Ultimate Level 1
Chapter 488: An Offer Given

Chapter 488 - An Offer Given

Everett’s frown remained as he watched Max lean the pedestal he had taken from the last tower floor against the wall.

“You… cheated and stole?” Tom asked.

“Not technically,” Max replied as he turned and closed the dimensional space.

Tom still can't get over the fact that I have this…

Knowing the trainer always got wide-eyed after he saw it, even after being told about it and experiencing it a few times, Max couldn’t help but grin at the man's reaction.

“I can’t say more because it won’t let us but know that…” his throat guided him on what he could and couldn’t say, failing to work when he went down the wrong path. “You’ll have to figure out how to handle each floor yourself.”

“So that item inside your storage… how strong is it?” Everett asked.

Motioning to a stone crafting table, Max began laying out supplies on it.

The dragon's tooth, Ockrim’s token, fire-forged bars, power cores and other crafting materials were neatly organized on the table.

“What is that one?” Tom asked, pointing to a new drop from the previous ten floors.

“A magical conducting metal,” Max replied. “Now then, forget all that and let me explain.”

“Forget all that,” the trainer muttered. “A kingdom worth of materials…”

Patting the tooth that Wekime had given him, Max smiled.

“I’m getting close. You both know how long I’ve been waiting to try and craft this, and I think I'll be ready to start with one or two more items.”

“But you’re not sure what items,” Everett said as he bent over and inspected the new things Max had put on the table.

“Correct.”

He pulled out a piece of paper and unrolled it, earning a whistle from both men as they looked at it.

“What is that?” Tom asked. “I… I can sense something magical about it.”

“I wish it were a gift, but I paid a hefty price for it,” he replied. “A dwarf from another world let me buy it off her, but it will help with the forging of the weapon I plan on making from this thing.”

“A… sword? No, a spear?”

Max smiled at Everett, who was looking over the design, shaking his head.

“Part of me isn’t sure if I can create something like what I’m using right now. If it’s not able to morph, I’d rather be prepared and that is where these bands come in.”

He tapped on the sketch where two fire-forged bands were around the tooth.

“You can take it apart? Why would you do that?” Tom asked.

“Sometimes you need a little extra reach, and sometimes you need to be able to be in close. This will give me the best of both worlds,” he informed them. “And with the ability to swap out almost instantly, it’s not that big of a deal in some ways. Or at least I hope it won’t be.”

Grunting, Tom stood up and pointed at the door.

“You two have fun here. My head is about to explode, and I must check in on Fowl and Batrire. Both of them were excited about getting to upgrade their skills.”

“It’s about time they go to. With all those–”

“I know, I know, but remember, we can’t just feed tons of crystals at once. Now that I know you’re here and not going anywhere, we can continue to build up a surplus and limit who has access. Besides, you and I both know they’re excited to get a skill upgraded to legendary.”

Max nodded and rolled up the paper.

“Tell them I said not to be late tomorrow morning. We got an early day.”

Tom waved as he left the crafting room and shut the door.

Everett stood there, watching him as he put the materials back into storage.

“You're going to leave that thing in the corner?”

Max nodded, flashing the best smile he had.

“I can put it in my dimensional space, but I doubt you have anyone coming in here who will try and take or move that. Besides, isn’t this room off-limits to almost everyone but my team?”

“It is… still, I hate to see the place junked up like this,” Everett replied. “It’s bad enough I had to pay for a new dimensional vault to help store all the other stuff you have given us.”

“Shame we don’t have an armor smith who can do the level we want for those scales.”

“That is why I reached out to Dagon. He says he is willing to trade services for materials. Just like you told me he would.”

“Dwarves and dragons… they’ll sell their beard—almost—for a few scales,” Max replied. “For now, we’ll focus on the tower. Tell Dexic to be ready the next time I’m back. I’ll help her with that party you have.”

Everett’s face scrunched up before returning to its normal, relaxed look. “I can’t believe you’ll power-level a group for us. I mean, I am grateful, but still… the fact that you’re going to take a day or two off means more than you know.”

Leaning against the stone table, Max crossed his arms and locked eyes with his Faction leader. “I’ll be honest that even though most consider it bad form, you and I both know that they will be stronger because of the loot and experience they get. You’ll also have to ensure they do understand I expect them to stay at the floor's entrance. Part of this is selfish as you know.”

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“Selfish… son, part of me doesn’t care if you took all the gems for yourself and the team,” Everett replied with a chuckle. “You realize that them getting to kill the 45th and 49th-floor boss will be a game changer. They can go back and farm them with Dexic. Besides, she says you’ve got a promise to keep with her?”

Clearing his throat, Max grinned.

“I might have promised to help her on the tower floors above 50. I can’t take her to the 60th but I’m fairly certain I can get her through the 59th in no time.”

The older man shook his head slowly.

“You really are different, Max. I’ve said it many times, but…” Everett held out his hand and waited.

Without waiting, he shook hands, smiling as Everett continued.

“We owe you more than I can ever repay. Thank you again, Max.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just keep feeding those crystals to the Faction shard. Our team is going to use the skill points we have been saving. Perks of being level 75 and all.”

“And not even on the seventy-fifth floor,” Everett muttered. “Keep this up and I’m certain–”

Max watched as his Faction leader's eyes started to widen.

“Yes?”

“Son… the stat milestone… surely…”

“Are you asking me how big mine is? I thought that was against the rules.”

Waving a hand, Everett winced.

“Forgive me, Max. I… for a moment–”

“In all five. I have them in all five stats.”

***

Max couldn’t help but grin as Tanila frowned.

“You didn’t really do that did you? I mean… I can tell that you did by that stupid smile on your face, but why tell him about all five?”

He couldn’t help but smile, feeling the muscles in his cheeks holding that position for so long.

“Because Everett needs to know the bonuses a human gets for reaching 250 in each stat,” Max replied. “Also I wasn’t expecting him to pass out. Tom… sure, but Everet?”

Rolling her eyes, Tanila drummed her finger on the book's cover resting on her lap.

He saw her wince slightly and sensed the movement in her belly.

“They’re kicking?”

Nodding, she used her other hand to rub the growing bump slowly. “Every day now and often multiple times per day. Sometimes… I think they can sense you. When you come into the room and talk after not being there, they immediately shift and turn. Makes me almost jealous that they don’t do that for me.”

“What? Kick whenever you enter a room?”

He caught the book she threw at him, glancing at the spine before storing it.

“You should really get some rest,” Max said as he patted the spot on the bed next to him. “Tomorrow’s another day in the tower, and I don’t need you complaining like Fowl.”

Tanila summoned another book and threw it at him, groaning as he caught it just as easily as the first.

“Sometimes you don’t act like someone with more intelligence than any man recorded in all of history,” she stated as she stood.

“That’s because I’m smart enough to hide how vastly different I am from the rest. Besides, I’m hoping tomorrow is a fight where Fowl and Batrire can show off their new legendary skills.”

Climbing into the bed, she snuggled up against him, and he felt her smile as he stroked her golden hair.

“Thank you, by the way,” Tanila whispered.

“For what?”

“For what you did with Cordellia… opening up like that to her. I know it meant a lot.”

Squeezing her a little tighter, Max sighed. “She’s family, and I don’t want her to forget that. We’ve both tried to conquer our demons and nightmares alone, and we both know how impossible that was. Even worse, what she endured… was beyond our worst nightmares.”

Minutes passed as they lay there, Tanila’s breathing slowing down, and Max reached out, trying to pull on the thread he knew was connected to Bob, nothing seeming to respond no matter what he did.

A knock on the door made him open his eyes, and Tanila sat up.

“Come in,” he said.

Slowly, the door opened, and Cordellia stood in the doorway, her cheeks wet, and brown hair scattered everywhere as she wore a robe.

“I…”

“Come in and get right here,” Tanila said immediately, patting the part of the bed next to her.

Max saw hope in her features, and a bit of fear vanished as her wet eyes focused on the spot Tanila had just patted. Without waiting, their archer moved to Tanila's side and stood there momentarily.

“Just get in, you’re fine.”

As soon as their mage had spoken, Cordellia lifted the light cover and slid in next to Tanila who had sat up against the headboard.

“Thank you,” she whispered, laying her head against Tanila’s chest.

“We didn’t say what we said just to talk,” Max whispered as he reached over and slowly rubbed Cordellia’s head a few times. “If you need us, we’re here.”

Sniffing again, their ranger nodded and closed her eyes, her breathing becoming more regular as she lay there.

Tanila looked at him and mouthed the words thank you , and he just smiled.

In bed with two elven women… if only…

His thought sent a sharp pain through his chest as his wandering mind thought of Caleb. That thought had been a running joke between him and his childhood friend. Caleb had always talked about how he would experience such a thing one day.

Inside him a fountain of lava began to boil, and it took Max a few seconds to force it away.

Glancing down at the two women next to him, he couldn’t help but frown, knowing there was something here that most would never understand and that his friend of so long was missing out on this. Even worse… perhaps Stacy and Callie were missing out on this.

Bob… Forgive me for whatever happened to you. I… I know you’re in whatever position you are because of what I asked you to do for Rakonath…

Glancing at the open door, Max slowly and carefully used his Wind Mastery to shut it, glad to see that neither woman stirred as he did so.

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