The Cataclysmic World Of Alheira 15 Chapter 15: The Pillar

To put it simply, a pillar stays for seven days. It consists of thirty floors and each floor determines the level of the monsters that dwell inside. There is one catch though, that the Pillar system follows a special rule called Collective Rewards.

Collective Rewards Rule: While partic.i.p.ating in the event, experience and battle loots collected will be stored instead and will only be given when the person leaves the event.

However, when you leave the event, you will obtain the collective rewards yet you cannot partic.i.p.ate again. You will be forbidden to enter the Pillar and a barrier will push you away when you step inside it.

Each person that enters the pillar will be given an escape token. Since going down to the ground floor takes days, the pillar provides you an item that lets you escape the Pillar and lets you receive the rewards. There is one disadvantage also... You cannot use it if all the monsters lurking on that floor haven't been taken down yet or simply, you haven't killed them all.

On the 30th floor, the Pillar Boss floor, there is a sacrificial pit found inside. It is a large hole found on the floor and on the bottom of it are spikes made of large rocks. If you luckily weaken enough the boss and push it there, All the items and skills of the pillar boss will be rewarded to you. Talk about a very worthy reward.

So that's where our plan is. We were to weaken the boss and I'll support the rear guard which is Elena. Ymil and Arnel will lead the attack and Ayumi will use stealth attacks to deal lethal damage. Once the boss had weakened, we will push it back into the sacrificial pit. Its stats and items will be rewarded to us, gaining all its belonging.

The pillar is a race though, may the first adventurer arrive first.

We were gladly preparing our selves. The dozens of daggers that Ayumi had bought was for this day. I was inside the comfort room, relieving myself when a sudden earthquake hits the ground.

"Ah!" I fell on my back.

Good thing I finished p.i.s.sing. Imagine that I was still doing it then I fell on my back, I would be drenched in my own p.i.s.s.

I stood on both of my feet and went out. I could hear screams from the village and shouts.

"It's here! The pillar has fallen! Evacuate!"

"Let's go!"

"This way! This way!"

I forgot to mention. If we failed to clear the pillar, a miasma of monsters would terrorize the nearby village.

I went back into the room and they were all prepared. They hid their faces in hoods and steadied their grip on their weapon. Ayumi hid her face from me. All I can see is herself biting her lips.

Koneko was sleeping by the bed, I was already accustomed not being with Koneko for a couple of minutes.

Arnel raised his hand clenched into a fist then shouted.

"Let's do this!"

"Right!" We screamed in unison.

Koneko jumped down from the bed then hovered on my shoulder. Her eyes were energetic and her ears and tail were wagging. She was excited to fight monsters.

We ran out of the inn and as we left, the Pillar was already noticeable from afar. It's height reached the heavens that have been covered by the night. It was towering the skies and extended like a mansion.

We ran through the fields together with some adventurers. They seem excited but as they spot us, they stopped on their feet.

I heard one saying:

"Tsk... It's them again..."

Why are they so afraid of us?

The pillar gate was now visible and knights riding horses surrounded the pillar.

I could see adventurers complaining at the knights guarding the entrance to the pillar. They seemed to forbid them to enter.

"That's not right! Everyone should be able to partic.i.p.ate!"

"Silence sc.u.m!"

The knight kicked him away and he reeled off the ground.

As we arrive near the entrance, the knights crossed their spear.

"None shall enter."

Arnel took his hood off, revealing his face. The knights suddenly withdraw their spears and made a way for us. Just how well known are these people?

I pa.s.sed by and got a glimpse of a knight smiling as he looked down on me.

What's wrong with these knights?

We walked in somewhat of a hallway and as we arrive on the door a notification popped up.

*Escape Token Received*

Suddenly our body shimmered a flickering spark and took us off into a different floor.

It seems that if your level is high enough, the pillar would teleport you to a recommended floor. It made it easy for us since climbing each floor would take days.

We found ourselves standing in an altar and the floor was adorned with marble and carvings.

*Floor 29*

Just one more floor and its the boss already? Just talk about inconvenient. And here I was, excited to climb dungeon floors. This team is basically a cheat.

The floor was covered by mossy cobblestone walls and there were cobwebs everywhere. The room was gloomy and torches were the only source of light.

There were monsters swarming the floor. I could identify each of them thanks to my system.

Level 29

-Skeletal Knights-30

-Skeletal Archers-25

-Skeletal Mages-25

-Giant Skeletal Warriors-4

The 29th floor was a skeleton-based monster floor. The knights were wearing full armor and wielded shield and sword. The archers wore nothing except a bow and quiver to load their arrows. The skeletal mages were wearing tattered robes. And lastly, the Giant Skeletal Warriors, who wore a helmet and a breastplate, wields humongous scimitar swords.

As soon as we arrived, they launched their attacks.

"Spread Out!" Arnel shouted.

We've separated from ourselves, it started to rain arrows and magic spells everywhere. The skeletal knights charged at us with their shield and swords. The giant warriors were taking each step in slow-moving stomps, their swords screeching on the floor.

I couldn't do much since I was below their level. All I could do were to avoid their attacks with my stride and divide their groups.

Nyaaaan!

"Koneko! Fox Queen and screech!"

Nyaaaan!

Koneko obediently obeyed my order and morphed into her fox queen form. She steadied her legs and released a deafening screech.

I observed the skeletons nevertheless they seemed unaffected by Koneko's screech. I realized that these monsters didn't have ears.

How could I be so dumb? These monsters are skeletons! Of course, they won't have ears!

"Koneko! Revert!"

As soon as Koneko reverted back to her cat form, a sword swung at her but she was able to avoid it by ascending upward.

"Sabertooth Empress! Then use Double Psionic Slash!"

I commanded her as I dashed throughout the battlefield. For a brief moment, I felt a slow-motion as an arrow flew right in my eye however a dagger countered it. I looked and saw Ayumi threw it.

"Thanks!"

She didn't reply and only went back to the fight. She was adroitly moving on the field, dashing, disappearing and dealing lethal blows. She was highly skilled. Maybe her master is nearby that's why she was able to move this efficient. There was a group of five skeletons and she took it out in one dash.

"Shadow Flow!" She shouted her skill.

Focusing on my own battle, an arrow got me on my shoulder.

"Ugh!"

I shouldn't be distracted. d.a.m.n this hurts but I need to pull it out.

Koneko who was floating on the air released a cloud of mist. It cleared and dived out as a sabertooth into the skeleton warrior and took its head in a bite. She crouched down and released a roar sending two blades of waves made of air, rending the skeletons who got caught in it. A dark pulse shaped like a ball made of magic flew into Koneko, knocking her down.

"Koneko!"

"Grah!"

She replied, her voice seemed to change as well. She was fine, seems like she was able to cast her opalescent barrier before the attack reached her.

I rushed towards the skeleton mage that knocked Koneko and punched it with my fist, however it didn't flinch. It swung his arm to my head but I was able to dodge it as I duck. I sent another fist into its ribs, making it receive the brunt of my punch. I felt a crack and the skeleton took two steps backward before falling into its knees. I dashed around it then whirled my body in the air before kicking it. My kick sent its skull flying towards the giant warrior's head with a clanging metal sound. It noticed me. It walked towards me and lifted its sword.

"Grah!"

Koneko sent two waves of blades made of air, her Double Psionic Slash, and severed the legs of the warrior. It fell face first on the ground and its skull fractured. I dashed towards the fracture, thinking it was the weak spot, and tried to thrash it. However, the giant warrior lifted its skeletal body and caught my leg with its arm. squeezing my flesh.

"Ugh! d.a.m.n it!"

It hurts so bad and things got worse. It tried crushing my leg by clenching its hand but thanks to my pa.s.sive skill, called Adamantine Bones, my bones didn't break however my flesh started to rapture and blood came spraying out of it.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

d.a.m.n it! d.a.m.n it! d.a.m.n it hurts! I can feel myself vomiting.

It was even worse when he started to lift me up. He was about to throw me, my companions seemed to be busy dealing with the other giant warriors. It tossed me by the wall and made a huge thud. I felt my back broke some ribs and heard it crack. I tried to stand up but my leg was severed. I shivered on the floor. The giant warrior came crawling at me.

I was done for but Arnel suddenly appeared and slashed the head of the skeleton.

I looked around and seemed that the monsters were easily wiped out.

Arnel reached his hand for me.

I stood by a single leg and hopped towards Koneko. I was about to fall when Ayumi caught me and helped me stand. She took my arm and put it around her shoulders.

"Thank you, Ayumi."

Then again it was the silent treatment. My resiliency skill was slowly taking effect that I had to drink two potions. However, it didn't heal enough. The wound was dealt with a level twenty-nine monster and my skill was only able to treat injuries dealt by level twenty below.

A door appeared on the plain wall. Rubbles of stone were falling from the ceiling and an information panel appeared.

*FLOOR 29 CLEARED*

We took a rest by the door that separates the floor from the stairs leading to the boss floor.

"Ymil, make sure you use your damage boost on me." Arnel spoke.

"Elena would be responsible for restricting its movement. Ayumi should hide and wait for an opening and use surprise attacks to deal a substantial amount of damage." Ymil replied while he wrung his greatsword behind his back.

Ayumi was busy discussing with Elena in the corner of the floor and Koneko was inspecting the bones. A huge mist suddenly exploded and she turned into a cat. She immediately went to my aid. She must have noticed that my negative feelings started welling up inside me.

Arnel was discussing things with Ymil but I couldn't hear them from all this pain. My wound was taking time to heal. I hope I don't hinder them. I don't want to be a burden to them. I took a sword found from a skeleton. I remembered that my curse only implied man-made weapons so maybe this will work.

I swung, it shattered.

*CURSE: REPENT*

+The user is unable to wield man-made weapons.

+The user is unable to wield weapons that came from monsters.

d.a.m.n it! I didn't read all the curses. So even a weapon made by monsters aren't allowed? Tsk!

I swiped my icon away.

Koneko was scratching my shoulder. She was stretching her body.

Nyaaan! Nyaaan!

Sigh... I hope things will be fine later on the boss fight.