Realm X: Ascending Through The Arcane Tower

Chapter 6: The Chaos To Be Unfold

[Time Elapsed: 47 Minutes]

[Participants Remaining in Battlefield #47: 31/50]

[Overall Participants Remaining: 7,234/10,000]

[Your Kills: 4]

[Your Points: 387]

[Current Rank: 1,892/10,000]

Erwin's breathing was ragged, his body covered in cuts and bruises that screamed with every movement.

The battle axe felt heavier now, sticky with blood from creatures he'd rather not remember.

Four kills. Four beings who had fought for their own survival, their own stakes, their own desperate reasons to reach the top of this tower.

And he'd ended them.

The black fog had started moving fifteen minutes ago, consuming the outer platforms with terrifyingly. Anyone caught in it didn't even have time to scream, they just... stopped existing.

The battlefield had shrunk by nearly thirty percent, forcing the remaining participants closer together. The fights were becoming more frequent, more desperate.

"You're doing well," Einstein said, though his voice carried no enthusiasm. "Rank 1,892 is solid progress."

"Not good enough," Erwin muttered. "I need top 500. That's still 1,392 places to climb."

He pulled up his status, checking his progress.

[STATUS UPDATE]

[Level: 4]

[HP: 215/400]

[Essence Energy: 87/200]

He'd leveled up twice more from the kills. Each level gave him slight increases to health and essence, but nothing game-changing.

His real advantage was still Pattern Reading. Every fight, he relied on it more, pushing the ability to predict movements further and further.

But he was getting tired. His body couldn't keep up with what his mind could see.

A roar echoed across the battlefield.

Erwin's head snapped toward the sound. On a platform two levels below, the ape-like creature from earlier—the one who had shoved him—was fighting three opponents at once.

And winning.

[Scan Complete]

[Name: Gormar the Breaker]

[Species: Stone Gorilla]

[Power Level: Mortal Rank B]

[Current Points: 892]

[Current Rank: 523/10,000]

Already in the top 600. Damn.

Gormar grabbed one of his attackers that looked like a serpentine creature and literally tore it in half. The other two scattered, clearly recognizing they were outmatched.

[Participant eliminated]

Erwin felt a chill run down his spine. That could have been him if he'd tried to fight that gorilla earlier.

"We should avoid him," Einstein said unnecessarily.

"Agreed."

Erwin turned away, scanning for weaker targets. It felt awful thinking in those terms, but this wasn't a place for morality. This was survival.

His eyes landed on a lone figure on a distant platform. Small, humanoid, clearly injured.

[Scan Complete]

[Species: Lunar Elf]

[Power Level: Mortal Rank E]

[HP: 87/280]

[Status: Severely wounded]

An easy target. Someone he could kill without much risk.

Erwin started moving toward the platform, then stopped.

The elf was collapsed against a rock, clutching what looked like a broken arm. They hadn't even noticed him yet.

'So this is what I have to rely on,' Erwin thought, bitting his lips as his stomach churned. 'Killing the defenseless to climb a leaderboard.'

"Erwin," Einstein said quietly. "Your parents."

Right. His parents.

That's what this was for. Not glory, neither power. Just keeping his family human.

He crossed the energy bridge, approaching the wounded elf.

The elf noticed quickly and looked up as Erwin got closer, it's silver eyes widening in fear.

"Please," the elf said in a voice that was surprisingly clear despite the pain. "I... I have a child. Back on Lunara Prime, if I fail this trial, the Celestials will..."

They trailed off, but Erwin understood. Everyone here had a stake here too, everyone had something to lose.

"I'm sorry," Erwin said quietly. "I really am."

He raised his axe—

—and brought it down beside the elf, embedding it in the stone.

The elf flinched, clearly expecting death. When it didn't come, confusion replaced fear.

"What... what are you doing?" the elf asked.

Erwin didn't respond yet, he simply pulled out one of his health potions and handed it over.

"Drink this. Then find somewhere to hide until the trial ends. If you're lucky, someone else will rack up enough kills that you'll squeak into the top 500. Besides, killing you won't be too beneficial to me because you are lower in rank than I am."

"But still... why?" The elf's hands trembled as they accepted the potion. "You could... I'm defenseless."

"It's almost as if you want me to change my mind," Erwin said, pulling his axe free. "I already told you why."

He turned and started going back across the bridge where he'd come from.

Einstein floated beside him in silence for a moment, then spoke. "That was stupid."

"Probably."

"You just gave up easy points. You're still 1,392 ranks away from safety."

"I know."

"Your parents could become infected because of this decision."

"I KNOW!" Erwin snapped, then took a breath. "But if I kill everyone weaker than me just to climb a leaderboard, what does that make me? How am I any different from the infected?"

"The infected don't have a choice," Einstein pointed out. "You do. And you're choosing to handicap yourself in a survival game."

"Then I'll just have to work harder," Erwin said firmly. "Find stronger opponents and take bigger risks."

[Hidden Quest Complete: Show Mercy]

[Reward: +50 Bonus Points]

[Total Points: 437]

Erwin blinked at the notification. Hidden quests, of course there were hidden quests. This system would literally reward him for anything whenever it wants.

Quite crazy.

Suddenly, a massive explosion rocked the battlefield, drawing everyone's attention.

One of the larger platforms had completely shattered, sending debris and participants tumbling into the endless void below.

[Participants eliminated: 4]

[Participants remaining in Battlefield #47: 27/50]

The battlefield was entering its final phase. The black fog was closing in faster now, forcing everyone toward the center platforms.

Soon, there would be nowhere left to run.

Soon, it would be a pure blood bath with everyone fighting everyone.

Erwin checked his rank again.

[Current Rank: 1,704/10,000]

The bonus points had helped, but he still needed to climb 1,204 more places.

Time to stop holding back, after all every single participant in this battle royale were mortal like him, maybe just a higher rank but that doesn't really changes much.

Erwin's grip tightened on his axe as he surveyed the remaining participants.

As for the weak ones, he'd leave them alone. Same for defenseless, maybe his system would award him with points for that.

For the strong ones? The ones actively hunting others?

They were the priority now.

"Alright," Erwin said, his voice cold with determination. "Let's hunt some hunters."

Einstein sighed but didn't argue.

This is just the first floor of the arcane tower so if Erwin decides to be an active participant here instead on sneaking around and killing weak beings, it wouldn't be to bad.

Maybe... Just maybe it might prepare him for the other 99 floor above.