Tier 3+ - Accidental Champion - Chapter 39 - First To 500 Stats (Patreon)

Xavier smiled as he read the two notifications, standing in the blood-drenched cavern where he and the others had faced the final boss of the second floor.

Title Unlocked!

500 Stats: This is a common title that everyone receives when they have reached a total 500 combined stat points.

You have received +3 to all stats!

Note: As you have a similar title, “100 Stats” has been combined with this title and shares its stats.

Title Unlocked!

First to 500 Stats: You are the first person from your world to reach 500 total combined stat points.

You have received +12 to all stats!

Note: As you have a similar title, “First to 100 Stats” has been combined with this title and shares its stats.

Xavier’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. He’d gained so much in such a short period of time. He wasn’t sure how long this floor had taken them. It was much harder to judge without the countdown timer for the Safe Zone running in the corner of his eye.

He wasn’t surprised that his party were the first to clear this level, and he most certainly wasn’t surprised that he’d been the first from his world to reach 500 stats.

He must be the equivalent of level 60 right now, which made him wonder why a level 20 floor boss had given him so much trouble, to the point where it made him shudder thinking about how many others might lose their lives fighting it. Especially Champions from his world. Though he also knew they wouldn’t be facing it for at least a week.

Maybe we can stop by the tavern, like Justin suggested. If there are parties there, we could give them tips, tell them what they might expect. As none of the other parties would have completed the first floor yet, they would still have a chance to farm the level.

The thirty second timer ran out. Xavier and his party were returned to the Staging Room once more. Once again, four loot boxes sat in the centre of the room. They looked like the exact ones that had been there before, but Xavier was sure the rewards inside of them had been reset.

He looked down at his robes. A moment ago, they’d been covered in rat blood. Mostly from the Rat King. Now, they were pristine as the moment he’d first put them on. His health and Spirit Energy were at their fullest, and he still had 5 free stat points to spend.

Xavier looked over at the others. They looked a little shaken. Howard had a frown digging deep ruts in his forehead. A frown that made him look older than he was. Or perhaps it just made him look his age. Justin still clutched the hilt of his sword even though he’d not swung it while they’d cleared the floor. Siobhan had returned her staff to her Storage Ring, and was rotating the ring around her finger, turning it around over and over like some nervous tic.

They’d been through more than he’d bargained for them, and they’d still had the self-control not to strike a single enemy during that last encounter, which had no doubt been quite frightening.

Howard looked at his shield. Where it had been marred and dented by the Rat King’s vicious tail, now it was clean of even a single scratch. The man’s frown deepened, seeing that. “Almost as though it didn’t happen,” he muttered.

“It happened.” Siobhan looked down at her Storage Ring. She let out a sigh, a smile returning to her face. Though this one looked a little more forced than usual. The redheaded Mage looked over at Xavier. “You fought well.”

Xavier dipped his head at her. “Thank you.” He looked at Howard and Justin. “All three of you. You rallied together, got me out of that hole. And didn’t strike the enemy once.”

Howard rolled his shoulder, seemingly surprised it wasn’t hurt. “You get the solo title?”

Xavier nodded. “I did. But not the record. Seems we didn’t get through that one fast enough.”

“At least we got through first.,” Justin said.

Howard grunted. “Siobhan’s right. You fought well.” His frown deepened, something Xavier hadn’t thought was possible. It made even more lines crowd his forehead.

“Why am I sensing a but?” Xavier asked. He might not have known the former cop for more than a day, but he could see he had something that wanted saying.

“But you should have been able to handle that Rat King on your own.”

Xavier lowered his head. The words hit harder because of the truth in them. “I was thinking the same thing.” He’d been sure he would have won even if the others hadn’t been there to get him out of that hole.

Mostly sure.

But he shouldn’t have struggled. He shouldn’t have fallen for its tricks. And it shouldn’t have taken him so long. In the end, it had been easy enough for him to kill. But that damned protective spell around it had thrown him off…

“You’re strong. I’m not doubting that, not for a second. You’re a scrapper, too. That’s for sure. And you move with that staff quite well.” Howard deposited his tower shield into his Storage Ring and sheathed his still drawn sword. “But you lack clear tactics. You lack experience.”

Siobhan leant back against the wall. Her eyes were downcast, still on the ring around her finger. “To be fair, we all lack experience in something like this. I think he’s done incredibly well, considering.”

Howard grunted, which sounded like a concession of the point. “Not saying he hasn’t. Just saying he needs to do better. Considering his power, we shouldn’t have been in danger in there.” He raised his hands. “That’s not me blaming you, Xavier. That’s me wanting to help.”

Xavier didn’t feel blamed. Howard was only saying what had been niggling at his own mind.

Justin cleared his throat. “The other Champions, from other worlds… they will have been practicing for this. Even if they didn’t come from wealth, they will know what to expect. They’ll know how to move in a battle, know how to anticipate an enemy’s movements.” He tilted his head to the side. “Howard’s right. You’re strong. You’re powerful. You have a boundless amount of talent, but you need to temper that talent into skill. Forge it through experience.” He turned his sword hilt around in his palm. “At least, that’s what my fencing coach would have said.”

“You’re right,” Xavier said. He looked at his staff, thought about the two spells in his possession. Spiritual Trifecta. Heavy Telekinesis. Thought about his fighting style. Even with Staff Mastery, his fighting style was basically hit the enemy hard and fast and try not to let them hit him. There wasn’t any finesse to it because he hadn’t needed that.

All he’d needed to do was throw those pests into a wall and break their bones on the rocks with one spell, then move onto the next. What kind of experience was that giving him?

That was just showing him that he was going through this tower on easy mode. So the moment it got hard—truly hard—he might make a mistake with true consequences. Their deaths. Maybe even mine.

And if he died? How would Earth fair against the forces of the Greater Universe slowly making its way to their world? No one could take the titles he’d hoarded. No one could use them but him.

He shut his eyes. “What do I do, then? We still have a lead. That means… means we have time to train.” He couldn’t help fighting the words as he said them. He didn’t wantto stop and train. He wanted to keep pushing forward, faster and faster. Get through all ten floors as quickly as was possible.

The sooner they did, the sooner they would be allowed to return to Earth.

“We need to get you to level 10,” Siobhan said. “Get you to your next class, before you try to clear the third floor.”

Howard grunted his agreement. “True enough. But we need more than that. You need better spatial awareness. You’re quick. Smart. But that’s not doing enough for you. You move that staff well. Your Heavy Telekinesis is strong. But you need to be better.”

“He should get more spells when he reaches level 10.” Siobhan was still turning her ring around and around. “But we didn’t fully check the System Shop. We moved too fast last time, because we were all filled with the thrill of getting those titles. We need to see just how expensive those spell books are. The manual said they’re ‘prohibitively expensive’ though, so perhaps that won’t be an option. And we should to see if there are health and… Spirit Energy potions.”

The woman stopped turning the ring. She put her right palm facing up then summoned the Tower of Champions manual. “Maybe there’s something in here that can help.” She flipped through the pages, clearly taking solace from doing so.

Justin walked over to the loot boxes, a smile kicking up the sides of his lips. “And we should see what’s inside these.”

Xavier looked at the three members of his party, beginning to realise how lucky he’d gotten to find them.

They’re like my own personal support staff.Though his plan was to solo every level of the tower to gain as many titles as he possibly could, part of him was beginning to wish that they could join in on the fight. That they could enter battles as a team.

But they were all too far behind him for that to be in any way practical. Still, perhaps he should stop seeing himself as a loner. Maybe, even, he should stop thinking of them as just his party members. He wasn’t sure how long he’d be connected to these people, but there were a thousand levels in the Tower of Champions.

Something told him they would all be connected to the tower itself until they cleared every one of those levels. And why not do that together?

Maybe, along the way, these people will become my friends…