[Welcome to the Paradise Tower, Arceus!]
My entry into the tower had been straightforward. All it took was activating the runes etched deep within my mind, those that formed part of the abilities I had struggled so hard to master. I needed nothing more. I soon discovered a fascinating temporal pattern: each day that passed in the outside world equated to five days inside the tower.
I closed my eyes, letting my consciousness fade like the flame of a candle before a cold gust. Everything plunged into darkness. When I opened them again, I instinctively furrowed my brow; a blinding light forced me to squint as I tried to adjust to the glare.
A strange tingling coursed through my retinas. My vision trembled violently, as if the entire reality before me had turned into a convulsing canvas. A dizziness overwhelmed me, akin to the sensation of flying at a dizzying height with no control whatsoever.
Inside my body, something writhed. An indescribable feeling gradually stabilized my perception of the world that had been chaotically spinning before. The dizziness began to subside until it vanished completely.
[Entering the second floor of the Paradise Tower.]
[The objective of the next trial is to survive: Reach the pond unharmed.]
After hearing the tower's message, I could finally examine my surroundings with greater clarity. I found myself in a passageway stretching straight ahead until it vanished into the darkness. Rough, cold stone walls surrounded me, along with a ceiling speckled with luminescent stones that emitted a faint glow at regular intervals.
The dim lighting limited my vision to barely two meters. Beyond that, everything was swallowed by an absolute blackness that seemed to beckon me, inviting me to step into its jaws. I took a step forward with extreme caution, controlling the nerves that threatened to betray me.
Despite keeping my guard up, nothing happened for a good stretch. The silence was so profound it felt oppressive, as if nothing had ever existed in that place. An ordinary person might have succumbed to the apparent calm, allowing their vigilance to relax. Not me. With each step I took, my state of alertness intensified. Experience had taught me that danger always arrived without warning, and when it did, it swept through like an unleashed storm.
Just as it did at that precise moment.
Suddenly, an arrow sliced through the darkness. My body reacted on pure instinct, twisting to one side. Even so, the projectile grazed my left forearm, leaving behind a searing pain. I felt tiny splashes of blood as the fabric of my clothing tore.
"A steel arrow!" I thought as I regained my composure, frowning while observing how it had embedded itself deeply into the wall. It wasn't an ordinary wooden arrow but one forged from pure steel.
I understood immediately: if it had hit me squarely, it would have torn my arm off effortlessly. A strike to the head or abdomen would have been irrecoverably fatal.
It seemed the traps constantly shifted their positions and activated following random patterns. My only option was to remain perpetually alert and develop superhuman reflexes to dodge them.
¡Swish! ¡Swish! ¡Swish!
More steel arrows flew toward me in rapid succession, each from a different direction. It was impossible to track them with the naked eye. I ducked and rolled forward, simultaneously grabbing the satchel I carried on my back. I had brought it specifically for this purpose: filled with clothes and various tools, it served as an improvised but effective shield.
¡Thunk! ¡Thunk! ¡Thunk!
Three steel arrows embedded themselves into the satchel with such violence that it felt as if my arm were being ripped off. Two of them pierced through the fabric completely, their tips protruding on the other side like accusing fingers.
I managed to stand and leaned against the cold wall, learning a valuable lesson the hard way: when you don't know the source of the attacks, you must minimize your exposed surface as much as possible.
However, my caution proved insufficient.
A sharp pain shot through my body as an arrow embedded itself deeply into my left thigh. Before I could fully process it, the traps installed not only in front of me but also at the back and sides activated simultaneously.
—¡Ahhh! —Despite the excruciating pain, I gritted my teeth and tried to twist my body, but…
¡Thunk! ¡Thunk! ¡Thunk!
More arrows sliced through the air, piercing the satchel and embedding into my left shoulder, forearm, and grazing my ribs. The pain was indescribable, as if my arm were being torn apart fiber by fiber. My breathing became ragged, reduced to shallow gasps.
That sensation wasn't unfamiliar to me. I clenched my teeth and clung with all my strength to the consciousness that threatened to slip away. This pain, though intense, was nothing compared to the torment I had endured at the hands of the goblins on the previous floor.
I quickly assessed my condition: "The arrows are embedded in my left shoulder, forearm, and thigh. The ribs… they only grazed me. The wounds look bad, but I still have mobility."
I acted without hesitation. I lifted my now-tattered satchel and retreated as quickly as my injuries allowed. I had identified a pattern: the traps activated upon crossing certain points. There was a specific zone where their concentration became lethal.
The arrows continued to pursue me as I retreated. At first, it was just one or two, but soon they became four or five at once. I moved while trying to minimize my exposure, though a long trail of blood stained the wall behind me. Two more arrows embedded into my calf before the attacks finally ceased.
I leaned against the wall and let the satchel, now riddled with arrows, drop heavily. My vision wavered dangerously, and a metallic, unpleasant, suffocating smell filled my mouth. I barely managed to stay conscious, knowing full well that if I fainted at that moment, I would die instantly.
With immense difficulty, I reached into the shredded satchel. All its contents had spilled and scattered, now replaced by the steel arrows that had tried to end my life. With my left arm nearly useless, it took me a considerable amount of time to retrieve the few items that could still be of use.
Once my preparations were complete, without hesitation, I reached for the steel arrow embedded in my left shoulder and yanked it out with a resolute pull. A guttural growl escaped my lips as I felt the steel tear through my flesh as it came out, causing pain so intense it felt as if my entire arm were being ripped off.
My hand trembled as I held the bloodied arrow. Blood poured profusely from the open wound, but I maintained my unwavering determination.
I knew it perfectly. If I truly wished to grow, if I genuinely aspired to become stronger, if I sincerely sought excellence, I needed to face pains far worse than this. Besides, this trial was the best way to train and sharpen my senses quickly.
I removed the arrow from my leg with a swift motion and stopped the bleeding with improvised methods. Fortunately, no bones had been fractured thanks to my instinctive movements.
I could barely catch my breath after treating all my wounds. I breathed in short gasps as I felt my strength gradually fading. My left arm and leg had become practically useless.
—A brutally difficult start —I muttered bitterly, so dazed that I felt the urge to curse my own existence—. It's complete madness.
I had known beforehand that it would be dangerous, but the reality had far exceeded my darkest expectations. The only thing I was absolutely certain of was that this experience, as brutal as it was, would prove invaluable on my journey. With that thought rekindling my determination, I quickly organized my ideas, mentally preparing for the challenges ahead.