Joining a Champion's Party was never an easy choice.
It was a well-known fact that Champions of the Gods and their party faced a tougher challenge when compared to normal climber groups as they ascended the tower.
Joining a Champion's Party meant putting one's own life on the line, as the journey to the top was fraught with more obstacles and dangers than usual.
As the Champion's group ascended, they frequently encountered unexpected difficulties. They had to deal with not only the challenges of the tower but also all the extra nuisance caused by internal political strife.
Followers of other gods and rival factions were constantly plotting against them, often resulting in these adversaries setting cheap traps and launching surprise attacks, aiming to derail the Champions' progress at every turn.
This made the ascent through the tower not only physically demanding but also mentally taxing.
Every step forward required caution and constant vigilance, turning what should have been a straightforward climb into a perilous adventure.
For those who joined a Champion's Party, the journey was as much about surviving these external threats as it was about overcoming the tower's inherent challenges, which was why joining a Champion's Party was never simple choice.
However, on the flip side, joining a Champion's Party gave one the opportunity to grow stronger beyond one's wildest expectations.
The constant life-death situations forged one into a strong fighter, as if somehow one could survive the journey alongside a Champion, they usually became an extremely strong Lesser God themselves at the least.
Fame, Fortune and rare encounters usually accompanied those who decided to join a Champion's Party, giving one the opportunity to go down in the history books and leave a legacy of their own in the history of the tower.
"Then I accept-" he said with a soft smile on his face, as Rocky felt a wave of relief wash over him.
Rocky wasn't blind. He could notice the potential that both Erin and Buhara possessed and had only asked them to join his party, not only because he trusted them as friends, but also because he had faith in their skills as a climber.
"Buhara does not mind joining Rocky. Because Buhara already sees Rocky as his brother. However, Buhara does not approve of leaving Sophia behind.
Friends don't abandon each other, so if puny Erin goes with human Rocky, then Buhara will go with Sophia" said Buhara, as his answer made both Erin and Rocky feel like slapping their faces.
On one hand, his answer was exactly what Rocky would have expected from him, as Buhara was a genuine and pure hearted orc who did not understand how manipulative the universe could be.
However, on the other hand, his dense nature made situations like these awkward, as it became a pain to explain to Buhara that he was making a mistake.
"Will you do the honors, or should I?" Erin asked, glancing at Rocky with a roll of his eyes.
Rocky chuckled in response. "Together," he suggested, and they both turned to Buhara.
Together, they began to explain the intricacies and stakes of joining a Champion's party, and why it was important for Sophia to form her own group—one that she truly felt comfortable with, and how it wasn't up to Buhara to decide if he wanted to join her party or not.
After nearly two hours of thorough discussion, covering basics such as the heightened risks of joining a Champion's Party and the absolute necessity of trusting one's party members, Buhara finally understood why he could not join Sophia's group.
He realized the fundamental reasons behind why joining Sophia's group might not be the best choice for him and why teaming up with Rocky for the climb made more sense.
In the end, although Buhara did end up agreeing to join Rocky's party, he felt extremely guilty about abandoning Sophia and hence decided to apologize to her personally later over dinner.