Surviving in my Own Unpublished Failed Novel

[The Player Party has arrived at the 6th floor of the Tower of Growth.]

[Quest Objective: Kill 500 Avian Creatures from Floor 6th to Floor 9th — 125 per floor.]

[Duration: 50 minutes]

[Good luck, Player!]

[May your choice bring forth the future you wanted to create.]

Blue lights serenely coalesced and formed into each and every one of them as though they were originally made from it. Russell, along with the others, arrived at the next floor of the Tower. He, as well as the others, then glanced around as they found themselves atop an arid grand canyon.

There were no green trees unlike the topography from the first to the fourth floor, instead, there were towering cacti that randomly sprouted. In this dry land of the unknown, the heat seemed to become more scorching.

"It's an open space."

Russell softly muttered, but enough for the others to hear even though there was a scorching wind howling and dancing through them.

Without giving them the time to fully scrutinized the surroundings, they heard flapping wings from afar.

"This is not good. I thought that we are the ones who will do the hunting, but I guess it's the other way around this time."

Russell, with his profound vision, clearly saw the creatures from at least a hundred meters away in this open, yet spacious area.

Name: —

Race: Harpy

Family: Avian Creature

Rank: F+

— STATS —

Strength: 199

Swift: 199

Fortitude: 199

Intelligence: 199

Magic Power: 199

'They're weaker than ordinary Orcs, but they have the aerial advantage.'

Russell thought, looking at Samantha, waiting for her order as the leader of the party.

Meanwhile, Anya took out something from her Dimensional Inventory. It was a small metal disc, reminding Russell of the Portable Tent that he bought and then used when he went on a journey to the Hidden Dungeon.

Without telling the party about what she took out since the Avian Creatures were quickly approaching, Anya threw it on the ground. After some time, a circular barricade or bunker that was a mater or two taller than them appeared. It has the gaps necessary for them to fire long-range skills while inside. Basically, it's a bunker for strategic position used in war, but more advanced since the material used for it was Orichalcum — the hardest metal and greatest Mana conductor known in human existence.

"Does this have cannons?"

Amelie asked, curious. Her ruby eyes were gleaming at the thought.

"Actually, it has. But it can only be used by infusing Mana into it, since cannonballs, similar to the Old World based on books, were now obsolete."

Anya delightfully replied before she pressed some buttons on the small bunker. A moment later, three cannons erected and protruded from the three gaps or windows of the bunker.

Meanwhile, Samantha scrutinized the human technology as the voice in her head sarcastically praised her, no... her entire race.

<You humans really do love creating something absurd... just to slowly destroy yourselves. Truly admirable... human nature that is.>

<Can you sleep for now? I think it was better before when you can't talk in front of Russell for some reason.>

<Tsk. Whatever. Heads up! Those flying creatures are almost there. Don't expect it to do melee attacks.>

After that exchange, the womanly voice in Samantha's head turned quiet.

"Alright, everyone. Buckle up. Anyone with good Mana Control skill, operates the three magic cannons, while the others defend the incoming attack to protect the-"

Boom-! Boom!

Samantha didn't even manage to finish her words, but the party seemed to understand what she meant to say. Anya, Jiho, and Russell subconsciously got behind and operated the three metallic, grey cannons by infusing their Mana, while the others, except for Celine whose purpose was to either freak out for dark comedy or give them potions, deflected some of the attacks from the Harpies.

"Freya, use this."

Taking some time, Russell took out the bone harpoon he looted from the Orc Lord and handed it to Freya, which she easily caught.

'Alright. Time for some aiming.'

He didn't try to fuse Chaos Mana on the cannon as it would get rusted quickly, making him suspicious, of course. Instead, by utilizing the Skill: Calm of the Shadows (EX), he infused his Mana through Mana Control. The metallic, grey canon charged up and then fired a blue cannonball made of Mana. In other words, Mana Blast, but stronger and firmer.

Boom-!

A Harpy that was at least two meters tall, with a feathered body, sharp white eyes, and with 2 meter-wingspan fell from the sky to the abyss of the drought grand canyon, completely killing it.

Boom-! Boom!

A barrage of wind blades was chipping away the maximum damage capacity of the bunker as the offensive of the Harpies went on.

'It's f*cking too many!'

Russell thought. A hundred and twenty-five harpies, including the ones who already went down, surrounded them. They were flying at an altitude of at least fourteen to fifteen meters

"M-mana Potions! Anyone!"

Celine offered to the exhausted party members. Although what she made for each of them were five Stamina and Health Potions only, with her Profession, "Nature Alchemist", she could change the potions' nature and purpose into something else, with the condition that she concocted the potions herself.

Infusing Mana into something else was more consuming than using Mana through Skills that didn't have a cooldown. Russell, who heard Celine, spoke.

"Give some to each of us! Thank you."

Russell glanced at Anya and Jiho shortly. Celine then did what she was told and put down in front of them a few bottles of Mana Potions.

'They're dodging, too.'

Russell thought. He looked up and saw a Harpy dodge the Mana Blast he produced through the magical, metallic, grey cannon.

Getting caught in such situations, Russell figured out that it was time to at least recruit more companions. His first prospect was Ken Raven, the one with the Assassin profession. Although he didn't require an Assassin, what he admired about Ken was his self-esteem and an undying will to become stronger. But with Tanya's existence, an unknown element, it became harder to move, though he was not in a rush, especially since Ken probably already fell under the Vampire's charm. Then, the second prospect to be recruited, already had a few names in mind, a player

with a Tanker profession that would certainly be meant for a situation such as this.

After gulping down the Mana Potions, the three who were operating the magic cannon continued to fire.

"Do you think if we go out, we'll be targeted all at once? Or they will spread their aim?"

Freya asked for the possibility of at least lessening the burden of the small bunker. What she's doing right now was deflecting some wind blades by casting Mana Blast, which she also bought in Thorn of Rose. She's a Magic Swordsman, after all.

"It'll be dangerous. Anya, how long until this small bunker is destroyed?"

Samantha asked. Anya, without looking back, answered. Her voice was haggard due to Mana's exhaustion.

"Based on the monsters' rank, and the rate of their attacks, probably about two minutes."

Celine, who heard Anya's voice, interjected. A look of apprehension was painted on her innocent face.

"T-then... W-what should we do?"

Meanwhile, Russell simply ordered his younger sister.

"Freya, check the nearest five-meter cactus."

Hearing what Russell casually said, all of them glanced, through the gaps or small windows of the bunker, at the cactus that was so tall and had a wide body.

Name: Cactus of Tranquility

Race: Plant

Family: Desert Dormant

Rank: —

Description: A cactus that shouldn't be touched or disturbed.

"T-that's different from monster's description... J-just like some herb ingredients for an alchemist."

Celine spoke, seemingly knowing what Russell meant to say.

"F-Freya, t-that bone harpoon... T-throw it to the cactus!"

Russell faintly smiled as Celine, a Nature Alchemist, understood the behavior of plants or herbs. Although they didn't have stats similar to monsters of any kind, herbs of some sort still had defense mechanisms or ways to react after stimulating them.

Freya, who was curious, but didn't pry further, threw the bone harpoon to the nearest five-meter cactus.

Whoosh-! Stab-!

The moment the bone harpoon pierced the body of the cactus, the air around it vibrated, and then...

Shuu-! Shuu-

Countless spikes that were at least half a meter long were fired in every direction, including above from where the Harpies were flying, bombarding the party with wind blades.

"Hey! Do you think we'll be okay here?"

The barrier of the small bunker was intermittently dimming as the spikes from the rampaging cactus hit it.

"The wind blades of the Harpies were considerably stronger. So I think we'll be fine. And look at that... Aren't they stupid?"

Anya answered Jiho's worry as they seemed to breathe a sigh of relief after almost completely exhausting their Mana.

The Harpies were now attacking the Cactus of Tranquility. Little did these monsters know that the cactus, an abnormal one at that, had a sturdy body. And with the intensified attacks of the Harpies, the cactus also stepped up its barrage of spikes as more of it became concentrated against the Harpies.

Without letting the neutral cactus do all the work, all of them, except for Celine, continued to attack some Harpies. Though some of the monsters still targeted the small bunker, it became considerably easier to defend.

"What a sight... If it's a fantasy novel, it'll probably be titled 'I Reincarnated as a Cactus'."

Amelie admired the neutral cactus fighting for them. Hearing what Amelie muttered, Russell chuckled.

***

[You have arrived at the Tower of Growth, Floor 1.]

[Objective: Kill 500 False Green Family from Floor 1 to Floor 4 — 125 each floor.]

[Duration: 50 minutes.]

[Good luck, Player!]

[May your choice bring forth the future you wanted to create.]

Elizabeth and Rumia, along with their party members arrived at the first floor of the Tower of Growth.

"Let's get this done, shall we?"

"Oh, hell no!"

One of the party members of Elizabeth during the first Virtual War in their Player Physical Education exclaimed at what was about to happen next, seemingly to remember experiencing Mana Vibration that caused him to faint or be immobile for a while.

[Activating Skill: Macro-Teleportation (SS-)]

Without warning, all of them jump through repeatedly on the 1st floor of the Tower, but this time, they were with two S rank players that were assigned by the two queens, the two princesses' respective mothers.

They didn't split up just like Samantha's party did, so they quickly cleared the 1st floor even without the help of the two S rank players.

It was the same case on the 2nd floor, but when they reached the 3rd floor, it turned somewhat slower but still easy for them. It was the same case when they raided the 4th floor. Still, the two S rank players were just observing the party since it was for their growth and for them to gain experience in battle.

"Sigh, I wonder what floor are they on now?"

Rumia muttered, seemingly concerned about Samantha and her party. Their party members, except for the two S rank players, in the background seemed to retch or were on the verge of fainting as a side effect of Elizabeth's teleportation skill.

"Don't sweat it. They are probably fine."

Elizabeth answered before she glanced at her party members as a chuckle escaped from her mouth.

"Get used to it, idiots."

***

In the country of Cassiopeia, in one of the noble households.

"I see... It's probably because you're a daughter of a concubine, that's why you didn't pass the Tower of Growth... Poor you."

A blonde woman in her early 30s mocked a 14-year-old girl.

"Mother, w-what should I do?"

"Stop calling me mother! You filthy bitch! Your real mother died giving birth to someone like you... If not for your father, I should have kicked you out a long time ago!"

The blonde woman shouted at the girl. A moment later, the blonde woman stood up and walked up to the wine cellar, and arranged some expensive wines, not minding the dejected girl on her knees.

Then... it happened.

Spurt-!

Blood gushed out of the blonde woman's mouth. A sword protruded from her chest as the 14-year-old girl stabbed her from behind.

"Thanks, Mother."

[You have stolen the Growth Rate of the player...]

[The psychological cue for failing the Tower of Growth, "Suicide of Unworthiness" has been halted.]