1.
Today is the day I enter the Tower.
I had stuffed a few extra loaves of bread into my stomach than usual.
[Warning. Your fullness level has reached its limit.]
The AI kept blabbering on about that, but I ignored it.
Still, today’s schedule goes up to the 30th Floor.
And no one knows if there’ll be a meal break in between.
‘I should eat whenever I can.’
That was the essence of life I learned while living as a beggar.
I’d like to thank 47-year-old Ratman, the boss back then, for that lesson.
“We’ll handle meals on the 10th and 20th Floors, so keep your stomachs light.”
Damn Ratman.
“Once you’re done eating, move out.”
At the instructor’s urging, I shoved the last piece of bread into my mouth.
***
At the Tower’s entrance, the 12 new recruits from yesterday, including me, were gathered.
Most wore tense expressions, checking their gear or fidgeting with their staves.
Only Iris stood with the same face as always, gazing up at the massive entrance.
Yesterday she declares some weird competition against me, and today she won’t even talk to me.
Good, I guess. I didn’t really want to ask what that contest was about anyway.
“Before we depart, I’ll go over the rules again.”
The instructor handed out a round metal plate to each of us.
It was slightly smaller than the palm of a hand, and in the center was the emblem of the White Magic Academy.
“This is a Return Plate. Channel mana into it and you’ll be transported to the entrance of your current floor. If you’re seriously injured or separated from the group, don’t hesitate to use it.”
“Can we use it at any time?”
When someone asked, the instructor shook his head.
“It won’t work in the Gate Floors that appear every 10 floors. Before entering the 10th, 20th, or 30th Floors, make sure to check your condition.”
Gate Floors… so it’s like a boss room concept?
Or maybe a special floor type.
“We find the exit on each floor and move upward. Our final destination this trip is Floor 30.5, beyond the 30th Floor. The safe zone of Irotia.”
“If it’s beyond the 30th Floor, isn’t it the 31st?”
I asked without realizing it.
“Irotia isn’t classified as an official floor of the Tower. Climbers call it Floor 30.5 for convenience.”
So it’s like a Platform 9 and 3/4 situation?
I wondered why they’d bother adding a decimal to a floor number, but apparently we’re all supposed to return together from there.
Anyway, that means I’ll be back at the restaurant by tonight.
That’s all I need.
“Moving out.”
The instructor stepped through the Tower’s entrance.
The new recruits followed in turn.
***
2.
Inside the Tower was far more spacious than it looked from outside.
On the 1st Floor, gray stone pillars stretched endlessly, and the ceiling was hidden behind a hazy mist.
From what I’d heard, the Tower’s internal space was dozens of times larger than its exterior, and each floor’s space was folded separately.
I didn’t care about the exact principles.
As long as I don’t get lost, that’s what matters.
The first monsters appeared less than 10 minutes after we set out.
Three horned rabbits burst out from the bushes beside the path.
Calling them rabbits felt wrong—their front teeth were far too large, and the horns on their heads were long enough to punch through a person’s belly.
[Mana reaction detected 18 meters ahead.]
That message from the AI appeared right as—
“Fireball.”
A ball of flame shot from Iris’s staff.
Two horned rabbits, their fur ablaze, rolled on the ground without managing even a few steps.
The one that darted to the side got its neck cleanly severed by the Frost Blade that followed.
‘Oh… she’s fast.’
On the next floor, a swarm of rats with hard shells appeared.
Iris swept her gaze across the narrow passage, then spread frost across the floor.
While the ones with frozen feet flailed about, Ice Spears pierced their bodies one by one with precision.
Higher up, Cave Goblins sprang out.
She fired a Mana Bullet at the one in front, then took out the one hiding behind a rock with a curved Frost Blade.
Knowing a lot of spells was impressive enough, but picking the right one for each situation on the spot was even more fascinating.
“Why do you just keep watching?”
Iris slowed her pace and asked.
“Huh?”
“Wouldn’t it be better for you to do something?”
“You’re already handling everything, Iris.”
“That’s—”
“You even use different spells for each monster.”
I looked back at the goblins that had just been taken down.
Some had their heads smashed in, others had their necks frozen solid.
“You’re incredibly capable.”
If she just handles everything up front while I stand here, there’s no one more competent than her.
But Iris’s brow twitched slightly.
“…Don’t talk to me like that.”
“Huh?”
“Forget it.”
Iris whipped her head away.
Why is she like that?
Did ‘you’re incredibly capable’ sound sarcastic to her?
If she asks again next time, I’ll answer more sincerely.
***
When we arrived at the 10th Floor, the atmosphere shifted a bit.
Inside a large cavity, several dozen goblins had gathered.
The ones holding rusty swords and spears completely blocked the exit ahead, and I could even spot archers in the back.
The instructor didn’t step forward right away.
Looks like he wants to see how the new recruits handle things.
While everyone hesitated for a moment, Iris spoke up.
“Those who can use defensive magic, please block the front. Fire-type users, aim for the cluster in the middle.”
She scanned the narrow paths on both sides of the cavity.
“Use wind magic to push the smell outward. If we draw in another group, things will get messy.”
Her orders were brief.
But they seemed more than enough for everyone to understand what they needed to do.
Soon, barriers went up, and Fire Spears flew from behind them.
As flames erupted in the middle of the goblin horde, the survivors scattered to both sides.
Iris swung her staff as if she’d been waiting for exactly that.
Six Ice Spears formed in the air and shot off in different directions.
The fleeing goblins fell all at once, and the one drawing its bow in the back quickly froze solid.
The battle didn’t last long.
“Quick thinking, Iris.”
The instructor said, kicking aside an arrow on the ground.
“This much is basic.”
Her words were calm, but the corner of her mouth was slightly raised.
Iris immediately turned to me.
“Hmph. What do you think?”
“Wow. That was so cool.”
“……?”
“You’re really good at giving orders to people like that on the spot.”
“……”
“If it were me, I’d have just fired a Fireball right into the middle and seen what happened.”
Giving everyone a specific role made the battle incredibly clean.
Isn’t this the kind of composure a commander-level person should have?
“As expected of someone properly trained. Amazing.”
“Are you saying there was no need for everyone to combine their strength back there?”
“Huh?”
“That’s what you mean, right? That you could have finished it all by yourself.”
“No, that’s not what I meant at all—”
“Forget it.”
Iris turned away coldly.
What was the problem this time?
***
At the exit of the 20th Floor, an Ogre was waiting.
“That thing is disgustingly huge.”
I’d heard they were about 13 feet tall, but seeing it in person, it looked way bigger than the numbers suggested.
Like a dump truck standing upright and stomping around.
“UOOOOOOH!!!!”
The Ogre hoisted a club as thick as a log.
“Spread out!”
Iris’s voice echoed through the cavity.
CRASH!
The club slammed into the ground.
While the new recruits split to both sides, Iris spread frost under the Ogre’s feet.
Thick ice locked onto its ankles.
The moment the Ogre forced its leg up, the other recruits focused their spells on its knee.
Flames and Wind Blades struck the same spot in succession.
A Frost Blade dug into the gaping wound.
THUD!
As the Ogre’s leg buckled and its massive body pitched forward, Iris aimed her staff.
FWISH!
A single Ice Spear pierced through the Ogre’s eye and out the back of its head.
The cavity went silent.
I thought about helping, but fortunately the battle was over before I could even decide.
Iris let out a cold breath and turned to look at me.
This time, her face looked pretty satisfied.
“Impressive.”
When I said that, she brushed her hair back.
“Once you get used to it, anyone can do this much.”
“No, seriously. That was amazing.”
“…What part, exactly?”
“You had everyone bind its legs first, then keep attacking just one knee, right?”
I looked at the Ogre collapsed on the floor.
One of its legs was completely ruined.
“And after it fell, you went for the eye.”
“That’s standard tactics for dealing with an Ogre.”
“If it were me, I wouldn’t even know where to hit. I’d have stumbled around for ages.”
Iris stared at me quietly.
“Against a target that size?”
“Yes.”
“You would?”
“I haven’t been learning magic for very long, you see.”
“…There you go again with that.”
Iris turned her head away coldly once more.
“It’s the truth.”
I felt a bit wronged.
***
Past the 21st Floor, the new recruits naturally started following Iris’s orders.
The defensive mages held the front, and the fire mages attacked from the rear.
When a Poison-spitting Lizard appeared, the wind mages pushed the air away.
Iris moved through the middle of the formation, filling in the gaps.
When the front line got pushed back, she raised an Ice Wall. When monsters circled around to the rear, she fired Ice Spears.
If someone got injured, she cleared a path so the healing mage could move.
“Her field of vision over the whole party is outstanding.”
At the instructor’s praise, Iris bowed her head.
“Thank you.”
And then she checked on me again.
I had been carrying the sack full of monster byproducts on behalf of the others since a while back.
Without using a single Homing Bullet or Fireball.
To be precise, I guess I should say I never had the chance to use them.
And I didn’t really want to, either.
“Ugh. So convenient.”
A moment later, Iris came up beside me.
“You could hand that sack off to someone else by now, you know.”
“I’m fine. It’s manageable.”
“You haven’t used magic even once since this morning.”
“I’m comfortable, so it’s all good. And you’re handling everything yourself, Iris, so why would I need to step in?”
Her footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
“…So that’s what it was.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“You really do intend to test my abilities to the very end. To see how far I can go.”
“No, that’s not it. I’m just genuinely comfortable, so I’m watching. That’s all.”
Iris glared at me.
“Don’t try to brush me off with words like that.”
“It’s the truth.”
She didn’t listen any further and walked ahead.
“It really is.”
The more I talked, the deeper the misunderstanding seemed to get.
I still have no idea what I did wrong, but anyway, with Iris in front, it really is convenient.
If she keeps this up, I could follow her all the way past the 30th Floor to the 50th.
Of course, there was the issue of the sack getting heavier and heavier.
[Fatigue level in your left shoulder muscle is rising.]
“You’d just say physical intervention isn’t supported anyway if I asked for help, right?”
[……]
“I win.”
Enjoying my own little game, I followed at the back of the formation.
***
By the time we passed the 29th Floor, I couldn’t even tell how long we’d been walking.
There were no windows in the Tower, and the Luminescent Stones embedded in the ceiling supposedly shone at the same brightness at all times.
Fortunately, the instructor said it was still before evening.
That was pretty important information, wasn’t it?
I can’t afford to miss dinner.
The Portal to the 30th Floor sat within a massive stone gate.
A membrane rippling like a black water surface filled the entire archway.
“From the 30th Floor onward, the terrain changes drastically.”
The instructor looked around at the new recruits.
“After passing through the Portal, do not move without my orders. On the 30th Floor, Return Plates won’t work either.”
The new recruits stepped through the black membrane one by one.
Iris paused before the Portal and glanced back at me.
Her eyes were different from this morning.
I guess you’d call it the expression of someone who won’t back down from me now.
Not that I even understand why she’s acting like this in the first place.
“Are you just going to watch on the 30th Floor too?”
“Yeah, well. If I can.”
“…Fine.”
Iris gripped her staff tightly.
“This time, I’ll take care of it first again.”
“I’m counting on you.”
Her eyes sharpened even further at my reply.
Soon, my turn came, and just as I was about to step forward—
[Irregular spatial vibrations detected inside the 30th Floor.]
“Huh? Is that dangerous?”
[Risk level cannot be calculated with the current sample data.]
I looked back and forth between the Portal and the instructor.
‘Is this… alright?’
Let me think for a moment.
Everyone else went in without issue.
The instructor’s face doesn’t show any sign that something’s wrong either.
Hmm… they said the 30th Floor’s terrain changes frequently anyway, so maybe vibrations like this are a common occurrence?
If I bring up something vague and start a whole meeting right at the entrance, that’d be a problem.
I need to reach Irotia today if I want to eat dinner.
“AI. Keep monitoring.”
Still, it doesn’t hurt to stay alert for any unexpected threats.
[Continuing analysis.]
I stepped into the Portal.
The black membrane swallowed my body.
[Spatial vibrations increasing.]