The world outside the tower was unrecognizable. Five days had passed since Alden, and Hiroshi had entered the tower, and in that time, the monsters that had spilled into the world had wreaked havoc. Cities lay in ruins, streets littered with debris, and the air was thick with smoke and the cries of the desperate.
As Alden and Hiroshi stepped out of the tower, they were greeted by a scene of utter devastation. The once-bustling streets of Tokyo were now eerily silent, save for the occasional roar of a monster in the distance. The tower loomed behind them, its presence a constant reminder of the chaos it had unleashed.
"This... this is worse than I imagined," Hiroshi said, his voice trembling as he took in the destruction.
No shit, it's been five days, Alden thought, realizing that the time inside and outside the tower was the same. He kept his expression carefully neutral. "The monsters have had five days to run rampant. It's no surprise the world's falling apart."
Hiroshi clenched his fists, his eyes filled with determination. "We have to do something. We can't just stand here and watch."
So based on the fact that we took our sweet time in the tower, I can be sure that the world might already have climbers that delivered the news for them. They should have a general idea. Alden placed a hand on Hiroshi's shoulder, his tone firm but reassuring. "You're right. But we need a plan. If we're going to build a guild and gather allies, we need to show people that there's hope. That's where you come in, Hiroshi."
Hiroshi looked at Alden, confusion etched on his face. "Me? What do you mean?"
"You're the hero they need," Alden said, his voice steady. "You have the power to fight these monsters and protect people. If you step up and show them what you can do, they'll rally behind you. We can use that to build our guild and gather the strongest climbers."
Hiroshi's eyes widened as the weight of Alden's words sank in. "You're right. If I can protect people and give them hope, they'll follow us. We can save this world together."
Alden's lips curled into a faint smile. It never fails to amaze me how much of a fool he can be.
As they walked through the ruined streets, discussing their plans, a low growl echoed from a nearby alley. A monstrous creature emerged, its eyes glowing with malevolent light. It was a [Lvl 10 Shadow Stalker], its claws glinting in the dim light.
"Stay back," Hiroshi said, stepping forward. His feathers materialized around him, their tips glowing faintly. "I'll handle this."
Ooh, I'm getting the princess treatment now, Alden thought, amused.
The monster lunged at Hiroshi, its claws slashing through the air. But Hiroshi was faster. With a flick of his wrist, one of his feathers shot forward, piercing the monster's chest with pinpoint accuracy. The creature let out a final, guttural roar before collapsing to the ground, its body disintegrating into motes of light.
Hiroshi's eyes scanned the area, ensuring no more monsters remained. Satisfied, he descended back to the ground.
Hiroshi turned to Alden, a look of satisfaction on his face. "That was easier than I thought. And there were no monsters above level 10 out there."
Alden gave a small nod, his mind already racing. "Good work. But don't let your guard down."
So 10 is the level limit for monsters around the world? Or is it something else? Alden thought, pondering the implications.
As they continued their journey, Alden turned to Hiroshi with a serious expression. "We need to make a big move to get their attention."
Hiroshi raised an eyebrow. "Who are they? And why do we need their attention?"
Alden's lips curled into a faint smile. "Don't worry about that. Just focus on making a big move. We need to show the world what you can do."
Hiroshi hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Let's do this."
He conjured a feather and stepped onto it, rising high into the air. From his vantage point, he could see the devastation below monsters roamed the streets, causing chaos and destruction. Hiroshi's eyes narrowed as he focused on his targets.
"Time to clean up," he muttered.
With a wave of his hand, he sent all his feathers soaring through the air, each one finding its mark. Monsters fell one by one, their bodies disintegrating into motes of light. Hiroshi's eyes scanned the area, ensuring no higher than level 10 monsters remained.
Unbeknownst to them, their battle had been observed. High above the city, a military drone hovered silently, its cameras capturing every move. The footage was transmitted to a secure facility, where it was analyzed by a team of experts.
In a dimly lit room, a high-ranking official watched the footage with a mixture of awe and concern. "Who are these people?" he muttered, his eyes fixed on the screen.
One of his subordinates stepped forward. "Sir, they appear to be climbers from the tower. The one with the feathers he just took down multiple monsters in a matter of seconds."
The official leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. "If they're this powerful, they could be the key to stopping this chaos. Get me a plane. I want them brought to me immediately."
As Alden and Hiroshi continued their journey through the ruined city, the sound of an approaching aircraft filled the air. They looked up to see a military plane descending, its engines roaring as it landed nearby.
A group of soldiers emerged, their weapons trained on the duo. One of them stepped forward, his voice firm but respectful. "You're coming with us. The General wants to speak with you."
Hiroshi glanced at Alden, his expression a mix of confusion and concern. "What's going on?"
Alden's lips curled into a faint smile. "Let's go.", Let's see how much I can squeeze out of this.
As they boarded the plane, Alden's mind raced. This is perfect. The government's involvement will give us the platform and resources we need to build the guild. And with Hiroshi as a hero, we'll have the world's support.
But beneath his calm exterior, Alden's thoughts were far darker. My current goal is to get more people to climb so I could gain more XP from my Tower Master authority and level up the World's Anchor authority faster.