With everything done, Grimm exited the Link Network as his consciousness returned to his body in a flash of white.
The forest's night air hit him first—cool, damp, and faintly metallic from the blood that had once painted the ground. Not much time had passed outside; only the gentle hum of insects filled the silence now.
Sighing, he reached into his inventory and pulled out a strip of dried meat and a flask of water.
"Dinner of champions," he muttered, tearing into the jerky.
Technically, Absolute Body made eating optional—his body could function indefinitely without rest or food—but optional didn't mean unnecessary.
After all, the logic still held:
A normal human body needs nutrients to produce energy. Remove that, and the system collapses.
Awakeners, however, had mana running through their cells like living batteries. That mana could temporarily replace the nutrients they lacked, converting raw energy into stamina and vitality.
The stronger one's control over mana, the longer that substitution lasted.
In Grimm's case, his Absolute Body had turned that adaptation into something close to infinite. His body consumed mana for fuel and immediately regenerated it in an endless cycle that kept him running long past exhaustion.
Still... that didn't mean he was immune to mental fatigue.
Even a perfect body couldn't fix a tired mind—or a human's craving for a good meal in a situation like this.
Leaning back against the tree, he chewed thoughtfully. The jerky was bland and dry, but after five days of constant fighting, it almost tasted heavenly. Maybe it was habit, maybe instinct—either way, eating grounded him.
He took a slow sip from the flask, then stretched. "Alright," he sighed, "time to sleep before I start naming the trees."
He closed his eyes, and within seconds, sleep claimed him.
---
When morning came, it wasn't sunlight that woke him—it was the low growl of a freshly spawned beast nearby.
He blinked, rubbing his eyes. The forest looked pristine again—the gouged earth, shattered branches, and bloodstains from yesterday's carnage had all vanished, like none of it had ever existed.
"Right. Time for the reset," Grimm muttered, yawning.
Every floor in the Tower reset daily—terrain damage, monster population, even the air itself. It was one of the Tower's many mysteries, and the reason humans couldn't establish any permanent settlements inside.
It was believed the Tower absorbed the energy of dead beasts and humans to sustain itself. That was why, moments after death, a person's corpse vanished—fuel for the Tower's endless cycle.
That raised the question: were the beasts inside the Tower truly alive?
Some claimed they were. Others believed the monsters were nothing but projections—manifestations of the Tower's will, created solely for Awakeners to fight and grow stronger.
Grimm didn't care either way.
Alive or not, they all turned into EXP just fine.
He stretched, cracking his neck and shoulders. "Ugh… sleeping on a tree branch again. Next time, I'm bringing a bedroll."
He sighed, rubbing his back. "Or a bed. Or a massage chair."
With the morning spawns growling faintly in the distance, he decided to check his trade listings again. Maybe someone had finally responded.
---
[Activating: Tower Link Network…]
[Synchronizing Consciousness…]
[Entering Shared Exchange Space…]
---
Darkness gave way to the familiar void.
The Exchange Interface materialized before him—a floating, translucent blue terminal brimming with symbols and glowing icons.
Grimm swiped through his listings.
This time, his eyes widened.
"Oh? A few trade requests."
A grin tugged at his lips. "Finally."
He scrolled through the offers. Some were ridiculous—people trying to extort more items from him even though he was already offering a losing deal—but one listing caught his eye.
It was exactly what he'd been looking for.
> Trade Request: Spatial-Type Skill Scroll — [Pocket Space] (F-Rank)
Offered Exchange: Beast Fang Bundle (High Purity), Beast Bone Dust (Unrefined), Beast Essence (Low Concentration)
Grimm rubbed his chin. "Still a loss for me, but a good loss. Worth it."
He accepted the trade request.
Immediately, a soft chime echoed.
[Incoming Voice Request from Trade Partner.]
[Would you like to accept?]
[Yes] / [No]
Grimm blinked. "A… voice chat?"
He frowned. "Seriously? Did this guy just sit there waiting?"
Curious, he accepted.
A smooth voice came through the ether, tinged with surprise.
"...Hello? You're the one offering those beast materials, yes?"
"Yeah," Grimm replied lazily. "Why?"
The voice hesitated. "Ah, nothing—just surprised. That's quite a generous offer for an F-Rank skill. Even if it's spatial-type, the value seems… excessive."
Grimm smirked. "Generous, huh? Let's call it motivated. Do you want to trade or not?"
The other man chuckled lightly, still trying to sound composed. "Of course, of course. Just curious."
A new screen opened between them, displaying the trade summary.
---
Trade Summary:
Item Received: [Pocket Space — Skill Scroll (F-Rank)]
Item Offered: [Beast Fang Bundle], [Refined Beast Bone Dust], [Beast Essence]
[Proceed with trade?]
[Yes] / [No]
---
Grimm tapped Yes.
The transaction finalized instantly—the items flickered out of his inventory, replaced by a neatly rolled parchment glowing faint blue.
[Trade Complete.]
[Item Acquired: Pocket Space (F-Rank Skill Scroll)]
The man's voice returned. "Pleasure doing business. I see you've listed several other offers as well—still planning to make more trades?"
Grimm paused, considering. "No," he said finally. "Not for now. I've got what I need."
"Ah, that's a shame." The tone on the other end shifted—too friendly, almost suggestive. "If you ever want to trade again… contact me first. I'm willing to exchange anything with anyone."
The line went silent for a beat.
Grimm blinked. "...What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Before he could ask, the connection cut.
He stood there in stunned silence, then muttered, "…Wait. Did he just think I'm a plunderer?"
Within the Tower, Plunderers were humanity's shame—Awakeners who hunted others for loot and gain. Murderers who thrived in the lawless shadows of the Tower's neutral zones.
For someone to assume he was one of them made his stomach twist.
"Seriously? Me? A plunderer?"
He sighed, facepalming. "Well… I did just sell half a treasure trove for a single F-Rank scroll. Yeah, I guess that looks bad."
He groaned. "Perfect. My reputation in the virtual economy: suspicious psychopath."
With another sigh, he canceled all remaining trade requests. "No more dealing with weirdos."
---
[Exiting Tower Link Network…]
Grimm's consciousness drifted back to reality.
The forest greeted him again—mist curling between the trees, the morning sun barely piercing through.
He opened his inventory and retrieved the newly acquired Skill Scroll.
It appeared as a tightly rolled piece of thick parchment, shimmering faintly with energy.
A new system notification flickered before his eyes.
---
[Skill Scroll detected.]
[Would you like to learn: Pocket Space (F-Rank)?]
[Yes / No]
---
Grimm smiled faintly, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Good. Let's see what you can do."
He reached out and tapped Yes.