Chapter 3 – Trial of the First Floor
Kael wiped the blood from his arms and chest, crouching beside the broken corpse of the Goblin Captain. The smell of iron was thick in the damp air, mixing with the rotting leaves and the faint, unnatural glow emanating from the Tower. The cracked dagger in his hand felt almost weightless now, though it had barely survived the fight.
He exhaled slowly, tasting the coppery tang of adrenaline on his tongue.
This… this is just the beginning, he thought, flexing his fingers. His muscles were still buzzing with the residual effects of Gluttony, and as he stared at the corpse, he could almost feel the raw potential that now coursed through him.
For three years, Kael had been nothing. Ignored by the Tower, overlooked by fate, abandoned by the one person he cared for. But now — now he was a Player. A proper Player.
Kael moved forward cautiously, every step measured. The first floor wasn't simply a flat dungeon — it was a ruined village, twisted and overgrown, like some forgotten memory of civilization. Collapsed roofs and broken walls formed jagged pathways, while pools of stagnant water mirrored the faint, sickly light filtering through cracks in the canopy. Mist clung to the ground, curling like living fingers around tree trunks and ruined fences.
Small creatures rustled in the shadows, but Kael ignored them. He had learned enough from the Captain — Gluttony made him stronger, smarter, faster, without cost or hunger, and with each fragment absorbed from weaker enemies, his body hummed with potential.
He crept through the ruins, testing his newfound abilities. A pair of goblins darted from behind a toppled wall. Kael dodged instinctively, slashing with precision. They collapsed instantly under the invisible weight of his Authority. Stats updated — Strength and Agility climbed steadily.
Faster than the Tower expects. Smarter than the Tower thinks.
Kael allowed himself a grin. For the first time in years, he felt… free.
Deeper in the ruined village, Kael stumbled into a clearing. The air changed immediately. The mist thickened, the temperature dropping several degrees. He froze, senses alert.
A low growl rumbled from the shadows, reverberating through the broken buildings.
Then it emerged.
Tower Guardian: Forest Warden.
The Guardian's body seemed grown from the forest itself, bark and vine twisting over sinewy muscle. Each step made the ground shiver. It raised a clawed hand, and the air shimmered, vibrating like some low, musical note that set Kael's teeth on edge.
This… this is no goblin.
The Forest Warden tilted its head, studying Kael with intelligence that went beyond instinct. Its eyes narrowed, and a guttural roar echoed through the ruins. The sound was deafening, shaking loose dirt from crumbled walls.
Kael swallowed. His hand tightened around the dagger, but he didn't flinch.
Good. This is exactly the fight I need.
The Guardian struck first. A massive clawed hand came down in a sweeping arc. Kael rolled forward, the wind from the strike nearly knocking him into a ruined building. He barely managed to swing his dagger upward — the blade grazed the Guardian's arm, leaving a shallow scratch, but it was enough.
The Guardian growled, shoving its hand forward like a battering ram. Kael tumbled backward, rolling to regain his footing. His lungs burned. Every fiber of his body screamed at him to run.
No.
Kael pushed himself forward. Gluttony surged — not with hunger, but with pure potential. He felt every fiber of his being strengthening, his body adapting instantly to the fight. Reflexes sharpened, muscles tensed and relaxed with perfect timing.
He dashed around the Guardian, slashing and dodging, finding weak spots between bark plates and vine-covered joints. Each fragment of damage he inflicted didn't just weaken it — it fed his growth, his stats climbing with each strike.
[Player: Kael Veynar]
Class: ??? (Error: Unregistered)
Level: 3
Title: The Nameless One
Sponsor: Ancient Primordial of Hunger
Stats:
Strength: 21
Agility: 22
Vitality: 13
Mana: 12
Luck: 10
Authority: [Gluttony]
Skill Slots: Locked
Kael noticed the difference immediately. Movements that had been just out of reach before were now effortless. His blade moved faster, his dodges sharper. The Guardian's attacks, while brutal, were no longer impossible to evade.
The Guardian's eyes glowed brighter, fury igniting in its amber gaze. It raised both arms and slammed them down in a massive double strike. Kael rolled through the dust and debris, dagger sliding across a shattered wall.
He gritted his teeth, leaping toward the exposed underbelly of the creature. With every ounce of strength, he drove the blade deep — not to kill, but to test the extent of Gluttony.
A surge of energy flowed into him as the Guardian staggered. Kael's limbs felt alive with raw power. He could sense every twitch, every nerve, every potential attack before it happened.
The Forest Warden roared once, twice, and finally collapsed, vines snapping and bark cracking as it fell to the ground. The clearing went silent, the oppressive aura lifting.
Kael breathed heavily, hands trembling not from fear, but from exhilaration. He stared at the creature's corpse, his crimson eyes burning with a dangerous intensity.
"…This is what it feels like," he whispered. "The beginning of everything."
Kael stepped over the Guardian's body, glancing at his system window once more. He realized something chilling and thrilling:
There was no ceiling. No limit. Each fragment, each life taken, each encounter… it only made him stronger.
He clenched his fists. The Tower of Chaos was more dangerous than he had imagined, but it didn't scare him. It excited him.
Somewhere deep in the Tower — or perhaps watching from the world above — Sponsors and Players alike would notice his growth. That didn't matter yet. For now, Kael Veynar was untouchable in this space, fully aware of the limitless potential granted by his Authority.
And in that awareness, a single thought solidified in his mind:
The Tower doesn't control me. I control the Tower.
With a smirk, he tightened his grip on his battered dagger, stepping forward into the misty ruins beyond. Every step was a declaration: he had entered the Tower not just to survive… but to devour everything it held.