Systemless in a Parallel World

Chapter 173 Combat

Thousands of young Blessed and Normies were gathered in front of the Cavern Tower of Casilian.

Zayn could clearly feel heat exuding from the card he received from the Normie King when they met. It attracted his interest but not for long as the loud humming sound of the Cavern Tower diverted his focus.

'So this is the Tower? Looks pretty normal to me. It feels very familiar, somehow,' He thought, tilting his head lightly before shaking his head, 'The tower's aura is extremely weak. Is that really one of the towers from my world?'

The reaction of the Normie Union's business card might be interesting for later, especially since it wanted to pull him somewhere but the tower in front of him was far more intriguing.

In his memories, towers ought to be towering hundreds of meters above the surface. They're indomitable existences that cannot be fathomed.

In comparison, the basalt tower in front of him was nothing. It may be as wide as a soccer field but that was nothing.

Zayn detached himself from his Hunting Unit. He made his way through the crowd of students while ignoring their grumbling when he pushed them aside.

The Cavern Tower continued to hum and it didn't take long before it exuded a faint light. A large star manifested above the gate of the Cavern Tower before it opened slowly, revealing a blue mass that was also considered a pool of energy.

Stepping through the energy pool, one would be teleported into the Tower Trial, where one was challenged. In exchange for completing the Tower Trials, one would be given rewards in accordance with the difficulty of the challenge.

"Dear participants of the Military Camps. We do not wish to hold you back any longer. The Cavern Tower is finally open again, and we can tell that everyone is excited. However, please be cautious. The Tower Trials are dangerous and we do not wish to write too many condolence wishes to your family if something were to happen.

Stay alive, and know your limits. Avoiding a suicidal trial is not cowardly. Never forget that!"

Zayn was not sure who was talking, but he didn't really care. He wanted to take a look at Sarah but he couldn't see her. Thus, he simply focused on the Cavern Tower.

"Go inside, and show us how much stronger you've gotten during the last few months. Show us that our teaching was more than worth it!"

The same voice resounded in the cavern hall, and loud cheers rang out a moment later. Everyone seemed fired up and the first Blessed and Normies began to move.

They were first hesitant but calmed down quickly. Resolve could be seen gleaming in everyone's eyes as they stepped through the energy pool of the Cavern Tower's Gate.

Zayn followed suit quickly, not bothering about the others. He was more focused on the searing hot business card of the Normie Union, and his Spirits.

Looking right, he saw a young woman with long black hair smiling at him. She gave him a wink before she disappeared in the energy pool.

'Was that one of the…well, whatever.'

Zayn stepped into the energy pool not long after the unknown woman and his vision changed drastically at once.

He reappeared in a huge highly futuristic arena, or so it seemed. The entire arena was monitored with various devices. Just looking at some of the screens projected at the walls of the arena was enough for Zayn to understand that the civilization in charge of this tower had been more advanced than mankind.

[2 Soulrings have been detected. The Soulframe of a 3rd Soulring has been completed and filled by 54.64%. The difficulty has been adjusted]

A mechanical voice resounded in the arena.

[Entrance Gate used: Cavern Tower of Casilien. Challenge: Round-Based Combat.]

[Condition to pass the 1st Floor's challenge – Survive 10 Minutes.]

[Requirement to advance to the 2nd Floor – Eliminate all eliminates in 10 Minutes.]

Zayn didn't utter a word while the voice continued to speak. He listened carefully and nodded his head once the mechanical voice died down.

'The challenge is pretty good. Very helpful for someone like me.'

Even without trying, Zayn could clearly feel that he could access the Grimoire of the Ancient. Summoning the Spirits right now was easily possible. However, he didn't summon them immediately.

He could access the Silvermoon Bracelet without issues as well. That made things easier.

[The challenge will commence in 10 seconds. Prepare yourself, Challenger!]

Zayn changed his posture the moment the mechanical voice rang out. He wore the Elvia Leather Armor already and unsheathed the Dragontale Twin Sabers without hesitation.

A considerable amount of soul energy circulated through his body and the opponents of the first floor appeared.

'A Giant? Well, that is unexpected.'

Zayn expected some sort of mechanical lifeform to appear in the challenge but a full-fledged Giant appeared in front of him. The Giant had gree-skinned but looked mostly human other than that. The Giant was packed with well-trained muscles that spread all over its four-meter-tall, exposed body.

It didn't even wear a simple armor, though the Giant wielded a battle-axe.

"I wonder if your Soul is still intact," Zayn mumbled to himself while charging ahead. He did not summon his Spirits yet.

It was not necessarily against an opponent such as the Green Giant. The Giant was at the same Rank and Level as he was, which made things a lot easier.

Zayn covered the Dragontale Twin Sabers in soul energy before he slashed them at the Green Giant from more than twenty meters distance, utilizing Glacier Slash without a hint of hesitation.

The Green Giant was surprised about the blue energy slashes that shot toward it with terrific velocity but it blocked both of them with its battle-axe.

However, the moment the Glacier Slashes were blocked, they burst open, releasing a horrifying cold gust. Zayn used the distraction his first attack created to move next to the Green Giant. He executed the Double Saber Kalivan technique with perfect precision, severing the Green Giant's axe-wielding hand.

Moments later, he followed up with a few more strikes to further weaken the Green Giant. Less than twenty seconds later, the Green Giant collapsed and the mechanical voice rang throughout the arena.

[The First Floor has been cleared. Time required 18 seconds. A new record has been listed. Congratulations!]

[Additional rewards have been added. Rewards can be claimed upon leaving the Tower.]

[Proceed to the next Floor?]

"Let me rest for a minute," Zayn said, his focus on the Green Giant's body.

It didn't dematerialize even after he killed it, and a Soul Wisp emerged from it.

What did that mean?

The Cavern Tower of Casilien used living beings for its challenge.

What else?

Glutton could devour the corpses of their opponents, turning them into Soul Orbs, and Zayn could expand his Army with a new unit of monsters.

Who wouldn't want to have Giants in his Army? They were the best meatshields and powerful Berserkers once trained properly.

These gains were much better than the rewards he could get from a One-Star Tower, or so Zayn presumed.

Nonetheless, he was more than satisfied.

"Let's see how far we can go!"