Towers of Heaven 2
Page 20
The barber raised an eyebrow. “You’re quite perceptive.” Jason wanted to ask more questions, but the barber raised a hand. “That’s enough. I can’t say anymore. The architect is already yelling at me for saying too much.”
“The architect?” Jason tilted his head at the new term.
“Ugh.” The barber facepalmed. “Just get out.”
Jason didn’t want to get on the barber’s bad side, so he left without complaining. As he walked away, he immediately thought of Olivia. She was agility-based, so perhaps the barber might take a liking to her? It was worth a shot to introduce them. For now, though, it was time to eat. His guildmates were most likely already waiting for him at the restaurant.
Chapter 43
The results of the tournament spread like wildfire when it ended. News organizations compiled information on all of the top ascenders and were currently reporting on the new skills and previously undiscovered ascenders. Military organizations did their own research for their own purposes.
Shenlong’s results in the fourth stage caused China to erupt with pride. They were ecstatic to have the most powerful ascender come from their country. The government on the other hand was filled with frustration. If only Shenlong helped them fight other countries. If only he assassinated other world leaders. They had such thoughts.
The United States in particular was in an uproar, and it was all due to one person. Jason! He was a dark horse who took first place in two stages. The military immediately conducted an investigation and found something horrifying. Jason had only entered the tower seven months ago. Seven months to gain such strength? It was terrifying!
After much deliberation, the U.S. decided to announce their findings. Many people didn’t believe it, especially China. They criticized the U.S. by saying they were making up stories in order to lower Shenlong’s prestige.
Regardless of whether it was true or not, as Jason made his way to the Gluttonous Lion, almost every ascender recognized him.
“Look, that’s Jason. He was first place in two stages.” A middle-aged cleric whispered to his friend.
“That’s him? He looks so young.”
Such comments didn’t escape Jason’s ears. Some might well up with pride and get arrogant, but Jason did not. He was used to such fame in the previous timeline. He brushed his hair and internally celebrated. It was a good idea to get my haircut so quickly. Now that I’m the center of attention, my good looks will attract some hot babes.
When Jason entered the restaurant, he saw Olivia, Roy, and Cheslov waving him over on the second floor. As they were usual patrons of this establishment, the owner always saved them a table (for a large fee).
Jason made his way up and sat down at the table. He gave Roy a clap on his shoulder. “Congrats on reaching the first realm.”
“Thanks.” Roy puffed out his chest.
They began to eat not long after, discussing their experiences in the tournament as they did so. As Roy swallowed a mouthful of food, he turned to Cheslov. “Hey, Cheslov, I was thinking, but wouldn’t you be stronger with a hammer or mace instead of a broadsword?”
Olivia agreed. “I think so as well.”
Cheslov stopped chewing and gave Jason a look, to which he nodded. “Agreed.”
“Huh.” Cheslov scratched his head. “I guess I didn’t think too much about it, but yeah, you guys might be right.”
As they talked, a young woman summoned her courage and approached Jason. “U-um, excuse me…”
Olivia shot her a glare filled with death. The young woman immediately paled and left as quickly as she could. Jason could only watch helplessly as yet another beauty ran away. He turned to Olivia and was about to ask her why she was scaring away his potential girlfriends, but he stopped when he saw her disgust. He sighed inwardly. Why is she behaving like this? She didn’t do this in the previous timeline…
A few minutes later, another person approached their table, except this time it was a middle-aged man equipped in a suit of leather with a longbow on his back.
Seeing that Olivia didn’t do anything, Jason joked. “Because he’s a man? You se-.”
Olivia stomped on his foot underneath the table as she smiled grimly. “Please continue.”
Jason shook his head. “Nothing, nothing.”
Roy and Cheslov glanced at each other, unsure of what to say. Did Jason and Olivia have a fight? They decided to stay out of it in fear of attracting Olivia’s wrath.
The middle-aged man coughed and extended his hand towards Jason. “My name is Corvin. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“Likewise.” Jason accepted his handshake. “It’s an honor to meet the guild master of BloodHounds.”
Jason knew a lot about the guild BloodHounds. It was top-tier guild filled with the best active soldiers from the U.S. military. As the military had occupied the tower for the first few years, they gained quite a lead in the beginning. Corvin himself was there at the start. As for why Corvin approached Jason only now? It was simple.
“You know me?” Corvin smiled. “That makes things easier. Jason, do you have any interest in joining the U.S. military?”
“You sure move fast.” Jason chuckled while shaking his head. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I have to decline.”
Corvin was unfazed. “Don’t be so quick to make a decision. I won’t beat around the bush; the U.S. needs a man of your talent. We’re willing to outfit you in eight pieces of celestial equipment, and supply you with potions among other things. We’ll also have a team of alchemists and blacksmiths working endlessly to produce equipment as you level up, as well as work to give you a mansion filled with furnishing on the community floors. You will receive the support of the entire United States.”
Roy, Olivia, and Cheslov gasped from the astonishing benefits. If they were in Jason’s position, they would have to think long and hard. Jason did not. “I appreciate your sincerity, but I’m afraid I’ll still have to decline.”
Corvin didn’t expect Jason to decline so quickly. Anybody would be filled with greed when hearing his offer. Even Corvin was envious of what the U.S. was offering Jason. He frowned slightly. After a moment, his heart clenched as he continued. “Then what if I add an evolution crystal?”
This evolution crystal was only recently acquired by his guild, and it was originally being saved for a powerful skill. Most likely it would have gone to Corvin himself, but now he was offering it to Jason. Still, he was a soldier of the United States. Strengthening the country superseded his personal feelings.
“Oh?” Jason raised an eyebrow in surprise. He didn’t expect to be offered an evolution crystal. Still, his answer remained the same. “Sorry, not interested.”
Corvin’s frown deepened. How could anyone resist such temptations? Just then, Corvin recalled something he read in Jason’s file and asked, “Is this because of your father?”
The atmosphere on the second floor suddenly grew cold. Jason slowly stood up and looked Corvin in the eye. A wave of pressure crashed into Corvin, causing his mind to feel slow and heavy. In the next moment, the pressure suddenly vanished. The floor returned to normal, but now everything was silent. The other patrons looked at Jason in horror. Some had even fainted from the pressure.
Jason chuckled bitterly. “That’s a large part of it, yes.”
Corvin’s face was expressionless, but inwardly he was aghast. In that brief instant, he’d felt the strength drain from his body. Under that pressure, he could at most use only seventy percent of his combat power. With Corvin’s experience, he knew that Jason had used a mental suppression skill, though the very idea was baffling. If he hadn’t personally witnessed it, he wouldn’t have believed it. Everyone knew that only bosses had that skill.
Corvin decided to take a step back. “Fine. I’ll leave it at that for today, but if you ever change your mind, the United States welcomes you with open arms.”
They all knew about what happened to Jason’s dad, so they didn’t say anything and continued their previous conversations. Not much time passed before they finished eating and left the restaurant. Jason led Olivia, Roy, and Cheslov to the barbershop.
Roy walked backwards in front of Jason. “So how many masters do you think there are?”
“No idea.” Jason shrugged.
“So Eboni’s shapeshifter skill was from that woman on the bloodline floor?” Roy asked.
“Pretty sure.”
“And this barber is a master?”
“Yep.”
“Wow.” Roy imagined what abilities the barber had. “So do you think he has skills related to cutting people’s hair?”
“I don’-” Jason froze as he suddenly sensed desperation, fear, and pain coming from the alley to his left. Now that he was in the fourth realm, even if he didn’t activate the ability, he still had a passive connection to the wills of the world, though at a much weaker level than if he were actively using it. But the will he was currently sensing was shining like a beacon in the dark. He couldn’t ignore it even if he wanted to.
Jason promptly dashed towards the alleyway. Olivia, Roy, and Cheslov were confused, but they quickly followed after him. When they turned the corner, they found a horrifying sight.
A humanoid creature with black leathery skin, two horns, and a long tail stood over a collapsed human. The creature’s red eyes stared at them as it licked its lips. “That’s strange. I used a barrier scroll, so no one should have heard his screams.”
Jason widened his eyes, alarmed at what he saw. Black skin, horns, red eyes, and a tail. He recognized this creature. Jason screamed at his companions. “It’s a demon, flee quickly!”
Chapter 44
Cheslov, Olivia, and Roy fled as soon as they heard Jason’s command, while Jason covered their retreat. Their teamwork had improved significantly over the past month of hunting together, so they trusted his every word.
Strangely, the demon didn’t seem to be concerned at all. It watched silently with a grin. If Jason escaped and called over the city guards, the demon would be no match for them. So why wasn’t it worried?
After no more than twenty steps, Cheslov abruptly collided into a transparent barrier and was knocked back. Roy and Olivia slid to a halt behind him. Jason clicked his tongue upon seeing the dense mana contained within the barrier and made a decision. “It used a barrier scroll, and it looks like it’s at least Arcane grade. We can’t run. We need to fight!”
A barrier scroll was a rare consumable magic item that prevented those who entered from leaving, unless they damaged it enough. While outside the barrier, nobody could see or hear what was happening inside, though there were some skills that could bypass this. As this barrier was Arcade grade at the lowest, it had enough health to rival a field boss. There was no escaping unless they killed the demon.
Jason and the others wordlessly got into formation. Jason, Roy, and Cheslov formed a triangle, while Olivia activated stealth and lurked in the shadows.
Jason was full of dread and despair as he inspected the demon before him. He knew a lot about demons. They were higher life forms that boasted superior stats and terrifying skills. Normally, they would only be encountered near the top of the tower. It was way too soon to fight one now. They would be slaughtered like sheep.
It was then that Jason realized something was off. The demon emitted a vile aura, true, but it wasn’t suffocating like the previous demons he fought. It was more like an evil wind. It was uncomfortable, but not unbearable. Jason felt his fear subside as he asked. “You must be a newborn demon, right?”
“Correct.” It spoke in a charming voice as its tail flicked back and forth.
“You’re quite bold to enter a human city. Aren’t you afraid of being caught?” Jason continued, delaying for time. As he did so, he was communicating with his teammates about a demon’s fighting style and skills, especially about how they could consume souls. They were horrified by what they heard.
At this moment, the man on the ground twitched. “Ugh…”
Roy carelessly glanced down, only to freeze. “U-uncle Walter!”
Surprised by Roy’s shout, Cheslov and Olivia looked down as well. Only Jason kept his eyes on the demon, and it was a good thing he did, because it took this chance to attack. The stone bricks shattered underneath its feet as it kicked forward. It was as fast as Shenlong, or perhaps even faster. It reached Cheslov in a split second, its claws going for his throat.
Jason roared as he activated a skill he’d acquired a few weeks ago, while at the same time suppressing the demon’s will. Its combat power reduced by ten percent.
Lifesaving Oath - Level 3 - Novice
When your ally is attacked, force the target to attack you. If they ignore the effect, gain 50% to all stats for three seconds and teleport next to your ally.
10-minute cooldown.
It immediately broke the magical compulsion. As it was a higher life form, it could easily resist low grade crowd control effects such as taunt or stuns. That was exactly what Jason was hoping for. He instantly appeared in front of the demon, his shield blocking the blow that would have torn Cheslov’s throat apart. Jason used his superior stats over the next three seconds to push the demon back. When the effect ended, both sides cautiously backed away.
Cheslov broke out in a cold sweat when he realized his mistake. Thankfully Jason had blocked the attack, otherwise he might be missing half his neck.
Jason berated his teammates. “Focus up, you guys.”
Roy’s face was covered in tears as he focused on the demon, sadness and rage consuming his mind.
The demon felt resigned that its surprise attack was so effortlessly thwarted. It glanced at Jason. “You weren’t this strong in the tournament. I underestimated you.”
“Heh, I am a tank. My skills are suited to saving my-” Jason paused mid-speech. “Wait, what did you just say?”
The demon inspected its claws, full of frustration. “If I wasn’t unused to fighting upfront, you would have already died. A shame. I need to get familiar with my new body.”
The demon had no intentions of hiding its identity as an ascender. There was no need to. It would be an affront to its pride and arrogance.
Olivia trembled at what she heard. Based on her uncle’s final message before his death and the words the demon just said, she figured out the identity of the monster. At first she was overcome with fury, but she quickly calmed her emotions and sent Jason a message. “The demon is Cay Wolf!”
Jason had come to the same conclusion at the same time as her. He expected Olivia to ignore her sanity and attack at all costs, but it looks like he underestimated her. Sure enough, she has a strong will.
Wolf flexed his claws and sighed. “I still can’t manipulate this body at will, otherwise I would be able to use my bow. Damn claws get in the way.”
Wolf kicked Walter’s body and smiled. “Though with the skills I just got from consuming his soul, I should be able to kill you all.”
“Don’t touch him!” Roy screamed, barely struggling to hold himself back.
“Oh?” Wolf glanced down at Walter. “This fellow is important to you?”
Jason clicked his tongue and glared at Roy. He’s still too naive.
Roy belatedly realized his mistake and was filled with regret. Wolf grinned as he suddenly swiped his claws at Walter’s throat.
“No!” Roy screamed hoarsely. He couldn’t lose Walter. Not his last family member left. After losing his parents, he couldn’t lose any more. He couldn’t bear to.
“Tank!” Jason shouted as he used burst to sprint forward.
Based on Jason’s understanding of Wolf’s demon form, Wolf’s strength was only slightly higher than his own. Jason expected Wolf to be knocked back from the collision, but contrary to his thoughts, he was the one who staggered backwards.
“Good! What great buffs!” Wolf felt unbound strength flowing inside his body thanks to the buff skills he’d stolen from Walter. He lunged forward.
With Jason’s wealth of experience, he understood the reason for Wolf’s sudden change immediately. His face grew dark as he retreated while blocking Wolf’s attacks. It was only thanks to the fourth realm that he could keep up. Even though he blocked with his shield every time, the difference in strength was too large. Only a second or so had passed, yet a few of his fingers had already cracked, while his shield arm trembled.
Unfortunately, even though they outnumbered the demon four to one, the alley was just too narrow. Cheslov had it the worst. He couldn’t even attack with his massive weapons. Jason was left to fend for himself, his health falling rapidly.
A wave of light encompassed him, healing his injuries. But it wasn’t enough. Even Tank’s new healing skill couldn’t keep up with the damage. Jason used all his glyphs and even counterattacked a few times, but it was futile. The difference in stats was just too much.
In less than a minute his body was covered in wounds. If not for the support from Roy and Tank, he would have already lost his life. When he blocked yet another attack, a resounding snap rang through the alley, his shield arm falling.