God's Tower System

"Woah…" Jackson murmured, inhaling deeply as the aroma from the Ho'Kikomo Fruit as he pulled it out of the Gobbii Bag.

The large basketball-sized fruit glowed golden as the aroma flowed off it; the scent was sweet and tangy, like a combination of pineapple and mango.

The fruit swirled with long lines creating the illusion of waves of water, looking almost as though it was carved from marble.

The rind was smooth and green, and it was covered with tiny bumps resembling the scales of a fish.

The smell was intoxicating, and Jackson was tempted to immediately take a bite and let it melt on his tongue, grinning wide, "It's finally ready!"

He reached into the bag and pulled out the Growth Pill, holding both objects in his hands as he stared between the two.

The Ho'Kikomo Fruit used to be quite common and could be found on nearly any floor, but after centuries they had become scarce.

It provided an unbelievable amount of energy when consumed, increasing every aspect of the Climber, but the effects were temporary.

Climbers used to consume them haphazardly to clear challenging floor bosses until they learned of the effects of the Growth Pill.

The Growth Pill, when consumed, would open the channels within a Climber's body and allow them to collect the energy in the air over a short period of time.

When consumed together, the Ho'Kikomo Fruit and Growth Pill would rapidly take in energy and increase the Climber's attributes explosively.

His father had warned him about both items in the journal, urging him to consume the fruit earlier than later.

Jackson initially intended to purchase the pill when he started on the tenth floor and consume them both before engaging with the Floor Boss to gather the most energy, but the modified challenges had thrown a wrench in that plan.

Khione meowed as she sniffed the air, walking around Jackson, rubbing against his legs as he held the fruit in his hand.

She was becoming increasingly impatient, meowing loudly as she padded around him, her tail swishing back and forth.

Jackson grinned at her, then turned his attention to the fruit, hefting it in his right hand, admiring its beauty, and standing up.

Khione began circling around and between his legs as he walked out of the tent. He stopped, popping his head back into the tent and looking back at her, waving his hand, giving her the signal to stay.

She meowed at him, her tail twitching, rapidly shuffling her feet as she looked at him.

He grinned at her and waved his hand again, pointing at her as he walked away. She meowed, and her ears perked up, listening to his footsteps as they faded into the distance.

Jackson walked through the jungle, keeping his eyes maintained on his minimap as he approached a freshwater lake he discovered during his exploration of the island.

The water glistened in the morning sunlight as birds chirped overhead, darting through the trees.

He walked toward the shore of the lake, his boots sinking into the soft mud as he continued to walk toward the lake's center.

The water wasn't very deep, stopping just below his waist, but it was crystal clear as he looked down, seeing the reflection of the trees and the sky above.

He stepped forward onto the muddy bank, feeling it squish under his feet as he approached the center of the lake.

He stopped, kneeling and taking a deep breath, not excited about what was about to happen; his father wouldn't have given him such detailed instructions if it wasn't crucial.

He stared at the fruit in his right hand and back to the pill in his left, slowly raising the Growth Pill to his mouth and throwing it in.

He rolled the hard round gumball around his mouth before cracking it open between his teeth. The bitter taste of the medicine filled his mouth, and he swallowed it, grimacing as it hit the back of his throat.

He felt a tingle in his chest as the liquid traveled through him, spreading throughout his body in a matter of seconds. He felt a sudden rush of heat, and his heart began beating faster, his skin flushed, his muscles tensed, and his vision blurred.

His hands shook as he stared at the fruit in his hand, his vision showing a cluster of hands holding fruits.

He felt a sharp pain in his stomach, a gnawing hunger the like he hadn't felt in his entire life, grabbing his midsection and groaning in agony.

The aroma of the Ho'Kikomo Fruit filled his nostrils, causing him to salivate as his stomach growled. He looked down at the fruit in his hand, unable to wait any longer, biting down on it as he lifted it to his lips, chewing as it melted on his tongue.

He gasped as his senses were overwhelmed by the flavor of the fruit, the sweet and sour sensation flooding his mouth, the juice running down his chin.

He began to eat the fruit in a frenzy, his hands shaking, the pounding in his head intensifying. He gorged himself on the fruit, devouring it, his body feeling hotter and hotter.

He was sweating profusely, and his body trembled, his mind cloudy and confused. He groaned as he dropped the small stem of the fruit into the lake.

He was gasping for air now, his body trembling, his fingers curling into claws as his nails dug into his palms.

Suddenly energy welled up from inside his stomach, pouring out of his body as if it was being expelled from his pores.

He screamed out, collapsing to the ground with a thud as his back arched and convulsed violently, spasming as his fingertips burned a bright red and lightning danced rapidly around his body.

The energy being released was rapidly collected back into his body, a viscous cycle that repeated itself over and over, each time growing more potent.

He was screaming and crying as he writhed on the ground, the power surging through him as his bones cracked and his skin peeled, burning off his body, his muscles stretching and tearing.