter.


    He was sweating profusely, and his body trembled, his mind cloudy and confused. He groaned as he dropped the small stem of the fruit into theke.


    He was gasping for air now, his body trembling, his fingers curling into ws as his nails dug into his palms.


    Suddenly energy welled up from inside his stomach, pouring out of his body as if it was being expelled from his pores.


    He screamed out, copsing to the ground with a thud as his back arched and convulsed violently, spasming as his fingertips burned a bright red and lightning danced rapidly around his body.


    The energy being released was rapidly collected back into his body, a viscous cycle that repeated itself over and over, each time growing more potent.


    He was screaming and crying as he writhed on the ground, the power surging through him as his bones cracked and his skin peeled, burning off his body, his muscles stretching and tearing.

 Chapter 57 (LVII) Breakthrough

    ?Jackson screamed in agony as his body was continuously broken down and rebuilt by the process of the Growth Fruit and Ho''Kikomo Fruit working together.


    He was no longer aware of his surroundings, his consciousness fading in and out as the world became a blur around him.


    He was trapped in a dreamlike state where the only thing that existed in his reality was pain and suffering.


    He didn''t know how long itsted. It seemed to go on forever until he eventually fell unconscious for some unknown time.


    When he woke up, he realized he''d been lying in theke in the same position for hours, his entire body soaking wet.


    He sat up, the water dripping from his face, and he coughed as he tried to stand up.


    He couldn''t feel anything, and he could barely move, but he forced himself to get to his feet.


    He stumbled out of the shallow end of theke, falling to the muddy shore, coughing and choking as he vomited up the contents of his stomach.


    He stood up and wiped his mouth, looking at the clear blue sky overhead, taking a deep breath, and filling his lungs with fresh air.


    His body felt foreign for the first time in his life, as though he was a different person. His hair was matted and tangled, and he was covered in dried mud.


    He ran his hands through his hair, brushing it out and trying to straighten the tangles, but he still felt like he needed a bath.


    He stumbled back to the camp, stripping down and running into the ocean, scrubbing his body as he washed off the dirt.


    He heard a ssh and saw Khione swimming in the direction of the beach, her white fur glistening in the sunlight as she swam.


    Heughed and sshed her, jumping into the waves and ying with her.


    He finally gave up and climbed out of the sea, staring at his reflection in the water. Jackson was not an ugly nor out-of-shape young man, to begin with, but now his body had filled out.


    His shoulders felt broader, and his chiseled chest and abdomen glistened as the water dripped off him. His entire physique had changed, and he almost looked like apletely new person.


    He smiled at his reflection, realizing he even looked more handsome after the horrors he experienced.


    He walked back to his tent, quickly getting dressed and checking his status to see the improvements:


    [Name: Jackson]


    [Age: 19]


    [Race: Human]


    [Tier: II]


    [Power: 75(+19)]


    [Perception: 64(+16)]


    [Stamina: 90(+23)]


    [Speed: 56(+14)]


    [Instinct: 60(+15)]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Avable Points: 30]


    [Spirit Pact: Khione]


    [Martial Artes: Twenty Moons Under the One Sun (90%), Inferno of the Twin Storms (90%), Asura of the Four Rivers (20%), Swift Phantom of the Twin Moon Assassin (10%), Timeless Rage of the Meteor Behemoth(12%)]


    [Mystic Artes: Spirit Summoning (5%)]


    Jackson''s eyes went wide as he stared at the increase in attributes. Each one had at least doubled, and despite the fact he wasn''t receiving any bonus effects from his equipment, the buff from Khione more than made up for it.


    He immediately rechecked his stats, this time making sure the numbers were urate. He was shocked to discover he had gained over 100 points.


    He had never seen his attributes grow so fast, seeing the number of avable points and pondering how he should allocate the points.


    He had many options, but he decided to hold off and allow the points to remain until he may need a boost in his stats to close a gap.


    He spent several minutes sitting on the shore, thinking about the new information on his status window, precisely the appearance of him bing Tier II and what it meant.


    He sat, pondering and watching the sun set over the horizon before he got up and walked back toward the campsite. He opened the door to his tent to find Khione curled up on his bedroll, purring loudly.


    He walked over to her, rubbing behind her ears, scratching her neck, and petting her lovingly.


    She meowed happily, rubbing against his legs, her tail swishing back and forth, enjoying his attention.


    He scratched her under the chin, and she closed her eyes, leaning her head against his hand as she enjoyed the affection.


    He reached into his pack and pulled out arge piece of meat, tossing it into her bowl. She snapped it up in a single bite, licking her lips as she watched him.


    He took a seat on his bedroll, eating his dinner as she continued to stare at him.


    She meowed at him, her tail swishing back and forth, her ears perking up as she looked at him intently.


    He rolled his eyes, reaching into his bowl and throwing another piece of meat to her before he finished his meal, setting the empty bowl aside, and he turned to look at her, smiling as he rubbed her ears.


    She continued to watch him, tilting her head slightly as shey down next to him, resting her head in the crook of his arm.


    He sighed, closing his eyes as he drifted off into sleep, dreaming of what the future held for him.


    ***


    The following morning, he continued his monotonous schedule practicing with increased results. The increase in all of his attributes had an explosive impact on the development of the mastery of his various abilities.


    He could easily maintain a constant flow of attacks while maintaining a high level of defense.


    He was also able to use his swordsmanship skills more effectively, using them as a means of offense rather than simply dodging and parrying.


    His body flowed through the motions of each technique without hesitation or thought, allowing him to focus his mind.


    Jackson was surprised, he was not used to having such a powerful body, and he wondered if the growth would continue and what the limits were.


    Sitting next to the campfire in the sand, arge ck egg began to shake, and hairline cracks started forming along the shell.

 Chapter 58 (LVIII) Umbra

    ?Jackson was practicing on the beach, sparring with the pair of swords as he worked through the different forms of his fighting style. He was slowly working his way through the Mastery.


    He was bing more proficient with the weapons he was learning, and he was beginning to understand the logic of the movements and their applications.


    He was starting to feelfortable with the transition of the twin des from one form to the next, and he was no longer worried about maiming himself when swapping styles.


    He was a little frustrated that he could not test out the new moves he''d just learned since he promised Amelia, he wouldn''t use the Twin Moons until his Mastery was higher, but he was determined to make that happen as soon as possible.


    He was in the middle of aplicated sequence, where he was required to perform a series of shes and thrusts thatbined the two forms when Khione meowed loudly, catching his attention.


    He paused and looked over, noticing her running through the sand toward him, meowing to get his attention.


    He stabbed the swords into the sand, walking to her, kneeling to let her rub her body against his legs.


    He chuckled as he petted her, feeling her soft fur between his fingers before she ran off toward the campfire stopping as she turned her head back, meowing.


    He followed after her as she led him to where Orzas''s Dragon Egg was nestled in the sand close to the campfire.


    He knelt beside the egg, looking it over, Khione sitting next to him, staring curiously between him and the egg.


    It was roughly the size of a basketball, and there was a small crack on the top of the egg. It shook slightly and then stopped.


    He ced his hands on top of it, pressing his fingers against the shell as he felt its warmth and energy.


    He could feel it pulsing, sending waves of heat and power through his palms as he concentrated, pushing his senses into it.


    He felt something inside the egg, a strong, tiny beating heart that was struggling to break free from the confines of the shell.


    He could hear the heartbeat getting louder, and he felt it growing stronger. He focused his strength, his willpower, pouring his energy into the egg in hopes of helping it break out of its shell.


    He felt it shudder and shake violently, and he felt a rush of air blow out of it, like a cannon firing a projectile into the sky.


    The cracking sound of breaking bone echoed throughout the beach, and a bright light shed around the area as a blinding sh of light burst outward from the egg, enveloping the entire coast.


    Jackson shielded his eyes from the sudden brightness, turning away as he felt the hot wind blowing across his skin. He looked back at the egg, seeing it had broken open, the contents within glowing brightly.


    He peeked through his fingers, looking as the egg cracked and started falling apart, a small Wyvern hatching from his egg, shaking thest remnants of the shell from his wings.


    The creature was slightlyrger than Khione, and it was ck from the beginning of its rounded snout to the tip of its tail fins.


    The wyvern''s body was covered in scales, and they shimmered in the sunlight as though wet. His long neck curved back, ending in an elongated head with white vertical slits for irises and a short, blunt muzzle.


    He had four sharp ws on his hindlegs, including a ''Terrible w'' on his each, and three on the end of his tail. A row of spiked fins lined the length of his spine.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The baby wyvern''s front arms were winged, with three thin ws that served as front paws. His forearms ended in thick, muscr shoulders.


    His tail had a simr shape, but the tail fin was much smaller and less pronounced.


    Jackson stood, watching the young wyvern as it stretched itself out, his tail flicking back and forth as he yawned and looked around.


    Khione watched the scene with interest, standing up and stretching herself, before she walked over and sat down in the sand, staring at the new arrival.


    Jackson approached, crouching down as he reached out his hand to touch the young wyvern.


    He spoke softly, "You''re going to be okay now."


    The wyvern looked up at him, tilting his head as he sniffed Jackson, his nostrils ring as his tongue darted in and out of his mouth.


    Jackson smiled at the cute gesture, and he reached up, touching his nose. He heard him give a low growl from the wyvern before he backed up, snapping his teeth and opening his mouth as a tiny spark of fire struggled to escape.


    Jackson chuckled at the small wyvern as the system chimed, and a window appeared in front of him:


    [Please submit name:]


    Jackson stroked his chin as he thought about what to name him. After thinking for a moment, he snapped his fingers, smirking before he typed, "Umbra," causing the window to disappear and another to pop open:


    [He will now be known as Umbra.]


    The window disappeared as two more appeared before him:


    [Begining the Synchronization Process...]


    [Please Wait...]]


    Umbra tilted his head, staring up at Jackson, his ck eyes with white slits repeatedly blinking as it slowly approached.


    Jackson reached his left hand out as the ck half of the dragon tattoo on his hand began glowing faintly. The glow grew brighter as Umbra''s ck scales started to do the same. More radiant white threads appeared from his tail, trailing toward his head.


    Jackson reached forward, picking him up as the threads flew into his right pectoral, as a tattoo of a fierce ck wyvern with white-slitted eyes formed.


    Umbra slowly vanished as the bright thread consumed his body and the details of the tattoo filled in. A few secondster, the lights faded away, and the new tattoo wasplete on his chest.


    [Synchronization Completion!]


    [Umbra is now listed as a Spirit Beast. You may now Call him.]

 Chapter 59 (LIX) Taken

    ?"Umbra!" Jackson called out as the wyvern tattoo on his chest began to fade like Khione''s on the back of his shoulder.


    The small wyvern appeared in a sh, gliding through the air as hended in the sand. He walked up to him, rubbing his face against his leg as he screeched.


    Jackson smiled at his newpanion as Khione''s eyes narrowed, immediately feeling jealous as she ran to her master, jumped into his arms, and started being overly affectionate.


    Heughed, hugging her tightly before he set her on the ground, and she quickly turned, trying to return to his arms, meowing.


    He patted her on the head, smiling as she pawed at his arms.


    He looked over at Umbra, who had approached the remains of the egg that contained him and began eating the shell.


    Khione meowed to get his attention again, and he turned to see her sitting in front of him, looking at her with sad eyes. She rubbed against him, meowing and purring, wanting to get closer to him.


    He pulled her into his arms, holding her as he stood. She leaned against him, nuzzling his chest as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.


    Jackson approached Umbra, sitting in the sand next to the campfire, and watched him eat the shell, inspecting his stats:


    [Name: Umbra]


    [Species: Twilight Wyvern]


    [Spirit Rank: Emperor (Evolvable)]


    [Spirit Trait: Draconic Visage, Shadow Form]


    [Spirit Level: 3]


    [Affinity: Darkness, Fire]


    [Power: 34]


    [Perception: 29]


    [Stamina: 30]


    [Speed: 26]


    [Instinct: 40]


    [Avable Points: 0]


    [Spirit Artes: None Registered]


    "Mythic never ceases to impress!" Jackson chuckled as he grinned over Umbra''s stats, inspecting his traits:


    [Spirit Trait: Draconic Visage]


    [As a member of the Draconian Race, Umbra has Dragon''s Eyes, allowing a myriad of benefits to his Master.]


    [Rank: 1/1]


    [ When Umbra is Called, the Climber will be able to discern a person''s true nature, confirm the truth from lies, and see Mana Channels. Inbat, Umbra''s abilities include a brief terror effect when activated in addition to their typical effects.]


    [Spirit Trait: Shadow Form]


    [Being a Twilight Wyvern, Umbra is able to shroud his entire body in ck smoke, turning any part of his body incorporeal.]


    [Rank: 1/5]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [ Umbra has an 18% to avoid any attack thrown at him by shrouding himself in a cloud of ck smoke. Each increase in Rank increases the activation chance.]


    The primary reason why a Spirit Beast''s Rank was so important was due to the appearance of traits.


    Starting at the King Rank, they would have one trait, and Emperor Rank had two, while the highly covetous God Rank had three; of course, the additional attributes didn''t hurt either.


    Khione was ring at Umbra as he finished off the shell and started to approach as she began softly growling slowly.


    Jackson stared down at her, looking at her with a raised brow. She continued her low, threatening growl as she stared at the wyvern.


    Jackson sighed, patting the top of her head, as she stopped and she gave him a look of disapproval. Umbra ignored the warnings as he continued to approach.


    She growled louder as he got close, and he stopped, looking down at her. She snarled, showing her fangs and swatting the air with her paw, and he stepped back, confused.


    "y nice, Khione!" Jackson scolded, wagging his finger toward her. She then looked at him, tilting her head as she seemed to be considering something.


    With her attention drawn away, Umbra waited patiently for a moment, crouching low to the ground as he slowly crept closer.


    He reached Jackson''s calf, climbed onto it, and started sniffing Khione, which startled her as she hissed and leaned away, pressing against the young man''s stomach.


    Umbra sniffed the air, making a soft cooing sound as he looked up at Jackson, crawling into hisp, then curled up, resting his head on the side of Jackson''s thigh.


    Khione huffed, turning away and climbing onto Jackson''s shoulder and jumping off his back, and trotting along the beach.


    Jackson watched the winged panther kitten walk away and rolled his eyes, and patted Umbra''s head softly, "Don''t worry, she''ll warm up to you eventually¡­"


    Jackson stood as Umbra crawled up his chest, resting across his shoulders, his tail curling around his neck.


    He reached up and rubbed his fingertip against Umbra''s shout, smiling when a bunch of small birds were startled and flew from their perches nearby.


    Jackson narrowed his eyes and checked his minimap, noticing a dot nearby, eximing, "Shit!"


    A loud screech pierced the quiet roll of the ocean as Jackson''s eyes widened, and he sprinted down the beach, searching for Khione.


    "Return!" He shouted as Umbra immediately dematerialized, and his tattoo became vibrant, but Khione''s remained greyed out.


    "Return!!" He shouted again, but nothing happened. He bolted toward the red dot on his minimap.


    As he approached, the dot began to move away quickly, and the faster Jackson ran, the quicker the dot moved away.


    "Get back here, you son of a bitch!! Jackson roared, pushing his body to its limits. He felt his legs burning with each step, but he pushed on, gritting his teeth as he tried to catch up to the dot fleeing with Khione.


    His breathing was ragged, his heart pounding in his ears as he struggled to gain on the mysterious figure.


    He reached the edge of the forest and saw the trees start to thin out, revealing the blue sky above.


    He spotted the figure ahead, running toward the cliff face. Jackson screamed loudly, his body enveloped in lightning as he shot through the air.


    The purple bolt of lightning arced wildly as monstrous booms of thunder spread out each time the lightning changed directions.


    The mysterious figure leaped into the air, rapidly moving up the cliffside. Jacksonnded before them as the purple lightning burst into the ground.


    The hooded figure held Khione in their arms, holding her tightly against them, twisting away to keep him from his partner.


    "Give¡­ Her¡­ BACK!!!" Jackson shouted, breathing heavily, his eyes filled with anger.

 Chapter 60 (LX) Anomaly

    ?The hooded stranger had an air of grace about them as they stared at Jackson.


    The stranger wore a long dark hooded robe that covered their body except for their hands and feet, their face shrouded underneath the cloth.


    "I won''t ask again!" Jackson snarled as the hooded figure shook their head, "Hard way it is, then!"


    Jackson rushed forward, reaching out for the stranger''s left arm as they deftly dodged, spinning to the side.


    Jackson grabbed the sleeve of the stranger''s cloak, pulling hard as he attempted to drag the other person to the ground.


    The stranger spun, using the momentum of the spin to kick him in the chest, knocking him back.


    Jackson stumbled backward before rushing forward once more to grab the stranger''s left leg, attempting to trip them.


    The stranger turned and raised their foot, avoiding his grasp. Jackson reached out and caught the back of their knee, tripping the person.


    The stranger fell to the sand, rolling midair andnding on their back. They flipped over and quickly stood back to their feet, staring at him.


    Jackson charged toward the Mysterious Stranger, who began to run towards him,ughing lightly. The wind whipped through the air as the sand flew up behind him.


    The stranger jumped into the air, spinning and avoiding his arms as they flipped over him.


    Jackson spun, kicking off the ground and shooting toward the Mysterious Stranger.


    The Mysterious Stranger spun, avoiding him. Jackson anticipated this, pivoting simultaneously as he turned, reaching out and grabbing them by the back of the hood.


    The Mysterious Stranger twisted, breaking Jackson''s grasp as their hood was pulled back, exposing the face of a stunning, tanned beauty with short, curly brown hair andrge, bright amber eyes.


    "A girl..?" Jackson asked, standing casually as he stepped forward, "How did you get here? I thought a floor was instanced unless you were on a checkpoint floor!"


    She smiled at him, a hint of mischief in her eyes, and said, "You''re a lot stronger than most Climbers, aren''t you?"


    Jackson tilted his head, puzzled by her question, and replied, "I guess."


    She nodded, smiling at him. He took a step forward, and she clutched Khione tightly.


    "Why did you take her?" Jackson asked, raising his hands toward her.


    "She was mad at you, so I am taking her to be happy with me." She responded calmly, stroking the unconscious cub.


    Jackson furrowed his brow, "Why did you hurt her? How did you stop me from returning her?"


    "I didn''t hurt her, and she''s just sleeping. She doesn''t want toe back to you; I''m not doing anything." She exined, holding the cat close to her.


    Jackson looked down at the little kitten and sighed, shaking his head; then he looked at the young woman and spoke, trying to hide his concern, "Then wake her up and let me see for myself!"


    She shrugged, shaking her head, "No need; she wants to return to you anyway."


    "Give her back! I don''t want to hurt you!" Jackson threatened.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sheughed and looked at him, "Not while I have her. You wouldn''t want to hurt your precious partner, now would you..?"


    She smirked and then yfully tapped her lower lip, "Although, now that I think about it, since you formed another contract, you might actually do it!"


    Khione''s eyelids twitched as she began to stir awake, and she opened her eyes, looking around. She looked at Jackson, then the strange female, confused.


    The woman looked down at Khione, smiling gently, as she whispered to the kitten, "Go back to sleep, sweetie."


    She turned to Jackson and meowed, squirming as she tried to break free.


    "Let her go!!! She wants toe back!!" Jackson yelled, taking a step forward. The mysterious woman stepped backward, pulling Khione away.


    "Shut up!" She shouted at him as he halted his advance. She pulled the squirming kitten toward her face speaking softly, "He reced you. Do you really want to go back..?"


    Khione meowed loudly repeatedly, squirming in her hands as the woman sighed and nodded, "I don''t understand, but I''ll ept your choice, little one¡­"


    She knelt, releasing the kitten as Khione ran to Jackson as he knelt down, jumping into his open arms.


    He hugged the little creature to his chest, standing as he rubbed her head softly as she purred loudly.


    "Thank you¡­" The young man told the mystery woman as she stood there watching, "I didn''t rece her, for what it''s worth¡­"


    "What would you call it then?" She asked, tilting her head.


    He paused, considering, then answered, "I couldn''t rece her! Even though we haven''t been together long, she holds a ce in my heart forever!!"


    "If she hasn''t been with you long, why form a bond with a second so soon?" She asked, cing her hands on her hips and staring at him.


    "I didn''t have a choice!" Jackson replied, "It''s not like I nned this!"


    "You''re wrong; you did have a choice. Neither of them needed to be contracted; you could have set either or both of them free." She argued, ring at him.


    "Are you crazy?! Any Climber would be an idiot not to form a contract with either Khione or Umbra! Who are you to judge me??" Jackson asked, his temper beginning to re as he returned Khione.


    ***


    Meanwhile, on the 99th floor in a futuristic office building, the ten Floor Guardians were in a massive office sitting around arge conference table.


    Arge ck screen floated in the air close to the wall as all ten stared in confusion as Elissa stood and pointed to it, rewinding the footage until just before Umbra hatched.


    The footage normally yed until Jackson chased after the mysterious woman as it turned ck again.


    "What is causing this ckout?" One of the guardians asked, pointing to the screen.


    "Not entirely sure; anytime I''ve gone to investigate, it''s vanished without a trace. It used to be sporadic, once in a few hundred thousand climbers, but it''s happening too frequently around Jackson.


    In addition, whatever the cause is, it also has been hunting therger beasts The Tower is generating¡­" Elissa exined.

 Chapter 61 (LXI) The Mysterious Stranger

    ?The remaining nine Floor Guardians all stared at Elissa in shock; something like this had never happened in the eons they''d served their roles.


    "Have you located the Climber?" One of the Guardians asked, mming their heavy fist against the table, to which Elissa shook her head.


    "I know the general location but cannot get to him. There''s this impassable aura that''s preventing me from getting closer." She exined, flicking her wrist.


    Another screen appeared in front of the footage, a topographical map of La Sexta I with arge red circle in the northeastern part of the ind.


    "What about adminmands?" Another inquired, leaning against the table and holding their palm to the ceiling.


    "Ineffective." Elissa shook her head again, "Themands are being received, but when they start to execute, they''re suspended in the queue indefinitely."


    The Floor Guardians eximed in shock; one stood in disbelief, turning to the Guardian helming the conference table, "Almunaas, she is only the weakest among us; you, as the strongest, should intervene and attempt to eradicate this bug once and for all!"


    Almunaas leaned forward in his chair, stroking his chin as he thought. He appeared as a young man in his early twenties with deep cerulean eyes and golden hair that cascaded down his shoulders.


    He wore a long white draped robe with a golden cord around his waist and ck tights with gold thread sandals, with a crimson red toga wrapped around his left shoulder and right arm.


    "Don''t listen to Zuk!" Elissa said, throwing her arm out, "We all know none of us are any stronger than each other! He just has a superiorityplex because I''m the only one in charge of any floors below him!"


    The green-skinned, long-nosed Zuk beganughing, shing his yellow teeth and long tongue. He had long, pointed ears with a dozen gold earring hoops that bounced as heughed.


    "Silence, you two!" A secretarial-looking woman hissed between her teeth toward the two before returning her affectionate gaze to Almunaas, adjusting her sses and smoothing her bob-cut hair.


    Elissa and Zuk flinched as they stopped their ring match and stared at the woman with wry smiles.


    "Meeting adjourned." Almunaas replied, pping his hands as the remaining eight Guardians were teleported off the 99th floor.


    Elissa instantly was confused, looking around the empty room as she was the only one remaining, "Um... Is there something else I can help you with... sir..?"


    "We''re going to investigate this anomaly, together." He replied with a smile, pping his hands together as the world around the two copsed, revealing therge beach close to Jackson''s campsite and turning toward it, pointing as he asked, "That''s the Climber''s shelter, correct?"


    "Yes, sir." Elissa nodded as the pair walked toward it. Almunaas walked around, curiously touching, poking, and picking anything he could up, inspecting everything and cing it perfectly where he found it.


    "Are you looking for anything, sir?" She asked as he shook his head and continued to investigate the campsite.


    "No, I''ve already located the affected area the second we arrived." He said, staring at something and pointing behind him toward the mountains to the Northeast.


    "I see..." Elissa muttered in awe before asking, "Are you ready to investigate over there..?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You can go on if you want; I''ll catch up soon!" He said, waving his hand dismissively as he continued to search the camp. Elissa''s jaw dropped in disbelief at him, her eyes wide in shock at his entric personality.


    "Um... Sir? Are you sure this is the time to snoop through someone''s personal belongings?" Elissa asked, raising one of her fingers as she hunched her shoulders.


    ***


    Jackson huffed in anger, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he red at the mysterious woman, "What gives you the right to judge me?"


    "Well, for one, I don''t go around forcing Spirit Beasts into giving their souls to me!" She scoffed, turning around and crossing her arms across her chest.


    "I didn''t force anything on either of them!" Jackson shouted, throwing his arm out and stepping forward, "The hell is wrong with you?"


    "You didn''t? Then what did you give them in exchange for selling you their souls?" The woman shouted, gritting her teeth as she balled her fists together, staring at the ground with her back to Jackson.


    "That''s none of your business! They felt my spirit and knew instantly who I was! Expanding my group and increasing not only my survival, but also that of Khione and Umbra. Khione may not immediately understand that, but one day, she will!"


    "They do not need your help, human." The woman coldly replied, turning around and ring into his eyes, stepping forward as she angrily jabbed her finger into his chest, "It is you who stunts their growth! They would be better off without you!"


    "What do you mean?" Jackson asked, "How can I help them grow stronger?"


    "You ask too many questions... Goodbye." She said, turning around and storming off, huffing in frustration.


    "No, wait! Where are you going to go? The portal to the next floor is still closed!" Jackson ran after her and asked.


    "I''m going to be alone." She replied, not looking back, and continued to walk. Jackson stopped in his tracks, stunned, and watched her walk out of sight. He stood in silence, dumbfounded.


    He shook his head, sprinting again in order to catch up, and walked beside her, "What''s your name?"


    "Is it not customary to state your own name before asking someone for theirs..?" She countered, shaking her head as she rolled her eyes, ignoring his question.


    He frowned, nodding, "Sorry, you''re right! How about we start over? I''m Jackson. What''s your name?"


    She sighed loudly and groaned before she stopped, turned to him, and nced up, "My name is Sera; now, can you leave me alone?"


    "Nice to meet you, Sera. How did you get here?" Jackson asked, ignoring her request as he reached his hand out.


    "What do you mean? I''ve always been here."

 Chapter 62 (LXII) Goodbye

    ?Sera stared at Jackson''s hand in confusion before staring into his eyes, "What do you mean? You''ve always been here."


    Jackson shook his head slowly, unable to believe his ears, and repeated, "You''ve always been here?"


    "Yes."


    "But¡­how? You can''t enter God''s Tower until you''re neen!" Jackson asked incredulously.


    "God''s Tower..?" Sera asked, tilting her head and tapping her lower lip with her index finger as she thought, "Never heard of it!"


    "That''s impossible. Have you been living under a rock?" Jackson furrowed his brow, throwing his palms out.


    "No, I''ve been living here!" She replied, raising her brow and tilting her head again.


    "..." Jackson''s brain short-circuited as his arms hung and smoke rose from his head. Sera reached forward to tap his shoulder when she shuddered and started looking around.


    Lightning began sparking around Jackson as she backed away, looking around erratically. She struggled against herself whether to say anything before turning, throwing her arm out as a portal appeared and disappeared into it.


    <CRACK!>


    The lightning tore through the air as Almunaas and Elissa appeared in front of Jackson, looking around and finding nothing.


    "As you can see, now that we''re here nothing to be seen!" She replied, shaking her head and cing her hands on her hips.


    Almunaas casually strolled to the cliff''s edge, looking around and nodding, "I see..."


    He approached Jackson and walked around him, continuing as his deep blue eyes glowed brightly, "So this is the Climber..."


    Elissa nodded sheepishly, fidgeting with the hem of her dress, "Yes."


    "He is a good one." Almunaas replied, snapping his fingers and disappearing in a torrential bolt of lightning.


    She sighed heavily as she walked around Jackson, "You better stay out of trouble..." She said, walking past him as a portal appeared, and she disappeared into it.


    The young man repeatedly blinked, looking around, cupping his hands around his mouth, and calling, "Sera???"


    He checked his minimap and noticed nothing around him, scrunching the corner of his mouth and squinting his eyes, muttering, "Where did she go..?"


    Jackson wracked his brain as he took his time returning to the campsite, unable toprehend how she had vanished right in front of him.


    He kindled the campfire, his thoughts locked on Sera''s words, ''It is you who stunts their growth!''<novelnext></novelnext>


    He thought for a long time before he called Khione and Umbra from his body as both materialized in front of him. He smiled softly, reaching his hands out as he stared at both small, winged creatures, "How can I help you both grow stronger..?"


    "Kyu?" Khione tilted her head, herrge eyes sparkling as she stared at him. Umbra cooed, rising on his back legs, and pped his wings in response.


    "Go on and y! Have some fun!" Jackson smiled as he patted both of their heads. Khione''s tail immediately perked up as she gave Umbra the once over and trotted off.


    Umbra looked at the departing kitten and back to his master, who smiled at him, nodding as he released a soft roar and chased after Khione, jumping around her after catching up.


    Jackson stood up and smiled softly at the two as he turned to the campfire and began preparing another pot of stew. As it was brewing, he tried to train his skills, but he wasn''t in the right mindset and quickly gave up.


    Jackson huffed as he plopped down into the sand, feeling conflicted, he wanted to train the both of them immediately and increase their strength to add to his own, but he also didn''t want to be the reason for their growth being stunted.


    He stared at the two ying off in the distance as he sat in the sand, the sun starting to set as the pot''s aroma began filling the air. He stood, removing the lid as he stirred the stew, leaning forward and tasting it with a smile.


    The two came running over and started twisting around his legs, Khione rubbing against him as Umbra tried to climb up his pants.


    "Okay, okay! I''ll get you guys some!" Jackson chuckled, turning to the tent as Umbranded on Khione, causing a minor tussle to break out.


    When he emerged from the tent with three bowls, he rushed over, falling to his knees, breaking the fight up.


    "Sheesh! I can''t turn my back on you two for one second without all hell breaking loose!" He scolded them both as he served them their bowls, "Ah! I can''t stay mad at you guys!" Sitting next to the small creatures, he chuckled and began eating his dinner.


    The two finished before him and began encroaching on him, trying to climb his forearms to get into his bowl as he repeatedly shrugged them off, "Hey! Hey! Hey! You guys had yours!! This is mine!!"


    The rest of the evening passed as he spent time with them both. He had nothing but time, and Sera''s words lingered in the back of his mind. He had steeled his resolve, determined to provide the absolute best for both of them.


    He may not have forced them into Synchronizing with him, but that doesn''t excuse him from not supporting his linked partners to the furthest extent.


    Jackson sat on the beach cross-legged, leaning back on his arms while Khione slept, curled into a ball on hisp, and Umbra was curled against his shins, half buried in the sand.


    "I''m sorry, you guys..." He said, both of the Spirits raising their heads and staring at him as he continued, "For the time being... at least until I can return to Duskgate and get more information on how to better raise you both, you won''t be able to exit my body..."


    Jackson''s heartstrings strained as he sighed heavily and leaned forward, closing his eyes and hanging his head.


    Khione and Umbra''s expressions changed as they sulked and cautiously leaned toward their master, making soft noises.


    Jackson''s lip quivered as he forced a smile, cing his hands carefully on both of their heads, rubbing them softly as he recalled them. Both cooed softly as they disappeared, a tear falling from his cheek into the sand as he balled his hand into a fist and punched the sand violently.

 Chapter 63 (LXIII) Farming

    ?The sun rose over La Sexta Ind. The sky was clear blue, with only a few white clouds floating by on an otherwise perfect day. It wasn''t too hot yet¡ªthe temperature had been dropping steadily as summer approached its end. Thest few days had been a blur for Jackson, releasing his anger and frustrations while also collecting valuable items he had sorely needed.


    He practiced on the beach next to his campsite, spinning and twirling the two basic swords around himself while he focused intently on keeping them from touching each other at any point along their length. He''d been doing so since before dawn broke; now he had to prepare himself for the three dots approaching on his minimap.


    Since Sera had disappeared through the portal, nothing was standing between The Tower and Jackson as it threw wave after wave of beasts at him. Since the mysterious woman had stopped the waves so quickly and easily, the difficulty had ramped up considerably.


    The first few waves he faced wererge packs of wolves, slowly decreasing the number of wolves as more alphas were introduced. Thest few waves had been these oversized jaguars, and three more were charging toward him.


    His swordy improved dramatically during training sessions such as today''s, whichsted nearly four hours straight without pause until the next wave urred. His speed increased by leaps and bounds thanks to both practice and experience gained against monsters.


    But even though he knew exactly where everything would being from based on past experiences, nothing prepared him for how fast the creatures actually moved once they got close enough. They darted forward more quickly than he expected, forcing him into quick reactions.


    Aside from being able to dodge attacks better, he still needed to find ways to counterattack effectively. Your mind can quickly be cloudy when you''re fighting off multiple foes simultaneously unless you''ve trained yourself well beforehand. Even when one enemy is down, another wille right behind it, ready to attack. And because of that, most people who fought alone ended up dead within minutes.


    But despite those early difficulties, Jackson continued pushing onward...and eventually found some sess. After getting hit a few times, he realized something important regarding the Raging Behemoth: His best bet wasn''t attacking back immediately every time he was hit. Instead, he needed to learn how to take advantage of openings created by dodging out of range.


    So instead, he began waiting patiently while dodging, parrying, and blocking attacks, waiting for moments when the enemies woulde too close before stepping backward slightly. He would immediately swing hard at whatever part of the beast''s body appeared closest to him.


    This strategy allowed him to avoid taking damage altogether many times throughout the ensuing battles. Afterward, he would take a break and eat lunch before taking a nap until the next wave. Once that wave had finished, he would return to practicingbat techniques under different conditions.


    He had already repeated this process countless times, but things seemed easier nowpared to earlier attempts. It could be due to having gotten used to all the new challenges thrown at him. Or perhaps it was because he finally understood what tactics worked best for him personally. Either way, progress could not be denied.


    "Not bad! Not bad at all." He shouted triumphantly as he blocked several shes from a wolf pack rushing towards him together.


    A sudden roar interrupted his thoughts. A massive ck shadow loomed above him like a dark wall blotting the sunlight overhead. He quickly rolled to the side to avoid the I Jaguar high above him and crashed into the sand below. Its long tail whipped about wildly, smashing trees nearby aside as if swatting away flies.<novelnext></novelnext>


    This monster wasrger than any creature he had ever seen thus far. It looked almost demonic, with thick fur covering its entire body except for sharp ws protruding from beneath its paws. It roared again and charged directly downward, aiming squarely for Jackson.


    Its eyes glowed red with rage as it rushed headlong toward Jackson, determined to kill him. As soon as it drew near, he jumped upward onto a tree branch high above him. The jaguar immediately followed, chasing after him as he leaped from branch to branch.


    Once atop a tall palm tree trunk, Jackson spun around and swung his de sideways across the top of the trunk, slicing clean through it. The sound echoed loudly in the air, causing the animal to stop in midair. It fell heavily upon the ground,nding awkwardly on its front legs before copsing facefirst into the dirt.


    With a satisfied grin, Jacksonnded beside it and raised his sword victoriously. But then he noticed movement on the horizon. Another giant cat stood among the treetops, staring at him curiously.


    "Seriously..? Another one?!?" he muttered angrily.


    The second feline must have heard him talking, because it turned its attention toward him and growled menacingly. It padded closer, sniffing the air suspiciously and growling louder. Then suddenly, sprang forward and attacked.


    Jackson barely managed to block her powerful blow using both des. Its paw struck the left-hand guard of his primary weapon, sending sparks flying everywhere. He might have lost his grip entirely if he hadn''t caught hold of the hilt tightly.


    The force of the impact sent him tumbling backward, falling t on his rear end and rolling along the grassy in. The wind knocked out of him momentarily, and he coughed and wheezed painfully while struggling to regain his breath.


    When he opened his eye, he saw that the jaguar had taken position mere feet away from him, snarling ferociously. Blood dripped down its snout, but it didn''t appear injured. In fact, it looked as if the beast was smiling smugly, clearly enjoying itself immensely.


    It lunged forward again, swinging its colossal wed paw straight at him. Just before contact, Jackson pivoted, reaching up and grabbing the wrist holding the deadly limb.


    He twisted sharply and pulled outward, yanking the beast off bnce as he mmed the jaguar into the ground. Then he thrust his own arms forward, driving the tips of both swords down, deep inside the chest cavity of the beast. Blood gushed forth violently as he ripped them free, as a window appeared in front of him.

 Chapter 64 (LXIV) The Next Floor

    ?[Modified Challenge Completed!]


    [The gauntlet of La Sexta I isplete! You have survived the allotted time ande out alive! Focus on increasing your techniques further; you will be a natural de master climbing these floors in no time! Good luck!]


    [Reward: 6/10 Modified Challenges Completed! Complete all ten to receive the reward!]


    Jackson sighed as he fell to the ground, lying in the sand as the green orbs appeared in the air and began leading away. He felt exhausted beyond belief after spending three whole days fighting off wave after wave of monsters every four hours. Now here he was, entirely spent.


    He couldn''t help feeling disappointed, though¡ªhe had wanted to see Sera again and get more information about Khione and Umbra. That was why he had pushed himself hard these past few days. Yet now that he had achieved victory over the ind, he felt conflicted regarding climbing the tower.


    ''What if I can''t ever find her again? What if she isn''t on the higher floors?'' Those questions kept running through his mind, making it difficult for him. So he focused on training instead, hoping to clear his mind.


    After resting for a short time, he gathered his weapons, armor, and supplies, packed up his campsite neatly, returned the cartridge to the case and walked toward the portal to the next floor.


    Ultimately, he decided if Sera could leave on her own, he should be able to find her on other floors. And so, he stepped through the gate, leaving behind the sixth level of the tower.


    The sky was bright blue, dotted by only a few white clouds. The sun shone brightly overhead, warming thend pleasantly as he walked down an empty path leading from the ind''s center.


    Considering how dangerous everything else seemed, the scenery was much more peaceful than he had expected. No matter where he went in The Tower, he always encountered danger; even across Terra, outside of God''s Tower was filled with traps explicitly set for yers.


    But there were no such dangers here, which in and of itself felt like a trap to Jackson. He was sure there was something wrong with this ce, so he tried to keep alert at all times. He held his swords firmly in their sheaths and scanned his surroundings constantly.


    Simrly, with all the previous floors, there was a short cooldown before the seventh floor trial urred and the sixth floor trial ended; the portal remains open temporarily.


    During this time period, Jackson wandered aimlessly through the forest. He found no sign of anyone living there; the area was eerily quiet. Eventually, he grew tired of walking around without an idea of where he needed to go and returned to the small clearing where the portal to the sixth ind was located in the center.


    The spot was marked by arge stone pir, and he decided to set up his new campsite here. He established the tent close to the pir with therge campfire and cooking tools, then gathered wood and water to make dinner. He also ensured he had plenty of supplies for the uing days.


    Once he was done preparing, heid out his bedroll and sat down on it, cing his two swords on either side of him. He ate food and drank water before setting out on another training session.


    This time, he meditated, focused on improving his swordsmanship even further, imaging various techniques against the same pack of wolves he''d been facing since yesterday afternoon. His movements became smoother and faster as he practiced, gradually bing better at dealing with multiple opponents at once and learning when to dodge rather than blocking attacks outright.<novelnext></novelnext>


    His skills improved steadily as he continued to practice. His image training helped him visualize each move in detail and allowed him to perform them perfectly. He could feel his mind growing sharper and stronger as he continued.


    After a while, he stopped to rest, sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes. He breathed slowly and deeply, focusing on rxing every muscle in his body. His heart rate slowed, and he began breathing normally again.


    He continued practicing his meditation technique, repeating the cycle many times. Eventually, his body began to rx fully. His heartbeat calmed down, and his muscles rxed.


    As his body began to sink deeper into rxation, he began to hear faint soundsing from somewhere nearby. At first, they sounded distant, but soon, he realized it wasn''t just his imagination. Someone was approaching him from afar.


    He opened his eyes and looked around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He waited patiently for several minutes, but nothing happened.


    "Is someone there...?" he asked aloud. "I don''t think it''s my imagination..."


    There it was again...the sound of footsteps. He could tell it was definitely not his imagination. He stood up and looked around. He could still see the light from his campfire, but he could not see anything moving.


    He took a step forward, trying to get a look at who was out there. He thought he could see a shadowy figure standing in the darkness of the trees, but he couldn''t be sure.


    He rushed over, but he couldn''t find anything or anyone when he arrived. He stared into the shadows, searching carefully, and then he heard the sound again.


    "Whoever you are,e out!" he shouted.


    The shadowy form had yet to respond. Instead, the sound of footfalls approached from behind him. He spun quickly, raising his sword and pointing the tip forward, but he was once again met with emptiness.


    "Show yourself, damn it! Who the hell do you¡ª"


    The voice came from directly above him. It was a woman speaking in a low whisper.


    "About time you showed up!" Jackson froze as he raised his head, watching the hooded figure fall through the skies, and took a step back.


    The speakernded in front of him, standing as he finally got a good look. She wore a ck cloak with a hood covering most of her face.

 Chapter 65 (LXV) Trouble Always Comes In Threes

    ?The girl wore a long-sleeved shirt beneath her robe, revealing slender arms and thick legs in light tights as the robe fluttered as shended, pulling her hood back. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, giving her a somewhat boyish appearance. She smiled warmly, looking into his eyes.


    "You''ve gotten quite strong," Sera said. She spoke in a calm tone, yet her smile never wavered. She didn''t seem threatening in any way. She gazed into his face, waiting for him to speak.


    Jackson remained silent, unsure what to say. After a moment, he lowered his de, sighing in relief.


    "Um, what happened to you back there?" he replied hesitantly.


    She shrugged lightly. "I''m sorry about what happened a few days ago, those guys are so pesky!!! Every time I show up, they always show up and chase after me. I was really worried about you, too. But thank goodness you managed to survive somehow!" she eximed happily.


    Jackson blinked in surprise as sheughed merrily. He thought back, but there was nothing around them when she suddenly disappeared, "What do you mean? No one came!"


    "Huh..?"


    Jackson frowned. This was all very strange. He had seen her disappear, and no one appeared looking for her. He had assumed that she had used her magic to teleport away from the scene, but maybe it was something different, "So how did you leave The Sixth Ind?"


    She giggled softly, shaking her head. "Oh, I left on my own!" She looked to the skies and squinted her eyes before turning to him, "I''ll be right back, okay? Don''t worry, I won''t let anyone bother you until Ie back! I promise! See youter! Bye bye! Have fun exploring the tower! I hope you find lots of cool stuff! Oh, and I have a present for you! I know your Spirit Beasts must be hungry, so I brought them something to eat! Here you go! Enjoy! Mwahaha! Take care now! Goodbye!!"


    With a sh of light, the young woman vanished, leaving Jackson alone in the forest.


    He sighed, rubbing his temples. What the heck was going on?


    "What the hell..? Maybe this is all a dream? Hmmm..."


    He shook his head, dismissing the question. He knew that if this were all a dream, he wouldn''t need to ask himself these questions. He turned away from the campfire and walked toward the edge of the clearing, staring out across the ocean.


    He couldn''t help thinking that Sera was hiding something from him, though he was uncertain exactly what that was. He was certain that whatever was happening, she was deeply involved.


    He wondered if she was telling the truth as he inspected therge raw leg of a massive beast she had handed to him before she left, he tried to bring up his system interface, but something was preventing him from reviewing the item or cing it into his Gobbii Bag.


    "Well, she did say it was for Khione and Umbra... Was it as simple as giving them the wrong food..?" he muttered quietly, holding onto the meat. He nced down at it, deciding to call them out as they happily ran around him.


    He pulled out his knife and cut off tiny pieces of flesh from the bone, kneeling as he handed them both a small slice as they greedily gobbled it down.


    He watched as they devoured their meal with great enthusiasm and gasped when a series of notifications appeared across his vision:


    [Khione has eaten Prime Meat from the Great Winged Sphinx, +1 Genome Gained]


    [Umbra has eaten Prime Meat from the Great Winged Sphinx, +1 Genome Gained]


    [Khione has eaten Prime Meat from the Great Winged Sphinx, +1 Genome Gained]


    [Umbra has eaten Prime Meat from the Great Winged Sphinx, +1 Genome Point gained]


    "What the..?" Jackson muttered, pulling up Khione''s status window:


    [Name: Khione]


    [Species: Winged Snowdrift Panther]


    [Spirit Rank: Queen (Evolvable)]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Spirit Trait: Inspire Loyalty]


    [Spirit Level: 4]


    [Spirit Tier: 1 - 5/100 GP]


    [Affinity: Ice]


    [Power: 21]


    [Perception: 24]


    [Stamina: 20]


    [Speed: 25]


    [Instinct: 35]


    [Avable Points: 0]


    [Spirit Artes: None Registered]


    "I guess we can trust her..."


    He chuckled slightly at the sight of their happy expressions as they ate and sighed inwardly in relief as they were no longer prisoners within his body.


    He finished eating his own dinner before returning his focus to his training. He spent the rest of the day training, continuing his meditation and swordy, and waiting for Sera to return; his mind raced with dozens of questions.


    He practiced with his swords, using his mind to guide his movements, imagining each movement perfectly in advance. He imagined how he wanted his body to move, then moved his hands and feet ordingly. He repeated the process over and over, focusing intently and repeating the same movements over and over.


    He practiced the same technique against multiple opponents, fighting them simultaneously while keeping track of each individual opponent and making sure each attack hit its mark. He fought them without blocking, dodging each blow and striking them at the perfect moment. He practiced the technique over and over, getting better and faster at it each time.


    He panted heavily, lying on his back on the beach, staring into the skies.


    "Jackson..? Are you there?" A familiar voice rang inside his mind as he sat up and reached up, touching his left ear.


    "Hey, Megan! I am! How have things been in Duskgate? Sorry, I haven''t visited in a few weeks, I''m almost to the tenth floor, and I''lle right over!?" He replied, sending the voicemail through the Zo¨ªs Corde.


    He sat around waiting for Megan''s response when he began thinking about something his grandmother used to say.


    "Trouble alwayses in threes..."


    "First, Sera... Now, Megan... Don''t tell me..." Jackson muttered as he quickly stood up and started looking around the beach worriedly. As if right on cue, a portal appeared on the beach and began rotating quickly as Elissa strutted out of it.


    "Great! What is it you want?" Jackson asked, throwing his arms up and staring at her with wide eyes.


    "Well, don''t you know how to make a woman feel wanted!" Elissa clicked her tongue and raised her nose into the air.


    "Jackson!! There''s trouble!! You need toe back quick!!" Megan''s voice shouted through the Zo¨ªs Corde.

 Chapter 66 (LXVI) Insanity

    ?"Megan??" Jackson shouted into the Zo¨ªs Corde, "Are you okay?"


    He ran over to Elissa and grabbed her arms, "I need to get back to Terra!"


    "There''s nothing I can do. You can''t traverse through the floors, yet. If you attempt to exit the tower, you will die." She said coldly. She pushed his hand aside and stepped back, "You''ll need to clear the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors in order to reach the next checkpoint in order to exit."


    "But I can''t wait that long!! I need to get out now!!" He yelled, panicking.


    Elissa stared into his eyes and nodded slowly. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, shaking her head as her shoulders drooped, "I understand your concern," she whispered softly, opening her eyes again, "but this is not something that bepleted... What you''re asking for is impossible."


    "There has to be something!!" Jackson snapped angrily, "I know you Guardians are capable of this!"


    "I cannot," she answered simply, "I wish I could help you but it''s simply impossible. I''m sorry..." She turned away from him and walked back to the portal, pausing as she turned her head to the side.


    "There''s something else..." She said, sighing heavily, "But I think I''lle back when you''re a little more level-headed..." She said, disappearing in a sh of light as the portal vanished.


    "Dammit!" Jackson cursed loudly as he fell to his knees and punched the ground repeatedly, tears welling up in his eyes. He sat there for a long time, wallowing in his own misery before finally he got up and looked out to sea, watching as the waves crashed violently against the shoreline.


    "I''ve never hated anything so much..." he mumbled, clenching his fists tightly and gritting his teeth. He was angry, frustrated, and tired.


    He had to do something.


    He had to do something about this damnable tower.


    He stood staring out over the crashing waves for hours, lost in thought.


    "I need to find a way out of here..." He muttered to himself, when his thoughts turned back to Sera, "I wonder how she is able to traverse through the floors..."


    That''s when it struck him, "If she was going to steal Khione, she must be able to bring along someone for the ride, which means she should be able to take me back to the fifth floor!"


    Jackson grinned from ear to ear before it dawned on him that he had no means of contacting Sera and clicked his tongue, sitting back down on the beach.


    "Fuck, it''s like every time I take a step forward, something makes me take three back!!" Hemented as the system rang inside his ear, and the challenge for the seventh floor appeared in front of him:


    [Modified Seventh Floor Challenge]


    [There have been ups and downs, but you have made it! Only by going through the fire and mes will you be able to temper your spirit and upgrade your resolve!! Choose your path before you! Will you select a peaceful way, or will you go down the path of insanity!?]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Please select difficulty:]


    [Peaceful - So you want the pacifist route? Well, there will not be any enemies, allowing you plenty of time to reflect on how much of a pussy you are as you''ll need to survive for thirty days.]


    [Novice - Well, you''re not the piece of shit everyone thinks you are, that''s for sure. There will be ten waves of one enemy weaker than you are for the next ten days.]


    [Adept - Finally, someone with some balls! There will be a wave of a couple enemies around your power level every twelve hours for the next week.]


    [Master - Oho! Someone''s cocky; you''ll need to maintain that attitude if you want to handle this challenge. There will be increasingly more monsters of the same power level as you face a wave every four hours for the next three days.]


    [Insanity - Everybody look out! We have someone with a death wishing through!! Don''t even think about it, chump; you couldn''t handle a singr wave of a dozen beasts higher than your power level!]


    Jackson nearly leaped out of his skin as he read the Insanity difficulty. It would be challenging, but it was the fastest way to get through this floor.


    Still, he was hesitant as he selected the Insanity difficulty; he knew he would be breaking a promise today. When the window disappeared, another massive one appeared:


    [A challenge has been issued by one of the Floor Guardians, and you are given the option of imposing additional requirements toplete the challenge for extra rewards!]


    [Please select one or more of the following for additional rewards:]


    [Double Beasts - The number of beasts sent will be doubled. Choosing this penalty will increase the quality of the materials gathered from the beasts and allow Spirit Cores to drop; +5 Additional Points.]


    [Pack Alpha - Converts one of the beasts into an Alpha, which will have increased intelligence and will control the beasts, increasing their power. Choosing this restriction will increase the tier of any Spirit Cores dropped; +5 Additional Points.]


    [Hollowed Night - Forces the ind into perpetual darkness as the initially spawned beasts will convert into their hollowed forms. Imposing this penalty will guarantee every beast will have a Spirit Core; +5 Additional Points.]


    [Eclipse - The moon bes eclipsed, snuffing out any and all light, covering the ind inplete darkness. The beasts have evolved to live in the shadows, can you? This option will reward the Climber with the Eclipse Bracelet; +10 Additional Points.]


    [Blood Moon - Forces the moon into the blood moon phase, which turns all beasts into a bloodthirsty frenzy, increasing their power. Surviving this restriction will reward the Climber with a Blood Frenzy Amulet; +10 Additional Points.]


    [Mutated Knight - Converts a beast into an Alpha and then into a Hollowed Alpha before evolving it into a Mutated Knight. A proper boss for the challenge! Defeat the Mutated Hollow Knight to receive a Hollowed Si Ring; +10 Additional Points.]


    Jackson''s eyes spilled over with greed as he looked at all the rewards, especially the final three challenges. Not only were the item rewards themselves tempting, but all the additional points were the cherries on top!

 Chapter 67 (LXVII) Challenge

    ?"Why are you interfering with my challenges!" Elissa shouted, exiting her office and beating on Zuk''s door.


    "What are bbering on about now?" The wart-faced goblin shouted, swinging his door open and jabbing her in the stomach, which was his eye level.


    "Don''t y stupid! Why did you challenge Jackson?!?" She yelled, grabbing Zuk by his long, stic ears and raising him into the air.


    "Oy! Oy! Oy! Put me down!! I didn''t do it!" He cried, struggling to escape Elissa''s grasp.


    "You lying sack of shit!" She growled, mming him back against the wall and pinning him there.


    "I swear I don''t know what you''re talking abo¡ª"


    "It wasssn''t Zuk; it wasss me." A hulking lizardman said, stepping forward. He was tall and muscr, his broad shoulders towering over all other Floor Guardians. He had a long face with tough, interlocking scales covering his body.


    He wore a te helmet that opened around his long nose and across his head, and down to his shoulders with a long sharp de attached. It parted from his mouth to his eyes and had another te protecting his long jaw and up around where two long rabbit-like ears hung down to his chest like braids.


    His arms, legs, chest, and long tail were covered with ted armor, with a durable ck leather cloak and robe draping around his body, covering his scaly skin. Elissa dropped Zuk as he bounced against the ground and turned to him in disbelief.


    "You..? But why, Wuagi?? Have I done anything to you..?" She asked, approaching the Guardian of the 81st through 90th floors.


    "Quite the opposssite, little one! I am really impressssed by thisss Climber and believe he isss capable ofpleting thisss challenge! I bet he will even take all penaltiesss!!!" Wuagi replied, shaking his head and cing his hand on her shoulder, staring down at her, "I wanted to help him too!"


    Elissa smiled weakly, "Thank you..." she whispered softly. He nodded and turned, leaving as his tail slid along the ground behind him.


    "I think someone is owed an apology around here..." Zuk huffed, dusting his arms off as he stood up.


    "As if!" Elissa scoffed, flipping her hair and returning to her office, mming it in his face.


    ***


    Jackson calcted how he could take on 10 beasts stronger than he currently is, an alpha of that beast, a dozen Hollows of the said beasts, and a Mutated Knight of said Hollow''s Alpha. He had a few ideas already but nothing concrete.


    He needed to figure out a n and fast. He had to clear this as quickly as possible to get to the next floor, ''Eclipse, Blood Moon, and Mutated Knight are required for their equipment drops...'' Jackson thought, stroking his chin.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He had not seen anything like that before, ''Of the three remaining, Double Beasts would be the next, and the final two are simply better loot...''


    "Fuck it..." Jackson muttered, shaking his head as he enabled all challenges and received his Floor Challenge to kill the two dozen enemies.


    Instantly, the bright blue skies turned dark as the sun vanished, and the bright full moon appeared in its ce. The sea crashed violently onto the shore as the waves grew in size, crashing into each other and sending spray high into the sky.


    The full moon was dyed red as the Blood Moon took hold of the night, turning everything crimson. The dark skies lit up with shes of green lightning as the eclipse began, casting the world into darkness.


    Jackson felt the power surge within him as he took a deep breath and sighed, activating his WarFrame as his bodysuit morphed into his Frame Gear. His twin moons glowed brightly as he twirled the long scimitars around his body.


    A loud roar echoed through the ind from the direction of the forest. He heard the sounds of trees being ripped apart, branches cracking, leaves rustling, and finally, a massive form burst through the treeline, charging towards him.


    A colossal panther, twice the height of a man, charged out of the woods, roaring loudly as it ran toward him. Its fur was pitch ck with glowing white eyes that seemed to pierce right into the soul of anyone who saw it. It roared again and leaped at him with incredible speed.


    Jackson dodged the attack quickly and spun away from the creature as it collided with the ground. It shook itself and jumped back to charge at him once more as two more leaped from therge nts behind him.


    "You''re not going to catch me so easy!" Jacksonughed, spinning to avoid the attacks of the three beasts as they came together to pounce on him.


    He blocked the ws of the first one with one sword while the other sliced through the neck of a second. The third one tried to bite his leg but missed, instead catching his armored boot and pulling himself backward.


    Jackson grinned, throwing the two panthers on his swords in front of him before crossing them over the beast''s neck as it tried to chew through his ted boot, slicing both sides of its throat with his des.


    The beast fell dead, copsing as Jackson kicked the corpse aside and pulled his weapons free. The two panthersnded as two more joined them, jumping at him.


    "I''m getting tired of this game!" He growled, ducking under the swipe of a w, rolling to the left. He brought his scimitars up and stabbed his weapon along its neck as the beast passed overhead.


    He rolled to the feet of another as it leaped at him, bringing the scimitar down and cutting into the back of its skull as it mmed into the ground. He pushed to his knees as another attacked, stabbing it between the ribs as it lunged forward.


    Thest beast turned to run as it copsed and died. Jackson rose to his feet as the moon continued to turn darker, and the clouds above darkened further, shouting, "You''ve already lost half of your pack! Why don''t youe out and give me a real challenge!"

 Chapter 68 (LXVIII) Bloodbath

    ?Five more hulking panthers burst from the underbrush as arger one leaped onto a bent tree, revealing itself as the alpha. It was easily double the size of any standard panther, with thick muscles rippling beneath its ck coat. Along its skeleton was spiking poking out from its fur. It snarled angrily as it stared Jackson down with burning yellow eyes.


    It growled, baring its fangs as the five panthers followed it into battle. They all moved with grace, flowing through the air with ease, their bodies twisting and contorting with every movement.


    Jackson observed the beasts carefully, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. He knew he couldn''t let any, or any, of the beasts, touch him. He''d have to stay on the defensive until he could find the best way to defeat the creatures.


    He waited patiently, watching for an opening. When he spotted one, he struck, using his wings to propel him forward, twisting as he spun his des, connecting them in a flurry by the hilts as he cut across the chest of a panther.


    The beast stumbled backward, falling to the ground as blood poured from the wound. Another rushed at him, but he flipped forward, twisting as he flipped over it,nding on his feet and moving to sh at another.


    The alpha reared up andshed at him,unching two ckened sts from his ws, but Jackson danced to the side and shed across another panther''s chest with his scimitar. It screeched in pain and backed up, trying to shake off the blow.


    Jackson used this momentary distraction to slice across another''s chest, causing it to fall to the ground. Two others circled around to nk him, but he stepped to the side and swung his scimitar at a fourth.


    The de connected with the beast''s shoulder, tearing a chunk of flesh from it as it squealed and fell over. He whirled around, swinging his other sword at the other panther, which also went down.


    The alpha roared, standing tall as it leaped from the tree,nding in front of Jackson. He spun his warive, twisting his arms, separating and raising his scimitars as he red at the giant panther.


    The panther roared, shing its paw at him. He leaned back, avoiding the attack, and cut upward, ncing off the monster''s corbone. He then thrust his foot into its belly, pushing hard, and sent the colossal cat flying.


    He turned and dashed past the alpha, shing his scimitar downwards as he did, severing its tail. The panther screamed and turned, running after him.


    Jackson stopped and turned, blocking the iing swing of the tail with his scimitar. He grabbed the nubby tail and yanked as hard as he could, ripping the tail clean off as the panther shrieked and writhed in agony.


    He threw the tail aside and raised his de, pointing it at the panther as it struggled to stand. Jackson smiled and plunged his sword straight through the creature, pinning it to the earth. The panther thrashed and fought against his grip, but Jackson held firm, looking at the panther as it squirmed and tried to escape.


    "Okay, now for the Hollows..." Jackson muttered to himself as he looked around the pitch-ck night skies.


    The moon was still darkening, and the light of the twin moons shone with soft purple light illuminating the darkness of the eclipse.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson could hear the sound of something heavy hitting the ground nearby. He nced around, seeing nothing in the darkness.


    "What was that?" He asked aloud, cocking his head slightly.


    He heard the noise again, louder this time and closer. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise as he slowly turned around.


    The darkness parted, and he saw the outline of the specter of the hollow, towering nearly ten feet in height, with glowing red eyes and sharp teeth.


    Jackson gasped, stepping back as the ghostly figure of the hollow walked towards him. The beast opened its mouth wide and unleashed an ear-piercing scream.


    A dozen screams surrounded him through the forest as his eyes went wide. The spectral figure disappeared, leaving only an empty clearing where it had stood.


    Jackson cursed under his breath as the monsters charged at him. He quickly dodged out of the way as several leaped at him. One caught him by surprise when it jumped at him sideways, knocking him t onto the ground.


    Jackson grunted as he quickly rolled out of the way, and the beastnded beside him. It snapped its jaws at him, missing him as it hit the ground.


    Jackson rolled as lightning enveloped his limbs, flipping to his feet and turning to face the beast as it charged at him again. He blocked its w as it reached out at him, slicing open the palm of its hand. The beast howled and spun away before another charged in its ce.


    Jackson dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the snapping maw of the beast as it bit the air next to him. He sliced through its neck, killing it instantly as the beast dropped to the floor.


    Another beast jumped on top of him, biting his arm as it wed at his armor. He grunted, pounding the razor-sharp edge of his crossguard into the hollow''s eye socket, shockingly drawing blood. He punched the creature in the jaw, sending it flying backward. As soon as it touched the dirt, the beast vanished.


    Jackson groaned in frustration as two more hulking panther hollows reappeared behind him. He spun and kicked one of them, shattering its ribcage as it flew backward. He turned, kicking off the ground and spinning rapidly as he mmed his de against the hollow''s back, breaking its spine as it crashed to the ground.


    He spun again, slicing through another beast as it lunged at him, cutting deep into its neck before turning again to block a w aimed at his stomach. He kicked the beast in the chest, throwing it away from him as it exploded into a cloud of dust.


    "You''re out ofckeys!! Now bring it!! Jackson shouted, throwing his arms out as he held his twin moons away from him.

 Chapter 69 (LXIX) Hollow

    ?The blood moon continued to grow darker under the eclipse, and the sky glowed with the faintest hint of red. The Spectral Bone Panther was exceptionally fast, disappearing like a ghost and reappearing like an assassin ready to kill.


    Jackson was forced to keep moving as it darted around him, attacking from all angles. He kept his distance, deflecting the attacks as he shuffled his feet around, keeping himself away from his final opponent while waiting for his chance.


    The panther would disappear, appearing next to him, and he''d be forced to move to avoid being shredded by its sharp ws. It seemed almost impossible to get close without getting killed.


    The panther appeared right before him, and he ducked to the side, barely escaping its w. He turned, slicing through its thick hide into the powerful muscles in its foreleg.


    The panther roared in pain, ignoring it as it turned and ran at him. He turned to follow, but the panther suddenly changed directions, jumping toward him. Jackson immediately threw his leg forward, sliding against the ground as the Spectral Bone Panther flew overhead.


    He twisted his body as he slid along the ground,ing up underneath the charging panther and stabbing his scimitar into its belly. It screeched loudly as it fell forward, impaling itself on his weapon.


    Jackson pulled the scimitar free and stabbed the creature in the throat as ity dying. He rolled over, panting heavily as he leaned against the deceased beast, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his wrist.


    He took a few moments to catch his breath and check the status of his wounds. His weapons had deflected most of the damage from the ws of the beasts, but he felt a slight sting in his side, sighing in relief when it was hardly a scratch.


    A dozen loud ear-shattering ethereal wails sounded off in the jungle around Jackson, followed by a deeper bloody, guttural roar sending a shiver down his spine. Now that the ordinary Ind Panthers were taken care of, it was time for the real challenge. A dozen powered-up Hollows are being further powered up by a beefed-up Knight...


    Jackson shook his head as he got back up on his feet and readied himself for battle once again, ''This is going to take everything I''ve got!''


    ck clouds of smoke appeared around him, rising off the ground as Hollowed Panthers appeared around him. Simrly to the wolves, their fur was pitch ck, and their bones jutted randomly. Their skulls were clean, and green mes floated in their eye sockets. They snarled and growled at him, baring fangs dripping with saliva.


    Jackson sighed and turned his attention inward, focusing his mind and spirit. He closed his eyes and focused his energy, feeling his mana pool within his core. He breathed deeply and exhaled, letting his power flow outward, purple electricity dancing across every inch of his body.


    He opened his eyes just in time as two hulking panthers leaped at him, ws extended. He lifted both his swords, the long sweeping edge burning brightly, and brought them together in front of him. He pushed his willpower into his des, channeling it through his hands.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The two panther hollows collided with his scimitars, causing sparks of electricity to fly between the des, twisting his body as heunched both in opposite directions, crashing through the trees. The panthers came at him en masse, surrounding him on all sides. They snarled and growled as they circled him, waiting for an opening.


    Several of them rushed forward, trying to overwhelm him with numbers. He dodged left and right as the panthers swarmed him. He shed wildly through the air, cutting down any who dared approach.


    Jackson''s heart pounded in his chest; he was breathing hard as he fought. He could feel his strength waning; if he didn''t end this soon, he knew he wouldn''t make it.


    He couldn''t let this happen. He hade too far, survived so much, and lost people he cared about. He wasn''t going down here. Not now.


    Jackson gritted his teeth as he cut down another pair of panthers. He turned and swung his sword downward, severing the heads of three more. The remaining five backed away and formed a semi-circle around him.


    Jackson''s breath was ragged as he stared down the pack of monsters. From behind the lines of the Hollowed Panthers, their alpha, the Blighted Panther Knight, stepped forward from the shadows, raised his spear high above his head, and pointed it at Jackson, unleashing an eerie howl.


    Jackson could see the other panthers begin to charge at him, pushing themselves harder than ever. He could feel the pressure building inside him, and he could feel his own exhaustion beginning to set in.


    Jackson gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his twin scimitars. He spun and struck out with his twin des, slicing through the necks of several of the creatures. He began weaving through the panther''s attacks, easily blocking each blow.


    Jackson''s movements became faster and sharper as he weaved through the attacks of the hollowed panthers. He moved like a dancer, gracefully twirling through the air, slicing through the air as he danced among the horde of beasts.


    Jackson smiled as he saw the panthers falter, confused by his speed and agility. He spun and sliced the legs from beneath one of the panthers, knocking it to the ground. He kicked it in the ribs, crushing them as he sent it rolling away.


    Jackson spun again, bringing his de around in an arc, cleaving the neck of the panther in half. He turned again, swinging upward, decapitating the panther as it charged him.


    The blighted knight watched him intently, slowly approaching as the man continued to dance through the air, striking out at the enemy with his twin scimitars. The beast''s eyes narrowed, lowering his spear and charging, screaming in rage as the remaining hollowed panthers joined in.

 Chapter 70 (LXX) Hollow Knight

    ?"I''m not done yet!" Jackson shouted, spinning and kicking a panther in the face, sending it flying backward. He sliced the arm from another, then kicked it in the side, shattering its ribcage. He flipped through the air, spinning and kicking another panther in the face, breaking its snout and cheekbone.


    The panthers continued to swarm him, but he persisted in evading, deflecting, and striking counterattacks with his twin moons. He continued to spin and sh, using his momentum to throw him away from the panthers'' attacks.


    The panthers continued to push forward, attempting to surround him. Jackson continued to dodge, parry, and counterattack as he shed with the Blighted Panther Knight''s Shield.


    He spun and blocked a series of attacks from the panthers, circling again and thrusting his de into the panther''s shoulder, tearing through its flesh and muscle. The Knight rebounded his shield against Jackson, knocking him a few steps back, and thrust with his massive spear.


    Jackson spun, avoiding the attack, and kicked the Knight in the knee, sending him tumbling to the ground. He turned and kicked the Knight in the chest, sending him flying backward as another pantherunched toward him. He blocked the attack with both swords, throwing the panther away in a fluid motion.


    The panther roared in pain, attacking Jackson''s exposed nk. He spun and caught the de in his hand, pulling it back as the panther tried to pull it free. It screamed in pain as Jackson twisted the de, ripping its skin open.


    Jackson spun again, releasing the panther''s de as it fell from his grasp. He turned again, slicing through the panther''s stomach as it copsed to the ground.


    The Knightnded in the dirt, groaning in pain as he quickly stood, rising to his feet and ring at Jackson. "You''re strong," the Knight smiled viciously. Its etherial voice was nothing louder than a harsh whisper, yet it still echoed throughout the jungle, making Jackson shudder.


    Jackson nodded, taking a deep breath, preparing himself for what wasing next. He looked over his shoulders, seeing the few remaining panthers closing in on him. He nced over his arms, sighing in relief that Amelia''s weapons were still burning brightly, ensuring they werepatible with his power and ready for whatever might being next.


    Jackson took a step backward, raising his swords as he prepared himself. He closed his eyes and focused his mind, drawing on his inner reserves of power. He felt this power bubbling within his body and his spirit grew more robust.


    Jackson opened his eyes, looking over the charging panthers, and grinned. He took a few quick strides towards the nearest panther, lifting his swords as he ran. He mmed his scimitars into the creature''s chest, piercing through the creature''s hide.


    The creature screeched loudly as it fell to the ground, dead before it hit the ground. Jackson turned to the others, continuing to run as fast as he could while keeping an eye on the charging panthers. He ducked under the swing of one, jumping to avoid the sweep of another,nding behind it and stabbing into its back. He jumped again, flipping and shing at the third, cutting through its throat as it fell to the ground.


    Jackson turned again, running full speed as he dodged the swings of the Knight''s spear. He dove to the ground, sliding underneath thest creature''s attack, shing at the back of its leg. He rolled to his feet, sprinting past the panthers as they crashed to the ground, dead, leaving only him and the Knight.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson stopped suddenly, standing tall as the Blighted Panther Knight approached. The two locked eyes, staring each other down. The panther snarled and growled, baring fangs dripping with poisonous saliva. The Knight snarled and growled, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.


    Jackson felt the pressure build within him, the energy flowing freely as he focused his mind. He breathed deeply, exhaling as he gathered his thoughts. He reached inward, focusing on the raging power within his core, feeling it start to boil its contents out. He concentrated on his spirit, pouring his willpower and determination into his body.


    Jackson held his breath as he waited for the moment to arrive. He would need every ounce of strength he had to defeat this thing.


    The two warriors stared at each other, neither moving. They were evenly matched, both holding their ground. The panther''s muscles tensed as it readied itself, crouching low, poised to pounce.


    Jackson''s heart pounded in his ears as he stared the panther down. He clenched his fists, feeling the power surging through every inch of his body. His spirit burned bright, burning hotter and brighter than ever.


    Jackson''s heart beat faster as he closed his eyes, focusing his willpower and mana. He opened his mouth and let loose a bloodcurdling scream, unleashing a primal roar as he poured all of his strength into his des.


    The twin scimitars glowed with an eerie light, crackling with electricity as Jackson''s entire body began to shake. A surge of pure white electricity flowed from each of his des; Jackson''s body shook violently as the electric current coursed through him, filling him with raw, unbridled strength.


    Jackson gasped as he released all his pent-up frustration and anger, letting it flow through him like a torrent of seething fury. He could feel his soul burn with the sun''s heat as the fire of his spirit consumed everything in its path as heunched himself forward.


    Jackson leaped into the air, propelled by his newfound strength. He brought his scimitars down, slicing across the Knight''s torso, carving a bloody gash along the beast''s abdomen.


    The Knight staggered backward, clutching the wound in shock. Jackson followed, spinning quickly as he brought his scimitars up, slicing deeper into the Knight''s side. He swung again, opening a gaping hole in the Knight''s armor.


    The Knight stumbled backward, falling to the ground as it struggled to stay upright. Jackson swung again, severing the head of the Knight from its shoulders. Hended beside it, breathing heavily as he watched the life fade from the Knight''s lifeless corpse.

 Chapter 71 (LXXI) Search

    ?Jackson groaned, grabbing his side as he walked to a nearby tree, falling to his knees as the WarFrame deactivated, the armor pieces vanishing as the gears turned, and he was left wearing his tattered white coat and his ck cargo pants andbat boots.


    He sat there, leaning against the tree, dropping the Warives beside him as he caught his breath, "That was crazy," Jackson said softly, smiling slightly as he remembered how powerful he''d felt.


    He sighed, sitting back against the tree and resting his hands on his thighs as the windows appeared, reflecting hispletion of the challenges:


    [Modified Challenge Completed!]


    [You have survived the most brutal wave on La S¨¦ptima I and won every Challenge issued by Floor Guardian - Wuagi! You went straight from the freezer into the frying pan with these two challenges; what''s going to happen next? Are you still up for it?]


    [Reward: 7/10 Modified Challenges Completed! Complete all ten to receive the reward!]


    [Reward received from Floor Guardian - Elissa: Blighted Panther Cloak]


    [Eclipse Bracelet Received!]


    [Blood Frenzy Amulet Received!]


    [Hollowed Si Ring Received!]


    [+45 Avable Points!]


    "Two more floors, and I''ll be able to get back... Please be nice and short..." Jackson prayed, dismissing the windows as he grunted, grabbed his swords, and sheathed one on each hip, cing the sheathed de into the holster on his belt before quickly following the floating green orbs that appeared as he rushed to the next floor.


    Jackson didn''t even investigate the rewards he had received and immediately equipped all three items as they all appeared on his body in a bright sh. The Blood Frenzy Amulet appeared around his neck, the Eclipse Bracelet fit perfectly on his wrists, the Hollowed Si Ring slid onto his pinky, and the Blighted Panther Cloak wrapped tightly about his shoulders.


    The amulet was a simple leather ne with a chunk of polished dark metal, almost obsidian, hanging around it. It was a dull grey color, with arge, round, crimson gemstone set into the center. The Eclipse Bracelet was a thin silver chain with a silver sp and a small, oval, blue stone carved into a crescent moon set into the center, wrapping around arge, obsidian gemstone on it.


    The Hollowed Si Ring was a in white gold si housing a bright opal carved in the shape of a skull with a polished onyx in the left eye and a diamond in the right. The cloak had been woven from thin, silvery material, which shimmered in the sunlight, reflecting it like a mirror. The edges, epaulets, and hood were sewn in thick, luxurious ck fur, with the hood concealing his face, allowing him to hide his identity.


    Jackson looked himself over, removing his tattered jacket now that he looked the part of the mysterious assassin. He looked back at the floating orbs leading into the clearing where a portal floated and walked through it.


    ***


    He stumbled into a dark cavern and looked around, blinking rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He looked over his shoulder, seeing nothing but shadows and gloom. He looked ahead, seeing a faint lighting from somewhere far away.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He took a step forward as the challenge window appeared:


    [Modified Eighth Floor Challenge]


    [The night is always darkest before dawn! To locate the way to La Novena I, you must search for the light that shall guide you. Deep within thebyrinth of caves and tunnels beneath La Octava I, you shall find the Keystone. Not everything is as it seems; however, not every treasure is worth risking your life!]


    [Locate and obtain the Keystone within three hours to obtain a special bonus. Locate between three and nine hours to receive a unique item. Locate between nine and twenty hours to receive a special reward.]


    Jackson dismissed the message, looking down and seeing the smooth, ss-like surface beneath his feet. He looked at the walls, seeing them made of deep grey rock. He stepped forward, walking slowly and cautiously, stumbling before quickly getting over the initial disorientation.


    Jackson stood back up, took a deep breath, checked his minimap to see only static, and sighed as he started to walk down the dark tunnel. He nced at the wall, noticing the strange symbols etched into it.


    He continued to look at the markings, trying to make sense of the writing. He stopped suddenly, looking at the ground, realizing he had just passed a dead end.


    Jackson turned, heading back in the direction he came. He stopped, hearing something; ncing behind him, he saw a glimmer of light, a flicker of a me.


    Jackson ran, sprinting through the maze of twisting corridors, jumping and dodging around bends as he tried to catch sight of the source of the mes. He turned his head, gasping as he turned the corner to find the fire had vanished.


    ''A mirage..?'' He thought, slowing his pace, ''I''m running myself ragged...'' He slowed down, catching his breath, and calming himself as he brought out Khione and Umbra, who began wandering around curiously.


    Jackson paused, steadying his breath as he stood still and listened carefully. He closed his eyes, slowing his breath as he could hear the sounds of dripping water dripping off the ceiling.


    He could smell the wet earth, mold, and rot. He could feel the coldness of the damp, chilly air. He could feel the warmth of a fire, the heat radiating from it far and deep within the caverns.


    Jackson opened his eyes as he started walking down the twisting tunnels, following the sensation from Umbra''s trait as the two quickly chased after him. He quickly progressed to a jog as he continued his search, ignoring branching paths as they appeared, focusing on the direction of the urge pulling him.


    "Kyu!!" Khione mewed loudly as she ran after him alongside Umbra, who screeched in agreement. Jackson increased his pace and began running as he darted through the descending tunnels, rapidly dipping down branching paths.


    He could feel the heat growing stronger as he descended deeper underground. His heart raced as he sprinted through the winding passageways, making sharp turns as he followed the feeling.


    He rounded another bend,ing to a halt as Khione and Umbra dug all four paws into the dirt, skidding across the ground and crashing into the back of his ankles.


    Jackson frowned, holding back the smile as he stopped, turning his body as he stared at the crash piled up behind him. He looked ahead, finding the path blocked by a door made entirely of solid steel.

 Chapter 72 (LXXII) Mimic

    ?He reached up, touching the handle, pushing on it. The lock clicked open, revealing an empty room as Khione bolted into it, followed quickly by Umbra.


    Jackson stared at the two dumbfounded before he shrugged, stepping inside. As soon as he did, the torches on the wall flickered on, illuminating the chamber. Jackson blinked, squinting as he looked around, confused. There was nothing in the room.


    Jackson shook his head, turning around to leave as the door mmed shut behind him.


    "What?" Jackson shouted and reached up, shaking the handle, but it wouldn''t budge.


    "Kyu!!!!" Khione meowed loudly, scratching at the locked steel door. Umbra cautiously walked toward the center of the room, unphased by the locked door.


    Jackson sighed, turning around as he slid down the door. He patted the still trying to escape kitten and looked around for Umbra before noticing the wyvern walking toward a chest in the middle of the room.


    ''Huh..?'' Jackson shot to his feet, ring at the chest, ''That wasn''t there a moment ago...''


    Umbra continued approaching the chest, his eyes reflecting the greed in the young wyvern''s heart.


    "Umbra, no!" Jackson shouted, running forward as the small Spirit raised on both hindlegs, spreading his wings, pping them rapidly before jumping into the air andnding on top of the chest.


    "Nooooooo!!" Jackson cried as he jumped into the air, grabbing Umbra as the chest started bouncing around violently. Eight holes burst open at the bottom of the chest as it rose into the air, as eight golden metallic legs appeared.


    Two more holes appeared in the front as two long red rubbery tentacles appeared. A dozen small beady red eyes opened on the chest''s lid and opened, revealing two rows of razor-sharp white fangs and a long slimy red tongue.


    Jacksonnded hard, falling to the floor and rolling to a stop, panting heavily as he looked down at the wyvern before looking at the Mimic and back to his pet, scolding him, "Stay close and don''t get too cocky!"


    He put him down after he screeched his confirmation, standing up and charging toward the spider-like chest monster with both Twin Moons, shouting, "Khione!! Umbra!!"


    The mimic shrieked, opening its mouth wide as it lunged forward, mming into Jackson with all of its limbs. The force knocked Jackson backward several meters into the wall, where he slid to the ground with a thud.


    The creature leaped again, this time aiming directly for Khione, who was watching from afar with her ears t against her head. She growled low in her throat when she realized what was happening and dashed forward, stopping in ce as it reared up on its many legs and struck at her with its ws.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She rolled to avoid being hit, springing back up and spinning around to face it. The beast charged forward again, striking with its forews and biting with its mandibles.


    Khione snarled, growling angrily as Umbra screeched loudly and glided through the air andnded on the mimic''s head, digging his ws into the wooden body.


    The mimic screamed in pain as the wyvern scratched at the wood. Khione ran forward and bit at the metallic band around the sides of the box.


    The mimic swung wildly at Umbra, knocking him off, before it spun around, swinging its tentacles in a wide arc at the cub, who dodged the attack easily. Jackson rushed in, twirling his two scimitars as he sliced one of the arms cleanly.


    The mimic roared, raising its remaining arm to strike at the boy. He sidestepped, avoiding the blow and hacking his weapons against the wooden body of the monster. Khione bit down harder, tearing the metal bands apart as Umbra climbed back onto the creature''s head, wing at the eyes.


    The mimic squealed, dropping to the ground as it fell backward, hitting the ground and sliding along the stone until it stopped. Jackson looked at the severed chest lying motionless on the ground; long, rubber, slimy tendons stretched from the body of the chest to the lid as a line of jagged teeth lined the opening.


    "Well done, but let''s not trigger any traps next time!" He said, looking back to hispanions, nodding approvingly as Khione and Umbra excitedly bounced around his feet. Jackson knelt next to the mimic and began dismantling the monster, taking its teeth and shell.


    Defeating the mimic had opened the door and turned to the sound and squinted his eyes, "Was I misled..?" Jackson muttered, surprised that Umbra''s trait had led him into a trap. He quickly shook off the feeling as he once again closed out the world, shutting his eyes as he steadied his breath and reached out once again.


    Jackson felt the pull behind him once again as he turned and stared at the back wall with interest. He walked slowly towards the back wall, reaching up and touching the smooth surface. He quickly began sliding his hands across the entire wall but found nothing. He looked at Khione, then Umbra, before looking down at the wall.


    "I guess we''re going to have to break through." Jackson mumbled to himself as he took a step back, drawing his arm back as he prepared himself. He took another deep breath before he stepped forward; red wind began spiraling around his arm as he punched through the wall, shattering it into hundreds of small pieces.


    He pushed forward, breaking away chunks of the wall as he moved further into the cavernous space beyond, as the two creatures hopped over the rubble, following after him.


    Jackson stopped suddenly, staring at the floating pure white feather in the center of a decorated marble stone chamber. He nced back to the others, seeing they were right behind him before he looked back to the feather.


    He smiled, moving closer as Khione and Umbra followed closely behind him.


    Jackson picked up the feather, holding it between his thumb and index finger, admiring how soft and delicate the material was. It glowed brightly, lighting up the room like a star.

 Chapter 73 (LXXIII) Race

    ?[Modified Challenge Completed!]


    [You have located The Keystone, an instrumental item to navigate La Novena I! Danger can lurk around every corner. Not everything is as it seems, and even the greatest failure can turn around into your most significant sess!]


    [You have located the Keystone within three hours! +15 Avable Points!]


    [Reward: 8/10 Modified Challenges Completed! Complete all ten to receive the reward!]


    Jackson dismissed the windows and stared in awe at the bright feather in his hand, examining the intricate design carved into the cmus. The room shed red as the portal sprung to life in front of the young man and his two partners.


    "Hold on, Megan... I''ming!" Jackson muttered, recalling Khione and Umbra back into his body before quickly stepping through the portal as he was violently dumped onto a beach with ck sand. The skies were ckened as a thick haze-like smoke hung in the air.


    Jackson looked around, unable to see his hands hanging around his hips. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked up, gasping for air as he saw the sky above him, "What the hell?!" He eximed, turning his head around as the notification window appeared in front of him:


    [Modified Ninth Floor Challenge]


    [The path to La D¨¦cima I has been blocked off by the Hollow scourge. The way is dangerous, and you may just be able to make it through the depths to reach Fort Novae. Careful though, stray too far from the path, and you will never be able to find your way to safety.]


    Jackson dismissed the windows, looking around the shadows in concern. A brilliant white light illuminated from within his Gobbii Bag as he reached in and pulled out the Keystone. It glowed brightly, casting a glow over everything around them; Jackson could feel himself being drawn towards it like moths to a me.


    He took onest look behind him, seeing nothing but darkness beyond where he stood, then turned forward again and began walking down a long sandy shoreline with no end in sight. Jackson continued onward along this endless stretch of beach, the bright feather increasing and decreasing as he changed directions.


    Jackson looked around at the ck mist and clouds of smoke surrounding him. The sand, ckened with slight shades of greyscale, crunched underneath his boots. The shadows covered him, attacking the light, trying to snuff it out before retreating as the Keystone''s illumination was too much for them to bear.


    As he walked further away from the source of light shining from inside his fist, he noticed something strange about its appearance... It seemed darker than usual, ''Wasn''t it supposed to be bright white?!'' He thought to himself confusedly.


    He stopped suddenly in his tracks when a dozen meters away from him, he could see his mother sitting on a tree swing holding a swaddled baby as his father stood behind her as both smiled andughed.


    He squinted his eyes and hesitantly stepped forward, ''A memory from my childhood..?'' He thought as he remembered how beautiful she used to smile whenever they yed together outside under the sun whileughing joyously!


    "Kyu!!!" A loud noise rang inside his head, snapping Jackson back to reality as he looked around the shadows surrounding him, looking at the Keystone as he turned frantically and quickly sprinted as the feather lit up brightly.<novelnext></novelnext>


    His feet kicked up small waves washing across the dark surface of the sand until he finally reached an opening between tworge rocks blocking his path ahead. However, as soon as he entered it, he felt a sudden tugging sensation pulling him backward.


    He turned around and saw his grandmother holding her hand out to him. Jackson shivered as goosebumps covered his body, tears welling in the corner of his eyes as he looked upon her soft wrinkles and loving smile.


    "Fuck, even with Dad''s warning, this is hard..." Jackson muttered, shaking his head, tuning out the calls from the shadows as he stared into her wanting eyes. The Land of the Dead called to those of the living, preying upon the living to abandon hope and join the Hollow''s Legion.


    This was the curse of the Hollows.


    They were mindless creatures, but each held a hive-like mind controlling millions of their kind, all working together to what end, no one knew...


    Jackson sighed heavily after thinking carefully for several minutes before turning back around and continuing on, ignoring the various calls of the children from Saint Mary''s that he cared for, his friends he had made in Duskgate, and anyone else perceived as close to him.


    "I can do this." Jackson whispered quietly to himself as he ran faster, still heading straight in the direction the light shone brighter from the Keystone, tightly clenched within his fist.


    Jackson slowed down once more after running for nearly half an hour without stopping or slowing down even slightly despite feeling exhausted already due tock of sleep since hearing Megan''s call for help. He wiped the sweat dripping down his forehead with the back of his wrist.


    There was another pull at him now; not quite strong anymore, but enough for him to notice it nheless... It was faintpared to earlier but growing stronger every second passing by... He shook his head, clearing thoughts from his mind as he focused.


    Shortly after, the Keystone shined brighter than ever before as it burned in his hand, forcing him to release it as it floated higher into the air. High-pitched screeches were unleashed as the rays grew more vigorous, pushing back the shadows.


    The feather grew brightly, illuminating the colors of thendscape around him as the nt''s greenery and blue skies rushed back to the ind.


    The shadows were pushed back, struggling against the Keystone''s light as massive ck clouds formed as the smaller maskless Hollows crashed and exploded into smoke against each other, creating huge hulking behemoths.


    Jackson''s eyes widened as they began crashing toward him, the Keystone growing brighter before smashing into fragments and dimming into the ground a dozen meters in front of him.


    He turned to look at the remains of the Keystone, his heart racing as the shadowed monstrosities charged closer. Momentster, a blue portal ripped open in front of him, spiraling where the feather had exploded.

 Chapter 74 (LXXIV) Rescue

    ?The hulking shadows charged forward, darkness having returned to their world as the colors dulled once more before they were engulfed by the dark haze.


    Jackson burst into a sprint toward the portal, looking over his shoulder as the massive behemoths destroyed everything in their path as they chased after him.


    ''Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I''m not going to make it!!'' He screamed internally, gritting his teeth as his eyes returned to the portal as he pushed hispletely spent body as hard as he could.


    He could feel the smaller faceless Hollows swirling around him, moving quickly through the air as they shot toward him, wisps of ck smoke scattering behind them as they moved.


    Jackson ignored everything around him, his eyespletely locked on the portal as he drew closer. Time felt distorted as the adrenaline pumped through his veins; it felt like he was running through msses.


    In the corner of his eye, a bright pulsating light appeared behind him. He fought every urge in his body to turn and face whatever appeared, the portal was three more bounds, and he would be safe.


    He took a step, ''Two more!!!''


    He took another, "One more!!!"


    He took a final step, gritting his teeth as he kicked off the ground, leaping into the air, ''Come on!! Come on!! Come on!!'' He thought before he was violently flung away from the portal into the darkness by the massive sweeping arm of a shadowed behemoth.


    Jackson ragdolled through the air, crashing into the ckened sand and skidding deep into it as he tumbled rapidly before skidding to a halt inside a long and deep crater.


    The shadows and clouds wrapped tightly around his body, holding him tightly as he threw his arms around pointlessly, trying to get them off. He stumbled as he stood, groaning in pain, his vision struggling to refocus.


    He quickly located the portal, took a step towards it, and stopped as a powerful emotion washed over him. He stumbled, falling to his hands and knees as he stared nkly at the ck sand below him.


    "Wha-" Jackson groaned, his eyes dting as he strained his face, gritting his teeth. He felt intense despair and dread washing over his entire body, so much so he couldn''t stand straight or even look toward the source.


    He bit his lip, blood running down his mouth and dripping in the sand, flexing his muscles as he failed to lift himself off the ground before screaming.


    "JACKSON!!" A muffled voice rang, bringing him back to the present as he began panting heavily, his entire body covered in sweat.


    Loud, muffled booms were ringing around him, and slowly the sensation pinning him to the ground lessened, and Jackson was able to rise to his knees and look around.


    The pulsating light was racing through the shadows in erratic movements that Jackson couldn''t follow. It would appear, and a massive shadowed Hollow would be disintegrated before it would vanish and reappear.


    Jackson looked over to the portal and groaned as he sprinted ahead again. The shadows had begun to ignore him as he could run between them freely.


    He tried once again to activate Twenty Moons, but no matter how many times he tried to bring out its energy, it would note forth. He looked over at the light as he ran, squinting his eyes.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "They''re clearly using Artes; why can''t I..?" He muttered as he continued to watch it blitz around the shadows.


    As he drew closer to the portal, the shadows once again turned their attention back to him as the smaller clouds of smoke began rapidly rotating around him, trapping him in a cyclone.


    He tried to push through the barrier of smoke and haze, but the shadows began wrapping around his arms and legs, stopping his advancement.


    Immediately he was jerked by his cloak as the blinding, pulsating light grabbed him, and he reappeared next to the portal and was spun around before he was thrown toward the portal.


    Flying backward through the air, Jackson''s eyes widened as he briefly saw the short, stoutly feminine figure with a pulsating light in her fist before vanishing and returning to the shadows.


    "Noooo-" Jackson screamed as he flew through the portal,nding violently and crashing into the stone za in the middle of Fort Novae, rolling on his side as he quickly came to a stop.


    He frantically scrambled to his feet, his eyes staring at the portal as it slowly began closing, running as quickly as he could back toward it, reaching out as it closed inches from his fingertips.


    "Fuck!" He screamed, mming his fists into the cobblestone, his aura exploding from his body for a brief second as he created a massive crater beneath him.


    Smoke and debris flew into the air and hid his frame as arge crowd gathered and whispered amongst each other as a squad of soldiers appeared and pointed their weapons toward the smoke rising from the crater.


    Jackson''s mood quickly turned from frustration to happiness as tears ran down his cheeks, "I was right... I knew it all along!!"


    He beganughing uncontrobly as he threw his arms into the air with arge grin as the smoke started to clear. The guards inched closer, weapons raised as they shouted at him.


    "You there, boy! Surrender peacefully, and we will not harm you! Resist, and we will use lethal force!!"


    "Tch!" Jackson turned to look up at the soldiers, clicking his tongue as he stood, and slowly walked out of the crater with his arms held above his head.


    "Good! Now, turn around... Nice and slow..." The guard said, producing a pair of iron shackles as he slowly approached.


    "I''m not here to cause any trouble..." Jackson exined, looking around the za, trying to plot an escape route and locate the exit to return to Duskgate.


    "Now don''t try anything stupid, boy... Nice and easy..." He said, stepping closer still.


    "I can''t be taken in right now..." Jackson said as he started backing away with a sincere smile, "I promise, when I return, you can take me in!"


    "No-" The guard said, leaping forward as he tried to grab Jackson''s wrist.

 Chapter 75 (LXXV) Return

    ?Purple lightning began arcing up Jackson''s feet, twisting around his legs as he kicked off the stone, leaping backward as the guard jumped at him.


    His body became enveloped in electricity as the bolt of lightning bounced off amp post, ricocheting between stalls as he disappeared down an alleyway.


    "Quick! Alert the Guard Post!" The soldier shouted, pointing at one of the guards who saluted and ran off, "Everyone else, after him!"


    The three remaining armored men raised their spears and ran through the za between the buildings and into the alley.


    Jackson poked his head out from the rooftop as he watched the guards chasing a ghost, chuckling to himself as he stood up and looked around therge fort city.


    The castle was high above him, cut into the mountainside behind him. His gaze traveled across hundreds of rooftops surrounding what seemed like endless rows of shops lining both sides of streets, which led deeper within Fort Novae until eventually ending at a set of massive walls and towering gates leading outside onto open ins beyond where numerous farms dotted throughout fields stretching far off horizon lines.


    Tall towers poked above the sea of rooftops in various locations, soldiers stationed atop withrge braziers burning intensely. Two enormous spires standing proud amidst dozens of lesser structures scattered about them were most notable.


    Onerger than most others near an area called Market Square, while another tower sat just past the colossal floating blue crystal nestled between four stone pirs. Dozens of small offices were built nearby among green gardens filled with flowers blooming everywhere imaginable.


    The other spire structure was taller yet thinner than those surrounding it; however, it had multiple levels connected to nearby buildings, unlike any other building constructed anywhere except perhaps Castle Gouran.


    The Castle was carved from the mountainside, with intricate masonry and stonecutting working hand-in-hand, creating beautiful patterns throughout its entire exterior.


    Ten thousand stone stairs led up and down to the castle''s tall, imposing battlements and spires overlooking all areas of Fort Novae; some parts of these staircases were worn smooth due to countless people climbing them daily since ancient times when this fortress first rose from its foundations centuries ago during war against the neighboring kingdom.


    Jackson looked around the street below him, ensuring it was empty as he quickly dropped from the rooftop. He pulled his hood over his head, concealing his face as he briskly walked toward the Gate Crystal.


    He ignored the notifications shing in the corner of his vision and the hundreds of street vendors shouting to grab potential shoppers'' attention.


    Whenever a group of soldiers appeared, his heart would begin pounding as he melded with the closest group of civilians, sneaking past the sentries as he reached the Gate za.


    His eyes went wide as he gazed across the beautiful flowers growing alongside decorative fountains adorned with statues depicting heroes fighting monsters and beautifully crafted mosaics coveringrge squares of the streets made entirely out of ss tiles embedded together, each tile perfectly fitting snugly beside its neighbor.


    He quickly passed through the breathtaking za as he pulled his hood back and entered the Gate Crystal, exiting God''s Tower. The sun was just beginning to peek over Mount Shurima''s peaks to the East when Jackson emerged from the portal in God''s Tower.


    The sun bathed everything in golden rays shining brightly, not even slightly obscured by fog or clouds; sighing in relief as he returned to Duskgate, practically flying down the floating staircase as he ran toward his shop and base ''Overgeared'' as quickly as possible.


    He came to a halt outside the front door, panting heavily as he saw it filled with customers; the three sisters assisted them while Alijah managed the register,pleting transactions.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He took a deep breath, holding it as he closed his eyes and opened the door casually, sighing heavily as he entered the store.


    "Good morning, wee! Someone will be with you shortly!" Alijah shouted instinctively as she rang a customer up. Jackson rolled his eyes and smiled, ''At least she''s courteous...''


    He walked through the store, approached the counter, and stepped behind it, walking behind Alijah, saying good morning to her as he entered the back office.


    "Good morning, Jax!" She replied, smiling at the customer as she handed him the product before her eyes widened and snapped to the shutting door and shouted, "JAX?!?"


    "Um... Please excuse me for one moment!" Alijah said with a sly smile to the customer who had approached the counter before she ran over to the triplets asking for coverage before sprinting into the back room.


    "Jax, when did you get back?" She said, closing the door behind her as Jackson sat down at the desk and started looking through papers.


    "Just now, I can''t stay long; I received a call for help from Megan. I can''t get ahold of her through the Zo¨ªs Corde!" Jackson exined as he searched through the scattered papers and began opening drawers and rummaging through them.


    "I know... Jax, I have something to tell you..." Alijah stated; she chewed on her lower lip, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt as she twisted her body left and right.


    Jackson stopped his search, staring at the desk as he slowly closed the drawer and leaned against it, "What happened..?"


    She sighed heavily, "It was after you left..."


    "What?" Jackson interjected during her long pause, "What is it!"


    "Sheesh! It''s not easy!" Alijah eximed, "Natane said we needed to pay this protection fee because of something in God''s Tower! Abigail, Be, and Jolie had only just finished the first batch, so we''ve only just started gaining traction..."


    "What? Who demanded that we pay reparations??" Jackson shouted, ring at her, a massive wildfire burning in his eyes, causing her to flinch.


    "It was ming Dawn!! They left you a message!" She pointed to the sealed envelope tacked to the wall, "They said they took your girlfriend, so I didn''t think anything of it at first as I know you don''t have a girlfriend."


    "She''s not my girlfriend!" Jackson muttered, grabbing the letter and ripping it off the wall.


    "When I exined to Amelia what happened, she told me about Megan... I tried to pay them, but they refused..."


    Jackson raised his hand pausing her as he opened the letter.

 Chapter 76 (LXXVI) Lexx - Part 1

    ?"Jackson Seraphin, I hope this reaches you well; I mean as well as can be when your loved one is robbed of what she desires. Now you understand how I have been feeling as ofte.


    You have robbed my beloved Viktoria Snow of her sole dream since she was a small girl, so I have decided to deny your little girlfriend her freedom.


    You are at this moment challenged to a Mhan¨¢tou No''naya Shi¨¢chi! Fighting in my stead will be my appointed Champion, Lexx Seifer. If you wish for her survival, cross the bridge to Fort Vetus ALONE, the Hollows have been cleared out, Imperia Snow."


    The Mhan¨¢tou No''naya Shi¨¢chi was an officially sanctioned duel endorsed by The Climber''s Association. Each party would offer coteral as equity in the contest; if you lost, your equity was given to the victor. Jackson gritted his teeth and mmed his fist against the desk, sitting down in the chair, panting heavily.


    "Jax... I''m sorry..." Alijah said sheepishly, hesitantly holding her hand toward him as she crept closer.


    "It''s not your fault, even if you had given them the credits, they still would have taken Megan..." Jackson sighed, shaking his head, "I''m not mad or angry at you, just this whole situation..."


    "I''ve had every street urchin looking for them in Duskgate, not a single peep. Headmistress Tara came looking for you after she was taken; she looked worried but wouldn''t say anything to me." Alijah said, stepping closer.


    "Good, keep looking. I''ll go see herter... I am heading back to God''s Tower right now to get Megan back!" Jackson said, standing as he brushed past her.


    "Jax, wait!" She said, grabbing his wrist, "Amelia needs you to go to her shop first; she has something for your WarFrame!"


    "Amelia''s and then back into God''s Tower: Got it!" Jackson said, turning back toward her, smiling as he patted the top of her head and quickly exited the shop.


    ***


    Lexx sat atop the battlements of Fort Vetus, one knee in the air, resting his elbow on it, the other leg dangling off the stone walls. He had utterly conquered the entire ind and locked the boss away in the dungeons as he and his guild, ming Dawn, farmed the slowly respawning Hollows.


    His eyes were locked on the bridge connecting the inds, and he never strayed as he waited. Only one person would ever be crossing that bridge, and the second they appeared, they would be incinerated.


    His guild members stopped everyone from attempting to clear the ind as they monopolized the floor while waiting for his prey.


    Many climbers hadined, but no one would dare show any resistance to any order given by a member of Tetraktys, such was the power gap between the top and the bottom.


    Far in the distance, the most diminutive silhouette appeared and started growing more prominent. A wicked grin spread on Lexx''s face as his eyes perked up, and he focused on the approaching figure.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He stood, opening both hands as balls of mes appeared in each as heughed,unching himself forward as he fired two streams of mes behind him, rapidly flying through the air.


    "Finally, Jackson!!!" He shouted,nding on the bridge in front of the insignificant ant, "I was starting to think you had died!!"


    "No, I didn''t die; now, release Megan!" He red back, his chest heaving as he pulled back his hood, revealing his face.


    "She was released the second you exited Fort Novus. You don''t need to worry about her; I know Imperia trusts her daughter''s estimations, but I strongly believe you should focus on me right now!" Lexx shouted, gripping the greatsword and detaching it from the back of his jacket as it burst into blue mes.


    "I don''t know why you are so obsessed with me, but I will make it quick!!" Jackson growled, his fists clenched around both Twin Moon Scimitars, spinning them around his body and twisting around, connecting them and converting them into their Warive form.


    Lexx leaped forward, twirling the massive ming sword around his body once as he unleashed an overhead sh.


    Jackson grinned, kneeling down as he raised the central hilt of his Warive, which had formed a giant shield protecting the handle as the greatsword struck it, a torrent of mes bursting forward as Lexx''s body remained in the air as he exerted increased firepower from his de.


    "Tch!" He clicked his tongue, the heat pouring away from him, causing him to sweat buckets. He gripped both sides of the hilt and stood, throwing Lexx away as his WarFrame sprung to life, the gears twisting as his armor appeared over his bodysuit and under his cloak.


    Lexx roared, his body glowing as he flew backward, ming phoenix wings exploding out of his back as he spun in the air as hended. He jumped in the air, his sword shing as he shed downward, flying toward him.


    Jackson gracefully spun the Warive around his body as he flowed through the motions, deflecting the attacks as he continued to spin, his body blurring as he deflected the strikes, his movements bing more and more fluid.


    Lexx swung his sword, flying past Jackson, adjusting his angle midair when Jackson''s metallic wings burst out of the WarFrame''s back andunched into the air toward him. He quickly raised his massive sword in front of him, blocking both attacks and tumbling through the air from the unexpected attack.


    "Maybe you are everything Viktoria cracked you up to be!" Lexx shouted,ughing as he couldn''t contain his excitement, "It''s been a while since anyone has seen me go all out!!"


    Jackson floated down, hovering in the air across from Lexx, squinting his eyes as he red at the man.


    "Thank you, Jackson!!" He shouted, grinning wide, "Warm-up time is over, I''ll give you the honorable death that you deserve, Climber to Climber!"


    "No, Lexx... No one is dying here!" Jackson shouted as a torrential pir of mes erupted from Lexx, consuming the man''s entire body as he squinted his eyes, raising his hand in front of his face as a fireball struck him in his chest andunched him, crashing into the ground below.

 Chapter 77 (LXXVII) Lexx - Part 2

    ?The gigantic explosion shook the area, sending debris raining everywhere as smoke billowed into the sky. The sound of a cracking stone filled the air as cracks ran along the wall.


    Lexx had engulfed his entire body in blue mes and had transformed into a me Atronach. His whole body was a bright white with blue mes floating out in various directions from his body.


    Complex magma-like formations appeared around his shoulders, chest, face, hands, waist, and legs, creating armor and detail amongst his frame.


    His hair was also set aze, and his eyes glowed a brilliant orange as he opened his mouth. A long stream of smoke escaped his lips and curled around his face.


    Lexx held his hand out, gripping an invisible handle as mes appeared, spreading out as his greatsword reappeared, having been transformed.


    He lifted the mighty weapon high, swinging it straight down at Jackson, who instantly dodged to the side. As soon as the fiery projectile passed, the air began to crackle as lightning arced between the twobatants.


    Jackson fell to the floor, rolling to avoid the next swing. His boots left scorch marks on the stone as he moved to his feet, lifting his own twin scimitars as he stepped back.


    "You''re not going to beat me like this!" Jackson yelled, charging at therger man, firing a st of wind at him as he did.


    Lexx simply pushed back against the force of the gust, falling backward as he slid on the stone floor, his mes growing stronger. Jackson smiled, sliding to a stop before him, jumping at him, and thrusting his swords at the bigger man''s neck.


    Lexx caught the weapons with one arm, pushing Jackson back, and kicked him in the stomach,unching him away as fire erupted from his feet, spinning into the air andunching a flurry of fireballs that arced through the air toward the young man.


    Jackson used what little control he had on his flight path tounch himself upward, avoiding the majority of the iing fire and deflecting more with his Twin Moons, but several hit his shoulder and chest, causing his clothes to catch on fire.


    He twisted in the air, patting the fire out as lightning enveloped his body, dancing through the air as he reappeared and plunged his des deep within the belly of the me Atronach.


    Lexx let out another roar before bursting intoughter as he felt the energy flowing through his veins. His mes separated, allowing the des to pass through his body without damaging him.


    Jackson''s eyes went wide as he immediatelyunched himself backward as the Atronach swung his massive de with one hand, immediately following up as he used the momentum to turn downward violently,unching a wave of mes toward him.


    Jackson flipped backward off the ground; upside down, he twisted in a circle as he quicklybined his Twin Moons into the Warive, unleashing powerful des of energy, striking the wave of mes and breaking them apart.


    "You are good, kid," Lexx said, chuckling as he brought the massive de back up, "But you aren''t better than me..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson shot off the ground, flying through the air as he fired a barrage of de beams, piercing the mes surrounding therge man.


    "And now...I''m about to prove it!" He shouted, pointing his finger at the smaller man.


    A bolt of lightning exploded outward from Lexx''s palm, hitting Jackson square on his chest te, knocking him back as he crashed into the wall behind him. He crumpled onto the floor, coughing up blood as he coughed uncontrobly, trying desperately to breathe.


    Lexx floated down slowly, his transformation recalling as he reappeared with his greatsword resting on his shoulder as his coat pping in the wind.


    He stood above the fallen boy, staring down with those bright orange eyes, "You''ve got guts, I''ll give you that." He chuckled, kneeling down and patting the dust off Jackson''s chest.


    "Megan now owes a life debt to Viktoria Snow because of you. ming Dawn will bepleting the Tenth floor, so you''ll have to wait to save her... Or you could join me." Lexx exined, standing up, and he red down at him.


    "Tch!" Jackson clicked his tongue in frustration, "I can''t join any guilds! What is wrong with you people! Leave her out of it! She has nothing to do with this! She can''t even enter the tower!"


    "You can''t or won''t?" He countered, shaking his head as he stared down at him, "I understand wanting to protect others, you should join ming Dawn."


    Jackson growled as he swung his Warive at Lexx, spinning as he jumped to his feet. The older man grinned, jumping backward as he avoided the attack.


    The younger man rushed forward, spinning his weapon around him as his des shed against the greatsword. Lexx grunted, stepping forward, and they locked their weapons together, each struggling to push the other back.


    Jackson shouted, pulling back his sword and rushing forward again, mming his foot into the ground and kicking the air, propelling himself forward as he split his Warive into the Twin Moon Scimitars, shing against the massive de and knocking Lexx aside.


    "Gah!" He roared, twisting his wrist and ripping the sword free as it burst into me. He tossed it into the air as it disappeared, leaving only a small trail of smoke in its wake. He spun, reaching out and grabbing the hilt of his sword as it reappeared and swinging it around him, creating a tornado of mes around him as it split into five different trails of fire, shooting toward Jackson.


    Jackson ducked under the first strike, diving to the right as he shed upwards with his left scimitar, deflecting the second attack, then shing downward with his right weapon as he moved to the left, slicing across the mes as he created space between himself and the enemy.


    Lexxughed, watching as Jackson continued to evade his attacks, knowing that he would be too slow to avoid all of the attacks. His smile faded as he realized that the young man wasn''t losing ground¡ªhe was actually countering every attack.


    "His speed shouldn''t be enough..." He muttered to himself as he watched on with bated breath.

 Chapter 78 (LXXVIII) Sleeping Dragon

    ?Lex screamed in frustration as he instantly transformed back into his me Atronach form as the attacks starteding faster and harder, and the intensity increased tenfold.


    The way the attacks came from all angles made it difficult for Jackson to predict where the attacks mighte from.


    Lexx tried to keep his attacks unpredictable, hoping to throw Jackson off bnce, but it seemed like the young man was reading his mind, anticipating his moves...


    The attacks didn''t seem to bending. As he thought it over, Lexx noticed that Jackson was no longer attacking. Instead, he was running away from the attacks.


    "What?!" Lexx roared, confused, as he continued to chase after him while he evaded the relentless assault.


    Jackson dashed across the bridge, weaving his way around the pirs, staying just ahead of the bursts of mes.


    Lexx slowed his pace, breathing heavily as he flew into the air, sending a continuous assault of fireballs toward him before rapidly flying forward, charging toward Jackson, and calling his greatsword to his hands.


    Jackson turned sharply, heading straight toward a pir as he dove between two columns, barely missing being cut by the giant de as it demolished one of the pirs.


    "Hmph!" Lexx snorted, slowing his advance as he spun through the air,unching a series of fireballs at him. He flew forward, swinging his greatsword around as he closed in.


    Jackson stopped in his tracks, jumping and twisting in the air holding up both scimitars, bracing himself against the force of the blow. As the greatsword collided against both des, they pressed against his chest te.


    The force of the impact knocked him backward, crashing through the walls of Fort Vetus and sliding along the floor.


    Lexx flew through the hole, his greatsword raised above his head, ring down at him with his burning eyes. Jackson raised the Twin Moons once more.


    Lexx gripped his hilt tightly, focusing his power as his sword was engulfed in a bright beam, swinging it violently at Jackson.


    The young man blocked the attack with his twin swords, crashing against the ground as the attack connected his WarFrame once more. Jackson grinned wide as the Hollow skulls began to emit a right blue light.


    The gears began spinning wildly as the light grew brighter, as blue electricity danced wildly across his entire body. Lexx''s eyes went wide as he started to retreat, but a humongous bolt of blue electricity crashed, consuming both men.


    The sound of thunder shook the room, and the lightning arced through the air, cracking the stone cobblestone tiles around them, the stone walls shattering and crumbling as the nearby portcullis was destroyed.


    As the sparks died down and the lights finally dimmed, the two figures still standing, smoke rising off their bodies: Jackson, who looked exhausted; Lexx, whose singed clothing had nearly been utterly destroyed, and his skin charred ck, though he appeared otherwise unharmed, they looked at each other, gasping for air and clutching their chests.


    A group of ming Dawn squadrons charged across the bridge, rapidly approaching the fort as both men panted heavily, staring at one another. Khione and Umbra, hiding nearby, leaped over the debris of the destroyed gate and charged toward Jackson.


    "Spirit Beasts..?" Lexx muttered under his breath, too exhausted to even step forward. Jackson fell to his knees, ring fiercely at the older man.


    "Release her! You have lost!" Jackson snarled as the courtyard began to flood with ming Dawn members.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Let''s call it a draw." He huffed, arge smirk spreading across his face, throwing his arms wide as his guild members jumped in front of him.


    "Kyuuu!!" Khione mewed loudly as she, Jackson, and Umbra were instantly encased in a massive chunk of ice, causing everyone to quickly step backward.


    A few guards cautiously approached and tapped the hard ice with the tips of their weapons when suddenly cracks quickly spiderwebbed throughout its surface and shattered.


    The tiny kitten had transformed into a massive white saber-toothed panther. Her tworge fangs and four big ws on all four paws were like razor-sharp pale, blue ice; indestructible ice formations formed around her neck, shoulders, and forehead, creating an intimidating set of armor.


    Khione grabbed Jackson in her mouth, throwing him onto her back as Umbra jumped onto her long tail as she leaped out of the courtyard, rushing away from the fort before sprinting across the ocean, a path of ice forming underneath her feet.


    "Quick!! After them!!" One of the Captains shouted, throwing his arm out as men quickly scrambled as they started to run out of the courtyard.


    "Ignore that order! Let them go..." Lexx shouted, dragging his feet across the rubble as he sluggishly walked toward the entrance to the nearby castle.


    "Ry orders to release the girl back into Duskgate... Bring everyone to Fort Vetus; we''re clearing this floor and moving on!" He ordered as every member saluted him and quickly departed back to Fort Novae.


    ***


    Hourster, the entirety of ming Dawn escorted Viktoria Snow into Fort Vetus as they gathered in the Throne Room where Lexx was lounging leisurely, still spent after his fight with Jackson.


    She approached him as the guild members proceeded through a doorway leading to stairs and descended to the dungeons.


    "I think you might have poked a sleeping dragon there, ''princess...''" Lexx dered, his gaze piercing her spirit.


    "Don''t tell me you lost Mother''s stupid bet!" She eximed, her eyes widening in shock as she quickly stepped forward.


    "No, but I did have to release the girl." He sighed, shaking his head, "He was far more powerful than you told Imperia..."


    "Stronger?!? Are you inept? I nearly fought him to a draw! You should be as strong as my mother, at least!" She shouted, stomping her feet in disgust.


    "You dare insult me?!?" Lexx roared, a pir of fire consuming the throne, causing Viktoria to recoil against the heat.


    "You stupid little brat!" He shouted, stepping down the stairs leading to the throne, "He was toying with you! I strongly suggest you quit this immature vendetta you have against him and return to your mother''s teet!"


    An icy aura surrounded Viktoria as her breath became visible; she opened her mouth to retaliate when a notification interrupted the pair:


    [ming Dawn has sessfullypleted the challenge! Will all members of ming Dawn please gather in the Throne Room of Fort Vetus!]

 Chapter 79 (LXXIX) Aftermath

    ?Khione had raced a great distance away from the ind before circling an area and creating a tform as she reverted back to a small cub. Jackson groaned, lying on his back as he stared into the sky while she and Umbra stood on both sides of his head and stared at him.


    "Thanks, you two; I don''t think I would have survived that without calling you guys when he thought he won." The young manughed, groaning again as he sat up, his WarFrame deactivating as his armor vanished.


    Jackson sighed heavily, tapping on the shing exmation mark in the corner of his vision as a series of notifications appeared in front of him:


    [Modified Tenth Floor Challenge]


    [Fort Novae and Fort Vetus have been in a stalemate until recently, and Hollows have taken over! Discover the source of the Hollows and bring peace to the brother''s neighboring kingdoms!]


    [''Final Judgement'' has been Mastered within Timeless Rage of the Meteor Behemoth!]


    [WarFrame has depleted all Power Cores; please recharge to redeploy!]


    [ming Dawn has sessfullypleted La D¨¦cima I''s Challenge! Please exit God''s Tower immediately so the floor can be reset.]


    Jackson closed his eyes after dismissing the notifications and fell onto his back, turning his head to the small cub, "Khione! How did you do that?"


    "Kyu..?" She mewed, tilting her head. Heughed and patted the top of her head, and inspected her stats:


    [Name: Khione]


    [Species: Winged Snowdrift Panther]


    [Spirit Rank: Queen (Evolvable)]


    [Spirit Trait: Inspire Loyalty]


    [Spirit Level: 5]


    [Affinity: Ice]


    [Power: 23]


    [Perception: 25]


    [Stamina: 24]


    [Speed: 26]


    [Instinct: 34]


    [Avable Points: 0]


    [Spirit Artes: War Forme (5%)]


    "War Forme, huh..?" Jackson muttered, inspecting her new Arte:


    [War Forme]


    [Rank: S]


    [Mastery: 5%]


    [Type: Transformation]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Khione''s body is enveloped in ice for a brief transformation into the Snowdrift Panther War Forme, increasing her attributes tenfold for a short duration.]


    "Kyu!!" Khione proimed proudly, puffing her chest out. Umbra narrowed his eyes as he peeked at her from behind the young man, hissing softly and blowing a minuscule spark of fire.


    "Great work, Khi!" Jackson eximed, picking her up and holding her high in the air with a grin as the kitten gushed in appreciation. Umbra whined as he leaned forward on his thigh, his tail wagging sheepishly.


    Jacksonughed, patting the small wyvern as he ced Khione in hisp, "You were great too, Umbra!"


    The small wyvern climbed into hisp excitedly, snuggling close to Khione as she growled softly before Jackson patted both of their heads and removed both from hisp, standing up.


    "Come on, guys! We need to return to Duskgate and find Megan!" He said, waving his arm as he tried to run on the path of ice leading back to the ind.


    He waved his arms as he moved his body back and forth, stumbling forward before he regained his bnce and started sliding his feet against the ice, skating back with the two Spirit Beasts in tow.


    ***


    Megan awoke as her bound body was being jostled. Instantly her heart started pounding in her chest as she began hyperventting, gagged with a cloth around her mouth and a bup sack over her head.


    She was drenched in sweat as she was dressed in a simple, dirty gray sweatsuit, bound repeatedly around both arms and legs with thick rope.


    "Ngh!" she grunted as she was thrown against the hard ground as she began sobbing silently. A man ripped the sack off her head, and she shut her eyes tightly.


    It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the light as she looked around and found herself in a dingy warehouse surrounded by arge group of intimidating men.


    "Looks like it''s your lucky day, little girl..." One of the men eximed, kneeling down as he pulled the bandanna out of her mouth, pulling it down around her neck.


    "W-W-Wh-Wha?" She sobbed, unable to speak coherently as she looked up at him pitifully through teary eyes. The thug mocked her as heughed, raising his hand to one of the men and snapping his fingers as they quickly came forward and untied the girl.


    "You''re free to go!" He exined, pointing to therge warehouse doors behind him, "There''s the exit!"


    Megan held her breath, her eyes darting around as she looked between the men, too scared to move. After a long pause, she slowly stood up, cautiously walking past the men.


    Halfway toward the doors, she turned back, ncing at the men who ignored her, sprinting toward the exit, and repeatedly turning her head as she ran, trying to see if anyone was chasing her.


    Looking back, she ran into the door, falling to her rear, and scrambled back to her feet, stumbling with the handle before running out of the warehouse as she ran toward the orphanage, running into Alijah on her way back toward the shop.


    ***


    "After holding me somewhere, they moved me and that''s how I was freed..." She exined, freshly out of the shower and wrapped tightly in a thick nket with a piping hot cup of tea in her hand.


    Alijah and the triplets gasped in shock, excitedly chatting amongst themselves and bombarding her with dozens of questions. Due to her return, the shop had been closed for the day.


    Jackson burst into the empty shop shortly after she had finished telling her story; he looked around the storefront confused, before sprinting up the stairs, "Alijah!"


    "Ah, speak of the devil!" She eximed before turning and shouting loudly, "Up here, Jackson!!"


    Jackson quickly ascended the series of stairs, rushing onto the floor, "Quick, Megan''s somewhere around Duskgate, we need to find her, fast!"


    He quickly looked around all five women and looked back at Megan, realizing she was back when she dropped the mug and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.


    He was taken aback, his mind entirely overloaded by emotions. The mug crashing into the ground snapped him back as he wrapped his arms around Megan, hugging her tightly as she began crying uncontrobly.


    He hushed her, stroking her hair, repeatedly muttering softly, "I''m sorry..."

 Chapter 80 (LXXX) Hiccup

    ?Megan exined what she had experienced after being grabbed in the middle of a mission for Saint Mary''s and being bound and held against her will for thest few days before being set free.


    Jackson exined what happened in God''s Tower, why her freedom was taken from her, and how it was restored, feeling extreme shame over his involvement in her kidnapping.


    "I think I may need to leave Duskgate..." Jackson muttered to himself as the five women eximed in surprise.


    "What?? No! We just got ''Overgeared'' off the ground!!" Alijah shouted, shooting to her feet.


    "It would be safer that way!" Jackson exined, "If we don''t pull out now, they will do something bolder next time; what if they decide to blow up the building?"


    "Jax..." Megan replied softly, reaching her hand out.


    "What if ''we'' keep the doors open, and you leave?" Alijah asked, cing her hands on her hips and staring at him with shaking eyes.


    "Then they can still get to me through you guys..." Jackson sighed, shaking his head before opening his eyes and smiling, "Actually, there might just be a way..."


    "Really?" The Triplets asked as he nodded his head and walked past them.


    "Alijah, Megan, follow me, you three, get this shop open!" Jackson ordered, pointing at everyone as the triplets went downstairs while he led the two to his penthouse.


    He sat at his desk, sitting down as he opened a drawer, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen. Before handing it to Megan, he quickly wrote a letter on it: "Take this to Tara and then go to your room and pack everything you need, only the essentials!"


    "Um..." She replied reluctantly, taking the folded letter, "What''s going on, Jax..?"


    "You''ll being with us, of course!" Jackson exined, "Now, go! We have a lot to prepare!"


    "Uh..." Megan was stunned, unable to move as Alijah grabbed her shoulders and pushed her.


    "You got this!" She encouraged, giving her a thumbs up and a smile as she shooed her out of the office as Jackson wrote another letter.


    "Here, take this to Natane. Come back as quickly as possible; we have a lot to prepare." Jackson stated, handing her the letter; she nodded, took it, and quickly exited the room.


    Jackson sighed, sinking into his chair, rubbing his forehead, and muttering, "It''s just a small hup; we can deviate and adapt..."


    He quickly grabbed more sheets of paper from his desk, snapping them as he started writing, rapidly filling each page before moving to the next.


    It took a few hours for Alijah and Megan to return; shortly afterward, Tara and Natane had arrived, and all gathered upstairs in arge conference room.


    The Triplets were just closing shop when Amelia and August entered, causing a minormotion amongst the remaining customers before being locked outside.


    They led the siblings upstairs just in time to see Alijah finish serving everyone tea and biscuits. Jackson smiled, throwing his arms out, "Perfect! Everyone has arrived!"


    "What''s up, Jax?" August asked, plopping down in a chair as his sister sat quietly beside him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I need a favor from everyone here..." Jackson exined, leaning forward against the table, looking sternly across the table.


    ***


    ~~Inside Tetraktys'' Joint Office in Freywatch~~


    "I cannot ept this!!" Imperia shouted, mming her fist against the table, spikes of ice rising around it.


    "Imperia... Even your daughter is stating that she wishes to drop this vendetta!" Zayin proimed, dropping the letter written jointly by Lexx and Viktoria onto the table.


    "She did not sign this of her own volition!" She yelled, pointing toward the ming Dawn member sent as a proxy to deliver the message and remain on the Tenth Floor.


    "You use Lexx of forcing her to do something against her will? I agree that he is a hothead, but he is a man of honor..." Viscardi gasped, stroking his thick, full beard.


    "Huhuhu!" The jester burst into a fit ofughter, "Oh, how the tides have changed! Weren''t you his biggest opposition, Viscardi?"


    "Watch your tongue, Xoltu! Don''t make me p that ridiculous makeup off your face, you stupid clown!" The green-haired man roared.


    "Kekeke!" Heughed in response, flicking his wrist as a long knife appeared in his hand; he licked the entire length of the de with the tip of his tongue, wrapping it around it before it vanished from his hand.


    Viscardi''s eyes widened in shock as the dagger reappeared in the wall behind him, "You would dare??!"


    "ENOUGH!!" Zayin boomed, mming his cane against the ground once, creating a sonic boom; he looked around at those present sternly, "Who is this boy, and how is he able to go toe-to-toe with one of us?"


    Xoltu cleared his throat as he stood, "His name is Jackson Seraphin. He is an orphan from Saint Mary''s in Duskgate, where he''s been for eleven years. All known family is presumed dead from a Wildling''s raid."


    "Seraphin..?" The elderly man muttered after hearing the name and stroked his beard before turning toward a massive muscr man, "Krullgrek?"


    "We did attack Duskgate back then..." He replied, rubbing the back of his bald head. He wore odd, sturdy belts across his chest with a massive metallic ring in the center.


    The straps held his gigantic pauldron in ce on his left shoulder and his greataxe over his right. His left arm was bare, revealing long streaks of war paint and brands marking each of his kills.


    Krullgrek had been the ''Warlord of all Wildling Warlords,'' like his father before him and his father before him. In the wilds, there was only one rule, kill or be killed.


    The strong ate the weak, and the weak bowed to the strong.


    "We look for woman, but not find woman, but woman vanished." He exined.


    "Oho! That''s right! Your ex-partner''s mother! What was his name again..?" Xoltu asked, turning his head toward Zayin, whose eyes burned with an endless hatred as his bloodlust burst forth.


    "Krige!!" The elderly man growled, his formidable aura knocking out the ming Dawn proxy as the rest of Tetraktys grimmaced, barely able to withstand his bloodlust.

 Chapter 81 (LXXXI) Departure

    ?"Seraphin... Krige, you sly dog..." Zayin muttered, stroking his beard, lost in thought as his aura slowly receded and everyone present sighed in relief. After a long pause, he announced, "Fortune has smiled upon us... It seems we''ve missed one... We cannot let him slip through our fingers as we did Sha!"


    "Perfect! I won''t have to drop my vendetta against the boy now!" Imperia huffed, crossing her arms underneath her massive chest and leaning back into her chair.


    "Now, Imperia... We can''t kill the boy!" Viscardi sighed, shaking his head.


    "No one said anything about killing him, just maiming him a little!" She smirked, covering her mouth as Xoltu burst intoughter.


    "I love this side of you, Imperia!" He chuckled.


    "No, Imperia, you shall leave the boy alone..." Zayin dered, "Xoltu, investigate the boy and his current dealings, I want to know everything!"


    ***


    A few weeks passed in the blink of an as Jackson returned to God''s Tower a few times, looking for Sera while farming materials on La D¨¦cima I, but she never returned.


    He had received food explicitly designed for Spirit Beasts and had begun their training during the material farming, studying about raising Spirit Beasts while they killed the Hollows and Beasts. Meanwhile, everyone else had prepared to leave Duskgate.


    Khione and Umbra grew rapidly thanks to the food that Natane provided Jackson. Initially, she had to rely on her War Forme so the two could take on a singr beast together while Jackson distracted the rest of the group.


    Eventually, they were both strong enough to take entire groups, allowing Jackson to read up and studied the Skill Book on Spirit Beastmastery while they farmed the materials.


    Natane had been provided funds to acquire a few Skillbooks, a couple Lava Striders, a carriage, along with tents, aplete set of camping equipment, amodations for six, and rations to make a two-week trip.


    Amelia and August weremissioned to create a new set of lightweight equipment and blueprints to go along with the different materials being dropped by the monsters on the Tenth Floor.


    Megan had gathered everything she could into a bag and moved into Overgeared. Jackson had handed her the Skillbooks and told her to start practicing.


    Alijah, with the help of Megan and Tara Le Doux, contracted Saint Mary''s Orphanage to permanently provide five orphans employment at Overgeared.


    Abigail, Be, and Jolie immediately took the two boys and one girl and began mentoring them on how toplete the blueprints and what materials to use.


    Alijah took the remaining two girls, showing them how to open and close the store, bnce the ie and expenses, what suppliers needed to be paid and what the prices were, and finally, how, where, and when to deposit the credits into an ount she had set up through The Climber''s Association.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson had provided her additional funds for a direct line ofmunication between Alijah and her new subordinates. He smiled as she quickly delegated loading responsibilities as Megan spoke with the coachman, their newest employee, a mutant known as Ziq.


    Following the emergence of God''s Towers and the invasion of Beasts centuries prior, new diseases were introduced to humanity, introducing a mutation amongst the humans that had turned them into the living dead.


    Unlike the mindless brain-crazed zombies that the media often portrayed them to be, a mutant''s personality was the same as before they were afflicted with the illness.


    Mutants were heavily discriminated against when the first wave struck humanity, often murdered on the spot being mistaken for a beast. They hid amongst humankind for hundreds of years before they dered war.


    Unfortunately, they were defeated and discriminated against further as they suffered the consequences, and their entire race was enved by The Climber''s Association.


    Over the next century, many would escape and live amongst the barbarians in The Wilds, but dozens of generations would never see freedom.


    Ziq was tending to the Lava Striders, giant feathered reptiles resembling ostriches, a popr choice amongst travelers due to their ability to traverse any terrain and their endurance.


    Everyone had gathered, piling into the carriage as they set off from the North Gate. Their destination was the Haven of the North, Ashbourne, nestled in the center of an expansive desert known as The Barrens that connected the east and the west.


    Jackson wanted to head North and set up another branch of Overgeared before making his next move. Ashbourne was a vast city built next to an evenrgerke in the middle of the desert. It was one of the major hubs on Terra due to its unique location and resources.


    The Barrens was a harsh environment with even more vicious inhabitants. Dozens of high-level insectoid beasts from different hives nested across the desert, creating a ma for powerful Climbers.


    He had room to breathe, thanks to the facade they left in Duskgate, but it wouldn''t be long before it was discovered they were gone. He had a small contingency n in ce, and it would only buy them some additional time, but only a little.


    It would be ideal if he could have them running around in circles, but he would need to weave a fewyers between the outside world and himself if he wanted topletely disappear off their radar.


    "Megan..." He said to that end, leaning close and pulling her closer as her face flushed red, whispering into her ear.


    "What?!?" She shouted, jumping to her feet and jostling the carriage and everyone on it. Jackson grabbed her cor, jerking her back to her seat and shushing her.


    "Quiet!!" He seethed and red at her, smiling weakly at the rest of the women in the carriage as he pulled her closer, looking at her softly, "I need the help of someone I know won''t betray me for anything... The only person I could think of was you; will you do it, please? For me..?"


    Megan''s face grew redder as she fainted, her brain overloaded in agreement as Jackson''s eyes went wide and grabbed her, fanning her face rapidly.

 Chapter 82 (LXXXII) The Barrens

    ?"We''re almost to a safe spot to camp for the night, sir!" Ziq said, poking his head into the carriage, "Is the young miss alright?"


    "Yeah, she''s just resting right now; she''ll be fine when she wakes up." Jackson said, smiling at him. The rest of the girls were huddled together around Megan and excitedly talking amongst themselves.


    An hourter, the two men set up the camp while the women tended to Megan a short distance from the weathered path overlooking the canyon leading into The Barrens.


    Jackson stood watch all night while the rest of the group slept; he tried practicing his techniques but had reached a roadblock, preventing further advancement in his skills.


    "I''m missing something..." He muttered, sitting on a massive rock close to the cliff''s edge with his back to The Barrens. He asked August about it before they left Duskgate, but he had no clue what he was talking about.


    He reflected on his skills page inside God''s Tower, the image burned into his mind as he had been frustrated with it for a few days:


    [Twenty Moons Under the One Sun]


    [Rank: SS]


    [Mastery: 90%]


    [Twenty Inferno of the Twin Storms]


    [Rank: SS]


    [Mastery: 90%]


    [Asura of the Four Rivers]


    [Rank: A]


    [Mastery: 24%]


    [Swift Phantom of the Twin Moon Assassin]


    [Rank: S]


    [Mastery: 24%]


    [Twenty Timeless Rage of the Meteor Behemoth]


    [Rank: S]


    [Mastery: 24%]


    [Spirit Summoning]


    [Rank: C]


    [Mastery: 14%]


    [Spirit Beastmastery]


    [Rank: B]


    [Mastery: 9%]


    "No matter what I do, they won''t increase..." He muttered to himself, unsure what prevented him from increasing his skills further. The night passed without incident, and at first light, they descended the canyon into The Barrens.


    The sun beat down harshly on the carriage as the Lava Striders quickly ran across the dusty stone path through the sandy dunes. If it wasn''t for him being a mutant, Ziq would have felt unbearable.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The shade provided by the carriage helped protect the group from the unforgiving sun, but due to the dry heat, it hardly helped.


    Thankfully, the old mutant was several hundred years old and an experienced traveler, avoiding the dangerous areas and avoiding the humongous hives in the distance.


    Very few drones ventured that far from their hives, and the few stragglers that intercepted them were quickly dispatched by Jackson. The Lava Striders enjoyed the scraps of the insects after he had the triplets dismantle the corpses.


    Jackson assisted Megan as she studied the three Skillbooks he had given her, along with the set of leather armor, bow, and arrows. She practiced her aiming and was a natural deadeye outside ofbat.


    However, during a fight, she was so nervous about identally hitting Jackson that she missed every time. Unfortunately, Megan''s terrible aim continued when he removed himself from the equation and had her fight in a one-on-one battle.


    After three or four failed attempts where he had to step in and save her life at thest minute, he gave up that idea, cleaning his de as he approached the shaken younger woman.


    "Alright, we''ll need to approach this differently... You''re in your way so much that you''re unable to concentrate..." Jackson sighed, sitting down next to her.


    "I''m sorry..." She muttered, sitting on her knees as she stared at the simple yet intricately designed bow in her hands.


    "It''s no problem; you just need more experience, before you know it, you''ll be taking them out before I can even get to them!" He said, patting the top of her head.


    "What can I do to get better..?" Megan asked, looking up at him with quivering eyes.


    "Practice the other two Skillbooks from now on. One will help you be able to move to get yourself out of danger, and the other will develop yourself further." Jackson exined, "Once you have done both of those better, you will have enough confidence in your skills to rely on them in the heat ofbat."


    Her eyes sparkled as she nodded at him, rushing off into the carriage as she started reading the Skillbooks. He rolled his eyes, smiling as he looked around, noticing Alijah peeking at him from the front of the carriage.


    He squinted his eyes as he stood up and walked toward her, hearing Ziq rambling to her as she fiddled with her thumbs in herp and suspiciously nodded at him.


    "Hey, Ziq! Can I steal Alijah away for a minute?" Jackson asked, pointing his thumb behind him with a smile.


    "Oh! Of course, Mister Jax!" He smiled back, patting her shoulder, "I''ll talk to yater, Miss Ali!"


    "S-sure!!" She awkwardly replied, forcing a smile as she was dragged away by Jackson, asking, "W-w-what''s th-the m-matter??"


    "That''s what I wanted to ask you! What''s up, do you need something?" He asked, cing his fists on his hips and staring into her eyes sternly.


    "N-nothing!!" She eximed, cing her hand behind her neck, forcing a smile.


    "Not buying it... Spit it out." Jackson scolded, squinting his eyes at her.


    "Ugh!" Alijah eximed, throwing her arms up in defeat, "Fine! Can you teach me too?"


    "You don''t want to run Overgeared anymore..?" He asked, tilting his head.


    "N-NO!!" She shouted, waving her arms rapidly back and forth in shock, "That''s not it!!"


    "Then what is it..?" Jackson asked, crossing one arm across his chest as he covered his chin with his hand, staring at her intently as he thought.


    "It''s nothing!! Just forget about it!!" She eximed, stomping her foot and turning around to storm off.


    "Do you want to spend more time with me..?" He blurted aloud and then smirked, teasing her, "Are you jealous of Megan..?"


    Alijah''s face turned bright red as smoke rose from the top of her head as she ran over and started beating on his chest, "You idiot!! Why would I want to do that!?? I just want to be able to protect myself!"


    Jackson flinched, smirking as he stifled hisughter, "Okay, okay, okay!! You don''t need to kill me!! When we reach Ashbourne we''ll see what we can find!"

 Chapter 83 (LXXXIII) Dune Wyrm

    ?Ziq led the group through The Barrens over the course of the following two weeks. It was in the dead of the night as they continued traveling toward Ashbourne after making a unanimous decision to push through the night and reach the city in the morning. Under the guidance of the moonlight brightly illuminating the expansive desert, they raced offroad, kicking up a long trail of sand into the air.


    "Kweh!!" The Lava Striders eximed in exhaustion, running as quickly as possible; a massive stream of sand kicked into the air as an unknown beast charged after the carriage.


    "ZIQ!!!! IT''S GETTING CLOSER!!!" Alijah yelled, the triplets squealing as the four huddled together. Jackson held the back of the carriage open as Megan rapidly fired arrows one after another toward their pursuer.


    "Keep it up!" Jackson roared over the whipping wind, "We just need one to hit it!"


    Thankfully over the course of thest two weeks, Megan was able to asionally hit an opponent but was highly unreliable. She was improving, but Jackson tried to fight off the doubt in his mind, ''Whatever this is; is the size of a barn, she has to hit it!''


    "Jax..." She shouted, rapidly firing arrows as she aimed briefly before each shot.


    "I know!!! Come on, Megan!!! Hit it!!" He yelled in return before turning his back, "Ziq, do something!"


    "Ziq!!!" Alijah shouted once more, their pursuer closing the gap as it started rising from beneath the sand, dwarfing the carriage as it chased them.


    "They''re giving all they got!!" Ziq shouted back, snapping the reins, "You do something!!"


    "Tch!!" Jackson clicked his tongue, "Okay, Megan!!! You got this, it''s RIGHT THERE!!!" He shouted, deploying his WarFrame and unsheathing his Twin Moons.


    "I see it!!" She shouted back, gritting her teeth as she aimed, firing again, the arrows plunging into the massive Desert Wyrm''s hide, doing nothing to the beast.


    "You need to hit its eyes!!!" Jackson shouted, leaning down and pointing with one of his scimitars toward the beady ck eyes the size of a grapefruit above its humongous mouth.


    "Are you serious?? Why was I shooting before it came up???" Megan eximed, looking at him angrily.


    "You can hit them through the sand!!" He yelled, countering back, "You have nearly perfect aim outside ofbat!! I''ve seen you split a dozen arrows down the shaft in a row! Don''t get me that!!!"


    "Just shut up!!!" She huffed, nocking an arrow and aiming. Jackson red daggers at the back of her head as he grabbed the top of the carriage, flipping on top.


    He twirled his scimitars as the metallic wings deployed from the back of the WarFrame, "Megan!!! Now!!!" He roared, leaping into the air. She adjusted her aim for a split second from inside the carriage andunched the arrow.


    Jackson, air stepped through the skies toward the Desert Wyrm. It was the length of two massive airnes and the size of arge barn. It was dark orange and had vertical lines running down the length of its body, segmenting its bulbous body.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Dozens of rows of razor-sharp teeth lined the inside of its mouth as Jackson rose into the air, the arrow flying directly and hitting one of the dozen eyes above its mouth.


    Long streamer-like fins pped rapidly in the wind as Jackson twirled his scimitars, holding them icepick style, jamming them into two eyes of the humongous beast as the arrow struck true and pierced a third eye.


    Jackson immediately kicked off, floating backward as the Desert Wyrm recoiled in pain, rearing into the air and unleashing a deafening, deep bellow as its body constricted as it created the sound.


    The young man kicked off the air, stepping back and deactivating his WarFrame as he flew into the carriage, jostling it roughly as he crashed into it, much to the dismay of the Lava Striders as Ziq stabilized the vehicle.


    "I think I see Ashbourne!!" Ziq shouted from the front, the girls all sighing in relief. Jackson red at the Desert Wyrm as it regained itsposure and dived under the sand, rapidly chasing after the carriage.


    "This sunnova bitch ising back!! Stop!" Jackson shouted, leaping from the carriage once more as it quickly stopped, turning to the side.


    He spun, redeploying his WarFrame midair, flying toward the massive sandworm, dark clouds gathering overhead as static randomly appeared around him.


    A purple and light blue bolt of lightning shot from the skies, striking both of his Twin Moon Scimitars, each de emitting a radiant energy of the same color along the length of the edge of both des.


    Beneath the WarFrame and underneath his bodysuit, his body was emitting steam as his arms and legs bulked up, his muscles burning up as they grew more prominent as a fiery red aura emitted from his eyes.


    "Torrential Bolt of the Transcendent Behemoth!!" Jackson roared, raising both scimitars above his head andunching forward as his body rapidly spun.


    He mmed both des into the sand just as the Desert Wyrm reached the impact point as two colossal bolts of lightning struck the ground, creating an even more enormous explosion, shooting massive columns of sand hundreds of meters into the sky.


    The impact forcefully and abruptly stopped the momentum of the Desert Wyrm as its head sunk into the sad, flinging its tail high into the air, flipping the humongous beast onto its back.


    Jackson panted heavily, his swords still piercing the sand as the entire group looked in awe as the beast they previously were fleeing from soared over their heads in slow motion before crashing, creating a tidal wave of sand in all directions.


    Jackson stood, the gears of his WarFrame spinning as his armor disappeared, twirling the Twin Moons around and sheathing them, and turning to look toward the carriage with a thumbs up.


    "Oh shit!" He eximed to himself, rushing over to the half-buried carriage and seven heads poking out of the sand, staring at him in annoyance.

 Chapter 84 (LXXXIV) Ashbourne

    ?After defeating the Desert Wyrm and helping dig out the carriage, Jackson helped the triplets dismantle the humongous corpse as the night began giving away to daybreak.


    It took the four a few hours topletely dismantle the massive beast. Unlike the previous kills, the flesh was stored within his inventory; he had another use for the dense, nutrient-rich meat.


    After all the excitement had died down, they resumed their trek toward Ashbourne, whose skyscrapers could already be seen, eclipsing the rising sun.


    The oasis that Ashbourne was built upon is an enormous artificialke constructed explicitly to begin terraforming the region, but God''s Tower issued an indefinite hiatus on that project.


    Mud and native nts were imnted next to the expansive body of water, and it quickly took root after the copse; Terra transformed the region itself.


    Theke quickly began supporting the ecosystem as beasts and animals inhabited the massive tropical jungle. The Warlords realized theke''s strategic location, destroyed the jungle, and built arge fort, growing and expanding as more children were born and wanderers joined.


    As The Climber''s Association expanded its influence and started creating awork across Terra, the Warlord''s Fort was seized. They razed the entireplex to the ground and built Ashbourne, quickly growing and expanding beyond to jungle.


    As Ashbourne is one of the only select cities not supported by one of God''s Towers, it generates its ie by importing materials and exporting finished goods instead.


    Numerous production buildings could be located in the city, making for the perfect location for the headquarters of the most prestigious trade school on Terra, The Gilded Forge.


    Amelia and August were graduates from the school long ago, while Abigail, Be, and Jolie had just graduated a few months prior. Jackson knew setting up a new workshop and attracting talented tradesmen and women would be challenging, but it was necessary.


    Zip reared the Lava Striders as they arrived; many moisture farmers had established farms on the city''s outskirts, and shanty towns had been built next to therge gates with massive stone walls surrounding the city and part of theke.


    The gates were always opened, and they passed through uninterrupted into the sea of people running through the streets. Hundreds of vendors lined each street, stalls set up outside buildings offering luxurious bolts of cloth, fine jewelry, strong weapons, and sturdy armor.


    The five girls poked their heads out of the carriage and greedily eyed all the beautiful essories for their appearance as they passed through the streets.


    Small kids ran through the crowds, squeezing through and pickpocketing people and quickly vanishing down the myriad of small back alleys.


    Unfortunately, the unscrupulous nature of The Wilds had burrowed itself deep within the essence of Ashbourne and quickly became a haven for The Underworld.


    The city had a dark secret, leading to its sess. Many informationworks could be found within Ashbourne, bing the epicenter for the ck market on Terra.


    Despite being a well-fortified and defensive structure against anything The Wilds could throw at it, Ashbourne was considered one of the most dangerous ces on the.


    Jackson wanted to utilize the ck market to acquire advanced materials he couldn''t obtain right now, establish a workshop and stall right out front, and start building a rtionship with one of the manyworks.


    Natane had instructed them to reach out to one of her closest friends in the business at a tavern called, The Wretched Candle. Ziq had often visited Ashbourne in his travels as the journey from Duskgate didn''t have a Manga-Grav Shuttle service and knew where it was.<novelnext></novelnext>


    With the advancement of materials obtained from God''s Tower, one of the technological marvels from before The Arrival that had been recovered was the discovery of anti-gravity.


    What used to take days, weeks, or even months to traverse, could bepleted in a tenth of the time utilizing a Magna-Grav Shuttle. Unfortunately, the cost of operating and maintaining the vehicles meant that only some cities could afford to provide the service. Once more, Ashbourne was an anomaly, having shuttle services to the East and West.


    Once the carriage arrived at The Wretched Candle, Ziq led the Lava Striders behind the tavern and began tending them while Jackson and the girls entered.


    It was arge two-storied building with dozens of tables surrounded by chairs on three levels inside. Arge portion of the ground floor had been sunken, creating a massive bar area and some tables, a ground floor with tables and doors leading to the kitchens, and stairs leading to a second story filled with seating.


    The group approached the bar, where an older, burly, red-haired woman was wiping down a ss mug. The tavern was mostly empty, only a few patrons scattered around.


    "G''morning! Little early for a drink, don''cha think?" Sheughed heartily, cing down the mug as she wiped her hands on her white apron, "What can I do ye for?"


    "Is Malina avable?" Jackson replied.


    "Depends... Who''s asking?" She squinted her eyes, leaning against the bar, staring into his eyes with a scowl.


    "Natane sent us; we''re looking to do business and were told she''s the best."


    "Natane?" She smiled, her eyes perking up as her attitude instantly changed, "I haven''t heard her name in a while; how''s Duskgate treating her?"


    "She''s doing good, same as always!" Alijah eximed, jumping onto a stool and leaning forward, "You''re friends with Mistress Natane?"


    "Oho, are you one of her little toys?" She replied, "We go way back, rivals you could say."


    "!" The young girl''s eyes sparkled as she stared at the older woman in admiration, "Ca-"


    "It''s nice to meet you, Malina. I''m Jackson; I would like to know if you and I could discuss a few potential ventures I have in mind." The young man interrupted.


    "Ah, straight to the point, I see..." She replied, sighing as she stood up and pointed to a door in the corner of the room, "Follow me."


    "Come on, Alijah. Everyone else, wait here." Jackson said as the two followed Malina, leaving Megan and the triplets at the bar.


    While the sisters began wandering around and exploring the tavern, Megan sighed, staring as she watched Jackson and Alijah disappear behind the door.

 Chapter 85 (LXXXV) Tailed

    ?Jackson and Alijah were in the back offices with Malina for a reasonable amount of time before all three walked back to the bar together, and he left with the five girls.


    "Get everything?" She asked, looking up at him as they walked through the streets, the sun climbing higher into the sky and beating down on the oasis city.


    "We got what we were looking for; now it''s time for us all to put our ns in motion!" Jackson replied, his eyes looking around at everyone as they passed.


    "Everyone, watch out! The vedriver''s back!" Alijah joked, nudging Megan in the arm with her elbow yfully as the triplets burst intoughter, agreeing.


    "I am not!" Jackson retorted, scoffing and crossing his arms across his chest, ring at the jokester, who immediately threw her two hands up in defeat before diving behind Megan.


    "Are too!" She shouted, peeking out and sticking her tongue out at him.


    He rolled his eyes and turned around, leading the girls toward their destination. It was a rundown foundry on the edge of town, but it came with arge plot ofnd for expansions.


    "Alijah, this is where we will establish Overgeared''s workshop. Take whatever is necessary to start immediate construction to have this up and running in a few months." He exined, and she nodded, pulling a notebook from her back pocket and writing notes.


    "Abigal, Be, Julia, you three graduated in good standing with The Guilded Forge, yeah?" Jackson asked, turning and looking at the triplets.


    "Un!" The three said in unison, nodding as they looked at him as he smiled and nodded.


    "Good. You three should head on over and introduce yourselves, let them know you''re in the city. I''ll give you guys your task when youe back." He snapped his fingers at Alijah as she sighed and handed him her notebook and pen.


    "Here''s where we will be staying tonight." He handed them a hastily written address; Be took it as all three departed.


    "Here." Jackson tossed the notebook and pen back to Alijah, who clumsily caught it and stuck her tongue out at him again, "There''s the address to the Climber''s Association. Buy this plot and get the construction permit process started."


    "I know what to do!" She huffed, strutting away with her nose in the air.


    "What about me..?" Megan asked, stepping forward sheepishly, looking up at him with her hand behind her back, holding her arm as she spun back and forth.


    "I need you toe with me while everyone''s getting the ball rolling. Come one!" Jackson said with a smile, turning as he waved her to follow. She smiled, adjusting the bow and quiver across her back, and caught up with him.


    He led her through the market-lined streets, looking through nearly every stall and interacting with the vendors. Megan enjoyed looking at all the jewelry and trying them on as Jackson purchased her the ones she liked the most.


    They stopped and grabbed handheld snacks of marinated meat and roasted veggies wrapped in baked bread drizzled with sauce. The couple proceeded to navigate through the city, appearing as if they were on a date.


    Jackson continued to monitor the person spying on them from the rooftops. He grabbed her hand, quickly running down an alleyway.


    "Jax!! Wait!!" Megan shouted as she was dragged along, zipping through the narrow corridors and cutting across wide streets.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Meg, hurry! We''re almost there!" He replied, holding her hand tightly as they continued running through the alleys. As they ran across a road, Jackson dipped behind a building, wrapping his arm around Megan and pinning her to the wall as she squeaked.


    He covered her mouth with his hand, pressing his body against hers as both panted heavily. He looked to the skies as he monitored their surroundings, sensing their pursuer while her eyes quivered, staring up at him.


    Confirming their tail had lost their position, he slowly removed his hand from her mouth and brought his index finger to his lips, shushing her softly as she nodded confirmation.


    He sighed in relief after they ran in another direction, "They''re gone..."


    "Who was it?" She asked, catching her breath and pushing against him as he jumped back, rubbed the back of his neck, and smiled wryly.


    "Ah... I don''t know, but we will definitely find out sooner orter..." He replied darkly, staring up at the rooftops sternly for a moment before turning around, "Come one, we''re almost there."


    "Where are we going?" She asked, running to catch up before walking beside him.


    "Malina told me where we can gain entry into the ck market. She said she would make contact with an Information Guild for us... Whoever that was, had followed us since we left The Wretched Candle..." Jackson exined as they walked, "Which leads me to believe that''s no coincidence..."


    He stopped as they reached an unsuspecting building with no windows with a luxurious purple drape covering the entrance. He climbed the small steps and pulled the cloth back, stepping in and holding it open for Megan.


    "Don''t say a word unless spoken to and even then, look to me for approval before speaking." Jackson whispered as he stared at her sternly.


    "Wha-" She asked, but he hissed, cutting her off before she red back at him before nodding with a sigh, whispering, "You''ll pay for thatter..."


    The room they entered looked like a standard corner store containing a myriad of products. Jackson and Megan nodded at one another before they walked through the store into the back room, acting like they belonged there.


    They approached a metal sliding door with a hatch that he beat on twice with his fist.


    "Aye, and who you be?" A gristly voice yelled after the hatch slid open, an eye peeking between Jackson and Megan rapidly.


    "I''m here to shop." He replied.


    "What for?" The gruff voice shouted back.


    "Products that may be considered unnatural." He answered, leaning down and staring the man in the eyes, "Now, open up!"


    "A''ight! A''ight! Ye know the password, you can enter!" He replied, mming the hatch shut before a dozen locks clicked before the metal door slid open.


    A brutish, bald wide man with an eyepatch and mutton chops stepped out and extended his arm, "Wee... to The ck Widow''s Emporium!"

 Chapter 86 (LXXXVI) The Black Market

    ?Jackson and Megan stepped past the husky doorman, entered the door, and descended the long staircase. Torches lit the walls as the pair walked through an expansive hallway, extending further than either could see.


    Doors lined each side, locked as Jackson recalled a striking resemnce of his surroundings to the mysterious bunker his grandmother disappeared inside. His heart began racing as he remembered the events from when he was eight years old.


    Megan nced over at him, noticing the difference in his demeanor as they walked in silence. Despite no words being said, she knew something was bothering him and confirmed it when they came to a sturdy wooden door.


    His eyes widened as he gasped, grabbing the silver pendant hanging in front of his chest as he reached slowly for the cast iron handle. He grasped the cold metal, tugging the door open.


    The door revealed avishly designed room with three branching paths and arge counter with three simrly dressed women in grey skirt suits sitting. The floors and walls seemed to bend as no molding separated the seamless wooden nks, creating a unique design.


    Jackson hesitated as he entered, Megan a half-step behind him as she stared at him with concern. They approached the counter, approaching one of the women who ignored them as she continued organizing thousands of sheets of paper.


    "Wee to The ck Widow''s Emporium! The path to your left leads to weapons and armor, the right path: raw materials and skillbooks, and the way behind me contains consumables and pets. When you''re done shopping, you pay here." She exined, pointing down each path without looking away from her work.


    "..." Jackson and Megan exchanged nces and stared at the other two women who simrly ignored them; he turned to leave, waving his hand as he headed toward the path to the right, "Come on, Megan."


    She nodded as they headed toward the crimson red drape covering the path, walking through as they entered a massive warehouse with hundreds of stalls filled with hundreds of random materials gathered from hundreds of different beasts,ponents of various sizes and shapes from hollows, and thousands of skillbooks.


    No one manned the stalls as various people walked amongst them, each minding their own business as the pair started navigating the twisting path of objects for sale.


    "What are we looking for?" Megan asked, inspecting random supplies piled on the tables as she walked past various stalls.


    "A few things actually..." Jackson replied, staring around the corners and ceiling as he noticed a dozen cameras watching the customer''s each and every action, "Right now, we''re looking for some suitable skillbooks."


    "I see... So you two are going to be spending even more time together..?"


    "No more than usual..." He replied, picking up the skillbooks and inspecting each name before returning it, "What do you think she''d be good with? With that mouth of hers, I was thinking maybe getting her a taunt skill."


    "You''re an idiot..." She sighed, shaking her head and approaching him as she grabbed the books in his stead, rapidly looking through them before finding one and handing it to him, "Here."


    "Daggers, huh..?" Jackson muttered, flipping through the skillbook and nodding, "Yeah this is good, you two can utilize the same movement and core skillbooks."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Let''s get this one then. Let''s head over to the left path and find her some weapons." He said as the pair crossed through the central room and entered anotherrge warehouse on the opposite end, looking around the simrly staged with thousands of weapons of all kinds. They spent roughly half an hour finding a decently forced pair of keris daggers with scabbards.


    "Ready to head back?" She asked, handing him the leather straps connected to the sheathed daggers.


    "Nah, we still have to get a few more things." He shook his head, taking the weapons as they dangled from his hand holding the skillbook.


    "What are we looking for?" She asked, tilting her head as she followed him.


    "You''ll see!" He smiled, grabbing her hand and taking her into the final warehouse. Unlike the previous two rooms, Tamers were present to maintain the Spirit Beasts''posure, filled in hundreds of cages, while incubation machines containing unhatched eggs lined the walls.


    In the center were dozens of refrigeration units, maintaining hundreds of dark brown pellets. Jackson ignored the cages and approached the fridges, grabbing the clipboards off the top as he read through the manifest listing each pill.


    He looked through half of the units before finding what he was looking for, grabbing a small brown cloth sack, reaching in and grabbing two of them, and putting them in before he pulled the drawstring closed and closed the unit.


    "All done!" He smiled, approaching her, "You wanna look at the Spirit Beasts or a Beast Egg?"


    "No." She shook her head, "You''re already going to be spending too much as it is! You don''t need to get me anything!"


    "Pssh!" He scoffed, shaking his head, "You''re looking at it wrong, Meg. You should form a bond with one and develop that rtionship. Everything I do is to help you grow stronger; it''s not a one-way street, either. The stronger you are, the better you will be able to help me."


    "..." Megan sighed, grabbing her chin as she stared at the grounding, thinking on his words for a moment of silence before nodding, "I understand... Let''s take a look."


    Jackson smiled and nodded, cing his hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward one of the Tamers, greeting him, "Hi! She''s about to be a Climber and is looking for a beginner-friendly partner and form a pact with."


    "We have a great selection of Spirit Beasts as well as Beast Eggs that are perfect for a beginner!" He nodded at Jackson before turning and smiling warmly at Megan, "I see you use a bow; you''ll want one that will be quick and fast and will bestpliment your ranged fighting style!"


    She forced a smile, recoiling inwardly as the long, thinning, silver-haired man grabbed her hands and shook them, "N-nice to meet you! T-that sounds great!"


    He turned and started pointing at the various cages, drawing attention to specific animals as he walked, each with distinct characteristics, before turning back toward her, "So, what kind of animal are you looking for?"

 Chapter 87 (LXXXVII) Indebted

    ?Small rabbits with tiny horns pointing forward between their ears,rge mice with electric pockets on their cheeks, various breeds of dogs with numerous features, and dozens of small foxes, each with different numbered tails, but Megan was not interested in any of them.


    The Tamer''s face twitched as he forced a smile, continuing to lead her through the ones avable. Nothing caught her eye; meanwhile, Jackson had already located a suitable partner for Alijah, a purple ferret that could turn invisible.


    Itsbat capabilities weren''t very good currently, but it would be much stronger if she took care of it long enough to break through to the next stage.


    "Hmm..." He thought, standing back, watching as she looked through all the Spirit Beasts; a few of the more difficult ones caught her eye.


    Arge wolf with small gusts of wind blowing from his corbones, blowing down his back, a lion with grey fur, and a ck mane with silver fangs and ws with the tip of his tail burning with ck fire.


    Jackson grabbed her shoulder, "Even I would have trouble forming a pact with one of these... What about a bird? Wouldn''t that be a good partner?"


    "We do have some excellent Sky Raider Falcon Eggs that are almost done incubating; their mother is present, would you like to inspect her?" The Tamer replied with a smile, extending his arm out and directing them to the corner.


    Megan walked over as he ran over to one of the incubation chambers and grabbed one of the eggs, running around and standing next to the mother in arge cage.


    The Sky Raider Falcon was nearly three times the size of a typical falcon. Its curved beak shined, reflecting the indestructible metal it was made from.


    The beak extended up, following the curve of the falcon''s head, creating a mask of metallic feathers around its eyes. It had a white chest with grey feathers everywhere else. The remiges and rectrices were additionallyposed of metal, creating dangerously sharp wings.


    "They''re pretty small starting off and pretty easy to train. You would need to wear a specialized glove, though; they''re prettymon among archers too!" The Tamer exined, holding out the egg.


    Megan stared at the mother in her cage for a long time, walking around and inspecting it before nodding and taking the egg, "Yeah! I like it!"


    "We''ll take the one that''s closest to hatching..." Jackson interjected, grabbing the egg and returning it to the Tamer with a re.


    "O-of course!" He chuckled, taking the egg and rushing to the incubator before returning with another egg with augh, "How silly of me! Will that be all?"


    Megan took the egg and looked at Jackson, who nodded, replying, "Thank you."


    He turned to leave with Megan as she asked, "Are you not getting any?"


    "Huh?" He instinctively replied, snapping out of his thoughts, "Oh, nah, I already have two."


    "What?" She eximed, "When did this happen?"


    "Oh, well, I received an egg as part of a bonus quest and a Spirit Beast shortly after as a prize..." He exined as they passed a small kennel filled with small wolf pups. One of them began whining, catching Megan''s attention.


    She knelt next to it as it began licking her hand excitedly, and she smiled, "Jax... What about him..?"


    "What?" He asked, turning around and sighing, "You want another..?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Please..? He''s so cute!" She pleaded, pouting up at him with big eyes, the wolf pup mimicking her and whining softly.


    "Ugh, fine!" He smiled, whistling loudly to grab the Tamer''s attention as he ran over and quickly gathered a ck cor and leash.


    Jackson grabbed it, walking back to the counter with their haul, cing the skillbook, small pouch, daggers, cage covered by a cloth, and the wolf puppy who wagged its tail rapidly as Megan put the egg next to him as he sniffed it and licked it, nudging it with his nose.


    "Did you find everything you were looking for?" One of the attendants asked with a smile, finally breaking away from her task, grabbing the objects individually, and inputting them into a small tablet.


    "Yes, thank you." Jackson replied, his eyes briefly ncing down at the ck widow tattoo on her hand between her thumb and index finger.


    "Is this your first time here?" She asked, inputting thest item and looking between the two.


    "Yes." Both replied as the two women still sitting smirked.


    "Great! We don''t ept CA Credits, but we offer an exchange service of ten credits for one Widow Token. Everything you''ve purchased todayes out to 1,999,999 tokens." She exined with a smile, sping her hands together.


    "What!?!" Megan eximed, her eyes bulging as she covered her mouth, turning to Jackson, "That''s twenty million credits! Jax, you can spend that much!"


    "If you cannot afford the conversion, we do offer a Credit System..." She interrupted, licking her lips as her eyes twinkled, "It''s quick, easy, and simple to establish!"


    "Sure." Jackson replied, who winked at the unsettled Megan, patting her shoulder, reassuring her with a look that told her to trust him, and she nodded, responding with a weak smile.


    "The conversion of credits to tokens is much more favorable, two to one, but if you are unable to pay the entire bnce by the end of the month, the remaining bnce will ur an interest charge of 25%." She exined with a smile.


    "Well... Four million is better than twenty..." Megan muttered as she did calctions in her head, looking up at him, "Are you sure this is a good idea, Jax..?"


    "Yeah." He smiled at her, nudging her arm with his, returning to the attendant, "I want to enroll in the credit."


    "Perfect! I''ll just need your CA Card, and I''ll set up your ount real quick." She said as she handed Jackson all of their purchases, taking his card case, removing his card from it, and inserting it into the tablet, creating his ount.


    Shortly afterward, she handed him his case, his climber''s card and a ck card with a white widow signed on the face, "Here you are! There was a nominal fee of two tokens to create the card and establish the line of credit. Your total bnce due before the end of the month is four million."


    "Thank you." Jackson replied, taking everything and turning to leave, exiting back to the long hallway.


    "Jax, that''s a million credits in interest if you don''t pay it back..." Megan expressed her concern, quickly walking to keep up with his pace.


    "I could have paid it in full right now, but honestly... I''m not worried about it at all." Jackson replied.

 Chapter 88 (LXXXVIII) Different Paths

    ?The two exited the ck market silently; Megan was shocked to learn that Jackson''s life had drastically changed after departing the orphanage. She stared at his broad shoulders admirably as she walked behind him carrying the small wolf puppy.


    The pair were thest ones to arrive at the inn, where Malina had reserved the group arge loft for the night at Jackson''s request.


    "About time!" Alijah shouted, rising up from the couch as the triplets sat in separate chairs. The room was expansive, with a small hallway connecting the three bedrooms.


    A small kitchte and ind with stools surrounding it were nestled in the corner as bright polished hardwood floors shined throughout the loft. The entire exterior wall was massive windows with thick velvet drapes drawn closed.


    "In that case, I should return everything I bought for you then..." Jackson scoffed, swatting her feet off the couch as he sat down, cing the covered cage next to his feet before pulling his Gobbii Bag into hisp.


    "So... you don''t mind not receiving this, then?" She smirked, flicking her wrist as a ck envelope appeared in her fingers. He rolled his eyes, scoffing as he snatched the letter from her before she could react, eximing, "Hey!"


    "Zip it!" He scoffed, cing it on the seat beside him before reaching into the Gobbii Bag, pulling out the skillbook and daggers, and handing them to her, "Here! Since you and Megan will spend a lot of time together soon, you two can practice the Movement and Core Skillbooks."


    "I also got you this!" Jackson replied, grabbing the cage and pulling it into hisp, pulling the sheet off, revealing the small ferret, "He''ll be a perfect partner for you!"


    What do you mean..?" Megan asked, stepping forward with the small wolf puppy following on the leash beside her as the triplets squealed and ran ahead, grabbing the puppy as they huddled around.


    "Why does she get a cute puppy, and I get a stinky ferret?" Alijah asked, leaning forward as she stared at the small stoat as it turned invisible and then began jumping, doing a small war dance as it reappeared.


    "You two will also need to practice this." Jackson added, ignoring both of the young women''s questions, reaching into his bag, pulling out the Spirit Summoning Skilbook, and cing it on top of the other Skillbook.


    "...Are you going somewhere..?" Megan uneasily asked, staring at him


    with concern.


    "We''re all going to need to split up here; we all have different paths we each need to take before we are able to reunite." Jackson sighed before forcing a smile at everyone, rubbing the back of his neck.


    "What!?" The triplets eximed in unison, stepping forward as the middle sister held the puppy in her arms.


    "We all have different destinations and goals to aplish..." He exined, staring at each of the women seriously as he sternly spoke, "Alijah and Megan, you two will need to take a Manga-Grav Shuttle to Vilewaters and expand Overgeared before taking an airship to Freywatch.


    You will need to train hard until you reach the city, take your assessments, enter the tower, and reach sa Port before establishing a guild headquarters.


    Abigail, Be, and Julia, you three will need to finish building our workshop here and recruiting graduates from The Gilded Forge. The renovations should beplete in a few weeks, so you''ll have plenty of time to prepare.<novelnext></novelnext>


    You''ll need to train them as well asmunicate with Alijah and me to send established craftsmen to posts at our new locations as they spring up."


    "What are you going to be doing while we''re all busting our asses?" Alijah asked in a huff, crossing her arms as she red at him.


    "There are some things I''ll need to handle here before I leave, but I''ll take a shuttle to Paradise Falls in the East in The Withermarshes and establish a branch there before I enter God''s Tower and reach the fifteenth floor."


    "Who knows how long it will take you to get there?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes.


    "Didn''t you say you couldn''t join a guild..? Why are Alijah and I going to Freywatch?" Megan asked.


    "I won''t be joining the guild. It will be run by you, Meg." Jackson replied, "You will be the Guild Master, and Alijah will oversee the Overgeared stores to finance the guild and workshop, while Abigail, Be, and Julia lead the workshop, training craftsmen and women to take the materials I provide to create equipment."


    "What!?!" Megan eximed, visibly recoiling at the bombshell announcement, "Jax, I can''t run a guild! I''m not strong enough!"


    "That''s why you and Alijah must train hard and get as strong as possible before you reach Freywatch. The first four floors are solo, but you can join and create a group once you reach sa Port." Jackson exined, spreading his arms with a smile, "I have given you both everything you need to seed; all that''s left is to follow through."


    "Easier said than done..." Alijah muttered under her breath, turning away.


    "What''d you say?" He red at her, crossing his arms as she eximed, waving her hands repeatedly with a shocked expression.


    "Nothing!"


    "Anyways..." Jackson said, standing up, "Since we don''t have much time, let''s go out and enjoy the night off!"


    "Yay!" The five women yelled together, throwing their hands into the air with smiles across their faces.


    Jackson grinned at everyone before everyone departed the inn, heading out to the market district, everyone finding new clothes to wear for the night.


    After the brief shopping trip, everyone returned as the women all excitedly ran off to the women''s hot spring to get ready, leaving Jackson alone to rx in the men''s springs.


    Later they gathered before returning to The Wicked Candle for a long night of drinks and food. Everyone partiedte into the night, enjoying their youth, not knowing this would be thest time they would see each other for the following year...

 Chapter 89 (LXXXIX) The Hidden Mask

    ?Jackson woke as the sun started to rise after a few hours of sleep. He quickly cleaned himself up from the previous night''s festivities and departed the inn with the ck letter in hand, leaving the girls to their own tasks.


    Morning came and passed before the women had woken up, and he had too much to aplish before departing for Paradise Falls, and this letter was his ticket to seeing itpleted.


    "Mr. Seraphin, we are The Order of the Hidden Mask. There is something urgent we must discuss before we can proceed further. Come to the Scragakord Bazaar. -The Voice of the Matron."


    Jackson quickly strolled through Ashbourne as he made his way toward the location of the meeting, shocked at who he was meeting with. He knew Natane had strong ties to the underworld, but to have a rtionship with The Hidden Mask was a surprise.


    He entered the Scragakord Bazaar, looking around therge and cramped marketce, overfilled with stalls and their merchants peddling their wares.


    He slowly began walking around, ncing over at the people passing by. He wandered around, window shopping and declining assistance from the merchants for ten minutes before a man bumped into him, grabbing Jackson''s back and pulling him close.


    "Alley, behind." The man whispered before eximing loudly and throwing his hands into the air, repeatedly bowing as he backed away, "Excuse me, sir! It was an honest mistake!"


    He stared at the strange man as he turned and disappeared into the crowd before staring at the alley across the bazaar, squinting his eyes. Before approaching the passage, Jackson looked around him, not catching anyone''s gaze.


    Three hooded figures stood, wearing all ck, their faces hidden as Jackson approached, "Are you The Voice?"


    "No, you cannot meet with The Voice currently. You have been branded by The Syndicate; it''s too dangerous to agree to work with you." The man exined, extending his arms to each of the hooded figures behind him, "I am one of The Eyes; these are two of my Hands."


    "I''m trying to rid myself of The Jackal and his gang. They are bing a thorn in my side. I am also looking for information." Jackson replied.


    "The Syndicate knows you''re in Ashbourne; we already took care of one of their spies yesterday. ording to our books, you''re already indebted to us; why would we continue business if you still have an open tab?" The Eye asked, extending his arm wide across his body.


    "I wondered where they disappeared to. I would have made contact earlier if I had known that it was you guys. You''ll have to forgive me; this urban legend at the orphanage I grew up in made me hesitant to agree to a meeting with The Hidden Mask." Jackson exined, smiling slyly as he shrugged his shoulders.


    "How much do I owe you guys?" He continued, "I have pretty deep pockets, and they''re getting deeper by the minute."


    "There is still one more Syndicate spy in Ashbourne. Kill him." The Voice dered, reaching into his robes before throwing a mani folder onto the dusty stone street.


    "We will know when it''s done and get in contact with you." He chuckled before turning around and departing the alley with the two hooded figures following behind him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson watched the three hooded men disappear before reaching down and picking up the folder. He opened the end, grabbing the stack of papers and pulling it out enough to see the photo attached.


    "Valentin Dillinger..." He muttered, reading the name next to the photo. The man was an average blonde man with blue eyes. He was muscr with a strong face and short hair.


    Jackson stuffed the papers inside the mani folder, departing as his fingertips began glowing brightly, the folder instantly catching alight as he dropped it, burning to ashes in the center of the alley.


    ''Was he the one I sensed yesterday, or was he their partner..?'' He thought, casually strolling through the streets. He wandered around the city for hours, unable to detect any presence following him.


    Since he couldn''t immediately ask The Hidden Mask about his roadblock, he attempted various Martial Training Halls, Mystic Shops, and Skillbook Emporiums, going so far as to risk it by involving The Climber''s Association themselves, but none would give the answers he required.


    Exiting the association''s massive office, he noticed a presence across the street. It was momentary and immediately vanished, but Jackson smirked.


    He ignored it for now, strolling through the streets while waiting for the perfect time. Now that he had located his second pursuer, he knew what to look for and quickly identified Valentin a dozen meters behind him.


    Jackson began to aimlessly wander around Ashbourne, keeping an eye on his tail while being inconspicuous while counter-surveilling him. He walked through the stalls, haggling with the merchants, and even bought things from merchants as he started carrying more bags and shopping for misceneous items.


    He headed to a nearby za, resting against one of the sandstone fountains, interacting with a device in his hands that he had recently purchased half a dozen for him and the girls.


    Another technological marvel, the MagiTek Device, or MD, was simr to a touch screen cellr phone; however, unable to replicate the power source of batteries, they were retrofitted to work utilizing a specialized card that slid into the bottom of the device.


    The card is a battery known as a Spirit Battery, created from liquid Spirit Cores that have been superheated utilizing the pressure of one''s own Force. The Core''s quality would affect how much life the MD would have, with the lowest having a lifespan of around a month with the highest for nearly a year.


    "Time for the cat to be the mouse..." Jackson grinned, ced the phone into his pocket, got off the fountain, walking out of the za into an alley. Valentin quickly rushed ahead, peeking down the passage only to see nothing.


    "Huh!?" He eximed, rushing into the dead end and looking toward the skies.


    "Hello, Valentin..." Jackson said coldly, announcing his presence behind him, dropping the bags.

 Chapter 90 (XC) New Target

    ?Luca and Valentin were shocked when they received the order to drop their current target and keep eyes on a nobody who had recently be a Climber a few months ago.


    Both were recruited directly by The Dingo on sa Port and quickly rose through the ranks in The Syndicate, bing the duo known as The Shadow Brothers.


    After traveling across Terra to reach Duskgate and locating Jackson, they soon started gathering information on him. After watching the carriage disappear from the Northern Gate, they infiltrated Overgeared and investigated their offices.


    Unable to find anything substantial to send to The Dingo, they reported his direction and quickly caught up to him in Ashbourne, locating him as he left The Wicked Candle.


    "They''re splitting up!" Luca hissed, dropping behind the building''s parapet as he pressed his back against the sandstone barrier next to Valentin, who poked his head and watched as the group separated.


    Abigail, Be, and Julia walked away toward the campus of The Gilded Forge, Alijah went toward The Climber''s Association, and Jackson and Megan left toward the ck market.


    "Ignore the triplets. I''ll follow the girl; you, the lovebirds." Valentin ordered as Luca nodded, and the two quickly leaped across the rooftops, following their targets.


    Despite Jackson noticing his presence since leaving The Wicked Candle, Luca saw nothing more than a young man out on a date with his girlfriend.


    "What did you do to piss off The Syndicate..?" He questioned as he watched the couple shopping. The longer it went on, the more annoyed he became, and when they quickly started running away, he was shocked beyond belief.


    "I don''t like this..." He muttered, sprinting after them as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop, eximing, slowly losing ground, "Fuck, he''s fast!"


    When Jackson disappeared behind the wall, Luca caught up on the rooftops nearby, panting heavily and straining his eyes as he looked frantically around.


    "Fuck!" He shouted, stomping his foot as his breathing stabilized, and he dropped his guard and turned around, "I better report back to Valentin..."


    He quickly ran off, jumping across rooftops and rushing toward The Syndicate''s safehouse in Ashbourne when he stumbled and fell to his knees on top of a rooftop.


    His eyes widened in shock as he grabbed his throat, his hands instantly dyed red as he groaned, struggling to stop the blood from gushing from his neck and rushing down his body before falling on his face.


    Hours passed before Valentin located his cold corpse, a massive dark pool of coagted blood surrounding the body as he flipped him onto his back.


    "You motherfuckers are going to pay..." He muttered, choking back the tears as he closed Luca''s eyes, seething in rage, crouching next to his best friend''s body for an extended period before standing and returning to the safe house.


    ***


    The Dingo was sitting in The Jackal''s office in one of the many warehouses in sa Port, both smoking cigars as they discussed their ns.


    "What''s thetest word from The Shadow Brothers?" The Jackal asked, ashing his cigar in the ss ashtray.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "It''s been two weeks on Terra since they departed Duskgate, so they should have made it to Ashbourne by now. We should be receiving an update soon." The Dingo replied, smoke slowly exiting his mouth as he spoke.


    "Ashbourne..." The Jackal growled, recalling the fall of the wildlings and remation by the Climber''s Association, "If we do not hear word soon, send another team."


    "Yes, sir!"


    ***


    The next day after observing the group party all night and returning to the inn, he watched as Jackson departed the inn they had stayed at and followed him to the Scragakord Bazaar.


    When the strange man bumped into his target, he held his breath and narrowed his eyes, "That was no ident..."


    When Jackson did not move, and the strange man quickly disappeared, Valentin quickly tailed the man before watching him disappear into the sewers, "Luca... How did a bunch of rats get the jump on you..?"


    He returned to the Bazaar, watching Jackson leaving, and smiled, thinking he had missed nothing as he quickly returned to following him. Valentin watched him enter and exit dozens of Martial Training Halls, a baker''s dozen Mystic Shops, roughly ten Skillbook Emporiums, and finally, The Climber''s Association.


    "What the hell is he doing..?" He muttered, peeking from an alley next to a busy caf¨¦. He quickly ducked behind arge wooden crate, grabbing his chest and panting heavily as he felt someone''s gaze on him.


    He peeked up and looked around, glimpsing Jackson walking down the street away from him, "It couldn''t have been him... could it..?"


    He quickly merged with a passing group and followed him through the city. After a while passed, he felt relieved, convinced that it wasn''t Jackson who saw him for a moment, but on edge, "Maybe I shouldn''t underestimate the rats in this city..."


    He quickly blended in with the shoppers as he feigned shopping at a stall and maintained his visual on Jackson, "More shopping..? This boy... I swear!"


    "Kids and their MDs..." He shook his head and continued and watched him sit on a fountain; Valentin clicked his tongue in annoyance, "Tch!"


    "Finally!" He eximed, watching as Jackson stood from the fountain and walked down a path leading from the za. He quickly darted toward the corner of the building, peeking his eyes past the edge.


    "Huh!?" Valentin eximed, rushing into the alleyway, looking around the sandstone walls, only a garbage bin stuffed with trash. He looked up at the ten-foot walls, pondering if his target climbed them.


    "Hello, Valentin..." A cold voice sounded behind him as he spun around, drawing his wicked knives as the sound of bags fell to the ground.


    Jackson had already rushed toward Valentin, a sword in his hand, its tip glowing brightly as the de melted, plunging it into the man''s chest, twisting it as he tried to raise his daggers to stab him.


    Valentin''s muscles constricted as he gasped softly, his body falling backward, dropping his weapons as he hit the ground. Jackson turned around, lightning arcing around his feet as he leaned forward, picking up the bags and vanishing as he returned to the inn.

 Chapter 91 (XCI) The Voice

    ?A few days passed as Jackson awaited the response from The Order of the Hidden Mask before it arrived in the form of another letter at the inn''s front desk.


    "Mr. Seraphin, we found your handiwork. Good work, you can expect another group is on their way here now, but ording to our intel, you were able to take him out before he sent an update to The Syndicate. Come to the Jolly Delight Diner; ask for The Hidden Special. -The Voice of the Matron."


    He grinned, destroying the note as he asked the receptionist where the restaurant was located and quickly traversed the streets toward it. Thankfully, it was one of the city''s most popr spots as he easily arrived outside therge two-storied diner. It was built along the raised wall, separating itself for its unique design.


    He entered through the covered patio, walking past the tables on the first floor, climbing the stairs as he entered the building, and approaching the hostess stand.


    "Good morning, sir! Wee to The Jolly Delight!" She greeted him politely with a smile, "Would you like a seat at our bar, booth inside, or table on the patio?"


    "Good morning! Actually, I''m here for The Hidden Special..." Jackson replied, smiling back as he slipped his hands into his pants pockets.


    "I see!" She said, shocked, before bowing politely, "Please, esteemed guest, follow me!"


    He nodded as she led him into the restaurant proper, guiding him through the boots to a door leading into a private room and bowing as he entered, and she closed the door behind him.


    The room was dimly lit, pale blue sconces lining the room. The walls were lined with a plush, thick sofa as it wrapped around the room, arge round table in the center.


    "Greetings, Mr. Seraphin." A young man with shaggy silver hair and eyes said, standing as he extended his hand. He wore all-ck clothing, a tank top tightly covering his muscr chest, tucked into his cargo pants, and tucked into hisbat boots.


    His defined arms were covered in tattoos as Jackson took his hand and shook it firmly, "Nice to actually see you this time... Sorry I didn''t quite catch your name."


    "You can call me Udrio. The Voice sends their apologies, something came up, and they were unable to attend." He smirked, motioning to take a seat, which he did, "We won''t have much time until The Syndicatees investigating. You want to get rid of them? We''re listening..."


    "The Dingo and Jackal have an interest in me. I have useful dirt on The Syndicate that I am willing to trade for information." Jackson exined, "I''ve hit a roadblock in my training and can''t progress further."


    Udrio nodded before turning his head as he nodded a few additional times before standing, "Please wait here. The Voice will meet with you now."


    Jackson nodded as he left the room, and after waiting a moment, the door opened as an older woman entered and sat across from him. She had thick brown hair and eyes, her petite frame covered by a long ck trench coat, partially revealing a brown crop top and jeans, concealing ck heeled boots.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Good morning, Jackson." She said with a small smile, tilting her head, "My, you''ve grown up to be quite the handsome young man. You look like you''re eating well. You''ve grown powerful and surrounded yourself with quite the potential group ofdies there. I''m d, you''ll need all the strength and friends you can get."


    "Mom..?" His eyes widened, a lump jumping up his throat as his heart began racing. She sighed and nodded, reaching into her coat and pulling out a ck book, bound in gold frames and locked tight, cing it on the table.


    "I''m sorry, but that isn''t some tear-jerking, heartfelt reunion..." She replied, "How is Sha doing, by the way?"


    "What are you doing here??" He shouted, standing up and mming his hands against the table.


    "I''m The Voice inside The Order of the Hidden Mask." She replied calmly, "I was one of The Hands for an Eye when I first met your father; after we had you, he was betrayed by his best friend and partner.


    I couldn''t ignore my responsibilities in The Order any longer, and our n all along was for Sha to raise and train you until you were neen and could enter The Tower and join The Legion..."


    "..." Jackson sighed, hanging his head and shaking it as he exined what happened over thest decade.


    "God dammit!" She shouted, mming her fist against the table, "Sha was supposed to protect you! Not let you rot inside a fucking orphanage! What about The Legion? Have you not joined them?"


    He shook his head, "No. I''m not sure what it is, but they have a connection to The Syndicate and I didn''t like it. Now, both The Syndicate and Legion are after me; that''s why I was looking for my ownwork to ally with."


    "You''re not allied with any guilds ording to our intel; how did you reach the tenth floor without any assistance from The Legion..?" Xye asked, staring at her son bewildered as he began exining the events that led up until now.


    "I see..." She replied, staring down at the book in front of her for a long time before sighing and sliding it across the table, "This book was left in my care along with the two others from your father before he disappeared. It was the only Skillbook he told me not to leave with Sha."


    Jackson leaned forward, grabbing the skillbook and running his fingers across its intricately designed cover, inspecting the golden sped locked tightly, "Where''s the key?"


    "There is no key. Your father said it would only unlock for you; I don''t know anything else other than it''s the solution to your current dilemma." His mother exined, reaching inside her coat and pulling out a piece of paper, sliding it toward him as well, before standing to leave, "This is Udrio''s MD number; The Order will ally with you. Contact him if you need anything."

 Chapter 92 (XCII) The Order

    ?The Order of the Hidden Mask was one of Terra''s oldestworks of spies. The organization underwent numerous name changes in its infancy, predating even The Climber''s Association.


    The Order was believed to have been founded by the doctrine given by the mortal, Qristris, who wouldter be The Queen of the Void after she became wife to Uzotl, The God of Misanthropy, who desires the universe to be empty and return to nothing.


    The highest leader within The Order was The Voice of The Matron, speaking directly on Qristris'' behalf. The Voice was supported by two Eyes of The Patron, each with two False Hands under them, controlling ten Broken Fingers, who had countless teams at their disposal.


    In addition, the executives from the False Hands and higher each had their own direct team underneath them, creating a vast andprehensive across Terra.


    Not even the slightest rumor escaped their attention. Jackson''s mother, Xye Azaes, came from a long history of family members serving within The Order, now their family''s first Voice.


    She was a member since birth, her parents both being Eyes, like their parents before them and theirs before them, joining officially at the age of sixteen as a Broken Finger, both feats a first within The Order.


    By the time she had turned twenty-one, she had be a False Hand, and one of her first targets was Krige Seraphin. He was a rising Climber, and unfortunately, he and his best friend had drawn the anger of a guild with powerful backers who had hired The Order.


    Initially, she was drawn to him and attracted to his physical features, but after extended observations, she found that there wasn''t anything surprising about the man.


    Thinking it might have been a fluke, she made contact and befriended the young Krige and, before long, fell madly in love with him and married him against her parent''s wishes.


    They ran off together, and she quickly became pregnant, barely able to keep up with her duties as one of the False Hands before having Jackson.


    It was years before Krige disappeared, leaving her to care for Jackson alone while protecting him against her own family and The Order. Before long, she was given an ultimatum, either bring him into the fold or abandon him.


    Leaving her young boy with Sha broke her heart, but she learned the truth behind Krige''s family during her pregnancy. Thest thing in the world she could do would bring about her own son''s death.


    For years she maintained a pair of eyes on the elderly woman and her son, but as time passed, it became less of a priority, and soon, he had vanished from her life entirely.


    She had be an Eye and worked only beneath The Voice and The Matron herself, which meant increased responsibility and less room for her to keep up with her son.


    It was shortly after the bombing in Duskgate that she was promoted once more, bing The Voice. Immediately she sent a team to Sha''s cottage but found no trace of her and her son.


    After years of wondering, she learned that The Climber''s Association had sessfully evaluated her son, and he had entered God''s Tower. Waves of relieving euphoria rushed through her body, knowing he was still alive and had be an SSS+ Ranked Climber.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She then waited and prepared her speeches and concern, wanting to learn about what happened with him and Sha, but even that blew up in her face as she was blindsided by her son''s tale.


    Her heart ached as she maintained the stoic exterior in front of him, reminding herself mentally that she was The Voice of The Matron at that time and not Jackson Seraphin''s mother.


    Tears streamed down her face as she closed the door behind her and rushed off. Leaving the young man with his own thoughts, conflicted and hurt. He sat silently for a long time, grappling with his emotions.


    Eventually, he was able to shrug off the feelings, regaining hisposure. He grabbed the scrap of paper, stuffing it into his pocket, and stood, grabbing the Skillbook, cing it into his Gobbii Bag, and put his hands in his pockets as he left the restaurant.


    His thoughts raced wildly as he slowly walked back to the inn, ''Dad came from The Legion and Mom came from The Order..? What is going on with this crazy family..?''


    He walked for a long time before finally returning to the inn and paying for another night... his final night in Ashbourne if his mother spoke the truth.


    The triplets had long since gained board at The Gilded Forge, and Jackson had already seen Alijah and Megan off the other day as all preparations for the new workshop''s construction.


    He had booked the first trip via Magna-Grav Shuttle to Paradise Falls the following morning and would immediately set his ns in motion before returning to the tenth floor.


    He pulled the Gobbii Bag into hisp before pulling out the Skillbook and ran his hands over it once more, muttering, "You''ll only unlock for me, huh..?"


    He tried to grip the locked sp, but no amount of force could separate it from the cover. He red at the keyhole intensely, thinking about what his father had meant.


    First, he recalled the teachings of the Twenty Moons Under the One Sun. How the moons flowed through space, perfectly rotating around the one sun. Slowly he began to piece the puzzle together...


    Electricity began crackling in the air around him, purple lightning arcing erratically across his body. Second, he recalled what he learned from the Inferno of the Twin Storms. How each zing cyclone violently rotated around one another but never consumed one another.


    Sparks began briefly igniting around him, the electricity in the air arcing between each me before it snuffed out, dancing around him. Steam started rising from the muscles in his arms, his fingertips burning brightly, superheating as they grew hotter.


    He began pouring out both energies from his body as they filled the tiny room, creating a dense and thick atmosphere before they gathered, and streams of purple and orange energy began floating through the air into the opening of the locked sp.


    A bright light burst out of the keyhole as the sp released, opening as Jackson grinned wide, opened the cover, flipped to the front page, and read the name of the skill: Perfect Unity Sutra of The True Progenitor.

 Chapter 93 (XCIII) Perfect Unity Sutra

    ?Jackson''s eyes widened as he reread the title, sliding his fingers across the page. He flipped the page, revealing a page with numbered lines; next to each number the list of each practitioner of the sutra.


    The first name listed was Michael... Thest name... Krige. In between were neen other names; he was stunned, goosebumps covered his body, and he shivered, flipping to the next page.


    The Perfect Unity Sutra covered the 108 positions taught by The Progenitor to open the 108 conduits within the body in order to obtain perfect bnce within the soul.


    The first half dozen pages detailed the first position, a simple lotus position with detailed instructions before continuing to the next pose and repeating.


    His thoughts raced as he quickly read through the first position a dozen times,mitting it to memory before he sat up and got into the lotus position.


    The first position focused on creating a core for energy within the body, Yggdrasil''s Root, located between the stomach and pelvis. The center of the body, where all the future conduits would expand from.


    He started by focusing on the energy in the air around him and then in his mind; he imagined golden strands of light circting throughout his body until he felt it reach his core.


    He focused on his core, imagining that light was a powerful ball of energy that would grow in size while it traveled from his stomach and coiled together, forming a core.


    As the golden light neared his core, he imagined the power filling his body like water filling a bottle as he exhaled deeply.


    The gold light neared his core, but before it could reach it, two bright orbs appeared, one orange and one purple as they began pushing outwards against the energy''s flow from the root and forcing it away before the strands of golden light pushed back again.


    Jackson gasped as the orange orb pushed back the golden flow, slowly losing as it started being overtaken by the golden energy before the purple sphere joined in, forcing the light back.


    He sighed, inhaling deeply as he exhaled, picturing the core in his stomach growingrger and glowing brighter as the golden light coiled tightly around both orbs.


    The golden strands slowly consumed the orange and purple orbs,pressing against one another as they formed a singr sphere; the three lights fighting for supremacy.


    His eyes instantly shot open as a brilliant light shone from them, filling the room. He opened his mouth, exhaling as the light burst forth. He felt his core form as the bright light slowly dimmed as it formed in his stomach.


    Jackson''s eyes flickered as he started blinking rapidly, and he took a deep breath as his arms dropped to the bed beside him, still sitting in the lotus position.


    Sweat beaded on his forehead and rolled down his face as he gasped, leaning forward, grasping at his chest. He groaned, gagging at a foul stench as he shot up from the bed and turned around in shock at the mound of ck gunk.<novelnext></novelnext>


    It coated around where he used to sit, overflowing the edge of the bed and clumping on the ground. Jackson covered his mouth with his hands, pinching his nose as he rushed to the window opening.


    "Shit! It''s morning already!?" He eximed as the early rays of sunlight started peeking over the horizon. He took deep breaths outside the window, noticing his own rank scent before rushing to the spa in his boxers.


    Unfortunately, despite his urgency, it took him over a dozen times violently scrubbing his skin with hot soapy water until he was bright red before he finally felt clean. He quickly dressed, grabbed his Gobbii Bag, slung it across his shoulder, and rushed out of the inn.


    ''How the hell did like six hours pass!?'' He clicked his tongue, rushing through the streets toward the shuttle depot, confused as he didn''t feel a modicum of exhaustion.


    He arrived, made it through just before the doors closed, and boarded therge sleek bus. Sixrge vents pointed diagonally toward the back of the shuttle on each side of the vehicle.


    The door sealed behind him with a loud hiss as the shuttle waspletely closed, creating its own vacuum seal within the vehicle.


    The sloping front had arge vent in the front and emitted a dim blue light. A tinted windshield wrapped around the entire length of the bus, creating a 360¡ã view.


    Jackson walked through therge center, individual seats lining each side, allowing lots of space for each passenger. The trip from Ashbourne to Paradise Falls was a forty-day journey, being reduced to only four days.


    The Magna-Grav Shuttle was packed as he walked through the center aisle, quickly approaching the rear and taking thest empty seat. He sat down, locking the harness-styled seat belt across his chest as the attendant walked from behind toward the front.


    The pilot pressed the ignition as the shuttle came to life, as the twelve vents underneath began glowing the same blue light as the vehicle started floating.


    "Good morning, and wee to Magna-Grav Shuttle, departing from Ashbourne and arriving in Paradise Falls in approximately 96 hours!" The pilot announced through the inte, the attendant arriving next to his seat and turning around.


    She smiled brightly as she started going through the features of the flight as the shuttleunched forward and began to rapidly fly through the air. Despite the massive inertia, creating multiple sonic booms as it broke multiple sound barriers. The ride was exceptionallyfortable, and the passengers could not feel the slightest adjustments as it changed trajectory.


    Shortly after taking off, the attendant made her way to the back, disappearing briefly before reappearing as she spoke with each passenger, passing out refreshments.


    Jackson politely epted the sparkling water, thanking her before he reached into his Gobbii Bag and grabbed his new Skillbook, reading for the following four days, spending every waking moment studying the texts to gain deeper insight into The Sutra.

 Chapter 94 (XCIV) Paradise Falls

    ?Paradise Falls was a massive metropolis that had been built on top of an ancient and forgotten city deep within the murky waters of the Withermarshes. It was built over the swampy water, next to a twenty-foot waterfall to more swamnds below.


    The Withermarshes were a harsh ce where only the strong would be able to live without fearing for their lives at all times from predators or other dangers lurking about every corner. The entire swamp held countless dangerous creatures.


    The inhabitants lived in constant terror as they tried not to get eaten by any one creature while trying desperately just to survive each day. This made life difficult and kept people constantly alert, which helped them stay alive longer than most others who weren''t so lucky.


    Paradise Falls was cramped, as space on the tform was limited, the streets were narrow, and the buildings were tall as they could only build vertically.


    Tubes were constructed under the water''s surface, creating tunnels that connected different areas together, making it easy to travel around quickly if needed. Beneath the swampy waters, floors were built, being used entirely for factories and manufacturing nts.


    Large walls made from sheet metal lined the exterior of the city. These served two purposes; firstly, acting as protection against attacks from wildlife, only small rodents could squeeze through the small gaps in the weathered walls.


    Secondly, these walls were well fortified, allowing for patrols to easily monitor for attacks from the wildlings, beasts, or the undead that had initially poured out of the tower.


    The Withermarshes had be the site of a Necropolis when a dozen Liches escaped the city centuries ago. Due to the massacre of life, there was no shortage of skeletons to reanimate, quickly dredging massive sections of the swamp, building a grand and unfathomably extensive Necropolis beneath its dark skies above.


    The vast necropolis was quickly filled with thousands upon millions of skeletons. It wasn''t long before the dead came back ontond, once again rising from the great graveyard, marching towards the living world.


    Each being thrown upon the city and constantly repelled; a never-ending war.


    This new gue brought destruction across thends causing untold suffering among the survivors left behind after the fall of humanity. Unable to take the stress due to the city constantly being attacked, numerous cults began springing up.


    Thousands of men and women fled into the Withermarshes,ing to worship the Liches as dozens of necromancer circles sprung up throughout the swamps.


    They sought power for themselves, epting pacts with the higher undead, being granted the power, and learning to freely control lesser undead themselves.


    ''What an ironic name...'' Jackson shook his head, departing the Magna-Grav Shuttle, and looked around one of the fourrge helipad tforms connected to a humongous ny-meter-tall building surrounding all sides.


    Rain pelted harshly almost constantly in the Withermarshes, lightning striking massive towers with long lightning rods, attracting the bolts and being converted into a source of electricity for the city.


    He followed the crowd through the double ss doors entering into arge depot with windows surrounding the walls. Large groups of people sat amongst the hundreds of seats at numerous terminals.<novelnext></novelnext>


    A dozen elevators were nestled along one of the walls; dozens of people entered and exited the elevators as they climbed up and down the massive building.


    He quickly descended the massive building, exiting as he looked around the wet streets, water flooding through thousands of grates spread throughout the city to prevent flooding. He quickly pulled his hood up as he began walking down the sidewalk.


    He walked past dozens of shops selling various goods, including weapons, armor, foodstuffs, clothing, and skillbooks. Small food vendors, restaurants, and bars dotted the area serving a wide range of food and drinks to the thousands of people walking the streets.


    He entered the Climber''s Association and pulled back his hood as he walked through the entrance, where two massive vacuums sucked the liquid off him instantly while he approached the front desk.


    "Wee to the Climber''s Association! How may I assist you today?" The receptionist asked with a smile.


    "Hi, I''m Jackson Seraphin." He said, reaching into his bag, pulling out his Climber''s Case, and handing it to the woman, "I''m looking for any avable properties for sale. I''d prefer a tall building close to the exterior wall, preferably directly connected to it."


    She eximed, opening the case before staring at him with a nervous smile, "A-absolutely, Mr. Seraphin!"


    Jackson bit his tongue as he smirked, enjoying the reaction as she typed on the virtual keyboard floating above her desk as she quickly navigated theputer.


    "Please,e with me!" She said, standing and spreading her arm to her side before leading him to an open elevator. After Jackson stepped on, she half-stepped in, pressed the sixtieth floor, and scanned her badge.


    "You have an appointment with our best agent; she is already expecting you." She said, bowing as she stepped out of the elevator and bowed before the doors closed.


    Jackson chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck as he rapidly arrived at the correct floor and was greeted by another woman, "Wee! I have a wide range of locations avable for both of your needs; however, only a few are conjoined."


    "That''s fine; I only want to look at those then." He replied as she led him into her office and sat across from her at her desk. After an hour of virtual tours through the avable locations, he had decided and signed the lease.


    She led him to her personal Magna-Grav and flew him over,nding on the rooftop and entering through the top. It was a decently sized building with a dozen floors dedicated toward minimalistic private quarters, each with a private bathroom and a small bedroom.


    There were two floors designed as lobbies; the ground floor and one directly in the middle of the building, bridging to Paradise Fall''s exterior wall, close to one of the city''s towers.


    Lastly was an empty floor near the first floor with support pirs scattered throughout the vast, open space. Jackson nodded as he epted the keycard and shook her hand, "It''s perfect!"

 Chapter 95 (XCV) Preparing For The Future

    ?Jackson grinned as he looked around the building; though it wouldn''t be used for some time, he couldn''t pass up taking up the lease. He would continue to funnel funds into this location.


    Before the real estate agent left, he had requested construction permits to rebuild some of the rooms into the upper floors for him and the girls, fortify the two lobbies and reinforce the exterior of the building.


    He walked her back to the rooftop, covering his head with his hood to protect him from the rain as she flew back to the Climber''s Association. He turned, cing his hand on the back of his neck as he stared into the skies as lightning dotted the dark skies, briefly illuminating God''s Tower as it floated above the swamp.


    Havingpleted the first part of his n in Paradise Falls, he turned toward his next goal, returning to the tenth floor. He quickly locked up the building he was preparing for the future and rushed through the streets.


    Rain pelted him as his feet rapidly sshed through the puddles, reaching therge quartered-off staircase into the skies. Jackson ran up the stairs quickly and carefully to not slip the hundreds of meters into the sky until he came to the ever-familiar portal.


    He sighed, stepping through as the disorientation set in, the portal flinging him back on La D¨¦cima I as he stumbled through the sand. His eyes opened slowly as he stood upright, feeling dizzy. "Damn..." He groaned softly, looking around himself and seeing nothing but ruins everywhere. The sun was high overhead, shining brightly between scattered clouds.


    He looked at the modified challenge and his goal, "Discover the source of the Hollows and bring peace to the brother''s neighboring kingdoms!"


    He called out Khione and Umbra as both the small, winged kitten and small ck wyvern yawned, stretching their tiny bodies before greeting him. He smiled and knelt, feeding each of them a yellow food pellet.


    They happily ate their meal while staring curiously at their surroundings.


    Kione sniffed loudly as she searched for something interesting. She jumped forward, running away from him, tail wagging excitedly as she darted about, searching for anything that might have caught her attention.


    Umbra rolled over, standing tall, wings spreading wide before folding them close against herself, lying still and silent. Her scales shimmered slightly, catching the light reflecting off them. Kione continued to run about, jumping over fallen trees, hopping rocks, and digging holes in search of whatever may be hidden inside them.


    "Come on, you two!" Jackson shouted, walking along the beach toward Fort Vetus, watching carefully to confirm the pair chased after him.


    They bounded ahead, leaping through the air,nding on the ground, ws scratching and tearing apart bushes and grasses as they raced about.


    Jacksonughed, smiling warmly as the Spirit Beasts yed; the wind blew gently, rustling the tall palm tree leaves, creating gentle wavespping ashore.


    The group arrived at the fortress, finding several soldiers gathered near the gatehouse, murmuring among themselves. One soldier spotted the approaching man and rushed forward, stopping him.


    "Halt! Who approaches!" The guard asked, raising a spear toward Jackson''s chest.


    "I''m here seeking shelter," Jackson replied, holding his hands and showing he carried no weapon.


    "State your business."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "My name is Jackson, I''vee to seek refuge within the fort. These two are mypanions, can we enter?"


    The guardsman nodded, lowering his spear. The gates swung open, allowing the party to walk into the courtyard, "Please follow me, sir, mymander will want to speak with you immediately."


    "Thank you, that''d be appreciated, please lead the way."


    The young boy led Jackson, the other three following closely behind, to arge building that appeared to serve as the main headquarters. As they approached, the door slid open, revealing a tall thin woman dressed in full te mail carrying an ornate sword on her hip.


    She stepped outside and closed the heavy wooden doors before turning, nodding politely, "Temple Knight Commander Renee, this is Jackson. He was spotted along the coast and hase seeking refuge." The knight bowed low, fist pressed to heart.


    Renee returned the bow before straightening back up, sping arms with the young boy, and sending him on his way before turning to Jackson.


    "Wee to our home. Please forgive us if we don''t offer much hospitality; however we do know that we Temple Knights will offer you a warmer wee than those Royal Knight bastards on the other ind."


    "What''s happening on the other ind?" Jackson asked, taking a seat as Khione and Umbra chased each other around his feet and through the legs of the chair and table.


    "We''re not sure. Our spies think those Royal Knight bastards might have made a deal with demons; we''ve been encountering them far more frequently!" Commander Renee exined, "Actually, you seem to be cut from a simr cloth, how about you check it out for me?"


    "Oh..?" Jackson replied, shocked and leaning back in his chair as he crossed his arms across his chest, "What will I get in return?"


    "Maybe I won''t throw you into a prison cell to rot until you die?" She replied with a smile, leaning against the table.


    "On what grounds?" Jackson scoffed, rolling his eyes and staring at the Temple Knight Commander incredulously.


    "Well, first, you were snooping around an active battleground. Second, you seem suspicious enough. Third, I find you irritating, andstly, it''s just not your lucky day. Is that a satisfactory answer?" She grinned, and her bright brown eyes sparkled.


    "Tch!" Jackson clicked his tongue before he shrugged and stood, turning to depart the building, "I guess I''ll do as you ask and go investigate those Royal Knight ''bastards'' instead of rotting in a cell..."


    "You think you can leave freely??" Renee shouted, quickly rising to her feet as she pulled her ornate sword from her hip and pointed it toward Jackson.


    He smirked and turned, opening the door slowly as both Khione and Umbra yfully ran out of the room; he turned and looked back at the Temple Knight Commander, "You think you can stop me??"

 Chapter 96 (XCVI) Royal Knights

    ?Jackson chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, ncing down at his MD. It had taken him roughly thirty minutes to reach the fort from where the portal had deposited him and another fifteen to make his way through Fort Vetus'' outer defenses.


    He had quickly made his way through the fort from the rear side, avoiding any confrontation with the patrols rushing around looking for him. Instead, he snuck around the bastion''s outer walls, approached the front entrance, and climbed up to the top of the wall before making his descent down the other side of the fort.


    Once outside the fort, it was easy work to make his way across the bridge and through the fields toward the massive walls of Fort Novae. Despite the constant attacks between the two kingdoms, their defenses were pitiful.


    He quickly slipped inside the gates, making his way into one of therge doors of a nearby building.


    He had walked the halls, ignoring the asional patrol and passing by the few soldiers he had encountered. He had found the hallways primarily empty, save for a few wounded who were being treated by the few medics avable.


    He had reached themand center without incident, and walked into the room to see themanding officer sitting at a desk with her back to him, reading reports and writing in a journal.


    She looked over the report, sighing softly, shaking her head, then ced her pen back in its holder, closing her book. She grabbed a nearby mug filled with coffee and sipped from the steaming liquid.


    "What brings you here, stranger?" She asked, immediately sensing his presence as she returned the cup to the desk.


    "I arrived on the other ind and the Temple Knights are stating the Royal Knights have made a pact with some demons... What exactly happened here" Jackson inquired, crossing his arms across his chest.


    "Those lying bastards! We were attacked in the early hours of the morning. We were fighting an ambush by the Temple Knights when all hell broke loose." She shouted, turning around.


    She was beautiful, wearing a tight-fitting ck uniform that hugged her figure tightly, entuating every curve. Her long blonde hair fell loosely over one shoulder, brushing the cor of her shirt. Her blue-green eyes stared at Jackson, stepping closer to him.


    "Out of nowhere, these demonic creatures started appearing and started attacking the people, and soon, the entire ce was in chaos; when the sun rose, they quickly vanished and we were able to repel them."


    "Sounds like Hollows..." Jackson muttered, grabbing his chin as he stared at the ground, thinking intently.


    "You know of these creatures..?" She asked, stepping even nearer to him, causing him to step back.


    "I''ve killed a few..." He admitted, looking up to meet her gaze.


    "Then perhaps you could help us rid this ind of them once and for all." She suggested, stepping forward again.


    "I will dly aid you in ridding Fort Novae of the Hollows, but I need to do some things before I investigate." He said, looking up to meet her gaze.


    "I understand. Thank you, Sir."


    "Call me Jackson."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Okay, Jackson. I''m Lydia, and I am the Royal Knight Commander of Fort Novae. I will send a runner to let you know when you should arrive. For now, please feel free to stay in my quarters." She offered, gesturing toward a doorway leading deeper into the fort.


    "Thank you, Lydia." He smiled, bowing before leaving the office and heading toward the door.


    "Pleasee visit anytime." She called after him as he exited her office into arge corridor within the fort.


    He continued walking toward the door, pausing briefly as he looked around.


    The corridors seemed very quiet. There wasn''t anyone else around, and the only sound came from the soft footsteps he heard behind himself.


    "Excuse me, sir." A young girl spoke softly beside the door; Jackson stopped and nced over his shoulder.


    "Yes?" He asked.


    "Themander has sent word that she would like for you to wait for the messenger outside the door. May I show you out?" The young child asked, offering him a small smile and a curtsy.


    "Thank you, that''d be appreciated," Jackson replied, smiling back, nodding his thanks as he followed the little girl back toward the exit, following her directions and exiting the fort from the rear, walking along the cobbled stone streets.


    The sun hung high overhead, shining brightly off the white walls surrounding the fort. Soldiers patrolled about, their armor polished clean, weapons sharpened and ready for use.


    "This way, if you''ll follow me." The girl proimed as Jackson nodded, falling into pace with the young girl. The sounds of marching boots echoed throughout the fort as they marched about their duties.


    They passed several buildings, most of which appeared to house the soldiers and officers. They eventually arrived at arge building with a sign hanging above the entryway, "Royal Knight Commander''s Private Quarters."


    "Pleasee inside, this way, if you will." She said; Jackson stepped into the building, the young girl closing the door behind him and skipping off, leaving him alone in the empty building.


    He took a moment to look around, noting that the interior of the structure matched the exterior closely; it felt almost ustrophobic.


    He stepped forward, entering a hallway that led to a pair of doors opposite each other. One door opened easily, revealing a well-furnished bedroom,plete with a king-sized bed, a dresser, a wardrobe, a nightstand, a mirror, and an armoire.


    The second door led to arge dining area, with arge table surrounded by chairs and arge chandelier dangling from the ceiling, illuminating the room. The table held an assortment of foodstuffs, including bread and cheese, fruits and vegetables, meats, and many bottles of wine and alcohol.


    Jackson sat on the edge of the table, picking up a piece of fruit and biting into it as he considered what to do next.

 Chapter 97 (XCVII) Accident

    ?Jackson called Khione and Umbra forth from his body as they reappeared on the ground and began wandering around the house, investigating their new surroundings. He took a seat at the table and sighed, grabbing a cube of cheese and popping it into his mouth.


    He reached into his Gobbii Bag, pulled out the ck Skillbook, and flipped to the second position, which covered opening the Second and Third Conduits, the Alchimerical Lungs. He had refrained from practicing on the shuttle, but now that he was back inside God''s Tower, Jackson was eager to continue.


    The second position was a modified Lotus Position, adjusting the spine and stretching the upper body while taking slow, deep breaths, increasing the quality and quantity of air, and infusing it with their life force before exhaling it into the air around them.


    The process was taxing on the body at first, draining them of their own energy while increasing the air''s density and quality. As the process continued, the air would be dense and thick, allowing the user to breathe in more significant quantities while the amount of life force in the atmosphere continued to increase.


    Rather than depleting the amount of mana within the user, instead, it allowed them to gather more potent amounts of it from the environment, further strengthening and enhancing it.


    Eventually, the process became more manageable, allowing the user to draw in copious amounts of pure, unadulterated power directly from the air around them.


    Jackson stood from the chair and exited the room with the two small Spirit Beasts following him curiously. He walked down the hall and entered thest door into a small office. He grabbed a cushion off an oversized chair and sat on top of it on the ground as he got into the traditional Lotus Position.


    He closed his eyes and focused, breathing slowly in and slowly out, feeling the pressure in his lungs increase with every inhale and exhtion. Khione watched as Jackson breathed deeply, protecting him from the corner of her eye. The small Winged Snowdrift Panther tilted her head as she turned, staring at him from the corner.


    Umbra, the Twilight Wyvern,y curled up in a ball near Khione, resting his head against the side of hispanion''s neck. All the running around and excitement had finally worn off, and he was sleepy.


    Jackson''s focus intensified, his mind focusing solely on the task at hand, ignoring everything else around him until all that existed was his breath.


    His vision blurred, and the world around him faded, bing hazy and indistinct.


    Each breath became more visible with a sky-blue tint. The room became denser, his body releasing his life force from his core with each cycle. The process for him to deplete all of his energy was extensive.


    Thanks to the two previous sources of energy present, his core was expansive. Khione and Umbra both benefitted from the mana-rich air as both were curled up next to one another, drowsy from Jackson''s training.


    Jackson drew in massive volumes of fresh, crisp, clear, mana-rich air through his nostrils, filling his entire being. He could sense the flow of magic within his veins and arteries, coursing throughout his whole system before collecting inside his core.


    He released the excess of his essence, exhaling loudly as he sent it out in a wave of shimmering, sparkling particles, moving outward in all directions. His skin glowed with an ethereal, radiant sheen as his hair and clothes fluttered in the wind.


    Khione lifted her head, blinking, her ears perking up as she listened intently. She sniffed the air, her nose twitching. Umbra stirred, lifting his snout and sniffing repeatedly. Jackson took a deep breath, tasting the sweetness of the rich and dense air.


    His lungs expanded as far as his chest could, his ribs expanding to amodate the influx of oxygen. With a sudden rush of rity, his senses returned to him. Khione and Umbra instinctively recalled themselves, leaping back into his body as his eyes shot open.


    Jackson sighed heavily before taking a deep breath, sucking the entirety of the mana-rich air in the room into his body, holding it before exhaling violently, a massive explosion shredding the entire building.


    He shot up to his feet, looking around bewildered and in shock; three notifications appeared in front of him:


    [New Martial Artes Detected!]


    [Creating New Martial Arte Skill: Perfect Unity Sutra of the True Progenitor]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Rank: SSS]


    [Mastery: 1.9%]


    [Type: Core]


    [The Original Core Technique, created by Michael, the first disciple of The Progenitor. Epasses unlocking all 108 Conduits to fully unlock the potential of the body.]


    [Congrattions! Twenty Moons Under the One Sun has reached 100% Mastery! Please check the skill page for evolution requirements.]


    [Congrattions! Inferno of the Twin Storms has reached 100% Mastery! Please check the skill page for evolution requirements.]


    Onlookers whispered amongst themselves as Jackson stood oblivious to the gathering crowd. An rm red as guards rushed through the streets, snapping him back to reality as he quickly looked around.


    Vanishing from the center of the rubble, he bolted through the streets of Fort Novae. By the time the soldiers had arrived and started investigating the disturbance, Jackson was casually strolling through the farnds.


    Crossing the bridge, he essed the Skills Window, inspecting both of the skills:


    [Twenty Moons Under the One Sun]


    [Rank: SS - Evolution Avable when <Unknown Movement Arte> is Mastered!]


    [Mastery: 100%]


    [Type: Movement]


    [Twenty Inferno of the Twin Storms]


    [Rank: SS - Evolution Avable when <Unknown Twin de Arte> is Mastered!]


    [Mastery: 100%]


    [Type: Twin des]


    "It looks like I haven''t discovered what Artes are needed to evolve them..." Jackson muttered to himself, "Looks like all my remaining skills gained a small boost from unlocking my core..."


    He walked across the bridge, entering the other half of La Decima I, sneezing as he rubbed his nose. Meanwhile, back at Fort Novae, Jessica fell to her knees outside the rubble of her quarters.


    Her eyes were wide as her mouth hung agape, a squeak escaping her lips, holding a flier of a drawing of Jackson, unable toprehend why he would destroy her home...

 Chapter 98 (XCVIII) Temple Knights

    ?Jackson quickly made his way around the defenses at Fort Vetus. Quietly hiding from the patrols that made their rounds through the streets of therge city. His hood was pulled over his head as he darted from his hiding spot into a nearby alleyway.


    The city was on high alert as he searched for a ce to hide himself away in until things died down. The citizens of the town hurried about, going about their daily business despite the tense situation.


    Jackson spotted an old warehouse across from the fort, its windows boarded shut and sealed tightly. He crossed the street and crept along the wall toward the entrance.


    It looked like no one had broken in for quite some time; there wasn''t any obvious evidence of forced entry or damage from when they left.


    Jackson peered around the corner of the doorway and saw the familiar sight of dozens of wooden crates stacked neatly along the walls. He moved quietly toward the stacks, climbing them as he reached an exterior walkway leading from inside the second floor of the structure and stairs leading to the third.


    He peeked above the balcony before climbing onto the elevated path and looking through the doorway of the second-story loft. It was dark inside, but it appeared empty of anything valuable. He tried to enter, but it was locked.


    He continued climbing the stairs, finding himself at the top of the building, where he discovered an unlocked window into the building. He slid it aside and crawled inside.


    The interior was dim, dust and cobwebs covering nearly everything. Jackson approached a desk sitting along one of the walls with a few dusty books piled on top, dragging his fingers across the dusty surface. He turned, looking around the room, noticing in the corner, a coty on the floor next to a destroyed dresser on the other wall, opposite the door.


    Squatters had destroyed much of the interior of the abandoned warehouse; they''d ripped apart several desks and tables and scattered debris everywhere. There was also a hole in the roof, letting sunlight stream in throughout the day.


    Jackson turned and surveyed the room, ensuring nothing would give him away, before turning back to the door and peeking outside. There weren''t many people about, but he did see a few soldiers patrolling the streets, rushing around as they looked for him.


    He heard footsteps approaching from below. He turned to find three men walking inside the rear of the building. They wore the uniform of the Temple Knights, their armor polished clean and gleaming under the sunlight. A hooded figure stepped forward from the shadows beneath the office he was in.


    "Have youpleted your task?" The hooded man hissed toward the three Temple Knights as they approached.


    "Yes sir." One replied. "The Knight Commander doesn''t suspect a thing."


    "Perfect. Here, take this." He said, handing each of the knights a sack, "ce this in the massive braziers at all three entrances to the fort tonight, EXACTLY when the sun sets!"


    "But what is it, Master? We''ve never seen such items before," asked the second knight.


    "You have now! Do not question me again unless I ask it of you directly; do we understand one another?"


    "Yes, my Lord. Of course, My Lord. Thank you, Sir."


    "Now go. You must be quick. If anyone sees us together, it will raise suspicion! Now hurry back to the temple. We''re almost out of time!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    The trio nodded respectfully and rushed out, leaving the man alone. He pulled his cloak tighter around him and adjusted the mask he was wearing, making sure the face waspletely obscured.


    He walked through a doorway leading out from the main room, closing the door behind him. The man walked down the steps and into the basement, heading for an exit, which led into the sewers.


    Jackson waited a moment to make sure everyone was gone before exiting the room and descending the stairwell to the main floor, silently following after the hooded figure. He emerged in the darkness of the sewer system, the stench of waste and rot permeating the air.


    He followed closely, keeping pace with the cloaked individual. He had to keep his distance, though, so he couldn''t get too close without arousing suspicions. He needed to stay hidden and remain unseen if he wanted to avoid detection.


    They passed by numerous tunnels, navigating thebyrinth of sewers underneath Fort Vetus. Finally, the man stopped at an intersection, waiting patiently. After a brief wait, another hooded figure arrived from each path.


    "The exchanges went off perfectly." One said as all three nodded.


    "The Hollows will invade tonight and once enough portals have opened, the fort will be a nexus, and we will be rewarded the power to destroy Fort Novae and take control of La Decima I!" The man Jackson followed exined.


    "We''ll need to move fast then. Once the portal opens, the Hollows will begin to flood the ind. In themotion, we can take out the Commander."


    "Our job here is done. Let''s return to the headquarters to prepare the next phase of the n. Then, we shall strike and reap the rewards of victory!" The third exined.


    The three figures bowed to one another and walked back in the directions they hade from. Jackson held his breath, pressing himself against the wall in the shadows as the hooded figure passed him.


    The young man watched as the hooded man disappeared down the path as he stumbled out from the shadows and quickly made his way to the intersection, frantically looking down all three directions.


    "Shit!" He silently eximed, "Fort Vetus is going to fall tonight!"


    He turned to head down the path he came from when a notification appeared in front of him:


    [Secret Scenario Discovered!]


    [Temple Knights have prepared a coup d''etat to overthrow Temple Knight Commander Renee. Under the lies her subordinates feed her, she believes that Royal Knight Commander Lydia is behind the Hollow''s appearance.]


    [Additional Objective Received!]


    [Save Temple Knight Commander Renee from a knife in the dark!]

 Chapter 99 (XCIX) Trapped

    ?Jackson climbed the nearbydder in the intersection, opening a manhole and climbing onto the streets of Fort Vetus. The sun was beginning to set on this side of town, but there were still people out here, walking around with their heads down as they went about their business, rushing to their destinations despite the mandatory curfew.


    He looked up towards the sky just above the rooftops where the ck clouds hung ominously overhead. It wasn''t long until nightfall would arrive...and soon thereafter, chaos erupted across the city like wildfire.


    He began running away from the center of town, hoping no one saw him or recognized who he was. He ran through the streets, hiding and slipping past soldiers and guards as he made his way closer to the keep where he hadst seen her. As he got nearer, however, things started getting worse. There seemed to be more patrols than usual along the street near the entrance.


    ''Whatever they got nned will happen soon...'' Jackson thought as he looked up at the setting sun, increasing his pace toward the Knight Commander''s quarters. ''I don''t know how much longer I''m gonna be able to hold them off.''


    As he reached the gatehouse outside of the inner courtyard, two guards stood guard over it. They didn''t seem particrly concerned with anything else other than standing watch duty. They both stood next to braziers as two soldiers on patrol approached.


    The stationed guards waved at the two soldiers as they passed by, quickly turning around, pulling knives free from their belts, slicing the guards'' throats, and dropping them to the ground.


    The pair of Temple Knights smiled at one another, pulled out the sacks, and threw them into the braziers.


    The bags burst open, spilling forth tufts of ck smoke. The fires turned green as simr events urred throughout the fort. The entire fort became engulfed in swirling masses of misty darkness within moments. Cracks began appearing over the braziers as the skies ripped apart as portals were opened.


    The Temple Knights started to violently transform into Hollow Temrs. Their bodies twisted unnaturally before spasming against the ground. ck trails of smoke flew from the portals as they entered the deceased guards next to them.


    Jackson desperately ran faster while dodging between buildings and walls as he moved further inside the fort, racing as he searched for Renee, his heart beating wildly within his chest.


    He could hear the sh of weapons and screamsing from every direction. Guards calling for help, screaming in terror as the darkness overtook them. Some fled blindly without knowing what was happening, while others fought bravely with swords drawn and valiantly tried to repel the invaders.


    He turned the corner and saw the Temple Knight Commander fighting against three Temple Knights, prolonging the fight as she was unable to gain any ground. She managed to deflect a few more blows before an attack struck her shoulder hard, knocking her weapon to the ground.


    "Commander Renee!" Jackson shouted, the gears on his body suit rapidly spinning as his WarFrame appeared, and he drew his Twin Moon scimitars, twirling them around him as he rushed in.


    The three Temple Knights turned to face him as he closed the gap, leaping high into the air as hended before shing downward with his right sword and cutting the legs out from under the first knight. His left de sliced upward, deflecting attacks from the remaining two.


    He spun around and kicked out at the second knight, sending him flying backward and crashing into the wall behind him. Before the knight hit the ground, the third attacked, swinging his mace at Jackson''s midsection.


    He deflected it easily using his des and jumped forward again, striking the temple knight in the throat before kicking him backward andnding beside themander.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She grabbed her sword and ran toward him, shouting, "What''s going on?!?"


    "A group of Temple Knights have defected!" Jackson replied, "We need to get you out here!"


    "No, I can''t leave yet! I have to finish this! I have to kill these traitors! We can''t let this stand!"


    "Commander, we have to go! If we stay here, we''re all going to die!"


    "I won''t abandon my men! I will not! If I fail, everything we''ve worked for will crumble! I will not allow that!"


    "Tch!" Jackson clicked his tongue as he thought, "We aren''t abandoning them, we''re regrouping as we evacuate the city to Fort Novae and gathering reinforcements from the Royal Knights!"


    "Those bastards?!?" She eximed, throwing her arm out and shaking her head, "I''d rather die!"


    "Are you fucking serious right now!!?" He shouted, staring at her incredulously, "You need to quit this stupid, petty conflict and work together or the entire ind is going to fall!"


    "We don''t need those Royal Knight bastards nor their bitch of a Knight Commander''s help!" Renee yelled, shaking her head before pointing behind him, "Heads up! We havepany!"


    Jackson spun around to see the three paths leading to the Knight Commander''s courtyard being blocked by six Hollow Knights holding wicked ck weapons, covered in ck smoke.


    Their armor had been corrupted, with bony spikes sticking out of the shoulders and elbows. Their helmets were destroyed in various ces, revealing the trademark skeletal heads and glowing green eyes.


    Their tabards were tattered and had been dyed ck and green. Their armor, ckish and rusted, grotesque clusters of legions sttered and grew along the metal.


    "We''re trapped!" Renee yelled, raising her shield and rushing next to Jackson as the six hollowed knights rushed forward in unison, weapons raised. She swung her sword upwards, blocking the blow, causing the creature to stumble back a step.


    "This is bad..." Jackson muttered, deflecting attacks from three of the Hollow Temrs aimed toward the Knight Commander while avoiding attacks directed at him.


    "We need to get out here!" He shouted, throwing one of the Temrs back after blocking their attack and spun, decapitating it and kicking them onto its back.

 Chapter 100 (C) Escape

    ?Renee was forced to defend herself as best she could, parrying and counterattacking with all her might. The two of them were surrounded by enemies, but she was confident that she and the young man would be able to fend off the enemy if they coordinated their efforts.


    They were doing well, but she knew they wouldn''t be able to hold out forever. They were running out of time.


    She gritted her teeth and took a deep breath as she watched the boy block an iing swing from a hollow, then kick the thing away, leaving himself wide open. The moment he was exposed, another of the creatures lunged in, aiming a vicious strike at the Knight Commander.


    She pushed her feet into the ground, taking the force of the strike, allowing the strike to nce harmlessly against the stone beneath her. As the Hollow Temr stumbled, Renee stepped in, thrusting her longsword through the creature''s stomach, piercing it straight through.


    The Hollow Temr fell to the floor, dead, as Renee turned to look at Jackson, who had taken the opportunity to take down the other four Hollow Temrs surrounding him. He looked exhausted, sweat pouring down his forehead as he breathed heavily, purple electricity arcing around his hands briefly before vanishing as he held his Twin Moon scimitars.


    "Quick! We don''t have much time!" He shouted, waving his hands as they started running towards the exit, dodging around the fallen Temple Knights.


    "I know!" Renee said, pushing her tired body to run faster, forcing her to keep up with Jackson despite the fatigue, jumping over the bodies of the in as they dashed through the streets.


    Renee followed close behind, looking up as she heard the sounds of explosionsing from the outer wall. The ck clouds overhead seemed to darken as lightning shed and thunder boomed.


    Renee gasped, struggling to run faster as they made their way into a courtyard. Temple Knights were being overrun as the Hollows were overwhelming them. The Temple Knights were fighting valiantly, trying desperately to hold them back as they were being overwhelmed.


    "Quick, we must help them!" She shouted, running past Jackson, who clicked his tongue and chased after her, jumping into the skirmish.


    The two of them fought side-by-side, taking the Hollows and Hollowed Temrs down as they cut through the beasts, approaching the Temple Knights.


    "Knight Commander!" One of the knights shouted as the pair approached, turning to face them.


    "We have to get everyone out of here!" She added, noticing more shadows moving about as more Hollow Knights appeared, attacking from every direction.


    "Sweep through the city! Grab all survivors and head over the bridge!" She told the knight, "Go, we will hold the line!"


    "Yes, Knight Commander!" The Temple Knight replied before turning, rying the orders to the rest of the group as they ran down an adjacent street away from the fight.


    "We need to hurry!" Jackson urged, lightning covering his body, the edges of both des glowing brightly as he blitzed through the ranks, slicing and dicing anything that got too near.


    Renee nodded, following closely as they ran across the main avenue, heading through Fort Vetus.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The two of them were having trouble keeping track of the number of people they were picking up. It wasn''t just the civilians either; the soldiers were also joining the group, carrying woundedrades.


    "We''ll never make it!" Jackson shouted, panting as he fought. His arms were starting to feel heavy as he continued to fight. His movements were bing sluggish as he struggled to maintain his focus. His breathing became more severe as he focused on his de.


    "We''re close to the main gate!" She shouted, her voice cracking as the adrenaline began to wear off. Her vision blurred slightly as she strained her muscles harder than ever before.


    "We can do this! Just a little more!" Jackson shouted, his eyes narrowing as he spotted something in front of him.


    "There!" Renee pointed ahead, Jackson stopping abruptly, his des still spinning around him. Renee ran beside him, pointing down the avenue with her sword, "I can see the gate!"


    The massive crowd behind them started cheering loudly as they saw the open gates. Everyone began rushing forward as a dozen swirls of smoke appeared before them. The crowd squealed as they frantically tried to stop and turn around, running behind Jackson and Renee.


    A dozen Hollows appeared from the spiraling columns of smoke, blocking the path to the gate.


    "Shit!" Renee cursed, pulling her de free and readying herself. Jackson rushed past her, his body vanishing in a blur of purple electricity before reappearing several meters away, facing the oing monsters.


    He drew the Twin Moon scimitars around him and twirled them around beforeunching them at the Hollows. Both des struck the first creature, cutting it cleanly in half and sending the upper portion flying backward and the lower section falling to the ground.


    His des quickly danced amongst the shadows, repeatedly striking, each blow sending the creatures flying backward, dying instantly.


    Jackson was forced to leap backward when a Hollow jumped at him, its ws tearing into his shoulder. He kicked the monster in the chest, sending it flying back, but not before it managed to sink its fangs into his shoulder.


    "Fuck!" He growled, ring at the creature as ity motionless, bleeding profusely.


    "Get to the gate! I''m going to deal with this!" He ordered, rushing forward and swinging the des repeatedly, cutting and chopping the Hollows apart, killing them one by one.


    "Follow me!" Renee shouted after nodding to Jackson, she raised her sword and pointed toward the gate, running ahead, her sword shing as she deflected blows aimed toward the crowd.


    She felt a sudden rush of energy flow through her veins as she blocked the attacks from the Hollows directed at the citizens and wounded soldiers running behind her. She quickly made her way in front of the gate, blocking attacks from all directions.


    Temple Knights quickly established a perimeter around the road, defending against attacks as the people and wounded rushed toward the bridge, screaming wildly.

 Chapter 101 (CI) Struggle

    ?"HALT!" Royal Knights shouted across the bridge as the refugees rushed across the bridge. After not heeding their warning, the soldiers lowered their spears, rming the people as they started pushing against one another.


    "We''re going to die! We''re going to fucking DIE!!!" Someone screamed as the panicked mob surged together. Screams and cries began to spread throughout the group.


    "Calm yourself, there is no reason to panic," Renee shouted, pushing her way through the crowd and across the bridge.


    "We''re going to be trampled!" A woman shrieked, clutching her child in her arms.


    "There''s nothing you can do to help us!" Another man screamed.


    "We''re all gonna be crushed! We''re all gonna be killed! We''re all-"


    "Silence! Everyone needs to calm down!! " The Knight Commander yelled, turning and gripping the man by his cor as he immediately bit his tongue, nodding frantically.


    She dropped him before continuing on her way to the front and approached the Royal Knights, the crowd parting out of her way.


    "I am Temple Knight Commander Renee, I need to speak with Royal Knight Commander Lydia immediately!" She announced, stepping forward.


    "Oh, we know exactly who you are Commander Renee, whatever tricks you nasty Temrs are pulling over there won''t happen on ournds!" One of the Royal Knights shouted back.


    "Fort Vetus is in mes!" She shouted, pointing toward the castle, "We are being invaded! You must let all these civilians through-"


    Lydia came running toward the bridge with a toon of Royal Knights behind her as she interrupted, "Renee! What''s going on here?"


    "Oh thank the heavens! You need to let these refugees pass! Fort Vetus has been breached! Thousands have died..." The Temple Knight Commander sighed in relief, "Please, we need your help..."


    "Of course! Royal Knights! Help guide these people to safety! Bring the injured to the infirmary and treat those who require medical attention!" Shemanded, ordering the men and women in hermand to assist the Temple Knights in escorting the civilians to the other side of the river.


    Renee breathed out in exhaustion as thest of the civilians crossed over the bridge, turning to the Royal Knight Commander, "Lydia, there was this boy, Jackson, he helped save all of of these people! We need to bring a battalion immediately!"


    "Jackson..? Yes, I know the punk who decided to destroy my home! Where is he?" She gritted, balling her hand into a fist and raising it in the air.


    "He did what? Wait, never mind! He singlehandedly held back the invaders at the main gate! We must hurry!" Renee eximed, looking back toward the gate as mes engulfed Fort Vetus.


    The two Knight Commanders led tworge squadrons of Temple and Royal Knights as they ran along the path toward the fort. They passed by the stray civilian, running for their lives as they approached the front gates.


    A bolt of purple lightning blitzed through the endless sea of Hollows rushing toward the front gates, unable to make it within a dozen meters as they began disappearing in a me and an ethereal wail as Jackson cut them down.<novelnext></novelnext>


    It continued to dance through the Hollows, arcing from each one erratically before Jackson reappeared, panting heavily, kneeling in front of the two women. His WarFrame disengaged as the gears spun, and his body slowly appeared.


    Renee looked up, seeing the familiar figure of the young man, his swords glowing brightly. The Temple and Royal Knights spread out as they created a perimeter around the entrance, allowing the random survivor to run out of the city.


    "You''ve done it!" She cried as she and Lydia ran toward him.


    "No.." Jackson panted as he slowly stood up and turned toward the two Knight Commanders, "Unless we manage to close those portals, they will continue toe."


    "Then we must close those portals!" Lydia demanded as she approached the pair of knights, snapping her fingers as both saluted and ran back toward Fort Novae.


    "We will send as many troops as we can spare to aid in closing the portal and we will hold here until reinforcements arrive and then make for the portals, how many are there?" She asked, turning as she stepped closer.


    "I don''t know... Maybe ten?" Jackson shook his head, shrugging.


    "Rest up... You''ve fought harder than all of usbined!" Renee said as Jackson nodded, sitting down as he summoned Khione and Umbra to fight in his stead. The Winged Snowdrift Panther quickly transformed into her War Forme, unleashing powerful attacks as gigantic clusters of ice appeared, shattering and knocking back dozens of Hollows.


    Not to be outperformed, the Twilight Wyvern vanished, reappearing within the shadows of the Hollows and felling them in a blindingly fast strike before retreating back into the shadows.


    The remaining survivors were able to escape the burning ruins of the fortress as the battle raged between the forces inside the walls as hundreds of Hollows and Hollowed Knights had gathered, attempting to burst forth from the fort.


    After a brief rest, Jackson approached the two Knight Commanders, "I''m going with my twopanions to destroy the portals."


    "We''lle with!" Renee replied, stepping forward as Lydia nodded.


    "No. Stay here and make sure that the Hollows don''t invade the other side of ind! Once the reinforcements arrive, I should have shut down a couple. Use that to gain ground and push them back!" Jackson ordered, nodding before running off into the dark forest.


    "Are you certain about this, Jackson?" Renee asked, watching as he jumped on top of Khione''s back as Umbra flew in the air as they disappeared down the street.


    "This isn''t good, not one bit," Lydia muttered, ncing at the massive army of Hollows before staring at Renee.


    "All we can do is hold out until reinforcements arrive!" Renee replied, shaking her head as she watched the swarm of Hollows approach.


    "Well then, sister!!" Lydia shouted, her eyes narrowing as she red at the approaching horde of Hollows, "Time for a reunion of the Decima dedancers!"

 Chapter 102 (CII) Cracks

    ?Renee leaped through the air, spinning her sword and slicing downward like a meteor falling onto the battlefield below while Lydia turned, shing her de, summoning three beams of light that shot across the sky, crashing into several nearby groups of Hollows.


    When her de shed against the ground, killing a Hollow, three beams of light followed her sword''s trajectory, crashing into the masses of shadows. She leaped back, sping arms with Lydia as the sisters spun around each other, unleashing a torrent of beams.


    A group of Hollow Temrs dressed in heavy armor slowly approached through the mists of shadows. Their weapons glowed with an eerie green aura.


    They threw theirpanions aside and swung their weapons against anything that got in their way. Each swing sent waves of fire erupting outward, incinerating anything caught in their wake.


    One knight rushed towards Lydia only to meet her own des swinging upward, cutting deep into its chest te, using his momentum as she cartwheeled backward, mming him into the ground, stabbing it deeply into its spine.


    She pulled her de free before piercing through his helm, severing his neck entirely as the body immediately dissolved in a bright red me as she stood up.


    "Lydia!" Renee called as another wave of hollows attempted to break through the barricades behind her.


    "It looks like these ones aren''t mindless..." Lydia remarked as she ducked under a swipe from above and sliced open a helmet, sending blood spraying everywhere before kicking away a charging soldier whose arm fell limp after being severed by her foot.


    "We''re getting overrun! We need backup now!" Renee yelled as she blocked a blow from a giant hammer wielded by one of the soldiers, holding her shield tightly as her shoulder smashed against it.


    As soon as she could pull herself upright again, she stabbed through the eye socket of the creature, causing it to scream and copse to the floor, dissolving instantly as a small cloud of smoke rose upwards.


    "Trust my men! They''reing!! We just need to hold on a little longer!" Lydia shouted as she pushed aside a spear-wielding Hollowed Knight and kicked him square in the face, knocking him to the ground. Renee kicked a Hollow into another, knocking back both as they stumbled over the downed knight as she forced her de straight up through all three of their throats simultaneously.


    "I hope they''re not taking the scenic route!" Even though this ce was built to withstand the most vicious battles of war, our forces are dwindling fast!" Renee replied, shouting as she parried blows left and right as she killed two more enemies.


    She twisted her body around and thrust her elbow into the stomach of one before pulling her legs up and nting both feet firmly into the chin of the second, throwing her backward as shended lightly beside her sister.


    ***


    Jackson rode atop Khione in her War Forme as Umbra flew quickly after her. He sped up as much as possible, twirling his Twin Moon Scimitars around him, cutting down Hollows as she darted through the streets of Fort Vetus, closing in on the first crack.


    A single beam of green lightning zipped around the edges of the portal, keeping it open. It wasn''t tremendous, perhaps norger than ten meters wide and twenty long.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Three figures draped in shadows knelt underneath it, chanting as gusts of ck clouds would fly out of the crack, rushing through the streets.


    Khione rushed toward the portal as Jackson leaped from her back, spinning through the air, immediately taking out a Hollow flying through the air beforending behind the three figures.


    The three eximed, startled at his appearance as Jackson, Khione, and Umbra simultaneously killed them. When he turned to look at the portal, it had begun to copse on itself. Cracking could be heard, followed by deep explosions before the portal vanished.


    "One down..." He sighed in relief, knowing this would be the easiest one as they would be expecting him at the remaining portals.


    He looked around his surroundings briefly before hopping onto Khione''s back and flying off toward the next one.


    He reached the following location shortly afterward, finding another set of three zealots and a singr Hollow Temr wearing massive armor with an enormous morningstar in one arm and a gigantic tower shield in the other.


    Khione growled, lowering her head and baring her teeth as her eyes began shining brightly, changing color from purple to pale blue. Her ws extended as she charged forward with Jackson on her back and Umbra vanishing, appearing directly behind the enemy.


    The Hollow Temr turned, spinning his il as it roared with a green me, passing through Umbra''s body as he flipped in the air, kicking the knight backward. Khione pounced toward him as he knelt, raising his shield and blocking her ws and teeth.


    He banged his shield against her, reaching his spiked il back before swinging it down violently. Jackson leaped forward and blocked the weapon with both of his des.


    The force knocked them apart, but Jackson managed to maintain control of them as the man continued to m the bottom of his shield against the ground.


    Umbra vanished once again as Khione reared onto her two hind feet, mming her front paws against the ground, spikes of ice shooting out and breaking against his heavy armor. Jackson rushed forward, leaping into the air andunching himself toward the Hollow Knight.


    The hooded figures remained focused as they continued their chant as the Twilight Wyvern reappeared behind them,shing out as he quickly shed their backs, killing all three as they fell against the ground, vanishing into ck mist.


    Jackson deflected the knight''s weapon, spinning as he kicked the hilt, disarming the Hollow Temr, who turned around, attempting to smash his massive tower shield into him, but it was gripped by Khione''s ws and fangs.


    Jackson ducked underneath the knight''s arm, spinning as he got close, flicking his swords, impaling the hollowed knight between the gaps in his armor as it slowly began burning before it disappeared.

 Chapter 103 (CIII) Rally

    ?The night slowly passed as Jackson rushed through the streets, closing each of the portals one after another. After he closed two more gates, the reinforcements of Royal Knights from Fort Novae arrived at the main gate.


    Renee and Lydia were able to replenish their exhausted troops, shuffling the fresh soldiers as the exhausted Temple and Royal Knights were able to take a moment and refresh their bodies.


    Following a hasty adjustment to their lines and a lessened number of Hollows appearing, thanks to Jackson shutting down a third of the portals, the sisters were able to begin pushing back and gain more ground through the streets of Fort Vetus.


    Seizing the opportunity, they took a small detachment of elite Temple and Royal Knights, leaving their men to hold their position. At the same time, they rushed in the opposite direction Jackson had gone searching for a portal to shut.


    Thanks to losing a third of the opened portals, the Hollows were beginning to adapt. Due to the sheer number of defeated hollows within the fort began gathering as they mutated, growing stronger and more intelligent. Even the Hollowed Temrs had started to mutate into hulking monstrosities.


    Luckily, the reinforcements proved invaluable as they were able to slowly push the Hollows back while they held the line. Renee and Lydia quickly marched through the streets, leading the charge, ying every Hollow that crossed their path.


    After searching for a while, they arrived at a crack; Lydia nced behind her, seeing her sister and her friends fight valiantly as she gritted her teeth. She felt a surge of pride as she saw Renee cut through the ranks of the Hollows, standing tall in her white and gold robes.


    They rushed forward toward the horde of Hollows standing between them and the zealots. She spun her sword, deflecting a spear strike and slicing the Hollow in half as she turned, shing another in the gut as a few others tried desperately to attack her from all sides.


    She kicked away one with her foot, slicing through another''s neck with her sword. Renee leaped through the air, arcing her sword as she took down three Hollows.


    They quickly began gaining ground as the hollows started gathering swiftly, colliding against one another as they began to mutate into more immense hulking masses of swirling ck clouds.


    Their skulls became more ferocious, andrge bones began forming, shooting out from the smoke as sharp ws appeared with skeletal hands and feet. Their appearance immediately changed the tide of the battle back to a stalemate.


    The entire group of Hollows suddenly let out a roar as they ran toward them. Lydia and Renee both stood still, watching as the Hollows approached, their eyes glowing ominously.


    "For La Decima!!!" Lydia raised her sword into the air, Renee following suit and shouting back, boosting the morale of both the Royal and Temple Knights as they raised their weapons and shouted in unison.


    ***


    Jackson had cleared an additional two portals, making his way to the next one, having taken out more than half of them had been removed. His body ached as he moved. Khione and Umbra had reached their limits and had been returned to his body, unable to fight any longer.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Without their assistance, the appearance of the Mutated Hollows and Knights slowed him down slightly, but not enough to prevent him from clearing the locations and closing the portals.


    He was now only a short distance from the next portal. He could hear it crackling loudly as a massive explosion sounded, causing him to cringe in difort.


    Jackson twirled his des around him before leaping into the air,nding behind a pair of the monstrous creatures. He sliced through the back of one of its legs before spinning his twin scimitars through the Hollow Temr''s skull.


    He rushed forward, panting heavily as he rapidly shed his des around him, killing dozens of Hollows as he ran toward the three zealots, kneeling and chanting as they maintained the status of the portal.


    Jacksonnded on top of the three figures, using his momentum to throw them off bnce before stabbing his swords straight up, piercing one, immediately spinning, and throwing the second backward with a kick.


    He jumped over thest one, spinning as he decapitated him and kneeling as he twisted his swords, burying both des in the side of the downed zealot''s chest as it screamed and vanished in a burst of ck mist.


    Jackson sighed in relief as the crackling stopped. He dropped to one knee and gasped, leaning against a nearby wall, catching his breath, "Last... One..."


    He huffed as he stood, looking around his surroundings. The streets seemed deserted as he walked forward, stepping onto the cracked road, turning the corner, and approaching the final location. Now that nine out of the ten cracks had been sealed, the effects on the city were lessened.


    The darkness was beginning to clear as the smoke and smog slowly dissipated. It was easy to locate the final portal; only one ce in the city had a disturbing green glow. As he drew closer, the sound of shing metal could be heard.


    He quickly summoned Khione and Umbra, who quickly prepared for battle, chasing after him. He turned the corner into the square to see Renee and Lydia leading the remnants of the Temple and Royal Knights battalion as they were locked in a stalemate.


    The Winged Snowdrift Panther cub quickly transformed into her War Forme as Jackson leaped onto her back, riding her into battle as he twirled his Twin Moon Scimitars, attaching them at the hilt, transforming it into its Warive form.


    Umbra pped his mighty wings, flying rapidly next to Khione as they charged into the battle. The Mutated Hollows and Mutated Hollowed Temrs had started to pile up, which unnerved Jackson.


    Jackson urged Khione on, knowing this was just the tenth floor, he knew the Hollows could continue tobine, growing stronger and more powerful.

 Chapter 104 (CIV) Templar Lord

    As Jackson had closed the ninth portal, the entire focus of the Hollows was to defend the final portal. As all their forces were located in a single location, their synthetic souls converged on one another, mutating into grotesque versions of their original form.


    These souls, too, began to gather around the area, littering as the small blue mes floated above the ground.


    Renee and Lydia led the charge as they were able to cut through the hulking masses of Hollows like butter, carving through their ranks with ease. They managed to keep their formation despite the sheer number of enemies they faced.


    They fought back, pushing back the hordes of Hollows, as the hive mind began to fight desperately, throwing everything at the defenders.


    Renee and Lydia unleashed a loud battle cry as the trio joined the battle, rallying the Royal and Temple Knights, who were already down to a third of their numbers following the previous attacks.


    Jackson''s arrival proved to turn the tides of the battle. With the aid of the Twilight Wyvern and Winged Snowdrift Panther, the amount of damage the enemy could deal to the Royal and Temple Knights decreased significantly.


    Jackson''s presence and speed allowed for a greater degree of precision when attacking; his rapid movements and insane speed allowed him to flow through the Hollow''s ranks quickly, allowing him to take out multiple targets.


    Khione''s ability to strike multiple opponents and bind their movements was invaluable as Umbra supported the remnants of the army, appearing from the Hollow''s shadows, taking it out before it could strike.


    The Zealots were bing desperate. Jackson andpany were slowly closing in; they began summoning more Hollows from the portal, hoping that would change the oue.


    The green crack began expanding, green mist flowing out from the jagged edges as the portal creaked, growingrger. The hive''s mind continued trying to push through the line, even if it meant sacrificing itself.


    The number of Hollows were so great that they started breaking through the defensive lines, forcing the sisters and Jackson to fight harder. Suddenly a deep roar burst from the crack, causing all the Hollows to unleash unearthly wails of their own.


    A dozen blue mes burst past the knights, converging in front of the portal, floating in a vertical circle as they began spinning, creating a ming blue circle. A cyclone of smoke erupted from beneath it as arge skeletal hand gripped the edge of the crack.


    Another hand gripped the opposite edge as it ripped the portal open further as a gigantic skull appeared and exited the crack, pressing its forehead into the vortex against the blue mes.


    The Hollowed Temr Lord had appeared...


    The pristine white skull burst into a blue me as the hulking skeleton burst from the portal, destroying it and instantly taking the lives of the three zealots beneath it. The twister of smoke grewrger, swallowing the humongous monstrosity as it began appearing.


    The beast roared again as the smoke and dust cleared, revealing the colossus standing before the Royal Knights, towering over them by nearly thirty feet.


    The creature looked almost humanoid, with a skeletal frame and arge head with a hollow cavity in the center where a dark red eye burned with a malevolent fire.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Its arms ended in sharp ws that dug into the stone below, the fingers on each of its hands formed into long sharp talons.


    Warped and distorted armor began appearing across its body as it took a step. Dark mangled chunks of metal wrapped around the bones, covering its torso and forming an armored shell around it.


    The helmet it wore was simr to the Hollow Knight Knights, but the front was broken, revealing a mouth filled with sharp teeth instead of a visor. A tattered and torn ck cape flowed behind it, turning into smoke at the bottom.


    It was a terrifying sight, but the real threat came from the weapon it held, a giant double-ded two-handed greataxe forged from the same strange material as the rest of the body.


    As the portal had been forcibly destroyed by the Temr Lord, the darkness promptly vanished, the afternoon sun revealing the wreckage of the ruined city.


    It roared loudly as it began to move, rushing toward the remaining warriors, shing downwards, cleaving through the first row of soldiers, and knocking others aside. The smaller Hollows screeched, quickly vanishing as they burned to ashes, leaving only one opponent between Jackson and thepletion of his challenges.


    It swung its two-handed weapon, bringing it down hard on the ground, shattering the cobblestone street as it rose into the air and brought it down once more, crushing another soldier.


    Jackson''s heart raced as he saw the destruction caused in mere seconds. He couldn''t believe how fast it was moving.


    "Khione! Umbra!" He shouted as he summoned both of hispanions.


    "I''m sorry, I can barely hold him," Renee said, panting heavily as she attempted to slow him down.


    "He''s going to kill us all!" She shouted, "We need to end this now or we''re not getting out alive."


    "No time for regrets. We''ve got to stop him now. Umbra, use your wings and get me close to him. Khione, follow my lead, let''s go!" He shouted as he readied his des.


    Jackson leaped off Khione''s back,nding in a crouch, rotating his des around his wrists, and preparing himself. He dashed forward as he twisted his scimitars in a circr motion.


    He jumped forward, shing his des horizontally before he dove into the air, spinning around and cutting through the air beforending on top of the monster, stabbing his twin scimitars into the side of the monstrous being.


    Jackson felt his des sink between the Hollow''s armor, piercing deep inside the beast as he struggled, feeling the resistance as he tried to pull them back; his des wouldn''t budge as the monstrosity shook violently. He gritted his teeth, struggling to free his weapons, feeling his grip weaken as he was thrown off the de. He flew through the air, tumbling as he rolled across the hard ground.

 Chapter 105 (CV) Narrow Victory

    Jackson groaned and opened his eyes as he slowly sat up, looking at his surroundings. His vision blurred slightly until his gaze focused, and his surroundings became clearer.


    His right shoulder ached as blood trickled down toward his elbow, dripping onto the floor next to his leg. Khione and Umbra fought valiantly alongside Renee and Lydia as they were barely able to fend off the Temr Lord, his two des still jammed into the monstrosity''s back while Jackson was disoriented.


    He stood on unsteady legs and nced around the area, seeing the remains of the battle. The streets were littered with corpses of the fallen, some of which were charred beyond recognition.


    ''NOW!'' A voice in his mind shouted as he turned back to face the hulking Temr Lord while it lifted its great-axe with its back facing him. He quickly dashed forward, vanishing into lightning as he flew through the air toward his des, gripping their hilts.


    The Temr Lord swung forward with one of the most powerful blows Jackson had ever seen. It efficiently cleaved through the space in front of the monster, breaking the sound barrier and creating an intense shockwave. Sending everything and everyone flying in all directions.


    Jackson tightened his grip on the hilts, kicking back, using the momentum of the swing to propel him back as the force of the blow sent him flying through the air.


    Jacksonnded on his feet, staggering backward as the Temr Lord raised its foot high above him. The momentary pause gave him enough time to react, his instincts kicked in, and his speed increased as the mighty warrior mmed the earth next to him, sending him flying high into the air.


    Jackson flipped his swords, catching the handle, and threw it in the direction of the Temr Lord as the colossal creature spun around and aimed for him.


    Jackson caught the spinning axe in midair, twisting to dodge the iing strike as his body once again vanished as lightning arced through the air around the Temr Lord before shooting toward the lodged Twin Moon scimitars in his back.


    Moments before reaching, he reappeared, spinning rapidly as he used the Temr''s axes to break through his armor, slicing deeply into its back. It immediately turned around, throwing its arm, forcing Jackson to drop the massive axe and dash to his des.


    Jackson dodged the attack, jumping away from the Temr Lord as the monster swept its great axe into its hands, twisting as he heaved it high into the air and cut downward, creating a massive explosion. He quickly connected his scimitars into the Warive, raising the barrier in the middle as he was knocked backward.


    He crashed into the wall behind him, cracking the stone, as the Hollow roared as it dropped its great-axe and crouched down, digging its ws into the ground as its armor began breaking and falling to the ground as the Temr Lord became bestial and feral.


    Jackson pushed himself to stand, watching as the creature slowly transformed before his very eyes, growingrger as the armor fell to pieces, exposing the skeletal structure underneath. Its skin darkened, bing more like stone than flesh, as the bones grew longer, stretching out from the muscles that covered them.


    The skull that served as the helm cracked open, revealing the glowing red eye within, pulsing with rage as it stared at Jackson. The creature''s arms grew much thicker, bing more defined, and its ws extended into wickedly sharp points.


    Jackson took a step back, taking a defensive stance, waiting as the creature roared, a terrible noise that seemed to shake the world as it charged at him. The ground beneath them began shaking as the entire city began trembling, a low rumble that built into a deafening roar.


    The monstrosity leaped forward, pouncing toward Jackson as his WarFrame began emitting steam and purple lightning danced around his body as he braced for impact, raising his Warive and erecting a barrier as the colossal beastnded on him, crushing him into the ground.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jackson screamed, wincing as the weight of the beast pressed against him, the breath escaping from his lungs. He struggled to maintain the barrier and gritted his teeth as the force being applied against him increased.


    Cracks formed along the surface of his shield as he continued to struggle against the immense pressure. Jackson roared loudly as the barrier was destroyed. His WarFrame hummed as he released the damage back as a dark clouds quickly appeared overhead.


    "Get off me, you bastard!" He shouted as deep thunder rolled as his WarFrame reached critical mass and unleashed its stored power. A humongous bolt of red lightning shot down from the skies consuming both Jackson and the Temr Lord.


    The ground shook and rumbled as the lightning created a massive crater and released a powerful explosion.


    Jackson''s vision swam as hey there, trying to regain hisposure. He looked over to see the lifeless husk of the beast lying beside him, smoke rising off its body, its skin being burned and floating in the breeze before vanishing.


    "Jackson!!" Renee shouted as she ran forward, Lydia grabbing her wrist and stopping her as she shook her head. Immediately Khionended in front of the sisters, growling fiercely as Umbranded on her back and roared into the air.


    "What happened?" Renee asked, "Where''s the enemy?!?"


    "It''s dead... Jackson killed it." Lydia said, shaking her head once more.


    Renee gasped, "How??" She paused as the pair stepped forward once more, "I can''t believe he survived that. I thought he was done for."


    Lydia shrugged and smiled weakly, "It seems like he''s a survivor."


    Khione snarled and growled, stomping the ground as the two women tried to approach.


    "What''s the big deal? We were just fighting side-by-side!" Renee yelled at the sizeable white panther.


    "I think we should just wait for him toe to us..." Lydia replied, grabbing her sister''s shoulder and smiling softly.


    Jackson groaned, lying on his back in the center of the crater, staring up at the bright blue skies.


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