317  Rewards

Folding the newspaper and placing it between his arms, Rocky took the lesson that Vladimir was trying to teach him with a gracious bow.

“I’ll keep your wise words in mind…” he said, as Vladimir nodded but responded with no other words.

Since he was recovering his breath, Vladimir did not continue making small talk and instead just kept staring intently towards Rocky, who seemed to be deeply lost in thought.

Rocky had always known that sooner or later his fame would spread throughout the tower as such was the fate of all champions, however he did not expect that day to come so soon.

If he were honest with himself, he didn’t feel as though he had achieved anything truly significant in his ascent through the tower.

He still felt unprepared to be swarmed and recognized by the ordinary people living on each floor during every raid he undertook and hence he felt like the fame he was getting was a bad thing rather than a good one.

However, on the other hand, he also knew that this fame and attention was the exact reason that both Buhara and Erin had joined his party.

For them as climbers, fame, power and wealth were their ultimate goals as none of those two ever wanted to become a god or had hopes of reaching the topmost floor, and instead, all they wanted to do was to bask in the glory of being members of the champions party and have their names be sung by bards in folktales for centuries to come.

Rocky had no question in his mind that if he showed this article to Buhara and Erin the two would beam in joy, as for them there was no greater honor than fame. However, as for Rocky himself, he found this situation to be more complicated than rewarding.

“Don’t sell yourself short boy…. What you have achieved is indeed worthy of praise.

Not everyone can climb a floor every week….” Vladimir praised, as his words made Rocky feel complicated.

He had barely survived the last two floors and could have easily died multiple times during both raids.

If he was being honest to himself, he was definitely not ready to climb a floor every passing week and if he did not possess the strongest system, or if things didn’t work out in his favor even once, he could easily have been dead already.

Climbing nonstop like this was not sustainable and Rocky knew it well, however, he had no option but to continue with this madness.

Perhaps the world would see his madness as a desire to stand out, or a flex of his strength, however, in truth it was just desperation.

A desperation to keep a loved one alive.

“Climbing floors has its benefits, even if you don’t understand them yet, trust me when I say that you become stronger every floor that you climb.

The tower works in mysterious ways and although it doesn’t feel like your body is increasing in strength everytime you climb a floor, it actually is.

The struggles you face and the experiences you gain…. They are invaluable” Vladimir said, as Rocky nodded and let out a deep sigh.

He did not wish to linger on this line of thought anymore as regardless of whether he liked it or not, he would have to climb yet another floor in a couple days time.

“So what is my reward for helping you kill your political opponent?” Rocky asked boldly, as once all the distracting talk was completed, Rocky cut to the chase, reminding Vladimir that he had not yet received his rewards for clearing this floor.

“Have I not given you enough information already boy? This advice is worth more than any reward–” Vladimir said, as he tried to tease Rocky and make him believe that he was not going to give him any more rewards.

However, Rocky was smarter than he thought, as he said “The floor administrator asked me to collect my rewards directly from you. And I know you cannot commission a mission with the floor administrator without actually presenting proof that you hold the rewards for the mission. So quit playing around and give it to me”

Rocky demanded that he be given the rewards and Vladimir, feeling amused at being caught, decided to not tease him anymore.

“Here…. These are the rewards I promised” Vladimir said as he snapped his fingers and summoned the reward for killing the Mayor.

Five robes floated towards Rocky, landing at his feet in a neat pile. The fabric shimmered with a faint glow, almost as if the robes were alive, responding to the energy around them.

“These are no ordinary cloaks,” Vladimir said, his voice steady and deliberate.

“Each one is imbued with ancient magic that can turn its wearer completely invisible for up to ten minutes. The magic is potent, but the cloaks need time to recharge after each use and it takes a considerable expenditure in mana stones to recharge them.”

Rocky crouched down, picking up one of the cloaks. It was light, almost weightless in his hands, and the material felt cool to the touch. As he examined it, the robe seemed to absorb the light around it, the shimmer growing dimmer.

“I don’t need to tell you how valuable these are in the tower,” Vladimir continued, his eyes fixed on Rocky. “They can help you avoid a fight you can’t win, or strike an enemy before they even know you’re there. But be careful—rely too much on them, and you may find yourself vulnerable at the worst possible moment.”

Rocky nodded, slipping one of the cloaks over his arm. He could already see the tactical advantage these would give him and his team. With these cloaks, he could maneuver through dangerous floors unseen, set up ambushes, or escape from overwhelming odds.

Vladimir leaned back, crossing his arms. “Consider these a reward for your success here—and a tool for your future struggles. You’ve earned them. But the tower has a way of testing even those who seem prepared, so use these wisely.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep