The items they had gathered sold for a tidy sum of Tower Points back in the village. A few streams of sunlight were peering over the trees as a few of the shops were opening up for the morning.
Rich and Alex went first to the smithy while the others sold off their excess loot. It was about time he got himself a new set of weapons. The starter weapons had stayed with him since day one but were past their effective use date. Only his armor had been changed out as of late, so it was time for him to upgrade his daggers. He needed something that would be serviceable for him fighting level 10 monsters and onward.
The clanging of metal on metal echoed through the smithy as Rich and Alex perused the available weaponry. Alex couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement as he looked at the various swords and axes that were on display.
“I’ve got this old set of daggers. One of which is broken,” said Alex.
“Throw it in the junk bin,” said the avian blacksmith. “Everything ends up in the scrap bin eventually. Your set lasted quite a while, though. I suppose you're in need of a new one now?”
“Yeah, I need some. What stuff do you have for someone of my level?”
“These are some level 10 daggers made of the bones of mutated sharks. They don’t have any magical properties but will tear through anything else you might find on this floor. They’ve been sharpened and will stay sharp for quite a while.”
“How much for two of them?” asked Alex.
“150 apiece.”
He handed over the Tower Points to the blacksmith and thanked him for his services. He couldn't wait to try them out on the next monster they encountered. He waited a little long for Rich to make his purchases. Rich picked up an upgraded sword.
As they left the smithy, Alex noticed that the rest of the team was gathered at a nearby potion shop. He made his way over to them, eager to see what kind of potions were available for purchase. Taylor was already haggling with the shopkeeper over the price of a mana potion when Alex arrived. Eric was examining a health potion, turning the bottle over in his hand. In the end, they picked up a few of the cheaper health potions for the sake of emergencies.
They continued onward to a few other shops. After some more shopping, the team decided it was time to head back out of the Tower. They left the Tower with lighter pockets. Kai, in charge of their finances, had carefully set limits on their spending and set aside a portion of their funds for the city. Tomorrow morning, they would set off for the city.
"Hey, I’ve been hearing about a new place that’s opening up for adventurers. I’ve talked to a few leaders of other groups and I'm telling you guys; this place is the real deal. Everyone who's anyone in the Tower climbing community is going there for opening night tonight," Rich said, his voice full of excitement. "It will be a great party with drinks, music, and sparring fights to show off what people can do. Plus, we could meet some other climbers and learn some new tricks from them."
Taylor looked skeptical, but Eric was nodding in agreement. "I'm down for checking it out," he said. "It could be a good opportunity to make some new connections and learn some new strategies. Maybe check out the competition too."
Alex was on the fence, but he couldn't deny the look of excitement on Rich's face. He had never been one for partying, but maybe it was time to step out of his comfort zone. "Alright, let's do it," he said with a nod. "But we need to be careful and not let loose too much. We have to get back to the Tower tomorrow morning. I don’t want any of you late or throwing up on the ride to the city."
Rich grinned. "Don't worry, Alex. I'll make sure we don't get too carried away," he said. "We'll just go, have some fun, and then head back to the Tower to enjoy the city. I’ll text you all the addresses when I have my phone. I’ll be there at 8 pm. You all better be there.”
“We will,” said Kai.
They each stepped up to the portal in city hall. The line to exit this early in the morning was small so they got through quickly. With a flash, each of them stepped through the portal back to Earth. Alex said good byes to the others and left for his apartment. He hoped to get some more sleep before going out and doing some research too. Ever since leveling up, he had noticed that he didn’t need to sleep as much anymore. The urge was sometimes there but he was functioning just as well with 5 hours of sleep instead of eight. He planned to use that to his advantage.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Alex let himself be pulled into sleep as soon as he returned to his apartment.
Alex jolted awake and pulled himself up and out of bed. He quickly grabbed his phone and checked the time. It was almost 7:30. His pace quickened when he saw that. He hurried to find a new change of clothes and change. Along the way, he also grabbed a few snacks from the fridge and cupboards to eat. He slid his shoes on and hurried out the door. On his phone, he pulled up the directions from Rich and started making his way toward the location.
Alex and his group made their way to the warehouse where the party was held. As they approached, they could hear the music blaring from inside. The bass was so loud that it could be felt in their chests. They could hear people shouting and laughing over the music as they got closer to the entrance.
Once they entered, the sight was overwhelming. There were lights everywhere, and the air was thick with the smell of alcohol and sweat. The floor was packed with people, and the noise was deafening. In the center of the room was a sand pit, and two fighters were going at it bare-fisted.
The crowd was cheering them on, and people were placing bets on the outcome of the fight. The fighters were circling each other, their fists raised, and sweat glistening on their bodies. It was intense, and everyone was engrossed in the fight. The two men wore no armor or shirts, so each hit rippled across their bodies as the number of bruises on themselves grew.
The people watching were dressed in all sorts of outfits, some were wearing armor and carrying weapons, while others were dressed in colorful party clothes. It was a mix of Tower climbers and normal earthlings who were just there for an enjoyable time.
The fighters in the sand pit were now grappling with each other, and the crowd was going wild. Suddenly, one of the fighters landed a solid punch, knocking his opponent out cold. The crowd erupted into cheers as the match was settled and a new pairing stepped in. The unconscious opponent was picked up by men in uniform and dragged off to get some help.
Alex found himself watching from the sidelines, taking it all in. It was a different environment from the Tower, and he found himself loosening up and enjoying the music. As the night went on.
“Do you want me to make a bet for you in this next round?” asked Eric to the others.
“Isn’t that supposed to be illegal?” asked Alex.
“Probably but who is going to stop us, and a bunch of people like us? The police officers definitely can’t. Bullets are like airsoft guns to us when we are armored up.”
“I’ll make a bet. What are the odds and the two fighters starting soon?” asked Taylor.
"I heard the odds on this next fight are two to one in favor of the spearman. Who's in?"
Taylor eagerly handed over some cash, eager to join in on the action. Alex hesitated for a moment before deciding to go for it. The others also added a bit of cash to the pot. After all, what was the harm in a little fun? They returned to their seats and waited for Eric to return and the match to start.
The crowd roared as the fighters entered the sand pit arena. The man with the spear stepped in and raised his hands. The crowd cheered some more. The man with the large club stomped about, his club held high. The two men sized each other up, waiting for the other to make a move.
“So, who are these two people exactly?” asked Alex when Eric returned.
“The man with the spear is the leader of The Golden Doves. He has done a decent job gaining followers to join him in his support guild. They do what we do but on a much larger scale and with better deals. The club user is claimed to be the highest-level climber for several hundred miles, and no one has yet challenged him on that. With levels being suppressed here it will be interesting to see how this fight turns out.”
In a split second, the man with the club charged forward again, his feet pounding the sand as he swung his weapon with brutal force. The guild leader deftly sidestepped the attack, his agile movement allowing him to counter with a sharp thrust of his spear. The club user responded quickly, using his club to knock the spear off course with a loud metallic clang.
The two men circled each other warily, looking for an opening. The club user feinted left and then swung his club to the right. The guild leader ducked under the blow and countered with a quick swing to the club user’s ribs. The wood base of the spear bounced off the man’s basic armor. The man grunted in pain but kept his guard up.
Taking a step back to reassess the situation, the guild leader shifted his grip on his weapon, preparing himself for the next move. He knew that getting too close to the club user could spell disaster, so he decided to bide his time and wait for the perfect opening. He eyed the club wielder carefully. He continued to adjust his stance and stay well-guarded against anything that would be brought against him.
The club user charged forward again; his club held high. The guild leader dodged to the side and thrust his spear forward. The spear pierced the air with a whistling sound and struck the club user in the shoulder.
The man stumbled back. The guild leader advanced, taking advantage of the man’s injury. He jabbed at the club user’s face, but the man was quick to parry with his good arm. The club user did his best to defend himself, deflecting the attacks with his good arm while gritting his teeth against the pain in his wounded shoulder.
The two men traded blows back and forth, neither gaining the upper hand. The club user was relentless, his swings coming fast and heavy. The guild leader was equally skilled, his thrusts and jabs coming at lightning speed.
The club user landed a solid blow to the guild leader’s side, knocking him to the ground. The guild leader struggled to get back up, his breath coming in short gasps. The club user charged forward, ready to finish him off. The guild leader thrust his spear forward. The attack was deflected by the man's club, which swung down with a thunderous thud, sending sand flying in all directions.
The club user brought his club back up and hit the shaft of the guild leader’s spear with a roar. The guild leader tried to keep hold of his weapon, but his fingers slipped. The spear spun in the air and landed at the edge of the arena.