"You cleared the fifth floor... in your first attempt?" Verlan asked again, his voice slightly trembling.
Arthur nodded, still panting from the tower. "Yes, Professor. Barely. The floor 5 boss nearly killed me, but I managed to—"
Verlan cut him off, throwing his head back in laughter. "A class 1 student! Cleared the fifth floor! By the Aether gods, this is unprecedented!"
The commotion drew lots of attention to them, and students turned to see what had made the usually serious Verlan to be chuckling.
"Did he just say fifth floor?"
"That's impossible for an underclass man!"
"Even some class 4 and 5 seniors are unable to clear the fifth floor solo!"
"Ha, must be lying to impress Professor Verlan!"
Arthur winced at the growing attention. He wasn't one to enjoy being in the spotlight, especially when his head was throbbing from the fight.
"Professor I—"
"Silence, boy!" Verlan interrupted, stepping closer to Arthur with a soul-piercing look in his eyes. He grabbed Arthur by the shoulders, firmly. "Do you even realize what you've just done? What this means?"
Arthur blinked, a little confused. "It means I need to train harder? The tower said I wasn't capable of continuing."
Verland laughed again, releasing Arthur and shaking his head. "Train harder? Oh, you'll be doing much more than that. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to clear the fifth floor at your age, let alone being along and it being your first attempt? No, of course you don't, boy."
Arthur frowned. "I just want to get stronger, Professor. I don't care about how rare or difficult it is."
Verlan's grin widened at an unprecedented rate. "Stronger? Oh, you'll be stronger after this. The Academy is going to invest heavily in you. Don't you understand? You're no longer just a student. You're a prodigy."
Arthur's got slightly annoyed.
Prodigy?
It felt like a heavy chain being placed around his neck.
All I want is to grow strong enough to save father, not paraded around and pampered as some extraordinary talent.
"I appreciate the recognition, Professor," Arthur said cautiously, "but I'd prefer to keep this low-profile, because of my own goals."
Verlan raised an eyebrow. "Low-profile? Ha! That's not an option, boy. The Tower records everything. The Academy will know. The nobles will know. And trust me, once they do, everyone will want to get their hands on you."
Arthur's stomach churned at the thought.
"It's honestly dangerous, but don't worry," Verlan continued, his voice lowering. "I'll ensure you're protected—for now. There are forces that even our esteemed Headmaster cannot stop. For now, let's keep the exact details of your performance between us for the time being. We don't need a mob of guild recruiters and nobles families outside your dorm room."
Arthur sighed in relief. "Thank you, Professor."
"Don't thank me," Verlan said with a smirk. "You'll be paying me back soon enough, boy. I'm going to make sure you are ready for what is going to come. And trust me, you'll need to be ready."
Arthur didn't like the sound of that, but he nodded. "Understood, sir"
"Good. Now, go rest. You look like you've been through hell, and, frankly, you probably have." Verlan said with a chuckle.
As Arthur limped back toward the dormitory, he couldn't shake the feeling that his life had just become far more complicated than he had anticipated. The weight of his achievements in the Trial Tower pressed down on him, heavier than the Infernal Warden's blows.
Still, he clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes. Whatever lay ahead, he would face it head-on. For his father. For the fight against the Occult. And just for the sake of growing even stronger.
As he disappeared down the hallway, Verlan watched him with a glint of something unreadable in his eyes.
"Arthur Grimwood," Verlan murmured to himself. "You might just be the key to changing everything."
...
Arthur woke up the next morning feeling like he had been hit in a head-on collision with a semi-truck. His muscles ached, his head throbbed, and his Aether reserves felt like a dried up well. Even though the Tower had healed his life-threatening injuries, the soreness was a reminder of how tough this tower was.
Dragging himself out of bed, he stared at his reflection in a dusty mirror by the wall. His face was pale, with dark circles under his eyes, but his gaze had a certain confidence that resembled Frederick. He opened his system interface, reviewing the progress he'd made.
⦗System⦘
⦗Name⦘: Arthur Grimwood
⦗Level⦘: 8 (12,000/18,000 exp)
⦗Physical Skills⦘: Phantom Step [Level 2]
⦗Aether Skills⦘: Summon Abyssal Warrior [Level 3] [Capacity: 0/1]
⦗Class⦘: Necromancer
⦗Stats⦘:
Strength: 16
Speed: 16
Aether: 25
Intelligence: 19
⦗Inventory⦘:
Infernal Core [UNCOMMON], Infernal Skill Scroll [RARE], 1 Strength Aether Crystal [COMMON], 2 Speed Aether Crystals [COMMON]
------
Arthur hovered over the Aether Crystals he had obtained and decided there was no point in waiting.
⦗System⦘
⦗Item(s)⦘: 1 Strength Aether Crystal [COMMON], 2 Speed Aether Crystals [COMMON]
⦗Obtained⦘: +3 strength, +5 speed
⦗Updated Stats⦘:
Strength: 19
Speed: 21
Aether: 25
Intelligence: 19
------
Arthur suddenly felt a rush of energy coming back to him, but was still extremely tired.
His fingers hovered over the Infernal Skill Scroll. "Should I use it now?" he muttered to himself. The scroll promised a rare skill from the Infernal Warden boss, something powerful enough to make a difference in future battles. But a part of him hesitated. One thing he learned from the Trial Tower was the importance of preparation and strategy.
"Not yet," he decided, storing the scroll back into his inventory. "I need to understand it better before I use it."
I'm close Father. Just wait a little more. Please...