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Just posted Ingrid's illustration in the auxiliary chapter.
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On with the chapter!
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A grassy plain stretched as far as the eye could see. The rolling knolls. The vibrant grass. All of it was encapsulated by the warm rays of the sun. It was an idyllic landscape that didn't fit the cruel tribulations of the Monolith.
Leandro stared to his left and right. Within a few minutes, a smattering of people began to appear all around him. The Monolith was not property of South Korea. Similar towers spawned in key locations all across the globe. Naturally, just like him, there were foolhardy, or suicidal—depending on who you asked—people that were too curious to adhere to common sense.
Leandro couldn't really judge them. It was this innate curiosity and bravery, in a way, that elevated certain individuals to heights they could've never dreamed of.
Russian. English. Japanese. Portuguese. The 1s floor had become a cultural hub.
They stared at each other, either in guarded curiosity, or calm indifference.
Soon, however, chatter broke out between English-speaking Challengers. An exchange of information that was useless to Leandro.
〔Congratulations on reaching the 1st floor. By having successfully passed the Test Floor, you've been officially recognized by the Monolith as full-fledged Challengers. To access your information, swipe up and down with your finger.〕
He did as the system prompt said. And so did everyone else.
With an upward flick, followed by a downward swipe of his finger.
A window popped up in front of him.
╭╼|═════════|╾╮
〔Leandro Reyes〕
〔Rank: 1★〕
〔Title: None〕
〔Strength: 13〕
〔Agility: 12〕
〔Physique: 13〕
〔Mind: 50〕
〔Aura: 15〕
╰╼|═════════|╾╯
Pretty basic—though that 'Mind' attribute was way too high for the current stage. It used to be higher in his previous life. Perhaps the fact that he was occupying a different, less trained body played a part in that.
The 'Aura' attribute was as he expected. Neither high nor too low. Just high enough to reach the 1-Star threshold. The 1st floor was going to be a breeze.
As for his other attributes, they were nothing too crazy. It was the threshold for people who did calisthenics. He did, after all, dedicate quite a bit of time into evolving his physique into a perfect state.
Too much bulk, and the muscles would only be a hindrance. Aura would take care of the rest.
〔To clear this floor, you must explore the plains and find the hidden entrance to the 2nd floor.〕
〔Be careful, for hostile eyes are on you. From now on, all the protections will be lifted. Dying here means you'll die for real.〕
"W-What… we'll die for real?"
"これは狂ってる…"
"N-Non è possibile…"
"Что за хрень это дерьмо? Умереть по-настоящему? Ха..."
Leandro ignored the jumbled mess of different languages overlapping and decided to get a head start. He didn't remember the specific location of the hidden entrance; it's been over a three hundred years since he last saw this floor. He only knew that it was at the base of a mountain. Over the edge of the forest, a mountain range stretched. There was no way he had enough time to check each mountain one by one.
However, what he did remember was that there was a shack with weapons uphill.
Very low-grade weapons, but better than going into a fight barehanded. Besides, there was something of major importance there. The first half of a map.
The 1st floor was the easiest in a way. The only monsters that appeared were goblins, wasps, and horned rabbits. Goblins were hostile by nature, but downright malnourished and weak. Ambushes were their primary form of hunting. And they hunted in packs. Wasps and rabbits would usually mind their business.
Leandro dislodged from the group of Challengers and moved alone.
While still cautious for any sort of ambush, his movements were no different from that of a tourist. Perhaps it was confidence. Maybe arrogance. But in the first ten floors of the Monolith, there was very little that could threaten him.
In a couple of minutes, Leandro had found what he was looking for. A dirt path that led him upwards, to the very top of the knolls. In front of him was a wooden shack.
Nothing had changed, not on the outside, nor on the inside. Just as he remembered.
He looked around. The weapons were in a degrading state, but they'd outlive their usefulness. Leandro grabbed one of the many swords hanging on the wall.
"Did you know of this place beforehand?"
Leandro didn't bother to turn around. He had long sensed her following him.
"No, I just happened to find it." He said, airily.
"..."
When there was no response, he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. The woman looked to be in her early twenties, though that could be deceiving. From her attire—a fitted, navy blue overcoat over a white blouse, as well as knee-length black pencil pants—she could have been older. A managerial position, or a simple secretary.
She managed to pass the Test Floor in that attire.
It was clear that she wasn't Korean.
Blonde hair and eyes of the same color. Features that spoke of an Eastern European background.
She spoke fluent English, but the accent was not British.
"Name?"
Leandro raised the sword as though testing the weight.
While it felt light enough, that didn't mean much when he compared it to the level of enemies they'd encounter here. But it wasn't the sword that Leandro was interested in. No, there was something much more important hidden within the shack.
"Ingrid." The way she was looking at him denoted that she was drawing the same information from him.
Leandro gave her a quick once-over before he continued to leisurely stroll around the shack—his next destination, a worktable on the far end.
Amidst various items cluttered on it, there were layers of aged, curled parchment.
"Well…?"
Ingrid got closer, but not close enough she'd be within striking range. He was armed, after all. Not that he had any intention of harming her. Her cautiousness was worthy of respect, at least.
"What?"
She fiddled with a sword.
"You didn't tell me your name. I was under the impression that it's basic manners to introduce yourself when asking for someone's name."
There was some underlying cheekiness to her tone. He smiled.
"Leandro." He replied, thumbing through the papers before he finally found what he was looking for. A torn piece of parchment with a barebones layout of the 1st floor.
The path to the 2nd floor was cut off.
"Oh, did someone tear it apart or is it intentional?" Ingrid peeked over his shoulder, and with how close she was, she might as well have rested her chin on him.
Either she was unaware like a capybara, or she judged that he was harmless.
Or maybe she was a cut from the same cloth as Yuhee Noona; that, honestly, was the worst possible alternative.
He kind of smiled at the thought. What was that woman up to anyway? 'She's definitely sipping on some awful tasting wine as she watches everything go to hell.'
"Intentional." Leandro said, at last, tracing his eyes over the dashed lines representing all the available paths. There weren't many, in the first place. The 1st floor wasn't that complicated. "Most likely an important clue to get to the next floor."
However, all the paths led to monsters' lairs. It was pretty obvious what the Tower wanted.
"Hmm~" Ingrid pondered, tilting her head. "You reckon we might be able to clear this floor if we find the missing part?"
"Who knows…" There was nothing else on the worktable of importance, so Leandro pocketed the map and took an available belt from the weapon rack which he used to sheathe his sword. "We have a lead, at least."
Not that it mattered.
Leandro already knew where the missing piece was. While he could probably find the hidden entrance on his own—given enough time to let old memories resurface—he didn't know if the Monolith would deduct points for an imperfect clear.
Applying some hard-handed disinfestation to the 1st floor wouldn't take too much time, and it would help him raise his stats.
With a subtle glow in his eyes, Leandro began to make his way out.
Ingrid quickly fell behind him. She glanced at him as she walked.
The ease in which he moved. The confidence of his stride. It wasn't a forced act, a feeble attempt at machismo to impress. She could easily tell when someone was trying too hard. Leandro wasn't even trying.
"I see that you're still following me."
"Not following. I'm accompanying you."
Leandro exhaled a small breath.
Companionship was fine and all on the later floors. For the firsts, though, it was an unnecessary burden.
A lot of people were going to die. Better to be solo from the beginning. At least, that's what he initially thought. Esmeralda would have smacked him on the back of the head for his one-track mind.
'You need more people in your life, Alejandro. But not women!' She used to say. 'Women are poison, Alejandro. They're deceitful and empty. They'll twist your mind, shatter your heart, and leave you broken. Keep them away, keep them far from you. But not me. Never me. I'll protect you, mi hermano. I'll never hurt you. I'll never break your heart…'
Leandro shook his head, Esmeralda's smile slowly fading from his mind.
Maybe he should try a different approach? His solo mindset didn't exactly help him the first time round.
In a way, he needed influence. Reputation. In his last run, he didn't have anyone by his side. The infamy that came with his name made partnering up impossible. Now, with a clean slate and endless possibilities, it might be worth building alliances early on.
Talking and socializing wasn't his forte. When people stopped listening to him back then, he began to use his sword to prove his point. From then on, it became his modus operandi—they couldn't disagree with him if they were dead.
The plains around them were serene, almost deceptively so. As they walked, the grass thickened, swaying under a refreshing breeze.
"Didn't the system say something about hostile eyes on us?" Ingrid recalled, suddenly tense.
"You better hold onto that sword for your life."
"Huh?"
The grass trembled—it was not the wind. Ingrid didn't pick up on that. But Leandro did.
He moved, an elegant dip forward. His knees bent as he lashed out with his sword, unsheathing it and cleaving through the grass. Amidst the fluttering blades, the head of a goblin went soaring.
Rule #1. Goblins never attack alone.
Leandro let the momentum of his sword carry over. His wrist flicked, and the blade's trajectory was slightly adjusted. A silver blur snapped towards its prey like a snake.
Another goblin was bisected mid-pounce, a diagonal cut that severed its body in two.
A cascade of blood and entrails spilled forth.
〔Agility +1〕
A third goblin rushed out, eyes brimming with killing intent. "Kiiik!"
Ingrid's reaction speed was commendable. The moment Leandro told her to hold onto her sword, she had already brandished it defensively. As such, when the creature tried to land its claws on her, she managed to stab it through the neck.
A monster it might have been, but it still looked humanoid. Ingrid's grip almost faltered.
"..."
Leandro's hand came in clutch, seizing Ingrid's wrist and finishing the stabbing motion for her. The creature hung impaled on the blade, its blood trailing down along the shaft, towards her hand.
When she pulled back, a light drizzle of ichor splattered on her stunned face.
She didn't have time to register the gruesomeness of her first kill—a shrill that couldn't possibly belong to a human rang out right behind her. She hastily spun around, only to see two gnarly, green-skinned heads flying, and a very calm looking Leandro sheathing his sword.
He stared at her with an intense look that made her shift a little.
Ingrid shrunk a little.
"What…"
"Not bad for your first time. A bit tense. An awful stance; you've clearly never touched a sword before. But you've got good instincts and determination." He sighed, slicking his hair back as he stared down at her. "Will that be enough, though?"
The gap in skill was starkly obvious. But maybe he was being too harsh, it was her first time, wasn't it? There was still time to correct her mistakes and monitor her progress, but Leandro couldn't do it now.
"..."
Ingrid slumped on the ground, not exactly winded, but she needed a minute to process it all. She stared at the tip of her sword, where it had pierced through the creature's throat—so easily too.
The dull shine of the blade was now stained with fresh blood and minuscule traces of meat and muscles.
Leandro clicked his tongue.
Rule #2. Goblins die too easily. And they leave a nasty mess behind. Then again, who doesn't when bisected or beheaded?
Leandro offered a silent apology to the little guys for his disrespect.
"You know… this almost doesn't feel real." Ingrid said, eyes downcast. It was a 'relatively' normal reaction. He had seen worse. "That thing in the Test Floor. It disappeared as soon as I defeated it, but this… this is real…"
The goblin's corpse was not going anywhere.
Its empty, red eyes stared back at them.
"It is real." Leandro sighed, resting a hand on the pommel of his sword. "Every foe you'll take down won't miraculously reappear like in a game. Whether those creatures have any sense of individuality or emotional intelligence, who am I to say? Perhaps they're facing the same dilemma as us. Forced into a game no one wants to play. It's either kill or be killed—for all species. We might not be the only ones climbing the tower."
It was something he used to think about as well. Then he realized that developing sympathy for his enemies didn't make him feel any better. Especially when no one else would sympathize with him.
"I didn't think about it that way… maybe you're right." Ingrid wiped the blood on her face.
"Maybe I'm not. Fight for your own truth, but don't expect people to hold your sword for you. Most importantly, don't expect your enemies to hold the same values as your own."
Leandro had said the same thing to Esmeralda once.
She chortled. "You sound like an old man."
He returned the levity with one of his own. "I've always felt like one."
She looked up at him. "You're very odd… you know that?"
"I've grown up hearing that."
A smile flitted across her lips. "Me too."
It was not the perfect moment to exchange backstories.
Leandro met her gaze, evenly. She was not bad company, but the gap in skill would only hold him back. "Ingrid… go back." He turned around, slowly, before he began to walk away. "You've done enough for now."
"W-Wait… what?" Ingrid stood up, on shaky legs. She nearly stumbled over the corpse of her kill. "You're leaving me?" She looked upset—did she grow some sort of camaraderie with him?
"Sorry, but I have no patience to babysit you. Someone's waiting for me, so I'll be going ahead. Don't wander alone."
"Wait—"
Leandro channeled Aura into his legs and sped off.