Tier 3+ - Accidental Champion - Chapter 38 - Rat Bastard, King of the Pests

Xavier, one moment running across the rocky ground toward the Rat King—the boss of the second floor of the Tower of Champions—in the next found himself falling into a hole that had formed straight beneath him.

He hadn’t been fast enough to avoid it. He hadn’t even known what was happening until it was too late. He didn’t even get a chance to try and climb out of it before the earth shrank, the walls closing in on him until he was trapped on all sides, his arms and staff clamped to his body and only his head exposed above the earth.

Xavier’s eyes widened. How had he found himself in this mess? How could this damned pest be powerful enough to be a match for him? Did I get too cocky? The damned thing has earth magic. I’ve never faced anything like it before.

Being stuck in that hole made him long for the Cast Element spell. Maybe he’d be able to get out of this mess if he had it.

“Form behind me!” Howard shouted as the Rat King turned its attention toward the other members of his party.

Xavier, stuck in the earth, wasn’t in a position where he could move. He couldn’t turn his head and look at them. He was stuck facing forward, straight at the smug-looking King of the Rodents. He wanted to shout. Yell. Scream.

None of this was part of the plan! He’d had to bring them along to protect them, yet now it very much looked like they would come to harm.

Spiritual Trifecta ran out, the silver sheen that had enveloped his body dissipating into nothing. With the spell’s deactivation, Xavier felt even more trapped then ever. He couldn’t move a muscle, no matter how much he strained.

He felt weak. As weak as he’d been before the System had come. And so damned exhausted.

How could that be possible? It was simply dirt and rock that was around him. He should be able to break out of it. Shouldn’t he? Or was it simply that he felt weak, and so he became weak?

Xavier finally let that shout rasp from his throat as he opened his mouth wide. His face contorted in rage, staring at the laughing Rat King that was approaching Howard, Siobhan and Justin.

I can’t let them get hurt.

Heavy Telekinesis was ready again. He used it, slamming it into the rock and dirt directly in front of him. Though he could barely aim it, not able to move his arms at all, all he needed was to push it forward. Make some room.

Once the spell had been cast, he could finally move an arm. He struggled, dragging it up his body as he heard one of the others shout.

“Don’t strike it! He can still get the title!” It was Howard’s voice, booming in a shout.

That fool. They should forget about that. Hell, they should run out of here.

“You distract it, we’ll get him out.” That was Siobhan. Her voice somehow panicked and calm at once.

Xavier could hear footsteps. Two of them. He struggled, but still wasn’t able to budge out of the damned earth. Then hands grasped his shoulders, digging through the ground.

He heard someone breathing heavy. Siobhan?

The earth shifted. Moving of its own volition, as though a spell had been cast. No, not as though. A spell had been cast. The hole around him widened just enough for it to no longer keep him stuck.

He was able to turn. Siobhan had a look of intense concentration on her face. Of course. She’s a Mage. She must have Cast Element. Justin stood above him. He grabbed the Warrior’s hand. The boy might be nowhere near as strong as Xavier, but he still had supernatural strength compared to a normal human, and pulling Xavier free was easy enough.

“Watch out!” Howard yelled.

The Rat King’s tail was swishing straight for Siobhan’s head. The woman gasped. Xavier ran toward her. He could get struck by that thing and survive. But Siobhan? She would likely die in one hit.

I’m not going to let that happen!

But he was too slow. Fast as he was, as many points as he’d put into Speed, he was too slow, and he could see it. All this had happened in less than two seconds, and his Heavy Telekinesis spell wasn’t ready yet. How could it not be ready yet? How could so much happen in such a short period of time?

Siobhan raised her staff as though to block, her other hand coming up over her head. The crystal in her staff glowed brightly. Another spell. But what could she do to stop that thing?

A glowing light engulfed Howard. Then the man disappeared, reappearing directly in front of Siobhan, his shield up and ready to block the Pest King’s whipping tail.

I know that spell. It’s the summon spell. She has both of the spells I lost.

The massive tail struck Howard’s tall tower shield and he went flying to the side, knocking over Siobhan with him, but that didn’t matter.

They’re alive. They’re both alive.

Xavier turned to the Rat Bastard, King of the Pests, filled with a rage he’d never felt before. There had never been a time in his life when he’d been in a position to protect others. Never been a time when he was needed so much. Never been a time when people had trusted him like his party had.

And he wasn’t about to let them down. He wanted to be deserving of that trust, just as he wanted to deserve the title he’d earned—First Defender of Planet Earth.

He raised his staff. The Rat King’s face still had blood plastered on it from the first time Xavier had struck it. It must be injured. And I’m not going to fall for its damned tricks again.

The spell ready now, Xavier shot a Heavy Telekinesis straight at the Rat King. That glow was visible about it once more. That protective barrier around it that seemed to work somewhat like armour.

Xavier didn’t care. He ran forward. When the Rat King slammed its staff on the ground to create another hole, he leapt straight over it. In midair, Xavier cast Spiritual Trifecta then slammed the head of his staff into the rodent’s face.

The rodent’s head snapped to the left.

Bam.

To the right.

Bam.

To the left again.

Xavier was falling now. Just as he had the first time. But he didn’t kick off the rat’s chest and do another flip. Instead, while it was still disorientated, he hooked his staff around the rat bastard’s neck, making him swing about its shoulders until he was clinging to its back, both hands wrapping around his staff as it was across the Rat King’s neck.

And he pulled. With all his strength. With everything Spiritual Trifecta offered him. He pulled. And pulled. Choking the rat out. When Heavy Telekinesis was ready again, he slammed it into the back of the Rat King’s head with all the power he could muster.

The glow about the rat was gone. Whatever protection it had before, it didn’t have any more. The full might of Xavier’s spell slammed into it.

The head exploded forward. As hard as Xavier was pulling his staff against its neck… the Rat King’s head flew clean off.

Holy crap.

The Rat King’s body went limp.

You have defeated a Level 20 Rat King!

You have gained 4000 Mastery Points.

You have gained 4000 Spirit Energy.

Xavier blinked. Just like when he’d killed the Puma Prime, this floor boss offered him twice as much experience as he’d expected. Enough to push him over the line.

Congratulations, you have reached level 8!

Your health has been regenerated by 50%!

Your Spirit Energy limit has increased by 100!

You have received +1 Intelligence, +1 Willpower and +1 Spirit!

You have received +5 free stat points!

All your spells have refreshed and are no longer on cooldown!

Xavier leapt backward off the Rat King as it slammed into the ground with a loud thud. More notifications continued to follow the first, and he breathed a sigh of relief now that the party was out of danger.

Congratulations! You have cleared the First Floor of the Tower of Champions.

Party Member Contribution:

Xavier: 100/100 Kills.

Howard: 0/100 Kills.

Justin: 0/100 Kills.

Siobhan: 0/100 Kills.

No shared attributions apply on this floor.

Somehow, Xavier was glad and annoyed at the same time. The others had definitely contributed. Howard had kept them out of danger, tanking the boss’s attacks from the others. Siobhan had opened the earth for him, and Justin had helped get him out of being stuck in that hole.

He was sure he would have gotten out of it eventually… but the way things had been going, he might not have survived the fight had they not been there to distract the floor boss.

Title Unlocked!

Second Floor Climber: This title has been upgraded. You have cleared the Second Floor of the Temple of Champions, and shall be rewarded.

You have received +4 to all stats!

Note: the title “First Floor Climber” has been stricken from your soul.

The last title has been stricken from my soul? That… sounds strange. Also souls are real?

Though he was glad the second title combined the first. He imagined what it would be like if he cleared a thousand floors. Reading through his character information would be quite the task.

Title Unlocked!

Solo Tower Climber 2: This title has been upgraded. You have cleared a floor of the Temple of Champions by yourself. You are either very brave or very stupid for attempting such a feat. Know that whether this feat was achieved through sheer skill or unbridled luck, you shall be rewarded.

You have received +16 to all stats!

Note: the title “Solo Tower Climber 1” has been stricken from your soul.

Xavier frowned at the text. Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he deserved this title, this time around. He hadn’t done the floor by himself. Not strictly. Though he’d been the only one to deal any damage to the enemy beasts.

That’s quite a loophole. A party could come in and tank for one member, letting them clear the whole floor… Though, he honestly doubted the likelihood of that. Maybe if that party member were paying a great deal.

Though he supposed he’d found himself in that exact situation…

Title Unlocked!

1st Second Floor Climber: Out of Champions from five competing worlds, your party are the first to clear the Second Floor of the Tower of Champions within your instance.

You have received +10 to all stats!

Note: As you have a similar title, “1st First Floor Climber” has been combined with this title and shares its stats.

Xavier smiled. He was glad they’d received that last title. He was sure they’d still be the first to clear this floor, even with the trouble they’d had when the tunnels and walls began to shift. They’ll be shifting for everyone, so it’s not as if we’ll be the only ones dealing with it.

In 30 seconds, you and your party will be returned to the Staging Room.

He watched as the others snapped into action. Justin knelt down, snatching up the Rat King’s staff. Howard grabbed the head, transporting it to his Storage Ring with a disgusted look. Siobhan did the same for the body of the Rat King itself.

Xavier looked down at his robes. Once again, he was drenched in blood and dirt. But he couldn’t seem to care about it.

He did frown, however, as he noticed the lack of another notification he’d been hoping to see. I didn’t get into the top 100 for this floor… He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised. It had all taken so much longer than before. Though he felt a tinge of disappointment, he knew that titles weren’t the only thing he was aiming for.

It was in that moment that another notification did appear. His eyes widened. Maybe I was wrong. But no, this was something else—something he’d been hoping to receive, but hadn’t realised he was quite this close to getting.

He looked at the notification. Two notifications, he was happy to see.