CH814

The request instantly perked Nare up, pulling him away from thoughts of how some poor trial design had almost just killed Ben and bringing him to the forefront of the conversation, light coming back in his eyes.

“You’re finally going to take it on?”

“I don’t have much choice,” He shrugged. “I want the tower blessing and more importantly, completing it should let me become a contender for my deep connection too, right? Then I still just have the problem of actually awakening the thing but that’s a whole other issue I have months to try and work out.”

“Months isn’t exactly a long time,” Helori muttered.

“Long enough, I already have an idea or two to make it happen too but that’s a future concern. Right now, all I want to know is everything that you’re allowed to tell me about the tower and hey, if you’re feeling cheeky I’ll also take anything you’re not allowed to tell me.”

“You won’t be getting anything like that,” Nare told him.

“Need I remind you that I nearly died because of some poor design? Aren’t I owed a hint or two?”

“This is this and that is that but as for the things I can tell you, well, I believe I already told you most of it in the past. Unlike the other trials, it would be rather unfair to ask anyone who devotes themselves to crafting skills to put their lives on the line so you won’t be at the same level of risk you have been for any of the other towers but in exchange, the difficulty is raised all of the higher. More than any other tower, this is built to challenge you.”

“Well, considering the number of injuries I’ve sustained in the ones I’ve done, I’ll be the judge of that. In that case, is there any major consideration to make for the door I should take?”

Unlike the magic towers, craftsmans’ tower had five different entrances to split across four different crafting disciplines, with smithing, woodworking, alchemy, and art being the four focuses to choose from while the final door was a general one that was going to pull from all of the other options and perhaps even beyond them as well, though it didn’t seem like he was going to get an answer confirming that from the gods in his company. Still, with all of those options to choose from, it left the question of which he’d ultimately pick to challenge himself.

Originally, when Nare had first started asking him to take it on before the first wave had come he’d thought he’d take on the general door, if only because it sounded more interesting and suited his qualities as a general craftsman as well, someone who wasn’t confined to a single path, but with the third wave on the way he accepted he couldn’t be so frivolous about it. He wanted his level and he wanted the tower blessing which meant he needed to pick whichever one he had the best chance of completing, with two choices feeling more likely right off the bat.

Smithing and artistry, the first of which had been one of his stronger focuses since coming to the world and the second being his passion since long before his arrival and both being points he was tremendously confident in. It wasn’t like he doubted himself when it came to the other two options either, it was just that if he was going to be sure to give his best, he couldn’t deny it had to be one of those two.

With Nare denying either choice before he could even say them. “It has to be the general door.”

“Why? Is it going to be any easier in exchange for being more varied?”

“Well, no-”

“Pass. Smithing or artistry, everyone cast their votes.”

“Wait wait wait,” Nare rushed to say, trying to stop him from being so hasty. “Don’t be so quick in choosing here, this is an important decision to make!”

“Yeah, which is why I’m looking at making the right one. If you think the general door is the right choice then you’ve gotta convince me here man because what I’m after is the level and the blessing and as far as I can judge, you’re asking me to take on something that’s going to be harder than other options and for what? To entertain you guys?”

“I think it would be more appropriate to say impress us than to entertain us-”

“Pass.”

“Ben,” Myriad told him as his firm rejection only drove Nare deeper and deeper into despair. “If you’re going to do this, take on the general door.”

“It’s the best choice,” Helori agreed, with the three of them unanimous in a way that left him looking around the room before shaking his head.

“Why? I only see drawbacks to it. You all know my goals here, I can’t be doing something like that on a whim.”

None said anything, not one trying to make a compelling point which managed to be just suspicious enough that he sighed in the end.

“Okay, I’m going to very politely assume there is going to be a reason for this you guys just can’t talk about so at least tell me this. Compared to doing any of the other doors, will it be worth my while?”

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“So long as you perform well it will be,” Nare told him, looking a bit better now that it seemed Ben was giving in and only growing more so as the mortal shook his head.

“Fine, fine, I’ll do that stupid door but if I don’t make it to the top because I listened to you guys, none of you are ever hearing the end of it.”

“I’m sure. Still, you won’t regret it.”

“Yeah yeah, next question then. What counts as a crafting skill? I’ve got one more spot available for my team for this tower and I want to make sure I grab someone who could use it.”

As it was, Amy didn’t seem like she’d be getting to level any of her awakened skills but getting her the blessing made that small trade-off worth it when his friend was trying to awaken to the third tier in the months she had left, same as he as, but when he asked the question it brought a thoughtful look to Nare’s face.