Time to seal the deal with Tower's Master

Youngwoo suddenly woke up from a haze. He looked around himself, and found himself to be laid in his bed. He looked at his phone. It was 25th January 2040, 6:44. He sighed and slowly got up. Suddenly, in the dim room, he saw an outline of a figure standing. A little frantically, he reached for his phone and lit it up, pointing it towards the figure. However, he was only greeted by Iris' white hair. Realizing his situation, he felt relief wash over him.

The woman turned to him. Youngwoo noticed that she wasn't standing, rather, she was floating just above the floor, giving her an impression of standing. Seeing him, she fixed and smoothed her hair. Out of thin air, a rubber band appeared, and she skillfully tied most of her hair into it, creating a large, long ponytail and revealing her face whole. Just now he could notice how her ears were long and a little pointy, not standing out from her skull proudly.

"E-Elf?" He stuttered, a little stunned by the discovery. Well, to be honest, he still had a bit of a difficult time wrapping his head around idea of Iris as a whole. He might've kept his cool before thanks to Calm Mind, but now he was taken aback a little too much.

"...? Che. I'm Iris, not 'elf'." She puffed her cheeks ever so much, putting on an obvious pout. Did she not like that word?

"I... But aren't you an elf? With those ears?" He fought the urge to point.

"...ears?" She took a hand and ran it on side of her face. Feeling the structure under her hand, she shivered for a split second. "You mean those?"

"Yes." He nodded. 'Doesn't she understand my words completely? Or does she think they have different meaning?'

"So what? You have round ears, and I'm not going around calling you a gnome."

"..." He tilted his head ever so slightly. "Is 'elf' an insult where you come from?"

"Is it not here?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Not quite... It's a name for a race. Tall people with slender bodies and pointy ears, skilled with bows and magic, living for thousands of years. Typically that's what we'd call 'elves'."

She squinted her eyes at him, but just for a moment. Then, she rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Just don't call me that, alright?"

"So, it IS an insult?"

"Yes. End of subject." She riposted sharply. It seemed she was adamant to not tell him anything more. "Now, care to show me this 'technique' Giordi was SO interested in?" Her voice had clear traces of irritation.

"...yeah. Let's go." He picked up some clothes to change into.

Noticing his motion, Iris quickly turned around, seemingly taking a further look at the apartment Youngwoo lived in. However, he could feel that every now and again, she stole a glance at him, only to turn around before he could turn his head towards her. Was she checking whether he finished? Yes, she surely wanted this ordeal to be over, he was sure of it.

Quickly, Youngwoo fastened his sword to his waist and threw his backpack on his back. Not wanting to waste any time, he went out and locked the door, Iris standing just behind him. After that, the two of them begun their walk (well, at least he did, since Iris started floating). Their destination was simple: park in Safe Zone. Youngwoo was nearly sure there won't be anyone in there at this hour, and on the other hand he didn't want to go to other floors. He was inwardly worried about Arthur who he would be helping in a few hours, so he wanted to be in a place with some phone signal.

While on the way, Youngwoo fired up internet on his phone and checked all the information on Pagma's Sword Dance that was available on the wiki. From sword dances' names to their effects, he had multiple tabs open just to be able to quickly get their information.

15 minutes later

Youngwoo put a hand on his sword's handle and looked at Iris. The woman looked back at him, and then waved her hand in the air. Suddenly, a small, black orb appeared in her palm, and as she shook it a little, the orb flew upwards a little.

"Is that a magical camera?" He asked.

"Che. What else would it be?" She replied, grabbing the ball and throwing it towards Youngwoo.

However, as he tried to catch it, the object phased right through him, and stopped moving a few metres past him.

"...what just happened?"

"..." Iris looked at him, squinting her left eye a little. "I think I understand the nature of this bond now."

"Bond? Oh, right. You mean the Wardstone."

Iris nodded, and there was a glint of light in her eyes. Was she pleasantly surprised that he was following her? Or was she about to 'Che' him again for something?

"Yes... I wondered why my magic power is so weak. But since not everyone can see me, and I cannot interact with physical realm, but I can use my magic constructs, it's obviously a magical subspace concentrated on the Wardstone."

"...I see." 'It's not so obvious to me though...'

"Hmm... perhaps if I get my hands on another Wardstone, I could exert some physical influence..." She put on a thoughtful expression. "Che." She suddenly put on a pout. "Let's focus on this matter first."

What was up with that woman? She seemed to change her mood like a kaleidoscope. Well, Youngwoo was sure that there were multiple reasons for that. Having to listen to Giordi's request would be probably the biggest one he knew of. But, that was an issue they could resolve some other day. For now, they were at the very gates of finishing the task at hand. He heard Iris' voice:

"Since I know Giordi will want to know everything, I'll need you to explain this technique in full. All stances and everything."

"Do you also want damage values?"

"...damage values?"

"Didn't I tell you? This swordsmanship is based on swordsmanship used in a book."

"..." She made a weird expression. Was it pity? Or shock? Or maybe anger? "Che." Irritation. That was most definitely new form of irritation. "Fine. Bring out everything. Tell me everything."

"What about other forms? And fusion dances?"

"Are you deaf?! I said EVERYTHING!" She suddenly roared with anger.

"...yes..." Youngwoo shivered. This woman had some kind of aura when she became mad. Was it bloodlust? Or something else? He wasn't sure, but he knew that there were not many people who'd be able to withstand it easily. Just what kind of person was Iris when she had all her power?

Slowly, he took the base stance and unsheathed his sword. While he did that, Iris turned on a few more cameras and threw them around. No, actually, just how many were there? 10, 20, almost 30? Or actually more? Youngwoo wasn't certain about the exact number, but he was sure that it was more than enough to capture every single bit of movement. He recalled all the sword techniques he knew, all the footwork, and slowly, with finesse, started carrying out the first sword dance.

11:52

Iris's perspective

All the while Youngwoo danced with the sword, Iris was watching his movements. With no sign of either irritation nor amazement, she simply watched him dance with the blade. 'I can see why Giordi likes his techniques... it's reminiscent of him.' She gritted her teeth momentarily, but remained calm.

She still remembered the last talk she had with that man, long, long ago, just before they attempted to raid the boss on 90th floor. They'd been failing consistently for months by that point, but Giordi came up with a strategy that was collectively received as straight up idiotic. Still, as he made his point, all her companions started seeing that it was 'the proper way'.

But not her. She remained adamant in her opinion. Not even when her best friend tried to convince her did she falter. No, that plan had no way of working. And then, the raid commenced. The final one, it was.

The plan was a complete failure, just like she predicted. They did kill the boss, but the cost was too great. Iris still could remember the sleepless night she had after she saw her friends mauled by the monstrous being that reigned over the floor. She still felt the hot tears she shed over their graves. 4 souls. They lost 4 friends, and their group shrunk down to being only 6. Words couldn't express how much she wanted to kill Giordi. But... she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Her killing intent was following her throughout the final 10 floors of their Tower, and over time, she found herself making emotional distance between her and the ones who remained. She became cold, snarky, angry. All she wanted was for him to pay for his mistakes. She wanted all of them to leave the Tower so she could **** him to tell everyone what he did. But... he tricked them. Why, why couldn't she see it earlier? Why did she let him live to see the top?! She clenched her fists, but as she looked at Youngwoo, she relaxed them.

This man was not Giordi. He seemed... a little brighter than him. Well, on the other hand, to her even a tree was brighter. But, if she played her cards right, Youngwoo might become a help in **** against her old companion. But that was a long-term goal. For now, this man was nothing more than a child she was stuck with. He'd need years of experience if he wanted to succeed in higher floors. Still, Iris smiled lightly. She'd need to control herself, but one day, she'd get what she wanted.

This man had all the time in the world, and then some. He didn't have to fear the concept of **** or failure. If he did, he wouldn't have gained the skill to transcend **** in the first place. Yes, there was little need to rush. First of all, she had to regain her power. She could plot her **** in the meantime.

Youngwoo's perspective

He'd been slashing and stabbing at air for hours on end. He said all the skills names, carried out exact footwork, read the damage values and extra effects. After basic attacks he carefully explained fusion dances and how they worked. After he did that, he explained Great Swordsman Pagma's Sword Dance, and then also a version that received Braham's favor. In the end, he explained what kind of favor Grid (main hero of Overgeared) received, and how his sword dances were even more powerful than the predecessors.

Youngwoo took care to not misstep as he swung his sword, finishing the last sword dance. This ordeal was actually quite taxing on him for the entire duration. This was mostly due to the fact that he had altered most of the sword dances due to lack of special effects or auto-aiming. A good example was Pinnacle. Originally, it was a simple downwards slash that was unavoidable, but Youngwoo incorporated additional step forward to ensure that his target couldn't just backpedal to evade. Similarly, Flower meant he slashed the sword spirally, instead of taking care to reproduce the flower's shape. Dragon didn't charge at the target, instead making a quick step forward and a long stab in a fashion of Kill. There were many more examples, especially when fusion dances were taken into account. But now, he was undoing his alterations. Carefully, one step at a time, Youngwoo traced every sword dance down to its last movement.

Eventually, he took the base stance again. Slowly expelling last of hot air from his lungs, he sheathed his sword.

"That is all." He said calmly, taking a few deep breaths. Still, he didn't move from his spot, still being watched by a few dozen cameras.

"Are you sure?" Asked Iris, floating a little bit closer to him, but still staying almost 8 metres away.

"Yes." He nodded. "I've explained thoroughly every sword dance of every swordsmanship technique at least 5 times. I went over all fusion dances and other things at least twice as well. I believe I also read all the values, no?"

"So be it." Iris swung her hand, and the cameras suddenly returned to her before disintegrating into nothingness just above her head.

"So... how will Giordi receive them, if you're in a subspace fixed on the Wardstone that is bound to me?"

"..." Iris looked at him blankly for a short while. Did she not think about that part?

Suddenly, a notification came up in front of Youngwoo.

[Tower has analyzed the recordings and sent them to Giordi.]

"What happened?" Asked Iris, though her tone did betray quite a bit of her frustration.

"I just received a message from Tower. It's saying that Giordi already has the recordings."

"Che. Damnable Tower." Iris crossed her arms below her chest and put on a pout.

Meanwhile, Youngoo looked at new message from the Tower.

["Mortal, thank you for your cooperation. I will keep my end of bargain." Giordi says to you as he is checking the footage provided by Iris. "Please await my response in the near future."]

"How long will it take, Giordi?"

[Giordi puts a hand on his chin, thinking. Finally, he comes up with an answer. "3 days. I promise to finish this matter within 3 days."]

"I understand." Youngwoo nodded towards the notification. "Until I hear from you again, Giordi."

[Giordi chuckles lightly at your response. "Until then, mortal."]

Youngwoo sat down quickly. Actually, no, he literally flopped to the ground, as his legs couldn't support him anymore. His muscles were burning as he had pushed himself to his limits for hours. He already was completely exhausted when he trained for 2 hours straight on 11th floor, but now he did it for over twice that duration. True, he did slow down at times or stop entirely to explain certain concepts, but he couldn't call that proper rest. It was certain that getting up tomorrow won't be very pleasant. Still, he didn't care. It was well worth it. Or, at least, he hoped it was. It was all up to Giordi from this point on.

"...it is done. Hell, I'm beat." He said, breathing heavily.

"..." Iris didn't respond. She kept on floating somewhere above him, but didn't even say a word.

Youngwoo checked his phone. It was nearly 12. He had about 2 hours. 'A quick meditation session would be nice.' He thought as he crossed his legs. Slowly, his breathing became stable, and with his eyes closed, he started thinking on his plan. 'After I finish the matter with mister Page, I need to reach out to Hilda. Maybe she can help me understand Ieva a little.' Honestly, he wanted to give her a call already, but he didn't know whether she'd be awake yet. No, she seemed quite mad yesterday. It was better if he didn't call her just to talk about her sister. Unless he wanted to regress again, that is. He'd need to meet with her and reach topic of Ieva slowly.

After about 40 minutes, he decided that he's had enough. He opened his eyes, but was surprised to see Iris staring at him, about 2 metres apart from him. Wait, what? Why would she be watching him? He felt a slight shiver travel down his spine as he saw her suddenly avert her gaze, in an act that almost looked like a kid caught on doing something they shouldn't. Slowly, he got up from his position. After doing a light stretch to move his now a little aching muscles, he started walking away, deciding he would have to wash himself, and then deal with next issue in the line.

16:20

He stepped out of 2nd floor, and sighed lightly. 'With that done, I suppose I can go and give Hilda a call...' A thought rang in his head. Yes, it would probably be the best course of action to go about now. He took out his phone and started ringing.

"Yes? Youngwoo?"

"Hey, Hilda."

"Is something the matter?"

"No, I was just thinking... you want to hang out today?"

"...I'm a bit busy at the moment. Would you have some time at 19?"

"Sure."

"So where should I meet you?"

"Uh... how does a date in a park sound?"

"Sounds good. I'll meet you there."

"Alright then. See you."

"See you."

And then, she hung up. Youngwoo put the phone in his pocket, and gritted his teeth. 'A date?! We're not even dating!' He groaned as he clenched his fists. 'Ah, way to fuck things up, Youngwoo.' He let out a sigh, and decided to take his steps forward. 'Aaaaah, what to do, what to do now?!' Thoughts in his mind kept multiplying. So far, he's been working on instinct with Hilda, and it worked out. Hell, they shared a nice dance (and more) on 12th floor just yesterday, but that didn't mean they both felt the same, did it? Surely, she complied with him back then because she was lost in the heat of the moment, right? RIGHT?!

...no, wait a second. Wasn't she the one to initiate the dance? But then again, she was pointing the shortcomings of his sword dances, but wasn't it him who pushed the dance further? No wait, don't overthink this, this will only lead to worse thoughts!

'I need a walk.' He decided, taking his steps towards the park. 'How strange.' He thought as he stepped inside. A few people were in his field of view. 'This place actually starts to feel like my own secluded place...'

And then, he heard Iris' voice:

"Hmm... I can feel something unusual."

"'Unusual' how?"

"It's similar type of energy to yours... No, actually, it's more like mine... it feels like that girl from before... the other bond I had..."

"What do you mean?" 'Girl? Other bond? I thought I was the first to find Iris' Wardstone?'

But, he heard no response. He stopped in place, looking at Iris up ahead of him. Seeing her concentrated look focused on something behind him, he wanted to turn around. However, Youngwoo suddenly felt something press to his stomach. Startled, he turned around, only to see a small, hooded figure hug him. 'Hilda?' He wanted to ask, but he suddenly noticed two things. First of all, this person was shorter. And second of all, it held a small knife in its hand, halfway under his shirt and pressed by his skin.

"You have some explaining to do." Said Ieva. "Both of you."

"Ieva? W-What are you doing?" Asked Youngwoo as he tried to move away. However, feeling the cold knife on his stomach, he stood in place.

"Lee. Who the fuck are you?" She asked, some aggression in her voice. "And you." She looked towards Iris, about 5 metres ahead of them both. "What the fuck did you do to me?!" She rose her voice ever so slightly.

'Wait... what?!' He looked at Ieva in shock, and saw that under the hoodie, her eyes were looking in direction of Iris. No, actually, she was looking straight AT Iris. No, could this be a coincidence?

"Would you look at that." Said Iris, forming a smile. Still, there was just a glint of ridicule in her voice. "My first bond found us."