Chapter 3: Chapter 3 [Setting Out]

 

"You haven't even gotten your blade wet," I chuckled and ran my finger slowly across the edge of the sword. This was another family heirloom, and I had no clue where it had come from. I'd had it appraised once, and the smith said the materials had come from a higher Floor. That's all I knew.

The weapon had played a significant role in my previous life, and even walking from the Academy to the dorms without it felt uncomfortable. After so many years, it was like the cane had become a part of me. Regardless of its value and the risk I was taking, I decided that it would accompany my journey in this life as well. It's not like I was the inexperienced lad I'd once been.

I spun the sword slowly in my right hand while tightly holding the shaft in my left. It would take time for this body to become familiar with the more complex movements. My training in the Academy mainly dealt with broader swords, spears, and a combination of the two with shields. Dual-wielding and the use of rapiers or other unusual weapons were additional classes only offered to those who could pay.

"I'll have to get used to using my technique with this body, but the simpler movements shouldn't give me any trouble," I chuckled and made a few gestures with the blade, using a technique I'd picked up in my forties. A quiet whistle sang as the edge cut through the air.

Slash, stab, parry.

The movements were a bit stiff, but they were more than enough for the First Floor. That was eighty years of experience at work. I felt comfortable taking on even the Fourth Floor with just my blade if needed. After a few more movements, I slid the two pieces together.

Click.

The cane was whole again, and it would take a very discerning eye to know that a blade was hidden within. Cane in hand, I moved toward the second chest, a light tapping echoing in the room as I went.

Using the other key, I opened the old trunk. The lid didn't creak, and no dust escaped, showing that even as a young man, I had taken good care of the contents. The smell of cedar wafted from the interior, the fragrance filling the air like a strong perfume.

"It's just as I remember..."

One by one, I began pulling items from the trunk. A complete set of basic leather armour that my grandfather once used, a canteen, a small throwing knife kit, and a pouch that jingled when I lifted it. I pulled the drawstring on the large bag, revealing more than a thousand shards resting inside.

"Twelve hundred Essence. Well... it's a start," I grimaced. There had been a slight chance that I'd already paid next month's house payment. Luckily, that didn't seem to be the case. Putting the pouch to the side, I reached into the corner of the chest and gently lifted the inner liner.

There, just beneath the felt, was a shining metal card. I pulled it out with a smile and scrutinized it. On the front was a picture of a small humanoid with light green skin. Vines decorated the Card's border, showing the creature's nature.

"You're just as I remember," I smiled and looked over the beautiful artwork. The beautiful woman on the front was smiling as she sat on a swing made from vines. The Card glowed briefly as if in response to my admiration.

This was the rarest Class of Card, a Summon. Though there were a handful of Climbers on the upper floors that held one or two Pure Summons, there were very few who could brag that they owned a Holy. My grandfather had a habit of casting his Tame Creature Card before every fight, and by an incredible stroke of luck, the demonic creature he'd killed dropped this Card.

When he passed away, he left this Card to my father, even if my old man's Deck wasn't really made to use it. The Card ended up getting my dad killed. Some bandits on the Eighth Floor attacked him and stole most of his Deck. I never figured out why he was targeted, but I assumed the existence of this Card had somehow been leaked.

We were poor, and nothing my father owned was valuable aside from the manor grandpa left. He carried around a basic sword and shield while wearing leather armour. The gear and Cards he used were purchased with a loan he'd taken out against the estate. His Deck box wasn't flashy, and he didn't wear any Relics. This Card was the only reasonable explanation.

The only reason that I held the Card today was because of my benefactor. He happened upon the scene as the thieves tried to rip the last of the Cards from my father's grasp. Most of his Deck was gone, but my dad managed to hold tight to his last five. This benefactor had heard my father's final words and brought the last of the Cards back to me on the Origin Floor.

I never doubted the strange man's story. He'd never told me his name, but looking back, I knew that he was from an influential family. His robes and Deck box gave him away. There was no reason for a Climber such as him to lie to a child or even to help one, for that matter.

Instead of taking the Summon for himself, he made sure that my father's Cards were returned to me. I promised the man that I would reach a high Floor one day to thank him properly, and I still remember the smile that he'd given me before leaving. After that, I never saw the man again... my sickness hadn't allowed me to fulfil my promise.

A man from the Academy came to retrieve me just a few days after my encounter with the Climber. He told me that I had received a last-minute scholarship and that I would be escorted to my new dormitory immediately. It had been a bizarre few days, and I was sure that the strange Climber had something to do with it. The payments on our family home had even been covered for the first five years until I was old enough to hunt on the First Floor with the Academy's permission.

I still didn't know why the man had done it. Whether it was because of pity or some strange sense of justice, I never found out. I never heard from the Climber again, and I never got the chance to thank him. Maybe this time around would be different.

Turning my attention back to the Summon Card, I popped open the top of my Deck Box and slipped the Card inside. In the past, I'd feared losing the Card or someone discovering its existence. Looking back, I'd made the right call. This time, however, I believed the Card would be safer with me.

Deck boxes were explicitly made with the intention of holding fifty-two Cards. That was the limit. No one had ever discovered why no more than fifty-two Cards could be used... it was just another of the Tower's many mysteries. There were theories, of course. Since the Deck Box was a Relic that supposedly attached to a Wielder's soul, it was believed that the soul itself could only handle a maximum of fifty-two Cards.

Some people had tried holding excess Cards in another pocket and switching them out when the situation called for a different Spell or Ability... and it didn't end well. The Card would activate, but the holder suffered such a powerful backlash that he almost died. Others tried, but all of the experiments failed.

At the moment, I have eight Cards. As far as students at the Academy were concerned, it was pathetic. Most of my classmates had already filled their Decks. Even the poorest had more than half, which wasn't surprising since the students regularly earned Essence while hunting beasts.

Essence was the currency used within the Tower. Using Essence, Climbers could increase the Levels of their Cards, giving them more power and allowing them to climb to higher Floors. Essence could also be used to buy Cards of higher Ranking, which were usually more powerful than those of a lower Ranking.

Every action in the Tower revolved around Essence... and there was only one way to get it. Killing monsters. When a beast died, a reaction occurred within it that caused its blood to crystalize. A majority of the time, this crystal could be found near their heart. This shard contained the coveted Essence.

Thinking up to this point, I glanced around at my grandpa's old gear. One of the teachers had refitted the old leather armour so that it wouldn't slide off my slender figure. I was toned and muscular, but bulking up was difficult without proper sustenance. Even after the constant training the Academy put me through, I struggled to build anything other than lean muscle.

It took a few minutes to slide it on and clip the old Deck Box onto the custom-made belt slot. I lamented the fact that I didn't have the Auto-Equip Ability Card from my previous life. It was only a Blessed Card, but it made it simple to exchange one's gear and everyday attire. I smiled at myself in the mirror before plopping down to play with the Essence pouch.

When I was young, I had to be very stingy with my finances. The payments on our family home were just at fifteen hundred Essence per month, and it took everything I had to keep it in my name. Buying new Cards or purchasing better gear was out of the question. Many nights I'd gone to bed hungry because I didn't have the funds for dinner. The Academy only provided a single meal in the mornings. Beyond that, students were on their own.

My teachers tried to talk me into selling the estate, but I just couldn't bring myself to give it up. Aside from the miscellaneous items I kept under my bed, it was the only thing I had left that belonged to the Wilder family. Because of this, my school years were my worst. I tied the pouch to my belt and leaned my head against the wall, thinking about everything that had happened.

Time travel?

That was absurd!

I was an old man on the brink of death, yet here I am, fiddling with a bit of Essence in my old dorm room. It just didn't make any sense. There were many powerful Cards and even rumours about Cards that could affect time and space. However, from what I'd heard through the Network, their effects were very limited.

"I need to arrange my thoughts..." I sighed and massaged my temples while I tried to recall my current circumstance. "At the moment, I'm in danger of losing my home. The fucking bank was always up my ass, and if I was even a day late, they would post an eviction notice."

"There is just over a week before the next payment is due. Fifteen hundred Essence was a large sum for me back then. Gathering that amount was possible, but I constantly missed meals," I smiled.

"The situation this time will be different," I hummed to myself and tapped the floor with my cane while formulating a plan. My pupils shrunk as I remembered something vital. "That's right, the date!"

I stood up and jumped in excitement, almost knocking my head against the ceiling, "There are still several years before the public learns of this century's First Floor Achievements! This is my chance!"

All of my reservations about my current situation flew out the window when I thought of this. I was an old man, and I'd experienced many things. I'll be damned if I don't make the most of this second chance.

"If I can complete all of the Secret Achievements, maybe the max Level of my Origin Card can approach six or seven!" I snatched up the pack of throwing knives and attached them to another section of my belt.

The First Floor, also known as the Floor of Awakening, was essentially a Tutorial Floor for the Tower. There were no demonic creatures, and a handful of basic Achievements had to be met before one could ascend to the Second Floor. The stairs leading up were blocked by a barrier that wouldn't allow anyone to pass unless they'd met the minimum requirements.

The better one performed on the First Floor, the more powerful their Origin Card would become. The Origin Card didn't count as part of the Deck and was unique to every Climber. It was speculated that one's nature had just as much to do with the Tower's decision as their performance.

Aside from the basic Achievements, there were several more that hadn't been made known to the public. These Achievements were not as well-known.

Some of the Achievements were told to all who reached their senior year in the Academy. It was known that all graduates had more powerful Origin Cards than their peers, but the reason for this was well-kept.

There were some even less known Achievements that were only known by a few influential families within the Tower. Beyond those, there were a few secret Achievements that almost no one knew about, but the families will somehow learn about them a few days from now.

And how did I know all of this? Because around fifty years from now, this information will be made public through the Tower Network! Of course, the Achievements reset every century, so this news had only been released to force Climbers to spend more time on the First Floor searching for new Achievements.

No one could stop the rumours, so there were plenty of Climbers who stayed on the First Floor for years in the hopes of gaining a powerful Origin Card. I could remember when the rumours were confirmed, people who had never thought of Climbing flocked to the First Floor to try their luck.

In my previous life, I'd only completed the basic Achievements and those provided by the Academy. This time, however... The corners of my lips turned up, and I couldn't hold back the excitement I was feeling.

I wasn't sure why I was given this opportunity. As much as I hated my previous Origin Card, it seemed to have become my salvation... thoughts of the monsters that stormed the Tower before my death flooded my mind. There were only a hundred years to prepare for that catastrophe.

There is no way to fight it, but maybe... If I'm strong enough when the time comes... could I escape? My mind whirled. Would I really leave all of my people behind? Maybe I could warn them..? No, they'd think I was a freak. Even if I were believed, some powerful faction would likely lock me away to use my knowledge of the future for themselves.

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But that can't happen if I'm too strong to capture...

"I've got to reach the Upper Floors!"

With no time to waste, I double-checked my gear, making sure that my Deck Box and throwing knives were clipped tight. I pulled open the wardrobe and grabbed my old backpack. It was just a simple bag with a sturdy leather strap... It would do.

I glanced through the contents and tossed my canteen and Essence pouch inside before leaving. My cane tapped on the wooden floor, and I hummed a merry tune as I strutted out the door.

The dorms were empty, as there were still several classes left for the day. The tap, tapping of my cane echoed loudly as I made my way through the silent halls. My humming filled the void, and my smile grew as I thought about what I was going to do.

First, I strolled back along my former path, heading for the inner gates of the Academy. My eyes darted to and fro, observing the few guards and the constant silhouettes of my peers walking by the large glass windows. It seemed that they were all making their way to the next class.

My humming was interrupted by the thought of sitting in a classroom for the rest of the day. I strode toward the large fountain in the courtyard while pulling the canteen from my bag. After filling it with the forever-clean water of the fountain, I tossed it into my bag and began my trek to the outer gates.

As I walked back toward the dormitory, I admired the beauty and greenery of the courtyard. Many statues of famous Climbers adorned the campus grounds, and it had been many years since I'd seen them last. The view didn't last long as I quickly made my way beyond the dormitory and walked up the cobblestone street toward the exit.

The tapping of my cane drew the guards' attention as I waltzed through the gate. One or two cast strange glances toward the cane that I was holding, but none tried to stop me from leaving. The Academy's students regularly went out to hunt for Essence, and it wasn't their job to make sure that we stayed in class.

"Ahhh..."

The sun was shining, a light breeze brushed against my skin, and I felt like a new man. An abundance of land spread out before me, showing the outlandish size of the First Floor. With the Academy sitting atop a large hill in the centre of the Floor, I could see the small town and farmland extended below me and a vast forest reaching beyond that.

It only took a bit of walking for the sound of whispers to catch in my ear. The wind carried the voices of the labourers and shopkeeps, and I could smell the aroma of freshly grilled meat from a not-so-distant tavern. Within minutes, I was walking through the inner ring of Academy Town.

It was a simple place, matching its simple name. The soil on the First Floor was fertile, and the resources that could be found were much more abundant than those of the Origin Floor below. Many labourers, blacksmiths, or other craftsmen preferred to make their life on the First Floor rather than risk the climb to the upper levels. These people made up the majority of Academy Town, though there were still plenty of wealthy folks who took up residence as well.

The muddy streets were worn by the constant travel of carriages. Excess trash lay on the sides of the unpaved road, proving that the government still hadn't bothered to develop this place after hundreds of years. I grimaced as I trudged down the filthy path, doing my best to avoid getting the grime on my tattered boots.

It was a shame that the same care that was given to the Origin Floor couldn't be extended to the farmers around the Academy. If it weren't for these men and women residing here, the cities below wouldn't be as advanced as they were today. A horse-drawn carriage barrelled down the road, and I jumped to the side to avoid the splashing muck.

If there was one thing I couldn't stand... it was filth. At this time, the younger me had yet to discover the magnificence of the Cleansing Card. Even in my old, decrepit state, maintaining an immaculate appearance had been one of my priorities.

After all, one's appearance spoke volumes.

It took some time to make it to the main street, where the cobblestone once again replaced the muddy roads. This was the only paved road outside of the Academy. It was wide enough for three carriages to pass and ran in one massive ring around the Academy.

My pace quickened once I'd left the run-down inns and the shabby homes of the labourers behind me. On either side of the ring, one could find spotless taverns, friendly shops, and Guild Halls that were quite active during the day. Many of the smaller Guilds set up shop to pull in young Climbers before they made a name for themselves. It was just a gimmick to look for potential early and underpay those with talent.

Ignoring the calls from these buildings, I made my way along the much cleaner sidewalk. Though these Guilds were stingy, they had come to an agreement with the Academy to pay for a portion of this roadwork.

It wasn't unusual for an armoured individual to walk this street, yet the eyes of the pedestrians constantly eyed my cane as it tap tap tapped on the smooth surface of the sidewalk. Seeing such a young man with a cane was odd, and the expensive item didn't match my attire.

Seeing young men on the Origin Floor attempt to imitate the wealthy old blokes wasn't unusual, but I knew that my current situation was unorthodox. My old, dirty armour and the blood-stained Deck Box I had equipped didn't match the brilliance of the polished cane. Most probably thought that I was a thief.

Eventually, I hesitatingly stepped off the clean road and made my way to a small butcher's shop a couple of rings back. Those shops on the main street were too expensive for me. A thick scent of blood radiated from the open-air shop, and flies buzzed around the area. There was a bulky, scarred man chopping meat while a younger man tended to the customers.

Looking at the flies and rotten meat tossed to the side, I couldn't help but sigh. Doing my best to keep a straight face, I joined the line and waited my turn as several customers left the place with bags of boar meat. When it was finally my turn, I slipped my pack around to access my Essence pouch.

"Welcome to Lacier's Butchery," the young clerk smiled happily as he wiped snot from his nose with the back of his hand. His teeth were slightly rotten, and it didn't look like he'd bathed in a long time.

"Ugh... Hi there. I'd like to get two days' rations of jerky, please, young man," I made a show of digging for my pouch, while in reality, I didn't want the lad to see my grimace. When I pulled out the smaller bag, the boy's smile widened, and he turned to a side table.

I looked on in horror as I watched him wrap the meat with the hand that he had just used to wipe away his snot. His grungy nails pushed into the dried meat as he packed it and wrapped it in the white paper. Without knowing my thoughts, the lad returned to the counter and slid over the six individual packs.

''30 Essence, please.''

Could I have bartered a bit? Sure... but I wanted to get out of this place as soon as possible. I dropped the Essence into his waiting palm without touching the filthy hand, tossed the rations into my pack, and hurried away from the stall.

I quickly made my way back to Main Street and took a deep breath. What a terrible experience. The thought of the dirtied rations in my pack made me shiver. With a bit of effort, I calmed down and glanced at my surroundings.

There was a nice-looking store across the street with a large glass window. On display were a handful of Cards and a few pieces of adventuring gear. I smiled and glanced at the mostly empty Deck Box on my hip, "I've still got over eleven hundred Essence."

After crossing the street, I peeked in the window and saw a greedy clerk rubbing his hands behind the back of a customer looking over the displays. A few vivid memories played when I watched the chubby man. It only took a few moments for the client to finish his transaction and leave.

When the client walked out, I slipped through the open door to keep the bell from ringing. The merchant had already slunk to the back, and it gave me some time to browse his wares. This place had an impressive amount of exotic items on display, including a few Blessed Uncommon Cards.

"Oh, I didn't hear you come in. What do you w-" The little merchant was rude, openly judging my attire. Though, the moment his eyes landed on my cane, his attitude changed. "I mean, how can I help you, sir?"

This man was nothing more than a crook. I remembered once buying a Card from here for 500 Essence, only to find out later that it was only worth a hundred. This little man constantly scammed students and other Climbers that had just begun their adventures.

"Hello, sir," I decided to test the waters first. Currently, my needs were limited to the Foundation Cards that I was missing. Without such Cards, the others would uselessly collect dust in my Deck Box. "At the moment, I require a Strength Card. It doesn't seem that you have any Foundation Cards on display."

My cane tapped lightly on the floor as I strode confidently to the counter. The man gulped as he eyed the silver handle that I was holding, clearly interested in the item. The charlatan smiled, and I could tell he thought he was dealing with some naive boy who came into wealth.

This man, who, funnily enough, was named Crook, widened his smile, "Please wait here for a moment."

He walked to the back room, and I could hear him rummaging around. Eventually, the sound subsided, and the fat man returned, looking quite pleased with himself. I almost laughed when he placed a glass display case on the counter, with a simple Level 1 Strength Card sitting on a soft cushion inside.

Strength Cards were the most common of the Foundation Cards. He probably had a stack of them sitting just around the corner. It seemed that this little man really thought that I was naive and that he could con me by dressing it up. Still, I played along and examined the Card. The image in the centre was of a bulky man flexing his muscles.

"What a fine specimen! How much are you charging, good Sir?" I asked, making my Essence pounce jingle as I pulled it from my pack.

Crook smiled, revealing a perfect row of white teeth, "Only 500 Essence for you, young man."

"Is that all?" My own smile broadened when the merchant started rubbing his hands together. I pretended to count out the Essence before I stopped and looked at the man, "Are your prices negotiable?"

"I'm sure that you know the importance of a Foundation Card. Without it, any other Cards that you possess are merely trinkets," Crook stroked his chin. "I'm sorry, but I can't go any lower."

"That simply won't do," I rolled my cane between my fingers. "Would you be willing to make a trade?"

His eyes flashed greedily, and it looked like his eyes would jump out of their sockets as he examined my weapon. I laughed, knowing the Strength Card wasn't worth more than a hundred Essence, and my cane was worth a few thousand, "Y-yes. I think we could come to some sort of agreement."

"Good. Then, I'll trade you a vow of secrecy," I smiled at the man. My face remained the same, but my eyes turned cold as I leaned in. "I can assure you that this will be a great deal for you, Sir."

The man scoffed, and I held up a hand before he could speak, "I'm sure the Guilds would love to hear about the fine medicine that you're selling them. Advertising it as a minor healing powder while it does nothing but numb the pain. The traces of Howler venom that causes the consumption to be forgotten is also a nice touch."

"W-what?!" Crook's face turned white as the colour was drained. He stammered for several seconds before putting on a forced smile, "Y-yes, yes. In fact, I just remembered that we were having a sale on Foundation Cards this week. I believe that this trade is of equal value."

I smiled and pulled the Card from the shiny case before turning away. On my way to the door, I spotted a wooden case that contained twelve vials of translucent, green liquid. Sitting beside the case, another Card was on display.

"I'll have to trouble you some more," I said merrily, taking the box and Card off the shelf and placing them in my bag. "In the future, I hope that we can continue to do business."

I turned to bow slightly before backing out of the door. The little man's face was red, and his arms shook from how tightly he gripped the counter. With a wave of goodbye, I stepped out onto the street and put the shop to my back.

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