Ultimate Level 1

Chapter 253: Crazy Tower Shite

“I said honestly that all I desire is to climb the tower and grow stronger while protecting those I care about,” Max said, softening his voice and relaxing his stance. “I don’t desire to deal with anything of the kingdom or those who enjoy the games that require daily attention to play.”

Both women smirked, but Max continued.

“Eventually, after the fiftieth floor, I am considering traveling on a great ship and seeing some of the other lands as Dexic has shared stories of what lies across the seas. Perhaps one day long from then I will return and take up my tower climbing, seeing if I can perhaps complete it or maybe I will stay over there.

“Just know the only thing I care about is my party and my Faction. To prove that, I promise to always be grateful to those who support the Golden Axe Faction. As a gesture, I will return a portion of the items we gained from the fights today as well as the remains of those we defeated in the coming week.”

Max turned slowly and gave Niccolo a glare that caused the older elf to take a step back.

“I will not seek any more retribution or actions against the Enlightened Souls Faction provided they no longer attempt to cause problems to members of my Faction. If, however, they do, I will publicly challenge them every month until either there is none left to fight, or they have lost their reputation that none will ever join again.”

Niccolo started to open his mouth but Macy raised hand froze him as if he was encased in ice, stopping the frustrated man.

“That seems like a fair offer. And there is nothing else you desire?”

“Just to be left in peace. You two have been gracious queens, providing me safety when I was weak and allowing me to grow into the warrior who stands before you today. I will always be grateful for that mercy and hope you know I desire no ill will toward you or anyone within your kingdom.”

Other than a grunt that came from Niccolo, no one else made a sound as the two women considered the options before them.

“Very well,” Molly finally replied. Max could see the narrowing of her gaze upon him and the tight muscles of her jaw as she spoke. “We are glad to see you have earned our kingdom some great renown and will ensure that the money owed to you is paid. A token of our well wishes will also be delivered in the coming week. Perhaps one day we may need your help again.”

Max bowed and smiled.

“I am thankful to be a citizen of Peltagow and its two queens.”

***

When the door shut on the carriage, Max saw Everett finally relax.

“Are you ok?”

The older man shook his head and wiped his face with a hand.

“You realize that we might have had to fight our way out of there had things gone differently?!”

Nodding, Max motioned toward the colosseum through the closed door.

“You and I both know that the time to hide is ending, and I need to make sure they don’t see us as a direct threat.”

“See you as a threat,” Everett corrected. “Still, watching Niccolo’s face and hearing him grovel before those two was almost worth my heart stopping a few times. I’m just glad they didn’t force me to talk. I’m not sure what would have happened.”

That thought had already run through Max’s mind and even Tanila didn’t have an answer.

“Regardless, tomorrow we’ll be entering the tower. There is no time to waste and something tells me that place is actually the safest spot for us right now.”

“You’re probably right. What about the loot you and Dexic acquired? What are your actual plans for it?”

Max pulled a bag from storage and held it out.

“You can go through it and then send back what I promised. Anything you find of value, just give our group first choice. After that, you get to do as you see fit.”

Taking the bag and making it vanish, the next question to come wasn’t a surprise.

“And the gold?”

Snorting, Max smirked as he rubbed his chin.

“We need materials for crafting. You saw what that sword did, and I want to try a few more things. Right now I can’t think of much we can really buy with gold. The real question is, are you willing to trade those crystals for materials?”

Everett stared up at the ceiling of the carriage before finally tsking his tongue.

“With the speed at which you five are bringing them in, I’m certain some of the other Factions will be more than willing to trade for a few.”

Leaning forward, the older man gave Max’s knee a gentle tap.

“After what you did tonight, I doubt any of the other Factions will want to say no to almost anything we ask for a while. Tom gave me a few pieces of paper before I had to be whisked away and after the second fight, a few reached out to him. As your third fight against Aria was about to end, two more sent notes. The truth is, you and your party may all need identity concealing items soon if you want to move around town.”

Frowning, Max saw the wisdom in that, but also hated how his new fame would affect his friends.

“One thing at a time, I guess,” he replied before sighing. “Right now, I just want to go check on the others. I’m afraid of how they might respond to that second match.”

Max saw Tom swallow at that statement and his jaw muscles went tight before he frowned.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“It was… needed, but not something I ever imagined you were capable of. How you continued doing what you did–”

“I don’t need to hear any more,” Max interrupted. “I went to a dark place and let go. The truth is I never want to do that again.”

“I understand. Rest then. Tom and I will manage the items you acquired and take care of everything else. Focus on your goal.”

Closing his eyes, Max took a deep breath and nodded.

Exhaustion at knowing how everything almost fell apart bothered him. Even worse was the sensation he had felt while in the colosseum.

Someone was watching me fight like they had at the tower and I’m just not sure who…

***

“Two more of those flying things! One more of those two wheeled bikes!”

Max wanted to laugh as Tanila called out the half goblin, half automaton creatures they kept facing.

Ever since they entered the thirtieth floor, things differed completely from the start.

A massive landscape filled with tall buildings, some even taller than Peltagow’s castle dotted the landscape and these planes as his Engineering skill told him, were flying all over the city. The streets had goblins riding these bikes with engines that spewed black smoke, just like the planes did.

While both were bad, each equipped with arrow launchers, the harder to deal with ones were the goblins with backpacks that launched explosive bombs upon them. Getting to those brown and green creatures required getting past goblins moving inside ten foot tall automaton outfits that smoked and usually exploded upon being defeated.

“I got the planes!” Cordellia shouted as she unleashed arrows at the pair flying toward them, ducking behind the stone wall Tanila had created to hide behind.

A pair of bombs hit an air wall and Max watched as Tanila’s fireball finally struck the last one, causing it to explode into bits.

“Get the bike!” Fowl called out as he dealt with the last of the mechanical suits.

Grinning, Max raced forward, matching the speed at which the bike came, dodging the arrows it sent from the two tubes on each side, swinging his weapon and taking the goblin’s head off in one strike.

The bike swerved and crashed into a metal building, exploding and sending metal parts raining down around where it had blown up.

Spinning, Max had his bow out, sending a few arrows at the planes that were harder to hit with spells because of their speed and distance, watching as one started spiraling toward the ground, black smoke marking the path of its doom.

What kind of crazy shite did the tower create this time…

***

“Nothing to salvage again,” Fowl complained. “Everyone of these things explodes. Even when you kill the goblin with a single blow to their head. It’s like whatever they have on them is connected and suddenly booom !”

A few chuckles came as Fowl mimicked an explosion.

“What are you thinking?” Cordellia asked as she saw Max studying the street they were fighting on.

“These streets are four times wider than they should be. I’m guessing it's because of the planes that come out from the buildings along it.”

He pointed at the door that had opened, revealing an empty storage space that one bike had come from.

“Other than experience and these orange gems, we aren’t getting a single thing worth keeping,” Max continued. “Based on what we could see from the start of this floor, we are probably going to be here for at least a full day.”

“Does that mean we are camping?” Fowl asked.

“Maybe. Dexic told me the thirtieth floors start the longer versions and I think she was right. Based on these buildings and the math I’ve been doing, this floor may be thirty to fifty miles long.”

Both dwarves spat and Max saw Tanila frown.

“We’ll be fine,” Tanila said. “One fight at a time.”

***

Eight hours of steady fighting had taken them further into the tower floor and Max shook his head as he waited for Regeneration to heal the injuries he acquired from the robotic suit that exploded near him.

“Still nothing?”

“No stat or skill gains,” Max quietly informed Fowl. “They aren’t that strong. Mainly it's the explosion and numbers of enemies that come. I know most groups can’t do what we can, which means fighting seven or eight at a time should be difficult, but it’s not.”

“Which means the real question is what will the boss on the thirty-fifth floor be?”

Nodding, Max pointed at a pack of goblins moving down one street.

“Correct. Now tell me you see that one of those goblins is different.”

Fowl raised a hand and peered at the pack Max had pointed out.

“One of them isn’t just in a robot suit, as you call it, but also has an enormous pack on its back.”

“Which means we just found a new enemy.”

Fowl groaned and then sighed.

“Looks like you should go first then.”

***

“Now!”

Max’s fireball, along with Tanila’s and the arrow from Cordellia, all flew at the new goblin they were facing. As their spells and attack hit at the same time, a ground shaking explosion took place.

Flames much larger than the ones they had sent erupted from where their target had been, covering the street and the other goblins nearby.

Screams of pain and suffering came from seventy yards away and for over a minute, the flames never let up until they finally vanished.

“What in the gods was that?” Fowl asked.

“Beats me, but I’m glad we didn’t let it get close,” Cordellia said. “Did you see how long those flames burned and how hot they appeared to be?”

“Okay, new plan. Anytime we see one of those, we kill it first and stay back.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

No one wanted one of those to get close and blow up.

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