Return of the Woodcutter

'A million?' Aito was baffled, 'Is everything in these bags even worth that much? Is he ready to pay so much for that pathetic woman's life?" 

That sentence stopped his killing impulse. Forcing him to ponder the pros and cons. 

True that he wouldn't be able to carry all of this on his own, even with his strength. He just didn't have enough space on his back or hands. 

Selling everything in the Mall would take some time. Finding the proper buyers, negotiate the prices, and carrying all items around. 

A lot of problems could have been avoided if he had an inventory which unfortunately wasn't the case. 

In that sense, Sleon's offer was quite appealing. 

He didn't even need most of the items he had taken from the goblins. Plus, he had barely been able to take a tenth of their treasure. 

The main reason why he had taken those was he found that it would be a waste if it were to be flooded or remain in goblin hands. 

There were a few interesting items he had kept for him and the siblings, like special arrows, an interesting gauntlet capable of shooting steel wires, soul cores, etc. 

Aito intended to bring those with him. The rest he didn't need. In terms of gears, his team probably had some of the best possible ones available in the Tower. 

However, apart from his grudge against Juliette, there was one other issue…

"What use would I have for a million TP if I cannot spend them? I don't plan on going back to the second floor anytime soon. And as far as I know, TPs aren't even worth shit outside the Tower," Aito said. 

A tiny smile drew on Sleon's face as a thin red thread penetrated Aito's head through a pore, without even causing a single damage. 

Aito's eyes widened from surprise when he heard Sleon's voice inside his head. 

'Don't worry, I'm only using this mental link so that the others do not hear the information I'm about to give you. Consider it a bonus compensation.' 

Aito relaxed a bit.

'It is true that TP aren't useful outside for challengers. But there is another use for TPs apart from buying overpriced products from the shop on the second floor. Clearing the Tower's last floor grants you access to a special shop where you'll be able to buy interesting articles difficult to come by even in Iris.' 

That information awakened Gwen's knowledge in Aito's brain, which aligned with what Sleon just said… or transmitted. Increasing the possibility of its authenticity. Gwen would probably not lie to him about this. 

Even though Gwen didn't know much about the ninth or tenth floor, it was a given she knew about the reward that awaited challengers. Every moderator did. 

Also, it would make sense that a special shop would only be made available at the end of Tower, serving as a reward for challengers. 

Although, Aito found the divine bastards quite stingy for putting such a reward at the end of the Tower. Because it meant that in the end, if Aito didn't gain enough TP from clearing the floors he wouldn't be able to buy anything from it. 

Hopefully, the gods had other rewards in "store" worth his team's trouble. 

"So, what do you say? A million or pointless vengeance?" Sleon asked, retracting the mental link.

Although Sleon said that, he probably had no intention of letting Aito kill Juliette. In reality, Aito had no choice but to follow through with the moderator's offer. 

Or so Sleon thought. 

Aito stared daggers at the woman on the floor, who wasn't looking at him with pleading eyes any longer. 

The moderator's intervention had probably reassured Juliette, who gained confidence, feeling safe from Aito's grasp while she was being healed. 

And that didn't suit quite well with him. 

Gripping his ax tighter, he took aim. At this distance, there was no way he would miss. 

The threads binding him having loosened enough to allow him to force his way out by sheer strength, Aito hurled his morpho ax with all his strength. 

Juliette's eyes widened with horror when she saw the murderous blade heading for her head at incredible speed and passed out from fear when it dug deep into the earth next to her right ear. 

Confused, Sleon's usual poker face frowned slightly as if he hadn't foreseen such an outcome.

"Two million TP," Aito said, staring back at Sleon, "and I get to keep the items in my backpack." 

'How did he free himself from my biddings just at level 1?' Sleon wondered. He had indeed felt that the cost in aura to maintain the skill was unusually taxing, but he didn't know Aito could move. 'Black challenger indeed. All monsters.' 

Sleon was even more certain of that fact after he had seen the flood. To his knowledge, no one had ever flooded the tunnel. 

'He certainly got an achievement for that.' 

The main reason being the river had been placed on top of the goblin treasury on purpose, to avoid challengers from reaching it by just digging. The river itself was also hidden underground so no one but moderators knew of its existence. At least that remained true until now. 

"Fine, two million it is." 

Aito smirked, convinced he had made a good deal. 

However, he didn't know that moderators were the richest people in the Tower, for they could control the Tower system to a certain extent and thus had an infinite amount of TP at their disposal. 

To moderators, two million TP was just pocket money. To challengers, however, it was invaluable. And to merchants, it was just a means to an end. 

Most merchants were here to acquire soul cores for lower prices since soul cores were a main component for a lot of magical items. 

Even though goblin soul cores were of poor quality, those were welcomed, nonetheless. Moreover, merchants had the right to exchange TP for Coins that were Iris's currency. 

However, another reason merchants liked to come here was to take a break from the outside world. Inside the Tower, things were particularly peaceful. 

Outside… well, depending on where you were located or traveled, it could get ugly real fast. 

Having struck a deal, Sleon transferred two million TP to Aito's system account and stored all the items inside his inventory. 

"Why did you even buy these?" Aito asked, "These items are useless to you." 

"A life has no price, no matter how disgusting the life is, as long as its path can help us achieve our purpose, it has worth." Sleon said, smiling slightly as he saw Aito frowning, "Don't misunderstand me. Challengers are not slaves who are just supposed to do the gods' bidding. Just remember that where there is life, there is hope. That's all there is to it."

'Where there is life… there is hope, hum?' Aito thought, recovering his morpho ax next to the unconscious Juliette. Seeing her face from up close, he had the urge to slap her. 

He restrained himself and walked away with his backpack, followed by the gazes of other challengers that hadn't even uttered a single "thank you." 

'Tch. Next time, unless it truly benefits me in any way, I'll leave all the captives or whoever needs saving to their own fate.'