There are many solutions people find time and time again. One of such is just the innate violence. War, Conquering, and even enslavement are all much easier than peace treaties, compromise, and equal treatment.

  Although, there are also times when powering through is the only option. Sometimes you are stuck in a hurricane, left to be battered by the water only alive from the strong foundation you hold onto. That is the other definition of overcoming your obstacles with brutality.

  When the world meets you with brutality, you meet it the same. That’s what I learnt from the System.

  -Nocturn’s lecture to the Underground; Written by Longinus during his visits.

  73 - Power Through

  Pallad gripped his hammer in his hands, not sensing anywhere for battle. But that’s quite similar to the previous floor anyways, at least before Clara stated the guilt of the poor soul that was caught.

  So he simply swung it at the stone wall, the bricks collapsing in a singular instant, dust spilling out into another hallway. His smile grew as he offered the others to push forth first. “Knew it would work!”

  His voice was full of pride, as was his heart burning with it. Shammus looked a little surprised at first, his eyes finally slimming alongside the dust thinning to a point that it wasn’t just easy to see, but it was obvious what was on the other side.

  Another portion of the maze, in fact moving straight on ahead. The System itself culled this maze for no reason. That’s what Pallad knew for sure. “Well? Shall we move on?” Pallad was the first to walk through the gap, nothing on the other side.

  The stone brick walls stood tall, vines covering them. They stood tall enough that even Bariton seemed hesitant to assume there was an end to them. But, they did have an end in thickness. Pallad just proved it.

  Clara and Judine followed forth. “Hm, shouldn’t we at least collect a direction to smash through the labyrinth?” The smashed bricks crunched beneath the three’s feet, and Clara helped Bariton and Shammus through. Judine’s question had a point.

  “Hm, but how are we to figure that out?” Bariton asked, allowing himself to land off the newfound pile of bricks. “I don’t even hear anything besides the base drone of the walls, and I’m sure you four don’t sense your divinity the same.”

  Judine nodded in confirmation, alongside Shammus and Clara. Pallad thought for a second more, then smacked his fist against his palm. “Well, seems we’ve just gotta guess!” Pallad aimed his hammer straight up.

  “Hm,” Judine thought for a second. “Wait.” Pallad did as he was told, like was so common for the paladin to do. He wasn’t going to let that stop him though, so he waited to hear his friend out. “Why not have Bariton or I read the future of the path?”

  “Oh! Or we could ask the charm!” Bariton cut in a bit, pulling out the charm of Shadowing Voices. Shammus shook his head at that before pulling out his own and lifting it to his head. “Why not?” Bariton was left asking.

  “Because the void isn’t here, and I don’t think Shadowing Voices can help us, we killed him.” Shammus’s answer came swift like a knife, and he looked at the corner Pallad broke the party into.

  Pallad looked at the dead end approaching. “So, in other words, we just pick a random direction and go that way?” Pallad’s question didn’t receive any objections. So, he lifted his hammer, and let it spin on his hand.

  When it landed, it faced potentially North west? It’s not like Pallad had any compass, the ground cracked beneath the hammerhead as it landed, creating a minor web of split earth. Pallad took the lead forward, ensuring to wait for his party.

  Only when the one in the back, which was constantly changing from Bariton, Judine, Clara, and Shammus. Pallad was always in front however, the one with the courage burning enough to smash through the stone brick walls to pass through the maze.

  After a few minutes, Clara finally brought up her questions with the method; the dust clearing away after a few moments with a draft present that wasn’t quite there in the beginning. “How can we be so sure it’s not an everchanging maze similar to the ballroom we were in earlier?”

  Pallad paused for a second, giving his arms a chance to rest. There was a faint burning in his arms, but he was silent for the intellectual conversation that arose between the four that weren’t as willing to use their power.

  “It would raise problems if it were,” Judine mentioned, tapping her chin. “However, we can see that the destroyed walls are still in a straight line.” Judine paused, maybe trying to find out more proof from the quizzitive look on her face.

  “It could also be proved false from how we weren’t separated from one another with this method,” Bariton brought up his own proof, reequipping his usual bard outfit when Pallad wasn’t paying attention.

  As did the other four now that Pallad was fully paying attention. He wanted to say something, but it was so out of context of the current conversation, that he couldn’t bring himself to. The only parts kept were what he could presume was transformed into the Legendary equipment.

  He ignored the outfits, as they looked at Pallad expectedly. He blinked a few times noticing how he zoned out for a second. That could be fatal in battle, he knew that. So he marched on once more, smashing the wall.

  The loop fell together in Pallad’s mind; each instance of him stepping forward, smashing the wall; looking over the destroyed rubble to find a safe path for both himself and his party. Bariton following clouds beneath his feet, Shammus simply followed the path that Pallad left.

  Clara leapt over the rubble, and Judine found her own route through. Maybe it was done as an exercise, Pallad couldn’t care for the reason behind it, as he ensured all five of them made it through before smashing the next wall.

  The effort he put behind ensuring the safety of his party was great, he made efforts beyond the usual tank, keeping his eyes peeled for enemies at the same time. The maze was empty however.

  And he was worried about it, usually the System didn’t fear throwing things at them to destroy for it. To destroy for whatever was scheming behind the System to make four of them into gods.

  Into gods just like the one they had slain before, and the one they will slay when they get their hands on Heavenly. Heavenly Dealer of None was the name of the killer of one of their own, and while Shammus was quick to try and fill the role that Sornid left empty; the pain lingered.

  Pallad was lost in thought when there was a change to the routine. The rock broke free one more time, but he didn’t hear it land. He held up his arm as a signal to stop, as his friends fell to silence; previously just chattering.

  The dust didn’t rise up either, and he saw the sky. A sky empty of clouds, but the blue of it remained. He couldn’t see the sun, nor a ground to tell him the direction to look. He could see the light filter in the labyrinth, sprinkle towards where they started.

  Bariton looked out into the wide area, and spoke some words about how the maze walls were curved. Pallad couldn’t quite get what Bariton was speaking about, something about being able to find the diameter, and the line to the center from the outside.

  Shammus and Judine both decided to take up the task of teaching Pallad what Bariton mentioned, with Clara to watch to ensure Bariton wouldn’t fall. Bariton nodded as he stepped outside. Pallad was the first to try and rush forward, but when Bariton stepped atop a cloud that wasn’t there a moment ago, Pallad took a breath of relief, and was willing to learn the technique.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  The Paladin never quite had much point in learning how to properly find the tangent line, but that was what the bard was talking about, and now he would. Shammus carved a circle into the stone floor, although it was more akin to a decagon than a circle. Judine took over the explanation however.

  “You see, the tangent line is a line that intersects with a circle at only one point.” Judine’s explanation began, with Shammus slashing a line besides the ‘circle’. Judine kept speaking, “This line is what Bariton is working to find, presuming it’s a perfect circle.”

  Pallad was still confused as to why they’d want to find that. Judine got to that quickly though. “This line is also perfectly 180 degrees from the intersection of the radius, and in turn, the diameter.” Shammus cut the circle in half, and now Pallad kinda got it.

  “So, in other words…” Pallad wanted to ensure he did though. “We’re finding that line so we can just go straight to the middle this time?” Pallad asked, curiosity catching the better of him and he looked out the hole. The sunlight filtered in unnaturally over the cut out shape.

  Bariton was heading back in as soon as Judine finished up with the argument, and he was quick to point towards the center of the circle, about 30 degrees away from the direction they were already heading.

  Pallad grinned as he gripped his hammer. It was time to smash through this floor the same way they did 40 to 50. Pallad stepped forward as he struck the wall with just enough force to blast through it.

  ******

  Freisun was sent here less than a day ago, and he felt the familiar presence of Shammus’s mana. It previously went past him, but now… It’s approaching in a straight line. Freisun didn’t quite get a chance to say goodbye to his student before heading to the tower, and it seems he’ll meet his second death here.

  But he took a deep breath, his small body steeling itself. The green energy arced about, and he felt the eyes of a god lay on his back as his mana surged with the power of a god that never wanted to gift its power.

  There were loud bangs, getting closer and closer to his position. Freisun allowed the air to crackle with his mana and the godly power he’d stolen. Crackle with freedom that he’d be granted with a final death.

  ******

  Pallad smashed through the final wall, and it opened up into a garden. Within was a kid that was surrounded by Heavenly’s energy. The stones launched into the wall across, and the child they were facing dodged them with an expertise that could only be attained with hours of practice.

  Pallad parried the stab that was approaching him faster than his eyes could see. While he was holding back his stats of course. This kid was definitely of a level similar to themselves, but that wouldn’t be enough to save them.

  Bariton acted first, summoning his own weapon to his palms, a light blue flash marking the doom soon to meet the child. The time of dialogue was long past when the ring of steel filled the air once more.

  Shammus drew his own blade and Judine her paint brush. Clara cast a book to her own hands, and the five faced off against the child whose speed was definitely a step above their own. The kid’s level was near their own, but it’s noticeable the boosts the kid had.

  The small one was also smart, ignoring Pallad as much as possible. The two moved together however, in a dance similar to Pallad and Shammus’s teaching of one another just 2 floors ago. The dual blades hit hard, the ringing of his hammer leaving the hands numb.

  However, the kid had to play the role Pallad was alongside the role the others played. Pallad felt his future solidify in a bit, and his speed increase with a side of Chronomancy from Judine and Clara.

  Judine painted around the duo, locking the kid’s dodging capabilities much more than Pallad would be capable of solo. Shammus stabbed in, missing Pallad but striking the little body, and Bariton did similar.

  Bariton’s sword was different from Shammus’s in a way Pallad definitely didn’t have the time to answer, blocking strike after strike with a hammer. Pallad struck forth, and hit home, the kid launched across the room with a loud crack of bone.

  The young one, who was labeled by Shammus’s cut and yell as Freisun, twirls in the air and skids across the floor with feet planted, kicking up more stones and dust. Green thunder struck quickly out, lashing against Pallad’s chest.

  It was a familiar pain, similar to the lightning they ran from on Floor 50. Bariton didn’t quite intercept it, nor did Clara. Clara simply cast a spell from her book, that created a barrier out of the lightning surrounding Pallad.

  Bariton’s act still messed things up for Freisun, with a stab in the gut with an arrow. It didn’t quite do much damage, but it caused a flinch, a singular moment of momentum switching; allowing Shammus to rush forward cutting Freisun’s arm clean off.

  The cleave was marked as just the start of the violent onslaught upon Freisun as Judine joined in, severing something unseen to the other four. The paint brush stroke did something as a line was drawn in the air, drawing in the power of space itself.

  And, whatever was linking Freisun to the power only Heavenly wielded before now was also cut off, and the kid collapsed down, panting. Shammus was quick to act despite the potential peace, cleaving off their head.

  The white hair landed on the ground swiftly, followed by the arc of blood. The childlike body collapsed shortly afterwards; leaving the room in silence. Pallad’s hands still partially numb from blocking the strikes.

  The only sound throughout the room was the fives breathing, Pallad’s decently heavy. It was kind of exhausting that fight, despite how swiftly it ended. Judine spotted the weakness, exploited it, and the foe was eliminated just like that. It left a quiet feeling afterwards, to do such a swift burst.

  The way to the next floor hadn’t spawned yet however, and Pallad was on edge. He didn’t allow himself to relax. He stiffened his shoulders, rolling them in place and taking a deep breath in preparation.

  But nothing happened. The other four seemed to keep their guard up as well, not daring to relax in case the System decided they won too easily. This wasn’t the first half. Sornid died not too long ago; it didn’t fear taking them away to lower the number down to four.

  Back down to four. The system stayed silent after the simple screen telling them of their victory and labelling the experience gained. It was an actually low number in comparison to whatever the skeletons Shammus fought gave them back on floor 40.

  That was the first doubled up floor now that Pallad thought back on it. It was the first real threat for any of them, and Pallad felt terrible that it wasn’t him to get to see the god. To see the god they’d have to kill for vengeance, even if the Tower didn’t force it.

  The silence was still worrying for Pallad, and it seemed the others agreed a bit. “Maybe this floor is required to last a day or two?” Pallad’s question filled the room, the acoustics so much worse with the hole in the wall Pallad blasted.

  The short battle also left the garden completely decimated, uprooted, and scorched. It was a small patch of greenery in the infinitely tall maze, and the sky was actually visible here. The walls were just as tall as before, making him feel so small, but the sunlight granted a peace impossible to mimic with the artificial light of a flame.

  Pallad allowed his hammer to rotate in his hand, landing the head of in the ground straight down, giving himself something to lean upon. Bariton never answered the question Pallad posed, but he did let out a minor laugh.

  “What’s so humorous?” Judine asked first, not letting Pallad to question the bard himself. A minor bitter taste left in his mouth, one he washed down with Bariton’s response.

  “Well, Pallad, you look like a royal guard when you stand like that.”

  Bariton’s response rather left him quite struck with thought, and left Pallad let loose a minor laugh too. Not quite bark one out, but it was quite humorous, imagining himself a royal guard over a paladin free to fight whatever he pleased.

  Pallad eventually let down his guard. There was no intent of attack anywhere nearby, especially with the now Level 99 senses his class granted him. And as such, he sighed a breath of relief as he sat down.

  Bariton also sat, allowing the peace to take over the room, ignoring the smear of blood left by Freihun, and Clara quickly waved her hand, leaving a glow of gold on all of them. All pain melted away as though water poured over sugar.

  The golden glow faded as swiftly as it had appeared, and Clara shut her spellbook. Pallad watched as his minor scrapes were gone after the spell. The near blisters left in his hand from the metallic hammer’s handle just vaporized from his hands.

  The system did finally speak to them. The message lit up the same familiar blue as always, and Pallad read the lines the System read out. Only 1700 experience points were gained from that fight, but now…

  [System Message: Rebalancing]

  [Clearing Tower Floor 53; Time: 5:32]

  [Expected Time: 1 Hour, 32 Minutes, 13 Seconds.]

  [Potential Flaw 1: Level of Enemies.]

  [Potential Flaw 2: Level of Tower Heroes higher than expected.]

  [Solution: Raise Level for oncoming floors. Remove limits on Heavenly Dealer of None on Floor 75.]

  Now they’d have to actually try. Or maybe that was a thought implanted by the system.