Ultimate Level 1
Chapter 482: New Floors

Max watched as the rest of his party stood beside him, everyone doing their best not to focus on Cordellia, who was holding Tanila’s hand, ignoring the comedy taking place around them.

“You understand that I’m technically supposed to ask you to refrain from entering the tower, sir?”

Nodding, he glanced at the pair of guards who had not approached any of them when they got out of the carriage.

Every other party present had moved to the side.

“I do. And you know that we’re still going to enter the tower.”

A snort came from a dwarf in another party behind them.

“Just doing my job, sir. Please understand I mean no disrespect.”

Max smiled, watching as the younger man winced a little after he did so.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less. Besides, I already sent a letter to your captain. She knows where to find me.”

With that, Max touched the portal and selected the 70th floor.

He first noticed a crystal circle surrounding them about twenty yards away. They were in an enclosed dome, and beyond it lay a hallway made of green, worked stone which appeared to lead into a dungeon-looking area.

“Well, that’s not what I expected,” Fowl said. “I guess I should say I hoped for some large open space.”

“Why?”

Their warrior looked at him and shrugged.

“Easier to get through. These underground ones have been difficult lately.”

“They’ve all been difficult,” Batrire said as everyone came to stand near the circle's edge. “Did you see if there are rewards yet?”

Shaking his head, Max motioned at the two elves.

“I wanted to wait for everyone.”

Bending down, he touched the crystal and felt its power run through him.

[ Tower Floor 70 Reached ]

[ Completion of Tower Floor 69 Achieved ]

[ Full Level of Tower Experience Granted ]

[ Calculating Results of Previous Floors ]

[ … ]

[ … ]

[ Results Totaled ]

[ Full Level Experience Granted & Skill Gem x3 ]

[ Error - Experience denied ]

[ No Replacement given for lost experience ]

[ Determining Skill Gem based on current skills ]

[ … ]

[ … ]

[ Current Skills are varied. Special Gem Given ]

[ Skill Gem Granted - Epic Rank - Random Skill Granted upon use ]

[ Skill Gem Granted - Epic Rank - Random Skill Granted upon use ]

[ Skill Gem Granted - Epic Rank - Random Skill Granted upon use ]

[ Crafting Item - Legendary Ore ]

[ Crafting Item - Legendary Ore ]

[ Crafting Item - Legendary Bone ]

[ Potion - Elixir of Stats x3 ]

A murmur from the others came as the items spilled out onto the stone floor.

“That’s a lot of items,” Fowl said. “I guess we shouldn’t complain at all.”

Nodding, Max quickly stored the crafting items, his skill telling him that both of the ores had some uses for armor and weapons, while the bone was not usable at all by him.

Glancing at the skill shards in his hand, Max considered their potential use now that Bob was locked.

I’d never have considered even using these, especially with my sister and her needs… but now…

“What’s on your mind?” Tanila asked as she collected the items awarded to her.

“Just wondering what using one of these might be like. I mean the skill could be anything and with Bob being how he is… I’m wondering if I should keep saving them for Stacy or use one myself.”

“Do you think it would be anything worthwhile?”

He shrugged and saw their mage studying him.

“Well if the gods loved me–”

“Which we know some do,” Fowl quickly stated.

Clearing his throat, Max frowned at his friend but otherwise ignored him. “If they love me, could I get a skill worth using? I mean, the odds of that are likely slim, but part of me wants to try. The other part of me knows how valuable they are for my sister.”

The sound of a moan came as Cordellia crushed one between her fists.

Green magic ran up her arm, and she smiled at them.

She doesn’t look half bad in that outfit even though it’s a mismatch of so many things.

Stolen story; please report.

Max knew their archer was frustrated at the loss of her gear. If the elven King ever managed to unbind the items inside it, they would have a major upgrade to anyone who got their hands on the gear the tower had given them.

Storing the shards for now, he stood up holding the three elixirs in his hands and moved to where Cordellia was.

“Take these.”

Both of her eyes narrowed and she frowned.

“I’m not looking for handouts.”

“And I’m not offering one,” Max replied, extending his hands again. “You lost a lot of stats with your gear being taken. If you’ve learned anything about how I operate, I give my stuff to the weakest party member to help shore up those spots. Since Fowl’s not in last place anymore, you need these. Now stop looking like you sucked on a lemon and take these.”

He watched as Cordellia started to say something and then stopped.

A few seconds passed, and she glanced past him at the others watching.

“You’re serious. Just like that? Three elixirs even when you know what they could do for your sister?”

“Need I remind you that you’re family?” His words caused her to swallow and a grunt to escape as if someone had almost punched her.

“No… I just–”

“Then take it. Family helps each other, and you know it. I’m not here to baby you or carry you. We both know that isn’t what you want, but our options are limited.”

With a sigh, their archer gave a small nod and took the three elixirs from him.

“Thank you. I mean it.”

Her brown eyes held his gaze, and he smiled, gently patting her arm.

After she had given up her reservations at not taking them, the other three had all moved forward, each holding out a single elixir.

“You three are going to make me cry,” Cordellia stated. “Still… thank you to all of you.”

“Don’t thank me,” Fowl replied, handing her one. “I just don’t want to start winning when it comes to killing things.”

She snorted and shook her head.

“You’re amazing,” Tanila whispered as she waited her turn.

“I know,” Max replied, wanting to laugh as she rolled her eyes.

Everyone started drinking their elixirs and using their skill shards, and Max couldn’t help but smile when Fowl started doing a little dance, having acquired a fourth melee weapon skill and the famed Weapon Mastery ability.

“Perhaps now we can give you a good sword,” he stated as they prepared to head deeper into the tower floor.”

“I won’t say no,” their warrior replied. “Part of me can’t wait to bash something.”

***

A groan came from Fowl as the portal appeared in the middle of the room they were all in.

“Finally! No more puzzles,” the dwarf exclaimed. “My head is still hurting!”

Max said nothing as his friend moved toward the portal just a dozen yards away.

“He isn’t wrong,” Tanila said. “This last one was brutal.”

Nodding, he studied the four massive statues of wizards in their large circular room. Slowly, the runes along their base faded, and the truth was none of the puzzles they had faced in the last two days had been easy.

“Who would have imagined each of those statutes needed sound to react?” Max said. “And then there was the stupid pattern recognition and having to move as one.”

“You all should have given Fowl a potion after he tripped and stepped on the wrong one, resetting everything,” Cordellia called out from her side of the room.

Smiling, Max laughed, and they all made their way to the blue portal, ready for whatever came next.

“You got to be crapping me,” Fowl said as he pointed at the giant beanstalk that wound upward into the cloud.

“Is that… a beanstalk?” Batrire asked.

“Max… do you think you could fly up there and see?”

He could sense all of them starting to look at him, but his eyes weren’t focused on the obvious part of this tower floor.

All around were farms, and he could see houses and what looked like people working from far away.

Other than the portal behind them, they appeared to be in the countryside of some kingdom. Green grass, trees, crops that looked ready to harvest, and animals were all in his line of sight.

“I see it as well,” Cordellia said, following his gaze. “Someone or something is out there, and we’re in the middle of a giant valley.”

He knew she was right, though valley was maybe not the right term. Massive mountains rose up on both sides, and there were easily twenty miles or more between them. A river cut through the lush landscape, and far off in the direction they had been facing upon appearing here was what looked like a larger city.

“So… what’s the plan?” Fowl asked. “We staying or taking a break?”

“We’ve talked about this,” Max replied. “The point of everything was to come into the tower and get stronger. Even though I know you all have a full level of experience, beyond that, we have nothing to show for the last two days.”

“Well, we did get 1% to all stats and .5% for our dragon and demon blessings,” Batrire said.

Smacking his lips, Max nodded.

“Still… something about this seems off. I mean, after an entire tower floor dedicated to puzzles, part of me knows we’re supposed to look at that beanstalk and ask what’s up with that. The other part of me feels it’s too obvious and perhaps not what we think it is.”

“So we what? Ignore the giant green thing growing up from the ground and vanishing into the clouds and check out the city below?” Fowl asked.

“Maybe?” Max replied. “Either way we’ll need to–”

His words were cut off as the blue sky filled with soft clouds and a gentle breeze immediately began to change. As if someone had cast a spell, the clouds began to streak across the sky, turning dark, and a fierce wind blew from every direction.

“What in the–”

Fowl stopped talking as a peal of thunder rang out and echoed around the valley.

Large raindrops began to fall from the sky, a torrential downpour starting immediately as the sky grew dark.

Rivets of water began to flow around their feet, moving down from the small elevated place where they stood. Only then did Max notice how many of the paths where the water was flowing were already formed.

Without waiting, he summoned an Air wall above them and a Stone wall behind him.

“Thanks!” Batrire shouted as she donned a cloak and hood, pulling it over her hair. “So now what?”

He glanced at Tanila and saw her chewing on her lip, her gold eyes scanning the storm that was building around them.

“Something's wrong… I can feel it,” she said after a few moments. “It’s definitely a magic thing. Look, all that storm is centered around the beanstalk.”

Everyone looked where she was pointing and saw that the clouds had gathered around that spot and circled it like vultures over a dead carcass.

“My mind is fried,” Fowl muttered. “You just tell me what you all want to do. If we head to the city, can I be lazy and ask to ride inside your storage space? I’d prefer not to get soaked if I don’t have to.”

“So, what, only I’m supposed to get wet?” Max asked as he began to open his dimensional space.

“Please,” their warrior teased. “We all know you can control water and out of all of us, this storm will impact you the least. Besides unless you want to play ‘ chase the dwarf ’ as we slide down a hill or something in this weather, it’s better for you to have us tucked away somewhere nice and dry.”

Rolling his eyes, Max motioned to the open doorway.

“Get inside, I’ll head toward that city.”

Tanila held back as the other three went in, stroking his cheek with her thumb.

“You’re not going to explore the beanstalk first?”

Grinning leaned toward her and kissed her.

“You know me too well, don’t you?”

‎