Chapter 115 – Floor 10: Part 2

Seeing Mathew's hesitation and understanding of his uncertainty regarding the task she set before him, the young woman in the grey suit let out a sigh and nodded.

“Perhaps this will help convince you of the need to rid yourself of your items and Blessings.” She turned toward the Wheel and tapped it with her finger. Above, a neon sign materialized. Burning a bright red, it formed a long number with a percentage symbol at the end.

“The god of Prosperous Hardship can not read the future; few of the gods truly can, and those who possess the ability are reluctant to reveal its secrets. But, as I have said, Prosperous Hardship is a consummate gambler; they have learned to assess the odds quite accurately. This sign reveals the likelihood you will survive the next 10 Floors.”

“That’s a lot of zeros.” Mathew muttered as he frowned at the revelation. She was right if it were to be believed, and he had no reason to doubt her. He had a practically non-existent chance of surviving what came next.

“Indeed. You may refer back to the sign after each deposit into the Bin.” She finished.

“Why does Prosperous Hardship care if I live or die? What’s the point of all this?” Mathew asked, gesturing to the Wheel and the Tower around him. He had seen how indifferent these Tower gods could be, how they only cared about the Players achieving their objectives.

“I do not know.” The young woman shrugged. “Perhaps when a being achieves godhood, they begin to look upon the world differently. Regardless, you shouldn’t squander the chance they gave you, Mr. Larson.” The young woman stated.

Mathew stared at the neon board for a moment before picking up one of the items from the table next to him. It was one of the magical weapons he had taken from the Aeolian Lineage, a sword that its owner said had been retrieved from the corpse of a Demon Lord after their defeat at their ancestor's hands.

Not hesitating, Mathew tossed it into the metal bin, where it made a loud clang and disappeared into the darkness. The words on the Wheel twisted and changed, reflecting the new probabilities his sacrifice had created.

Some of the junk items had been removed, while several of the Discipline choices seemed more appealing. However, if Mathew had to judge, it would have only been a slight improvement overall.

Above the Wheel, the numbers on the neon sign flickered and darkened before reappearing. His probability of surviving the coming Floors had increased a few hundredths of a percent. Mathew scoffed at the change.

“So, a magical sword is worth almost nothing. Fine, take all of it, you bastards.” Mathew muttered, picking up another item he had pilfered from a Lineage warrior and tossing it into the bin. Item after item followed until he only had the weapons and equipment that he personally used throughout the previous Floors.

The neon sign now read 1.00123%, even after putting in all those magical items. Mathew was holding the horse statue ‘Midnight’ as he considered what to do. How much could he trust Prosperous Hardship's judgement?

The Wheel was still liberally covered in trash items and Disciplines, with only a few good ones peeking out from amongst the rubbish. Letting out a deep sigh of regret, Mathew gently placed the horse statue in the bin. He swore he could hear it cry as it disappeared into the darkness.

The sign changed, this time reaching nearly 2%. Mathew didn’t think that it had anything to do with the power of the item that caused such a change; ‘Midnight’ had more sentimental value than raw power. So, it likely meant that the things he valued most would bring about the most worth.

Mathew placed his jacket, scarf, and dagger in the bin, one after another, and watched as they disappeared. The sign reflected his new chances of survival. Finally, the last items left were the mansion, which he promptly tossed into the bin, and the mace from Righteous Subjugation.

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When the bin swallowed the mace, Mathew waited as the neon sign flickered several times before stopping. 8%. All his magical items, ten floors of hard work, and equipment had seen him through hell itself, but they didn’t even give him a one-in-ten chance of survival.

“Your Blessings will be worth more.” The grey-suited woman said, drawing his attention to the stack of coins. Each was much larger than the currency Mathew had seen, more like medallions than actual money. He picked up the one for ‘Conjure Flames’ and thought about if he needed it for what came next.

“These Blessings, while they have their uses and can be powerful, are things you have accumulated mostly by chance. They do not synergize well, Mr. Larson. If I may give you some advice, don’t be beholden to the past.” She said as the seconds went by without Mathew moving.

“You’re right. It’s not like you’re giving me much of a chance to live with them.” Mathew grumbled. Taking the coin, he flicked it into the bin and watched the sign. To his surprise, the number ticked upwards to 12%.

“So, it looks like it's actually worth something.” Mathew whispered. Picking up the entire stack, he dropped all his Blessings into the bin immediately.

“In for a penny, in for a pound.”

The coins rattled off the metal bin before stopping, and Mathew saw that the neon sign turned dark for a much longer time than it ever had before. When it finally reappeared, he was shocked at the change.

“Thirty percent?! That’s it? That was all I had!” Mathew exclaimed, turning to the young woman for an explanation.

“Overall, that is an acceptable result. No one has a guaranteed chance of surviving the next ten Floors, Mr. Larson. Your odds are higher than most.”

Mathew weighed the marbles on the table, representing his levels and Disciplines. The center of the green marbles had different colours, and he could only assume they denoted the Discipline they belonged to. He eyed the young woman from the corner of his eye, waiting for her to provide some advice.

He didn’t know her well, but he could still see a spot of hesitation on her face. When he carried the jar containing the marbles to the bin, her hand twitched slightly as if to stop him. That was all the confirmation he needed. Turning away from the bin, he set the marbles back on the table.

“That’s all. Can I spin this thing now?” Mathew asked, and the young woman nodded. The marbles and the table disappeared into small motes of light.

“Now that it's over, would discarding my levels have actually improved my chances for survival?” Mathew asked as he walked toward the side of the Wheel and grabbed a small handle made to spin it. The young woman shook her head.

“Unlikely. It would have improved your chances of receiving something beneficial from the Wheel, but you would have been weaker for the cost. I believe you made the right choice, Mr. Lason.” She responded.

Mathew didn’t say anything. He simply gripped the handle and spun the wheel as hard as possible. It was surprisingly difficult, as if the entire thing weighed much more than it appeared to. Tugging down, the Wheel began to click as it spun rapidly, the words on the wedges a blur.

Tickticktickticktick.Tick.Tick.Tick…Tick….Tick……Tick….Silence.

When the Wheel finally stopped, Mathew leaned in closer to read what he had won.

“Transmutation of the Bodily Form.” Mathew read out, unsure of if it was a Blessing, Discipline or even an item. He turned to the young woman for clarification. She had pulled out a small card from her pocket and began to read.

“The gods of the Tower of Avarice have granted you the Discipline, Arcane Alterist, along with the following Discipline: Alter Self and Earthbind.” The young woman explained.

As soon as she was finished speaking, Mathew’s silver wristband began to vibrate and grow warm. A light was emitted by the bangle, and an image was projected above him.

The image showed Mathew wearing a hooded robe. His face would gradually shift, taking on different appearances. At one point, he faded and was replaced by a white mist, only for him to reemerge.

Arcane Alterist

You have gained mystical knowledge in the Arcane art of Transmutation. No one will be as ruthless and cruel to your body than yourself. No modification is off limits, and your Blessings are often as dangerous to you as there are to your opponents.

Stat increase per Level: ++Body, ++Mind, ++ Spirit.

Maximum Level: No Limit.

Blessings: Additional Discipline Blessings are available from the Shop.

Blessing: Alter Self

Change your body as easily as you would change your clothing. Take on a different appearance, craft horrific weapons or modifications from your own flesh and bone to strike your enemies. Survive in the harshest environment by the use of this Blessing.

Blessing: Earthbind

The ground itself responds to your call as if it is a part of your body. Trap your foes in the energy of the earth, binding them to the ground for as long as your willpower and mana holds.

Mathew looked away from the image and spoke to the young woman.

“Can I spin again and pick something else?”