After exchanging the 32,006 Reincarnation Points for Potential Points and distributing them equally, I opened my status panel to review the results.
———
[ REINCARNATION SPACE ] - [ TOWER OF TRIALS ]
| Alias: Seth | Reincarnated ID: 78234624 |
| Physical Constitution: 336 (+160) | Mental Strength: 331 (+160) | Strength: 332 (+160) | Agility: 377 (+160) |
| Available Potential Points: 0 | Reincarnation Points: 6 |
Skills: Sword Mastery (Basic), Shooting (Competent)
Special Abilities: Recall (Supreme), Matter and Energy Absorption (Expert)
Rating: C
———
Seeing my miserable 6 remaining Reincarnation Points, I couldn't help but let out a brief, incredulous laugh.
"Looks like I'll never get rid of you..." I muttered ironically.
It was as if the system enjoyed always leaving me with that small, useless amount.
Still, I couldn't complain. My stats had increased considerably. I was still far from Rank B, yes... but at the same time, the distance didn't seem so impossible to reach.
While I was immersed in his thoughts, mentally adjusting the strategy he would use for Floor 2, a shout in the distance pulled him out of his concentration.
...
Not far away, a small group of Reincarnated watched Seth with curiosity and surprise.
"Hey... isn't that Seth over there?" asked a young man with a white dōgi and a black belt, looking at his companion with a frown.
It was KarateMaster, the same one Seth had crossed paths with in the Safe Zone Dungeon, along with his instructor, Atom, a professor at the Reincarnated Academy.
The same man who, at the time, had assured Seth that he preferred to dedicate himself to teaching rookies basic survival skills rather than climbing the Tower of Trials... was now facing Floor 2.
Atom looked at him, sighing.
"I don't think it's appropriate to approach him," he said softly. "Not after you tried, along with the others, to steal his things in that impossible dungeon."
KarateMaster shrugged with a carefree smile.
"So what? We left in the end!" he retorted. "Now that we know who he really is, the smartest thing would be to greet him. It's not every day you run into someone who got two God-Level SSS Ratings consecutively."
Atom thought about it for a few seconds. He couldn't deny that the idea was tempting... but before he could say anything else, KarateMaster was already walking toward Seth with a determined stride.
The professor let out another resigned sigh.
"I hope he's not vindictive," he thought as he slowly followed him.
After all, if they managed to approach him and strike up a friendship, maybe they would have the opportunity to form an alliance with him.
And if there was one thing Atom himself knew, it was that an alliance with Seth could change everything for them.
A God-Level SSS Super Rating... a Gold Chest...
The image of Seth holding that shimmering chest after Floor 1 was still engraved in his mind.
The image had been circling the internet since it happened.
No one, in the entire history of the Reincarnation Space, had achieved anything similar.
Greed mixed with admiration in his gaze as he quickened his pace to catch up with his student.
He wasn't going to be left behind.
...
"Hey, Seth! Do you remember me?! I'm KarateMaster!" a familiar voice shouted.
I turned calmly... and frowned when I recognized the idiot who had tried to rob me in the Impossible Dungeon, while I was looking for the End Portal.
KarateMaster approached with an exaggeratedly friendly smile, raising a hand as if greeting an old friend.
"Man, long time no see! Great to run into you here!" he said with a tone so cheerful it bordered on the absurd. "Who would have thought we'd cross paths again? I figured someone like you wouldn't be stuck down below for long."
I observed him in silence, without returning the greeting, arms crossed. His carefree attitude was almost insulting, as if he hadn't tried to mug me just a few days ago.
"I didn't think I'd see you again so soon," I replied curtly.
KarateMaster let out a forced laugh and scratched the back of his neck.
"Ah, well, you know how it is, misunderstandings between Reincarnated and all that, huh? Nothing personal!" he said, trying to sound natural, though the tension in his smile betrayed him. "Actually, I came to greet you... and, well, to propose something."
I remained silent, arms crossed.
"We could keep in touch," he added, opening his menu and displaying his friends window. "Let's add each other. You never know when we might need a hand in the Tower of Trials, right?"
As he spoke, his thoughts were so obvious I could almost read them: "If I can get close to him, maybe I can benefit. Imagine, the guy who got a Gold Chest on Floor 1..."
A few steps behind, Atom also approached.
"Seth," he said with a firm and respectful voice, bowing his head slightly. "My apologies for the interruption. I didn't expect to see you here, but I must admit it's an honor. I've heard about your performance on Floor 1. I didn't expect the kid we ran into to become such an excellent Reincarnated."
His tone was respectful, calm, but his eyes showed a mixture of interest and greed. He probably didn't even know what kind of look he was giving at this moment. He measured my reactions, calculating every word, looking for a way to get something from me without seeming desperate, like KarateMaster.
"We thought..." Atom continued, glancing quickly at KarateMaster. "That perhaps we could join forces during this floor. A temporary alliance. Nothing that compromises your freedom of action, of course, but we could be useful to you."
I observed their tattoos with a brief look; both were Rank D.
An awkward silence stretched for a few seconds before I replied.
"No."
Even if they were Rank C, it would never occur to me to ally with someone like them.
KarateMaster blinked, confused by my answer.
"Huh? Come on, man, you have nothing to lose. Alliances..."
"Split the rewards equally," I interrupted with a cold voice, finishing the sentence for him, looking around, toward the Reincarnated who were starting to watch us with interest. "And I have no intention of sharing anything with anyone. I am a Solo Reincarnated, I don't need a partner."
At least, for the moment...
My gaze slowly swept across the white room, stopping at each of the curious onlookers.
"So, just to be clear," I added, in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "I will not form alliances with anyone. Don't add me. Don't talk to me. Don't follow me."
The silence was almost absolute. Several Reincarnated looked at each other with frustration, others sighed, giving up the idea of approaching.
KarateMaster tried to force a smile, but the anger and discomfort behind it were noticeable. Atom, on the other hand, just nodded with a calm expression.
"I understand," he said, though his tone denoted disappointment. "Everyone has their own path."
He barely finished speaking when a pale blue light illuminated the room, and a small floating screen appeared in front of everyone.
[ Attention! Main Mission Issued! ]
[ Main Mission: Survive for 3 days in The Mist, in the town of Bridgton, Maine. ]
[ Failure Condition: Death of the Reincarnated. ]
[ Time Limit: 72 hours ]
[ Warning: Abandoning the area or remaining outside during the mist expansion will drastically reduce survival chances. ]
The screen disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, leaving a heavy silence behind.
No one spoke until after they were transported...