Chapter 331: The 49th Floor

“How long should I expect you to be gone?”

Max could see the relief but also the tension in Everett’s face. He looked to have aged a year in the months he had been kidnapped, captured, or whatever everyone kept calling it.

“I don’t know. There are some other places we need to visit, and I might end up causing some trouble as we travel. No, let me rephrase that. I’m going to cause some trouble.”

Tom chuckled as he sat next to their long-lost Faction member.

“It’s been a week. and already you’re leaving after causing a wave of excitement through the city.”

“And I’m not done yet,” Max replied. “You both realize I don’t have a choice in what I need to do.”

Everett’s frown grew at those words, but he bobbed his head once.

“The difference is I’m pretty sure no one will flinch when you do. A few of the other Factions have reached out. They want to ask about working with you.”

“Unless you can convince me it’s worth it for you and the Faction, I’m not going to entertain that.”

Leaning over, Tom patted Max’s arm, smiling as he did.

“That’s the man I knew I trained. Now tell me, how do you think this boss floor is going to go?”

“Honestly, I have no idea. Whatever the tower throws at us, I have no doubt we can defeat it.”

“And the queens?”

Max couldn’t help but frown at Everett’s question. They had discussed his plans already, and both men had not been excited at his original idea.

“I won’t kill them. The chaos that action would create isn’t worth it, but I’m going to make sure they understand that if I ever find out they are behind another action aimed at me, my family, or my Faction, I won’t hesitate to return.”

Both men grimaced, but neither said another word.

With silence hanging for a moment, Max stood and motioned to the door.

“It’s time. We’ll come back and say goodbye before we go.”

Each started to rise, but Max just motioned for them to stay put.

Moving toward the door he forced himself to smile. Outside were his friends and Tanila, and he needed to ensure they didn’t see the darkness inside.

***

“It’s an honor! Please, you five, go ahead.”

Max smiled and held out his hand, shaking the dwarven warrior’s hand as they moved past all the other tower climbers that were in line.

He could hear their words, all the whispers to each other about what he had done.

At one point I would have been flattered… now… now I just need to finish this.

“Sir Pendal, you and your team are good to go.”

“It’s Max. Max Hoste. Sorry, I’ve decided to go by my real name from now on.”

The male guard nodded, jotting down a note on the tablet he carried.

“Forgive me Sir Hoste. Please proceed, and good luck in the tower.”

A few chuckles came from the adventurers behind them, and Max just smiled, moving to the portal.

“You want to go first?” Fowl asked. “After all, you’re a warrior.”

“I guess. I kinda hoped it would be you and an ice floor.”

The three women chuckled, and Fowl shook his head.

“Nope, it has been a while. You get this honor.”

Without waiting any longer, Max touched the portal, feeling the energy as it ran through his hand. When the window appeared and the option for the forty-ninth floor came, he selected it.

***

“Holy elf tits,” Tanila muttered. “Two strikes… I’m almost certain the second one wasn’t needed.”

“Se— I mean Max, can you tell me just how much power that first attack did?”

He smiled at Cordellia and nodded.

“Our beautiful mage was correct. I really didn’t need the second attack, but I felt like making it to ensure the head came off. The scales on the snake looked pretty thick, but in the end, I know it was overkill.”

He held out his new weapon, the one he crafted while trapped on a different world and pointed at the long, curved edge that was far wider than his halberd sitting in his inventory.

“Over five thousand worth of strength was delivered in that one strike.”

Everyone’s eyes blinked rapidly at that comment.

“HOLY ELF TITS!” Fowl exclaimed. “You… you could cut… anyone or anything with that amount of power!”

Shaking his head, Max frowned at everyone.

“No… that’s the problem. I can’t. The world champion I faced took that attack and ignored it. She easily deflected an attack stronger than the one I just delivered.”

Each of them gazed at one another, and he could see the connections being made when he realized what he had told them the first day he shared his story.

None of them really understood the difference in power then… Bob… I hope things are going okay.

“Were… were all the things you faced this strong?”

“No they weren’t, but as you forgot, Cordellia, I grow stronger when I face stronger foes. The hunter, Ezreal, made one mistake. He let me have a few pieces of armor. He didn’t truly understand my power and what it could do. I was so outclassed when we first met. When we finally stood face-to-face, that gap that had once been between us was gone, and I had surpassed him in so many ways.”

“And the tower? How do you think the next fifty levels will go?”

“Batrire, I don’t know, but I know that whatever happens, you four are my world. We’ll do what I promised, and we will beat this tower. In the end, we’ll all be strong enough so none of you will ever have to worry about someone hurting you again.”

Tanila came and put her arm through his, drawing him close and leaning her head against his head.

“No more of this talk. Let’s loot this chest and then hit the next floor. There’s a promise we made.”

Max smiled and rose up on his toes, kissing her on the lips.

“Fowl, it’s been a while. Why don’t you go first?”

Chuckling, the dwarf warrior nodded and moved to the scale-covered raid chest and threw it open.

“Well, ogre nuts, that’s a blessing I haven’t seen in ages.”

Everyone moved to see what was inside.

“Two pieces each,” Batrire muttered. “And six orange crystals. Everett is going to love you!”

Chuckling, Max shrugged.

“You all take yours. I’ll fetch mine.”

Without waiting, each reached for pieces of equipment, and Max fetched the two rings that were waiting for him.

[Inspect Ring]

*****

Scaled Ring

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

10% Stat Increase

Bonded

*****

[Inspect Ring]

*****

Ring of the Snake Lord

10% Stat Increase

20% Magic Resist

Bonded

*****

“Uh… is anyone else’s this crazy?” Cordellia asked as she slid a ring that looked like Max’s first one on.

“Ten percent?”

Their ranger nodded at Batrire, both women starting to smile.

Fowl ran up and gave Max a hug.

“Gods I’ve missed you and your broken loot!”

Laughing, he patted his friend on the back.

“I’ve missed you and how much of a loot whore you are.”

Both men chuckled as everyone took a moment, enjoying the fact they were all together and once more touched by the gods.

Summoning his shield for a moment, Max couldn’t hold back any longer.

[ Simple Status Check - Expanded ]

*****

Max Hoste

19-Year-Old Human Male

Level 1

Exp 421/1000

Tower Experience: 50.00%

STR: 1123+1911

DEX: 1101+1861

CON: 1047+1805

INT: 1018+1590

WIS: 1005+1572

Defense of the Dragon - 25%

Defense of the Demon - 25%

Demon Essence: - 1682

World Champion: - 20% Stat Increase

*****

“Testing something?” Tanila asked as they walked toward the portal behind the other three, who were almost giddy with their acquired items.

“Yeah… I’m just wondering what I’m going to do with all these stats. I’m not sure what to expect in the coming floors. If it scales off me like it did before, they could be so dangerous that you all entering might be an instant death. If they don’t scale, then at what point will we be prepared for when they are stronger?”

“Stop worrying, and enjoy what’s coming,” Tanila replied. “Besides, you’re lucky Everett had enough gems to level you to fifty. Of course that will make us have to farm a lot more.”

Giving her a kiss, Max smiled, glad that when she was by him, the anger and rage he felt vanished.

“Let’s go ahead and deal with what’s probably outside. Something tells me we’re going to have a group waiting on us.”

***

He had been right. Only one of the adventuring parties had gone into the tower, the rest waiting to see if they returned. A few cheers came, and Max waved, doing his best to downplay the moment.

“Two more levels to go,” Fowl said with a glee, rubbing his hands together. “I never would have thought this day would come.”

“Yes you did,” Batrire stated as she gave him a shove.

“You’re right, I did.”

The whole party was smiling as they made their way to the portal, once more let through by those who didn’t appear interested in entering the tower today.

***

“Seems like one of those floors,” Cordellia said as she motioned to the tall stone walls that vanished into the sky. “Looks like a straight shot through, provided it doesn’t turn or twist.”

A memory came, and Max couldn’t help but shudder.

“You okay, my love?”

Taking a slow breath in and letting it out, Max nodded.

“I just remembered what the tower floor I was stuck in for forty days felt like. It had walls like this, albeit not with about half a mile between them, and went on forever.”

“Well, you’re not alone. We’re here with you.”

He smiled and pulled out his weapon.

“Do we want to fight any or just run through?”

“Honestly?” Tanila asked.

“No… lie to me… yes, be honest.”

“I’d rather just run through if we can, and I think everyone is in the same mind. I know you want to leave soon, and we just need to check out the fifty-first floor before doing so. Why waste time if we don’t have to?”

Smiling, Max stored his weapon and retrieved the harness Tom had made him.

“I guess then it’s time to use this once more.”

Fowl chuckled as he moved closer to Max.

“I wouldn’t have imagined how happy I’d be to be strapped to your chest like a baby!” he exclaimed.

“A fat, hairy baby,” their ranger added.

“Hey, if the beard fits!”

Their laughter and jokes helped Max as he knew each of them were struggling to deal with the changes that were about to come. He could sense the fear coming from them, especially Cordellia. Her jokes came more frequently, and he knew it was her defense mechanism.

Even Fowl and Batrire seemed different, and he wasn’t sure if it was the time spent in the tower with Dexic that had brought it on or that he had returned, changed beyond anyone’s imagination.

Soon they were harnessed up, and he ran through the tower, slaying hordes of beetles the size of single-story homes with his spells as he ran. For a while Max ran at angles, picking off more creatures and earning experience for his friends, but eventually after about an hour, he returned to the straight path.

After a second hour the portal appeared, and they dismounted from their harness before stepping through it.

***

“I’m ready,” Fowl said after shaking himself a few times.

“You sure?” Max asked.

“No, but that’s why you’re going first.”

Chuckling, Max touched the portal.

[ Tower Floor 51 ]

[ Enter ]

[ Yes / No ]

Selecting yes, he felt everything change, and pain radiated through his body for a moment before finding himself standing on a yellow brick road, surrounded by a large garden of overgrown weeds, plants, and trees.

“Oh shite! Another plant level!” Cordellia exclaimed. “Tell me, though, why is there a yellow brick road?”

Shrugging, Max tapped it with his weapon.

“Seems like normal stone for a tower floor. Tell me, are we just checking out a few monsters, or are we going all the way?”

“Just a few monsters,” Tanila replied.

Smiling, Max winked at her and started to jog off.

“If I bring too many, Fowl be ready to tank!”

“Goblin shite,” their dwarven warrior cursed as he equipped two shields. “I hate when he does this.”

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