"[Time Remaining: 0 days 0 hours 12 minutes 9 seconds.]"
We stood near the swirling blue 'Gate' as the clock was ticking toward zero, and I hadn't spent time idly. After a bit of back-and-forth, I cooked up a plan with Noah. We settled on a 6:5 profit split, a generous deal for 'Atlas', but one that bought me their full logistical support. They handled the mountain of paperwork and bribed the right officials to secure us entry rights at a smaller, out-of-the-way Tower that the 'Reaper' Guild had overlooked in their frantic monopoly.
To meet the Tower's five-member party requirement, Noah lent me four of his elites: one Mage, two Warriors, and a Tank. Naturally I was the "Support" due to my [Barrier] Class.
Before we left, I made sure to fulfill the Copy Condition for Noah's Exclusive Skill. He was a man who only respected raw power, so I gave him exactly what he wanted, a brief, overwhelming showdown of strength that left the gym floor cracked.
"[Congratulations! You have successfully copied the Exclusive Skill: 'Body Reinforcement'!]"
With that tucked into my arsenal, we set out. It had been a massive hassle to find a viable Tower. But the 'Reaper' Guild's pattern was not random, which confirmed my suspicion: they weren't just looking for one thing; they were trying to widen their net to catch everything significant on the 3rd Floor.
Our group stood before the swirling blue vortex of the gate. My party was officially led by an acting leader, John Snow, to keep the heat off me. He was an A-Rank 'Swordsmaster' with a sharp gaze and a straighter back.
"[Activating 'Red Demon's Eye' Lvl 3!]"
"[Personal Information]"
- [Name: John Snow]
- [Age: 27 | Gender: Male | Sex: Experienced]
- [Class: Warrior - Swordmaster | Rank: A-Rank | Level: 21]
- [Stats: STR: 19 | AGI: 16 | VIT: 14 | HP: MAX | PER: 11 | Essence: Aura Lvl 18]
- [Exclusive Skill: None]
- [Skills: 'Sword Energy' Lvl 4, 'Twilight Sword Technique' Lvl 4, 'Mental Fortitude' Lvl 2, 'Sword's Grave' Lvl 3, etc.]
- [Anatomical Stats: 9 inches, thick, black, veiny and hairy dick. Gaping and sensitive hairy asshole.]
- [Copy Condition: Show him an overwhelming display of Sword Technique to copy his Exclusive Skill or one of his Skills.]
Looking at his Stats, I felt a wave of nostalgia. He reminded me of a legendary player from the old VR days, a sword fanatic who dominated the 'Hall of Fame' up to the 25th Floor. I'd spent weeks of my life trying to beat that ghost's records on the abandoned servers. It felt strange to see that same level of "sword-pride" in the flesh.
Suddenly, the world hummed as the timer hit zero.
"[Notice: The 3rd Floor of the 'Tower of Trials' has opened!]"
"[Welcome to the 3rd Floor, 'Desert of Echoes'!]"
"[Difficulty Level: A-Rank]"
"[Clear Conditions: Navigate towards the Blue Beam without falling for the "Mirage Traps." Collect 3 Sun-Tokens from the Mini-Bosses (Desert Sentinels) to unlock the exit.]"
"[Failure: Annihilation of Humanity]"
"[Time Remaining: 7 days 24 hours 59 minutes 57 seconds]"
The stakes were clear. A global failure meant the end of everything. With John in the lead, we stepped through the gate.
The transition was violent. One moment we were in a cold RMB hall; the next, a wall of blistering heat slammed into us. We were standing on a ridge of shifting, golden sand that stretched infinitely in every direction. Even though thousands had entered through the same gates across the globe, the Tower's spatial magic ensured each party started in a separate, isolated location.
"Robes on!" John commanded, his voice cutting through the whistling wind.
We quickly donned our 'Dune's Robes', D-Rank items designed to mitigate the mana-draining heat. Far off on the horizon, a massive, piercing pillar of blue light shot into the sky, shimmering through the heat haze. That was our destination, but between us and the beam lay the "Echoes" of the desert, and likely, the 'Reaper' Guild's S-Rank.