"So this is what the path to the next Floor looks like, eh?" Abel spoke as he stared at the giant pillar that stretched into the sky. It was made entirely of stone, with faint spiral patterns carved all over it. A single entrance connected the path between the First and Second Floors together. It was quite intimidating in its own right. He had seen the pillar from a distance multiple times in the past, but right now, as he was standing right before it, it felt surreal.
Standing before it right now, Abel felt a sense of accomplishment. It had been roughly over a week since he stepped into the Tower, and he had developed rapidly. He hadn't been able to gain any more Beast Souls, apart from a couple that he acquired from the former Gnoll pack. He hadn't done anything to summon them yet, still contemplating on what to do with them. Selling them would fetch quite a hefty amount, while keeping them would strengthen himself.
Speaking of strengthening himself, he had remembered about the armor that Arnold, the Dwarven smith, was making for him. By now, it should have been ready.
"I'll just take a peek at the Second Floor before I head back out of the Tower." Abel nodded to himself before starting towards the pillar that led to the next Floor. He recalled Breeze into his Sea of Soul, but left Dust out, letting him remain as his mount. Having a Mount-type Beast Soul was far more common than having a Fighter-type. He would much more prefer to draw less attention to himself, and he wouldn't mind making himself seem weaker in the eyes of others to do so.
Unsurprisingly, when he got into visual range of the entrance of the pillar, he could see several groups of people settled around the gate. They also sensed his presence from afar, turning to look at him. Various curious gazes scanned Abel from afar, gauging his strength. Although Abel had gotten stronger since the time he got partial access to the System, he wasn't strong enough to actively feel their probing gazes.
When he finally reached the base of the pillar, he was stunned to see the sheer amount of people who had gathered at the base of it. Armored warriors, and robed Sages mingled among each other, searching for qualified Tower Runners to accept into their parties.
"Archers and Rangers needed over here. We have two open spots!"
"Searching for a Cryomancer! One spot available!"
"Healers! Anyone with healing abilities is welcome to join us!"
Some stood with signs, while others yelled out their requirements. Requirements like a minimum of a year's experience as a Tower Runner, or maybe a certain level of expertise. All sorts of different people mingled here. It was even almost as busy as the small trade spot outside the Tower's entrance.
Abel's mount, Dust, drew a lot of attention the moment they climbed up to the top of the small hill where the pillar's base was located on. The large, brown Ground Rat wasn't exactly inconspicuous. It's large, bulky frame was extremely eye catching.
Abel looked around the hilltop for a moment before directing Dust to head toward the portal. He didn't intend to waste time here.
Just as he was about to reach it, someone stepped in his way.
"Hey, kid. Where are you going?" A large, bulky man stood in his way. The man was kitted in a large, gold plated metal armor that covered almost every inch of his body. His hair and eyes were a bright, fiery red that seemed ready to set anyone in their sights on fire.
"To the Second Floor, where else?" Abel rolled his eyes, patting Dust as it bared its teeth at the warrior blocking their path. He could faintly hear Breeze's growl in his mind.
"Don't you seem in a hurry? Are you prepared for what's up there? From what it looks like, you aren't. Let me tell you something; rushing up there without preparation will most likely get you killed. That's why you need to find a party down here." The warrior spoke, motioning to the various people that were around them. The closest ones to them had turned to listen in to their conversation, while the others only just gave them a short glance before turning away.
Abel only looked at the man standing before him for a moment longer before urging Dust to move around him. He had heard stories of how people got fooled into entering parties where their party members stabbed them in the back, robbing their corpses, and then returning to sell the spoils, or claim them for themselves. He had no plans of falling for such tricks. Besides, he was a bit curious about how he would fare against Second Floor monsters on his own.
"Hey, wait up now! You can't seriously be thinking of going up alone?" The red head was startled by Abel's firm attitude.
"And why exactly should I join hands with you? What benefits can I gain from that?" Abel sighed and decided to entertain the man for a little longer.
"Well, firstly, with a party you can rest assured that your back will be covered. Monsters will pose less of a threat to you than if you were to venture up alone. You should know, even the weakest monster on the Second Floor is at least twice as strong as one of the strongest monsters on this Floor." He explained to Abel, "You might think you are strong now, but when it comes to fighting those things, it's much harder to keep your cool."
"I see..." Abel rubbed his sharp chin. "Well, it doesn't matter all that much, I'm confident in my ability, and besides, I just plan to check out what the Floor looks like, nothing else." Abel shrugged before urging Dust forward once more. The red headed Tower Runner could only watch as he left, his mouth slightly ajar by Abel's confident words.
"Ah, well. Young people these days are so proud of themselves..."