[Floor Ten]

  Anima: one’s soul.

  ***

  Lodio’s eyes shot open.

  In a room, he was on a raised mattress with a blue canopy. Through the canopy, he could see the plank walls and above were the skeleton beams, holding up the wooden roof. Sitting up, he said the word “open.”

  [

  Name: Lodio Azhario

  Type: None

  [Tower Floor]

  - Current: 10

  - Goal: Wait 24 Hours (0/24).

  - A reminder: When the time ends, you will be teleported to the challenge.

  [Currency]

  - Gilds (?): 200

  - Gilds are the currency of the tower. Reaching [Floor 20], you could withdraw Gilds to use in the Outer World.

  [Inventory]

  - None

  [Teleport]

  - Available Floors (0):

  - Limitation: Teleport is nulled within zones of active conflict.

  [Shop]

  - Available Items:

  - Power Boosters:

  - Anima Booster (Low): Boosts your Anima by 25%. Lasts for five minutes. (Cost: ?100)

  - Woonberries (Low): Mass-produced Moonberries that may or may not increase your Anima. (Cost: ?200)

  - Food & Drinks:

  - Apple: A delicious apple. (Cost: ?5)

  - Bread: Fluffy. (?1)

  - Waterskin: Holds cold water. Not reusable nor keepable. (Cost: ?25)

  ]

  Lodio pressed his palm into his eyes from the sheer amount of options. Shortly after, they lowered.

  Anima?

  His finger tapped on the [Anima Booster (Low)], making the screen ripple.

  [

  Anima Booster (Low): Boosts your Anima by 25%. Lasts for five minutes. (Cost: ?100)

  - Note: For any safety concerns, contact Lumi Co. on [Floor Twenty]

  ]

  Close.

  Lodio looked around before standing up.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Creak.

  To his left was a small, circular window. To the right was a plank door.

  Staring at his palm, he clenched it. A faint pink aura was steaming off his body. With widening eyes, the aura curled in the air and undulated upward like a snake.

  That person…

  His lips curled into a faint smirk. His heart pounded, not from fear, but from the rushing feeling within. His sword ached.

  There truly are powerful warriors.

  ***

  [Goal: Wait 24 hours (12/24)]

  On the bed, Lodio sat criss-crossed, his eyes closed.

  Pitch black.

  First a trickle.

  A drop of aura rippled on the voided floor.

  Then a current.

  Aura surged through his veins.

  By the end.

  Expanded.

  Waterfall.

  Opening his eyes, he let out a deep exhale. The aura surrounded him like a flame.

  Intent.

  That’s what his father called it. Someone intends to harm; they shall. Someone intends to protect themselves, they shall. Someone intends to see; they shall. But his golden thread wasn’t intent; no, it was something else. Something burning inside.

  Now standing up, Lodio unsheathed his sword. It glinted from the intruding moonlight.

  Anima or intent? I will master them both!

  ***

  More hours passed.

  The moonlight was now sunlight.

  Ding!

  [Teleporting to [Floor Eleven]!]

  Dissolved into mist.

  On a waterfall’s edge, feet dangerously close to the edge, Lodio stood. His shoes were half-submerged in the running stream. The water crashed against his feet. Smelling the air, it carried the scent of dew, earth, and something crispy. A water droplet splashed across his nose.

  Where am I?

  He looked around, staring at the chirping birds. Then his attention landed on the stream below, leaves and flat stones stuck to the bank’s sides.

  “Ladies and gentlemen!” A sharp voice echoed throughout the forest.

  Ding!

  [Ladies and gentlemen!]

  Subtitles.

  “On this floor, you must survive for twelve hours! Yes, I said twelve hours! But, there’s a catch…” A pause. “On your necks, there’s a leather collar. For each collar you collect, the more Gilds you get. A quarter of the initial amount. Attempt to take off your collar? It will cut off your circulation. Lose your collar? You’ll get zero Gilds even if you survive. Good luck!”

  Ding!

  [Welcome to [Floor Eleven]! Survive for twelve hours and keep your collar, or collect collars for a 0.25x multiplier.]

  Just how big is this Tower?

  That thought was short-lived as his heart fluttered. His chest heaved, and his breath was ragged. Body felt warm.

  Are they going to be here?

  A sharp exhale.

  I can’t wait.

  Jumping off the ledge, he landed in the stream below, water splashing everywhere.

  He flashed a grin, eyes narrowed, and his aura fumed in wave-like curls.

  Walking through the forest, he noted the foliage, rustling leaves, and sticks on the ground. Then he stopped as he looked over his shoulder.

  Green glowing butterflies.

  They followed him.

  “W-what do you want?” He asked the butterflies as if expecting them to talk.

  Something squeezed his heart.

  This pressure!

  A giddy feeling.

  From the bushes, a man emerged, wearing no shirt or pants, only a simple cloth hiding his jewels.

  “Me here to take your collar!” The man declared, saliva stretching from his lower teeth to his upper. “Me follow butterflies. Me found you. Me fight!”

  He stomped his feet.

  “Me is Jonness!”

  Lodio flashed a wide grin, eyes crinkling.

  “Then, let’s have a fight!”

  The air warped around Jonness’s body.

  Lodio was certain it was that pressure he felt.

  Beating his chest, Jonness’s nostrils flared. “YA!” He palm-strikes the air.

  Lodio’s eyes widened at the faint incoming aura. The only way he knew was the warping air around it. Looking through it distorted everything.

  The aura punched his stomach, sending him flying.

  Thud!

  His head snapped back against the rough bark. His mouth agape. His pupils dilated.

  What was—

  “Ya! Ya! Ya!”

  Three more.

  A wet cough.

  “Yaaaa!” Jonness dashed forward, mouth opening like a barbarian.

  Barely, Lodio rolled out of the way.

  CRRRACK!

  The tree splintered in half, its leaves turning brown.

  “Lucky!” Jonness declared, already turning toward him.

  Lodio’s shaking lips curled into a smile. His eyes glinted under the sun. And with his hand, he unsheathed his sword.

  “Is that Anima?”

  Dashed back.

  The blade glimmered.

  “You have too!”

  Me?

  Engulfing his body, the pink aura flared.

  “Enough talk.”

  White dogwood petals materialized and surrounded his blade. They slowly turned into pink.

  Pivoting his hips, one foot stepped forward while the other stayed back. Like an archer. Front knee bent. Muscles stretched.

  Jonness pounded his chest and dashed forward, preparing another palm strike.

  A deep, holding breath.

  In a blink of an eye, Lodio blitzed through Jonness. Blood bubbled on his blade before dissolving into red petals. He held that position.

  “A sword has two sides: life and death. Every time I use this sword, I either cross the other side or don’t…” A pause. “Unfortunately, you crossed the side.”

  Thud.

  The glowing butterflies landed on the corpse, their wings turning blood red.

  Lodio sheathed his sword. Suddenly, he coughed blood, his vision swimming. Stumbling forward, he crouched and ripped off the leather collar.

  Ding!

  [Would you like to store [Jonness’s Collar] in the [Inventory]?]

  He stared at the hovering screen.

  “Yes.”

  The collar in his hand dissolved into a blue mist.

  That’s neat.

  [Hours (2/12)]

  His lips curled into a wide grin.

  “Alright! Let’s find more!”

  With that, he moved through the forest.

  Butterflies trailed behind.