Over the next few weeks, Gimble, the Raid Leader of their instance of the one hundred floor of the Tower of Champions, held a record number of raids against C Grade beasts.

They went after the weakest of the C Grade beasts, for—according to Gimble—it would be suicide on a mass scale to go after something like the C Grade dragon.

Xavier was glad for that. He wished to go after the dragon on his own—even if achieving something like that was feeling like it was farther away than he’d first thought.

Over these weeks, Xavier had not been idle between battles. He had focused as much of his attention as possible on advancing every single aspect of himself. He spent months and months within his time dilation field, alone but for the spirit Rhaalir to keep him company. In fact, he spent longer in there than even he realised, as his age pushed forward yet another year, making him twenty-four-years old.

It had been so long since he’d been back in the Tower of Champions, let alone back on Earth, that those places almost felt like dreams. The one hundredth floor, for now, was his home. Just as, once upon a time, the fifth floor had become his home—though with the waves of the Endless Horde coming at him every moment, he’d had far less time to think.

Within the time dilation field he worked on his attunements, pushing them harder than even he had thought possible. Liana said it was basically unheard of for a Denizen to reach more than 20 percent in their attunements at E Grade, and that was after years of training.

But Xavier had to wonder how effective that training was. How much of those years were they truly dedicating to the betterment of their attunements? Because Xavier found he was able to push his own attunements even further than 20 percent.

It took him a lot of effort. It pushed him to the very edges of his discipline and patience, but he felt each percentage point of attunement strengthen and empower him. Gaining a higher attunement wasn’t just something he was doing to increase his chances of gaining a better class when he finally pushed his advancement into D Grade, nor was it merely something he prided himself in. There was another aspect to it.

Like all things that increased his level of power, it was startlingly addictive.

Xavier sometimes wondered if that addictiveness was something the System had engineered into a Denizen’s progression, or if it had been there all along. The older version of himself had said that it wasn’t the System that gave them these powers, after all—it just helped them harness them and direct them.

Whoever created this System is trying to cultivate stronger Denizens with each iteration of a universe, so that one day they will be powerful enough to combat the end of everything…

Xavier didn’t let him think about that too much. When he did think about it, it all just felt too surreal. Because if he truly was to become the Weapon of the System, and if he truly was to one day stop the universe from ending—to defeat whatever threatened its demise, and had ended it a near infinite times already in the past—then it would mean that the System had… been invented specifically to create him.

He chuckled to himself as he sipped his coffee at the bar in Hunter’s Home.

Felicia raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t comment, as she was serving another customer.

Liana was still nowhere to be seen. In the weeks since Xavier had become a subcommander in Gimble’s raid group, she’d still been hiding up in the room she had here at the tavern, in that time dilation field of hers. To Liana, it was likely that only seconds, perhaps minutes, had gone by since she’d put herself in it.

It was a strange way to move through life, and certainly one that he wouldn’t opt for himself. But if it kept her on the floor until he was able to try and free her husband from The Nightmare, then so be it.

He stopped chuckling and took another sip of his coffee. Thinking the System had been made for him… that was probably the most arrogant thought that had ever crossed his mind. The System hadn’t been made for him—even if he did end up saving the universe—he was just a lucky accident.

He wouldn’t even be here if not for Julian Myers.

Xavier placed his mug on the bar—half drunk—and turned his attention to the party in the corner. Gimble and his people had just arrived and were already situated at their usual table. The Raid Leader of the One Hundredth floor gave Xavier a nod and smiled, raising his tankard in greeting. The dwarf motioned toward a free chair that they’d pulled over and tilted his head to the side in question.

Xavier walked over and took a seat. Though he’d initially been a bit annoyed—even a little hurt—when he’d discovered the dwarf had lied to him about being the Raid Leader when they’d first gotten to know each other, that was now water under the bridge.

“Subcommander Collins,” Gimble said. “What brings you to the tavern? We haven’t got a scheduled raid for another week.”

Xavier blinked. It was still strange being called Subcommander Collins. Honestly, despite the fact that back on Earth Xavier was a leader, he never really felt like one. He was only in his position because of how powerful he was, not because he’d proven that he could lead people.

Before joining the raid group, he hadn’t even been used to fighting alongside other Denizens. Not really. He didn’t think that fighting alongside his party really counted, considering the great divide between his powers and theirs. Despite the fact that his party had always been helpful to him, fighting with them had always felt more like… he was babysitting them.

I’ll be careful to never say that to their faces. I imagine they would be devastated—especially Justin.

Xavier nodded at Gimble. It was true there wasn’t another raid for a full week. Despite the fact that their raids had been incredibly successful since Xavier had taken charge as subcommander, adding his Time Alteration spell to the arsenal available to the raid group, Gimble thought that the Champions in the group were being pushed a little too hard, saying that they needed some rest between C Grade raids.

Xavier didn’t really understand that. These were supposed to be the top-rated, most powerful Champions on the entire floor. They were a part of the C Grade raid group… yet they needed rest?

But, it didn’t much matter to him how long things on this floor took. He’d already spent years in his own time here. What was a little longer?

“Lad?” Gimble asked. “I, uh, asked what you were doing here.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Xavier, not having realised he’d gotten lost in thought, looked over at the dwarf. “Oh, well. I’ve been training hard and…” He smiled. “I’m finally ready to advance.”

Gimble blinked. “Advance?” His eyes widened. “What you mean, advance? You’re sayin’… you can’t be sayin’…” The dwarf swallowed. “You’re about to become a C Grade? I knew you was powerful, we all know that… but I can’t imagine you’re already advancing to C Grade!”

Xavier threw his head back and laughed. He couldn’t help himself. The idea of advancing to C Grade… it just felt far too absurd not to warrant such a response.

The dwarf frowned. “So you’re… not advancin’? That was just some weird, human humour? I like you a lot, lad, but I gotta say I’ll never understand your kind.”

Xavier wiped a single tear from his cheek. “No, it wasn’t humour. I am advancing. Just not to C Grade.”

The dwarf’s frown deepened.

“You aren’t making any sense, lad.” Gimble looked inside Xavier’s mug. “You sure it’s only coffee you been drinkin’? Do I need to get Felicia to cut you off?”

The other members of Gimble’s party had been ignoring the two of them up until then, now they were attracted to the conversation.

“What’s this about Xavier advancing?” Elinae asked.

“He can’t be close to C Grade. I mean, I’ve heard of some Champions grinding out this floor for that long… but we were here when he first arrived!” Tam said.

Xavier made a gesture, one Gimble knew well from when they were planning a raid inside of the tavern. Xavier pulled slightly at his own earlobe and Gimble gave a nod. The dwarf summoned a small device from his Storage Ring. A moment later, the table was shrouded. No one would be able to overhear what was said, nor would they be able to read their lips.

Maybe Xavier should have done that a little earlier.

“As I said to Gimble here, I’m not advancing to C Grade.” Xavier paused, licked his lips. “I’m advancing to D Grade.”

Gimble laughed, then stopped himself when he looked into Xavier’s eyes. The two of them were getting to know one another a little better in the weeks since Xavier had joined the raid group and been promoted to subcommander. He could tell when Xavier was being serious—and Xavier wasn’t prone to making jokes.

Especially not about his own progression.

“You’re serious, aren’t you, lad?” Gimble said in a flat voice.

Xavier nodded. “I am.” He looked over at the bar, at Felicia standing behind it. “You can ask her. She’s been aware of my grade for a while. She knew I was E Grade when she recommended me for the raid group.”

The dwarf ran a frantic hand through his beard. His head faced forward, but his eyes kept flicking back and forth as though he was trying to solve some sort of complex math equation. “No,” the dwarf said. “That can’t be right. You’re having a laugh.”

Xavier shook his head. “I’m not joking, Gimble. I’ve no reason to lie about something like this.”

“He’s telling the truth,” Elinae said. The woman’s eyes were white and wide in surprise.

Xavier tilted his head as he looked over at her. She was able to tell whether he was lying or not? Quite a skill—or perhaps a spell—for her to be able to do such a thing without needing a contract first.

“There are things you don’t know about me,” Xavier said.

Gimble guffawed. “Well, if that wasn’t clear before, it certainly is now. Had I known you were E Grade, I never would have let you into the raid group! I never would have bloody believed you! That… that is insane, lad!” Shock was written all over his face. But there was something else, too. Awe. And… admiration.

Gimble’s expression slowly turned from one of surprise to one of pure delight, and there was even a hint of ambition somewhere in there.

“So, lad, you’re telling me, that right now, you’re an E Grade Denizen? A Champion of the tower who’s come all the way to the hundredth floor without ever having advanced to D Grade?” He shook his head again. “And the things that you are able to do. None of that makes sense for someone in E Grade. Hell, some of it barely makes sense for most D Grades!”

Xavier chuckled. “Yes, I’m E Grade. And yes, I know it makes little sense what I can do.” He didn’t delve any deeper into it. He didn’t need to. He may trust this Gimble fellow more than he did before, but that didn’t mean he wished to share everything with him. He’d already seen that the dwarf could lie. Who knew what else he might be capable of?

There was a gleam in Gimble’s eye. “Then that means… you must be…” He glanced at his companions, then looked at Xavier. “Are you a True Progenitor?”

I’m a hell of a lot more than just a True Progenitor, Xavier thought, but didn’t say. Instead, he said, “Yes. My planet was only just integrated into the Greater Universe recently. I’m the first of my people to make it this far into the tower.”

“Aye. Well. No wonder you came in looking so doe-eyed and confused.”

“I wasn’t doe-eyed,” Xavier replied.

Gimble laughed. “You certainly were, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of, especially considering where ya come from. A True Progenitor. In my raid group. And an E Grade! There must be something we can do with this…”

Xavier frowned and narrowed his eyes at the dwarf. “What do you mean, something you can do with this? I didn’t give you the information so you could profit from it. Besides, it’s too late to somehow benefit from me being E Grade. I’m about to advance.” He pushed off the table with his hands and stood, looking down at the dwarven party. “I just wanted to see the look on your faces.”

He’d wanted to do more than that, truth be told. Considering that Gimble was actually the most powerful Champion on the entire floor—something that had taken him by surprise when he’d first learnt of it, but was quickly becoming abundantly clear—he’d been hoping to make an ally out of him—not just an ally here as he already was, but outside of the tower as well.

“Sit back down, lad. Let’s talk a bit, aye?” Gimble tapped the seat that Xavier had just left. “I’ll buy you a mug of whatever that brown stuff is that you seem to like so much.”

“Coffee,” Xavier said. “It’s called coffee.”

“Aye, yes, that’s what I said.” The dwarf signalled to the barkeep, and in moments a fresh mug of coffee had appeared in front of him. “Besides, it’s only fair, considering how many rounds you’ve bought for us in the past.” The dwarf winked.

Xavier found he was curious to find out what Gimble had to say, so he sat down and grasped the mug with both his hands. The warmth of it seeped into his palms, and he breathed in the sweet aroma wafting from the top, then let out a sigh. “All right, I’ll stay for this drink.”

Gimble leant forward on the table, as though talking conspiratorially, which wasn’t really necessary considering the table had already been hidden from eavesdroppers. “So, I, uh, have been on this floor longer than any other Champion I’ve ever encountered.”

Xavier tilted his head to the side.

“You have?”

“Aye, lad, I have.”

“But you only recently became Raid Leader, didn’t you?”

Gimble smirked. He glanced away, then looked at Xavier. “Well, that’s not exactly the first time I’ve been the leader of a raid… Just there are no longer any Champions around who served with me.” The dwarf nodded toward the bar, at Felicia. “She’s the only one who knows how long I’ve been here. Other than my party, o’course.”

Xavier looked at Elinae, Tam, and Lilta “You’ve all been here longer than any other Champion in this instance?”

Elinae shook her head. “No. He’s been here this long. He has other Champions rotate into his party every so often. We’ve only been here as long as he’s been the current Raid Leader.”

Xavier leant back in his chair. That was definitely something he hadn’t known.

“All right,” Xavier said. “I’m listening a little harder now.” He eyed Gimble. The dwarf looked more mischievous than ever. Apparently they were both sharing secrets today.

Gimble inclined his head. “Good to know, lad. Good to know.” He picked up his tankard and drew a long drink from it. “So, I reckon I know this floor better than anyone. At least, better than anyone round here.” He made a vague motion. “I’m sure there are those in the Greater Universe, in more prominent sectors, who have a far better knowledge… but that’s beside the point, lad. You aren’t sitting across from them, you’re sitting across from me.”

Xavier kept in a sigh, wondering when the dwarf would get to the point, even though he appreciated Gimble’s enthusiasm, it felt as though he was building whatever this was up just a little too much. “Right,” was all Xavier said in reply.

“Aye. Right. Well. As an E Grade, you’ve been holding your own against C Grades, something which…” He trailed off, looking a little dumbfounded. “I’m still tryin’ to wrap my head around.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to defeat any of those C Grades if it weren’t for having the raid group at my back.”

Gimble nodded. “Hmm. Right ya are.” He leant in again. “But what if there was a C Grade monster on this floor you did have a chance of defeating on your own? Before you advanced to D Grade?” The man smiled more deeply. “Is that something you reckon you’d be interested in?”

Xavier didn’t have to think about that long. He leant forward in excitement. “Of course that’s something I’m interested in.”