When the rune under its chin lit up, it pierced forward. Strangely, the rune covered its body, turning it into a two-pronged spear.
Jason could only see a blur as the snake collided with his shield. The force behind the impact sent him staggering backward, and he only stopped after taking three steps.
Sensing something, he moved his shield to the left. The snake, now a whip, smacked the shield and sent Jason rolling across the ground. By the time he recovered, the snake was already at his side. Still, it was as though his shield had a mind of its own. No matter what happened to Jason’s body, his shield arm was always facing the snake.
Like this, Jason successfully defended against every attack levied against him. Unfortunately, the snake was so fast he could only stay passive. He wasn’t able to make use of his battle skills and could only be smacked around like a ball in a pinball machine.
After several minutes, the snake once again transformed into a spear. It was a simple and powerful thrust, but that made it easy to predict. Just before the snake made contact with Jason, Shenlong appeared between them, his arm outstretched. The snake’s mouth was open as Shenlong’s spear went deeper and deeper into its body.
In that split moment, before the snake devoured Shenlong’s arm, he activated one of his maxed-out skills. Mana extended Shenlong’s spear by thirty feet, skewering the snake from inside out. The snake dangled in place as warm blood poured out of its mouth. With a swipe of his spear, he tossed the thousand-pound monster aside.
Although such an attack would instantly kill a normal creature, after the tower’s change, the snake was exceptionally tough. It mustered its strength in preparation for another attack, only to shriek in pain.
Olivia appeared over the hole left by Shenlong. Her two daggers sank into its flesh as she dragged down, tearing a line across its lower body. Only then did the snake still.
Its massive body dissipated, leaving behind a small semi-gaseous orb.
(Tier 3) Essence
Worth 10,000 essence.
Infuse with a concept to create a rune.
“It’s tier 3!” Olivia announced as she picked up the item. A tier 3 essence was much more valuable than tier 1, and any monster that could drop it was far stronger than a top-tier ascender. If not for Shenlong fatally wounding the snake in one move, the fight wouldn’t have ended so quickly.
Suddenly, Kresh’s roar shook the air, “Demon!”
Everyone looked over and froze. Kresh’s runes activated, transforming him into a war god. His muscles doubled, then tripled in size. A suit of black armor covered his body while a giant ax appeared in each of his hands. In this state, he was over forty feet tall.
Roy panicked as he screamed, “Wait, we aren’t demons!”
Kresh paused, the bloodlust in his eyes diminishing. He hesitated. Seeing this, Roy pointed at his body and continued, “Look! I don’t have a tail or black skin, see?”
Kresh lowered his axes, now unsure what to think. “Not demon?”
Roy hastily nodded with a forced smile. “We are humans. Demons are our enemies!”
The word ‘enemies’ was like a magic word. Kresh deactivated his runes, returning to his smaller form. His simple mind was easy to convince.
With a collective sigh of relief, the battles against the demonic monsters continued until all six died. In each, Jason tested the waters by fighting solo while his companions evaluated the monster’s strengths and weaknesses. Their harvest was four tier 2 and two tier 3 essences.
Chapter 32
Next to the cave, Kresh was on the verge of falling asleep while Jason and the others fought. He was bored out of his mind and had nothing to do. Only his gratitude to Roy made him stay.
His mind wandered as he watched the humans fight. He wondered if they tasted good but quickly discarded the thought. They were skinny. Not appetizing at all. Their bones would make a decent toothpick, but that was all.
As time passed, Kresh was awed whenever Roy healed his fellow humans, the wounds disappearing as if they were never there. To Kresh, it was a miracle. This floor, his entire world, was unforgiving. A rune with healing properties was extremely rare. The shaman of his tribe had one such rune, but even it could not cure everything.
When the last demon died, Kresh stood up and walked over. He heard Amara ask. “We have enough essence to create a skill now, yeah? We should test it out.”
Olivia held an essence in her hand and poked it. She felt resistance the deeper her finger went. Hearing Amara, she agreed. “Who first?”
“Dice time,” Roy answered as he pulled out a small die, followed by everyone else.
A short moment later, Amara pulled at her hair. “Ugh! I rolled a 99 and still lost?”
Shenlong held a faint smile as he gathered all the essences together. At this time, Kresh arrived, his shadow covering the whole group. “Rune. Keep simple. Simple better.”
Shenlong nodded as he fell into thought and evaluated his strengths and weaknesses. He had many skills, so he had no significant shortcomings. Still, there were a few skills he wished to have. Sending his intent into the essence, a notification only he could see popped up.
Would you like to spend 20,000 essence to create this rune?
Flash Step - Tier 1 Rune
In a single step, traverse up to thirty feet.
30 second cooldown.
Passively adds +1% agility.
Shenlong was satisfied. Flash step was short-range teleportation. Like all runes, it had no resource cost. Runes couldn’t be trained, but you could upgrade them by consuming more essence.
After confirming, both essences flew at Shenlong. Lines grew across his skin, forming a rune in the shape of a boot. It felt strangely familiar. Like a muscle he had forgotten about but suddenly regained control of.
Shenlong took a step forward, and in a flash, he was thirty feet away from his initial position. He turned and walked back to his companions, then shared the information of the rune.
“Not bad,” Dubaku mumbled to himself.
“It costs five times as much to upgrade. Doesn’t seem like that much,” Amara remarked thoughtfully. They’d only just arrived and already gained enough essence to create a rune. Based on their growth rate, it seemed like they’d be rolling in essence in no time.
“Hmph,” Kresh snorted from above. “Now small. Later big.”
Jason had more knowledge regarding runes than his companions, but only by a little. Essence was limited back then, and tier 4 was the highest-level rune he had. Based on Kresh’s comment, he appeared to know a lot about runes, so Jason asked a question he’d long been curious about. “Kresh, how many tiers are there?”
Kresh blinked. He raised his hands and counted on his fingers. After a long moment, he said uncertainly. “Fifty?”
Jason sighed. How much was fifty in Kresh’s mind? It seemed like any number he said was random. Roy held back a laugh as he said, “Kresh, thanks for your help.”
Kresh snorted as a tinge of red covered his cheeks. “Simple matter. Is nothing.”
Carly giggled at the weirdly cute and fearsome image. She wondered aloud. “Do you live somewhere?”
“Hmph.” Kresh nodded as he pointed in a direction. “Tribe. Top mountain. Rock lots.”
Roy opened his mouth and was about to say the location of their base, but Olivia kicked his leg with a look of disapproval.
Kresh smacked his lips as he glanced down at Roy. “Human Roy. You heal good. Can remove curse?”
“A curse?” Roy was uncertain. What was a curse? He looked to his companions for help, but they all shrugged. In the end, he could only use one of his monthly quotas to ask his patron god. Piety, do you know what a curse is? Can I heal it?
A soothing feminine voice responded in his mind, There are many curses. The curse, in this case, prevents a wound from healing. Your purify skill can remove them depending on the grade of the curse.
Roy grinned and said gratefully, Sweet, thanks!
Mmm.
Kresh’s body shook. He didn’t have any hopes when he asked. In his opinion, Roy was so frail and weak, how could he remove the curse which his tribe’s shaman could not? Kresh’s eyes turned bloodshot as he let out a tremendous roar. Lowering his head to the ground, he begged. “Human Roy. Tribe Elder cursed. Please help!”
Roy looked to Shenlong, who gave a nod. Roy grew solemn as he clasped Kresh’s shoulder. “Of course, I’ll help. If I can’t remove the curse now, I’ll just grow stronger and remove it then!”
Kresh stood up, his face covered in tears and snot. “Follow. Tribe close!”
Jason and the others tried their best to keep up with the minotaur’s speed. As they ran, they passed by countless monsters, all of whom Kresh wounded in a single ax swing. He left them alive out of consideration for the pitiful humans.
As a result of a series of coincidences, it was the first time a monster was power leveling ascenders.
Chapter 33
You have gained 3 Endurance because of your actions!
Jason’s clothes were soaked in sweat as he gasped for breath. Collapsed on the ground next to him were the ones with the worst stamina: Roy, Carly, and Amara. Even with their stats, this was the result after running at full speed for three hours.
Jason couldn’t help but curse Kresh in his mind. How was this a short distance? It felt like they’d crossed the entire floor! Alas, this was a difference in their physiques. Kresh had a much larger stride than humans, so his jogging speed was Jason’s sprinting speed, not to mention the stat difference.
Amara cast a spell with the snap of her fingers. A small cloud appeared above their heads, the drizzle cooling their bodies. Roy groaned in satisfaction. “That’s nice.”
The group drank several bottles of water, and under the relaxing rain, they quickly recovered their stamina. Kresh eyed the cloud with curiosity before stating, “We here.”
Jason followed Kresh’s finger and found a small mountain in front of them. Unlike the rest of the death-filled floor, the mountain was full of life. Foliage and trees covered the slopes, while a lake rested at the base. There were flat areas on the mountain, on which were various buildings. Stunningly, a mana barrier encompassed the entire mountain.
“Huh? Isn’t that…?” Roy looked questioningly at Jason, who shrugged.
Jason was as baffled as the rest. Who were the ascenders here? Not only was there a tribe of neutral monsters, they even had access to ascender-exclusive functions.
Kresh was filled with pride as he said. “Korata Mountain. Home.”
After seeing Kresh enter harmlessly, Roy quickly followed suit, only to collide face-first into the wall. He clasped his nose and exclaimed. “What the heck?!”
Kresh scratched his head in confusion. He racked his brains for an answer, and only after searching every nook and cranny did his eyes light up. “I make mistake. Wait here.”
Jason watched as Kresh ran farther in, calmed some minotaurs with bloodthirsty expressions, then sprinted up the mountain. Roy gulped as the two unfamiliar minotaurs on the other side eyed them warily. Like Kresh, they boasted incredible health and levels.
Carly hid behind Jason. Her long-lost stutter found its way home as she quivered. “T-they won’t k-k-k-ill us, will they?”
“No.” Olivia thought for a hard minute, then added, “Maybe.”
Carly’s face paled as she imagined herself eaten alive, roasted over a campfire, seasoned in a pot, or countless other scenarios.
Several minutes passed before Kresh returned with a companion. This minotaur was even taller than Kresh, and if you were familiar with minotaur anatomy, you’d realize these two had a similar appearance.
(Mutant) Minotaur Chieftain Dunk - Level 250
Health: 425,000/425,000
Dunk exited the barrier, his eight runes adorned across his body. He stared down at the human party, examining them silently. As he did so, Jason felt an immense pressure weigh down on him, as if he were the monkey king being pressed down under Buddha’s palm.
This pressure came purely from the difference in stats.
After what felt like hours, Dunk opened his mouth. “Remove curse?”
“I can,” Roy answered after a short delay.
“Hmph,” Dunk snorted in disbelief. It was a normal reaction. The creatures before him had no runes.
“Dad. It true.” Kresh pointed at his chest. “I fight demon. I kill, but poison. Was dying. Roy heal me. I live.”
Dunk was full of worry and pride as he listened to his son’s short story, but he still didn’t let Jason and company inside. This matter was too important. As the chieftain, he couldn’t let outsiders in so easily. It was his responsibility to protect the tribe.
“Roy,” Olivia called out as she took a knife and made a nasty gash along her arm. She figured this was the best way to convince Dunk.
“Oi!” Roy exclaimed in fright as he cast a spell. The deep gash quickly vanished, showcasing the might of a healing skill.
Dunk’s jaw fell at the sight. “Magic?”
“You know of magic?” Roy tilted his head in confusion. Based on Kresh’s previous reactions, it seemed like magic was a foreign concept to him. Why did his dad behave differently?
“Magic rare. Not many.” Dunk felt conflicted. He’s killed many demons before, so he knew Jason’s crew weren’t like them. But allowing outsiders past the barrier? Dunk clenched his teeth and interacted with the air, much like how an ascender would. He turned. “Come.”
Jason felt like he entered another world upon passing the barrier. The air inside was refreshing, and the breeze cool. Finding a place like this on the floor of death was like finding an oasis in the desert. It was a miracle.
Dunk led the group up the mountain. They passed by many minotaurs, all of whom gave curious looks. The children were about as large as an adult human, while the women boasted impressive muscles no worse than their male counterparts. Their buildings, on the other hand, were shabby and poorly built.
The minotaurs following behind stopped when they neared the top of the mountain. Jason noticed Dunk and Kresh grow solemn, and he wondered what awaited them at the peak.
Not long after he thought this, he found a worn-down hut overlooking the tribe. He couldn’t sense anything inside. Glancing around, he appreciated the view before jumping in surprise when he met a pair of eyes.
(Mutant) Minotaur Lavos - Level 300
Health: 25,000/500,000
Not far away, on a flat boulder, sat an old minotaur. Shockingly, all four of his limbs were missing, leaving only stubs. A complex rune bound his entire body. More intriguing, however, was the old minotaur’s eyes. They were bright and full of life. Not something you’d expect from someone so severely disabled.
Jason, Dubaku, and Shenlong exchanged a glance. This was yet another person they couldn’t sense with the fourth realm.
Chapter 34
Dunk acted extremely respectful. He didn’t dare look Lavos directly in the eye, so he lowered his head. Minotaurs were simple creatures valuing strength above all else. Jason wondered what the disabled Lavos had done to deserve such treatment from Dunk.
Like his father, Kresh stared at Lavos with awe. Today was only the second time he saw the elder of the tribe; the first was when he reached adulthood and officially became a warrior. It was a tradition for every minotaur coming of age to seek Lavos for counsel.
Kresh was born long after a demon cursed Lavos, so he never saw Lavos in his prime. Many stories were passed around in the tribe, and almost half of them recounted Lavos’s feats. Like many minotaurs, Kresh wanted to replicate Lavos’s legends.
Dunk stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and pressed a fist against the ground. “Dunk greets Elder.”
Lavos gave a friendly smile. “Dunk, there’s no need to kneel. How many times must I tell you?”
Jason and the others raised an eyebrow after
hearing Lavos speak in full sentences. So far, they had the impression minotaurs were of low intelligence. Was Lavos somehow unique, or did they just meet the dumber ones?
In response to Lavos, Dunk let out a snort but said nothing. It was clear he had no intention of listening to the elder.
Lavos shook his head helplessly as he let out a human-like sigh. His attention turned to Jason and the others. “Welcome, humans. I must say I never expected you to look like demons.”
Jason was puzzled. How did Lavos know they were humans? And what was he expecting them to look like? It almost sounded like he knew they were coming.
Lavos saw their confusion and explained calmly. “I’m a shaman, or rather, I was. I once sought guidance from the spirits before I was cursed. They told me something I didn’t want to hear at the time, haha.” Lavos’s eyes were unfocused as he recalled the past.
Jason and the others wondered what the spirits had said. Jason waited several moments for the rest of the explanation, only to see Lavos fall asleep. Dunk let out a loud snort after seeing this.
Lavos woke up with a jolt, looked around with wide eyes, then turned back to Jason and company. He resumed speaking as if nothing happened. “I thought you humans would be stronger.” Lavos was doubtful. “Were the spirits wrong?”
Everyone nearly fell over. Was Lavos aware he skipped several sentences? What did the spirits say, damn it!?
Dunk pointed to Roy. “This human. Fix curse.”
Lavos’s eyes widened with surprise and joy. He turned to Roy and examined him from top to bottom. “My curse is special; it has no duration. There are only two ways to remove it: kill the caster or purge the curse itself. You can’t harm the caster, so you must have a way to remove the curse. Am I wrong?”
Towers of Heaven: A LitRPG Adventure (Book 3) Page 15