Tower Climber (A LitRPG Adventure, Book 1) by Jakob Tanner (free children's online books TXT) 📕

over. Worst of all, he felt like he needed to pee every ten seconds, despite multiple trips to the bathroom.

“I wish they’d just tell us who was fighting who already,” said Casey. “I can’t take all this waiting. It’s making me sick. Toto too!”

Max turned to the D-rank climber who was stationed with them in the waiting room.

“Do you know who is fighting who?”

The man didn’t say anything, just kept his arms crossed, and nodded towards the TV in the middle of the lounge area.

The live tournament broadcast was being shown on the flat screen TV.

The stands in the arena were completely full of screaming citizens and fans.

The camera then cut to a large screen in the middle of the arena.

“The first match is about to be announced,” said the TV commentators. “Who will be the first to fight in this year’s climber academy final exams!?”

Max’s stomach lurched. On the one hand, he wouldn’t mind getting it over with quickly, but he realized there was a certain strategic advantage to going later. You’d be able to better deduce who you were going to fight, and you would also get to see any worthwhile strategies that others were employing during these final bouts.

Everyone in the waiting area watched the screen with bated breath.

A name appeared on the screen in the arena.

Sybil Wesley.

Everyone turned to the girl. She smirked and flicked her hair back.

“Sybil Westley is from the prestigious Westley family, a clan of climbers known for their stunning airbringer abilities,” explained the commentators. “The betting shops give Sybil good odds for going onto win the entire tournament. I wouldn’t want to be the one to face her, certainly not this early on in the tournament. Ah! We’re about to find out who the next contestant is...”

A name appeared on the screen and Max’s stomach lurched.

Casey Everton.

The arena crowd cheered and they could feel vibrations of the roar even below in their waiting room.

Two E-rank climbers walked into the waiting room and said, “Would the contestants follow us, please. Everyone else please stay here.”

Sybil stepped forward.

Casey turned to Max and handed him Toto.

“Will you look after Toto until I’m back?” she asked.

“Of course,” Max said, taking the gerbil and letting it perch on his shoulder. “And good luck!”

Casey nodded nervously, before she went off with the E-rank climbers to battle in the arena.

Max turned back to the TV to watch the match.

After a few minutes, Casey and Sybil walked out of a tunnel in the arena from opposite ends.

A referee with a silver badge to indicate his D-rank status, stood in the middle of the arena.

“The first match of this year’s climber academy final exam is about to begin,” said the commentator. “The tension and excitement can be felt across the arena as the audience quiets down with hushed anticipation.”

Max gulped. Toto shivered on his shoulders, nervous on behalf of his owner. Max gently stroked the gerbil’s fur to calm him down.

“Don’t worry, Toto,” said Max. “Casey will be fine.”

The referee explained the terms of the match which the commentators then went over for everyone watching at home.

“A match is over when a contestant gives up, dies, or the referee rules the match to be over.”

A chuckle emanated from the waiting room.

Max turned and saw it was Cyrus, mocking the commentators.

“Give it a rest,” he said to the TV. “We all know who is going to win. Sybil’s going to end this in seconds.”

“Take that back,” said Max.

Cyrus turned to Max with a scowl on his face. “What? You can’t actually expect a fake-vein to beat a pure-vein, do you? That’s absolutely ludicrous.”

Maybe it was the nervousness for the tournament, but Max felt his heart race and his skin go red as he was filled with anger at Cyrus’ words.

Max hated the way Cyrus spoke with such smug arrogant confidence. The assuredness that his crummy worldview was the correct one was maddening.

Max wanted to trigger his trait, use shadow blink to appear right behind and then elbow him in the back of the head.

He was so angry, he even tried.

But when he triggered his trait nothing happened.

Huh!?

The dozy-tired looking E-ranker in the back spoke up, “Settle down, now. You’ll get your chance to fight eventually.”

Cyrus scowled and crossed his arms.

“Of course, they’d leave us in here with a debuffer,” said the boy.

Debuffer?

Max looked to the climber in the back. So it was him who had stopped him from using his abilities. His trait must have included some kind of passive area of effect move that wouldn’t let climbers use their traits, or it significantly dampened their ability to use it.

Fascinating, thought Max.

He felt his heart slow down a little from its frantic adrenaline rushed pace from moments ago.

Probably better that he didn’t fight Cyrus here and now. He needed to save his energy for the actual official tournament matches.

“No bother about the debuffer,” said Cyrus, smirking at Max. “I’ll just have to wait a little longer to put you in your place then.”

Max felt the urge to smack Cyrus once more, but he quickly calmed down because the fight between Casey and Sybil had begun.

82

Casey stood at the center of the giant arena thinking the same thoughts over and over.

This isn’t good. This isn’t good. This isn’t good.

The crowd cheered around her and Sybil smirked at her the way she always smirked at her. It was a smirk that said, “I’m better than you and both of us know it.”

The worst part was Casey really did feel like Sybil Westley was her worst match-up among the student climber finalists. Sybil was one of the best student climbers in their class and definitely one of the best airbringers in the city, even more talented than some official E-rank and D-rank climbers.

The referee raised his hand and blew a whistle and the fight began.

Sybil wasted no time, immediately rushing towards Casey.

The girl moved with incredible speed, so fast hardly anyone in the audience was able to effectively track her with their eyes. She