4 The Tower (3)
「 You have arrived at Floor 2. 」
「 You have obtained 5 bonus stats. 」
Exiting the portal after leaving the waiting room, a scenery similar to Floor 1 appears in front of Cyruz, Jin and Raven.
In the Tower of Trials, there's no leveling that happens on video games despite providing a system for the players. Instead, when you cleared the floor trial and arrived at a new floor, you were given 5 bonus stats. With it, you could raise your strength, agility, stamina, and intelligence depending on the choice of the player.
「 Second floor trial: Slay 100 goblins to clear the floor! 」
With the appearance of the system, goblins, monsters just like in the first floor spawns all around the place.
「 'Raven' is panicking ! All attributes decrease by 10%. 」
「 'Jin' feels uneasy! All attributes decrease by 5%. 」
In instant, hundreds of goblins were in their view. Being surrounded by more than hundreds of monsters that could end their life, Jin and Raven shivered. The sight was too much for someone whose too used in the peaceful era.
"It's fine. A goblin is weak...I can do it!"
Cyruz heard Raven mumbling to himself while sweating too much. The young man was trying to encourage himself that the goblins were weaker than him. They were just plenty in numbers and nothing else.
Cyruz didn't say anything that will break his spirit. Although he knew that the goblins in their vision weren't going to be easily handled like the ones in the Floor 1 which were meant to be killed in one simple blow from the amateur players. In the Tower of Trials, monsters possess a certain characteristic.
Monsters will be 50% stronger than the monster in the lower floor. For example, the goblins on the second floor will be 50% stronger than the goblins in the first floor.
[Goblin]
Strength: 2 Stamina: 2
Agility: 2 Intelligence: 1
Although 50% boost in monsters' strength in the lower floors weren't much, it became a nightmare for higher floors. Many players who overlook this fact have met their demise as they were unable to adapt with sudden rise of the monster's power.
Cyruz used to be one of them but with good fortune, he was able to avoid his death at that time. Also, no matter how good the awakened innate skill is, humans who only have 1 point in all stats from the start are existences that are fundamentally weaker than monsters.
In the 2nd floor's trial, a player must kill 100 goblins to ascend to the next floor. The thing in this floor is that the number of goblins will increase in proportion to the number of players.
Since the party of Cyruz had three members, 300 goblins were summoned for them and they had to kill 100 goblins each. What made things worse was that, the entire 2nd floor wasn't exclusive for their party.
Other players also appeared in this floor after exiting the portal from the waiting. In other words, the more players participate in the trial, the more goblins will spawn making the trial even more harder to clear.
「 Trial Start! 」
Hyper Cell began functioning. His heart began to beat faster, his blood rushed through his body. Without hesitation, Cyruz leaped into the air, using all of his weight to kick the goblin in front of the ground.
Once fallen to the ground, the goblin attempted to rise again only to be greeted by a sword that was deeply buried in its head.
6!
With a critical strike, a red-colored number pops up above the head of the goblin who is the victim of the strike of Cyruz.
「 'Sword Mastery (Beginner)' skill proficiency has increased. 2% 」
Cyruz ignored the message and the goblin that was about to die as he called out to his teammates instead.
"I'll attract their attention. If guys found a chance, don't hesitate to attack."
Cyruz said but he didn't stop moving. Hearing his voice, Jin and Raven snapped out from their primal fear and also began to move just like what they had practiced a little just before they entered the trial.
Their initial plan was to let Cyruz take the roll of the tank. At first, Jin and Raven were hesitant to let him directly face the danger but Cyruz himself is confident. His major stats alone are much better than the goblins'.
With the rewards he received from Floor 1, his speed surpassed the agility of the goblins. With nimble movements, none of the goblins were able to catch him at all.
However, for him this wasn't something to be impressed with. What amazed Cyruz was that, none of the goblins has noticed the presence of Raven. It wasn't that they were ignoring him, it was just that they couldn't find him because it was like he had no presence at all.
The Raven he knows before he regressed has shared his past by telling Cyrus that he was a typical loner in the modern world. Someone who doesn't know how to communicate with other people. He was aware that he was a bit pessimistic and apathetic.
Even if he attends school, no one could ever notice him. However, he doesn't dislike that he has no presence which causes him to be overlooked by almost everyone. It would be more accurate to state that he grown used to it.
Internet, reading books, school, and repeat. There wasn't anything else to his life other than that usual routine.
He never went anywhere.
He never did anything crazy.
He never did anything idiotic.
He never broke the law.
"Be brave," Raven repeated to himself as he rushed towards the goblin that didn't notice him with a dagger gripped with his both hands.
"Allocate my stats by 3 in agility, and 2 in stamina."
Raven was familiar with how games work and immediately allocated the bonus stats he received for reaching the second floor.
As he said this, his body became full of vigor, power coursed through his veins. Using the dagger, he stabbed the goblin's chest which was vigorously bleeding by the attacks of Cyruz.
"Bring it on!"
Raven yelled. He understands that he has to adapt so quickly to the new world and its rules. And to be completely honest, he found that these rules were into his liking much more than the rules of his previous society. Before, he was bored to the extreme but now, he felt something that he never experienced before.
「 You are the 1st player in Floor 2 to kill a goblin. You have obtained 1 bonus stat. 」
In games, goblins were nothing more than corpses and free loot. The beginning of his killing spree. He then stabs all the goblins' heads mercilessly, stomped, kicked, punched, stabbed all the while dodging blood and injuries.
'Not bad.'
Cyruz thought to himself. He was satisfied with the performance of the two soon to be rankers. Although they were still clumsy, it was more than enough to finish the goblins that Cyruz severely injured.
「 'Sword Mastery (Beginner)' skill proficiency has increased. 10% 」
Cyruz's movements became more sophisticated as his skill proficiency increases. It was the same for Jin who originally possesses the SSS rank, Sword God's Incarnation.
'If you can't adapt, you'll be left behind. That's the only law in this world.'
Jin grimly thought. Players start with basic stats of 1. Strength 1, Intelligence 1, Stamina 1, Agility 1.
Whether it's a well-fed middle-aged woman or a grandfather who works today and tomorrow, their physical abilities would be the same. But the results are different.
First, mentality.
Players who easily fall into fear or panic will not survive in the tower. The ability to remain calm in any situation and find a way to victory is what you need.
Second, skills.
Some players are destined to be good at using swords, while others are good at using spears. Each player has a different talent for weapon skills.
"This world is different from Earth."
Jin deeply imprinted in his mind. To survive in the harsh environment of the Tower of Trials, he had to adapt. Just then, something popped out or dropped from the goblin he just beheaded.
Unconsciously, he caught it and soon discovered that it's a skill book. Something that's quite common in games and fantasy novels.
[Fatal Strike]
Rank: E
[A basic sword skill for a novice swordsman. Deals additional 10% damage to the target.
Mana Consumption: 5
Skill Cooldown Time: 120 Seconds.]
"Hey! The system says that a skill book for a novice swordsman has dropped!"
Jin yelled. He has no intention to be greedy with this and keep to himself.
"I don't need it!"
Without delay, Cyruz immediately replied back. There's no hesitation in his voice as he keeps slashing down the goblins around him. Hearing him, Jin thought that Cyruz seemed to be holding back. Jin had no idea why he was doing it, but it did feel as if he was.
"I'll pass too...I~I intended to take the...assassin path."
Raven meekly replied but his voice is still loud enough for Jin to hear. Hearing that no one wanted the book, Jin chose trying on learning it. As they were still surrounded by hundreds of goblins, he concluded that it would be better for the team to use the skill immediately.
"How should I earn the skill?"
Things were becoming urgent as their stamina was rapidly declining. Jin was overwhelmed by a sense of dilemma as he didn't know how to learn the skill.
"Cleaving Strike!"
Jin suddenly turned his direction towards the source of the voice. It was Cyruz who was now surrounded by exactly one hundred goblins.
'Did he also lose his mind?'
Jin thought wondering why he was acting like a chuunibyou. ( A japanese colloquial term typically used to describe early teens who have grandiose delusions, who desperately want to stand out, and who have convinced themselves that they have hidden knowledge or secret powers. It translates to "second-year syndrome".)
As Jin was feeling sympathy for Cyruz because of the danger they are facing where they could lose their lives, waves of energy shot in every direction from the sword of Cyruz.
"Kiyaaaaak!"
The goblins were all hit simultaneously and screamed in pain.
「 Congratulations! You have created a new skill. 」
Jin was speechless while Cyruz simply smiled.
[Cleaving Strike]
Rank: B
[Fires a wave of energy blades that inflicts 200% attack power to all enemies in a 10 meter radius. This skill will ignore 50% of the target's armor.
Mana Consumption: 100
Skill Cooldown Time: 5 minutes.]
As he has no attack skills yet, Cyruz just tried replicating a sword skill that he was very familiar before his regression. His brain was very familiar with the skill so replicating it wasn't that hard for him.
「 You are the first rookie to create a skill. 」
「 All major stats will increase by 2. 」
「 'Sword Mastery (Beginner)' skill proficiency has increased. 30% 」
As Cyruz successfully created a skill from his memory and experience, all one hundred goblins died.
「 Congratulations! You are the first rookie to kill 100 goblins on the first attempt! 」
「 All major stats permanently increase by 1. 」
Cyruz didn't paid attention to the notification. He didn't stop moving and continued to assist his party members too.
「 You have flawlessly cleared the second trial. 」
「 You will be ranked according to your achievement. 」
「 You are ranked first. 」
「 You have gained 1000 points. 」
「 All major stats have been increased by 1 point. 」
[Status Window]
「 Name: Cyruz
Class: None
Titles: None
Health: 240 / 240
Mana: 30 / 30
Strength: 15 Stamina: 15
Agility: 15 Intelligence: 15
—–—–—–—
Good Luck: 1
—–—–—–—
Passive Skills: Sword God's Incarnation (SSS), Hyper Cell (A)
—–—–—–—
Active Skills: Skill Collector (SSS), Cleaving Strike (B) 」
Looking at the changes in his status window, Cyruz revealed a satisfied smile. In the tower, achieving first achievements will lead to pleasant rewards.
If his status window would be compared to other players that were taking the trial which only had 1 in their stats along with the 5 bonus stats of reaching Floor 2, the difference was truly massive. Of course, stats weren't everything but must also include their skills.
