CHAPTER 3: The Tower's System.

As we all step inside the tower, we were all surprised to see a dark and creepy room. There are huge torches near the walls, and a strange magic circle in the middle. When I looked up, I saw a...

"Sky? Why is there a sky inside a tower?" I asked, causing the three people with me to also look up. The other people here noticed us looking above, and so they did it as well. 

"Huh? Why is there a sky here? And is it night?"

"Plus, the clouds are also dark..."

"Creepy,"

"Gives me bad vibes..."

"Ai, are you alright?" I turned my head to Miss Ione and I saw her face, looking scared stiff while staring at somewhere. So, I quickly follow where she is looking, and it's towards the magic circle. Even I was surprised to see strange creatures slowly coming out from the magic circle in the middle. These creatures...they're not familiar. I've never seen any creatures like these outside the tower. 

"Those are--" I was cut off between my words when a strange red thing appeared in front of me. What's this? Huh? HP? Tower Level...Abilities...? Huh? And os this transparent?

"What's this, Brother Tantan? There's a violet window in front of me," I turned to Miss Ione, and she's got the same thing appeared in front of her, even Mr. Evander and Sir Callisto, everyone got it. However, why is Sir Callisto's gradient? It's yellow and black. While Mr. Evander's is gray.

"A status window?" Mr. Evander spoke, looking confused.

"I've only seen this from comics and games," He added. 

This thing has a long green rectangle on the upper left, and it has 2020/2020 under it. While on the upper right, it says 'Tower Progress: Floor 1'. A few spaces under the long green thing on the upper left, there are:

Name: Luck Aster

Level: 0 (EXP: 0/300)

Attack: 998

Stamina: 2233 [UPGRADE]

Senses: 1690 [UPGRADE]

Endurance: 1998 [UPGRADE]

Strength: 2549 [UPGRADE]

Defense: 1912 [UPGRADE] 

Agility: 2623 [UPGRADE]

Vitality: 1529 [UPGRADE]

What are all these? And not just those. The space under the tower progress, at the same row as the name, there are:

Weapon: None

Abilities: None

Attribute: None

Attribute DMG%: None

Keepsake Set: 

- No Set Bonus

Crit Rate%: 5%

Crit DMG: 50%

Weapon...abilities? This is confusing, I have no idea about these at all. And not just that, there's also an icon of a backpack at the bottom left corner. Beside it is a puzzle fragment icon, and next to the puzzle fragment icon is a four-leaf clover icon, it even has two tiny four-pointed stars on its upper right and lower left. And beside this clover is a cart...a grocery cart?

"How strange..." Sir Callisto spoke. 

"I love games, so I get it right away. There's even an inventory, they made sure to separate the items too based on their uses," Huh? Inventory? I don't get it. Os he talking about the backpack?

"Sir Callisto--"

"Please, just Damon," I was cut off between my words.

"Alright then, Damon. Can you explain this? I don't really get it," I replied. He walk towards me and I look at his 'status window'. He's the only one that got a two colored status window. It's yellow on the upper part and black on the lower part, and in the middle, it's like the two colors are making a combination color because it's gradient.

"You see the green on the upper left? That's your life bar. If the green became red, that means your life is already in danger, and if the color is gone, you're dead. The tower progress, it says floor one because we just entered and still on the first floor. The level under our names said 'Level Zero', due to the fact that we haven't done anything yet to gain exp," he explained. It's like we're inside a game then? Why do we have a life bar? Exp? What is that?

And why can't I see what's written on Damon's status window?

"So...w-we're characters in a game now?" Miss Ione asked. Damon sighed and turned his head to the creatures that came out from the magic circle. They aren't moving at all, and are just roaming their eyes to us. Are they checking on us?

"That seems to be the case..." Damon forced a smile as he stare at the creatures with some of his sweat dropping to his temple. 

"And dang...these creatures are huge...how are we supposed to fight that? Can you see the numbers and hp bar above their heads? It's dang higher than us, and why are their levels at level 20? Their hp's over ten-k too" Damon added. That's right, like us, they have that green thing above their heads, and they're a lot level higher than us. 

*badump badump*

Why is that...my heart is beating so fast, so suddenly. 

*ting* 

I turned to the status window in front of me again, but now it changed size and there are words in front of us now. Strangely, I can also see what's written on the status window of the others now, but the words are reversed. 

[ Welcome, newcomers! We're glad to have new players again this year! ]

Players? So, we really are players now?

[ For joining our new released game, we are going to give you rewards! ]

Rewards? Released game? Huh?

* ting ting ting *

I received...stellas? Gems? Gold stellas? Clovers? Ohh...another notification. 

[ Your level has raised to Level 5! ]

My level has raised? How? We're not even doing anything? Oh, and the numbers on my life bar has also increased. Is it because I leveled up? It was 2020/2020 a while ago, but now it's 2987/2987. Not just that, the attack increased too. It was 998 a while ago, and now it's 2011. It increased quite a lot. But the stamina and the others remained the same. The crit thingies too. 

"Hah...now this is confusing. Were we just sent to another dimension right after entering the tower?" Mr. Evander asked. I roamed my eyes around and naturally, some are panicking. While few of them are just tinkering with their own status window. 

Maybe I should also...

I tapped the backpack icon and the status window changed appearance again. It has nothing at all, and at the top, there are different icons too. The first icon is a tiny sword, there's something written in the middle. 'You have not acquired any weapons yet'. When I tapped the next one, it also has a message in the middle saying 'You have not acquired any Keepsake yet'. Keepsake? I think I read that word on my profile too. The icon looks like a crown...yes, a crown. 

When I tapped the round icon with a four-pointed star in the middle, it has something there. A thing that looks exactly like the icon I tapped, and it's information is shown on the right side of the status window. It's called 'Stella', a currency used to purchase items and materials from the Depth's Shop. Depth's Shop, where is that? I tapped the same one beside it, only it's color is gold. 

'Gold Stella' is used to upgrade my stats. 

'Gems', for ascending level once it reached a certain level. Huh...so once I reached level 20, I'll have to use these to ascend my level again? 20, 30, 40, 50...and the last level is 100. Dang, isn't that hard?

And 'clovers', used as currency to roll on...weapon and keepsake banners? Banners? What the heck is that? I don't get it, and I'm seriously confused. 

I have 2,000,000 stellas, 500,000 gold stellas, 50 gems, and 450 clovers. Dang, if only I can convert those stellas to stellars...

The icon next this one for the currencies or something is a heart shape, but there are tiny crosses on the heart's upper right and lower left. It says 'You have not yet acquired a revival and healing items yet'. The heck are those? We can revive and heal ourselves here? Dang, that's amazing. 

And then, the last one is a potion bottle icon. It also says that I have not acquired any potions yet. 

*badump badump badump* 

[ This One will give you time to upgrade your stats before your chasing quest begin. And the time starts now! ] 

After the status window relayed that message, a huge timer appeared above the magic circle. It's counting down, from 10:00, it's now 9:58. 

*badump badump badump badump*

"Huh? H-how do we--eh? Huh? We only have ten minutes?" Miss Ione's panicking. 

"Calm down, Ai. Let's think first...we have plenty of time," Mr. Evander spoke. 

"Mr. Evander---"

"Please just call me Ethan, I'll call you with just your name as well," Ohh...is that actually okay?

"Oh, p-please call me by m-my...nickname as well..." Miss Ione said, but refused to look at me. 

"Right? We're going to be companions now anyway," Suddenly, Damon spoke while grinning playfully at us. I smiled at him and nod my head. 

"Right..."

"Wha---hey, I noticed that you're actually handsome when smiling. You almost got me falling in love," The fuck? I cocked my brow at the red-haired guy and tilt my head. The heck is this jerk saying? He's even clipping his chin with his left hand on his waist.

"Sorry, I'm not into men,"

"I'm not either," 

Ethan chuckled, while Ai just giggled because of my interaction with Damon. 

"Anyway, we use the gold stellas to upgrade our stats. I just don't know...which one I should spend these gold stellas are..." I spoke. Of course I know what stamina is for and the others. But we don't even have any idea what the quest is going to be. 

*badump badump badump*

"Strength! I'm pretty sure we'll have to defeat these creatures to get to the next floor!" The four of us turned our head to the guy who yelled. He's looking proud while pointing to the creatures that are only staying still. As if they're waiting for their orders. 

"I think we also need defense,"

"Yeah, I think strength is more important too," 

Are these people really fighter? Why are they only focusing on strength? Still, I think they're right. We really need to prioritize the strength if we want to defeat these creatures. I tapped the word 'upgrade' beside the strength and it shows how much it cost to upgrade it. It's 10k to upgrade it to level 2, huh? 

If we want to defeat these creatures, I think we need defense and strength...no, we need to upgrade all of these. I've been fighting since I was 11, so my stamina is not bad. That's probably why it's already at thousands. 

*badump badump badump*

"Damon, how high is your stamina?" I asked, not even looking at the guy because I'm staring at my stats. I can't choose which one to prioritize in upgrading my stats.

"Hmm, 1945," I nod my head. 

"How about...Ethan?" 

"Uhh...1856,"

"And Miss Ai?" 

"Just Ai, p-please. Oh...it's 1397," She's got the lower among the four of us. But, it's already pretty high. 

Anyway, it does differ from each players. These are probably our raw stats right now, and we can upgrade it? That means we can get stronger just by upgrading these? That's cool, but the cost is high, and I'm pretty sure it'll increase as we upgrade our stats. 

"What are you going to upgrade, Luck?" Damon asked.

I actually haven't think about it yet. But, we need to upgrade all of these if we're planning to defeat those creatures. However, there are ones that we need to prioritize...

Can we actually defeat those creatures? We're at level 5, and they're 15 levels higher than us. This status window called us players, but it's planning to kill us right away when we just entered the tower?

"Luck, aren't you scared?" Ethan asked. I turned to him, and I can't help but to realize his question. That's right...

I'm actually freaking scared. That's why my heart's been racing this damn fast. I'm scared...

But, I wanted this for myself. This resolve within me is probably the reason why I'm still able to calm myself right now. I remember the faces of my family, and it's enough to calm me down...

"I'm fine..."

But, seriously how are we going to defeat those creatures? They're probably the opponents for us right now, otherwise they won't summon them. And...is it really necessary to show these creatures to us when the quest hasn't even started yet?

I roamed my eyes around, even though some people are focusing on upgrading their stats, there are also some that are crouching on the ground while panicking, some are crying as well. I saw the white-haired girl, staring at her status window, looking confused. There's also a guy who looks excited while busy tapping on his status window, another lady is creasing her forehead, as if she's annoyed with everything that's happening right now, she's also just staring on her status window.

Seriously, do those monsters have weak spot or something? Something that we can target in order to defeat them...

Wait a minute...

What is the quest all about...?

What did the status window called the quest again?

Chasing quest...?

Then, does that mean...

I see. I get it now, why they summonde these creatures even though the quest hasn't started yet.

"Stamina...agility...endurance...vitality..." I mumbled. The three people with me looks at me with confusion all over their faces.

"Are those the stats you're going to upgrade? Not strength?" Damon asked. I nod my head at him. It's not like I'm not going to upgrade the strength, but I'm going to prioritize those four.

"We were so focused on the creatures because they were suddenly summoned in front of us. We just assume that we have to defeat them..." I spoke, looking at the timer above the magic circle. 4 minutes and 34 seconds.

"Well, isn't that it?" Ethan asked.

"Did you not read the message of the status window?" It's impossible to win against those creatures even if we know their weak spot. Their levels are too high for us, newcomers. I don't think our attacks will work at all.

"W-which one?" Ai asked.

"It said 'chasing quest'," I replied. The three of them looked at me, with their eyes widened.

"Wait, you don't mean..." Damon paused, poiting at me with his surprised expression.

"Yeah. Do you really think you can defeat those creatures? Their levels are way too much for us. That means they only summoned these guys here so we end up assuming that we have to defeat them. But the status window gave us a hint before the timer starts," I explained. Upgrading the stats I need to upgrade. And just as I though earlier, the cost for the upgrade increases as you upgrade the stats. It increases by 5k every upgrade.

"Dang, you're a genius..."

No, I'm just an overthinker. I'm glad it's helping me in times like this.

"S-should we tell them?" Ai asked, pointing at the other guys who are already busy upgrading their stats.

"Yeah, I think we should. Can we leave it to you, Ethan?" I asked. Because I'm not really that good in socializing. I'm only around my family after all.

"Of course, so...everyone, listen!"

***