NOVEL NEXT Book 8 Chapter Twenty-Four; the Next Monarch to be
The gate shimmered as the seeker stepped forward, his breath calm, his body tense with anticipation. This was no ordinary challenge; this was the 100th floor, the pinnacle of the labyrinth's trials. Each step brought him closer to the unknown, the whispers of its dangers echoing in his mind.
DING!
YOU HAVE REACHED THE 100TH FLOOR FOR THE FIRST TIME!
YOU HAVE ENTERED THE FIRST STEP TO THE MASTERY OF MASTER TIER!
YOU HAVE TEMPERED YOUR BODY; YOU HAVE TEMPERED YOUR MANA CORE!!
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SINCE YOUR JOURNEY BEGAN, THE LABYRINTH HAS CHANGED, ADAPTED! EVOLVED!!
THE CALAMITY OF THE 100TH FLOOR HAS GONE THROUGH AN EVOLUTION!
CALAMITY GRAVICH HAS EVOLVED!
ONCE A TIER V BROOD KING!!
HE HAS NOW REACHED TIER VII!
GRAVICH THE DRAGON OF CALAMITY HAS GAINED A NEW TITLE!
GRAVICH HAS BECOME THE DRAGON KING!!
HIS BROOD HAS RISEN IN STRENGTH ALONGSIDE THEIR KING!!
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WILL YOU STILL CONTINUE, OR DO YOU NEED TO DESCEND TO BETTER PREPARE?
The seeker exhaled slowly, steeling his resolve. "I continue," he murmured, the weight of his words palpable. The system accepted his choice, the air around him growing heavy as the labyrinth prepared to test his mettle.
The skies darkened unnaturally, a crackling tension filling the air. The distant roars of dragons echoed a promise of the chaos to come. He flexed his fingers, his mind already focused on his limited arsenal. As a master-tier seeker, the labyrinth permitted only five active skills, a restriction that forced cunning and efficiency. But he was prepared five skills and a satchel brimming with enchanted items were all he needed.
From his ring, he retrieved an ornate gauntlet, its surface etched with runes that pulsed faintly. This artifact, Gauntlet of the Titan's Grip, would amplify his strength and grant him an edge against the colossal opponents ahead.
A deafening roar shattered the stillness, and Gravich, the Dragon King, descended from the storm-choked skies. His wings spanned the horizon, his crimson scales glowing like molten metal, and his eyes burned with a feral intelligence. Around him, lesser dragons circled like a living cyclone, their roars harmonizing into a bone-shaking cacophony.
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"It begins," the seeker whispered.
Iron Bastion.
The seeker's body is fortified with an unbreakable shield of energy, drastically reducing physical damage, and granting resistance to elemental attacks. A translucent barrier enveloped him, shimmering briefly before settling into his skin. The first of the lesser dragons dove at him, flames spewing from its maw. The heat was intense, but the barrier absorbed the brunt of the inferno, leaving him unharmed.
Sundering Edge
His blade glowing with a brilliant azure light.
Imbues the seeker's weapon with a devastating charge of energy, capable of rending through the toughest scales and armour. The slash cleaved through the dragon's neck, severing its head in a single stroke. The beast collapsed, its death throes shaking the ground.
DING!
YOU HAVE KILLED A TIER IV BROOD DRAGON!
EXP GREATLY ACCRUED!
Another dragon descended; its claws aimed at the seeker. He dodged with a graceful roll.
Phantom Step!
Enhances the seeker's agility, allowing for rapid evasion and the creation of afterimages to confuse enemies. His figure blurred, and the dragon's claws passed harmlessly through an afterimage. From behind, he struck with precision, his blade plunging into the dragon's heart.
DING!
YOU HAVE KILLED A TIER IV BROOD DRAGON!
EXP GREATLY ACCRUED!
Gravich roared again, a command that galvanized his brood. More dragons surged toward the seeker, their combined might threatening to overwhelm him. He reached into his ring, retrieving a vial filled with swirling silver liquid. He drank it in one gulp, activating the artifact's power.
DING!
ELIXIR OF AMPLIFICATION USED! Temporarily doubles the user's strength, agility, and Mana, but at the cost of severe exhaustion once the effect fades.
Energy surged through him, his muscles brimming with newfound power. He leapt high into the air, striking.
Aethereal Tempest!
Summoning a storm of pure Mana around the seeker, lashing out at enemies with bolts of energy. Lightning crackled as the storm erupted, the bolts striking down dragons mid-flight. Gravich's brood was thinning, but the Dragon King himself remained untouched, watching with cold, calculating eyes.
The seeker knew he had to end it soon. Gravich roared, unleashing a torrent of fire that blanketed the battlefield. The seeker activated his final and most powerful skill.
Last Horizon
Unleashing a massive wave of energy, consuming all remaining Mana to deal catastrophic damage to all enemies within range. Leaves the user drained and vulnerable. The wave radiated outward, obliterating the lesser dragons, and sending Gravich tumbling from the sky. The seeker collapsed to one knee; his Mana reserves completely depleted. But the Dragon King was not yet defeated. Gravich rose, battered but still formidable, his molten eyes locked onto the seeker.
Reaching into his satchel once more, the seeker retrieved his final trump card an enchanted spear imbued with the essence of a storm. With a whispered incantation, he hurled it at Gravich.
The spear struck true, piercing the dragon's heart. A blinding explosion of light and thunder followed, and when the dust settled, Gravich lay still.
DING!
YOU HAVE KILLED THE TIER VII CALAMITY GRAVICH!
CONGRATULATIONS!
YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE QUEST OF THE 100TH FLOOR!
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CONGRATULATIONS!
…
WELCOME, YOU HAVE NOW ACHIEVED THE RIGHT FOR MONARCH TIER!
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR YOUR TIER TRIBULATION?
The seeker collapsed, his body trembling from exhaustion. The battlefield was silent now, the oppressive weight of Gravich's presence lifted. He had done it. He had reached the apex of the labyrinth's trials, but the journey was far from over.