Chapter 650 - Just good luck

In the end, I offer Marble two chocolates and a blue sports drink. He hesitates for a moment but eventually accepts and points to the spot where I should leave them. Someone will later pick them up soon and bring them to the room where his, Spark's, and Veil's body is locked.

What I get in return is an answer to something that's been stuck in my mind ever since he mentioned it.

The number of times attendees have tripped over their own feet while trying to look mysterious or intimidating in the past 500 years.

(Really?) I ask him after he tells me.

(I told you it would surprise you.) Even though he speaks in his usual calm, deep voice, I can hear the satisfaction beneath it, pleased by my reaction.

(But how?)

(I know, right? It's really surprising.)

(I never would’ve expected that.)

(None of us did either.)

(Damn.)

After that, we talk a bit more until Weslin comes to get me.

As we walk through what I estimate to be the middle of the tower, we enter a floor that is completely empty. It’s a massive open space, broken only by a large portal framed in twisted silver metal shaped like roots. Through it, I can see the third floor.

There are no guards and no locks, but after everything I’ve seen, that doesn’t surprise me anymore.

Weslin and I pass through and leave the second floor behind.

Welcome to the 3rd floor of the First Dungeon!

There are multiple safe zones distributed across the floor. Each safe zone has a capacity limit of 100, 1,000, or 10,000 individuals.

During daytime hours, it is possible for the number of individuals in a safe zone to exceed the designated maximum. However, if the number of individuals remains above the capacity limit at night, the safe zone will permanently lose its function as a safe zone.

Individuals who have been present on the 3rd floor for a duration of 24 hours or less, either as a result of utilizing a Beyond Stay Token or by recently entering the floor, are not included in the safe zone capacity calculation. Once the 24-hour period has elapsed, these individuals are included in the capacity count in the same manner as all others.

3rd Floor quest: Contribute to the creation of new safe zones

Rewards:

14-day Stay Token

100,000 shards

Activation stone for the portal to the 4th floor

Most of all, this floor reminds me of the environment of the Astral Prison. Rocky plains stretch everywhere, along with mountains and hills. There are ancient-looking trees as well.

But the ceiling of this enormous cave cannot be seen. It feels as if it is much higher, and what covers it looks like clouds through which light shines down, sometimes piercing the holes so warm rays fall on the ground.

“So, any info you would share?” I ask Weslin after rereading the information on the third floor.

“Maybe? I mean, should I? You already got to the third floor like you wanted. You might try to run away.”

“Didn’t you tell me you would easily stop me and kick my ass if I tried?”

“Yes, but it would be too much of a bother.”

Under his eyes, I just shrug. “I won’t for now. There’s someone I want to find. If you help me, I might even give a thought to joining Primordial Knights.”

“Was there ever a more annoying little jerk than you?” Even though he says that, he’s smiling. “Names.”

“Faora and Luan.”

“Luan?”

“Yes, Luan.”

“As in motherfucking Luan?”

“Probably?”

“Damn, I gotta admire the balls on you. Faora is a bitch, no question, and a dangerous rabid animal. Even she is too much for you at the moment, but Luan? Why the fuck would you want to mess with that guy?”

“Because of stuff,” I answer and take a moment to control myself, as happens every time I talk about them. I feel a small smile climb onto my lips. “Luan, not so much, but I would like to talk to Faora.”

“Sure, man. Talk. Yes, yes. Just talk. Fucking great. I brought you here so you can self-suicide in the hands of that twisted bitch. Damn great.”

“I don’t plan to die. Is Luan that strong?”

“Not gonna ask about Faora if she’s more important?”

“There’s no need to.”

For a while, he stares at me while the quiet of this floor continues to fill the area.

“I’m not surprised you talk about the two of them at once. For some reason, he’s been seen lately moving with her. Luan is... well, insanely talented. Already an Absolute Candidate and just a step away from S rank.”

“Could you beat him?”

“Newbie, I love you for thinking your good ol´ kidnapper is that strong, but we have to be realistic, okay? Even though I’m sure I could fight him for a bit, there’s no way I could win, and I would die if I made a mistake. Do you agree that would suck for me?”

“I do agree with that.”

“Good boy. I always say a man has to have his own mind and make his own decisions, so do whatever you want. But I would strongly recommend putting this off, especially when it comes to Luan. As for Faora, even though she will never reach S rank, she’s a very powerful mind mage. Newbie, you likely know that everyone here fucking hates mind mages. The fact that she’s survived long enough to become an A rank tells you something about her.”

“I see.”

“Yeah, you won’t listen. Well, anyway, we’ll be heading to one of the smaller safe zones nearby, where I’ll get some information before we move deeper into the floor. I need to get you to the Black Tower. It’s one of the bigger safe zones here, and we have a branch there that will take care of you.”

"It seems like you'll get rid of me soon."

“Right? It was fun, newbie, but I ain’t built for taking care of rookies. After I deliver you, I’ll return to my tutorial for a week or two. When I get back, I’ll probably be assigned to some well-paid guild quest, or my Handler might have something fancy for me.”

He gestures, and I follow at his side as he heads into the third floor. This time, he moves faster than he did on the second floor, so I put in more effort to keep up while flying. In some way, these past days have been good training, and my use of kinetic energy for long-distance running has improved greatly.

“So what’s the deal with this floor?” I ask.

“Very simple, newbie. During the day, all is fine. Everyone is friends, monsters are weaker, and it’s almost nice out there. But when night comes, stronger monsters appear. The longer the night, the stronger they get.”

“Stronger than you?”

"Get unlucky, stay in one place too long, or cause too much commotion, and you’ll get fucked up, newbie. A few S-ranks have died on this floor."

“Damn.”

"Yeah, damn. You can go out at night, and it's even somewhat safe for about an hour after nightfall. If you're strong or part of a powerful group, you're probably fine. But with just a bit of bad luck, you're finished."

“And the safe zone capacity?”

"Sometimes it feels like I’m either babysitting or doing unpaid work for an information guild."

I open my status and transfer 100 shards to him.

Weslin stops running, and I stop too. He stares at me, and I stare at him.

“You little shit.”

I nod.

He accepts the transfer.

And we continue.

“As the system message says, if you have a safe zone with a capacity of 100 people, and night comes with 101 people inside, it stops functioning as a safe zone, and everyone gets royally screwed. Don’t ask me more. They’ll explain it better at the guild branch.”

Seeing that I’d only be pressing my luck, I agree and stay quiet.

We head deeper, and I keep thinking about how damn punishing this place is and how a little bad luck can get you killed. I also start thinking about the rules I’d set so the entire safe zone wouldn’t die because of one asshole. I’m pretty sure that when night is coming, everyone in the zone checks the number of people there. And if it’s over the limit, well, I bet they wouldn’t hold back from using... drastic measures.

The safe zone we reach first is small. Just a few buildings at the edge of a small forest. A few people move around, and more of them are in what’s no bigger than a camp.

When we enter, we get a notification.

Welcome to the safe zone.

Current capacity: 86/100

Instead of heading in, Weslin waits, and a man comes to us. At this point, I can more or less guess who is an attendee and who is local. This Vyssari seems like a local. Like others of his race, he's very short and wears little over his scaly legs, just something that looks like shorts.

As he and Weslin talk, I listen.

In a way that seems common on this floor, the vyssari tells Weslin that we’ll have to leave because they expect people who registered their stay to return before nightfall. Weslin tells him that we’re within our 24-hour period, so we don’t count toward the limit.

That noticeably calms the vyssari. After some sort of simple check that washes over me, he confirms it somehow. I take note of what part of me he scanned so I can look into it later.

Weslin then asks for the capacities of the safe zones along the way in the direction we’re heading, and the vyssari shares the information easily.

It’s all clearly common.

Looking at me with a smirk, Weslin turns to the vyssari one more time in a way that is clearly meant to make fun of me. “Have you seen a four armed thylarin and a feylith woman in the area?”

Unexpectedly, the vyssari lights up at the memory. “Oh, I did. Not that long ago. The thylarin was extremely powerful and helped us hunt a monster we needed for material. They left not that long ago.”

The rest of his words sound distant, with a dark hum echoing in the back of my mind.

Weslin’s shoulders slump, and slowly he turns from the vyssari, who keeps talking about the thylarin he met, and looks at me.

When our eyes meet, there is an expression on his face that’s hard to read.

***

Just after a few minutes, we leave the safe zone. In the end, the vyssari we met doesn’t know where the duo that passed through that safe zone could be. He just points in the direction they left, possibly deciding to stay a bit into the night for a powerful monster to hunt or maybe heading toward the other safe zone.

Weslin and I are heading that way as well.

“Newbie, once again I remind you…”

“Weslin, want to hear what someone told me before I met Faora and Luan for the first time?” I interrupt him.

He doesn’t answer and keeps that serious look.

But I ignore it and stare in the direction we’re heading. “She told me that it is all only bad luck.”

The construct in my body twists, and I make further modifications. My mind strains to the point I have to combust thermal energy under my skin just to ease it a tiny bit. Even that isn’t enough as I push myself further.

Looking in that direction, I wipe the blood that drips from my nose.

“Maybe this time, it’s time for me to have some good luck.”

***

Two days pass, and we spend the nights in two safe zones along the way. One is smaller, with a limit of up to 100 people, and the other is bigger, with a limit of up to 1,000. During these days, I do not sleep. I keep preparing.

The nights are filled with roars, reverberations, and distant explosions that grow louder and more powerful the deeper into the night it gets.

Something huge keeps circling the safe zone as well, waiting but refusing to enter.

Most people in the safe zones create sound dampening barriers during the night, but I don’t. Instead, I spend these nights at the edge of the safe zone, looking into the dark night that even my strengthened sight is unable to pierce.

On the third day, we leave the place where we spent the night and move onto the final stretch toward the safe zone called the Black Tower.

I recognize two figures we see while heading there instantly.

They notice us too and stop, waiting. Weslin sighs, glances at me one last time, and heads their way.

By the end of the five minutes it takes us to reach them, my [Focus] is almost gone.

“Hello, Faora, Luan,” I say.

“Nathaniel! It’s nice to see you. Are you doing well?”

“I can’t complain.”

“How is dear Sophie?”

“She could be better.”

Faora laughs, both her hair and eyes turning bright yellow, and her small wings flicker in excitement.

She turns to Luan and nudges him. “Have you heard that? She could be better, hehe. And look, he has Weslin with him. Weslin, are you guys adopting this mess?”

“Maybe?” Weslin shrugs. “It’s up to others to decide. Nyssa seemed to…”

“I don’t give a fuck!” Faora barks. “Don’t think I didn’t notice that as a veiled threat by using her name. If I want to, I’ll kill him right here, and I don't care what Nyssa might think!”

Weslin stays quiet, and Faora keeps looking between him and me before fixing her hair, which turns red, the same as her eyes. “But it would be rude for me to bully poor Nathaniel, right? So what if I just leave you here and head deeper into the dungeon? That would mean we won’t meet again before my tutorial ends. It would be terrible for you, right, Nathaniel? Would your pride handle it, especially with how happy you seem to see me?”

I don’t answer, and she bursts into laughter. “Luan, let’s go. There’s no need to deal with someone as weak as him, right?” Her eyes stay on me. “Just tell my sister to stay strong, okay, Nat?”

For a brief moment, her hair turns black and her eyes green.

Time seems to freeze as Luan turns to her. He watches her closely, and then his gaze shifts, suddenly sad, as if something has just been confirmed.

Faora herself doesn’t seem to realize what she just said, and continues to tease me.

Then she and Luan turn to leave and walk away. By my side, Weslin breathes out in relief.

Then I say.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

***

POV Weslin

“Where do you think you are going?”

Just those words, and everyone stops moving. There is still a chance to de escalate, but I have decided to respect this man’s decision, and don't even try.

He watches to make sure Luan and Faora stop. Then, while she says something, he completely ignores her and turns to me.

“Weslin, can you hold off Luan for a while?”

I shake my head. “I won’t.”

I don’t know what happened between him and that woman, or why he is so eager to die against her, but I won’t be helping in any of that.

Hearing my answer, he tilts his head in confusion. “Oh, you want shards?”

Immediately, a notification pops up in front of me.

Incoming transfer of 2,286,688 shards. Confirm?

Yes / No

I have to reread the number a few times, unable to believe he already has that much. The way the number isn’t rounded at all tells me this is likely everything he has. All offered without a speck of hesitation.

And my view of him starts to change.

When I look at him, without having accepted the trade yet, he's staring back at me with golden circles around his pupils.

“Is that not enough? Fine, I’ll join the Primordial Knights. I’ll sign a contract without asking for any pay. Or is even that not enough? I’ll make a mid arcane item for you. If you help me with materials, I can make it upper arcane before your tutorial ends.”

He talks quickly, his eyes wide open. The golden circles seem to bleed light as he pauses, tilts his head, and asks, “Oh, are you maybe scared, Weslin?”

It isn’t him being rude or trying to provoke me. It is a genuine question, asked in the same style he has asked me so many things before about the floors.

“Weslin,” he repeats, and his expression shifts from cold to slightly maniacal. “I don’t understand. From your heartbeat and movements, you don’t seem to refuse because I don’t offer enough. So what is it? Is it really that you are scared? Or am I wrong, and it’s not enough? Do you want me to beg you? I can do it, I can crawl at your feet. I can lick your shoes if that's what you want.”

He takes a step towards me, and I step back almost instinctively.

That makes him hesitate, and for that moment, he looks almost sad.

“Weslin,” he says. “Why do you hesitate? Why don’t you want to fight and push yourself? Aren’t you really strong? You have such power, greater than I currently have, and yet you hesitate?”

At that moment, I understand I was wrong about him the entire time.

This man is the same as a demon. He might be even worse than any of them I’ve met.

And in reaction to that, something stirs inside me.

How does he dare?

Without hesitation, I refuse the transfer of shards. As I pass by him, I push him aside.

“Don’t do it,” Luan says simply.

“I seem to have no other choice,” I shrug, and almost without realizing it, I smile.

What a nice feeling.

The void answers before I even call it. It wraps around me like an old cloak, familiar and cold.

Then I charge Luan, leaving the newbie and Faora behind.

***

Next Chapter

***
Author Note: Early chappy - I will be busy tmr