Chapter 4: The Tower

[Dduck: You didn't tell the new guy that the game randomly gives a spirit or a hero at the start?]

[Geese7: Whoooo...duck is in the house]

[Rooster13: Where have you been!!?]

[Rooster13: Yeah we kinda messed that one up]

[Dduck: Been occupied with a dungeon. I accidentally solved a puzzle and didn't want to repeat it so I stayed and cleared it on the first try. Luck doesn't come often]

[Geese7: Sounds just like you hahaha]

[Dduck: Seriously tho.. no one cleared the tower? Hehe]

[Rooster: Well... I don't want to mention a psychopath who managed to clear the tower in 1 month]

[Dduck: hahahaha]

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Reyn silently summoned the other three Swordsmen at his back. He had a suspicion that once he entered the second floor, the guards will be immediately alerted. Furthermore, he had an unusual feeling about the place.

He instructed the three new Swordsmen to move forward using his mind. 'Move here!', 'Kill!', these are the basic commands that he can order.

Reyn's eyes keenly observed the guards behind his spirits. His plan this time is to let his five Swordsmen charge directly to the guards while one would stay beside him, responding when one of its fellow spirits is in trouble.

"Move!" Reyn uttered and the Swordsmen poured out into the room. The guards, as expected, instantly turned their attention toward the intruders.

"You will not escape your torment!" The armored guard, pointed its spear at the Swordsmen.

"That line again.." Reyn also entered the room. The air was a bit fresher compared to the one below.

'Kill!'

With that single command, the Swordsmen set their eyes on a target before limping their way toward it with murderous intent. They immediately engaged in a melee, showing their superior skill.

The armored guard's spear was immediately caught by the Swordsman it faced. However, Reyn didn't expect that it had so much strength. It swung the Swordsman like a doll in mid air, while it clung to the spear for its life.

'I might need to triple team that guy..' Reyn thought. Just as he was thinking, the corner of his eyes caught a quick movement of a figure, making its way to him. He hurriedly turned his gaze on the blurry figure only to see an axe coming down on his face.

With his instinct kicking in, he took a quick step back. A move which got him out of harm. But as the axe came down, it managed to graze his forearm, scratching the bone.

'Aaah!' Reyn yelped as he stumbled backward. White light shone from the wound he sustained. He pressed on the wound and grudgingly glared at the culprit.

It was the guard with the axe. Its hollow eyes stared back, never taking away its sight from him as it rose up, regaining its posture after the force of its swing.

Thankfully, the Swordsman that Reyn kept on standby responded quickly. With a quick slash at the back of the assaulter, it fell on its knees but its intent never vanished. It sternly kept its eyes on Reyn as the Swordsman continued to hack at its back.

With a thud, it fell on the ground face first, and stayed motionless.

The melee finally came to a conclusion as one of the Swordsman, who should have faced the guard with the axe, hastily double teamed with another nearby Swordsman. They ruthlessly assaulted their opponent until it breathed no more. These Swordsmen would eventually help their other fellow spirits, and rout them mercilessly until it was only the armored guard that is left.

With a defiant roar, the armored guard thrust its spear forward. But a spear had only a single direction where it can be most effective. The Swordsmen took advantage of this and attacked it from the sides while one stayed on its front to draw its attention.

After sustaining dozens of slashes all over its body, the armored guard collapsed and never lifted a finger. Black orbs escaped from its body and floated toward Reyn, and disappeared within arm's reach.

[You obtained 5 Shadow Quintessence!]

'That's it!? No Spirit Shards or Soul Essence?' Reyn protested in his mind. Even though he was still shocked on the behaviour of the guard with an axe, he can't help but cheer up because he can finally afford to buy the Ability he wanted for his Swordsmen.

[Are you sure you want to purchase the Duelist Ability?]

"Yes!" He responded quickly like it would disappear if he didn't buy it.

Just like before, a card appeared and disappeared without a trace. Reyn happily browsed through the status of his Swordsmen while massaging his forearm. It ached and the wound made of white light didn't vanish.

"Now then," Reyn looked around after satisfying his eyes on the new ability of his Swordsmen. The second floor had no stairs and he began to get confused. On the opposite direction of the stairway he came from, a huge head was carved. It's eyes made of ruby was seemingly alive due to the flicker of lights, shadows moving in sways. A crown adorned the bony face, he assumed it's the Wraith King.

"There must be a secret passage here," Reyn searched the place but found none. It was when he looked at the crystal on the center of the room when he saw a rope of light. It was being projected upward into a hole in the ceiling, enough for an adult man to enter.

Curiously, he approached this light. Without any further thoughts, only curiousity, he reached out and tried to grab it. Just as his hand touched the light, he was instantly flung up into the next floor. The journey to the top was a bit more adventurous than riding an elevator, as it almost knocked the wind out of him when he landed.

"Crap!" Reyn cursed as he steadily pushed himself up from the ground. Just as he was about to stand up, he looked up and saw a figure towering over him with a sword raised above its head. He froze and thought he was going to get sliced in half when a Swordsman flew out of the hole after repeating the same process he did, and landed on top of the figure. With a quick thrust, the Swordsman ended its life.

More Swordsmen came out of the hole and a deadly melee commenced. Reyn couldn't make out what's happening as his vision was blocked by the back of his spirits forming around him. They were getting pushed back, threatening to throw him back down to the second floor below.

The first Swordsman that came out from the hole, acted out from its own volition, he was thankful of that. Without any other options, with the lack of space to make a tactical decision, Reyn could only order his spirits to kill.

Metals and bone crushing sounds echoed inside the room. Reyn was at the edge of the hole, just a few more inches and he would have plummeted down into oblivion. However, at that moment, the Swordsmen decided to make a push. Their swords clashed against their foes, and every second, a body would fall in front of them. It's a surprise to Reyn that they have managed to survive this long in such worn-out, and dragging, shoulder-to-shoulder melee. A warrior with a shield and sword would have been a better unit in such situation. The Duelist Ability had taken effect and saved them from getting crushed inside their formation.

Visible piles of corpses entered Reyn's vision as the Swordsmen advanced and slaughtered everything in their path. Two Swordsmen had already fell and succumbed to their wounds, turning into particles of green lights. Thankfully, there was not much enemies left to breach the gap they left.

Most of the enemies killed had been the normal guards, equipped with a shield and sword, he could see. From the distance, a Swordsman parried an attack and finished off the last of the guards with a quick counter, a precise slash to the neck, almost beheading it.

Reyn was still reeling from the massacre. He counted over twenty bodies, laying motionless on the ground. This was a proof of what his spirits are capable.

Orbs of green and blue and black escaped the corpses and surrounded him as a new notification appeared in his vision.

[You have obtained 9 Spirit Shards, 4 Soul Essences, and 5 Shadow Quintessences!]

[Congratulations! You have cleared the 3rd Floor of the Tower. You can choose a new ability or talent for free.]

Reyn took no interest of it at the moment. He looked around and decided to log out. Two of his spirits were killed, and it will take two hours cooldown before he could summon them again. He will also need to clear his head for sometime.

Pressing above his right ear, he uttered in a soft, weary voice, "Log out."

A momentary darkness took over until he was back in his house, still seated beside the table. The screen was still active on his face. With another press above his ear, it deactivated and turned into a small chip.

Reyn's eyes widened as he looked down to his arm. It was still numb.