BXBX NOVEL Chapter 102 : An Old Acquaintance?
Both Sora and Hiyoko grew fond of their new companion. Despite his rapidly increasing power, the phoenix remained warm and gentle. A quiet pride shone in his eyes, yet he showed no arrogance when with his friend and master. Netsu fondly remembered playing with the tiny bird beside him when he was just as small and she was far stronger than him. Now, even though his strength had surpassed hers, he still cared about her.
Through countless training sessions, despite understanding the extent of his talent, he became aware that without his master’s guidance, he wouldn’t have come this far.
Netsu took flight, releasing a powerful roar that echoed in the space. He wanted to test his strength but knew he couldn’t unleash his power in this strange space.
Sora chuckled, watching Netsu play with the fire element. The six days of training were nearly over, and he felt satisfied with the phoenix’s progress.
Glancing at Hiyoko, Sora noticed her watching Netsu with a hint of envy. She’d always been content with her abilities, but now, seeing the majestic phoenix, she wished she could grow a bit taller and stronger too. As the elder, she didn’t want to be overshadowed. The idea of Netsu looking down on her someday made her sulk, a twinge of insecurity surfacing.
I should train Hiyoko too… maybe even help her evolve. Honestly, looking that tiny when she’s such a high level is a bit embarrassing, Sora mused, sensing her emotions through their bond. He resolved to help her grow stronger.
Over the past week, Sora had refined the effects of the [Nurturing] skill, discovering its potential and room for improvement. Realizing it could aid Hiyoko as well, he was eager to perfect the skill.
[The third floor test is now over]
[Evaluation :
Growth : 14400/14400. Perfect grade.Education : 50/50. Perfect grade. Affection : 100% Perfect grade.Evolution : 2 flawless evolutions. Perfect grade.Training results : Not tested on this floor.Finale rating : 100/100]
[Your reward is : Netsu (Male Phoenix)]
’That’s an interesting floor reward,’ Sora thought, relieved. He’d grown attached to Netsu, and the idea of losing him had worried him more than he’d realized. ’Let’s see how high I ranked this time.’
[Floor 1: Rank 1/4320]
[Floor 2: Rank 122/3456][Floor 3: Rank 6/2592]’Damn it, how did they get more than a perfect rating... This is ridiculous,’ Sora frowned, feeling a bit of frustration.
After maxing out Netsu’s intelligence, Sora had attempted to push it further, but he quickly realized it had reached an unbreakable limit. The same went for Netsu’s affection and growth—the tower simply wouldn’t let him advance his phoenix any more, despite his nurturing skill effects improving steadily.
’It’s fine, I’m not in a rush. This isn’t a sprint; I’ll catch up to everyone eventually.’ he thought, feeling a renewed focus.
With all players on the 3rd floor having completed their trials, Sora noted that 592 had been eliminated. Recalling his familiars to the beast space, he stepped forward, opened the door to the 4th floor, and entered without hesitation.
[Welcome to the 4th floor of the Tower.][Trial: [Battle of Familiars] – Join a team and perform to the best of your abilities in team battles between familiars!]
[Top 400 players from the 3rd-floor test are categorized as Tier 1 players, with each successive 400 players grouped into Tiers 2, 3, 4, and finally Tier 5][Teams will be assigned randomly, with one player from each tier on each team.]
Sora frowned at the setup. ’Don’t tell me my fate is going to depend on teammates?’
Since his first reset, he’d avoided team play as much as possible, only beginning to work with others after meeting Kara. Even joining the war and the guild had been calculated steps to boost his power or steps toward his revenge.
Emily’s advice had been invaluable, and a pang of guilt surfaced at the thought of leaving the guild and its genuinely good people behind. But Sora reminded himself of his resolve—he was willing to do whatever it took to make Rachel regret ever crossing him.
’I’ll try to make it up to Emily and Kim...’ He thought, trying to reduce his feeling of guilt.
[You have been assigned to team 23]
’Well, at least it’s a good number,’ Sora thought, managing a small smile at the number, as it was Kara’s birthday.
In the next moment, his surroundings changed as he felt himself dissolve and reappear in a massive waiting room.
Four figures materialized around him, and their sudden appearance was so unexpected that he reflexively drew his soul weapon and slashed at one of the players.
A sharp, searing pain tore through his chest immediately, forcing him to clutch his heart as he felt his [Soul Palace] trembling.
[Fighting is forbidden between teammates. First and final warning.]
Sora froze, stunned by the notification. The lingering pain in his chest left him breathless, his mind racing to comprehend what had just happened. ’The system can enforce its rules so directly?’ The realization sent a chill down his spine. ’I’m at the mercy of this system... I hate this feeling,’ he thought, anger building up within him at the thought of being forced into submission by such power.
As his [Soul Palace] slowly mended, the pain began to subside, as the Soul Power around his heart was on the move. Taking a deep breath, he straightened and turned his attention to his newly assigned ’teammates’.
They appeared relaxed, each watching him with a distinct expression—some with pity, others with understanding, one with scorn, and the last with a hint of friendliness.
The one with the look of understanding was a small, muscular figure with thick hair and a beard. ’Is he a Dwarf? Or just a small human?’ Sora wondered. ’But I’m sure no one like him was among the 400 players in Nara…’
The Dwarves were one of the nine forces that had attacked the Human World. Sora knew they now lived on one of the newly appeared continents following the World Update. The Dwarf Kingdom’s continent was located in what used to be the Pacific Ocean, near South America.
The teammate with the pitying expression was a strange creature. Standing at two and a half meters tall, it was muscular and covered in scales. With a wide jaw, sharp teeth, slit yellow pupils, and claws instead of hands and feet, it radiated an intimidating aura.
Smoke escaped its mouth with each breath, adding to its unsettling appearance. However, its stare showed no hostility; instead, it held a strange, almost sympathetic look.
’A Dragonborn…’ Sora thought, surprised. ’They were the strongest enemies in the brief six months before the World Update. From what I’ve seen on updated maps, they live near South Africa… Why is she staring at me that way? Wait… why am I assuming it’s female? Is it because of the eyes?’
Sora’s gaze moved to his third teammate, who was glaring at him with a look full of disdain, as though Sora were insignificant.
The figure was tall, with dark, rough skin and long, twisted horns. Red eyes burned with scorn, while sharp teeth curved into a grin. His muscular body was accentuated by claws on his hands, and a tail swayed lazily behind him.
’A demon... They were the worst invaders in the distant past, the most brutal of all the invading forces,’ Sora thought, recalling the horrifying incidents he had heard of before shaking his head. ’It’s not time to remember those things.’
Turning to his last teammate, Sora let out a sigh. It was someone familiar—the reason he’d instinctively drawn his weapon. Unlike the others, this person looked at him with a smile that seemed almost friendly, even appearing amused.
The familiar figure was the first to speak. "A gaze full of passion and fighting spirit... You should give up on those thoughts. Your level! You’ve reached this level in just a month... And you’re a Tier 1 player in this trial. Truly monstrous."
Sora felt a conflict rise within him at the mention of his gaze but decided to change topics and asked instead. "How do you know my rank? I can’t see your tiers… Actually, forget that—how are you even here?"
"In the party panel—you’re listed as team captain, so I guessed and you just confirmed it," the figure replied, a teasing smile on his face. Sora nearly facepalmed, realizing he’d just fallen in the other party’s trick.
"You’ve probably discovered a few secrets by now—assuming you have an innate skill, of course," the figure continued, his expression shifting to something more neutral. "All factions are invited to these events, in case you didn’t know. Inside the Ascension Tower, there’s no such thing as faction wars—at least in theory. It’s only about candidates and their potential growth. "
Sora locked eyes with the person in front of him.