Finding a name wasn’t hard, but choosing one they all agreed on was brutal. Using her map, Dawn led the way. Marching with confident strides, she called out so many suggestions Joe lost count.

“How about Active Ascenders?” Joe asked, glancing around as they trudged through the dense jungle. Distant sounds of battle echoed through the trees, a constant reminder that danger was never more than a heartbeat away.

“Boring,” Dawn called over her shoulder. “Dawn’s Devastators has a more exciting ring to it.”

“Hey princess.” TJ hacked and slashed his way through the stubborn vines that dared cross his path and try to ensnare him. “Get over yourself, we’re not naming our faction after you.”

The whole group murmured their thoughts aloud, but no more suggestions followed.

Joe rolled his eyes. “Surely we can think of a decent name between us, having the brightest minds across the known universe and having slain countless beasts. Oh, how about The Metal Slayers?” A grin played on his lips, thinking of the metal band inspiration.

Towering beside him, Brian shook his head. “Needs more impact. My mother always said a good name comes from the heart.”

Dawn rolled her eyes and shared a look of agreement with TJ. “How about Heart Smashers?”

Joe was sure he had heard that name before and it was important for some reason, but it was like his mind was Swiss cheese and he feared over time he’d lose even more of his old life and along with it, himself. By the time he reached the jackpot, would he recognize who he was anymore? He shoved that dark thought deep down into the dark rivers of his heart. He chose to focus on happier memories that he could recall. “My pals Tao and Kyle were always good at this stuff. We need something that lets other factions know what they’re dealing with without giving any secrets away.”

Rose flicked a wisp of hair from her brow, the heat like a devil unraveling all her meticulous grooming. “I’d prefer something a bit more refined, like The Harmonious Alliance. It suggests elegance and unity.”

TJ grinned, showing his teeth. “You all have no taste. We need a name that strikes fear into our enemies. How about The Warhounds or Bloodfuries? Sounds savage enough.”

Brian looked deep in thought, his eyes narrow and fixed in concentration. “How about The Enormous Enforcers?”

Joe laughed. “Or we could just mash them all together and confuse everyone. ‘The Metal Devastators of the Harmonious Warhound Enforcers.’ Rolls right off the tongue.”

Dawn smirked. “Sure, Joe, if we want to spend more time explaining our name than fighting.”

Rose shook her head. “I’d vote for something inspiring like the Rebel Alliance.”

TJ shrugged. “As long as it sounds like we can crush our enemies, I’m in.”

“Using my name will strike the fear of God and all the armies of hell combined into any dumb shit that dares mess with us,” said Dawn, ripping a thick fern leaf with one smooth motion.

Joe held up his hand. “Let’s take a vote before Dawn’s head gets too big for her green hoodie.”

Dawn’s lip curled up in a mock sneer. “Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, Joe.”

“You got me. I’ll do better.” Joe shook his head and laughed. “Alright, everyone, pick your top name and let’s see who wins this round.”

After a heated debate and a few more laughs, they finally settled on a name that everyone could agree on.

“We are the Titan Slayers,” Joe announced, feeling a surge of hope as the team nodded in agreement.

A system update appeared in his vision.

[Faction: Titan Slayers

Bronze Rank Faction, QRL 2

Active Ascenders: 5

Non-Active Ascenders: 0]

Joe scanned the faction benefits. He’d noted the one TJ referred to before Rose joined the party. Sure enough, even though the former kobold hadn’t significantly contributed to the kill TJ received +2 points to his highest stat—strength, for being an active faction member. At the time, Joe’s own highest stat, dexterity, gained two points. With his own level up, he’d earned a flex point that he still needed to assign.

Another added bonus of the faction was that his defensive weave had increased by +5% damage resistance since the faction formed. That, plus his basic hoodie armor, gave him fifteen percent, a much needed boost since his constitution was at the lower end.

The active ascenders tab pulsed. Focusing, the tab opened and Joe’s eyes widened.

A bit of guilt washed over him as he skimmed each of the faction members’ stats. Rose’s class was a mage, with water and earth affinities. And Dawn, her changeling and paladin class gave her wind and fire affinities. Both of them were powerful—both green hoodies, but Rose’s ascender number listed as 175. All of their attributes were visible. Could they see this?

Joe glanced around the group, Dawn’s face set hard with glazed eyes. “Did you see the benefits of a faction?”

Laughing, TJ doubled over. “I told you I could kick some ass. My strength is the highest of all of you.”

Brian tilted his chin up. “Seems our faction is well-balanced.”

“Agreed.” Joe closed the faction stats. “There’s no sense in trying to hide anything if we want to survive the Lich’s game.”

***

Joe tugged on his hoodie strings trying not to let the heat and humidity get to him. The rest of the team seemed to feel it too as they adjusted their hoods and wiped away glistening sweat.

He tipped a water flask to his lips, letting the cool liquid swirl in his mouth as he checked his own stats to assign his flex point. Even though his constitution was low, his strength was embarrassingly weak with only two points.

He cleared his throat and dropped the flex point into strength. As a rogue, he’d not need to rely on strength, but back in his past life—he felt strange referring it to as such—he’d only ever been able to bench press the bar without weights. Here, he had a chance to optimize himself with stat distribution. He could make a change.

After the short break with everyone learning more about each other’s stats, Dawn gave them a map update using her love for colorful language with a dollop of sarcasm to describe what she was seeing.”Ha! What a fucking surprise. From what I can see, Greens and Oranges are sticking together, no Reds need apply.”

“Birds of a feather flocking together.” Job rubbed his neck, things weren’t so different back home. “Are you saying you see lots of green dots bundled together in groups across the map and the same for orange?”

“Yeah mostly, I mean there are some lone ranger types, a few are green but many more are orange and red. They are scattered away from the larger groups as if they’re avoiding them.”

“Don’t blame them,” TJ said. “If I was an Orange or Red zoner out here on my own, I’d stay clear of a groups made up entirely of Green zoners. Solid advice for us too, until we’re much stronger, they’ll see us Orange zoners as the weak links in this faction…” His eyes circled the group, a mixture of green and orange zoners. “If we kill the titan first nobody will fuck with us no matter what color we are.”

Rose arched her brow. “You honestly think they’ll risk fighting other factions on this floor instead of monsters, I thought there were penalties for that?”

“Fighting amongst ascenders? No, there’s only a penalty for that inside the Battlebox.” Brian took out a glass bottle of mana and offered it around. “Out here, anything goes I’m afraid, and I’m sure you all recall being told that our time can be stolen. Why waste energy and resources when you can gang up on weaker opponents and steal their time, even a single ratfolk has the best part of twenty years up for grabs.”

Joe glanced down at his orange hoodie and pants. So focused on his class, skills and QRL level he’d never really thought of them being seen as weak links by other ascenders? Looking up he caught Dawn’s gaze right before she broke away to drink what Brian had offered her. Once she was finished, she handed it to Joe who took a swig before passing it on to TJ. It tasted like cherry flavored cough syrup and warmed his chest going down.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

A chill replaced it. With a jackpot of immortality at stake, how long before they’d be forced to turn on each other? Joe chased that thought away before it had time to take root and fester.

Every system could be hacked.

He didn’t know how yet, but he’d find a way… they’d all survive the tower.

“We have the advantage of knowing where other ascenders are thanks to Dawn. I agree for now we should keep a low profile, we don’t want to end up in a territorial pissing match with other ascenders this close to the Greensnare.”

“Way I see it, we have two choices.” Dawn’s eyes drifted on ahead, her tone turning grim. “We can hoof it in that direction where there’s a break in the jungle canopy. Looks like a stupid convention’s going on there filled with ascenders who think they can fight a shit ton of spores, or we can go through this dodgy looking area filled with traps.”

“How’d you know it’s filled with traps?” TJ asked, his jaw tense.

Dawn rolled her eyes. “I told you already. I was snared in a trap before being magically teleported to you guys.”

“I can’t see the map, Dawn, so how the hell would I know it’s the same place you let yourself get caught in a trap?”

“I didn’t LET myself get caught,” Dawn snapped, the slightest movement of her changeling form cast an eerie shadow that writhed across the jungle floor. By the twitch of her brow she looked like she was about to slap TJ. “I was being chased by spores—”

“Speaking of spores,” Joe cut in before a no-holds-barred rumble in the jungle broke out between them. “Do their positions light up on the map now like killer mobs or something?”

“No, my map’s too basic for that. I know there are spores surrounding those ascenders given how close they are to the Greensnare’s location on the map. Those damn fools can’t see it. I figure a titan plant like that is using the jungle to camouflage its position while it shits spores from every orifice.”

“So you want to go the route where we can fall into traps and get poisoned. Real smart, Dawn.” TJ’s brows snapped together as his eyes circled the group. “I thought we’d decided to take down as many of those spore motherfuckers as we can to level up fast. Traps don’t fight back.”

Brian nodded. “TJ has a point. While falling into traps might get you some poison resistance, it’s not worth dying over. Observing those ascenders who died out here on the first floor and what we know happened to Lucky in the tutorial, they all respawned in their associated green, orange, or red zone common rooms. Each time they respawn, they physically age a year, but that’s not what concerns me most…”

The ground shook, forcing them all to drop low and steady themselves.

“Go on, Brian, what concerns you most? And also, what the hell was that?” TJ gripped his weapon.

“Spore shedding,” Rose said, as if it were obvious. “This time in far greater numbers.”

Dawn clenched her fists. “Some fucker got there before us. The Greensnare sheeding more spores because it’s under attack.”

“I’ve changed my mind.” Brian’s face paled. “Respawning back in one of the three zones being a massive time waster is not what concerns me most… if someone outside our party has engaged the Greensnare in a boss battle, we’re locked out of the fight.”

“Until one of them dies,” Joe finished, his stomach twisting at the thought of them falling behind. If they were locked out of the fight, it meant lost opportunities and precious time slipping away.

Joe could feel his pulse quicken, the jungle closing in around them. Every rustle of leaves, every distant cry of battle, felt like it was amplifying the pressure.

“Alright, let’s not lose our heads,” Joe said, taking a deep breath. “We need a plan. Dawn, how close are we to the Greensnare?”

Dawn’s eyes glazed over as she glanced at the map, her expression tight. “Not far. Maybe a ten-minute run through trap territory if we push it.”

“Then we push it,” Joe said, the decision clear in his mind. “I’ll use Quick Wit and take the lead with Dawn to watch for traps and spores. When we get closer to the Greensnare, we scope out the situation, and we figure out how to get in on the action. If someone’s already fighting, we’ll find a way to back them up or take over if they fall.”

TJ grinned, a savage light in his eyes. “Now that’s the kind of plan I can get behind.”

Brian hefted his crossbow, his expression like steel. “Fortune favors the bold, let’s take this titan down.”

“Stay sharp.” Rose’s eyes glinted with a mix of excitement and focus. She swished her head like a model from a hair product commercial, long locks flowing with volume highlighted her hybrid dark elf and human appearance. ”This could get messy.”

“This is it, let’s prove we’re the Titan Slayers and strike fear in the hearts of ascenders stupid enough to think we’re easy pickin’s.” Joe grinned at TJ who gave him a thumbs up. Then he nodded to Dawn and they set off at a sprint.

The jungle blurred around him. Joe’s heart pounded in his chest, not just from the exertion, but from the adrenaline and mana coursing through his veins as he scanned the area with Quick Wit activated.

Joe skidded to a halt. He could tell by the confused look on everyone’s faces that they’d yet to hear the gods awful sound.

The pained groan was distant.

“What is it?” Dawn brushed shoulders with him, her eyes following his gaze.

“Not sure yet, thought I heard something. Check your map. Any lone ascenders further along the path out of view, not moving, possibly injured?”

TJ, Brian, and Rose crowded them from behind.

They’d had a close call with a tripwire releasing poison darts. Dawn would have been a pincushion if it wasn’t for Joe’s Quick Wit skill. After that they’d stuck close together keeping alert for traps while keeping a brisk pace.

It was clear by the permanent scowl on TJ’s face that he was itching to take down whoever laid the traps in the first place.

Dawn finished examining the map. “Okay, there’s no lone ascender up ahead as far as I can tell…” Her eyes glazed over as she refocused her attention. She shook her head and took Joe by the arm, her tone turning grave. “You know those groups we’ve been avoiding?”

Nodding, his heart skipped a beat.

“They’re heading this way fast. It’s a mix of greens, oranges, and reds. Looks like they’re being chased.”

Joe felt blood drain from his face. If they ran to avoid them they’d trigger traps along the path. “Weapons out.” He pointed to a vine covered wall up ahead. “Let’s take cover there and plan our next move.”

TJ’s grin was as sharp as his blade. “Look on the bright side guys. They’ll be too busy fighting for survival to bother stealing time from us.”

Joe wasn’t so sure about that, there were too many variables at play.

A low groan caught his attention. His eyes darted left to right looking for the source but there were no signs of movement. It was less distant than before and sounded tormented. If Dawn couldn’t spot an ascender close by in that direction, was it possible the sound belonged to a creature snared in a trap?

Joe’s first instinct was to find the source and put the creature out of its misery. A cold voice rang clear in his mind. The blue flame made its presence known

You’re already too late, I’m afraid. It’s beyond saving.

“Shut up,” Joe hissed, “you’re nothing but an attention loving, soul sucking leech.”

Why, thank you! That’s the nicest thing anyone ever said to me.

Joe suppressed the sick lurch in his stomach as the blue flame laughed darkly. The sound echoed in his mind like a cruel taunt until the entity’s presence faded once more.

Sucking in a breath, Joe tamped down his frustration and anger. He wasn’t a rage fueled barbarian in one of his games, it wouldn’t serve him well out here.

Patience. That’s what Joe needed. And information too. Yeah, patience and a little information about what he was dealing with, so when the time came he’d exercise the invader from his soul, once and for all.

Best not wait too long. It might take up permanent residence in his soul and evict everything that was Joe. It was then that he realized everyone was staring at him.

“What’s your problem?” TJ growled.

Joe’s cheeks flushed and the jungle felt like it was closing in on him. Rubbing the back of his neck, he flashed a crooked grin. “Eh, sorry about that. I wasn’t talking about you. Thinking out loud about that damn Lich and his stupid games.”

TJ arched a thick eyebrow. “Damn heat’s messing with your mind by the looks of it.” He barked a cough, clutching his side.

Brian made a move toward him, waving a cloth in his hand. “Here use this, looks like the heat is getting to you too.”

Taking the cloth TJ mopped his forehead. “Don’t know what came over me. Feel a bit sick. Strange as I’ve always had an iron stomach.”

“You’re not a kobold anymore.” Brian kept his voice measured. “I read somewhere that humans can have delicate stomachs.”

“Nothing delicate about me.”

Dawn raised her hand, her knuckles popping as she curled it into a tight fist. “Shut your traps you two before I throw you both into one and leave you there. Map says we’ve got company.” She nodded towards the vines they were to take cover behind, her voice low and dangerous. “Move it.”

Brian furrowed his brows. “That’s more like trapping us as sitting ducks.”

“I don't want us to take any chances until we know what we’re up against.” Joe gestured to the vines. “We're not backing down from a fight, only choosing our experience for how we level up.”

Rose leapt into the vines, her back against the wall. “Let's not make enemies. We can let them pass, and then we'll sneak attack whatever's chasing them.”

Dawn nodded as she joined Rose’s side. “Once we attack, it will make us look like we got their backs.”

Gripping his machete, TJ narrowed his eyes at the direction of the growing yells. “Fine. We’ll tell them to stop before they reach the traps.”

The growing thuds of downed plants grew stronger, as the first peek of a red hoodie flashed through the foliage. Its wearer, a ratfolk glanced over his shoulder, his eyes wide with panic. “Get out, get out Rawlings.” He huffed as he leapt across a small broken branch. For such a nimble creature, he moved so stiff and slow as if jumping took too much effort.

The gray browed ratfolk stalled as its tail tugged straight back causing his body to jolt to a stop and crash down. “No, I have every chance as you.” His voice shuddered. “Even if my bones ache, I won’t let you have my time.”

Joe held his breath, his shoulders tensed as the once taut tail curled around the red hoodie like a comforting arm.

Out of the thicket, another orange hoodie, this one a kobold, sprinted past the ratfolk sprawled on the ground. “Not in my jungle. You’re spore meat, Rawlings!”

Rawlings, the ratfolk coughed and slowly rose, rubbing his eyes. “I don’t want to respawn again.” He stammered forward, one leg hobbling behind the other.

A blast of water from Rose’s hands thrust overhead of the ratfolk.

Joe took a sharp breath. The stalking predator, round and bulbous, waltzed on tall spindly legs.

“Spores!” Dawn yelled as she leapt away from the wall, blade extended.