Chapter 12: The Awakening Dungeon’s Deeper Floors – Floor 10
The moment the fourth wave had ended, the dungeon rumbled, and the swirling portal vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but the eerie silence of the massive underground arena. The golden runes embedded into the obsidian floor pulsed, dimming slightly as the air shifted, cooling as if the dungeon itself was resetting for the next challenge.
Ankush exhaled slowly, stretching his fingers. His body remained untouched, unchallenged. Not once had he felt the need to exert any real effort. The monsters that had come before—the Mana Wolves, the Poison Panthers, the Ghoul Strikers, and even the Dungeon Armored Trolls—had all been nothing but distractions, obstacles that barely deserved to be acknowledged.
The power gap was too large.
He glanced at his stored EXP and Special Points, which had been stacking up with every cleared wave.
Accumulated EXP: Over 4 billion points.
Accumulated Special Points: 100 points.
Any other challenger would have long since leveled up several times by now. They would have evolved their profession, optimized their stats, and braced themselves for what lay ahead.
But Ankush?
He had stored everything, patiently waiting for the right time to allocate his EXP. There was no rush.
With no need for stats, no cooldown limitations, and an instant machine-construction ability, he was already stronger than any creature he had encountered.
And so, with no hesitation, he stepped forward.
As he approached the far end of the massive chamber, the stone doors trembled, responding to his presence. Then, with a deep, ancient groan, the towering gates slowly swung open, revealing the path deeper into the dungeon.
He walked forward, leaving behind the first floor as if it had never existed.
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The next few floors passed in a blur.
The monsters grew stronger, their levels increasing with each stage, but it didn't matter.
Wave after wave, floor after floor, he slaughtered them all.
The E-level creatures that came next were faster, tougher, and more coordinated than before. The D-level beasts were larger, deadlier, and equipped with special abilities that should have been devastating.
None of it changed the outcome.
Each floor ended the same way—with Ankush standing at the center of a battlefield littered with mana remnants, the creatures having been erased so effortlessly that it almost felt unfair.
By the time he reached Floor 10, the air had changed completely.
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Floor 10 – The C- Level Threats
The moment he stepped onto the tenth floor, the atmosphere shifted drastically.
Unlike the previous floors, which had been massive arenas of stone and darkness, this one was vast and open, resembling an ancient battlefield lost in time. The ground was no longer smooth obsidian. Instead, it was a ruined wasteland, filled with broken pillars, cracked walls, and the remains of what once looked like towering structures. The air was thick with mana pressure, the very space around him humming with energy.
Above him, there was no visible ceiling—just an endless void of swirling blue light, as if the dungeon had expanded into something far beyond what a normal space should allow.
A normal challenger would have felt a crushing weight pressing against their body the moment they arrived here. The sheer intensity of the mana density on this floor was immense, enough to make the weak collapse on the spot.
Ankush barely noticed.
His gaze shifted as the portal crackled, the golden runes beneath his feet pulsing stronger than ever before.
Then, the creatures emerged.
The C- Level Monsters of Floor 10
These were not beasts.
These were not assassins.
These were soldiers.
Towering seven feet tall, their bodies were encased in thick, mana-infused armor, plates of dark steel that radiated a suffocating presence. Their glowing red eyes flickered behind their helmets, and in their hands, they carried massive, jagged swords, their blades humming with faint traces of magic.
They were Warborn Juggernauts.
Creatures built for war, for destruction, for pure, unrelenting carnage.
Their level 10 stats alone were monstrous compared to the previous floors:
Strength – 2560.
Agility – 2560.
Defense – 5120.
These creatures were at least sixteen times stronger than the Dungeon Armored Trolls.
For a normal challenger, this was where the dungeon became a nightmare. This was where most died.
Ankush's expression didn't change.
Ten towering juggernauts stood before him, their blades raised, their massive frames unmoving, as if waiting for something. They were not mindless beasts. They could think, strategize, coordinate.
The largest of the group stepped forward, its armor grinding loudly as it lifted its jagged greatsword with both hands.
Then—
It swung downward with enough force to split mountains.
The entire floor shook violently, the sheer weight behind the strike collapsing the stone beneath its feet, sending massive shockwaves rippling through the entire battlefield.
The attack was fast—far too fast for a creature of its size.
And yet—
Ankush didn't move.
He simply raised a single hand.
Then, at the very last second—
Boom.
He caught the massive blade between his fingers.
The battlefield froze.
For a moment, the juggernaut didn't react.
Then, its glowing red eyes flickered, as if struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
Its massive strength meant nothing.
Ankush's grip was like iron, his fingers holding the greatsword in place with zero effort.
Then, with a casual flick of his wrist—
The entire blade shattered.
The shockwave alone blasted the juggernaut backward, sending its massive body skidding across the battlefield, smashing through pillars like a wrecking ball.
The other nine juggernauts reacted instantly, charging toward him at full speed. Their footsteps shook the ground, their weapons humming with mana as they prepared to obliterate him from all directions.
Ankush smirked.
Then, he moved.
In an instant, he was no longer in the same spot.
Boom.
A juggernaut's head exploded, its armored helmet crumpling like paper under the force of his casual punch.
Boom.
Another was sent flying into the distance, its body torn in half from the sheer force of his kick.
The remaining seven tried to react, but they were already too slow.
A single shockwave of compressed air ripped through the battlefield, and the juggernauts disintegrated instantly, their massive frames pulverized before they could even strike once.
The battle was over before it had even begun.
The system's voice echoed through the vast battlefield, confirming what was already obvious.
[Floor 10 Cleared. +10 Special Points Earned.]
Ankush cracked his neck, staring at the remains of the battlefield with mild disappointment.
Still not a challenge.
He exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders. The portal at the far end of the floor flickered open, revealing the path to the next level.
His next real challenge was still waiting.
And he was getting impatient.