In the middle of the wide ring stood a single door. Above it floated the number 1, indicating the level Arthur had reached. Of course, the first floor is where he would start. The tower can only be challenged individually at the beginning. After the first twenty floors, parties can be formed.
This was to ensure that even healers and other non-combat professions possess a certain strength to advance. Those with abilities unrelated to fighting would need to fend for themselves at one point, so it wasn't odd to see a healer that trained in a strengthening art.
Arthur walked toward the door and touched it, asking to be transported to the first floor. If he can clear more floors, he could choose whatever floor he had been to. That was because there were giant floors that were shared among all the participants.
His view changed and he found himself in a giant coliseum. There were metal gates in every direction that had a faint presence behind them. Arthur looked at them with a stoic expression, knowing what was about to come.
"Welcome to the first floor, Challenger." A voice talked to him from the tower. "There are ten monsters on the first floor. Each hour, a monster is released. If you defeat five, you can advance to the next floor."
"What if I defeat all of them?" Arthur asked the tower. After a short pause came an answer.
"Your name will be recorded in the ranking for the first floor."
Arthur had seen the giant slab on the tower's outer walls. It recorded every floor and the people who best cleared it. Regarding the criteria and the ranking, the tower was responsible for it. It was called the list of glory.
Getting ranked on the list was a testimony of your skill and strength. Even if your ranking was low, it would still be an honor to be listed on the first few floors. The tower also determines things other than strength.
For example, if you were an Astra-rank who challenged the first floor, it would be very unlikely to get on the ranking. After all, the first-floor ranking only lists neo-rankers and below. You can't expect to be recognized by beating low-leveled monsters.
"What determines my ranking once I defeat them all?" Arthur asked just to confirm.
"Time, skill, and strength."
Arthur nodded at those words. If the limit was to be neo-rank and below, strength was a good way to determine the outstanding ones in a given rank. After all, two neo-rankers with the same mana and stats doesn't mean both of them can wield the same amount of strength.
"Can I use any artifacts?"
"No, all artifacts will be confiscated until you leave the floor. Only artifacts obtained from the tower can be used."
"Okay, can we begin with the first monster?"
"Very well, may the odds be in your favor." The tower's voice then vanished as one of the gates rumbled.
Looking beyond the opening gate, Arthur saw two red eyes glaring at him. The light seeped to reveal the monster that was holding a giant club in his hand. It was a grey-skin ogre with dreadlocked hair. It started walking toward the coliseum where Arthur started stretching his body.
"Not being able to use any weapons is a pain, but it guarantees fairness," Arthur muttered as he studied the monster in front of him. It was taller than Arthur by a wide margin, almost being 2.2 meters tall. However, despite the hideous face and glare, Arthur wasn't intimidated.
"I'm sorry, but you either submit to me or die for my growth." Arthur's eyes were cold as his mana began to coarse in his body. "Your fortune dictated the latter."
As if understanding Arthur's words, the ogre roared and rushed forward. Its muscled body was in front of Arthur in an instant as it swung its club. With a flick of his hand, Arthur used his protection rune deflecting the blow. With another flick, Weaken rune found its target as the ogre's movement slowed.
Arthur didn't think he would need to use his legacy rune against this monster. If this was a monster that neo-rankers would have no difficulty facing, then he had no reasons to worry.
As he expected, the ogre was slow and brute to catch up to Arthur. Without wasting any time, Arthur jumped after dodging the first swing and struck the monster in the side of its head.
There was a distinctive cracking sound as the monster was flung away, head bleeding. After it stopped rolling, Arthur saw no further movements from it and the ogre's body disappeared.
"Tower, can you release the next monster?" Arthur asked as he didn't even break a sweat. After a slight pause, seeming hesitant, the tower answered.
"Very well, please be careful."
"Thank you."
The second monster was released. It was also an ogre, but a larger one than the last. Its skin was a deeper shade of grey and it had a tattoo on its arms. The monster appeared to be wiser than the previous one.
It had a beard that appeared to make him old and more human-like. As he looked at him, Arthur remembered his goblins. However, he wasn't about to show mercy. Those that are allowed to show mercy were the superior ones. Arthur saw the ogre and himself as different species trying to survive.
"Come." Arthur beckoned with his hand. The ogre lifted his giant ax and ran in Arthur's direction. This time, the monster was a lot more skilled with weapons than the last.
Arthur dodged the first attack, rushing to the monster's side and sending a punch. However, the monster unexpectedly threw himself forward and dodged as well.
Without any delay, Arthur attacked again twice. The first one broke the ogre's arm, but it didn't back down as it tried to grab Arthur's neck. Arthur didn't back away and threw another punch at the ogre's abdomen. The punch connected and Arthur felt his fist sink in before the ogre coughed some blood and fell to the ground.
It started twitching as its internal organs were destroyed. After a minute or so, the monster vanished from the ring. Its body transformed into particles of light as they scattered.
"Ho…" Arthur let go of a breath. This was the first time he had such a fight with another humanoid monster. He always used a weapon before so it was a different feeling to rob away life using his hands.
"Please send the third."
The tower didn't reply and simply opened another gate. Another ogre appeared; this time covered in tattoos from head to toe. It was taller than the other two with dreadlocked hair that reached its knees. It held a giant Warhammer as it walked forward with composed steps.
"Is it all ogres on the first floor?" Arthur tilted his head. The ogre didn't issue a sound and directly rushed at him. Unlike the other two, it was nimble and skillful. "No need to rush." Arthur looked at him unfazed as he used his skill Shadow Swap to appear behind the giant ogre. He sent a fist but the monster blocked it with his hammer resulting in a ringing metallic sound.
"You're good," Arthur said in amazement as this monster's skill in battle was beyond his strength. The monster snorted and started waving his Warhammer at Arthur.
Arthur used his agility to dodge the ogre's attack by a hair's breadth. He would have loved to sharpen his skills against this monster, but he wanted to rank higher on the first floor. After all, the higher the ranking the better the rewards.
Arthur used his amplification runes as his body moved faster and his arms struck stronger. The monster was pushed back and Arthur finished it off after weakening it using his rune.
The ogre died a warrior's death after Arthur attacked its heart in an opening using his Bladeless Slash. As it lied on the ground, Arthur nodded at it in acknowledgment of the good battle before it disappeared.
This time, Arthur decided to rest and replenish his mana for a while before facing the next monster. Even if he could handle another tattooed ogre, the next monster might be a lot stronger.
He realized that this tower had a good understanding of the neo-rankers' strength. The monsters until now could be handled by the average neo-ranker with a bit of difficulty. However, anything stronger than this would be the realm of capable and advanced neo-rankers.
Magic towers weren't places for average people, but for those who wish to change their fates. Each floor you finish rewards you with something that you need if you wanted to. The first floor would give one bronze ticket, the second floor would give two bronze tickets, and so on.
The tickets can be used to redeem an item or skill of your strength. If you wanted something stronger and more valuable, you'd need to hold on to your ticket until you gather enough of them.
These tickets were also considered the tickets to change your life. Every awakener who challenged the tower wanted it. Maybe this was the reason it was called the Tower of Yearning.