The air in the forest was cool and crisp as it whistled through the canopy, creating a rustling of leaves and the croaking of bark. Joe looked up and gawked at each tree that towered into the sky, reaching the height of miniature skyscrapers. The top was thick with foliage as each branch fought to capture as much light as possible. Yet rays of sunlight continued to break through, giving the area a serene feeling. The forest appeared both vast and ancient, an ecosystem left standing untouched for thousands of years. Joe inspected his immediate vicinity for any threats but met only the sounds of insects and the scurrying of small critters.

Suddenly, bell chimes rang out, bringing him out of his musing and welcoming him to the new floor. Joe's screen flashed up, showing him his new quests.

"Welcome to the second floor - Strength comes from adversity. Persevere and escape the forest of Penance to reach the third floor."

Floor Quest received:

Escape: Escape the forest. Reward: 10,000 exp, 15,000 DP Solo Runner: Escape the forest alone. Reward 30,000 exp, 45,000 DP Fast and Furious: Escape within 24 hours. Reward: 40,000 exp, 60,000 DP

Joe's eyes flickered with elicit excitement once he saw the rewards. The standard quest alone gave over two times more EXP and DP than the first quest. Though, it made sense. The amount of EXP required to level had continued to climb. He only needed 350 exp to reach level 2 but now required 11,000 to reach level 11. He hoped the rate of increase would begin to slow down. Otherwise, he would need to kill an inordinate number of monsters to level up. For now, he stared out across the forest floor with eager anticipation. Ready to face the next challenge.

The quest objective was relatively straightforward. All he needed to do was escape the forest. The challenge was knowing which way to go. There was no obvious path to follow and the Tower hadn't provided any more information no matter how many times he tried asking. Joe shook his head in frustration. The Tower never liked to make things easy.

Before setting out, Joe pushed some energy into the skill sigil, allowing him to feel the connection to his existing 'save point'. He exhaled a sign of relief when he felt the connection hadn't broken. Being able to sense the link was a useful feature of the skill, allowing him to know if his current distance exceeded the limit. It didn’t tell him how far away he was or the direction of the Save Point, only if it was still active or not.

With his skill taken care of, Joe set off into the forest, gradually making his way directly from the portal. He held the goblins' sword in one hand while clutching the wound around his shoulder with the other. The soft loam was still wet from morning dew and the air was thick with the smell of fresh earth and soil. Joe did his best to traverse the damp ground, but it only took five minutes of walking before his injuries flared up, making each step a slog. He needed to find a stream or water source as soon as possible. He was still covered in filth from multiple battles, and the loss of blood from his shoulder only exacerbated things.

The only piece of equipment he had still in good shape was his shoes. An item he was glad he refused to compromise on. Joe had considered buying self-cleaning clothes from the shop, an option he had discovered while browsing through the store, but the idea of spending a large number of points left him feeling anemic. However, the latest quest rewards had provided him with a surplus of points, enough to afford a few luxuries, along with two additional levels that would help him face any enemy he met on the second floor.

It made him realize the actual value of the quest system. A perfect quest completion would give enough experience to push someone several levels ahead while providing enough funds to buy better artifacts. It was clear the Heavens wanted to reward the very best, even if that meant leaving behind those who were weak or unwilling to take the risk.

"So much for all are equal under Heaven," Joe muttered to himself sarcastically.

However, the realization raised another point. If the rewards for the blue floors were so generous, what were the benefits of passing the red and black floors? Up until now, he had never even considered the other gates. But the threat of demon hordes waiting for him outside made it an option he would need to eventually consider. His respawn skill allowed him to repeat each floor, giving him an unparalleled opportunity to pick the Tower clean, so long as he was willing to die first.

However, he'd need to confirm a few things first before slitting his own throat just so he could repeat the floors.

First, he needed to find out if quests were repeatable. If not, there was no point repeating the first floor when each goblin only gave a few hundred EXP. It would be better to push through the Tower to find better opportunities.

The second point was related to the distance limit of the [Respawn] skill, which prevented him from dying and respawning just anywhere. While the ‘save point’ was still active on the second floor, would that be the case on the third, let alone the red and black floors? Though, the distance would likely increase as the skill mastery improved. For now, he was stuck on basic mastery with no idea how to take it to the next level.

Ultimately, Joe decided to wait and see. Everything would become clear once he respawned again, and he was in no rush to die and find out. There was still a lot to gain by exploring the second floor and the more he learned now, the better prepared he would be later.

After another thirty minutes of walking, Joe was forced to stop and rest. He sat on a rock as he dabbed the sweat on his forehead, unsure where he was heading. The forest blended with no clear landmarks, an endless sea of trees and undergrowth. He had tried climbing the branches to get a sense of where he was, but his wounds prevented any strenuous activity. For now, he kept his goal simple. To scout the immediate vicinity and find a water source. He didn't dare to try to go too far from the portal for now. He was afraid of being ambushed before he accomplished his goals. So far, he had only seen a few small animals. One looked like a cat-sized rodent climbing a tree, yet it had run off before he got close.

'Crack.' The sound of a twig snapping pulled Joe out of his reverie. He ducked down and hid behind the rock while inspecting the immediate vicinity. The area was clear, so he crept along the ground until he reached a large oak. Peeking through the foliage, he spotted a matted gray wolf crewing on a half-eaten rodent just twenty feet away. The animal seemed half-starved. Its rib cage protruded from around its midsection, and its fur was matted in knots. Joe lacked any inspection skill to determine its level, so he paused to consider what to do. Though the EXP was tempting, he was in no state to fight, leaving retreat as the only viable choice.

After confirming the beast was busy with its meal, Joe silently began to inch away. His heart palpitated as he crept back towards the rock without taking his eyes off the wolf. Suddenly, he heard the rumblings of a low growl. He paused, worried he had given his position away when the sound of another twig cracked from behind him.

'I just got tricked by a damn wolf!' Joe cursed his luck as he twisted around just in time to block the charge of a second wolf. The beast crashed into his chest, sending him tumbling along the ground. The wolf followed after him, biting and snarling in an attempt to clinch its jaws around his neck.

Using his sword arm, Joe held off the wolf's jaw by the neck while punching it in the nose with the other. All while ignoring the burning pain in his shoulder. Finally, the beast backed away after the fifth hit, yelping out in agony from a broken snout. The moment's respite was all Joe needed to grab a spare knife in his back pocket and drive it directly into its skull, killing it instantly.

Joe pushed the wolf to the side and promptly grabbed the sword lying next to him. He scrambled up and turned around to scan for the next attack. His instincts were proven right. The other wolf that had been acting as bait had taken the opportunity to launch itself at Joe's blindspot. He wasted no time as he jumped several feet to the side, avoiding the wolf's charge by the thinnest of margins.

The beast flew past and slammed into the ground with enough force to leave a small hole. The wolf's size and power gave it lightning-quick attacks, while its teeth were the size of small knives, allowing it to tear through a grown man with ease.

Unwilling to give the beast a moment to reorientate, Joe jumped up and bolted at the wolf with his sword aimed at its chest. He staked everything on this one charge as he plunged the sword into the wolf's side, eliciting a pained roar. Yet, before he could pull the blade out to finish the job, the wolf turned and pivoted towards him, swinging its claws in retaliation. Its paws cut into his side, leaving large lacerations and causing him to groan out in pain.

Joe jumped back just in time to avoid another swipe of its claws, leaving his blade embedded in its side. The beast swayed from continued blood loss, but it refused to fall. Suddenly, it pounced again, but this time, the sword impacted its speed, allowing Joe to calmly evade. Both man and wolf continued to circle one another. Every time the wolf attacked, Joe would dodge to the side. Eventually, its injuries worsened, causing it to finally collapse from exhaustion.

Its breath was ragged and shallow, suggesting it had a punctured lung. Joe didn't want to take a chance of getting close, so he went back to the other corpse and ripped out the dagger. He waited until the beast was barely conscious before plunging the blade into its neck, sending it to eternal rest.

Joe ripped both the sword and dagger free and then collapsed against a tree. His breath was ragged and his skin pale and sticky with sweat. The wound at his side pulsed and throbbed with pain but wasn’t life-threatening. To think he had come so close to death only a few hours after entering the second floor. How pitiful.

Eventually, Joe recovered enough to open his notifications.

Gray Wolf Lv6 Killed, +400 exp, +350 divine points.

He inspected his status menu and saw he had earned 800 exp or 400 per wolf—a respectable amount considering they were lower level than himself. He wasn't sure if the noise or fresh blood would attract other beasts and had no desire to find out. He grabbed his items and pulled himself up. Bones and muscles groaned out in rebellion, but he pushed through. Once on his feet, he made his way from the scene and headed further into the forest.

***

A sword flashed, slicing through foliage and bushes with ease. Joe had been walking for a few hours now, encountering another five gray wolves which he dispatched with some effort, gaining another 2000 EXP in the process. It was likely the smell that was attracting them. He was covered in blood, turning him into a homing beacon. Joe did his best to minimize his sound and footprint while moving, though it didn't appear to do much good. He had also started to leave marks on trees to avoid getting lost, something he learned on a survivalist show back home. The forest blended in together so well that it was impossible to know if he had been traveling in circles. He had been traveling in the same direction for hours, using precious stamina to cut his way through the undergrowth. Now, the only thing keeping him going was Willpower.

Finally, after clambering down a small hill, he heard it—the sweet sound of running water. With no time to waste, he picked up the pace until he reached a clearing where he spotted a small stream. Joe did a quick scan of the area before racing forward and dunking his head into the water, lapping up the cool soothing liquid. The sensation was invigorating, helping to parch his burning throat. After drinking his fill, Joe lay down on the soft green grass to rest. He needed to find shelter, but his eyes felt heavy. Crawling through the forest teeming with vicious wolves had left him drained. Eventually, his exhaustion overwhelmed him, and a moment later, he was sound asleep.

After an undetermined amount of time, Joe blinked awake. It took a moment to regain mental acuity as the foggy gaze lifted and his memories flooded back. His head and wounds still throbbed from yesterday's battles, but he pushed the pain to one side as he sat up to inspect his surroundings.

The sun in the sky hadn't moved much from its last position, suggesting he hadn't been out long. He would have likely become some beast's snack had he remained unconscious for much longer. Joe looked around and only now realized how mesmerizing the clearing was. Exquisite flowers bloomed among the grass while the soft flowing stream snaked through the clearing like some picture postcard. In the center of the clearing was a majestic fruit tree and hanging from its branches were succulent fruits as big as mangos. To think such an incredible place existed. If someone opened a retreat here, they would make a killing.

The luscious fruits looked delicious, making Joe want to rush up and devour them, but logic fought desire as he assessed the situation. Why would the heavens place a fruit tree on the floor, and why was it undefended? The Tower was anything if not ruthless. However, the Angel had spoken of opportunities, and this fruit tree looked better than any he had seen before. If anything, now was not the time to be indecisive. He wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to survive on this floor with his current injuries, and the more he learned now, the better off he would be later.

Having confirmed there were no immediate beasts in the area, Joe stood up and crept slowly toward the fruit tree. The site was eerily silent except for the sound of running water from the stream. The situation caused Joe’s nerves to tense and his muscles to go taut with suspense. He had almost made it to the tree’s base when suddenly, the land in front of him exploded with an eruption of earth and soil. From underneath the ground, a gigantic badger-like creature ripped through the topsoil and charged at him. It was the size of a small car, and its fur was a deep shade of black with stripes of white extending down from its face, giving it a ferocious look.

The monstrous beast let out a feral roar, demanding death to anyone entering its territory. Joe let out a quiet squeak of fear and backpedaled quickly, refusing to engage in a battle of certain death. Yet the badger sprinted after him like a bullet as its size caused the ground to shake with each step. Joe swore out loud. He had been too greedy and was now paying the price. He rushed out of the clearing without a second glance, praying the beast would refuse to go too far from its burrow.

However, any hopes of escape were soon dashed once he looked back to see the beast still charging after him while smashing through foliage and bushes like a wrecking ball. Joe shuddered in despair. He would never be able to outrun the beast in a direct race, and his stamina was still close to depleted. With no other option available, he gathered his resolve and searched for a place to make his last stand.