As I stepped out of the Tower, I made my way to the customs line. This is where a government official will scan me and ask for my Taxable gold. The process took 10 minutes, and in the end, I paid 25 gold pieces, which was a hefty chunk of my gold, but I paid because the materials I was carrying would make way more money than that. So I officially left the tower and entered tower town. The tower appeared in an empty cattle field in Queensland. The government had quickly seized the area and the entire farm paying the now wealthy farmer something like 3 billion dollars. Now with the increased traffic of the tower, the government started to sell plots of land around the tower, and now a bustling gold rush town had spread out from the base.
When I arrived two days ago, I was shocked about the prices of things; simple food could run you $50 for a burger. I had four grand on me when I arrived, and that quickly was spent. And it wasn’t a supply and demand thing that made the prices so high; It was the exchange rate from gold to dollars. Gold was at $40 per gram; a gold coin was 10 grams of gold, each gold coin was $400. So that 25 gold I paid in tax was $10,000 in tax. I currently carried everything in my backpack. Which was not going to work for the long run, it was already heavy as hell, about a kilo of gold and 10 kilos of bits of snakes. I mentally counted my gold, 96 pieces of gold, or $38,400 in under 2 hours. A smile etched my face. My last first day didn’t go this well; in total, my last time through, I killed seven snakes and just had enough to get a room at the motel on the outskirts of town — time to do some shopping.
I first went to the bank and exchanged ten gold for some cash, some places wouldn’t accept the gold piece, so some hard cash was necessary. Now to the market. The market was a sea of tents set up on the west face of the tower. A lot of people made money in that sea; you could find a lot of useful items and services. You could also find thieves and gang members. My first stop was a large pavilion tent with armed guards at the entrances, Michael hill, the jewelry store; they had set up early on because of the gold. And with people climbing higher and finding jewelry that gave bonuses or had abilities, they were neck-deep in profit. But I was looking for a ring, sliver band with crystal embedded in it, a spatial ring. It allowed one to store a vast amount of gear into a pocket dimension tied to the ring. The one I was looking at for 50 gold was a common, and it had a pocket dimension of 3m3, which was a lot of space. Latter, these rings would cost five gold, but that’s was when the other spatial devices would become available. I paid the clerk and took out my knife and cut my thumb with it; a drop of blood was needed to tie the spatial ring to me, so even if it was stolen, people couldn’t use it till I was dead. Putting the ring on, I stored my backpack in the ring a feeling lighter walked out of the tent.
With my 36 gold pieces left, I grabbed the other items on my list of things I need — necessary tools for alchemy, plant gathering tools, and more ammo. I was going to grab a press to make my own ammo, but the mining industry hadn’t kicked off yet, so there were no magical ores to use. I sold the fang daggers for five gold each; I wasn’t fussed. I eventually found a leatherworker a commissioned a pair of snake boots, along with 20 gold for all my snake skins. Snake boots where necessary, they decreased the noise from footsteps. With that done, I headed off to the Climber hotel. It was a three-story Queensland pub that was brought in on the back of a semi, and I needed a beer and a rest. Even though I was only in the tower for an hour, my mind had been battling for 3 hours. So I sat down at a stool asked for a schooner of XXXX gold and watched the midday rugby match playing on the tv. A couple more beers and a room for the night, I was fast asleep before I hit the bed.
♫ I come from a land down ♫ I woke to the very familiar song playing from my cell phone. The caller id said, Dad. Instantly awake, I answered it. “dad?” I answered, my eyes already wet.
“oh thank god, you're alive.” He said, and I could only think the same. “you were meant to call last night, and you didn’t. your mother has been worried sick!”
“shit, sorry, I was exhausted. Sorry, I just forgot,” I said, my voice threating to break, my dad was calling me. I hadn’t heard his voice in a decade. And here he was calling because he was worried about me.
“Yeah, well, how did it go.” His gruff voice sounded disappointed and interested at the same time. He didn’t approve of my idea of becoming a climber.
“good dad, Perfect, today will be better.” I said. “how mom?” I asked,
“she’s fine just worried had to stop her calling you 50 times last night.” He explained
I laughed, “and jenny, how is she doing in high school?” Jenny was my little sister.
“fine, going on her first date on the weekend, some kid named Recee,” he didn’t sound pleased.
“Should I drop by and show off my new guns?” I laughed, we spent the next hour talking he was retired, so there was no rush. It was heart-lifting and just made my goal that more important. “send mom and jenny my love.”
“Yeah yeah, don’t get your self killed and be back on Christmas,” dad said in his way of goodbye. Hanging up, I went about getting a shower and starting my day. Today it was to start climbing the tower.
Before heading into the tower, I stopped to get some supplies. I was going to be away for a few days. The rustle of ding of bells as I pushed the shop door brought back so many memories. Walt’s Supplies wasn’t the best supply shop, but I had frequented a lot in my previous life. I stared at the shop the rows of shelves hardly filled with handwritten price tags on all the items. “welcome to Walt's how can I help you.” A friendly elderly voice said to my right. Turning, I was face to face with the wizened old fool, Walter Duch. “well, just here to stare or buy something.”
“yeah, buy, need camping gear and some traps,” I said, shaking my head.
“What kind of traps?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“we’ll hear rumor of some experimental ones you been working on,” I said with a grin, the old coot was a tinker and one of the best inventors of the Australian Tower Town.
“oh, so what you need the trap for?” he said, leaning in interest in his eyes.
“going to be to camping in the tower need perimeter defenses,” I said, trying to pique his interest more.
“well, I have some new traps that might be great for perimeter defenses if you got the cash,” he said, making the universal sign of money.
“I got 20 gold and five grand in cash,” I said.
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“yup that will do.” His gap-tooth smile “Alice bring the Ringer 2000, A good tent and Camp kit.” He also was the grandfather of one Alice dutch, a future member of [Hold my beer]
“Also, I was interested if you want to sell some alchemy concoctions of mine,” I said, pulling out a dozen vials of Snake Eye Jack, that I had cooked in my room this morning. I had made 30 but need some for my self. “its called Snake Eye Jack, increase vision for an hour, perfect for picking out details.” I explained.
“boy, are you trying to sell me snake oil?” he said gruffly and picked up a potion. His eyes widen as he saw the item card. Even though it was a low tier potion, it was rare because it required experimentation beyond the usual means. “okay, okay, how much you want for them.”
“percentage, you set the price you take 45% I take the lion share,” I said I knew I could sell them my self, but you don’t fuck over family even future family. “theses 12 are just a taster, ill have about 100 for you at the end of the week plus some more goodies”
“here's the stuff.” A young raven-haired beauty said as she places my purchases on the counter. Alice, one of my oldest friends, looked so odd in simple clothes and a shop apron. It's probably six years since I saw her out of her leathers. Not that I have seen her naked just its been a while that I've seen her in regular clothes.
“Thanks, Alice,” I said automatically, “so Walt, you in for the potions?”
“Pop, what potions are this farm boy trying to sell you,” Alice said hotly, oops must have pissed her off.
“Alice, take a look, he's asking we sell it for him.” Walt tossed her the potion. Her eyes widen as she looked at the item card. Only people that have been into the tower could see item cards. Otherwise, you had to believe the seller. I knew Walter and Alice had both been in the tower, to see item cards they weren't interested in climbing, yet. “whats the split.?” She asked
“45% to us 55% to him,” Walter said.
“sounds too good to be true,” Alice replied.
“it's not; the ingredients are easy for me to acquire, and the potion is beginner rank, just I'm the only one that knows the formula.” I said with a smile. “and once I’m past the gathering areas in the tower ill sell you the formula, and you can take all the profits.” I sweeten the deal. “I am a bit favorable to you now, so future deals, you will be more accepting of my terms.” I turned and looked at Alice straight in the eyes.
“yup that makes sense, Okay pop go for it we need the money this all you have.” She asked.
“course, not I have another 18 in my ring but need them for my self, ill have another 100 for you at the end of the week,” I said. “I suggest selling the first six at about six gold each, the last six increase the price to about 12 gold each,” I said with a smile. Tossed Walt 20 gold, and stored my purchases. The Ringer 2000 was a sonic barrier trap, once activated, will create a small perimeter out of sound. Just enough to set up a small campsite. It keeps creatures out or in depending on which side of the trap they were on. Walt designed it for cathing more massive animals, but it could be used as a shark cage to he guessed. It was remotely activated so that one could deactivate it from inside the trap. How ever, it didn’t stop non-living objects. So one could still shoot him from outside the trap but, I sure I would kill them before they killed me.
Back to the tower, I slaughtered my way to the “stairs” to the next floor. They weren't stairs but a rippling portal like the exit. I did this till I reached Floor [1-6] the snakes were growing bigger and bigger as each floor progressed. It only took me 3 hours because I remembered the locations of the stairs thanks to the ability I got from alchemy.
Skill Gained
Alchemy Rank [Beginner] Level [1/100]
+0.01% Potion effectiveness.
Abilities
[Beginner] Recall
Recall
Can Recall any Information from your past
It was a photographic memory and a legendary ability. I got it because I created a Snake eye jack from memory. I think the tower or the guardians or whatever didn’t understand. They knew I built it from memory but didn’t have a clue how I had a mind of something that didn’t exist yet. Such legendary recollection.
Killing my way to the stairs was easy, as well. Even though my gunslinger rank was beginner didn’t mean I was a beginner. The skill just increased damage output and gave you abilities; it did not covey someone's actual skill. I still didn’t complete a feat to push me into apprentice rank, however. So once I reached the floor 1-6, I knew this is where the biggest constrictor types lived, they didn’t get bigger on the higher floors, nope just venomous snakes started to appear and then they got bigger aswell.
I headed to a large nest and set up the ringer 2000 in the middle of it. I practice my reloading. With the spatial, I was truly fast at calling a bullet to my hand and placing it into the chamber while storing the shell into the ring. Total reload of one gun under a second. Smiling to my self that I could still do that trick. As a spell slinger, it was a while since I used actual revolvers and not my Mana-guns. Downing a potion of snake eye jack, my eyes took on a snakelike appearance. Lighting the nest up, I waited for the hissing cries of the snakes. “Come on.” I waited then pop an egg cooked off, and the hissing began. A smile reached my face; this was going to be fun, I said as the 5-meter snake busted out of the foliage {boa level 16}. I clicked the button, activating the sound barrier. The started blasting away at the snakes swarming.
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Thomas Mackay walked out of the bushes he was hacking his way through to find a ball of snakes. All he could hear was hissing, and gunshots decided that was a nope, and backed away slowly. As he did, he almost ran over his party members that were following his path.
“what's wrong?” Gibil asked. That wasn’t his name, but it was the one he gave when Thomas asked.
“so many snakes, I think there mating,” Thomas replied in a whisper. The rainforest had a wired way of dispersing sound, so none of the others could hear the hissing and gunshots.
“what?” a rather large aboriginal man said a bit loud for Thomas liking. “let us see” he hurried and brushed past Thomas
“wait,” he tried to say as the rest of his party pushed forward.
His party stood frozen as they came upon the scene. “I think someone is in there,” said Gibil.
“you think some mad bastard is in that ball?” the aboriginal named Lucas said.
“yeah, the gunshots and the bullet holes on the snakes.” Gibil, “let's wait and see whos in there.”
“Why don’t we help him out?” Julia said she was the healer of the party and a kind soul,
“you want to agro that?” Thomas asked with a shocked expression.
“Yeah, Nah,” Lucas and Gibil said together.
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An hour and a half and nearly 500 rounds, and the last snake died. I wiped sweat from my forehead, clicking the sound barrier off. I laughed. “what I didn’t say I would play fairly, Loot all,” I said to a corpse. [Loot: 498 gold, 212 snake skins, 150 snake eyes, 123 snake meat, Cobra strike revolver (uncommon), Cobra Fangs (common) x4, Cobra Strike Sword (uncommon), Spatial Ring (common), 67 Snake blood, 2 Snake oil (rare)] Not bad for over 200 snakes. And two upgrades.
Cobra Stike Revolver
Revolver
Skill: Gunslinger
Damage 36
Ability: Poison Round
Shoots a Poison shot, bonus 10 poison damage, 1 bullet, 10 stamina, 10 mana
Cobra Strike Sword
Short Sword
Skill: Blademaster
Damage 19
Ability: Poison Coat
Applies a Poison To the blade. Bonus 5 poison damage, 3 attacks, 10 stamina, 10 mana
Too bad, I only got one revolver. Weapons like these where called hybrid weapons, a gateway to the hybrid classes, like Spellslinger and Arcane Knight. They had abilities that used a combination of stamina and mana and usually was a class ability aswell. If I sold either of them, I could make an excess of 500 gold each. Use them now sell them later. I told my inner greed todd. Looking up, I saw the party of people just staring at me. I blinked at them, and they blinked back. “Hi,” I waved at them.