Worthy had no choice but to tell War everything.
Letting the Holy Knight sit on this floor for any longer would be a disservice to the entire world, primarily the world of people trapped here without a chance of escaping.
War the information surprisingly well, considering he'd just been told that he wasted decades of his life in this place.
"I see… Dear…" Worthy could not see his face underneath the helmet, but he could hear his voice. War's voice was that of a person in thought, rather than someone wallowing in despair. "I must ask that you all give me time to gather my thoughts. This changes things greatly."
So, Worthy and the knight's three companions are outside the building-like structure, giving the Holy Knight time to process the information he'd just been given.
This gave Worthy time to learn about the group. They were all pleasant people, except one of them. The coward with the floating ball reminded Worthy too much of the wimpy children that'd end up getting him or others in trouble in the backstreets. When times got rough, they were the first to crack under pressure and cause problems for everyone else.
'So, piss-pants is named Robert.' Admittedly, one thing the man had going for him was his looks.
He might've been a coward, but he was a handsome coward. No matter which way Worthy looked at it, the man was attractive, even when his hair was unkempt, disarrayed by constant movement.
The other male, responsible for freeing War from the barbed ribbon, is named Cross. He's an average-sized young man who, from what Worthy can tell, must've done mercenary work in his free time. He kept his head wrapped in a bandana, probably because he wasn't fond of it being tossed in his face while he fought. Worthy's short, brown hair was routinely cut with a kitchen knife, so he couldn't relate to the man's struggle with long hair.
Cross is clearly the second-best fighter in their group. The reason he didn't step in sooner while War was fighting is that the veteran instructed him to only step in when he was dead or requested help.
Finally, the healer of their group is a woman with short hair and olive flesh named Esme. She is older than the rest, despite still having a youthful appearance.
Worthy learned to never ask the woman for her approximate age. The energy given off when she answered was oppressive.
Presently, they're all standing together having a conversation. As it turns out, they all entered at around the same time.
"Okay, that makes sense. So, Worth and Robert entered the tower today, but Robert ended up teleported away from his bodyguard. Cross entered two days ago, probably. If my sleep schedule is telling me anything, that'd mean I've been in here for around a week."
Regardless of accuracy, the fact that Esme's kept track of how much time's passed is a remarkable feat. It's also worthwhile information for Worthy, who didn't plan on being in the tower for longer than he had to.
Tentatively listening to their stories, Worthy notes how everyone came to join War's group.
'War's been aimlessly wandering the First Floor for years. According to Cross, we're in what's called Carnage Valley, a remarkably dangerous region of the First Floor. Esme's been in War's group long enough to see Cross be recruited. The group had 2 others before him, who were killed yesterday and today. The remains I saw must've been from a dead man, then. Still, it's good I followed the hound's trails. Robert was saved not long before I stumbled upon the ground, which is part of the reason War tried so hard to protect him. Someone died protecting this coward.'
It takes a lot of effort for the boy not to scoff. Sure, this place was horrifying. The monsters here are unlike anything the average person has ever seen, in fact. Yet, none of this can shy away from the simple fact: entering Aciago Tower was his choice. The fact that he has a bodyguard proved Worthy's suspicions.
'This is just some arrogant rich guy who thought his musclehead could carry him around.'
Worthy has been very critical of both War and Robert.
His disdain for War, which was dispelled when learning that he was a Holy Knight, stemmed from the bad blood he and his fellow poor people share universally towards common knights. The heavy opinion he had of Robert was made obvious to the group by the unconscious scowl he had, one he didn't notice himself.
Robert represented cowardice to the fullest degree. Although Worthy hadn't a clue what the floating sphere beside him was capable of, the thing was too close to be used to protect its user, even if it could block attacks. The good-looking man didn't even have the sense to try getting out of the way in the face of an attack that'd have left him becoming one with the fleshy dogs.
Esme has the charisma that helps break the awkward tension stemming from the child's looming gaze.
"We should do some icebreakers. What is it that made everybody climb the tower? I'll start: Because of my horrible habit of gambling, I ended up indebted to Freight. In fact, it's a debt I don't think I'll ever pay off. So, I saw the tower as my best chance. I either risk a life of hell under wherever Freight was planning on throwing me, or risk my neck to come here and see if I can get lucky one last time."
'Evidently, she ended up pretty well-off. Receiving a healing Reward, plus getting picked up by a Holy Knight. Sheesh. And here I was thinking I was lucky.'
Cross is the one who speaks up next, sweat dripping down his face as he stares at Esme, jaw agape. "You managed to become life-threateningly indebted to the Overlord of the Black Market? Woman, I thought you were a humble nurse that got lucky."
Esme winks, "Depending how you look at it, I'm exactly that."
Cross scoffs and rolls his eyes, earning an amused laugh from Worthy, who had the privilege of being a child. They're prone to cackling at anything they find humorous, utterly unrestricted, as well as being brutally honest.
"I'm grateful that my reason has nothing to do with debt." He gives a brief side glance to Esme. "I've spent a lot of my youth working as a mercenary. After making a few enemies, the group I worked for ended up getting wiped off the map. In case you're clueless, it's very hard to find mercenary groups that fit you. In the end, I never found one that could replace the former. Without much else to do, I jumped in with the intention of climbing as high as I could before leaving. Regarding the penalty, I've got my fingers crossed that it's nothing intolerable."
'So Esme is trying to luck out and receive a Reward that can help repay the debt she owes. Cross wants to get Rewards so he can grow stronger and open more avenues.'
This left Robert and Worthy.
When all eyes landed on the nobleman, he briefly froze. "A—A… Ah." He clears his throat.
"My reasoning isn't anything interesting, really. I just didn't have too much of a choice but to come in. Nobles have responsibilities to uphold, after all."
His answer left much to be desired. That didn't explain anything, something Worthy is quick to point out.
"Don't sour the mood, that's a lame cop-out! You just didn't want to answer because you'd be too embarrassed!"
Robert scowls, rolling his eyes as he addresses the child. "Pray tell. What is someone fresh out of diapers doing in a tower renowned for its high mortality rate? Were you abandoned by your family at the gate? Perhaps you're one of the prisoners the capital sends into towers regularly? Why did someone who's better off sitting politely in school find their way here?"
It'd have been easy to confuse his condescending words for goodwill. Worthy, who was always skeptical of anyone connected to the capital and its lavish living, didn't fall for it for a nanosecond.
Still, the boy decides to answer. Though he's a child, it'll still be hard for Cross and Esme to trust him if they don't know a bit about him.
Judging by the way Cross tilted his head and Esme's satisfied grin rose, he knew they were horribly curious.
It was rare to see someone so young confidently walk into certain death unless they had a tragedy behind them.
"I entered for my family." Chest puffed out as far as it could go, Worthy's eyes appeared to shimmer underneath a nonexistent light. Something about it made Robert take a single step back, as though driven by an unseen force.
"First, my dad entered and got lucky, but he was penalized heavily. After him, my mom entered and never came out. Ms. Esme, I'm sure you know the state of Malas Town, at least somewhat, if you're indebted to Freight."
Esme nods, "Of course. Malas Town is a place I frequented before coming in here. I didn't live there, but its black market is so secure I couldn't think of any better place to try gambling away another man's earnings." Much of the money she used to gamble was stolen from others.
Worthy sees this as a sign to continue:
"My dad made it to the Third Floor. According to him, all of it is attributed to insane luck, but luck runs out. So my goal is to hope some of that luck rubbed off on me and reach the top so I can have my wish fulfilled by the tower. Hell, with how bad this place is, I think I might deserve two wishes."
The nobleman didn't expect the child to be so precise in his reasoning. Maybe he thought Worthy was just an ignorant, impulsive child who made a mistake that'll come to regret. In some ways, he wouldn't be wrong. Where his assumptions became wrong is when he thought Worthy would back down at his derision.
Cross nods his head after having time to think. "I don't think a child belongs here, but honestly, no human life does. At least compared to others, you have a commendable reason to take this risk." Naturally, there is a subtle jab at Esme in these words, too. Cross shows no signs of letting the woman forget her reason for entering the tower.
Worthy heard nothing from Robert after this. The noble looked away from him, scanning his surroundings. He decided to take up the position of watcher so that he wouldn't need to converse any longer.
"Speaking of risks… Kid, show me that knife for a second." Esme beckons Worthy.
He looks at her suspiciously. "Huh? Nah."
She's always taken aback by how bluntly he refused her. Was he not taught manners?! That's no way to speak to a lady!
"I—I'm not trying to steal from you, kid. I just want to have a look at it. It cut through that hound like nothing earlier."
Cross speaks up as well. "I'm quite intrigued by your item as well. A boy your size shouldn't be strong enough to dismember one of those beasts, let alone behead one."
Their interest in the weapon was sound. Cross needed to take a proper stance and repeatedly swing his weapon at the hound's tail to cut through it. In his defense, their tails appear far more fortified than the rest of their bodies.
Unless he was being enhanced by drugs or wasn't really human, Worthy shouldn't have been nearly as strong as he displayed himself to be. There's also the chance that he has a Reward empowering him, but that didn't seem too likely, given his unique form of weaponry.
"Well… Yeah, you guys do make sense. Can't really argue with that." Sighing, he reaches into his bag and retrieves the knife he'd put away when they came outside.
Still glowing, the crimson knife looked as if he'd pulled it from one of the mass piles nearby. An ominous miasma came from it, still thoroughly empowered after cutting the flesh monster's head.
Cross and Esme admire the weapon, leaning in to inspect it in the child's hand. "Damn, kid. Where the hell did you find something like this?"
Worthy imagined Esme's shock to know the answer if he told her that Freight, the same man she fled into the tower from, had equipped him with everything in his possession. 'Steering clear of the truth a little might be for the best here.'
"My dad managed to get me gear from a merchant before I came in. It's enchanted, but the enchantment only works when it consumes an adequate amount of blood. I've been feeding it ever since I landed." The boy didn't have a clue how much it'd take for the weapon to be fully charged. After drinking the blood from the lake, it was empowered to the point of cutting monsters like they were soft fibers.
Cross, analyzing the weapon, is quick to notice its potential. "Besides the War's Divine Sword, this might be the most powerful tool on this floor. If you feed it blood, that means it can be charged here non-stop, anywhere. We're surrounded by blood and flesh. Even the ground we stand on seems to be made of some kind of bone."
Besides the unusual structures that Worthy came across, such as the makeshift building, everything here contained blood.
During their study of the weapon, heavy footsteps approach.
Approaching, the towering Holy Knight seems to be finished thinking, his weapon held in the polished sheath at his waist.
"Thank you all for waiting so patiently. I hope you've had time to become acquainted."
Robert is suddenly paying attention to the group now. At first, Worthy assumed he was just giving the regarded knight respect, but then he realized the look on his face didn't match.
'...I can't really put my finger on it. I'm horrible at reading rich people.' He scrutinized himself, despite having impressive deductive skills.
"With the information I've been given, I've decided on my next course of action. Firstly, I must travel to the Prime Settlement of this floor. Then, I will set out."
Robert opens his mouth to ask, "You don't mean you're going to… leave the tower… right?"
Everyone felt the same tension from the question. Someone as strong as War being in the tower, even if he were not right beside them, was a relief. Knowing a man capable of hunting any beast was nearby brought soothing thoughts.
If not for him, there's no telling what would've happened to them.
Sure, they'd lost some people along the way, but their inability to save themselves couldn't be entirely blamed on the Holy Knight that'd spent decades fighting endless swarms of enemies.
War's deep voice shakes the air. For just a moment, Cross thought he saw an aura manifesting from the Holy Knight.
"Young man… Do not slight me in such a way again. Never in all my years have I run away from anything. Neither man, nor beast, nor construct."
Robert trembled and silenced himself. He hadn't had the intention of coming off as disrespectful. Even nobles must be mindful of their words, a lesson he should've learned in his youth.
"With no objective in sight, I have decided to set my sights on the frustrating prison I've been trapped in for these timeless years. Often have I seen a great many of my companions fall and be consumed by the mounds of flesh that drop onto us. Frustration brews in my chest, and it yearns for release, so I must release it accordingly."
"Before returning to the capital, I will make amends for my great absence by clearing this tower."