Chapter 41: Nightmare Difficulty, Second Floor

Karl and Celeste had officially formed a party.

Because of that, they no longer had to enter the floors alone—they could take them on together.

You could only participate by yourself or with a party.

There were no exceptions, and as mentioned before, these lower floors were much smaller compared to what lay ahead.

This structure ensured that awakeners could adjust to the challenges before the tower truly opened up.

But all of that changed the moment one reached the fifth floor.

At that point, the restrictions were lifted.

Some of the floors after that point became interconnected, meaning you would encounter other awakeners regardless of whether they were in your party or not.

That was when the real battles began.

Massacres, betrayals, and ruthless fights between humans became just as common as clashes against monsters.

The [Tower of Trials] was not just about strength—it was a proving ground where only the capable survived.

Reaching the fifth floor meant proving you were strong enough to fend for yourself.

But that was a problem for later.

Right now, Karl and Celeste stood at the entrance of the second floor, ready to make their next move.

A system notification appeared in front of them.

[Which difficulty do you want to choose?]

[Normal] [Hell] [Nightmare]

They still had the freedom to choose their level of challenge.

"No matter what we pick, clearing it means we clear the floor," Celeste remarked, glancing at Karl with a confident smile, "Your call."

"Hm."

Karl wasn't sure what Celeste's current abilities were.

She had gained an SSS-Rank profession, but neither of them had tested its full power yet.

The same went for her, she didn't know the extent of his growth either.

Which meant she was trusting him completely with this decision.

'We'll go over each other's abilities once we enter,' Karl decided.

It was better to be prepared before facing whatever lay ahead.

"Well," he exhaled, "the problem with my profession is that I need enemies at my level or higher to get the most out of it. Otherwise, it's pointless."

Celeste placed a finger on her chin, considering his words.

"You're level 18, right? That means we should probably be aiming for either [Hell] or [Nightmare]."

Karl smirked, "Let's go with [Nightmare]. More experience, more challenge."

Celeste nodded, her confidence unwavering, "Sounds good to me. Let's do this!"

Without hesitation, Karl selected [Nightmare] difficulty.

The moment he did, the portal in front of them shimmered, signaling their entry.

Together, they stepped forward.

Ding!

[Floor 2: Undead Cemetery]

Karl opened his eyes and found himself in the middle of a vast, eerie cemetery.

Gravestones stretched out endlessly before him, scattered across the land like silent markers of forgotten souls.

The air was thick with a cold, unnatural mist, curling around the tombstones like spectral fingers.

Shadows loomed in the dim light, giving the entire place an unsettling atmosphere.

Behind them, the space faded into darkness, clearly marking the limits of the floor.

In the far distance, beyond the sea of graves, Karl spotted an enormous structure resembling a cathedral.

Its towering spires reached for the sky, and even from here, he could tell it was their destination.

'That's where we need to go…'

The problem was getting there.

The cemetery stretched on for what seemed like kilometers, with no clear path leading forward.

Right now, they stood just outside the main gate, and strangely enough, there weren't any monsters in sight yet.

"Let's go over our abilities now while it's safe," Karl suggested, "Since we'll be working together for a long time, we should know what we can do."

Celeste nodded, her expression serious, "Agreed."

Without another word, the two extended their hands, index fingers touching.

"Mutual Appraisal!"

A transparent interface appeared before Karl, revealing Celeste's stats and abilities.

[Name: Celeste Frost]

[Profession: Elemental Mage (SSS-Rank)]

[Level: 18]

[Strength: 41] | [Stamina: 40]

[Agility: 42] | [Mana: 187]

[Skills: Fireball (D), Thunder Strike (D), Mana Missile (C), Camouflage (E), Elements of Magic (SSS), Magic Arrow (D), Elemental Shield (C)]

Karl blinked.

"Wait a damn minute," he muttered.

Celeste tilted her head, "What?"

Karl quickly checked his own stats to compare.

[Strength: 62] | [Stamina: 53]

[Agility: 44] | [Mana: 50]

"..."

His stats were only slightly higher than Celeste's, except for mana, where she completely outclassed him.

"How many stat points do you gain per level?" Karl asked.

"Ten for mana, and two for everything else," Celeste said proudly.

Karl let out a slow breath, "Yeah…"

It made sense now.

His profession likely had lower natural stat growth because of its [Absorb] mechanic, forcing him to strengthen himself through his abilities rather than just leveling up.

He also noticed that Celeste's skill ranks had increased, and she had even gained a new skill, [Elemental Shield].

But the craziest part was that she already had six active skills.

No wonder she had an SSS-Rank profession…

"That's pretty much everything," Celeste said, snapping Karl out of his thoughts.

"I can use mana to cast spells, and I'm not limited to any element. I can wield them all!"

"Hm," Karl nodded.

That was a terrifyingly strong profession.

Now, it was his turn.

Karl hesitated for a moment.

He trusted Celeste, after all, they lived together in the dorms and would be stuck together in this tower for months, if not years.

But explaining his profession to someone still felt strange.

'As long as I don't mention the [World of Spirits], it should be fine,' he reassured himself.

That was the only warning the [Reaper] had given him.

Taking a breath, he started explaining.

He went over how he needed to kill monsters at his level or higher to collect [Spirit Orbs], which he could then use to [Link] or [Absorb].

He described how his summons worked, how they obeyed his commands without question, and how each one had unique abilities.

After five minutes of explanation, Celeste just stared at him.

"...Wow," she finally said, her eyes shining, "Your profession is AWESOME!"

Karl sighed, "That's why I needed [Nightmare] difficulty."

Celeste grinned, "Totally fine with me. Let's crush whatever comes our way!"

"Right!"

Karl extended his arm, summoning his spirits.

One by one, they materialized around him, each taking their place at his side.

Celeste watched with fascination as they appeared.

[Frenzied Rabbit (Frappy), Alpha Dire Wolf, Thorned Vine Beast, Shadow Golem, Stonefang Ape, Rock Hound, Sovereign Wolf, Elite Lizard Soldier]

Eight spirits stood ready, their presence radiating power.

Karl glanced at Celeste, who had already gripped her staff, her excitement barely contained.

His spirits, too, were prepared, their eyes locked on the dark cemetery ahead.

Then, without another word, they stepped through the gate.

The second floor had officially begun.