Chapter 409

If this was a game, Arthur knew he'd probably have gained a Title or something along the lines of 'By the Skin of His Teeth' or 'Second? No, I'll Have More Chances' or 'Just One More Minute, Death!'.  Since the Tower didn't give Titles like that, nor was this a game, Arthur figured he would just have to take the secondary prize. 

Survival.

Pretty damn sweet prize, even if he ached all over still when he woke up. Part of that, of course, had to do with falling unconscious with a giant beast core underneath him, embedded in the ground and his chest while he slept. It still hurt, though he was pretty sure that the pain in his chest was psychosomatic at this point.

Still, it was never fun, waking up and realising he had been lying defenseless and dying, only held together by his healing technique. Not to say there weren't some gains from all that...

 

Variant Skill Created: Accelerated Healing – Refined Energy (Grade IIIb) -> (Grade IVc)

Passively increases base Tower healing rates by 97.3%.

Active use of technique increases base Tower healing rate by 301.2%.

Healing may now be directed.

Variant technique increases resistance against toxins and poisons by 49% (P)/ 139%(A)

New Variant technique increases resistance against elemental effects

May not replace lost limbs or other permanent injuries.

Active Cost: 0.1 Refined Energy per ten minutes

 

Massive upgrade in his healing speed when he was focused, a minor increase in the passive level. Then again, when you figured that was nearly double what other Climbers got, and they were already healing breaks in a week rather than months… well, that was something.

If he kept this up, his passive regeneration would make him like Wolverine. Or Hulk. Or Deadpool.

Yeah, he better work on that variant to deal with scars and dismemberments, because he was not witty enough to crack jokes.

“But that’s not why you people, read, right? My ability to be witty and break the fourth wall?” Arthur muttered out-loud, waited. Then, chuckled to himself as – of course – nothing happened. Not as though he was in a story, like Deadpool.

Though, he’d rather be She-Hulk than Deadpool. She at least got to climb out of her panels and beat the shit out of her writers who put her through stupid, hackneyed situations. Instead, Deadpool just cracked jokes and acted like a fool…

A deeper breath, as he turned his attention within and began the process of channeling his energy to heal his wounds. Time to see how fast his healing actually was, when directed. Since he hadn’t been kicked out of the Tower just yet, he figured he had some time, and there was no point in emerging injured and tired.

And without his equipment.

 

***

 

By the time Arthur was healed, it was the middle of the day. The building was significantly less haunting in the full light of day, though it felt abandoned. Not in the gone out to Klang to get satay for the weekend kind of abandoned, but the kind that you found in small towns, where people had left for years, even decades. Empty and bereft of any of the energies that living in a building transmitted.

Wandering into his room, Arthur took the time to change into his clothing and then the remnants of his armor. He sighed, staring at what was left of it, knowing it made him look like a low-budget post-apocalyptic extra but it was better than nothing.

Packing the rest of his gear, he took his time wandering through the house, poking his head into each room, looking for gear to acquire or anything left behind. Not surprisingly, he found nothing of the sort in any of the Second Chancer rooms – his own experience earlier had shown none of them had carried much to the location itself. Even their weapons had disappeared with their bodies.

The dining room / long hall was not much better. He did, however, make use of the lack of servants or guards or anyone stopping him from raiding the cutlery and various plates and other utensils. He even picked at the various wood carvings that littered the building, grabbing whatever looked vaguely valuable to stuff into his backpack.

Depending on the work, he could potentially sell all this to collectors outside. It wasn't a lot of money, all things considered, not compared to selling a single refined energy stone; but he was poor and there was nothing to stop him from taking it all with him. It wasn't as though he was expecting to get into another fight. 

 

Quest Completed: Find the Killer

Diffuclty: A+

Result: You found the killers, after all the other participants in the event have been slain. During the battle, you managed to understand a little of the reason for the deaths and the scenario involved.

Grade: D+

 

Luckily, it seemed that the Tower was using the Malaysian scoring system which was a legacy from the British. In this sense, a D+ was baasically just over a pass, nothing that was amazing; but good enough that he would only have gotten a small beating for the grade. Certainly, as far as Arthur was concerned, he was alive - so he scored himself an A+.

It was in the other wing, Tun Rahman's side of the building, that he finally found what he was looking for.  The room he was in, outside of some minor jewelry that he pocketed, had nothing of great value. Some carvings that to his untrained eye was no better than what he had found outside, but considering how little space he had, he swapped in his backpack. Stood to reason, that the man kept the more valuable items in his room.

After he was done packing whatever wood carvings, some of the paintings and even a big bunch of woven batik, Arthur’s backpack was bulging and full, with the last set of batik strapped to the top of it. Yet, for all that, it was not the greatest find.

Instead, it was a golden pendant with a pair of facing peacocks on either side, a single pearl at the center and golden clasps on either side that was the prize. It had been on the dressing stand, the only item that triggered when picked up. He pulled down the Tower information, surprised at the extent of details the Tower was offering for once.

 

Pendant of Everlasting Regret

The previous owner was betrayed by those he trusted most. Left to die and watch his people be killed, the anger and regret of the owner has seeped into the pendant.

Effect: Releases a massive sonic attack that affects all within a hundred feet of wearer.

 

Arthur grimaced, recalling the scream of rage that he had stopped by loosing his REED. Absently, he rubbed his ears where he imagined himself still hearing the scream, one of loss and pain that had revibrated through the surroundings.

Sonic attacks were uncommon, especially those loud enough to affect even the physical body. Unfortunately, he was not foolish enough to miss the ‘all’ portion of the description. Being in the epicenter of the scream would be worse he knew. Before he could use this, he’d definitely need to work out a way to shelter himself from the consequences somehow.

Another technique perhaps, or another enchanted items.

Or he could sell it. No one said he had to keep it for himself. There were others who would purchase such a lifesavings option, and in the higher levels, techniques to block and shape the attack were likely available.

In any case, three enchanted items out of a Beginner Tower was heck of a find. Add in the Clan Seal and he likely had one of the more successful runs in ages. Of course, it wasn’t too surprising – there were numerous articles indicating that Clan Seal holders generally had better luck in Towers.

Whether that was just a matter of happenstance – Clan or Guild holders being naturally lucky – or something in the Tower, who knew. Nor was it something that was statistically proven, there just wasn’t enough public information to reach a degree of confidence.

No, it was more hearsay and rumors. But, considering his own experience, Arthur would lean towards believing it.

Once he swept through the rooms one last time, Arthur finally made his way to the front door, looking around and willing his acknowledgment that he was done with this floor to the Tower. The request to exit pushed against the uncaring edifice through the weird not-really-mental-but-sort-of-spiritual-mental connection they had.

Before the glowing portal – so similar to the one he used to enter the Tower – appeared.

He didn’t even hesitate before walking in. After all, this floor – this Tower – had nothing else for him.

Well, except for the final exit interview.