“Foundation Building,” Tian Bu Ru laughed, while flying around in circles. “At last! Now you won’t die of hunger any more. You will be able to live off the qi of heaven and earth.”

“Thank God!” Bon laughed happily. “Fifteen years of dying! I can finally relax a little.” Bon got up and left the cave.

“Where are you going?” Tian Bu Ru asked. “You have to train.”

“I’m going to hunt first. I'm still hungry.”

“That’s just in your mind.”

“Eating is good for my mental health.”

“Oh, not that again,” Tian Bu Ru harrumphed. “Don’t keep going on about your mental health like some kind of wimp. Grin and bear it like a man.”

“You sound like my grandfather,” Bon sighed. He missed his family. He missed Sarah.

“I sound like your master, which I should, since I am. Now start training. You need to be more powerful in your sonic attacks before you can kill the next boss.”

“I’ll kill the boss later.” Bon ventured back into the valley, and stared at his reflection in a lake. He hadn’t aged a day since he got here. The Tutorial was keeping his body at its peak. He found a wild boar and speared it. He found some herbs that would go well with the meat, and went back to the safe zone, to cook his lunch.

“We must tackle Core Formation now,” said Tian Bu Ru. “You’re going to have to work harder.”

“I work hard enough,” Bon said indignantly. “The amount of effort I put in to kill that spider has earned me some rest.”

“Fine!” Tian Bu Ru snapped. “Just don’t get lazy. It’s easy to give up on everything in the Tutorial, and we’re in the Alpha, which is much worse.”

“I won’t give up,” Bon sighed as he remembered his life outside the Tower. “I have a fiancée waiting for me.”

Was Sarah in the Tower as well? How was she doing? Would she be able to make it out? All the better if she hadn’t been chosen by the Tower. Time was moving at a slower rate inside the Tower. She would not have to wait for him too long.

“What about you?” Bon asked Tian Bu Ru. “Do you have anybody waiting for you out there?”

Tian Bu Ru looked sadly at the sky, “I had a wife and two children, but they passed away a few centuries before I got trapped here.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Bon wanted to pat Tian Bu Ru’ s back, but his hand went right through him.

“Hey!” Tian Bu Ru hit him with his fly whisk. “Respect my personal space.”

“How did they—pass?”

“A warlord wanted to take my wife and daughters for himself. My family fought him until the bitter end. I was not there at the time. I was at Headquarters, buried in work. I didn't know what was happening until it was too late.”

“Headquarters of what?” The more Tian Bu Ru talked, the more questions Bon had.

“The Estra quadrant. It is a vast region of space containing many solar systems. The Earth is one of the planets within its jurisdiction.”

“Where is the headquarters located?”

“Not on Earth. It’s on a planet far away called Elian.”

Bon dragged the boar to a comfortable spot and began his bloody work.

“What kind of boss do we have to kill here anyway?” Bon asked, while he butchered the boar.

“Butterfly Dustblower.”

“A butterfly? That sounds easy.”

“It’s not,” said Tian Bu Ru. “You will have to lure it here and kill it like you killed the Arachnid Queen. It’s a flying enemy. You stand no chance against it any other way.”

After he ate, Bon began to mimic the poses that Tian Bu Ru showed him. This would help him adjust to his new strength. Then, he began to circulate his qi, making it ever denser. His guitar’s sonic attacks had become much more powerful. He was able to fully pulverize a tree with a single note. His body was faster, stronger and tougher. After reaching the lower layer of Foundation Building, Tian Bu Ru deemed him ready to face the Butterfly Boss.

He found the Boss sitting on the branch of a tree, perched like a bird. Its wings were a beautiful pattern of neon colors.

Discovered (BOSS) Butterfly Dustblower

As the first player to discover this Boss you have gained some stat and skill points

STR +3

AGI +7

CON +1

INT +7

WIS +5

SP +2

The attribute point bonuses kept changing depending on the Boss. The skill point bonus always remained a steady two. Bon wondered what he would do with all these skill points once he finished the Introduction Quest. What would he do with so many skills? Would there even be enough skills to level up?

The Butterfly spotted him and took to the air. Bon ran. He was able to easily outrun the Butterfly, even though he was on the ground. Foundation Building Stage cultivators were very strong. He would have to thank the old man in a better fashion. Words weren’t enough. Bon made it to the safe zone and immediately took out his guitar. He started playing a little jig, taunting the Butterfly to come closer. The Butterfly kept darting towards him, trying to get within the safe zone, but was pushed back by an invisible barrier each time. It tried to get in from different directions, but had no luck. It blew a stream of purple sparkles at Bon, but the sparkles couldn’t get past the barrier.

Bon laughed. He could see its red HP bar steadily emptying. Ah! Killing Bosses like this was so relaxing. After a few days, the Butterfly was dead.

You have killed (BOSS) Butterfly Dustblower

You have leveled up

x5

Title has leveled up to LVL3

“Show Title.”

Boss Slayer LVL3

Increases damage to Boss monsters by 7.5%

Increases all stats by 7.5%

Increases critical hits on Bosses by 5%

“What are you grinning about?” Tian Bu Ru asked.

“My title leveled up.”

Tian Bu Ru sighed and shook his head, “Don’t get over reliant on Titles. The bonuses disappear once the Tutorial is over. It isn’t true strength.”

“Clearing the Tutorial will take forever,” said Bon. “This title will help a lot.”

Tian Bu Ru shrugged, “Do what you want, but if I were you I would fight without the Title. Using your true strength at all times means you will always know what you are capable of. Your expectations will be on point.”

“Alright, alright,” Bon mentally unequipped the title. “Happy now?”

Tian Bu Ru nodded as he flew over the loot.

There was a blue quality blowgun, a little bigger than his palm, with a set of twenty darts. The darts had a purple liquid on their tips, most probably poison. Then there was a green quality saber. It looked slim and elegant. There were twenty gold coins as always.

Bon made his way to the Butterfly’s tree and entered the portal beneath it.

Time passed. Bon reached the Core Formation Stage at the same time he killed his eight hundredth Boss. His qi formed three solid cores in his body, gold in color. He then had to practice revolving the cores. The qi he could circulate was massive. He could now manipulate qi outside his body. Tian Bu Ru taught him a few fighting skills: The Exploding Mountain Five Fingers, the Harmonious Gathering of Light, Windfeet Movement Technique, Fist of the Rapid River and The Twelve Moons Claw. He learned how to fly on a sword, using his qi to manipulate the air beneath.

With his flying sword and guitar he didn’t even need to lure the Bosses to the safe zone anymore. He soon grew bored of fighting the Bosses in this fashion. He trained and gained proficiency in many weapons—sword, great sword, bow and arrow, javelin, dual daggers, rapier and dagger, shield and sword, sickle and chain, mace, ax, sling, chakram and crossbow.

He used the Bosses as sparring partners. They were now too weak to harm him.

You have killed (BOSS) Corrupted War God

You have leveled up

From the Corrupted War God he got a multicolored sphere, filled with gold, purple and orange.

“Legendary drop,” Tian Bu Ru’s jaw dropped. “What is it?”

Bon touched the item and took out a honey comb from his inventory.

“This is good stuff,” said Tian Bu Ru. “I didn’t know the Tutorial Tower had this. Eat it.”

Bon nibbled at the honey comb. It tasted quite good. He finished the honey comb and then received a strange message from the Tower.

You have evolved

He didn’t feel any different. He looked at his reflection in the nearby lake. Nothing had changed.

“What did I just eat?” he asked Tian Bu Ru.

“Ambrosia. It should transform you into a demigod. Did it work?”

“I’m not sure.”

Bon continued slaying Bosses, becoming stronger and stronger, until finally they couldn’t withstand a single hit from him. His inventory was filled with legendary loot, but he only wore the clothes he had come into the Tutorial with—a white collared shirt, black pants, and leather shoes.

Inevitably, they reached the final Boss, the Demon King. He was even less of a challenge than the Boss before him, Bone Dragon Lord. A door opened behind the Demon King’s throne, and bright golden light shone from it.

“Finally,” Tian Bu Ru yelled. “We’re out of this damn place.”

“This is the end of the Alpha Test?” Bon asked, not yet stepping through the door.

“Yes, yes. Walk through, you fool.”

“We’ve been killing Bosses for two thousand three hundred and thirty three years, according to your calculations. There’s no hurry.”

Tian Bu Ru hit him with his illusory fly whisk. “Unfilial disciple—”

“I’m just kidding,” Bon grinned. “And I’m not your disciple.” He stepped through the doorway.

Exiting from Alpha Test Server 22

Exiting Tutorial

Error

Player has not yet completed the Tutorial

Teleporting to First Floor of Trial Space 245

Teleportation successful

Time ratio adjusted 1:100

Welcome to the Tutorial Tower

Good Luck

Bon had just been teleported to a white room lit by bright lamps on the ceiling. Within it was a long corridor.

“Finally,” Tian Bu Ru danced, “I’m out! I’m out! It’s time to go home.” He cleared his throat and then put on a serious face. “Disciple, remember to hide your power. The more power you have the more trouble you will attract. It’s a law of the Universe.”

“I can handle any trouble,” Bon said arrogantly.

“Can you handle the gods?”

“Who knows?”

“Maybe,” Tian Bu Ru considered after a few moments. “You have become a monster. You will reach the Nascent Soul Stage in a few days. I can’t even guess how powerful you will be when you are augmented with mana.” Tian Bu Ru sighed with emotion, “We’ve spent a long time together, but it is time I leave. Come find me when you finish the Tutorial. I have to show you to the Universe, as proof of my greatness.”

“Yeah yeah, I know,” said Bon. “I’ll look for you in the Estra quadrant headquarters, if I can even get there. Humans aren’t capable of traveling through interstellar space yet.”

“You soon will be,” Tian Bu Ru said cryptically. “Now smash the necklace.”

Bon pulled the necklace off his neck and squeezed it within his fist until it turned to dust. Tian Bu Ru waved goodbye as his body disappeared. Bon hoped he would be safe, on his journey back to his body. They had been together for more than two thousand years. They had listened to each others’ stories for centuries on end, and had learned to trust each other completely.

Tian Bu Ru might have insisted on being called ‘Master,’ but they had a relationship more like siblings than teacher and student. Bon was sorry to see him go.

Bon wondered how he would react on seeing Sarah again. It was so long ago that he could hardly remember her face, but her voice was crystal clear in his memory. He would never forget it, no matter what. He had daydreamed about having a conversation with her so many times.

He walked down the brightly lit corridor and found a woman waiting for him. She looked to be around nineteen years old, but looks could be deceiving in this tower. After all, Bon looked like he was twenty three.

“You’re late. Why didn't you come here in the same batch as all the other Earthlings, eighty five days ago? All my colleagues were making fun of me.” the woman glared at him and then cleared her throat. “Welcome to the Tutorial Tower. Congratulations! You, and a million people like you, have been selected to enter the Tower from a pool of eight billion.”

“Those are some mighty fine odds,” Bon said brightly.

She ignored him, “My name is Tomato and I shall be your guide.”

“Your name is really Tomato?” Bon tried not to laugh. He bit his trembling lips. Her cheeks began to blush, which made Bon want to laugh even harder.

“Yes,” she brandished her fists at him, “You have a problem with that?”

“No, no,” Bon said. “It’s just that Carrot would suit you so much better, with your hair color.”

“As your guide,” Tomato continued, “I will be assisting you in climbing the floors of the Tutorial Tower, whether it is by managing your purchases, or giving you helpful tips. So, it will be in your best interest to be nice to me.”

“How do I complete the Introduction and the Trainer’s Quest? And can I buy ketchup from the Store?” He knew he was being mean, but he couldn’t resist teasing her. Her name was just too much!

Tomato raised an eyebrow, “How do you know about the quests?”

“I read a book,” Bon lied.

“The Introduction Quest will begin as soon as you enter that door.” She gestured to the door at the end of the corridor. You will meet the Skill Trainer on the fifth floor.”

“All right,” said Bon. “Let’s get to it then. See you later, Tomato.”

“Wait,” shouted Tomato. “I’ve just added a package to your inventory. It contains bread and water. The Tower will provide you with one such package every day, so ration it accordingly.”

He walked through the door and a message immediately popped up in front of him.

Introduction Quest 1 / 2

Offense is the best defense

Choose your weapon and hit the dummy a hundred times

The new room was just like the previous one, except there was a rack against the wall, containing an assortment of weapons. A wooden dummy stood in the center of the room, with straw covering its body and a face painted on a gunny sack as its head.

Bon chose a normal looking sword and began striking the dummy. He hit it so fast that there were sparks with each strike. He slowed down, scared that the dummy would catch fire and ruin his quest.

Introduction Quest 2 / 2

Danger comes from all directions

Walk through the corridor to the next room

Bon walked through the corridor. Arrows and darts flew at him from all directions, but they couldn’t pierce his body, and fell harmlessly to the ground. Was he supposed to dodge these feeble attacks? Bon dodged the next few attacks, and jumped over a pit that was filled with spikes. From the layout of the traps, it seemed that he was supposed to run through this area, rather than casually saunter through it. It was better to do things by the book. Bon ran to the next room, too quickly for the traps to keep up with him.

Congratulations on passing the Introduction Quest

Menu commands unlocked

“Attributes,” Bon said immediately. He looked at all the data and focused on the important numbers.

HP

MP

30,000,100 / 30,000,100

3,395,720/ 3,395,720

STR

AGI

CON

INT

WIS

1,740,585

1,560,430

2,000,000

1,697,860

1,435,890

Unassigned SP

Unassigned Stat Points

447,656

626,800

Bon whistled. Those were some big numbers.

“Status.”

Level: 125,360

EXP 32,833,751,246,251,170

Next 32,834,537,002,731,268

Equipment

Attributes

Skills

Titles

Tomato wasn’t on the second floor. Maybe she only appeared on special floors, or she may have gotten angry with him and quit her job. The latter was more likely.

Bon wandered through the next floor. All sorts of traps and poisonous gases tried to kill him, but his HP remained unaffected. After the horrors of the Alpha Test, the proper Tutorial was like a walk in the park.