Tower Floor 1: Requirements
Objective:
• Defeat all goblins on the floor (number scales with party size).
• Survive until the end of the encounter.
• Bonus: No party member incapacitated.
Difficulty:
• Scaled for six: 30 goblins (mix of warriors, archers, and a shaman), fortified goblin camp with traps.
The Tower's entry chamber was cold and circular, stone walls humming with anticipation. Our team huddled together, weapons ready, nerves barely contained. Ms. Calder, our mentor, leaned against the wall, arms folded, gaze sharp as a blade.
A glowing sigil displayed the requirements for Floor 1:
Objective: Defeat all goblins (30 total). Survive. Bonus: No party member incapacitated.
Warning: Difficulty scaled for 6.
Tomas grinned, rolling his shoulders. "Thirty goblins? Let's make it quick."
Jin twirled his daggers. "I'll take the archers. Abel, you got my back?"
"Always," I said, feeling the sword tattoo pulse on my arm.
Rhea cracked her knuckles, sparks dancing over her fingers. "Let's show Calder we're not just rookies."
Maya's hands glowed faintly green. "Stay close. I can patch you up, but don't get cocky."
Ms. Calder's voice was cool and direct. "Remember, I'm only here to stop you from dying. Everything else is on you. Good luck."
The door rumbled open.
We moved in formation—Tomas up front, shield raised. The corridor twisted, torchlight flickering on damp stone. The stench of smoke and sweat grew stronger as we reached a wide cavern. Crude barricades blocked the way, goblins clustered behind them. Some wore battered armor, others wielded bows or crude spears. A shaman in the back waved a staff, chanting.
Tomas barked, "Formation! Abel, flank left. Jin, right. Maya, behind me. Rhea, cover both sides."
I drew my sword, heart pounding. I focused on a pebble in my pocket, making it hover with my mind. My telekinesis was weak, but I'd practiced every spare moment.
The goblins shrieked and loosed arrows. Tomas blocked two, but a third grazed his thigh. I reached out, wrenching an arrow off course.
Telekinesis: Lv. 1 → Lv. 2
A surge of energy rushed through me. The pebble zipped out, striking a goblin archer in the forehead. He dropped, stunned.
Rhea sent a gust of wind, scattering a cluster of archers. "Go, Jin!"
Jin darted into the shadows, reappearing behind the archers. His daggers flashed—three goblins fell before they knew he was there.
Maya's vines lashed out, binding a goblin's legs and yanking him down. "Tomas, left!"
Tomas crashed into the barricade, shield up. I followed, sword flashing. A goblin lunged; I sidestepped, slashing low. Another came at my side—I yanked his spear with my mind, throwing him off balance, and finished him with a quick thrust.
A shriek echoed—reinforcements poured from side tunnels. The shaman's staff glowed, and a wave of sickly green energy swept the field. My skin crawled, but Maya's vines wrapped around my ankle, pulsing with healing.
"Don't let the shaman finish!" Rhea shouted.
Tomas barreled through two goblins. I sprinted after him, focusing on the shaman. He raised his staff, lightning crackling. I grabbed the staff with my mind, yanking it sideways. The spell misfired, blasting a cluster of goblins instead.
Telekinesis: Lv. 2 → Lv. 3
The shaman snarled, turning on me. I met his eyes, sword raised. He lunged, staff swinging. I dodged, then used my power to yank his feet out from under him. He crashed down, and Tomas finished him with a brutal swing.
The goblins hesitated. Jin darted through their ranks, picking off stragglers. Rhea summoned a wall of wind, knocking back a group trying to flank. A goblin archer took aim at Maya. I focused, wrenching the bow upward—the arrow flew harmlessly into the ceiling.
Maya smiled, sending a wave of healing through the team. "Thanks, Abel."
Another goblin caught me off guard, slashing my arm. I hissed in pain, gritting my teeth and swinging back.
New Skill Acquired: Pain Tolerance (Lv. 1)
I felt the pain dull slightly, my focus sharpening. I pressed forward, sword and mind working together.
The last goblin tried to run. Jin caught him at the exit, a quick flick of his dagger ending the fight.
The cavern fell silent. Thirty goblins, all down. We were bruised, bleeding, but standing.
The sigil flashed:
Objective complete. Bonus achieved: No party member incapacitated.
Abel: Level Up! (Level 1 → 2)
Skill: Telekinesis (Lv. 3 → Lv. 4)
Skill: Pain Tolerance (Lv. 1)
A rush of energy filled me. My muscles felt stronger, my mind sharper. I flexed my hand, and a fallen goblin's spear floated into my grip, steady and controlled.
Status Screen (Post-Floor)
Status: Abel
• Race: Human
• Level: 2
• Class: None
• Skills:
• Telekinesis (Lv. 4)
• Swordsmanship (Lv. 2)
• Pain Tolerance (Lv. 1)
• Titles: None
• Sponsor: The Mind Tyrant
Ms. Calder's Perspective
From her rocky perch, Ms. Calder watched the team with a critical eye. She'd seen dozens of rookie squads—most fell apart at the first sign of chaos. But this group moved with surprising cohesion. Tomas was a wall, Maya's healing was quick and precise, Jin's movements were sharp and efficient, and Rhea's magic was both creative and controlled.
But Abel stood out. She watched him wrench arrows off course, disarm the shaman, and even shrug off a nasty cut with barely a flinch. Telekinesis was rare, but what impressed her most was how quickly he adapted—each use of his power was smarter, more efficient. The moment he got hurt and pushed through, she saw the flicker of a new skill—Pain Tolerance. That kind of growth was what the higher-ups watched for.
When the fight ended, she dropped down, boots crunching on stone.
"Not bad," she said, voice even. "You kept your formation, adapted when things got rough, and no one went down. That's rare for a first run."
Tomas grinned, pride in his eyes. "We make a good team."
Calder nodded. "You do. But don't get cocky. The Tower's just getting started. Next floor will be harder. More traps, smarter monsters. And remember—if I have to step in, it means you failed."
She turned to Abel, gaze sharp. "You, especially. Don't let that power go to your head. It'll grow fast, but so will the risks. Use it wisely."
Abel nodded, sweat plastering his hair to his forehead. "I will."
Calder almost smiled. "Good. Rest up. You've earned it."
Aftermath
Back in the safe room, we collapsed in a heap, laughing and comparing bruises.
Jin raised his water bottle. "To not dying! And to all of us hitting level two!"
Tomas grinned. "Except me. I'm level three now. My Shield Mastery's improving too."
Maya smiled, eyes soft. "My Healing Magic jumped a level. We did good. Let's keep it up."
Rhea stretched, lightning crackling at her fingertips. "My Wind Magic's getting stronger. Next floor, I call dibs on the first trap."
I checked my status, still marveling at the changes. Level 2 now, with Telekinesis at level 4 and a brand new Pain Tolerance skill. The vines on my back felt warmer, spreading just a little further across my shoulders.
"How's the mind magic coming?" Jin asked, nodding at my hand where I was making a coin dance between my fingers.
"Getting stronger," I said. "But I can feel it—each level gets harder to reach."
Tomas nodded. "That's how it works. The real skills take time."
I laughed, feeling the warmth of belonging. We were a team now—tested, bloodied, but unbroken.
And for the first time, I believed we could make it all the way to the top.