One day, an enormous tower, taller than the sky itself, had risen and magically appeared in the middle of Australia. No one knew how or why it was here but everyone across the globe had heard of its appearance. The world was talking about it for weeks on end, the internet wondered what 'beings' could've placed the tower there. Was it some kind of alien species that was finally contacting us or was it some godlike entity? Fascination and curiosity took over the world for some time while the United Nations and the Australian government were trying to figure out what was going on with this tower and if it would be a potential threat to the world.
At first, countries of the UN gathered their military and scientists across the globe to help investigate this unknown tower. The investigation led to the eventual beginning and rise of the first tower climbers, which we now call the "Challengers". The first Challengers, who were most likely scientists and other personnel of the initial UN investigation, stepped into the tower when out of nowhere, a screen appeared in front of them, revealing an appearance similar to an MMO menu interface which seemingly granted them magical powers, a randomly assigned class with a class-based weapon of their choosing and enhanced physical capabilities, at first no one could even comprehend that this was actually happening and that magic was finally real, no one could ever in their right minds think that this kind of thing could happen in real life.
At that time, the tower was off-limits to everyone besides those the UN allowed in their investigation. When they finally decided to have their expeditions into the tower's first floor, they discovered creatures only heard of from fantasy stories and video games. Though they tried communicating at first, they would attack unprovoked and speak in languages still unknown to us. But as the tower was explored, the creatures were slain and examined in autopsies. The tower slowly became easier to navigate and access. The United Nations and the first Challengers used their newfound powers and weaponry, to clear the first floors with ease and adjust to their newly gained magical powers. They also decided to call the MMO-like system the 'Challenger Interface' which is now a fully integrated part of their lives, turning into an attachment of their mind and body. As the first floors became relatively safe thanks to the first Challengers who explored and learnt how to adventure through the floors of the tower, the United Nations and its members decided to monopolize and open the tower for the entire world. Allowing citizens to register as 'green challengers' and allowing them access to the tower of their own volition. The original challengers and the UN decided to create a city around the tower, which happened to also create a whole new marketplace system for the tower's items, allowing challengers to start selling and trading the items and materials they gathered from the tower. People became rich overnight as the tower's commodities were providing people with miraculous benefits that worked even outside of the Tower. From things such as healing potions that cure diseases and loss of limbs, enchanted tools that made life easier for ordinary folks, materials that were flexible as well as durable and many more items with all different kinds of benefits. This brought many ambitious people to test their luck, trying to enter the tower to become rich and powerful. For a few others, it was an adventure to be made, an escape from the confines of the insignificant and boring normal life they currently have and to instead, have a chance to climb the ever so giant and enormous tower, fight creatures only heard of in folklores and stories as well as possibly become famous and powerful than ever thought of before. It was a chance for anyone in the world, to become somebody that would leave a mark on the world and possibly be worth remembering.
The tower, now over five years since its appearance has brought massive changes to the world both good and bad. While the tower grants people powerful magic and other comforts, it also brings the chance of death from the creatures that reside there and from those who would use the tower's powers for their own monstrous and heinous evil acts. Even to this day, nobody knows why it was here, or who placed it. All that is known is the first message the Challengers Interface gave to all those who entered:
[Thank you for participating in the Tower's climb!]
[Your potential shall now be assessed and your starting class randomly assigned!]
[Those who reach the top, shall be rewarded greatly!]
As the sun slowly rises from the apartment window, an annoying phone alarm plays, blasting the same repeated sounds on a loop. "Ughh~" moans a young man, as he stuffs his face in his pillow trying to muffle the blaring and irritating alarm.
"Time to get up I guess..." sighs the man as he turns off his phone alarm and lazily gets up. Finally, he got ready for the morning, fixing his short black hair before then splashing water on his face and brushing his teeth. All of a sudden his phone starts to ring, playing the ringtone of a famous singer and challenger, Voltari.
"Baby don't let me go, don't say goodbye, as we climb the tower, together in stride" Blares the phone, playing his number one global hit. The man looks at the caller ID and sees the person ringing is his friend Archie.
"Yo, wassup Arch?" he says as he answers the phone, staring out of his small apartment window, in the middle of the city of Adelaide.
"Sup Huxley, where you at bro, you said you'd meet up with me and the gang for lunch before you're busy with work and all that today. We're sitting around and chilling at that Japanese food place you love bro, hurry up man." Responds Archie as the sounds of people chattering in the distance and music faintly playing in the background.
"Yeah, I'm about to head out now, just getting dressed man, I'll see you and everyone else soon yeah?" Replies Huxley as he struggles to put his pants on while he has the phone pressed between his ear and his shoulder.
"Yeah, don't be any later than you are already man. We've already ordered our meals without you since you took too long, see ya soon!" goes Archie cheerfully as he ends the call.
Huxley finally puts clothes on, wearing a pair of worn-out black and white sneakers that have seen their fair share of adventure. A pair of pale blue jeans with knee holes in them and a black hoodie with an icon of a gun from the famous hit video game, Valor. Huxley stares at himself in the mirror, tidying up his short black hair before grabbing his wallet and checking how much money he has. With a sigh of disappointment, he looks to see that he only has $200 left. "Sheesh, $140 for rent this week, $25 for the meal today and the rest for food shopping I guess" "God, my life sucks right now..." he frowns as he kicks the empty can of soda lying on the floor to the side of his apartment room while he grabs his keys off his bedside table and walks slowly towards the front door. As he exits his apartment and walks out of the building, he finds the streets of Adelaide to be quieter than usual.
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"Same old Adelaide things I guess, boring and quiet...." Huxley shoves his hands in the front pockets of his hoodie and leisurely walks towards the inner city to meet up with Archie and the rest of his friends.
As Huxley walks through the outer part of the city, he sees the daily Tower news regarding the top Challengers and special events happening as of current, appear on a large flat screen TV playing behind a window in an electronics store on the side of the street.
"And for this month's Challenger Rankings, Albion 'the Lionheart' Kensington has finally achieved S+ ranking and has now officially broken into the top 100!" says the upbeat and charismatic news reporter smiling brightly with his blonde pompadour with way too much pomade in it. A picture of Albion The Lionheart shows up on the screen with a large smile that's even bigger and brighter than the news reporters as he stands tall, wearing his iconic full enchanted obsidian-clad armour while two young kids sit atop his shoulders, looking in awe at Albion in the picture.
"The people who doubted his power and capability as a top Challenger have now been silenced after Albion and a small party formed from members of his guild, 'The Invictus' went onto the 10th Floor 'The Frozen Wasteland'. They had successfully killed one of the notorious frost dragons, known as one of the strongest creatures we currently know that exist within the tower and have public research and knowledge on." the news reporter shows a recording of Albion and his party attacking a giant frost dragon together in a barren and frozen wasteland almost devoid of life besides the gigantic frost dragon around fifty foot tall staring off against Albion as he faces the dragon head on with his giant great sword that gleams brightly and appears to be taller than the 7-foot giant, Albion himself! Huxley looks in awe at the recording and close-up of the frost dragon, its ginormous menacing figure taking up most of the screen and its beautiful shimmering ice scales that must be worth a fortune if the creature was to be slain and if the item was to be dropped. A mature man in a business suit walks up next to Huxley and examines the dragon on screen.
"Good lord, if you were to kill one of those things and it dropped anything as an item, you could retire from adventuring and live comfortably for your entire life." comments the man as he watches beside Huxley.
"Take this, foul dragon!" yells Albion as he shouts with all his might. "Virtus give me strength!" all of a sudden a giant yellow and red glowing fiery aura surrounds Albion as he readies his sword. The other warriors in his party rush to his side and stand beside him, unwavering and unshakable resolute while in the presence of the giant frost dragon and the potential death that may await them. They let out a fearsome war cry that would make those who oppose them nerves falter. The dragon unleashes a terrifying and menacingly roar back at them, making the frozen and rocky ground shake below them. None of the warriors falters at the sound of its roar, staying steadfast and maintaining formation.
"For The Invictus!" a smaller but similar aura to Albion's shines and illuminates them all, radiating a fiery aura.
"Charge on and slay the beast lads!" roars Albion as he and his warriors charge towards the dragon while the ranged and support party members assist them from behind a few fifty or so metres away. The mighty frost dragon stares menacingly at Albion and his warriors and then, suddenly lowers his head towards the ground and opens his giant maw expelling an enormous and intense and chilling frost breath towards them, which Albion narrowly blocks away with his giant great sword, splitting the shooting frost in front of him in between him as he struggles to withstand the powerful attack, legs almost faltering to the sheer power, while others hide behind their shields struggling as well to defend against the attack. A few others teleport or dash out of the way with their spells or enhanced physical abilities, While the unlucky few warriors are instead hit by the frost breath and instantly turned to frozen ice statues. Albion staggers for a moment before readying back up his sword and continuing his charge towards the dragon. Three mages towards the back of the party cast a combination of buff spells on Albion.
"Magical Fortification, Physical Fortification, Greater Enhanced Physical!" yells the mages with their hands out and all at once, rays of magical light and aura appear from their hands and radiate onto Albion's body.
"Taste my strength, dragon of the frost!" He shouts from the top of his lungs as he charges head-on, before doing a powerful leap into the air and swinging his giant great sword with all his might, at such a speed that seems impossible from its sheer size, slashing with ease through the dragon's scales on its chest. Blood bursting from its wound as the dragon screams in rage, more furious than ever.
"By the power of Virtus!" Albion raises his sword to the sky and a bright flash of light comes down onto the sword and surrounds Albion, making all the buffs combine into one, resorting in the surrounding aura around him radiating with a holy bright burning flame with pieces of magical energy circling him. The dragon swipes his tail towards Albion and his warriors, some take the blow from the massive swinging tail and go flying over fifty metres and landing towards where the ranged party members are standing, incapacitated and moaning in pain. The rest safely dodge out of the way while Albion tries to block the tail with his sword, getting sent back towards his ranged party members but still on his feet and seemingly unphased by the attack. He charges in once more, unyielding to any fear or doubt in his mind, he takes a giant leap towards the dragon's neck and with one swift blow, slices cleanly through the base of its neck, blueish and red blood gushing out fast from the fatal wound. The dragon goes limp as it tries to roar weakly as it becomes decapitated, head and entire body collapsing to the floor. Albion lands on the ground as well, making the frozen earth beneath them rumble and crack from the impact and sheer power and weight of them both. Albion stands and stares at the enormous dragon head next to him which is almost three times bigger than him. He looks towards the dragon's corpse as it begins to disintegrate and dissipate into the air as magical energy. The party celebrates the victory, throwing their hands in the air and shouting joyfully while the mages heal those who were injured. Albion walks towards where the dragon had faded, wiping some sweat off his head and sighs with relief. He picks up a large frost dragon scale that's the equivalent size to a double door of a house and throws it to one of the warriors in the party, the warrior's face goes into surprise as he tries to catch the scale before falling flat on the ground with the scale weighing on top of him. Two other warriors try to help lift the dragon scale off him with little success, the camera then pans to Albion with them still trying to help in the background.
"That's how it's done ladies and gentlemen, the Invictus guild shall prosper as we continue our climb amongst the tower!." Albion winks and grins confidently at the camera with his bright white teeth almost gleaming.
The recording stops and cuts back to the Tower news reporter.
"After that spectacular performance on the 10th floor, many experts and fellow Challengers assume that Albion Lionheart has finally reached level 130 but that is only speculation!"
"Many now assume he's reached 130 because of how easily he was able to take on a Frost Dragon but we can only tell in next week's interview with Albion himself, so stay tuned to CDS, Challenger Daily News!". The camera pans away from the news reporter as he walks towards the edge of the news desk and tightens his tie, The TV then starts playing ads on the screen and Huxley walks off, fascinated by Albion.
"I wonder what kind of Challenger I would be if I went and became one" Huxley ponders as he continues to walk, fantasising about what type of Challenger he would be. Unbeknownst to him, his path to becoming a Challenger begins very soon!