Tower Of The Elite

After leaving the hospital, Nathan followed Dante to his room. The place Dante had rented was compact but had a cozy charm, with furniture that fit well with the room's space, giving it an enriching look. A small bed rested against one wall, while a comfortable sofa set provided a living space perfect for discussions.

As they settled in, Dante spoke up. "I've been looking into quests," he said, his tone casual but focused. "There are a few I've marked that we can take up once we form a party." He paused, meeting Nathan's gaze. "We'll need to be well-prepared for what's ahead."

He began explaining the types of private quests.

The first type, commission-based, allowed inhabitants to assign tasks like escorting, monster subjugation, or material collection. These quests were ranked by the tower, from F- to SSS, based on difficulty. Once assessed, the tower determined if the offered reward matched the challenge. If deemed fair, the quest would be issued through the Toverian Guild or made available for direct acceptance. Such quests could be found in settlements or neutral realms between every ten floors.

The second type was guild-assigned. These quests often came in chains, with tasks linked together. Initial rewards were modest, but they grew as subsequent tasks were completed. The guild prioritized those who had taken earlier quests, ensuring continuity and trust.

The rarest type, interdimensional quests, required travel between floors or even to other realms like the underworld. These could be assigned by anyone, including ascenders, Toverians, or inhabitants. They were challenging but offered unparalleled rewards.

As Dante finished his explanation, the room grew quiet. Nathan sat still, his expression unreadable as he processed the new information.

He had nearly finished reading the guidebook by now, yet none of this had been mentioned in it. The realization struck him, there was still so much he did not know.

Breaking the silence, Nathan asked, "How do you know all this?"

Dante frowned, his gaze sharp. "I have my ways of getting information," he replied, his tone guarded.

Nathan's lips tightened at the vague response. Rising from his seat, he said coldly, "Okay, good luck finding someone else to party with."

"Wait!" Dante yelled, his voice hurried. He hesitated, unsure of how to handle the situation. Just as he was about to speak further, Nathan cut him off in the same cold tone.

"Don't even think of lying to me. I want you to form a nexus pact with me and explain your source."

Though Nathan was grateful to the man for guiding him to awaken, he remained wary. He had learned his lesson and found it difficult to trust Dante.

"Fine," Dante sighed in resignation as if yielding to Nathan's demand. But he wasn't finished. "But you also need to answer everything I ask. Your blessing, attributes, and other things you possess."

Nathan agreed after weighing the pros and cons. He figured that it was better this way. He would fish out all the information he possesses regardless of whether they team up or not. 

Though he had already seen his blessing, he read them again as this was his only trump card.

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Blessing: {Avarice of Greed}

Grade: 1st star (Mastery: 0%)

Information: 

This blessing allows you to steal and use the powers or abilities of others. The stolen abilities are temporarily copied for a certain time, but their effectiveness is limited by your understanding of that power or the practice.

Warning! For stronger targets, they can sense your attempt and even seal it with their will as they shelter their core from your invasion. You will not be able to copy the ability and will face backlash from the failed attempt.

Additional Information:

-> Duration: 5 minutes

-> Limit: 1 ability

-> Cooldown: 2 hours

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This was an insane ability Nathan had received from the tower. It was common knowledge among ascenders that the blessings granted by the tower reflected one's personality and life experiences.

Nathan also had another ability called {Sacred Flame}, though it remained locked even after his awakening. He suspected this blessing came from Hestia, but he couldn't grasp her intentions behind it.

'Did she bring me here just to be a harvester? Is that why she gave me a blessing, But why did she seal it then?' he wondered, frustration simmering beneath his thoughts as more questions formed in his mind with no answers. Every time he absorbed Anima to nurture his core's growth, 40% of it would siphon off to his , leaving him questioning its purpose.

He snapped back from his thoughts as Dante began forming the nexus pact. Once the pact was in place, they would be bound to reveal whatever the other asked, truthfully and without deception.

Small ethereal violet threads emerged from both Dante and Nathan, intertwining gracefully in the air. They swirled and wove together, forming a delicate, luminous pattern that pulsed with a faint glow. The threads shimmered brighter for a brief moment before fading into nothingness, leaving behind an almost imperceptible hum in the room. The pact had been forged.

"All right, now that we are done, I will go first," Dante said, his tone sharp with curiosity. He wasted no time, his eyes narrowing as he asked, "Tell me about your blessing and what was your token color?"

Nathan felt a lump in his throat as he processed the question. These were the most crucial details, laying bare both his strengths and vulnerabilities. Dante wasn't holding back, diving straight to the major details.

After a brief pause, Nathan began, "My blessing is called {Avarice of Greed}. It lets me use the abilities of others, whether it's a [blessing], [trait], or something else."

Dante's eyebrows twitched slightly, betraying a flicker of surprise at the sheer audacity of such a power. However, he quickly regained his composure, his voice steady and direct. "How long can you use them? Is there a cooldown? And what's the limit to the number of abilities you can copy?" he asked, his tone firm and unrelenting.

Nathan clicked his tongue in annoyance. Dante had barely reacted until now, and yet, he was diving deeper. He didn't want to share too much about his abilities, but since he would get his turn to extract all the information from Dante, Nathan recomposed himself and responded in a smooth tone.

"I can use them for 5 minutes, after which the ability goes into cooldown for 2 hours. Right now, I can only copy 1 ability."

He deliberately left out the details about the effectiveness and how stronger opponents could block his attempts. He only answered what was directly asked.

"Figured it'd be something like that. Anything more would've been too overpowered, even at the start. What about your token?" Dante asked, his gaze unwavering.

At the mention of his token, Nathan stiffened, feeling the weight of the question. He spoke in a low voice, "Black Token."

Dante's eyes narrowed slightly. "Isn't that the token that makes you a slave and limits your growth?" he asked, his voice calm but sharp.

"Yes."

A silence fell over the room, stretching longer than Nathan expected. Finally, Dante spoke again, his tone still composed. "I see. Do you have any traits?"

"Wait, that's it?" Nathan asked, confused by Dante's lack of reaction. He had just revealed he carried a Black Token, a mark of severe limitation, yet Dante seemed unfazed.

"What do you expect me to do?" Dante replied with a shrug. "Scream at you for betting on you? That would be improper since I voluntarily invested my time and knowledge in you."

Dante's calm demeanor suggested there was no point in crying over spilled milk. With a final glance, he pressed on, asking if Nathan had a trait or any valuable possessions.

"I have only 19 G and I have the [Butcherer's Knife] armament, which I have yet to link with my core. I also have a [Trait]."

Nathan went on to explain how worked.

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Trait:

Description: Enhances the wielder's ability to quickly adjust to new environments, combat styles, and conditions, improving physical and mental resilience. Effectiveness grows with exposure to different challenges and experiences.

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"That is a useful trait," Dante said, offering a rare compliment. "It will make you more resilient and help you develop resistance and immunity to just about anything. Make use of that and try to develop it further."

Nathan was taken aback by the praise. Though he was aware of the uses Dante had mentioned, what truly shocked him was that the man had praised his trait.

Dante hadn't shown any admiration for {Avarice of Greed}, but instead for his trait. It also struck Nathan that traits could grow, something he hadn't known, as traits didn't have any rankings on the status screen.

With that, Dante finished his interrogations, and now it was Nathan's turn. He took his time, carefully considering each question.

He knew Dante could be clever and hide vital information, just as he had done with his blessing. Nathan also chose not to mention his sealed trait, as Dante hadn't specified which blessing he was referring to or asked how many blessings he had.

"Why are you here and what token do you have?" Nathan asked, starting his questions from the bottom.

"I came here for personal matters, and I have a violet token, which granted me a trait," Dante answered calmly, not letting the lingering tension show.

"What matters?" Nathan probed further, ignoring Dante's attempt to shift the conversation toward his trait.

"They are personal, and I cannot share their details without the consent of the person involved in this matter," Dante responded, his tone edged with a slight warning.

Nathan sighed, realizing Dante wouldn't budge on his response. He also knew that Dante wasn't technically lying, so there was no point in pressing further. Shifting his approach, he decided to try a different angle.

"What do you want from me, and why are you helping me?"

Dante sighed in response. "I want you to form a party with me, and I'm helping you so that you won't hold me back."

Nathan leaned in, sensing there was more to it. "Why only me? What exactly is your intention?"

Dante's response caught him off guard. "Because you're predictable and weak. I don't have to worry about being backstabbed by you. My intentions are of a genuine partnership, where both of us can benefit and complete the quests."

Nathan let himself relax a bit, the reassurance from Dante's earlier words easing some of his worries. With a more focused mind, he pressed on and asked about Dante's abilities.

"Explain your [blessings], or blessings, if you have more than one."

Dante raised an eyebrow at the question, a realization dawning on him. 'If he's asking like this, he might have another blessing he didn't mention', he thought, sighing at his oversight. He answered, choosing to be a little open this time as he hoped he wouldn't ask more.

"My blessing is called {Son of Steel}. It allows me to transmute my body into metal. I can only transform parts of my body at a time, and there's no time limit or cooldown period. However, I can't stay in this form for too long as it requires chakra to maintain the transformation. I don't have any other blessings."

The interrogation continued, with Nathan taking note of more details than Dante had anticipated. He even asked about Dante's attributes and traits, which were as follows:

STR: F+, END: F, SPD: F+, INT: F+, CHAKRA: 1st Stage, NP: 1st Circle, LUCK: C+

Acquired Trait: 

Nathan learned that not everyone could awaken an Innate Trait, as it required prior development of certain skills before becoming an ascender. This also explained why Dante had been impressed by Nathan's [trait].

In contrast, Dante's trait, , was acquired through his Violet token. It allowed him to comprehend the Geo (Earth) element, enabling him to learn spells and anima arts related to it while also providing slight resistance to Geo-infused attacks.

However, the real shock came when Nathan asked about Dante's finances.

"What! Can you repeat that? How much money did you say you have?"

"I have 258 G at this moment," Dante replied casually, as if the amount wasn't a big deal.