Tower of Avarice: A LitRPG story

Chapter 171 – Floor 16: Part 2

Happy Birthday Michael!

Mathew read the words on a large, white banner pinned above the Community Center's double doors. The building was a single-story structure with a yellow stucco exterior. The parking lot attached to it still had dozens of cars, and Mathew could see a playground and small park on the far side.

There wasn’t a soul in sight, and the silence became more profound the closer he came to the building. It didn’t seem right that no one was around; that alone would have warned him of danger even without the ‘Buzz’ constantly sending shivers down his spine.

On the edge of the parking lot with the open doors of the Community Center in sight, Mathew readjusted the heavy sword on his shoulder and began the short trek across the asphalt. His foot had barely crossed over from the sidewalk to the parking lot when a wave of foreign energy swept over him.

It felt like a gust of wind combined with a nearly physical presence that pushed him backward a few inches; Mathew’s boots skidded across the asphalt until he could shrug off the shockwave's force.

“Is that the object’s doing?!” Mathew cursed.

The eyes of the Celestial Spirits, still visible in the shadows, grew more agitated, and Mathew thought he could hear faint whispers from them. Whatever was causing this disturbance, the spirits were concerned about them.

Starting to walk forward again, Mathew only made it a few steps before the foreign energy pulsed again, sending out another shockwave from the direction of the Community Center. Even though he was more prepared for it by setting his stance and digging his heels in, the pulse pushed him back a step.

Once it passed, Mathew dashed forward with determination. He needed to close the distance quickly.

Halfway across the parking lot, the energy swept across him again with enough power that Mathew fell on one knee and braced himself. He could hear car tires squealing as the parked cars were pushed sideways.

Even on one knee, he was shoved into the side of a pickup truck with enough force to leave a dent in the door and crack the windshield. Once again, Mathew climbed to his feet and ran across the ground toward the open doors of the community center.

He nearly made it when another energy force erupted from the building, blasting the structure's windows outwards and hurling shards of glass in all directions. Mathew could maintain his footing this time, and he was lifted off the ground and tossed backwards like he weighed nothing.

Flying through the air, Mathew gripped the Wrathful Blade in both hands and drove its broad and flat end into the pavement. With a wrench, he came to a halt as the glass cut his face and neck, leaving minor scratches. His Blessings made him as durable as the metal cars behind him, and the shards of glass couldn’t cut deeply.

When the shockwave ended, Mathew landed on his feet and dug his sword out of the ground. Nothing would stop him from reaching the ‘Hallowed Splinter’ this time. Flinging himself forward, Mathew burst through the doors hanging off their hinges.

Whatever power the object was emitting ceased as soon as Mathew crossed the doorway's threshold. The interior was in shambles; chairs and tables were tossed around the large hall in every direction. Some birthday decorations remained, and several balloons hung from the ceiling, but most of them were shredded by glass and splinters of furniture.

Mathew’s boots made a crunching sound as he slowly walked into the room, looking around for any dangers. Nothing was moving, aside from a few sliced and tattered curtains that blew slightly in the wind that blew through the windowless frames.

Keeping his sword ready, Mathew made a small loop of the room. Carefully walking over bits of glass, shattered chairs and pieces of folding tables, he found what was left of the birthday cake smeared all over the floor and halfway up the wall. Two candles in the remains hadn’t been lit yet, a ‘1’ and ‘2’.

Mathew could feel the ‘Buzz’ growing stronger as he walked, that supernatural sixth sense that warned of imminent danger. It was getting more intense the further into the room he walked, and it was nearly blindingly painful when he reached the far end of the Community Center.

Mathew found the object he was looking for beneath a pile of discarded chairs and half a table. The ‘Hallowed Splinter’ was a paper crown. It was made of yellow construction paper, folded into a crown and covered in sparkling glitter.

‘The Birthday Boy!’ was written in glittery silver marker on the front.

Surprisingly, it was in perfect condition despite having a pile of debris on top of it. It was also immaculate even though it rested on the dirty ground. Mathew was about to pick it up when the ‘Buzz’ gave him a jolt of pain severe enough to make his fingers twitch.

Withdrawing his hand, Mathew swore he could hear a sigh of regret coming from the object as if it were upset that something it had been looking forward to was now out of reach.

‘Ding!’

Mathew was surprised at the sound of the notification and looked at the silver wristband for more information.

Floor 16: A Hallowed Splinter (Updated)

Updated Summary: Congratulations, you have found the Hallowed Splinter! The Soulshard of a Demigod that failed to Ascend to Godhood is located inside the Paper Crown. You have two options:

Don the Paper Crown to contain its power until you reach the HDC facility designed to hold it. You will need to suffer the side effects. Beware, the lingering spirit within the Soulshard has taken an interest in you and the Celestials in the shadows.

Pass the Paper Crown to an unwitting pawn, damning them to the torments of the Soulshard while you forcefully guide them to the HDC facility. This will inevitably lead to the death of the bearer.

The god of Righteous Subjugation is observing you.

The god of Mischievous Depravity is watching you with anticipation.

The god of Stalwart Wayfarer is disinterested in this Floor.

The god of Sanctuary Retort is concerned by the choice presented.

The god of Perfect Subterfuge is laughing at the situation.

The god of Unprovoked Murder is urging you to select a pawn and have them don the Paper Crown, then kill them.

The god of Broken Secrets is displeased that any aspect of the Demigod’s identity was revealed.

The god of Petty Trickery looks forward to you deceiving a pawn with the Paper Crown.

Many gods await your decision. The reactions of 132 gods have been hidden at this time.

“Don’t you all have something better to do.” Mathew grumbled as he lowered his arm to hide the message and focused on the Crown once again.

“Who are you talking to?” A voice rang out, and Mathew looked up to find Agent Barlow walking into the community center. She had removed her sunglasses, revealing a pair of brown eyes looking disinterestedly at the mess around them before latching onto Mathew.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were waiting for me to contain this thing.” Mathew replied, and Barlow’s face changed to show confusion.

“You called out to me asking for help.” She responded, and Mathew looked down at the Paper Crown again.

“That wasn’t me.” Mathew muttered softly. It looks like the Paper Crown wanted him to place it on Barlow instead of himself; it had likely been the one who contacted Barlow. He doubted any of the gods would have directly intervened.

“That it? Do you have it contained?” Barlow asked as she approached Mathew. She was studying the Crown curiously but without a hint of wariness. Was that the Paper Crown’s influence as well?

“Not yet.” Mathew said, before reaching down and picking it up. It was heavier than he expected a crown made of paper to be. It was also big enough to fit onto his head, despite if obviously being made for a child.

Place it on her head. A voice whispered quietly, bare audible even in the quiet room. Mathew felt a foreign power sweep up from the crown, urging him to place it on the HDC Agent’s head. His fingers twitched slightly, and he almost did as it commanded.

“No.” Mathew said, forcing the alien thoughts away. He had been in the Tower too long, had been through too much, to be controlled so easily.

“Excuse me?” Agent Barlow asked, but Mathew was too focused on the object in his hands to respond. Without thinking, he quickly placed the Paper Crown on his head with the words ‘The Birthday Boy!’ above his forehead.

A surge of power burst out of Mathew and rushed skyward. The ground shook, and Agent Barlow was pushed backwards by the force of the eruption. The cloudy sky above them darkened until it was nearly the pitch-black darkness of night.

Mathew screamed as he was engulfed in black flames. They covered his body, obscuring him from the sight of Agent Barlow, who was lying on the ground, pressed flat by the power of the Paper Crown. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she couldn’t see Mathew through the black flames that shifted to red, then white.

When they faded, Mathew was gone, and a monster was in his place. Towering over

Agent Barlow and wearing long faded black robes; its body was skeletal and shrouded in shadows except for two rightly glowing yellow eyes. On its head was an ancient crown of gold and jewels.

There was an air of menace and evil about it, and Agent Barlow couldn’t move from fear as its eyes focused on hers. When it spoke, its voice seemed to come from all directions, echoing and doubling eerily.

“Get that containment facility ready, Agent Barlow.”