Chapter 33: Stronger Than Expected
Now walking along the main street of the city, Azrael couldn't help but marvel at the fact that at some point in his life, he would still manage to reach the next floor despite the challenges that his ability gave him, fighting monsters that is way beyond the actual capability of any person in the same floor of the tower.
Taking in the view of the night life here, the young man recognizes that there's a lot more happening here when compared to the first floor, the first one being the fact that there are a lot more ascenders in the second floor, giving the city a lively atmosphere far beyond the oftentimes nervous and uncertain one of the first floor, mainly from the beginners who just entered the tower in hopes of changing their fate for the better when compared to the outside.
'I guess this is what happens when someone manages to conquer a single floor of the tower...' recalling just how hard the actual quest to ascend the first floor is, Azrael couldn't help but think to himself, recalling those good old days of adventuring he has in the company of fellow ascenders that he recognizes as friends, fellow ascenders who had go on and reached floors of the tower far higher than where he currently is now.
Catching himself reminiscing about the past once again, the young man then laughs to himself, catching the attention of the people around him as they start to wonder why this young man just suddenly starts laughing out of nowhere, making most of them who are startled by him wonder whether he is right in the mind or not.
'Maybe some sort of lunatic who couldn't progress on the main quest...'
'Yep, definitely one of those people who realizes they can't reach higher floors of the tower anymore, I'm different from him though, I will reach where those six great masters stand, someday, eventually...'
'What is this man... is he crazy?'
All sorts of thoughts are directed to the young man laughing himself out in the open, with some of them shaking their head in pity thinking that he had already lost his mind due to some sort of pressure regarding his ascension one way or another, but their thoughts on this young man doesn't last long as they all have their own lives to live, returning to their businesses after taking a short moment to observe the still laughing young man.
'Hahaha, I can't believe I had become this sentimental, what the fuck am I? an old man?' thinking of this to himself as he finally recovers from his amusement, Azrael said with a hint of pain in his voice, realizing that he is really approaching that age where he could be considered an old man, reaching his mid-twenties and all.