Jazmel stepped through the gate and his feet landed on wood. A branch, he was standing on the branch of an impossibly large tree and when he looked over the side of the branch, he whistled at just how high up he was. It was easily one hundred metres, the branch he had stepped onto had been worn down and fashioned into a bridge, it held his weight, and no wind seemed reach this high up oddly.

  DING!

  YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR WAY INTO THE BOUGHS OF THE SPIRIT TREE!

  THE SPIRIT TREE! An ancient creation of the labyrinth, it is said to be one of the earliest creations within. Nobody knows where all the branches, boughs, and roots end within the labyrinth, but it is known that all roads lead to the spirit tree, it is a junction within the labyrinth that many have heard of, but few ever reach it.

  …

  THE SPIRIT TREE IS PAINED, THERE IS ROT SEEPING INTO ITS ROOTS!

  YOU MUST STOP THIS, REACH THE ROOTS OF THE SPIRIT TREE, AND INVESTIGATE!

  BE WARNED THERE IS A QUEST BOSS INVOLVED!

  REWARDS WILL VARY BUT THE SYSTEM AND THE SPIRIT TREE WILL BOTH REWARD YOU!

  …

  Well that was interesting, the system had not given him that much information before in a long time.

  “Did you see that?” he asked Baek, who let him know he had.

  “Have you been here before?” Jazmel asked and Baek told him no.

  “But all we have to do is follow the systems hints. We just need to make it to the roots of the tree.” He explained to Jazmel, and they walked the length of the branch into the central bough of the tree.

  It was a wonder to behold, Jazmel looked all around him and couldn’t help but be surprised. The first thing he noticed were all the stalls. The bough of the tree had been made into a marketplace and people were bartering, selling wares from around the labyrinth but also from the levels of the tree. He could see the Mana of the tree all around them, lighting its trunk with life energy that wafted down from the leaves and then hummed from beneath their feet in the wood of the branches and the trunk of the tree.

  “This is amazing.” Jazmel said and with that he walked into the market, curious to see about the wares.

  The first stall he came across were selling cores, beast cores from tier III all the way to tier VI. Jazmel luckily had not faced anything of that tier yet, but it seemed that others had and told their tales. But also shared their spoils.

  “Young man! You look ambitious, could I interest you in a core of your choice or liking?” the owner offered, Jazmel felt compelled and so he went over, Paldane peered from his collar and peeked down at the stall considering the cores before him.

  Looking over the table there were many cores, hundreds even. Some were not for Jazmel, he didn’t need them at all. Others he could see the potential of, and he wondered what he could get here.

  “Do you swap?” Jazmel asked and the owner nodded, smiling readily.

  “Of course, if they are worth swapping with though.” He said and Jazmel shrugged.

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  He brought out his current amount and though the stall owner hid his face from showing his emotions. His Mana jumping around in his stomach could not hide anything.

  TIER III REAPING GRIM BEAST CORE

  TIER III ALCOLI THE GHOUL CORE

  TIER IV DREAD HERETIC CORE

  TIER IV SHADOW ADVENT CORE

  TIER V GARDIGOL SEA KING BEAST CORE

  TIER V NAGA KING BEAST CORE

  MASTER TIER BLOOD CORE

  Were all the cores Jazmel had about him. He didn’t even hide them; he placed each and every one on the table and when the master tier blood core swirled with bloody ink inside its marble core. The man gasped, when he saw that, but he kept it quiet.

  “I will give you one tier V core of your choosing for two tier III and one of the tier IV cores. I will also give you two tier V cores for that one master tier core.” He told Jazmel.

  Jazmel was happy with the chance to replace his cores, he liked to keep them around in case of a tier tribulation. Plus Paldane seemed to enjoy eating them too. He agreed to the deal and looking over the selection he decided what would be best for him.

  TIER V SPIRIT ADVENT CORE

  TIER V THRUMNAL BEAST CORE

  TIER V PYROFAWN BEAST CORE

  Jazmel and the man shook hands as they passed their items over in trade.

  As they left, Jazmel spoke quietly to Baek.

  “Why did he want that blood core so much?” he asked, curiously.

  “A master tier blood core could be used to create a simulacrum or a homunculus. Dark work, but in the labyrinth some consider dark just an unknown area. A person would pay good money for that, especially if they were trying to extend their life.” Baek explained, Jazmel almost shivered at that.

  “I do not think it is right to extend your life.” Jazmel said offhandedly which made Baek look at him strangely.

  “Well one would say, if you have the ability to. Why not stay alive?” Baek offered.

  “I think you should do all you can, but one day. One time, the road will reach an end, it has to.” Jazmel said and Baek was studying with a look of profound pride.

  “I agree with you young master, I just didn’t know you felt that way at such a young age.” Baek said with a smile.

  They walked through heading towards where people were congregating. It was as if they were lining up to descend inside the tree.

  “We should stop and see if there are any other items we should get.” Baek said, and Jazmel remembered he had needed to replenish his potions for a while now.

  They carried on walking, items and gear were in abundance. Swords, spears, and other offensive items. But Jazmel had all the swords he needed, they were so attuned to him, that Jazmel was sure their wasn’t something he could just find anywhere. But at this moment, he wasn’t looking for any new weapons or armour. He could always return home for upgrades.

  He bought new potions as soon as possible. Buying them at a higher tier than he had owned before, and tier III potions were not cheap, not even close. Especially here too, within the boughs of the spirit tree it was expensive.

  He spent five hundred white gold coins, not a small sum. But he was getting used to the spending inside the labyrinth. He just needed to make more money, after all. They could sell their item loots and artefacts too.

  As he and Baek stepped away from the stall he turned to Baek.

  “How many items do you have?” he asked, curiously.

  “More than you young master, do you want them?” he said with a smile, but his response was honest.

  “You would give me your spatial rings?” Jazmel asked, incredulous.

  “I live to serve the young master of my master.” He said and inclined his head respectfully. He took his prominent ring off and handed it over to Jazmel, who held it reverently. He stretched his Mana out gingerly feeling the ring and not forcing an imprint, he merely looked into it. Baek had amassed the wealth of a small country. It was like he was peering into a dragon’s hoard, a sea of platinum coins washed over the ground and there were weapons of all shapes and sizes all around. It was quite cluttered and surprised him. Baek was such a clean and organised man. But here his ring was just a giant chamber of such size.

  “There is a lot there.” Jazmel exclaimed quietly handing the ring back.

  “Yes, when I was younger. I was quite the hunter. This is just my first and oldest ring, my other rings are far more organised.” Baek explained.

  “How many rings do you have like that?” Jazmel asked.

  “A few tens, but I no longer keep them all together. I carry the one I have no problems losing.” He explained and Jazmel looked at him almost perplexed. All that wealth and he was alright losing it? that was incredible.

  “One day you will have to tell me your story. I would love to know about your early days in the labyrinth.” Jazmel asked and Baek smiled with his eyes before responding.

  “When we have some time, I am sure I can remember something of my beginnings.” Baek said and they headed towards the descent into the spirit tree.