Eldritch Creature's Guide

"Lord Daragan, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Samiel greeted the High Elven Lord first, seeing the awkward expression on his face. It appears his bickering the Yvraine didn't create the best atmosphere and practically ruined any kind of serious feeling this meeting had.

"Please to meet you, young man."

Greeted him High Elven Lord, as he soon motioned for him to follow him inside the Citadel of the Zephystrand City. The Citadel of the Zephystrand City was a majestic monstrosity of a building; it was far bigger than anything Samiel had ever seen before.

"I see that cat sleeping on your shoulders, is it your Familiar?"

Lord Daragan was curious about the cat, as it gave off Divine Aura, like that of Gods, so there was a high chance that the cat was some Divine Species descended directly from some God. Divine Species were different from the so-called Divine Descendants.

The main reason was that in their innate power. While Divine Descendants carried a portion of the God's Bloodline Usually or were descendent from other Transcendent who was not God, Divine Species were race, with an innate predisposition for achieving Transcendence, and thus were very powerful.

They often had very powerful Innate Racial Abilities, and not many of them existed; usually, they preferred to live in seclusion or were taken care of by their Transcendent brethren until they didn't at least become peak Legendaries or Transcendents themselves.

"Indeed, newly contracted... name's Nefertari."

Introduced her Samiel, as the Divine Elder Cat curiously looked at the High Elven Lord before she hissed in annoyance at the Elf and returned to sleep. Like most cats, Nefertari didn't like when somebody woke her up from her land of dreams.

'Interesting, some kind of Divine Species willingly contracted mortal... even though Old Deus cannot be considered as a mortal.'

High Elven Lord Daragan was in deep thought as he looked at Samiel chatting with Yvranine and a bit of nervosity. He knew that soon enough, the people from the Hall of Kadath would arrive as they for sure had information that someone like Samiel had entered the Tower.

In truth, Lanlaris didn't want to deal with Karliana Kircheisen and practically nobody from the Hall of Kadath, as they were a mad bunch.

While Lanlaris Daragan was a Legendary Level powerhouse, in front of peak Legendaries like Cardinals of the Hall of Kadath, he was no different from ant, especially when people from the Hall of Kadath often killed even if they don't like someone just by looking at them.

'But this one... seems more like a split personality, not like constant madness. That's why Princess said he is manageable most of the time.'

They went through the corridors as Samiel looked around and admired the Elven Citadel of the Zephystrand City.

"Aside from the Zephystrand City, there are five more cities on the 3rd Floor, but their foundation is much weaker and their overall strength too. Contrary to the Zephystrand, which the Nesser Dynasty supports, the other five cities are supported by much weaker factions in the Tower. Though in the past there were more cities, but some of them were destroyed in infighting among the city wars, and the hordes of Magical Beasts overran some."

Samiel was listening to the High Lord Daragan as he was introducing the 3rd Floor.

"Of course, the 3rd Floor is special in the lower floors, mainly due to its value as a breeding place for the weaker Magical Beasts under the Silver-Tier. That is why Silver-Tiers and Gold-Tiers lifeforms are rare on this Floor, as the 3rd Floor was exclusively made for this purpose. Basically, anyone who controls some city or fortress here and withstands the hordes of the Magical Beasts can obtain an enormous amount of resources from them."

Samiel nodded in agreement, as corpses of Magical Beasts had a variety of uses, be it as Alchemy Ingredients, Blacksmithing, Magic Rituals to something as simple as being food for powerful professionals.

Basically, the resources one could get from the Magical Beasts were practically endless; when someone was a skillful harvester, he could use the entire corpse of the Magical Beast, creating countless resources.

"Now, please, I have ordered to prepare welcoming feats, and after that, I must apologize, but I would need to return back to the Dynasty... this Floor Suppression is annoying."

Something caught Samiel's interest, so he asked, something that Yvraine didn't explain to him.

"Floor Suppression?"

High Elven Lord Daragan looked at him, and even Yvraine wasn't that well versed in the methods of how the Tower was suppressing those with higher strength on the lower floors.

"To not destroy the environment and cycle of each Floor, the Tower has something like appropriate average Tier for each Floor. If someone with a higher Tier enters that said Floor, he will face suppression from the Tower in order to not cause too much damage to the Floor and its inhabitants. Of course, this is not absolute because it could be circumvented."

Explained High Lord Daragan, as right now even Yvraine was paying attention, as they all seated around the round table and servants started to bring them food.

"One way is just like Orks on the 1st Floor; they entered some kind of contract with the Tower itself that allowed them to relocate to the 1st Floor, in return for being partially used as a Trial for some special individuals or those with Transcendent backing. Then another way is to become a Floor Ruler, and you can flex your power freely."

Samiel always wondered if the Tower's purpose was to cultivate professionals faster, then wouldn't such order of things as on the 1st Floor detrimental?

The answer would be yes, at least partially.

Yvraine once mentioned to him that even though there could be many strong people on the 1st Floor, they couldn't use their full power wherever they wished, but only under special circumstances, and then stopped her explanation.

As the servants brought the food to the table, Hathor woke up, as she jumped on the table and swiftly located a plate with meat that had a heavenly smell and instantly started devouring everything on that plate.

In truth, everybody looked at the small cat in wonder, aside from Lanlaris Daragan, as he knew that because of the Divine Aura, the cat was special, so he wasn't that surprised seeing its small mountain of meat from peak Bronze-Tier Magical Beast like nothing despite being on at the Steel-Tier.

After eating the plate of meat, Samiel heard Nefertari's voice in his head.

'Hooman, I am thirsty; bring me some milk from Bronze-Tier creature and be quick.'

After hearing how his familiar ordered him, he frowned, and brief thought went through his mind how would baked Divine Elder Cat taste? Similarly, Nefertari shuddered a bit before quickly correcting itself and saying in a cute voice.

'Hooman, is a good hooman, who takes care of his kitty? Thank you, hooman!'

She said as she licked his face, and Samiel just thought how cute she was before he scratched her behind her ear.

Yvraine looked at them, amused, before proceeding to ask Samiel something.

"Can I hold her?"

She asked Samiel as he tilted his head, not really knowing what to do. She was his Familiar, and it was apparent that she didn't want to part with him. However, he just looked at Nefertari as she licked his finger before she gently nodded her cute little head.

Flapping her wings, flying over to Yvraine, who was gushing over how cute the little creature was, showering her with affection and scratches being her ear and belly rubs, just like Nefertari liked it. She then started feeding her pieces of meat, which the little Cat cutely ate because she was pretty hungry.

"She is very cute, aren't you?"

Asked Yvraine rhetorically, as Nefertari started licking her face and hands, attempting to look cute, though Samiel knew it was just a scheme to get out of Yvraine more food and belly rubs... not to mention, his Familiar wanted to obtain an ally against him, if she would ever feel wronger so someone who would help her carry out vengeance would be nice.

Cats were pretty vengeful creatures if they felt they were wronger... like not getting enough milk or their least favorite cat food, it was a great heresy, and no cat would ever forget such transgression against their meowjestic dignity.

"Yeh, yeh, she is an absolute darling..."

Samiel continued to eat while he answered her nonsensical questions.

"What do you think about Zephystrand City? Even though it is located on the 3rd Floor, it is one of the most beautiful cities across all Nesser Dynasty's Territories in the Cosmos and the Tower."

Questioned Lord Lanlaris Daragan, as they continued eating, while Yvraine was entertaining Nefertari in the way she wished, really his familiar was very cunning because it didn't take her even several seconds to gain another follower.

Long live the religion of Supreme Almighty Cat.

"It is spectacular. Especially with the concentration of Nature's aura is unusually high in the city... that must be the work of the Trees of Life, right?"

Samiel looked at Lanlaris Daragan, who squinted his eyes while agreeing with his statement with a nod of his head.

"Indeed, the Trees of Life on the 3rd Floor are the treasures of the Nesser Dynasty and blessings for all Elves who were living on the 3rd Floor. That is why all of the Elves who are climbing the Tower would for sure stay in the Zephystrand for several years, even decades. The benefits of staying in proximity to such a high number of Trees of Life is not something common Elves, mainly those from the outside of the Tower or our Principal World, can enjoy."

Indeed, such was the truth.

While it seemed that Trees of Life were common by looking at the Zephystrand or 91st Floor under the control of the Nesser Dynasty or their Principal World, one would soon realize that it was a huge mistake.

Trees of Life were very, very rare across the Cosmos, and many Elfs would never see one, especially those coming from the Lower Worlds, where the Trees of Life were commonly considered as myths and legends.

In Middle Worlds and High Worlds, they were more common but still very rare and considered national treasures.

So for Elves coming from the outside of the Tower and from a world that had never seen Tree of Life, or the Tree of Life long ago withered and became part of the annals of history, staying in their proximity, they could harvest great benefits.

Increased Mana purity and density, or increased physical aspects, were one of the many benefits that the Trees of Life provided to Elves who were living near them.