Ray didn’t have to wait long before the Imps arrived. There were only three of them this time, carrying a small sack that with everything inside it jostling along thanks to their motion.
He wished he could communicate with them. So many questions he could have asked. What had they brought him? What had they done with the bodies themselves? Why had they decided to bring,… whatever it was that lay within that sack?
Unfortunately, the Imps didn’t talk. The only times Ray got any sense of their thoughts was when he was using the Tower Node. He didn’t care enough to know their thought just then to do that. Not when it was likely going to call down the presence of a Paragon again. Ray could actually feel a vestige of it with the monsters there.
Once more, he got the sense that it was a good thing the presence didn’t have its whole attention upon him. Still. Ray was intrigued by what exactly a Paragon was, and how it connected to the Tower Node.
“Thanks,” he said as the Imps dropped the sack before him. “Hold on a moment, will you. I might have something to give you.”
For all that he couldn’t communicate with them, they at least seemed to understand his verbal commands.
Huh. Maybe there was a passive effect from the Tower Node that translated his speech into integral orders.
The contents of the sack weren’t anything too amazing. For some reason, they thought he could make some use of one of the Sylvan’s horns. He did like the Mana crystals and the capsules at bottom. Presence of the Primordial didn’t activate, so the tablets didn’t work with Mana. Ray had seen how effective they were in battle, though. He was certain they were useful.
There was no gear or anything like that. No rings, no armour pieces, no equipment or anything of the sort. Not surprising. Ray had seen that sort of stuff in the hoards the monsters kept in their caves. They wouldn’t surrender them to him or anyone voluntarily.
At the bottom, however, was something strange that his spell did latch onto.
[Presence of the Primordial]
Sylvan Heart Cluster [Tier 3]
Cluster of minor Mana cores combined to form a heart for the body, mind, and spirit. The most vital organ of any Sylvan. Clusters contain the whole being of a Sylvan, a vaunted storage for their memories, their soul, and their famed Sylvan Pride. Considered highly valuable and used in rare but powerful alchemical processes.
Huh. So he was holding an organ. Was this what Gritty had pulled out and crushed during that battle? He could ask her, but what did it matter, in the end?
Intriguing as it was, Ray couldn’t find any use for it. Although… Presence of the Primordial indicated it was highly valuable. Maybe there was a use for it. Financially.
“Here goes nothing,” Ray said quietly.
He crushed another Mana crystal but didn’t absorb the Mana this time. Instead, he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts on Virko the merchant.
Ray hadn’t stuck around to discover the exact resummoning mechanic, but Maya and the others had explained that all he would need to do was think of doing business, and the trader would appear. Although, he wouldn’t arrive until he completed any outstanding business he had.
As such, Ray waited.
Since it was taking a while, Ray sat down and tried to solidify his plans going forward. First, he chatted with Maya. Just to be polite, he enquired about how things were progressing at their Base but didn’t linger on the information for long.
He had more important questions on mind.
Ray: You mind telling me about the functions in your Base Node?
She did, which helped him a good deal on planning what to do with the Sylvan Heart Clusters. He also explained a bit more about his plans to secure them all a source of Mana fruit.
Maya: Level 19?! I’d tell you to back off, but it sounds like you have things in hand.
Ray certainly had. He’d just have to be a bit more careful about his own powers next time. With their conversation done, Ray closed off their chat. No Virko yet, so he continued pondering some more.
He thought of what he had experienced with the Duskshell. Different threads tugged at his mind. The Objectives he was yet to complete, the growth he had to secure for himself.
Ray had to reach his goals, that was for sure. But at the same time, he also didn’t want to completely abandon the little settlement he had helped create and the people he had already worked alongside to some extent. They were still in a heaps of danger. The Sylvans likely still posed a threat, and that last message from Gritty had been worrying too.
Other people… that was a headache Ray would deal with when it came up. First, he needed to get stronger. Fast.
If he wanted to reach the next Floor, then he couldn’t count on simply finding a solution to this weird challenge set by the Floor Lord. He still had no proof it was legitimate. What if this Floor Lord—this Handler, undoubtedly another Sylvan—found some reason to stop him?
He had to be strong enough to force the issue. Virko had said the Floor Lord had been at level 27 the last they had spoken. That had to be stronger than anything else on this Tower Floor.
The most powerful being Ray had encountered so far had been these Tier 6 Duskshells at Level 19. A Sylvan stronger than that would be a crazy force to reckon with.
Levelling up by killing random monsters would be too time-consuming. Ray wasn’t completely opposed to doing so, but he had to explore all his options first. Plus, he couldn’t ignore other means of growing in power. That meant achievements. That meant raising the Tier of his spells—and hopefully, his skills as well—via other methods.
“You look deep in thought, my human friend,” Virko said.
The Halftyr tradesman looked much the same as he had before. Rich boots, silken robe with the silver belt. His floating carpet with the neon blue lights at the edges still held a variety of wares.
“Hello,” Ray said. He kept his expression neutral. Good business was like good poker. Giving something away on the face would be detrimental. “I’d like to buy some stuff, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course! Halftyr Virko’s Emporium is always open for business.” His grin was just as calculating as last time. “So long as you can pay for everything.”
“Yeah, that’s the problem, isn’t it? We always have to pay for everything, and I’m not sure I have the money I need.”
“Oh? Wasted away all that you exsanguinated from me last time?”
“Exsanguinated?”
Virko’s smile grew marginally wider. “I’m sure we can come to some sort of agreement.”
“Is that right? Well good, because I don’t want to give up my hard-earned Mana crystals.”
Virko tutted, but he nodded and stroked his rather short, silky beard like he had expected it. “Deals can be for a variety of stuff. But first, we need to figure out what you need, don’t we?”
“I don’t care about what I need, if I’m being honest. I’m more interested in what I can get. What if payment wasn’t the issue, Virko?” Ray grinned. “What can you offer me? What can I earn?”
Virko waved at his floating rug magnanimously. “You know the spiel. Priceless artifacts? Legendary weapons? Armour worn by the great ancients? All is available at Virko’s wares.”
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Ray affected a sigh. “Don’t give me your sales pitch, Virko. What’s the best thing you’ve got that I could use?”
Virko understood what Ray meant. It didn’t matter if the Halftyr merchant had a Tier 10 sword that ripped up space itself. Something like that wasn’t going to help Ray and his fighting style.
Although… perhaps he would think twice about a weapon of that calibre.
But the point remained that Virko had to offer something Ray could integrate into his current style.
Virok shook his head slowly. The previously oily smile now turned into something more patronizing. “Those boots you sold me wouldn’t be enough to afford the best I have, my friend.”
“Sure.” Ray leaned forward, smiling as widely as he could. “My boots might not have, but what about these?”
Slowly, he pulled out one of a Heart Cluster from the sack.
Virko was confused for a moment. Then he actually recoiled, his face turning pale. “Where in the blasted pits of Drakon did you get that?”
“Are you seriously going to tell me you haven’t heard of the clashes between the Sylvans and the humans?”
Ray could see the new calculations running rampant through Virko’s head. There were too many things for the merchant to consider. How many Sylvans had Ray killed? Did he know a Heart Cluster’s true worth?
More importantly, what did he want?
Ray got on the issue before Virko could. “Listen, Virko. I’m not interested in simple spells or Talismans or even any other priceless, overpowered artifacts you can sell me. I have a few other things in mind that I want. And if you can be useful in getting me those things, then we can have a deal.”
“I shouldn’t even be talking to you.” Virko eyed the Heart Cluster in Ray’s hand with a mixture of greed and fear. “Walking around with something like that. You know how many Sylvans will kill you on sight?”
“All of them.” Ray paused, trying to think slightly more charitably as he recalled Kredevel. “Almost all, at least.”
“Yes. Just as you would be a fool to have them upon your person, I would be a greater fool to trade them for anything.”
“But you still want them, don’t you? I don’t have any particular use for them, but in the right channels, I have a feeling you can make bank. And that’s why you’re hesitating. No risk, no reward, right?”
“I wouldn’t be just risking my license.” Virko pressed his fist to his chest. “I’d be risking my life.”
“Just like every other human on this entire Floor. Ironic, isn’t it?”
Virko looked like Ray had force fed him some disgusting medicine.
“Anyway, to cut to the chase,” Ray said, tossing the Heart Cluster up before catching it again. It felt hard and squishy at the same time. “This thing is yours. But in return, I want five thousand Mana crystals.” The look on Virko’s face calmed into something closer to his habitual oiliness, but then it soured as Ray went on. “But more importantly, I want information.”
“Information? Last time wasn’t enough?”
“No. Same deal as last time. If I’m satisfied, then you’ll have your Heart Cluster.”
“How in the world am I supposed to trust you’ll keep your end of the bargain?”
Ray grinned. Then took out another Heart Cluster. It made Virko’s dark eyes turn as round as coins. “For the first one, we’ll do the original part of the deal. You pay me the Mana crystals I want. I hand over the Heart Cluster. But for the second Heart Cluster, I want my information first and I’m going to make sure its legit before I hand it over.”
“That still needs me to trust that you’ll keep your word.”
“I’m selling you the first one at a loss, Virko. Don’t mess around with me. I’ve seen what it can go for. I’d be lot richer if I put them up for auction through the Base Node.”
Virko’s face darkened. He was cornered. “Alright then. Five-thousand Mana crystals for the first Cluster. For the second, you can ask me whatever you want. I can’t promise I’ll have satisfactory answers for everything.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you what the colours of your bloomers are.”
“Bloomers?”
Ray ignored it and proceeded with the first part of their deal. The flood of Mana crystals would have been rather ridiculous if he hadn’t been able to fit them all in his Bag of Holding. Just because he now had a crap ton of them, he used a hundred to get a better Bag of Holding off the trader. His new one had twice as much capacity for different items as his last one.
“Oh neat, I can fit in even more of the same thing over and over without needing more space,” Ray said. “Pretty convenient. Now. Onto the actual questions.” Ray smiled. “I want to know more about your adventures.”
If Ray was certain of one thing, it was that the Halftyr trader had a much better knowledge of the First Floor than any of the humans. He had to know its ins and outs really well. Even more importantly, the fact that he had talked about other agreements and businesses suggested one very clear thing.
This guy had met other people too.
So, Ray took the better part of an hour learning about the different people on the First Floor.
There was the New Nation Faction somewhere farther north, a group of people who were bent on creating a habitable settlement. Their true aim was to create a proper semblance of civilization, just as they used to enjoy back on Earth. Well, good luck to them with that.
The Ascenders was a large collective of individuals who were working towards something Ray understood a lot better. Reaching the Second Floor. Then the Third, and so on. They were dedicated to the main objective that every single new Denizen had been given. Climb the Tower. Reach as high as you can. Claim the glory that awaited them all.
Ray wasn’t as taken in by what awaited him higher so much as his ability to control his own fate, but he knew he would need to climb. So did these Ascenders, it seemed.
Lastly, there was the Wild Tides Faction. They were a strong, rapidly-growing group who wanted to take over the entirety of the First Floor. Ostensibly, this was so that they could protect themselves from all sorts of danger. Ray supposed he got the motivation. He had seen first-hand what the Sylvans and a Duskshell could be like.
But if their motivation had led to a conclusion of needing to take over the entire floor… then they were going to end up meeting and tackling the other Factions eventually. The idea of taking over did not settle well with Ray.
It was kind of funny. Ray’s vocation was called Tower Conqueror. If anyone was supposed to have intentions of taking over anything, it ought to have been him.
But the very human idea of conquest, of subjugating and ruling where only his word mattered, didn’t appeal in the slightest. No. What Ray wished to conquer was the Tower itself. In the end, he had to climb not just because he wanted to, but because the Tower itself was attempting to make him do so through implicit and perhaps some explicit means as well.
He detested it.
The reason behind his ascent should be his own. If he had decided not to reach the Tower’s peak, he should have been able to do so and be just fine. Live just fine. But it wouldn’t work out that way. Not with the things were currently. That was what Ray wanted to change.
Conquering the people in the Tower? Nope, Ray’s ambitions went much higher.
“Any particular people I should note?” Ray asked.
“Derrick Orden,” Virko said without hesitation, without even needing any time to consider. “He’s the leader of the Wild Tides. Then there’s Mary Felds. She’s with the Ascenders. And lastly, Joaquin Vasquez. Unaligned. Like you. They’re the ones who’ve traded the most with me and possessed the most Mana crystals.” He grinned. “Now, you’re on the list too.”
That made sense. People who possessed that Mana crystals had to have come by them one way or another, and more likely than not, it was because they held some sort of power. Power Ray ought to be wary of.
He already asked Virko about the monsters in his Objectives list, but the tradesman had little to no information about them. Monsters, he had said, weren’t great businesspeople.
“Now do I get the last Heart Cluster? Virko asked. His hands twitched with avarice.
Ray grinned. “One last thing, and then I promise I’ll hand it over.”
Virko groaned. “What now?”
“Last time, you said that if we wanted something specific, we should look for a particularly themed dungeon or something like that to earn our specific target as a reward. Now, if I want things like Tier Points and Grimoire Pamphlets, where would I look for them?”
“Think about it, my friend. How do you normally get these Tier Points and Grimoires and whatnot?”
“As rewards, from the System. But why would people sell them to you? The System usually doesn’t reward you things that you don’t have a use for, in my experience.”
“You’re thinking of rewards from achievements and levelling up. There’s a different reward mechanic you’re forgetting.”
“The dungeons, yes. But I want a specific location, Virko. Where are the dungeons for mages like me?”
“I honestly don’t know. I bought a Grimoire Pamphlet from a hu—excuse me, a new Denizen, over at Sector 51 in that direction.” Virko pointed to somewhere on his left.
“Hmm.” If Ray remembered right, Maya’s base was a Sector 59. “I see. Alright, here you go. Two Sylvan Heart Clusters.”
Virko winced at the mention of “Sylvan”, but he grabbed the Clusters all the same.
“This was an interesting purchase,” the Halftyr said, stowing the Clusters within his robe. Not on his carpet of wares. “Profitable.”
“It was.” Ray stood up, ready to head out. He beckoned the Imps towards him. It was surprising how patient they had been so far, but he didn’t want to take advantage of them. “Try not to sell me out to anybody who asks, okay? Otherwise, we won’t be having any more business deals like these.”
“Pfft, why would I sell out such an excellent business partner?”
“You just told me all about your other business partners.”
“Nonsense. I gave you some basic information to go off of. I frankly don’t know enough about any of you to tell anyone anything sensitive.” He tapped his head as he began turning away. “It’s part of doing good business and lasting long in this game. If you don’t know anything sensitive, you can’t sell anything sensitive.”
As the trader made some space on his floating rug and swiftly flew away, Ray handed over a chunk of the capsules and Mana crystals to the Imps and told them to take it to the new Faction.
Ray: I’m sending over some goodies.
Maya: …goodies?
Ray: Mana crystals. And some capsules that can help. You’ll see. But just to be clear, it’s not free.
Maya: I… honestly wasn’t expecting that. You seemed kinder.
Ray blinked. He had? Well, he might have talked kind, but all he had done was make Maya and the others do most of the work, only stepping in when they couldn’t handle things. Like killing the Sylvans. Otherwise, he hadn’t bothered. That didn’t seem particularly kind.
Ray: I’m not saying you have to fork up three million dollars for all the stuff I’m sending you. It’s more like… consider this a share in proceedings. I’m the last person to try and become a shareholder, but like, I know I won’t be able to do everything alone. No matter how strong I grow. I might need your help. I might need you and the Faction to do something for me.
Maya: So all this is essentially buying our cooperation.
Ray: Quid pro quo.
Maya: Hmm. I’d still like to reserve judgment on whether whatever you need help with is something I—we—would even want to assist with.
Ray smiled. It was nice to be dealing with someone who had some backbone. Strong moral fibre.
Ray: Don’t worry. I’ll make sure it’s something you’ll want to help with. Alright, I’ll see you later. Oh also, I need to tell you about a couple of other Factions and people…
As Ray explained what he had learned from Virko, he decided it was time to find his next stop. The right dungeon was awaiting him. No point in wasting time. He had to get to work.