After leaving the trading center, Aurora received a video communication. Her beautiful face instantly grew serious.
"Shura, I just got word. That guy named Uvall is wrecking havoc on another country and has already occupied the peninsula. I need to attend an emergency meeting!"
"Alright, go ahead. I'll head to the Tower."
"Good luck, then. I wish you success."
Aurora quickly logged off.
Fenric glanced at the time. It was already 12:40 in the morning. Without hesitation, he went straight to the Samsara Tower.
Just as he arrived at its gate, someone suddenly called out:
"Master Shura… Ric?"
Fenric turned and saw a young man—fair-skinned, fine-featured, almost delicate—waving at him.
"Ric!" the man looked pleasantly surprised. "It's me, Jitto!"
"Jitto?"
Fenric blinked, looking the figure up and down. He was a little speechless.
In reality, Jitto was a fat man.
He never expected his friend's Samsara avatar would look so effeminate.
"What the hell is this? Neither male nor female. Don't ever tell anyone you know me like this!" Fenric deadpanned.
Jitto's face flushed with embarrassment. "Damn it… I just wanted to look cool when I created my avatar, but now I regret it. Too bad Samsara space doesn't allow changes."
Fenric smirked. He was joking, of course. Though he disliked effeminate airs, he knew avatars here were fake. If Jitto actually looked like this in reality, the two of them probably wouldn't have been friends.
"Alright, I'm just teasing," Fenric said. "So, what are you doing at the Tower? Planning to run a dungeon?"
Jitto nodded. "Yeah! Ric, I still can't believe you turned out to be the Shura God. Even now I can't quite connect your real self with that identity… You're really something."
He clenched his fists. "After what happened tonight, I finally understand—strength is what matters most in this world. So, I've decided to start using Samsara Tower dungeons from tonight onward!"
Fenric smiled faintly. "Then I wish you good luck."
He didn't try to dissuade Jitto. In Fenric's eyes, the future social order would only get worse. More Samsaras were appearing every day, each one growing stronger. And not everyone would be obedient.
Strength magnified desire. Some would inevitably try to enslave others.
For now, governments still held nuclear weapons to keep order. But once Samsaras became powerful enough to disregard nukes, the entire world would change.
Jitto gave a bitter smile. "I don't even care about grades. I'll be satisfied if I can just survive."
Fenric frowned. "That mindset isn't suited for the Samsara Tower. Without confidence, once you face zombies or worse, fear will crush you. And in a dungeon, fear is death."
Jitto froze, then slowly nodded. He shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again with newfound resolve.
"You're right. Worst case—I die once. If it weren't for you earlier, we'd all already be dead. So what's one death in front of you?"
"That's the spirit. Never enter a dungeon with fear, or you'll die miserably." Fenric nodded.
"Oh, by the way," Jitto added suddenly, "I just came from a gathering with my classmates. Nobody has you on their friends list, and since you always reject stranger requests, they couldn't contact you directly. Lucky you didn't go—otherwise, you'd have been pissed."
Fenric chuckled but said nothing.
Jitto pressed on, exasperated. "Aren't you even curious what they said about you?"
Fenric smirked. "What, they want to freeload off me? Hoping I'll hand them guides or rare items?"
"Exactly! You really do see through everything," Jitto sighed. "They were planning to wait for you at the Tower gates. Everyone knows the Shura God never misses a nightly dungeon run. I stopped them by volunteering to come instead. Otherwise, you'd have been surrounded by those idiots right now."
"So, should I thank you?" Fenric arched a brow. "And what about you, fatty? Don't tell me you don't want my dungeon strategies?"
Jitto gave a wry grin. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted. But I know how valuable your strategies are. No one has the right to take them for free."
Fenric glanced at him in surprise, then smiled and patted his shoulder.
"Later, help me spread the word. I already sold the first-floor guide to Aurora Morwyn. It was done fairly at the trading center under contract. So no, I can't share it outside."
"Damn, good thing I didn't open my big mouth," Jitto cursed. "I'd have embarrassed myself to death."
He hesitated, then asked, "What about the second-floor guide, then?"
Fenric's voice was cool. "Let them clear the first floor first."
The refusal in his tone was obvious. If anyone still tried to press him, he wouldn't show mercy.
By now, it was already 12:45. Only a few minutes left before entry closed.
Jitto noticed Fenric checking the time and quickly said, "Go ahead, Ric. Don't miss it!"
"Alright."
Fenric activated his dungeon refresh card and stepped into the Samsara Tower's gate.
Jitto stood there for a moment, chewing his lip, then gritted his teeth and followed inside.
The next moment, Fenric appeared on the thirteenth floor of the Samsara Tower.
An elf spirit materialized at his side.
"Hello, dear Samsara Player Shura. What assistance do you need?"
"I'm here for a dungeon," Fenric replied.
"Understood. Please choose the world you wish to enter."
With a graceful wave, the elf conjured a holographic projection before him. Two options appeared:
'FireWire Sniper' (Simple)
'Terminator: Judgment Day' (Difficult)