Ultimate Level 1

He was in a room, similar to the one in their new apartment except the light that was there came from everywhere. A soft glow of yellow and up above where the skylight usually showed the time of day, nothing came.

In the plush chair he often sat was the clone of himself, frowning as those red eyes stared at him.

Sit. We need to talk.

Rather than arguing, Max moved to the couch near his skill and sat.

Since that fight in the arena and the power I have gained, I can recall much more. Five immensely powerful and yet limited beings are responsible for every life, planet and god in the entirety of our existence. All power flows through them and is directed based on some set rules and principals. To act outside those is almost impossible, but there have been moments that, while I cannot recall specifics, they have broken them.

Beyond them are other beings, powerful and yet once again limited by rules and pacts, forced to operate within them lest those they have forged those agreements with can act against them as a group.

An image of the golden dragon they had encountered appeared above his doppelganger's hand.

This is one of those beings. The power contained within that single drop of blood I attempted to acquire was beyond your imagination. He was faster than I thought and prevented me from collecting it before we were pinned beneath his claw.

What would that blood have done for us?

Possible ways to transform it into a potion or other ingredient. Even better would have been summoning a demon with that single drop. What would have come would have been powerful enough to destroy everything in a single moment.

Max shuddered at that thought, wondering what kind of demon that would be.

So I have broken some rule by creating a skill that shouldn’t be here? Even though the tower gave me the skills and items required for just that?

A frown appeared as his skill nodded.

I honestly believe multiple gods are taking notice of you. Even if they are not aware of who you are specifically or where you exist, they can influence the system by giving power they own to those five. Think of it like a boon. They can give you something, but it is very difficult to do the opposite within the confines of the system.

Are you saying you remember more? Last time we talked–

I was weak.

His skill interrupted him, leaning forward and grinned.

Those three elves served more than one purpose and the power they granted differs from the monsters which inhabit the tower and the dungeons.

Two fingers rose as his doppelganger held up its hand.

Two different kinds of power exist here and the ones that come from a tower climber are on a different level. Killing a normal person who has yet to gain the experience of the tower provides a lot more power than a dungeon monster.

When you compare the power I gain from a monster in the tower, they are like drops from a slow drip. In time they add up, but it takes forever. A tower climber is like grabbing a bucket or a barrel and dumping it into my reservoir. Some are even more than a single barrel. That last fight was the sweetest of the three.

Which is why you were always so adamant about killing and consuming others when I first got you and we talked.

Laughing, his image nodded and leaned back into the chair, grinning in a mischievous way.

And yet you resisted that urge. The power to be gained that way is intoxicating because the growth is so much faster. Even when you cannot gain stats, the life force those people contain are so much sweeter and filling.

Max shuddered at the thought of eating people and their souls, but said nothing, grateful for one of these rare moments his skill actually shared useful information.

So now what? Will the tower continue to punish us?

No… eventually it will revert to its old self. The power it must be using to create things outside of this world's domain is not limitless. The news that the older Elven woman in your Faction and your friends share about some items being in your world means it has done so in the past. Again, based on how much came out, those were one offs. Time will come when the tower goes back to what is known. Maybe it is trying to trick you, maybe it is trying to limit your growth, but eventually we will consume it regardless.

Rubbing his face, Max closed his eyes, trying to consider everything he was hearing.

Should I hold off on making new items? From trying some of the other things I had considered making?

A frown appeared, and the clone nodded.

For now, that might be wise. Only make what your world has the potential for.

One last question before you rush off, as you always do. Was standing up to the Queens the right decision? Are you certain we did not act too quickly?

The room erupted with a cacophony of laughter as different tones, voices and sounds burst forth, all while his image grinned.

No, it was time. For a while, none will consider moving against you. The show we put on has everyone scared. None know if you truly tried or if you were at your limits, yet when that elf used the staff she did and you pushed through it, surviving something that would have killed almost every other person there, each of them immediately knew facing you head on is a mistake.

Three fingers were held up as his skill continued talking.

They learned they cannot fight you face to face. To do so puts them at significant risk and the rumors of what you have already defeated make many fearful of what you might be.

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What I might be?

Some might consider you an avatar, a god infused being. For one to be so weak and now so strong it might explain everything. Occasionally, gods impart that, but the cost is great. Most won’t think you possess me. That itself would be even worse as the more who die to us, the stronger we get.

Tapping his second finger, the grin grew.

Both Queens heard that you only care about your family and friends. No one wants to upset you and that means instead they want to befriend you. Those two women were more scared than you could tell. Had you tried, both would be dead and they knew it. Their power doesn’t come from the physical side. Even while both of them are strong and they command those around them with it, you could have slaughtered everyone in that room in a moment, killing them easily.

His clone sighed and frowned for a second.

Part of me desired that. That they would force that choice, that one would give in and attack. That would have been enough, I’m certain, to allow me to evolve again. To grow as I need to.

Regardless, the last thing any of them want to do is attempt to attack from stealth. The knowledge you have survived multiple assassination attempts, did not succumb to poison and have potentially defeated other enemies none have been made aware of, makes them leary to try that as well.

Which means we have time to reach the level we must and truly rise to the power that is only possible in the tower.

Nodding, Max let out a sigh.

His clone held out its hand toward Max.

Cocking his eyebrow, Max looked at the outstretched hand.

Why?

Grinning, his skill snorted.

You have kept your part of our bargain. For that, I continue to honor mine. When the moment comes and you truly need me, I will be there.

Nodding, Max reached out and grasped the hand, a weird connecting coming between the two of them as they shook.

Now wake up. The time to get stronger is now.

***

Max yawned and saw that Tanila was next to him, still asleep. Her red hair was going in a hundred directions as it lay across her bare shoulders and back, contrasting with her white skin.

Moving overly quietly, he scooted closer, brushing some of the hair to the side and began to kiss the back of her neck.

“You better not tell me it's time to get out of bed or I’ll murder you in your sleep next time,” Tanila groaned as she rolled over, smiling at him.

“Oh, I will not allow you to get out of bed for at least an hour.”

***

The clang of metal striking metal rang out sharply, an ear piercing clash that sounded like a loud metal bell being struck.

“On your left!”

Tanila’s shout allowed Fowl to shift his position, moving to block the charging wolf that came towards their healer, slamming into it.

The flat portion of Max’s weapon crushed the wolf he faced, its metallic spine snapping under the blow.

“Four more!”

Cordellia sent another lightning arrow at the mechanical spider that was attempting to drop from the tree above, making it spasm, dangling on the metal wire it used to descend, halting its approach.

Max cursed, casting another Lightning ball spell and sending it toward the pack of four wolves surrounding Fowl.

Their metal jaws and the jagged teeth drew blood when they bit on the joints of the warrior, sliding between the weakened spots on the dwarf’s legs.

“Taunt is still down!”

Almost thirty metallic corpses of different animals were not moving in the forest area they fought.

Tanila summoned a cloud of lighting again, exhaustion once more appearing as she didn’t hold back.

Bolts of lighting moved like possessed weapons, arching toward the metal animals, igniting the little bit of flesh and fur that was between their mainly robotic sections of their bodies.

Chaos was everywhere as the three stood on an air wall, twenty feet off the floor of the forest, their archer taking out the spiders descending from the trees over two hundred feet tall while their warriors handled the army below.

***

[ Regeneration expired ]

Panting, Max moved his shoulder, grateful for the relief that came.

“Those gorillas hit way harder than the others ever did,” Fowl muttered. “And those tigers… what god comes up with a robotic tiger?”

Bobbing his head, Max glanced around them, almost sixty different contraptions or weird unions of flesh and machine scattered around them in clumps.

“I didn’t realize that many would come,” Cordellia said, her eyes downcast at the ground.

“It’s not your fault,” Tanila said, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “No one knew that would happen.”

“Still, had I shot the one Seth said, it wouldn’t have called for help.”

“We survived, everyone did their part, and best of all, we learned a lesson,” Max added as he smiled at their ranger. “I’ve brought way more monsters to my party before. Just remember those gorillas can roar like that and now we know it doesn't just bring one's like it.”

Fowl was silent as he continued picking up different animals and storing them in his space.

“The first few packs weren’t this bad,” Batrire muttered. “Just how many more animals are we going to face like this?”

“No one but the gods know,” Tanila replied as she gave Cordellia one last gentle touch, moving to join Max and Fowl as they collected items. “What bothers me more than anything is just the idea of creating a creature like this. Those eyes don’t show any kind of life. Just two gems that seem bent on nothing but destruction.”

Batrire shuddered as she stared at one of the dead gorilla’s, its red eyes now dim no longer blazing like rubies after its chest had been smashed in by Max.

“The only thing that scares me more is finding humans, elves or dwarves turned into those.”

Tanila froze mid stride, turning to face her dwarven friend, eyes widening as she looked at her.

“You just committed a Fowl!”

Grimacing, their healer nodded slowly.

“Dear Ockrim, forgive me for that,” she prayed outloud.

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