The prize tower was surprisingly peaceful. Inmates loitered on the inside, leaning against the cold brick interior, relishing a chance to get out of the rain. Groups of guards filled in and out of the building, carrying construction supplies. From the number of materials they were carrying, they were making something big.

The atmosphere was tense; years of conflict had bred animosity between the two groups. The smallest of provocations could start an all-out war. However, for now, cooler heads prevailed. After constantly fighting against the invaders, no one had the desire to fight unnecessarily. Especially in a fight, they weren’t sure to win.

He had a feeling that the fragile peace would soon be shattered. Aaron glanced at the group of three inmates that had followed them to the prize tower. With a smile, they had claimed it was a coincidence that they were headed to the same destination. After all, who wouldn’t want to check out a tower that had been magically constructed in a single night and find shelter from the rain?

He didn’t believe their explanation for even a second. His senses were tingling. From their hurried glances at each other and secretive hand motions, it was clear that they were planning something. He just wasn’t sure what.

He dragged his tired body to one of the blue crystals implanted in the wall. His best course of action would be to replenish his resources before they decided what to do. He noticed the group of inmates following him out of the corner of his eye - their hands rested on their guns.

So it was that type of situation. They were here to steal from him. The mere idea of that happening was offensive to him; no way he would let that happen. He couldn't be the best thief of all time if he allowed someone to pilfer his belongings. He covertly signaled Jess. She sped up her shopping, she understood the situation.

He briefly considered a preemptive surprise attack before discarding the idea. They were in no condition to fight, their mana was low, and their bodies were bruised. A straight-up brawl wouldn’t end well for them.

He opened the shop interface and bought a health potion. A glass bottle filled with red liquid flashed into existence. He brought it to his lips and downed it. Immediately, a warm wave of healing energy washed through him. Before his eyes, his burnt arm healed, restoring it to a more normal color. The injury wasn’t gone, but he could at least move his arm now.

“Stop! Put your hands up, or I’ll shoot you,” the burly inmate yelled. He slowly turned, finishing off the rest of the health potion. The three men that had followed them back now held them at gunpoint. He couldn’t say he was surprised.

He eyed the gun; he didn’t fancy his chances against it at close range. He doubted he could kill them before they could pull the trigger. He would need to find a more diplomatic solution to the situation.

Honestly, he was too tired to bother with a brawl. He just wanted to take his prizes and go home. Was that too much to ask?

The smallest of the trio of robbers nervously glanced around. His facial hair made him look like the type of guy who would rob an old lady to get enough money to buy a salad from Pizza Hut. “Are you sure this is a good idea; that’s Tony.”

Most of the occupants of the tower quickly evacuated the building. However, some continued their shopping, uncaring of the battle that was about to take place.

“Who?” the robber asked. The last member of their team stared at them silently with unblinking eyes, ignoring the conversation.

He pointed at the old man. “That’s Tony; back in the day, they used to call him The Plague because anyone who crossed his path would invariably die. I heard he killed three men at once, with one pencil.”

The Italian rubbed the back of his head, a faint blush across his cheeks. He was more bothered by the mention of his past than the guns that were pointed at him. “Those are embarrassing memories, don’t bring them up. I’m not like that anymore.”

The buff robber, which Aaron had taken to calling Burly sighed. “You idiot, you watch too much t.v.; a pencil isn’t long enough to stab through three people at once. Stop believing everything you hear. Besides, you heard the man; we have nothing to fear.” Burly flipped off the safety on his gun. “Now, spend all your Invasion Points on supplies for us, or else we’ll kill you.”

“Alright, don’t get so worked up. What do you want?”

“Food and health potions,” the previously silent robber said. Aaron nodded. That one was the most dangerous; he would have to eliminate him first.

He scrolled through the long list of items, searching for something he could use to get out of this situation. He thought of buying a large tower shield to block their bullets. It was within his budget, and it would certainly catch them by surprise. However, Jess and Tony would be left out in the open.

If he followed that course of action, he would likely be able to kill the three robbers, but Tony and Jess would also die. That wasn’t a trade he was willing to make. Especially after they risked their lives to come back and save him from the imps. It was rare to find people who were semi-trustworthy on this island. Additionally, he still had to fulfill his promise to Tony; he couldn’t get the man off the island if he was dead.

“Hurry up, we don’t have all day.”

“Sorry, I’m dyslexic,” Aaron lied. Feeling that their patience was wearing thin, he bought the small food package. In a flash, a picnic basket covered by a white piece of cloth appeared in his hands. He opened it up, showing the food that laid inside. A fresh loaf of bread and sort of packaged meat called out to him. His stomach rumbled. “Is this what you wanted?”

Burly nodded. “Now put the health potions in the basket, and we can be on our way.” Cold violence rested in the man’s eyes. Without a doubt, he would try to kill them once he had gotten what he had wanted. The only reason Burly hadn’t shot them yet, was probably because he wasn’t sure if Invasion Points would transfer over after death. There was no reason for Burly to risk it; he held all the power in this situation. He had a gun; they didn’t.

“Give me a minute. I’m a slow reader,” he said as he rapidly scrolled through blue screens. However, he wasn’t navigating the Prize Tower; he was rapidly opening and closing his Skill Path screens, seeing what was new. For most, he didn’t even take the time to read their descriptions; he was on a time crunch.

He flipped the white cloth over the picnic basket, hiding what was on the inside. He drummed his fingers on its interior; he had a plan.

Multi-Task 1 (0/10): Why do one job well when you can do two poorly? Allows access to other spells while Explosive Mark is being prepared. Spell efficiency and effectiveness area reduced while multitasking. Short Fuse 1 (0/15): The only situation where having a short fuse is a positive. Allows the charge time to be lowered in exchange for Explosive Mark dealing less damage. Quick-Charge 1 (0/20): It’s not the strongest gun that wins the fight, but the fastest. Halves the time it takes to place an Explosive Mark. Radius (0/20): A wise man doesn’t waste time with multiple attacks; he wipes out all his enemies in a single explosion. Moderately increase the blast radius of Explosive Mark. Power 1 (0/20): A familiar path, one you have tread before. Grasp the power to blow away your enemies. Explosive Mark blast damage moderately increased. Elemental (0/30): Right now, Explosive Mark fails to live up to its namesake. Explosions aren’t solely made of mana. You stand at the precipes of a decision and a ruined world. What direction does your journey take you? *Branching Path! Path Rewards are based on your decisions. Complete at your own risk.*

At the moment, most of the paths were useless to him. He needed to choose a Path that would give him the power to eliminate the robbers in a single strike. Only two matched that description: Radius and Power 1. Elemental looked promising, but if a Branching Path was anything like a Challenge Path, he didn’t have the time or energy to complete one right now.

He completed Radius, earning 8 points in Magic, 6 in Perception, and 6 in Dexterity. Without taking the time to read the congratulatory message that marked the end of the Path, he began to put his points in Power 1. Finishing the Path rewarded him with 8 points in Magic, 6 in Strength, and 6 in Defense.

Familiar, yet different, in the end, all doors lead to the same place. However, you are nowhere near the end. For now, you start your journey on a desolate road, cratered by constant explosions. Dust clouds the horizon, but in the distance, you can see a road you have tread before. Perhaps, they will converge in the future.

As he skimmed the message, he began engraving Explosive Mark onto the inside of the basket. The white cloth hid his work - the robbers were completely unaware of his actions.

Jess brought two health potions over to their basket, looking like she had eaten a lemon. He could tell she was on the verge of an outburst; she wouldn’t take something like this lying down. He opened the cloth covering, careful to only show her the insides of the basket. Her mouth turned upwards as she placed the potions inside. She no longer had the desire to fight.

Burly pointed his gun at Tony. “You too, old man. Give us all your stuff.”

“I don’t have anything.” The robber’s finger inched closer to the trigger.

“Drop the guns, now!” a guard standing by the entrance of the Prize Tower shouted. Aaron looked at the man in confusion? Where did he come from? He didn’t mind the assistance, but he couldn’t understand why the guard would come to his rescue. He was just another criminal, after all.

“Step away from my comrade, or I'll shoot you.” His mouth opened slightly in understanding. Even though it was burnt and torn, he was still wearing his stolen guard uniform. The guard must have mistaken him for someone else.

The robbers didn’t drop their guns. Instead, Burly pointed his weapon at the guard. It was now a three-way standoff.

“Let’s not do anything hasty. No one has to get hurt,” Aaron said. The engraving finished its construction - a robust mental connection formed in his mind. It was more durable than before, he could wait longer than before to set off the explosion, but he was still sitting on a ticking time bomb. He had to get rid of it quickly. There was no way to cancel the skill once he had placed the mark.

He held out the basket to the trio of robbers. “I’m a generous guy; I’ll give you the basket if you promise to leave us alone.”

Burly laughed deeply, the noise reverberating in his chest. “I had a feeling that you were a reasonable person. Though part of me wishes that you tried to fight back. I was looking forward to breaking every bone in your body.” He roughly snatched the basket.

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Sorry I couldn’t make your dreams come true; not everyone is a musclebound idiot like you. Some of us can solve our problems without using violence.”

“You got a big mouth, tough guy. The next time I see you, I’ll kill you.” The trio swaggered out of the tower, laughter, and insults flowing freely from their lips. Aaron waved goodbye with a sardonic smile.

“You’re just going to let them go?” Tony asked. “That’s out of character. I thought you couldn’t stand the thought of someone else stealing from you. In the distance, the trio's silhouettes disappeared into the mist.

Aaron hummed. “Technically, dead men can’t steal.” Three shrill screams rang out as the thick fog flashed blue. A second later, half of a loaf of bread bounced to the ground next to his feet - its lower half completely blown off. He picked it up and took a bite out of it. No one got away with stealing from him.

Congratulations! Explosive Mark Lvl 15→16. 2 Skill Points Awarded.

Human | Mage Level 4 Slain! 200 Exp Gained. 16 Invasion Points Earned.

Human | Rogue Level 5 Slain! 250 Exp Gained. 16 Invasion Points Earned.

Human | Crafter Level 4 Slain! 200 Exp Gained. 16 Invasion Points Earned.