บท 9: Chapter 9: System's Tower

Elio and his comrades made their way towards the massive white stone tower, it was atop the wall they were tasked with feeding. As they approached, Kriz turned to Elio with a solemn expression.

"Hey, rookie, you better stay on your toes. We're about to feed god's punishment, and believe me, it's no joke."

Brok nodded gravely. "He's not exaggerating. The feeling of giving your mana to that thing... it's like nothing you've ever experienced. It sucks the life right out of you."

Ren joined the conversation, his tone serious but tinged with understanding. "Don't be surprised if your knees buckle the first time. It happens to the best of us. The key is to pull your hand away the instant that tenth mana point gets drained. Keep your book open and watch those numbers seriously."

Elio swallowed hard, feeling a sudden wave of apprehension wash over him. He'd delivered mana to the God exchange easily enough, but the way his comrades spoke of the tower made it sound downright terrifying.

"Is it... is it dangerous?" he asked, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice.

Kriz snorted. "Dangerous? Let's put it this way, buddy. if you're not focused during those crucial seconds, you could end up losing much more than just your daily share. And trust me, that's not an experience you want to have firsthand."

"What do you mean by that?" Elio pressed, his brow furrowing in concern.

This time, it was Brok who answered, his voice tinged with gravity. "If your mana hits zero while you're still touching that tower, you'll lose an entire level. And once it's gone, it's gone for good. It's how they punish the worst offenders around here."

Elio felt his blood run cold at the prospect. Losing a level... it would be devastating.

The skills and power he had gotten so far, gone in an instant.

"Easy there, rookie," Ren said, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "It's not as bad as these two are making it sound. We've done this hundreds of times. Just stay calm, follow our lead, and you'll be fine."

As they arrived at the base of the massive tower, Elio saw a long line of soldiers waiting their turn, their faces tense and focused. Kriz turned to him with a twisted smile.

"Well, buddy, it's your big debut. Ready to feel what it's like to have the life sucked out of you?"

Elio grimaced but nodded determined. He wasn't about to show weakness in front of his comrades, not after the respect he had earned by facing Varick.

One by one, the soldiers stepped up to the tower, placing their hands on the surface and releasing their mana with expressions of intense focus. Elio watched with growing apprehension, noting how some even staggered as they stepped away.

At last, it was his turn. Taking a deep breath from his hand to steady himself, Elio stepped forward and placed his hand on the tower's cold stone surface.

Immediately, he felt a powerful force tugging at him, as if an invisible hand was dragging his very soul from his body. The sensation was overwhelming, suffocating. For a brief, terrifying moment, Elio felt himself losing his balance, the world tilting dangerously around him.

But then he remembered his comrades' words and forced himself to focus, watching intently as the numbers in his open book rapidly changed.

Just as the tenth mana point was drained, he yanked his hand away with a sharp motion, staggering backward.

"You did it, rookie!" Kriz's voice cut through the ringing in his ears. "See? Not so bad once you get through it, right?"

Elio blinked, trying to catch his breath. The experience had been far more intense than he'd expected, but he'd managed to get through it without incident.

Brok clapped him on the back hard enough to nearly knock him off his feet. "Good job, buddy. You'll get used to that feeling soon enough. Give it a few weeks, and it'll be as routine as breathing."

Ren nodded approvingly, a hint of disappointment on his usually stoic face. "I'm impressed. You handled it well for your first time. Though I must admit, I half expected your knees to give out on you."

Kriz let out a bark of laughter, slinging an arm around Elio's shoulders. "Are you kidding me? Not gonna be like you, Ren. After how he toppled that Varick guy? This rookie's got balls of steel, I'm telling you."

Elio smiled weakly, feeling a surge of pride at his comrades' words. The experience might have been terrifying, but he had made it through without losing his composure.

As they walked away from the tower, Brok elbowed Elio with a mischievous grin. "Hey, rookie, you know that feeling you just had? Having your life force sucked out like that?"

Elio nodded warily, unsure where this was going.

"Well, buddy, I've got news for you. That's exactly how it'll feel when you get married. Trust me, women will drain you faster than any tower ever could."

Kriz and Ren burst out laughing, and even Elio couldn't help but crack a smile. Despite the tension surrounding them, these guys managed to find moments of humor in the darkest situations.

♢♢♢♢

As they made their way out of the tower, the camaraderie of the moment was shattered by the sudden, piercing wail of an alarm. The sound reverberated through the indestructible stone walls, setting everyone on edge.

"What the hell is that?" Elio asked, scanning the surroundings with alert eyes.

Kriz's face had gone pale, all traces of humor vanishing in an instant. "That's the invasion alarm. A monster must have breached the tower's God rays."

In a matter of seconds, chaos erupted around them. Soldiers began running, their panicked shouts mixing with the incessant scream of the alarm.

Elio and his comrades pushed through the panicked crowd, emerging onto the massive , 50 meters wide parapet to a scene of nightmarish carnage.

In the central courtyard stood an enormous, four-meter-tall monster, its exoskeleton glistening a sickly blackish-green. One shoulder bore a gaping wound, likely from a tower strike.

It had only three of its four arms and its razor-sharp claws were drenched in fresh blood. In its jaws, it chewed on a mangled corpse, while two other bodies lay scattered around it.

Elio fought back a wave of nausea at the sight of the shredded remains of what had once been soldiers.

"By the Gods… It's a Locus" Kriz gasped, his face ashen.

Brok clenched his fists. "Another bugass managed to get past the barrier range!"

A group of about 10 level-two soldiers with shields surrounded the beast, they weirdly had no weapons. With a swipe of its claws, it sent defenders flying, they were like children to an adult.

One of the soldiers went flying, smashing against the tower wall with a sickening crunch before crumpling to the ground, motionless.

"The level-two soldiers are useless against that thing!" Ren shouted, his usual calm shattered. "Where the hell are the atack squads?"

"Those poor bastards," Kriz muttered. "Being punished with shield duty is a death sentence. We need at least a level-three squad to do any real damage."

Elio watched in mounting horror as the massacre unfolded before him.

Just as it seemed the defenders couldn't hold out much longer, Varick appeared, wielding a sword that glowed with an otherworldly radiance. An arrogant smirk played across his face as he advanced on the monster.

"At last, my chance for glory!" he bellowed, brandishing his blade. "Time to shut that fool Victoria up once and for all. Prepare to meet your end, beast!"

Before his lackeys could intervene, Varick charged forward.

"Varick's gear might actually hurt it," Ren observed, a hint of hope in his voice.

But the monster was quicker. Its claws slashed through the air, striking Varick squarely in the chest. Only his high-level armor saved him from being torn apart.

The young man went flying, crashing to the ground unconscious. His sword clattered from his grasp, skidding across the flagstones.

"D-damn, we're going to lose the whole defender squad for our section, that's the second one this month," Ren complained, visibly shaken. "I hope we don't get picked, we've been good, right?"

A chill ran down Elio's spine. Being part of the punished soldiers holding the shields? A death sentence...

Wait, wasn't he supposed to be worried about the dwindling soldier numbers? Didn't he want to prevent the worst? His mother's words echoed in his head:

"Always remember your father's sacrifice and fight for your future."

"I suppose 12 daily points and my absence are just what this family needs!"

His mother's eyes darkened for an instant, but then shone with a determination Elio knew well. It was like that whenever she spoke of his father...

Another soldier crumpled to the ground, his shield shattered and leg mangled. He looked around frantically for help, his eyes meeting Elio's for an instant. The raw terror in the man's face made Elio's heart ache with empathy.

Suddenly, Elio's gaze fell on Varick's discarded sword. Ren's words rang in his ears: "Varick's gear might actually hurt it." Could it be possible...?

Without a second thought, Elio lurched forward, scooping up Varick's sword as he ran. The hilt felt perfectly balanced in his hand, the blade glowing with a faint azure radiance. It must be worth a fortune.

"Elio! What the hell are you doing?" Kriz yelled behind him, but Elio didn't stop.

With a furious bellow, he hurled the sword directly at the monster. The blade spun through the air, leaving a cerulean trail before burying itself deep in the beast's shoulder.

The monster howled in pain, its attention momentarily diverted from the fallen soldier. Seizing the opportunity, Elio dashed forward and dragged the wounded man to safety.

"Elio, look out!" Kriz's panicked shout alerted him.

Looking up, Elio found the beast looming right above him, its massive form towering menacingly. Its claws descended in a deadly arc as Elio braced himself, shielding the injured soldier with his own body.