Ch. 5 — Quiet Victories, Cold Potential
Rewards earned are rarely just prizes—they're conversations between you and the Tower.
The light from the ascension platform dimmed behind her as Caidyn stepped into the main lobby hub once more. The expansive space glowed with the sterile, cold-gleam efficiency the Tower was known for: floating displays, shimmering pathlines, and the ever-present hum of energy beneath the floor.
No ceremony. No fanfare. Just quiet confirmation of progress.
[System]
Floor 2 Trial — "Lucent Coil"
Clear Rank: Excellent
Performance Notes: High Adaptability, Loadout Versatility, AI Sync Efficiency
Reward Category: Class-Specific
Adaptive Bonus Triggered — Minor Reward Scaling Engaged
Baseline Reward: (1) Weapon Component (Core Slot)
Scaled Reward: (2) Weapon Components (Core Slot)
Allocated To: Caidyn Ver (ID#771-Φ21)
[System]
Level Up!
New Level: 2
Stat Points Available: 5
Skill Points Available: 2
Vital Stats Increased:
• HP: +15 (Max 145)
• Stamina: +10 (Max 110)
• Mana: +10 (Max 110)
Essence Flow: No increase at this level
Skill Points may be used at designated intervals to unlock, enhance, or evolve skills.
She walked toward the designated claiming terminal—a floating slab of matte-black metal framed in smooth blue lines. Her hand hovered just above it. It scanned, blinked once, then released two rotating data sigils into the air.
Two cores materialized, floating slowly in synchronized spin: each suspended in a glowing crystalline cradle of refracted energy.
The first flickered in icy blues and layered whites, each pulse casting frost-like shadows across her palm.
[Component Identified]
Cryo Core — Shiverpulse Variant
Description: Inflicts Chill — slows enemy movement and attack speed by 15% for 4 seconds.
Special Effect: On precision hit, applies Fracture—next elemental effect deals 30% more.
Recommended Class Integration: CodeForge / Eclipsedancer
Ice to slow. Ice to set up. Ice that talks to the rest of the loadout, she noted silently. It's a tempo tool.
The second was stranger.
Its color wasn't a color at all—not precisely. It shimmered in shades of dim aurora, dark-indigo layered with shifting pearlescent greens and dusky golds. As she reached toward it, she felt a faint tug at the edge of her senses—like a subtle pull drawing her focus inward.
[Component Identified]
Gravity Core — Nullspace Variant
Description: Applies Gravitic Pull — creates a small suction field upon hit that draws enemies slightly toward the impact point.
Recommended Class Integration: Adaptive Crafters, Systems Infiltrators
Kairos's voice hummed softly in her head. "Now that's a core with some traction. Pull them in close, disrupt their rhythm."
Caidyn turned the Gravity Core in the light, watching how its internal glyphs swirled like orbiting particles inside a sealed obsidian orb.
Cryo for control. Gravity for disruption... or maybe domination.
She loaded both into her modular cache—still unused for the moment, but ready for testing and synthesis.
Then, with no fanfare, she stepped away from the claiming terminal. The next floor waited.
But before that, maybe—just maybe—she'd get a quiet meal and a bit of rest.
[System]
Floor 3 Access Unlocked
Status: Standing By
Caidyn moved steadily toward the telepad, the familiar hum of the Tower's energy thrumming beneath her boots. Her Twin Vipers were holstered at her hips, the cool matte black bodies a comforting weight against her sides. Ahead, the telepad's circular platform glowed faintly, ready to launch her into the next trial.
As she stepped onto the pad, her wrist interface blinked with a sudden notification.
[System]
Skill Points currently locked.
Reason: None of your current skills meet unlock requirements.
Unlock Conditions: Skill Points become available when a base attribute reaches thresholds of 25, 50, 75, or 100.
Recommended: Allocate stat points to unlock new skills.
Caidyn paused, considering her options carefully. Her base Luck stat was at 20—just below the first threshold.
With a few swift taps through her interface, she funneled all five newly earned stat points into Luck, raising it to 25.
Immediately, the system acknowledged her milestone.
[System]
Base Attribute Milestone Achieved: Luck 25.
New Skill Unlocked: Lucky Strike.
Skill Effects:
• +10% Critical Hit Chance
• +25% Chance to obtain Rare Item Drops
Caidyn exhaled, a faint smirk crossing her lips.
Perfect timing. Lucky Strike was exactly the edge she needed—a bit of fortune woven into her precise chaos.
The telepad's glow intensified, signaling it was ready.
She took a steadying breath and stepped fully onto the platform, prepared to ascend to Floor 3.
The Lesser Grulkin lunged forward, claws scraping sharply against the stone floor. Its snarling breath smelled faintly of decay, and its beady eyes burned with primitive fury.
Caidyn's fingers tightened around the Twin Vipers holstered at her hips. The guns hummed softly as she drew them—sleek, balanced, ready. The right pistol glowed faintly with an icy blue pulse, the Cryo Core humming beneath the surface. The left throbbed with a muted, swirling darkness—the Gravity Core's subtle pull waiting to be unleashed.
Essence Flow always starts at ten. Unless I'm lucky enough to carry more over.
The familiar glow in her wrist flickered: Essence Flow: 10/100
She sidestepped, sliding fluidly out of the Grulkin's immediate reach, her motions seamless. Her left pistol barked first—a precise shot imbued with the gravity core's pull. The bullet struck the beast's flank, and for a brief moment, the creature staggered as the tiny suction yanked its muscles off balance.
Essence Flow: 11/100
Without pause, the right pistol fired, releasing a shard of frigid energy from the Cryo Core. The bullet tore through the beast's shoulder, leaving frost seeping into its mottled hide. Movement slowed, its attacks losing a fraction of their bite.
Essence Flow: 12/100
The Grulkin roared, lunging again with desperate fury. Caidyn rolled under the swing of its claw, popping up behind it. Twin Vipers spat rapid-fire in near-perfect sync, alternating gravity pulses that tugged and froze.
Essence Flow: 14/100
Momentum. Control. Pressure.
She shifted position again, tracking the beast's stagger pattern. The flow within her pulsed brighter, a tangible rhythm syncing muscle to mind. Another volley of shots, the right pistol's icy blasts chilling the beast's limbs, while the left's gravity pulses kept it off balance, forced to stagger and stumble.
Essence Flow: 17/100
A quick reload—fluid, practiced. Her gloves flickered faintly with runes as the embedded circuits helped cycle the rounds seamlessly.
The Grulkin charged one last time, claws raised, teeth bared.
Caidyn inhaled sharply and let loose a synchronized double shot.
The right pistol's cryo shot landed squarely on its chest, the chill frost spreading rapidly, locking muscles in place. The left pistol's gravity pulse struck just below, tugging the beast forward, collapsing its staggered form into the ground.
The creature thrashed once before going still.
Essence Flow: 20/100
She holstered the Twin Vipers and exhaled.
This is just the start.
Kairos flickered softly by her side, voice dry but approving.
"So, what's next? Because I'm just warming up."
Caidyn smirked.
"Two more fights, Kairos. Let's keep moving."