Tier 3+ - Accidental Champion - Chapter 88 - Caretaker

Xavier walked down the spiralling staircase toward the lower floors. He didn’t even pause when he reached the floor that contained his chambers, he simply kept on walking, heading to the ground floor, contemplating what he wished to talk to Sam about.

The last time they had spoken, Xavier had burned through his core. If the man hadn’t been there, there was a good chance that Xavier would have gotten himself killed doing something as foolish as he had.

System-damned fool.

That’s what Sam had called him, and the man had probably been right. But that didn’t matter, because his foolishness had paid off—he’d broken through that initial barrier, and now knew how to contain his aura within his Spirit Core, increasing the skill’s rank up to 3.

Only a couple of days had passed since the last time Xavier had stepped foot inside the bar, but he was sure that Sam would notice the change. Sure he would notice that his aura was no longer in evidence.

Xavier reached the ground floor. The hallway that headed toward the tavern’s door was empty. He summoned the metal key into his hand, turning it over, then tossing it into the air and catching it a few times.

This would be the first thing he asked the man about. But there were other things on his mind: Celestial Energy was one of them, along with the cycling of Spirit Energy through his core.

But, the thing that was at the top of his mind was still that presence he’d felt.

Should I trust this man with such a thing?

He would have to explain why someone powerful was watching him. Though Xavier might have been a bit of a loner back on Earth—okay, maybe more than a bit—he’d never been the secretive type. When people had asked him questions, he’d never felt the need to hide anything about himself. Probably why he’d been so free with the fact he’d gained titles, telling all that to his party when he’d only just met them. Someone else might have felt the need to hide that information.

He already felt bad not disclosing that he’d felt like he’d been watched to them.

But he simply wasn’t sure what the right move was. The Greater Universe was more vast than he could even begin to contemplate, and Xavier had never had secrets like the ones he held now. He’d never been in any sort of position of power. He’d been doing a degree in creative writing, for god’s sake.

Now, he was a Progenitor. More than that, he’d gotten the top spot on the ladder. Perhaps only for one floor… but he got the feeling that was a bigger deal than he could even conceive.

Xavier pushed open the door of the bar and was greeted with a waft of warm air. Fires rumbled in the hearths, wood stacked beside them. Candles dotted the tables, their flames dancing.

He couldn’t help but smile. There was something about this place that was comforting. Though it was entirely strange to have a medieval-looking tavern inside the Tower of Champions, on the other hand… it felt like exactly what shouldbe here.

There were a few people inside the tavern, though not a great deal of them. He couldn’t see any of the Champions that had been here when they’d been blocked from visiting the fourth floor. They would either be striving toward conquering the first floor, moving onto the next—or… well, dead.

There were three parties in the place. These Champions looked tougher than the last ones. A tall, broad-shouldered man from the closest table looked Xavier up and down, a frown turning his lips—perhaps because of Xavier’s Shrouded Robes—he raised a tankard and nodded at Xavier before turning to the other members in his party.

It wasn’t just that they lookedtougher, Xavier realised. They felttougher, too. Their auras stronger than that of the last. Maybe they’ve actually completed a floor or two. That would be a good thing to know—that these weren’t men and women who’d come to the tavern after having given up, but ones who came down here for the quickest of breaks between floors, to communicate with other parties and share information.

He felt a little less nervous being around people now than he had last time. The gnawing pit inside of him that wanted nothing more than to consume souls was still there. A yawning void that he knew could never be filled… but he seemed more in control of it than he had before.

He only felt a small amount of desire to harvest the souls of those he saw, after all. He considered that a win.

Perhaps Soul Harden is doing more for me than I realise, or maybe it’s the Willpower I’ve gained from the last few levels and titles.

Either way, he was glad for it.

Maybe I should speak with those Champions, after I talk to Sam.

Though he wanted to blast through the next six floors and get back to Earth as soon as possible—while doing his best to gain more number 1 ranked ladder spots—helping other Champions was important too.

He headed straight for the bar. Sam had noticed him the instant he’d stepped through. The man was casually cleaning a mug, but his eyes were intent, locked on Xavier.

“I guess you figured it out all by yourself,” Sam said, looking him up and down. “You can contain your aura now.”

“You don’t look surprised.” Xavier slid onto one of the stools.

Sam poured him a glass of whiskey without having to be asked. “I didn’t push you away because you weren’t capable.” There was a small smirk on the man’s lips.

Xavier frowned, passing the man some Lesser Spirit Coins as he took the glass, putting two-and-two together. “You knew I was stubborn. You knew pushing me away would get me working harder.”

Sam dipped his head in a nod. “The powerful rarely follow the rules. Rarely heed warnings to slow down on the path. I thought if a few harsh words made you stop trying to gain the Aura-Control skill…” The man gave a high, double-shoulder shrug. “Then you weren’t who I hoped you were.”

Xavier tilted his chin up. “Who, exactly, do you hope I am?”

Sam gave him a significant look. “There are things I can say, and things I can’t. It isn’t only the System that tells me what those are.”

“It’s the people you work for.”

Sam smiled. “Glad I didn’t have to spell that out.”

Xavier should probably be frustrated at the man. Feel some indignant rage at being played for a “System-damned fool.” Instead, he laughed, then took a sip of whiskey. “I know nothing about the Greater Universe.”

“That much is clear.”

“But if you’re hoping for me to be… someone, then you must really be desperate.” Xavier waved a hand, trying to encompass not only the tavern, but the entirety of the Tower of Champions. “Looking here, working behind that bar, hoping to find… what, help?” He shook his head. “We’re all just muddling through, trying to figure out what the hell is going on and how we can survive.”

Sam, who had been cleaning the bar after pouring Xavier that glass, stopped what he was doing, standing straight. “The one I work for plays a very long game. Besides, the others here might be doing as you say, but you’re well aware that what you’ve accomplished does not merely amount to surviving.”

Xavier placed the glass back on the bar. “And what do you know of what I’ve accomplished?”

“It would be clear to anyone with eyes. You returned on the first day the floors of the Tower of Champions opened, already having cleared three.” Sam leant forward on the bar, spoke in a whisper. “You’re a true Progenitor.”

A true Progenitor?

Xavier knew he was a Progenitor. That much had been clear from the first time he had stepped into this tavern and spoken to Sam. But what did the man mean by true Progenitor? What, exactly, was the difference?

“What does that mean?” Xavier asked. He’d leant forward on his stool, eager to listen to the man’s next words.

Sam pushed away from the bar. He shut his eyes and let out a great sigh. “I shouldn’t have said those words. It is… not wise to tell someone their fate before they are ready for it.”

Xavier wanted to argue. To get the man to tell him more. But he supposed he already had an idea of what a true Progenitor might be.

“I need to show you something, Sam.” Xavier placed his hand, palm up, on the bar. He summoned the Sector Travel Key he’d acquired from the loot box as his reward for completing the fourth floor. “Can you tell me anything about this?”

Sam’s eyes bulged wide, so much so that they looked like they might fall out of his head. Though that reaction only lasted a split second, as the man already looked perfectly composed. “I suppose you already know what it’s called.”

“A Sector Travel Key.”

Sam put out his hand. “Do you mind?”

Xavier hesitated.

Sam smiled. It looked genuine. “I’m not going to steal it, if that’s what you’re worried about. The System frowns on caretakers stealing from Champions.” His eyes flicked up to the ceiling. “And the System isn’t something you want to piss off.”

Caretakers? Xavier thought. Though he knew the man wasn’t simply a bartender. Never had been. Especially considering how strong he was—he distinctly remembered the power of the man’s aura, which had apparently only been at a quarter strength.

Xavier sighed. He placed the key in the man’s hand.

Sam turned it over, examining it closely. “Where, exactly, did you get this?”

Xavier decided there was no point lying. “I received it as a reward for clearing the fourth floor.” He paused. “Is this not something the System usually rewards in the tower?”

“Oh, the System does sometimes reward Sector Travel Keys.”

Xavier’s shoulders slumped. That… wasn’t what he’d been hoping to hear.

“Except, they don’t usually get awarded until after a Champion has cleared level 100. In fact, I’ve never once heard of someone receiving one before then. At least, not until now.”

This made Xavier perk right up. Sam passed the Sector Travel Key straight back to him. Xavier, in his eagerness, was careful not to snatch it out of the man’s hand.

“You shouldn’t have that,” Sam said.

Xavier clutched it close. Though he didn’t yet understand what the item did, it was clearly valuable if it wasn’t normally a reward until after the hundredth floor.

Sam raised his hands. “I’m not going to take it from you. Obviously. I wouldn’t have given it back, otherwise.” His arms fell by his sides. “What I mean to say is… it doesn’t make sense for you to have that item.”

“I’ve gathered that much already. Though you still haven’t told me what it does.”

“Well, first, it can’t be used within the Tower of Champions itself. So don’t be getting any ideas.”

“What ideas could I get?”

“A key like that is exceptionally rare, Xavier. Though the tower does reward them on the later floors, it’s still incredibly unlikely for a Champion to receive one.” He pursed his lips. “A Sector Travel Key, once a year, allows you to open a portal to anywhere you wish within the sector.”

Xavier’s eyes widened. Probably as wide as Sam’s had not moments ago. “That sounds… that sounds amazing.” He frowned. “What’s a sector? And why only once per year?”

Sam shut his eyes, grasped the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger, muttering something about System-damned fools from baby worlds not knowing anything about anything.

Then he leant on the bar and told Xavier some truths about the Greater Universe he’d been dying to know.