“I met plenty of people in the green room,” Dawn said, leaning against a tree, “self-absorbed elves, humans, hybrids, and changelings mostly. But are any of them a good fit for our little adventure party? Maybe one or two come to mind, but I’ll be damned if I know how we find them on a floor as big as this one. Unless any of you have a teleportation skill,” she finished, glancing at TJ, while arching a skeptical brow.
“Nobody likes a smart ass, Dawn,” TJ snapped, his upper lip twitching. “You might be two levels above us, but you aren’t hot shit, so stop acting like it.” Rustling in the bushes put him on high alert. He took on a guarded stance, head cocked and listening intently.
Joe’s Quick Wit kicked in, and he realized there was nothing dangerous closing in on them.
Mustering all his patience, Joe shot TJ and Dawn a stern look. “Come on, man, I know you’re a rage fuelled Outsider but put your anger to better use like fighting monsters. And Dawn, save your sarcasm for those who deserve it, like Andras. You’re a Paladin, but that doesn’t mean you have to be self-righteous. We’re a team now.”
Dawn’s glare could cut glass. “Well, team, I was transported here, so I’ve no idea how to find my way back to the Greensnare, never mind locate other trustworthy ascenders. Think before you ask me to do the impossible.”
Raising both hands, Brian stepped in like a concerned parent trying to sort out a couple of angry toddlers. “Be fair Dawn. It’s difficult but not impossible. We need a map—one that highlights shortcuts and is accessible through the system interface would be ideal.”
Joe’s spirit lifted at the suggestion. Tao was the best at navigating maps, but Joe had learned a thing or two during their gameplay. He gestured to TJ and Dawn to remain alert while he got some answers to his burning questions.
“Hey Poppy, how do we get access to maps for each floor?”
The little Kaiju avatar leapt into his vision, a stream of pixels trailing her like a tether. “Hi, Joe! You can get map when QRL 5 AND get loot from big bad monsters. Yip-Yip! Sometimes get map from quests or buy from Casper the curator, but that costs much time. Not good.”
“Thanks, Poppy.” Joe grinned, grateful for the information. He turned to Dawn, the only member of the party above level five. “You mentioned you got loot after killing the titan’s spores. Any chance there was a map?”
Dawn’s gaze turned inward as if searching her inventory. Her look then turned sheepish. “Damn, I missed that. Oh, your party invite distracted me. Looks like I earned a basic map for the first floor.”
“Better than nothing, I suppose,” TJ said, his voice biting back his begrudging respect.
Joe edged closer, eager to know more. “That’s excellent, Dawn. Does it show where we are in relation to the Greensnare?”
Dawn chewed her cheek, her face the picture of concentration. After a breath, her gaze snapped back to them. “Okay, it’s better than I expected.” She grabbed a stick and cleared leaves from the ground, exposing dark soil. She drew a square and made gestures with the stick as she continued to talk. “Here, here, and here…” Her stick prodded the soft earth. “are clusters of green ascenders. There are some oranges and reds scattered here, here, and here. Smack bang in the center is where we are.”
TJ pointed to a large green leaf. “Is that the Greensnare Titan?”
“No,” Dawn said, losing enthusiasm. “That’s a leaf.”
Brian slowly nodded. “What’s the scale of your map. If we’re in the center, how distant are we from that cluster of green ascenders and wherever the Titan is?”
“Not as far as I first thought,” Dawn said. “With a light jog, we can bypass that cluster of greens. My recommendation is to find one there to join our party.” She let her stick trail away from the cluster a short distance to the right, then stuck it into the ground. “That’s where the Greensnare is hiding. My guess is green ascenders are already banding together to fight off deadly spores.”
TJ balled his fists and kicked the stick, sending it flying. “Now we know where we’re heading… Let’s go.”
They all looked at Dawn, and Joe gestured ahead of them. “How about you and TJ lead the way?”
TJ cleared the greenery with his BK machete, revealing an open path ahead.
Dawn sneered at TJ. “You know, for a blunt instrument, you’re pretty useful.” She turned to the group with a smirk. “Try to keep up, boys! I don’t have all day!” With that, she took off down the path.
Brian chuckled, shaking his head. “Always a ray of sunshine, that one,” he said, his dark hair falling over his eyes as he adjusted his gear. “TJ, you might be a blunt instrument, but sometimes that’s exactly what we need. Just don’t let it go to your head.”
TJ rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide a small grin. “Thanks for the pep talk, Dad.” He sliced through some more overgrown vines. “Now, let’s see if we can keep up with Her Majesty over there.”
Joe couldn’t help but laugh as he followed them down the path. “Onward, then. Let’s find ourselves a new teammate and squash some spores.”
***
The group moved down the path, Joe at the rear, keeping an eye out for any signs of trouble.
It didn't take long for trouble to find them.
“There!” Joe yelled.
A pack of tiger lily beasts burst through the underbrush, their vibrant petals stark against their vicious fangs and thorny hides.
[Tiger Lily, Level 4]
“Here we go again!” TJ shouted, charging forward, machete flashing in the dappled light.
Brian took aim with his crossbow, bolts whizzing past Joe's ears. The first bolt completely missed, embedding itself in a tree. The second hit a tiger lily beast, but only grazed it, sending shards of green blood splattering the nearby foliage.
Hands crackling with fiery energy, Dawn unleashed a blast that seared through the pack, the smell of scorched vegetation filling the air.
Joe activated Quick Wit, dodging a swipe from a beast’s thorny claws. He caught a glimpse of movement ahead and heard shouts in the distance. “Sounds like other ascenders!” he called out.
They needed to finish this fight fast, there were bigger fish to fry than Level 4 beasts. Joe saw the tiger lilies regrouping for another assault. “TJ, Brian, Dawn—let’s wrap this up!”
Brian fired another bolt, this time hitting a beast square in the chest. It roared in pain, green blood spraying from the wound. TJ took the opening, slashing his machete through its neck, severing its head.
“Time to repent you thorny motherfucker!” Dawn followed up with a searing blast of holy flame, incinerating another beast that lunged at her.
Joe darted in, his butterfly knives finding their mark on the exposed underbellies of two more beasts. They collapsed, writhing and hissing, before falling still.
The last tiger lily beast charged at TJ, who sidestepped and swung his machete in a wide arc. The blade cut through the beast’s legs, sending it crashing to the ground. Dawn finished it off with a fiery strike, the smell of burnt petals filling the air.
With the immediate threat eliminated, the group quickly checked the fallen beasts. As the last one fell, a familiar chime echoed in Joe’s mind.
[Tiger Lily Defeated! Level 4 Monster.]
[Reward: Monster Core Received.]
Joe felt a warm sensation in his hand as a glistening monster core appeared, its energy pulsing slightly. “Got one!” he called out, holding it up. A level up and level 4 mana core brought a smile to his face.
TJ wiped blood from his machete and glanced at his own hand where another core had materialized. “Sweet! Got mine too.”
Brian and Dawn looked at their hands, each now holding a glowing core. “Celebrate later. Let’s grab these and move,” Brian said, his eyes scanning the treeline for any additional threats.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
[Bonus Rewards for Rogue Class.]
[You have received: Shadow Step Ability - Temporarily increases stealth and speed.]
Joe felt a rush of energy as the new ability was integrated into his skills. “Shadow Step, huh? This could be useful.”
Dawn arched an eyebrow. “Just don’t use it to sneak up on me, Wonderboy.”
Joe smirked. “Wouldn’t dream of it. Unless you need a good scare.”
Alert and with weapons drawn, they moved on, the distant shouts of alarm growing louder, each cry tightening the knot of dread in Joe's stomach. His grip on his butterfly knives tightened, the sounds ahead making his pulse quicken. Every step felt heavier as the tension mounted, the echoes of the shouts painting vivid pictures of the chaos they were about to face.
As they emerged into a clearing, the scene hit Joe like a punch to the gut. Green Zone ascenders writhed in a desperate struggle, swarmed by monstrous spores that latched onto them, tearing flesh with sickening efficiency. The ground was a battlefield of fallen orange and red ascenders, their bodies flickering and vanishing in bursts of hazy rainbow lights as their respawn tokens activated. The air was thick with the sound of final screams, now hauntingly empty as they echoed and faded.
Through the chaos, Joe spotted a lone ascender in a green hoodie casting a water spell. Two spores, resembling giant phage viruses the size of small bears, closed in on the hooded figure.
“Brian! Hit those spores with your alchemy bolts!” Joe shouted. He sent his butterfly knives flying, but they rebounded uselessly off the spores’ tough exteriors. “Damn, too low level!”
Brian’s dark hair fell over his eyes as he adjusted his aim. “On it!”
He fired, the bolt trailing a line of bright blue alchemical energy before exploding against the nearest spore. The creature screeched, its gelatinous body rippling from the impact. The damage was minimal, but it slowed the spore down. Brian immediately loaded another bolt, his large form moving with surprising speed. The second bolt flew past the target, landing on the ground.
Joe reached into his pouch, pulling out a smoke pellet. “Time for some smoke!” He tossed it at the spores, and they recoiled, hissing in disgust. Using his rogue stealth, Joe darted forward, grabbing the stunned ascender in green and pulling them to safety.
The ascender, a young woman with striking, classic Hollywood features, looked displeased, and Joe initially thought it was directed at him. She had that old black-and-white movie star look, even in a green hoodie and cargo pants. Her dark, wavy hair was upstyled like she was ready for a red carpet and she moved like a runway model but without the pout. Her pale skin and pointed ears marked her as a dark elf.
“Hey, Rose!” Dawn waved, a smirk on her face. “Nice to see you’ve improved your skills since you doused me in the green zone common room. Guess you’ve gotten used to being a dark elf human hybrid.”
Rose flicked off debris from her immaculate hair, her expression icy. “Nice to see you’re still as charming as a troll under a bridge.”
Brian’s jaw dropped. “By the beard of my ancestors, she looks like a goddess,” he said, awe in his voice, his eyes wide with admiration.
TJ rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Focus, lover boy,” he grunted, his machete swinging green blood droplets with every strike.
“Team up on the spores!” Joe ordered. “Strike in tandem and then together for the bonus!”
Brian’s next alchemy bolt hit the second spore, causing another explosion that left the creature staggered but still formidable. TJ darted in, machete slicing through the air with a whistle. He struck with precision, cutting into the spore's side. The creature let out a guttural screech, thick green ichor oozing from the wound, but it was still standing strong.
Dawn was right behind him, her fiery hands glowing. She launched a concentrated burst of flame, hitting the spore at the same spot TJ had struck. The combined heat and blade left the creature writhing, its body beginning to weaken.
Brian took another shot. This time, his bolt hit dead center, the explosion sending chunks of the creature flying.
Joe threw another smoke pellet, obscuring their movements and causing the spore to hesitate, its tendrils blindly flailing.
“Now, TJ!” Joe yelled.
TJ charged in, his machete flashing as he delivered a series of rapid strikes, each one chipping away at the spore’s tough exterior. Dawn followed up with another blast of fire, her eyes reflecting the flames she conjured. The spore finally collapsed in a heap, its body dissolving into a pool of green sludge.
Joe’s gaming instincts kicked in as he watched Rose join the fray, her earlier disdain replaced by focused determination. She cast powerful water spells, and he quickly realized they weren't just ordinary water spells. From his countless hours of gaming, he recognized the telltale signs of a debuff—Rose's spells seemed to induce a necrotic effect, like programmed cell death, weakening the spores and making them more susceptible to their attacks.
“That’s some advanced crowd control,” Joe said, impressed.
Rose’s water spells caused the spores to shrivel and deteriorate, their movements slowing as they lost vitality. It was like watching in ‘fast forward’ mode, someone pour salt water on slugs.
The coordinated effort paid off. With the spores weakened by Rose's necrotic spells, TJ, Brian, and Dawn’s attacks hit harder and more effectively. Joe darted in with his butterfly knives, finding the weakened spots with precision. Dawn’s fiery blasts seared through the now fragile spores, and Brian’s alchemy bolts struck true.
With a final, combined strike causing twenty percent damage, the spores fell, disintegrating into pools of green sludge. Joe couldn’t help but nod in appreciation at Rose’s technique, their teamwork overcoming the deadly threat.
He glanced at Brian, whose awe-filled expression mirrored his own thoughts.
“Looks like we found our fifth party member,” Brian said, his voice tinged with amazement.
Every Rose Has Its Thorn sprung to Joe's mind. "Let’s hope she says yes and sticks around for the encore.”
[Bonus achieved! Level up!]
Joe felt the rush of leveling up, the familiar warm, fuzzy feeling spreading through him once again. He glanced at his teammates, seeing the same exhilaration on their faces.
“Nice work, everyone,” Joe said, breathing heavily. “Now, let's see if we can keep this momentum going. Or at least try not to die a horrible death and have to use a respawn token.”
“Right.” Brian smirked, his eyes twinkling with dark humor. “Because dying attractively is so much better.”
TJ snorted. “Yeah, let’s aim for dying with style if we can’t manage survival.”
Rose glanced back, raising an eyebrow. “Try not to ruin my immaculate appearance while you’re at it.”
Dawn rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Your 'immaculate appearance' won’t save you from a spore’s tentacle.”
Rose smirked, flicking her raven hair back. “Unlike your sparkling personality, which I’m sure repels everything.”
Joe raised his voice. “Let’s move, folks.”
The jungle foliage cast intricate shadows on the ground as Joe activated Quick Wit, focusing on the sounds around him while following Dawn's lead toward the location of the Greensnare. He had sent an invite to Rose, but like Dawn, she didn’t accept it straight away. She had her reasons, she said, unsure if she liked the group yet. Joe couldn't blame her for using caution; they needed to trust each other if they were going to survive this tower. He exhaled, thinking about the number of floors they still had to climb, a mystery Poppy wouldn’t reveal, as vague as that damn blue flame.
Joe’s thoughts were interrupted by the murmur of Rose and Brian discussing the Battlebox. Rose had won her initial tutorial round, gaining five extra ascender years like Andras.
“You don’t have any more practice rounds?” Rose shook her head, looking slightly regretful. “I still plan to use my final one for this floor when I return to the Green Zone.”
Brian huffed. “You got three practice rounds to test out your MadOrbz?”
Rose nodded.
Dropping back a couple of steps, Joe glanced from Dawn to Rose. “This is what you were saying, Dawn—those who are already time-rich get more chances to practice than those who are time-poor.”
Dawn looked over her shoulder, her expression serious. “People are going to want your time.”
Rose raised a brow. “It’s the only thing you can’t buy from the curator.”
Brian raised a finger. “But that ratfolk did find a time crystal out here on the floor.”
Dawn shook her head. “You can buy practically anything from the curator, but even with time crystals available, you can’t buy time. Why else do you think the lich provided us with respawn tokens? The greedy bastard’s like a bloodsucking horseleech taking our time away from us, and for what? So we’ll be more desperate and stop at nothing to reach the jackpot of immortality?”
Joe twirled one of his butterfly knives. “Time couldn’t be bought from where I came from... it was a gift, one that you could treasure or easily waste without trying. But here, we need it for survival.”
His chest pulsed with a fiery prickle. “What makes the clock tick, Joe?” the blue flame mocked, its voice echoing alongside the clicking and image of the cat’s paw from that ancient shop he visited before he died.
Joe’s mouth went dry as the unsettling image faded along with the blue flame’s presence.
Dawn glanced back, a challenge in her eyes. “I’d love it if you’d prove me wrong and fight the system. Orange or Red hoodies… be the exception.”
Click. Click. Click.
“Are you even listening--”
“Look out!” Joe suddenly flung his butterfly knife past Rose.
It became apparent what the damn clicking noise was as soon as a rainbow beetle bug latched its claws onto Rose’s hoodie. She yelled, thrashing side to side to shake it off.
Choking back her laugh, Dawn pivoted, her hands igniting with glow as she launched a fiery blast towards the beetle bug, while Brian released a bolt of alchemical energy. In a clash of white smoke, their combined attack disintegrated the beetlebug, splattering its orange guts across the fronds.
“Hey Rose,” Dawn crouched down to grab a leaf off the ground. Handing it to Rose she smiled sweetly. “ Use this before it dries in. You got some orange goo in your hair.”
“I’m fine, thank you very much.” Rose refused with a look of disgust betraying her polite tone. Leaning to one side she let her hair flow like a midnight waterfall. Water swirled from her palm and doused her soiled hair until it was spotless.
[Unnamed Faction level up! Congratulations, Bronze Rank Faction, QRL2.]
“Nice, now I’ve got 13 strength!” TJ kicked the remains, smirking.
Rose’s brows furrowed. “You didn’t do anything except kick its dead body just now?”
TJ smirked. “You should have joined our party. If you had, you’d have gotten credit for the kill, but you know...”
“Is that so…” Rose walked on, smiling like the Mona Lisa.
[System notification: Rose has accepted your invite.]
[You have reached the party limit of five active ascenders. You can now name your faction.]