"Congratulations applicant, you have successfully pa.s.sed the first floor with a grade of S. Awarding applicant 9000 points for outstanding performance in the test. Please proceed to the shop to select starting race and elemental affinities."

Test? That was considered a test? Well, either way, I figured I should look around. I started observing where I had woken up. It was a vast square filled hit ma.s.sive marble buildings each thousands of feet high.

On the front of each building were different signs that glowed with a kind of light that, unlike the harshness of artificial lighting, infused the area around it with a pulsing glow that almost seemed to warm your body as you looked at it.

The different shops ranged from typical names like

"Weapon Shop"

To more exotics like

"All-Inclusive Necromancers Imporium"

The shops weren't the only odd things there were also a mult.i.tude of people wandering around the square. Some of them looked human; some of them distinctly not.

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One was a giant red humanoid with four arms and eight eyes wearing what seemed like an oversized rain poncho. He was just one of the varieties of beings I saw. The one thing in common though, was no one went into the shops.

They would just place their hands on the doors before walking away. I stood there in confusion for awhile when a man came up to me.

He was wearing a straw hat with a kimono and wooden sandals. He had somehow managed to attach a large halberd to his back the ridiculousness of which was only matched by his enormous mustache. By the time I finished observing the odd outfit, he had made it over to me, extending his hand as he said.

"I noticed you looking around like a lost child. You must be new here. I'm Mat I can give you a rundown of the place if you want."

I quickly shook his hand and responded.

"Thanks, I'm Jeff. But what even is this place? I thought I died?"

He c.o.c.ked his head with a confused look and said,

"How did you make it into the tower if you don't even know what it is? Surely someone in your clan would have informed you the basics before you set out?"

Clan? I could tell this conversation wasn't exactly going anywhere productive, so I quickly steered it back to the critical subject.

"Just imagine I know nothing. Can you explain the basics to me? All I know about the tower is it just suddenly appeared one day, and then here I am."

He laughed at my response, much to my annoyance. Here I was trapped in some magical deathtrap getting laughed at, but I ignored it. His information was too important for me to make him angry. He stopped laughing after a while before saying.

"So it found a new world. Well, I guess you do know nothing. Lucky I was here then before you wasted all your points. Well, I'll start with the basics. The tower is made to create powerfull warriors for some apocalypse real or imagined no one really knows. All that's known is if you make it out, you will be incredibly powerful. Granted, that is a big 'if.'

I interrupted him with a frown saying.

'So you're saying this tower was made by someone as a kind of s.a.d.i.s.tic training ground?'

He grinned and said

"

Yep, and if you make it to the top, you can apparently meet the creators. Though supposedly, only 1 in 100,000 make it. Well anyway, onto the important bit points. You got some, I a.s.sume?"

I nodded, and he continued.

"Good well come this way I'll explain on the way."

He then started leading me through the crowd towards a building with a sign that just plainly said

"SHOP"

As we walked, he continued talking

"So points are used for everything in this little atrium. How you spend them pretty much determines the route to power you can take in the tower. First thing though is you'll need a race and elemental affinity though it will determine most of what you can but later. It's why even the normally impartial voice suggest it when you first wake up. I guess they need at least a few to survive."

He laughed at that, but I realized I was still missing the information I was most interested in. So I quickly interrupted him.

"Hey, I get points are important and all. But I just died. What the h.e.l.l is up with that? How am I fine no wounds at all?"

That managed to stop him in his tracks as he let out another set of laughs. Causing me to grit my teeth as I waited for his response.

"Sorry, sorry, I keep forgetting how new you truly are. With a new planet added, I'm going to get all sorts of entertaining newbies, aren't I. Well, as for why you didn't die look down at your wrist."

I looked down, seeing the weird black symbol that had appeared their after I killed the first faceless man.

"See that as soon as that appears on your wrist, it means you've done enough to past the test for that specific floor. Everything you do afterward merely allows you to acc.u.mulate bonus points. And as long as you pa.s.s the test once you die, you'll immediately get sent back here all your wounds healed and everything. Quite convenient though, I must admit dying hundreds of times does get a little unpleasant after a while."

He must have seen my shocked face as I processed the idea because he started laughing again much to my chagrin. Finally, we reached the front of the building he had been leading me towards, and he said.

"Place your hand on the door. It will give you a list of options for both races and elements. You probably don't have many points, but at least try to get a matching element and race. You only get to pick this once. Afterward, this shop won't work at all. You know I once saw someone pick the demon race and light affinity. No idea what got into him, but he just started melting right where he stood. So good luck. I'll see you again if you pa.s.s the next test."

He then patted me on the shoulder and walked away. I muttered a casual goodbye as I checked out the door to this supposed "Shop."

It seemed like any ordinary door just lacking any kind of doork.n.o.b to open it. With a shrug, I figured I'd try what he said and placed my hand on the door. Immediately a list appeared glowing in front of me

Affinities Races

Null 0 pts Human 10 pts

Fire 50 pts Lizard Men 40 pts

Light 100 pts Angel 300 pts

Darkness 125 pts Demon 310 pts

... ...

The list went on seemingly endlessly practically overwhelming me with options. I scrolled through noticing affinities running out before races did. I was looking at the bottom three affinities I was shocked at the cost. It was Lightning for 2000 points, Death for 2250 points, and Life for 2500 points. They seemed surprisingly cheap to me. There were no descriptions, so I figured if they cost more, they must be better.

So I knew I wanted one of those now I just had to find a matching race. I quickly scrolled through the races with no descriptions they were really only names to me. I quickly got to the bottom of the race list and noticed it very quickly devolved into a myriad of beast. Things like dragons and hydras, sphinxes. I knew they would be powerful, but I had no interest in turning into a monster. But near the bottom I saw something unusual. Sword-Kin 3500 points.

With only a few legendary monsters placed above it I was wondering just what could make them so strong. I pondered for awhile before deciding on them. Swords were the only weapon I had ever mastered. And with the fact of only 1 in 100,000 people surviving this d.a.m.ned tower, I knew I would need a powerful start. I quickly glanced back at the elements deciding lighting would be the best. I made my selections.

As soon as I did, an excruciating pain came over me feeling as if someone was ripping my entire body apart and rea.s.sembling it. The pain continued surging through my body for what seemed like hours, but eventually, it settled down before finally dissipating. As soon as the pain cleared a message once again rang out in my head.

"Sword-Kin legendary humanoids who's very muscles and bones are made out of various forms of living metal. They have a natural affinity to the law of swords, often able to grasp a strand of true insight before the age of 5. The ma.s.sively powerful bodies and incredible comprehension make it so even veteran warriors of other races will avoid fighting them.

Lighting one of the strongest elements. It's known for destructive might and ability to enhance a users body and reactions ma.s.sively.

Please spend the rest of your points before proceeding to the next floor. The applicant has a total of two hours before being teleported.

A humanoid, thank G.o.d. I was half expecting to wake up as a sentient sword. I quickly felt my new body. It indeed was much stronger. I could feel the explosive power making me eager to try it out. I then looked down and noticed my skin was replaced with a grey sheen poking it I realized it was some form of metal. I grinned happy with my choice.

That's when I noticed a buzzing sensation in my chest. I figured maybe this was the Lightning. I tried to control it, imaging I was a sith shooting it out of my fingers. The result was less than spectacular a few sparks came out. Suitable for a party trick but hardly useful. I let out a sigh more practice was needed. But if the voice was to believed I didn't have much time.

I realized I still had 3500 points left and not a lot of time to spend it. Looking around, I spotted the weapon shop I had seen earlier. I figured with a race called sword-kin I should at least have a sword and quickly hurried over.

When I placed my hand on the door, another list popped up. This time though, the prices weren't nearly as generous.

Basic Magic Sword 10,000 points

With a sigh, I quickly scrolled to the top and selected a basic reinforced sword for 3000 points. Apparently, not everything was so cheap as the races and elements. Finally, with my time slowly running out, I sat down for a rest, hoping whatever this next test was, it would be easy.