Beast Evolution Forge

"How does one move to the next floor?" He asked, ready to begin.

"It's simple, you just need to reach a threshold, 10 dungeon clears and 100 monster kills." Luna said while smashing the ground to reveal a safe that contained gear. "These, are yours."

She knelt beside the hidden safe, pulling out a set of items that had a powerful aura to them.

"These were left in my care," she explained, laying them out carefully on the table. "For when you returned to your path. None can handle or use them except their owner."

The collection included a pair of ornate gauntlets etched with symbols that looked ancient, a pendant with a swirling darkness contained within crystal, and a blade that seemed to absorb the light around it rather than reflect it. There was also leather armor that had strange markings like the gauntlets.

He approached cautiously, his hand hovering over the items. "These are... mine?"

"Yours by creation, yes," she confirmed. "Though whether you're ready to wield them again is another question entirely."

[These will amplify your power significantly. But be careful—they'll also accelerate the unsealing process.]

'Of course they will,' he thought grimly. Everything seemed designed to push him toward reclaiming his former self, whether he wanted to or not.

Ruby circled the table, her eyes wide with curiosity. "These look far beyond anything we've encountered so far."

"They would be," Luna said. "They were forged by the original Vell, using materials from different floors and the void itself. Each one has an ego and can amplify his power to unholy heights.

"These are ego weapons?" His curiosity was piqued.

She nodded, her eyes reflecting a mixture of reverence and caution as she gestured to the items.

"Yes, ego weapons of the highest caliber. Not like the common variants found on the lower floors." She ran her fingers along the edge of the dark blade, careful not to actually touch it. "Each piece resonates with a fragment of your original consciousness—a splinter of will that you embedded within them."

He studied the items with newfound interest, particularly drawn to the gauntlets with their intricate etchings. "So they're not just amplifiers, but... extensions of myself?"

"In a manner of speaking, the gauntlets, Void's Grasp, allow you to manipulate space itself. The pendant, Hollow Heart, grants dominion over the void energies that flow between dimensions. The blade is called Boundary's Edge—it can cut through reality itself. And the armor is Traveler's Hide, capable of adapting to any environment, any plane of existence."

[These were forged during your peak, when your understanding of the void was absolute. They represent aspects of your original power, carefully contained in physical form.]

Ruby approached the sword with fascination. "Can we touch them, Master?"

"I wouldn't advise it," Luna interjected quickly. "These items reject all but their creator. At best, they won't respond to you. At worst..." She left the warning unfinished.

He slowly reached out and picked up the gauntlets. The moment his fingers made contact, the etchings flared with light, and a rush of power surged through him. Memories flickered at the edges of his consciousness—fragments of battles across realities, of worlds saved and destroyed by his hand.

"I remember these," he whispered. "Not everything, but... something."

The gauntlets seemed to mold themselves to his hands, the seals on his skin pulsing in response. The silver threads around the room began to dance more vigorously, as if excited by the reunion.

[Careful. Each item you reclaim will weaken the barriers further. The gauntlets alone will accelerate the process significantly.]

'I understand. But we need every advantage if we're going to recalibrate those nodes and strengthen what remains of the Lattice.'

Ada watched him with concern. "Master, are you certain this is wise? If these items hasten the collapse..."

"Sometimes," he said, flexing his fingers within the gauntlets, "the only way forward is through fire." He looked at Luna. "You said there are seven nodes scattered throughout the Tower. Do you know which floor they're on?"

She spread the map across the table, revealing a complex diagram of the Tower's structure. "The nodes were placed on specific floors—7, 21, 42, 77, 98, 119, and 150. Each corresponds to a particular frequency of void energy." She pointed to markings on the map. "The locations aren't exact—they shift slightly as the Tower reconfigures itself—but they should be within these general areas."

"So we need to reach at least the 150th floor to secure all of them." Wren said, studying the map closely.

"Yeah, it will take a long time but we have no other choice." She replied.

The weight of their mission settled over the group like a heavy shroud. One hundred and fifty floors to secure all seven nodes—a daunting journey that would test them in ways they couldn't yet imagine.

Vell studied the gauntlets now fitted perfectly to his hands, feeling the power coursing through him. Each pulse seemed to whisper forgotten secrets, fragments of a past life that remained just beyond his full grasp.

"We have a long way to go," he said finally, looking up at his companions. "And it seems time isn't on our side."

Luna nodded grimly. "The barriers weaken with each passing day. And if what I suspect is true—if the Hollow King is already influencing the Tower's systems—then the fractures will only multiply."

Ruby's tail swished anxiously as she circled the remaining artifacts on the table. "So what's our first move, Master? Do we take all of these with us now?"

He considered the dark blade that seemed to devour light, the pendant with its swirling void, and the strange adaptive armor. Each called to him with familiar power, yet each would accelerate the very process they were trying to slow.

"Just the gauntlets for now," he decided. "We need to maintain balance—enough power to progress through the floors, but not so much that we hasten the collapse."

[A wise choice. The gauntlets will serve you well without overwhelming the remaining seals.]

He put the rest in his inventory.

"Haah, so that's the plan huh... 10 dungeons and 100 monsters...is that individually or per team? " He was already moving towards the door.

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"Team, the tower already registers you as a team so kills will count and show on your player cards. Oh, I should mention that the requirements are different on each floor, these are just for the 1st floor." She grabbed her gear and began removing her clothes.

"Is that so," He turned around letting her change in peace.

"Since when are so shy, you have seen my naked body many times." She finished, now dressed in practical brown leather armor that hugged her form. The material was worn but well-maintained, with numerous pouches and holsters for various tools and weapons. Metal reinforcements protected vital areas, and the whole ensemble gave her the appearance of someone well-accustomed to Tower exploration.

"Much better," she said, fastening the final buckle. "Been a while since I've gone hunting with a team."

Vell flexed his fingers inside the Void's Grasp gauntlets, still adjusting to the rush of familiar power they channeled through him. "You're coming with us?"

"Of course I am." She secured a short sword at her hip. "You think I'd miss this? Besides, you need someone who remembers the old Tower, before..." she gestured vaguely, "all this."

Ruby eyed Luna with lingering suspicion. "Can we trust her, Master? She was manipulating you just minutes ago."

Luna shrugged, unperturbed by the accusation. "Fair point. But manipulation and deception are different beasts. I needed to test him, to see how much he remembered." She looked directly at him. "The Tower is dangerous enough normally. With the barriers failing, it's going to be deadly even for you."

Ada stepped forward, her analytical mind already working. "These dungeon clears and monster kills—do they need to be in specific locations?"

"Not particularly," she replied, checking the edge of her blade. "The Tower records them regardless of where they happen. But..." Her eyes gleamed with the knowledge of a veteran explorer. "There are certain hunting grounds on the northern quadrant that tend to spawn higher concentrations of monsters."

"Efficient hunting would speed our progress." Wren said.

[She's right about the northern quadrant. I'm starting to recall more details about the Tower's structure.]

'Good. We'll need that knowledge moving forward.'

He nodded decisively. "Luna, you'll guide us to these hunting grounds. We'll work as a team to clear the requirements as quickly as possible."

"And what about this?" Wren lifted the carved box slightly. "Should we attempt to recalibrate it now?"

Luna shook her head. "Not yet. We need to be at a nexus point—a place where the Tower's energies converge. There's one near the northern hunting grounds."

The plan was taking shape. They would hunt, clear dungeons, recalibrate the first node, and then advance to the next floor. A simple strategy, though Vell suspected the execution would prove far more challenging.

He looked at his companions—six girls who had followed him despite knowing almost nothing about his past, and now Luna, who knew perhaps too much. The weight of responsibility pressed down on him like a physical force.

"Before we leave," he said, turning to Luna, "is there anything else I should know? Any other... surprises waiting for us?"

"Many. The Tower you remember is not the Tower as it exists now. The void incursions have altered entire sections. Monsters have evolved in unexpected ways. And..." She hesitated.

"And what?" Regina prompted.

"There may be others who remember you. Not all of them fondly." She fastened a small crossbow to her forearm. "You made allies during your time as the Boundary Keeper. You also made enemies."

He absorbed this information with a grim nod. "Then we proceed with caution. Stay alert, trust nothing at face value."

The preparations complete, the expanded party made their way out of her house and met up with Jia and Jolly who were standing guard outside.

"Ready girls?"

"Yes master!"

"Then let's go kick some monster ass."

---

Back at the guild

"We just received word from the branch on the higher floors, capture Vell, he is a criminal wanted for murder. Do you understand your mission, Jon?"

"Leave it to me headmaster. Me and my team will bring the criminal to justice."

"Very good."

[Jon- High Elite Rank ]