(From MC’s perspective)
The Yellow River Academy,
Battle Tower,
Seeing that everyone recovered from the small episode. My lips curved into a gentle arc. I slowly stride towards the Battle Tower.
Wizards were coming and going. So my appearance didn’t cause any waves. Unless there is a significant change in rankings. People won’t care about other things.
After passing through the crowd, I got closer to the tower. There is a huge entrance door in front of me. I see wizards are directly stepping inside. There is no verification done before entering the Tower.
So I confidently took a step forward to enter.
Creak
The door opened automatically. Then I stepped inside. Before I could realize it, I got shifted to a separate space.
“This,” I uttered.
[Wizard’s name: Vincent Carey]
[Wizard Rank: Level -2]
[Magic: Gravity]
[Hall: Sub-Taboo]
[House: Outer House]
[House Rank: 12th]
[Floor: None]
[Reminder: The Battle Tower challenge starts in 10 minutes.]
A display screen appeared all of a sudden. Seeing the row of information, my heart skips a beat. Because I didn’t even verify my I.D
So how come my information appeared out of nowhere? I turned around and took a look at the surroundings.
There is nothing but space around me. Seeing that, I couldn’t control my inner curiosity in me. The Battle Tower is a powerful magic artifact. Otherwise, it is impossible to explain this function.
Shaking my head, I retracted my thoughts. Then my gaze fell on the floor. Which I believe has to do with floor clearance.
Lara White had cleared the 80th floor in Inner House. So higher the floor clearance, the higher the rank. Finally, I got relaxed and ready to tackle the challenge.
Especially the 10 minutes allocated for a newcomer to think.
After 10 minutes, the nightmare will officially start.
10 minutes later,
[Challenge Starts!]
[Floor No.1]
A row of information appeared the next second. Seeing that, I looked ahead. The environment changed completely. Instead of space, now the environment changed into vast open plains.
Before I could get awed by it. I heard a vibration sound from the ground. I instantly realize something is rushing towards me.
After a few seconds, I see the appearance of the monster. A huge wild boar is dashing towards me. A row of information appeared on top of the boar’s head.
[Giant Wild Boar- 2nd Order Monster]
Seeing that a quick glint flashed in my eyes.
Next second, I pointed my finger at the incoming monster and said, “Gravity Field”
The next second, a tremendous force descended from above. The incoming monster didn’t have time to react; it turned into minced meat the very next second.
[Floor 1: Cleared]
[Current Floor count: 1]
[Next Challenge starts in 5 seconds!]
Seeing the next row of information. A look of understanding dawned upon me. As I guessed earlier, maximum floor clearance will get me into the top ranks.
5 seconds later,
[Challenge Starts!]
[Floor No:2]
The vast open plains didn’t change. Rather I heard more than one vibration from the ground.
Two Giant Wild Boar monsters rushed towards me in two different directions. This time it’s not blind rushing. I see some coordination.
Both monsters seem to run at the same pace. A look of bewilderment appeared on my face. I thought the 2nd floor would have a different monster. But it looks like it’s just a simple increase in numbers.
Seeing the monster getting closer to me. I raised my hand once again to cast the spell.
“Gravity Field,” I said.
Again, a tremendous force appeared as a result of the spell. When the two monsters stepped inside the gravity field. The body burst into pieces and their parts were splattered on the ground.
[Floor 2: Cleared]
[Current Floor count: 2]
[Next Challenge starts in 5 seconds!]
The feeling is getting almost real. But I know these were just phantoms of the monsters. Not the real ones.
Because I had never heard of a Boar species of that size before. It is completely new to me.
5 seconds later,
[Challenge Starts!]
[Floor No:3]
This time I’m sure the number will be three. Does it make any difference to me? The answer is No. But it’s different for wizards from other streams.
Especially for power-type wizards. They have no other choice other than to engage in melee combat against the monsters. So the situation is quite favorable to me.
Swish!
A similar scene repeated. This time three Giant Wild Boar Monsters appeared again. But I felt bored using the same spell again.
For a change, I decided to use another spell.
I pointed my fingers at incoming monsters and said, “Gravity Push”
The instant spell cast was so fast that the incoming monsters froze like a statue seconds later. 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘭．𝘦𝘵
The next second, their body was thrown away like broken kites. The monster’s body has already been crushed under the gravity force. There is no strand of vitality left.
[Floor 3: Cleared]
[Current Floor count: 3]
[Next Challenge starts in 5 seconds!]
Time passed in a blink of an eye,
I successfully cleared consecutive floors very quickly.
15 minutes later,
[Floor 9: Cleared]
[Current Floor count: 9]
[Next Challenge starts in 5 seconds!]
Finally, I’m going to reach the double number count. I have to say though, fighting against the same monsters is a little bit boring.
But the difficulty has risen after more monsters started to coordinate with each other. Thankfully, I’m a control wizard. So I was able to control the monster freely.
If I want to go all out, then the challenge will become too easy. I can use upgraded gravitational force to destroy all the monsters in my way.
But that method is not going to improve my battle awareness. I decided to stop relying on it. Before coming to the academy, I made up my mind to use the upgraded gravity power only in a desperate situation.
Other than that, I’m going to use my level-2 rank spell.
Swish!
When I was lost in thoughts, the monster’s sound got me back to reality. This time there are 10 monsters.
A small smile appeared on my face.
Unlike the last 9 times, this time the monsters didn’t take the initiative to attack me. The monsters were casually sizing me instead. To make them act like this, I wonder whether the previous battles were recorded in the monsters’ memory.
Otherwise, there is no need for them to show such caution. A curiosity piqued in my heart.
For this kind of situation, the Gravity Pull Spell seems useful. So without waiting further, I raised my hand to cast the spell again.
“Gravity Pull,” I said.
Swish!
I feel the horrible change. I became the center of attraction where the gravity power pulls down everyone to me.
“Rrroooaaarrr”
The monster let out a wild scream. But it’s late to escape now. I see four monsters immediately get closer to me.
I clenched my fist and punched one monster.
Pfff
When my fist landed on the monster’s head. The skull crushed like a watermelon. My fist easily tore through its head. The brain parts were spilled.
I dealt with the other three monsters similarly. It has been a long time since I relied on my body strength. But it’s enough to fight against 2nd order monsters.
After finishing the four monsters, I looked at the other six monsters. I decided to use a similar method to pull down other monsters.
A few minutes later,
Outside,
Nobody noticed the changes in the leaderboard ranking. Where Sub-Taboo Hall’s Outer House ranking is getting higher as time goes on.
[LEADERBOARD]
[OUTER HOUSE]
[No.9 – Mechanical Hall]
[No.10 – Sub-Taboo Hall] ^
[No. 11- Research Hall]
[No. 12 – Medical Hall]
Suddenly, the groups from the Mechanical Hall noticed the rank changes. Because they were ranked in 9th position. And the symbol next to the name shows that someone from Sub-Taboo Hall is currently challenging the tower.
The mechanical wizards started to murmur among themselves. Because the Sub-Taboo Hall is not an ordinary Hall.
Every wizard in that Hall is a notable powerhouse. So they are afraid of offending wizards from Sub-Taboo Hall.
But it doesn’t mean it stopped their curiosity. Everyone wants to know who is the newcomer making such a noise.
Everyone saw it’s the Outer House
ranking.
Apart from newcomers, no one can change the rankings of Sub-Taboo Hall.
Sub- Taboo Hall,
Several minutes ago,
The deadly Vine Wizard, Carolina Slate is working in the Hall. Apart from her, there is no one in the Hall.
She has been taking care of the office work lately. That’s why she has no other choice but to make some frequent visits to Hall.
Beep!
Carolina Slate who is operating the computer system. Suddenly, I received a message from the Battle Tower server.
At first, she didn’t take it seriously. She thought some other Hall is making some progress in ranks.
Beep!
After a few seconds, she received one more notification. Even at this time, she didn’t care to read.
But when a few more notifications came. It immediately attracted her attention. “Which Hall is making such a noise?” She muttered to herself.
When she finally noticed the name her eyes lit up with surprise.