Tower Climber (A LitRPG Adventure, Book 1) Jakob Tanner (reading comprehension books TXT) 📖

how quickly he’d ranked up and raised his stats. If Max could get this powerful in a matter of months, who knew what heights he might reach as he trained and grew in strength.

Samuel tried to conceal his irritation, though his face was noticeably red.

It must be tough to watch his own son get smacked down like this, thought Sakura.

“Sakura’s pupil is really giving your son a run for his money, isn’t he, Samuel?” laughed the climber president.

Sakura tensed at the president’s words.

Don’t add salt to the man’s wounds, sir, Sakura thought to herself.

Samuel just looked down at the swirling dust and dirt where Cyrus had landed.

“Just you wait,” he said, gritting his teeth. “My boy isn’t down for the count just yet.”

Casey and Toto cheered with glee in the student climber waiting area.

“Aw, yeah,” she cheered. “Go Max! Beat Cyrus to a pulp! You can do it!”

The other students grumbled and looked at her.

“Will you shut up, we’re trying to watch the match!”

Casey sighed and felt her elation deflate a little bit.

The match definitely wasn’t over yet and Cyrus hadn’t even revealed his trait yet. Even though she’d grown up with the boy, she still had no idea what his special power was; it must have been very rare otherwise it wouldn’t be kept such a highly guarded secret. Then there was his hereditary trait—the passive ability the Archer family was most famous for—blood eyes.

Be careful, Max, she thought to herself as she petted Toto’s fur. You can do this, but be careful.

Samuel clenched his fists as he stood between Sakura and the climber president.

He was trying to steady his breathing without calling too much attention to himself.

What the heck was Cyrus doing?

He was supposed to initiate the plan before any blows were delivered.

The idiot. He probably thought he could land a punch on Max before they started the plan. Prove to himself that he would have won this match fairly if it weren’t for their other plans.

Now he’d mucked up the entire operation.

It looked as if they were going to have to improvise.

Max watched the dust settle.

Through the dust, he saw the figure of his opponent get off the ground.

“It looks like Cyrus Archer is getting up! The boy is not down for the count just yet!”

One punch would have been too easy. On the bright side, Max thought to himself: I might get to punch Cyrus in the face a second time.

Max rushed the Archer boy once more with a raised fist.

He sprinted towards Cyrus, closing the gap that separated them.

“Max! Max! Max!” cheered the crowd.

Now that he knew how low Cyrus’ endurance stat was, it was all a matter of sneaking in one more devastating hit.

Max rushed towards Cyrus but then suddenly found himself frozen mid-step.

What!? he thought. Why can’t I move!?

Cyrus snickered in front of him.

Had Cyrus paralyzed him somehow? Was this his trait ability?

“You idiot,” said Cyrus. “Did you really think you could beat me?”

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Samuel sighed with relief as he watched the battle down below.

Cyrus was back on his feet. The plan was slowly getting back on track.

“It looks like Max will have to fight a bit more for his victory,” smiled Sakura at Samuel.

The insolent woman, Samuel thought. She dared to mock him and his family. Just wait. Her time would soon be coming to an end.

“Your pupil is very talented,” said Samuel. “But don’t forget my boy has been in the tower-zone all his life. Max may have dealt the first blow, but he’s still the underdog.”

He looked out the window and grinned at the red-haired boy, squirming on the ground.

C’mon now, Cyrus, stop toying with this boy and initiate the plan.

Max squirmed, frozen in place.

He willed himself with all of his might to move forward and yet he was completely stuck, as if he’d been glued to the ground.

What’s happening to me? Max thought with a new found panic.

The audience had grown silent. They were in awe at the turn of events. They waited now with bated breath to see what happened next.

How had Cyrus paralyzed him like this? There must be some kind of trick to escape this power?

Cyrus smirked and started slowly walking towards Max.

The blond-haired boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a long silver scalpel.

The crowd gasped.

What was Cyrus going to do with that scalpel?

“You know why the Archer family is the most powerful family in all of the tower-zone?” said Cyrus. “Because we can see what lies beneath the skin of each and every person. I can see the very vessels that carry your blood. I can see your heart beating. Faster now as I approach you.”

Cyrus was revealing himself to be the psychopath Max had always suspected him of being.

“Do you know why most victims of stab wounds don’t die? It’s because stabbing someone can be a frantic impulsive attack. Very few people remain calm and stab a person right in the spot that will kill them. I don’t have that problem though.”

Cyrus took another step towards Max.

“My grandfather was one of the earliest climbers. A great warrior that man. He fought in wars in the upper floors. He killed thousands upon thousands of warriors. For doing such a feat he was rewarded with the very hereditary trait I'm going to use now to kill you here.”

Max’s eyes bulged with fear as Cyrus took another step towards him.

Max squirmed, still frozen in place.

The audience was hushed, watching fearfully as the entire balance of power in the match completely shifted.

Think, Max, think!

There must be some way to escape this paralysis. If he didn’t think of something soon, he was done for.

Cyrus took another step towards him. He held the scalpel up like a surgeon approaching a serious operation.

The pale blonde-haired boy smiled as he took another step, closing the gap between them even more.

Max squirmed.

If he didn’t get out of this paralysis soon, he was either going to die or fail the climber exam. Either way,