14 Chapter 13

- Dear participants, we are pleased to welcome you to our test floor! - The voice of the Director of the Fourth Floor sounded, as always, from the black screen of a huge monitor installed on the tallest building in the center of a large novice city.

Numerous ascendants, who had just arrived on the Floor, or people who remained here for their own reasons, carefully listened to the officer's mechanical speech. Whether it was a quirk of the director himself or part of some kind of trial, no one knew, everyone accepted this fact as a position. Many have already managed to understand that officers are extremely unusual and, for the most part, extraordinary people. But people have not had time to get used to such quirks yet.

"Now you are all in a safe zone, the so-called Beginner Area!" Many of you should already have heard that the doors to the Tower are closed, but I assure you, you should not worry about this. Senior officers are already solving this problem! You should concentrate on continuing your journey to the top ...

***

Maria, sleepily rubbing her eyes, turned her blurred gaze from the white sheet of the bed to the table clock. The hands of the clock have long exceeded noon. Having started to get up, the girl quickly picked up clothes from the back of a nearby chair and headed for the bathroom. Now the spacious apartment was quieter than usual. Marek, most likely, left in the morning along with Edrok for groceries for dinner, so that they should be back soon, and Poong might have gone to study the test areas of the Floor, which they would need to go through so vehemently discussed by all newcomers.

Catching a steady, studying gaze of pink eyes, Maria quickly blushed and again disappeared into the bathroom.

- Do not look! - the girl screamed in fright, blushing and slamming the door. "Please ... look away."

- "Strange." - Saya snorted, but turned away, throwing off a thin blanket. It seemed that the girl was even more bewildered than he first thought. After waiting for Maria to get dressed and leave, the guy asked: "You're a slave, so why are you so worried that you will be seen naked?" - He turned to face her, immediately asking her forehead.

The owner of the bright katana immediately realized that he was the first from the group who asked a similar question. This was clear from the girl's detached face, she was definitely shocked by such a question that she froze for a minute, stopping combing her long, fair hair.

"II ... not a slave ..." she frowned, trying to make a serious face.

The swordsman grunted, leaving the girl at her opinion and looking around. Ichigo seemed to have gone somewhere with the others while he was lying on the couch.

- You're strange. - He started talking again. It would be better if they woke him immediately, but did not leave here alone with this burden. "Although there was no more sense from me." - Evil clenching his fists, the guy said quietly, recalling the case of three days ago. He was completely useless in the battle with the "big red", as he was unconscious.

There was heavy silence in the room, although it seemed that silence did not bother Maria at all.

- We came. - Opening the door with a magnetic card, Marek went to the refrigerator, where he posted his part of the purchased products.

Because of his growth, he was a little uncomfortable in the room where he almost touched his crown to the ceiling, but this was a trifle compared to most doors, which were angrily narrow and low, in a word not intended for its impressive dimensions.

"You don't know where the redhead went?" - Say instantly appeared next to the refrigerator, trying to grab something edible and get an answer to his question. It seems that Ichigo deliberately screwed somewhere earlier to get rid of the adolescent youth. Ichigo generally behaved quite suspiciously for the last two days: either he went off somewhere alone, then he returned in the middle of the night covered in dust, and sometimes in torn clothes.

- Ichigo mentioned that he wants to find a weapon. - Bloom thrust two bags into the blond's hands. For a moment he thought that their second anglerfish too often disappeared in the middle of nowhere. - Put it in the refrigerator. - Distracting from thoughts, he put the second package on the kitchen table.

- A weapon? - Saya thought, arranging the products on the shelves. Has Ichigo gotten involved in some dangerous adventure or found enemies? "Interesting ..." he tore one banana from the bunch. Of course, he had such an idea, but could someone on this floor be able to compete with a person who can use more than one or two houses at a time, and not even get tired for a single moment? "How strong will he become when he finds the right weapon?" - The owner of the orange katana smiled, already mentally imagining how he and Ichigo would meet in an unforgettable battle.

From the question that was raised, Marek accidentally crushed a jar of chocolate souffle. He, as now, remembered that it was only thanks to the Ichigo houses that they were able to cross the lava sea, since Poong used all the lights for protection, he could not help with anything in that situation. The red-haired angler was fast and without the use of houses, but now it has become almost omnipresent, due to the fact that it could move through the air.

"I already thought about that." - The guide rubbed his chin, thoughtfully choosing between banana and strawberry ice cream. This conversation did not worry Edrok much, since he had already come to terms with the idea that Ichigo was on their side. And it really pleased him! - And here is what conclusion I came to. - He made a choice in favor of a banana cone. "Ichigo is unlikely to find a suitable weapon on this Floor." "Although he said it with a detached and disinterested face, he was delighted with the news inside. Indeed, if the red-haired angler's angler manages to find a weapon for itself, then the already formed team will become a burden for it. - Watching how he fights, I realized that he uses a tire to strengthen his body and increase physical indicators: speed, strength, reflexes and other things. A low-level weapon will crumble from one of its serious blows, like chalk. But he also demonstrated that he can easily use a tire and without a weapon ... - the guide became gloomy. The words he spoke sounded too ... fabulous.

- What about custom weapons? - Marek poured himself a mug of plum ale. Ogre understood that he needed to relax and rest, but his body ached so much, languishing from idleness, that his thoughts began to get confused in his head. - Weapons from the Workshop can be easily ordered, no matter what Floor you are on. Let it be more expensive. The sweet drink dulled the aching feeling a little and sobered the mind.

- Yes. Mr. Poong was already thinking about this. - The guide nodded, agreeing with the opinion of the ogre. "But he decided to make an order on the Fifth Floor, now he wants to understand how good Ichigo is in managing his houses." The upcoming test is the best choice for this. But then again ... - Bloom sighed, also breaking off a banana from a bunch. "Ichigo can fight without houses or weapons."

- It is unlikely that you will succeed. - Arrogantly grunted blond. "The battle with eel was an emergency, so maybe he accidentally called up so many houses at a time." Of course, I do not deny that his control of the shinsu leaves a lot of questions, but still, discussing such things behind his back ... - Sai's lips twisted from a faint disgust both to herself and to the others. - It's low!

- Here is how? - Marek looked displeased at the arrogant boy. - Then you can express your point of view. What do you think of Ichigo?

- My point of view? - Saya grinned. "My point is that Ichigo mistakenly met you!" I think that if it were not for the information that your Mr. possesses, Mr. escort, and not you yourself, it would be unlikely that someone so strong would join you. - The arrogant words of the angler sounded extremely realistic, even though he was already standing with one foot on the street.

Marek gritted his teeth and growled softly, placing a large mug of thick glass on the bar counter with a bang. He himself understood that he was weak. Even at the first meeting with this red-haired man ... At the very moment when the hardened blade of his sword cracked and shattered into pieces, running into some kind of creepy plaque, similar to the one used by the assassins.

- Edrok. - The mighty eyebrows of the ogre crawled to the bridge of the nose when absolutely terrible thoughts were buried in his head. "Can you find out something?" After all, do you, as an escort of one of the great families, have some connections?

Maria pressed into the soft back of the sofa. The voice of the huge, as it seemed fragile girl, red-skinned ogre seemed to her even more sinister than usual.

- What are you talking about? Bloom stared blankly at Marek. What is this giant, bald head thinking about? - What are you interested in?

"Can you find out about a sect or guild of killers using the skull symbol?" - he said in a whisper, quietly glancing at the girl sitting side by side to them.

Maria, with all her appearance, tried to show interest by watching lunch news. She sensed in her gut that this conversation was not meant for her ears. For her former master was discussing his affairs with the same tone and the same atmosphere, and from that thought it became colder with every minute.

- Good. - Edrok nodded. Although he did not understand why the killers were suddenly interested in this ogre, but given their recent topic of conversation ... - "I hope you're wrong." - The guide thought, suddenly remembering the most terrible gossip and rumors with which the killers of the Tower were awarded.