As the giant slime formed before the two, it let out its elemental mana fumes filling the red barrier. Arthur looked behind him to see that the outside could not even be seen, let alone crossed. Furthermore, a giant hourglass appeared above them, and its sand fell through, letting them know of the ticking time.
"Is there a time limit against this opponent?" asked Arthur as he stared at the giant clock above their heads. "What would happen if we don't win by then?"
"This time limit is not for us but for the slime itself. We can run away if we survive long enough because the red barrier will dissolve. The slime has until then to take revenge for its comrades."
"We are the villains here, huh?" muttered Arthur with a smile as he prepared himself. "Sadly, the villain is winning at the end of this story. Even if it gets bigger, it is still made of elements."
"Be careful since there might be unforeseen abilities for this species," said Whisker as he took out silver gauntlets that looked like claws, making him look quite threatening. "I would be the bait since physical abilities are useless against it."
"You don't have any elemental skills?"
"Those would drain my mana and render me unable to fight," said Whisker with a shake of his head. "I might not even harm the slime because of its size. I apologize."
"You don't need to apologize," said Arthur as he raised his hands. "I have yet to use everything I have."
This tower might restrict his mana and ability, but it could not restrict Eragon for some reason. This might be linked to what Eragon and King Arthur told him about his ability being different than normal. The tower might have restricted his runes and creation, but it could not restrict more. Thus, he retained the bugged ability to disable elements.
Colorless lightning crackled as it coursed over his arms like a slithering snake. The giant slime seemed to sense the danger, making it jump backward as elements gathered around it.
A hundred or so icicles formed above the slime before it hurled them at the two enemies. An attack of this magnitude would kill any Level 1 Challenger of the tower, but Arthur was different. He grabbed his lightning and slamming to the ground, making it explode in a storm.
Whisker stepped back from the lightning, making him unconsciously closer to Arthur and in the vertex of the hurricane. The colorless lightning destroyed all the elemental icicles before they could even get close to Arthur.
As a hundred attacks were rendered useless against a single man, Arthur rose from the ground under the awed eyes of the feline. His colorless lightning spared nothing as it destroyed everything it touched without a trace as if erasing it from the world.
"What a fearsome and wrathful ability indeed," said Whisker with apprehension. "If we were not allies, I would have feared you."
"I have seen fear in the face of allies before, so I find that flattering," said Arthur with a smile as he looked at the pillars of flames erupting toward them. "This giant slime might be the true saint of elements."
"Saint of elements?" muttered the cat with confusion, but Arthur just laughed as he remembered Ai. He wondered how she was doing as the ruler of Ilios.
Arthur waved his hand, and the flames disappeared again. Then, he stomped on the ground as he bolted toward the giant slime, which had yet to launch its next attack. Arthur could feel the wind change as he got close enough to the giant hopping balloon and realized another attack was coming.
The slime sent a thousand invisible wind blades toward Arthur, cutting through the grassland and destroying the area. Arthur was too close to retreat, but he had no such intentions, to begin with. His black lightning flared as it covered his entire body.
"A thousand blades can seek my neck, but none of them will succeed," muttered Arthur as he commanded his black lightning to gather around his body. It obeyed for the first time in his life, and Arthur could feel it turn into something liquid, then solid.
The wind blades struck his body but dissipated without a trace as if never existing. Arthur advanced toward the slime and jumped, getting above it. Then, he raised his hand and summoned a spear of lightning.
"You fought well, but not well enough," said Arthur as he pierced the giant slime. The colorless lightning erupted from the monster as it lost its structure. Then, it scattered into countless red lights, tearing Arthur to the ground.
After he landed, Whisker approached him, still wearing his gauntlets which he did not have the chance to use. He looked with dilated pupils at him, looking like a cute domestic kitten. His mouth was agape as he looked at Arthur.
"I thought this skill would give you some advantage against monsters, but you might be the strongest person on the first floor," said Whisker with a gulp. "Is that black armor another ability of yours?"
"Armor?" repeated Arthur with confusion before he looked at himself and found that he was wearing black armor. It covered his body beneath his clothes, reaching to his neck. "…this is new."
"You never had this before?"
"I have a memory of it, but I could never use it," muttered Arthur with a frown as he clenched his fist and released it. "This tower is restraining Eragon, letting me control his ability better."
"I understand none of that, but glad to see that something is going against the wishes of this tower," said Whisker with a smile as he placed his gauntlets away. "I chose well indeed. You are the dark horse that this tower needed."
"I don't know about any dark horse or whatnot, but the master of this tower hurt someone dear to me. I came here for revenge," said Arthur as his black armor evaporated. "I will do whatever it takes to kill him."
"It seems that nobility and heroism are not your cups of tea," said Whisker with a smile as he raised his hood. "I would have feared for our lives if they were. Naivety is fatal in this tower."
[Event has ended. You defeated a Level 10 Mini-Boss before the time limit. Special item has been rewarded.]
This panel appeared for the two of them as a red item appeared from the slime. It was a small red medal that had a pulse inside it. Arthur stared at Whisker, who shook his head in response.
"This is the first time I've seen an item like this," said Whisker with a frown. "I traveled throughout the first, second, and third floor but never saw a medal reward."
"Can it be a trap by the tower master?" asked Arthur cautiously as he stared at the item. "I doubt he would give me anything useful after I cheated with a hidden skill."
"Even if the Tower Master wanted to hinder your progress, it could not. A tower must be fair, or else it is obliterated by the heavens. I have seen tower masters break their own rules and forfeit their lives as a result."
"Heavens exist?"
"Or so they claim," said Whisker with a shake of his head. "I just know of towers that suffered destruction by unknown entities. If those were the heavens or not, I have no idea. In any case, a tower does not lie."
Arthur nodded and walked toward the item. As soon as he grabbed it, another panel revealed what it was and what it did. Arthur opened his eyes with surprise as he turned toward the cat, raising the medal with a speechless face.
"This medal grants me… a title," said Arthur with a thin smile. Whisker tilted his head with confusion before Arthur threw the medal toward him. As soon as he touched the medal, Whisker opened his eyes wide.
"Trader?" muttered the cat with confusion and a frown. "Is this what I think it might be?"
"It must be," said Arthur with a nod. "This medal should be the same item Peter uses to give quests. If you continue reading, it says I can grant others my reward points if something is offered in exchange. It can be money, favors, or items. Peter can create quests because he offers reward points in exchange for favors, misleading unknowing challengers into believing that he is a trustworthy character."
"This is incredibly useful in the upper floors," said Whisker with a raised brow. "If utilized properly, you can build an army using this single piece of metal. This must be the reason that Vesper values Peter."
"I doubt a ruthless man like him would let Peter go if he knew that he could steal this medal," said Arthur with a smile. "Peter must be hiding it and spreading the rumors about himself being a floor master. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"… we are both thinking of a diabolical plan."
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