Kelford splashed water onto his face trying to stop the grin that dominated his face. It was amazing, more than amazing. The sounds of strange birds and animals, the crisp air filling his lungs, the sun on his face. A dirt trail weaved a path between giant evergreens with strange patterns and bark. A lake dominated the scenery, waves lapping gently a few feet from the path. It’s crystal clear water tasting sweet, washing away the exhaustion in Kelford’s bones with every sip. After more than a week underground, with monsters and traps. This was almost paradise. Better was the view, a mountain that climbed into the clouds. So tall it seemed to hold up the sky. The sun here was smaller than on Earth,yet its rays still felt welcome on Kelford’s dark skin. T.U.I had disappeared after promising that he had a decent distance before he would be attacked. So he enjoyed the moment while he could. Strangely, even with the peaceful landscape, he couldn’t relax.

With the water dripping down his face he was finally able to see himself after experiencing three floors of the Tower. His hair was dirty, skin caked in a slurry of blood and dust. His clothes were tough, but after constant fighting could barely be considered rags. Scars poked out between the holes in his shirt and pants. What was worse was his eyes. Normally tired and placid there was now a wildness to them.They never seemed to stop moving, even looking at his reflection he couldn’t help but prepare for some creature to jump out at him.

“ I need to get out of here”

He was losing his mind with the stress. Grabbing his spear he set forth to follow the dirt path. Despite the ambience of the trees and water he couldn’t fully relax. Thick clouds were in the distance behind him and the cold breeze crawled up his spine. This place was wonderful but the Tower was still trying to kill him.He wouldn’t be surprised if the storm was placed there on purpose to force climbers to keep moving. Like some kind of messed up timer.

“ That definitely doesn’t make me feel better” Kelford’s mutter heralded a quickening of his pace. If he’d wasted enough time for the storm to become an actual issue then he was pretty boned. Not only was his only clothing rags at this point, but he wasn’t exactly spoiled for shelter. It was also good to assume that storms empowered by essence were probably on another level of danger, and Kelford wasn’t exactly excited to freeze to death. It brought to mind another issue he should have considered. He hadn’t prepared for the downtime he had between rooms. He’d seen some of the options in the Store but had ignored them as he bought [Languages of the Mountain]. The skill had proven useful already but he hadn’t considered the other options.

“At least a change of clothes and a bedroll would have been nice” Heck he’d even go for a bite to eat. Images of food from outside danced in his mind as he jogged down the path. Pizza, burgers , fries or even a sandwich sounded good. He even had some burgers still in his fridge back in his apartment. Kelford came to a stumbling stop at the thought of his apartment. His Apartment, the one he hadn’t seen in over a week. The one with his bed, his books, his computer. The place he still had rent due at. Was the landlord going to take his stuff? Mr.Pearsons was okay but Kelford had never missed the rent there. Would he report him missing? Dang it, his job! He’d been gone for so long they had to have fired him, but what about the new position? He was just about to get his life together….

The whirlwind of thoughts just kept coming as for the first time,Kelford considered the ruins of his life.

An hour later Kelford found himself deeper in the woods with no end in sight. Emotionally exhausted but still ready to fight he finished wiping at his eyes. So far nothing but trees had made any kind of threatening move against him. Which was swiftly becoming boring. The other rooms had been semi consistent with the challenges being very apparent almost instantly. This was taking forever to the point Kelford was growing concerned he had missed something.

“I couldn’t have possibly missed a prompt or something right?”

Just where were the enemies? He had expected at least one gnoblar on his tail. The traps had been a bit of a reprieve from the little bastards but they were refreshingly straightforward when compared to the traps and mysteries of the 3rd floor. Kelford followed the path until it widened to a clearing. A decrepit building stood with broken racks of furs and a fire pit that had not seen use in quite some time. The building was huge, just like the stone buildings underground but made of wood and draped with torn furs. No gnoblars were here but the place was not devoid of life. In front of the doorway was the biggest cat I had ever seen! Dark fur that rippled with powerful muscles and canines that would have made a gnoblar think twice. It gnawed on some sort of corpse that Kelford couldn’t identify. The thing was as tall as him standing on its hindlegs and that wasn’t even the worst of it.

Wild Sabertooth Youngling

Description:

Sabertooths are one of the most prolific hunters of the mountains, Younglings stick together to hunt and protect each other. Seeing one always means there’s a second close by.

“There’s always a second close by…” Kelford’s eyes widened as he slowly looked behind him. The thick covering of trees still swayed gently but now Kelford was searching into the dim light. It seemed nothing was there until a glint reflected off of a pair of eyes. Kelford’s heart stopped as without warning a sabertooth launched itself from the shadows! With a shout Kelford brought up his spear only to have it slapped aside as teeth dug into his shoulder. He kicked and punched as blood fountained from his shoulders ripping a scream from his throat.Anger gave him strength as he began to punch into its skull. He smashed down twice before it leaped away snarling, granting Kelford just enough time to climb to his feet before more claws dug into his back.

[Minor Barkskin]

He slammed down to the earth as his whole body tingled with the effects of his latest relic. Teeth found his shoulder but did no more than bring a trickle of blood . Kelfrod threw it off, relying on the power of [Enhanced Strength] to throw the large cat away. He scrambled, scooping up the [ Spear of Spirit Strikes] before he slammed his back to a tree. The two cats stared at him as they began to prowl back and forth. Kelford huffed as he watched them trying to catch his breath. The cat he had punched didn’t seem to have suffered any injuries and was just as ready to eat him as before. Cursing himself for not keeping his guard up, Kelford dashed forward. The cats leaped aside with insane grace, snarling and hissing as Kelford tried to stab them. Claws and metal rang in the forest as Keford fought the two sabertooths barely holding his own.

His spear was a whirling blur as he tried to suppress the sabertooths only to find their grace was only enhanced by their instincts for battle. Every strike was dodged or slapped away and retaliation was easily lethal if not for [Minor Barkskin]. Kelford dodged out of the way as one of the sabertooths leapt past. Seeing the opportunity he stabbed towards the second Focus peaking as he saw its eyes widened as it realized the danger.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

[Hard Stab]

His spear blurred with increased speed as he stabbed forward, finally landing a clean hit into its ribs. Blood fountained and Kelford twisted the spear tip leaving the sabertooth roaring in agony. A ghostly afterimage began to form but Kelford wasn’t done. He lifted with all his prodigious strength and rammed the cat into a tree shoving the spear deeper. The effect of [ Spear of Spiritual Strikes ] proved its worth as the ghostly afterimage fully manifested, driving into the same spot as enchanted steel. With a cough of blood the sabertooth was no more. Kelford was already turning using the power of another [ Hard Stab] to throw the corpse in the face of the swiftly closing youngling. The bodies slammed with a meaty thunk leaving the last sabertooth at his mercy. He stabbed into its neck dragging a roar from its throat only for him to hear an answering roar in the wind. Keford’s mind spun as he turned towards the path. Two more of the cats were sprinting towards him.

“ Why..Just why” He looked at the hut behind him, he could try to make a getaway. The Tower hadn’t specifically stated he had to kill all the monsters on the floor but considering how his luck was he would be forced to kill them. Still, it was worth a shot. Finishing off the sabertooth, Kelford sprinted for the door as the other cats closed in. Blood dripped down his chest as he slammed into the door only to be rebuffed. He tried the handle only to finally get the golden letters he had been waiting for.

Can Not Progress to the Next Stage

Until All Monsters are slain on this Floor

Kelford hated to be right. He turned only to see one of the sabertooths already flying right at him! It slammed him into the door, driving the breath from his lung, as its claws shredded his already patchwork clothing. Kelford’s arm held back its maw as he held on to one of its fangs. Blood oozed down his palm as the sharp canine cut deeper and deeper. The other prowled behind trying to find an opening. Kelford fought for air and his life as his world narrowed to the stinking breath and teeth in his face. Cuts were finally getting past his reinforced skin and he had lost his spear again! Kelford continued to reach for it but gave up as an even more reckless idea sprang to mind. He gathered himself as with skillborn strength he clenched his other hand around the other fang. Now the risky part. [Hard Smash] was an offensive skill that had so far been his bread and butter.Each time he had focused on swinging his weapon at an enemy while the skill enhanced the power of the blow. This time he was going to try something slightly different. Saliva and blood covered Kelford’s face as the sabertooth buckled and scratched at the stubborn human.

[Hard Smash]

He focused all his power on smashing his fists into the door behind and with skill enhanced power his arms bulged with the energy of his pull. Teeth bent to the side until with a snap Kelford broke the teeth. The sabertooth leapt off in a panic only for its partner to leap in right afterwards, but Kelford was ready. [Hard Smash] again surged through his muscles as he brought the broken teeth into its descending neck. The corpse buried Kelford in dense muscle as the price of using [Hard Smash] twice fell over him. His sight blurred and Kelford fell backwards as exhaustion stole through his limbs. It was as if he had run a marathon. He couldn’t rest, despite the leaden feeling in his arms Kelford tried to budge the yongling on top of him.

“ Come on, just move!”

Kelford could already hear the other sabertooth’s mewling turn into a roar of rage but he couldn’t move the dead youngling on top of him. Its massive bulk and his shaking arms just weren’t up to the task. The roars were building up steam and Kelford could almost see its maw as it ripped his neck out. All his hard earned relics and progress were about to be swallowed if he couldn’t get this damn cat off of him! In desperation he focused on his Inventory. The roar was now a thick growling as the sound of pounding paws inched closer towards Kelford. Kelford focused and willed the corpse to disappear. For a moment nothing happened, until with a flash of light the corpse disappeared. A startled hiss at the flash of light gave Kelford just enough time to grab his spear. He rolled to his knees and braced the spear to ground. Kelford’s conscious mind was too slow but he remembered the pattern all of the cats had fallen into. Blood showered over Kelford as the Sabertooth impaled itself onto Kelford’s spear. The force of its pounce forcing enchanted steel through its mouth and right into its brain. Kelford felt claws dig into his flesh as the cat jerked in its death throes before finally life left its eyes. Kelford exhaled a long breath as he fell back into a sitting position. That was a close one.

“ You did a good job there” T.U.I’s voice returned with complete cheerfulness.

Kelford exhaled before finally letting himself sprawl onto the dirt, “ Good to hear from you again T.U.I”

The numbness returned as his [Ring of Minor Regeneration] got to work patching up his wounds. He laid there for a few minutes as his body finally stopped shaking, though now he was really ,really hungry. [Minor Barkskin] had worn off a while ago with only a little over 10 seconds left on its buff. He didn’t know what was worse. The thought that the fight had only lasted less than three minutes, or that he now couldn’t use the skill for hours. Kelford pulled himself up to his feet before then pulling his spear from the sabertooths body. He stopped to look at the corpse before trying to put it in his [Inventory] , light flashed before it was gone.

“ Have I been able to do this the entire time?” Kelford said as he checked his Inventory to see two corpses taking up one of his slots.

“By this you mean put corpses in the Inventory?” Kelford nodded, “Oh most assuredly Kelford you have been able to take things from the Tower for a long while” T.U.I said.

“ I knew that I could take things from the floors but is that even very useful?” Kelford walked to the other dead sabertooths, “ I mean, I can’t do anything with them and everything will reset when I die”

“ Not completely true” T.U.I manifested, “ Many of the materials you find in the Tower will cross with you as you die. Only Relics and class enhancements will be taken from you. This is to foster growth and the independence of climbers such as yourself. This way you can prepare for the next floors much easier”

“Well that’s great but how do cat corpses help me exactly?”

“ That information is restricted at present but the next time you return to the first level you may be able to see the usages”

Kelford nodded, there must be some kind of extra use the Shop may have for materials he found in the dungeon.

“If I die again at least I have that to look forward to. Alongside clothing, these are looking pretty beat up”

“An understatement but I see you’re trying to keep yourself positive which is a refreshing change of pace”

“ I’m not that negative!” Kelford pushed open the door to the hut which now was unlocked. It swung soundlessly allowing Kelford and his floating companion to enter.

“Truly Kelford I have already had to talk you through one emotional downturn and I must remind you I keep track of all your vitals. Many of them do point to significant issues with low self-esteem and sadness”

Kelford hurriedly passed through the door praying he could end the conversation.

Floor 4 Room 1 Complete!