Chapter 167: First Floor

[You have unlocked the Tower System Panel]

[Featuring updates like Trade Platform, General Forum and Private Inbox, Hall of Fame, Live Media.]

Thanks to the hint Felix had dropped earlier about the Inbox feature, which he didn’t possess, and believed there were probably more worlds like Earth from which candidates were also pulled but didn’t possess the Inbox feature. Coupled with the other facts he mentioned, it was easy to piece everything together to realize a new System Panel should be issued to the candidates.

"Bravo, Kaelen. You just proved to everyone that you didn’t come this far because of your Atreus bloodline, but I’m also curious why you chose such a mediocre ability over your special ability." Kelsey said and tilted her head thoughtfully, but her words made Kaelen confused.

Special ability?

Was she talking about the reward system?

Was it amongst the abilities he had just suppressed in order to choose Infinite Mana?

When he received the prompt to pick an ability to restore after taking the suppression pill, he hadn’t taken a look at the list of his abilities displayed to him and had chosen Infinite Mana blindly.

Could it be that he’d just nerfed himself for the next ten floors?!

Kaelen felt his heart drop, but kept a straight face on the outside. He couldn’t let anyone know what he was thinking, and there was no use overthinking it, because there was only one way to find out.

"Anyways, a deal is a deal. I’ll send you the eye, but only after you survive the first floor."

"Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?"

Kelsey only smiled mischievously as she ran her eyes across the candidates.

"In the absence of any other questions, I declare the 21st Grand Tournament open. Let the game begin!"

As the words left her lips, the world around the candidates shattered and fell apart, but at the same time was replaced by another harsh reality.

Their feet hadn’t moved from the spot, neither were they collectively transported to another dimension, but they now found themselves in a barren wilderness under a burning red sun that made the candidates feel a sharp spike in the temperature as they shielded their faces with their arms to look around the vast wilderness.

The large screen was gone with Kelsey, along with the Heralds.

The first thing Kaelen checked after scanning the area was the inventory of the new Tower System, and just like he suspected, everything was gone.

They were still there, but grayed out. His potions, items, purchased ingredients. Tapping them or trying to summon them proved futile.

But that was the least of his problems, because now he couldn’t use his Sharp Senses to see what was coming. He didn’t need a genius to know this was the first floor.

They had been thrown directly into the first floor before the party assignment, with no rules or instructions on how to go about or clear the floor. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

There were simply too many candidates that it was hard to spot someone you might know in the crowd. Luckily, Lysandra had stuck close to him.

He turned to her. "What ability did you choose?" He asked.

Since she was being recognized as an individual, she had become a candidate as well and wasn’t exempted from the rules.

"I didn’t get to choose, but the ability selected is one I created myself which condenses mana into a thin, flexible string and can be used like a fine thread to sew. That’s what I used to make my outfit."

Kaelen had almost forgotten it was a random selection, but hearing her explain her self-created skill had him pleasantly surprised. It might be useless in combat, but the technique behind it was nothing short of impressive.

A thin, flexible mana string capable of seamlessly sewing such an underrated outfit with the hide of a Supreme Dragon.

"It might be useless in battle, but it’s still an impressive skill. I’m sure you’ll be fine." He reassured her, but her reaction surprised him.

"It’s not useless in battle." As she said that, several fine strings levitated from her fingertips. "It’s thin enough that I can use it to lay traps for the enemy or even use it actively in battle like a whip because it’s also sharp enough to sever anything it comes in contact with." She said, fighting back a smug grin.

"Okay, I take back my words." Kaelen said in surrender. "I’m glad you also have your sword. If we ever get separated, it shouldn’t be hard for you to make it to the 9th floor."

"I guess, but..." she trailed off as she stared at him.

"W-What? You don’t think I’m strong enough to make it to the 9th floor?" Kaelen blurted in disbelief.

"N-No, I never said that." She hurriedly waved her hands.

"You didn’t, but your face says it all. You think I’m weak, don’t you? Tsk, I feel so heartbroken." He said dramatically.

"That’s not true. I think you’re very strong, Master Kaelen. I’m only worried we won’t be together." She hurriedly replied.

"I don’t want to talk to you again."

"W-What?"

"Unless you stop me calling you Master and start calling me just Kaelen."

Lysandra hesitated for a moment. "K-Kaelen. I’ll stop calling you master, mast— Kaelen."

He sighed wearily. "Let’s add each other as friends." He said and pulled up his Tower System Panel.

It wasn’t hard to navigate through the new feature. As someone who has operated a smartphone and used Evolution Online forums several times, it was easy to use the Inbox search box to type in Lysandra’s full name, when he realized she didn’t have a full name.

A whole lot of Lysandras came up with a mugshot he could swear no one knew when it was taken.

Luckily, because she has just one name, Lysandra’s name was at the top of the list, so he tapped her profile to send a friend request.

Almost immediately, the request was accepted as Lysandra also busied herself with her system. He could see the excitement in her eyes.

This was probably her first time encountering a system panel, and seeing her being considered as an individual brought a smile to his face.

"Lysandra," he called out to her, and she raised her head from her exclusive system panel. "From today onwards, you will take after my last name. You will now be recognized as Lysandra Cross."

Her eyes gleamed and she smiled warmly while nodding in acknowledgement.

"Hey, you’re the nosy kid from earlier, Kaelen Cross. Am I right?" Someone suddenly yelled from behind, and the noise slowly died down as people turned their heads towards the commotion.