Reincarnated With The Degenerate System-Chapter 215: The Tower Part 3

The second pattern was a spinning rush. The creature planted one foot, twisted its body, and spun all four axes at once.

It formed a moving wall that swept across the floor. Anyone too close was shredded.

Dodging backward didn’t work either—the spin carried forward, forcing Seekers to either break formation or take the hit.

The real challenge wasn’t killing it—it was keeping our Seekers alive long enough until it stops.

The third pattern was a focused execution move. It locked onto a single target, then used the pillars to close distance in an instant.

One jump. One rebound. Then all four axes came down at once.

Shields shattered under the impact. The unlucky S-Rank target died on the spot.

The last pattern was the most dangerous. When it took enough damage, its bronze armor glowed faintly.

Its movements became faster, almost erratic. Attacks chained together without pause—jump, slam, spin, strike—leaving no clear opening.

This was the phase where the team collapsed. Healing couldn’t keep up. Orders stopped mattering.

When fewer than fifteen people remained, they made a run for it.

That was the maximum number the tower allowed to escape during a raid. Depending on the floor number, that limit could increase or decrease.

I turned to the group and they looked dejected. I needed to raise their morale.

"Alright. First, what advantage do we have that they didn’t?"

Adam raised his hand. "Information?"

"That’s one of them. But the most critical advantage is our equipment. Aside from their S-Ranks, all of them were wearing old-generation body suits. That’s why they were taken out so quickly."

I pointed at the screen and zoomed in.

"But we’re different. Our team will be fully equipped with both Body Suits and battle suits, which will dramatically increase our survival rate."

Bodysuits were made of flexible material, designed primarily for environmental protection, like extreme heat or harsh conditions.

They could also absorb shockwaves that would normally kill a Seeker from the impact.

Battle suits, on the other hand, were what Seekers treated as armor—rigid, protective, and built to withstand heavy attacks.

Seekers like Adam usually wore both, maximizing their defense.

Others, who prioritized speed and mobility, would stick to just the bodysuit and cover it with a lighter clothing that enhance speed or even energy recovery.

"What we’ll be using for the expedition is the newest model from National Motor Body Suit. For our core members—you already know—you’re all getting Nano Suits. Each one costs one billion, so rest assured, we won’t face the same fate as they did."

Adam’s eyes widened slightly. "One billion each...? That’s insane."

Rhea smiled. "Finally, equipment that actually matches our skills."

"Not just that," I added, "we’re also stocking the most advanced bombs and support items money can buy. We’ll be spending an absurd amount on this expedition."

I shrugged. "At this point, we’re not fighting the boss. We’re burying it under a mountain of cash until it suffocates."

"Drowning the boss with cash..." Adam shook his head. "That’s one way to put it."

The tension in the room vanished. Shoulders relaxed. Faces that had been pale moments ago softened.

With the mood lighter, we shifted into serious discussion and began putting together a solid battle strategy.

Time passed in a blur as I handled logistics and other essential preparation, each decision chipping away at my fortune until I was no longer a billionaire.

Luckily, Mythical stayed out of the way. They were probably confident we would fail and go bankrupt—which, honestly, wasn’t too far from the truth.

Everything was going smoothly—until a message from Master Tang popped up. He wanted me to come to his house and met core members of the Order, and I already have a pretty good idea what it was about.

They were probably planning to take Alexa’s group back, afraid that I was putting them in too much danger.

That wasn’t going to be simple.

The girls were already loyal to me. When the Order tried to pressure them, they cut off all communication without hesitation. That alone created a clear conflict of interest.

One side saw them as assets.

My side—well, I also saw them as assets. At least I planned to marry all of them in the future, which already made me the better option by a wide margin.

Now it was my problem to settle.

I closed my eyes and summoned my favorite clone—Master Cheng.

After that, I slowly cracked my neck and headed straight for Master Tang’s Mansion. They were going to pressure me no matter what, and I won’t just let them.

This was the perfect chance to build Master Cheng’s reputation within the Order. If they wanted to play politics, then I would give them someone they couldn’t ignore.

Getting inside the mansion was so easy with my now more powerful shadow ability.

I moved through blind spots, crossed tiled roofs, and slipped past guards who were too weak to even sense me.

Next, I followed the familiar layout and moved above the inner hall, slipping into the ceiling space without making a sound.

The smell of sake drifted up before the voices reached me.

Through narrow gaps between the beams, warm light spilled across the stone floor below.

I could see the figures inside, gathered around a low table, unaware of my presence.

One of them scoffed "That Mercer kid is getting out of hand."

Another nodded. "Poaching members from the Order. Does he think we’re blind?"

"He’s reckless," a third added. "Too ambitious for his own good."

Master Tang sighed. "He’s the one who made it possible for them to reach S-Rank."

His answer didn’t sit well with the others.

One man slammed his cup down. "That’s still unacceptable. Those girls were trained by us. Raised by us."

Tang looked at him. "And they became stagnant in the Order."

One of the elders laughed. Not kindly.

"That’s bullshit," he said. "There’s no way a young man like him turned anyone into an S-Rank. They were already meant to advance. All he did was give them a small push."

"Then why didn’t you give that push?" Tang asked.

Another elder leaned forward. "Regardless, they still belong to the Order. Letting them join a tower raid with very low survival rate would be a waste."

Master Tang didn’t reply, silently agreeing that my decision bordered on suicide.

On the bright side, he didn’t seem hostile toward me and even defended me a little.

However, it only fueled the anger of others.

"If Mercer refuses to return them," one said, "we can force his hand."

"How?" Tang asked.

"Pressure," came the reply.

"You want to pressure the one person who might know the secret to real martial arts?" Tang looked disappointed by their short-term mindset.

"Old friend," a man who looked to be the oldest—and the meanest—among them raised his voice.

"I think you’re deluding yourself with this fantasy that some secret art exists that can make humans on par with Seekers. It’s clouding your judgment."

Tang didn’t give up. "Master Hong...then explain this to me—how do you account for three of them rising in rank at the same time?"

He let the question hang in the air and continued.

"Believe me when I say this—the Mercer kid holds the key to unlocking human potential."

"That proves nothing," Hong snapped "Those girls were already close to breaking through."

One of the others leaned in. "And even if the Mercer kid played a role, letting him take them into a tower raid is crazy."

"And stopping him makes us cowards," Tang replied. "Afraid of being proven wrong."

The room grew tense. Sake cups sat forgotten.

That was enough.

I dropped down from the ceiling and floated above them.

Five heads snapped up.

"Guards!" Master Hong shouted.

BOOOOM!

My aura pinned everyone down.

The pressure hit like a falling mountain. Every man in the room slammed down, pinned flat against the mats.

As for the S Ranks, I didn’t give them time to recover from the initial shock.

SWOOOSH!

I vanished and knocked them down before they could mount any defense. My spear was unsummoned right after, leaving no evidence behind.

Whole thing ended in under five seconds, and the room feel silence.

The old men stared at me, fear written plainly on their faces.

I casually walked to the low table.

One sake cup sat near the edge. I picked it up and took a slow drink.

"Oh?" I said, setting the cup back down. "Why did everyone go quiet?

My gaze moved from one face to another, then stopped on Master Hong. He was the loudest. The most hostile.

That alone earned him special attention.

Seconds passed. His face turned pale. His lips trembled as he struggled to breathe.

Only when I was satisfied did I release the pressure.

He sucked in air like a drowning man, coughing as if his lungs were on fire.

"Aren’t you talking so loudly a moment ago?" I asked.

"May I know your name... senior?" Master Tang bowed his head, realizing just how dangerous the situation had become. Smart decision.

The others followed suit. Gone was their pride, gone their arrogance. Only fear remained.

A being capable of taking out multiple S-Ranks that fast was not someone they could afford to anger.

"Before I tell you my identity, how about serving me more sake? I am your guest, after all." I raised my cup.

Master Tang picked up a surviving bottle and poured for me.

I took a sip and let out a low chuckle. "It would taste even better if a beautiful woman were serving me. Am I right?"