The Tower King

Chapter 35: Finally Something Interesting


Seeing Sora's bewildered expression, Jarek burst out laughing for a few seconds. "Damn, I didn't think you could hurt me."

Sora, for his part, still couldn't believe it: the monster of power that was Jarek was wounded and bleeding, and all thanks to his own attack; not even Mother Grim Reaper had managed to hurt him, but he, a poor Obsidian rank, had.

"You're really something special, kid". Jarek remarked, smiling broadly. "You're one of the first people in this Order to have managed to hurt me, I congratulate you."

Astonished to hear so many compliments from Jarek in the space of a few moments, Sora immediately understood that his new attack really did have potential. He decided to take a look at his profile to see if he'd had any interesting rewards in return.

[ STATS SHEET ]

[ - Name : Sora ISOSHI ]

[ - Age : 17 ]

[ - Sex : Male ]

[ - Condition : 93 % (93 HP) ]

[ - Level : LV.0 ]

[ - EXP : 15/100 ]

[ CAPACITIES ]

[ - Strength : 0.57 ]

[ - Intelligence : 0.63 ]

[ - Agility : 0.56 ]

[ - Speed : 0.46 ]

[ - Vitality : 0.44 ]

[ - Magic : _ ]

[ - Magic resistance : 0.22 ]

[SKILLS ]

[ - The Collection ]

[ - Piercing Teeth ]

[TITLE ]

[ - The Climber ]

He looked at his profile several times to be sure of what he was seeing. All these abilities had increased, and not just by one point. For most of them, it was two points, even three points for his vitality. Even his EXP had increased. Her training was really starting to pay off.

"Wow, I didn't expect that." Sora finally said, sitting back down on the ground, still amazed by his attack.

"No need to get too excited either," replied Jarek, regaining a serious air. "If this had been a real fight, I'd have used Ushi and your attack wouldn't have hurt me, but for a beginner, it's not bad indeed."

Sora understood what he was getting at and knew he shouldn't slow down just because he'd managed to scratch her; on the contrary, this little drop of blood should encourage him to keep up his efforts. "And now, what do we do?"

Jarek thought for a few moments before moving away to throw the rest of the wooden sword into a trash can a few meters away from him. "I think today's training is over. A good meal would do us good. And since your attack exceeded my expectations, I'll buy you lunch."

Sora raised his head, surprised by the proposal. "Seriously? You're paying?"

Jarek shrugged with a mischievous grin. "I never joke about food, kid. Come on, get up. I'll show you a tavern where they serve the best stew in town. You've earned it."

Sora straightened up, grimacing slightly as he felt the aches and pains of training. He followed in Jarek's footsteps, who walked with typical nonchalance, his hands buried in his coat pockets.

The city streets were bustling with activity, with mercenaries leaving and returning from missions, merchants selling and trading their wares, and simple passers-by strolling the streets. This simple view of life appealed to Sora, who remained silent during the journey.

"This is it." Jarek announced as he stopped in front of a large inn, its wooden sign hanging slightly askew. Rustic script read: The Silver Horn. The laughter and bursts of voices coming from inside testified to the warm, friendly atmosphere that reigned in the inn.

Sora looked around the establishment, impressed by its size. Jarek pushed open the front door, letting in a breath of warm air, laden with the tantalizing smells of roasted meat and spices.

Inside, the main room was lit by wrought-iron chandeliers and candles. Armored adventurers, merchants and even a few bards occupied the tables, laughing and swapping stories. A waitress was making her way with a tray laden with mugs overflowing with ale. Since his arrival here, he had never set foot in such a lively place.

Jarek addressed Sora over his shoulder. "Come on, kid, let's sit over there." He pointed to a table near the hearth, where a seat had just opened up.

During the few seconds they walked to their table, many curious glances turned in their direction, even some of the waitresses had stopped to watch the unlikely duo take their seats.

Once seated, Jarek raised his hand to hail a waitress. "Two wild boar stews and a pitcher of your spiced apple juice."

Sora watched the room in silence, still fascinated by the energy of the place. But something caught his eye: a man in a dark corner, who seemed to be watching them. He wore a black cape with a hood partially concealing his face. His eyes shone with a strange, almost piercing glint.

Sora leaned towards Jarek. "Did you see that man over there? He's been staring at us ever since we came in."

Jarek didn't bother to turn around. An enigmatic smile spread across his face. "I know, I saw. Just ignore him. This kind of guy loves to play mysterious. If they have something to say, they'll come. If not, it's not our problem."

Jarek's answer didn't completely reassure Sora, but he decided not to insist. Shortly afterwards, their order arrived, and the delicious smell of the stew diverted his attention. He dipped his spoon into the steaming bowl, and from the very first bite, he felt a surge of energy.

"It's incredible!" he exclaimed, taking another bite.

Jarek burst out laughing. "I told you. The food here is almost magical."

As they finished their meal, the hooded man rose from his chair and walked slowly towards them. Sora felt his heart quicken. He sought out Jarek's gaze, who seemed totally relaxed, as if nothing was worrying him.

The man stopped at their table and lifted his hood slightly, revealing a face marked by a long scar crossing his left eyebrow. His voice was deep and calm. "Jarek. It's been a long time."

Jarek looked up, his expression betraying no surprise. "Well, if it isn't Aden. As dramatic as ever, I see. What do you want?"

Aden glanced at Sora before answering. "Just a chat. In private."

Sora felt an unusual tension building up, but Jarek nonchalantly stood up. "Kid, stay here. Finish your stew. I'll be right back."

Sora hesitated, but nodded. He watched Jarek follow Aden to a secluded alcove, where their silhouettes disappeared into the shadows.

Left alone, Sora felt a mixture of anxiety and curiosity. Who was this man? And why did he seem to know Jarek?

Sora tried not to let his imagination run wild, but the man's strange aura troubled him. He dug absentmindedly into the remains of his stew, glancing from time to time at the alcove where Jarek and Aden had disappeared. The room's cheerful voices seemed bland compared to the swirl of hypotheses that invaded his mind.

After a few minutes, he leaned forward slightly, hoping to catch snatches of conversation. But the murmurs coming from the alcove were indistinct, drowned out by the ambient hubbub. Yet something in the two men's posture, visible through the flickering light, betrayed a certain tension.

"Are you expecting someone?" suddenly asked a voice beside him.

Sora gasped and turned his head sharply. A young woman in light armor, with short hazel hair and a mischievous smile, had approached his table. She wore a silver badge in the shape of a sword, the symbol of Silver rank in the Order.

"Uh... No, not really," he stammered.

She squinted, her smile widening. "Interesting. Looks like you're a newbie." Her gaze slid to Sora's Obsidian badge. "Ah, I see. So you're the new kid on the block with Jarek."

Before he could reply, she sat down opposite him uninvited, resting her elbow on the table. "I'm Aria. And you, little Obsidian?"

"Sora," he replied, uncomfortably.

"Well, Sora, you should know that Jarek isn't the type to hang out with just anyone. So, what does he see in you, eh?" Her intense violet eyes sparkled with curiosity, but there was also a hint of amusement, as if she were testing his reactions.

Sora hesitated, unsure how to answer. "I... I train with him."

Aria burst out laughing. "Training with Jarek? Seriously?" She rested her chin on her hand, clearly amused. "So, how many times has he put you down already?"

Sora felt a warmth rise to his cheeks. "Many... But today, I managed to hurt him."

Aria's smile froze slightly, and she scanned him as if to determine if he was joking. "Are you kidding?"

He shook his head. "No. He even congratulated me."

She whistled softly, her expression becoming a little more serious. "If that's true, kid, you're more interesting than I thought. Not many people in this Order can claim to have touched Jarek, let alone hurt him."

Before the conversation could continue, Jarek reappeared, followed by Aden. Both men seemed more tense than before. Jarek put a firm hand on Sora's shoulder, as if to signal that it was time to go.

"Let's move, kid." His voice was harsher than usual. He glanced quickly at Aria. "Curious as ever, eh? Try not to scare him away."

Aria shrugged with a smirk. "I'm just chatting."

Jarek didn't reply, pulling Sora slightly towards the exit. Once outside, the jovial atmosphere of the streets seemed to have disappeared, giving way to a strange cold sensation biting at their skin. At last, Sora dared to ask the question that had been haunting him.

"Who was that man?"

Jarek sighed, looking suddenly weary. "An old friend... or perhaps an old enemy. In this business, the lines are often blurred."

Sora frowned. "What did he want?"

Jarek paused, staring ahead. "Warnings. Whispers of things happening on this floor right now. Things you should ignore for now."

Sora felt a surge of frustration. "I'm on this floor too, Jarek. If something's going on there, I want to know about it."

Jarek stared at him, his gaze more serious than ever. "Trust me, kid, you don't want to know yet. Not until you're ready." Then he resumed his walk. "Come on, let's go home. You've still got a lot to learn."

Sora remained motionless for a few moments, fighting a feeling of helplessness. Then, clenching his fists, he followed Jarek, more determined than ever to become strong enough to no longer be kept in the dark about the secrets that surrounded him.

As Jarek stood a few meters away from him, he thought he heard him whisper the words, "At last, something interesting is happening on this floor." But he didn't dare say any more for fear of the reaction he might get.

Walking behind Jarek, Sora couldn't help replaying what had just happened. A mysterious man who had accosted Jarek, a Silver rank who had approached him, and the enigmatic phrase he thought he heard coming from Jarek's mouth. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that staying close to Jarek could do him as much good as harm.

The sun had already passed its zenith when they returned to the Order together.

"Shall I accompany you on a mission today?" Sora asked, as he closed the door of the large building behind him.

Jarek shook his head, an enigmatic smile on his lips. "No, today we're going to swap roles, kid."

Unsure of what he was getting at, Sora tilted his head slightly to the left before answering. "Swap roles? What do you mean?"

"Pfff... You're slow on the uptake. I'm going to accompany you on one of your missions to see what you're capable of against enemies of your level." He replied as he made his way to the offices where the Order's hosts and hostesses were stationed.

He stood in front of Emma's counter, but she addressed him first. "I assume you've come to take the assignment you've booked."

"You never waste any time. Not even a little politeness or a smile." He replied, without sounding courteous.

Miming a false smile, Emma handed him the mission he'd come for. "As if you needed it."

Arriving a few seconds late at the counter, Sora looked at the mission Jarek held in his hands before looking at Emma with a big smile. "Hello Emma, it's been a long time."

A sincere smile this time appeared on Emma's face, who seemed to have noticed only now. "Oh Sora! Still alive I see."

Taking this remark in his stride, Sora was really beginning to believe that nobody respected him in this Order.

"Come on, kid, let's go." Jarek replied before turning away without saying another word.

Before leaving, Sora nodded to Emma, who nodded back, and stopped himself from joining Jarek, who was already opening the door to the Order.

"So, what's this mission?" Sora asked as he caught up with Jarek in the streets of Grimpoint.

Jarek smiled slightly without turning to Sora. "A simple mission. You'll have to retrieve some Erathis's rocks."

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