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Tanya von DegurechaffThea MarshallZac

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Crossovers & Fandom FusionsStrong Female CharactersPost-ApocalypseLitRPG

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Published:2026-07-30Updated:2026-10-08Words:229,398Chapters:49/?Comments:440Kudos:443Bookmarks:87Hits:17,434

Tanya's Defiance of the Fall

Failninjaninja

Chapter 22

Chapter Text

Big thank you to @Massgamer for proofreading!

Chapter 22

As soon as I triggered the token I felt my Dao expand and a rush of scattered thoughts flitted through my mind. I had successfully arrived at Base Town, but was curious as to what had changed for myself.

My Dao Seed of Volition had moved from Middle to High grade. It had gone from just granting me Dexterity +25 and Wisdom +5 to giving me a further 15 points in Dexterity, 5 more points in Wisdom, and then adding five points to both Intelligence and Vitality as the Dao Seed advanced.

I guess they spread out their attribute bonuses.

After my wildfire spree, I had unlocked the Title [Butcher: Kill 100,000 beings in a solo battle. Reward: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence +3.] Apparently, it didn't matter if the beings were much lower level than me.

But now I also saw a new Title.

[Early Bird: First in world to go to the Tower of Eternity at the minimum level. Reward: Dexterity +5%.]

I decided to take a look at my full Status screen again, memorize it, and see what would be different after exiting the Tower of Eternity later, just to see just how much stronger I ended up being after the System Trial.

Name: Tanya Degurechaff

Level: 50

Class: [F-Rare] Enchanter

Race: [E] Human

Alignment [Earth] Human

Titles: Defier of Gods, Indecipherable Anomaly, The Eleventh Goddess, Devil of the Rhine, Chosen of the Skies, Flame Savior, Commander of Men, Adventurer, Giantsbane, Full of Class, Rarified Being, Genesis Crafter, Quest Breaker, Ogre Slayer, Invasion Breaker, Unmaker, Disciple of David, Overpowered, Proven in Blood, One Against Many, Scion of the Dao, Butcher, Early Bird

Strength: 57 [Increase 5%. Efficiency: 105%]

Dexterity: 141 [Increase 10%. Efficiency: 105%]

Endurance: 88 [Increase 5%. Efficiency: 105%]

Vitality: 71 [Increase 5%. Efficiency: 105%]

Intelligence: 128 [Increase 5%. Efficiency: 105%]

Wisdom: 198 [Increase 15%. Efficiency: 105%]

Luck: 51 [Increase 5%. Efficiency: 105%]

[Dao Seed of Volition – High. Dexterity +40, Wisdom +10, Intelligence +5, Vitality +5]

[Dao Seed of Delegation – Early. Wisdom +10, Intelligence +5]

[Dao Seed of Fire – Middle. Intelligence + 25, Dexterity + 5]

[Dao Seed of Fury – Early. Vitality +10, Strength +5]

[Dao Seed of Sanctuary – Early. Wisdom +10, Endurance +5]

I realized I was probably looking a bit odd just standing there and finally took in my surroundings. I was within a truly massive square that kept having people and beings randomly pop into existence. We were spaced far enough apart that I didn't fear some sort of mishap, the System may be evil, but it wasn't completely incompetent. A vast staircase was before us all and ahead of it, on a raised platform, was a tall white tower. I could not see the top of the Tower and it looked to be a few kilometers wide. The material it was made of looked to be made of some sort of alabaster marble.

There were no windows, but sparkling lights danced around the structure or perhaps emanated from within it. It was hard to say. I stared at it for a few moments and tried to see if I could identify any patterns, but if there truly was one, it wasn't on a short repeat. Around me, I noticed that there was a lot more Race diversity among the local cultivators.

Not only were there Humans and plenty of other humanoid-shaped groups, but there were also so many other beings. I saw a floating pixie-like creature that reminded me of those from the Tutorial, but he was a bit larger and had feathered wings. There were several Undead too, with one looking like a skeleton and another was a damn ghost. A literal ghost! I gasped as I saw a floating ball of rotating sentient light float past.

What is that?

Three Humans walked past and one made some remark under her breath while her two companions laughed. My amazement was probably writ all over my face, and I realized that most people here were probably not from worlds that had just integrated. If the System had existed for hundreds of millions of years, the comparative size of the Multiverse within System space compared to the expansion rate probably meant that 'frontier' space was very small in proportion to more settled space. On top of that, it was also likely that established worlds knew how to get cultivators Tower of Eternity tokens and be prepared for it. All that meant to me is that the vast majority would have some expectation of what this melting pot would be like. Me looking around in awe had marked me as someone clueless.

Perfect.

It probably didn't really help my plan any since this place was so massive, but it certainly couldn't hurt with what I intended to do. I also had an important decision to make and, thinking back to the branching Class Skill options, I still wasn't quite sure what to pick.

Unlike when I hit Level 25 and Level 35, I had to make a choice as to which Class Quest I could do. One was already completed, but unless I selected it to obtain the reward I still could choose the other and choose to complete that one instead. And naturally, the System had given me no useful information to go on. That was one of the reasons I hadn't made a selection as I had some hope of maybe learning what the two abilities actually did.

Enchanter's Path (Class): Fail in creating an Enchanted Item – OR – Enchant an internal organ. Reward: Careful Path – OR – Path of Augmentation. (1/1) – (0/1)

I had so many questions about this. I hadn't even considered the possibility of doing an Enchantment on something biological. In a way, it made sense given that I could alter Spirit Tools which had some level of life in them, but that had been taxing and difficult. The problem was that biological matter, by its very nature, changed. Cells died and were reborn. The fractals for my Skills that were tattooed within my body seemed to set themselves apart from my body's normal biological functions, but how would that work for an Enchantment? How would it affect my cultivation or if I was wounded? The whole concept filled me with dread.

There was also the temptation in knowing I had already succeeded in the one Quest, so I could immediately get [Careful Path] right away. But because I didn't know what either Skill did, it made things very frustrating. I now hoped my Class was not that rare, just so I could perhaps obtain an Information Crystal or just be told what those Skills did.

The seemingly endless stairs didn't lead directly to the Tower, but to the black stone plateau that Ogras had described that made up Base Town. As I arrived at the summit, I looked around again in genuine amazement. The sprawling town had a wide variety of architecture, with constructions made of wood, bone, stone, ice, and so much more, there was something new around every corner. I started seeing some storefronts, as well as what I guessed were accommodations. Some of the prices for stays in rooms designed for cultivation made me gag.

The rates were insane!

I walked into one of the storefronts that was advertising Information and Communication Crystals. The proprietor was a Goblin who greeted me and asked what I was looking for. I was actually looking for a lot. I wanted information on all sorts of things, but first up was my potential Class Skills.

"I'd like to know if you have anything about the Enchanter Class. Specifically, their Skills at Level 50."

The Goblin muttered and looked through a catalog. "Eh, nothing I have on me, but my Clan has a warehouse that might have something. May take a day or so, but given that it is a F-grade Rare Class… hmm, should go for around one hundred million Nexus Coins if it just has that specific information. If it has even more information about the Class itself, it should be priced at nearly a billion Nexus Coins."

I blanched. "That's… how is anyone supposed to afford that?"

He looked at me and frowned. "Not from a Clan then? Pity, our prices are good, but if you are destitute, we do have Communication Crystals. Even someone like you should be able to afford them."

I could… but I had other needs for my money.

"I'll consider it, but… ah, I don't want to take up too much of your time, but could you answer some questions for me–"

"No."

I was no longer a potential customer, so he had no more interest in me.

I left with a frown. I had quite the haul of Nexus Coins on loan, but the prices here were beyond absurd. On the plus side, it might allow me an opportunity to make money with the items I had Enchanted before arriving. I chose to visit places with defensive treasures to get a look at the cost and quality.

The stuff was good. Very good. I asked one Human store manager if they had something like one of my defensive amulets. He said that it was an interesting design and that it would be useful as a secondary resort for those being carried. But people with wealth, the type of people any business wanted to cater to, would be using E-grade defensive treasures up to the Middle-tier that the System allowed in the Tower of Eternity.

"Hmm, how much would these be worth though?"

"Here? Half an E-grade Nexus Coin."

I blinked. "Uh… what is that?"

He looked at me like I was some sort of bug. "E-grade Nexus Coins are the next denomination up from F-grade Nexus Coins. One million F-grade Nexus Coins for each E-grade Nexus Coin."

Five Hundred Thousand Nexus Coins for something that takes me just a little time and material to make? Urgh, if it wasn't for the Incursions, I could make a killing here!

"Do you want to buy them for that much so you can resell them?"

He looked at me thoughtfully. "I need to make a profit, so I'll take them for 300,000 apiece."

I started negotiating, and his eyes lit up when I did so. We ended up at a 450,000 price point and I happily sold him five of them. I wonder if, even though he had a combat Class, if he was working on grinding some sort of mercantile Skill. He seemed more interested in the process itself than the final price. I had a lot more Nexus Coins than this one trade accomplished thanks to all the loans, but still, extra money for my next steps never hurt.

It was time to get more of the lay of the land and to start planting the seeds of what I hoped to do.

***

Kim ducked a swiping paw of some yellow bear-looking thing and then ripped it open with her blade. These things were big, but they didn't have much Endurance, despite their size.

Makes sense. A normal giraffe before the merger was massive, but in terms of stats it wouldn't have much Endurance compared to what I have now. Just because an animal is big doesn't mean it will be hard to cut down.

She charged into another with her shield and scored another kill. No other enemies presented themselves, but she saw Toby do something weird. He was staring at a monster and the creature was swishing his head from side to side. Then it gave a high-pitched whistling sound and charged at Toby.

Kim was on the verge of stepping in when Toby cut it down in three swipes. His Dexterity, really all of their Dexterities, were higher than these things. The only real danger they had was their sheer strength. The others had easily finished their fights as well.

"What were you making moon eyes at the critter for? Did some furry art wake something in ya?" Kim asked, ribbing him lightly.

Jared laughed, but Toby just shook his head.

"I bought a new Skill," he said hesitantly. "I picked the Class because of you, ma'am. You kept us alive and you make fighting look easy. But… I don't know if it really fits me. I don't know what will happen at Level 75, but I think I want to move in another direction. The boss told us that what we do influences our Class, influences what Dao Seeds we get, and even maybe gives us some Quests. So, well, uh, I figure I might work on doing mental attacks."

Kim's eyebrows rose. "Good on you for forging your own path."

Will walked up looking thoughtfully. "No offense, man, but you don't seem the type."

"Don't be rude!" Zoey commented angrily.

Toby didn't seem to take offense though. "It feels right. I just got the Skill so it is still at the Early mastery stage. I'm hoping [Frightful Grasp] will be more useful when I get better with it. I'm only trying it out in fights that don't have a lot of risk."

"A grounded approach," Zhou said, walking up to them after seeing they were talking. "This fight did not exhaust us, so we will be advancing again. Discuss this while we move if you like, but move."

"Aye, aye," Kim drawled. "Can't have the boss come back and see us slacking."

Zhou nodded.

As they ran forward, Kim talked to Toby a bit more about why the Skill might feel right.

"You know how I have trouble sleeping sometimes, right? I just keep seeing the people in the Tutorial getting wiped out. We were fighting these giant bees… maybe wasps. I don't know, they were horrible though. They would sting, but it wouldn't kill someone. Not at first. Within a few minutes, baby wasps would burst out of their flesh. I've had nightmares ever since. When I use [Frightful Grasp], it feels like I'm expelling the bad thoughts and putting it into the enemy."

Kid got real fucked up by his time in the Tutorial. Though maybe the rest of us who aren't as fucked up are the real crazies.

Kim knew everyone battled their demons in their own way. Know-it-alls thought there was just one way to deal with life's horror, but people weren't all built the same way. If becoming a Mentalist and using powers gave him some release, then why not?

"Is it working?"

He smiled slightly. "I think so, at least a bit."

"When we get some down time, try it out on me. It will be good for me to build up some resistance to those kinds of attacks too. I don't know if I jive with all this soul strengthening talk, but if it works like a muscle, then we ought to train for it."

They were moving over sixty miles per hour as they talked and Toby almost stumbled. "Uh… I don't think that will be pleasant."

"Yeah well, PT isn't everyone's cup of tea either. It will help you and it will help me. I'd rather experience that sort of attack in a safe environment than get cold-cocked by it in a real fight."

Toby gave a grateful nod and soon they were up against another set of enemies that Zhou had sniffed out.

Half bloodhound, that one is. Pretty damn useful to make sure our time is well spent though!

***

"The Tower gives an apparition even just for people passing the 4th Floor? Isn't that worse than average?" I asked.

The people around me laughed.

Apparitions occurred when someone reached a certain level of the Tower. It was said that the Tower rewarded very powerful apparitions to people who climbed high, and that others could look on and grasp important concepts of their Dao just by watching. It seemed there were benefits for taking the full year to live in Base Town that I would not be able to enjoy.

A living tree looked at me oddly and in a deep voice asked, "Where did you hear passing the 4th Floor is average?"

"Well, nowhere. I just assumed since there are a total of eighty-one levels that the average skill level would put you in the 40s."

A Human quickly corrected that. "Most people are happy getting past the 3rd Floor! Only a few times per year does someone actually get past the 5th Floor, and I've never heard of anyone from this sector who has ever cleared the 9th Floor. The very best was Eveningtide Asura about a million years ago! How do you not know that?"

I let color appear on my face. "My planet has just integrated recently. How was I supposed to know that? But whatever, if the average person is happy with the 3rd Floor, I'll go way past that."

More laughter.

Someone with a little bit too much to drink asked, "A progenitor, eh? Think you're a big deal in your world, is that it?"

He was a Human who looked like they were in their 20s but they might have evolved their Race to E-grade, so they could be much older.

"Yes. I am a big deal. I'm number two on the Wealth Ladder! The Tutorial Pixies even told me I was a Chosen. As an Enchanter, many people come to me for my services." I flipped my hair a bit over my shoulder. "I'm a pretty big deal, if I do say so myself."

"Gremling's waste, I don't believe you. You can't be here if you are a crafter."

"I am too! I managed to kill this giant wyvern by putting Enchanted rocks in its belly and then lured it over a cliff's edge. The System even rewarded me with this Title!"

Proven in Blood (Unique): Solo kill the Wyvern Queen within one day. Reward: Restrictions lifted. Crafting Path now carries Combat Privilege.

That got a lot of impressed murmurs. One Human actually zipped out of the door quickly. I noted his passage as others wanted to know what Class I was. I showed them my Class and Level. Some got thoughtful looks, but others laughed even harder.

"She came here at Level 50? Don't newly merged worlds have a Tutorial System?"

An Orc came up and spoke harshly. "What in the Nine Mountains is wrong with you all?! Lass, you shouldn't be showing your System Menus to strangers. That sort of thing should only be done with Dao Companions or for very specific reasons. Don't let these lowlifes get the better of you."

That was nice of him, but I didn't repay the kindness.

"Why should I care if people know of my greatness? I'm number two on the Wealth Ladder on my world. Do you people know what that means? I have the second most Nexus Coins in my entire world! It will be easy to do well in this Tower challenge."

"Easy?" Another voice rose. "If you have coin, then pay someone to carry you through the 2nd Floor, because at Level 50 and with a non-combat Class, you probably won't make it much past the 1st Floor on your own."

"Carry?" I asked, confused.

The Orc sighed. "If you have plenty of wealth, you can pay for a more competent fighter to go with you. Since you will probably not be able to contribute much other than maybe provide some items, it might be pricier, but clearing the 2nd Floor isn't too hard. When two people go into the Tower together, the floor guardians get a strong buff of 20% or so, and that can quickly create problems."

I huffed. "Are you implying I'm incompetent? I can Enchant rocks to explode! I know [Fireball] and have defensive treasures. Don't underestimate me!"

An Elf, though I wasn't sure if that was their actual Race, approached.

"You are being foolhardy, Tanya." She knew my name since she had seen the Wealth Ladder moniker I used. "You cannot know how difficult the Tower of Eternity is, so listen to wiser heads. I would suggest you speak less, listen more, and learn from people who have gone. Many people spend most of their year preparing here, but others have already gone and continue their remainder within the Base Town."

I took a deep breath. "I know you probably mean well, but I am no common person. If the 3rd Floor is something other people need help doing, then I will do it easily. And what's more, I will make sure I complete the 4th Floor!"

The Elf shook her head and walked off. The Orc rumbled, but stayed put. The crowd was being entertained by my antics and several began laughing further.

The inebriation probably helps. Plus, I'm something of an anomaly, so people are naturally curious. Doing taboo things like showing my System Menu on top of being a crafter instead of normal combat Class also adds to the spice.

"Why are you laughing!? Doubt me will you? Fine then! I intend to go into the Tower within the next few days and I'll put Nexus Coins on conquering the 4th Floor."

"Lass," the Orc growled. "Don't be foolish. Use your Nexus Coins to buy the treasures you need to get higher or pay someone to carry you."

"I'll take that bet!"

"No, I want in on this!"

"Ten E-grade coins."

"What's an E-grade coin?" I asked, just like I had at the storefront.

After it was explained one of the people with a rapier that practically seethed with power approached. On his hand was a ring that I realized had a spatial property to it, giving off the same feel as a Cosmos Sack.

"One billion Nexus Coins, I'll take that bet you pretty little fool."

I gasped. "One billion? I don't have that much…"

"How poor could that world possibly be?"

"Truly the frontier of the frontier!"

I wasn't sure how to best play this, but this place was big, so I figured if I goofed here and people grew suspicious I could try again later.

"Bah, what a waste of time then."

"Wait…" I said hesitantly. "I only have close to a hundred million Nexus Coins… but with that money I could buy all sorts of things I want. There's a lot of people betting, what if you give me odds?"

"For one hundred Million Nexus Coins?" he said with an amused grin.

One of his companions whispered something and he laughed.

"Five to one, for one billion. You say you only have one hundred million, but I want to see your System Menu and you will receive more Nexus Coins in the Tower. If you are short the two hundred million, then I'll take every Nexus Coin you have. It will be worth the amusement to see you completely destitute."

"Balos," the Orc said angrily, "why be cruel for no reason?"

"I'm teaching her a valuable lesson. Mind your business. I want no quarrel with the Clan Brace, but this is not a Clan concern."

"Aye," the Orc agreed, "not a Clan issue, but a personal one. Maybe I'll carry her out of spite unless you speak kindlier."

Balos blinked a few times. "Girl, part of the bet will be you have to do it solo."

I laughed. "If you are going to add some stipulations, then maybe change it to ten-to-one."

Do I push for more?

"For two billion Nexus Coins? Why not? You clearly have no way of knowing just how much wealth I have."

My heartbeat picked up. With that much money, I could buy a lot of knowledge. Not to mention some potential gear for the Salamander Group and myself. Possibly even find material that [Crimson Siphon] might appreciate.

"How much do you have? I'll show you my wealth as part of this, so let me see yours."

"Not in front of all these eyes."

Another Human approached. "I can obscure it so only those within a meter can see it, but we can all see her face when she sees the amount."

"Fine," Balos waved a hand.

Over fifty billion fucking Nexus Coins?

I could have controlled my expression, but chose to let it fall naturally as my jaw dropped. More entertainment for the crowd.

"W-what can I bet for more… I just want to get to ten billion…" I said in a very deliberately shaky voice.

"Ten billion? Haha, You'd have to clear the 5th Floor for that!"

Don't smile. Don't smile. Don't smile!

"Don't do it, lass."

"Deal. Fifty to one odds. My two hundred million Nexus Coins, should I obtain another one hundred million within the Tower of Eternity, or the full amount of my Nexus Coins, against your ten billion Nexus Coins. The bet will be if I can clear the 5th Floor by myself."

The bar roared in approval and the Orc just sighed. "I guess maybe this will be a lesson. Your world will have more Nexus Coins drops from beasts all the way up through low E-grade, then it will top out, but that should still allow you to recuperate eventually."

Oh… that's good to know. Where the hell are they getting billions of Nexus Coins, though?

I wasn't actually going to walk away with the full ten billion. An auction house required us to each transfer the full amount to them and then they would pay out to the winner. For their part as surety, they were paid a cut. But I would still be walking away with nine billion Nexus coins, a truly absurd amount of money.

While I was there, I tried to interest them in putting up my items up for auction and they said they could do so at one of the lower-tiered auctions. Given that E-grade craftsmen could produce better quality goods, that was fine. The rub was that since I only intended to stay a week in total between the Base Town, the Tower, and then back at the Base Town, they couldn't promise anyone would bite. But they'd still collect the fee…

Three Humans were waiting for me when I exited the auction house. The lead one was a woman who introduced herself.

"My name is Nia and I'm from the Dravorak Dynasty. As you are new to integrated space, that will likely not mean much to you, but know that our empire is vast. We have stood for over 100 million years and with you being the rare individual who has a crafting Class, we would like to offer you a job while you are here in Base Town."

"Oh? I'm all ears."

"You were hasty in making your agreement, but so long as you use your token when facing anything dangerous, you can return to the Base Town and fulfill what we need of you. We will test your abilities with Enchanting and then provide the materials you need, and you will work under our discretion. In exchange for your services, you will be paid ten billion Nexus Coins and a teleportation token to our capital, where you will be allowed a small residence on a C-grade continent, provided you pass our tests."

I shook my head. "Sorry, my world is in the middle of Incursions. If you have a specific thing you need Enchanted and I can do it for a day or two…"

Nia frowned. "Girl, this is a rare opportunity. Most worlds that are integrated fall to their Incursions. This isn't just your ticket out of there; this is an opportunity as a cultivator to live in a completely safe and highly dense Cosmic Energy environment. Many people would kill for that opportunity. Balos will form a Heart Demon from envy when he hears of this boon. You will even have the last laugh against the cur."

I frowned. "I'm sorry, but I have family and friends back home. But may I ask why? Why am I being so highly sought after?"

"Two reasons. One, you have a very flexible Class. Having you modify equipment for some of our lesser elites for a full year can be the all difference in gaining a Title. These things can have a huge impact on the careers of promising juniors. Two, you have a Rare Class. You impressed the System, and with the right guidance and assistance we can prepare you properly so that when you advance to E-grade there is a chance you could unlock an Arcane crafting Class. Even for the Dravorak Dynasty, a Heaven's Chosen crafter only comes along every few generations."

"Don't give her too much hope, Nia, she probably won't unlock that kind of Class."

"My companion is right, you probably won't, but even a fraction of a percentage chance is worth the residence and the paltry billions. But yes, I should not give you too much hope, you must still prove your competency."

I nodded. "I'd like to take your test, just to see, but in full disclosure, I cannot stay for the full year. It doesn't matter what you offer. But… if you want to give me your test after I return from the Tower, and I pass, give me your teleportation token and after I resolve matters in my own world, I will consider the offer."

Nia shook her head. "Your year here in Base Town is the primary purpose. If you cannot be convinced, you cannot be convinced, and we'll not waste your time. Good luck to you, progenitor."

Well, can't win them all.

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Tanya von DegurechaffThea MarshallZac

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Published:2026-07-30Updated:2026-10-08Words:229,398Chapters:49/?Comments:440Kudos:443Bookmarks:87Hits:17,434

Tanya's Defiance of the Fall

Failninjaninja

Chapter 23

Chapter Text

Special thanks to @Massgamer for proofreading!

Chapter 23

"Pretty, you have got to see this Crystal Recording. It's the funniest thing I've seen in weeks."

Pretty Peak disliked her name. She was considering other ones, and was thinking about perhaps Daoist Summit Reacher, but hadn't decided yet.

"Leyara, the last 'funny thing' you showed me was someone trying to put a spatial treasure in a Cosmos Sack and it exploding. It had better be something actually interesting this time."

Leyara was wealthy, beautiful, and spoiled. Her natural affinity for the Dao of Space had made her the personal disciple of the Void Priestess, the most powerful Spatial Cultivator of the Zecia Sector, the C-grade Monarch who ruled the Void Monastery. Despite her powerful strength and immense potential, she acted very differently than what most people would think.

"This one is less flashy, but you would not believe the stupidity of this progenitor. I only have the first part, but here, watch for yourself."

Pretty was from the Peak family, one of the most powerful ones in the Allbright Empire. The patriarch of her family was Ultimate Peak, who was one of the four Marshals of the Empire. Her father, Strongest, was a C-grade Monarch, but not nearly as powerful as the Void Priestess. Her family had high expectations, but several months into her year-long stay at Base Town and she was already rather bored. She was almost tempted to face the Tower of Eternity and leave early, but that just wasn't done by the elites of her generation. The chance to network and make… well, not friends, but acquaintances and contacts were too great.

As she watched the recording, she frowned. "She's confident."

"Yes, that's what makes it so funny."

Pretty shook her head. The girl's body language was good, but her insight into the Dao revealed much.

"She's suckering him in for a decapitation strike. This is a ploy… only she may truly be ignorant. If she's from a newly integrated frontier world as she says, and she only has a crafting Class, she will not make it far. And their agreement means she cannot be carried. Hmm…"

It was a puzzle that she couldn't quite figure out. Why was this progenitor so confident? Had she stumbled upon a Mystic Realm and found a perfectly suited Mid E-grade treasures? Or a cache of [Void Balls] that would allow her to clear many of the floor guardians? Still, even in those circumstances, sometimes the Tower would instead have a 'Proof of Strength' trial, which wasn't necessarily a test of the Strength attribute of the climber, but a test of their Dao or their Soul. If it was easy to climb to the heights of the 5th Floor with just billions worth of offensive talismans and defensive treasures, apparitions would be occurring all the time.

Leyara was laughing. "You can't be serious! She's only Level 50."

Pretty smiled. "Care to make a wager? Though not with something as silly as Nexus Coins."

"That she gets past the 5th Floor? Hmm… you got yourself a bet!"

"I haven't even told you the stakes."

A quick smile graced Leyara's pleasant features. "A favor for a favor. Nothing that would harm our families, factions, or foundations."

Pretty looked back at the Crystal Recording. Her eyes saw something in the girl. It reminded her almost of one of her uncles. Maybe she had the same Dao Seed as one of her uncle's component parts of his eventual Dao Branch. Either way, she took it as a sign.

"Deal."

***

My next couple of days were spent trying to glean information about things from visiting stores, hanging out in taverns, and even attending an auction. The price of things here was just completely whacky to me. People would be bidding for items in the millions of Nexus Coins, and then an item would come along that went for over a hundred billion. It was mind blowing how much money the people here had. With the realization that Nexus Coin amounts stopped increasing at the low end of E-grade, I did not quite understand how the economy even functioned.

Is the base of the pyramid just stupidly massive? Did C-grade worlds have trillions of people, and the combined wealth just got concentrated and then divvied out to favored descendants?

It made my head spin, and I still felt as if I didn't have a good grasp of how it all worked. I did take the time to craft some more defensive treasures, including a more powerful fire resistant bracer that provided mild protection around a person and near Peak protection if the bracer interacted directly with flames on a commission basis. The client was happy with my work and gave me a teleportation token to High E-grade world. Which was actually worse than Earth for cultivation, but hey, an escape button was always nice. Though apparently the world was actively degrading due to a Beast King that was leaching from the World Core.

Which, now that I thought about it, made me wonder if the item commission was something of a test and they were desperately trying to get talented people to come to their dying world. Going from the fire to a frying pan is still technically better if we had no other choice… but sadly, teleportation tokens could only bring one person and I only got one. They were apparently extremely expensive, though this one was comparatively cheap because of the grade of the world and the less than pleasant straits it found itself in. You also generally couldn't buy them on the open market, but apparently there was a 'gray market' for them. It technically wasn't illegal, as there really weren't any laws around it, but if a faction caught you selling a token to one of their worlds that they hadn't authorized someone to have, you just made a serious enemy.

I did pick up a few more things about the political structure of the sector. I found it all fascinating, even though it was something Earth wouldn't have to worry about for another hundred years. The troubling thing was that our fate would be highly dependent on where exactly in the sector we were. Space wasn't just space, but also different dimensions. Another inhabited planet could very well be 'close' to Earth in the night sky and we'd never actually be able to see it by a telescope because it was in a 'higher' or 'lower' dimension, which didn't mean anything from a better/worse or thinner/denser Cosmic Energy state, just a hidden spatial component that I was still trying to wrap my head around.

What made that extremely alarming is that we could show up anywhere. If we showed up anywhere near the Undead Empire's local chapter we would almost certainly face invasion from the Kavriel Clan. According to rumors on the 'street' their province was a lot less expansionist than most of the Undead Empire, but expansion attempts were always occurring because the Undead all had some sort of hard-coded requirement to be expansionist imprinted on them by their Primo. Their Primo was an A-grade Supremacy, a being that could likely wave their hand and simply annihilate worlds. The Undead Heartlands were an impossible existence away from the frontier, but that sort of monumental power was unnerving.

It did make me feel better that, even if the Kavriel Clan was completely annihilated, it wouldn't cause the Undying Empire any great concern. But that didn't do Earth any good, because there was no way we could hope to stand up against the Kavriel Clan and their C-grade Monarchs. Everyone was clear that no one ever managed to go from D-grade to C-grade in less than a century, with the reality being that normally it took thousands upon thousands of years, and the vast VAST majority of D-grade Hegemons never made it to C-grade. As was the case for the vast majority of E-grade warriors never making it to become a D-grade Hegemon.

The distinction between the different grades hadn't been fully clear to me. Like item and Dao Seed quality, there was a huge jump between categorization. An Early E-grade warrior was typically helpless against a Middle E-grade warrior. It was like a Level 20 cultivator going against someone who was Level 40 and had a Class. Titles and especially Dao Mastery could make up the difference, but it was pretty difficult. The same applied for Late E-grade compared to Middle and so-on.

The idea that Earth could somehow stand up to them if we were close by was hopeless. But of course, they were just one of the great powers in the sector. The Empire of Light, the Allbright Empire, the Dravorak Dynasty, Tal-Eladar, and Azh'Kir'Khat Horde were other C-grade factions that could stand up to the Undead Empire. Along with them there were Clans who had to be numerically less than empires that still controlled hundreds to thousands of worlds, but some people sometimes considered them peer forces. I supposed that had everything to do with them having C-grade Monarchs, as opposed to commanding armies of F and E-grade warriors.

An example was the Zethaya Clan who were an Alchemy focused force. They had an invitation-only Pill House here in Base Town, which is actually insane considering that meant they had to be constantly sending people here for their one-year stints with their Tower of Eternity tokens. Most cultivators never got one, so their faction had to have a lot of talented people, who were not within the Clan's specialty of Alchemy. It really was a bit humbling to think about the size and organization of these factions.

It is good to know that crafting is a meaningful path to power. I don't want to have to keep fighting for the rest of my life to advance. Still, I can't slow down until Earth is safe from the Incursions and the Dominators.

Finding anything out about my Class was also a dead-end as information wasn't free and it truly was a rarity. Given that I wanted to maximize my time in the Tower and didn't want to risk experimenting on my organs, I decided to accept the Completion of my Class Quest.

[Careful Path] was gained and its fractal embedded itself on my spine. I looked at my Skills and slowly smiled.

Careful Path: When activated, decreases the failure rate of an Enchantment attempt. Enchantment speed can be further sacrificed for increased success. Upgradeable.

I think I now had the means to finally complete my Crafter's Wisdom Quest. My attempt at using Enchantment to take the E-grade essence from an item and put it within a F-grade item and upgrade it to fulfill the Quest now seemed feasible. The speed having to be sacrificed, and still potentially not making it a guarantee, gave me some serious pause in trying it now. My only E-grade item was my [Sword of Storms], and its cutting power far exceeded [Crimson Siphon].

Hopefully I'd be able to find more E-grade items within the Tower of Eternity. The last of my time before entering said tower I spent on making a couple of improved protective amulets. And while I was doing, so I received a System prompt.

[Dao Seed gained – Structure]

There was no vision, but I felt an odd spinning feeling when I received it. As if the meaning was jumbled. I put that aside and eagerly looked at what attributes it gave me.

[Dao Seed of Structure – Early. Endurance +10, Wisdom +5]

My sixth Dao Seed had been gained. It seemed an auspicious start as I now made way to the front of the Tower to begin my climb.

***

Edwin was a mortal, so could not cultivate as well as a proper cultivator. Instead, he tried to focus on the 'Origin Dao' and attempt to unlock insights into the Dao. He participated in all the hunts with Zhou and the others, of course, but they weren't hunting every hour of the day. Meditating was quite relaxing, and the highlights of his life flowed through his mind.

Graduating college paled compared to his wedding day, even becoming a dentist was nothing compared to the birth of his daughters.

Ah Julia… where are you?

He worried over his youngest child. She was a wild one, a bit of the opposite of the structured Tanya, but had just as good of a heart. Seeing her excel on the basketball court had filled him with fatherly pride. As his mind drifted, he focused on the good things that had happened; the lives he had saved and the children who were safer in Billyville.

And then it happened.

A vision descended over him.

He was no longer Edwin Degurechaff, but someone completely different. It was a dream-like state but he heard himself talking, even if the words were somehow distant. He saw his hands place a cool compress on a feverish man. Edwin could tell he was dying. These were his last hours, but he did not leave his side.

Time seemed to compress. People came and went but still he stayed there, changing out the rags and speaking softly to the dying. He opened his eyes as the last rattle took place.

[Dao Seed gained – Respite]

The vision had been a sad one, but he thought about it more and realized that the healing of people was not just about saving lives. He knew that, even if as a dentist it was rare when he was personally dealing with anything truly life threatening. Arguably, gum disease and infections were deadly, but he couldn't say it was like working at an ER, but what he did provided meaningful comfort and improved quality of life to people.

That mattered. He gave them respite.

Edwin smiled. It was a very fitting Dao Seed for him. He would be happy to nurture it and help it grow.

"You look happy," Zoey said with a smile.

"I unlocked my first Dao Seed."

"Good going, doc! What'd you get?"

He knew that in the Multiverse it was considered almost an anathema to show your System Screen without good cause, but he trusted everyone within the Salamander Group. Tanya herself said that the rarity of doing so could be a strategic weapon. Which was so… Tanya. She was always looking for an 'edge' when it came to trading, and especially now when it came to surviving.

"Ooh, it gives you Endurance and Wisdom. Endurance is handy, since you know your daughter would kill us all if we let anything happen to you. I'm really happy about the Endurance."

He shook his head. "She cares for me, yes, but she cares for you all as well. We are in this together."

Zoey gave him a 'yeah right' look, but smiled. "Nearly everyone has Dao Seeds now, except for Jared. Even Dorel picked up the Dao Seed of Runes."

"Oh, did Sofia get a Dao Seed too?"

"Eh… is she really one of us, though? She says she's not going to be fighting whereas the Nights both say they will if necessary. She's my friend, but… I don't know. It doesn't feel like she contributes when she charges everyone for her Class abilities."

Edwin shook his head. "She's part of this, and both Tanya and Zhou have said her Cosmic Energy boosts are a game changer. But even if she didn't provide that support, she's still one of us. People aren't important because they are useful, they are important because we care for them and they care for us."

Zoey gave him a sad smile. "Maybe before the merger, ,but I'm not going to be a Debbie Downer about it. Anyway, with your Dao Seed it means all but two of us have Dao Seeds. Will even unlocked a second one, the Dao Seed of Loam."

He grinned. "Well, that makes a lot of sense given his Class Skills. Earth and Heaviness seems like a good combination."

She agreed and they talked a bit more. Edwin felt good. He checked on Tanya regularly on the Ladder. Tanya had slipped behind Thea Marshall again as the Eastern Trigram Treasure Hunt had started. Cosmic Energy gains must be good as Enigma was also now above Tanya. However, his daughter would have just started her climb by now after not earning Cosmic Energy for a few days. That meant within the next 24 hours he would know if she had safely made it out.

It would be a few days after that before she returned home, but these 24 hours would be where the danger lay. He knew he would be checking it often and he hoped to see her climb the Leveling Ladder again.

But please be careful. Don't push further than you need to.

***

I stepped off the platform into what looked like a rainforest. I scanned the area for threats and saw a giant snake. It was huge, but was only moving towards me in a very lethargic fashion. I sent out a quick Fireball at it to test how powerful it was and obtained a minuscule amount of Cosmic Energy.

Couldn't have been over Level 20. This very first level is not the place to farm.

Given how the Cosmic Energy curve for a whole Level was, I'd have to kill millions, if not billions of Level 20 things to obtain even a single Level. It was partially why my Cosmic Energy-leeching weapons weren't creating a big payoff for me yet. When they stayed in the hands of people who killed things that were weak, it didn't move the needle much. Fortunately, some people who used them were fighting things higher than Level 20, so I could still experience a nice passive flow. Though, of course, right now that little flow had turned into droplets as for every 99 seconds in here, only one passed on the outside.

It is good to know that I still gain Cosmic Energy even across worlds… or planes? Not even sure what to call the Tower of Eternity. It's not on a planet.

I used my boots to climb vertically up above the canopy and saw some smoke a bit away. I began sprinting through the jungle as fast as cars drove on the highway, my slower speed due to not wanting to get splinters by plowing through trees.

I soon arrived and found a group of eighty or so people living out in tents. They looked Human, but their eyes were yellow and they had larger than normal canines.

Quest: Determine where the missing villagers have gone.

Ogras had told me about this. I took a few moments to talk to them and then found tracks leading to a swampier region. Running through it I didn't see anything of note and was getting a bit annoyed when I heard something shift in the water. I leaped back and a massive half alligator, half dinosaur thing with far too many teeth lunged at me. I drew [Crimson Siphon] and killed it with two quick slashes. The Cosmic Energy felt like around Level 40. My blade didn't find anything to help strengthen it, but it still consumed the blood to replenish the minor amount of Cosmic Energy I had used. A platform appeared.

Well… that was easy. My Quest is gone, but there's no reward. I guess that was the level guardian. Oh well.

The next floor took me into the middle of a town square. No one seemed bothered by a platform appearing and after talking to a few people I confirmed they couldn't see the System Menu when I displayed it. These were either System constructs, or possibly animated puppets or dolls. No Quest had populated yet, but if I headed west there looked to be an old-style medieval keep. The people walked with purpose, but not overly fast. I saw some of the town constables had Mid-quality F-grade armor. Confident that Ogras was right, I decided to see what Level these constructs were.

I imbued the Seed of Volition into [Crimson Siphon] and let it loose. One guard managed to block the blade a couple of times, but soon went down. The 'people' scattered and ran. Two more guards came at me and [Sword of Storms] slashed at them. Their blades were cut in twain and my E-grade sword cut through armor and flesh just as easily.

Naturally, anything that could cut through metal armor could cut through a similar quality metal sword. If armor didn't stop something, neither would a sword. This was something that had always infuriated my sense of realism when watching the few movies and TV shows that I did.

I put the guards around Level 45 and the random townsfolk significantly lower. Which was to say they were fodder for me. The simple reality was that even at Level 45 they would have been easy kills for an E-grade weapon wielded by someone with much higher attributes due to my six Dao Seeds and collection of Titles.

As good a place as any for a massacre. May as well mimic what I did with my forest fires.

The thought of all that Cosmic Energy, that Kill Energy, brought a grin to my face. A Fireball condensed in my hand and I began the conflagration.

Author's Note: I know a lot of people wanted the alternate path, similar to the Sky Mage situation but Tanya goes where she wills!

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Tanya von DegurechaffThea MarshallZac

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Published:2026-07-30Updated:2026-10-08Words:229,398Chapters:49/?Comments:440Kudos:443Bookmarks:87Hits:17,434

Tanya's Defiance of the Fall

Failninjaninja

Chapter 24

Chapter Text

Big thanks to @Massgamer for Proofreading help!

Chapter 24

Over the next two days, I continued to slaughter Cosmic Energy packets in a variety of forms through three levels of the floor. I paused for a bit to Disenchant some of the middling equipment I found to create a few more defensive amulets. These were a little more powerful now that I had more stats and a higher Level, feeling like I could squeeze more juice into them. Their function was the same as before, but now they gave a greater degree of protection from more powerful attacks.

I also harvested the eyes of some higher Level birds, the scales of some big lizards, and the heart of a gargantuan elk. These would come in handy for crafting when I had more time. I did pace myself, because I figured better-quality ingredients were still ahead.

On the sixth level I received a fairly simple Quest that probably had the level guardian in the same location, so I figured I might as well attempt it.

[Climb to the peak of Mount Bountiful and gain the Treasure]

The mountain in question was massive. There were no easy trails up it either, so it looked like it would require some climbing.

Good thing I have a cheat.

Ogras had said that versatility was key to climbing high in the Tower of Eternity, and I definitely had that covered.

I could walk vertically with my enchanted boots due to how versatile I had made them, but The higher I climbed it became considerably harder to do so. Gravity itself seemed to want to bar my way, and every step became a larger struggle. Even using the Dao Seed of Volition did not stop the unending increased pressure and weight. Several hours in I had to pause and rest, cultivating a bit to restore myself. I then set out again, pushing forward, resting, and then pushing forward again in a cycle.

It was thirteen hours of this shit before I finally arrived at the top of the mountain. There was a small dais and on it an Attribute [Fruit of Strength]. Which was… really not that helpful to me. But a stat was a stat. I ate it and checked to see what it had done to my attributes.

Plus two… what a damn waste of time.

I did notice my Vitality had gone up by a point as well, which wasn't from the fruit. It seemed I could still grind out additional attributes if I was in a difficult enough environment. I had meant to look into the use of Gravity Arrays, but physical exercise seemed less important compared to using Enchantment and obtaining Cosmic Energy to Level. I made a mental note to look into it again. It would be interesting to see if simply working my Enchanting at a higher gravity level could provide gains or if it would require physical exercise as well. I'd really love to accomplish two things at once instead of just having to focus on one thing at a time.

It was a thought for another day as I took the revealed platform up to the next level. Ascending immediately into a more futuristic-looking city, I received a Quest to escort someone. I was suspicious because this place looked… well, it looked almost like Earth before the System had integrated it. The Humans here were also a little… off, coming in shades of light blue and light purple, but they wore strikingly similar modern clothing.

"Ah, miss, you must be the dog walker. Here is my baby, please take good care of her," a random 'person' walked up and stated, their 'dog' by their side.

Said dog was a dalmatian who barked a few times and ran around in a circle. Adorable, but unimportant.

"How long is the job?"

"Just an hour, take her around the block and return her here. Thank you so much!"

It's just an hour; it probably won't be too bad.

Thirty minutes in, an earthquake hit and the skyscrapers of the modern city began to shake. I closed my eyes for a moment and groaned. I activated [Temporary Enchantment] to hopefully keep a shield up to protect me and the dog while blasting my way around screaming people and falling rocks. Picking up the dog was the only way to move fast enough to avoid the calamity, and several times my magical barrier was cracked and I had to re-use [Temporary Enchantment].

The Quest turned out to be not all that difficult, as most cultivators who faced the Tower of Eternity could handle being smashed by big rocks, assuming the entire building didn't fall on them. The real challenge seemed to be in keeping the dog alive. Once again, I was rather well suited for it, so I completed the 'walk' and returned the dog in one piece. For my efforts, I received some Nexus Coins and [Constitution Pills]. These wouldn't help me as they were designed for F-grade Humans, but they would be useful for someone like my Dad, so it had been worthwhile enough.

I felt a bit better about doing Quests instead of just murdering everything for Cosmic Energy, but ideally I wanted to find some good hunting grounds in a sweet spot that provided a large amount of Cosmic Energy filled enemies that weren't too taxing to kill. So far, I hadn't found a good grinding spot, but there were plenty of levels and floors to go.

***

Zhou and the group had encountered packs of two-headed wolf-like creatures. Given the progress that he made, and the near certainty that this dangerous pack was being led by an 'Alpha', Zhou felt the risk was worthwhile to try to kill it solo and possibly gain a Title. The night prior, instead of sex and a Cosmic Energy gain improvement, he had opted for a massage to improve his Vitality for the coming hunt.

He had unlocked a new Dao Seed of Bloodletting. It paired very well with his Blood Lance Class and, as long as he could charge up his Strength by wounding lesser creatures and then strike fully with [Lancing Charge], he should be able to win even though it was nearing the Peak of an F-grade monster.

As a precaution, the Salamander Group was not that far away. Well enough away to be sure not to interfere with the hunt, but close enough if things grew truly dire. Zhou began by ambushing and slaughtering the regular two-headed wolves until the Alpha became provoked. The dense aura that surrounded the beast made him shiver. Beyond a doubt, this monster would ordinarily be far stronger than he was.

He baited it with one of Tanya's one-use fire knives. The scorching flame enraged it more than anything else.

Exactly as planned.

The beast charged headlong at Zhou who used [Lancing Charge] with his E-grade spear and stolen Strength. His Dao Seed of Sharpness would also help in slashing straight through the beast's hide. Unfortunately, the creature had a higher Dexterity than him and nimbly dodged aside. Zhou's saving grace was that his momentum and speed was such that it could not quickly pounce on him.

Friction ripped open the earth as he slowed, and the beast came upon him. Zhou stabbed at it to keep it at bay and the wolf bit into his spear. It couldn't break it, but now they were in a tug-of-war, one that Zhou could not win. He released his spear and took out two more fire knives and slashed the air with them, aiming to burn its eyes. The creature lowered both heads and only a bit of its fur got singed. The wolf tossed aside his spear and Zhou ran after it, pulling out a backup weapon, a sword, and slashing at the beast as he ran towards it.

The cut didn't pierce its hide and the Alpha slammed into him, biting down onto his Enchanted armor with crushing force. Zhou felt the armor hold, but the crushing pressure would have damaged his body if the defensive treasure didn't activate at that moment. The Alpha's bite loosened at the sudden energy discharge, but then lunged again. He managed to roll away , grab his spear, and stab at the wolf. His frantic movements hadn't given him the time and thought needed to imbue it with the Dao of Sharpness, but the E-grade weapon still ripped a jagged wound into the beast.

It howled, and its presence somehow magnified, sending waves of tremendous fear crashing into Zhou. He felt nausea, a mind-splitting headache, and a shiver within his very Soul.

But… he stayed focused. On task. He did not let the inner turmoil stop him from lashing out with [Lancing Charge] right as the howl ended. This time, his spear collided fully into the heart of the beast. The collision broke Zhou's nose and he knew his torso would be bruised in multiple places, he might even have a concussion, but the kill-stroke had been accomplished.

He signaled for help so he could get Edwin to help him recover faster as he swallowed a healing pill. With a groan he sat up and looked at the Status screen. There it was.

Overpowered: Solo kill enemy 25 Levels or more above you. All stats +3.

For the millionth time he applauded his decision to hitch himself to Tanya's star. Without his E-grade weapon, Enchanted armor, and defensive amulet, this battle may have gone very differently. While the enhanced Vitality from Sofia had helped some with keeping his strength up for the hunt, it probably hadn't done a whole lot. Still, every little bit helped. If he did not have the security of strong allies, including someone with a capability of improving healing speeds, he would not have risked it. It was only a convergence of events that had made this Title possible.

And the System has seen fit to give me a Tower of Eternity token.

Not that he could go now. Even if he were Level 50, he would not visit until he learned all he could from Tanya's climb that was happening at this very moment. She had temporarily fallen behind Thea Marshall and Enigma on the World Ladder, but she had now reclaimed her third place spot.

Edwin reached him first.

"Status?" he asked with a worried look as he dashed over to him.

"Nothing life threatening, just need to recover more quickly."

The dentist-turned-medic nodded and began using his Skill. Zhou heard the sounds of more growls nearby, but was reassured that the rest of the Salamander Group was handling it. Zhou's heart was filled with pride. It was always good to be productive when your leader was away. Their mercenary group continued to operate effectively, and she would no doubt be pleased with their progress when she returned.

***

I had reached the top of the 1st floor. Here, the floor boss awaited. There was little preamble, no Quest, no grand scene full of artificial people. Just a large cavern with a seven-foot tall lizardman wielding two scimitars. I could tell both were sturdy Peak F-grade items and that it was very unlikely that my low E-grade [Sword of Storms] could shatter them. At least not easily. Without preamble, my foe had advanced on me and started slashing.

I jumped back, released [Crimson Siphon], and used my Dao of Volition to have it begin striking out. The lizard slashed once and sent my Spirit Tool flying away. It came back of course, but the brief clash and speed told me that it had around my Dexterity and far, far more Strength.

We clashed. I used my blade to parry instead of blocking to try to diminish the differential in our power, but I would have been overwhelmed if not for [Crimson Siphon's] constant harassment. Fighting face to face with my sword, in this case, was not going to be ideal. I feinted a slash for the face, and then sprang backward immediately to use my Peak F-grade Skill, [Fireball]. As it formed, the big lizard charged and I thrust out my hand. My opponent jumped, hoping to leap over it, only the Fireball hadn't actually left my hand.

"It isn't my hand that controls the spell," I smirked.

He was in the air, unable to dodge, and I directed my Fireball with all the pure power that my Dao Seed of Fire could muster to slam into him as he was coming down. This was my most potent attack and I felt the Cosmic Energy pour into me with the successful kill. I eagerly grabbed the two heavy scimitars and also looted some healing pills. I saw that a Teleportation Array had appeared and, since I didn't see anything else I needed to do, I stepped into it.

I appeared in a black featureless void with a System prompt before me. I had no sensation of falling, but I literally could see nothing but the message before me. It was very… disconcerting.

[First Floor Complete. Rewarding Title.]

[Choose Reward: Weapon, Skill Crystal, Nexus Coins]

Nexus Coins were probably not relevant, so it came down to the other two options. I was pretty happy with my weapons and I doubted I would get an E-grade replacement at this stage, so I opted for the Skill Crystal.

[Blink – Teleport a short distance. Time and distance increase with quality. Upgradeable]

I was practically drooling upon reading the Skill's description and decided to immediately use the Skill Crystal. The fractal embedded itself on the soles of my feet, and it made me think that there was almost certainly some kind of limit in terms of how many Skills I could have. It was something I needed to add to the list of things to research.

Now let's try this baby out!

I activated the fractal and picked where I wanted to teleport within my line of sight. I felt it working, but nothing happened until I suddenly popped into existence twenty meters away. That… took way too long. I tried it again, and again it seemed to take several seconds to charge.

That was absurdly slow in a real fight. The Skill felt too borderline useless to be true, so I sat and considered a bit more.

Through trial and error, I practiced a few things on the beach that I had been deposited upon in the 2nd Floor. I hadn't had a Quest pop up and nothing around me seemed too threatening, so I'd rather work on my new Movement Skill.

The interesting thing was that the windup was excessive, but I could choose at the last instant where I popped out. In other words, it was useless to dodge an incoming attack, but I could use it in the middle of combat on a timer. I could, for example, begin running away from something, and a few seconds later be twenty meters further ahead. Where I began using the Skill didn't matter for distance, only where I was when it triggered.

I also learned that it kept my momentum in whatever direction I was moving toward, except when I used the Dao Seed of Volition. When I did that, I could adjust the direction of my momentum at will. There were other limitations, such as the Skill worked on a cooldown and consumed Cosmic Energy like Fireball. I could only use it about every two minutes. It was Early proficiency, so I suspected that the 'cast time' for it would go down as I used it more, though I suspect given that it was an F-grade Skill it would almost certainly have a delay that made it impractical to use as an instant dodge against an attack. It wasn't a complete game changer, but I was already dreaming up fun ways I could abuse it.

I checked on my Titles and saw the new one.

[Tower of Eternity – 1st Floor. Wisdom +5, Dexterity +5, Intelligence +5]

The lower level Titles weren't all that great, but every little bit helped. I looked closely at some of the local wildlife and killed a few things, but judging the Cosmic Energy gains, this area wasn't worth wasting time killing beasts. The place did seem a bit scenic, though. so I sat down and prepared to use [Careful Path] and try to upgrade my armor to E-grade. I took out various parts of monsters I'd killed earlier that had defensive properties as well as the two Peak F-grade scimitars from the floor boss.

I ate some food, hydrated, and began to Disenchant. The fight with the 1st Floor boss hadn't been hard, but I was getting to the point where I couldn't rely on my own Dexterity and combat skills to avoid getting overwhelmed in direct combat. I needed at least a little time to fully power up Fireball for maximum effect, and as the bosses got more and more stat-inflated, I would be moving slower than they were and unable to dodge. I'd feel a lot better having E-grade armor again.

The process was slow. My existing armor shuddered as I infused the Dao Seed of Structure to further keep the Cosmic Energy and essences contained. After several hours, I came to a critical juncture. The size of the energy casing was once again being stretched and tested. The armor didn't want to contain E-grade level energies, but I gritted my teeth and overloaded the interior fractal lines of power and kept it all together with [Careful Path].

The capacity to hold Cosmic Energy expanded, but I ran into a second problem. It was hungry. Not in the way [Crimson Siphon] was, but I had underestimated how much additional energy it needed. I pulled out more items from my Cosmos Sack, including some of the weapons that I had obtained from the Ogre Incursion that I had never found a use for. More and more were sacrificed to the armor as hours stretched well into the next day as [Careful Path] forced me to slowly merge the slightly differing energies together into a composite whole.

After a marathon twenty-nine hour crafting session, I was finally done. I could sense the Cosmic Energy and defensive power of my armor. It had been remade and was far sturdier. I pulled up my Quests and took a look.

Crafter's Wisdom (Class) Upgrade an F-grade item to E-grade through an Enchantment. (0/1)

ARGH!

I examined the item more closely with my Enchanting senses. Since becoming an Enchanter, I had an almost instinctive knowledge of items and their grade. And this was not a Peak F-grade item.

I meditated on my Class, item quality, and what it could mean. A stray comment about how 'Half-Step Hegemons' were not 'True Hegemons', just like Pseudo E-grade items were not truly real E-grade items, but that there was a noticeable difference. A Half-Step Hegemon was still more powerful than a Peak E-grade warrior, everything else being equal.

"Great," I said out loud. "Just great, I created a Pseudo E-grade item and not a real one."

It wasn't a total loss. For one, the armor did have more protective properties than my old set, even if it wasn't quite as good as the original E-grade clothing it had once been. It still represented an upgrade compared to what I had been wearing on the 1st floor. Secondly, I now had properly experienced using [Careful Path] as well as using my Dao Seed of Structure. System governed aspects mattered a lot in the Multiverse, but they weren't everything. Hands-on application still mattered. Someone with equivalent strength can still beat another person in a tug-of-war with better technique and foot-placement, so was it with everything else. And third, the Cosmic Energy gains were not bad at all for creating this item. It would be more efficient to farm Cosmic Energy from killing things, but it wasn't nearly as lopsided as it normally was when I Enchanted a lot of lower level things.

I didn't need much sleep, but I did need some. I put up the Illusion Array and a few other ones, just in case. I planned to tackle this first level of the 2nd floor in the morning.

***

I focused on killing the level guardians rather than completing the more time-consuming Quests. I still hadn't found an ideal grinding spot, but I had hit Level 54 and that wasn't too shabby at all. The third level had a Quest that didn't really fit my attributes, but fit me perfectly.

Quest: Pull the Sword from the Stone to Claim the Kingship and Royal Treasury.

This was some King Arthur-type story laziness. The sword and the stone were both highly Enchanted. My greed for the E-grade weapon was strong as I sensed it was even better than [Sword of Storms], and what was really superlative about it was that it seemed to be devoid of any complex affinities, meaning Enchanting over it to add another effect shouldn't be too hard.

Probably. Hopefully. Maybe.

The Quest was interesting because there was a hooded figure in the back that was obviously somewhat important. There was almost an aura around him. I frowned, remembering how sometimes these Quests weren't straightforward. Looking at the rest of the crowd around the stone, they didn't seem to move with any particular grace or strength, so another mass-slaughter would gain me very little Cosmic Energy. I grabbed the sword and realized that even if I had ten times the Strength Attribute, there would be no possible way to pull it free.

Good thing I cheat.

I used [Suppression] on the rock itself and then channeled the Dao Seed of Volition. The combination of the weakening of whatever strong defenses the rock had and the essential truth of freedom of movement that I pushed into the blade allowed me to pull it freely with barely a grunt.

The crowd cheered and the hooded man gaped at me.

"This is impossible! You cannot be the chosen one!"

"I pulled out the sword. Let me see the treasury."

I felt power swirl around him, but he looked around at the crowd and his head sagged down.

The whole thing still felt weird, but I was escorted into a castle and given a massive amount of gold, silver, and jewels. Unfortunately, none of it was magical in nature and almost all of it would disappear upon my return, but gold still had some value in crafting mundane things and operated as a base metal somehow for Blacksmiths in the way they crafted. If the System let me have even 5% of all this, I'd make a few million in Nexus Coins. The real prize, of course, was the [Sword from Stone], which was just a depressing name. I really felt the System should have called it [Excalibur] but, eh, what can you do?

I took the platform up and found myself plunged immediately into water. Around me a battle was raging as several wooden ships sailed around each other, firing arrows and spells at each other.

Quest: Reach the Island.

That didn't seem too hard. I used [Blink] to teleport above the water and then land on the waves with my enchanted boots. I then put up a magical barrier and booked it for the island in the distance. By running, it should only take about an hour. I immediately was attacked by hundreds of arrows, shards of ice, electric attacks, and even blasts of fire. However, my Dexterity was such that I could dodge quite a bit of it and for the rest I had my barriers.

I tried to consider how others might handle this. Just swimming through the water as you got shot at it would be nightmarish even for someone hardy like Zhou or Kim. The better option would be to go under the water and hold your breath. There were some pills that could mimic what I did with [Lasting Breath], after all. It was important for me to remember that there were quite a few different ways to handle these lower floor quests, brute forcing them with my flashy Enchanter abilities was not the only way.

My challenges so far had not been all that much like the ones Ogras had, but in terms of the variety of different attributes and talents being useful, it seemed similar enough. The Tower of Eternity was testing breadth as well as depth, seeing how you might creatively get past certain obstacles. However, you could still seemingly brute force through a lot of them if you were just a combat powerhouse.

The System has a clear bias in what it likes. Then again, completing Quests does give rewards, so there is a form of balance.

I made it to the island without much difficulty and my reward was some E-grade Nexus Crystals. Those were always nice, though I had already noticed the sharp dip in their efficacy in giving me enough Cosmic Energy to level-up. Using them at Level 47 compared to Level 54 already had a marked difference in how much they 'filled' me toward my next level.

Onwards and upwards.

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