"Mister Lev, what kind of crafting are you most interested in?"

  Lev thought for a few seconds, "Show me the blacksmith, healer, and barrier or arcane constructs areas."

  Maya adjusted their path to the blacksmith spire while she bombarded him with questions.

  "Mister Lev, are you a hunter?"

  "I am."

  "Can I ask about your mask?"

  "Sure, what about it?"

  She grinned excitedly, hands fidgety as she now openly stared at Lev's illusion armor. "Why do you have one?"

  "Because I wanted to stand out,"

  She tilted her head, her hair following the motion. "Stand out?"

  Lev nodded with a smile. "Yep. So people would remember me."

  Her face lit up as if it all suddenly made sense. "You want to be famous?"

  "Something like that," Lev chuckled. He didn't have the heart to tell her he just wanted to hide his age by distracting people with the illusion after that show of excitement.

  "I see, I see," she nodded repeatedly. "Is that why you became a hunter?"

  "Eeh, not really. I just wanted to fight monsters to keep people safe."

  Maya shivered, eyes suddenly wide. "But monsters are so scary! Mister Lev is very brave."

  "They are," Lev agreed, "Which is why I don't want them to reach kids like you."

  Lev booped the amazed Maya on the nose, bringing her out of her stupor.

  "Mister Lev is so brave!" the little girl shouted in delight.

  The comment made him smile.

  "There are many people like me out there. They're all very brave," Lev sagely remarked. It wouldn't hurt to improve her opinion of the hunters.

  "They are all heroes," she said in a whisper.

  "Don't tell them, though," Lev leaned in and spoke in a low voice, "Most don't want others to know that they're heroes."

  "I will not," she nodded seriously. Those around him eavesdropping were all smiles, observing the duo with amusement.

  They talked about Lev's adventures for a few minutes. Lev spooked her thoroughly by embellishing his feats in the pit, making the brutes sound like some horrors straight out of hell.

  The region of Runespires containing the spires loomed ever closer. Their conversation died down when Maya noted Lev's distracted state and smiled cheekily.

  "Is this Mister Lev's first time coming here?"

  "It is."

  Lev's jaw dropped as he walked faster, reaching the boundary of the spire area. Tall glass railings adorned the edges, not to keep people out but to keep them from falling to death.

  The region in front of him simply did not exist. Instead of solid ground, Lev beheld an empty cavity, not unlike the pit. Six of the outer spires were built near the edges of this empty region, with bridges allowing the people to reach them.

  Several skywalks connected the spires. Half of them connected the six outer spires to the Central Spire. Lev could see people walking on them, going about their day as if it was the norm. Even from a great distance, Lev could deduce how ginormous each skywalk was.

  The wall of the excavated region was illuminated by evenly spaced out lights, fitted inside the solid stone. The whole setup painted a breathtaking scene, and Lev gawked for several minutes before Maya got bored of just standing there.

  "How long are you going to just stand there?" Maya spoke while tapping her foot.

  Lev jerked back to the present, the impatience in the little girl's voice making him grin.

  "Why, aren't you getting paid three silvers for this?"

  "Two silvers is not-"

  She paused mid-sentence, giving Lev a big, toothy smile.

  Lev ruffled her hair. "Let's go."

  She didn't pull back as he expected, so Lev messed up her hair a bit harder. It eventually became too much for the girl and she moved away with a pout.

  The Smith Spire towered over the duo as they approached, its shadow shrouding them. The spire was built out of the same white stone as everything else, something he was growing more and more interested in. Just like the walls, the spire was enchanted down to the last brick.

  A giant hammer was embedded on top of the spire's entrance, proudly displaying the profession it was dedicated to.

  "How do these spires work?" Lev asked his guide.

  She gave him a confused look. "The spires don't do anything, Mister Lev."

  He facepalmed. "I mean, where would I go from here to find someone to teach me?"

  "Ohhh," she echoed, "The entrance of each spire is connected to the floor containing a skyway to the Central Spire. If you just go straight from any entrance, you will eventually find yourself there. The outer spires are all for crafting space whereas the Central Spire is a large market and residence area. You can also find crafters with spare time there to teach you or join a scheduled lecture."

  Lev could tell she had memorized the terms from how poorly she pronounced some of them.

  "Do you know anything about those lectures?"

  Her shoulders drooped. "I'm sorry, Mister Lev."

  "No need to apologize," Lev chuckled and patted her shoulder. "We will go find out."

  The sounds of the crowd gradually grew louder as they entered. The interior was illuminated by a bright chandelier hung off a twenty-meter-tall ceiling, revealing a hall bustling with people. Curious, Lev identified as many as he could.

  [Crafter - Level 120]

  [Worker - Level 90]

  [Merchant]

  [Crafter]

  …

  [Receptionist - Level 129]

  …

  [Crafter - ???]

  The Master crafter gave Lev's armor a long glance and nodded his way. Lev nodded back, wondering what the crafter was able to deduce just from that one look.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  The armor was very obviously not crafted by him, and anyone could tell just by feeling his aura.

  Lev swiftly marched up to the bored receptionist with Maya in tow. "Hey, where can I find information about beginner lectures."

  The man behind the counter didn't even reply, simply pointing at the skyway leading to the Central Spire.

  Lev didn't thank the man as he changed his course to the specified location.

  "Do you know the history of these spires, Maya?"

  The little girl stopped in her tracks and smacked her forehead. "How did I forget about that?" she muttered to herself. Lev waited for her to gather the words before she explained. "Long ago, in the Empyrean Empire, one of the wealthiest cities was called Runespires. Like these spires, that city had seven spires but they were incomparably larger. Each of them touched the skies, putting even some mountains to shame."

  "Runespires, both the name and idea, was founded to keep the legacy of the city alive, the city which made the creation of the refugee ships possible in the first place."

  That was more than I expected, Lev mused, pleasantly surprised.

  While he listened to the history, he observed the interior of the spire. To his left, there was a reception booth near the entrance for various tasks. Beyond them, the hall was mostly empty except… elevators.

  Two automated elevators were carrying people between floors, each on a thirty-second timer. Both might've been one whole for all he knew but he was amazed nonetheless.

  To his right… was nothing. The hall was disappointingly empty.

  Stepping into the skyway connecting to the Central Spire, Lev couldn't help himself and stupidly glanced straight down.

  Below the transparent bridge was a sheer drop shrouded in darkness, tantalizing despite the lethality. Shoulder's stiffened and hands clenched into fists, Lev forced himself to look away from the darkness. The other skyways, illuminated by the same gentle orange glow as his skyway, looked mesmerizing in contrast with the shadowed drop.

  "Are you okay, Mister Lev?"

  Lev slowly nodded, a bit breathless, "Yeah, don't worry. Just observing."

  Maya sagely nodded, pretending to agree with his "observation" and took the lead.

  The minutes he spent walking on the skyway were one of the most memorable of his life. Lev's eyes refused to focus on one thing, his head on a swivel as he observed everything in sight.

  The Central Spire, giant as it was even compared to the outer spires, took most of his attention. The spire sported a crown above all six symbols of different professions. From his point of view, only three of them and half the crown were visible.

  Hammer, Potion tube, and chains covered in runes crossed over each other. Is that supposed to represent constructs?

  "Maya, what are those chains?"

  "They're the bindings of Leah. She was the greatest combat crafter in the last three centuries of the Empyrean Empire, right on the cusp of becoming an Exalted before she fell."

  Lev's respect for the woman was instantly super high, just short of his teacher and his friends. To not just craft your own equipment but fight with it to almost become an Exalted with a weaker class? That was genuinely astounding and worthy of respect.

  The unsaid reasoning for the symbol also became clearer. It was both a nod of respect for her sacrifice and a recognition of all her achievements. Lev approved.

  The Central spire loomed over them like a mountain, giving off an aura of firmness with its old yet well-maintained exterior.

  Lev entered the spire to a large market square, filled with different kinds of stalls. Weapons, armor, potions, one-time-use talismans, trinkets, constructs, and other equipment were all proudly displayed.

  The "stalls" were large, their sizes ranging from small shops to some large stores. The ones on the larger end belonged to wealthier individuals or companies, loaded with goods.

  "Do you want to see the other spires right now or after looking around?"

  Lev looked at Maya who seemed to be getting tired after all the walking. "Let's slow down for now."

  "I-I can still keep going," she suddenly spoke up, realizing why Lev wanted to slow down.

  "Oh really," Lev teased, "then why are you breathing heavily and struggling a little to keep up the pace?"

  She opened her mouth to retort but swallowed her words. Lev grinned under his armor and scooped her up in his arms.

  Maya gave him a look as flat as a board. Lev stopped. He waited for a few seconds to see if she would protest but the girl said nothing.

  "Welcome to Runespires," the woman behind the counter greeted. "I'm assuming this is your first time visiting the spires? That mask would be hard to forget."

  Lev smiled a little under his armor. "It is. Is there a place to inquire about the workings or can I just ask you questions?"

  "You may ask me questions, though I would prefer if you don't take too long."

  Keep them short and to the point, got it.

  "Where are lectures for crafters taking place and how do those work?"

  "In the middle of the hall, there are several boards for lecture announcements. You will need to choose one and pay for a token here to be allowed entry. The location is specified on the noticeboard."

  "Where do people go about crafting in the different spires?"

  "You mean the space where they work on their craft?"

  "That, yes."

  "The deeper one goes, the more fortified the floor is to allow for higher level crafting."

  Even if that didn't answer the question, it still told Lev more than enough. He nodded gratefully and was about to leave when the woman stopped him.

  "I don't want to be rude but why are you holding Maya like that?" the woman asked with a 'smile'.

  "She's tired."

  "I'm not!" Maya interjected.

  "If you answer honestly I'll fly around while carrying you later."

  Clear indecision played on her face for a small instant before Lev's offer won by a landslide.

  Maya graced them with a brilliant smile. "Okay, I was only a little tired."

  Lev laughed and even the woman giggled.

  Instead of walking to the boards, Lev floated near the ground. Maya shrieked in his ears when she noticed his unmoving legs, grabbing his armor's neck tightly. The whole affair used none of his mana as the cost was cleared by his regeneration alone.

  "We're flying!"

  "Barely," Lev snorted. "I'll show you a real flight later."

  She nodded enthusiastically, the large smile on her face constant.

  The noticeboards, Lev keenly observed, were unlike anything he had seen before. Formed of illusions, the different notices were displayed on a screen-like glassy materials. His mana senses and manipulation attempts were completely blocked as he tried to probe the construct.

  There were a total of seven notices, thankfully including one for beginner enchanting lessons. Lev's attention however was occupied by the three largest notices.

  Crafters Tournament

  Gathering Expedition

  Combat Crafting Lessons and Apprenticeship

  The lessons from the last notice were tempting to attend even if they cost 5 gold for a full course. It also made Lev realize just how expensive equipment was and how much money Alec had given him. Shrugging off the thought, Lev looked at the notice relevant to him.

  Beginner Enchanting Theory and Runic Skills

  The class promised everything he wanted. That wasn't so surprising, because crafting was impossible without the use of runes, and without runic skills, it was a fool's errand to try enchanting.

  Lev backtracked and made his way to the receptionist.

  "What was the woman's name, Maya?"

  "Hmm?" the girl distractedly replied after hearing her name. "She was Layla."

  Lev filed the name in his mind, another one to hear and forget. Why were they so hard to remember, anyway?

  "Have you chosen?" Layla questioned when Lev approached the counter.

  "Beginner enchanting and runic skills. How much does the entrance to that cost?"

  "Five silver per lecture, a total of fifty for 10 lectures. Have you noted the location and schedule?"

  "I have," Lev handed her fifty silver, half of his pay from the quest.

  Layla handed him a small copper token, with two chains etched on it. Thanking her, Lev made his way outside.

  "Hold tightly."

  Maya blinked before quickly wrapping her arms around his neck again. The big smile from before resurfaced as she fidgeted in his arms, giddy at the prospect of flying.

  Just to be safe, Lev tied her with several rigid barrier threads to his armor before flying up.

  Maya closed her eyes tightly, too scared to watch them ascend. Lev flew up for several seconds before coming to a stop. The sprawling city radiated a sense of order and beauty with how intricately it was planned, with houses, stores, guild halls, and other similar buildings evenly spaced.

  "Open your eyes," Lev gently whispered to the little girl. She did as instructed, opening one eye a little before both of them shot open.

  Lev watched with amusement as Maya was shocked into silence. For ten seconds, he let her gawk before he started accelerating.

  Spotting the Hunter's Guild from afar, he slowly flew towards it. Maya watched it all in silence, her previous fear forgotten.

  "Why don't you fly everywhere like this?" she asked, and Lev belatedly realized there might be rules against flying in cities. He hastily descended, letting out a sigh of relief when nobody came running after a few minutes.

  "Do you know if flying is allowed?"

  "How would I know?" the girl shrugged.

  Thought so. That was a close call.

  Stopping in front of the Hunters Guild, Lev summoned four silver coins.

  "This is for being a great guide and the history lessons."

  Maya shamelessly took the coins with a smile before hugging Lev's armor.

  "Thank you, Mister Lev! Call for me if you need any more tours like this!"

  "Will do," Lev ruffled her hair, noting several members of the guild watching the exchange intently. It warmed his heart to know that they took the security of their runners so seriously.

  The suns were close to setting by the time he dropped her off at the guild, which left little time to do much except find a place to stay.

  Lev did just that. Getting directions from a random person on the street, he booked a room for two weeks in a middle-class inn and went to sleep