Chapter 622: Chapter 622 - Aerin of Two Worlds
Chapter 622: Chapter 622 - Aerin of Two Worlds
[You have successfully completed the Tower of Trials - 1st Floor with an S score!]
[You have earned the reward: The Unbreakable Token.]
[Item Acquired: The Unbreakable Token]
[A magical item designed to protect its bearer from fatal circumstances. If your health, stamina, or mana drops below a critical threshold, the token will activate and restore you to a functional state.]
At first glance, the item he got seemed like one of those passive effects you'd expect to receive when leveling up. It wasn't as overwhelmingly powerful as the item he had received from Goddess Akida, but it was still remarkable.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
In the right circumstances-like recovering from a critical state and immediately activating Ethereal Form-this item could be very useful.
Sure, the token itself wasn't extraordinary. What truly mattered was the experience of conquering the 1st floor of the Tower of Trials. The challenge had pushed him to his limits, forcing him to refine his instincts and techniques, particularly with the spear.
He had always relied on his skills and equipment, letting them define his combat style. While he had learned the basics of spear combat outside the game, this trial felt like a breakthrough - a moment where his mastery transcended what he thought possible. He had reached a new threshold, one built on instinct, precision, and discipline.
"So, another challenge?"
[Welcome to the Tower of Trials, 2nd Floor.]
[All passive skills have been disabled.]
[..]
[Please choose your weapon to complete the challenge on this floor.]
Broken found himself on the second floor, and the space looked almost identical to the previous level.
Moments later, an array of weapons materialized before him, floating in midair.
Is this the same challenge again?
He reached for the spear.
[You must survive in this room for 30 minutes. Each time you move, attacks will come from all directions. Your task is to block every strike until time runs out.]
[2nd Floor Challenge: The Challenge of Reflect begins now!]
Not long after, Leon stepped out of the capsule device, letting out a frustrated sigh. He had only lasted three minutes before failing the challenge. It was far tougher than it had seemed.
Fortunately, this particular challenge didn't impose the harsh penalty of player death, so he didn't have to endure the six-hour cooldown to log back in. Even so, he decided to take a break from the game, fill his stomach, and chat with the others.
The private jet flight had been an entirely new experience-nothing like the commercial flights he'd taken before. With this jet, they traveled in unmatched comfort, attended to with gourmet meals and first-class service.
Ronald had even arranged for a personal masseuse and insisted Leon try it out.
At first, Leon hesitated. The idea of a stranger touching him felt odd, especially since the masseuse was a woman. It made him a bit uncomfortable. But Ronald was relentless, and eventually, Leon gave in.
To his surprise, he enjoyed it far more than he expected. The massage was nothing short of heavenly. The way the tension melted from his muscles was something he hadn't experienced before. Relaxation overtook him so completely that, before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.
***
Night had fallen over Yunatea as Broken guided his loyal steed, Polly, across the desert plains toward the heart of the Dissidia Kingdom. Pawpaw sat just ahead of him, perched comfortably atop the fox that had joined them on their journey. The air was cool, the only sound was the rhythmic thud of Polly's paws against the ground.
In the distance, the towering city walls of Dissidia's capital rose like a dark sentinel against the starlit sky.
As they passed through the gates and entered the inner city, the quiet gave way to bustling life. Even under the cloak of night, the capital refused to rest, its streets alive with the hum of activity, as though the city itself were breathing.
Broken swiftly dismounted Polly and headed toward the nearest inn. Thanks to Pawpaw's skill, he was shrouded in invisibility, allowing him to approach unnoticed by anyone in the vicinity.
Tonight's meeting with Princess Alora wouldn't happen in the grandeur of the castle but at a more discreet location they had carefully arranged in advance.
Climbing the stairs two at a time, Broken reached the room where Princess Alora waited. He rapped on the door, and a clear, feminine voice called from within.
Wasting no time, he pushed it open to find a young woman dressed in green hunter's attire. Her hood shadowed part of her face, but red hair peeked out from beneath its edge.
"Good evening, Broken," the woman greeted.
She was supposed to be Princess Alora, yet the name displayed above her head was unfamiliar. "Princess? Why has your name changed?"
"This is one of the advantages of being half-human, half-elf," she explained with a hint of amusement. "I can shift between my human name and my elf name."
At that moment, the name above her head was "Aerin."
"Now, please call me Aerin, okay?"
"Alright, Princess."
She quickly interjected, shaking her head. "No, not Princess. Not Your Highness. Just Aerin."
"Yes, Aerin."
Satisfied, Aerin slowly pulled back her hood, allowing her vibrant red hair to cascade freely. "Unfortunately, there's no way to hide this," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Broken nodded. "I understand. I also have items that help me disguise myself."
"But," he continued, "Pawpaw could actually help alter your appearance, like changing your hair color."
Alora―no, Aerin—laughed softly. "No, I think Pawpaw has terrible taste when it comes to changing appearances."
"I agree," Broken said with a slight smirk. "If you let him handle it, he'd probably make you look like villainess."
After chatting casually for a while, Broken finally eased into the chair across from Aerin. She began outlining her plan to visit the forest elf village, a destination that would be much easier
to reach by traveling through Slumdon Town.
Because of this, Broken was preparing to use, for the first time, a special feature of his necklace-one that allowed him to instantly travel back to Slumdon Town. It was a plan that would now include Aerin as well.
As they spoke, Broken shared the details of the necklace with her. It was an item he had painstakingly crafted after his expedition to the Moonlight Fae.
"So, this is the item you managed to create after what you did that night?" Aerin asked, chuckling softly.
"Surely we've already covered that I had to take down some faebeasts to gather enough
points, right?"
"Yes, sure. I believe you. No need to explain," she said, waving off his comment with an
amused smile.
Broken then pulled out a small, ring-like key and handed it to her.
Aerin froze for a moment, her fingers brushing against the key as her expression grew
serious.
"Are you sure about giving this to me? It's your only one, isn't it?"
"It's fine. It won't be the only one for long. I'll get more eventually, but I think this will serve
you well for now."
With a slow nod, Aerin accepted the key and activated it, watching as it disappeared from his
hand.
"Well," she said, "I'm definitely intrigued to see what your private pocket dimension looks
like."