Noah deposited his newly acquisitioned sword into his inventory and broke out in an awfully smug grin as he turned around to face the people that had charged towards him with, let’s just say not the most noble of intentions.

30 or so odd men and women stared back at him, each of them well armed in a mix and match of common equipment and weaponry, only a few dozen meters separating them from his position. Hoo boy, he’d cut this one close.

“All that carnage, a demonstration of what would be perhaps the greatest physical strength any human being has ever displayed, and you idiots still come running at me like I’m an easy target. What would it take to deter you lot, should I shoot laser out of my eyes and vaporize you lot?” Noah slowly asked the group, taking time to intone each world clearly lest there be another misunderstanding due to a deficiency in the intellectual department.

“You’re fucking with us,” A middle aged man with a muscular body and elegant beard spoke out with a thick British accent. The accent alone was enough to tick him off, but a few others subconsciously started backing off, even with the Tower’s assurance that combat was disabled.

“Ah well, Mr….. well I’ll just call you John, for I have a very limited sense of imagination. I suppose, John, you must hold a doctorate in alien invasions and mystical powers and their limitations, for you to clearly lay out the limits and the extents of my abilities. Because I, for one have no idea how any of this works, but my instinct tells me that if a regular ol’ unimpressive guy like me here can transform into a 15-meter giant, I’m pretty sure laser eyes should also be on the table. Pity we won’t get to find out, but such is life,” Noah started shaking his head in dismay, as if he genuinely devastated at the idea that he wouldn’t be getting to vaporize a bunch of people today.

His calmness caused more than a few within the group to break out in cold sweats, slowly starting to walk backwards before one of them broke into a sprint and the rest followed. 30 were reduced to 15… just like that.

You will be teleported to the next floor within 29M 59S. Please use this short break to ensure you reach the next trial in peak condition.

Noah seated himself calmly on the grass, with the intention of sorting through his inventory and making a few purchases, but just a minute in his task he was rudely interrupted by one of the 15 challengers, a girl that appeared to be in her early twenties, with an athletic, fit body, hair bundled up nicely in a pony tail, wearing yoga clothes under a hauberk, greaves and boots- no gloves or mask, from the looks of it. She carried a long spear held pointing upwards, as she walked up towards Noah.

“Hey, um, I know we got off to the wrong start but…” The girl said with a tone that was as embarrassed as it was apologetic.

“Hey, um, by wrong start do you mean trying to murder me for my possessions. My, my, they certainly make highwaymen far more pleasing to the eyes these days,” Noah replied with a sarcastic, cutting edge to his voice.

“I didn’t want to harm you… I was desperate and I needed a few more essence points. Just two thousand more is all, if I didn’t have any other option, I wouldn’t come to you. I’m sure you have more than enough… and I’m wrong for what I did, but please?” The young lady was barely squeaking out her voice near the end, trying to show how embarrassed yet genuinely needy she was.

Noah was busy clicking the air in front of him, sorting out his inventory and making knew acquisitions. She was right, Noah definitely did have more than enough Essence Points.

Slain Goblin Lord (Level 10, elite), Contribution %= 100- 50,000 Essence Points Awarded.

Title Unlocked- Realm Shaker

Awarded for slaying an Elite Ranked Goblin Lord above the challenger’s level in floor one of the Tower of Glory, Gridlocked.

+15 All Stats (Except LUK)

+5 Luck

Congratulations, you have reached level 8.

Congratulations, you have reached level 9.

Congratulations, you have reached level 10. This is the level cap for the Tower of Glory.

“You know….” Noah looked at the girl, staring at her right in the eyes, and then continued, “Not very long ago, I was in a similar position to what you find yourself in right now. I was unemployed, two months overdue on rent, with a degree in a field that I had lost most, if not all my passion for. I used to wish, so deeply, so passionately, for a miracle. Of what, I do not know. Perhaps a chance encounter that would rekindle the drive in me to excel in my career, perhaps the re discovery of a long-lost uncle who had left me a sizable inheritance; The miracle itself didn’t matter, I just wanted a sign, something that would make me believe that there was still value in trying,” Noah paused, taking a moment to catch his breath.

“What happened next?” The girl seemed drawn into the story, whether that interest was feigned or not Noah didn’t really care too much about.

“A miracle. My wish was granted, in the form of a civilization ending event. You see, now that I look back upon that time, I realize that the situation wasn’t as complicated as I thought it to be, the path I had to carve out for the future not as convoluted as my mind made it seem- where I saw pain and struggle, others may, perhaps find privilege. I had a home to go back to if everything went sideways, family who loved me and I, them, and a father who raised me right. So, I guess the morale of the story is, be careful for what you wish for, and if you really want something, you’ll eventually obtain it regardless. Just make sure that when you do, it still has some meaning left, “ Noah said, and started walking away from the lady with a melancholic smile on his face.

Well… not too melancholic.

Available Essence Points: 61,250

Essence Shop

Water (1 days’ worth)- 5 EP

Food (1 meal) - 10 EP

Healing Potion- 50 EP

Common rarity weapon- 500 EP

Uncommon rarity weapon- 5000 EP

Elixir of Life (Maximum 10 purchases per person) - 10,000 EP

Uncommon grade chest plate- 5,000 EP

Uncommon grade leggings- 5,000 EP

Rare rarity equipment (Randomized)- 1,000,000 EP

Strength Potion (One time consumable)- 1,000 EP

Dexterity Potion (One time consumable)- 1,000 EP

Wisdom Potion (One time consumable)- 1,000 EP

Intelligence Potion (One time consumable)- 1,000 EP

Combat Art Manual (Common)- 2,500 EP

Goblin's Bane (Uncommon Grade Weapon Evolution Crystal)- 10,000 EP

A minute later, five white vials with a silverish liquid contained within, an uncommon gladius, and an assortment of both stat and heath potions were safely stored within his inventory. Myriad Illusions was an uncommon grade combat art, so he had no need for inferior common ones- and he’d have to master them on his own, they weren’t some instant powerup he could just consume and be done with. Besides, Liam had told him that there would be plenty of time to learn combat arts in the floors to come.

As for armor… heh, he had plenty of top tier armor in his storage. As Noah was lost in his own world, he didn’t notice the burly man charging at him with a large, double sided axe. He noticed at the last second but didn’t do anything about it. The burly man went flying away for ten meters before he could so much so as even harm a hair on his head.

Noah walked up to the dazed man, who was lying face upward, staring at the false sky of gridlocked. Leaning in close so he could look at him closely, Noah spoke, “Has anyone told you that you’re a complete and absolute minger?”

“What does that even mean?” the man spat out with a hoarse, displeased voice.

“Heh. There are some advantages of having an eccentric British mentor, after all.”

End of Floor 1 of The Tower of Glory, Gridlocked.

Begining of Floor 2 of The Tower of Glory, ???