— BREAKING NEWS: The Obelisk Organization has evoked the Obelisk Law: Act Zero, Orion Martial Law.
The Obelisk Law: Act Zero stated that, in case of a threat that concerned the entirety of humanity or the Orion Continent itself, should every ruler of each major country agree with the evocation of the law would the Obelisk Military be deployed.
***
"It's like a virus that's highly contagious."
Ayleen poignantly spoke, looking at the huge holographic screen where the players' death curve — either by suicide or murder — was gradually going upward due to the Failure Penalty, which beca known, for failing to conquer the Tower of Growth.
"According to the daughter of a Baron in Cassiopeia, our presud Player Zero or the first to commit an atrocious act due to psychological cue of the Tower, she felt like she was asleep and had no control of herself.
"Furthermore, based on the other incident reports that followed up, we can conclude that the penalty for failing to conquer the Tower is losing the players' Growth Rate, but they will be given a chance to steal the others' Growth Rate by killing them with a condition that their targets are the successful challengers of the Tower.
"And, if by any chance, the failed player didn't manage to steal the Growth Rate of a successful challenger, he or she will involuntarily commit suicide."
Ayleen summarized the details of the report.
Draxian, Leon's and Mira's father, was silent this ti. He had sent his children to the Tower of Growth before he learned about the widespread involuntary suicide and murders. But, inwardly, he was confident that they would be alright since five S Rank players were with them.
Thinking about his son and daughter, Ayleen's voice entered his ears.
"Based on the live death curve, the case of involuntary suicide is higher. In consideration of the failed players' location, we can assu that most of the failed players lived in the regions where they couldn't find soone who successfully cleared the Tower, thus triggering suicide after the given ti of thirty minutes.
"Apart from that, we have already established control of the player-populated regions, as well as the less populated ones, of the continent."
After Ayleen's short pause, one of the High-Rank players, below the TOP 10 raised her hand and asked:
"Is the 30th floor really random? Or the Tower assessed the challengers in the sa way?"
"Thank you for asking such a question. According to the successful challengers that are affiliated with the Obelisk Organization, every Player Assessnt on the 30th floor will face different assessnts according to the Tower's will."
After an unknown period of ti, the conference ended.
"It's cruel..."
Ayleen whispered, not generally talking to anyone.
The failed players were either to die by their own hands or to involuntarily murder soone to live. For the forr, it could be said that it was the consequences of their own actions, while for the latter, it's to continue to live and grow upon spilling the others' blood.
Looking at the players leaving the conference room, Ayleen added:
"Deaths can not be avoided either way."
Turning her head slowly to the live holographic screen or death curve, her purple eyes slightly dimd.
Deaths: 30,017,002...
Deaths: 30,018,001...
She couldn't bla herself for ignoring the prank of the mysterious soone who told her to mobilize the Obelisk Military. Deaths could not be avoided, after all.
Everything had transpired just a few hours after Russell and the others entered the Tower of Growth.
***
[The Player Party has arrived at the 11th floor of the Tower of Growth.]
[Quest Objective: Kill 1,000 Forest Trolls from the 11th to 14th floors — 250 on each floor.]
[Duration: 50 minutes.]
Russell and the others were transported to the 11th floor. Various thoughts surfaced in his mind as he glanced toward the newly added mbers after the Administrator transported them.
'It's different yet the sa.'
He thought. Based on his unpublished novel, it was them — Russell, Freya, Alie, Ary, and Celine, as well as the mbers of Rumia's and Elizabeth's respective parties during the Virtual War — who were added to the party at this mont when compared to his unpublished novel.
It ans that the original mbers who should have cleared together the Tower of Growth were Jiho, Samantha, Anya, Elizabeth, Rumia, and the two S Rank assigned by Rumia's mother.
'Leon didn't even bother to join them...'
As Russell thought of Leon, he saw the S Rank won assigned by Rumia's mother. He recalled the ti when Rumia first approached them because she wanted to find soone to eat als with.
'They're the ones who probably investigated our background.'
"Samantha, what's the plan?"
Every party mber acquiesced for her to be the leader of the combined party.
Glancing around, Russell scrutinized the environnt they arrived at. A rainforest with no open field, full of gigantic trees; the radiance of the Sun barely pierced the gaps in the leaves. In other words, the 11th floor, which would also likely look like the 12th to 14th floors, was a dim and cramped environnt that could affect the party's mobility.
"Since the difficulty doubled, we can assu that the floor's size also widened twice as much, but I think it'll be fine if Rumia's escort splits up, too."
Samantha glanced at Rumia as she answered Elizabeth's question.
Understanding what she ant, Rumia looked towards the two won in their late 20s before she spoke.
"Raya... Yara... we'll split up into two groups, one of you should accompany the other."
Without verbally answering, the two nodded at their princess' words.
Whoosh-!
Without any warning, a stone spear was caught by Yara, a woman with waist-length black hair and green eyes.
"A troll. Up to the trees."
A barrage of stone spears, ant to pierce the necks of each of them, quickly flew past the leaves as though tearing the air.
'If it's not for these two, so of us would have our necks pierced already.'
Russell thought. Due to the environnt's dimness, it was hard for them to see the Forest Trolls, but with Russell's profound vision and perception, he could clearly see the top of the towering trees where nurous furry figures were slowly moving.
***
Each of them scattered and hide behind so trees. After so ti, the other escort, Raya, a woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes, spoke — just enough for everyone to hear.
"Do all of you need help?"
"No, we'll handle this."
Rumia firmly said. She recalled the story of the others before they mysteriously arrived on the 10th floor.
'Jiho defeated the Boss Monster... that's sowhat strengthened by the Tower for so reason... I need to be stronger, too!'
Rumia thought. Russell knew that these major people would be more motivated to beco stronger than they were because of Jiho's achievent.
"Let's find them."
Rumia spoke to Elizabeth, standing beside her.
Elizabeth nodded and was just about to teleport atop the trees when they heard Russell's voice.
"Twenty-five Forest Trolls above; five together, circling us around — ten and two o'clock from where Rumia's standing; twelve o'clock from where Samantha's hiding, and four and eight o'clock from where Ya- Jiho's crouching. They're covered in brown fur so be careful of their camouflage."
Russell was just about to say Yara but refrained from doing so because his tone was showing familiarity.
Rumia and the other ntioned nas, who seed in disbelief at the precise locations that ca out of Russell's mouth, looked at the directions he spoke about.
"T-that..."
Rumia looked at Elizabeth, and they quickly vanished from the spot.
Soon after, Forest Trolls' headless bodies fell from the trees as Rumia's Personal Weapon, "Whip of the Slard (Legendary)" coiled around the monsters' necks before they were decapitated.
***
The plan to split up had been put to a stop due to the sudden attacks of the Forest Trolls. After so cleaning up of the ambushers, they decided to hunt Forest Trolls together, concluding that there was no need to split up anymore due to the arrival of batches of the monsters.
Russell scrutinized the body of one of the Forest Trolls who died with his entire body intact. A Forest Troll was around two ters tall, with long hands and feet. They're agile as though they were natural monkeys.
Na: —
Race: Troll
Family: Forest Creature
Rank: F
— STATS —
Strength: 199
Swift: 199
Fortitude: 199
Intelligence: 199
Magic Power: 199
'Normal monsters, if they aren't fighting head-on, are all F rank, unlike the normal Orcs.'
Russell thought of the monster's behavior before he glanced toward Celine.
"Are you okay?"
'This pitiful girl.'
"A-ah, yes. T-thank you."
Celine, looking down at the ground, replied. They're taking a break for a mont before they start their hunting. It turned out that the Forest Trolls were the ones coming to their location as they might have sensed their arrival on this floor.
A mont later, Celine looked at Russell, but her expression turned grim... because... in Russell's left shoulder, a stone spear was pierced through.
"Argh-! T-trolls!"
Russell shouted, alerting the other party mbers.
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