Her gaze returned to the tower. Briefly, a description appeared before her, providing additional information:
[Sky Tower] Blessing of the Realm's Guardian, granting fortune to the brave and strong. Conquer the tower and become a hero.
- Entry: [Team], [Solo]
"Can this tower truly be entered? And if so, will it provide valuable resources?" Bai Qi wondered to herself. Nevertheless, without prior experience, she understood that every action must be taken cautiously. She did not want to act recklessly.
Recognizing the importance of the first step, Bai Qi turned and looked at the people under her command. In a firm voice, she asked, "Is there anyone among you willing to try entering this tower?"
A bald, muscular man stepped forward. His face exuded confidence, showing no trace of fear. In a loud voice, he responded, "I will, Madam."
"Enter," Bai Qi ordered curtly, pointing toward the tower's door with a decisive gesture.
The bald man walked forward calmly, an aura of confidence radiating from every movement. The advanced equipment he wore emitted a shimmering blue light, indicating that he was no ordinary individual. As one of Bai Qi's trusted overseers, he had been equipped with the best gear.
"When you enter, immediately report anything you find, whether through the communication device or the system chat," Bai Qi instructed from behind, her voice clear despite its calm tone.
"Yes, Madam," the man replied firmly. He then stood before the tower's door, took a deep breath, and prepared himself for whatever awaited inside.
The bald man approached the tower's door and examined it closely. The door appeared massive and made of an incredibly strange, solid material.
"How could a tower this size emerge from the ground?" the bald man muttered in curiosity. He then selected the [Solo] option on the sky tower's panel and entered.
The moment he pressed the confirmation option, his vision flickered rapidly, then returned to normal.
"A cave?" he murmured softly.
[You have successfully entered the Sky Tower - Floor 1]
[Death inside the tower is not real]
"Not real? Does that mean I'll respawn like in a game?" the man muttered, trying to deduce how the tower worked.
"I wonder if I'll meet others here?"
He carefully observed his surroundings. The cave he was in felt vast, with rough, gray walls riddled with cracks. The ceiling loomed high above, adorned with sharp stalactites that seemed ready to fall at any moment.
A dim light emanated from small blue crystals embedded in the walls, enough to illuminate the area but still leaving dark shadows lurking in the corners of the cave. The air felt cold, damp, and carried a faint metallic scent mixed with the smell of wet earth. In the distance, the sound of dripping water echoed, mingling with the faint sound of small footsteps, as if something was moving.
"This place… feels like the bowels of the earth. But it's strange—it's definitely not just an ordinary cave," the bald man muttered as he touched one of the walls. The cold, rough texture of the stone sent a slight shiver through him. He scanned his surroundings, his sharp eyes catching a shadow moving swiftly in the distance.
"Hmm… I'm not alone here." He grinned, gripping the large green-glowing staff he held.
His steps slowly brought him to an open area within the cave, a large chamber with an uneven floor. There, he saw a group of small creatures—goblins.
Their bodies were dull green, with small fangs protruding from their mouths. Their red eyes glowed under the crystal light, filled with hatred and cunning. There were five goblins there, each holding a worn sword that looked blunt but still dangerous.
- Attributes: STR 7, AGI 3, RES 4, INT 1
- Skill: (Goblin's Rage)
(Goblin's Rage) The fewer goblins in the group, the more they awaken (Goblin's Rage), increasing attributes by 10% for one minute.
The bald man grinned wider. "First opponents, huh? Low-level goblins like you should make for a good warm-up." He stepped forward, the sound of his boots echoing off the cave walls.
With his tier-1 strength, these goblins posed no threat to him at all.
The goblins quickly noticed him and let out low growls, preparing to attack.
"All right, let's get started."
One goblin, seemingly the leader of the group, let out a sharp cry, signaling the others. They charged together, their swords swinging wildly, aiming for any gaps in the bald man's defense.
But the bald man remained calm. With one hand, he swung his massive staff at the first goblin that approached.
A loud impact echoed through the cave. The goblin was flung far away, its body slamming into the wall and remaining motionless.
[Dealt 12,000 damage to goblin]
[You have successfully killed a goblin, gaining 100 EXP]
"What? 100 EXP?" the bald man shouted in disbelief. "Shouldn't low-level monsters give me no EXP?" he continued, pausing in thought for a moment.
But the goblins gave him no time to reflect. One of them rushed forward fearlessly.
"Hard Strike," the man said, activating his staff's skill against the goblin.
The goblin was sent flying into the wall. With a single strike, it lay lifeless and unmoving.
"Weak," the bald man sneered, spinning his staff, swinging it with speed that seemed impossible for its size. Two more goblins tried to attack him from the left and right.
He leaped into the air with incredible speed, dodging their attacks. From above, he slammed his staff into the ground. A wave of green energy radiated from the impact point, shaking the cave floor and causing the two goblins to lose their balance.
In an instant, the bald man lunged at them. He struck the goblin on the left with the tip of his staff, sending it flying like a rag doll, while the goblin on the right was hit with the middle of the staff, shattering its worn sword and leaving it unconscious.
The last two goblins hesitated. They stepped back, their red eyes now filled with fear. But the bald man gave them no chance to escape.
"Not so fast," he said, swinging his staff with both hands. A bright green circle of light appeared at the tip of the weapon, radiating energy that made the air vibrate. With a single sweeping motion, he unleashed the wave of energy toward the remaining two goblins.
The energy struck them in an instant, leaving their bodies sprawled lifeless on the floor.
[Dealt 17,000 damage to goblin]
[You have successfully killed a goblin, gaining 100 EXP]
[Dealt 14,000 damage to goblin]
[You have successfully killed a goblin, gaining 100 EXP]