Of course there has to be a boss. Traversing a murderous scorpion filled desert for several days straight is not enough of a test. Clearly we need to literally gatekeep the end with a fucking boss fight!

The massive scorpion turns in my direction and stares at me with numerous eyes.

I stare back with my six.

Pandora. If you can hear my thoughts, please kindly go fuck yourself.

The scorpion clicks all four of its massive pincers.

Actually. Disremark the kindly. Just go fuck yourself.

Eight stingers aim in my direction.

Fuck Me!

My arm rises up to block the first needle. It bounces off my gauntlet, and I grit my teeth at the force that travels up my arm.

Holy hell that hits like a cannon.

The second stinger I dodge to the side. Duck the third. Weave left on the fourth. Parry the fifth. Roll the sixth. Matrix dodge the seventh. Finally, I grit my teeth and block the eighth. The impact staggers me, allowing the ninth to puncture my abdomen.

Wait, what? Ninth?

Focusing on one of the tails, I can see a small bump traveling out the abdomen, up the tail, and then reloading the stinger with another needle.

It can reload its stingers! Why can it reload its stingers? What evolutionary pressure creates scorpions with poisonous reloading crossbows?

I dodge another, then block, only to be staggered. A needle grazes my neck.

I need to move!

Growling, I force my tired legs to move. The moment I do, a needle whizzes past me. Running now, my ability to react to the projectiles improve. I dodge and weave while I circle the scorpion. The scorpion's aim is very accurate and can lead its shots, but by constantly shifting my acceleration, I’m able to dodge effectively.

Shit, my body feels heavy and I need to figure out how to approach the damn thing. If I get too close, I may not react fast enough to dodge the needles. I need to figure something out.

I continue dodging as I run while analyzing the scorpions every movement. Once my lungs are burning and after thirty more shots, I finally realize its weaknesses.

It can only shoot one at a time. Once a needle appears on a tail, it takes approximately two seconds to arm and release. The tails are always aimed at my largest center mass which is my chest. What tail shoots are not random. It cycles in exactly the same way every time. On account of its body, the front has a thick exoskeleton, but the tails are segmented to allow the ability to rearm itself.

I think I can get close to it, but breaking through that exoskeleton is risky. I could probably break a tail, but I doubt it would be a killing blow. Nor will it probably restrict its movements. I also don’t exactly have the stamina for any protracted effort. My lungs are burning, my body is heavy, and I may pass out the moment the adrenaline fails. If I can somehow bleed it out and then find a safe place to rest, then there is a chance. But where could I re- Oh. That could work.

I grin as a plan pops into my mind.

Yea, that could work. Time to put it into motion.

Instantly I move from circling to rushing the scorpion. As expected, the scorpion continues its onslaught. As soon as I see a needle appear, I swerve to the side in exactly one and three fourths of a second. Though I struggle to react fast enough to dodge, I can dodge preemptively before the shot is fired.

I do this consistently until I’m now near the scorpion. The scorpion, to my surprise, ceases to shoot me. Instead, It spreads its claws and opens its pincers with the intent to crush and grab.

Just as I am in reach of the pincers. I bend my knees and put as much strength as I can into my legs. Then I hop forward.

Sand explodes as my body accelerates towards the scorpion a mere second before the pincers slam at my former location. With the burst of speed, I practically glide under the scorpion and quickly reach it’s behind.

Without waiting a moment, I slam my hands in between the tail segments. Then, using my strength, I rip, tear, and expand until there is a head sized hole in one of the tails. Immediately, I put my plan into action. I stick my head inside the hole and immediately activate [Shift].

One second I was a rampaging Fenrimorph, and the next, I’m a adorable kitten surrounded by walls of flesh.

It worked!

Grinning from whisker to whisker, I take a breath and begin to travel down the tail. Using the ability vested in my feline form, I squeeze deeper and deeper into the Matriarch's body until I feel I am firmly inside.

Then I cancel my transformation.

________________________________________________________

Pandora eyeballs the audience of divine beings. A much smaller audience now. From Eighty-two champion down to fifty-one. All within a short amount of time and for a very specific reason.

“I apologize for calling you here so early for another get together, but I believe it necessary to offer a warning and information.” He waves a swarm of tentacles. “Since the last meeting, we ended with eighty-two god's. Now, that number has dropped to sixty-five. Seventeen champions perishing is far too many in such a short period of time. After looking into it, five of the deaths were acceptable, but all of the rest died within the tower.”

Pandora leans his trunk forward on the podium. His million eyes stare at the levels of those present. Most are higher, especially Machina. The god of logic has catapulted his champion to level thirty-three already, while second place is tied by five gods at level twenty-four. Machina is also the only one to have cleared a tower. Impressive for a champion of such a level.

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“The towers are tests designed for individuals with a level in excess of fifty or groups in excess of twenty-five.”

“You can bring a group?” One god interrupts.

Pandora nods his skull. “Yes. If your champion has a job that allows subordinates, then those subordinates can be brought in the tower with them. Normally, such information would need to be deduced, but on account of the many deaths, I find it imperative that proper understanding of the risks these towers hold.”

Pandora flaps his seventeen butterfly wings. “I also recommend you do not rush the towers. It will take a great deal of time for any individual to conquer every tower. Which is why I recommend you have your champion level and grow stronger first.”

He twists the ball of his tail before flicking it into spikes. “So that you can articulate this warning to your champions, I will allow you all to meet your champion the next time they sleep regardless of whether they have leveled or not. In the meantime, feel free to stay here or leave.”

At his word, the only god to leave is Machina. All others disperse into various groups.

___________________________________________________________

Yazula sips her drink while petting Mus on her lap. The younger, mousey goddess blushes at Yazula’s touch. Mus is now the lowest level of all the gods. Which makes sense considering her champion is stuck on an abandoned island. Yazula would like to help her somehow, but Mus has no idea where her champion is located.

“Are you sure you don’t wish to form an alliance? It will benefit us immensely. We can share resources and information that is useful for the whole.” Leona, a goddess with a twenty four on her head explains. Leona is a humanoid predator akin to something of a lion. She is both lithe and muscular, with a very predatory gaze. Behind the woman is a posse of eleven other gods and goddesses. All are lower level than leona, but not by much. “It will only be until twenty towers are conquered. Then the alliance will be disbanded.”

Yazula finds the prospect intriguing, and would be willing to join. Being in a group and working together will yield better and safer results. But, there is a problem. “Yazula will not join unless Mus is allowed to join.”

Leona growls, which causes Mus to squirm in Yazulas lap. “She is weak. Her champion does not level and if the rumors are true, stuck on an unknown island. Her current situation will not benefit the group at all. It will only weaken us.”

Yazula wraps her arms around the Mousey-girl. “Then Yazula finds your alliance unworthy of Yazula's presence.”

“Unworthy!” Leona grins. “You think you can survive without a pack? Do you think your champion can survive alone?” She chuckles darkly. “Machina is the only one who can deem such a thing on account of his level. But you, the same level as me? You are but a goddess of luck, and I will watch happily as that little luck run ou-” Leona pauses. Her face goes pale while her eyes are glued to the top of Yazula’s head.

Yazula, noticing this, glances up to find the number twenty five. Realizing what just happened, Yazula quickly opens her mouth to gloat, but her realization is too slow. A portal opens under her.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.” She screams in outrage.

_______________________________________________________________

Opening my eyes, I find myself in the realm of white, which can only mean one thing.

Waiting for a few seconds, I see a portal open, followed by a screaming goddess. Yazula crashes face first into the ground. Then, to my surprise, another girl somehow even shorter than Yazula lands atop the goddess of luck.

The shorter girl looks something of a mouse mixed with a human.

I walk to the two groaning women.

“Yazula, I didn’t expect you to bring a friend.” I told her.

Yazula stops groaning at my words. Then she leans up to glance at the mousey girl.

“Mus, why are you here?” Yazula asks.

Mus frowns. “You pulled me with you.”

“So, who is this?” I ask.

Yazula blinks in continued bewilderment. “Yazulas goddess friend.”

“So a god… that you brought here?”

“Yazula did not intend to bring Mus. Yazula was just holding Mus tightly while Yazula was going to gloat. Yazula finds your level-up timing very inconvenient.”

“Inconvenient? Really?”

Yazula nods. “Yes, Yazula was having a conversation about alliances, and then you level and force poor Yazula to come here.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“So, the gods are creating alliances. Smart in the short term, but detrimental later. An alliance just means you’re cultivating competition that will have a good idea of your strengths and weaknesses. Unless you’re weak or you’re the leader of said alliance, then It is a waste to join. Detrimental even. I’d rather keep my anonymity for as long as possible.”

Yazula grins. She grabs Mus and pulls her close. “Then Yazula will be the leader of the alliance and Mus will join us.”

The little mousey-girl squeals in surprise.

“No.” I answer. “Needless risk, and I don’t think Mus will benefit me at all.”

Yazula pouts and holds Mus even closer. “Yazula believes Mus is the best person for an alliance. Mus does not want to win. Mus just wants to have fun.”

I raise an eyebrow towards the squirming mouse-girl. Just from a passive sense of the goddess, Mus is as young and as weak as Yazula. She also doesn’t seem deceptive.

“What kind of goddess are you?” I ask.

“I-i’m a goddess of magic.” She answers meekly.

She is too weak to be a generalist goddess of magic.

“What kind of magic?” I ask.

“Nature.” She answers.

Nature? Huh, that's actually not bad.

Gods related to nature in any form tend to be kind, caring, and very honest. They avoid conflict and prefer to nurture and create instead of destroy. If you want someone that isn’t going to stab you in the back, then nature is one of the best choices.

I cross my arms and stare at Mus. “You don’t want to win the god games at all?” I ask.

Mus shakes her head. “I-I don't want to harm others.” She answers.

After a long moment, I drop my arms. “Alright, fine. We’ll make an alliance.” I look at Yazula. “So long as I have final say over the members.”

Yazula salutes gleefully.

I return my attention to Mus. “Now then, tell me about your champion.”

“My Champion’s name is Nepenthes and…

For the next several minutes, I listen to Mus explain her predicament. A predicament that just so happens to make this alliance useless.

“I’m surprised Pandora would teleport a champion to an abandoned island.”

“It wasn’t abandoned. There was a catastrophe on the first day where meteors fell on my champions island. The island was shattered in two, with the populated half falling down into the planet.”

Damn. That’s some shit luck.

“And your champion has no idea where they are?”

She shakes her head.

“Any landmarks? Something unique?”

“Ughhh, there's a nearby island with a half destroyed castle.”

“Right. Any specific names?”

Mus shakes her head.

I sigh. “I’ll ask if anyone knows about a half destroyed castle. But first,” I turn to Yazula spacing out, “I believe my goddess is fully prepared to give me a new class.”

Yazula blinks. Her eyes meet mine.

We stare at each other for a long moment.

Then her cheeks turn bright pink.