[The Player Party has arrived at Floor 10 of the Tower of Growth!]

[Quest Objective: Kill the Boss Monster, the Insane Harpy, Karas.]

[Duration: 10 minutes.]

[Good luck, Player!]

After an arduous journey from the 6th to 9th floor; getting launched at of barrage of wind blades by 125 Harpies per floor and getting almost killed by spikes of cacti that rampage, making the battle a three-way, Samantha and the rest of the party finally arrived on the 10th floor where another Boss Monster must be slain.

This time, they arrived at the same scenery of a grand canyon, but there were no cacti and the space was more compressed, making a circular area.

[The Boss Monster, Insane Harpy: Karas will appear in ten seconds.]

[...9...8...]

"I only have one remaining, let's try to finish this quickly."

With the information Anya received from her father, Makoto Amasawa, she was also given five devices or artifacts that were meant for the 6th to 10th floor. It's the power of wealth and connection she had, along with the caring personality of her father.

Before the boss summoning duration ended, Anya already threw the small metal disc on the reddish soil which then turned into a small bunker that encapsulated them. Anya, Russell, and Jiho positioned themselves to operate the three magical cannons while the others prepared themselves. Celine, who was fed up the most if not for Samantha's comfort... of financial support, transformed some potions she made into Invisibility Potions.

After some time, the air heavily vibrated as though the floor's gravity turned heavier, then a space in midair was torn apart like fragile glass. It soon then revealed pointy feet, pointy hands, and a four-meter womanly, feathered body with a wingspan of at least ten meters.

[Defeat the Insane Harpy, Karas!]

"SCREEEEECH-!"

A loud screech reverberated throughout the circular summit, similar to an arena, of the arid grand canyon. The party felt like their eardrums would explode due to the high-pitched screech.

Seeing a small bunker below her, the Insane Harpy, Karas spoke:

"Foolish humans!"

At that moment, the four-meter Harpy, who lived with being called insane, dove towards the small bunker.

Boom-!

***

Name: Karas

Title: [Insane]

Race: Harpy

Family: Avian

Rank: D

— STATS —

Strength: 699

Swift: 699

Fortitude: 699

Intelligence: 699

Magic Power: 699

"Monsters do have titles sometimes, after all."

Russell muttered upon seeing the information about the Boss Monster. All of them left the small bunker, with the help of Celine's Invisibility Potions, before Karas even appeared from the crack of space.

"Connections really matter, huh."

Jiho said, who glanced at Anya who knew the information beforehand. She only received the information about the monsters and some of their behaviors, but not how to defeat them, which was why she didn't know about the use of the Cactus of Tranquility that helped them greatly in clearing the 6th to 9th floor. It's Anya's father's untold challenge for her.

"Jiho, you're up."

Russell signaled that it was time for an ambush. Jiho, just as he requested, would fight the Boss Monster up front.

'Be stronger and be my ally for the future.'

Russell thought as he inwardly let out a self-deprecating smile.

Except for Celine who tried her best to find a safe place to hide under the influence of Invisibility Potion, all of them quietly moved towards Karas, who was still thrashing the already ruined, flickering magic barrier, small bunker.

Russell, holding the bone harpoon that had been with him since the 6th floor, aimed for one of Karas' wings.

Taking a proper stance, he then threw the bone harpoon. Soon after, it pierced the left wing of the Boss Monster.

"Argh-!"

Karas stopped from stupidly thrashing the small bunker and subconsciously looked in the direction where the bone harpoon came from, but, as she glanced trying to find the source of the attack, a sword just two meters away from her face was aiming to cut her head down. It was Jiho.

"HAAAAA-!"

"Humaaaaaaan-!"

Karas' two grey wings flapped themselves forward and produced a strong wind, sending Jiho and the others only a few meters away with the help of using their respective weapon, thrust to the ground, to cushion themselves so they wouldn't be sent flying away. Celine, who's hiding somewhere without a weapon, almost fell off the cliff.

Whooosh-!

Spurt-!

Russell, who blended into shadows under this scorching weather, not getting affected by the storm of wind, appeared at Karas' right wing from behind and then thrust his unknown sword-scythe weapon. An excruciating scream echoed in the grand canyon.

"SCREEEECH-!"

"You dareeeee!"

With Russell's Perception stat, he instinctively knew that something was coming for his abdomen, but even so, it was so fast that he was barely able to dodge.

'F*ck...'

"Keuuk-!"

He was suddenly hit by a feather, not wind, blade.

'But she's still not using a skill.'

Although Russell decided to trust his unpublished novel, he was on guard for the unknown or possible changes that might happen. Karas' flapping of wings wasn't a skill, but only a physical attack that utilized the wind itself, and her feather blade was also a physical attack, like her weapon itself.

As Russell thought about the countless variables, the clouds started to gather in one place. Jiho, who recovered from being pushed back by Karas earlier, moved again to strike.

"It's coming! Be careful!"

Russell shouted as he subconsciously pressed his side that was hit by a feather that was as hard as steel. After his shout, every party member, who also realized the possession of Skills of the Boss Monster like Uruga, turned defensive.

A moment later, just as Jiho aimed to cut down Karas, a bolt of lightning parried his sword. What's more, this bolt of lightning quickly formed into a blue sword, which then was wielded by the Insane Harpy.

Bzzz-! Bzzz-

Without saying any cliche lines to anybody this time, the Insane Harpy, holding the lightning sword in her avian hand, fiercely rushed towards Jiho — the one who was aiming for her neck.

The others; Samantha, Anya, Freya, Amelie, Amery, Celine, and Russell were watching the fierce battle for now, though they were not letting their guards down.

Jiho openly told them about his Attribute: Will of the Sword (SSS+). Although the duration to clear every 5th floor was only 10 minutes long, it was enough for Jiho's Attribute to manifest itself, which would let him use the First Movement of the mysterious swordsmanship he possessed, Dawn of Heresy.

'That's the main character for you.'

Russell thought, watching the intense fight from a distance. Then, glancing around at the rest of the party, he was reminded that this story's pacing already changed since Rumia and Elizabeth should be with some of these people, but they weren't. Instead, the two princesses chose to bond or have a party with the classmates they were with during the first Virtual War in Professor Murak's class.

'Although this is the case, so far, nothing's gone wrong.'

Russell was at least glad, but he felt, maybe later or sooner, that something he never had any knowledge about might happen.

'I don't like flags, but it's better to be on guard.'

In the future he knew, not being on guard was tantamount to death.

***

"HAAAAA-!"

Jiho screamed, golden aura started to emanate from his body, as he continued his heavy strikes. After a moment, his black eyes turned golden, too. Karas, who was fighting the seemed puny human head-on, had a perplexed look on her face.

"HUMAAAAN-!"

Cleaving the lightning sword that's at least one and a half meters, Karas screamed.

Jiho then received a series of System messages that rang in his ears.

[Your Attribute: Will of the Sword (SSS+) has fully manifested!]

[You have completely adapted to the fighting style of your opponent!]

[You are now able to perform the First Movement of mysterious swordsmanship, Dawn of Heresy, without any physical backslash!]

'Yes!'

"This is the end!"

He gladly thought as he shouted for the finishing blow as though he was filled with valor. A golden hand seemed to overlap with his, then after cleaving his sword down...

[Swordsmanship of "???", First Movement: Dawn of Heresy.]historical

The soul of the Boss Monster, Karas has been cut in half.

Karas' physical body stopped moving as though the time for her became frozen.

'Oi, don't celebrate yet.'

Russell scoffed at Jiho who looked at the party, turning his back from the standing and flying frozen, that was supposed to be falling, Karas.

Just as Russell thought of that, another series of System messages entered Jiho's mind.

[The Tower of Growth has recognized your swordsmanship!]

[The Tower of Growth has given you the task to prove yourself worthy of such swordsmanship!]

[The Boss Monster, Karas, has been regenerated and further strengthened by the Tower of Growth!]

[The Tower of Growth will reward you several "???" shards upon defeating the Boss Monster.]

"T-this..."

Jiho momentarily faltered upon hearing the System messages. Without giving him time to sort his thoughts out, he saw Samantha almost instantly vanish from her spot and arrived beside him, blocking a lightning sword.

"Get your grip!"

Karas' lightning sword almost cut off Jiho's neck if not for Samantha's reaction.

The party glanced at the newly regenerated and strengthened Karas, who seemed reborn. Karas' white eyes turned lightning blue and her lightning sword extended from at least half a meter to three meters.

"What happened?"

Freya asked, perplexed. Russell subconsciously constricted his deep blue eyes, though he was certain about what had transpired.

***

"Kyaaa-!"

As though she woke up from her stupor which seemed to be a long dream, the 14-year-old girl screamed upon seeing the dead body of her stepmother, the first wife of her biological father.

The roaming maids in the hallway were alerted and quickly opened the door of the Baroness' room.

There, they saw the Baroness with no sign of life, a pool of blood painted the floor crimson. What's more, the 14-year-old girl was still holding the sword, tainted with the Baroness' blood, with her hands.

"Kyaaa-!"

The maids screamed, which reverberated throughout the hallway as they almost instantly realized what had transpired as their expressions turned grim.

The 14-year-old girl's expression was that of horrified as though she never wanted to do it, but the maids, at least two in number, ran and quickly reported to the Baron what happened with an expression of apprehension on their faces.

"I-I have n-no choice. I-I don't want to die."

The 14-year-old girl with also blonde hair, and a fine body, uncontrollably formed tears through her sapphire eyes as she muttered those words with her mouth trembling.

Her memory was blurred, but as time passed, with the heavy footsteps outside that were approaching the Baroness' room, she gradually remembered the Failure Penalty of the Tower of Growth.

[You have failed to conquer the Tower of Growth!]

[You have lost your Growth Rate!]

[The Growth Rate lost will not be gained by any means!]

[The Tower of Growth has shown you its eternal generosity!]

[You will receive the Failure Penalty: Suicide of Unworthiness!]

[Suicide of Unworthiness]

Description: What is someone who can not grow if not nothing at all?

– The failed player with this penalty will be under psychological cue and will uncontrollably stoop to killing someone to steal their Growth Rate.

– The failed player will only be able to steal the Growth Rate of a player who successfully conquered the Tower, and the failed player under this penalty will instinctively know the players who managed to succeed in conquering the Tower.

– If the failed player didn't manage to find someone to kill in the next 30 minutes after failing, he or she will involuntarily commit suicide under the power of the Tower of Growth that had bestowed this penalty.

– In any case, if the failed player managed to kill someone to steal their Growth Rate, this penalty will then be halted causing the psychological cue and stealing Growth Rate to stop.

The 14-year-old girl looked at the door, her father, the Baron, was standing while lividly looking at her.

"Detain her!"

The Baron ordered.