Notice! User will be given the item ‘Pandora’s Bag’!

  Pandora’s Bag- (A-) 0.01 lb (4.54 g)

  (A magical bag that has been cursed with the power of Pandora. Every time you enter a different floor, you can pull a random item of B grade or lower out of it. However, depending on the item, the events, and people you meet will be influenced by the tower. There is also a small chance that special items will spawn inside the floor you are on.)

  As Eden is gifted with this new item, a giant blue portal opens roughly 3 ft (0.91 m) in front of him. He stares at it for a few seconds, mesmerized by the swirling vortex, a foreign concept to Eden. But he snaps back to reality after this initial amazement, and begins to slowly approach the mysterious portal. The raised stone hand fell down after Eden had hit the target, so it was a rather easy, but slow walk due to his caution. But when Eden finally reaches the portal, a system message covers the wide vortex, blocking any further advancement.

  Would User ‘Eden’ like to move to the second floor? Yes No.

  Well I have no reason to decline now do I. Eden believes with little hesitation, as he selects yes. When he does this, the portal abruptly heaves him inside with a powerful gravitational pull, leaving Eden no time to react before he is sucked inside. As he is sent through the portal, his body heavies as if gravity itself has increased. He opens and closes his hand, noticing that it is moving a decent bit slower. But after a short moment, once Eden tests the new gravity, Eden appears on an enormous stone platform high above ground level in the middle of what could only be described as a medieval outpost. The stone platform, cracked to no end, is in the shape of a circle, with monoliths surrounding the outskirts of the floor, each with a massive mystical blue crystal levitating above. The crystals glowed brightly when Eden originally arrived, but now float without shine, darker than a shadow. In front of Eden is a stone archway, which while full of cracks from the text of time, it still stands as powerfully as ever. What follows is a set of stairs leading off the platform, also made of old stone. Right before those chair however was a muscular, rough looking tall old man with brown hair, beard, and eyes. He was sleeping in a wooden chair with a massive greatsword on his back that must have been twice his size, and a castle shield that looked a meter thick. To contrast his heavy armaments, he was wearing rather thin theft-like clothing meant for more lightweight agile fighters, something the old bearded man was anything but with his bear-built body. It would seem like the man was supposed to guard the platform, but the guard was snoring away, so Eden turned to look around outside the platform.

  He saw a few small houses made of fine wood, Acacia lined with bloodwood no doubt to anyone with knowledge on wood, and one massive building at the back size of the outpost made entirely of Australian Buloke. There were also tables housing umbrellas, with benches made of redwood scattered about. There were also two small stalls with an assortment of different items on display, and a few people there buying some food. But the most notable person is a man styled like Bigfoot selling a massive axe to an astonished merchant. A little further out he sees a few towers to which he assumes guards stay, with how similar it looks to fantasy guard houses. Whilst Eden was looking around however, the man assumed to be a guard starts to snore and wake up.

  *Yawn* “Guess I should get back to work. Though it is not like anyone is going to show up, the next batch is Asgard, and they would tell me of all people when they are showing up. So unless someone from the outside got taken again, but that has not happened in over 100 years-woah! Wait, it actually happened!” The guard uttered, shocked at Eden’s presence. But he quickly gets in a more professional stance, and begins to talk with Eden.

  *Cough cough* Welcome fine sir! You just came from the first floor I take it?” The guard presumes. “My name is Gils De Bodvar, captain of the mountain knights and protector of Elderwood.” Gils proclaims loudly. “Now fine sir, what be thy’s name?” Glis asks.

  “I am Eden, a new member of the tower and a humble farmer.” He tells Gils, who on the contrary to Loki has no recoil to this information, so Eden continues with a question.

  “Now I could help but to overhear something about Asgard.” Eden slyly asks, trying to obtain some information.

  “Ah yes, I have quite the connection you see. But might I ask how that is of thy concern? Not to be rude of course.” Gils asks, seeming to have picked up the meaning of Eden’s question.

  “Well you see, Gils, I had a run in with one of the Asgardian gods, I assume you can guess which one from my appearance.” Eden remarks, showing off his body that is well-built, but dwarfed by Gill's giant stature. Gils ponders on his words before putting two and two together, where he realises Eden’s connection with a certain, not warriorlike god from Asgard. He hesitates to speak, but sighs and starts to explain, feeling apologetic for Eden’s experience, so he decides to explain his connecting.

  “I am a member of Asgard, and a student of Heimdall, keeper of the Bifrost. I was sent here from orders of the Olympian/Asgard alliance, for the purpose of keeping our floor count and strength at an equal level.” Gils tells Eden, confusing him, but he stays silent.

  So there are the Olympus Gods as well. If I had to guess, that means there are quite a few mythological beings in here, regardless of how little mythological sense that makes. But something tells me that they won’t be nearly as easy to fool as this guy at the very least. Eden believes, before asking Gils another question. “So is there anything I should know about this place and the tower?” Eden asks Gils.

  “First thing you should notice is that your body feels heavier, right?” Gils asks, too which Eden nods his head. “Okay, the reason your body feels heavier is that gravity increases depending on how high up you are on the floor, though it does not really work like normal gravity. To make a long concept short, basically the tower makes you weaker the higher the floor you are up to disincentive people from shooting all the way up and then miss all the important parts and secrets of a floor. The weakening also makes creatures and more importantly us stronger as our body has to adapt to the strength. Though I must say that only matters in more rare cases, as those of a higher floor cannot use their full power on a lower floor, well, for most people. Oh, also be careful when talking to merchants, they are a rather untrustworthy group, especially those a part of the merchant’s society.” Gils advises Eden, who is smiling from the information, no matter how useful or useless it may be.

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  “Thank you for the information, Gils!” Eden tells Gils, as he runs off the platform to enter the militarized town. Gils waves Eden goodbye as he goes down the stair. Once he scales down the mountain-sized stairs he first goes to look around the places nearby the platform that he saw before, but more importantly other things unseeable from up there. But after a quick glance, Eden can tell that there is not much more here that he had not already seen from above, pardon a few people now roamed the brick streets. So after a bit of looking around, he goes to walk around, mainly towards the shopping area. But when he passes by where the merchants are, they go to him like a pack of rabid wolves to a fat rabbit. But most of them back of when a circular white man, greying in his 30s, walks up to Eden. This man was the one who was talking to a massive hairy man, and is currently holding apples he got from his stall right behind him and Eden.

  “Excuse me, fine sir, would you like some apples by any chance? Finest in Elderwood!” Though you are undeserving of them. The plump male merchant thinks as he pitches the apples to Eden, but he is shoved away by a well-endowed and muscular female butcher, who is wearing a pink apron, among other more standard butchering clothes.

  “No no no! This cutie must get some of my famous pork! They would go greatly with his nice body” The butcher yells out in a much more feminine voice than expected for Eden. While Eden stands still, the merchant and butcher start to argue with each other.

  “Oh the only thing your pork is famous for is how bad it tastes! Unless you are referring to what you did with a customer last night, having some of your “personal pork”. That us the only way you will ever get any customers, Shaleen.” The merchant rudely says to the butcher named Shaleen.

  “Shut it Steve! It is none of your business with what my business practices are!” Shaleen screams out towards Steve. But Eden only focuses on the word Steve, as it reminds him of something.

  Wait! A merchant named Steve! Could this person be Steve Morality? I should ask to let him know about the tip jar and the leftover gold. I am sure he would want the money. Eden concludes as he goes to talk.

  “Excuse me, Steve.” Eden begins before He gets cut off.

  “You want to buy something? Yes I knew it?” Steve yells out in joy, leaving Shaleen shocked and ends up walking away.

  “Maybe in a bit, but I have a question for you; does your last name happen to be Mortality?” Eden directly asks, to which Steve gains a shock look on his face before replying.

  “How did you come to know that name?” Steve asks in great shock. “Though that is not me, someone who just entered the tower should have no way of knowing, let alone having the confidence to say the name of such a being.” Steve adds on.

  “What do you mean? Steve Morality’s shop is on the first floor, is it not?” Eden questions, to which now everyone around him is filled with terror and all the people, who were already a decent bit away from the two, run away, pardon Steve, who is stunned in thought.

  Who is this guy? The first floor is famous for how many variants there are of it, but there is only one person who can send you to that first floor version. No, he cannot be one of his customers, this man is far too clueless for that. Yeah, he must have just got lucky and the tower sent him there by accident or something. Steve reasons, before trying to take advantage of the situation. Clearly this man knows little about the tower, so I doubt he would think much of it if I charge 10, no 20 gold for a one gold apple. Hell I could probably charge even more! Steve believes as he clears his throat, getting ready to give his best conman act on.

  “Now fine, my apologies, but I did not catch your name, what would it be?” Steve asks Eden, to which Eden tells Steve his name in response.

  “Wow, such a ‘nice’ name.” The merchant replies. “Well anyway, I believe you will require apples and other equipment on your journey, Eden. So how about two apples for 45 gold, no, 40 gold. I will give you a newcomer discount my friend! So what do you say?” The merchant slyly asks while holding his grin, faker than any other he has made before.

  40 gold for two apples? Jesus Christ how hard did inflation hit this place!? No wait, this man did not seem all that happy to talk to me at first, and with the smile he is wearing, it seems too fake even to a merchant’s standard. But he has to have some amount of experience as a merchant with how everyone backed off once he walked up, so his smile should not be this obviously fake. Eden wonders, before realising why Steve is acting like this, Eden notices that the skill ‘Honest’ has been activated. That skill makes those who are dishonest dislike him, and with how untrustworthy merchants are it would make sense that he would be unhappy. So after Eden realises this, he then makes a plan to play against the foolish, dastardly Merchant who dared to mess with him.

  “Can I have a look at your other items first?” Eden asks the unloved Merchant who will never have a relationship with anyone, to which he tells Eden to go ahead. Eden looks around and sees some apples, bananas, pears, and other fruits along with some rusty weapons and arrows. You could tell that this merchant is shit at his job with how disorganized he is. But along the main table is a massive battleaxe with a silver coating, clearly showing that the merchant did not own it long, or else it would not be of such a good quality.

  “Oh you like that one! This is a sturdy axe, an E+ grade item that I had just bought.” The broke and disappointing Merchant tells Eden, who looks at the axe with a smile.

  “Well this is a nice axe!” Eden says, purposely foolishly, but he as already made his plan. As when Eden walks over to the axe, he ‘Accidentally’ trips on the table leg and the axe slides off the table onto Eden, hurting him without truly injuring him. But Eden still acts like he is hurt for his plan to work.

  “God damn it!” Eden screams in”‘pain”. “What the hell did you do to your tables? Why are they in the way of my walking?” Eden asks the quite frankly stupid merchant who does not even deserve to be called by his name, and henceforth with not be. This is not helped by the even nervous look on his face, showing how the best compliment you could give to this man is calling him third-rate.

  Damn it! Why did he have to fall there of all places? If this gets out my reputation will be ruined. I must get Eden to never speak of this. The obese Merchant thinks, before trying to find a way out of this with his pea sized brain.

  “Are you okay good sir?” The ugly Merchant asks Eden, trying to appear kind to save some face. This however does not work on the lying Eden, who at this point is effectively punishing this merchant for being so bad at his job.

  “Do I look okay to you?” Eden asks with rage, false may it be, but it appears real, partially because of “trickster”.

  “The only thing that will solve this would be giving me the axe for free, do you not agree? I should be compensated for my troubles.” Eden forcibly questions, which activities trickster once more.

  Notice! Passive skill ‘Trickster’ has activated! Your lies will be better believed by those around you.

  “Well, sorry sir, but I cannot. I can give you some apples, but not-.” The foolish merchant tries to say but is then cut off by Eden.

  “Well sorry, but I guess I cannot wait to tell EVERYONE about this. I am sure this would be great for business, would you not agree. So unless you make things right, I guess you will gain some free “advertising”.” Eden traps the merchant who cannot possibly be insulted more, but one must try to break impossibilities so we shall call him fat once more. After this, the merchant then reluctantly gives him the axe, with a minor tear falling down his eye. However, Eden does not really care, as even though he does not know that the price for the apples was a scam, he does know that the merchant was going to scam him at some point.

  Eden Status report-

  Stored-

  New! Pandora’s Bag- (A-) 0.01 lb (4.54 g)

  (A magical bag that has been cursed with the power of Pandora. Every time you enter a different floor, you can pull a random item of B grade or lower out of it. However, depending on the item, the events, and people you meet will be influenced by the tower. There is also a small chance that special items will spawn inside the floor you are on.)