After receiving his spell, Xavier left the Hunter’s Home tavern immediately. He created a portal just outside the door and disappeared through it, returning to one of the isolated groves he liked to think of as his training retreats.

  In the time that he’d spent back at Hunter’s Home, his Time Alteration spell had met the end of its cooldown. He summoned a mug of fresh coffee Felicia had given him on his way out, then he sat cross-legged on the grass, taking a moment to look through the canopy of trees at the sky above. The air was fresh here. He drew in a breath, then sighed.

  He was itching to read what the Chronomantic Mindforge spell did. Before opening the spell description, Xavier cast Time Alteration, creating a field around the area to give himself a little privacy.

  He sipped his coffee and opened up the description. He couldn’t help but remember whenever he’d gotten a new book by an author he loved. That feeling of anticipation grew, but he wanted to be in the right spot when he read what it was.

  Chronomantic Mindforge - Rank 1

  Chronomantic Mindforge is a rare, mix-disciplined spell. It requires the user to possess three different paths of magical power—Time Magic, Mind Control, and Body Cultivation.

  Chronomantic Mindforge allows the caster to create a localised distortion of time. This distortion of time slows down time for the surrounding enemies as well as the user, though it leaves the user’s mind racing along at the same speed as the normal flow of time in the area.

  Within this field, the user can influence the minds of those around them. The influence the user has on others’ minds is limited in scope—in this state, they may drain the energies from the others’ cores, convert that energy into Celestial Energy, and cultivate that energy into themselves.

  This is a difficult spell to master.

  As was his way, Xavier read through the description multiple times.

  He tilted his head to the side.

  It freezes time for me and those around me, but my mind still moves at speed?

  In a way, that reminded him of the spell Mind Speed that Ardon had been forced to use on The Nightmare.

  It allows me to influence other people’s minds and the energies within them…

  That part of the spell wasn’t just his Willpower Infusion, it reminded him of Core Burn as well—the manipulation of other people’s stored energies.

  And then he could… draw that energy into himself.

  He almost felt a little disappointed, at first, about the spell. It was really just some sort of Core Drain spell, wasn’t it?

  But… there was more to it than that.

  In the past, Xavier had experimented with casting Willpower Infusion on minds outside of his Time Dilation field. He had in fact done that very thing in the fight against The Nightmare, at least in a way—the only reason that had worked was because he’d used it on a part of the demon that had been inside the field, and also because The Nightmare’s mind had been working for faster than normal. He didn’t know the next time he would encounter an entity similar to that of The Nightmare.

  Normally, he would have to deactivate the Time Alteration spell for his Willpower Infusion spell to hit an enemy outside of the field.

  This was rather different. This made his mind far more powerful than the mind he intended to influence. And while it didn’t harm his enemy like Core Burn did, it may very well defang them to a degree, making it difficult—or impossible—for them to cast their spells or infuse energy into their bodies or attacks.

  Yes, there was more to this spell than met the eye.

  He could see how it would serve him well.

  Though he had to wonder at how it actually worked. Slowing time for himself and those around him… wouldn’t that mean those outside this time distortion moved more quickly than him? He’d experienced that while altering the flow of the time dilation field. It was a dangerous spot to be in.

  But that’s a time dilation field, not a time distortion. Perhaps that works differently.

  This warranted investigation.

  Xavier deactivated the time dilation field and moved out of the glade to hunt for some beasts to test his new spell on.

  ~

  Xavier trained for three days with his three new spells. Body Cultivation, Soul Born, and Chronomantic Mindforge each made huge leaps in their ranks and his proficiency with them.

  In that time, he had also used his Otherworldly Communion spell. There had been information he’d needed to learn, about Volkarin, and if he would still be able to bring the injured dragon back to his would.

  A few times while Xavier had trained, he’d used Soul Sacrifice, in the hopes of seeing the dragon spirit burst out, the first among those through the bridge from the Otherworld. But the dragon never came.

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  It was strange using that spell and never seeing the dragon. He felt a longing to see the beast, one he hadn’t expected. Apparently, he’d grown closer to the spirit than he’d thought.

  During the communion, he had learnt everything he needed.

  Now, it was finally time for him to face the C Grade Elemental dragon, take its egg, and get the hell off the hundredth floor.

  Xavier clutched the notice for the Elemental Dragon in his hand. He stood just outside Hunter’s Home.

  He’d never felt more ready.

  “Xavier! Lad!” Gimble waved at him down the path, a little ways from the tavern’s entrance.

  Xavier waved back at the dwarf, his party nowhere to be seen.

  “Gimble,” Xavier nodded. He glanced around, feeling a little deflated. Part of him wanted to ignore the dwarf and continue on his way.

  He had a dragon to fight.

  “Where’s your party?” he asked, not particularly interested in the answer.

  The dwarf shrugged. “I sent them onward. Through the tower. I could sense they’d spent enough time here.”

  Xavier tilted his head to the side. “You sent them on?” Xavier knew the dwarf had spent a long time on the hundredth floor. More than anyone else but the barkeep, who was essentially the guardian for the floor. He had churned through many different party members in that time.

  He was an interesting fellow, albeit one that liked to hide the truth on occasion.

  “Does that mean you’re solo for a while?” Xavier asked.

  Gimble shrugged. “Just for the day. I’m about to head back to the Staging Room. I need to find some more party members before coming back here.” He scratched his beard. “Maybe spend a few days in a tavern that isn’t this one.”

  Xavier shook his head and chuckled. “You’re coming back? Are you ever going to leave this floor?”

  The dwarf glanced about, then gave Xavier a cheeky look. “Only when I’m C Grade, and not a minute before.” He winked.

  “Ambitious.” Xavier didn’t think he had the mental fortitude or stamina to remain on this floor that long. It was already getting monotonous for him. “No doubt you’ll be a force to be reckoned with the next time we see each other.”

  Actually, if he were honest, other than the strong challenges he’d faced… He had grown bored of this floor many months ago.

  “Aye. That’s the plan, lad. That’s the plan. Though I reckon you already are one, to a far higher degree than I could ever manage.” He motioned toward the door. “One last drink?”

  Xavier shut his eyes a second, all of his thoughts turned toward facing the Elemental Dragon. Then he sighed. “All right. One last drink.”

  “Don’t sound so put out, lad. I’m paying. And that’s not all that’ll make it worth your while.” The dwarf grinned through his massive beard. “I’ve finally opened that troll box o’ yours.”

  Xavier blinked.

  Gimble frowned at him. “What, don’t you remember? You’ve been hounding me about it since you gave it to me.”

  “Oh, I remember. I just never thought I’d see the day you actually opened the damned thing.” Xavier’s interest was piqued. He supposed he could let himself get interrupted from his mission for this. He’d been waiting for the dwarf to open that box for long enough, after all.

  Xavier followed the dwarf into the bar. They didn’t head to a table, like he’d expected. Instead, Gimble headed to a private room that he had in the back, one Xavier hadn’t been to before.

  The room was far larger than any of the other ones Xavier had seen at Hunter’s Home, and it was thoroughly lived in. The dwarf had clearly brought all of his own furniture, as each of the items were customised to fit his diminutive size.

  “How long have you had this room, Gimble?” Xavier asked, looking about.

  Gimble chuckled. “A long, long while. Not even sure how long, if I’ll be honest with you, lad. After a while you stop keeping track.”

  There was table in one corner that the dwarf went to sit on.

  Xavier closed the door behind him and came to sit down at the table. The dwarf brought something out of his Storage Ring. Xavier chuckled when he saw what it was. A keg of ale. “I thought you said one last drink?”

  “Aye. Half a keg each. Sounds like one to me, lad,” the dwarf said with a raised eyebrow. He tapped the keg and poured them both a mug, placing them on the table. “This is Dwarven Fire Ale. Has quite the kick.” Gimble winked. He headed to a locked cupboard at the back of the room and opened it. The troll’s loot box sat at the bottom of it. He picked it up and put it atop the table with a sigh.

  Gimble slapped the top of the chest. “This damned box has been more of a hassle to access than I’d expected. I tell you what, I almost gave up on the thing. Was gonna hand it back to you with an apology. But this morning, something came to me.” He slapped the box again and grinned. “Popped it right loose, it did. Though, you won’t be using this as a storage device in the future—it isn’t locked anymore, and it’s a damned bulky thing to transport besides.”

  “You can keep the box. I just want whatever’s inside.” Xaiver eyed the dwarf. “There is something inside it, isn’t there? This isn’t like Al Capone’s vault?”

  “Whose what now?”

  “Never mind. Let’s just say someone worked something up so hard and for so long and it ended up being…Well, nothing.”

  Xavier had contemplated, many times, what was inside the box. He couldn’t for the life of him think of what a Fetid Forest Troll might deem important or valuable enough to put inside one of these.

  He worried that he had worked it up so much in his mind that it had to be something… Absolutely amazing. And now, all he expected was to be disappointed.

  Gimble had a smile on his face, one that Xavier struggled to read through the thickness of the dwarf’s beard.

  “Well, what is it? You’ve made me wait long enough. No need to keep me in further suspense.” Xavier grabbed the mug of ale before him and took a sip. He shut his eyes a moment and put a hand to his throat. “God, that burns.”

  Dwarven Fire Ale certainly lived up to its name.

  Gimble gave a hearty laugh. “That it does, lad. That it does.” The dwarf rubbed his hands together. “You’re right, lad. No more waiting.” He rested a hand on either side of the chest’s lid. That smile of his was still plastered on his face.

  In a flurry, he flipped open the lid. Then he turned the treasure chest around to face Xavier.

  Xavier leaned over the table and looked inside the treasure chest. He had been waiting far too long to see what was inside this thing.

  His face fell.

  Xavier raised his eyebrows, looked at the item, then looked at the dwarf. “Is this some kind of joke, Gimble?”

  Inside the treasure chest sat a small, silver key. The key didn’t look interesting to Xavier’s eye. In fact, it looked like this treasure chest simply had a key to some other treasure chest.

  The chest couldn’t really only hold a key, could it?

  The dwarf tilted his head to the side and stared at Xavier with an odd look on his face, the smile having fallen away. “You don’t know what this is, do ya, lad?”

  Xavier stared at the dwarf for a long moment before he turned his focus back onto the key inside the chest. He took the key out of the chest and used his Identify skill on it. Perhaps this wasn’t a joke after all.

  The item’s description appeared before him.

  {Universal Travel Key}

  This is a teleportation device that allows the user to create a portal every six months to anywhere in the local universe. The portal is one way and only lasts for ten minutes. The portal does not reopen again for a return trip for one month.

  This teleportation device does not work between alternate universes.

  Xavier’s eyes widened.

  This was similar to his Sector Travel Key, but… It worked even better than that key did. Not only that, it worked for the entire local universe.

  It looked as though the wait had been worth it after all.

  Accidental Champion!

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