"So... what do you think?" Dante asked Nathan calmly, trying to gauge his thoughts on their next quest.
"I reject your proposal," Nathan replied immediately, his tone firm and unyielding, as though he hadn't even considered it.
"And I reject your rejection."
"What happened to all that talk about proving our worth and surpassing everyone else?" Nathan snapped, slamming the table as he stood abruptly.
The sudden noise drew the attention of everyone in the tavern. Their gazes fixed on him, and Nathan, realizing the scene he'd caused, coughed awkwardly before sitting back down.
It didn't take long for him to recover his composure. His eyes locked on Dante, now brimming with a demand for an explanation.
Sigh. "Listen, Nathan. I know we both had an unspoken understanding about becoming stronger, but how exactly do you plan to achieve that?"
"Well..." Nathan hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "Don't we just need to complete quests as quickly as possible and move on to the next? The more we complete, the more rewards we earn. And the more we earn, the stronger we can become. Wealth is the foundation of power in my book, after all."
Dante stared at Nathan, dumbfounded by his response. He genuinely couldn't tell whether the guy was a genius or a fool. After carefully articulating his thoughts, he spoke in a tone one might use to explain something to a child.
"While you're not entirely wrong, you're not completely right either. Whether here or on Earth, money has always been an inevitable factor in a person's growth."
Dante paused, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Nathan to ensure he had his full attention before continuing.
"But here, money alone won't make the difference. Do you know what truly separates us from the prodigies of our generation, the ones from 17 Elites?"
The question made Nathan pause, his brow furrowing as he considered what set them apart.
"It has to be their inherited powers," Nathan finally replied, his tone thoughtful. "I've heard that children from the 17 are born with a dormant blessing in their bloodline. It awakens once they become Ascenders."
A frown crept across his face as he added with a hint of bitterness, "It's the kind of privilege only they can have, the so-called chosen ones"
Dante shook his head, a small sigh escaping him. "You're off the mark again. While it's true they've been blessed with powerful abilities, what truly sets them apart is their strong backing and their connections to nearly every minor powerhouse."
Nathan understood Dante's point. Those born with a golden spoon would have everything handed to them without earning it, and they would take it for granted, becoming spoiled brats who only cared about maintaining their pride and reputation. In the end, they become someone like Arkheim.
Nathan's mind drifted to dark thoughts as he recalled the progeny of the Nebulius clan. He had already made up his mind to punish that wicked man the moment he saw him. He recomposed himself as he prepared to answer Dante.
"Having connections is indeed a good thing, but what does that have to do with us? Who do you think would sponsor our growth—let alone someone like me, a black token slave?" his last words carried a mix of sarcasm and bitterness.
"That's exactly why I'm saying we should take this quest," Dante countered, his tone steady but firm. "Even if it takes us a whole month to complete, we stand to gain at least 1,000 G. And who knows? If luck's on our side, we might even hit the jackpot."
Just as Nathan opened his mouth to argue, but Dante cut him off.
"Nathan, you've got a major setback. Like it or not, as we climb to the higher floors, that 40% Anima decrease is going to cripple you. No matter how talented you are in combat, without a high Nexus Core, you'll eventually become a liability. And when that day comes, you'll be kicked out of the party."
Nathan's jaw tightened as his fists clenched beneath the table, his narrowed eyes flashing with barely contained anger.
"Are you saying you don't want me in the party when we reach the upper floors?"
Dante met his gaze unflinchingly. "I'm saying that the others who join us in the future will vote you out for being weak."
The words hit Nathan like a blow, tightening his chest.
'Weak. Is that all I am? A liability to be cast aside when I'm no longer useful?'
His throat tightened as doubt crashed over him.
'I can't afford to be weak. I can't let that happen.'
Despite his thoughts, he couldn't shake the uncomfortable truth that Dante was right.
Anima, the primordial energy that governed the flow of reality, was the foundation of power in the Tower. While chakra acted as a catalyst to manipulate Anima's flow, it was the Nexus Core that determined a person's mastery over this energy.
With a heavy exhale, Nathan let his frustration show. "So, what you're saying is that I should give up on being a combatant and just become something like a merchant, chasing after money instead of individual strength?"
"No, you idiot! Listen carefully," Dante snapped before lowering his voice as he continued,
"If we take these Mining quests, we can earn huge amounts of grand. With that, we can buy Anima Art manuals and Spell scrolls to make ourselves stronger..."
He paused, exhaling sharply as his tone grew more serious.
"I didn't want to say this, but on the second floor, there are other opportunities to gain useful traits and blessings as well."
"Wait, what???"
"Sit down, you bastard! Are you planning to leak out my secret to everyone?"
Nathan shot to his feet, his shock palpable, only for the same awkward scene to unfold as he quickly sat back down, still processing the information. His mind raced, trying to comprehend the implications of what Dante had just revealed.
'This bastard is still hiding a lot more than I know.'
Nathan inwardly made a note to keep Dante's knowledge in check. He couldn't let one guy monopolize all the hidden gems.
Dante took Nathan to a secluded spot, ensuring no one would overhear them. Once they reached a desolate wasteland near the borders, Dante picked up where they had left off.
"So, as I was saying, there are more opportunities on the second floor mentioned in the book—"
"How many?" Nathan cut in, his eyes narrowing as he demanded the information.
Dante paused, meeting Nathan's gaze with a steady look. "I don't know exactly how many. The book didn't give specifics, except for the one you already know. But what I can tell you is this: the first six floors are critical as each of them lays the foundation of our growth. There are opportunities here that the majority of the ascenders miss."
His voice dropped lower, the weight of his words heavy. "These floors are not meant to be rushed."
"So, we must take our time preparing before entering each floor. Is that what you're saying?" Nathan asked, his tone serious.
"Yes,"
Dante confirmed and proceeded to explain the whole picture,
"If we plan accordingly, we can capitalize on rare, unseen, and unheard-of rewards, even if I can't predict exactly how valuable they'll be. Who knows? We might find an ancient-grade spell scroll left behind by an infamous elven sorcerer, or perhaps an amazing blessing passed down from a legendary hero. But if we rush, we'll miss everything. We'll end up like the majority, struggling for power."
Dante leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a devil's whisper. "Maybe there's a way up there that can remove or counter the
Dante's words hit a nerve, making Nathan flinch. The thought of changing his destiny again was impossible to ignore. Who wouldn't want that? The idea was intoxicating, almost impossible to resist.
He was beginning to see the bigger picture behind Dante's plan. They couldn't afford to follow the same path as everyone else if they wanted to reach the top. With their lack of strength and backing, what they needed wasn't connections or ordinary rewards that anyone could claim. They needed something unique and extraordinary— something that would set them apart from the rest.
But something was still gnawing at Nathan's mind that he couldn't shake off.
"Alright then," he began, his tone skeptical. "Let's say we build up funds with these tiring and time-consuming quests. But unless we get at least two thousand grand, we can't buy a manual or scroll for each of us."
The starting price of a 1-star manual or a low-grade spell scroll was 1000 G. These items contained specific knowledge and techniques for controlling chakra, sealed within them using rune magic.
This made it impossible for more than one person to learn from a single scroll.
Sure, some geniuses and masters could invent their own Anima art or form their spells.
But neither Nathan nor Dante had reached that level.
They lacked the mastery and enlightenment that came from the deep knowledge of multiple arts. Without it, creating an Anima art, whether for movement, offense, or defense, was beyond their capabilities.
Similarly, forming spells required expertise in Incantations, Circles, and Runes, the knowledge they simply didn't have.
Their only real option was to buy these resources from the tower, learn from them, and refine their skills.
Or keep buying more until they achieve some form of enlightenment.
Nathan had once dreamed of creating his own offensive Anima art by using his impressive throwing skills.
But he lacked both the affinity with an element and the right stage of chakra control to make it happen.
The silence stretched longer than Nathan expected. Finally, Dante spoke.
"We can always take a loan if we're short by a few hundred grand," Dante said, his voice soft and reassuring, a calm confidence settling in his words.
Nathan chuckled, the tension finally easing. "Always ready to take leaps and risks for greatness, huh?"
The last of his worries melted away as he slapped his cheeks in excitement. His voice boomed with renewed determination.
"Alright, you bastard. I'm in!"