The Climbers Association looked exactly as Kael remembered. The enormous glass building stood in the heart of Manhattan, surrounded by crowds going about their business. Screens along its exterior displayed advertisements for guilds, dungeon-clearing services, equipment manufacturers, and the latest achievements of prominent Climbers.
Kael stopped outside and looked up. According to the calendar, only a few weeks had passed since his previous visit, but it felt considerably longer. He had cleared several Floors, trained under a man who could probably destroy a mountain with his bare hands, and nearly died to an enormous scorpion strengthened twice by a divine being.
Yet here he was, returning to the same building where obtaining his official Climber identification had once seemed exciting. He smiled faintly and entered, wondering how long it would take before something as simple as an administrative appointment stopped feeling unusual.
