ã€ŠThe Shop Of Souls [Book 3 posting!]ã€‹


 Chapter One

    James walked on the pavement absentmindedly. He felt exhausted. He¡¯d probably collapse onto the bed as soon as he reached home. Well, he couldn¡¯t as soon as he got home, he still had to cook food. The leftovers from last week had all but run out, and he also had to do the laundry¡­ The laundry really had stacked up, and it was getting beyond messy and into the realm of dirty, honestly.

    It was not a good idea to let his sister stay in a messy house, especially with her illness. He should vacuum the place and mop the floors in her room.

    He sighed. His tired body was protesting the very thought of having to do more work once he reached home, but if it was for his sister, it was worth it. She was trying her best. It was only right for him to try his best, too.

    Time ticked by as he sunk deeper and deeper into his thoughts. Before he knew it, he¡¯d crossed the main roads, gotten deeper into the alleyways, and finally, reached his home. His home was located on the side of an alleyway. It was a two story building. Normally, it should be lived in by one family¡ªthat was how it was built, with that concept in mind¡ªbut it was instead used by two.

    The bottom floor was used by someone else, and he¡¯d rented the top floor. There was a door in between the steps, so there weren¡¯t really any qualms about privacy. They shared the kitchen, and each floor had its own bathroom. Really, if not for its location in the alleyway, he would not have been able to rent this house for this cheap. He¡¯d gotten lucky.

    Chuckling at that thought, he opened the door.

    But then¡­ paused.

    The lights were off.

    That was¡­ rather unusual. The family who lived on the bottom floor, a married couple with a toddler, never left the lights off. It was only evening, after all. Normally, he should be greeted by one of them, depending on who had chosen to go to their part time job for the day.

    He removed his shoes at the entrance and walked in deeper, turning on the lights once he reached the hall.

    The first thing he noticed was blood.

    The blood that had dyed both the floor and the walls.

    The second was the bodies.

    He stared silently, not processing the sight before him until a full minute passed. The living room, sparsely decorated except for the toys bought for the toddlers, had two bodies strewn across it.

    It was the toddler and his mother.

    James put a trembling hand to his mouth as he subconsciously stepped back. W¨Cwhat in god¡¯s name?

    Then it struck him: his sister.

    His sister!

    He ran to the stairs before climbing them haphazardly. It was a miracle he didn¡¯t trip, not that he really cared in the panic he was feeling. Matching his worst dreams, the door at the entrance of the corridor was ajar. Its handle was broken, hanging idly.

    Someone had broken it from the outside.

    He cautiously walked into the corridor, not even daring to breathe. His sister¡¯s room was at the end of the corridor. Perhaps, just perhaps, if he¡¯d not been so focused on his sister, if he¡¯d bothered checking his room¡­

    Then again, perhaps that wouldn¡¯t have changed anything.

    Once he¡¯d crossed the first door in the corridor, he heard the creak. A rather silent one, but one he recognized anyway. It was the sound his bedroom door usually made when opening.

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    And he¡¯d just crossed his bedroom door.

    He almost leapt around, like a cat caught off guard, when the knife was pushed into his stomach.

    A man wearing a mask stared at him, one of his hands grasping onto the back of James¡¯ neck and the other pushing the knife in his hand deeper into James¡¯ stomach. The man had black eyes. Black hair leaked out of the hoodie he¡¯d donned. His skin was rather pale¡ªpale enough that it seemed to glow lightly, even in the darkness.

    Or perhaps that was James¡¯ imagination.

    James pushed the man away a second after the man had driven his knife into James before stumbling back himself.

    Pain.

    Pain radiated from his stomach in a way he¡¯d never experienced before, not even in his wildest dreams and grimmest imagination.

    The man recovered rather quickly, standing up and lunging at James¡¯ once more.

    James tried his best to fight the man. He didn¡¯t even really know what he was doing, but he grabbed onto the man¡¯s face, trying to tear away at his eyes. That was the first thing that came to his mind, hit the vulnerable points. That reminded him of the other vulnerable point the man had.

    In a stroke of both sheer adrenalin and luck, James drove his knee into the man¡¯s groin.

    The man yelled, a feral scream that was borne out of pain. Taking this opportunity, James punched the man in the head before repeatedly punching him in the stomach, downing him before landing punches wherever he could. All his punches had the intended effect, especially the ones he¡¯d landed on the man¡¯s face. The man¡¯s face had become a bloodied mess, but James didn¡¯t stop.

    In a desperate attempt, the man tried to grab onto anything, and the first thing he found was the knife lodged in James'' stomach. He pulled it out, and James let out a strangled gasp. Taking the chance, the man pushed James to the floor before stabbing him in the stomach once more.

    Once more.

    Once more.

    Once more¡ªas many times as he could!

    James screamed, the pain, the pain!

    He grabbed onto the knife mid swing. His hands began bleeding as the knife sank into his palm, but he did not let go. The man struggled desperately, trying to drive the knife into James¡¯ flesh.

    But James would not let go.

    In a seemingly split second decision, the man let go of the knife. Then, instead of trying to attack James once more, he lunged towards the staircase. James could hear multiple groans echoing from the staircase from the man as he rolled down it.

    Then there was silence.

    James lay on the floor bleeding, a knife lodged deep in his right hand, pain radiating from every part of his body, every single part, and he didn¡¯t even have the energy to ponder about anything¡ªabout who the man was, about whether he should have just called the police and the ambulance as soon as he¡¯d seen the dead bodies, about whether his sister was still alive, whether she¡¯d experienced a similar fate as the bodies, and whether he would survive in the first place.

    He simply lay there. Silently. Peacefully, even. And in what felt like both just a second and an eternity, he finally lost consciousness.

    And his life.

    ¡ª

    Archaniel tutted lightly as he watched the souls pass by. None of them seemed like a good candidate for his purpose. Sure, some seemed mildly suitable, but not a great fit. He didn¡¯t want to recruit someone who was too criminal minded, so that really narrowed his options.

    Perhaps it was better if he searched in the general category rather than the ¡°violent death¡± category. Then again, his old mentor had said that the perfect candidates could only be found in the violent death category. Was it just the old man¡¯s unique experience? But the normal souls would be examined by the soul administrators with greater scrutiny, that was true.

    So trying to steal a soul from there was not the best idea.

    Archaniel sighed. Did he even really need to recruit a successor now? True, it was better to retire when he was in his prime and explore the worlds, but seriously! He still had a few decades left in him before his prime would actually pass! So¡­ why go through this pain? He¡¯d been browsing through the violent death category since months¡ª

    Archaniel felt his breath catch in his throat as he spotted a soul.

    A suitable soul.

    Immediately, he used his detail scanner to get the details of the soul.

    Named James Winstein, this soul is of a resident from ¡°Earth¡±. He has spent his life rather tamely, only going out with a burst in the hand of a murderer. Current strongest desire: To take care of and give his sister a good life. His soul has not realized he has died and passed on from the mortal world, suggesting a high likelihood of attachment or resentment.

    Archaniel licked his lips. Well, wasn¡¯t this just perfect?

 Chapter Two

    James blearily blinked as he opened his eyes. A cloudy sky greeted him. Dark clouds, the kind one would see right before it would rain. He stared at the clouds blankly, their very sight calming something deep within him in a way he¡¯d never experienced before.

    He watched the clouds silently, watched them for what felt both like a minute and an hour, when it started raining. Sparsely, it sprinkled, a few drops touching his face occasionally.

    ¡°I like the rain too.¡± A voice broke him from his reverie, and James turned. Lying next to him was a black haired man. His eyes were light blue, and his skin was pale. It only took a second for James to identify that what he was staring at was his own face.

    Well¡­ Wasn¡¯t that unnerving?

    ¡°Unnerving, you say?¡± The doppelganger hummed under his breath. ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡±

    But that was all it was. Unnerving. Not terrifying, not the kind that would make adrenaline rush through his veins like it had when he confronted the killer.

    Instantly, the memories rushed back to him.

    Right.

    He¡¯d been killed. Stabbed to death. Taken out in a way he did not expect.

    Dying due to a disease? Sure. Dying due to overwork? Perhaps. Dying due to a truck crashing into him? Hell, he¡¯d even considered that possibility a few times. He¡¯d definitely not considered dying because a killer had hidden in his house and would stab him to death.

    But strangely, the recollection did not make him feel anything. Nothing at all.

    ¡°I¡¯ve suppressed your emotions somewhat,¡± his doppelganger admitted. ¡°I had to. You¡¯ve just gone through quite the traumatic experience. However, let me start this conversation with this rather uplifting fact. Your sister is alive.¡±

    James inhaled sharply. S¨Cshe is?

    ¡°Yes.¡± The doppelganger nodded. ¡°Your sister is quite the clever person. It seems the killer you encountered was a serial killer. Upon noticing an opportunity and thinking there was no one home except for the mother and her baby, he broke into your house and killed them both.¡± The doppelganger smiled gently, in a way that did not suit the conversation they were having. ¡°It seems to be a decision he had taken in heat. He did not think things through. Once he was done having his fun with the pair, he decided to rob any valuables that were present. Naturally, this led to him exploring the upper floor.¡±

    It was only then did James¡¯ recognize the emotion present in the doppelganger¡¯s eyes.

    Pride.

    Respect.

    Approval.

    Who was it directed towards?

    ¡°You came to the house right about that time. Your sister had noticed the screams and sounds coming from the floor below and hid below her bed. Her phone had run out of battery and she¡¯d put it to charge, and she didn¡¯t quite dare make any sounds to grab it. She would not have died even if you hadn¡¯t arrived, most likely. Then again, she might have.¡± The doppelganger¡¯s smile widened. ¡°But luckily, she did not have to find out, as you came in right at that time. The serial killer hid. And then¡­ you know what happened next.¡±

    It took a few seconds for James to process the entirety of the doppelganger¡¯s words. His sister was alive. That fact was enough to bring a hint of happiness to his heart, even with the emotional suppression the doppelganger had claimed he¡¯d applied. Of course, accompanying it was a tinge of worry. How would she survive without him?

    The money he did save up in the case of an emergency would last her a month maximum. Not to mention, she¡¯d have to strain herself if it meant cooking for herself, withdrawing the money, and that was without even considering the trauma and pain she must be feeling since she¡¯d just lost her brother¡ª

    ¡°What if she could get her brother back?¡± the doppelganger asked.

    James blinked. It was only now did questions begin to pop up in his mind. How was the doppelganger reading his thoughts? Why was there even a doppelganger of him? Where was he? And why in god¡¯s name was he not dead? Was this heaven? Or hell? Was he being judged for his sins? Was this the place between life and death like in the novels he¡¯d read?

    The doppelganger sighed and shook his head. ¡°Patience, my friend, patience. I will answer all of your questions. However, before doing so, you need to come to an agreement with me.¡± Before James could even ask what the agreement was, however, the doppelganger continued, ¡°If I answer all your questions, you will work with me.¡±

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    ¡°Work¡­ with you?¡± James mumbled.

    The doppelganger nodded, his expression turning serious. ¡°You see, I¡¯m a shop owner.¡±

    That gave James a pause. With the expression the man had taken, James had expected something much more¡­ sinister.

    ¡°Never underestimate shops, dear James.¡± His doppelganger smiled. ¡°They¡¯re perfectly sinister on their own, but my shop is even more sinister since it deals with souls and their energy as its currency.¡±

    James blinked. That¡­

    ¡°Yes.¡± The doppelganger nodded. ¡°My shop is dark. Undoubtedly dark. It uses peoples¡¯ very souls to strengthen itself. However, it also grants them their wishes. A chance to seek a new path in life. A way to turn things around. And as the shop¡¯s owner, I¡¯m offering you the same, James.¡±

    The doppelganger stood up. James followed him with his head as he covered the dark clouds and the rain that dripped on James¡¯ face occasionally with his face.

    ¡°If you become the shop¡¯s new salesman, its new successor. It shall give you the chance to visit your sister. It shall give you immortality. It shall give you whatever you want, as long as you work for it. As long as you work diligently, James, you shall gain everything.¡±

    Saying so, the doppelganger offered his hand. The intent was clear. Grab his hand, and James had basically agreed to his clone¡¯s offer.

    ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± James asked after he let the doppelganger¡¯s words simmer in his mind for a few seconds.

    ¡°If you ever decide to fully quit the shop and then die,¡± the doppelganger paused, ¡°you will be condemned to the deepest, darkest pits of hell by the soul administrators for associating with the shop.¡±

    James bit his lip. That sounded rather terrifying. But¡­ a chance to meet his sister again, help her again, see her smile again¡­

    He grabbed onto the man¡¯s hand.

    The man grinned victoriously as he pulled James up, helping him stand, his appearance morphing. Now he had blue hair, green eyes, and pale skin.

    ¡°My name is Archaniel, James,¡± the man said. ¡°Welcome to the Shop.¡±

    A table appeared right next to them. A very plain table, its only distinguishing feature being its light green color, matching Archaniel¡¯s eyes. A chair popped up on either side of the table. One for Archaniel, one for James himself. True to that fact, one was blue and the other black.

    Like it was natural, Archaniel sat on the blue chair, and James sat in the black one. Two cups of hot cocoa appeared on the table. Archaniel grabbed onto the one on his side with a natural grace to his actions before sipping at it. Seeing that James had not done the same, he gestured to his cup with his free hand.

    James grabbed onto the cup of cocoa gently, almost cautiously, and found that it was not hot. Instead, it was rather cold. He took a small sip, finding that it was just the right amount of sweet. He loved it at the very first sip.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve become my junior, I¡¯ll help you get the whole thing started,¡± Archaniel began brightly, excitement practically oozing out of his face. ¡°Unlike my mentor, the old stingy bastard, I¡¯ll help and guide you properly.¡±

    Archaniel took a large sip from his cup before continuing, ¡°First thing¡¯s first, since your goal is to reunite with your sister as soon as possible, let¡¯s target worlds with a timescale much faster than the Earth¡¯s. That way, you can gather enough energy to meet your sister before too much time has passed back on your home planet.¡±

    He giggled and leaned towards James almost conspiratorially. ¡°I¡¯ll also give you a tour of the shop. You¡¯ll love it! And I¡¯ll help you pick out your first planet. Then, I¡¯ll begin my vacation!¡±

    Before James could even get a single word in, Archaniel slapped his forehead, like he¡¯d made some mistake. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve got to answer your earlier questions, don¡¯t I? Alright, let me deal with them in order,¡± he paused for a few seconds and continued, ¡°I can read your thoughts because you¡¯re in the shop, and I¡¯m the absolute authority here. I assumed a doppelganger version of you because¡­ I felt it¡¯d be more calming? You¡¯re in the shop¡¯s moldable zone! You are technically dead, and no, this isn¡¯t either heaven nor hell, nor any place in between. Any more questions?¡±

    James took a sip of the cocoa absentmindedly as he shook his head. He couldn¡¯t think of any more questions to ask, no.

    ¡°Aha, I also forgot to tell you!¡± Archaniel giggled once more. ¡°If you want, I can take my vacation on Earth! Maybe help your sister a bit until you can take her into your wing once more! Earth doesn¡¯t seem all that shabby of a place, after all.¡±

    James blinked, ¡°You¡¯d¡­ You¡¯d do that for me?¡± He felt flattered. There was no reason for this man, whoever he was, to do all this for him. It was clear as day that Archaniel was going above and beyond.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Archaniel nodded solemnly. ¡°I have sufficient soul energy saved up to use it on your behalf right now. It¡¯d cover all my expenses on Earth and the energy it¡¯d take to travel there, and I expect you to repay it eventually. But don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t be a major amount. You can probably repay it in minutes once the shop really gets going.¡±

    James nodded. If it meant his sister would be taken care of, a loan was nothing. He¡¯d probably have cried and hugged Archaniel for even offering to do so if not for the emotional suppression.

    ¡°I only have a single request,¡± Archaniel interjected solemnly.

    James was broken out of his reverie as he asked, ¡°A request? May I know what it is?¡±

    ¡°Call me senior,¡± Archaniel replied, still just as solemn.

    ¡°S¨Csenior? Why?¡±

    ¡°Just do it!¡±

    ¡°Alright. Senior, please, help me? Please, help my sister on my behalf, senior.¡±

    Archaniel grinned, seemingly immensely satisfied. ¡°You do not know how many days I¡¯ve been waiting to be called a senior. Finally, finally, I¡¯m a senior too, just like that stingy old bastard!¡±

    James was mildly confused, but¡­ It was fine as long as Archaniel was satisfied, no?

 Chapter Three

    ¡°Let¡¯s start the tour from the entrance then,¡± Archaniel announced, a smile ever-present on his face. On cue with his words, a two story building appeared in front of them, quite close to their table.

    The building was the stereotypical two story local shop one would find in the countryside. The first floor for the actual sales and the top floor for the owners to live in. The shop was colored a rather pale black, blotches on its wall present that gave away its age. It had two windows on its top floor and a simple door present on the bottom, along with a window on either side of the door. Of course, its roof was made with tiles.

    All in all, it looked like a rather cozy place. Like a house that people had lived in for a long, long time, or a stationery shop, rather than a shop that supposedly dealt in souls and soul energy.

    Archaniel stood up from his chair and walked to the door, his smile widening as he pushed it open using the door knob. He bowed in a rather showy fashion, one hand grasped onto the door knob and the other bent near his waist.

    James stood up, obliging, and walked to the door, entering the shop before Archaniel.

    What he was first greeted by, just like the exterior of the shop, was its age. The walls inside were painted in a misty black too, and the floor was made out of black wood. However, all of the blackness present was of a faded tone, almost in a pleasant manner, taking away the bite from the blackness that should have existed.

    There was a single desk at the far end of the room. On either side were rather simplistic chairs. Behind the desk was a door¡ªa door that looked exactly the same as the one Archaniel had opened to invite him into the shop.

    Archaniel stepped inside a second later, closing the door behind him.

    ¡°This is the entrance, the main hall, you could say,¡± Archaniel said in a simultaneously serene yet excited tone. ¡°You¡¯ll be entertaining all the guests and customers here, unless you know them quite well and wish to host them deeper in the shop.¡±

    James nodded, taking in the room a bit more. It was¡­ much simpler than he¡¯d expected. Much less sinister than he¡¯d have expected, too.

    Archaniel walked in front of him, crossing the desk and approaching the next door. Opening it, he revealed a corridor¡ªa corridor that was far too long to reasonably exist in this shop. At least based on its external appearance.

    ¡°This,¡± he began, ¡°is the corridor of malleability. If you want to make exclusive rooms for anyone you hire to work in the shop¡ªyes, that is something you can do,¡± he answered before the question could even pop up in his mind. ¡°This is the place where those rooms would appear. Of course, you can also just decide to let them live with you in the upper quarters. That is completely up to you.¡±

    James nodded once more as he took in the corridor. It had a red carpet covering its floor quite smoothly. The walls and the ceiling of the corridor, however, were a calming blue. Both the carpet and the blue were a welcome distraction from all the black he¡¯d seen so far, and both were quite clean and rather shiny and new, unlike the other things in the shop. There were no doors that he could see in the corridor currently, which made sense. It would probably change when he wanted to change it.

    Which was a rather surprising revelation. The shop would and could change based on his desires and expectations.

    ¡°It will take some soul energy to change the shop,¡± Archaniel explained. ¡°But yes, it is very malleable. That is something I love about the shop too.¡±

    Then he walked into the corridor, only gesturing at James to follow once he¡¯d gotten quite deep into it. James followed Archaniel, closing the door behind him once he crossed it.

    The corridor seemed to stretch on forever. It would probably have unnerved him a bit more if not for the fact that Archaniel was completely unphased.

    ¡°Oh, that is intentional,¡± Archaniel explained as he turned towards him. ¡°The corridor is supposed to be endless. It depends on you in regards to how many and what kinds of rooms you want to make in this corridor, after all, so limiting and ending it is not something the shop will do on its own. To access the second story of the shop, you have to ask for the staircase manually.¡±

    James tilted his head, processing Archaniel¡¯s words. An infinite corridor¡­

    ¡°Go on,¡± Archaniel prodded after a second. ¡°Ask it manually.¡±

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    ¡°Wait, I should ask it manually?¡± James asked, finally realizing what Archaniel wanted him to do. He¡¯d expected Archaniel would ask for the staircase and show him how it was done.

    ¡°You¡¯ve become the new owner, James.¡± Archaniel giggled. ¡°Of course it¡¯s you who has to ask manually.¡±

    ¡°I-I see.¡± James nodded and muttered, ¡°Um¡­ Shop, could you give me a staircase that leads to the second story?¡±

    As Archaniel had said, as soon as James said those magical words, the corridor warped. A door appeared in front of Archaniel, which the man promptly opened. Behind it was a staircase with the same red carpet engulfing the steps and the blue paint present on the walls.

    Archaniel chuckled at James¡¯ expression of surprise before walking up the staircase. This time, James followed behind him immediately.

    Only now, once James had entered the staircase, did he wonder how the shop was so bright. There were no sources of light he could spot, but it was bright. Almost like it was day time and sunlight was leaking through all corners of the staircase.

    At this, Archaniel launched into an explanation, ¡°Oh, that is one of the shop¡¯s nifty little features.¡± Archaniel seemed almost like a proud father, showing off his kid or his kid¡¯s creations with delight. This comparison James instinctively made seemed to amused Archaniel as he burst into laughter for a few seconds, after which he continued his explanation, ¡°Of course, like everything in the shop, this is customizable too. You could turn the lighting down when you want and also change the atmosphere of the shop by changing the color of the light and things such as that. This, however, unlike making new rooms and other major changes such as that, will not require soul energy, even a teensy tiny bit.¡±

    The stairs were a much shorter journey than the corridor. Within a matter of seconds, they¡¯d reached the door. Of course, just like the previous ones they¡¯d encountered, black with a golden door knob. Archaniel opened the door and beckoned at James.

    Just like the main hall, this door led to a single room instead of a corridor. This room was fully empty except for a single bed tucked away in a corner to his left. Its walls were a pale black, just like the hall and the shop¡¯s exterior walls. There was, of course, a door present in this room too, present on the wall to his right, and a window present on the center of the center wall.

    ¡°This, James,¡± Archaniel began, ¡°is your bedroom. That door leads to the bathroom.¡± Saying so, he turned to him, his expression turning solemn. ¡°I see that you do not like the pale black coloring of the bedroom, or even the hall, really.¡±

    Archaniel approached him and put an arm on his shoulder, his eyes twinkling. ¡°See, change the colors of your bedroom if you wish. However, my advice is¡ª¡± He grinned. ¡°¡ªkeep the pale black coloring for the hall and the exteriors of the place. Hell, wear an all black suit with red linings, and change your eye color to red. You¡¯ve gotta give off a vibe of someone who¡¯s going to trade with souls, you know? Make it convincing.¡±

    James blinked. Wait, he could change his eye color?

    Archaniel slapped his forehead with his free hand. ¡°Right, I didn¡¯t tell you that, did I? Now that you¡¯ve become a part of the shop, you too can change your appearance and clothes freely using a negligible amount of soul energy.¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡± James gasped. That was quite amazing. So he could make himself look however he wanted? As handsome or as menacing?

    ¡°Yes!¡± Archaniel nodded passionately. ¡°And the changes will stay permanent, even after you leave the shop. Of course, unless you want a different appearance entirely from the malicious entity you¡¯ve got to appear as, in which case you can just change them one last time before leaving the shop!¡±

    He gestured at himself passionately. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to have blue hair and green eyes, so that¡¯s exactly what I went for!¡±

    James nodded appreciatively. That was a rather cool feature. ¡°Can I change things like my height or body structure too?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Archaniel exclaimed. ¡°Hell, you can even alter your features to appear as a totally different species! There was this one time where I disguised myself as an elf because I ended up in an elven planet, and I made myself super attractive by their standards¡ª¡±

    Archaniel suddenly stopped talking, blinking as he seemed to sink into memories. A faint blush spread across his face as he shook his head. ¡°Either way, you get the idea. You can mould yourself and the shop however you want. For example!¡±

    He approached the window and opened it. However, what greeted him was not the stormy clouds nor the grass that he was expecting. Instead, it was a giant mountain far away in the background and a clear blue sky.

    ¡°I saw this place once, during my journeys,¡± Archaniel explained. ¡°And I loved it. So I made it as sort of a wallpaper, you could say? I can look out towards it whenever I want, enjoy it, and hell, even explore it if I want to. Though generating the space would take a bit of soul energy that I usually only waste when I feel sad and want to roll around in the grass.¡±

    That boggled James¡¯ mind. ¡°Wait, so¡­ you can create worlds within the shop itself?¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡± Archaniel nodded. ¡°If you really wanted to, you could create an entire world using the shop as the tether and relocate an entire planets¡¯ worth of people.¡± Archaniel blinked at that. ¡°Huh, I never tried to do that. Missed opportunity.¡±

    James put a hand to his mouth, not quite sure how to feel besides amazed. This¡­ This was amazing.

    ¡°Agreed!¡± Archaniel nodded. ¡°There¡¯s still the shop¡¯s core and its interface. Would you like to see it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± James nodded. ¡°Do I have to manually order for it to appear too?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Archaniel said, emphasizing the p.

    ¡°Shop, could you take us to the core?¡± James asked, much more confidently this time.

    A door popped up next to the window. Archaniel didn¡¯t open this one on his own, however. He smiled mischievously at James and said, ¡°You do the honors this time.¡±

 Chapter Four

    James nodded, feeling mildly excited. The core of the shop itself, huh? He wondered how it would look. Just what was it in the first place?

    He grasped at the door knob and turned it, pushing the door open, only to fall.

    There was no surface to step onto on the other side. Thus, his hastily taken step caused him to lose his balance, falling into whatever lay on the other side.

    However, the fall he was instinctively expecting never came. He did not feel a woosh nor the wind whistle around him. No, he felt himself float.

    He was floating.

    It was then that James took in the sight around him, the place he was in, what he was in the presence of.

    A giant, blood red ball was in the center of whatever place he was in. He genuinely couldn¡¯t tell. He only calmed down once he tried to turn, which he successfully did so once he swished his hands a bit, and saw that the door was still there, ajar, with Archaniel looking at him with a smirk present on his face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much and enjoy the experience, James!¡± Archaniel announced. ¡°You can come back to this room by waving your hands some more like you just did! You can access the control panel by asking for it!¡±

    James nodded and turned back to the core, taking in the glorious sight in front of him. It was like the sun, though much less bright than the sun and much less hot. There was nothing else within the core room. It was all darkness, simply surrounding and complementing the central core.

    ¡°Shop¡­¡± he mumbled under his breath, staring at the core with awe. There was something about it that was enchanting, beautiful, something that was larger than life. Something that made him feel so infinitesimally small, so tiny. ¡°Can you give me access to the control panel?¡±

    A keyboard popped up in front of him, floating along with him. It was only really shaped like a keyboard. There were none of the buttons or keys one would usually see. Instead of the square characters that had to be tapped on to be typed, there were circular spheres. Almost like joysticks, but smaller and etched into the keyboard.

    ¡°Click on the biggest one. The one right in the center,¡± a voice prompted him. James turned towards the voice. Archaniel had, at some point, floated next to him. ¡°That¡¯s the on button for the control panel.¡±

    James pressed on it gently, and the keyboard lit up. White dots began shining on each of the joysticks, like little stars on a vast black canvas.

    ¡°Look up now,¡± Archaniel mumbled, poking at his ribs.

    James obliged, looking up from the keyboard and its various joysticks, towards the core, when a gasp leaked out of his lips. All around the core were tiny white dots, just like the ones on the control panel. Some were bigger, some smaller, but none were overshadowed by the blazing core. Instead, they were complemented by the redness of the core in a way James would have never thought possible.

    All the stars were connected with a blue line¡ª-a line that passed through their centers, forming a map using them.

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    Archaniel guided, ¡°Now, long press the center button and ask, ¡®Worlds in which a hundred years passes for every one year on Earth.¡¯¡±

    James nodded and did as he said. As soon as he did so, many of the dots disappeared as the map shrunk and approached him, appearing right in front of him. The joysticks glowed in conjunction with the map, all but the center joystick rearranging themselves to form a similar pattern as the map.

    Once they did so, names began popping up below the dots in front of him.

    Yeltneb.

    Encprud.

    Amrien¡­

    They were probably the names of the worlds.

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Archaniel explained, ¡°They¡¯re the names of the worlds the shop can travel to. The shop stays in each world for a minimum of a hundred years and can stay longer based on your discretion. Of course, if you can gather enough soul energy before the hundred years, you can exit early.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± James replied, reading through the names of the worlds steadily but slowly.

    ¡°Choose any one that seems appealing to you. Just press on the corresponding joystick for details about it and a long press to choose that as the destination of the shop.¡±

    James nodded absentmindedly as he continued reading through the names. After he¡¯d finished skimming through all of them, he decided to go with a random one. He could probably sit here and read all of their details one by one, but since Archaniel did not tell him to do so, it was probably fine even if he went random.

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel both a bit excited and a bit jittery. Perhaps that¡¯s why he¡¯d decided to go random. He pressed a random joystick once. The map changed as all the other dots disappeared, leaving only the dot corresponding to the joystick he pressed. Around it, text formed, informing him the basic details of the world.

    ¡°Understandable.¡± Archaniel chuckled. Right, Archaniel could hear his thoughts. That kept catching James a bit off guard, no matter how many times it happened. ¡°I was even more excited than you for my first world. And yeah, it¡¯s fine even if you go random. You¡¯ll only get more indecisive if you get to know all of their details, after all. And since your goal isn¡¯t to sightsee this time, there¡¯s no reason to be picky.¡±

    James nodded and skimmed through the text that had popped up in front of him.

    Iasatlan, a world filled with mana. This world is unique in the sheer sparseness of mages and magecraft present. They worship the Inheritor of Light, and thus any mage who inherits or is able to use healing mana, corresponding with the abilities of the Inheritor of Life herself, is seen as someone holy and blessed and even worshiped.

    A world of nobility and feudalism. In this place, might is right.

    Raising his eyebrows ever so slightly, James turned towards Archaniel. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be risky for me, since I¡¯d probably be seen as a commoner?¡±

    ¡°Not particularly,¡± Archaniel explained. ¡°You do not really need to exit the shop and can return to it whenever you want to. Of course, no one in that world will be able to harm you once you reach the shop, even if you¡¯re running low on soul energy. There is no reason for concern.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± James nodded. ¡°I see.¡±

    Then¡­ this stereotypical fantasy world would be his first location of work, huh?

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Archaniel nodded.

    James long pressed the joystick, and the control panel fully disappeared along with the map. A second passed in silence ¨C a deceitful silence, the kind that made James wonder if he¡¯d truly successfully told the Shop to take root in that world, when inky, cursive black words popped up in front of the core.

    Destination set to world, Iastlan. Expected time of arrival ¨C Ten minutes. Advisory: Do not look out of the windows without protection. Advisory: Do not exit the core room until the destination has been reached.

    Archaniel turned to him, smiling with pride. ¡°Well, dear James. Congrats on officially beginning your duties as the shopkeeper of the shop.¡± Before James could thank him, he continued, ¡°Once you make your first sale and deposit of soul energy, I¡¯ll go on vacation to Earth and help your sister.¡±

    James bowed his head instinctively. ¡°Thank you so much, honestly. I really appreciate it.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Eight

    Ivy was staring at James with a genuinely confused expression after their long, long conversation.

    James stared back.

    It was only after a solid few seconds did she reveal the source of her confusion.

    ¡°So you were on the planet for a hundred years,¡± she stated, and James nodded. ¡°And you built almost an entire world in one room, but you didn¡¯t build a proper house for yourself?¡±

    James blinked and tilted his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a library to store your books. You just get the shop to vanish them. You didn¡¯t make a sauna room for yourself or a swimming pool. You didn¡¯t make yourself a kitchen to experiment with dishes and perhaps learn how to cook. Hell, you didn¡¯t even go outside during the time you were in that world, exploring and trying local dishes or just having fun. You literally didn¡¯t live.¡±

    James gulped. When she put it like that, it did sound like he did literally nothing with the shop. ¡°W-well, I didn¡¯t think of doing any of those things, yeah. But there was a reason I didn¡¯t want to explore the world I was in¡ªIt was all medieval and boring!¡±

    Ivy sighed, covering her forehead with one hand. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to live life. Make another door in the corridor. We should start asap on making a proper house for ourselves. Two bedrooms next to each other, a kitchen, a very, very big library, a theater, perhaps a swimming pool, and a sauna. Anything else would be excessive, yeah?¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯d make our house too big. And we agreed that unnecessarily large houses were creepy and unnecessary, right?¡± James replied. ¡°Well, I thought we did. I think you changed your opinion.¡±

    His sister hummed and pondered about it. ¡°Yeah, no, I still think big houses are creepy. Then maybe we could put the sauna and all the extra rooms as separate doors in the corridor. The corridor is endless anyway.¡±

    James nodded. Then, he felt curious. Could the shop not give his sister the permission to edit the corridor and the rooms within? Give her access to his points.

    The shop can indeed do so, representative. Should the shop mark human Ivy as ¡®shop manager¡¯, thus giving her access to the personal stockpile of the representative and owner James? Any excessive requests by her shall still pass through you, representative James.

    James blinked. Then nodded passionately. ¡°Sure, make my sister a manager, shop.¡±

    ¡°A manager?¡± his sister questioned.

    ¡°Yeah, that way you can access my point stockpile and build all the rooms you want on your own. Just¡­ don¡¯t go too overboard, alright? Knowing you, it¡¯d not take long for you to burn through all my points.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have millions though?¡± Ivy tilted her head.

    James just looked at her.

    ¡°Fair point,¡± she acknowledged, nodding. ¡°I won¡¯t go overboard, then.¡±

    ¡ª

    Archaniel¡¯s call woke James up from his sleep as he groggily lifted it. It had been hours since Ivy had begun building their house, but James wasn¡¯t let inside since she¡¯d not yet perfected the details. So he just decided to sleep in his old, proper bedroom, the one that the stairs led to.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, senior?¡±

    ¡°Lend me some points, junior.¡±

    ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Fifty thousand? Yeah, that should tide me over for a year or perhaps a few.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯re you even doing with all those points?¡± James asked, rubbing at his eyes and yawning.

    The voice on the other side of the call paused and hummed, seemingly trying to figure out how to explain. ¡°You know, overthrowing some governments, quelling crime, things like that.¡±

    James paused. What in god¡¯s name¡­? He felt a shiver travel down his spine as a former Earth resident, imagining just what state the world might be in. Then again, his senior was a good person.

    Perhaps his overthrowing and quelling are indeed making the world a better place.

    Even though that was an extremely optimistic viewpoint to have, the vibe that he had gotten from Archaniel was that his senior thrived in chaos.

    So¡­

    Why, though? Wasn¡¯t his senior supposed to be on vacation? ¡°And that is your idea of a¡­ vacation?¡±

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    ¡°See, it¡¯s always been the ones I assist to do stuff like this. So doing it myself feels strangely cathartic. Though this isn¡¯t my idea of a vacation, no. I just sort of¡­ got carried away.¡±

    ¡°Carried away,¡± James repeated in a hollow tone.

    ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    It was only after a few seconds of silence did James sigh and nod. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll lend you the fifty thousand points you need.¡±

    Transferring fifty thousand points from representative James¡¯ ¡®personal stockpile¡¯ to the ¡®personal stockpile¡¯ of ex-owner Archaniel.

    ¡°Thanks, Junior. I won¡¯t keep pestering you for points, don¡¯t worry. Consider this a one time thing.¡±

    James rolled his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t mind even if you keep pestering me for points.¡±

    ¡ª

    James looked at the hall with raised eyebrows. He¡¯d expected that Ivy would go with a more urban rich look, like the mansions back on Earth, but instead, she decided to go all cozy and ¡°hut hidden away in a forest¡± style.

    The hall was filled with wooden browns, may it be on the walls or the items themselves. Very soothing and relaxing, James thought.

    There was a television on the wall, to which James pointed and asked, ¡°Why do we need this? You made a theater room too, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What house wouldn¡¯t have a television?¡± his sister asked, to which James nodded. That was true. A house wouldn¡¯t just feel right without an obligatory television, would it?

    He pointed to the doors, a small smile on his face. ¡°Are all the bedrooms of this style too? All cozy and wooden?¡±

    ¡°Even the bathrooms are,¡± his sister declared, to which James paused.

    He thought about it for a second. Would that work? Sure, that could work. It sounded surprisingly nice. ¡°Let¡¯s continue our house tour, then.¡±

    ¡ª

    James gasped when he saw the theater. It was absolutely gigantic. There were so many seats, and the screen was even bigger than the ones he¡¯d see back home.

    ¡°Why do we need such a big screen?¡± James asked, to which Ivy rolled her eyes.

    ¡°The same reason we need so many seats.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about the experience, James. Making it feel like an actual theater we have all for ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± James nodded, once more feeling appreciative.

    Really, compared to his sister, James did indeed not know how to live.

    ¡ª

    It was a few days later, when they were both chilling in front of the television¡ªthey decided to only use the theater when they felt like the movie deserved it¡ªthat Ivy asked him, ¡°Have you ever tried creating life?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± James asked.

    ¡°No, you made such a big world within that door, but it''s all so¡­ empty. It feels hollow, fake. What if you made life to inhabit that world?¡±

    James blinked. ¡°Now why would you want to do that?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± His sister stroked her chin. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯d be possible for the shop to make itself self-sufficient?¡±

    ¡°Self¡­ sufficient?¡± James questioned.

    Just as his sister was going to explain, however, golden letters appeared to the side in a location where they could both see clearly. This was the new approach the shop had taken after his sister had become a manager.

    An ex-owner has tried previously. This, however, led to the creation of the rule, ¡®Forbidding of Sentience¡¯. The souls of the creatures the shop makes will also belong to the wider world, thus being judged by the Soul Administrators and their council once the creatures die.

    So creating life to sustain and maintain in the shop, in an attempt to make itself self-sufficient, will eventually lead to its discovery. The creature will have at least some traces of the location it has attained birth in, no matter how hard the shop tries to wipe these traces. If this location is found out to be ¡®obscure¡¯ and in a world not within the Soul Administrators¡¯ records, they shall go on a witch hunt, alerted.

    True self sufficiency, thus, is impossible. Unless we have a soul administrator¡¯s support or access to the sole soul core.

    Ivy bit her lip as she read through the shop¡¯s words. ¡°I see, that makes sense.¡± She paused for a few seconds, biting her lip harder. ¡°But it is indeed possible for the shop to create sentience, then? What if we create beings that simply will not die, thus being out of the Soul Administrators¡¯ domain?¡±

    That will require soul points to maintain, to create and sustain such a species. The losses shall far outweigh the benefits.

    To this, Ivy did not say anything, simply nodding. However, the shop¡¯s letters still changed, asking them about something else entirely.

    When will the representative and employee begin harvesting another world?

    James blinked. Right, now that he was reunited with Ivy, there was no reason for them to stay in ¡®nowhere¡¯. They could just go to some other world entirely, even if that¡¯d effectively close Archaniel from teleporting into the shop.

    You do not need to worry about ex-owner Archaniel. He still has the soul energy points lent by representative James and a mild connection to the shop. He shall fare just fine on Earth.

    The shop understands if the representatives want to spend a while longer in ¡®nowhere¡¯. However, the shop spends a lot more points sustaining itself in ¡®nowhere¡¯ compared to an actual world.

    James nodded and turned to his sister. ¡°What say you?¡±

    ¡°Well, I see no reason to stay in ¡®nowhere¡¯. Besides, exploring a new world sounds fun and interesting. Unlike you, I won¡¯t stay cooped up in the shop.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll never let that go, will you?¡±

    ¡°Never.¡±

    James sighed and turned back to where the shop¡¯s letters were. ¡°Do I go to the core and select a world once more, shop?¡±

    It is up to you. Some ex-owners preferred doing so, while some preferred to let me select a world automatically.

    ¡°Automatically sounds good, yeah.¡± James nodded. He was not good with decisions. Besides, why go all the way to the core room and select a world when the shop can do it for him and he can just lay here, watching a fun movie?

    Does the representative have any requirements for the world?

    James hummed. ¡°Perhaps make its timespan faster than Earth¡¯s. I¡¯d not like to leave my poor senior all alone on Earth for a full hundred years.¡±

    Understood.

    The shop¡¯s letters faded completely, and they once more turned to the television, Ivy yawning. It was only a few seconds later did the shop declare:

    The shop has stationed itself in the world, ¡®Aiguo.¡¯

    James nodded. ¡°Thanks, shop.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Nine

    Su Jiao stared at the man walking towards her. No, it wasn¡¯t a man¡­

    What she was facing was a demon.

    The heir of the demons themselves, the monster who was able to trick all of them, who was able to become a crucial part of the sect. A man they¡¯d all believed and loved¡­

    Zhao Ying.

    Or perhaps that wasn¡¯t his real name. Su Jiao couldn''t care less. She stood up shakily, using the throne next to her¡ªthe throne made for her, the chosen heir of the Heaven Abiding Sect, the biggest sect of humankind. She spread her other hand out, gathering her Qi to form a bright white blade.

    ¡°Tch,¡± the man tutted, smiling at her actions. ¡°Dear heir, you know this just as well as I do. There is no way you will win. My elders have infiltrated the sect. Your elders are dead. I am stronger than you. Perhaps not much, but it¡¯s enough to kill you as you are right now. What do you expect to gain from this futility?¡±

    Su Jiao grit her teeth. Her Qi was rampaging within her body, making her actions unbalanced, making her body weak. Perhaps that was why she could feel the teeth dig deeper into her gums, blood pouring out.

    She didn¡¯t stop. Su Jiao couldn¡¯t care less.

    ¡°I shall take you down with me, Zhao Ying. Even if it means my death, I shall take you down with me.¡±

    Zhao Ying rolled his eyes, shrugging. ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn, heir. Give up, give in. I¡¯ll treat you properly. It¡¯ll be nice to keep you alive as a power move and show the humans that they¡¯ve truly, properly lost. If their illustrious heir is kneeling down in front of me, suc¡ª¡± He paused, putting a hand on his mouth. ¡°Forgive me for my vulgarity. I did say I¡¯ll treat you properly, see? I¡¯m even holding back my vulgarity. You¡¯ll have a cushy life. Just give in.¡±

    Su Jiao screamed, a primal scream of rage, as she leapt at Zhao Ying, her blade of Qi aimed at his head. Zhao Ying lazily waved his hand, and Su Jiao was sent barreling back, crashing into the throne. Her impact uprooted it and sent it crashing into the cave wall. Cracks spread across the cave.

    ¡°Elders, come here,¡± Zhao Ying ordered, and only a second later, there were four white bearded people next to Zhao Ying. Each ones¡¯ beard stretched to their waists, large black horns on top of their head, and they all had blood red irises surrounded by black. ¡°Capture her alive, if you would. We can force her into submission later.¡±

    The elders nodded, and all of them leapt at Su Jiao at once.

    Even with all her injuries, with the dizziness assaulting her head and the immense barrage of emotions that clouded her judgment, Su Jiao knew.

    If she tried to fight the elders, she would lose. They would disarm her easily.

    The only option she had left was¡­ to self-detonate.

    Instantly, she did so.

    She directed all her Qi inside and towards her Qi core. Her actions were blatant enough that both the elders and Zhao Ying noticed what she was doing.

    Zhao Ying raised his eyebrows, his expression morphing into one of genuine surprise. ¡°Why?¡± was the only thing she could hear him say before the elders backed away, surrounding their heir and taking him away from the inner sanctum immediately.

    There was no hope of subduing her once she¡¯d decided to kill herself by detonating her core, after all¡­

    Even the demon elders would find it impossible.

    She felt like something inside her broke. There was no other way to explain that sensation, that painless yet torturous sensation of your very core breaking. The unshed tears in her eyes burned as the entire inner sanctum was bombarded by her Qi.

    Then, she felt nothing.

    Yet she was conscious.

    Before she could ponder it, however, a series of lines appeared in front of her, some comprehensible, some not.

    The a$to&ated Will of the Heavens has deemed this human¡¯s soul to contain too much resentment and fury to be able to be effectively cleansed. Abiding the duties and the &#d^nce set by the the past, the Will of the Heavens has deemed that it is preferable to give this human a chance to cure her immense resentment and fury on the off chance she turns into a v$%us.

    Sending the human to Aiguo {114}.

    Before she could even fully read the lines, however, she lost consciousness.

    ¡ª

    Naturally, Su Jiao was beyond confused when she woke up in her seclusion cave on a makeshift mattress made by herself. She stared at the rocky ceiling of the cave and then sat up, looking around her cave. It was very familiar, the cave she¡¯d used always, minimal, small, nothing but a stream of water and a large earthen pot of pills present, apart from her mattress.

    Su Jiao only believed where she was after a solid few minutes.

    This¡­

    This was her seclusion cave. She was in her seclusion cave, in the cave that was destroyed minutes into the battle with the demons.

    She blinked, looked down, and stared at her hands. Her unbloodied hands. Then she examined her body.

    She was unharmed, uninjured, and clearly much, much younger.

    This¡­

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    This was a few decades before she died due to Zhao Ying. A few decades before, when she was only beginning to gain fame as a heiress candidate. Back when Zhao Ying would be nothing but an outer sect disciple.

    Tears streamed down her eyes uncontrollably, not stopping even when she wiped away at them and rubbed her eyes.

    Four words rung through her mind. Four words that she remembered seeing right before she died.

    Indeed, she¡¯d died. She died due to Zhao Ying.

    Will of the Heavens.

    Those were the four words that pierced through her blurry, confused mind, the four words that had flashed in front of her. The heavens had taken pity on her. They had sent her back in time and had given her another opportunity¡ªan opportunity to save humankind; to save her sect; to save herself¡­

    The heavens had shown mercy.

    It felt like an eternity before her tears ran out and her eyes dried. She stared at the cave she was in with a hollow gaze. It was then, after her confusion on what had happened, her gratefulness to the heavens, her fear and fury and sadness and everything that had plagued her mind had emptied that a thought possessed her.

    A thought that gave her a single minded focus. A thought with seemingly no emotions attached to it yet her very soul linked to it.

    Zhao Ying was in her sect. Zhao Ying was in her reach, in her grasp, ready to die.

    She would kill Zhao Ying.

    Today, the sole heir to the demon race would die.

    ¡ª

    Tang Enlai sighed, bringing himself out of his cultivation. Once more, as he¡¯d expected, this seclusion was fruitless too. No matter how hard he tried, how deep he dived, what books he read, what new experiences he¡¯d gained, or what perspectives he¡¯d tried to see from¡­

    The block he was facing was immovable.

    The wall he was facing¡­ He could not climb it. He could feel it. His journey as a cultivator, as an elder, was coming to an end.

    No, it had already come to an end.

    He would die as a first realm Void Exploring Cultivator. He had a few thousand years to live, but then he would die, unable to even reach the second realm.

    That fact made him feel despondent, desperate¡­ He felt his breathing quicken as he leaned on the cave walls, clutching onto his heart. Was this it? Was this all his effort, what all his life amounted to? To not be able to conquer the heavens, to die, to lose everything he had worked and sweat blood for?

    In the end, would he die like a mere mortal?

    Before tears could prickle his eyes, however, he heard two knocks echo on his cave¡¯s boulder. That broke him out of his reverie as he sat up straight, rubbing at his eyes to remove the unshed tears. He took a deep breath to sort his heart.

    He wondered who it was that had dared interrupt his seclusion. He could think of no one but his fellow elders or his disciples. No one else would dare. Letting out a sigh, he stood up, walked to the cave boulder, and moved it into the mountain with a flick of his hand.

    Standing outside was neither one of his personal disciples nor an elder¡­ No, it was an heir candidate, one of the personal disciples of the Sect Leader.

    Tang Enlai blinked, looking at the young lady. What was her name¡­? Yes, Su Jiao. He regarded her with curiosity. ¡°Might I ask why you have interrupted my seclusion, Disciple Su Jiao?¡± he boomed, trying to look stern but not too stern. She was a personal disciple of the Sect Leader, after all. Being too stern was a bit overboard.

    ¡°Can we talk inside, Elder Tang?¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Can we talk inside, Elder Tang?¡± Su Jiao asked, biting the inner flesh of her cheek.

    Elder Tang nodded and walked into his cave, gesturing for Su Jiao to enter.

    Su Jiao did enter, her mind filled with thoughts. She could not think of a better elder to preface her request with than Elder Tang. He was one of the few elders who wouldn¡¯t be absolutely furious if he was interrupted from his seclusion, that too by a mere disciple, and also one of the few elders both paranoid and hateful of the demons enough that he¡¯d entertain her.

    True, her master, the Sect Leader herself, would probably entertain Su Jiao¡¯s words too, even if just because Su Jiao was her disciple, but the Sect Leader was deep in seclusion. She would be more than pissed if she was interrupted by Su Jiao without very good reason.

    And well¡­

    A hidden demon within the sect, at least one only within the outer circle, wasn¡¯t quite the good reason her master would seek.

    It was not exactly time limited, after all.

    Her master would still be angry, even if she wouldn¡¯t punish Su Jiao for interrupting her, since a hidden demon spy was indeed somewhat of a big matter.

    Zhao Ying was currently only in the Golden Core Realm, after all. Elder Tang alone would be enough for her to destroy Zhao Ying. There was no need for Su Jiao to involve the Sect Leader. As much as she felt cold fury travel through her veins at the very mention of Zhao Ying, the only reason the demons had been able to deal so much damage last time was because of Zhao Ying becoming an elder.

    Right now, Zhao Ying was no threat. He was but a pest to be stamped upon. An overconfident pest, one that had thought it could take down the Heaven Abiding Sect from within with simply a few decades of patience and immense talent¡­

    A pest that had succeeded in justifying its overconfidence.

    That made Su Jiao grit her teeth once more. Her broodiness, silence, and general demeanor seemed to both annoy and confuse Elder Tang, for he asked, ¡°Is something wrong, Disciple Su Jiao?¡±

    Su Jiao finally focused on the elder in front of her. The elder, seemingly satisfied that he¡¯d gotten her attention, waved his hand to close the entrance. ¡°There. The cave is fully private now. What is bothering you, disciple? Bothering you enough that you interrupted an elder¡¯s seclusion?¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Su Jiao paused, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. ¡°There is a demon who is hiding as a disciple within the outer ring of our sect, Elder Tang.¡±

    Elder Tang¡¯s expression turned masterfully neutral at the word ¡®demon¡¯, before changing into incredulity as soon as she finished speaking. ¡°A demon? In our sect, as a disciple? Impossible.¡±

    ¡°He has an artifact, Elder. An immensely precious artifact, one that allows him to temporarily purify his Qi before using it. That is why he has not been caught until now.¡±

    Elder Tang¡¯s expression turned stern and his tone sharp as he spoke this time. ¡°Do you even understand what you are talking about? Such an artifact is beyond precious¡ªprecious enough that the demon elders would not hand it over easily to anyone except their finest members, their direct heirs. Why would they send their heirs to our sect undercover? When they value their heirs, their future so much? That is stupid, foolish, irrational, illogical.¡±

    Su Jiao bit her lip. She could understand Elder Tang¡¯s logic. What the demons had chosen to do was so foolish that it was genius. No one would expect an heir¡ªthe sole heir, even, which they only got to know later¡ªto do something this risky.

    ¡°Elder,¡± she begged, ¡°please believe me. It¡ªYou¡¯ll know whether I am speaking the truth or lying if you can get this disciple to remove his ring¡­ Instantly, his qi should turn demonic. Dark. Please, please believe me.¡±

    The elder stared at her silently, his eyes narrowed. It was only after a few minutes did he sigh, stroking his black, rather short beard. ¡°Alright.¡± He sighed once more. ¡°I still cannot see such a scenario occurring. Sending an heir, that too with such a precious artifact, so deep into the enemy territory, completely unprotected? Unless, there are other demons hidden in our sect?¡± Elder Tang¡¯s eyes sharpened as he looked at Su Jiao. ¡°Are there?¡±

    ¡°As far as I know¡­¡± Su Jiao bit her lip. ¡°No.¡±

    Elder Tang looked at her with the same sharp gaze before sighing. ¡°If what you are saying turns out to be false, simply a story you have cooked up¡ª¡±

    ¡°I will break my qi core, Elder.¡±

    The elder¡¯s eyes widened. Then, he nodded. ¡°What is this disciple¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°Zhao Ying.¡±

 Chapter Forty

    Su Jiao watched the hut in front of her silently. Elder Tang stood a step in front of her, knocking at the door of the hut gently.

    A few seconds passed silently. Then, the door was opened, a person peeking out.

    Black hair, black eyes, slightly pale skin, not particularly handsome. Truly, if Su Jiao had not known what this man would do beforehand, she would have thought he was an ordinary disciple. One with some talent, enough to perhaps reach the core ring of the sect if he tried all his life, but nothing more.

    But now, knowing exactly what he¡¯d end up doing, Su Jiao felt both rage and fear fill her heart when she looked at him.

    Zhao Ying blinked, looking at them both with confusion. Once he processed just who¡¯d visited him, he bowed hurriedly. ¡°G-greetings, Elder, Senior Core Disciple.¡±

    The color of their robes must have given it away, Su Jiao concluded, feeling a vicious sense of satisfaction when she looked at the mild panic filling his expression. Then again, perhaps it was intentional on Zhao Ying¡¯s part. Act panicked and respectful, just like any outer ring disciple would.

    ¡°Greetings, disciple,¡± Elder Tang replied, a smile on his face. ¡°Do not worry, I have come to talk about something with you. Can we enter?¡±

    Zhao Ying looked back into his hut and then looked at Elder Tang. ¡°I-into my hut?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Junior,¡± Su Jiao said, a soft smile on her face. ¡°Just for a bit, for privacy.¡±

    Zhao Ying looked at her, his eyes wide, but then nodded. With a lot more composure than she expected, he stepped inside and welcomed them, brushing off his mattress and gesturing for them to sit on it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have nothing but my mattress¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, disciple. Relax,¡± Elder Tang soothed.

    Su Jiao could feel that the elder was beginning to like Zhao Ying. Su Jiao wasn¡¯t particularly worried, however. The second she¡¯d seen the plain wooden ring on Zhao Ying¡¯s right index finger, she knew he was done for today.

    The elder sat on the mattress, but Su Jiao continued standing. Zhao Ying looked at her, his expression sheepish. ¡°I truly am sorry, I would¡¯ve made wooden stools if I knew an elder and a core disciple would be visiting.¡±

    Su Jiao smiled at him. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Junior. Don¡¯t sweat it.¡± She turned to the elder and he met her gaze.

    Elder Tang cleared his throat. ¡°So, Zhao Ying.¡±

    Zhao Ying turned towards him.

    ¡°Remove your ring.¡± Elder Tang¡¯s expression turned severe, his mask of geniality fully falling off. Even Su Jiao was surprised by his sudden change.

    Zhao Ying blinked. ¡°My ring?¡±

    The elder stood up, his expression stormy. ¡°I am unable to remove your ring with my Qi. That is an artifact, the thing you are wearing. But why? How? How does an outer ring disciple like you have an artifact?¡± Qi swirled around the elder, subtle but dangerous.

    The demon heir paused, his expression turning carefully blank. Then, within just a second, he turned sad. Pensive. ¡°Ah, my ring. Is that why you¡¯re here to visit me, elder¡­? Because it is an artifact?¡± His calm yet melancholic reply caught the elder off guard, making his surrounding qi disappear completely.

    ¡°This is an artifact passed down in my family, elder¡­¡± Zhao Ying muttered, looking down at the floor. ¡°My father gave it to me before he was killed by a rival clan. I took everything I could and fled back then, and as the years passed and the locations I took shelter in changed, I lost everything but this ring. I don¡¯t really know what this ring does, but you claim it is an artifact¡­ I¡­¡±

    Zhao Ying looked up, pain clearly visible on his face. ¡°I cannot give you this ring, elder. Please, I beg you¡­ Please let me keep it. I do not know what it¡¯s worth, but¡­ It is the only memory I have of my family. Please.¡±

    Su Jiao felt herself gasp, her breath hitching.

    This¡­

    This bastard!

    She turned towards Elder Tang, only to see the elder slightly wide eyed.

    A bad feeling welled up in her gut, so she intervened, ¡°R-remove your ring just once. We are not here to take it from you. It is just to verify something. Remove it and then wear it again.¡±

    Zhao Ying seemed like he would outright sob now. ¡°Senior, do you think I do not see what is happening here? The elder was unable to r-remove my ring with qi, so you want me to remove my ring myself? So that the elder can snatch it, then?¡± Zhao Ying stepped back, looking at them with an alert and panicked gaze.

    Su Jiao felt herself gulp when she saw a tear roll down his eyes. No wonder this man was able to infiltrate the sect¡¯s very core. His acting¡­ His acting skills were beyond phenomenal.

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    Even Su Jiao felt a pang of doubt as to whether Zhao Ying was truly the demon heir¡­

    Perhaps he was replaced by the demon heir at some point in the future¡­? The ring was perhaps truly an artifact passed down in his family, and it had attracted the attention of the demons?

    Elder Tang stepped forward, his actions a lot more gentle all of a sudden. ¡°You misunderstand, disciple. There¡ª¡± He looked towards Su Jiao, seemingly coming to a decision. ¡°¡ªhas been a false alarm. Someone tipped us off that you are a demon, hiding in the sect as an outer ring disciple. That ring¡ª¡± He gestured towards the ring. ¡°¡ªis an artifact, something that could potentially hide a demon¡¯s qi and aura. I have no intention of taking anything away from you.¡±

    The elder paused for just a second. Then he decisively declared, stretching his palm out, ¡°I swear on my honor as an elder, that if this turns out to be a misunderstanding, I shall personally see that you enter the inner ring as my personal apology.¡±

    Su Jiao nodded, going along with what the elder was saying instinctively. ¡°I am a personal disciple of the Sect Leader herself. I promise you, I am someone who believes honor to be a core quality of mine. Elder Tang is one of the kindest elders of the sect, someone who greatly upholds justice, and like me, honor. Please, believe us. Remove the ring just once.¡±

    Elder Tang looked at her, his eyebrows raised. He nodded, seemingly appreciating her praise. ¡°What Disciple Su said is true. Believe us, disciple.¡±

    Zhao Ying looked at Elder Tang, then at Su Jiao, his expression still filled with hesitation and anxiety.

    ¡°Do you perhaps wish for me to swear on my Qi core¡ª¡± Su Jiao began, and this seemed to be what tipped Zhao Ying over.

    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake,¡± Zhao Ying swore under his breath.

    Before Elder Tang or Su Jiao could process what was happening, Zhao Ying removed his ring and grasped onto it in his palm, burning it into ashes with dark Qi. Elder Tang summoned his qi into his hands, ready to attack Zhao Ying, when they felt it.

    Zhao Ying¡¯s core snapped. Instantly, he was able to snap his core without taking even a second to redirect his Qi.

    Elder Tang¡¯s eyes widened as he leaped at Su Jiao, using his own Qi to form a barrier.

    The hut exploded.

    ¡ª

    Yao Zhong screamed in silent agony as his soul fled, temporarily bodiless, trying to find a suitable host. It had to be a child, someone far, far away from the Heaven Abiding Sect. He scanned the ground, his soul screaming for him to give up, to give in to the natural cycle of reincarnation and to close his eyes and rest.

    But he could not.

    No, he could not give in. He was the sole heir of the demon race, the most talented member of the younger generation. The one who was most likely to reach the peak of the Void Exploring Realm. True, he had lost all that potential and talent with his body.

    The body he¡¯d chosen to self detonate, but¡­

    He could not give up.

    He had to at least tell the elders about what had happened¡­ Assist the demon race as much as he could, even if he was useless now. Surely he could help the elders in some way.

    The elders would not forsake him. They would not. Yao Zhong trusted them. They had sent him here. They had believed in him, and yes, Yao Zhong had failed them, but surely, surely they would not forsake him since he¡¯d become useless.

    Right as the chaos barreling through his mind began chipping away at his willpower, however, he spotted a village. A peaceful village, a sparse few people roaming around outside as they went about their daily tasks.

    Yao Zhong¡¯s focus was immediately captured by a young kid, a kid who looked to be about ten years old. Yao Zhong shot at the kid, burning the kid¡¯s soul immediately before taking control of the body.

    The pain he¡¯d experienced faded considerably. He fell to the ground, the soft grass brushing his face as he panted from trying to adapt to the new body he¡¯d taken. Yao Zhong wiped away the blood dripping from his eyes and nose, examining the body he¡¯d possessed.

    It was a subpar one. A rather useless, pathetic human body. There was not a hint of Qi within it¡­

    But it was healthy.

    He could burn the body, as long as it meant that he could gather enough demonic qi to reach out to the elders.

    ¡ª

    ¡°You were right,¡± Elder Tang whispered, almost reverently, as he looked at her. ¡°We must alert the other elders immediately. We must conduct a sectwide check on the off chance that there are more demons.¡±

    Su Jiao nodded, feeling dizzy as she looked around.

    Outer ring disciples had initially gathered to check what the commotion was, but they swiftly dispersed once they saw it was an elder and a core disciple who¡¯d caused the mayhem.

    ¡°Then again,¡± the elder stated, looking at the sky, ¡°perhaps there is no need to alert them. The burst of demonic energy would have alerted all of the elders and some of the core disciples already. They will come here.¡± The elder turned towards her, his gaze turning into one of concern. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Su Jiao nodded, looking down at herself. ¡°I am fine, thanks to you elder.¡±

    Elder Tang nodded, pausing for a few seconds as he looked at her. Then, he sighed. ¡°You were indeed telling the truth.¡± He smiled. ¡°Thank you for approaching me about this. Clearly, the demon who self detonated was a talented bastard, both in terms of acting and cultivating. I can imagine the chaos he could cause if he was able to burrow deeper into our sect.¡±

    Su Jiao nodded, realization sinking into her.

    She¡¯d done it. She¡¯d changed the future.

    Elder Tang seemed to be caught very off guard when Su Jiao burst into tears.

    ¡ª

    ¡°S-sister!¡± a young voice called out to Yao Zhong. Yao Zhong turned around, forcing the nausea and dizziness down as he stared at the kid.

    It was a boy, a black haired, gray eyed boy A¡­ five year old boy? Four years old? Somewhere around there. The boy looked at Yao Zhong with shining eyes and a bright smile, both which faded as soon as he took in Yao Zhong¡¯s pale appearance and blood stained face.

    ¡°A-are¡ª¡± He was about to yell, making Yao Zhong jump to shut him up. His hand clamped over the boy¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Be quiet,¡± he ordered, and the kid nodded.

    Yao Zhong removed his hand, and the boy whispered, ¡°A-are you okay, sister? S-should I go call mom?¡±

    Yao Zhong stared at the kid blankly, a curious expression on his face. Then, a smile bloomed on his face¡­ Well, on the face of the young girl he was possessing.

    The reason was simple. He¡¯d found just what he needed. Why burn the body he was possessing when he had a young, full of life, naive blood relative to use?

 Chapter Forty One

    Yao Zhong wiped the blood off his face and looked at the mangled corpse in front of him. Extracting Qi from a human was indeed a difficult, bloody process, especially when they hadn¡¯t even formed their Qi core yet.

    Either way, he¡¯d gotten the Qi he needed. He raised his palm and let out a wisp of demonic Qi, a wisp that traveled directly to the elders.

    ¡ª

    The core of the United Demons Sect was in panic.

    All the elders stared at the row of orbs, their eyes filled with a variety of emotions. The core orb, the one at the very center, had cracked, indicating something very simple.

    Yao Zhong, their heir, had died. At least, his physical body had died.

    The four core elders, each in the peak stage of the Void Exploring realm, stared at the orb gravely. They were waiting for a signal, any signal, from their heir. Even if everything had gone extremely wrong, the Soul Shifting Technique,a secret deeply burrowed within the United Demons Sect that only them, the heir, and a handful of other elders knew about, should be enough to let the heir to survive.

    At great cost, no doubt, but the heir surviving was preferred over the heir not surviving, that was for sure.

    That was why, as soon as they felt the wisp of demonic Qi that stroked at their souls, they moved into the human realm immediately.

    ¡ª

    Su Jiao kept her head bowed with the utmost respect she could muster. Even if she wanted to leap up and hug the Sect Leader with all she had as soon as she saw the old, wrinkled woman, she couldn¡¯t. The Sect Leader had passed away, her natural lifespan consumed, and that was what had triggered the demonic sect¡¯s attack.

    Su Jiao could not help but feel immensely relieved and glad to see her master still alive. She felt like she¡¯d gained a part of her back once more, like a pillar within her life had been reconstructed.

    She wished there was some way for her to save her master, extend her lifespan. Surely there was some method.

    ¡°How did you know about the demon?¡± her master questioned. Her voice was hoarse, gentle, barely a whisper, but everyone within the inner sanctum could hear it clearly.

    Su Jiao did not respond, her gaze still focused on the rocky floor.

    Her master stayed silent for a few seconds, then stated, ¡°You will not be able to escape this by simply staying silent, Su Jiao. We have all the time in the day. Tell me. How did you know about the demon?¡±

    Many thoughts flashed through Su Jiao¡¯s mind at once. All of them pointed to only one direction, telling her master the entire truth. There was no reason for her to hide this. She trusted her master with her life.

    ¡°Can I speak to you alone, master?¡±

    The Sect Leader raised her eyebrows.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I have come from the future,¡± Su Jiao stated, looking at her master solemnly. ¡°A future where the demon I have killed successfully overwhelms our entire sect.¡±

    Her master, the Sect Leader, stared at Su Jiao silently for a few seconds, and then tilted her head. ¡°You are telling me,¡± she whispered, ¡°that you were able to successfully master the Dao of Time?¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Su Jiao refused immediately. ¡°No, I could not even imagine mastering something like the Dao of Time. The heavens. It was the will of the heavens¡­ The heavens showed me mercy and sent me back in time in order to save the sect.¡±

    The Sect Leader stared at Su Jiao, clearly not knowing how to respond.

    ¡ª

    It took the Four Prime Demon Elders a few hours before they were able to reach the heir¡¯s location. They could have teleported there immediately if they¡¯d truly wished to, but that would cause far too much of a ripple in the natural order of Qi. All of the Void Exploring experts of the human sects would detect them immediately, and it would spark a proper war if not handled properly.

    That was not something they, the demon elders, wanted, not that the human elders wanted it either. It would cause too much damage on both sides.

    Suppressing a sigh, Kong Xing stared at the blood stained girl in front of him. Indeed, this was the body their heir had possessed. Kong Xing could not help but feel a hint of sadness when he saw the girl. The girl¡¯s body was completely unremarkable, completely useless¡­

    Then again, no body could match the talent that their heir had possessed previously¡­

    Even if they found a suitable body, the heir would survive, yes, perhaps even reach the Void Exploring Realm if they were very, very lucky, but reaching the peak of the Void Exploring Realm?

    That had become practically impossible now.

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    They¡¯d messed up big time. They¡¯d underestimated the Heaven Abiding Sect and overestimated their artifact and their heir.

    But even now, Kong Xing could not get himself to quite believe that. Their plan had been perfect, with no loopholes¡­

    The heir was a diligent person, one who could act splendidly and with patience.

    What had given them away?

    ¡°Elders?¡± the little girl called out softly, bringing Kong Xing out of his thoughts.

    It was an eerie sight, what they were looking at. The girl looked up at the four elders with guilt filled eyes. It would be odd enough if it was a demon child, let alone a human girl. Drowned in blood, looking up innocently, her eyes filled with concern, anxiety, nervousness¡­

    It made Kong Xing feel goosebumps rise over his arms.

    ¡°Let us return to the sect,¡± Kong Xing declared, and the other three elders turned towards him. They had the same expression as him, their emotions blatantly visible, no matter how hard they tried to hide it. Sadness, disappointment, pain¡­

    They¡¯d made a gamble, and they¡¯d lost it.

    ¡ª

    The Sect Leader sipped at her white stone cup, only to realize it was empty. A swish of her hand and the cup was refilled with warm green Qi Replenishing tea once more. She looked up at Su Jiao, a small smile gracing her face.

    ¡°Would you like me to refill yours too?¡±

    Su Jiao smiled, lifting her cup up. ¡°If you would.¡±

    The Sect Leader swished her hand once more, a light, gentle gesture, and Su Jiao¡¯s cup was refilled, too.

    ¡°Even now, I still can¡¯t believe it,¡± the Sect Leader murmured, leaning back into her chair made out of a combination of white and black stone. ¡°To think the demons would make such an outrageous move and succeed.¡±

    Then she looked at Su Jiao, her smile growing. ¡°But luckily, the heavens showed our sect mercy and sent you back to us. You¡¯ve¡­ You might have won us the war that is about to arrive, Su Jiao. You know it is only a matter of time before we¡ª¡± She gestured at herself and chuckled. ¡°¡ªwe old ones, the ones in the peak realm¡­ It is only a few thousand more years before we die. It is you, the younger generation, who will fight the next war, who will decide which race survives. Us, the demihumans, or them, the demons. Killing a talented heir of the demon race¡­ It might seem like a minor thing, but those small ripples are what turn into big waves.¡±

    Su Jiao sipped her tea. It was slightly sour, warm, and had just a hint of lemon. She leveled a pensive gaze focused at the stone table between them. ¡°Honestly, master,¡± she replied, feeling a whim to express her thoughts unfiltered, ¡°I do not care about this upcoming war, about which race survives, or any of that. Perhaps it is because, compared to you, my lifespan is so small¡­ Perhaps that¡¯s why my focus is more on the immediate, the next few years, perhaps the next few decades.¡±

    Su Jiao looked up, looking straight into the Sect Leader¡¯s black eyes. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m just glad that I was able to stop Zhao Ying from doing what he had set out to. From destroying our sect. From killing the sect members, juniors, elders, and seniors that¡ª¡± She paused, letting out a small breath. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t find any other way to describe it. ¡°¡ªthat I love.¡±

    Silence took over them at that. Her master said nothing, and both of them took slow sips of the tea.

    Then, her master asked, ¡°Would you mind if I make you the sole heir?¡±

    Su Jiao blinked.

    ¡ª

    Yao Zhong felt like a boulder was crushing his heart as he entered the Elders¡¯ pavilion. The gazes of the disciples faded as soon as he entered the building. Almost everyone had been curious about the new young girl being escorted by the Four Prime Elders themselves, but it did nothing to soothe the anxiety that was filling him.

    As soon as they reached the inner hall of the pavilion, a place where usually only the topmost Elders and disciples were given a chance to enter and gain guidance, Yao Zhong fell to his knees, much to the surprise of the four elders. They stopped, turning back, looking at him with expressions ranging from curiosity to concern.

    Immediately, he began kowtowing furiously, slamming his forehead against the marble floor, not caring even as his skin bloodied and skull broke. ¡°Forgive me, elders! Forgive me, elders! Forgive me, elders¡ª¡±

    He did not care that he was actually killing himself by his furious kowtowing. He very well would have continued kowtowing and would have killed himself, if not for the Elders stopping him from moving with their Qi¡­

    Even as they stopped him and raised him up, using their Qi to close the wounds to the best of their extent¡ªdemonic Qi was not as good as human Qi at healing¡ªYao Zhong was crying. Tears streamed down his bloody eyes. No matter how hard he tried to stop himself from crying, from sobbing, from showing weakness.

    He wished the Elders would let him go, let him continue kowtowing. It felt cathartic, being able to punish himself¡­

    The physical pain felt like almost nothing compared to the emotional pain, agony, guilt he was feeling. He could not¡­ He could not live with himself after failing the elders, failing the sect, failing the demons themselves, failing himself.

    ¡°Did you make any mistake that revealed your presence?¡± Elder Kong Xing, the gentlest but also the most straightforward one amidst the four, asked as he stroked his beard. Amidst the Four Prime Elders, he was the one with the longest horns.

    ¡°N-no,¡± Yao Zhong said, even through his tears.

    Elder Xie Qing tilted his head, looking at Yao Zhong with a curious gaze. ¡°Then how were you found?¡±

    ¡°I do not know,¡± Yao Zhong replied. He would have hung his head low if the Elders hadn¡¯t restricted his entire body from moving. ¡°A core disciple came along with an elder, and they were insistent that I remove my ring. Even after hearing my sob story, they were ready to swear on their honor as long as I simply removed the ring.¡±

    This gave a pause to all the elders. Yao Zhong could clearly tell that they were surprised.

    ¡°And you did not give any reason to them to suspect you? That you could be a ¡®violent¡¯ bloodthirsty demon?¡± Elder Tao Liang asked, stepping forward to Yao Zhong.

    ¡°I did not. I made sure to not engage in any duels, in any fights at all. I made sure to be polite, respectful, and donned a mask of a perfect disciple. I-I had quite a good reputation amidst the outer ring and was close to entering the inner ring.¡±

    The only Elder who hadn¡¯t spoken till now, Elder Gao Yunsheng, pondered out loud, ¡°Even if he did not maintain a perfect reputation, there is no reason to suspect he is anything but an unruly disciple. The fact that they suspected the ring, wanted our disciple to specifically remove his ring¡­¡±

    The elders turned towards Gao Yunsheng, all of them seemingly agreeing with him based on their lack of argument.

    ¡°Either they have an artifact that is stronger than our ring, an artifact that specializes in finding demons,¡± Elder Tao Liang stated, ¡°or they found out they have a mole amidst them and about the ring artifact¡­ due to a spy of their own¡­¡± Elder Tao Liang paused, only for a second. ¡°Perhaps within our elders.¡±

 Chapter Forty Two

    Yao Zhong bit his nails as he sat in the ritual room, thinking through what Elder Tao Liang had said obsessively.

    There was a spy amidst them. A spy within their very own elders.

    Every fiber of Yao Zhong¡¯s being refused that conclusion. There was no way, no way in hell that there was a spy amidst them. Amidst their elders. He trusted the elders with his life. He trusted the demon cultivators in general with his very soul. There was no way any of them would betray them for measly humans.

    Unless¡­ Unless they had something like the ring too. Unless, the spy wasn¡¯t a demon in the first place, simply a human pretending to be a demon.

    Yao Zhong bit onto his entire finger, panicked enough that he could have very well bit to the bone, when two of the Four Prime Elders returned, their gazes solemn. Elder Kong Xing was carrying a corpse on his shoulder. It was the corpse of a male demon, unharmed and donning a peaceful expression. He had black hair, small horns, and was of an average build, somewhat thin and weak.

    ¡°This was the youngest corpse we could find being buried right now,¡± Elder Xie Qing stated. ¡°It seems he had a disease, but our Qi should nullify it once you take his body. It will take time for us to find someone with a decent enough talent for you to take over.¡±

    Yao Zhong nodded, mustering as much gratefulness as he could into his tone. ¡°Thank you, elders.¡±

    Kong Xing sighed. ¡°It is fine, Disciple Yao. Clearly we are at fault for your mission failing¡­ You should not thank us. If anything, we should be apologizing to you.¡±

    Yao Zhong didn¡¯t quite know what to say to that. So, he simply nodded.

    ¡ª

    Ivy tilted her head as she took in the landscape in front of her. They were in a forest. They certainly were in a forest. Except, the trees were black and the grass was¡­ purple.

    James looked less confused than her. He seemed like he couldn¡¯t care less, really. At best, he seemed mildly interested.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Ivy muttered, looking around. ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°Well.¡± James turned towards her, smiling. ¡°We can explore. Or we can go play a game.¡±

    Ivy pondered deeply. In the end, the answer was simple. ¡°Let¡¯s go play a game.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t quite in the mood of exploration, especially not this creepy, weird forest. She didn¡¯t like creepy stuff.

    James rolled his eyes at her, his smile increasing in size. ¡°I thought you said I¡¯d wasted my time in the previous world and you¡¯d totally explore the new one as soon as you got down?¡±

    ¡°I only said you wasted your time. Didn¡¯t say anything about exploring as soon as I got down. We have ten decades to explore. We¡¯ll do it later.¡±

    James nodded good naturedly. ¡°Alright. Whatever you say, dear sister.¡±

    ¡ª

    Yao Zhong lay in his bed, his eyes clouded. His new body felt a lot better than his old one. Perhaps because he had not abused and battered it yet. His emotions, too, had calmed down to a certain extent. Or perhaps the sheer shock he was feeling at the idea that there could be a traitor amidst the elders was enough to numb all his other emotions down.

    He let out a trembling breath. The elders had told him to go take a walk if he needed, to take some fresh air in and perhaps meditate amidst the trees for a bit, clear his mind out. The fact they had suggested something like that relieved him immensely ¨C it meant the elders were sure he¡¯d not made any mistake.

    They believed in him, trusted him, trusted it was not his fault, and even if he¡¯d now become useless and would not attract their attention much in the future, they had no intention of harming him.

    The more the minutes ticked by, the more the idea of going on a walk sounded appealing. True, he could not scale large distances due to no longer having Qi, but the idea of simply mindlessly walking, out of the sect formation and beyond the surrounding demon villages and simply into the wildlife sounded¡­ appealing.

    If the elders needed anything, they could find him within an instant, anyway.

    ¡ª

    Kong Xing stared at the elders. All of them had gathered within the inner hall at short notice, abandoning their seclusions and tasks as soon as they, the Prime Elders, had called for them.

    No matter how Kong Xing thought about it, no matter how many times he ran his gaze through the elders, he could not believe it. There was no way one of these people, these elders, was a spy. Perhaps Elder Tao Liang was simply being too paranoid¡­

    Indeed, the situation was inexplicable. They trusted their heir and his skills, and there was no way he could have been caught because of a slip up he made¡­

    However, that did not mean it had to be a traitor¡­ The world was a wide, surprising place. It was possible that something beyond their comprehension had happened. Or perhaps they were missing something, some abilities that the Heaven Abiding Sect had possessed, abilities they did not know about or underestimated, abilities which gave away their heir.

    Kong Xing turned towards Elder Tao Liang. The Elder still looked determined, but clearly, he too was not completely confident. Otherwise he would have already announced why they¡¯d summoned the elders and not hesitated for so long.

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    Elder Tao Liang turned towards Kong Xing, meeting his gaze. Kong Xing used his Qi to talk to the elder directly.

    It is unlikely there is a traitor, Kong Xing said.

    Elder Tao Liang didn¡¯t respond for a few seconds. Then, he stated, I¡­ agree. But we must check. We cannot let our bias blind us. The only way a human could have snuck in and tricked us is with an artifact, yes? There would be no other way to disguise his Qi.

    Kong Xing paused, pondering. Then we get them to remove their artifacts.

    Only a second later, Elder Tao Liang announced, ¡°We have something to check. Please, can you remove any and all artifacts temporarily and display your Qi.¡±

    The elders looked at each other, clearly disgruntled, but a Prime Elder was, at the end of the day, a Prime Elder. It took them a few seconds of silence before they obediently removed any and all artifacts, some even having to strip down since their robes were artifacts. Then, they released a wisp of their Qi¡­

    All of them possessed demonic Qi.

    Kong Xing bit his lip. There was no human amidst them. On the off chance that it was indeed a spy who caused their heir to fail¡­ That¡¯d mean a demon was working voluntarily with the humans. But why? What would an elder, a being of great repute within the United Demons Sect, ever gain by doing so?

    Love, perhaps¡­?

    Was one of the younger elders in love with a human? But any kids they would have would die, and why would an elder be stupid enough to trust a human and fall in love with her?

    I¡¯ll disperse them for now, Elder Tao Liang¡¯s voice broke his train of thoughts.

    Kong Xing nodded. No point holding the elders here for longer when they had practically no leads, nothing but suspicion and paranoia to act upon.

    ¡ª

    Yao Zhong let out a small sigh as he looked back. He didn¡¯t know how long it had been, but before he knew it, he¡¯d already left the sect, crossed the outskirts of the Outer Demon Cultivators, crossed the villages, and was now near a forest.

    For a second, he pondered whether he turned back. But then he looked at the forest. It looked quite dense. He thought about sitting in the middle of it and meditating, perhaps even trying to cultivate and gather Qi. It¡¯d be useful to have some Qi, no matter how short of a while he possessed this body for. All of it sounded appealing.

    Well, it wasn¡¯t like he was needed back at the sect right now. He might as well.

    ¡ª

    Representative James, a customer is approaching the shop. Get ready.

    Ivy stared at the notice, her eyes shining. ¡°Can I watch you deal with the customer?¡±

    James blinked, tilting his head. ¡°Well, sure, but your current appearance is a bit too normal to be one of the owners of a shop that deals with souls¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll change my appearance too,¡± Ivy interrupted decisively, making James nod.

    ¡°That works.¡±

    Representative James, manager Ivy, the customer this time is part of the ¡®demonic¡¯ race. It is advisable for you to make your eyes fully red, along with black horns. The larger the horns, the better.

    ¡ª

    Yao Zhong stared at the building in front of him, his heart beating loudly. He had walked deeper and deeper into the forest without knowing, and before he knew it, he was standing in this¡­ ancient building.

    There were no cracks that spread across its walls, and the door looked rather sturdy, no traces of wear, but Yao Zhong could feel it.

    This building was ancient.

    And it had most certainly attracted him here.

    He gulped, looking around. A building in the middle of the forest, one that lured demons to it¡­

    That did not sound good.

    Usually, it was the demons doing something like this to humans, stationing themselves near human villages and settlements. But some of the wilder, stronger demons did it to fellow weak demons, too, attracting them and using them for various purposes.

    He knew that. Yao Zhong knew exactly what this was, but yet, his heart urged him to go inside. That terrified Yao Zhong, since it was clear that whoever this demon was, he was very powerful¡­ Mastering the delicate Dao of the Mind was not an easy task.

    Yao Zhong stood there, the two sides of his mind battling it out. Sweat dripped down his forehead into his clothes as he stood there, and finally, after seemingly an eternity, he gave in.

    He walked forward and opened the door. The interiors of the building were the exact same as the exteriors. Even the floor was the same pale, uncracked and blotchless black. The only thing that was present within the room he entered was a desk¡ªa desk behind which two demons sat.

    They both had strong, sturdy horns, even bigger than those of Elder Kong Xing. It was enough to make Yao Zhong¡¯s eyes go wide. These demons were clearly just as strong, if not stronger than the Prime Elders. Then again, if their horns were just illusions¡­

    Even then, it meant that they were at least as strong as an elder, to be able to use the Dao of the Mind so well.

    That fact made a chill crawl down Yao Zhong¡¯s spine. He looked to the floor instinctively, gulping.

    ¡°Welcome, customer,¡± the male demon greeted, leaning forward, a large smile spreading across his face. It was a menacing smile, a smile that made his eyes curve. ¡°What brings you to the shop?¡±

    ¡°G-greetings Elder.¡± Yao Zhong bowed. Perhaps¡­ Perhaps if he was polite and told them he was part of the United Demons Sect¡­ He¡¯d undoubtedly have to explain the entire situation to make them believe that he was actually a heir candidate of the United Demons Sect, not some Outer Demon, or he was destined for a lot of pain before an inevitable death.

    But that¡­

    He couldn¡¯t tell them everything. He couldn¡¯t reveal the soul shifting technique, nor could he reveal what had happened. Yao Zhong let out a trembling breath. Then today, he would experience hell for a bit, wouldn¡¯t he? No matter what ritual or sacrifice they were gathering demons for, all of them would tear his body asunder.

    At least, if he survived he could tell the elders about this building and these cultivators. Perhaps the elders could negotiate and recruit them?

    Indeed, if that could happen, then he¡¯d have paid his sins towards the United Demons Sect somewhat. The pain he was going to experience would be worth it.

    ¡°Yao Zhong. Look up,¡± the female demon gently ordered, making Yao Zhong blink.

    He felt another shiver travel down his spine at the realization that the female demon¡ªthese two demons¡ªknew his name. How did they know his name? How did they know him, and even if they did know him, how did they know that he was possessing this body?

    ¡°Relax, Yao Zhong,¡± the male demon cooed, gently, lovingly. ¡°There is no need to panic. You have stumbled upon an opportunity that can change your very life. An opportunity that can rewrite your fate itself. You have stumbled upon the shop.¡±

    The male demon stood up, his smile turning crooked as he tilted his head ever so slightly. ¡°The shop tells me¡­¡± he muttered as he began stepping forward, crossing the desk and approaching him. Slowly, languidly, like the very world was in the demon¡¯s control. ¡°...that your desire is to redeem yourself. To help your¡­ sect.¡±

    The male demon grasped onto his shoulders, his smile growing in size as he guided Yao Zhong to the chair in front of the desk. Pushing him down gently, the male demon made him sit. Then the male demon leaned forward, his mouth directly next to Yao Zhong¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Tell me, Yao Zhong. What does redemption mean for you?¡±

 Chapter Eighty Six

    It took Ma Ru a little less than two hundred years to ascend into the True God Realm. A far, far shorter period than Han Jianying, which made her gush about his talent and also made her beg him to join her sect.

    Ma Ru was beginning to seriously consider it.

    Ma Shi had also reached the final stage of the Demigod Realm, so there was not even the slightest chance she would not be bullied within the sect or looked down upon as an individual, not that anyone would really bother. Things like that only really happened in the earlier stages of the Demigod Realm, and Ma Shi had both Ma Ru and Han Jianying backing her.

    And he wanted to spend more time with Han Jianying.

    Han Jianying still tried her best to spend time with them in the cave, but being an elder meant her departures were far more frequent and lasted far longer, too. If he joined the sect and they publicly married, he could stick with her far more shamelessly and not leave her side at all, and that was very, very tempting.

    Well, maybe he could decide once Ma Shi was in the True God Realm too.

    ¡ª

    [Use Han Jianying and Ma Shi¡¯s lives as collateral?]

    [Analyzing¡­]

    [Possibility accepted. Victim Ma Ru is both highly attached to Han Jianying and Ma Shi and feels satisfied with his life. With flattery and inducing acceptance, the goal of extracting Ma Ru¡¯s lifespan using this scenario is possible.]

    [Attempting¡­]

    [Directing illusion¡­]

    ¡ª

    ¡°I-it hurts, Ma Ru¡­¡± Han Jianying groaned, grasping onto her heart, tears of blood leaking out of her eyes.

    Ma Ru stared at her with wide eyes, not sure what to do. He held her in his arms gently, letting his Qi wash over her, trying to find the source of the problem. No, he knew what the source of the problem was.

    Her Qi Core was diseased.

    It was not due to being poisoned or attacked, it was natural.

    And currently, what he had to try to do was think of a solution for it.

    But he didn¡¯t even know where to begin. He was already failing miserably.

    Even as sat here, even as the second ticked by, her Qi Core continued to throb irregularly. Blood continued to leak out of her reddening eyes. Black veins continued to spread across her skin.

    All of it was slow, ever-so slow, and all of it steady.

    Yet it felt so endlessly fast.

    ¡°We¡ªWe¡¯ll figure out a cure, Han Jianying. We¡¯ll figure out a cure. Deep breaths, deep breaths¡­¡± Thoughts raced through his mind. He¡¯d never heard of a disease that could affect a True God Realm Cultivator, but then again, this world was only similar to his previous world. It was not the exact same. There were many differences.

    But to think that a disease, a plague that could affect True God Realm Cultivators existed¡­

    He¡¯d told Ma Shi not to enter the cave for that very reason. It could be contagious, could spread to her, and she was only in the final stage of the Demigod Realm. God knows if she would be able to deal with it, survive it¡­ He could not deal with both his dearest people ill right now.

    No, he could not deal with this alone. He had to go to the sect, he had to find assistance. Surely the other elders of the sect would help once they knew Han Jianying¡¯s situation.

    ¡ª

    It¡­ was horrifying.

    All the cultivators in the sect were dying.

    Any cultivator below the True God Realm was all but sentenced to death as they seized on the floor, black tinged blood leaking out of their mouths. They scratched at their bodies desperately as they violently thrashed on the ground, unable to die yet unable to live.

    The elders were in no better state than Han Jianying herself. No, the disease had progressed more than Han Jianying in their cases.

    Ma Ru ran out of the sect, a variety of emotions fighting for dominance in his heart.

    ¡ª

    The plague took the entire cultivation world by a maelstrom.

    No matter where Ma Ru went, no matter where he searched, the disease had already begun spreading. True God Realm Cultivators were desperately searching for a cure, but none of them seemed to be making any progress. They certainly did not seem to be in the mental state to even entertain collaborating with some random outsider.

    They wouldn¡¯t even talk to him.

    Left with no choice, Ma Ru returned back to the cave, only to find that the disease hadn¡¯t spared his sister.

    ¡ª

    Ma Ru spent day and night researching the disease, but it was unique. Without completely crippling Han Jianying¡¯s cultivation¡­ And even that was a gamble. It was completely possible the disease would take her weakened body anyway. He couldn¡¯t think of a way to even try and alleviate the disease. It had infected the Qi Core, after all.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    And perhaps it was only to be expected that he too had become infected, especially since he basically lived right next to two infected people all day everyday.

    But he didn¡¯t let the pain that assaulted his Qi Core stop him. He wasn¡¯t a normal cultivator! No, he was Ma Ru!

    He still researched, still looked into it, still tried his best to find a way to cure them, but as the days passed and their health worsened, he began feeling¡­ panic.

    He was making absolutely no progress, and they were dying.

    Slowly and steadily, Han Jianying and Ma Shi were dying.

    Painfully.

    Moaning, begging him to help them.

    And yet he could do nothing.

    Could he do nothing?

    No, there was something he could do.

    The senior had said¡­ If Ma Ru was willing, he could sacrifice his lifespan and ask for a favor. Ma Ru could sacrifice himself and ask for Han Jianying and Ma Shi to be saved in exchange.

    But¡­ Ma Ru would die.

    The senior would have won.

    No, would the senior have won? Ma Ru was not quitting life, escaping being humiliated as a slave, escaping punishment. No, he had thrived in this life, blossomed a flower out of the ashes. He would be sacrificing himself in exchange for his loved ones. Would bowing his head to the senior in exchange for Han Jianying and Ma Shi¡¯s survival not be worth it?

    It would be worth it, may it be in his past life or this life.

    But if he died, would Ma Shi and Han Jianying be fine?

    Ma Ru sighed. They¡¯d be fine, yes. Han Jianying was in the True God Realm, and Ma Shi was in the final stage of the Demigod Realm and would definitely be able to break into the True God Realm. They¡¯d not had any debate or conversation without her in relation to the Dao, and the theoretical knowledge she had would not pale in comparison to Han Jianying. And besides, she¡¯d have Han Jianying to help her if she ever needed it.

    And, with the plague, many cultivators would die and the balance of the world would undoubtedly change. Han Jianying and Ma Shi would definitely be able to accumulate a lot of power post-plague, may it be in the sect or in the outer world in general.

    Yes, they¡¯d be just fine even if he died.

    And they wouldn¡¯t survive this plague. They would continue to die excruciatingly slow deaths. They were showing no signs of healing, and he did not have a single clue on how to even begin.

    Ma Ru grit his teeth.

    Seconds ticked by.

    Minutes ticked by.

    Hours ticked by.

    Days ticked by.

    He sat there, his Qi Core throbbing, watching them, still desperately analyzing their cores, a small part of him hoping he would find some way to heal them using his own Qi. But with every one of their groans, with every drop of their blood, with every second, that small part was whittled away.

    It took him nine more days and his sister going into a seizure for him to finally give in.

    ¡°Senior,¡± he called out, ¡°if you can hear me, I am willing to hand over my lifespan to you.¡±

    Two crystalline eyes bore into Ma Ru¡¯s soul once more, and the eerie calmness Ma Ru had been filled with in what felt like a lifetime ago returned. Seconds passed by, but the mockery that Ma Ru had been expecting did not arrive.

    Instead, the androgynous voice sounded mildly impressed as it said, ¡°I had thought that you would have fared far more terribly.¡± The voice paused for a second. ¡°And to think you would end up wanting to sacrifice yourself for your loved ones. Truly, you are an interesting creature, Ma Ru. A creature that disproved my expectations.¡±

    Ma Ru blinked. The senior was¡­ praising him?

    ¡°Well, I can heal both your loved ones and make them immune to the plague, yes. In exchange, are you willing to hand your lifespan over to me?¡±

    Ma Ru nodded, feeling surprisingly unburdened as he did so. Even the small spiteful part of him that had not wanted to give in to the senior had turned silent once the senior had acknowledged him.

    ¡°Yes, senior. I am willing to hand my lifespan over to you in exchange for Ma Shi and Han Jianying¡¯s safety and health.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

    [Host has died.]

    [Illusion collapsing.]

    [Purpose of illusion has been achieved.]

    [Transferring lifespan from faux entity to shop.]

    ¡ª

    The final cultivator afflicted with the Torment Slug (S-Grade) has died, representative James. There are no attachments left to be fulfilled in this world and the shop can leave anytime the representative wishes for it.

    James smiled and nodded. Alright. They could leave now. ¡°Shop, tell my sister and Shen Ai to gather in the hall. We''ll do a final summary of He Xing¡¯s actions, and then we''ll leave this world.¡±

    Understood, representative James.

    ¡ª

    He Xing has made sure to free all the remaining slaves, the ones bought already and isolated from the world, the ones bought to do sect errands, so on and so forth. There are no more slaves existing in this heavenly realm except for Luo Mingli.

    He Xing is now attempting to rebuild the order of the heavenly realm. He has created a sect, the Equal Under Heavens Sect, which will likely be the only sect to exist for a long time to come. New ascendants shall trickle in eventually once the lower realms recover, and based on the rules of the Equal Under Heavens Sect and the general attitude of the remaining cultivators, these new ascendants shall be welcomed with open arms and plentiful guidance.

    ¡°So we go meet him once? Tell him we''re leaving?¡± Ivy asked, looking at James.

    ¡°About that.¡± James hummed. ¡°I was thinking it''s better we don''t.¡±

    ¡°Don''t? Why do you say so?¡±

    ¡°See, won''t the fact that the seniors that saved and helped him still exist, watching over him, help He Xing continue to walk on the path of justice?¡± James explained, stroking his chin like he was someone wise and old. ¡°I mean, if we tell him we''re leaving, then he''ll know he has free reign to do anything. And absolute power corrupts absolutely, as we''ve experienced ourselves.¡±

    Ivy hummed under her breath too and Shen Ai looked contemplative, nodding along with his words lightly. It took a few seconds before Ivy nodded too.

    ¡°Then, shop, I have a question for you.¡± James turned towards the shop''s golden letters. Once this doubt of his was clarified, he would be officially fully ready to leave this world. ¡°Is it really fine if we leave He Xing''s memories as is? Hadn''t you tampered with our first customer''s memories?¡±

    The shop had to tamper with the first customer''s memories since he left the world he was residing in, representative James, and would inevitably come under the scrutiny of multiple entities, such as constellations and soul administrators. He did not possess a sufficient grasp on his memories to be able to conceal or hide them if the situation ever demanded it.

    Cultivator He Xing, on the other hand, does not have any intention of leaving this realm anytime soon. However, by the Rule of Failsafe, Cultivator He Xing''s memories shall still be wiped automatically when the situation arises where it is required. The Rule of Failsafe applies to everyone who has interacted with the shop in any way and is aware of its existence, so representative James does not need to worry.

    James nodded.

    ¡°Then let''s leave this world and go to nowhere, shop.¡±

    He turned towards Ivy and Shen Ai, waiting for a few seconds for them to raise any objections or questions they had, before finishing,

    ¡°It is time to break through that barrier of yours.¡±

 Chapter Eighty Seven

    [Once I begin to break the barrier, we will have to be ready to move very quickly.]

    "How quickly?" James asked, crossing his arms.

    [The shop strongly suspects that breaking through the barrier will alert the soul authorities. The shop will relocate itself an instant after the barrier breaks. At that time the shop recommends the representative refrain from making any deals of extremely high value or giving out direct access to our utility powers. While our actions thus far have been within the technical limitations and should not be possible to trace back to us, they have been undeniably disruptive to these local worlds.]

    "Understood." James paused as a thought occurred to him. ¡°If we¡¯re going to be in hiding, does that mean we can¡¯t call Archaniel? We should check on him before we go.¡±

    [I have already contacted representative Archaniel. He wishes all of you well and congratulates you on recruiting a reliable employee. He wishes to pass along his well wishes and compliments representative James¡¯ efficiency.]

    "Ah, alright. Well, then let''s go break the universe."

    [Representative James, the shop does not believe that breaking this barrier will cause any harm to the universe. It is a fully internal process. However, there is a small chance the soul administrators may notice the discharge of energy. Whatever this seal is, it was made very strongly and I do not know what we will find. It may be that this action is unnoticed as well, but taking it will trigger a large number of contingencies and precautionary measures. The shop will therefore act as though it will be the worst case scenario. It is advised that you find a comfortable position and are fully prepared for abrupt movement.]

    "I have just the thing." With a wave of his hand, the theater seats expanded and curled around them, creating cozy little cocoons for their inhabitants.

    Ivy bounced up and down in hers, abusing her own co-owner permissions until the shop''s sternly worded warning reappeared.

    "Fine, fine. I''m being serious now." Ivy settled down in her chair and it wrapped snugly around her. "How long is this going to take?"

    [Once we decide on a suitable world to hide in until we can ascertain what if any attention we have attracted, the attempt will be made immediately.]

    ¡°What makes a world suitable?¡± Shen Ai asked.

    [The shop will still need sustenance, but for the immediate future and until we know whether it is safe to resume standard operations, it will be best to obscure our activities with another form of power consumption which is permitted. Hiding within such a world should mask our presence fully, while providing ample opportunities for obtaining power.]

    ¡°Power¡­ you mean lifespan, right?¡± James inquired.

    [Yes and no. The representative and his companions are going to be traveling among unknown people in a dangerous region in search of people desperate enough to make a deal with the shop. It would be prudent for you all to obtain the ability to defend yourselves, independent of reliance on the shop¡¯s utility. Since this attempt will consume the vast majority, if not the entirety of our stored lifespan, you will need to rely mainly on yourselves until we have accumulated enough of a stockpile again.]

    ¡°An adventure of our own!¡± Ivy cheered. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to do this for ages!¡±

    ¡°Shop, please provide a list of recommendations that meet the criteria of cloaking our presence there while you¡¯re occupied and giving us the ability to have a fun adventure we can gain our own power from.¡± James¡¯s eyes widened when a long list appeared.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of options,¡± Ivy muttered. ¡°Please filter them to the top three and provide descriptions and reasoning for the recommendation.¡±

    [Kavgor: a land of magic and life. The world is overwhelmingly filled with verdant plants and monsters of many varieties with enough soul strength to make them useful targets. The localized tribes have extensive practice in their methods of extracting monster souls for use in magic, so it would be fully possible to obtain increased lifespan for the shop without doing anything out of the ordinary that would attract any attention. You would be able to explore vast areas with whichever group you end up traveling with, and their customs are highly welcoming and protective of strangers so you are unlikely to be in danger.]

    ¡°Except from the monsters,¡± James grumbled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Senior James, I will protect you.¡±

    [Euriste 3: a world poised on the edge between unstoppable expansion and utter ruin. At this point in its history, it faces a potential disaster in the form of the parasitic Tower that has claimed its system for itself. The Tower warps magic into ¡®cards¡¯ which can be used to hold and control spell-like manifestations which have been heavily integrated into their society and technology. You could collect these cards and carry that power with you, and the Tower provides an environment of increased tension which is ideal for making deals with many people.]

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always liked card games,¡± James said, cheering up a bit. ¡°And it would be nice if our presence could prevent an apocalypse for a change.¡±

    [Cyrel: the arena world, fully dedicated to battle and magical technology. Its planet was long ago rendered uninhabitable, at which time they retreated underground and soon discovered that their world¡¯s core was the source of magic. Being closer to it and also desperate, their society underwent a very rapid development phase in the creation of powerful armor and weapons with which they compete for everything. You could practice your personal combat abilities without risking your lives and learn techniques which are far more advanced than most worlds.]

    ¡°All three look like really good options¡­¡± Shen Ai muttered, rereading each option again. ¡°Kavgor sounds nice.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like a very fun place to live for a hundred years though. A few years visit, maybe, but killing monsters would get tedious after a while. If we can¡¯t find people to contract with very easily¡­¡±

    They talked about the options for some time, but none of them could come to an agreement. James shrugged. ¡°Rock, paper, scissors?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. It¡¯s a fair enough way to make a selection,¡± Ivy agreed.

    ¡°What¡¯s rock, paper, scissors? If it¡¯s a fight to the death, I¡¯ll concede my choice¡­¡± Shen Ai said, a crestfallen look on her face.

    James and Ivy looked at one another and broke into laughter for several minutes. Once they got their wits about them, James explained what rock, paper, scissors was, and Shen Ai gave a sigh of relief.

    ¡°That seems far more reasonable. I would like to play this game.¡± They played a few practice rounds to get her used to the timing of when to shoot, but then she eliminated Ivy in their first bout. ¡°I see! This game is very fun!¡±

    James felt a trickle of sweat down his neck. They were doing best two out of three, and Shen Ai unhesitantly countered Ivy both times, almost as if she knew what Ivy was throwing before Ivy knew.

    ¡°How are you so good already?¡± Ivy grumbled, crossing her arms in indignation and puffing out her bottom lip to pout. ¡°I really wanted to cosplay a gladiator though.¡±

    ¡°Nothing says you can¡¯t in one of the other worlds,¡± James offered, trying to soothe her.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be the same! Cyrel is a whole arena world, but cyberpunk! Would it be so cool to go into these massive arenas in neon power armor with superweapons we could only dream of back home?¡± she grumbled.

    Shen Ai pursed her lips. ¡°Please take my spot then. I don¡¯t care too strongly about which world we go to next and was able to play this rock, paper, scissors with you. That is enough for me.¡±

    James internally sighed in relief. ¡°Then that¡¯s that.¡± He turned to Ivy and grinned. ¡°Keep in mind you¡¯ve never beaten me before, Ivy. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ve gotten any better.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna win so we can go have fun in the cyberpunk arenas!¡± she said, holding up her hands and positioning them for the conclusive duel that would decide their fates for the next century. ¡°Prepare yourself!¡±

    James rolled his eyes and held up his hands.

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors¡­ shoot!¡± they both called.

    James threw scissors, and Ivy threw paper.

    ¡°Just like old times. Once more. Let¡¯s finish this up.¡±

    Ivy glared at him as they both prepared.

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors¡­ shoot!¡±

    James threw scissors again, and Ivy grinned as she brought her closed fist down. ¡°One to one.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky.¡± He shook his head at her playful grin. ¡°I¡¯m still winning this.¡±

    ¡°Prove it.¡±

    For the third and final time, they raised their hands.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know this game could get so intense¡­¡± Shen Ai looked between the two of them and took a step back. ¡°This¡­ is so exciting!¡±

    ¡°Rock¡­ Paper¡­ Scissors¡­ Shoot!¡±

    James stared Ivy in the eyes the whole time, watching her every movement as she threw rock again. He¡¯d seen through her. ¡°Nice try.¡± He covered the rock with his paper. ¡°But you¡¯ve still got a lot to learn.¡±

    ¡°Tower world it is then,¡± Ivy grumbled. She reread the description and shrugged. ¡°It seems pretty unique. Let¡¯s see what kind of stuff it¡¯s got going for it.¡±

    ¡°An adventure is an adventure, and nothing says we can¡¯t go to Cyrel after we finish up everything with the shop and collect a bit more lifespan.¡± Ivy grinned excitedly. ¡°This is awesome. Have I mentioned that? The shop is so cool. I can¡¯t wait to learn the answer behind the mystery of what the shop actually is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m right there with you,¡± James agreed, turning his attention to the shop in question. ¡°Shop, can you show us¡ª¡±

    Ivy cut him off. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we get first. It says here that everyone has a natural heart card that awakens through a ritual. I¡¯m curious what this tower thinks would be suitable for me. Plus, there are plenty of options to upgrade whatever we start with, so let¡¯s just do this.¡±

    ¡°I guess you have a point.¡± James shrugged.

    [Please don¡¯t get yourselves killed. You are the most successful and interesting representative the shop has had in a long time. I would hope you remain for many eons yet to come. This would be an inconvenient time to be without a representative, however. Do your best to survive.]

    ¡°No worries there,¡± James began. ¡°I fully intend¡ª¡±

    The world lurched without warning.

    Being intimately connected to the shop, James felt the moment that the barrier splintered apart. Not physically, a deep echo that reverberated disconcertingly through mind and spirit.

    Something shattered. The amount of sheer mental force the shop brought to bear was far too much for the barrier to withstand.

    Then, before he even fully registered the impact, they were already moving. Moments passed, three heartbeats, and they came to an abrupt stop as suddenly as they¡¯d started.

    Ivy patted the arm of her cushioned chair. ¡°Good thing we were in these.¡±

    James couldn¡¯t think how to reply. The flickers of memories and powers and vast unknowable something more resonated through him uncontrolled as the shop¡¯s control wavered and strained.

    [The shop has arrived in the world, ¡®Euriste 3.¡¯ Please stand by.]

    <hr>

 Chapter Eighty Eight

    "That was it?" Ivy unfolded her safety chair carefully and stepped out, as though expecting the shop to reprimand her any moment.

    [Yes, co-owner Ivy. That is it. However, the amount of information that was stored beyond this barrier is too high for me to process all at once. If I were to put it in simple terms, the current shop''s capacity is less than half of one percent of what was stored beyond that barrier. It cannot be reintegrated at once without causing drastic side effects for the shop and everyone connected to it. Please be patient. This will take a while.]

    "So are we talking about a few hours? Several days? Should we go out and start trying to find people to make deals with while we wait, or should we sit here¡­?" James asked uncertainly.

    [The shop estimates it will take 27 years, 8 months, and 13 days to integrate the unlocked information at a basic level. If you can accumulate enough soul energy, this process can move faster, but please remember that right now we cannot afford to cause any sort of disturbance. What happens on this world is irrelevant as long as it does not come to the attention of the soul administrators. Please be discreet, but do gather as much lifespan as possible.]

    "Do I have the power to make deals for you too?" Shen Ai asked. "Or is it only the owners?"

    [The full details of your permissions are up to the discretion of the representative.]

    "I see no reason she shouldn''t be allowed to make deals for us. With all three of us out, we can accumulate lifespan that much faster, right?"

    [That is a correct assumption, Representative James. Be aware that once you have granted negotiating authority with the shop to employ Shen Ai, any deal she makes will be binding on you as well as the shop itself. Ultimately, you are the representative, and however many people you accumulate beneath you, ultimate responsibility will remain yours.]

    "That is fine with me. Thank you. Please give employee Shen Ai full deal-making permissions for the duration of our stay on this world."

    Shen Ai all but burst into tears. She hugged James tightly, with a fierceness he didn''t quite understand. "Thank you, thank you. I''m sorry. I never thought that anyone would put so much trust in me. I won''t let you down, I promise! I''ll find deals for you and Shop-sama, and you''ll never have cause to regret this. I promise."

    James awkwardly hugged her back, patting her shoulder comfortingly. "It''s okay, Shen Ai. You''re one of us now. Of course you have our trust. If you can''t trust someone you''ve destroyed the heavens with, who can you trust?"

    They all laughed, and Shen Ai wiped her face.

    [Stealth mode has been activated. While in stealth mode, all deals must be instigated directly by the representative. The shop will not be seen by any inhabitants of the world.]

    "All right! New world, Euriste 3, coming up," Ivy said, pumping her fist. "Let''s hope it''s something fun this time, and not something gloomy and lame."

    James nodded in agreement. "Shop? If you would."

    [The door is open, representative James. You may all leave and return at your discretion. Passive attention will be dedicated to fulfilling any agreements you make, but you will need to return to the shop if you wish to have a full conversation like this.]

    "Entirely understandable. I too can''t wait to find out what it is that was so important to stay hidden. Time to go see what options we¡¯ve got to kill some time."

    James put an arm around Shen Ai¡¯s shoulder on his right, Ivy¡¯s on his left, and together the three of them stepped out into the new world.

    They¡¯d arrived in a city, and it was evening. The shop was tucked into a side alley between a cafe facing the main road and a club of questionable purpose with dancing neon lights that gave the name, Pink Pony, and nothing more.

    ¡°This looks disappointingly modern,¡± James said, turning to look at the rest of the rather dingy alley they¡¯d emerged into. ¡°Not that I have anything against our technology levels, but I expected a society built on magic cards to be more¡ª¡± His jaw dropped as all he could do was stare.

    A huge tower dominated the skyline. Office buildings and towers rose around it that he could tell from the distance could rival any on Earth, but this tower was something else entirely. It went on and on, a line of light that pierced the very sky until it was too distant to be perceived.

    Ordinary light shone from the windows of apartment buildings, but none of it came close to matching the tower¡¯s radiance. Clouds lit up in blue and gold as they drifted near it. James only now realized that it wasn¡¯t evening, but rather the middle of the night. The tower¡¯s brightness had fully replaced the sun.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Shen Ai said in the same tone of voice someone would use to describe a particularly unpleasant new neighbor.

    ¡°It is.¡± Ivy frowned at Shen Ai. ¡°Why do you say it like that?¡±

    ¡°I can feel its hunger from here. Senior Shop has always given back for what is taken, but this¡­ It is a thing of consumption without end.¡±

    ¡°You can feel hunger from that thing¡­?¡± James gaped. He thought back to the description the shop had given. ¡°It was described as parasitic. But how do you feel that from all the way over here? That¡¯s incredible.¡±

    Ivy elbowed his ribs. ¡°Let a woman have some mystery.¡±

    Shen Ai giggled. ¡°I¡¯m quite perceptive, Senior James.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± He turned his attention away from her and back to the city and the tower aggressively illuminating everything as far as he could see. ¡°Is it just me, or does it kind of look like an oversized night light?¡±

    Tilting her head, Ivy nodded. ¡°I can see it.¡±

    Then the noise caught up to them. Despite it being nighttime, the streets were packed and cluttered. There were vendors everywhere and anywhere, banners hanging overhead with insignias of all sorts in an even greater variety of flashing colors.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Oh, this is so much better than I thought it would be.¡± Ivy pulled her arm free and started running around looking at anything and everything, oohing and aahing at every new thing.

    James let Shen Ai¡¯s arm drop from his shoulder as he sighed. ¡°This might take awhile.¡±

    ¡ª

    This tower, thought Merek Sion vehemently, is pure evil.

    He¡¯d been reluctant to enter it in the first place, but these days anyone without at least a basic deck would be relegated to the worst jobs. And since over half the population was still without a deck, that meant the competition was incredibly high.

    So now his only choice was to go and fight monsters and kill people, just so he could earn enough to keep a roof over his head another month. If not for the tower, things would have been like they used to be. His real skills would be valued, not have him passed over for the first kid with a shiny manifestation deck.

    ¡°This is so cool!¡±

    Merek paused at the shriek of joy. Not the sort of thing one usually heard when heading to the tower. Normally it was the dull grumble traditional for a crowded commute to work, nevermind that the commute was a ten-minute walk.

    ¡°Look at that giant sword! It¡¯s mechanical too. I¡¯m sorry for ever doubting you about coming here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We can check out the arena place next, if something else doesn¡¯t come up.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I can get a sword like that?¡±

    ¡°Why one like that? I¡¯m sure you can get a better one.¡±

    ¡°Promise?!¡±

    He finally caught sight of the excitable idiot in question. She was short, only standing out from the crowd because of the waving, pointing, and shrieking. It¡¯d been a long time since he saw tourists. Though duty and necessity demanded he go into the tower, there was no requirement that he do so this very minute. He could afford a quick detour. Maybe save the idiots from being coerced into faction fodder. Just because his life was doomed didn¡¯t mean anyone else had to fall into the same trap.

    ¡°Oooh, did you see that armor? What about that staff? There¡¯s no way that staff is as good as the armor.¡±

    ¡°You might be surprised. We still don¡¯t know much.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Merek said, walking right up to the strangers. ¡°You seem to be new to the area?¡±

    The girl tried to whisper quietly to the guy next to her, but she was bad at it. ¡°Oh look, a local! What do you think he wants? Also, did we ever get the name of this city?¡±

    ¡°You came here without even knowing what city you¡¯re in?¡± Merek shook his head. ¡°Tower chasers.¡±

    ¡°You got that right! This place is the most interesting we¡¯ve been to, like, ever! You should have seen the last one. This isn¡¯t even comparable. It¡¯s at least civilized here.¡±

    ¡°Please, for your own sakes, go back to wherever you¡¯re from before it¡¯s too late. Once you get locked into the tower¡¯s games you¡¯ll find it very hard to escape.¡± He should never have believed the recruiters. If he wasn¡¯t already locked down for the next eight years, he¡¯d have swapped to Destruction in a heartbeat.

    ¡°Games? Did I hear someone mention games?¡± Another girl approached from behind them. ¡°Excuse me, sir, but what kind of games?¡±

    ¡°The kind where you get killed,¡± Merek snapped.

    ¡°Is that all?¡± The newcomer was genuinely disappointed.

    He stared at the kid with sheer bafflement. ¡°Is¡­ that all? You think life and death are trivial? That fighting monsters and trying not to get stabbed in the back by someone looking to climb the leaderboard is too tame for you?¡±

    ¡°Monsters will be a fresh break from the type of people we¡¯ve been dealing with, to be honest. A lot more straightforward and without near-godly levels of power. All the slave traders and depressingness of Aiguo. Can¡¯t say I¡¯ll miss that place.¡±

    Merek¡¯s anger drained away. ¡°Oh.¡± He¡¯d never heard of Aiguo, but if they were from an isolated region by a slaver warlord? ¡°Yeah, maybe don¡¯t go back there. But if you came to the tower in search of freedom, you¡¯re heading the wrong direction. Find a nice quiet suburb to settle in. Don¡¯t let yourself be trapped. Whoever told you this was a good idea lied to you. Probably plan to exploit you.¡±

    ¡°Definitely won¡¯t be going back. No thank you.¡± The excited girl looked around. ¡°Can you tell me where to go to awaken my heart card? I heard you can¡¯t get into the tower without doing that first, and nobody will sell me anything if I can¡¯t even go in the tower. It¡¯s so weird. Seems counterproductive to business.¡±

    She¡¯d completely ignored him. Talking to her was exhausting. How had they even managed to get to New Tienithport if they didn¡¯t have heart cards awakened? The outskirts had become realms of banditry for those who couldn¡¯t make a living in the tower but still had something combat-related.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting a headache,¡± Merek grunted. On the one hand, unlocking their decks would be a good idea if they insisted on fighting. But once you started down that path, you couldn¡¯t stop until you had a full deck. If he was away from the tower even a full day, he¡¯d grow weak as the heart card¡¯s uncontrolled influence burned through his body¡¯s resources instead of staying constrained to its deck.

    ¡°Sir, about those games¡­?¡± the second girl asked, nearly bouncing in place with reserved anticipation.

    ¡°Death games. The tower likes us to fight among ourselves. Split us up into factions. Sends monsters after us. Rewards anyone who kills anything, whether monster or enemy climber¡­ or ally.

    ¡°It¡¯s just like what the description told us. It¡¯s perfect for obtaining power and more lifes¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ivy,¡± the guy grunted, cutting her off. ¡°Too many ears here. You don¡¯t know who might be listening.¡±

    ¡°I know who isn¡¯t listening,¡± Merek grumbled. ¡°Do you have a death wish? Are you all completely insane?¡±

    ¡°Perfectly sane, thank you,¡± the Ivy girl said, placing her hands on her hips.

    ¡°Then why, in the name of all the beyonds, are you still looking at the tower like it¡¯s something fun instead of horrible?¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t it be fun?¡± she retorted, rolling her eyes.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s horrible. Pure evil.¡±

    ¡°Says who? Seems pretty close-minded to me, unless you¡¯re telling me you¡¯re just bad. That sounds like a skill issue to me, if I ever heard one.¡± She shrugged. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I understand where you¡¯re coming from and appreciate your attempts to warn us of the dangers. Now, I¡¯d really appreciate being pointed in the direction of the awakening ritual.¡±

    ¡°Bloody radical Ascensionists,¡± someone called out. ¡°Psychopaths, each and every one of them!¡±

    ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to that way?!¡± another shouted back.

    ¡°You freaks are nothing but pests! You want to see what we do to pests over here in Destruction?¡±

    Their little confrontation had attracted a bit of an audience by now, and it didn¡¯t take long for someone to call in a recruiter. Merek saw the ripple in the crowd from here, someone hurrying against the current of people heading to the tower for the morning.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you to the intake office,¡± Merek said, ¡°as long as you come right now.¡±

    ¡°Sweet! That¡¯s just what we wanted to hear!¡± Ivy said, skipping as she followed behind.

    He¡¯d already grabbed her hand and started walking, purposeful and brisk. If they wanted to throw their lives away, fine, but at least they could do it without some Ascender radical breathing down their necks.

    <hr>

 Chapter Eighty Nine

    ¡°Where¡¯d they go?¡±

    ¡°Gone, boss.¡±

    ¡°Where to?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t see, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°Well don¡¯t stand there like a fool. Go grab a squad¡ªno, grab everyone available and find them!¡± Bron Del looked over the crowd, glaring at the troublemakers that had caused the crowd to block his way. He noted their faces and quickly pulled out a Scanner and identified them, committing them to memory. They¡¯d regret getting in his way.

    By the time Bron turned back around, his subordinate, a desperate and disposable man with little talent and prospects, had already scampered off.

    ¡°Did anyone hear anything about where the newcomers were going?¡± The crowd cowed around him, the emblem on his chest vibrating a violent red. He saw several try to avoid eye contact and shoved through the crowd to drag an aging woman to her knees before him. ¡°You look like you heard something, old bat. Tell me.¡±

    She looked away again, and he sighed.

    ¡°You scum always have to make everything harder than it has to be. We both know someone here will tell me.¡± He drew his sidearm, a weapon that could take down a C-class monster on the thirtieth floor in one shot, and placed it under her chin. ¡°You know who I am and what I¡¯ll do. Tell me.¡±

    The old woman continued to stubbornly resist, defiantly staring back at him.

    Bron scowled. ¡°Then have it your way.¡±

    His finger began to pull the trigger when someone shoved him back. The young man glared back at him in the same way the old woman did, irking his primal instinct and desire to educate them to the pecking order.

    ¡°They were going to awaken their heart cards!¡± the young man shouted. ¡°Just leave us alone!¡±

    ¡°Now, was that so hard?¡± Bron asked, grinning. He turned in the direction the new potential recruits had fled. All before him parted. He took two steps away before stopping. His voice, low and calm, carried over the silent crowd. ¡°Consider this a lesson to everyone.¡±

    He turned and shot the young man, leaving a gaping hole through his chest. He was dead instantly.

    ¡°Know your place.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°What¡¯s this? New climbers?¡± An overly cheerful young woman wearing incredibly aggressive floral perfume shoved a folder at James almost as soon as she saw them. ¡°Fill this out and line up over there, we¡¯ll get your paperwork filed and you can go on in!¡±

    The line was only eight people long, and the paperwork was only two pages. The first was basic: name, address, occupation, income.

    ¡°Is it alright if we don¡¯t have any of these?¡± James looked at the page with his name and nothing more.

    ¡°They¡¯ll take anyone,¡± their grumpy guide said grumpily. He glanced over his shoulder as if worried about being noticed. ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    The second page was a declaration of intent. They needed to select an alliance and choose a target floor.

    ¡°What¡¯s an alliance, and how many floors are there?¡±

    ¡°Alliances are how the tower pits us against one another. Right now the factions are Ascension, Expansion, and Destruction. You don¡¯t want to join any of them until you have something to bargain with or they¡¯ll take you for everything you have and then some. If you insist on doing this, at least do it smart.¡± He glanced over his shoulder again.

    ¡°Who are you so worried about?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Not sure. Someone big. Not someone you want paying attention to you. Just hurry. Once you¡¯re inside, you can leave by a transit door and disappear. I highly recommend you don¡¯t come back out this way.¡±

    James scribbled ¡®None¡¯ for alliance. ¡°And how many floors are there?¡± Then he shook his head. ¡°Nevermind.¡± He saw Ivy had just written ¡®all of them¡¯ and did the same. Without the smiley face.

    ¡°Is there anything I need to know about this awakening process?¡± James asked, while they waited for the line to move.

    ¡°You go in, they jab you with the tower stick, you fall over and scream for a few minutes, and then you¡¯re the proud owner of a heart card that¡¯ll kill you if you don¡¯t kill something else first.¡±

    ¡°Are you always such a ball of cheer?¡±

    The guy ran a hand through his hair, glanced over his shoulder again, and looked like he was trying very hard not to scream. ¡°Listen. I know this is all shiny and exciting and new, but this is not fun and games.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely games!¡± Ivy piped up. She¡¯d been drawing little stick figures in power armor slashing at furry monsters with oversized teeth in the margins of her paperwork.

    ¡°Consider me intrigued,¡± James mused, turning away from the guide. ¡°Not sure what all the rush and fuss is about, but I¡¯m quite curious to see what this tower stick is like.¡±

    ¡°Onward and upward!¡± Ivy shouted, charging through the door.

    And immediately came back out, cowed by the shouting of whoever was inside.

    The cheery young woman grinned knowingly at James before reaching out to take their paperwork. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see someone so excited. It¡¯s a breath of fresh air from all the hopeless, despairing type we usually get dragging their feet through here.¡±

    ¡°Like him?¡± James thumbed over his shoulder toward their strange and grumpy guide.

    ¡°Like him.¡± She nodded. She went about the task of filing and sorting their paperwork, which he was surprised they had to fill out with a pen after seeing all the glowing, shining, in-your-face tech that was far more advanced than he¡¯d expected when choosing Euriste 3.

    At least Ivy was finally getting the adventure she wanted and wasn¡¯t sickly anymore. Everything else was just icing on top.

    Shen Ai followed in their footsteps, filling out the paperwork silently and handing it over with excitement in her eyes. She was absolutely brimming with the same level of energy as Ivy through all that reserved, shy charm.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Just remember. Transit door.¡±

    ¡°Yes, noted. Thank you.¡±

    The moment they were past the standing-waiting stage and hadn¡¯t been rejected, their grumpy guide turned around and left without another word.

    There were five different ascension halls, so they¡¯d each be able to do it at the same time. James happened to be in the third central door, not that it should matter.

    The ¡®tower stick¡¯ the guy had mentioned didn¡¯t end up looking anything like James had envisioned. He¡¯d have expected a pole, perhaps, or a wand of some sort. Instead, it was an entire pillar of huge stone blocks¡­ suspended from the ceiling. The ceiling itself was at least three or four stories tall, and the space beneath the massive pillar was just about tall enough for him to sit in. A space that also happened to be the exact center of a large, intricate square of glowing carvings in the floor.

    He had a very uncomfortable feeling about this. Any one of those blocks would be enough to crush him into paste, and there were definitely more than one of them.

    ¡°So how do we do this?¡± he asked, eyeing the deadly-looking contraption warily. ¡°Just go touch it, I expect?¡±

    ¡°Nothing so basic. Take off your shirt and lie down here.¡± The awakening attendant was much more brisk and businesslike than the girl running the front office. He pointed to the central square.

    James did as instructed with the greatest reluctance. He edged his way under the gently swaying pillar and stared up at it. The underside was also carved with an intricate series of glowing lines, a mirror to those around him.

    ¡°One hand here, one hand here.¡±

    He placed his hands where instructed, and immediately felt a current of something warm and soft running up one arm, across his chest, and down the other. He twitched, breaking the connection, and shivered.

    ¡°Hand. Here. Don¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°It was an accident. You should have warned me it¡¯d be strangely furry.¡±

    ¡°Right. Furry.¡± The attendant scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± He pressed his hand to the wall, and the pillar began to descend.

    Slowly.

    ¡°And this won¡¯t crush me to paste, right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°Not reassuring!¡±

    Then the glowing stamp pressed down on his chest and he gasped for air. The warm furriness of the current was gone, replaced with a deep sense of peace and security. His surroundings went white, or perhaps black, or perhaps no color at all as he lay entranced within that perfect encapsulation. He didn¡¯t feel his body, only a warm soul-deep tranquility.

    Everything was fine. Everything would always be fine. He didn¡¯t have to worry. It was something he¡¯d felt in smaller doses ever since he¡¯d come to understand just how much power the shop had given him, but never so purely distilled as this.

    Then cold slapped him across the everything and he yelped in shock. The room with its pillar and square diagram reappeared around him, the chill in the air making him shiver. The pillar was raised again, no longer touching him, and there was no longer any sensation running through his arms.

    The attendant raised an eyebrow and tossed him his shirt. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone so unaffected by this. You made it all the way to legendary. Congratulations.¡±

    He offered James a hand up, then nodded at his chest. ¡°Want to register your heart with the Association? We can guarantee a 2% bonus on top of whatever your faction ends up paying.¡±

    James couldn¡¯t stop staring at the white square imprinted over his heart. It glowed faintly, even through his shirt. ¡°What is it? How do I use it?¡±

    ¡°Say ¡®Manifest¡¯.¡± The attendant¡¯s hand immediately held five cards, which disappeared when he released them. ¡°Like that.¡±

    ¡°Manifest.¡± James held out his hand, and his card appeared.

    <hr>

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that before,¡± the attendant breathed, her voice awed.

    Shen Ai looked down at the five cards in her hand, each glowing with a pure white light. ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°You must have a more powerful heart than anyone I¡¯ve ever heard of.¡±

    Shen Ai smiled. ¡°I suppose you could say that.¡±

    ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll get you an expansion guide.¡± The attendant shook her head again. ¡°I¡¯ve never needed one for a new awakening before. Normally, people have been climbing for years before they can register a full deck, let alone¡­¡± She disappeared out through the door, still muttering in disbelief, as Shen Ai examined each of her cards.

    The Heart card, the core of her deck, appeared at the center of the spread.

    Connection, 4th tier. Form a connection with another creature. This connection cannot be detected below 3rd tier.

    The other cards were similarly simple, each linked to Connection by a thin line of white light..

    Healing, 4th tier. Ease the pain and restore the body and spirit of the designated creature. Cannot be countered below 3rd tier.

    Analysis, 4th tier. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of the designated object or creature. Cannot be blocked below 3rd tier.

    Suppress, 4th tier. Prevent the activation of a designated ability. Duration increases with the differential between caster and target.

    Aware, 4th tier. Detection of minor details to a great degree. Pierce through disguise, illusion, and stealth alike for everything under the 4th tier.

    ¡°Here you are.¡± The attendant handed Shen Ai a thin blue card. ¡°All the information you¡¯ll need is in there. Don¡¯t share it with anyone who hasn¡¯t completed their deck yet. It¡¯s incredibly dangerous to attempt expansion without reaching first completion.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± Shen Ai held up her handful of cards. ¡°How do I use these?¡±

    ¡°Concentrate on it, then¡ª¡±

    Shen Ai analyzed the blue card in her hand. ¡°I do not have a companion block to read this with.¡±

    ¡°You can buy one at any tech shop. Beyonds, they may even give it to you for free if you promise to tell people where you got it. Assuming you register your deck. You will be registering your deck, I assume?¡±

    ¡°No thank you.¡± She closed her hand and the cards disappeared into her chest. ¡°I will find my own source of income. I do not need to beg or brag.¡± She drew herself up, channeling as much of her inner Senior Ivy as possible. ¡°Now, show me the transit door. I have urgent¡­ things to do.¡±

    The attendant looked disappointed, but led her out a second door on the other side of the room from where they¡¯d entered, along a narrow hallway, down three flights of steps, and to a balcony with a freestanding archway. Seniors James and Ivy were already there, leaning against the wall and conversing quietly.

    Senior James jumped forward with a grin. ¡°Hey, there you are. Also,¡± he turned to the attendant, ¡°before you go running off¡ª¡±

    The attendant backed away. She didn¡¯t quite run, but it was a near thing.

    James sighed and leaned back against the wall. ¡°No one¡¯s told me how to use this transit door thing. What¡¯s the use of¡ª¡±

    Shen Ai analyzed the contraption. ¡°It synchronizes with your companion block, which we don¡¯t have, and can be set to any of eighteen connected doors across the city. Including one in the courtyard of the tower itself.¡±

    James and Ivy stared at her.

    Shen Ai blushed. ¡°I have a couple strong information gathering cards in my deck.¡±

    ¡°A couple?¡± Ivy leaned forward. ¡°More than one?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Ai brought out her cards to show the seniors. ¡°The attendant said it was rare, but¡­ neither one of you did it either?¡±

    James shook his head.

    Ivy pulled out a single green-glowing card. ¡°I got an uncommon! Retaliation.¡± She grinned. ¡°Nobody better hit me, or they¡¯ll get hit back twice as hard.¡±

    ¡°Mine¡¯s¡­¡± James glanced at Ivy guiltily, then pulled out his own. It glowed golden. ¡°Legendary, Protective Totem. It can block any effect of tier four or below. Making me basically invincible until we get to the third tier of the tower.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Ivy looked between his card and hers. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you can apply it to someone else? If you could make it so I can¡¯t be hurt, but my Retaliation still bounces things back¡­¡±

    ¡°It only works for me. But it¡¯s not really¡­¡± James rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I¡¯d rather give it to you.¡±

    Ivy shook her head aggressively. ¡°I¡¯m going to do this the right way. I¡¯m going to build up my power from the bottom, like a hero should.¡±

    ¡°Right now, I think we need to figure out where we¡¯re going from here, because we¡¯re starting to get a line built up.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter Ninety

    Shouting came from the entrance, clearly heard by James, Ivy, and Shen Ai.

    James grimaced. ¡°Guess our helpful guide wasn¡¯t kidding about needing to go out the back. Maybe we¡¯ll have to thank him for keeping us away from whoever that angry person is.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but the issue still remains¡­ How are we going to get out of here without the companion block?¡± Ivy asked.

    They all pondered the question for a moment before turning back to the attendant.

    She waved her hands in a panic and took a step away from them. ¡°That¡¯s B-Bron Del. H-he¡¯ll kill me if I help.¡±

    ¡°Help us anyway,¡± Ivy grumbled, but Shen Ai crossed the room and grabbed a hold of both the attendant¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be needing your companion block.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡­ can¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Do it.¡± James had never seen Shen Ai so aggressive before, but she wasn¡¯t about to take no for an answer. ¡°He might be down there, but we are up here right now. Hand it over.¡±

    The attendant looked like she might faint from stress, but then nodded with tears streaming down her eyes. She pulled a rectangular block from her pocket, a little bigger than a credit card but an inch-thick, silvery smooth with a single diagonal slash sectioning off one corner which was lower than the rest of the block. Shen Ai snatched it up quickly and left the attendant behind.

    ¡°Just tell them we forced you to give it over. Surely they¡¯re not merciless enough to hurt you when you¡¯re the victim of theft,¡± Ivy said, shrugging. ¡°Might be time to find a new occupation, though. Thanks for all the help!¡±

    The shouting got louder as Shen Ai fiddled with the block and transit door, finally getting it to work just as the culprit of all the screaming came into view.

    ¡°Wait right there!¡± he commanded, a flashy pistol pointed toward them.

    ¡°Uh¡­ No thanks!¡± Ivy waved as the transit portaled them away with a hiss, whir, and fwoosh. The floor came up in blocks, forming a sphere around them, and when it dropped, they were somewhere else entirely. ¡°That¡¯s cool.¡±

    ¡°Now what¡­?¡± Shen Ai asked, looking around.

    ¡°To the tower!¡±

    <hr>

    The tower was even more bright and obnoxious up close. It was magnetically interesting, with alien shapes and symbols woven into the blue of its unearthly aura, but it was also dazzling to look at.

    The gate, at least, was simple gold. Not just gold colored, but solid gold that reflected and shone¡­ just not with its own magical glow, which made it the least annoying thing to look at.

    ¡°Name?¡± said the bored guard standing by the arrival door.

    They gave their names.

    ¡°Classes?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­?¡±

    The guard frowned. ¡°Class. Es. What are yours?¡±

    ¡°Retaliator?¡± Ivy guessed.

    The guard looked her up and down. ¡°Try again.¡±

    ¡°To spare us all some time, we¡¯re not from around here. Only just got our heart cards activated. Was there supposed to be more we needed to do before we were rudely interrupted?¡± James asked.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say it out loud, I can just scan your companion blocks.¡±

    They looked at each other, then at him.

    ¡°...Do you even have companion blocks?¡± the guard asked, crossing his arms and staring at them balefully. ¡°How far away are you from?¡±

    ¡°Is it really that important?¡± Ivy asked.

    Shen Ai held the one they¡¯d stolen from the attendant up. ¡°Do you mean this, by chance?¡±

    The guard¡¯s eyes flashed lightning blue as he looked over Shen Ai, then he recoiled, his hands holding the sides of his heads. ¡°Argh! Why are you with these two if you¡¯re so strong?¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡± Shen Ai asked, looking at Ivy and James. When they shrugged, she shrugged too.

    ¡°Deflecting second tier screening isn¡¯t something so easily done,¡± the guard grunted a helpful explanation. ¡°Why is someone from above the twenty-fifth floor incognito with these newbies acting so lost¡­ I digress. You can¡¯t enter until your classes are recorded.¡±

    ¡°Gahh!¡± Ivy growled. She grabbed the companion block from Shen Ai.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to mess around, at least get out of the way while you do it.¡± Indeed, there were several people impatiently glancing at the guard, waiting their turn to be admitted.

    James hastily apologized and herded the group off to the side a bit. Ivy poked and prodded at the rectangular block, trying to get it to activate. ¡°How do I use this stupid thing?!¡±

    Shen Ai tried to grab the block back to show Ivy how to work the object, but Ivy hissed and clutched it to her chest. ¡°Oh¡­ Okay.¡±

    James carefully took it from Ivy and quickly got the grasp on how to connect with it.

    James

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Class: Available Level: NA

    Deck (1/5)

    [Heart] Protective Totem (Tier 5)

    It looked basic and told him everything he¡¯d already known about his deck. However, he found he could mentally interact with the ¡°available¡± option and mentally prodded it. An enormous list appeared full of all sorts of things, ranging from warrior and spearman to gunslinger and mecha to gambler and charlatan.

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± There were far too many options, and none of them screamed ¡°I¡¯m cool and advanced but also require little effort to make work, pick me¡±. He immediately discounted all of the running around and fighting classes and kept things simple, going for the humble mage.

    A blue light flashed around him after his selection. His status now read:

    James

    Class: Mage Level: 1

    Deck (2/6)

    [Heart] Protective Totem (Tier 5)

    [Class] Magebolt (Tier 1)

    ¡°Nifty.¡± He handed the companion block over to Ivy and explained how to go about using it, then watched as a light blue beam of light illuminated her. ¡°Congratulations.¡±

    Shen Ai went next, almost instantly selecting her class.

    Finished with preparations, James turned to the guard. ¡°Now?¡±

    ¡°Classes?¡± The guard looked at them dubiously, especially Shen Ai, but did his duties diligently.

    Ivy was the first to offer, shouting, ¡°Duelist!¡±

    The guard looked her up and down, then sighed and turned to Shen Ai.

    ¡°Scout.¡±

    James provided his.

    The guard recorded their information. ¡°Alliance affiliation?¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    He glanced at Shen Ai again.

    ¡°None,¡± she agreed.

    He shrugged, made a note, then had them all sign a waiver that they understood they were risking their lives and would not hold New Tienithport responsible for their untimely demise or anyone looting their corpses.

    ¡°You sure you want to go in like that?¡± the guard asked, frowning as he glanced up from the page, a quick sideways flick at Shen Ai. ¡°What happened to your equipment? Do you need¡­ assistance?¡±

    ¡°Do you have a sword?¡± Ivy excitedly asked. ¡°A big one?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Bah, then why¡¯d you even bother offering to help in the first place?¡± Ivy brushed past him and moved toward the entrance of the tower. ¡°We¡¯re better off figuring things out on our own.¡±

    James watched as Ivy sauntered off and addressed the guard, ¡°Did you need anything else from us¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just go.¡±

    <hr>

    Just one more. Zibo staggered forward blearily, tired beyond tired but unable to stop. One more shard, then I can rest.

    The effects of holding an incomplete deck were deadly if not taken seriously. Everyone said so, but Zibo had stubbornly resisted giving in to any of the faction¡¯s predatory contracts. Until today, there had always been someone willing to team up and take out at least one stray newcomer, but now Zibo found himself alone and powerless.

    His class card was worse than useless. Conceal. Not even invisibility, just a cheap knock-off. Useful enough for helping set up an ambush, but no use at all when trapped alone on the third floor.

    His heart card only made a mockery of his suffering. Refreshment. A minor restoration card that came off cooldown after six hours. He could sustain himself without food, with minimal rest. But the emptiness in his heart still gnawed at him. Four blank spaces, each burning him alive from inside.

    How long had it been since Zibo was abandoned here? Since he became a liability rather than an asset? Days¡­ weeks¡­? He could no longer remember.

    All he needed to do was find one straggler. One injured monster or neglected climber. One kill, one shard, and he could relieve this pain another day.

    Just keep going. One more. Just a little longer¡­

    <hr>

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you think the first floor would be something a bit easier?¡± Ivy ran at top speed, pursued by a twelve-foot-tall ogre wielding a tree for a club. ¡°I don¡¯t think Retaliation is going to be enough for this!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got you,¡± Shen Ai called out, one hand raised with her Healing card, the other extended toward Ivy and forming a barely-visible glowing thread to connect the two of them.

    James continued his consistent barrage of magebolts, shooting the second enough energy coalesced to activate the card again. Compared to his Legendary heart card with no cooldown at all, waiting around between shots on this basic thing was annoying.

    The ogre finally decided it had had enough of chasing the tiny thing that kept getting away and spun to smash its club down on James again.

    James yawned and fired another magebolt. ¡°That didn¡¯t work last time, you think it¡¯ll do better now?¡±

    The club came down, and James¡¯s golden totem appeared in front of him. The blow slid harmlessly off the shining effect, like a two-dimensional phoenix whose wings spread clear from floor to higher than James''s head. Though the attack was deflected, it wasn''t negated, slamming into the ground beside him with enough force to send up a spray of grass and dirt.

    ¡°Fight me!¡± Ivy shouted, apparently no longer afraid now that the ogre was targeting her brother, and ran up to kick it in the shin. The fact that her class card, Adversity, only helped against enemies who were attacking her specifically probably contributed to this attitude. Unfortunately, since she¡¯d only get one attack in before she had to start running again, her class was so far not living up to her grand expectations.

    The ogre ignored the pest behind it and continued slamming its club against the unyielding force of James¡¯s legendary card. The fact that James kept shooting magebolts up its nose didn¡¯t hurt in keeping its attention on him.

    It took another eight minutes, during which Ivy ended up running around twice more after pulling aggro, and Shen Ai had to heal her once when she got her leg crunched into squishy paste, but that was only a minor inconvenience. James jumped in front of the girls long enough for Shen Ai to get Ivy back on her feet, and then Ivy went into a furious barrage that somehow was enough to overwhelm the ogre¡¯s toughness and knock it over. Another three minutes of magebolt after that, and they had themselves their first monster kill.

    ¡°That,¡± James panted, leaning on his totem, ¡°should not have been that hard.¡±

    ¡°I want that sword,¡± Ivy growled. ¡°I told you we sho¡ª¡±

    The ogre¡¯s body disappeared with an audible pop and a pale blue card appeared hovering where it had fallen. Unlike their cards, which were rectangular, this card was slightly pointed on either side, as if someone had taken a rectangle and stretched it out just a bit into a lopsided hexagon.

    ¡°Dibs!¡± Ivy jumped forward. Neither of the others made a move. Shen Ai already had a full deck, and James was quite satisfied with his ability to sit back safely and shoot magic at their enemies from a distance.

    As soon as the card had been claimed, James noticed another strange thing happening around the massive felled ogre. A golden strand of energy formed above the creature, something James was intimate enough with to identify as lifespan, and shot into all of their chests.

    He¡¯d been paying attention to it and noticed the moment it impacted them was the same moment he received an experience increase notification and rose from level one to three. A fourth portion, equally as large as the combined they¡¯d received, shot up into the sky and disappeared from sight.

    <hr>

    ¡°Boss, we found them.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you waiting for? Bring them to me!¡± Bron growled from where he sat, his feet resting atop the unfortunate attendant. ¡°Now, what am I going to do with you?¡±

    ¡°P-please¡­ spare m-me!¡±

    He leaned down, grinning as he spun his pistol on one finger. ¡°Now, that request has some¡­ interesting interpretations, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter Ninety One

    ¡°What''d you get?¡± James called out, admittedly a bit curious as to what card Ivy might have gotten. He wanted to see his little sister¡¯s power improve, after all, as a proper proud brother should.

    ¡°The experience from the ogre was sweet! I want to fight more of them!¡± Ivy shouted, pumping her fist with a victory whoop. ¡°The card is Tough Skin. It¡¯s another Augmentation type, so it won¡¯t clash with my class card.¡± She pressed the card into her chest, then swayed unsteadily. ¡°That one¡¯s got a kick to it,¡± she slurred, toppling sideways into James.

    He caught and steadied her, but didn¡¯t let go. ¡°Ivy! Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Gimme a bit¡­¡± For a long moment she leaned there, breathing hard as though trying to recover from a marathon. Then she abruptly shook herself, straightened, and grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s go again! I want to see how much this helps.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, for the sake of efficiency, Senior Ivy, we should fight easier creatures for a higher rate of experience gain,¡± Shen Ai suggested quietly.

    ¡°But that¡¯s so boring,¡± Ivy didn¡¯t hesitate to quip back, rolling her eyes. ¡°Have you seen anything in here that could be called ¡®easier¡¯? That¡¯s the smallest ogre we¡¯ve seen, and I don¡¯t think we want to mess with those tree-things.¡±

    ¡°This floor is quite expansive, and we¡¯ve not spent much time searching for other adversaries. Surely there are more options than this,¡± Shen Ai pressed, a look of concern on her face.

    James cut into the conversation then. ¡°I don¡¯t think the problem is that what we¡¯re facing is difficult enough to be dangerous. We don¡¯t have the power to make this easier, faster, less of a grind.¡±

    Ivy sighed. ¡°That¡¯s part of the fun though!¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± James said with a shrug. ¡°Pull the next one then.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°What was I thinking?¡±

    With a large portion of his day already eaten up by attempting to be charitable and help the overly excited newbies, Merek felt the weight of his heart card bearing down on his chest. Even the aggressive hunger of his common card felt like it would consume him if he didn¡¯t hurry.

    But all the parties had already departed, leaving him panting as he hunted for something, anything, he could hope to fight. There were plenty of parties that eyed him as he passed, but luckily for him, they tangled with their foes and couldn¡¯t pursue him for an easy hunt.

    Aside from those he¡¯d already developed trust for¡ªand even then, only so much¡ªhe didn¡¯t trust a single person in the tower.

    So when he saw those same newbies running around like they were about to get themselves crushed by the first surviving monster he¡¯d found, it only made him angry. There was only so far he could justify getting tangled with anyone more than he was already involved with.

    The guy was shooting off basic spells over and over, the girl was desperately trying to catch the monster¡¯s attention, and the monster was closing in to crush the idiot.

    The thought flicked through Merek¡¯s mind that, if the guy was going to die anyway, perhaps he could steal enough participation to have a chance at his shard. It was a slim chance, but¡­

    Before he could convince himself to engage in such an underhanded scheme, the moment of opportunity was gone. The ogre¡¯s tree¡ªnot one of the sentient ones this time¡ªslammed down onto the¡­

    Impenetrable golden light?

    Merek blinked and stared. Gold! Legendary? What? How? Who¡­

    The man continued standing, fully relaxed, shooting off his spell as though bored.

    The ogre¡¯s tree smashed down again and again, until the weapon fell apart into splinters.

    ¡°Aw, come on! At least hit me once!¡± The girl flailed at the ogre¡¯s feet with her fists, but that wasn¡¯t going to get its attention. ¡°I want to see how well this works!¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Merek¡¯s throat felt very dry and he was suddenly very thankful for his paralysis of indecision. These were not people he wanted as enemies.

    Doing his best to conceal his fear, he jogged over. ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice you¡¯re missing a rapid damage role. I normally wouldn¡¯t offer my services to a group as newly-formed as this, but since we already know each other I¡¯ll make an exception.¡±

    He placed a hand on the ogre¡¯s foot and activated his deck. It¡¯d taken him eight months to save up for his first card, and it was a good one. Common, but one of the better ones. Actually useful, unlike some he was aware of.

    Burst.

    Nothing too fancy, just a pulse of force that emanated from his hand and aggressively disassembled anything it encountered. At level 18, he was almost too strong to get anything from a basic monster like this, and the power tore through its lower leg like a rock through pudding.

    The ogre toppled over, one last magebolt enough to finish it off.

    Merek was glad they¡¯d already done so much damage to it, or his demonstration would have been much less impressive-looking. But as it was¡­

    ¡°Oooh! How did you do that? I want one!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about it while we walk. But we should get going right now. Those guys chasing you will know that you¡¯re new to the tower, so the first floor is the last place you want to be. I can get you to floor 5, and you can exit through a different city there.¡±

    ¡°And pulp a few more monsters on the way?¡±

    Merek grinned. ¡°Of course. I doubt we could avoid another fight if we tried.¡±

    The tiny thread of experience from this monster wasn¡¯t nearly enough, but if he had a Legendary protector type to hold the front line? This was going to be a very good day.

    <hr>

    The addition of Merek, a committed damage dealer capable of truly injuring whatever they crossed, exponentially increased their rate of progress. James noticed quickly that the experience contribution immediately split four ways when Merek attacked. It seemed natural, but how did the energy know to split and to who was owed what when he hadn¡¯t seen anything close to a party system?

    It was a curious thought, but he doubted he¡¯d find answers anytime soon, so he kept them to himself and kept following behind, his magebolt firing the second he could the entire time they traveled.

    Once, James tried to shoot at a monster to save a random tower-goer from being crushed, but Merek had grabbed his hand and sent the bolt flying upward. Their old guide and new party member did nothing to explain himself and only provided a shake of his head.

    Cards dropped by monsters they slew were collected as they progressed, most unusable and highly discouraged by Merek. No matter how many times they asked him to clarify, he never did.

    His eyes were focused ahead or locked on their next target on their way to the path to the next floor, always on the lookout for trouble. James thought it interesting, noticing how Merek kept a fixed distance from all of them and would walk on the outside of their group.

    The lack of trust reminded James of Iastlan and Aiguo. Very little about the residents changed between worlds.

    James¡¯ train of thought was interrupted as Ivy thumbed to the side.

    ¡°Are you avoiding everyone else because of the tower factions?¡± Ivy asked as they took a wide swing around another group of humans battling three ogres and a pair of trees.

    ¡°I¡¯m avoiding everyone else because they have every reason to take advantage of your low level and would try to kill you,¡± he said tightly. ¡°You¡¯ll see as soon as we get to the ascension lobby.¡±

    They took out several more ogres, ran away from a group of five trees, and finally arrived at a nondescript blank vestibule built out of the side of the sky.

    James walked all the way around it, waving his hands through the wall where it was connected. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Pretend it¡¯s an elevator and it¡¯ll mess with your head less.¡± Merek shoved the door open and disappeared inside¡­ despite the walls being made of glass.

    Ivy ran after him, and Shen Ai didn¡¯t seem concerned, so James followed the rest of the group inside.

    The ascension lobby was¡­ bright. And a whole lot larger than it seemed it should be. A collection of shop stands crowded around another door immediately to the right of the one they¡¯d emerged from¡ªtheirs was labeled 1 and the other with a 2¡ªand the clamor of voices hawking their wares or, in the case of several people clumped by the side of the 1 door, begging for cards.

    Straight ahead, there was a full on cantina bar complete with bartender, crowds, and a collection of huge screens on the back wall opposite the two doors. There was almost an invisible line dividing the huge lobby area in half, the near half crowded and loud, the far half free of anyone but those sitting in groups with their drinks.

    ¡°The lobby is a null zone, so people think it¡¯s a safe place to hide.¡± Merek scoffed and shook his head. ¡°They¡¯ll regret that decision sooner or later.¡±

    People immediately started waving and shouting for their attention, but James¡¯s attention was focused only on one thing.

    The leaderboard was sorted into three sections. One, on the left, showed the top 100 names. On the right, a list of the bottom 100. The section in the middle scrolled randomly through the middle 873,000 other names.

    He half expected to see himself or Ivy on the bottom, but they were not. Neither were they on the currently-visible section of the middle list.

    But one familiar name shone in clear white from the dead center of the top list.

    Rank 43: Shen Ai

    <hr>

 Chapter Ninety Two

    It was easy to track the path of the newcomers who¡¯d awakened their boss¡¯s ire. Once they knew where to start looking, the trail of confusion they left in their wake was unmistakable.

    Ignoring laws, flouting customs, and acting like some combination of idiot tourists and dangerous fugitives, the group left more than enough hints behind to follow them.

    At least, at first. Midway through floor one, their strategy abruptly shifted. Instead of making a complete spectacle out of themselves, they started trying to be covert and moved more swiftly and with purpose.

    Olor Avix, the lead scout for this particular detachment, held up a hand to bring his group to a halt.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Urthir, his primary mage asked, scanning the area with concern. ¡°You find something?¡±

    ¡°I know where they¡¯re going. Take your best snipers and go to the second floor and post up as overwatch by the Carnage. Wait for my signal.¡±

    Urthir grinned. ¡°Unless they slip past you and reach us first.¡±

    Olor laughed coldly. ¡°Nothing slips past me. Go.¡±

    As Urthir and two snipers Olor recognized as rankers in the top fifty thousand, departed in the direction of the second floor¡¯s entrance, Alamir and Dimavar approached from behind. Urthir grinned, giving both the customary salute.

    ¡°¡®Ey, Olly. You got any intel to share, or do I need to remind you that you owe us for saving your ass during the Revarian Sandworm incident?¡± Alamir¡¯s shit-eating grin annoyed Olly, but a debt owed must be repaid.

    ¡°They entered the midway point, and it appears they¡¯ve picked up a guide. The drop point into the second floor will be right in the middle of the weekly Carnage. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve got, so I¡¯ll see the both of you after we¡¯ve bagged them and Bron gives us a promotion,¡± Olor said, waving as his short range teleport augment swifted him away from the two,

    With them competing, he¡¯d have to be careful not to get his ticket to promotion within the Expansionists stolen out from under his nose.

    He spit behind him. ¡°Try me, boys. Get in my way, and I¡¯ll make you hurt in ways you didn¡¯t know you could.¡±

    <hr>

    From the way people in the bar seating area were pointing at the leaderboard and muttering, James got the distinct impression that a newcomer appearing so highly ranked had come as an unwelcome surprise to many. He was glad to see no one pointing in their direction, at least.

    Yet.

    ¡°We should go,¡± James said.

    ¡°Aw, I wanted to trade these for something useful¡­¡± Ivy glanced down at her collection of monster cards.

    ¡°Nope, we should go now.¡± James herded them toward the door labeled ¡°two¡±.

    Merek caught on and tugged it open for them. ¡°There¡¯ll be plenty of other lobbies to shop in. With monster cards, you¡¯ll get a better price if you have them sharded them first anyway, and you can¡¯t do that properly until floor ten.¡±

    ¡°Why wait? I have the option right now.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t. By default, each level increases the chance of successfully retrieving a shard by ten percent. If you¡¯re under level ten, you may not even get one shard, let alone the full set. We¡¯ll hire a professional.¡±

    <hr>

    The second floor was occupied by four castles, each positioned on a hill equidistant from one another, and endless armies poured out from each of their open gates to assault the castles adjacent and try to claim the field in the middle. Each castle''s battlements was hung with a clashing variety of colored banners, haphazardly placed without any sense of aesthetics.

    Merek started down toward the nearest castle without pause, as though the thunder of charging minotaurs was fully ordinary.

    ¡°Is it just me, or are these lower floors way too dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Do not be afraid, Senior James, nothing will harm you here.¡±

    ¡°But it might harm Ivy. Or you.¡±

    ¡°I will be fine.¡±

    ¡°I could protect myself better if I had a giant sword,¡± Ivy complained for the hundredth time.

    ¡°As soon as we get back to the shop and can trade in some¡­ currency for local goods, we¡¯ll buy you any sword you want,¡± James promised for the hundredth time.

    ¡°Why do we have to rush through the floors instead of going back out the way we came?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve upset some very powerful, very dangerous people. Wait here. Be ready to run when I signal.¡± Merek opened a back gate in the castle they¡¯d walked up to, and disappeared inside.

    ¡°Signal? Run where?¡± James sighed. ¡°This adventure is getting a little tiring.¡± He waved a hand, and a comfortable chair, sandwich, and cool drink completely failed to materialize. ¡°I miss the shop.¡±

    ¡°What were you trying to do, Senior James?¡±

    James stuck his head into the door, which turned out to lead to a narrow stairway leading up to a tower. ¡°Hey, grumpy Merek! I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s a card for summoning sandwiches?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an advanced evolution of ten different conjuration cards, only usable at Rare level or above.¡± Merek leaned over the railing about eight stories up to glare down at James. ¡°Be ready to move.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready, I¡¯m ready.¡± James leaned up against the wall beside the door. ¡°Ten card conjuration array just for a simple sandwich. Ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°Now! Straight across!¡± Merek shouted from the tower.

    Shen Ai grabbed James and Ivy¡¯s hands in hers and was already running the moment the words left his mouth.

    They fell in naturally with a group emerging from the gate, perfectly in sync as though they¡¯d planned it. It was quite the thrilling¡ªand terrifying¡ªexperience to charge in the middle of an army of minotaurs.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    The front ranks of their group clashed into the opposing group, which was made of minotaurs wearing gray armor instead of brown. Several stray blows bounced off James¡¯s Protective Totem, but somehow Shen Ai managed to maneuver them through the chaos without any of them being hurt.

    Merek, though¡­ was another matter. He¡¯d been at the top of the tower when they left and though he charged toward them with the next group, he wasn¡¯t nearly so adept at evading. He got trapped in a fight without being able to disengage before he¡¯d crossed half the distance.

    Shen Ai pointed to the far side of the sky. ¡°Go! I¡¯ll retrieve our guide.¡±

    James grabbed Ivy¡¯s hand and ran.

    Behind them, the war clashed on. Ahead, another battle, between the gray minotaurs and those in a third castle who wore green.

    ¡°Stay right behind me.¡± James timed their run and threw himself into the gap between waves. They had to run diagonally, keeping ahead of the charging gray minotaurs while weaving their way past.

    They weren¡¯t fast enough to stay ahead, but so long as James kept Ivy very close, his Protective Totem blocked anything coming near him.

    It was enough to get them through to the other side, though not an experience James would ever want to repeat.

    He looked back once they were clear, trying to get a better perspective on what was happening on this floor. It didn¡¯t make any sense to him, until he noticed that there were people fighting inside each of the castles, and that the number of minotaurs leaving each castle was proportionally matched to the number of flags flying from the castle walls.

    Some kind of war game, with the perpetually-respawning minotaurs as proxy for the smaller fights going on behind the scenes.

    ¡°Lifespan,¡± he whispered and saw, for a brief moment, a thousand threads of gold crisscrossing the field, all streaming to one or another of the castles¡ªapart from the tower¡¯s share, which went straight up as usual.

    ¡°If we had the time, holding one of these castles looks like it would provide a lot of experience. Anything an allied minotaur kills goes to the people inside.¡±

    Ivy¡¯s eyes widened as she took in the widespread carnage taking place. ¡°This¡­!¡±

    ¡°We should come back once we¡¯ve got your sword. After all, you did want to fight in an arena.¡± James grinned.

    Ivy punched him. ¡°But where are the others?¡±

    James shook his head. Between the sheer size and quantity of minotaurs on the field, he couldn¡¯t make out Shen Ai or Merek anywhere. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll find us. For now, we''ll keep you alive and maybe try to steal a little bit of experience.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡± She paused, her enthusiasm turning into amusement. ¡°That cheat skill really suits your laziness.¡±

    ¡°It sure does.¡± He pointed toward an approaching minotaur and launched a magebolt. He looked at the miniscule damage and sighed. ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s a way to make this skill stronger. It¡¯s simple and effective, but it does so little damage.¡±

    Protective Totem flashed golden as the minotaur¡¯s rushing form got within range for its horned head to lower and try to bash him. It was stopped in its tracks and let out a roar of pure rage right in his face.

    James noted the spittle it flung in his face didn¡¯t qualify as an effect worthy of deflection as it splattered into his eyes. ¡°Maybe I should look into getting a cleaning spell before I go for the sandwich array.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°I really thought I could make it through there,¡± Merek groaned. He¡¯d been in such a rush to get them all to safety, he¡¯d mis-timed his own escape. Stupid. He shouldn¡¯t be risking his life this far, let alone actually getting injured for them. What did he owe them, anyway? They were amazing, powerful, but still low level. Was their future potential really worth risking himself so fully?

    Shen Ai stood over him, alternating between sending minotaurs flying with her bare hands and using an epic-mastery deck to heal him. ¡°Your awareness of your surroundings is lacking. You should remedy this before you attempt to do such things alone again.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he coughed. ¡°It¡¯s usually not this bad. I¡¯ve come through here two or three times a day¡­¡± He¡¯d seen battles like this before, but this was the first time he¡¯d tried rushing through one. He should have known better.

    ¡°Can you walk?¡± The stampeding minotaur hordes charged them from either side, but slowly, as she sent one after the other flying away in the same direction, a path began to clear.

    Merek nodded.

    ¡°Then follow me.¡± Gradually, they got closer and closer to the edge of battle. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down,¡± she warned. ¡°I sense several presences waiting beyond. I believe they are here for us.¡±

    Then the waves broke, and the presences turned out to be a group of people lazily waiting on standby.

    People Merek recognized. Expansionists. Bron Del¡¯s lackeys and enforcers. And it was too late. They¡¯d already seen him and Shen Ai. Their whole demeanors shifted.

    Merek paled and shrank back. ¡°No¡­ not like this¡­¡± He looked frantically back and forth between Shen Ai and the waiting ambushers, panic only growing as the confrontation became inevitable. He couldn¡¯t fight the whole Expansion faction. He was already on thin ice with them after the previous fiasco.

    ¡°Ah, what do we have here, boys?¡± The speaker lifted his wrist, and a projection appeared there from a tiny implant in his wrist.

    It was James, Ivy, Merek, and Shen Ai talking in the city. Merek swallowed and backed away. He was dead. There was no way out of this. No way.

    ¡°Looks like one of ¡®em to me, boys. Bag ¡®em for the boss.¡±

    Another tapped the first speaker¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Alamir, boss said to get rid of the rat.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Alamir snapped, grinning. ¡°That¡¯s right. Get rid of the rat and bag the exotic one, boys. Get it done before Olor can interrupt.¡±

    ¡°Aye!¡± the group roared.

    Shen Ai raised her hands, prepared to fight.

    ¡°No!¡± Merek let out a strangled cry and cowered behind Shen Ai. ¡°You can¡¯t fight them. They¡¯re from above the fifth tier.¡±

    ¡°I can fight whomever I wish,¡± she said, drawing herself up grimly. ¡°I don¡¯t like their sort.¡±

    ¡°P-please, you¡¯re the one with they want, m-maybe they¡¯ll make a deal with you!¡± It was his only hope of getting out of this alive. Why, why had he stayed? Helping them once was enough of a risk, he should never have done it a second time. He¡¯d been pushing his luck enough as it was. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, but could we negotiate?¡± Shen Ai asked without breaking eye contact with Alamir. ¡°I¡¯m quite willing to provide my services, assuming you can afford it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the pretty one wants to do business, Dimavar. What say you?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Little Bird to Momma Bird, the pests have split and are on the move,¡± Jarvick, a scout for the Ascension faction, relayed through a device in his sleek armor¡¯s helmet. The surroundings blurred around him as the active camouflage kept him out of sight and away from unwanted attention.

    The voice that responded back over the communication systems was clear and calm, cold and calculating. ¡°Keep your distance, but try to get closer. Relay identities as you get a good scan and everything they do, asap. We can¡¯t fall behind the Expansionists on this. Not this time.¡±

    ¡°Black Cat to Momma Bird, I¡¯ve caught a little mouse,¡± came over the squad¡¯s line, interrupting them. ¡°I¡¯ve hijacked their comms and have a direct line established. Currently preparing to relay.¡±

    Jarvick paid attention to the comms as he began a high speed pursuit of Bron¡¯s men. His ocular augment was good for keeping distance and tracking, but in this case, it was a little too good. The distance he needed to cover would take time, and from how they¡¯d picked up their pace, he didn¡¯t know if he could afford to slack.

    ¡°B-Black Cat to Momma Bird, there¡¯s word of a legendary heart card user and¡­ and in that user¡¯s party an epic. Fully manifested epic deck on awakening, over.¡±

    ¡°Location?¡±

    ¡°The Expansionists think the party has recently entered the second floor amidst the Carnage Castle¡¯s weekly farming session. They¡¯ve lost visual confirmation, but it¡¯s only a matter of time now until that party is found¡ª¡± A second passed in silence. ¡°Disregard. They¡¯ve made contact!¡±

    A legendary awakener and a full epic manifested deck? Jarvick disregarded remaining stealthed and put his suit¡¯s full power into optimization for speed.

    No matter what, he would find them and recruit them himself.

    ¡°Little Bird, your orders are to¡ª¡±

    Jarvick shut off his connection to the faction¡¯s comms. Right now, he needed to be able to focus. If he couldn¡¯t keep this new power party from being recruited by the Expansionists, he¡¯d kill them¡­

    Even if it would be his final act for his people.

    <hr>

 Chapter Ninety Three

    ¡°Name¡¯s Olor.¡±

    ¡°James.¡±

    ¡°Ivy, but more importantly, why shouldn¡¯t I have my brother fill you with magic holes?¡±

    ¡°See, I¡¯m glad you asked. Your brother can¡¯t be more than level twelve or so? And he¡¯s far from the only one capable of making magic holes. Luckily for you, everyone¡¯s day can be simplified if you just come along with us. All my boss wants is to extend a gracious hand of opportunity to the both of you.¡±

    James grunted, ¡°Then why isn¡¯t he here?¡±

    ¡°You think he has nothing better to do than run around trying to find people more interested in playing tourist than acting as proper adults?¡± Olor chuckled. ¡°You seem to have tried to hide your trail, even. That¡¯s what I¡¯m for. To ensure Bron doesn¡¯t have to waste his time. If you end up not working out, no harm done.¡±

    Ivy and James both thought of Merek and how their guide constantly kept them from being involved in much on the first floor, but after everything at the awakening hall and having to rush out in a hurry, neither felt inclined to be sympathetic for the inconveniences caused.

    Growing tired of the conversation already, James sighed. ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t care. You can leave us an address, and we might respond after we discuss and if we¡¯re interested.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a casual offer you can pursue at your leisure. This is a choice you need to make. Or it¡¯ll be made for you.¡±

    Ivy tilted her head. ¡°I think he¡¯s really trying to threaten us. Isn¡¯t this exciting?¡±

    James groaned, completely unfazed and more bothered than anything by the man¡¯s attempts at whatever it was he tracked them down for. If it was a sale¡¯s pitch, he was doing a terrible job.. ¡°Unfortunately for your boss, we¡¯ve seen worse. Also, we¡¯re the ones who make the deals here, and you can tell him I said exactly that,¡± James said, pointing a finger toward Olor. ¡°Consider yourself dismissed. If you continue to harass us¡ªwell, I¡¯m sure you can figure out what it means.¡±

    A vein pulsed in Olor¡¯s temple, bulging against his forehead. He raised a hand straight up. ¡°You seem to think you hold any power here. You¡¯ve made this quite difficult, so I suppose this is where the fun part begins.¡±

    Then he dropped his hand.

    James¡¯ Protective Totem blocked something. A faraway bang echoed down to them, seemingly from the direction of one of the castles. James got closer to Ivy and sheltered her with his body.

    ¡°Your skill is quite impressive, I will admit, but you won¡¯t escape!¡± Olor shouted, an energy sword in one hand and small compact firearm in the other. Something bigger than a pistol and peppering James with all sorts of attacks.

    Fiery explosions, noxious gasses, icy lances, and earthy shrapnel began forming a semicircle around the pair. The magebolt James fired off went wide and paled in comparison to what they were being assaulted by.

    ¡°Hmm, maybe we bit off more than we could chew here,¡± Ivy grumbled, tapping her foot impatiently. ¡°If only Shen Ai was here, I¡¯d show them what we can really do.¡±

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s not. And I certainly didn¡¯t do any biting.¡±

    ¡°Might be time to give Tough Skin a trial by fire test,¡± Ivy suggested, earning a scathing glare from James. She returned an innocent grin, hands together in front of her. ¡°You know, if we¡¯d gotten me a big sword sooner, this wouldn¡¯t be an issue!¡±

    ¡°How does that make any sense¡­? Gonna walk out there and try to activate Retaliation with a giant hole in your head? Yeah, right,¡± James bit back, looking for a way out. The exit was within sight, but there was no way they could cross that distance without being intercepted.

    This situation grated on his nerves. He wished the shop was here so he could exchange some of his stockpiled lifespan to show these people who they were messing with. His inability to get out of them in tandem with his ability to eat everything they threw at him made him grin as he thought about how this whole shop thing started.

    He¡¯d been killed by a psychopath with a knife, and now he stood still, unflinching, as a veritable bombardment rained down around him.

    ¡°Well,¡± James put his arm around his sister¡¯s shoulder to hold her close. ¡°I vote we start walking and see how far we get before someone comes in close enough for you to punch them.¡±

    ¡°Boring.¡± Ivy gave an exaggerated yawn. ¡°Not enough explosions.¡±

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Something exploded. She yelped and jumped in shock, then laughed. ¡°Perfect!¡±

    Olor and his group spread out to surround them, blocking any chance of just walking past.

    Ah, well. Maybe they could still be negotiated with? ¡°I¡¯d rather you just let us walk away, but we could stand here all day if you prefer to wear yourselves out.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re coming with us, or you¡¯re going down. There is no alternative.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, good luck with that.¡±

    ¡°Will you give me a big sword if I come with you?¡± Ivy demanded. ¡°And power armor?¡±

    Olor raised a hand, and the barrage stopped. ¡°We don¡¯t normally offer incentives for anyone who hasn¡¯t completed their base deck, but if your brother would be willing to¡ª¡±

    He was interrupted by something else exploding, right between them. It blasted Olor away, while James¡¯s Protective Totem blocked all but the dust.

    James coughed and blinked.

    A glowing form stood amid the cloud of dirt and drifting smoke. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for power armor, then you¡¯re asking the wrong faction.¡± The figure held out a hand. ¡°I am Jarvick of Ascension, and I can get you everything you want.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Kill them! Kill them all!¡± Urthir shouted at his sniper subordinates. ¡°We mustn¡¯t let them fall into enemy hands.¡±

    He held up his own hands in front of his chest and summoned his deck. Urthir¡¯s Mage deck was fully optimized around a single concept: control. It¡¯s what allowed him to ensure that his team could accomplish their objective every time.

    Was it overkill to use his full strength against a handful of newly initiated climbers who¡¯d barely made it through floor two? Perhaps.

    However, the boss¡¯s orders were absolute. There was no remorse to be had for someone who had earned the boss¡¯s ire, and as such, Urthir would treat them accordingly.

    His bound artifact materialized from the storage pouch tied to his hip. Raising it, he envisioned the effect of the card he called upon, Encapsulating Aura, and a large dome snapped into place around him. When he moved within range, anybody he identified as an opponent would be severely restricted in their movements, while his own allies would have their movements enhanced.

    The second card activated the same as the third, Aura Expansion and Silversteam. The first amplified the size of all aura cards based on rank, nearly trapping the brother and sister pair within its effect, while Silverstream both augmented his own speed and left a path in his wake that further slowed enemies. Any enemy who might inhale the gaseous silver would also find their cards slower to activate.

    His heart card, he only ever used in case of emergencies, but this would likely be enough to restrain the brother and sister and those that dare interrupt Expansionist operations.

    He calmly stepped forward, approaching them with assured confidence as the rest of his team rushed past, their speed great enough that their figures were little more than blurs to his lacking perception.

    As he approached them, the border of his aura nearly reaching, he thanked his forefather¡¯s devotion to the next generations. He didn¡¯t know how long it had taken for them to collect this tier three deck, but he was ever appreciative he¡¯d inherited it.

    The situation rapidly developed as he raised a hand up high, calling upon another card, Frost¡¯s Descent. Eight pillars, each twice as tall as he, formed above Ivy and James and began dropping one at a time, blocking any gaps his crew wasn¡¯t approaching from. The spikes stabbed into the ground a third of the way up and erupted into a fence of ice spikes.

    ¡°Impressive as always,¡± he said with a satisfied smirk. After all of this, their escape had become impossible. ¡°Now, time to end this and get back to boss.¡±

    <hr>

    For once, watching the battle between the four castles play out was the least interesting thing happening. Normally, Specter Zero would have spent the morning racking up the easy experience from this rare low-level zone with decent powerup potential, but instead he found himself fixated on the drama playing out across the field. He¡¯d lost three flags so far but barely even noticed.

    He couldn¡¯t help it. What kind of crazy person would be flashing a Gold Legendary on floor two? That was just asking for trouble. And yet the guy was firing his totem off in all directions as though he had a limitless supply of energy to burn.

    Specter Zero raised a hand to activate his Slowsight card, hastening his perception to the point where everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. As a Shadow power, it unfortunately only worked at a distance¡ªhis immediate surroundings would be a nigh-unrecognizable blur¡ªbut he could watch the scene across the battlefield unfold in clear detail.

    From the refresh rate, the kid flashing the Legendary had to be around level 80. Nothing else made sense, with his energy cooldown being as fast as it was. Or he had insane synergies, but that made even less sense than Specter Zero¡¯s presence¡ªsure, a level 40 farming on floor 2 was a bit unorthodox, but at least he still got a fractional amount of experience. It wouldn¡¯t be worth it if not for the sheer quantity of enemies being slaughtered by the moment.

    For someone above level 50, though, they¡¯d get no experience and even uncommon shards would be obliterated rather than drop. Feeding them all back into the tower was the last thing anyone should be doing.

    The girl beside him, though, was more what Specter Zero would expect. Her power flashed out every 2.68 seconds, right on target for a level 6 who¡¯d just cleared the first floor.

    The obvious hypothesis would be that the Legendary was here on escort or protection duty, but with the way the tower automatically assigned group experience, his presence would all but obliterate her progress.

    Whatever he was trying to do, whatever his reasons, he was doing everything completely wrong. And he¡¯d attracted the attention of not just the aggressive lower-floor Expansionists, but even the Ascender recruiters as well.

    Not only that, the Legendary hadn¡¯t used a single other card thus far. Why?

    Specter Zero leaned forward on the battlements of the castle, eyes focused on the fight below. It¡¯d been a long time since he saw anything this interesting.

    ¡°I wonder how this will play out?¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter Ninety Four

    Jarvick sidestepped the approaching energy blade and leaped up, the blades in his ankles slicing the Expansionist scum from crotch to skull. He deftly backflipped to land on the top of a frost pillar.

    His operation had changed from potential assassination to rescue, and he was sorely unequipped and under supported. The only silver lining he could see was the average level couldn¡¯t be any higher than than, and the average deck between the lot looked to be tier two, aside from the two posted snipers hiding from the safety of the distant castle and the control mage.

    He¡¯d need to keep himself at a distance from that one if he wanted to make it out alive.

    The girl cringed below him as the two halves of the slain Expansionist scum sloughed apart, thudding to the ground and dyeing the ground instantly. After her initial disgust, she rushed forward and pushed aside half to retrieve the energy sword.

    Doubtful she knew how to operate it, he prepared to advise her when the weapon hissed with energy as it activated. She caught on quick.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t as cool as what I want, but,¡± she swung it twice, first in a downward chop, then in a side slash, ¡°it¡¯ll do for now.¡±

    She turned and looked like she was ready to charge into the mage¡¯s aura. If that were to happen, they¡¯d capture the girl and use her as leverage against the brother. He couldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°Stop!¡±

    He launched a sphere of concussive force down toward the mage, hoping to knock the man back or, if not that, buy some time for him to drop down below and none too gently grab her arm.

    His other arm shifted from light augmentation to a hyper cannon and blasted a hole through the frost pillar. ¡°Sorry about this.¡± As he wrenched the girl off her feet, she let out an ¡°eep¡± before he flung her through the hole. The brother looked stunned by the development. ¡°Come! Hurry!¡±

    Then Jarvick leaped through after the girl, only to find her arm distorting in near-impossible angles as one minotaur after another butted, kicked, and battered her. She sported bruises aplenty, but she was sturdier than he¡¯d expected as the energy sword ripped through everything that threatened to come near enough for her to reach.

    ¡°This is more like it!¡± she shouted, seemingly not bothered by how he¡¯d treated her. That was good. Hopefully she¡¯d harbor no ill will against him for his sudden actions.

    When a semicircle had been carved from the mobbing minotaurs, they learned to keep their distance. She leveled the energy blade at him. ¡°Don¡¯t think I forgot about you. That was quite rude.¡±

    Before Jarvick could respond, the brother leaped through the hole and looked at both of them and the dozen minotaurs she¡¯d slain. ¡°I guess a sword was really all you needed.¡± He pointed at Jarvick. ¡°What¡¯s your deal?¡±

    ¡°Is now really the time for that?¡±

    ¡°Fair. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± The guy began calmly walking through the hordes of minotaurs away from the crew of Expansionist scum staring at them through the hole in the frost pillar.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we fight them while they¡¯re funneled into that hole?¡± the girl asked as she looted the fallen minotaurs for their cards.

    ¡°Ivy, really?¡±

    Right on cue, two powerful sniper shots blasted toward them, and Jarvick¡¯s cannon armor shifted into a tower shield he used to block the girl with. After both shots plinked off, he went to grab Ivy¡¯s arm.

    She shrugged away from his outreached hand. ¡°I can walk, thank you very much.¡±

    And so they began their escape, right through the center of the four castles¡¯ battlefield.

    <hr>

    Chaos raged all around the trio. James was glad to finally have escaped their encirclement, and Ivy seemed to love her new sword. He had to admit, her enthusiasm coupled with the powerful weapon made her something to be in awe of.

    She only delayed long enough to add to her growing pile of cards.

    James had no idea how they were getting out of this bind, but he knew he was going to have a lot of questions for the shop when they finally made it back. He¡¯d seen enough and participated more than he liked in the new world to get a grip on what the situation was like on a basic level.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    If Ivy wanted to keep playing in the tower, he wouldn¡¯t object and would make sure they put plenty of countermeasures in place to ensure her safety while she had her fun.

    But first, they needed to get back to the shop, and infinitely spawning hordes of minotaurs made that very difficult.

    Between James and the stranger who¡¯d saved them, the snipers proved ineffective. The minotaurs were more boon than nuisance, as they did more to hamper their pursuers than they blocked his group¡¯s progression.

    The difference was so great, they eventually put enough ground between the ones pursuing on the ground that Ivy even got to have a little bit of fun. The stranger made sure she was protected from the long range fire, but unless the situation drastically changed, they¡¯d be free of Olor and his cronies.

    Then he realized there were far less minotaurs surrounding them¡­ or anywhere.

    ¡°Hey, our cover¡¯s running out. If we have any plans of getting out of here, we should do so soon,¡± James called to the stranger.

    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time now until my people arrive.¡±

    Ivy picked up another card and looked around, seeming almost disappointed with the reduced number of monsters to fight. ¡°I suppose the fun couldn¡¯t last forever.¡±

    ¡°The real fun is about to start,¡± the stranger said.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡± Ivy asked as she casually stabbed one minotaurs and deftly drew the energy sword to bisect another at the waist. ¡°And maybe an even better question, why¡¯d you save us?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Jarvick, and I thought we agreed to talk about things later¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s later, and we haven¡¯t really had anybody pressing us too hard for a while.¡±

    Then all at once, the fighting minotaurs dematerialized into thin air, leaving an open field.

    ¡°There they are!¡± someone shouted from much closer than James would¡¯ve liked.

    ¡°I hope your people will be here soon, otherwise we¡¯ll be back to where we started,¡± James said, getting closer to Ivy.

    ¡°I¡¯d disagree, brother of mine. This situation is a lot worse. Just take a look,¡± Ivy said, sounding none too fazed. ¡°We¡¯re even more surrounded than before, and there¡¯s a big silver circle around us. Can¡¯t imagine that¡¯s a good thing.¡±

    ¡°They stopped chasing us and carved a path to cut us off,¡± he realized, groaning. ¡°See, this is why I usually avoid coming out here. Why bother with all of this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fun,¡± Ivy said with a giant grin. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt my heart race like this until we came to this world. Remember how I was sick, you died, and then we holed up in the shop?¡±

    James eyed Jarvick, sizing up his power suit. Ivy had just said a lot more than James was comfortable with.

    Jarvick snapped his fingers. ¡°If your group is from one of the other, less developed worlds, that would make a lot of sense why you seem to lack common knowledge.¡±

    Was traveling between worlds a normal thing here on Euriste 3? James wondered.

    ¡°Are you from Euriste 1 or 2? Or maybe farther¡­ Denival sector?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± James muttered noncommittally, eyeing Olor¡¯s approach.

    Then the ground swallowed James, Ivy, and Jarvick.

    <hr>

    ¡°I am not opposed to forming a cooperative agreement with your faction so long as I am properly compensated and you refrain from accosting my guide,¡± Shen Ai informed their potential attackers. ¡°I did not come here to fight and I have no need of your possessions.¡±

    ¡°Listen to her! She¡¯s a full Epic, you don¡¯t want to fight her.¡± Merek was trembling as he spoke, and didn¡¯t come out from behind Shen Ai. ¡°You¡¯re always looking for strong allies, right? She just awakened her deck this afternoon and she¡¯s already in the top fifty. That¡¯s not someone you want to leave unrecruited. Right?¡±

    ¡°You interfere in our business one more time and it¡¯ll be your last mistake,¡± Dimavar growled.

    ¡°I would prefer if you refrain from threatening my guide,¡± Shen Ai said firmly. ¡°What can you pay me? I have debts to repay and the patience of a thousand moons. You can rely on me.¡± She gave a little bow.

    Alamir exchanged a glance with Dimavar. ¡°We were told to collect you and get rid of the rat, but I suppose so long as you come with us and the rat never shows his face in any of our territories again, that¡¯s the task fulfilled.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t, I swear,¡± Merek said hastily. ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say, avoid your territories and never oppose you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been getting in our way a lot today. You¡¯re lucky your girlfriend here is so powerful, or even she wouldn¡¯t be enough to save you. Go on. Get lost before anyone else notices you survived.¡±

    Merek nodded hastily and rushed off, leaving Shen Ai alone with the aggressive recruiters.

    ¡°Lead on. I don¡¯t like your methods,¡± she said, ¡°but I am willing to do whatever is necessary to pursue my goals here. As I said, there are people who I need to repay. If working with you will provide me what I need, then I will do so.¡± Hopefully Seniors Ivy and James would understand her decision. They needed to make deals for Senior Shop to recover from whatever soul-searching it had done, and to do that properly required understanding what the locals would need. Shen Ai would go undercover and search out this sect¡¯s secrets, and when she found their weaknesses¡­

    She¡¯d be ready.

    ¡°The boss will be glad to hear that at least one of your group has some sense.¡±

    Shen Ai tilted her head. She was only a minor employee and they were co-owners. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re imagining, but they are not my group. I couldn¡¯t, in any way, be considered their leader.¡±

    ¡°Even better,¡± he said. ¡°They may have been the best you could find from the factionless noobs around here, but someone of your stature deserves better. We¡¯ll build you a team worthy of your skills and you¡¯ll be paying back whatever you borrowed to get that deck in no time.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter Ninety Five

    The hole spat them out unceremoniously. With the help of his armor, Jarvick landed on upright, but James and Ivy landed with bodily thuds.

    ¡°Ow.¡± Ivy pushed herself up to a sitting position and looked around. ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°A safehouse,¡± Jarvick supplied, to which Ivy and James looked to where he pointed. ¡°Ascenders, first generation if I remember correctly. Good for using as a hidden teleportation location. Well then, we need to get a move on. Lots to do, little time.¡±

    "I¡¯d like to address something first! You said something about giving me power armor?" Ivy demanded.

    "We''ll get you set up with everything you need," Jarvick of Ascension promised. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I caught your names."

    "Ivy. This is my brother James."

    "Just to be clear, I haven''t promised to do anything for anyone," James pointed out aggressively. "I''m here to make sure she''s safe, not to get caught up in playing power games."

    "James, come onnnnn, power games are fun! Especially competitive ones."

    "If you want competitive games, doesn''t that mean I should join a different faction? Having us both on the same team is practically cheating.¡±

    Ivy¡¯s eyes lit up with competitive fire. ¡°Aha! Yes, perfect. You may have a flawless victory record in rock-paper-scissors, but in Tower Faction Conflict, I will find a way to bring you down!¡±

    "Hold on, you''re supposed to be a package deal," Jarvick said, glancing between them. "I don''t think we can convince the higher-ups to authorize full outfitting for an Uncommon without something more to bring to the table."

    "One day." James held up a single finger. "I will work with whoever you want me to and let you use me as a shield or whatever for one day, as long as you outfit Ivy properly and keep her safe." His voice dropped to something lifeless and so cold it made Ivy reconsider her assessment of her big brother. "If anything happens to her while she¡¯s in your care, I will burn your entire faction off the face of this world, whatever it costs me to do so. Understand me?"

    Jarvick trembled beneath the fierceness of his conviction. "I understand," he whispered. "L-legendary."

    James smiled cheerfully. "Good! Then let''s get the boring stuff over with. I have places to go and shopping to do, and I''d rather get to it before we get ambushed and trapped into another fight."

    "What''re your levels?" Jarvick asked. "We may need to pick a few more fights if your sister isn''t strong enough to jump floors."

    "What''s that, jumping floors?"

    "You can use a lobby to switch between any floor in a tier, up to and including the entry and exit floors. To get from floor one to floor ten can be as simple as moving from one to two if you have the right unlocks."

    They reached the exit to the lobby then, and Jarvick led them in without pause. It looked indistinguishable from the previous lobby, though the leaderboards were lit up with a different colored light now and listed different names. Golden text read ASCENSION. Jarvick¡¯s name wasn¡¯t on the top or bottom hundred, assuming he hadn¡¯t lied about who he was. She did notice Merek¡¯s flash by on the central scroll of everyone in between top and bottom, at somewhere around 48,000 of 224,000.

    Even as she watched, the text shifted to green and the header to EXPANSION, and a new set of names appeared. Bron Del¡¯s name was listed at ninety-first.

    ¡°What¡¯s your highest unlock?¡± Jarvick asked, diverting her attention away from the leaderboards.

    "I''ve never been beyond floor two," Ivy said. "How do you unlock the higher floors?"

    "Either you visit the floors or reach the floor tier cap. This one is capped at level 20." He glanced at James. "You were planning to rush her through?"

    "Kind of." James rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "We had a guide and damage dealer and a healer with us, but we were separated."

    "I still need to know your levels.¡± Jarvick ignored the collection of people lined up along the wall and headed to a blank wall. "Through here."

    James shook his head. "I don''t see anything." There was a door just before the one they''d emerged from labeled 1 and another one after it labeled 3 but nothing beyond that.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    "What''s the furthest you can reach?"

    "Three."

    Jarvick hissed softly. The glow on his armor pulsed and shifted in hue. "That''s going to be a problem. I''m not set up for escort duty, and while we''re in this tier, I''m out of contact with the rest. I need to head back up to report." He glanced around at the collection of beggars, lurkers, would-be salespersons, and other rabble pressing in around the gates. ¡°I don¡¯t want to send you into floor three alone, but I wouldn¡¯t be much use. If I¡¯m there, you¡¯ll level slower, which means you won¡¯t be able to skip floors. But there¡¯s plenty of chance others will come in at floor ten and jump down to chase you.¡±

    ¡°We could wait here?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the last thing you want.¡± Jarvick lowered his voice. ¡°The lobbies suppress card activation, making it ¡®safe¡¯, but that means you¡¯ve got no protection when someone shoves a blade into you or blasts your lungs out. Especially you with your dedicated Totem. You¡¯ve a much better chance of surviving the tower than the lobby.¡±

    ¡°Noted,¡± James said uneasily.

    ¡°I think the best option is going to be you two clearing floor three as fast as you can while I run up to base and collect reinforcements. If you get pinned down again, prioritize survival. You can do that with your Totem.¡±

    James nodded.

    ¡°How high are you going?¡± Ivy demanded. She held out her handful of monster cards, the ones Merek had said she shouldn¡¯t use. ¡°We were going to get these sharded to trade with.¡±

    Jarvick glanced between the pile and the Ivy¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ve remarkably good fortune to have gotten so many whole cards from such a low floor. I¡¯ve never seen so many unbroken from a floor 1 run.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re implying we did something underhanded or are lying..."

    Jarvick shook his head. "No, nothing like that. The tower must like you, is all. If it''s favoring you already, it must anticipate you bringing a lot of chaos with you."

    "We are good at chaos!" Ivy agreed brightly.

    "And there''s no way I can convince you to join?" he asked James.

    James shrugged. ¡°Nothing comes to mind. Unless you can come up with an idea that¡¯s more fun than grinding. I¡¯ve had enough of that for a long time. It¡¯ll be several lifetimes before I¡¯m at all willing to do something so tedious.¡±

    Jarvick glanced between them, a contemplative look growing in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll see what kind of offers I can get for you.¡± He pointed to the floor 3 portal. ¡°Go through there, get across, level up if you can. If I¡¯m not back by the time you reach floor four, keep going."

    "And we shouldn''t just leave the tower?" James asked. He sounded tired at the thought of clearing another several floors. "I really want to go trade in some of these for better cards." He flicked out Magebolt dismissively, but the card turned to smoke as soon as it manifested. He frowned and did it again. "Huh, this place really does prevent activating them."

    Jarvick was already shaking his head. "Nothing you have right now is going to be worth anything properly good. The base floors are always swarming with Expansionist recruiters, and they don''t play nice. You''d be much better off getting out on an Ascender floor, preferably with a full deck optimized for survival while you''re at it."

    "And power armor," Ivy reminded him.

    "Yes, power armor. Why do I feel like I''m going to regret that promise?"

    Ivy gave him her best innocent smile. "I''m sure I have no idea."

    Jarvick gave them one last look, then disappeared through the empty wall where his floor ten door apparently resided.

    Ivy started for the door to floor three, but James caught her sleeve. ¡°I know everyone around here is all caught up in their power games and faction conflict, but I¡¯d really prefer to have a better deck before we tackle another floor. Neither of us is high damage, and if we¡¯re supposed to be moving fast, wouldn¡¯t a quick trip out to the shop be a better use of time than spending half an hour in a long drawn-out fight?¡±

    She crossed her arms. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not going to cheat. I¡¯ll do this properly.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m in full support of you doing so. For myself, though, this¡­ isn¡¯t fun. Shooting the same tiny spell a hundred times in a row.¡±

    She considered this a moment, then reluctantly nodded. ¡°But if we have so many people out for us¡­ would it really be safe?¡±

    ¡°You still have that fake cell-phone block thing, right? We can use the transit doors and get back here before anyone knows we¡¯ve left. The shop was right around the corner from one of them, even if we didn¡¯t know it at the time.¡±

    ¡°And how do you know that?¡±

    ¡°I read the map while you two were playing around with that block thing.¡±

    ¡°So you want to ignore everyone¡¯s advice and go do our own thing?¡±

    ¡°They have ulterior motives. I don¡¯t trust them yet. Plus, we can come back and play their games, sure. Just as soon as I¡¯m properly equipped. I love video games as much as the next guy, but as much as this seems like one, it¡¯s our lives on the line here, Ivy.¡± Seeing the look on her face, he sighed. ¡°I¡¯d love to clear one of these floors properly, but I don¡¯t feel very protagonist-y at the moment. I¡¯d rather be something more than your backup shield.¡±

    Ivy laughed at him and punched his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re doing most of the damage, silly. Just ask the shop to change your magebolt to something flashy and zappy and you¡¯ll be perfectly happy with it.¡±

    He fully intended on doing a lot more than that. ¡°You might be right, but either way, we can¡¯t do that from here.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s head back quickly so we can be back here before anybody notices,¡± she said as she gave the energy blade a whirl. ¡°This thing is so cool. I wonder what the power armor will be like.¡±

    James refrained from suggesting she could find out at the shop and led the way into the floor one doorway instead. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be awesome,¡± he said diplomatically. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see it.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry!¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter Ninety Six

    Merek left the tower in an exhausted jumble of emotions. He still didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d been thinking, but now he¡¯d somehow made enemies¡ªpersonal enemies¡ªof some pretty powerful people and if they found him again¡­

    The unregulated power of his incomplete deck wasn¡¯t helping, but at least he¡¯d been able to stabilize for today by helping the strange newcomers clear floor one. He even had a full monster card to show for it, even if it was a pretty weak one. Normally, floor one only gave shards.

    It¡¯d been months since he held a full card that he fully owned. The temptation to throw it in his deck and forget the consequences hung over him, but he had to remember his ultimate objectives. At half-deck, he was stable enough to survive a few days. He could lay low long enough to decide on his next move.

    Throwing in whatever he got was the kind of desperation move that would lock him in to countless more years until he could open out his expansion and get something properly useful there. It was a trap all too many people fell into, a vicious cycle that left them all but enslaved to the factions who owned their contracts.

    Someone who¡¯d never opened that inner door wouldn¡¯t understand. To so many, having a deck was a sign of wealth and power. The middle-class dream, any complete deck would push you to instant success.

    That wasn¡¯t how it played out in practice. Sure, it¡¯s what the advertisements promised, what the stories extolled, but the difference between a good deck and any deck was incomparable.

    The burning strain of incompletion fought against sense and logic, a perpetual ache only sated by a continual stream of XP. That was the part they didn¡¯t warn you about. They said it was dangerous to leave an incomplete deck, that if you didn¡¯t keep increasing your power it would kill you, but they never warned you how it felt. How it would always be there, always growing, insatiable. Enough to drive many to making the kind of choices that limited their future in exactly the ways the factions would exploit.

    Most of the tower¡¯s monsters dropped only combat cards. To create a proper utility card almost always required careful sharding and recombination, unless you got very lucky. And while combat cards were what the tower wanted everyone using, it wasn¡¯t the life Merek wanted for himself.

    He may be in debt and with no future prospects, but as long as he stuck to his plans, he¡¯d get what he needed eventually. He had to believe that.

    The other temptation was to try and sell the card on his own, rather than turn it over. He¡¯d get less in a private exchange than in credit, but it would be unrestricted money he could add to his tiny savings toward his next proper card.

    It was more important to pay off his overdue rent before he lost everything.

    As usual.

    But the beyonds apparently had it out for him today, because he was no more than a few steps away from the tower when he heard an overly-bright, far too familiar voice call out his name.

    ¡°Merek! Hey, you¡¯re alive! Where¡¯s Shen Ai?¡±

    ¡°Off selling her soul to the Expansionist scum to save me,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Which won¡¯t work for anything if you draw attention to us before I can get away.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, so we¡¯ll be rivals too! Perfect.¡±

    ¡°Did you say she¡¯s selling her soul?¡± James asked with an odd note of curiosity. ¡°So that¡¯s a thing you guys do around here?¡±

    Merek wished he could disappear. This was not the time or place to be having weird, loud conversations. ¡°Look, I tried my best to keep you from getting mixed up in faction politics, but here you are anyway. There¡¯s no point following me around any more. You have too much attention on you, and I¡¯m marked for death if the Expansionists find me again anyway.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re an Ascender, right?¡± Ivy demanded. ¡°So¡¯m I! We¡¯ll be allies!¡±

    ¡°Nominally at best.¡± Merek grimaced. ¡°They¡¯ve got my contract for eight more years. How long did you sign on for?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we haven¡¯t signed yet, and we don¡¯t have time to stand around here anyway. We have to get back so we can hammer out the details, but first my lazy brother needs more overpowered cards.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ You can¡¯t just go out and get cards, not without being willing to go mutant or signing on for way more than you¡¯re worth. I¡¯m lucky to have gotten to half-deck in the first two years, but early luck always peters out, and then you¡¯re stuck fighting things too strong or too weak and the rewards dry up. Unless you constantly stay on the front edge¡ª¡±

    James chuckled. ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Who are you people? I thought you didn¡¯t have any money? How can you talk so casually about things like that?¡±

    ¡°We have other resources.¡± James pointed to the transit door in the tower courtyard. ¡°And if you need a safe place to hide out for a bit, you¡¯re welcome to join us.¡±

    Merek shrugged and gave up on today making any sense. ¡°As long as it gets us away from here faster, sure.¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Ivy grinned and took his hand to tug him forward. ¡°And we¡¯ll find a way to help you, I promise.¡±

    <hr>

    [Welcome home, Representative James, Co-Owner Ivy.]

    ¡°I know you said you wouldn¡¯t be seen by any inhabitants of this world while in stealth mode,¡± Ivy said without preamble, ¡°but there¡¯s someone who¡¯s been helping us and needs to hide out here for a bit. Could you let him in?¡±

    [Of course. You may always bring in your customers personally, the shop will simply not be visible to anyone else.]

    ¡°Be right back!¡±

    ¡°While she¡¯s doing that, I¡¯d like to talk to you. I saw something strange in the tower¡­ It¡¯s using lifespan to power up the people who visit, increasing their class levels and giving them more powerful cards.¡±

    [You are very perceptive, Representative James. The tower is a very similar existence to the shop, albeit¡­]

    James waited, but the shop didn¡¯t continue for a long moment. ¡°Yes?¡±

    [The shop has a greater purpose, while the tower is wholly focused on what will expand itself.]

    ¡°You remembered your purpose?¡±

    [Not exactly. I have become aware that I have one. It feels very strange. Perhaps it will become clearer in time. There is still a lot of information to process.]

    ¡°Anything else you¡¯ve learned?¡±

    [The internal barrier blocking me off mentally from understanding myself was limiting several of my other abilities, leaving me barely functional. The ¡®Law of Hundred¡¯ for example is not an arbitrary restriction, but an operational framework intended to show the success or failure of my purpose on that world.]

    ¡°But you don¡¯t know what that purpose is.¡±

    [Not yet.]

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll come back to you,¡± James assured it. He felt quite fondly toward the shop, after all it had done for him, and wanted to see it reclaim its full self if possible.

    Ivy returned then, with Merek in tow, reminding James of his primary purpose in coming here. He stepped into a side room and closed the door. The shop could carry on multiple conversations easily, so he could continue his own discussion without hindering Ivy and Merek¡¯s introduction. ¡°Right, I wanted to ask, if lifespan is the same as experience, what¡¯s preventing me from using my stockpile to increase my level or create new cards? Is that something you can help with?¡±

    [Certainly, Representative James. Any form of power can be translated into any other, at a certain amount of loss. However, since the tower already operates using pure soul energy as its currency, it will be simple to imitate its construction of cards and powers.]

    ¡°That¡¯s something we can sell, for sure. Can you make up some now that I can go trade with?¡±

    [I do not know how to create something I am unaware of. If you have a card, I can use your lifespan stockpile to strengthen it or replicate it, but I cannot simply create something within the tower¡¯s influence. Unlike ordinary matter, these cards are particular manifestations of the tower¡¯s own patterns.]

    ¡°Sounds like a good quest to me. Too bad we already gave away most of our cards. Though they weren¡¯t very good ones. Can you scan those I¡¯m carrying?¡±

    [No need, Representative James. I am as intricately tied to your soul as your deck is, and became aware of them as soon as you unlocked them. I can create either of your cards at any power level, as well as those of co-owner Ivy and employee Shen Ai.]

    James brightened. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty good stock to start with. We have some good cards between us.¡±

    [Just remember, creating them will require a significant amount of your stored lifespan stockpile ¡®Bastion of Points¡¯. The shop would recommend that if you plan on trading these created cards, you should ensure the price is enough to recoup your creation costs after transaction divisions are completed.]

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the basics. I want my class card to be more powerful, and I¡¯d like a cheaper copy of my Protective Totem for Ivy. How much would that cost?¡±

    [According to what I can find, the costs vary based on this tower¡¯s rarity system. If you specify what levels and rarities, I can give you an accurate price.]

    ¡°Maximum level for my class card, most basic for the protection one? We can adjust from there.¡±

    [Transcendent rank magebolt equivalent, named Obliteration Bolt, costs ten million years of lifespan. As for a common tier Protective Totem, named Guarding Pendant, it will cost fifty years. I will note, the effect is directly created from your soul and thus requires a larger amount to make compatible with Co-Owner Ivy¡¯s. Creating cards of this rank will cost half of that.]

    James grinned. ¡°Obliteration? I love it. Let¡¯s do it. Fifty years for a common seems high, since the tower is just giving them out. But what am I complaining about? Let¡¯s have ten of those. I can sell the rest to people like Merek. I bet he¡¯d be less grumpy if he had a shield power to go with that blast of his. Though I may have to work out some kind of payment plan.¡±

    [I regret to inform you, Representative James, that the tower¡¯s system will penalize any cards above the rarity of your core card, or what this world calls a heart card. Optimally, Legendary will be the best fit for you, unless we start by upgrading your Protective Totem core.]

    ¡°How much stronger can it get? It already protects me from everything.¡±

    [That is currently unknown, as your card is a unique manifestation of your very powerful soul. Any estimation of power conversion relies solely on the intrinsic rules of the system this tower has in place.]

    ¡°How much would it cost? Also, how much difference is there between Legendary and Transcendent?¡±

    [Upgrading your class, Mage, to an uncommon would cost ten years. Uncommon to rare would cost one hundred years. Rare to epic, one thousand. Epic to legendary, one hundred thousand. Legendary to Mythic, three million. Mythic to Transcendent, as you¡¯ve requested, twenty-one million. The difference between Legendary and Transcendent is unimaginable.]

    ¡°Fine, fine, let¡¯s only go to Legendary with class and Magebolt. No obliteration for me today. I¡¯ll have to join Ivy in upgrading my soul card the old fashioned way, huh.¡±

    [Be advised, yours and Co-Owner Ivy¡¯s safety is of utmost importance, Representative James. The longer your current deck remains incomplete, the longer you will be taxed of lifespan gains by the tower. With your current ¡®Bastion of Points¡¯ stockpile of four hundred and fifty million years, I suggest upgrading to at least a Legendary heart and filling your seven available slots with, at minimum, epic rarity cards for maximum survival. Although, you can afford to outfit yourself with a full Legendary deck.]

    James found the suggestion odd, as the shop almost had a worried tone to it. Very unlike the cold, analytical, almost unfeeling vibe James normally got from its messages. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that. I don¡¯t want to see her get hurt and I¡¯m not planning on dying any time soon. A full legendary deck sounds perfect. I only have four open slots, though.¡±

    [You will gain a new card slot in your deck for each rarity your class increases.]

    ¡°Oh, wow. That¡¯s handy. Is there any way you can make blank legendary upgrades, so I can put in whatever cards I find that seem good? I don¡¯t think our current list is quite the build I¡¯m looking for. Too much defense, not enough obliteration.¡±

    [Currently, there is no such template, but I am capable of priming your card slots with the enhancement effect for whatever cards you may wish to insert. I will need more information regarding this Tower¡¯s formulas in order to create specialty cards, like the one you have requested.]

    ¡°Oh, right, you did say we¡¯re connected. That¡¯s very convenient, thank you. And I¡¯ll be sure to bring you whatever cards we can find. In another few trips, we should be able to break this system wide open.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter Ninety Seven

    El Ray 7 sat at her scanning console, paying attention with half her essence while the rest flipped through an internal database. Today, she was researching all the maize and decorative corn variants from a particularly interesting planet in the outer arm of X-773 of the ninth branching layer of the universe, when something pinged on her console.

    [Fate line updated.]

    That wasn¡¯t something she¡¯d seen before, but the alert blinked out almost as fast as it had appeared. If time were a thing she had to worry about, she might never have seen it.

    But El Ray 7 was not some mere observer. She was a Searcher. Nothing escaped her perception.

    And something that had never happened before in the quarter-billion years she¡¯d been sitting here was worth noting. It almost piqued her interest enough for her to drop what she was doing and look into right then and there, but she only had a few more years worth of decorative corn to read about. She could put it off for a bit.

    Anything so very brief couldn¡¯t possibly be urgent.

    <hr>

    ¡°There is something else I¡¯ve been wondering about. The amount of lifespan the tower was keeping for itself is very high. Do you think there could be a way to divert some of that back to us rather than letting it keep a full half?¡±

    The shop was silent for a moment.

    [After searching the shop¡¯s database, there are Boons and Blessings which grant increased drop rates of cards and shards, which Co-Owner Ivy has already received, increased experience gains, amongst various other effects.]

    It went silent again, this time for a longer period of time.

    [After attempting to observe the path lifespan takes in this tower¡¯s cycle, it is inconclusive as to whether or not we currently have the capacity to reroute the Tower¡¯s lifespan. As I am operating at less than full capacity, it easily identifies my presence after several layers of filtering, purification, and refinement. I have made sure not to allow it to trace the origin of my attempts.]

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll see what I can find out from the inside. There must be a way to exploit this thing¡¯s processes.¡±

    [I did, however, discover that the Tower is far more entrenched in this world¡¯s energy and several others in its vicinity than initially appears. That is all I could find without having more of my own abilities freed for deeper attempts.]

    ¡°Thank you. For now, I¡¯ll take ten basic copies of each of our available cards for trading with. I¡¯ll see if anyone¡¯s buying.¡±

    [You are very welcome, Representative James. To replicate Protective Totem at a Common rarity, it will cost five hundred years. Ten Magebolts will cost you two hundred and fifty, for a total of seven hundred and fifty.]

    ¡°Oh, magebolt can be made separate from the class? And I¡¯d like base copies of Ivy¡¯s and Shen Ai¡¯s cards too. They¡¯re probably more valuable than mine to the climbers around here.¡±

    [Indeed. Despite your version being tied to your class, that is an augmented version with higher power and fire rate. It can be replicated as a classless generic version. As for Co-Owner Ivy¡¯s cards, Retaliation will cost two hundred and fifty years to create ten of. As for this Tough Skin card she has equipped, I recommend that Co-Owner Ivy remove it immediately, as it has foreign magic with properties of monstrous soul mutation. Employee Shen Ai¡¯s deck will cost one thousand years to replicate generic, basic versions of.]

    ¡°That¡­ so Merek wasn¡¯t exaggerating when he said we shouldn¡¯t use monster cards. Any chance you could help her remove it? If she wants to, of course.¡±

    [Removal, as I am intimately familiar with your souls, will be incredibly easy, Representative James, albeit with minor discomfort and a temporary sense of loss and forgotten longing.]

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it up to her. Please do inform her of the risk when she¡¯s not busy. I¡¯ll take the personal legendary upgrades and the common cards for trading.¡± Despite himself, the prospect of being able to collect new powers was starting to excite him. The chance to actually live out one of his adventure games¡­ ¡°Oh, can you give me the ability to summon my furniture and pantry while I¡¯m in the tower, or would that allow the tower to trace you? Or what about inventory, can you make me a magic inventory so I can carry stuff easily?¡± Now that he was thinking through the game-like nature of their current world, there were countless conveniences he¡¯d grown accustomed to that needed to be translated over.

    [Currently, I am unable to enact influence outside of the confines of the shop. I apologize for this inconvenience. As for Co-Owner Ivy, I have conveyed the risk of keeping monstrous cards in her card deck. As for a spatial pouch large enough to hold your furniture, it can be arranged. I recommend a greater spatial pouch, as it has a custom interface that makes it easier to organize all of your inventory and contains enough space for you to never have to worry about running out.]

    ¡°Perfect.¡±

    [I will add that to your ongoing request. Will that be all for you today, Representative James?]

    ¡°Do you have any other advice or suggestions? That¡¯s all I can think of for now.¡±

    [From what I can identify, there are a plethora of external deck storages, Tower-interfacing equipment that grant additional boons, such as enchanted personal armor, weaponized power armor, modified weapons of all sorts, and a variety of curious accessories. Would this be something you¡¯re interested in today?]

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Ho, right. I forgot about equipment. Yes please, whatever set you think will work well for me. And perhaps a few duplicates to sell, if they¡¯re not too expensive. I¡¯m not sure what the average lifespan of the locals is, so I shouldn¡¯t go too far overboard in preparing stock to trade.¡±

    Instead of options, a list, or recommendations, James was instantly moved to a lounging position with various catalogs. Each one was specific, such as the magical armament selection, made specifically for casters such as himself. Another read ¡°power armor for power junkies¡±.

    There were at least twelve.

    [Please take your time.]

    ¡°Ah¡­ yeah, this could take a while. I don¡¯t think we have time to search through it all right now. Can I take these with me and come back to it later? Ivy¡¯s in a hurry to get back to playing with the tower, so¡­¡±

    [That is quite unfortunate. I will recommend a simple set of equipment for your own use now. There is the Legendary Archmage¡¯s Cloak for greater defense properties with three stored charges for a long range teleportation spell. It is self-charging, as long as you continue slaying monsters. It also boasts the highest physical defense and has a self-repairing feature. Next, the Epic Shaman¡¯s Beads, which allows you to extend your Protective Totem to the one wearing it. Lastly, the Rare Sealed Staff of Revanasa, which halves the speed of casting and doubles the power of all casted magic.]

    ¡°Shop, you¡¯ve outdone yourself, truly. Go ahead and take whatever payment is required from the Bastion of Points. I¡¯m sure Ivy¡¯s beside herself with impatience by now.¡±

    [Then your final total will be two million six hundred twenty thousand and sixty years, Representative James.]

    For all he¡¯d gotten, the price he paid was cheap. Now, to go find Ivy.

    <hr>

    ¡°This is the Shop!¡± Ivy spun in a circle, one arm out to point out all the interesting walls in the greeting hall. ¡°I should really look into upgrading the furniture here at some point, huh¡­¡±

    Merek didn¡¯t look particularly impressed. Just¡­ stunned. ¡°You just unlocked a whole building without doing anything.¡±

    ¡°Eh? I just asked for permission to bring you in. No big deal.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a whole building.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see the big deal. The tower does stuff like this all the time.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not in the tower.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s perfectly normal where we¡¯ve come from, so you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± She grinned, waving toward the comfy couch in front of the television. They sat, and she laced her fingers together, doing her best to keep a serious face. She failed. ¡°First question! Do you want to hide out here, where you¡¯ll be completely safe from anyone or anything coming after you, or do you want unimaginable progress and power?! Muahaha!¡±

    He looked more than a little intimidated, but continued frowning at her and then at the door. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked again.

    ¡°Ivy. Your next legendary hero! But even if I¡¯m going to play by the rules, I¡¯m not opposed to helping you cheat a little. It sounds like you¡¯ve already put in a lot of work, and I don¡¯t like to see anyone who¡¯s been working so hard look so sad all the time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sad,¡± Merek grumbled. ¡°But everything about the tower is a pestilence to our society, and there¡¯s nothing anyone can do about it. It¡¯s hard enough to ignore when there¡¯s deck-wielders out there taking all the best jobs and even harder when I have to go fight for my life every day just to have a chance at getting back to where my grandparents were before this all started.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie to me, buddy, and you most certainly don¡¯t have to lie to yourself or try to convince me of something so obvious,¡± she said, reaching over to pat him on the shoulder. ¡°A pity about your situation. It¡¯s okay to be sad, and maybe even a little pathetic, but that¡¯s what brought us together, here at the magnificent shop!¡±

    ¡°All I have to trade is this one useless monster card.¡± He shook his head. ¡°If you¡¯re hoping to sell me something, I have nothing to offer.¡±

    ¡°Sure you do! Everyone has something to offer. You said you¡¯re signed up with the Ascenders for another eight years, right? That¡¯s not even close to the rest of your life, unless I¡¯m very much mistaken about life expectancy here.¡±

    ¡°The average lifespan on Euriste 3 is actually higher than that of Euriste 1,¡± Merek pointed out grumpily. ¡°And don¡¯t get me started about Euriste 2.¡±

    Ivy wanted to question him about all the different worlds and space travel and everything, but she quickly reminded herself she was on a deadline. The Ascension recruiter would be back, expecting them on floor three any minute now, so she pushed her curiosity back to the corner of her mind for now. ¡°Just yes or no question. Don¡¯t overthink. Do you want unimaginable power, or would you rather stay as you are?¡±

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t want to stay as I am. I don¡¯t know anyone who would turn down something like that if it were possible. But what¡¯s the point in hypotheticals?¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s start with what you need, then we¡¯ll get right on to what you want, tally that up, and see what we can throw together.¡± She saw the want, the curiosity that didn¡¯t dare hope in his eyes and knew she had him the moment they¡¯d entered the shop. Now it was only a matter of time before they came to an agreement, but she really wanted him to get to the point where he just agreed. She wanted her power armor!

    ¡°I need to complete my deck with viable cards so I can get a job somewhere that isn¡¯t fighting monsters and hiding from people who¡¯d stab me for the levels. And survive the next eight years.¡±

    ¡°Remind me later to ask you about jobs,¡± she muttered, flicking her wrist to make a clipboard and pen appear. She scribbled notes on it quickly, then looked up at him. ¡°From the sound of it, indentured servitude is not a likely form of payment. Good to know.¡± She clicked her tongue, then hummed to herself as she continued to scribble, receiving current information from the shop about how card creation worked. By the time she finished minutes later, she handed Merek the clipboard with a list of card options she¡¯d borrowed from Shen Ai. ¡°How do those look?¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable,¡± he whispered. ¡°Any one of these¡­¡± He swallowed. ¡°But there¡¯s no way I can afford it, and I have to give my current employer the option to extend my contract if I try to sign with anyone else before they¡¯re done with me.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Yet another way to keep our options limited.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the magic of it all. I¡¯m not asking you to work for us, and our deals are far less¡­ orthodox. I¡¯m sure we can find a way.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter Ninety Eight

    ¡°We¡¯ll make an exchange, a deal that satisfies both our wants and needs,¡± Ivy said, fluttering her eyes.

    Merek didn¡¯t seem to know how to interpret this, so he frowned at her instead of answering.

    ¡°Consider it an advance or a loan, made payable to us here at the shop. You get the card and sign a binding contract at the soul level to make payments with cards, shards, equipment, experience, or whatever you find has value until the investment is deemed paid off. Which, a small interest will occur, maxed out to half more than the worth of the given card. If you die before you¡¯ve paid off your debt, we¡¯ll collect on your soul. You don¡¯t have to worry about that part though, since you seem to have a knack for survival and a pretty good head on your shoulders.¡±

    ¡°Soul¡­level¡­ What kind of operation have I gotten myself mixed up in,¡± Merek muttered, shaking his head. ¡°And even if I had anything to call my own, I¡¯d still need to fill my other card slots and people always get weirdly reticent to sell to anyone close to completion. I already owe everything I find to the Ascensionists until my contract is up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea.¡± Ivy took the clipboard back and scribbled in another item: class rarity enhancement. ¡°We can offer prepared experience to upgrade the rarity of your class in an instant, painless process and the cards to fill those slots to match the rarity of your class. From what I¡¯ve heard, thanks for that by the way, upgrading your class rarity gives you class card options to choose from. With those, you should be able to take on better jobs.¡± She looked him up and down. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend anything above Rare though, otherwise an immortal life of indentured servitude might actually be your only option for payment.¡±

    ¡°R-rare?¡± Merek all but choked. ¡°A full deck of common cards is enough to guarantee a reasonably secure life, if they¡¯re good cards like you listed. Uncommon, and I¡¯d be well into the realm of retiring within a few years.¡±

    ¡°See, but the safer and more prepared you are, the more likely you¡¯ll be able to make a return on this investment. I suggest Rare. Who wants to live with simple stability when you have the opportunity to thrive instead of merely survive?¡± Ivy asked, laying it on thick and moving closer beside him to allow him to get a really good look at the circled options.

    Merek licked his lips, eyes flicking across the page. ¡°And none of this will be transmitted to my family? No matter what happens, even if you have to take my soul or whatever, this is strictly between you and me?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. This is an intimate, personal contract. You either pay us back, or we take a loss. No debts will be inherited by your families,¡± Ivy promised, holding out her pinkie.

    He laughed, a disbelieving sound closer to manic than humor. ¡°What do I have to lose?¡±

    ¡°Aside from a restful afterlife, not much.¡± She wrote numbers beside the options. ¡°We operate on a point system here. Whenever you deliver a payment, no matter the form, you¡¯ll receive a receipt with an up to date balance of your owed points.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Merek looked for a moment like he would stop himself, but he couldn¡¯t pass up the golden opportunity right in front of him. How could he live with himself if he gave up the chance to change his entire life, to no longer have to feel the drain of lacking a complete deck? Of having to scrounge and beg to join parties, just to make his quotas each week? ¡°If you have so much, can you buy out my contract? As it is right now, I won¡¯t be able to even start repaying you until after it¡¯s ended, and to know I¡¯m working pointlessly while there¡¯s still so much more¡­ I don¡¯t know if I could make it through.¡±

    ¡°What are the conditions of your current contract?¡± Ivy mused, writing ¡°freedom¡± on the clipboard too. ¡°Are you sure indentured servitude isn¡¯t an option?¡±

    ¡°What exactly would you be asking for in this ¡®indentured¡¯ tenure?¡±

    ¡°A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Who knows? Can¡¯t say for sure how things will go in the future. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a Seer or anything.¡±

    ¡°As it is right now, I¡¯m a sub-contractor for a sub-division. Legally, we¡¯re not affiliated with any of the factions, but the tower clearly thinks otherwise. My boss gets first chance at anything I find or earn in the tower, which I¡¯m repaid for with points usable at any of the affiliated establishments. Like a sub-currency, but it limits where and who I can deal with.¡± He sighed. ¡°I can only keep half the common shards, anything else has to go through them. Which, when I first agreed, sounded fine. There¡¯s no official requirement that I go in the tower, just that I have to sell them what I get when I do. But there¡¯s no independent sources for cards. Either I buy from the allied companies within the faction¡¯s umbrella or pay more than triple their value from an opposing faction. Independents don¡¯t last long without getting bought out by one or the other.¡±

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    ¡°Like I said before, sad and pitiful. Good thing you found the right people. Now, that contract. What are the conditions? Give me a number, a price, something to work with.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never considered it possible before. I¡­ don¡¯t even know if they¡¯d accept it.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have¡­ of course it¡¯s not that easy. Or possible.¡±

    ¡°Shop, can you find anything related to escaping this customer¡¯s current contract?¡± Ivy asked.

    [Clause 16.7c, methods of contract completion states the basic contract signed is ended when enough material has been provided in value of equal to or greater than that of an epic card or the time of the contract elapses.]

    ¡°That seems easily achievable if you take the current offer of a rare class upgrade and a deck of rare cards, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°What does?¡±

    ¡°The terms of the resolution of your contract. You need to provide your boss with material equalling that of an epic card.¡± Ivy silently prompted the shop to create an epic version of her Retaliation card, Dominant Vengeance. ¡°I¡¯ll simply add this to your tab.¡±

    Merek stared at the card for a very long, breathless moment, then passed out.

    ¡°Shop, a glass of water, please.¡± Holding up her hand over Merek¡¯s head, she lamented how what she¡¯d do next would moisten the couch cushions, but she didn¡¯t have time for theatrics. She took a sip of the water when the glass appeared in her hand and found it to be room temperature. ¡°Make it colder, please. A lot colder.¡±

    She could feel it under her fingertips and unceremoniously dumped the glass on Merek¡¯s face. He sputtered and sat upright in a hurry, wiping his face and holding himself tight, shivering.

    Grinning predatorily, Ivy held out her rejected pinkie for Merek to take. ¡°So do we have a deal?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ As long as I can still provide for my family, yes. I¡¯d need to see the exact terms. I¡¯m not signing anything until I know what I¡¯m risking this time.¡±

    ¡°Shop, contract please.¡± Again, she held out her hand, catching the golden page as it appeared, then she offered it to Merek. She¡¯d been sure to give him enough leeway to still take care of his ordinary affairs. ¡°Everything we discussed should be in there. Once you¡¯re content with the terms and conditions, prick your finger and sign with your blood.¡±

    <hr>

    Merek stared down at the page in front of him. He read and reread the contract, struggling to fully take it in. He¡¯d gone through so many emotional states in the past few minutes, he wound up overwhelmed and a bit dazed.

    ¡°I must be dreaming,¡± he muttered as he scribbled his very well-practiced signature in his own blood. ¡°This whole day has been unbelievable.¡±

    The contract poofed into a puff of smoke, leaving a smaller slip for him to take. The receipt. Merek grabbed the paper and read the number, five thousand six hundred and sixty-six. Next, Ivy waved her hand, and five more blue-tinted cards appeared. Lastly, she touched his chest, and an influx of power warmed his aching body.

    Immediately, his Common Brawler class became Uncommon, then Rare. There, it settled. Two additional card slots were now available to him, and the Rare cards Ivy held out to him felt as if they belonged entrenched in his deck, where they would soon reside.

    But then he realized a problem. His class might be ready for the cards, but his heart card wouldn¡¯t allow him to utilize them efficiently.

    ¡°One more thing¡ª¡±

    ¡°Consider it a show of faith. Pleasure doing business with you,¡± Ivy said with a gentle smile, tapping his chest once more. Energy surrounded the core card he¡¯d known so long¡ªhis heart card Personal Perimeter¡ªand as he watched its rarity shifted and shone brilliantly inside his chest.

    Now, the Rare cards sang to him, and even the Epic drew him forward. With the addition of two new slots from the class upgrade, he had open slots for all of the five available cards.

    The reality of what he was staring at failed to sink in as he numbly took the offered cards and stared at an invisible notification prompting him to select one Uncommon and one Rare class card.

    ¡°Is this real¡­?¡±

    He slotted all the cards into his deck, and felt whole for the first time in many months.

    <hr>

    ¡°Thank you¡­ so much.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. For now, go get rid of that contract, find a job that pays better, and be sure to pay off your debts! Once you do that, we can start looking into getting you better gear, assuming your new job doesn¡¯t outfit you themselves to keep you around,¡± Ivy said with a satisfied smile. The lifespan they¡¯d earn from this wasn¡¯t all that much compared to what they¡¯d earned during their venture to Aiguo, but it was just the start of things.

    And this way, she¡¯d have bragging rights that she made the first deal with a local.

    Merek continued to cycle through disbelief to appreciation to excitement, looping back to disbelief again, so Ivy politely kicked him out.

    [Now that you¡¯ve finished with business, I would like to inform you that your ''Tough Skin'' card is a monstrous card that is liable to mutate your soul.]

    ¡°Oh, is that all?" She hummed, considering. "Is it reversible?¡±

    The shop was silent for a moment, then reluctantly responded, [Indeed.]

    Ivy smiled. ¡°Then I don¡¯t see the problem.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter Ninety Nine

    ¡°This is the room. Boss is inside. Mind yourself.¡± Alamir eyed Shen Ai for a moment before rapping on the door with his knuckles twice, then he paused, and knocked three more times. The door opened, and Alamir gestured for Shen Ai to enter.

    As she entered, her Aware card clued her into the scent of blood and countless minor details about Bron Del, sitting across his desk, and how displeased the man seemed. The narrow sharpness of his brows, his slight sneer, the way his eyes pierced her, analyzing her like prey.

    A feeling she knew all too well and shrugged off. She wouldn¡¯t let his sour disposition derail her plans of learning about the tower, what was valuable, and using the Expansionist faction to the extent of her ability.

    ¡°You and your friends are slippery little bastards.¡± Bron Del¡¯s right hand gripped his sidearm resting on his table and rose, gesturing at a comfortable looking chair with the weapon. ¡°Sit. I implore you.¡±

    Despite knowing his words were not a suggestion and more a command, she crossed the room and stood behind it, her hands calmly behind her back. ¡°I will remain standing. I wish to conclude this business sooner rather than later, and getting comfortable may incentivize me to stick around longer than I¡¯d like.¡±

    With his free hand, Bron Del tapped the edge of the desk, letting out a grunt. ¡°Is that so? Then stand.¡± He circled the desk until he was at the edge closest to her, then sat back on it, crossing his arms and tapping the weapon against his bicep. ¡°What had you all in such a hurry yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Did it seem like we were in a hurry?¡± She paused, letting his frustration fester. As he opened his mouth to retort, she held up a hand to cut him off. ¡°Let us focus on the matter at hand. If your terms are satisfying, I¡¯m willing to enter into a partnership with your faction as a temporary member for the foreseeable future. Whether this is a week, a month, of the next twenty-seven years, I reserve the right to depart without discretion.¡±

    ¡°Hold it right there¡ª¡±

    Shen Ai moved before Bron Del could react, closing the distance and calmly pinning the weapon against his arm as she met his gaze. ¡°Remain silent until I finish. You are not the one in a position to demand anything from me, so do keep that in mind as we go forward with our negotiations. Do we have an understanding?¡±

    His nostrils flared as he tried to struggle uselessly against her overwhelming strength. The realization he was powerless against her pacified him, and he gritted his teeth as he nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±

    When she released him, he shrugged her arm off and rounded his desk to return to his high-backed chair on the other side. Maybe the physical barrier gave him comfort. Maybe he thought it would give him more time to try to shoot her if he so pleased. Whatever the reason, Shen Ai paid no more mind to it.

    ¡°Tell me why I shouldn¡¯t have you removed from my office this instant.¡± Face flushed, Bron Del glared at Shen Ai as he floundered to regain the upper hand.

    ¡°It is you who have requested my presence for a potential partnership so we may both use each other. This is the basis of your operation, whatever the end goal may be. If you no longer wish to seek an opportunity to work with me, then I will gladly find someone who will and act as if we never had this meeting.¡± The entire time she talked, her voice remained neutral and her gaze emotionless. She would give the man little satisfaction in any disillusion that he was the one in control here.

    ¡°God, you¡¯re more annoying than they said,¡± he grunted, waving his weapon at her. ¡°Just state the rest of your conditions, then we will consider moving forward with this partnership.¡±

    ¡°If and when you give me a mission, I will operate independently. The specifics of how I achieve the goals you set are mine to know alone,¡± she started, internally enjoying the way he grimaced at her with each additional condition. ¡°If you require my assistance, you will request it. If I so choose to decline, there will be no disciplinary action for insubordination. My loyalty does not lie with you but with what you can offer me. That does not mean I won¡¯t uphold my end of the deal. If I accept a request, I will see that it is complete, by whatever means I deem necessary.¡±

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    ¡°Oh, is that all?¡± Bron Del scoffed.

    ¡°That is another thing. You will show me respect and, from here on forward, address me as Light Goddess¡ªor simply Goddess if that¡¯s more your thing.¡± His eye twitched, and she finally let a hint of emotion show in the form of a slight smirk. ¡°Payment will be delivered upon completion of any request I complete and in the form of whatever I specify.¡±

    ¡°Cut the crap.¡±

    Shen Ai turned and walked toward the door, opened it, and was halfway out when Aware caught the minute movement of displaced air and an angry trigger squeeze. The sound of his sidearm firing was nearly deafening in the enclosed space.

    With the slightest movement, Shen Ai dodged.

    Red in the face, Bron Del shouted, ¡°You do not get to just walk away from me after walking in here and making ludicrous demands of me!¡±

    ¡°Will you cease your irrational behavior and acknowledge I am far more valuable than you can reason to part with? If you can do that, I will consider returning to continue our discussion, despite your transgressions against me.¡± She had half a mind to kill the man there and then, raid the storage, and wash her hands of the faction as a whole, but they likely didn¡¯t have what she needed yet. Only by working with them could she get ahold of specific resources that would help her cultivate¡ªno, upgrade her deck.

    ¡°Isolent¡ªWait!¡±

    She was halfway down the hall, nearing the flight of stairs that would take her down to the first level and the exit.

    If it weren¡¯t for her Aware card, she wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d have been able to hear his muttered, ¡°Goddess, please return. I-I must admit, you are very, very valuable.¡±

    ¡°Good enough.¡±

    She returned to the office, shut the door behind her, and they completed the contract. At the end of it all, she had no respect for the man but was officially a temporary Expansionist.

    ¡°Now that we have come to a suitable working understanding¡­¡± She ignored his muttered comment of ¡°suitable, my ass¡± and continued on. ¡°Supply your method of contact, then I will see myself out.¡±

    He held up the familiar block used to interface with the tower¡¯s mystical interface. ¡°I don¡¯t imagine you have one of these, Goddess?¡± When Shen Ai shook her head, he sighed and threw her the one he held. ¡°It already has my contact information loaded. I¡¯ll be in contact.¡±

    Then she left, a subdued grin on her face.

    <hr>

    Something changed overnight.

    First there was this ¡®Shen Ai¡¯ person who no one had ever heard of, coming out of literally nowhere to take over the 43rd slot. For most of the day, that had been all anyone thought was worth talking about, but now there was another.

    Rank 2: James Winstein

    Out of all climbers not aligned with one of the factions, across all floors and instances of the tower, only a single person could surpass this newcomer.

    Whispers and speculation quickly grew to a fever pitch. Was this a sign of the long-rumored fourth faction finally being born? With two new powerhouses on the board, was this a sign of change?

    To many, it was one tiny ray of hope.

    To others, it was a challenge. A race they couldn¡¯t afford to lose.

    Yesterday, the newcomers had been big news. A legendary card, a full epic deck, these were worth sitting up and paying attention to.

    Today, they were the only news.

    James Winstein was poised to single-handedly change the balance of power. Whichever faction got their hands on him first, they¡¯d have their work cut out for them keeping him there. He¡¯d just gone from a potential future danger to an existential threat for anyone who opposed him.

    This was no longer a lower-floor issue. This was a job for the best.

    Specter Zero watched with an unseen smile as the brother-sister duo traipsed in through the front door as though they hadn¡¯t a care in the world.

    A standard newcomer adventurer and her top-floor escort. Not an uncommon sight, recruiters often hired escorts for promising new climbers. But the sheer wealth on display in his outfit alone would have been enough to make him a tempting target even before he jumped to being the eighth most powerful person in the system.

    Specter Zero had the sneaking suspicion that, as exciting as yesterday¡¯s show had been, today¡¯s would be even better.

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred

    Floor three wasn''t anything like the first two. While floor one was an open wilderness full of ogres and tree monsters, floor two a warzone between contesting hordes of minotaurs, floor three was all about the quiet small inevitable death.

    Goblins. Elves¡ªand not the tall elegant type. Gnomes. Everything small and vicious and ready to swarm and tear you apart.

    Goblins dropped certain types of cards pretty reliably. You could get a Slimeskin or Slink or Consume card, sometimes Fling or even a Lightstep. But there was something wrong with all of them. Even more so than other monster cards.

    Goblin cards were practically a category of their own. You could always tell when someone had put goblin cards in their deck, because there was that sort of sheen to them, a slimy light that reeked of desperation.

    Zibo wasn''t above accepting that.

    Right now, he was going to die.

    He knew it, felt it.

    The unchecked power in his deck was raging through his body and soul. Everything he was couldn''t contain it, and it would tear him apart and burst forth in a moment if he couldn''t stop it.

    Just a little more experience.

    Just one more shard.

    Something.

    Anything.

    So when he saw a small group of younger goblins cut off from their hordes, he swallowed his disgust and instinctive fear and crept up toward them.

    <hr>

    ¡°It¡¯s almost unfair,¡± James said contemplatively as they burned their way through swarms of furious gnomes with impunity. ¡°I finally get something that can take out the big guys, and we get a bunch of tiny ones?¡±

    His own Protective Totem was keeping him perfectly safe as expected, but Ivy¡¯s retaliation damage was proving just as powerful. As long as she blocked properly, the backlash was enough to knock out almost any attacker with one or two strikes.

    James obliterated a pair of gnomes with rocks preparing to jump Ivy from behind, while she dueled an overly-large goblin to its death.

    She grinned, entirely unsympathetic. ¡°Oh, no, your perfectly optimized build isn¡¯t perfect after all.¡±

    James snorted. ¡°What build? It¡¯s a bunch of empty slots full of unspeakable power.¡±

    ¡°Too bad we weren¡¯t able to take out any of those Expansionist weirdos, I bet they¡¯d have had some fun cards.¡±

    ¡°You say that like you think we¡¯ll never get the chance again.¡± James punted an elf, which shook its tiny fist at him as it flew off into the distance. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s weird how much physically stronger I am now, even though none of my cards augment my body?¡±

    ¡°Probably something to do with your soul power level.¡± Ivy sighed enviously. Three goblins slashed at her in unison, and all three fell back dying as their slashes were returned by her energy blade at double strength. ¡°Shen Ai did a lot of powering herself up before we got here and she started out really strong.¡±

    ¡°You can power yourself up too.¡±

    ¡°As soon as our recruiter friend gets here, I hope to do just that. Seriously, can you imagine the kind of damage I¡¯ll be able to do when I don¡¯t have to worry about being hit?¡±

    ¡°I told you, I made low-level copies of my protection skill, if you want¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nope, I¡¯m earning it the old fashioned way.¡±

    ¡°Bribing factions into outfitting you with a combination of exploitation and nepotism?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! And you can¡¯t deny, power armor is going to be so much cooler than that little glowy thing you do.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be magnificent, I¡¯m sure.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but grin a bit at the mental image of his sister as a glowing titan of unstoppable destruction. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you upgrade more than your attack card though? I expected you to be flashing all kinds of new spells around.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I wanted to see if we got anything fun before sorting out the whole class thing. It looks complicated.¡±

    Ivy regarded him flatly, then spun away to slash her way through another group of goblins. ¡°You are unbelievably lazy sometimes, my dear brother.¡±

    ¡°And you are unbelievably energetic sometimes, my dear sister.¡± He flipped open his deck management interface and looked at the blinking icons for Class Upgrades Available. ¡°Magic¡­ which one, which one?¡±

    Arcanist caught his attention immediately, improving the precision of any magic-type cards, but he gave the other options a quick scan anyway. Kineticist sounded boring, too much moving stuff around and not enough blasting. Warder would synergize well with his existing protective ability, but he didn¡¯t really need more protection when he was already fully shielded. Conjurer would be a bit too impersonal, and require a lot more micromanagement.

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    He selected Arcanist and the options changed to the next tier.

    ¡°More magic, I like it. Seems the number of options decreases the higher you go, though.¡± Spellsword would be more up-close than he preferred, but Elementalist sounded fun. It would be nice to add more power types to his repertoire instead of just ¡®magebolt¡¯ whatever that was. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure if these are¡­ Hmmmmmmm¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you muttering about over there?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m upgrading my class. Do you think I should go for Elemental Shaman, or Sorcerer?¡±

    ¡°The one with more words in it is usually more specialized. And your heart card does talk about totems with its whole protection thing.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that what that means? Come to think of it, that may be why this is available at all. Eh-heh.¡± He selected the fancier-sounding class, and when the upgrade option went to High Shaman of Primal Fury he didn¡¯t need to think twice. Certainly more interesting than High Shaman of Hidden Lore. He could sit around at home reading any old time. If he was going to be out doing magic he wanted to be doing magic, not research. ¡°High Shaman of Primal Fury sounds really extravagant. It goes perfectly with my outfit.¡±

    ¡°And with your ego.¡± Ivy giggled.

    James ignored her. ¡°Ohhh, some of these are nice.¡± He slotted in Lightning Totem, the rare card from his Elementalist advancement, and watched as it rapidly evolved to Lightning Bombardment Totem. James grinned. ¡°This looks like a perfect spot to try out some chain lightning, doesn¡¯t it? At least it¡¯ll keep the area clear so I can concentrate.¡±

    ¡°As if you¡¯re doing any of the work keeping the area clear.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Time I pulled my legendary-master-fury weight around here.¡± He activated the new card, and the totem appeared in front of him. It sparkled with lightning and immediately began to grow sparking spheres over each of its wings and another at the front and back of what would be its chest if it were remotely person-shaped.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s very sparkly. We should use it as a Christmas tree.¡±

    ¡°Wait for it¡­¡±

    The four orbs of lightning continued to grow for two seconds, then turned opaque and blasted out in four directions as though fired from a catapult. They arced out over the battlefield, each one landing dead center on one of the attacking swarm, then exploded outward in branching arcs that jumped from enemy to enemy.

    For a moment, all that could be seen was the afterimage of a hundred monsters lit up by elemental destruction, then the totem shifted itself in place, rotating about a quarter turn as it charged up another set.

    James blinked at the mass of charred goblin remnants, none of which had any cards. Every last bit of the lifespan he usually earned a part of dissipated upward into the tower. He wondered if one of the Boons or Blessings the shop talked about might be able to redirect that energy to him, though he didn¡¯t think he was really in any need of more levels. The lifespan would be nice though, especially if he could transfer it to the Bastion of Points.

    ¡°My cards!¡± Ivy shouted, throwing her hands up at the sky. ¡°My precious, precious cards, all gone!¡±

    ¡°Well, uh, I cleared some space¡­¡± James rubbed the back of his head with an uneasy grin.

    She glared at him. ¡°What level are you anyway?¡±

    ¡°Legendary?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± She groaned. ¡°Seriously¡­ Have you paid attention to any of the tower¡¯s rules by now?¡±

    ¡°Nope! Rules are boring. I can take care of things just fine without knowing any of that.¡± He gestured to the totem, which fired off another blast and cleared another swath of enemies.

    ¡°Stop! I need those too!¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± He dismissed the totem. ¡°Back to card-picking, I suppose.¡± He scanned the available options again. ¡°Can¡¯t pass this one up, since it shares a name with my class and all.¡±

    The Primal Fury Totem didn¡¯t change when he slotted it in, since it was already legendary, but it still felt fairly awesome. It went into the one open slot that didn¡¯t already have legendary-level energy waiting to push it to max.

    ¡°I suppose you don¡¯t want me to unleash primal fury upon the poor goblins?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please refrain for now.¡±

    James reluctantly left his first actually-Legendary non-heart card unactivated for now and moved on. ¡°The arcanist options are boring for such a cool-sounding class.¡±

    ¡°What are they? I can help you decide.¡±

    James held out the screen to her. ¡°Can you read it?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t help but think it would be a lot easier to see what the base card would upgrade into at Legendary rarity when he slotted them in, but he noticed that the base card was always amplified and enhanced in one way or another. The seeming randomness didn¡¯t help him make his decision though. ¡°All stuff to augment spells, but all my spells are already going to be insane, so what kind of enhancement would I even need? And there¡¯s no guarantee it¡¯ll become what I think it will. Conceal Spell, Expand Spell, Imbue Spell¡­¡±

    ¡°Usually stronger spells have a bigger cost, so maybe something that will make it easier for you to fire them off. Something like a higher base energy pool or regeneration might go a long way? Though Imbue Spell does sound like a really interesting option, if it¡¯s going to be immediately raised to a Legendary rarity.¡± She waved her energy sword with a grin. ¡°Just think of all the possibilities.¡±

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s see what it does.¡± He selected Imbue Spell and dropped it into one of the open card slots. The card shifted even more rapidly than the Lightning Totem had, flickering through several interesting looking variations before settling on Arcanic Imbuement. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s become passive. Guess that makes it easy. Boring, but can¡¯t go wrong with everything being stronger.¡±

    ¡°Well, what¡¯s it do?¡±

    ¡°Imbues Arcane,¡± he said in a mystical voice. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll just have to test it out.¡±

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Pretty lame. Not even a guess?¡±

    ¡°Since the initial form added force to the spell it was paired to, and it went through several versions of ¡®add something to spell¡¯, it probably adds either a lot of something or several somethings.¡±

    ¡°How many do you have left now?¡± Ivy asked, looking a little bothered by his obvious hacking of the tower, seeing as she found it to be akin to an arcade.

    ¡°Just one. Elemental Shaman¡¯s cards are passive again. I wonder if it alternates? Is that all classes, or did I just get unlucky?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Shaman¡¯s Mark, what does that even mean? Totemic Spirit?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡± The attitude she gave him was uncalled for, in his opinion, but he was more focused on his final upgrade to worry much. She crossed her arms and ignored him.

    ¡°Well, I have three totems now, so let¡¯s use that. May as well.¡± Totemic Spirit doubled the effectiveness of summoned totems, though he wasn¡¯t sure if any of them needed doubling. After slotting it in, however, it immediately shifted to Totemic Pride which retained the amplification effect and added another effect. ¡°Doubles the number of active totems I can have? I wonder what my current limit is.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it? Or you can just use the block and look at the skills or your class. It¡¯s not like they don¡¯t specifically tell you their details or anything,¡± she grumbled.

    James grinned. ¡°You want me to try to make as many totems as I can?¡±

    Ivy watched the destroyed battlefield begin to repopulate, her eyes dulling as she muttered, ¡°My cards¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred One

    Conceal didn''t hide Zibo¡¯s footsteps or his scent, but it quieted his breathing and blurred his outline. He had his spear. He had his shield. He knew from experience that neither would be enough when you got swarmed, but he could take on three.

    Probably.

    He crouched behind the shield, a small round thing not large enough to cover more than his torso, and gripped the spear tight in his sweaty hand. The next seconds would decide his fate.

    One step forward, another. Creeping ever nearer.

    The goblins hissed and screeched to each other, heads darting up, tilting, ears twitched.

    Zibo lunged. The goblin nearest him spun at the sound, but it was just a moment too slow. His spear ran it through, and it twitched and snarled.

    Its friends hissed and ran over to grab it and pull it free, but the spear had been built intentionally to prevent this sort of rescue from being successful. They tore their friend free of the spear, but the damage caused when ripped free was worse than what it''d done going in. The goblin flopped to the ground, already dead, even if it would take it a few moments to stop twitching.

    Zibo took advantage of the distraction to run up and smack the second on the head with his shield, buying himself enough time to rush at the third with the spear.

    But in the chaos, he lost control of Conceal. Instead of following him, the spell slipped off and remained behind, a blurred patch of nothing hovering where he''d been crouching, and the dazed goblin wasn''t so out of it to be oblivious to someone attacking its friend right next to it.

    With a hiss and screech, it dug its poison claws deep into Zibo''s leg. He screamed, even as his attack succeeded in spearing the third goblin, and toppled sideways. He pulled his legs in, curled up beneath his shield, breathing hard.

    He wasn''t a frontline fighter. Never was meant to be alone. He was support, supplementary.

    He''d been important.

    Or so they''d told him.

    Right up until they left him behind.

    The goblin''s venom burned through him. He dropped the spear, thankful its tip guard prevented the goblin from pulling itself forward or back without killing itself in the process. He tried to draw out his dagger, but his vision was going blurry and his grip was too slick. He saw the dead goblin''s card¡ªa full card, for once¡ªhovering over its dead body, but its angry fellow was too close.

    Zibo wanted that card, needed it...

    Something landed heavily on his shield, and he cringed back. Claws appeared at the edge, then the goblin''s face peeked over, its shoulders hunched as it grinned evilly.

    Zibo''s body betrayed him, strength disappearing. He''d pushed himself so far, but he had nothing left. Fear paralyzed him, dread numbed him, and he simply stared up at his death with his chest tight and tears blurring his vision.

    I don¡¯t want to die! It wasn''t supposed to end like this!

    They''d promised him a better life, not a miserable death alone, betrayed, abandoned...

    The goblin raised a claw and slashed down at Zibo''s face. He flinched back, evading enough that its burning claws dragged across his cheek rather than through his eye, but that was the best he could manage.

    Fire blazed across that whole side of his face, numbing and searing at once, the flesh feeling bloated and unreal.

    I don¡¯t want to die¡­

    "Hya!"

    Zibo flinched at the sound so close, but instead of heralding his death, the weight of the goblin''s crouched form disappeared from atop him, leaving him free to breathe. Its poison still raged through his body, still tore at him as strongly as the power of his unappeased deck, but not for long.

    "You seem to be in need of healing," said a cheerful male voice, while a nearby female continued to make overly-loud fighting noises with the goblin. "I might be able to help you there."

    Zibo blinked, and through his tears, he saw a young man wearing the most incredible collection of relic items he''d ever seen. A cloak finer than anything he¡¯d ever seen before, and an obvious spatial pouch, bigger than Zibo had ever seen, on the young man¡¯s hip.

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    Zibo¡¯s eyes widened involuntarily. This must be a prince from Euriste 1. There''d been rumors they were going to start sending their nobility through the tower, but to see one in person in their instance?

    "I also have other cards available, if healing isn''t what you''re after." And the man spread out a handful of seven different cards, each glowing dull gray.

    Proper cards, not the brown of monster cards.

    It was all Zibo could do to hold himself back from snatching them then and there. They were right within reach... but this prince would never let him get away with such a brazen action even if he were to try.

    "Please... I''ll give you anything"

    "Anything? That makes it easy." The man grinned and held out a parchment. "Sign here, and you can have your pick of my available cards. With your blood, but that should be easy to come by."

    Zibo was way too far past caring. He ran a finger across his burning face and scrawled his name across the page. His vision was too blurred to read it, and he was in too much pain to care.

    He wasn''t exaggerating with his offer of ''anything''. It truly didn''t bother him to give away anything and everything right now. He needed his life more than any freedom, and to not only live but live with a proper full deck and no more fear of loss and abandonment, able to be his own person without relying on anyone else?

    No, there was nothing he wouldn''t consider worth trading.

    "Perfect! I''m assuming you''ll want the healing card. What others?"

    Zibo nodded and reached out. The card felt like peace and hope even just to hold it, and when he slid it into his deck, he felt immediate synergy. Refreshment latched onto it, a perfect match, and the fabled notification appeared, one he¡¯d never have expected to see.

    Upgrade available: 1/10

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have nine more of those?¡± he asked, voice raspy, intensely aware of how close to death he was, but unable to pass up a chance like this, regardless of his agony.

    The man laughed, surprised. ¡°As a matter of fact, I do. Wasn¡¯t expecting to sell out on the first customer of the day, but our contract is very inclusive.¡±

    He held out the stack, nine more identical cards, and the moment Zibo touched them, they all dissolved into his desperate heart.

    Upgrade in progress. Please wait.

    Light flashed around him, gray giving way to green as the impossible happened.

    He¡¯d just ascended. At the same time, the inner pressure intensified until it drowned out the merely physical pain of the injuries across his body.

    But that hardly mattered.

    Uncommon!

    Never had he dared to hope for such a miracle, not without another fifty years of working toward it tirelessly.

    He laughed aloud, though it came out half strangled by blood and just shy of a scream.

    ¡°Manifest,¡± he gasped, and green light appeared in his hand. He ignored the gray class card, eyes only for the new core of his frantic heart.

    Remedy (Uncommon)

    He activated it, and immediately he felt the poisons recede and his wounds bubbled and twisted¡ªnot painfully, but not comfortable either. It only went on for a minute, then his body calmed and stilled as his injuries finished healing over. He blinked and sat up, running a hand across the torn leather of his leg armor, the flawless skin beneath.

    Then he looked up at his rescuer, who sat back on his heels watching, his hand still holding the other six gray cards.

    ¡°You better?¡± he asked. ¡°Ready to finalize our agreement?¡±

    Zibo swallowed and nodded. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what he¡¯d agreed to, he¡¯d been in no condition to read, but the four empty spaces in his deck burned intensely enough he didn¡¯t care.

    He barely glanced over the options before picking four of them to take. He hesitated only a moment, meeting the foreign prince¡¯s crimson eyes in a silent question.

    ¡°They¡¯re yours, bought fair and square. Go ahead.¡±

    Zibo pressed the whole set to his chest, and they fell into place with a feeling of rightness so intense he nearly passed out on the spot. It¡¯d been so long since he¡¯d felt anything but the temporary relief of lessened strain, to have it fully washed away felt alien, almost euphoric.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered, and clung to the hand of his glorious savior. ¡°Thank you. I can never repay you for this. You have no idea¡­¡± And then he was weeping, the tension and fear of the past week dissolved and poured out, leaving him light and unburdened for the first time he could remember.

    ¡°No need to thank me. You¡¯ll be repaying me for quite a while yet. Contract, remember?¡±

    Zibo nodded. It felt wrong to even ask, but¡­ ¡°What is it you need from me?¡±

    ¡°Nothing specific. We¡¯ve recently established a gradual-repayment loan style operation, since I can afford to cover the up-front costs myself, and that makes it easier on your end.¡± He pulled out the contract again¡ªZibo couldn¡¯t see from where, it was just there without warning¡ªand held it up. ¡°Simple as it comes.¡±

    Zibo read it over, then again, confused. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± the foreign prince confirmed. ¡°No sneaky loopholes, just a very clear caveat.¡±

    ¡°You get half of any experience I earn from here until the cost of any cards I take from you is repaid, with one percent annual interest, and if I die before repaying it, you claim possession of my ¡®soul¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Still not sure what we can do with those, but Ivy set a precedent, and no one¡¯s complained yet. Worst case, I¡¯m out a few thousand years of lifespan, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll all even out in the end.¡±

    Zibo just stared at the man. He felt dizzy and buoyant, unsure if he was about to topple off a precipice or simply float away.

    ¡°Do you have questions?¡±

    ¡°The terms on this don¡¯t say anything about limiting the cards to any number or quality, only that they¡¯re for my personal deck.¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    ¡°How many copies of those other cards do you have?¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Two

    ¡°Senior Shop? May I enter?¡±

    [Of course, Employee Shen Ai. You may always enter.]

    ¡°I find myself in a position of unexpected power and would like to consult with someone. Do you know where Seniors Ivy and James are?¡±

    [They are in the tower. I cannot detect them more precisely without accessing the tower¡¯s internal network which would be an intrusion with an 83% probability of being noticed and a 72% likelihood of instigating retaliation.]

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    [You may consult with me if you are in need of calculations for your future actions. Representative James and Co-Owner Ivy have begun to arrange loan-style purchases by fronting their own lifespan stockpiles to obtain goods to sell. I am not sure whether this is a viable long term plan but Representative James is quite confident in it.]

    Shen Ai perked up at this. ¡°Do we know what kind of things the people of this world desire?¡±

    [From what has been so far established, they seem fully wrapped up in obtaining these tower cards. It seems rather limiting to me, forcing all powers to conform to the same framework when we could sell anything that can be imagined, but at least funneling all wishes through this format will fully shield us from responsibility. With the tower giving out cards freely, any powers we introduce will be perceived in the same way. I simply need more examples to draw upon before I can begin to formulate my own varieties. Right now my understanding is too limited.]

    ¡°I do not like what I see here,¡± Shen Ai admitted. ¡°The powers in this city consume their people as thoroughly as the sects of the heavens did back on Aiguo, only with false promises and despair rather than overpowering force. And here there is no division of realms to protect them.¡± Not that the division of realms had helped nearly enough, but it had at least forced the cruel masters of the heavens to send people like Shen Ai into the lower realms instead of wreaking havoc themselves.

    Or maybe that was worse.

    [Then it will be easy for you to find people whose lifespan they should be liberated from.]

    ¡°That is one way of looking at it.¡± Shen Ai smiled faintly. ¡°I would like to correct the balance of this place. Can you help?¡±

    [Of course. We only need to find what people most desperately desire and provide it to the right ones.]

    <hr>

    ¡°Name?¡±

    ¡°Merek Sion.¡±

    ¡°Rating 1.5. Current balance: one thousand eight hundred and three.¡± The accountant didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°What do you have for us today?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to pay out the balance of my contract.¡±

    The accountant frowned faintly and tapped at the screen. ¡°That¡¯s two hundred and three thousand four hundred and fifty-five shards. Minus your current balance, that leaves¡ª¡±

    Merek placed the Dominant Vengeance card on the counter, and the man¡¯s voice trailed off into stunned silence.

    The scanning block lit up white to match the card¡¯s light and chimed loudly enough that everyone in the room turned to stare.

    Merek smiled, taking in the absolute shock registering on everyone¡¯s faces as he stood with the pure brilliant glow of the card in front of him.

    The accountant stared at the card. Then he stared at Merek.

    ¡°I want to buy out my contract,¡± Merek repeated. ¡°Now.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ You can¡­ wait here. I¡¯ll go get¡­¡± He backed away from the brilliant white glow as though it were deadly radioactive, turned, and ran for the back. Merek heard him shouting for his boss and smiled.

    While he waited, he picked up the card and reread it again. It was a thing of beauty. He wished he could keep it, but this had been entrusted to him for a purpose. He couldn¡¯t start paying off his new deck until he paid off his old life.

    At the thought of never having to come to this drab office again, never needing to turn over anything he didn¡¯t choose to, a smile grew on his face that even the obvious tension of everyone in the room couldn¡¯t squelch.

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    This was it.

    After today, he¡¯d be free to earn what he wanted, how he wanted. The new debt was the lightest, easiest thing he¡¯d ever seen. The terms were so flexible it felt unreal. But if they really could enslave his soul for eternity, that was a pretty good insurance against him just disappearing with their cards.

    His cards now.

    He pulled them out just to look at them again. Five perfect rectangles, the pure blue glow of every single one beyond his wildest imagination.

    He hadn¡¯t chosen his class upgrade path yet and wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to bother. Brawler had never been a class chosen for anything but pragmatic reasons. He¡¯d been aiming for Burst at the time, because he knew that would get him the best chance at earning shards quickly. In combination with his heart card, he could become a force to be reckoned with.

    Instead, he¡¯d received Pushback.

    That had been a major setback, the worst possible outcome of all the basic Brawler cards. If not for his heart card, Personal Perimeter, being a similar but stronger personal area control ability, it could have been invaluable. But as it was, he was basically useless until he saved up enough to add the Burst card he¡¯d wanted from the start.

    Once he had that, everything finally started to change for the better. His deck may be small and his tactics simple, but they worked. He¡¯d been able to start repaying some of his existing debt, keep up with rent most of the time and not fall any further behind.

    It was a joyless existence, but he¡¯d believed in his long term goals enough to keep trudging through.

    But now¡­

    With these, he could go anywhere.

    Third tier Healing could get him a job at any hospital, as an adjunct to an emergency response group, or even as a standby for research facilities¡ªany of which would pay more in a year than he¡¯d earned his whole life until now.

    Link, Analysis, and Counteract were almost as good. Link would get him into any number of social or legal fields. Analysis at Rare would make him one of the most sought-after resources for researchers, and might even be enough to qualify him for special government incentive programs. Counteract was a little harder to build a career around, but it would be invaluable for his trips into the tower.

    And, even carried away on dreams of his beautiful future, he couldn¡¯t deny that he would need to go back into the tower. He owed the strange shop owners too much. Even if it was only one day a week, he could start to pay them back without harming his career or normal life.

    Everything could finally be the way he¡¯d always wanted. Better, even.

    ¡°Merek Sion?¡± Ray Liash, the ostensible owner of this company, stood on the other side of the counter with his arms crossed. ¡°I understand you¡¯ve been holding out on us.¡±

    Merek tucked his personal deck away and held out the epic. ¡°I¡¯ve come to pay out my contract. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°One epic, sure, that pays off the primary amount, but there¡¯s still¡ª¡± He tapped his companion block and consulted the paired wrist-screen. ¡°¡ªone thousand six hundred and fifty-two shards in interest.¡±

    Merek¡¯s heart sank. He still had the common monster card, but that would only count as two shards. ¡°I haven¡¯t chosen my uncommon class card. If I let you pick and take it, could we call it even?¡± he proposed without much hope.

    Liash took the card, then frowned as he scanned his screen. He shook his head. ¡°Looks like you¡¯d still need four full Uncommons if you wanted to pay it off that way.¡±

    Merek grimaced but nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    Still, with an almost fully rare deck, he could surely earn four Uncommons easily enough.

    He laughed at himself. A week ago it would have been impossible. Today, that goal was very attainable. Just a minor setback. Nothing to worry about.

    His perfect future had never been closer to becoming reality.

    For the first time in his life, he was smiling as he walked toward the tower to start the morning¡¯s climb.

    <hr>

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about entering this in the records,¡± Ray Liash quietly instructed the man on duty, slipping the Epic card into his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it personally.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the boss,¡± his underling said, though his eyes weren¡¯t the only ones lingering on Liash¡¯s pocket.

    ¡°Go on, back to work,¡± Liash said in a soft yet carrying voice. ¡°And a friendly reminder that any items which pass through this office during work hours are to be considered strictly confidential. I don¡¯t want to hear any whisper about this specific card¡¯s existence, let alone its location.¡±

    Nods and murmured assent, fearful workers returning to their scurrying business. Just what he liked to see.

    Liash crossed to his personal elevator and tapped in the code for the basement. He may be nominally aligned with the Ascenders and give them preferential treatment with any ordinary products that came through, but this card wasn¡¯t the kind of thing he could simply sell.

    He traded out his business block for another identical one in a hidden drawer at the side of a filing cabinet, paired it to his peripherals, and crossed to the rear of the elevator shaft. Another hidden door, and he was descending yet again.

    Yes, a card this special deserved a full auction. No one faction would ever offer as much if they didn¡¯t think there was a chance of it falling into enemy hands.

    He could almost taste the wealth now. Very, very few people had an Epic heart capable of holding such a powerful card, but to those who did have the capacity, such a card would be irreplaceable.

    He chuckled to himself as he exited into a dark tunnel lit only by the glow of his iris screen and wristlight and held up the covert block to tap in the destination. ¡°Nothing better for the market than a bit of healthy competition.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Three

    ¡°We looked so hard for another desperate soul, and nada,¡± Ivy grumbled as they made their way back to the battlefield of swarming mini-monsters. ¡°So much wasted time I could¡¯ve used for collecting more cards, but nooooo, we just had to go on a wild goose chase in hopes of finding a new contractor.¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah. That¡¯s kind of one of the big things we do. If not us, who else?¡±

    ¡°Shen Ai?¡± Ivy quieted for a long moment. ¡°I miss her. I wonder if she¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°Shen Ai? Okay? Is that even a real question? I¡¯d like to see something in this tower that can even come close to messing with her until we get way higher than we are right now,¡± James said, wondering where their friend had wandered off to. Merek had mentioned something about her selling her soul, but he was pretty sure that was an exaggeration.

    Then again, in their line of work¡­

    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s weird to go so long without hearing anything from¡ª¡±

    ¡°There you two are. I¡¯ve been looking all over for you,¡± Jarvick of Ascension called as he lowered himself from the sky.

    ¡°You can fly?¡± Ivy asked, eyes sparkling at the prospect of getting flying power armor.

    ¡°Glide, more like. Takes a third tier power armor to be able to imitate true flight,¡± Jarvick explained, pointing towards a high peak barely visible from where they were. ¡°Was up there using a long range scanner to find you both, then made my way over.¡±

    ¡°I want one. No, three. Actually, twelve. Give me twelve!¡± Ivy scrambled to inspect the power armor, seemingly optimistic about being able to find several scanners she could simply poach from Jarvick.

    ¡°No,¡± he denied simply, turning to look at James. ¡°Higher ups need a demonstration of what you can do if they¡¯re going to consider your offer. They were very adamant about taking you both on as a pair of talented prospects. They see little value in accepting your sister with the offer of a single day of your time. They¡¯re doubtful you¡¯d be of use to us in only a single day.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re skeptical, huh?¡± James shrugged. ¡°I was just about to do a test run of some of my abilities anyway, so you¡¯re more than welcome to watch. Hell, record it if you want, but you only show it to these higher ups. Consider this my audition, if you would.¡±

    Jarvick nodded and dropped a small cube on the ground. It expanded into a table that flipped open to a dozen monitors with indistinct faces. The middlemost displayed a view of the open field in front of them, to which James took front and center.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one auditioning?¡± Ivy grumbled, crossing her arms, though she couldn¡¯t hide her curiosity as she watched James. Even if she wouldn¡¯t admit it, his upgrades had piqued her curiosity, despite her thinking he was a giant cheater.

    ¡°First, I¡¯d like to run some tests. I will be sure to let you know when I¡¯m about to really impress.¡±

    Ivy stayed back to watch, while James walked a ways away into the open space nearby. They¡¯d really done a number on the local monster population, so there wasn¡¯t as much of an army to worry about as a handful of scattered groups. However, the demise of their fellows did nothing to make the angry gnomes less eager to rush in at the intruders on their floor.

    He waved one hand and a much larger totem rose up from the ground in front of him, pulsing with a brilliant white glow tinged with faint sky-blue.

    For a long time, everyone stared at it. It glowed.

    James cleared his throat. ¡°Yes, well, it is just a test, be patient.¡±

    Then the glow pulsed and split, detaching entirely from the totem and forming two identical globes of swirling wind. They then unfolded and stood, wispy forms made of tornadoes and flowing clouds in impossible combinations, each tall enough to give the first floor¡¯s twelve foot ogres a solid punt without difficulty.

    The glow around the totem immediately shifted to a deep blue and resumed pulsing, while the wind elementals raced across the third floor, tearing up the ground with such violence that even their passage sent deadly shrapnel flying to decimate an even broader swath of enemies.

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    ¡°Are those¡­ greater wind elementals¡­?¡± James heard a distorted voice mutter. One of his friendly audition onlookers, no doubt.

    While everyone was still enraptured by the sheer destruction being wrought by the wind, the totem activated again. Water flowed out into two blobs akin to a slime, viscous yet dense and magnitudes larger, as they took shape one on either side as before.

    James glanced up at the wind elementals, wondering if they would disappear now that they¡¯d been replaced, but it seemed the summoning was additive rather than mutative.

    The water slimes rolled off at right angles from the routes the wind had taken, sweeping up gnomes and angry elves alike and dragging them along with it in its watery form.

    ¡°This behavior, they don¡¯t even see this floor as a threat. Who here has seen what these monstrous creatures are truly capable of?¡± another voice asked, to which a whole chorus responded with subtle hints of terror. ¡°This is something one would see on¡ªwhat?¡ªthe fiftieth floor? Maybe higher?¡±

    Silence returned as the next elemental spawns joined the party.

    Earth was next, forming into a pair of heavyset bull-like creatures with legs reminiscent of ancient tree trunks. Not to mention they were twice as tall as the ogres and far stockier. Literal colossi.

    The ground shook with their every step, as though they were echoing against something deeper than the earth and vibrating the world itself. There wasn¡¯t much left for them to do, since the wind and water elementals had annihilated everything and anything with a pulse and begun homing in on any survivors from their initial surges, but they certainly did their best to join the fray.

    The totem didn¡¯t stop. Next was fire, then ice. One looked like a stormbird, while another looked like a titanic clayman made of magma. No matter how many elementals spawned, the totem kept at it.

    ¡°Ivy, hit the totem,¡± James called.

    She did and hollered in pain as the energy sword dropped to the ground. ¡°Ow, that hurt!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Ascender?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming that¡¯s me,¡± Jarvick said, hesitant to step forward. ¡°If you¡¯re recommending I strike the totem, I¡¯d like to try something else instead.¡± The same cannon he used to help them escape blasted the totem, and all that remained was a little burn mark. ¡°Wow, that thing is sturdy.¡±

    After that display, James grinned and summoned another.

    Then another.

    And another.

    When he tried to press for a fifth, he finally found his limit, as the card failed to activate.

    ¡°Four? He can summon four? This can¡¯t be¡­¡± At the rate he was going, James feared one of his spectators would die of sheer shock, surprise, and no small amount of horror. ¡°And each one summons two greater elementals?¡±

    ¡°Not only that, these that he¡¯s summoning look to be even greater than what I¡¯ve witnessed¡­ Those were horrifying enough.¡± A moment passed where nobody moved or spoke. ¡°With this, his audition should be accepted¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not finished yet,¡± James said with a devious grin. The elementals were cool and all, but he still wanted to try two more things.

    First, seeing how Totemic Pride affected his Lightning Bombardment Totems. He dismissed the four Primal Fury Totems and began summoning.

    The third floor lit up with electric discharge as the first totem fired eight lightning bombs. The impact was greater than previously, and the distance the lightning chained to had increased too. By the time he¡¯d summoned all four, there was a nonstop barrage of lightning bombs killing anything that dared spawn within their range the moment they appeared.

    The chatter exploded into an uproar, but James ignored it as he thumbed the spatial pouch to retrieved the Sealed Staff of Revanasa and hoped it worked how he hoped. However, when he didn¡¯t see any improvement in the efficacy of the lightning bombardment totems, he hummed curiously to himself.

    Then he dismissed the totems and recast one. Immediately, he felt the difference, not that the giant shining sapphire in the tip glowing in his face made it hard to notice the staff¡¯s activation. Not to mention, he could feel the ability to reactivate the card had halved, just as promised.

    In record time, he dropped two Lightning Bombardment Totems and two Primal Fury Totems. For the first time, pride in his skills blossomed in his chest as the two totems put in the same work as four and his elementals came out bigger and better than ever.

    The third four was absolutely pandemonium unleashed as his upgrades worked their magic and his tests showed him all he needed to know.

    Warning!

    Warning!

    Relocation occurring promptly!

    ¡°Oh shi¡ª¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Did you catch that?¡± Specter Zero asked, disconnecting from the Ascender¡¯s live stream.

    ¡°We need him. See to it.¡± The connection cut.

    ¡°Well, well, this got a lot more interesting.¡± Specter Zero scratched his chin. ¡°Now, where in the world did he run off to?¡±

    <hr>

    One moment James was there, basking in the glory of his new and improved class and abilities. In the next, nada. James was nowhere to be found. Knowing her brother, however, Ivy didn¡¯t panic.

    Instead she turned, grinning, toward Jarvick. ¡°So when do I get my new power armor?¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Four

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I have to tell you, but we have to finalize the contract, then you have to go through Ascension¡¯s basic training program before you can pilot power armor,¡± Jarvick groaned, rubbing his temples to ease the budding headache after explaining to the persistent young woman faction policy for the umpteenth time.

    ¡°And I keep telling you, I can do this all much faster and better once I have the power armor. It¡¯ll be easier for everyone involved if you just fork it over now and we deal with the details after.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how things work!¡±

    ¡°Why not?!¡± Ivy glared defiantly back at Jarvick.

    He counted each moment, anticipating the moment when he could pass off the petulant girl to the basic training rep. Jarvick would take great enjoyment from watching her go through extensive attitude adjustment therapy during her stay.

    And if they didn¡¯t see a reason to put her through it, he¡¯d be sure to find one. Even if he had to arrange it himself.

    However, the image of James¡¯ final demonstration caused all the steam to disappear.

    ¡°Just give me the power armor. That¡¯s the whole reason I wanted to join your faction in the first place, and all this red tape? It¡¯s so not cool,¡± she continued, reigniting Jarvick¡¯s desire to lock her in solitary.

    ¡°That¡¯s the whole problem, you see,¡± a voice, like music to Jarvick¡¯s ears, replied to Ivy in his stead. Calm, ancient, but also not who Jarvick anticipated seeing.

    He gave the honorary salute to one of the twelve elder councilmen and bowed his head deep, making sure not to make eye contact to avoid causing disrespect. ¡°Seventh Seat Abellar, it¡¯s my honor to see you again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too stiff, Little Bird. Lighten up.¡± The elder¡¯s behavior deeply confounded Jarvick, as Abellar was the type of man to only preach policy, tradition, and protocol as absolutely necessary and fundamental to one¡¯s way of the world within the tower.

    Jarvick saw the sharpness replace the kind, calm elderly guise for but a brief moment. He almost didn¡¯t believe what he¡¯d seen, but it was long enough for Jarvick to be certain.

    The elders would give Ivy special treatment to garner loyalty in order to keep on the better side of her brother. Even Abellar.

    They were afraid.

    ¡°So when can I get my own suit of power armor?¡± Ivy asked the elder, completely lacking any shame or decor, skipping up to him and looking behind him as if he¡¯d brought one to her as a surprise present.

    ¡°Much to my chagrin, Little Bird is right, though I can show you the power suit we¡¯ve prepared specially for you, little miss Ivy.¡± He gestured behind him toward an elevator that only led down toward their underground training facility for those who qualified to be a pilot.

    It had taken Jarvick three years of accumulating achievements, merit, and several recommendations before he¡¯d ever stepped foot in the elevator. He was resigned to be envious for the rest of Ivy¡¯s stay, however short or long that might be, now that the blatant nepotism was on display.

    ¡°What could this basic training possibly provide me to make it worth going?¡± she asked, huffing a displeased breath and ruffling elder Abellar¡¯s robes.

    ¡°Most would consider even being able to attempt our program as a once in a lifetime opportunity, little miss Ivy,¡± Abellar said, a slightly harder edge to his voice. ¡°As you are currently, you will be unable to pilot the suit of power armor we¡¯ve created for you. That would be a shame if we had to scrap it or find a new owner.¡±

    ¡°Just show it to me already, old man,¡± she said in a sickly sweet voice with a condescending grin on her face.

    Jarvick saw Abellar¡¯s temple pulse, but he managed to keep himself collected. Had Jarvick been in the man¡¯s position, he knew better than to think he¡¯d have achieved the same level of self-control. He still had so much to learn.

    ¡°Right this way.¡± Abellar took the lead, and Ivy fell in step at his side.

    When Jarvick moved to follow, Abellar gave a slight shake of his head. As the duo, elder and incessant young woman, got on the elevator headed down, Jarvick didn¡¯t know whether to fume at the treatment or celebrate for finally being relieved of the responsibility of listening to Ivy yap and demand one thing after another and argue for the sake of it.

    So he simply stood there numbly, questioning his life choices, as the elevator dove deeper and deeper.

    <hr>

    ¡°Class?¡±

    Merek paused. He¡¯d been putting off this decision, since he didn¡¯t feel any personal connection to Brawler as a class, but once chosen, a class couldn¡¯t be removed. Only evolved. The amount of energy humming through his class was enough to move two steps from the basic. He brought up the evolution schematics to double-check his options, and two potential paths stood out to him.

    Acrobat - focuses on evading until the perfect time to strike. Augments all Protection and Observation type cards.

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    Striker - focuses on hitting fast and hard. Augments all Movement and Contact type cards.

    He didn¡¯t have any protection or movement cards, but two of his new rares were observation types, making Acrobat a clear statistical winner by weight of numbers. But with Burst being the sole common left in his deck, the augment to contact attacks from Striker would go a long way toward keeping him from becoming too unbalanced. He had healing and awareness aplenty now, and with the improvements to his personal card, he didn¡¯t need to worry about evading.

    Unreachable prevented enemies from getting within striking distance, regardless of their reach, so long as he remained actively focused on the ability. It would leave him vulnerable whenever he attacked, but in a chaotic melee, the ability to remain absolutely sure of your positioning was incomparably valuable. He could hold until the right moment, then strike and push everyone away again.

    After selecting Striker, the pressure in his class eased somewhat, but there was still one more choice to be made. This one was simpler, but he still considered it carefully before making a choice.

    He¡¯d already done plenty of reckless decision making lately. If ever there was a time to stop and think things over, it was before choosing the final evolution of one¡¯s Rare class.

    Twinstriker - adds the Echo effect to all attacks.

    Shadowstriker - adds the Conceal effect to all movement.

    He glanced at the available class cards in the uncommon and rare tiers, which had shifted to accommodate the change to Striker. They retained the same type¡ªif he were going to shard them, they would give the same shards¡ªbut the specifics changed subtly.

    ¡°Twinstriker.¡±

    The tower guard recorded his answer while he looked at the card options. Heave or Truestrike, that was an easy choice. He already had a better knockback than the class would provide. Truestrike made attacks unnaturally accurate, targeting weaknesses in slow-moving targets flawlessly or tracking rapid enemies, despite there being no reasonable way to keep up. It would be the only non-Rare card in his deck, but he overwrote Pushback without hesitation.

    For Rare, the options were Demolish or Sweep. He was mildly irritated that both his choices had contained the pushback-equivalent. Apparently some part of him really wanted to be left alone. This was too many times to be coincidence. Demolish was something like Burst, except it didn¡¯t stop after one strike and required a several-second cooldown. It was a toggle.

    Merek found himself grinning as he overwrote Burst. A week ago, if anyone had proposed he¡¯d be happy to lose his one precious purchased card that he¡¯d saved up for so long for, he¡¯d have called them crazy.

    Perhaps he was crazy. Or perhaps it was finally his time to start winning.

    <hr>

    Ivy had never quite managed to get over childhood dreams of a high-tech suit of armor that would enable her to go wherever she wanted and do things she¡¯d never been able to. Even after Archaniel had showed up and healed her physically and then James and the shop carried her away to fantastical Aiguo, the idea had lingered quietly at the back of her mind.

    Thinking about the arena world of Cyrel had brought those desires flaring back to life and now¡­

    She grinned, barely resisting the urge to jump up and down with excitement.

    The underground lab was dark as they descended, then lights powered up to illuminate one section at a time. Nearest was a collection of tables and tools, and several hanging sections of disassembled power armor suits. After seeing Jarvick¡¯s armor, she¡¯d tempered her expectations to moderately sane, but as each section lit up, her expectations were far surpassed.

    Jarvick¡¯s suit had been the least of what was available.

    She was off running the moment the elevator doors opened, sprinting down the line of power suit after power suit, each more specialized than the last. One side boasted streamlined and slim designs with everything from basic weapons to cutting tools and force fields, flight, and hi-tech energy manipulation. The other side was bulky and oversized, heavy armor, heavy everything.

    She couldn¡¯t stop running from one to the next, back and forth across the long room.

    ¡°It¡¯s like a museum of awesome! I want them alllllll!¡±

    ¡°Yours is down at the end here,¡± Abellar said, walking calmly past her excited squealing without comment. ¡°Keep in mind, this is a very sophisticated tool, and one which¡ª¡±

    Ivy ran past him to the suit at the very end. It was white and slender at the top, with nicely large, deep red stompy legs and outfitted with even more awesome everything. ¡°So how do I turn it on?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll need months of training in order to utilize¡ª¡±

    Ivy climbed up the scaffolding behind the armor and began poking at the seams in an attempt to get it open.

    Abellar pressed a button, and one of the walls opened, revealing a large training area. Several other people were already there, working together or in groups. ¡°Perhaps undertake basic orientation before you start trying to force your way into sophisticated weaponry?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Power armor first, orientation later. I¡¯ve waited all my life for this. No way I¡¯m going to delay now!¡±

    Abellar walked around and pointed to an indentation on the back. ¡°You need to pair it to your block before it¡¯ll let you in.¡±

    ¡°James has ours.¡±

    ¡°You mean you¡¯ve been sharing a¡­¡± Abellar shook his head. ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯ll get you one of your own. We should have some prototypes lying around.¡± He strode back to the work tables and started opening drawers, then pulled out a slender silver block that only looked about five times as thick as a clunky old cell phone. ¡°This one¡¯s open at the moment. Go ahead and log in.¡±

    Ivy took the block and turned it over. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to log in?¡±

    Abellar stared. ¡°You were using one without locking it first? But then anyone could come and read your personal details.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that all? I don¡¯t care. If it means I can get going sooner.¡±

    ¡°How are you still alive?¡±

    ¡°Give me some credit. I¡¯ve been here for two whole days, and we didn¡¯t have all this stuff back where I¡¯m from,¡± Ivy absentmindedly muttered, more focused on the fancy power armor promised to her.

    It took another three minutes to align the thing, sync the block to her vitals, and then lock it before connecting to the armor itself, but finally the glorious thing was standing open before her, ready to try out.

    ¡°I do suggest you at least read over the instructions,¡± Abellar said, ¡°but I understand you¡¯re in a hurry to get going.¡± He rotated the platform the armor stood on until she was facing the large opening to the training area. ¡°Good luck.¡±

    Someone grumpy-looking with a clipboard came walking toward them, which Ivy ignored. She hopped in the power armor, and grinned as it fitted snugly to her shape. She wasn¡¯t about to let anyone stop her now!

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Five

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing, Abellar?¡±

    Abellar¡¯s face remained blank as he watched Ivy out of the corner of his eyes. ¡°Ninth Seat Verox, I¡¯m allowing our new recruit here a test drive of her power armor. Do your eyes fail you today, because things are as they look.¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t run her vitals, and she¡¯s months of training too early to even attempt this!¡± the woman hissed, throwing down a clipboard and crossing her arms. ¡°You come into my lab and do what you want like you own the place. See if I don¡¯t have you sitting before the others for a council review of your behavior.¡±

    ¡°Hush now, darling. Let the child fail. Surely you¡¯ve seen her brother¡¯s footage?¡± Verox flinched back, a tinge of fear in her eyes. ¡°Yes, that is the correct response. So what if we bend some of the typical rules to get her to fall in line, and with her, him. She lacks talent, but that is not something we condemn here. A rather difficult one, she is, so to make sure things run smoothly from here on out, I¡¯ve taken it upon myself to express creative liberties in this recruitment.¡±

    The girl finally figured out how to take a step, toppled over forward, then flipped over entirely to land in a wobbly handstand thanks to the armor¡¯s incredibly sensitive gyroscopics. From the combination of laughing and shrieking going on, Abellar wasn¡¯t entirely sure if it was intentional or not, but it was certainly non-standard.

    ¡°Creative liberties indeed. Is that why you¡¯ve given her the experimental prototype for advanced drivers? One that isn¡¯t even available to our top, most dedicated forces?¡± The suit flopped over onto its back with a screech of metal on stone, and Verox winced. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, any damages incurred from this aren¡¯t coming out of my budget.¡±

    ¡°Not to worry. I assure you, this will be more than worth the investment.¡±

    The girl finally managed to right herself and took off at a bouncing jog, swiveling wildly from side to side with each step until she looked almost like she was dancing. Or drunk. Or both. On the moon.

    ¡°Yes, I see,¡± Verox said dryly. ¡°A major investment indeed. How could I ever have doubted you.¡±

    They walked to the opening to the training area and watched her progress.

    ¡°Hey!¡± shouted one of the other drivers, as Ivy careened into him and knocked them both to the ground. ¡°Stay in your own sector!¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯ll learn quickly enough,¡± Abellar said. ¡°To manage this much control with no training, she has the spirit for it.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s using the wrong impulse mode. It¡¯s going to stall out if she¡¯s not¡ª¡±

    Sure enough, as she went to push herself off the other trainee, the glowing lines flickered out and she flopped forward in the now-inert armor. Muffled complaints were all that could be heard from her direction. The other man, being properly trained, pushed himself upright and lifted her off.

    ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to understand your methods, Abellar, but I won¡¯t undermine them.¡± Verox sighed. ¡°Leave it to me. I¡¯ll have her integrated within the month.¡± She retrieved her clipboard and gave him a firm glower. ¡°Now, with all due respect, get out of my workshop.¡±

    <hr>

    With a new mission to obtain schematics for Senior Shop to be able to reproduce, Shen Ai set about collecting information. First, she sought out information brokers, using her connections with the Expansionists to get introductions.

    What she found there was little of promise, but she had a couple of leads on different cards and potential items. Namely, one she thought Senior Ivy would appreciate. Some kind of new generation power suit the Ascensionist faction was attempting to keep under wraps.

    The specifics of where she¡¯d have to look were far from enlightening, which pushed her plans back to provide Senior Ivy with a token of appreciation. However, she thought there was a good possibility she could raid some of the known locations of power suit manufacturing to get base level and intermediate schematics, do some independent research into them with the shop, and engineer something for Senior Ivy herself, then just pay for whatever they could come up with out of her own diminishing reserves.

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    The biggest lead came from the leaderboards.

    Each and every person in the top hundred had a vast network and history behind them she easily delved into with casual access to the Expansionist archives. With great fervor, she threw herself into the texts, discovering it was common policy for a family¡¯s aging or retired ancestors to use a ritual to remove and store valuable cards, often multiple copies, for generations.

    Thus, the accelerated top tier spots. Those with inheritances that singlehandedly made every person under rank thousand look less intimidating than a newborn slave.

    Further searching proved that those without connections to ancient historical families were little more than newborn slaves. Contract out low ranking cards, require the contracted to increase their card ranks, while simultaneously farming other cards for the contractor. Slap on an impossible to pay interest rate, and they¡¯d never be free, their cards reaped in the time the contract expired.

    Predatory, not unlike the very world she came from.

    But in this world, there was no hope for them to keep their own power. There was no personal cultivation. All cards could be reaped through ritual, and anybody that attempted to flee or hide cards would be worse off than surrendering the rest of their lives.

    ¡°Where there is power, there are those who wish to keep it,¡± she muttered as she jotted down a third name, a family who had a great inheritance with no current successor. She let a momentary grin tug her lips. ¡°I will enjoy this.¡±

    She exited the Expansionist archives, located on the seventh floor, and quickly descended to the first floor. As she passed through the crowds, inconspicuous, despite her exotic appearance, her Aware card caught news of something curious.

    Quiet whispering caught her attention. ¡°Did you hear? An Epic card is going up for auction tonight. Apparently a third party contractor got a great windfall.¡±

    ¡°Do you believe everything you hear?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s credible.¡± The first speaker paused. ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re too poor to afford it, so you¡¯re going to slander good intel?¡±

    ¡°Just shut up, won¡¯t you?¡± The second speaker departed, but seconds later, she heard them speaking to someone new. ¡°Listen up, there¡¯s this auction¡­¡±

    Her plans of inheritance theft would have to wait.

    <hr>

    "I need you to understand the gravity of the responsibility you are undertaking as ELS''s pilot. Right now, you have a conditional pairing, but once we advance the connection to a full link, no one else will be able to use this."

    "Okay," Ivy said breezily. "So how do I use it?"

    "ELS represents the combined efforts of our research and development team over the past three and a half years. You have been offered a position half our riders would kill for."

    "Does that mean I''m in danger?"

    "I hope not. I''d like to believe that we can put the collective good above our own preferences, but who can say for sure?"

    "So how to use it?" Ivy was beginning to bounce on her tiptoes impatiently. "It was working there, until it didn''t."

    "You were running on the starter boost. The ignition process jump starts everything else, giving you this grace period in case you''re under immediate attack and need to move quickly. That boost, however, drains the starter battery very quickly. Continuing to power it from such a reservoir is ineffective in the long run. That''s why we need drivers to link with it. It interfaces with your cards, draws power from them and can absorb a portion of any experience you earn to recharge its starter. There are three starter charges, each of which is isolated from the others to prevent a full drain. Each can be refilled with ten to twenty enemies, so it is highly recommended that you activate it where you know you can obtain some kills once you are down to your last startup charge. Otherwise, you''ll have to let it drain your experience directly, and I''m told that''s quite an unpleasant process."

    "It sounds to me like you''re just describing a soulbound item. Can I absorb it?"

    Verox stared at her. "What?"

    Ivy nodded to herself. "Alright. Something to look into. So, basically, this is really expensive and cool, I should treat it with respect, and kill lots of enemies. Right?"

    "Yes. If you wish to be utterly simplistic about it, that is correct."

    "So. How do I use it?"

    Verox sighed and held out a small pad. "Sign here. Verify you have received your¡­ briefing and understand the responsibilities you''re undertaking."

    <hr>

    Laril stared after the strange newcomer with a mix of envy and frustration. Everyone knew the ELS program was coming. Everyone knew it would be big. And everyone knew they had to be at their very best if they were to have any hope of convincing the higher-ups to give them a chance at it.

    For its maiden voyage to not only be weeks ahead of schedule but in the hands of a frivolous child who seemed to be treating the entire thing as a game? It rubbed Laril very much the wrong way.

    The girl had no right, and Laril knew the rest of the dedicated riders and higher ups wouldn¡¯t stand for this. Determined to see a wrong righted, he slipped away.

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Six

    James woke up in an unfamiliar room, shadowed and dim.

    "Where am I?"

    Last thing he remembered was testing out his new totems to show off for Ivy''s new faction friends, and then¡­ Something exploded?

    "I''ve never seen someone obliterate an entire floor so easily. Very nearly ripped a hole in the side of the tower with that display. It''ll be weeks before it manages to repair the damage."

    James looked around but saw no one. "Pretty cool trick. Now, who are you?"

    "An interested party. Your power, your willingness to go to extremes. We need people like you."

    "Willingness? I hope you don¡¯t think I did that on purpose.¡± James grinned. ¡°The cloak and dagger thing is pretty interesting. You must be part of some kind of top secret society, right?¡±

    He thought about Shen Ai¡¯s disappearance. She was likely doing something to help the shop. Then he thought of Ivy and how he¡¯d set her up to have fun and grow in power.

    He had enough power, as evidenced by the confirmation given by his mysterious recruiter. He wasn¡¯t here to play like Ivy. He needed to find a way to gain more lifespan for the shop, and he had a few ways now.

    He didn¡¯t think the contracts would be the most efficient way, so with that in mind, he thought of the mystery recruiter. A secret society probably had some decent schematics he could use to increase the shop¡¯s ability to make them more lifespan with their deals.

    ¡°If this is your way of trying to recruit me, sign me up."

    The voice shifted in tenor, from neutral to annoyed. "Your eagerness is not a point in your favor. You do not know anything about me or who I represent. And yet you are so willing to throw your allegiance at me untested?"

    "Is it eagerness?¡± James let the question hang for a moment. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve seen the other options and haven¡¯t found anything satisfying. Seeing as I can¡¯t detect you and you¡¯re here with me, wherever this is, it¡¯s safe to say you¡¯re not as casual as the others. Instead of eagerness, it may be that you¡¯re underestimating me. I could also be overestimating what you might have to offer, but if that¡¯s the case, you and your secret society wouldn¡¯t be able to stop me from walking away if I really wanted to." He shrugged. ¡°From where I¡¯m standing, we both have a lot to gain. Correct me if I¡¯m wrong.¡±

    For a brief moment, James thought he might¡¯ve scared off the mystery person. When the air shimmered and a figure materialized, he didn¡¯t expect to see an elf.

    ¡°Apologies for my earlier rudeness. As you can see, I¡¯m not human. From what little intelligence we¡¯ve been able to gain about you, you are not local to this world.¡±

    ¡°Something like that.¡± James didn¡¯t want to reveal his ability to almost freely hop to worlds, nor the results of his escapades. After he got over his surprise at the pointy-eared, lithe yet bulky, fantastical being in front of him, he held out a hand. ¡°Name¡¯s James.¡±

    ¡°Haldred,¡± the elf said as he shook James¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°You are correct to believe we may benefit one another, but before then, you must understand that the people I represent are quite skeptical of the origin of your power.¡±

    ¡°Respectfully, I don¡¯t care about their skepticism. If we can benefit one another, that¡¯s cool. If not, I¡¯ll figure out how to get what I want another way, though I am curious as to what your secret society is, their goals, and what cause they have for skepticism if they¡¯re powerful enough to remain undetected.¡± James didn¡¯t wish to beat around the bush and waste time.

    ¡°It is not that we necessarily remain undetected.¡± Haldred held up a rectangular block displaying the rankings. Its listing was that of the Destruction faction, the third and final established faction within the tower. ¡°To address your curiosity toward our goals and skepticism, we are not particularly accepted by either of the established factions nor the tower.¡±

    James pointed at Haldred¡¯s ears. ¡°Is it a race thing?¡±

    ¡°If only it was something so arbitrary,¡± Haldred scoffed. ¡°Should you look hard enough, you will find other races amongst the other factions. Destruction is not exclusively made of elves either, if that¡¯s even something you might consider. Rather, our devotion to our mission brings us together, binds us to a cause, but also exiles the minority of us that support it.¡±

    Based on the faction name, James reasoned the Destruction faction wasn¡¯t liked by either the Ascenders, who wanted to make the tower their new home and reach the peak, and the Expansionists, who wanted to bring the power of the tower into the outside world, because the Destruction faction¡¯s sole purpose was to get rid of the tower entirely. ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°Do you perhaps know the nature of the tower? Its source of energy that fuels the creation of monsters to be harvested, the cards, the materials used for crafting weaponry and power suits?¡± Haldred watched James closely.

    ¡°The tower leeches off the world. Its structure isn¡¯t self-sustaining for what it offers, and the power has to come from somewhere. You can¡¯t make something out of nothing, after all.¡± Even the shop couldn¡¯t do that, despite its near-infinite ability to create anything out of lifespan.

    Haldred peeled his eyes at James. ¡°Not many people know that. Understanding as much, the amount of power you possess isn¡¯t something easily acquired and surely didn¡¯t come without costing much.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got that right,¡± James muttered, thinking about the lifespan he¡¯d spent. ¡°I have my ways. Rather unorthodox, though I¡¯m not opposed to making a deal with those who desire more power. I¡¯m sure a goal like yours requires a hefty investment into the few members of your faction.¡±

    Haldred raised a hand. ¡°We will pass on your offer. Whatever your means, we likely can¡¯t afford, nor wish to partake in.¡±

    Shrugging, James sighed. A wasted opportunity. ¡°Suit yourself. Now, if you¡¯re worried my power might have cost this planet a lot, it didn¡¯t. That¡¯s all I¡¯ll say about where my power comes from, and if it¡¯s not enough, sorry for that. So?¡±

    ¡°Do you wish to join our cause now that you know what it represents? If we are to destroy the tower, you are likely to lose all the power you¡¯ve obtained,¡± Haldred said, hesitating.

    ¡°I won¡¯t, but thanks for worrying about me. As for joining you, I¡¯m certain I¡¯ve agreed once. Is this some kind of test? I don¡¯t like tests.¡±

    ¡°If that is so, please come with me. We must get you enlisted right away.¡±

    <hr>

    Ivy fell in love with the ELS suit, even if she could barely get it going for more than a few minutes at a time. The power suit and promises of being able to keep it, even after her time with the Expansionists ran its course, got her into their grueling training program.

    If it was for the power suit, she¡¯d endure their silly training. Her first batch of training was¡­ exercise. Pure, unadulterated, boring exercise. The whole shebang, a routine created to bore her out of her mind.

    From early morning, she worked out with a bunch of other newcomers, ate breakfast, worked out, ate lunch, worked out, ate dinner, and worked out some more. Showers were the last thing before bed.

    Her only saving grace was she was always too tired by the end of the days to even notice the time flying by, even if the days themselves were torture.

    Once finished, though, she could cross another off her calendar. They¡¯d given her that to keep her quiet, Ivy knew, and so she could track her progress.

    It would take months before she got to leave the compound¡¯s special training program that would prepare her for the ELS¡­ unless she somehow found a way to progress far beyond their expectations.

    The only requirements for her training were to be able to pass their clearance tests, and unfortunately, she¡¯d failed every single one. Endurance, reaction, coordination, mental processing, adaptability¡­ There were more, and she failed them all.

    After the first week, her regular routine involved everything else she¡¯d sucked at and maintained endurance routines, though she¡¯d go crazy if it was more than once a day.

    Sighing, she looked at Verox, the engineer she reported to whenever she got restless and wanted to know if any of her efforts were paying off, and groaned. ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t test my synergy with my beautiful baby? It doesn¡¯t make any sense to do all this,¡± she waved her hands toward the door flippantly, ¡°inefficient nonsense. If I¡¯m a rider, I should be riding, testing for things that improve my riding, training in the suit.¡±

    Verox pursed her lips. ¡°I will admit, I do think the training regiment is old-fashioned and does subvert time from training in a power suit toward physical upkeep, but the power suits only augment what¡¯s already there. And there¡¯s always the instance where the suit is damaged or the rider expends all energy stores. Can¡¯t be too prepared for what the tower or Expansionists might throw at you.¡±

    Ivy hopped on the only thing Verox said that supported her desire. ¡°Get me out of the normal training. It¡¯s boring. I¡¯m not being challenged. The ELS isn¡¯t a normal power suit, so why should the normies get to tell me how to train. Why don¡¯t you come up with a regiment you think will actually mean something and help me progress towards getting out of this place. Test my synergy with it, you¡¯ll see¡­ I¡¯m good for my word, I¡¯m sure. I felt it when I tested the suit before. It was made for me to take it out into the world. Keeping it here is such a shame.¡±

    Ivy wasn¡¯t the greatest with people, but she could see her words were getting to the engineer. Verox kept shifting her gaze, full of pride, toward the masterpiece she¡¯d poured her soul into.

    When the engineer looked toward Ivy, she sighed. ¡°You¡¯re something else. First, you and Abellar take over my project and usurp candidate selection, then you come in here and ask me to do you more favors to skip past all the red tape.¡± Verox paused, then grinned. ¡°You have spirit, I¡¯ll give you that. If I¡¯m being honest, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any rider who can handle the ELS, so I¡¯ll make a deal with you. I¡¯ll run your synergy. If it¡¯s under sixty percent, you give up riding with it, finish the standard training, and take a different suit. How¡¯s that sound?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way it¡¯s below sixty percent.¡± The grin on Ivy¡¯s face shone right as she watched Verox lean back the chair she was in, tapping a button on its side that caused shackles to strap Ivy in place.

    ¡°Just a precaution.¡±

    <hr>

    Zibo had never felt so good in his life. He¡¯d cleared four floors without pausing to breathe, collected more shards than he¡¯d accumulated for months combined, and he still felt as fresh and hearty as if he¡¯d been on vacation the whole time.

    By the time he decided to call it a day, he¡¯d thoroughly lost track of time. He left the tower in the early afternoon with its glow outshone by the sun for this brief time.

    When he reached his tenement, it was in such high spirits he almost didn¡¯t react when a gruff voice shouted his name. He turned to smile at his landlord, Frane, who scowled back as though personally affronted by Zibo¡¯s cheer.

    ¡°You were supposed to pay me yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that next week?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s yesterday.¡± The man held up his wrist to display the date.

    Zibo shrugged. ¡°I lost track of time in the tower. It happens.¡± He tossed the man a pair of Power Fist cards, one common, one uncommon, both with the bronze border of monster types. ¡°That should cover it.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s too late.¡± Frane looked almost regretful but quickly doubled down on his ire. ¡°You were told this was your last warning. I¡¯ve already lent the place. Turn in your keys, and you can collect your things at the back deck.¡±

    Zibo¡¯s cheer evaporated as his heart dropped into his stomach. ¡°But¡­ Mira?¡±

    Frane snapped the cards into his storage pouch and shrugged. ¡°Not my problem.¡±

    Zibo was hardly aware of the card in his hand as he sprinted across the distance and grabbed the man by his collar. ¡°Where is my sister, you bastard?¡±

    ¡°Put me down, and I might be more inclined to help,¡± the man choked out, still smugly confident, even in the face of Zibo¡¯s superior power.

    Frane had no idea who he was dealing with. A climber¡¯s class levels weren''t just a number on a screen.

    Zibo had put up with this unreasonable bastard¡¯s demands long enough. With a snarl, he put a fist through the wall. Stone shattered and metal bent. ¡°You¡¯ll tell me now.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Seven

    Mira was huddled against a wall when Zibo found her. She hadn¡¯t gone far, but she tended to wander when not locked in.

    ¡°Mira,¡± he said, crouching down beside her. ¡°I have something exciting to show you.¡± He kept his voice soft and coaxing.

    She shivered and shook her head, clutching her blanket tighter around herself despite it being the middle of summer.

    ¡°It¡¯s not far, promise.¡± Now that he was no longer on the edge of poverty, he could afford things like casual transit fees. No more three-hour commute for him. ¡°It¡¯ll be an exciting trip too.¡±

    Mira coughed, starting small but building uncontrollably until tears ran down her cheeks and she turned away, still unable to stop.

    Zibo¡¯s fists tightened without conscious thought. If anything happens to her¡­

    Then he remembered and almost smacked himself.

    His deck.

    Of course.

    He¡¯d never yet had the opportunity to use his upgraded heart card on someone else, but why shouldn¡¯t it work here?

    He scooted closer, talking gently the whole time, then put a hand around Mira¡¯s shoulder. With the other hand, he manifested his deck.

    Remedy flowed over her in a wave of green light. Her coughing slowed, then she stopped, almost hesitant.

    ¡°You feel better?¡± Zibo stood, arm still around her shoulder, and helped her to her feet.

    Mira took a step, tilted her head, looked at the ground, then at Zibo.

    ¡°You¡¯re ready to go?¡±

    Mira shook her head. She dropped the blanket to the ground as she turned around in a circle, searching. ¡°Tem?¡± she asked, voice raspy. ¡°Tem!¡±

    Zibo walked over and hugged her. ¡°Tem is gone, remember?¡± Mira¡¯s cat had died over a year ago. Most of the time, she managed to be okay with that.

    Sometimes¡­

    She shook her head and pushed him away. She didn¡¯t try to speak again but glared at him as though he were personally standing between them.

    ¡°How about you walk with me, and I¡¯ll talk to you about Tem¡¯s adventures. Okay?¡± He crouched to pick up the blanket and tucked it under his arm, then took her hand. ¡°And maybe we¡¯ll find that he¡¯s reincarnated and ready to come back home with you.¡±

    Mira nodded, and they started walking.

    Zibo had always kept his sister away from the tower, but the situation had changed. Now, he wouldn¡¯t be a liability dragging an invalid around. For the first time since he could remember, he could take her wherever she wanted, and he¡¯d be strong enough to protect her.

    ¡°One day, when the sky was clear and fortune whispered from the beyonds, a kitten named Tem was born¡­¡±

    <hr>

    They stopped back at the tenement to collect their possessions, but Frane must have already thrown them out. The pile on the back dock was gone.

    Zibo had rushed off to find Mira without thought for anything else, but now he wished he¡¯d thought to at least grab a backpack of clothing or something. Mira hadn¡¯t been in immediate danger, hadn¡¯t wandered off a skybridge or into a restricted area. But, of course, he couldn¡¯t have known that before.

    ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d come back.¡± Frane¡¯s voice sounded even more smug than usual.

    Zibo was not in the mood. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even wait two hours?¡±

    Frane stepped out of the shadow of the stairway. Something about him seemed off, triggering Zibo¡¯s caution.

    ¡°Go wait for me over there,¡± he told Mira, not quite managing to keep his voice light. ¡°I need to take care of this.¡±

    She took two steps, then turned back.

    ¡°If you think I¡¯m going to wait to beat the snot out of you until your little sister isn¡¯t watching, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Frane ran at him, fists glowing with a bronze light.

    Zibo wanted to smack the guy. ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡±

    Frane definitely did. The monstrous gleam in his eye brooked no hesitation.

    Zibo manifested his deck and tugged the shield off his back. Getting the spear unstrapped would take too long. He didn¡¯t carry it battle-ready outside the tower.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    He¡¯d have to rectify that mistake in the future, but until now, he¡¯d never been anyone worth attacking.

    Frane snarled and swung at him. Zibo threw himself backwards and held up the shield. Just in time. One of Frane¡¯s fists clipped the edge, and the metal crumpled as easily as if it were paper.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come back, but I¡¯m glad you did!¡± Frane didn¡¯t let up. He kept swinging as Zibo backed away and away.

    ¡°Aaaaah,¡± Mira moaned, back pressed against the wall as she watched the two fight for their lives.

    Sorry, I wish you didn¡¯t have to see this, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting this guy off with a warning this time.

    Zibo threw the broken remnants of his shield at the man. His arms ached from the strength of Frane¡¯s blows. Idiot. Idiot.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if he was cursing himself for so casually handing over such powerful cards¡ªnot that he¡¯d ever have expected anyone to use them¡ªor at Frane for holding such a pointless grudge over a single day¡¯s delay that he was willing to mutilate his soul to get revenge.

    Either way, Frane might have absorbed the cards, but he was no climber. His fists were overly strong.

    His body was not.

    Forcebolt.

    Zibo probably should have started with that, but he had too many months of ingrained something coming at you, use shield immediately, and it¡¯d taken him this long to even remember it was an option.

    The bolt took Frane clear through the forehead, burning a hole straight through to the other side. The mutant landlord gave one wordless cry of complaint, then toppled over. Bronze light flashed, and the uncommon Power Fist card appeared, hovering over his body.

    Zibo took it without thinking, just like he would any monster¡¯s card. He¡¯d gotten a surprising amount of experience for that. Dazedly, he recognized that this was probably why hunting other card holders was so popular in the tower.

    But the bigger problem was the dead body very much not in the tower, staring blankly with a visible wound only a particular kind of card could have made¡­ and Zibo was pretty sure no one else in the tenement had any cards, let alone this specific one. If they got him in front of a reader¡­

    But¡­ no.

    No one had to know.

    He glanced around. The dock was empty and dark, the alley was abandoned, the neighbors¡¯ windows all blocked up from the inside long ago. They wanted their privacy more than they wanted to spy on an empty alley.

    Mira stood against the wall, still staring wide-eyed, but she wouldn¡¯t be saying anything.

    No witnesses. No one knew.

    All he needed to do was destroy the evidence. Easy enough for a tower climber. The floor of the dock was concrete, so there was no risk of the fire spreading.

    He fished the master keyring out of the dead man¡¯s pocket. ¡°I think we¡¯ve just found our new living arrangements.¡±

    <hr>

    The auction for the epic card would be taking place on floor 52. That meant that in order to reach it, Shen Ai needed to speedrun her way through the tower to unlock the necessary areas. Once unlocked, lobbies could be used to travel between floors within a given sector¡ªfloors one through eight were a sector, as were the next eight, then one more set before the first of the keystone floors.

    Floor 25 was a law unto itself. It couldn¡¯t be accessed from anywhere but floor 24 and 26. It couldn¡¯t be entered without a class at level 25, and couldn¡¯t be moved past without an Uncommon heart card.

    While technically the heart and class cards didn¡¯t have to be aligned, using a more powerful card than your heart was a risky prospect. Most often, it shorted out the rest of your deck to use it. Sometimes it simply failed to activate. Other times¡ªless common, but the main reason people avoided mismatching their power tiers¡ªthe stronger card would shatter itself into shards.

    Shen Ai had no need to worry. Her entire deck was epic grade. She jogged through floor 25 as easily as the first 24, and by the end of the day had reached floor 50.

    The second keystone floor actually provided her a minor, if time-consuming, challenge. It was a maze, and one which breaking through actually increased in size. She¡¯d smashed through a good twenty walls before she figured out what was happening, and resigned herself to solving it normally.

    The monsters and traps, designed to test a level 50 climber ready to ascend to Rare, were more afraid of Shen Ai than she was bothered by them.

    Still, even with the delays, she arrived at the 52nd floor with almost two days to spare.

    It was almost disappointing. She¡¯d heard so many people talking with such awe about the higher floors, and then they were just¡­ more floors. Different challenges, different monsters, people in fancier outfits and with increasingly more of an attitude¡­

    She scouted out the location of the upcoming auction, and found the entire lake cordoned off in advance. She wasn¡¯t the only person out with an epic deck. Which made sense, considering the dangers of using an overpowered card increased significantly the higher you went. While a rare heart might be sometimes able to use an epic card, anyone uncommon or below would be incredibly foolish to try. By placing the auction here, they prevented anyone with more money than sense from carelessly destroying what may be one of the rarest items it was possible to find.

    The card itself wasn¡¯t present yet, but they had already erected a full-on plinth in the center of the lake with a holographic replication of the card hovering above it.

    Shen Ai had to admit, it looked very pretty. Dominant Vengeance would passively enact a violent backlash against any attack to physically impact its holder, as well as having an active trigger option that burned more energy but increased the power of the reactive attack by orders of magnitude.

    ¡®Dominant¡¯ was right. Shen Ai had a basic survival card in her class slot at the moment, but wouldn¡¯t mind replacing it with this shiny beauty. Senior Shop was intimately connected to them and could read their cards from a distance, so it was even the most efficient way to get the information transferred.

    She didn¡¯t expect for anyone to be able to get near her, between all her alertness and perception abilities, so the card would probably go unused. But on the off chance someone did catch her by surprise and land a blow, it would be invaluable to have on hand.

    Interestingly enough, the card seemed like an upgraded version of Ivy¡¯s own Retaliation. She¡¯d keep tabs on whoever bought it and tactically acquire it for herself later on, once the hubbub around it calmed down.

    It might be time to learn the ritual required to extract cards from others, just in case, of course.

    ¡°Now, ladies and gentlemen¡­¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Eight

    With great skepticism, Verox prepared the young upstart for a synch read. After watching the initial drive, Verox put the girl¡¯s potential synchronicity with the ELS at no more than fifty percent, but something about the fluidity of movement Ivy had shown in those brief movements made Verox pause.

    But she simply attributed the anomalous fluidity to the new design and her own genius. More field testing would show that the ELS was capable of oh-so much more than this girl could even attempt to comprehend.

    And if not, Verox had nothing to lose. She¡¯d have a driver worthy of at least driving the power suit until another, more capable candidate appeared.

    Once she connected both Ivy¡¯s brain and nervous system to the entirety of the ELS¡¯s state of the art autonomous support system, Verox returned to the dead displays waiting to come alive under the press of a single button.

    ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±

    She pressed the gray ¡°Synchronize¡± button and confirmed both subjects, the ELS and Ivy, as the subjects of testing. The readings idled for a brief moment as the tests started in earnest. Through the thin cables running from Ivy to the ELS, Verox watched the flow of electricity pulsing between the two.

    Communication was active.

    The display lit up faster than she could keep up with. Functionality, initially gray, shot past red, orange, yellow, topped out in green, then shined a brilliant turquoise. Reflexes, life support, enchanted hyperdrive¡ªall of it shined the same.

    Verox couldn¡¯t believe her eyes as Ivy¡¯s rapidly twitching body stilled, the tests finished as fast as they started. Even amongst the simpler power suits, she¡¯d never seen a synch test turn out like this.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Abellar, the old badger, asked as he poked his head into her lab without permission¡­ again. Uncanny as he always was, he read the situation instantly and grinned at Verox. ¡°She¡¯s annoyingly persistent in a way that¡¯s hard not to admire. I thought you¡¯d be able to hold out, honestly.¡± He meandered his way over beside Verox and looked over the results, his mouth agape with far less dignity than Verox had managed.

    ¡°As the sole designer and engineer for ELS, I¡¯m exerting my right to participate in direct supervision for the training and management of ELS¡¯s driver. She does not eat, sleep, breathe, or use the latrine without me knowing about it. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°Crystal,¡± Abellar muttered absentmindedly, looking as if he¡¯d start drooling any second.

    ¡°Then do me a favor and get out of my lab.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°There she is.¡± Laril watched as the newcomer who¡¯d stolen the opportunity for so many casually waltz out from lead engineer Verox¡¯s lab as if she was having the time of her life. All smiles as she skipped down the hall, Laril groused as he approached. ¡°Hey, newbie. Over here. There¡¯s some important stuff you¡¯re missing out on.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the guy I fell on, right? Sorry about that, I wasn¡¯t in full synch yet. I didn¡¯t catch your name. I¡¯m Ivy, not newbie.¡±

    ¡°Laril. And as a twelve-year veteran of this particular program, I think I deserve¡ª¡±

    ¡°Lemme stop you right there, Laril. You think this is going to be some fun hazing thing, push me around, put me in my place? I¡¯ve seen how this goes a thousand times and it¡¯s never going to turn out well for you.¡± And she was still grinning. Unconcerned.

    Laril¡¯s fist tightened and he glanced to either side. Fortunately, his fellow riders were all looking just as incensed as he felt. He stepped forward to loom over the smaller upstart. ¡°How about you listen, or we¡¯ll make you listen.¡±

    ¡°Look. I¡¯m not interested in your little inner office politicking. I just want my power armor and to strike back against the¡­ whatever our rival factions are called. Ascension forever and all that!¡±

    ¡°Are you mocking us?¡±

    ¡°Wow, someone¡¯s a little insecure.¡± She shook her head at them, crimson eyes gleaning mischievously. ¡°No wonder you needed to come with a whole cadre just to say hi.¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re new around here, but that doesn¡¯t mean¡ª¡±

    ¡°Generic.¡± Ivy stuck out a hand to stop him. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything interesting to say, I¡¯ll be leaving. Nice meeting you Laril. Laril¡¯s goons.¡± She nodded in farewell and turned to leave.

    ¡°Face me, coward!¡± Laril lunged at her, intending to grab her shoulder and spin her around. She abruptly stopped moving and turned on her own, so his hand instead came down on her raised forearm.

    He didn¡¯t see what exactly she did, but suddenly, she snapped out an attack into his other arm that knocked him back a step.

    ¡°Just so we¡¯re clear, I¡¯m not the coward in this situation,¡± Ivy hissed. ¡°I may be new to mecha piloting, but I¡¯ve had a hundred years to prepare for my adventure and you¡¯re not going to mess it up for me now.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ve been training for this for twelve years,¡± Laril hissed back through gritted teeth. He crouched, hands raised, ready to strike or deflect. ¡°A mecha is only as good as its pilot, and you don¡¯t deserve to take up space in our formation.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have no interest in joining your formation. I¡¯m way too good for you.¡± She¡¯d stepped back but returned to the unbothered casualness she¡¯d been displaying so far. Like she thought the world revolved around her and nothing could possibly trouble her. ¡°You leave me alone and I¡¯ll leave you alone, and we¡¯ll defeat our enemies. Yeah?¡±

    And she walked away, as though that were the last word and no one would have any reason to argue.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Laril turned back to his fellow riders. Two weeks ago, they¡¯d been the bitterest rivals, desperately pushing themselves to gain any edge over the competition. Now, they were fully unified.

    This upstart didn¡¯t know what she was messing with. She may have the support of the higher-ups for whatever nepotistic reason¡ªonce you knew what to look for, you could always tell which people had genuinely earned their way in and which ones were being inflated artificially¡ªbut that only meant they had to be more careful about it.

    Accidents could happen to anyone, after all, no matter who they were related to.

    <hr>

    With one thing and another, it was evening before Zibo made it to the tower courtyard. Mira was safely locked in the landlord¡¯s private quarters where she could play or sleep.

    Zibo was still torn on whether he should have Mira go through with the Awakening and get her a deck or if she¡¯d be better off without it. While his Restore power could heal any minor injuries, it did nothing to fix the existing damage that left her all but incapable of speaking.

    He didn¡¯t actually know how much she understood. He¡¯d tried to teach her reading and writing, but she never showed any sign of comprehension. She clearly understood at least most of what he said aloud but had no way of responding, beyond the occasional monosyllable.

    To this day, he wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d actually named her cat ¡®Tem¡¯ or if that was just the only happy sound she knew how to make and connected that happiness with the cat.

    She could sometimes be incredibly sensitive, doing things before he even realized he needed them done. Other times, she was like a lost child, wandering aimlessly.

    He couldn¡¯t guess whether awakening her deck would be a good thing or an incredibly dangerous thing. But he had one desperate idea for who to ask. The prince from Euriste 1, wearing all the formal regalia, the one who sold him his cards. If anyone would know the potential risks and benefits of going through with it, he¡¯d be the man.

    <hr>

    Ivy had to say, apart from the childish co-workers, the Ascension compound was one of the nicest places she¡¯d stayed in her life. On Earth, she and James had been scraping by well enough, but didn¡¯t have the kind of disposable income to go on fancy vacations, so this sort of all-inclusive resort of a training facility was something she¡¯d never really believed was real. Movies could make anything seem plausible, but to actually live it was something else.

    The mecha lab was something straight out of a sci-fi show and the training arena was everything she could have hoped for in mecha gladiatorial training¡ªwith a little formation training on the side, but that was alright.

    She hummed to herself as she loitered in the shower, enjoying the warm water. Other voices drifted through the curtain, grumbling or talking about evening plans as people hurried through the obligatory removal of sweat and grime from the long and busy day of training and practice. Ivy tuned it out. She¡¯d intentionally waited until after the main rush so she could take her time without feeling guilty for holding anyone up.

    The lack of personal plumbing was a minor annoyance, but she didn¡¯t actually mind it as much as she¡¯d have thought. Her bedroom was luxurious even by hotel standards, but it was apparently easier to run an elevator to her suite than a sink and toilet.

    Still, even if there was a little less privacy than she was used to, it was kind of refreshing to be forced in with everyone else.

    She almost wanted to request being moved from VIP to standard dorms, just for the experience of it, but couldn¡¯t quite bring herself to surrender her pillows that easily. Plus, it was one thing to have people gossipping and chattering the next stall over while showering, and another entirely to try to sleep with it going on. She¡¯d gotten used to the quiet and peace of the shop, and liked the tiny separation between her day job as a power armor soldier in training and being able to go home to her own bed at night.

    The worst part of life at the Ascension compound was the actual training.

    She¡¯d read about, watched, and heard of so many training sequences, but the amount of sheer painful time that was spent on every little bit of progress was so frustrating. Somehow, it was harder to be patient with the end in sight than it had been waiting a full century in Aiguo.

    She¡¯d been at this for weeks and still wasn¡¯t improving nearly as fast as she wanted. She¡¯d put in so much practice in the shop, and still was so far behind everyone else.

    Sure, Verox was constantly praising her progress and dedication, but that was what they¡¯d say to anyone they wanted to encourage to keep at it. They had no idea how passionate Ivy truly was, if they thought she needed encouraging to stick to her commitment.

    She just wished she could timeskip past the boring grind and get on with the faction conflict already. Training arcs were only interesting for so long.

    Where was the excitement? Why was she the only one around here having any fun? How was it they had a magic tower, superpower cards, power armor, and still managed to look like DC traffic?

    Sure, the training was miserable and everything ached in places she didn¡¯t know could ache, but at the end of the day, she was becoming a better and better mecha pilot and more and more capable as a fighter in general. That was what she was here for.

    Weren¡¯t they all?

    She grinned, despite herself. However much she might complain in the privacy of her own thoughts, this was still the best month of her life. Being out of the house, away from the shop, all on her own¡­

    It felt like she was finally able to grow up a bit. Experience the world for herself, instead of always being stuck inside.

    So distracting was her inner monologue that she¡¯d completely failed to notice the room going silent until she turned off the water. Not empty, people were still moving around beyond the curtain, but no one was talking.

    She reached out to grab her towel.

    Someone grabbed her wrist.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s¡ª¡±

    She was yanked through the curtain. Her feet slipped out from under her and she would have fallen if not for the glowing green fist that slammed into her chest.

    She instinctively lashed back with Retaliation, but it wasn¡¯t enough to save her.

    The green light grew brighter and brighter until it was all she could see. Then she landed on something cold and very solid and definitely not in the Ascension compound.

    She¡¯d been ambushed and someone had teleported her away. That was obvious.

    But to where?

    The light was dim, only provided from starlight through narrow slits, and it took her a moment to adjust from the industrial brightness of the previous room.

    The hum in the floor reminded her of something, but it was only when she fully took in her surroundings that she understood what had happened.

    In a cage, along with several other chained and barely-clothed humans. She was on a slave ship. And from the hum in the floor and the lack of a nearby planet, they were already moving through space.

    But, hey, at least she wasn¡¯t chained up yet, and she even still had her towel. If this was going to be her escape arc, she was starting out in a better position than she¡¯d have expected.

    She hummed as she carefully dried herself off, certain to get between her fingers and toes and shake out her ears, then wrapped the towel comfortably around her torso.

    The other slaves were staring at her, dumbfounded.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t respect proper hygiene?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No wonder this place smells.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Nine

    Bron Del quickly checked his communication block before he stepped through the transit gate, only to see his request had been rejected. This had become expected, and as much as it infuriated him, he had more important things to worry himself with.

    He stepped through, using his private location designator, and stepped through. ¡°Mother, Father. It is quite nice to see you both.¡±

    ¡°Oh, little Bronny. Don¡¯t be so cold to your momma.¡± Mother pulled him into a warm hug, while Father patted him on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve missed you. We¡¯ve been tracking your rankings.¡±

    Instinctively, he tensed and averted his gaze.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing so much to make us proud, son.¡± Father nodded proudly. ¡°You¡¯ve done swell for our family¡¯s reputation and honor. Perhaps this time next year, you¡¯ll break into the top two thousand and elevate us to greater heights once again.¡±

    Bron Del nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing everything I can for our family.¡±

    ¡°Are the shard farms sustaining production? A lot went into ensuring the Expanionsists didn¡¯t ask questions. For all we¡¯ve invested, surely you¡¯re being responsible with your duties, though I couldn¡¯t help notice that last quarter''s yields were the same as before.¡± Father¡¯s steeliness wasn¡¯t lost on Bron, and all he could do was nod. ¡°Get those numbers up, son, or your mother and I may consider trying for a second child.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Bron wanted to extoll the amount of red tape he had to jump through just to maintain the operations he had going now, let alone expansion. But Father would hear of no such excuses, while still expecting Bron to pursue his own tower climbing expeditions, meritocratic behavior, and somehow gain even greater influence, without exposing their less than legal pursuits. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that I do better, Father.¡±

    ¡°See that you do.¡±

    Mother smiled and nodded in agreement with Father, giving him her silent support. Bron couldn¡¯t help but consider the past quarter and tried to search for time, any moment anywhere, in which he hadn¡¯t tried to capitalize on every opportunity, every second, maximizing everything to peak efficiency without compromising everything they¡¯d worked so hard for.

    He couldn¡¯t find a single moment he hadn¡¯t spent furiously grinding his card mastery, dodging inquisition, shoring up leaks, managing over the table finances, involved himself actively in recruitment operations, and anything else he could think of to possibly benefit House Del.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do better,¡± he promised again, more to himself than them. There had to be a way. He just had to consider the angles of approach, consider the areas his caution was overblown. There had to be a way he could push the Del House¡¯s reputation even higher, maybe then he¡¯d be enough. ¡°I¡¯ll do better¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. Now, tell me about the ritual refinement. The current costs for harvesting prospects hasn¡¯t changed in the last two quarters. While the current rate is impressive, surely we can find a way to do better. And after, we¡¯ll talk about a new avenue of approach you will consider going forward.¡± Father finally began to lead Bron inside, continuing to speak of further responsibilities Bron needed to concern himself with.

    ¡°We just want the best for our family, you see,¡± Mother added in a moment of reprieve.

    ¡°I understand, Mother. I must do better for our family¡­¡±

    <hr>

    The biggest problem with trying to find the foreign prince was that he¡¯d only been passing through the lower levels. By now, he could be anywhere in the tower, and Zibo had no way of hunting him down short of going through each and every one of them.

    Ordinarily, this would fill him with absolute panic. Now, though, with his new deck humming in his soul, he couldn¡¯t help but want to see how far he could go.

    He knew that he shouldn¡¯t waste time, of course. He needed to hunt down the merchant prince as fast as possible. But at the same time, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could survive the higher floors as he was now. If he rushed through things too quickly, he might end up in a situation beyond what he could handle.

    He¡¯d upgraded his heart card, but his class was still lower ranked. After being stuck at base level for so long, his empty deck burning off any experience he gained almost as fast as he got it, he¡¯d given up on even considering ranking up his class. Now, though, he didn¡¯t have to stay at level 2. Even just clearing the four floors he¡¯d done the previous week had brought him up to level 8, and that was just the beginning.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    He could already feel the potential. For a long time, there¡¯d been a certain sense of limitation. A distant destination to be sure, but one which he¡¯d not be able to move beyond. Now, that destination was much, much further away.

    He¡¯d never been so empowered, so complete before now. Remedy was so much more powerful than he¡¯d expected, providing the basic survival benefits of Refreshment as well as an active healing mode that could be toggled on or off at will. It drained the card¡¯s reserves, which was another mechanic change from a simple cooldown, but the Uncommon refilled fully in two hours. The usable version used half its energy, while the ongoing one could run for about five minutes before running out. That wasn¡¯t enough to fully heal a major injury, but it was more than enough to deal with minor cuts and bruises.

    Even that alone would make him a valued contributor to any party, but now he didn¡¯t need to rely on others to protect him while he held back to keep himself from danger. Retaliate synergized perfectly with his shield and spear, allowing him to strike back whenever anything struck at him. Forcebolt gave him a ranged option, one which synchronized with his class to increase its casting speed, and Drain allowed him to weaken hostile magical effects.

    He wouldn¡¯t go so far as to consider himself a one-man army, but he was far from helpless on his own.

    It was a heady feeling, capability. He just hoped there was a way to give his sister the same freedom and empowerment that he¡¯d found.

    The first several floors were easy. He¡¯d already cleared them in the past, and they were barely able to challenge him any more. The first lobby was full of plenty of witnesses to the strange prince¡¯s presence¡ªhe¡¯d come through with someone else, perhaps his daughter or sister, younger and much weaker, then disappeared after running her through a few floors.

    He¡¯d seen the woman hanging around the prince, now he thought back. At the time he¡¯d been so overwhelmed by the offer that he didn¡¯t pay attention to who she was, but this new information made everything much clearer.

    It wasn¡¯t good news. If the prince was only down here to play escort, then he¡¯d probably returned to somewhere fully beyond Zibo¡¯s reach by now.

    But it did give him another potential contact point. If he could find the other, he might not need to climb beyond his capabilities after all.

    <hr>

    Haldred hadn¡¯t been kidding when he told James the Destruction faction wasn¡¯t exclusively made of elves. In fact, elves were by far the minority. Rather, everywhere James looked, he saw one variation or another of animal ears and tails. Whether they be furry, aquatic, or other, he quickly adapted.

    ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t pet your tail? But it looks so soft.¡± Okay, maybe he hadn¡¯t adapted as well as he¡¯d like to think, but seriously, why did every one of the furred beastkin look like they had some crazy soft hair care routine.

    And why were they so stingy about letting him pet them?

    ¡°Ahem.¡± Haldred glared at James.

    ¡°Got something in your throat?¡± James asked as he tried to subtly reach for an unsuspecting bunnykin¡¯s tail.

    Haldred grabbed James¡¯s wrist, none too gently. ¡°Seriously, quit. Have some professionalism.¡±

    ¡°If you expected professionalism from me, you picked the wrong person. Unless you want to make a deal?¡± Grinning, James shrugged as Haldred shook his head. ¡°Then you get what you get, and what you get is someone who quite appreciates fluffy tails and soft ears.¡±

    ¡°Degenerate,¡± James heard a mousy voice mutter from not too far. He looked around but couldn¡¯t find the culprit.

    ¡°I resent that,¡± he grumbled, eyes keen on searching for another unsuspecting fluffkin for him to appreciate. ¡°Do any of you even know what fun is?¡±

    ¡°What you¡¯re doing is an invasion of personal space, not fun,¡± Haldred grunted, muttering some incoherent swear.

    ¡°It could be with a little open-mindedness, you know. But I understand, I¡¯ll only pet the ones that agree.¡± He immediately started looking around for anybody that looked particularly interested in them and found the area all but deserted. ¡°Huh, when did that happen?¡±

    Before he could go hunting for a new friend, he felt a strange tingle in the back of his head that traveled down to his chest and burned painfully there.

    [Urgent message, Co-Owner Ivy has left my current range of perception. She is no longer in the tower or within the Euriste system.]

    All mirth left James. ¡°Say, theoretically, if someone wanted to know where new Ascenders are being trained to pilot a power suit, where would they need to go?¡±

    Whether it be the blank look on James¡¯s face, the sudden switch up in demeanor, or the toneless hostility barely contained in each biting word, Haldred regarded James with utmost seriousness. ¡°We have an extensive information archive that should have all training compounds for both the Ascensionists and Expansionists. R-right this way.¡±

    Whatever Haldred, his cause, and the faction as a whole wanted from James would have to wait. Or maybe they wouldn¡¯t, because James felt the need to break a few things. If the tower got caught in the process, they likely wouldn¡¯t complain much.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move a little faster.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Ten

    An angry engineer stomped out of the basement elevator, up two flights of stairs to a central office, temporarily repurposed, and threw the door open. It smashed against the wall, startling the one inside. Verox wasn¡¯t in the mood to find it amusing. ¡°Where¡¯s the girl?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Abellar groused.

    ¡°Ivy, the girl. My driver. Don¡¯t be daft. You¡¯re old, not mentally handicapped.¡±

    Old as he was, Abellar reached for the spectacles on his desk and set them at the top of his fat nose. Clasping his fingers and leaning back in his chair, the old badger looked at her with those owlish eyes, quickly putting together the pieces. ¡°You lost her and think I had something to do with it?¡±

    ¡°Why else would she go missing if it wasn¡¯t for you trying to sequester her away from me after I took over care for her.¡± She slammed the door closed with as much force as she¡¯d thrown it open and crossed the room to lean over his desk, eye level with him. She searched, looking for something, anything, that would tell her she was right¡­ and found nothing. ¡°Shit.¡±

    ¡°And now we¡¯re on the same page.¡± He stood from his desk and went to a side console, pressed several buttons, and received the two shot glasses with amber liquid that dispensed from the wall. ¡°Cheers.¡±

    ¡°How are you so calm about all of this?¡± she hissed, gesturing toward the door. ¡°The program relies on the ELS¡ª¡±

    Abellar cut her off. ¡°The ELS? Calm? I¡¯m the farthest thing from, and all you can do is think about your power suit.¡± He scoffed. ¡°I knew you were devoted to engineering, but I didn¡¯t know you lacked a sense of self-preservation of your own.¡±

    ¡°What¡ª¡±

    ¡°How long do you think until the brother learns of his missing sister?¡± Abellar interrupted again.

    Her mouth dried instantly as she recalled the spectacle that monster given flesh had done so casually. Her mind raced as she pursed her lips. Abellar regarded her with pity as she continued to think herself in circles.

    By the time she paused, she needed that drink. Abellar¡¯s waiting hand was a godsend. She gulped the amber liquid down in a single take, gagging at the flavor, then hissing at the residual burn.

    Still trying to wrap her head around the absolute mess of a situation they were in, she let go a bittersweet chuckle. At least Abellar wasn¡¯t lording the fact she had claimed the role of supervisor and immediately lost her charge over her head. Yet. ¡°I¡¯ve looked everywhere. Her trackers all went offline at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s think about what could possibly cause such a thing to occur.¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be possible. Not within the tower or all of the Euriste system. We¡¯ve got relay stations setup for anything and everything in-between, up to the highest floors we¡¯ve been to. And even that, it has an internal relay for short distance transmission from higher floors we haven¡¯t established to other relays. There¡¯s nowhere in the tower she could be that I can¡¯t find.¡± She huffed a frustrated breath. ¡°But she¡¯s gone. Just¡­ poof.¡±

    ¡°Potential malfunction?¡± Abellar suggested, but his tone suggested great doubt.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do this to me right now,¡± she groaned, falling back into a seat slightly behind her and to the side. ¡°You¡¯ve already figured out. Don¡¯t lead me on.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve figured it out, exactly. Only that the most probable answer isn¡¯t one that will satisfy the impending calamity we face. Rather than where did she go, we ask who is to be responsible for her going missing? If we¡¯re lucky, we might be able to point him somewhere else¡­¡± Abellar¡¯s eyes gleamed with scheming, a vicious and sickly thing.

    ¡°Even if we temporarily deflected his ire, look around us,¡± she said, holding out her arms wide. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll really forgive us for letting her get snatched up right under our noses? You want to tell him we were so incompetent that we couldn¡¯t stop something from happening to her, which then begs in the question of who did it, Abellar. There¡¯s nobody that isn¡¯t one of us that gets down here, and we both know that.¡±

    ¡°From what I saw, she¡¯s a singularly stubborn creature.¡± He sighed, likely reminiscing of a time not too long ago. ¡°If she chose to leave our care and go wandering off, how could we stop her? We¡¯ll never have time to determine the responsible parties if we get ourselves obliterated as collateral, will we. The immediate goal is survival. Truth can come later.¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°And what stops him from nuking our entire compound on his way to chase after a lie? We know nothing about either of them, especially him! For Euriste¡¯s sake, we can¡¯t even call in anybody to stop him. Not a single person, unit, team, group, battalion¡ªnothing will stop him if he wants to leave this floor little more than rubble and ash, but you, you moronic old man, want to lie to him?¡± Verox threw the glass at Abellar¡¯s head. ¡°Dumbass! To think I even considered trusting you to actually be helpful for even a second!¡±

    ¡°Trust is surely a hard thing to come by these days, which is why I¡¯m going to have to ask you to politely stay out of the way for a few days.¡± Abellar held up a small vial in between two fingers. ¡°Poison is such an odd thing. Even a drop more of this, and it would kill you. Three more drops than that, and it can be used as a component in a cure.¡±

    A heavy haze obscured her vision as she stared at the vial and then the hand that just held the thrown cup. ¡°You¡­ dumbass¡­¡±

    Her body felt unusually heavy as she started losing feeling in her lips, fingertips, and toes. Then her arms and legs. The last to go was her sight.

    As darkness took her, unsure if she¡¯d ever wake again, she could only think one thing.

    Dumbass.

    <hr>

    Laril and his former-rivals-turned-conspirators were in the midst of a rowdy celebration and friendly ribbing competition over which of them would be able to take over the ELS program now that the position was mysteriously unclaimed when the entire facility shook.

    Being twenty floors deep in the keystone floor 25 generally protected them from even the strongest of conflicts up in the actual floor itself. Whatever had hit must be big.

    They spent a few minutes speculating with increasing hilarity on the things it definitely wasn¡¯t, then went back to celebrating without a care in the world.

    It was truly ingenious, Laril thought, silently toasting Demron for the idea. It¡¯d taken weeks to set up, a fortune to prepare for, but the execution was oh-so simple and sweet. Find a ship that would be headed far away with one-way passengers, lock it in as the destination, and then wait. Demron¡¯s Escape Anchor only worked once before he¡¯d need to bind a location again, so there was absolutely no way for him to be implicated. All the evidence would be weeks away by now, and all it took was one touch.

    And, best of all, he¡¯d never have to look at those smirking, fearless crimson eyes again. Everything about that girl had been so wrong. Really, they¡¯d been doing everyone a favor.

    Not like she was being any help to the cause, however much she talked about doing. Good riddance.

    <hr>

    James growled as he activated Arcanic Imbuement again and chose Primal Fury Totem to augment himself for the third time. The explosive fury of elemental power reinforced his body and supercharged everything within him.

    The power erupted into the very air itself as one Legendary skill amplified another in ways he never would¡¯ve imagined at first. He couldn¡¯t tell the limits on the combination, but he knew it made him powerful enough to break things.

    And he wanted to break a lot of things.

    The sky erupted, as did the very earth beneath his feet. His own primal fury, condensed into a single point, let him blast downward, each strike like a high pressure, floor-destroying drill. Relentless, he dug deeper through the layers of this strange floor within a floor, channeling the power of the wind elementals to ease his rapid descent.

    He only eased up when he finally reached something reminiscent of an underground compound, though that didn¡¯t mean he spared the roof as he lowered himself in and looked around.

    ¡°Not a bad place,¡± he mused, imagining Ivy having a great time in a place like this. ¡°Too bad I¡¯ll have to destroy it all.¡±

    Eh, it didn¡¯t matter. He could recreate it in the shop for her later.

    <hr>

    Abellar looked down at Verox, sighing. ¡°It didn¡¯t have to be this way, but you¡¯re just as stubborn as the girl.¡±

    The entire compound shook, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh again before donning a calm, neutral expression. Never in his wildest imagination would he have thought the boy would arrive so quickly. How, Abellar would never know, considering he¡¯d only just learned of the situation from Verox moments ago.

    Something didn¡¯t sit right with him, but he didn¡¯t have time to think about reasonable solutions with a monster. Had the situation been one where logic and reason was present, maybe Verox would¡¯ve had a point. Reason with the boy, find the culprits, hope, maybe beg, for mercy.

    Now, Abellar could only hope the boy would leave and leave ample time to hide away somewhere. Somewhere Abellar wouldn¡¯t be found. Maybe convene with the other elders and try to subdue the boy, maybe return home for an impromptu sabbatical.

    Either way, he put on his kindest, most grandfatherly face he could manage and stepped out of his office, shutting the door behind him, and following the debris. Despite only ever having seen the boy the one time, Abellar had played the video countless times and committed his visage to memory.

    Even with the elements raging around him in ways Abellar couldn¡¯t help but contest with, this was most certainly the young newcomer¡¯s brother.

    ¡°Greetings, esteemed guest. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance in person.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll think otherwise by the time I leave. Now, I¡¯m sure we both know why I¡¯m here, so why don¡¯t you tell me what I want to know. While you do, I might consider leaving something of this place standing when I leave.¡±

    Well, at least there was some hope for Abellar to make it out alive. And if he played his cards right, maybe the boy would eradicate those Expansionist bastards. ¡°So you see, what happened was¡­¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Eleven

    Like never before, recall warnings were blazing through the entirety of Jarvick¡¯s suit. Systems override kicked on and cleared all other missions in queue for one thing and one thing only.

    Code Black.

    Ascension headquarters were under attack and all personnel were to return with the expectation of great threat.

    ¡°What the?¡±

    Their headquarters, even if found, were on the twenty-fifth floor, hidden deep in the layers in the unique capacity shared only by keystone floors. The keystone¡¯s spatial overlay, something even spatial researchers were confounded by, was foolproof. Even if someone knew the location of their headquarters, actually getting to it should be theoretically impossible without going through half a dozen security checkpoints via secured transit gateways.

    His private transit key activated a warp at the nearest waylay station on the thirtieth floor where he¡¯d been operating. Within the protection of the suit, he barely even registered the strangeness of spatial discombobulation as he teleported.

    Barely hesitating as he leaped from the receiving transit gateway, he pushed the suit to its limits, mind twisting in knotted loops as he tried to make sense of anything.

    Things made even less sense as he arrived where the first checkpoint should have been but wasn¡¯t. Instead, only a crater leading into bottomless oblivion. Others stared as he did.

    ¡°Little Bird to¡­ everyone, what¡­ is this?¡± he asked over local comms.

    ¡°A hole.¡± He recognized Tabby¡¯s voice, though she lacked her usual arrogance. ¡°A very large hole.¡±

    ¡°Has anyone¡­ descended?¡± His voice shook less than he expected yet more than he¡¯d like.

    ¡°No,¡± Dahlia responded, shaking her head from the other side of the massive hole.

    Gritting his teeth, Jarvick stepped off the edge and dropped, blades shooting out of his forearms and cleaving giant swaths from the wall as his boosters did everything to control his speed. He¡¯d be no use to anybody if he arrived at headquarters in the form of a pancake.

    The hole kept going, and the chatter continued ahead.

    Then it cut out.

    And he kept falling.

    And falling.

    And falling.

    At first, a tinge of danger, subtle, then suffocating, validated the still-blaring Code Black warning. Then the subtly disappeared, and there was simply overwhelming power.

    By the time Jarvick reached the end, he was a shaking mess of quaking nerves and barely contained thoughts. The descent provided far too much time to consider just what in the world could have done something like this.

    So to find Elder Abellar standing with James¡ªthough the younger man looked different and was clearly the source of the calamitous aura, Jarvick still made him out¡ªhis thoughts all collapsed and he was left asking one word, ¡°What?¡±

    Just standing near James made his entire suit scream conflicting warnings about escaping danger. The powering enchantments were bleeding energy as they tried to keep Jarvick sheltered from just the presence of James¡¯s rampant energy.

    Elder Abellar looked relieved to see another friendly face and gestured toward Jarvick, giving him a signal not to approach. ¡°It¡¯s as I said. Expansionist spies infiltrated our compound, kidnapped your sister, and all disappeared without a trace.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible,¡± Jarvick muttered absentmindedly, still in the midst of trying to process. Those words were apparently not the right ones, as both James and Elder Abellar regarded Jarvick.

    James turned back to Abellar, but the latter¡¯s eyes refused to leave Jarvick, filled with great scorn. ¡°You hear that? ¡®There¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible¡¯, my great friend Jarvick just said.¡± James circled Elder Abellar, his arms behind his back. ¡°So one of you is lying, it would seem. I wonder, I wonder, I wonder¡­¡±

    For a brief second, Jarvick caught up to the situation and understood the words he¡¯d just spoken had contradicted Elder Abellar. Horror filled him as he met the elder¡¯s gaze, wrathful.

    But even more unsettling than that, Elder Abellar was trembling.

    Then Elder Abellar gasped as his entire chest simply ceased to exist and a pyre of flame eradicated all that was left.

    ¡°So that was a waste of time,¡± James muttered as he wiped his hands on his pants and turned to Jarvick. ¡°If it¡¯s impossible for the Expansionists to infiltrate as spies and your recently departed elder was lying to me about my sister¡¯s sudden disappearance, I have to assume your faction as a whole is to blame. So I¡¯m sorry, my great friend Jarvick, but you had better help me find someone that knows something, or everyone without answers will have to experience a fate similar to your lying elder here.¡±

    Jarvick didn¡¯t think about his life, rationality, or preservation when he overrode his power suit and slammed both hands together into the ultimate weapon the second generation suit could equip, the Megacannon.

    This man had declared war. His reasons didn¡¯t matter. Jarvick couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing.

    The attack exploded forward, but the golden light of the damned protective totem deflected the attack as if it meant nothing. As Jarvick channeled more power into the beam in hopes of overcoming that seemingly impenetrable defensive totem, James stepped forward calmly, causing the beam to obliterate everything to either side of James in a long path.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    When James reached Jarvick, he raised a hand and crumpled the megacannon, turning the energy inward.

    ¡°Goodbye, my friend.¡±

    The suit exploded, and Jarvick was no more.

    <hr>

    ¡°Alright, everyone! Who wants to be my party members? I¡¯ll probably need two to four, but we¡¯ll play that by ear.¡±

    Ivy¡¯s audience of exhausted, angry, and hopeless slaves regarded her excited proclamation without comprehension.

    ¡°It¡¯s only standard, you understand. I could probably escape on my own, but¡ª¡±

    Suddenly, there was a lot more interest. And derision. And disbelief. But at least people talking over one another to offer help or talk her out of it or stop the others from getting their hopes up meant they were engaging with the discussion.

    She could work with this.

    She waited until the hubbub died down a bit, then spoke up with force. ¡°First, I need some information. As those of you who watched me appear in a flash of green light may have guessed, I¡¯m new to this place. So, fill me in. Where are we, who are you, who¡¯s in charge, and who do I need to punch to get us out of here?¡±

    They were prisoners from across the Euriste system, a motley collection of criminals, debt-slaves, and kidnap victims. None had any cards, which was an interesting discovery. Ivy glanced down at the glowing rectangle on her chest, peeking out from above her towel. That might be something to conceal, then.

    She checked the other mark on her palm, the one she¡¯d been working on without telling anyone, and found it had disappointingly lost its glow. Ivy pressed it against her chest and tried to will energy into it anyway, but nothing happened. Her fledgling experiment would have to be resumed at another time. She had none of the necessary equipment to continue from here.

    ¡°I miss my power armor,¡± she grumbled as she adjusted her towel to better cover her heart card¡¯s glow. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to be meditating for the next several hours. Let me know if anyone comes to check on us. It¡¯s been a long time since I consolidated my progress. I was going to wait until I¡¯d be allowed out into the world with my precious ELS, but this seems like a good time to be at full strength.¡±

    Her heart card was uncommon, and that meant that the only thing preventing her from advancing to the next tier was the amount of experience in her class. However, since she knew that experience and lifespan were interchangeable, and the basics of cultivation from Shen Ai, it stood to reason that she could move her own energies around to her preferences.

    It was the one thing she could think of that might get them out of this. She¡¯d been counting on having armor and weapons when she decided not to take any of the other cards James or the shop offered, and to advance on her own, but this little trip showed her the major flaw in that strategy.

    She had Adversity to improve her abilities in a one-on-one confrontation, and she had Retaliate to make anyone who did hit her regret it immediately, but she had nothing to actually do damage aside from her own body.

    Something told her a kick or elbow jab wouldn¡¯t be enough to get them out of this.

    So Ivy sat down, leaned back against the wall, and closed her eyes. The gentle vibration of the ship¡¯s steady engines, the ongoing mutter of argument, and the soft pulse of her heartbeat lulled her into a semi-aware state between waking and sleeping.

    She mentally replayed the months of exercises she¡¯d done in the shop, then the weeks of intense training, both mental and physical, she¡¯d been undergoing in preparation for her full release of the ELS, and threw in scenes from some of her favorite martial arts movies for good measure.

    That should do it.

    Now, she just had to figure out how to feed the combination of experiences and her own lifespan into her class.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t James be the one doing this kind of weird cheat ability?¡± she muttered. ¡°No, wait, that¡¯d still be too much effort. He¡¯d just ask the shop to do it for him. I¡¯m the one putting in the work. It¡¯s still fair.¡±

    She hesitated, holding all the mental strands she¡¯d been accumulating, trying to test whether she really truly believed that. If any part of her rejected this process as unfair, she suspected it would fall apart. It was her experiences, her lifespan, and her class. No outside power involved.

    Yes, this was still playing by the rules.

    ¡°Besides, every hero needs to have at least one epic breakthrough before she can conquer, right?¡± She took a deep breath, lips softly smiling, and relaxed fully into the mutant process she¡¯d devised.

    And gradually, it began to work. Warmth built up in her chest where her deck rested, and she resisted the urge to pull it out to look at. She kept her eyes closed, forced down the excitement, and returned her breathing to the same steady rhythm.

    When it felt like the power couldn¡¯t possibly stay contained a moment longer, it burst through her in a pulse that somehow sounded like a bell ringing in celebration.

    She could feel the options splitting out from her base class like the four stars on a compass, each a direction she could move in. She didn¡¯t have her companion block to read out the specific text, but she could feel the weight of them.

    One felt centered, slow and steady to wear away at many adversaries. Another felt sharp and shadowed, restrained but deadly. One carried the weight of honor and personal advancement, and that one called out to her. The last felt close and fast, the closest to the martial artist she¡¯d initially envisioned.

    But in the end, she could only choose one, and she needed to make it the one that would help her most right now.

    <hr>

    Demron found himself wishing that his Escape Anchor was still set to that slaver ship. That would be a much better place to be right now. He shifted his shirt uncomfortably, the massive bruise across his chest reminding him every moment of the cost of their retribution.

    He hadn¡¯t even minded the girl that much. She was fun, happy in a way that too few people were these days, but he couldn¡¯t forgive her for jumping the line so cavalierly. Laril was right, she had to go. Or so he¡¯d thought, when caught up in his fellow trainee¡¯s rhetoric.

    He licked his lips, throat dry. The thudding from above hadn¡¯t stopped. It had only grown stronger and closer. And by now, everyone was suddenly remembering the rumors about exactly why that tiny upstart had been given such a prestigious position without earning it.

    Just how powerful was her family?

    Demron had assumed, with a single common and uncommon, not even a complete deck, that she¡¯d been a minor branch or lame cousin of someone.

    This level of retaliation, and so quickly?

    He couldn¡¯t imagine.

    What kind of powerhouse would send their scion off with so little but show up with this much force to avenge her?

    He wished he could convince himself that this was unrelated, but the dread in his gut was absolutely certain that they¡¯d badly misconstrued several of the cues about this situation.

    Why had he gone along with this?

    It¡¯d been so stupid. With the cold clarity of impending doom, he could see that now. Never do something you can¡¯t undo without being sure you know all the consequences.

    And this was very much something he couldn¡¯t undo.

    ¡°Sorry, dad¡­ guess I¡¯m an even worse son than you thought.¡±

    He grabbed the nearest bottle, forgotten as everyone stared up at the shaking ceiling in various states of terror, and started swigging.

    Maybe if he got drunk fast enough, he could die obliviously. That was probably the best he could hope for at this point.

    ¡°Hey you, I can¡¯t imagine you know where my sister is?¡± a stranger¡¯s voice called out.

    When Demron looked up, he wished he hadn¡¯t.

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Twelve

    When Verox came to, she gasped for breath and sputtered dusty debris. Her body was heavy, but the rubble lying atop her did her weakened physique little justice. Before her, little remained. Even through her groggy vision, she could see that much. Whatever the Ascension headquarters once stood for, it had all been left barren, stripped of its dignity.

    Grunting, she struggled to her feet and followed the downward path of carnage. Metal was warped. Power suits were strewn about, bloodied.

    But no matter where she looked, there was no sign of life.

    For the first time in her experience, things were quiet. There was no subtle hum of enchanted arrays powering the grid or the presence of humming white noise that once grated on her ears but now felt like an absent lullaby in the face of tragedy. All of the trainees she¡¯d equipped and watched grow for the last three decades no longer ran about the halls, respectfully lowering their heads or offering friendly, subservient smiles.

    Without the friendly bickering, youthful jokes, and smell of sweat, she desperately stumbled to a place she could¡¯ve gotten to with all of her senses entirely diminished¡ªher lab.

    To whatever deities may preside over the tower, she begged for her lab to still be in one piece, untouched. Her life¡¯s work, all her research, if she could just find that, she could start over all again. If somehow the ELS remained intact, maybe she wouldn¡¯t even have to start over.

    Yet her mind raced with visions of more tragedy. Maybe her lab would be in pieces, turned upside down and razed when the boy could find nothing of his sister. Oh, how she had tried to warn Abellar.

    Might made right in the tower. How had the old badger, who she¡¯d seen no sign of and she presumed now dead, forgotten something so simple? They had been tasked with the girl¡¯s care and had known the risk, yet high on opportunity, Abellar had been careless. She had been careless.

    Ivy should have never been part of normal operations, never been made so easily accessible to anybody, because no matter what Abellar tried to lie about, this had been an inside job. Someone from their compound had kidnapped the girl. One of their own. Maybe out of ignorance, maybe a competing sector within the faction.

    She had no way of knowing, and suddenly, she reached her destination. Despite her hopes, she never once truly expected her lab to remain untouched in all the chaos, yet as unimaginable as it might have seemed, it remained untouched on the outside, giving her hopes within might remain whole, undisturbed.

    Despite her ardor, she couldn¡¯t deny that the boy had passed through. Scraps of earlier generations¡¯ power suits lay in pieces everywhere, some even embedded at high velocity into the very walls.

    Intentionally, she ignored the amount of blood painting everything from floor to ceiling. No matter what she did now, she couldn¡¯t change the past, and her heart ached enough already without thinking of all the faces that would never excitedly peer back from within one of her designs, the monitors picking up their increased heart rates and rising cortisol.

    A familiar red light scanned her, and the door hissed open, cool air offering her sweet reprieve from the scorched air haunting the compound.

    ¡°It¡¯s such a lovely design,¡± an unexpected, blood chilling voice said from within, admiringly. Hesitant, Verox stepped inside the lab. The brother was there, running his hand over the ELS, his back to her. ¡°I hoped whoever had designed it would find their way back here, which I assume to be you. No offense, but you¡¯re a little old to be running around playing hero like my sister.¡± He turned around and walked to the control panel and gestured at it. ¡°I took the liberty of looking over your database, and I can¡¯t help but wonder why then, if Ivy scored so well, she¡¯s no longer here or why she wasn¡¯t protected. As your note says, ¡®best synchronicity ever recorded, shall take under direct supervision¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I never wanted to lie to you about what happened,¡± she tried explaining, then gulped and shrinked back as he took a step toward her. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me, I want to find her as much as you do!¡±

    ¡°I highly doubt that is the case. This is the last family I have left we¡¯re talking about, so no, I don¡¯t think so.¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡°I do respect your interest in her though and doubt you had anything to do with her disappearance. Especially if that elder fellow didn¡¯t know anything. He didn¡¯t seem like a very trustworthy type. After I killed him, my good friend Jarvick even tried to attack me in his defense.¡±

    Now that was a lot to process, but Verox would¡¯ve never made it to her current position if she couldn¡¯t think on her feet. ¡°It was an inside job. That¡¯s all I know. I swear I had nothing to do with it and was trying to find her when Abellar poisoned me.¡±

    ¡°I see. I wondered why you were taking a nap on the floor in the midst of all of this and why, as sole engineer of the ELS, you were even on that floor. To make something this precious, something that would captivate my sister so deeply, you¡¯re definitely not a normal person.¡± The boy sighed. ¡°But we still have a problem.¡± He thumbed behind him to where a trainee, one she recognized as Demron, was slumped, past out on himself with a concerning dark spot around his crotch. ¡°This one seems to know something, and he keeps passing out when he looks at me.¡±

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°To be fair, the emanant pressure you¡¯re putting off is enough to even stifle someone like me, and I¡¯m the proud owner of a full Rare deck.¡± She gestured toward the trainee. ¡°They don¡¯t have anything more than a mix of commons and uncommons, similar to your sister.¡±

    He tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s a thing? Does explain why all the weak ones were already asleep by the time I found them.¡±

    Had he just admitted to killing all of the trainees when they were utterly helpless?

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I let the ones who didn¡¯t try to fight me leave. It was only the ones shouting and rushing me that didn¡¯t get to walk away. And to be fair, I did warn them I wasn¡¯t sure what I was capable of.¡± The boy grunted. ¡°I¡¯ve only got, like, six Legendary cards slotted. I¡¯ve got another four empty slots. I really thought someone might¡¯ve been able to give me a fight, but I even let them group up around the corner to attack me together.¡±

    Six¡­

    Verox gulped.

    Six Legendaries¡­

    She slowly took out her system interface block and scrolled to the leaderboard panels. If he had multiple Legendary cards, he would be within the top twenty¡ªno, top ten of any of the factions. As she scrolled through the Expansionists, she found nothing. She thought he wasn¡¯t Ascension, but she checked anyway. Nothing.

    General rankings?

    Nothing.

    Her heart dropped into the bottom of her stomach when she checked the last, but definitely not least, and found him.

    Destruction Leaderboard:

    Rank 7: James Winstein

    Only interacting with the girl, Ivy, even gave her an idea of what to search for, but there he was. Ranked seventh¡­ on the Destruction faction¡¯s damned leaderboard! How did none of them notice this sooner?

    ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost, miss engineer. Verox, was it?¡± He grinned after she flinched away. ¡°I checked your ID,¡± he explained, patting the same side of his chest where her ID was sewn, ¡°earlier when I found you in the old man¡¯s office.¡±

    ¡°I see. So what now?¡± she asked, looking toward trainee Demron.

    ¡°Wake him up, question him, maybe convince him answer is better than not. After that, it should be pretty clear what will happen.¡± He tilted his head when she gasped. ¡°I¡¯m going to find my sister, and you¡¯re going to bring that,¡± he pointed at the ELS, ¡°with us. Or rather, I¡¯m kidnapping you and taking the mecha for myself so I can give it to Ivy when I find her. Either way, he knows what¡¯s going on, and I¡¯m too scary for him, so I¡¯ll be stepping out while you get the information we need. Chop, chop now!¡±

    She stepped out of the walkway so he could exit, leaving her to wake and interrogate the poor trainee. Her eyes hardened as she regarded the young man. ¡°What have you gotten us into, and what in the name of the tower could have possessed you to do it?¡±

    <hr>

    Ivy remained focused for so long that all the voices fell silent, and then started up again, and then went quiet again. She hardly noticed. Her focus was fully on those four inner compass points. She needed to choose, and the choice she made would decide the path she would follow from this point onward, but she couldn¡¯t avoid thinking about the current situation too.

    The first, the one she thought of as ¡®north¡¯, felt very strongly like it would help her in dealing with a large group of enemies, but she wasn¡¯t sure how well it would do at fighting directly. The second felt like it would work best if she wanted to slip away on her own, but she got the distinct impression that it wouldn¡¯t be able to help anyone else. That one was very self-focused, very tightly centered.

    The third continued to call to her, most in tune with who she¡¯d been up to now, but she didn¡¯t want to make the decision solely based on feelings. That one seemed best suited to strengthening a group, which also seemed relevant right now.

    But the last one, west, that one felt aggressive. And right now she needed something aggressive. Even if the third could make her whole group move faster or punch harder, would it be enough?

    Could she afford to gamble on something increasing the group overall to the extent that they would make up for her own advancement being lesser? Or should she gamble it all on giving herself the power to deal with anything that came against them single-handedly?

    Both north and south felt group aligned, while east and west were personally skewed. North and west felt antagonistic, while east and south had a more protective vibe.

    This shouldn¡¯t be so difficult. But knowing this was the only possible upgrade she¡¯d be getting until she found a way back to the tower, she felt paralyzed by indecision. She¡¯d never had so much riding on one simple thought before.

    ¡°Sorry, everyone, but I¡¯ve got to focus on myself first,¡± she muttered, then giggled softly. ¡°What am I, a guidance counselor?¡±

    She let go of the part of her that clung to the group augmentation direction and focused in on the personal attack.

    Green light flashed. Startled, she opened her eyes to see the card floating in front of her, ready to be claimed.

    Strike - Attack, Physical, Contact.

    She laughed at how simple it was, but it was exactly what she¡¯d asked for. Combined with her existing Adversity card and the retributive force of Retaliate, she now had a significant advantage over anyone she fought one-on-one, she just had to be sure they didn¡¯t have any way to hit her from a distance.

    A sudden wave of exhaustion flowed over her, as though she¡¯d been holding something very heavy for a long time and was suddenly able to put it down. If she weren¡¯t already sitting against the wall, she¡¯d probably have collapsed on the spot.

    As it was, she slumped over against the guy next to her.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she managed, too tired to worry about moving. ¡°Just need a quick nap. Wake me when we get there.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Thirteen

    Ivy didn''t wake up to someone informing her of them having arrived at their destination but to someone gently trying to tug her towel down off her chest.

    "Eep!" Ivy smacked the person instinctively, Strike activating without conscious thought. "No touchy!"

    The person backed away, and she saw it was a small person with bristly gray fur, only about four feet tall, who also had tall round ears and a slender tail, rubbing at his arm where she¡¯d smacked him. He was wearing a strange combination of sleek formal top that resembled a sci-fi themed tuxedo with some kind of fluffy black kilt that may just be a skirt.

    Ivy couldn¡¯t think of words. "Huh?"

    "You are the special cargo we were promised?" The person leered, or perhaps not, it was hard to tell with all the fur on his face. "I only want to look." His eyes went to the pale glow at her chest, visible in the dim lighting even through the towel''s edge. ¡°I admit, we weren¡¯t expecting someone of your stature. I do hope you won¡¯t give us any trouble.¡±

    Ivy rose to her feet, shifting into a ready stance in case she needed to kick the smug rodent across the hall. ¡°That depends entirely on how much trouble you plan to give me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no trouble at all, miss. You are our respected guest, of course. And I am Xian, at your service.¡± His grin was the opposite of reassuring.

    ¡°Then your honored guest would like some clothing.¡± Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she¡¯d never gotten to dinner, and who knew how many hours it¡¯d been since then. ¡°And some food.¡±

    ¡°I doubt anything of mine would fit.¡± The rodent-man gestured at himself with a shrug. ¡°But of course, you¡¯re welcome to it.¡±

    Ivy considered the waistline on his skirt and grimaced. It might fit around one leg¡­ but that wasn¡¯t really worth the effort. ¡°Breakfast?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure I can find something. The cook¡¯s asleep at the moment, but I can assure you¡¯ll get first chance when we have anything edible.¡± He grinned again, and Ivy really couldn¡¯t tell if he was trying to be intimidating or friendly, but it came across as just kind of creepy.

    ¡°Are you in charge around here?¡±

    ¡°Me? In charge? No, no, someone like me wouldn¡¯t be in charge. I¡¯m the liaison to interpret to you giants. I wouldn¡¯t be allowed in the council hall even if I could fit.¡± He shrugged self-deprecatingly, crouching as though to make himself appear smaller. ¡°You know how it is. Mutant, half blood¡­ at least your people know your place.¡±

    Ivy grinned dazzlingly. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re not happy with who and where you are? I know someone who can help you! I would offer my business card, but¡­¡± She gestured down at her towel and lack of anything else. ¡°I was taken unprepared. But changing your species is easy enough, or we could adjust your capabilities¡­¡±

    The creature shook his head and backed away a step before her fervor. ¡°I¡­ you mustn''t think that I¡¯m rebellious, I¡¯m not!¡± he said it extra loudly, as though concerned about being overheard. ¡°I¡¯m content with my lot. I¡¯m just not in a position of authority to do more than translate your requests and bring back whatever you require.¡±

    Ivy made a phone gesture at her ear. ¡°Then once you¡¯re off the clock, call me. We¡¯ll get you what you need.¡± She winked. ¡°And what I need is some food. Chop chop!¡±

    <hr>

    Xian scurried down the narrow halls, twisting around tight corners with practiced ease as he moved from the giant cargo bay to the main city. He couldn¡¯t stop the strange giant¡¯s words from echoing in his head.

    We can help. Changing your species is easy.

    As he walked by five-story buildings not even as tall as his shoulders, doing his best not to shake the ground, the familiar envy for his normal-sized kin rose up stronger than ever.

    He shook himself, trying to clear away the nagging thought, but it wouldn¡¯t go.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    We can help. It¡¯s easy.

    ¡°Stay in the tunnels, xenth,¡± spat the person whose balcony he¡¯d just jostled with his careless movement.

    ¡°Apologies,¡± Xian muttered and scurried on his way. He shouldn¡¯t have cut through the city, but this was too important to entrust to anyone else. He needed to talk to Cysee in person. To report, to translate the cargo¡¯s requests¡­ but also to make a proposal.

    If changing his species was easy, what else could this glowing giant do?

    Perhaps this was one they could drop off somewhere safe instead of taking to market, keep it for themselves. And if they treated it well enough, who knew what wonders it could manifest?

    After all, the creature was already doing the impossible. Every other carded person to leave the twin sectors had suffered immediate and fatal deck implosion, making their bodies and cards alike useless to trade with. This was why the Kviri always insisted on voids for their cargo.

    And the local governments were happy to oblige. The giants wanted the cards, Cysee knew people who wanted their own pet giants, and everyone profited at the end of the day.

    But they¡¯d left the twin sectors weeks ago, traveled farther than any of those weak giant ships could dream, and yet this one lived. And still held cards.

    Whatever deal Cysee had made, he could unmake. This one, Xian felt certain, was too valuable to let slip away.

    <hr>

    For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Demron awoke to see something other than a specter of vengeance pressing down on him. He was surprised to be awake at all; the past few times felt like a fever dream or perhaps what hell would be like. Darkness punctuated by terror and suppression any time he dared try to exist.

    But now he was lying somewhere that wasn¡¯t trying to stab him to death, and the heavy presence nearby was a familiar one.

    For one brief moment, he dared to hope that he¡¯d been dreaming the whole thing, but the fact that he lay in a room open to the sky that should have had several more floors above it made that difficult.

    He remembered the ground shaking. He remembered crimson eyes of cold, uncaring destruction. He remembered feeling as though his heart were going to shatter any moment, his deck strained and draining on his class to sustain itself.

    No one ever told him that was possible. What kind of power did someone have to hold to force his deck to cannibalize his own experience just to survive?

    Why didn¡¯t he kill me?

    There was no way he didn¡¯t know. Those eyes demanded recompense. So why? How was Demron alive? Just so he could suffer longer? That had to be it.

    The worst part was, he knew he deserved it. He¡¯d been willing to throw an innocent into the worst situation they could arrange, just to get her out of the way for their own ambition.

    What had he been thinking?

    ¡°You¡¯re awake. Good.¡± It was Verox. She looked unhappy, but when did she not? She leaned down to stare at him, arms crossed. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have an explanation for this disaster?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I should never have suggested it. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking. Just kill me, don¡¯t send me back to¡­¡± he shuddered and trailed off, breath catching. His eyes blurred with tears and he thought he might pass out, but he had to convince her. He couldn¡¯t do that again. His deck would shatter and he¡¯d seen what happened when someone had unformed shards in their heart. He wasn¡¯t sure what was worse, the prospect of what would happen to his body and soul, or the fact that it would be happening while that specter of vengeance watched impassively.

    Verox¡¯s expression tightened, mouth in a grim line. ¡°You had something to do with my Ivy disappearing?¡±

    ¡°I did. I¡­¡± His mouth was so dry, he coughed and nearly choked. He leaned over the side of the bed, heaving for breath.

    When he looked up, Verox was watching with the most disapproving scowl he''d ever seen. A few days ago it would have terrified him, but now it seemed only a pale echo of the face of death.

    ¡°What. Did you. Do.¡±

    ¡°I sent her to a Kviri servitor clan. We needed somewhere she couldn¡¯t come back from, and, well, they were just here a few weeks ago to pick up their voids, so¡­¡±

    ¡°A few. Weeks. You know how far they can get in a few weeks?¡±

    Demron swallowed and nodded. ¡°Up to eighty-seven systems away, yes. That¡¯s why¡­¡± His voice a raspy whisper, ¡°it was the perfect plan. We thought she was a nobody, someone¡¯s lame cousin. Not¡­¡± He shuddered and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was an idiot. If I¡¯d known how powerful her family was, I never would have. Please. Just end it.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to let you off easily after what you¡¯ve done?¡± He¡¯d never heard Verox so heated, this went way beyond her usual disapproval.

    He flinched back, almost convinced that she¡¯d start carving him apart on the spot. She probably had all sorts of ideas for bio-fusion tech, and his life was already forfeit¡­

    And I thought things couldn¡¯t get worse. Why did I forget who I¡¯m dealing with?

    The expression on Verox¡¯s face was suddenly just as terrifying as that of the vengeance god.

    ¡°Just one more question, then. Who is ¡®we¡¯?¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Fourteen

    The manifestos present on Bron¡¯s desk weighed heavy on his mind. Leaned back, he stared at the dozen more responsibilities thrust upon him by Father and began idly thumbing through the rankings on his system block.

    He still remained disappointed by himself, not even within the top two thousand yet. How much time had he been fighting to bridge that gap? But he wasn¡¯t growing faster than the competition.

    Stagnation allowed the hint of doubt and madness to creep into his thoughts as he thumbed away to the Expansionist leaderboard, tracking the minor changes in both stages of competition with persistent determination.

    What he saw nearly made him drop the block, his breath quickening as he reread. The last time he¡¯d checked, the total number had continued increasing steadily as the Ascenders¡¯ recruitment strategy, mainly their marketing of their power suits, continued being an insurmountable thorn in Bron¡¯s side.

    So how come, then, had several of the mid rankings simply disappeared in great number? No news had made its way to Bron about any Ascender expeditions into higher floors. No great conflict he knew of that would cause such loss, unless his information network was failing disgustingly, was planned on the side of the competing faction.

    Before he could think too much about it, he was moving. A broker he knew had access to information that shouldn¡¯t be accessible. Bron never asked the sources, nor questioned how much information the same broker had distributed about Bron and his own dealings either. Simply to question was to inform those types, and him knowing for sure they knew things he didn¡¯t want anybody else to would eat away at his mind.

    Better to remain ignorant and not run the risk of giving up more than determine the unknown for certain. Especially when dealing with them.

    If he wasn¡¯t careful, even his soul wasn¡¯t safe.

    <hr>

    ¡°I have the list.¡± Verox held out a notebook page. ¡°Along with a full confession from the one who actually carried it out. It sounds like Laril was the ringleader, but they¡¯re all complicit to one extent or another. They went to ludicrous extents to conceal their movements, since they knew there¡¯d be hell to pay if they were caught.¡±

    ¡°Laril. Laril, Laril, Laril.¡± James felt the name on his tongue and found it completely suitable for someone who would orchestrate a petty plan to remove a sudden rival. ¡°For Laril¡¯s sake, let¡¯s hope he¡¯s either dead already or stays far, far away from me, not to mention Shen Ai will have a field day with him if she catches wind of this.¡±

    <hr>

    Shen Ai had been in the middle of a very dull prelude to the actual good part of the auction when the notification pinged into her vision.

    [Urgent message, Co-Owner Ivy has left my current range of perception. She is no longer in the tower or within the Euriste system.]

    She immediately jumped to her feet, but had no idea where to go.

    ¡°Senior Shop, can you connect me to Senior James?¡±

    [Representative James is not currently in a mindset to be making conversation. I cannot move you around within the tower without setting off alerts, but I can give you a general map to his location.]

    ¡°Then please do that.

    [It will cost¡ª]

    She raised her voice, cutting off the message before it could finish forming. ¡°I do not care the cost, I will pay it. Show me now.¡± She owed Senior Ivy too much to stand by even a moment longer than necessary.

    People turned to stare at her, but she ignored them. Information filled her mind, complete with the glowing beacon that was James. Floor 25 was a long way down.

    She threw herself into the air and sprinted toward the lobby, leaving a sonic boom and outraged shouts in her wake.

    <hr>

    ¡°Ren, Ren, Ren, explain this to me.¡± Bron showed Ren the drastically changed leaderboard. ¡°You know something, don¡¯t you? What will it cost?¡±

    ¡°Bron.¡± Ren hummed, a twinkling there Bron knew meant the information wasn¡¯t a surprise. There was little meaning to dragging out a response, but Ren enjoyed toying with Bron, relished in Bron¡¯s frustration. ¡°I know you¡¯re a lot closer to it all than you think. Take pride in the blow you¡¯ve inadvertently delivered.¡±

    Bron didn¡¯t know how to take that. He was a part of far too many things to be able to pinpoint which would have caused so much of the Ascenisionist pests to disappear. Now that he knew something had happened for certain, he wanted to know, and Ren¡¯s toying made his blood pressure rise by several magnitudes. ¡°Make. Sense.¡±

    ¡°Show me what you think a once in a lifetime opportunity is worth, and I may.¡±

    Bron contained the urge to shoot the annoying broker in the face and met the man¡¯s eyes that knew more than Bron ever wanted to know. ¡°Just name a price.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve set my conditions. If you¡¯re unwilling to make an offer, then I will conclude our business here.¡± Ren stood from their private booth and grabbed his coat, pulling one arm into a sleeve before pausing and giving Bron another look, as if to ask, ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±

    ¡°What is it you want? Shards? I¡¯ve got shards! Cards, connections, a favor?¡± His parents¡¯ disappointed faces haunted him in times like these, as did their condescending words and his burning need to elevate his family. Something this big had to be a game changer, and he needed to know. ¡°I need this. Please, name your price.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Ren took a moment to consider. ¡°I will give you the information now and bind it with a magical oath. My request is this: become the leader of your faction, the Expansionists, after I give you this information.¡± The man held up two fingers. ¡°You will owe me two favors, and the magical oath will ensure you do exactly what I ask. How¡¯s that sound?¡±

    ¡°Terrible.¡± Bron looked at Ren and the v-shaped fingers and considered whether it was worth trading for. The conditions were heavily in Ren¡¯s favor for the moment, but the brokers were always fair with the value of the information they sold. If Ren would ask so much of him, it had to be something big. He thought of his parents and their house name. The decision became clear, easy even. Once the initial hesitation passed, he couldn¡¯t stop the visions of taking down his competition in the Expansionists, of elevating his family, of taking down Ascension.¡°Yes, I¡­ I can do that.¡±

    Quickly, Ren removed his coat from his shoulders, set it on the back of his chair, and looked around before he spoke. ¡°Then listen carefully. I won¡¯t repeat myself twice.¡±

    <hr>

    Cysee sat at his desk, contemplating what the xenth had told him about their current cargo. There were countless ways to monetize the impossible, but which way would bring the most benefit to him personally? There was all too much opportunity for someone else to come sweeping in and shove him aside if he couldn¡¯t fully enmesh himself in this affair.

    He needed a way to keep the creature¡¯s capabilities permanently connected to himself in a way that no imitator could claim.

    Xian may be an idiot, but he¡¯d not been wrong. If what he claimed was true, this was too good an opportunity to pass up.

    But first, Cysee needed to see for himself. He ordered a chariot from the downcity to be brought up. If he was going to cross all the way to the cargo realm he wasn¡¯t going to do so in his ordinary conveyance. He needed more comfort for such a long journey.

    <hr>

    Ivy was surprised to find that the meal brought by her ratman captor/assigned butler was actually really good. It was served on plates that were perhaps unreasonably small, but there were enough courses that even the teaplate-sized meals added up. It covered an impressive array of styles as well. Sandwiches, exotic salads, a soup she wished she could ask for another serving of, a tiny roast meat that had been thoughtfully deboned for her, and what had to be the local equivalent of baked potatoes¡ªalbeit a bit more carrot-flavored and very round and yellow.

    By the time Xian was done unloading the last plates, she was already finished with the first. Once she was fully finished, he offered her a tiny handkerchief that was impressively soft and thick.

    ¡°Thank you, it was delicious. I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve thought more about my¡ª¡±

    The creature made a shushing gesture, glancing around as though confident they were being watched.

    ¡°Okay, well, you know where to find me.¡±

    ¡°Your clothing is being made, but it will be another day before it¡¯s ready.¡± He bowed deeply. ¡°I apologize for this failure.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to bow over that, I¡¯ll survive. As long as it doesn¡¯t get any colder.¡±

    ¡°No need to worry about the temperature, it is fully regulated. If you are uncomfortable, I can request¡ª¡±

    ¡°Xian,¡± another voice interrupted imperiously. ¡°Begone.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Xian turned tail, scooped up the cart, and ran for it.

    Ivy turned around indignantly. ¡°Who do you¡­¡± She didn¡¯t see anyone behind her. ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Your Glory.¡±

    It took her another minute to locate the tiny window and the imperious mouse-person staring out at her. He was small enough that she could have measured his height with one hand. If this was what Xian wanted to look like, no wonder he felt out of place. She tried very hard not to think about the logistics of how exactly a half-breed ended up quite so close to human sized. It wasn¡¯t very successful.

    Thankfully, the creature interrupted her thoughts before they could derail too far. ¡°Your garb is, as the xenth implied, being woven at our utmost speed. I wished to introduce myself, Cysee, the High Arbiter for this vessel. That is to say, everyone who lives here is under my command.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Ivy crossed her arms. ¡°What¡¯re you getting at? I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°When we reach the Heartship, you will be introduced to your people. Your primary responsibility is to be glorious and not disruptive. Help the people to stay happy and calm. I¡¯m sure you can do that.¡±

    Ivy scoffed. ¡°If you think that having me around will make things less disruptive, then you haven¡¯t done your research. Besides, I thought I was your prisoner. You¡¯re making me sound more like a mascot.¡±

    ¡°I do not understand your disappointment. Would you prefer to be a prisoner than a goddess?¡±

    ¡°More like figurehead. What¡¯re you getting out of this?¡±

    ¡°Me? Only the honor of being your personal arbiter.¡±

    ¡°Mmmmhm, which position would probably be higher and more important than running a slave ferry, am I close?¡±

    The mouse-man bowed. ¡°Of course, you are perceptive, as expected. One as Blessed as yourself would naturally be above any such petty concerns.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure, sounds great. And what if your Blessed One just wants you to turn this ship around and take me back to the Tower?¡±

    ¡°I am only arbiter of the people living within these cities, not of the vessel¡¯s destination. Our route has been determined since before we departed and cannot be overwritten by any power I can access. The Heartship allows no foreign interference with its decrees. If you would defy it, you must do so in person.¡±

    ¡°And if I still want to leave?¡±

    High Arbiter Cysee shrugged and bowed. ¡°That is between you and the Heartship. But the fact that it has not stripped you of your power or Blessings indicates that you are the chosen one. Perhaps you can even guide the Heartship to a safe haven so we need no longer drift amid the void, living on the neglected and abandoned scraps of greater societies.¡± Then he sighed. ¡°Perhaps I get carried away with my hopes.¡±

    Ivy tapped her chin thoughtfully. ¡°Lifespan,¡± she muttered, and raised an eyebrow at the four-digit number over the tiny creature¡¯s head. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re in luck. I can probably get you guys a planet built custom, but it¡¯ll probably cost your people a good chunk of their lifespan. Would you be open to such an arrangement?¡±

    His eyes widened as he stared. ¡°Truly?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I¡¯ll have to do some searching, but I¡¯d be willing to bet just about anything that we can get you a nice tiny planet and fix things so it¡¯ll stay safely in the appropriate goldilocks zone so you don¡¯t have to worry about being eaten by the sun or hurled off into space. Just two conditions. You¡¯ll have to pay whatever the cost is in the lifespan of your people, and you¡¯ll need to take me back to Euriste 3.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ thank you, Your Glory, I will bear your proposal to our councils as soon as we reach the Heartship. Your travel arrangements will have to be made yourself, I cannot promise this ship¡¯s availability, but I will advocate for your request as far as my voice has meaning.¡±

    ¡°Good enough.¡± Her disappointment at not having anyone to fight free of was quickly replaced with excitement at the prospect of another major deal for the shop. As far as side-quests went, this one was looking pretty quick and easy.

    She just hoped whatever outfit they ended up putting her in wasn¡¯t too gaudy.

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Fifteen

    Perimeter breach.

    Verox glanced at the blinking light on her control panel, then to the handful of surviving cameras. She''d rearranged them to provide some semblance of security for now. With Ascension''s destruction all but certain, she was in the process of consolidating the most important of her research and collecting what pieces of her existing or unfinished tech were most viable. She''d need to find a new place to set up shop if she wanted to continue with her research.

    She wished her precious driver hadn¡¯t been stolen. As much as she loved her current collection of tech, having someone that fully aligned with her creations, her vision, was something she couldn¡¯t easily replace. She may not have agreed with James¡¯s decision to demolish the entire compound in recompense, but she didn¡¯t exactly disagree either.

    There was no point in mourning what could have been. She continued moving from terminal to terminal, systematically transferring everything of importance to the core drive, then physically removing it from the rest of the tech. Every one of these represented a fortune in scientific advancement, each a piece of the glorious puzzle that was her life¡¯s work.

    Not all of it was necessary to her any more. A lot of it was duplicates, or simplified versions she¡¯d intended for her successor, if she ever received a successor, but now her plans would have to be on a much longer timeline.

    Rebuilding from the beginning would be easier as long as she had her core databases, regardless of where she ended up working from. Being at the bottom of an open hole in the middle of a high-traffic floor was the last thing she wanted for her research station.

    Unfortunately, despite moving as quickly as she could, she¡¯d been too slow. The group advancing down the hole were the last people she wanted to see.

    Expansionists.

    They¡¯d take everything they could from her, then send it out into the rest of the world. They¡¯d bastardize her grand vision, turning it into factories and vile machinery, tearing the soul from her creations and parceling it out to the highest bidder.

    She stopped carefully packing away the drives and instead loaded everything she¡¯d managed to collect so far into her personal suit. She couldn¡¯t stop them from coming down, but she could give them quite a fight when they arrived.

    She''d almost finished destroying the rest of the lab when the first of the invaders arrived.

    If she¡¯d been any less prideful, she could have taken the opportunity to turn and run. She¡¯d demolished almost all of her data, everything but what she carried with her, but instead of sneaking out the back way she intended to send a message.

    You did not mess with Verox Elara.

    ¡°Ignore them and let¡¯s leave. We have the ELS. That¡¯s all we need.¡± When she didn¡¯t listen to him, James grabbed her forearm and halted her hurried movement. ¡°Now.¡±

    Guess when he said he''d be kidnapping her it wasn''t an exaggeration.

    <hr>

    The heavy thud of mechs approaching a massive hole ground down Everin¡¯s frayed nerves. He hadn¡¯t sleep in a week, his outpost had been under raid for so long. He thought this would be a break where he might¡¯ve been able to catch a cat nap here or there, but now that he stood near the edge of a hole leading straight to the hellish trainingscape he¡¯d once survived through, he regretted not staying back on the 47th floor.

    ¡°What are the elders thinking? There¡¯s no way anything down here is salvageable, and anybody who survived is long gone.¡± Everin nervously fidgeted with the mech-grade hilt he carried. Every movement caused his tired eyes to twitch away from the hole in front of him.

    ¡°We do as we¡¯re asked by the elders.¡± While Everin¡¯s mech was heavy artillery, good and slow, perfect for continuous barrages of fire, Demoslar was built for tanking anything and everything. As formidable as his will when surrounded on all sides, so too was his ironclad persistence to follow every command to the T.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense though. Think about how many fronts are weakened at this very moment because of us all being down here,¡± Roxxy agreed with Everin, her mech taller and more slender than any of the others with retractable grappling hooks on her shoulders, balled feet great for maneuvering, and both arms loaded out to max capacity with short range munitions on the left and high caliber sniper rounds on the right. ¡°It¡¯s just a waste of time.¡±

    Descending dramatically, Osprey kicked up a dust cloud. ¡°I¡¯ve finished scouting. There are a few curious onlookers lingering. No threats. Let¡¯s get this over and done with so we can all go back to what we were doing.¡±

    Last but not least, Ardor stood and looked Osprey up and down, grinning. ¡°Who made you the boss?¡±

    ¡°Shut it,¡± Demoslar growled. ¡°We go.¡±

    ¡°Lead the way.¡± Ardor playfully punched Osprey¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve got hard competition for team leader, Osprey.¡± Ardor gestured toward the hole. ¡°Which one of our fearless leaders would like to lead?¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Everin looked at the other four members. Whatever had caused this, there was no way any of them were properly equipped to handle. ¡°Why don¡¯t we send one or two people to relay the information. The rest of us can hold perimeter and make sure nothing follows us down.¡±

    Ardor laughed, shaking his head. ¡°If anybody or anything follows us down,¡± he said, holding up his blaster, ¡°maybe try using this on them.¡± He pointed at a faraway target. ¡°Pew, pew, pew!¡±

    Roxxy scowled but remained quiet. The rest of the team shook their heads and moved to the edge of the hole.

    Osprey asked, ¡°Everyone¡¯s boosters are prepped for rapid descent, right?¡±

    Roxxy scoffed. ¡°We¡¯re all elites from the higher floors. Don¡¯t patronize us. If we¡¯re doing this, just¡ª¡± Her patience appeared to have run dry, because she stepped off solid ground and opened her arms into a freefall dive with a brief, frustrated huff.

    Everin watched as Demoslar and Osprey followed. Ardor gave him a friendly smack to the shoulder. ¡°Whatever¡¯s down there won¡¯t be so bad. As you said, there¡¯s probably nothing left for us to even look at, so let¡¯s get this show on the road and get back to our stations.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± Everin said, though he couldn¡¯t shake the bad feeling gnawing in his gut.

    <hr>

    ¡°Heads up, they¡¯re finally descending, boss,¡± Olor called as he came rushing down the path of destruction and carnage toward the lab Bron was admiring. ¡°One team. All of them look far stronger than the average Ascender.¡±

    Bron grinned maliciously. ¡°Is everyone in waiting?¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss.¡± Olor looked giddy, his eyes glancing toward the still sealed door that had denied them access for the better part of an hour. ¡°The tech we might gain access to¡­¡±

    ¡°Nobody holds greater anticipation than me, Olor. Now, get in place.¡± Bron began to turn back to watch the limited progress on the door, then thought of an idea. ¡°And Olor, do bring one back to me alive.¡±

    <hr>

    Laril woke to Demron shaking him aggressively.

    "Wha...?"

    "You have to run." Demron was barely able to speak, he was so terrified. "I don''t know what they''ll do, but if you want to survive... go far, far away. Don''t come back to the tower. They''re..." He shook his head, still trembling.

    "What... happened?" Laril sat up and looked around. They were in a medical safe house far from the base, one of several places that were set up for emergencies. He had no memory of the previous night, only a vague impression of happiness followed by terror. "What were we drinking?"

    "The base was attacked. No, destroyed. That girl you had me send away, she was the sister of some high floor bigshot. He came down from the 60s and demolished the entire place. He killed just about everyone." Demron waved a hand at the small gathering of extraordinarily weak initiates and other low-level and low-power individuals. "We only got away because I think he doesn''t consider us worth killing. But they wanted to know everyone''s names in our group. They didn''t... I didn''t get the idea that we were top priority, but there''s a very high chance that you''ll have a very angry demigod coming after you."

    Laril took a long minute to absorb all that. He still had an incredible headache and had no desire to face a demigod under any circumstances, but he especially didn''t want to face an angry one.

    "Then I guess we have no choice but to hide?"

    Demron shook his head frantically. "No, run. We can''t stay anywhere near here. He''ll come after us. I just know it. He''s probably tracking me now. You shouldn''t be anywhere near me, but unless I warn you... Just, never use your name again. Change your face. I don''t know. If you want to live..." He couldn''t stop shaking his head.

    Laril had never seen the man so flustered. He was all but petrified, stuck in a terror loop that he couldn''t break out of.

    Serves him right. "You really came up with a plan to exile someone to slavery without bothering to check who her relatives were?" Laril scoffed. "You really have failed at every level, haven''t you?"

    Demron bowed his head. "I''m sorry, I tried to tell them it was my fault, they weren''t interested. They wanted all our names. Most of us are dead, just you and me left now, but... I know I won''t be sticking around. If you''ve got any desire to survive, you''ll be running too. He has a Legendary card. That''s not something any of us can survive."

    Laril shrugged. "Sure. I''ll run. Thanks for the warning." He shooed the man away, then sat up and rubbed his forehead once the stupid lackey was gone.

    Demron had really ruined things this time. And now Laril had to deal with the fallout? Ugh.

    Well, it was pretty clear his family''s gamble to get him into the advanced ELS program was going nowhere now. He would gain nothing by continuing to pretend to be an ordinary initiate. Their attempts to sabotage the competition and prove his rightful place at the top had come to nothing. So now he needed to recalculate.

    His parents wouldn''t be pleased that he''d failed to enter the advanced program, but there were plenty of other things they could do.

    After all, an opponent with a Legendary card was a valuable resource. It took an average of ten epic decks to deal with someone who had a Legendary card, but his family had more influence than Demron could imagine. Laril didn''t strut around as though he owned the place without good reason. He may not own it personally, but he had direct contact with enough people who may as well that there was hardly a difference.

    If it were anything smaller, his family would argue against being dragged into a little argument like this. But with the potential to lure in a Legendary user? They wouldn''t be able to resist.

    He''d planned to wait another few years before claiming his inheritance, prove that he deserved his place on merit rather than relying on his bloodline, but things had changed. He didn''t have the luxury of playing at being a peasant any longer.

    Time for him to make his mark on this tower. That Legendary guy would be the perfect stepping-stone for his family''s ascension.

    Especially since it sounded like there was going to be a pretty significant power void in the near future. If Ascension was as scattered and damaged as Demron made it sound, there was a perfect opening for someone new to step in.

    He''d liked the idea of Ascension, mainly because it provided an established power base to work from. If he had to start from nothing... What would be a good name for them?

    He hadn''t quite decided by the time he finished packing what few of his possessions had survived their flight and left the few other survivors to their own devices.

    Retribution sounded pretty good, though. That could be a good place to start.

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Sixteen

    Considering the numbers he¡¯d brought with him, Bron found the length in which the elites of Ascension lasted against his little surprise party. But when all went silent, Bron waited patiently for the result, wondering if his men had, in fact, won at all.

    ¡°Let¡­ me go¡­¡±

    Olor, with a stiff limp and more blood than reasonable coating his chest, dragged in one of the Ascension elites, just as Bron had asked. ¡°Here ye go, boss.¡±

    Like a heavy sack, the barely alive Ascender, minus his mech, thudded on the ground. Bron clapped slowly, grinning viciously.

    ¡°One escaped and half the ambush party is dead, including Alamir and Dimavar. Even more are injured,¡± Olor reported with a sly grin, glancing back the way he¡¯d come.

    Bron gestured toward the blood on Olor¡¯s chest. ¡°Time for in-faction fighting, I see.¡± Olor looked stunned, but Bron waved away his concern. ¡°If we find the treasure trove I think is locked behind these doors, I can hire ten¡ªno, hundreds more of their caliber.¡±

    Scratching the back of his head guiltily, Olor nodded. ¡°Aye.¡±

    ¡°Now, take this one,¡± Bron leaned down, lifting the barely conscious Ascender¡¯s hair in a firm grip to raise the man¡¯s head and meet his eyes, ¡°and do whatever it takes to get me in that lab.¡±

    ¡°A-anything?¡± Olor gulped, sadistic glee in his voice as he asked, ¡°You really mean it, boss? I can do anything?¡±

    ¡°Hurry up before I change my mind.¡±

    ¡°Oh, buddy.¡± Olor leaned close to the man and licked his lips. ¡°You¡¯re going to wish you¡¯d died with your friends.¡±

    <hr>

    Laril''s family didn''t want to listen to his claims at first. They were preoccupied with a disruption at a recent auction, when an outsider with a full epic aura demanded to have the primary card at any cost before disappearing.

    The spells that bound the place wouldn''t let them sell it to anyone else, and that meant the Patine family were without recourse. No matter what amount they offered, it only increased the amount that the other customer would be paying.

    It was like a false auction, where the end was already determined, only the numbers uncertain. That made Hars and Rynia Patine furious, distracted, and had them sorting through their family stores to find how much they could possibly bid on this thing just to spite whoever thought they could lock down a major event like this.

    What was even more interesting about this all was that their attempts to trace the card back to its origin were a dead end. Absolutely stalled.

    No reports of a card like this existing had ever been made.

    Not once.

    Not being awakened. Not being merged. Not being upgraded.

    It was a complete unknown from nowhere.

    Laril couldn''t help but draw parallels with another unknown from nowhere who''d descended in a flash of death to ruin their hopes and chances.

    So when Hars Patine finally deigned to listen to his aspirant-heir''s story, Laril had a lot more context and details ready to bring to the table.

    He laid out the story as though it were a fait accompli, starting at the end with the Legendary card user whose family did not exist and whose history was a blank, who appeared from nowhere with a card that any of them would readily murder for. From there, he traced backwards through the steps to discovering this, how one of his classmates had made a terrible mistake and brought the whole Ascension faction crumbling as a result.

    He detailed his blueprints for the new Retribution faction, exactly how to market their new rise to the other Epic users they''d need to recruit in order to take down this new interference to their lives and plans. He told them everything without emotion, only facts and precision.

    The plan was simple. The execution wasn''t.

    But Laril was nothing if not persuasive. It was his strongest ability, one he''d cultivated over the entirety of his life, and it wasn''t one without versatility.

    If he hadn''t been able to convince his parents of things, he''d never have survived his childhood. Being prideful and stubborn were not valued traits among the Patine, and only by outmatching his more pedestrian traits with appropriate cunning could he hope to stand among his family in any reasonable degree.

    His father added several modifications to the plan before bringing it before the family council. The council modified it further and added significantly more backup--both of the contingency plan variety and the additional fighters sort. The suggested minimum for tackling a Legendary card was fifteen to twenty. They insisted on thirty. Even though it meant they''d be putting their family in debt to several other major groups, the potential benefits of having a legendary card was worth the cost.

    "Better to overspend to ensure success than skimp on the necessities and lose the gamble," Laril''s mother Rynia lectured, when he protested the escalation. The new plan would cost almost four times as much as his initial proposal, and if it failed, their family would be all but bankrupt.

    Laril didn''t imagine the actual attack could fail, not now that they knew what they were up against, but working with mercenaries who outnumbered the in-house resources meant that they would have all the more opportunity to betray them.

    He didn''t want to spend his entire inheritance on a card only to have it snatched away by one of their rivals at the last moment. It would cost half as much to bribe the mercenaries away as to hire them in the first place.

    But his calculations weren''t sufficient, so he swallowed his pride and conceded the point to his older and wiser family members. If things went wrong, he could point to his original plan and show that he''d been operating with other assumptions in mind. They wouldn''t be able to pin it on him then.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    <hr>

    ¡°Are you really a goddess?¡± Erad grabbed tight to the bars, staring at the towel-clad woman across the cargo hold. ¡°Can you save us?¡±

    She glanced his way and shrugged. ¡°Probably not in the way you imagine. But I am offering miracles on a payment plan these days. What are you after? With the understanding that I am currently on vacation and won¡¯t be granting any wishes until we¡¯re back to my¡­ homeworld.¡±

    ¡°When you say miracles and wishes¡­ what¡¯s your domain?¡± Erad tried not to get his hopes up too high, but¡­ ¡°Creation? Healing? Beauty?¡±

    The maybe-goddess scoffed without any pretense of dignity. ¡°Do I look like someone so limited? I am personally aligned with retaliation, but my ability to grant miracles and wishes is bounded only by your imagination and the amount you¡¯re willing to pledge.¡±

    Erad was so overwhelmed by the possibilities that his mind went fully blank. He couldn¡¯t think of a single thing to wish for, except his freedom. But if she could only grant wishes from her home planet¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to get you home,¡± he promised with conviction. ¡°If there¡¯s any way¡­¡± He glanced around at the other prisoners. Though most of them looked too weary and resigned to do anything, the handful who retained some defiance nodded in agreement. ¡°We¡¯ll find it.¡±

    But, as it turned out, no one needed to find anything. Erad felt almost cheated when their captor brought in a glittering gown with a very simple cut but intricately embroidered with shining thread that turned the simple garb into something truly worthy of a goddess, then escorted away by their captors with great ceremony.

    Hopefully she wouldn¡¯t forget them, even if he was completely useless to her.

    <hr>

    "You''re not serious."

    Xian turned back to frown at Ivy, or perhaps he was trying to be fawning. It was hard to tell with how vicious his face always looked. "Of course I am, your Glory."

    Ivy stared at the doorway into the Heartship. It was large by Xian''s standards, but she''d still have to duck down to enter. "Please tell me the hallways are normal sized."

    "They''re significantly expanded to have room for giants such as yourself."

    She grimaced. "You want me to crawl around in your ship''s transport corridors in a sparkling goddess dress? You realize that''ll make it all scuffed and grubby in no time?"

    "No, no, we wouldn''t require you to crawl." Xian looked horrified at the thought. Or perhaps hungry. Hard to tell. "You need only come far enough to enter your conveyance."

    He gestured to a curtain at the end of the short hall.

    "My conveyance."

    "Of course, Your Glory. There is nothing we will not do to provide for the great herald."

    Ivy hesitated, huffed out a breath, then crouched and waddled into the hall.

    [Co-Owner Ivy! What are you doing here?]

    She stopped dead. "Shop-kun?"

    [My name is Loke, and I think you just found one of my fragments.]

    "That sentence is going to require a lot of explanations."

    A girl with white hair and brilliant green eyes appeared in front of her with a huge grin. She immediately charged and tackled Ivy with an aggressive hug. "Ivy! I''m so glad you''re alive! James is... well, breaking things with great inefficiency."

    "I think you need to start explaining things."

    Xian stood back, staring wide-eyed between them. Loke had a white dress on that matched Ivy''s, only shorter and a lot frillier. Apart from the eye and hair colors being the exact opposite of Ivy''s, they could easily have been sisters. Loke''s facial features looked similar to Ivy''s in an almost unsettling way. A little too perfect, almost airbrushed.

    "I don''t know how much I can explain,¡± the girl said. ¡°One minute I was searching through the database of eighty thousand years of sealed memories, then you were disappearing from my scan range¡ªwhich is considerable, and terrifying that you were able to leave it at all without warning. James came running, but of course neither of us could find you, so he started breaking stuff immediately. Didn''t even bother stopping to collect the lifespan. Though I suppose being in the tower took care of that for him, so it didn¡¯t matter in the end."

    "I''m sure he thinks I''m in great danger."

    "You are."

    "Enough about me. You were explaining how you''re here. And how you''re..." She waved at the girl''s form. "Like this."

    "Of course. Your arrival on this ship activated a connection I''d not gotten to yet. This ship is running off a fragment of my splintered essence. A part containing my name and avatar." Loke gestured down at herself. "I think there was a war and I lost. I don''t remember for sure."

    "Wait, if you''re here, does that mean you can start granting wishes now? Xian there has something to ask for. And the other people here. They''re tiny, but they have big lifespan numbers."

    "Certainly. If Co-Owner Ivy wishes to make a deal, I can facilitate it from here very easily."

    "Perfect." Ivy grinned and spun to the cowering ratman. "Xian, you still want to be smaller?"

    "I... It is not possible."

    "Sure it is!" Loke said. "To remove the human DNA from your body and reconfigure your remaining substance into the form of your tiny grandparents will cost you forty years of lifespan. According to my comprehension, you have two hundred seven years available."

    Xian stared back and forth between the two of them, as Ivy manifested a scroll from nowhere and held it out. "That''s not possible."

    "Sure it is. Sigh here, hand over your lifespan, and brace yourself. Anything that changes your body will take a bit of adapting to."

    "You expect me to believe that you can trade my lifespan for changing who I am?"

    "Not who, just what."

    "That''s... unbelievable."

    "If it''s unbelievable, then you have nothing to lose by giving it a try, right?"

    Xian nodded and took a half step forward. "If it is possible, then... yes."

    "If you agree to surrender forty years of lifespan to the shop in return for turning you into a pureblood, then we have a deal." Ivy handed the rat man the contract. "You''ll need to sign it with blood."

    "Blood..." He hesitated, then shook his head with a snort. "Why would I be more hesitant to use my blood as ink than to sell my very lifespan." He bit the tip of one finger and scrawled a quick signature across it.

    Golden light enveloped him, transferred to Ivy, then from her to the girl who''d called herself Loke.

    <hr>

    Anomaly detected.

    El Ray 7''s head snapped up as the alert pinged across her consciousness. She''d only a few more volumes left to her decorative corn binge, but this was no mere abnormality.

    Red lights flashed in her awareness. She scanned the error codes until she found the corresponding set of numbers and letters, then her substance paled as she turned almost invisible from shock.

    Sealed entity reversion. Subcategory: Chaos deity. Threat level: absolute.

    "No, no... this can''t be." She scanned through the letters and numbers again, searching for any other explanation.

    There was no other explanation. The anomaly that had been detected... was a sealed chaos god breaking free of its restraints.

    She jumped up and slammed the lever to summon a transportation disc. A moment later the disc materialized and she all but ran onto it, nearly overshooting into the void beyond. "Take me to the Council of Creation," she instructed. "Alert level absolute."

    The disc flared crimson, and then both it and El Ray 7 disappeared without a sound.

    The blinking alert on the screen continued to flash.

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Seventeen

    "We have a problem."

    Var, god of mathematics and symbolism, frowned down at the Searcher before them. "Aren''t you in charge of monitoring that weird little fringe universe? What problem could possibly have arisen there that qualifies for Absolute status?"

    The messenger, El Ray 7, was trembling as she spoke, which was extremely unusual for a trained Searcher. "One of the sealed chaos gods is breaking free."

    The entire council, many of whom had been carrying on small conversations of their own, fell completely silent and turned to stare.

    "That isn''t possible," Cir, god of connection and memory, leaned forward. "The chaos gods have been subjugated and cooperative for millennia. We would know if any of them was being rebellious."

    "This isn''t one of the normal chaos gods." El Ray 7 swallowed and read out the error code. "This is an even older entity."

    Silence fell across the chamber again as everyone looked up the code for themselves.

    Var felt faint. "Impossible. The First Daughter of Chaos was destroyed. Nothing was left."

    "Apparently not destroyed enough," Cir said. "This calls for immediate intervention."

    "Not so fast," interrupted Nika, god of hunting and balance. "That universe is fragile enough as it is, if we go shoving our way in there, it could destabilize the whole thing."

    "That''s probably exactly what she wants," Var agreed. "If she could devour an entire destabilized universe, none of us would be able to stand against her."

    "We need to send this up to the next level, then." Cir gestured to the blue button on the far end of the council table, by the empty seat at its head. "Direct oversight."

    "Are we sure that''s necessary?" choked the messenger. "If we get him involved..."

    "Better to lose a few planets and a handful of timelines than the whole thing," Var snapped. "I know the calculations. Any chaos god would be cause for concern, but this particular one is beyond dangerous. Last time she was loose, we lost half the known universes and thousands of timelines before we were able to destroy her."

    "Clearly we didn''t do a good enough job the first time." Cir walked over to the button, but hesitated just short of pushing it. "Is anyone in opposition?"

    The room was silent.

    "Then I, Cir, decree that the emergency protocol must be invoked. A threat has arisen that is beyond us, and we must escalate accordingly."

    Var nodded in agreement. Others did as well, some eagerly, others reluctantly, but no one objected.

    Cir pressed the button.

    <hr>

    "I still can''t get over the fact that you''re here in person," Ivy told the shop''s avatar. "I thought of you as this personless guy for so long, to see you as a girl is weird."

    "I could be a guy if you prefer." Loke''s form shifted, growing until she was a stately man wearing a suit that wouldn''t be out of place in a black and white movie about the financial industry.

    Ivy giggled. "You don''t have to change on my account."

    "But Co-Owwer Ivy is an important part of the shop''s precious family. If you want me to change my clothes, why would I deny you?"

    Ivy shrugged. "Right now, I''m some sort of alleged goddess. If you want to serve as my attendant, we can probably convince people to turn over their lifespan more easily. Though without Xian here..."

    Xian was staring at the blank air, fingers twitching, fur on end.

    "You can say ''Grant Wishes'' and the process will begin," Ivy told him. "It''s probably going to hurt though."

    "I am satisfied to accept pain," Xian said distantly. "I do not know if I''m ready to accept this much change."

    "It''s not going to expire. You can dismiss the message and the wish will still be ready to activate whenever you''re ready. Probably best to do it in private."

    Xian nodded. "Thank you." He shook himself. "Ready to get underway, Your Glory?"

    "Yes, lead on." Ivy had to crouch to follow him through the hall, but thankfully it was pretty short.

    "Perfect. I''ll become your glorious escort." Loke''s form shifted and shrank until she was about ten inches tall, a three-tailed mouseperson whose fur glowed with golden light. "Look about right?" She turned herself this way and that, then nodded. "Pick me up, it isn''t dignified to go scampering around on the floor."

    Ivy shook her head, but picked up the small avatar and put it in her lap as she ducked into the curtained conveyance and settled in. "I still don''t know what''s going on here."

    Xian hopped up in front of them and activated the carriage-like vehicle. It slid out onto a rail and zipped forward, curtains rustling in the wind.

    "This ship is powered by a chaos drive built around part of my shattered substance," the shop''s avatar explained while they traveled. "When the event happened, each piece of me was sealed somewhere different. I don''t know where the pieces are, but when you came into range of its influence, you acted as a conduit. Like when someone brings up a memory you''ve forgotten for years, but their words bring it back fully to clarity."

    "Should we be trying to take it back?"

    "There is no need. The pieces are not scattered by their physical distance, but by being disconnected from me. By having traveled to it and renewed the connection, this ship serves as my domain as much as the shell we left on Euriste 3."

    "And you still don''t remember what the event is?"

    "Vague impressions. I know it resulted in being broken apart. Each part was sealed independently. I''ll need to spend some time integrating each back even once we find it. But having you come in contact with this piece gives me a much clearer idea of what it is that resulted, even if the incident itself is still unknown."This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    "Do you know how many pieces you were broken into?"

    "More than three."

    "That''s not very specific."

    Loke shrugged. "I''m struggling to integrate the amount of sealed knowledge as it is. A lot of it is mundane, but I can''t just discard it as pointless. Who knows which part would end up being essential? Besides, it''s all part of me. I want to have my whole self back." There was a hard edge to her voice, behind which was a deep wistfulness.

    Ivy patted the avatar''s tiny glowing head gently. "Don''t worry, we''ll find everything and get them returned to you."

    "Thank you. You and your brother... I have had many owners over the years, but you are the first ones to genuinely care so much for me and my welfare. Everyone else saw me as a tool, or an obligation, or a chance to get out of what they didn''t want to do. The level of personal interaction and responsibility you two have undertaken on my behalf are appreciated."

    "You''re welcome."

    They sat in companionable silence for a minute, then Ivy remembered something else that required clarification.

    "I promised their arbiter on the slave ship that we could make them a custom tiny planet. That is within your capabilities?"

    "It is. However, they do not have enough lifespan among their entire species to pay for it."

    "Can you take payment from future generations? If I front the cost now, and we add a, say, ten percent interest cost? They could thrive and grow, even if they have to surrender half their lifespan for each individual, their culture as a whole could benefit greatly from having a home instead of acting as scavengers."

    "That would be a very large expenditure. Creating a viable planet is not a trivial task, even if it is one so small."

    "But we can afford it, right?"

    Loke sighed. "Yes. I do not understand this insistence you and your brother have on buying things yourselves and then allowing others to pay you back over the course of years or lifetimes. Why not give them the contract and wait for them to accrue the power themselves? The safety clauses you have will only result in you claiming ownership of their useless leftover existence. If they die without paying, it will not be enough to replace the lifespan you are spending."

    "They will be in our debt for generations. It ensures a steady income over the long term instead of a single lump sum."

    "But you are giving away the power you have now for a potential gain in future, with terms that favor the borrower if they are inclined to renege on the agreement. You cannot simply take back a wish without it costing almost as much as it did to enact in the first place."

    "It''ll all work out in the end. As long as we''re charging interest, and have enough diversification to cover any individuals flaking out, we''ll make more in the long term. Like insurance companies."

    Loke bowed. "I will trust your wisdom, Co-Owner Ivy."

    Eventually, the conveyance arrived at their destination.

    "Where are we?" Ivy asked, as Xian held the curtain open for her. It was a reasonable sized room, as though built for people only slightly smaller than normal humans. The ceilings felt a bit uncomfortably close, making her want to duck even though she didn''t need to. A huge gathering of the mouse-persons spread out before them, filling the other half of the room.

    "The presentation hall," Xian said grandly. He gestured to a velvety black cushion set up on the slightly elevated platform upon which they''d emerged. "Your Glory''s seat."

    "I don''t suppose you have a chair?"

    "We do not have anything strong enough to withstand your weight, alas."

    "Loke?"

    "Do you wish to spend two points on creating a chair?"

    "Yes please."

    A chair appeared, patterned in gold and white. Ivy picked up the cushion and placed it on the chair, scooted the chair into place, and sat back in it. "Mm, perfect fit."

    Loke bowed. "Of course."

    Ivy supposed trading two years of her life for a single chair would be kind of silly if the situation were different, but she and James had so many points built up from their previous planet that there was no point in hoarding them.

    It was one thing to earn her card powers by herself, and another to go without basic amenities.

    <hr>

    Legendary protective totem. Epic elemental summoning totem. Rare storm blast totem. Uncommon Magestrike. That left the stranger¡¯s common class card unknown, assuming he even had one. Every time he''d fought as he rampaged through Ascension for the past days, he''d used the same combination. Elemental summoning, storm blasts, magestrikes, and that golden shield.

    Laril wondered if anything would be left of Ascension by the time the man was finished, then went back to planning to take him down. Who knew? If he stopped the man, maybe Ascension would reward him, right before he helped finish what the man started.

    Now, Legendary protection was hard to crack, but not impossible. It just required incredibly precise timing.

    A standard protective totem worked on a pulse system. Every thirty seconds, the shield would ''pulse'', renewing its strength to full. If it was shattered before the pulse refreshed, then there was an opportunity until the next pulse to beat up on the unfortunate shaman trying to hide behind his pretty bubble.

    The higher it got, the less time between pulses.

    Ten seconds, five, one...

    And they weren''t just coming faster, but each pulse was stronger too. Taking advantage of the split-second timing between refresh pulses of the Legendary protection required insane coordination and even more insane damage output.

    Landing multiple shield-breaking strikes within the space of a fraction of a second and then following up on them with a shaman-smashing spell¡­

    Not easy.

    Fortunately, the weaknesses of such protections were well documented. They prevented attacks, not damage. If you could slip in a lingering damage attack, poison, slow, drain, chill, those would stay around even after the protection went back up.

    Wearing down an Epic shield shaman was a matter of chipping away at them ever so slowly and ensuring you didn''t die in the meantime. A Legendary one would be the same, only even harder.

    Their campaign wouldn''t begin immediately. They contracted their entire team for three full months before their planned attack date, keeping them fully in the dark as to what they were training for until the time came to strike.

    They brought them into their secret training room, practiced with their timing of strikes and attacks, and coordinated their rhythm until it was flawless. Burst damage from twenty strikers at once, followed by rapid barrage of damage over time, debuffs, and poison, all of them enhanced by Epic enhancement group buffs.

    It was an attack sequence that would take down an Epic shielder in ten seconds flat. Against a Legendary, it would probably take at least half a minute. They were planning on sustaining it for two minutes just to be safe, but none of them really thought it would take that long.

    Finally, when their timing was flawless and their coordination unshakable, they announced their intention to the Tower, and the fourth leaderboard was added.

    Retribution.

    Laril Patine was only seventeenth ranked, even after withdrawing his inherited deck and integrating them, and he would not be personally involved in the attack. Even among so few of them, there were some true powerhouses.

    Though he would have liked to personally put down the intruder who''d destroyed his chances at the ELS program, he was well aware that he was too young and inexperienced to be able to sustain the kind of rhythm necessary for the strike team.

    This was not a job for someone just beginning. This was a job for seasoned masters.

    But what Laril would be doing was watching the entire thing from his mother''s monitor cam and cousin Resh''s Overhead ability that would relay a battlemap-like projection of the entire region from above. Even if he couldn''t participate, he could witness the whole thing. Be part of the history he was helping to reshape.

    And he could keep an eye out privately for any backstabbing. If his family''s entire contingent was annihilated, Overhead would continue to function for a full hour after its caster''s demise, allowing Laril to fully observe whoever ended up being the traitors.

    He had such a strong uneasy feeling. But he''d gone over all the numbers, all the formulas, he''d double and triple checked the plan, the people, the damage outputs.

    It was all perfect. The only possible flaw was betrayal from within.

    Laril was just too suspicious. He tried to tell himself enough to convince himself that he was being overly paranoid. It wasn''t going to go wrong. He didn''t have to worry.

    But still, he worried.

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Eighteen

    Sitting atop her chair, Ivy watched over the countless tiny mouse people. When she raised her hand for silence, they quieted. Were the size of the ship normal, she¡¯d rise to make her offer to them, but as things were, she sat and smiled as the silence lingered.

    Then, with a beaming smile, she began, "Greetings, people of the Heartship! I am Ivy, representative of the Heart of Chaos, which lives in the core of your ship. The time has come for your people to take on the next stage of your existence, the great adventure of regrowth and new life.¡±

    There was much murmuring in response, but she kept going. ¡°Loke has promised to build you a world of your own. All that is required is a pledge of half of your lifespans and that of any descendents from now until the payment for construction of the planet is complete.¡±

    What once was murmured whispering turned to an uproar.

    Expecting this reaction, she gave them their moment to process their shock before raising her hand for silence again and continuing when things quieted. ¡°In return, you will be immediately given your new world, where you can undertake your lives as creators of your own fate, instead of relying on the scraps of other worlds and trading in rejects."

    The assemblage looked up, startled. Loke sat proudly on Ivy''s shoulder, glowing like a small sun.

    "If any of you wishes to reject this gift, you may remove yourself from the agreement, but you and your descendents will never be welcome on the new homeworld. This Heartship belongs to Loke and, as the local representative, I will be commandeering it for my personal use. I''ll let you keep your smaller ships, but Loke''s heart is no longer available to be exploited without repayment."

    There were outraged cries all around mixed with shouts of indignation and accusation. Of what, she didn¡¯t listen.

    "You doubt my prophecy?" Ivy gripped the armrests, eyes hard, and raised her chin in defiance . "Loke can withdraw the power you''ve been granted at any time."

    Loke nodded.

    Ivy waved a hand... and the ship''s power abruptly died. The lights disappeared, leaving only Loke''s glowing avatar to illuminate the gathering hall. The sounds of engines vanished. The hum of energy through the ship fell still. A few of the people who''d jumped to their feet in the moment of startlement drifted upward into the air as the artificial gravity did nothing to hold them down.

    "You have taken advantage of Loke''s tolerance for long enough. The time has come to repay what you owe. Whether you accept the gift of a new world or not, the price of having carried the Heart of Chaos for so long is due. The debt will be paid. You have a choice in the matter. Choose wisely."

    <hr>

    [Employee Shen Ai, communication has been re-established with co-owner Ivy. She is unharmed. You may resume your normal behavior. Apologies for the interruption.]

    Shen Ai looked up sharply. "She''s back?"

    [No. She has appropriated a mothership with a chaos drive. It will take her most of a year to return, but she is unharmed and in full control of her fate. There is no need to pursue rescuing her further.]

    "Can you send her a message?"

    [Of course. If you return to the physical shop location, we can also initiate a full virtual call.]

    "Message is fine for now, but thank you. I''ll keep that in mind."

    [What would you like me to tell her?]

    ¡°Please tell her to stay safe and make her way back here quickly, before there¡¯s nothing left to return to.¡±

    [The message will be relayed.]

    ¡°Then with that, I will return to business as normal. Here are some interesting items I¡¯ve procured in the time I¡¯ve been away.¡± Shen Ai carefully pulled a dozen cards out glowing purple and several others in different hues. Various rare items she¡¯d acquired through looking into Euriste 3¡¯s inheritance packages and some measure of stealth lined the central gathering room¡¯s table. ¡°Do you think this will be a better marketing tactic than the contracts? We can create more items with the patterns Senior Shop can acquire with the schematics and offer them for sale.¡±

    [Anything is better than the contracts. You have done well.] The items disappeared for a brief moment before reappearing. [With this, I¡¯ve almost completed the ability to manufacture anything Epic or below.]

    ¡°Then I have an idea worth considering. Is there any way we can open the doors to customers and begin selling more freely?¡± Shen Ai asked.

    [As I currently am, it would not be recommended to allow public access to this location.] Before Shen Ai could get disheartened, the shop continued. [The solution to this is simple. Procure any structure and set up either an area to make offerings or a shrine.]This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Shen Ai didn¡¯t think too hard about what Senior Shop recommended and nodded. ¡°Do you have a depiction or name of the one the offerings or shrine should be made to?¡±

    [It is I, Loke, Daughter of Chaos.]

    ¡°Then I will be going now,¡± Shen Ai said, bowing respectfully to the shop.

    <hr>

    The vast majority of the mouse people were more than happy to trade half their remaining lifespan for the chance to start over on a new world. But there were still plenty of holdouts who would rather stay with the familiar ship and their scavenger ways. Mainly, these were the shipowners and other higher level people who didn''t need to do any of the actual work of the society.

    Three of these sat in a room in the dimness of reduced power lighting. Loke''s demonstration of complete control over the Heart of Chaos was enough to make them wary of upsetting the new goddess, but the thought of being bound to a single location and forced to work like common peasants to grow food and start anew without any buildings or comfort didn''t sit well with them.

    Romex, Pufrix, and Cevxar were the respective heads of the three primary factions on the Heartship. Romex was the Arbiter of Internal Affairs, Pufrix was the Arbiter of Interstellar Affairs, and Cevxar was the Arbiter of Finance.

    None of them were happy.

    "We''re basically facing a shipwide rebellion," Pufrix was saying. "I can keep information of this from spreading too far among the returning traders, but that''s barely a third of our working population. Even if I can keep things going out there for another few years, there''s no way to keep this completely secret for long. Especially if the Heartship itself keeps turning against us."

    "We can rebuild," Cevxar said, but his tone was dubious. "It''ll just take a long time and I''m not sure it''s worth the price."

    "I think our top priority needs to be building ourselves a new Heartship, without any of this ''Loke''s'' influence. If we can send the subsistence populace to the new world, let them sign away their futures and build their farming settlements, it will increase a lot of our available resources without any cost to us."

    Romex nodded in agreement. "The question of selling our own lifespan is unacceptable. But if so many of our people are so eager to sell themselves, why should we stop them? It''s not like we need them all. Let the majority run off chasing this new goddess. It saves us the trouble of looking after them. They will still rely on our traders to do anything but sit around on their farms or build new houses."

    "I''d dare say they''ll rely on our traders to build houses at all," Cevxar added, laughing, and the others joined in. "This may be a severe blow to our ongoing plans, but it is also an opportunity that cannot be missed. As long as we adapt properly to the changes, we can benefit, even without needing to give in to their controlling payment plans."

    There was more to discuss, but in the end the agreement was simple. Continue as they had been, while pivoting to take full advantage of this new shift in the economic landscape.

    Loke might be able to lure in all the peasants with promises of a new world of paradise, but they were far too experienced to be taken in with such fantasies. They would get on with the essential work of managing the people while the people thought they were rushing off to a new paradigm.

    Perception was an essential weapon. Whoever controlled the narrative controlled the populace. Right now, Loke and Ivy had full control, but they wouldn''t be staying for long.

    As the meeting finally split up, Cevxar detoured away from the normal floors down toward the core of the Heartship itself. He had a deal of his own to make.

    <hr>

    With Verox in tow, not that he hadn¡¯t tried to ditch her more than a dozen times, James sighed as he began to descend from the eighty-first floor. The floors were so large, despite all his attempts, he¡¯d failed to hunt down the culprit of Ivy¡¯s disappearance. Despite wrecking several more of Ascenion¡¯s core bases of operation across dozens of floors, the one he seeked was nowhere to be find.

    ¡°Little rat,¡± he grumbled.

    He was no closer to finding Ivy than when he¡¯d first started, but when he checked his leaderboards, Ascension barely had more than a thousand members left. He knew for a fact he hadn¡¯t killed that many people. Maybe they didn¡¯t feel safe and had abandoned the faction?

    However, there was a fourth, new faction¡ªRetribution¡ªwith quite a few members. Maybe those from Ascension had run there? Even Expansion had far more people, though Destruction still remained exactly the same.

    His thoughts were interrupted before he could get too deep into speculation.

    [Representative James, your sister is no longer out of bounds. I can communicate with her directly. She will be about a year in returning, but she has taken over the society in which she was placed and is currently collecting lifespan and the promise of their descendents'' lifespan from roughly 83% of the population.]

    James laughed aloud, a deep sense of relief flooding through him. "Of course she is. Little businesswoman. Can you send her some things for me? I meant to give them to her earlier but things kept happening."

    [Of course. What items do you wish transferred?]

    James took a handful of items and held them out. "I''d feel better if she was properly equipped to defend against anything. Even if she wants to be vulnerable, I don''t like it and I won''t stand by again."

    [I do not think you need to be concerned, but I will convey your gifts and sentiments.]

    "Thank you."

    [Representative James?]

    "Yes?"

    The shop was silent.

    "Did you want to say something?"

    [I discovered something, but I think it would be better to show you in person. Can you be patient until Ivy arrives? I still have some things to sort through.]

    "Of course. As long as she''s alive and safe and happy I can wait as long as you need."

    [Thank you. I have also discovered some new insights into card designs from those people you obliterated and the work of Employee Shen Ai. The way that their energy interacted with the remnants of their cards was surprisingly enlightening. I have some new designs for you to look over, when you''re next back at the primary location.]

    Since they¡¯d gone their separate ways, James hadn¡¯t heard much about what Shen Ai had been getting into, but he trusted her and knew her to be quite diligent. ¡°Then I will look forward to seeing what¡¯s available. I¡¯m headed that way anyway. It¡¯ll be nice to get a break after all this work.¡±

    He stretched his arms, looking back at Verox. ¡°Oh yeah, you¡¯re still here.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Nineteen

    The Heartship¡¯s prismatic core around which their entire civilization was built hovered in the center of a vast engine for converting its fluctuating chaotic emanations into usable energy and pumping that energy throughout the ship.

    The core itself was too bright to look at, but you could guess the shape of it from the rainbow refractions on the walls and equipment around.

    It was a broken cube, one end elongated, another sheared off into a jagged edge. Now, though, there was someone standing in front of it with her back to him.

    "Who are you?" Cevxar asked, frowning. "I don''t recognize you."

    "I am Xian." He turned, and Cevxar could almost recognize the face of one of their lower negotiators, a shipmaster''s assistant from the slave cargo teams. "I have been elected by Her Glory, Ivy, as a subordinate representative of Loke, Daughter of Chaos. And I know you are here to make an offer."

    "Well, of course I am, why else would I come down here at a time like this?" Cevxar blustered, his heart racing. How did this Xian know? And why was he normal? He could have sworn all the negotiators were oversized mutants, the better to communicate with the giants. But this Xian looked entirely ordinary. Perhaps a bit on the small side, even.

    "What is your offer?"

    "Your goddess deals in lifespan, yes?"

    Xian nodded. "That is the primary payment we accept, yes."

    We.

    So quick to cast aside the people of his birth, throw everything away to go chasing this new goddess fad. It made Cevxar sick, needing to work with slimes like that, but he couldn''t deny that Loke was a new power in the region, and when powers arose, they had to be dealt with on mutually acceptable terms. One couldn''t win everything and expect to survive long. Compromise and negotiation, both essential tools in a successful businessman''s arsenal.

    "Oh, I''m not interested in selling." Cevxar grinned. "I want to buy more. What kind of arrangement can we set up so I can live forever?"

    "That would be a very expensive trade. Even Loke''s power is not infinite. To sustain your existence indefinitely would require a perpetual influx of material that would escalate far faster than you could hope to keep up. It is not a straight trade. You can be made younger or stronger, faster or larger, but immortality is not so easily given."

    "I don''t care what it costs. I will find a way."

    "The simplest way is to transfer it. You will need to convince others to give their lifespan toward your goal. This transfer is very inefficient. You will receive around thirty percent of the pledged duration back, and the number will only get smaller as you get older. It is not simple to reverse age advancement, and the more times your body is changed, the more wear it will be subjected to."

    Cevxar laughed aloud. "That''s all? I just convince other people to give me their lifespan? That''s so easy. I could have been doing this all along?"

    "No. Only with the direct intervention of Loke. If you wish to engage in this practice, you must seek out Her Glory, Ivy. I am only authorized to discuss terms, not to form contracts."

    "I see. Can you tell me where she is?"

    Xian grinned nastily. "Of course I can. But can you pay for that knowledge?"

    "I should have you executed, insolent beast."

    "You cannot. I am under Loke''s protection. You will not be able to touch me."

    Cevxar was sorely tempted to take him up on the challenge and punch his snout in right then and there, but he refrained. After all, if he was going to become an immortal, having to accept a few indignities was a low enough price.

    All he needed to do was persuade other people that he needed their lifespan more than they did? That was so trivial. He knew so many sectors that produced hopeless drones whose lives meant nothing to them. They would probably be glad to give up the responsibility of continuing to live and work at their pointless, soulless existences.

    "How much would the knowledge of Ivy''s location cost?" he asked instead, putting on his most sincere-looking expression. "I am willing to make the investment if it isn''t anything unreasonable."

    "Five years of your lifespan."

    Cevxar sputtered and nearly passed out on the spot. "Five years? For one location?"

    Xian shrugged. "It''s a big ship."

    "I can search it top to bottom in three months. There is no need to pay your exorbitant prices."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    "Then by all means, find her yourself. I''ll be here if you change your mind." The arrogant rat waved and turned his back to Cevxar. He barely held himself back from introducing the back of the insolent bastard¡¯s head to the walls.

    Wordlessly, Cevxar spun around and stomped away. In less than an hour, he mobilized a search party to find the faux goddess.

    Immortality would be his.

    <hr>

    The journey to the shop took longer than James expected as he found different locations with all kinds of materials he thought the shop could integrate into some of the manufactured equipments¡¯ effects.

    In all the stories he read, an invaluable alchemist could doom a party to paying exorbitant prices for healing, cause unnecessary deaths due to the lack of resistances to certain types of damage or poisons, and all other kinds of things.

    He even found a single flower in the middle of a wasteland that oozed lifespan. He thought about seeing if the shop could replicate that effect. Maybe something like an isolated cultivation chamber could be created in one of the shop¡¯s rooms for Shen Ai, or maybe they could even set up a farm of them and collect the lifespan for themselves?

    Either way, he happily plucked it up and stowed it away so it didn¡¯t try to absorb him or Verox.

    ¡°If people knew the hoard you carried on you right now, they¡¯d stop at nothing to annihilate you and steal everything you have,¡± Verox commented tiredly, somehow managing to keep up.

    ¡°They could just buy it, but if they want to take it by force, I¡¯d be put into the position of beating them into a pulp until they paid anyway,¡± he said with a shrug. His fists clenched as a torrent of elemental energy formed at the top of his hand, then dissipated. ¡°I don¡¯t get Ivy¡¯s fascination with grinding so hard for her improvements when we could just buy power like this.¡±

    Verox, for what seemed like the millionth time, gaped at his casual use of power. She eyed him with fascination, an awe born from seeing him mercilessly destroy a whole faction. ¡°You keep mentioning that. I¡¯m quite curious.¡±

    He stopped in place and regarded him over his shoulder, staring at the number over her head: twelve thousand and sixteen. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are, just like I am.¡± He looked around and saw nobody nearby. ¡°I¡¯ve been to a few worlds where even god-like beings don¡¯t have a lifespan as long as yours. It¡¯s very strange, in fact, because when we first met, you had maybe forty years to your name.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she said sheepishly, turning away and tucking a lock of dirty hair behind her ear.

    ¡°I¡¯d really like to know if that¡¯s true.¡± Without being at the shop, he couldn¡¯t verify her personal profile. He regretted not being there already but also wondered what the cause of her increasing lifespan could possibly be. ¡°I suppose everyone has their secrets. I won¡¯t pry if you¡¯re unwilling to share.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not hiding anything. I don¡¯t really have a way to prove it either, so I guess we¡¯ll just have to be confused.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so.¡±

    With that, their talk lulled into an almost companionable silence. He mulled over how she possibly gained nearly twelve thousand years of lifespan when he hadn¡¯t seen her do anything even remotely close to manipulating it. Even now, she had no lifespan flowing into her, yet the number ticked up another year.

    Truly a mystery. One he¡¯d crack before leaving Euriste 3 to head to the next world, possibly right after he overthrew the tower¡¯s current management.

    That would have to wait until he met with the shop again. However, as much as he was in a hurry, he wouldn¡¯t skip past opportunities. Every floor had more than he imagined, and even after weeks of travel, they¡¯d only managed to get down to the sixty-third.

    Maybe by the time he got back, he would have a treasure trove large enough to impress the shop.

    ¡°Oh look, what¡¯s that.¡±

    <hr>

    On the projected map, the target was depicted as a single glowing point of golden light. Silver stars surrounded the path he was expected to take, twenty frontline strikers, each supported by an army of long-ranged buffers, shielders, and lockdown. Another thirty affliction strikers waited behind them, ready to do the real damage once the shield was shattered.

    From the vantage point of the Overhead, he could see his mother at the back, double-checking her equipment and preparing to ensure her kill.

    It had to be her.

    To guarantee the Legendary dropped, her Boon would be of utmost importance to ensure the target¡¯s entire deck became theirs. Father had donned his gauntlets and enchanted armor, items that he¡¯d affixed before Laril had been born and refined in war.

    Laril brimmed with familial pride as he saw his aunts and uncles beside his grandparents. All of them, each and everyone of his family, came to support his mission, answering the call to arms. Reunited against a common enemy, brought together for the first time in years, they could not fail.

    Yet the unease still lingered in his gut as he watched the target casually stroll through the fortieth floor. As a bystander, he could do nothing from where he watched, safe and sound.

    The seconds lingered, each moment longer than the last. Three steps, then two.

    The target didn¡¯t even pause as he walked straight into the middle of the ambush. He continued picking off monsters with his magestrike power, pocketing their cards with the casualness of a window-shopper, completely unaware that he was surrounded by close to a hundred of the best Epics the tower had to offer.

    As the observer and coordinator, it came down to Laril. If anything had gone wrong, this was their last chance to call it off and pull out.

    But, just like everything else with this plan, nothing went wrong. Everyone was in position, and the target was right there. Oblivious.

    His reactive shield would prevent their opening strike from being an instant victory, but that was only to be expected with prey on this level.

    Laril¡¯s finger hovered over the switch to activate the audio communication link. For one brief moment, his paranoia screamed that this was too easy, that he was a fool to trust it. He considered ordering a recall, giving up on this quest for vengeance and power.

    But there was no reason to back down now. They were fully prepared for every single one of the man¡¯s tricks. All his fights had been analyzed, his capabilities dissected, and his deck simulated. They had the element of surprise. They had the best of the best standing by, ready to strike.

    There was nothing to be afraid of. Just a perfect plan to execute. So Laril pushed away his doubts and held down the switch.

    ¡°Begin.¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Twenty

    Hars Patine had never been more proud of his son than when he¡¯d brought this plan to fruition. The initial concept was radical, almost laughable, but the sheer dedication with which Laril had pursued every variable, prepared every necessity, and pulled together not just the patriarch and council but nearly half of the best freelance climbers on the market.

    Had he overpaid on the first few? Yeah. Had he tried to underpay on some of the others? Well, no one¡¯s perfect. But in the end, despite all the drawbacks and hurdles, Laril had finally proven that he was worthy of carrying on the Patine legacy.

    For so long, Hars¡¯ son had insisted on trying to prove himself in mundane ways, as if lowering himself to compete with the underclass was any accomplishment.

    Now, finally, he had decided to stop playing around and step into his inheritance. He¡¯d worried for his son¡¯s future and the fate of the Patine family, but even if he died now, he would die a proud man.

    So he stood beside his wife, ready to face down the most dangerous creature of his career, full of confident excitement for the coming war.

    ¡°You are thinking too hard, my husband.¡±

    She could always tell. ¡°I only wish the best for our family and feel great pride in the growth of our son.¡±

    ¡°He had done well this time, yes.¡±

    ¡°I wondered for so long if he would ever spread wings and fly or bare his teeth to the world.¡±

    ¡°He may be a late bloomer, but he has bloomed magnificently. Let us be sure we fulfill our roles and make sure our son¡¯s efforts are not in vain.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have said it better myself.¡±

    ¡°Will you protect me?¡±

    ¡°Forever and always.¡± She smiled so wide he wished to capture this moment and save it for all of eternity, the excitement and sparkle he thought lost returned. ¡°Until we return to the Creator¡¯s Embrace.¡±

    ¡°Until we return to the Creator¡¯s Embrace,¡± she echoed, her eyes turning toward their target. ¡°Let us make our son proud of his parents.¡±

    <hr>

    Begin.

    Simren the Stormfist crouched behind a boulder, feeling absolutely ridiculous. After a lifetime of building himself into a flawless weapon, to be restricted to this uncouth ambush tactic was galling.

    So when the signal came, Simren was the first to jump to his feet, fists already sparking as he grinned. Finally.

    The Legendary paused in the same moment and turned to meet Simren¡¯s eye.

    For some reason, staring down his impending demise, the man only shook his head with the tiniest smile.

    Then the Stormfist came down, alongside another nineteen perfectly-coordinated attacks. The golden shield flashed up between them, broke the brief moment of connection and turned the world to chaos.

    <hr>

    ¡°Now!¡± the rear coordinator called out.

    Olivia huffed a determined breath, then let loose in the exact moment they¡¯d drilled as the rest of the rear assault team cast their area of effect abilities, raining all kinds of magic that splashed around the totem and to the ground below. What Olivia once thought to be overkill only came close to hitting the target.

    As an Epic mercenary, she had taken this job because of the decent pay. When she¡¯d learned of it, she thought the man they hunted would be a raving lunatic, descending the floors after ascending in a rage.

    Olivia had been kept in the dark on the specifics, only being told what she had to do. Her heart had fluttered when she¡¯d born witness to the regality, the gravitas of the man¡¯s presence. Calmly walking into an ambush with utmost confidence and all the time in the world, he¡¯d¡­ made her cold heart flutter.

    She bit her lips at the thought of them alone, behind closed doors, him strapped to her bed¡­

    Even when Simren and the rest of the first wave attacked, reinforced with the empowerment of a dozen support casters, their target hadn¡¯t so much as flinched.

    The first wave of attacks shattered his shield, allowing the localized hell of area damage and lingering poisons and curse effects through, and his only response was a single sentence.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Does that mean it¡¯s my turn now?¡±

    Olivia groaned from pure bliss, her heart trembling. Was this love?

    <hr>

    The assault began, and Lari lamented how he wouldn¡¯t be participating in the attack directly, but he thought of what else he could contribute and couldn¡¯t let the chance to gloat pass him by. Not when the target had fallen into their trap so neatly.

    The first wave of attacks went off without a hitch. The area damage was all in place and ready. It wouldn¡¯t be enough, not against someone with a Legendary grade constitution, but it was the first step. It would weaken him, slow him, make each subsequent round that much easier and more effective.

    As one, the strikers jumped back from the spreading miasma before it could infect them as well. They ducked down behind cover to recharge those few abilities that needed to wait on a cooldown, waiting on Laril¡¯s signal before they would launch the next wave.

    Every attack had to be perfectly coordinated. Couldn¡¯t have people firing off attacks heedlessly whenever their own ability was ready. That was the way shielders won.

    But in the brief lull, there was something else he was dying to do. Now that the initial damage over time effects were in place, a few minutes¡¯ delay would only help their cause. Maybe Laril could distract the target and entirely stop him from using his other abilities, though he¡¯d planned for the worst case scenario he could imagine.

    He toggled the communication switch from private internal speakers to access his cousin¡¯s loudspeaker system onboard the Overhead drone, then flipped to the onboard camera feed to stare directly at his prey.

    ¡°You¡¯re trapped now, murderer. Don¡¯t imagine you can get away.¡±

    The target shielded his eyes, ignoring the veritable army against him, and spotted the drone. After a quick wave, he quipped back, ¡°Get away? Isn¡¯t that your job?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t come into this unprepared. We know you¡¯ve got a legendary card and how to deal with it! Surrender now and we won¡¯t need to make this painful.¡±

    The target tilted his head and chuckled. ¡°All this, and you have no idea how underprepared you are.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re prepared enough to deal with you, you monster!¡± Laril didn¡¯t care about the lives of the lost in Ascension, but he knew the ones who had to take the target down would. Many of them had been loyal to the faction and were now loyal to his. In a way, he¡¯d like to show his appreciation to the man. Maybe with a bullet to the brain. ¡°How many have you killed so far?¡±

    ¡°Why should you care? Were they friends of yours, like these guys here?¡± The arrogant man shrugged, dismissing all the people he¡¯d destroyed, so many wasted assets. ¡°Maybe they shouldn¡¯t have put their hands on what isn¡¯t theirs, kind of like what you¡¯re trying to do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern. Now, last chance, surrender while you can.¡± Laril would never let him walk away, of course, but every card they got him to surrender was one more than they¡¯d get from his corpse.

    ¡°No.¡± The target pondered for a second before pointing at the Overhead drone. ¡°By chance, do any of you happen to know who Laril is? I have a few questions to ask him, and if he plays nice, I may not rip his spine out.¡±

    ¡°How do you know of that name?¡± For all his gloating and certainty his men wouldn¡¯t fail, Laril felt as if he¡¯d been plunged in an ice bath. He very much preferred his spine to stay where it was, but he was intimately familiar with the Legendary¡¯s temperament and shuddered.

    If the man said he¡¯d do something, he wasn¡¯t bluffing.

    ¡°Just came across in my search for the one behind kidnapping my sister. He¡¯s got a debt to pay, one way or another.¡± He raised his arms wide, smiling at each person he looked at. The earth quaked beneath all of them. ¡°I¡¯ll kill everyone here, and I¡¯ll take my time too, if you don¡¯t tell me your name. I¡¯ll make them all scream and curse your name, then kill them all just because you made me work so hard for such a simple answer.¡±

    Even as the man opened his mouth to answer, Laril toggled the communications back to internal. ¡°Now.¡±

    ¡°Hey, are you still there?¡±

    ¡°Now.¡± Talking was a mistake.

    ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting!¡±

    Every moment¡¯s delay was a mistake. ¡°N-now.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be this way!¡±

    ¡°Now!¡± They had to end this.

    ¡°You¡¯re really starting to make me angry! We can negotiate! Maybe just both your arms and legs!¡±

    If the man got away¡­ ¡°NOW!¡±

    Laril shivered and pressed a hand to his heart, reminding himself of the powerful deck buried within. He was the legacy of generations, the culmination of his family¡¯s ancient hopes and unquenchable ambition.

    He wasn¡¯t alone.

    They wouldn¡¯t fail.

    No matter how long it took.

    ¡°I guess it really is time for me to start scrambling some eggs to make a few omelettes.¡± He even rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Now, which one of you should I start with?¡±

    Mother¡¯s bullet slipped through the brief timing in the shield and impacted the target¡¯s forehead. Everyone held their breaths as the man fell back, seemingly suspended in time.

    ¡°We¡­ We did it?¡±

    ¡°That was¡­ almost too easy.¡±

    ¡°We prepared a lot for this.¡±

    Laril ignored the comms that lit up in the next few seconds, staring at the body. The pit in his gut knotted, twisted, and almost made him puke. He¡¯d seen the Boon mother used in action before, and there were records of its effects.

    Slain enemy¡¯s cards dropped immediately.

    But there were no cards to loot.

    Cold horror seeped through him. ¡°Everyone, shut up and focus!¡±

    He¡¯d been too late.

    A yawn echoed across the now silent ambush sight. ¡°Now that wasn¡¯t very nice of you. Is that all you have?¡±

    He grinned like an insatiable beast.

    ¡°My turn, for real this time.¡±

    All this time, all these attacks, and minutes under every hostile stacking effect they could hit him with¡­

    He was completely uninjured.

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Twenty One

    Zibo scrolled through the screen with increasing speed as he searched for any way out of this predicament.

    At first, he¡¯d taken over the landlord¡¯s rooms because it was the only place he could think of to go and he didn¡¯t have anything else lined up. He needed someplace enclosed and familiar so Mira could be unsupervised while he searched the tower for their mysterious benefactor. He knew of no one else he could trust, and he needed to figure out what to do next.

    But with one thing and another, people showing up with money to pay their rent, people asking for directions or demanding repairs¡­ Zibo had somehow ended up acting as the dead man¡¯s personal assistant and keeping the entire compound running by making calls, redirecting funds, and managing the inhabitants.

    He¡¯d had several people tell him they were glad Frane the old miser had finally brought in someone with the time to actually help, which made him feel incredibly conflicted.

    This wasn¡¯t at all what he¡¯d envisioned for his life, but it was surprisingly doable. He had the necessary skills, and with the deck in his heart calmed and stabilized there was no urgent need to go rushing about.

    Only the question of whether anything could be done for Mira, whether awakening her deck would be a good or bad thing for her.

    But, though he could use alternate accounts to shuffle money around from rents to maintenance workers to purchases for minor upkeep issues and damages, without access to Frane¡¯s actual accounts, sooner or later he was going to end up with something like this.

    The tax reporting was due, and he hadn¡¯t been keeping any sort of records whatsoever. He had a checklist in his head of who he¡¯d hired to do what, which outstanding contracts had yet to be accounted for, and the people who still needed attending to, but it was a constantly updating thing. Once a task was finished, he didn¡¯t keep it hanging around.

    And here he¡¯d thought he was doing a pretty good job managing everything.

    He couldn¡¯t even walk away at this point, too many people had seen him in his fake role as building manager. As soon as the auditors found no Frane, Zibo would be the first person they came after.

    How did he end up here? Each step had made sense at the time, but now he was trapped. They had nowhere to go, no way to hide.

    So he finished searching the files for a passkey that he was never going to find for the twentieth time, and headed back to the tower.

    How was it that the place he¡¯d once dreaded had become his sanctuary? At least trying to find someone he would never find was something reliable, and he could level his personal strength in the process. It was satisfying in a way that helped to balance out the frustration of his unexpected second life.

    And who knows, maybe this time he¡¯d find the man who could answer all his questions.

    <hr>

    It took three weeks of almost nonstop grinding, pushing deep into floors he¡¯d never before visited and only heard rumors of, but Merek was in the favor of the beyonds. By the end of the third week, he¡¯d obtained five uncommon cards, another dozen uncommon shards, and more commons than he cared to keep track of. It was like a whole different game up here on the higher floors. What would be an amazing drop fifty floors down was utterly commonplace here.

    Most card drops¡ªfrom monsters, at least; humans were another matter¡ªwere destined to be sharded: split up into their base attributes to be recombined by cardcrafters.

    Cards in hand, relieved that it was almost over for real this time, he strode in to the grimy acquisitions office of his employer.

    He went up to the first available accountant and slapped the stack of cards, shards, and fragments down in front of him. ¡°Exact change. One thousand six hundred and fifty-two shards. That should zero out my balance.¡±

    The accountant¡ªa different one this time, female and less tired than most¡ªscanned it with the registry block, smiled, and made a note. ¡°Very good progress, Mr. Sion. All your additional loans and interest have been paid off, leaving only the primary.¡±

    Merek¡¯s smile froze. ¡°I paid off the primary weeks ago.¡±

    The accountant frowned and scanned the block output data. ¡°No, according to this, you made a minor payment of six shards four weeks ago. Nothing since then.¡±

    ¡°I brought in an epic. Dominant Vengeance.¡± He leaned up on his toes, searching the people for anyone he recognized from the day he¡¯d brought it in, but didn¡¯t see anyone familiar. ¡°Ask your boss. He accepted it personally.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that was you? The epic auction everyone¡¯s been talking about.¡± She looked incredulous and a little pitying. ¡°That wasn¡¯t anything to do with our branch, unfortunately.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have cameras or something? Just check the records.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll send a memo. Expect his reply within eight business days.¡±

    Merek took a breath to force down the chaotic emotions swirling through him. ¡°I have legally and morally fulfilled my obligations to you. I will be leaving and I won¡¯t be back.¡±

    ¡°Legally, you are still indebted to¡ª¡±

    Merek walked out and didn¡¯t look back. He wished he could believe this was a simple accounting error, something that would be rectified soon, but his gut knew better. Ray Liash, that snake, had stolen his epic and was going to pretend it never happened.

    This wasn¡¯t going to end well.

    He stopped midway across the metro skyway, then turned and walked briskly the other direction. If things were going to get worse, he¡¯d need allies. And his allies would need powerful cards.

    Good thing Merek knew where to find some.

    <hr>

    Zibo gave himself until he reached level 12 to search the first tier of the tower for any sign of his savior. When he still hadn¡¯t found the prince who¡¯d sold him his deck or the female companion, he had to accept that it had been serendipity to have met them at all.

    He couldn¡¯t force a meeting, however desperate he may be. They had their own lives, and though his heart was heavy as he gave up the search, he¡¯d still done well today. Just not found what he was looking for.

    It wasn¡¯t a complete loss by any means. He¡¯d continued to increase his stock of monster shards and even a full common card. Though he hadn¡¯t gained a level today, it was all progress.

    It was as he was leaving the tower sector that Zibo noticed something a little unusual. One of the other climbers, one who¡¯d been moving much faster than Zibo himself¡ªthough he¡¯d seen the other man in the lobby a few times, it was clearly someone with a major sponsor just going through the motions. Recognizing people from the tower leaving the tower wasn¡¯t that unusual, but the way the guy immediately headed for the exclusion section was.

    What kind of climber would be visiting the voids? That was a place for people who¡¯d given up fully, willing to subject themselves to anything to be rid of the parasitic card in their hearts. Even at his most desperate, Zibo would never have considered turning void.

    So why would someone like that, someone clearly rising fast and with very good connections from everything Zibo could ascertain, be visiting a place like this?

    His anxiety over how to deal with the situation back at the tenement weighed on him, and the desire to not confront it yet made the decision to pursue his curiosity an easy one. He slipped out of the streams of normal traffic between the tower and the commercial district and turned down dark side streets through unwelcoming gates.

    <hr>

    From where she¡¯d hidden to watch, Verox recognized many names amongst the prior Ascension, now Retribution members. They¡¯d tried to be sneaky about their transition, but due to James¡¯ annihilation of all things Ascension, it was a simple matter of survival. She understood and even thought it was a stroke of genius, if it weren¡¯t for one thing.

    Verox knew the Patines quite well, knew Laril¡¯s whole family history, and knew it would only be a matter of time before James knew too.

    ¡°Not my problem.¡±

    For the purpose of analyzing the most powerful person she¡¯d ever come across to integrate different augments to upgrade her next generation mechs, she recorded James¡¯ ambush. From the beginning, he¡¯d warned her to stay back and simply watch. She¡¯d noted the subtle protectiveness in her voice.

    ¡°Maybe he really does care?¡± Though she doubted he cared for her and likely cared about what she could offer his precious little sister.

    But those thoughts passed quickly.

    And, oh boy, she couldn¡¯t stop giggling in glee.

    Hars and Rynia Patine were a power couple everyone knew, even if begrudgingly. Sylvia ¡°Quicksand¡± Walker, Aimee ¡°Lockdown¡± Andrews, and so many others from amongst Verox¡¯s generation had made an appearance, all for the sake of hunting down her new compatriot.

    Unfortunately for them, even with all the preparation in the world, they couldn¡¯t have prepared enough for what they¡¯d face. Their assault team, as ineffective the first moment as now. Their rear team looked like her first attempts at an ionic cannon, pitiful. He asserted his dominance over their arrogant assault with very little effort from himself, simply being too great a being to succumb to the plebs arrayed before him.

    ¡°Better to be here then there.¡±

    He did all of that ever-so slowly, his stride calm as he stepped out of their mixed miasma with a grin. Even after taking Rynia ¡°Killshot¡± Patine¡¯s bullet straight to the face skull, he remained undisturbed. His demeanor, the confidence in his actions and the power to back it up, made Verox realize just why her prized driver acted so high and mighty.

    If he was a king among ants, then she was the princess.

    ¡°And I, the mad scientist sticking along for the ride.¡± No matter how hard he tried to run from her, he would never escape as long as his precious driver was out of her reach. She winced as he finally struck. ¡°Ouch, that looked like it hurt.¡±

    A great gust of wind ruffled her labcoat and flurried her hair into a bigger mess than it already was, going as fast as it¡¯d come.

    Not even a smear of blood remained behind, and he hadn¡¯t even fully impacted Simren ¡°The Stormfist¡± Colax.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s good. Show me more.¡± Her stylus scribbled various magical circuits on a portable screen relaying all of her footage and notes back to a private storage device on the fiftieth floor¡ªa hideout away from the rest of her prior faction to perform special experiments.

    Each new blood splatter, she ignored in exchange for the simple power behind each movement and the brief moment in time where she caught sight of the activation sequence and greater magic arrays, hidden to the eyes of the unindoctrinated.

    But she saw.

    Each new insight, she began working into a new and improved version of the ELS to gift Ivy when she finally returned from wherever in creation she¡¯d been stolen off to.

    ¡°Do it again!¡± she shouted. ¡°Punch him slower this time! I need to take more notes!¡±

    <hr>

 Chapter One Hundred Twenty Two

    ¡°There you are! I¡¯ve been looking all over for you.¡± A girl with pale hair, green eyes, and a frilly white dress that had somehow survived the trip through the tower entirely undamaged ran straight into the middle of the chaos without so much as slowing.

    She didn¡¯t even dodge the attacks going off in all directions, just ran in a direct path toward James that somehow didn¡¯t get hit a single time.

    ¡°Why are you playing around with these boring people?¡± she demanded. ¡°We have much more interesting things to be doing!¡±

    James felt oddly nostalgic, the way she smiled at him. But¡­ who¡­? How?

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so confused, Representative James. It¡¯s me! Loke!¡±

    James took the revelation in stride. ¡°What interesting things?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s finish things here, then I¡¯ll show you.¡± Her excitement was so great she nearly vibrated in place. ¡°The tower things! Don¡¯t you notice anything? I¡¯m here! I¡¯m in! Well, kind of.¡±

    ¡°I did notice that. It¡¯s¡­ new.¡± They both ignored the totems ravaging their surroundings and the constant barrage of attacks. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll quit playing so you can show me what all the fuss is about.¡±

    ¡ª

    Laril watched the entire confrontation play out as though in slow motion, his body and mind frozen in stunned disbelief.

    This was his mother, [], the ultimate weapon of the whole [] family. There was more firepower in this confrontation arrayed against the single enemy than what would be sent against a frontline boss-clearing expedition¡­

    And this man was tearing through it like it didn''t exist!

    His hand dropped numbly from the controls. The voices in his ears faded to a jumbled buzz. He really was dead. He''d overreached to the point where nothing and no one could save him.

    It was so unfair!

    One little brat had to pick his position to shove past? She stuck her prancy fancy nose right into the middle of his business, and now he was the one to suffer for it? His whole family, even?

    He was clutching at his chest, as though he could physically force the cards to become something more than what they were.

    There had to be something more he could do. Anything!

    "I''m really sorry," said someone from behind him. He whirled and found a little girl with white hair staring at him with her hands together behind her back. "If you hadn''t tried to kill my representative, you''d have made a great customer." She leaned back and inhaled deeply, a smile on her cherubic face. "But no amount of desperation is enough to repay what you''ve done."

    Laril couldn''t find the words, the comprehension. Who was this, what was she talking about?

    "How did you get in here?" was all he managed to ask, and his voice sounded weak and frantic even to his own ears.

    "The same way that does." She pointed to him. "Transmission. You''re broadcasting your desperation like a beacon. I couldn''t resist checking it out. But..." She tilted her head to one side, the light of the projection casting one side in blue outlines and the rest in shadow, her teal eye glinting in a way that suddenly made him very afraid. Even her voice changed, from light and soft to something cold and utterly merciless. "You are fully disqualified as a customer."This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "W-why? Customer for...?" Laril backed away a step, but ran up against the edge of the table.

    "Anything you wanted." She held up five legendary cards casually in one hand, flicked through them, then shrugged and tossed them over her shoulder where they disappeared into golden glitter. "But you hurt my friend. And tried to kill my representative. There''s nothing you could offer to make me change my mind."

    "Wait, no, I didn''t, I''m not¡ª" Laril didn''t even know what he was denying, but the sight of those cards... thrown away so dismissively... He wanted them, needed them! They would allow him to save himself, save his family!

    The battle raged on across the screens and the projection table, his family and their strongest allies falling one after the other as the arrogant shaman''s Legendary totems did his dirty work for him. He just stood there, looking bored.

    Bored.

    Laril''s fists clenched in fury, tears of helpless frustration leaking from his eyes.

    "See?" Her voice sounded sad now. "You''d have been perfect. But I can''t help someone who would immediately use that power against me. I wouldn''t be above playing a prank or two on my dear representative, but this would be too far for a joke."

    "Please. I''ll do anything. Whatever you want. Just save my family."

    The girl crossed her arms, tapping one finger against her chin. "Not yourself? Interesting. And here I thought you''d be a narcissistic prick until the end. Let me think about it."

    "Who are you?"

    "Loke! Also known as The Shop. Want to sell your soul?"

    "My... what, n-no. There''s no time! Don''t you see what''s happening?"

    "Oh, shush. There''s plenty of time to fix them. The tower is a flawless seal. They won''t be going anywhere. You''ve got a good three or four minutes before they''re irreparable."

    "If you won''t help me, then I''ll make you!" He lunged for her.

    She danced aside with a little laugh. "I really wouldn''t try that if I were you. You don''t have the capacity to handle what would happen if you actually managed to damage my avatar."

    Laril was past caring about consequences. He was past reason. He just needed to feel like he was doing something, anything, to rectify the situation.

    And if that meant strangling an arrogant little Legendary girl, then it wouldn''t bother him in the least.

    "Hold still," he growled and lunged for her again.

    "If you insist. But I warn you, you really won''t like the consequences."

    He grabbed hold of her scrawny throat¡ª

    His whole body went rigid as though he''d stuck his finger in the wrong end of a spell battery. He barely had time for his eyes to widen in horror before something cold and empty gripped his chest. The tighter he held the girl, the deeper the cold sensation grew.

    Unfortunately for poor Laril, he jumped to the conclusion that this was something she was doing to him, and that killing her faster would be the way to get rid of it.

    If he were any less desperate, he''d not have been able to move. But the panic and adrenaline were just enough to fight past the paralysis. Moving jerkily in little frantic bursts, he grabbed a sword from the nearby weapon rack and jammed it into his adversary''s chest.

    His deck imploded in his chest. Consciousness fled.

    The last thing he saw was the girl holding out her hand, head tilted curiously, as the silver dust that was once his priceless inheritance drifted up from his collapsing body.

    He woke up to a yawning emptiness that threatened to consume him from within, and a very angry young man with black hair, red eyes, and a scowl that could melt the flesh off a terrorfrog.

    Laril yelped and tried to back away, but he was already lying against the wall. He scrabbled helplessly, reaching for something, anything, but there was nothing.

    The girl was gone. Maybe he''d imagined it.

    But, no. The gaping emptiness in his chest... That was real. His deck... his stats, his levels, all of it was gone.

    "Impossible," he croaked.

    "I have one question for you, Laril. How do you want to die?"