As the heavy door creaked open, the twelfth floor revealed itself. It was an expansive arena, its floor paved with obsidian tiles that shimmered faintly in the dim light. Towering pillars surrounded the space, each inscribed with glowing runes that pulsed with a rhythm, almost as if alive.
Asher stepped onto the twelfth floor, his gaze sweeping over the obsidian-tiled arena. It was vast, ringed with towering pillars carved with glowing runes that seemed to hum with a rhythmic pulse. At the center stood the guardian, a Thunderclaw Chimera. The monstrous beast snarled, its lion's head baring razor-sharp fangs, its serpent tail coiling menacingly, and its massive wings crackling with arcs of lightning that illuminated its muscular frame.
[ Floor 12 Guardian: Thunderclaw Chimera ]
[ Type: Beast-Magic Hybrid ]
Asher smirked, his grip tightening on his blade. "A beast-magic hybrid? Perfect. Let's test the arts I just mastered."
The chimera roared, the sound reverberating through the arena as it charged forward. Its claws crackled with electrified energy, slashing down toward Asher in a devastating arc.
"Beast Severance Slash!"
With a burst of speed, Asher sidestepped the blow and countered with a diagonal slash aimed at the chimera's shoulder. The strike connected, leaving a deep wound that oozed dark, viscous blood. The beast reeled, its serpent tail lashing out like a whip, hissing furiously. This chapter is updated by Novel~Fire. (n)et
Asher jumped back, narrowly avoiding the tail's venomous bite. He landed lightly, immediately pivoting into an offensive stance.
"Thunder Fang Cleave!"
Darting forward, his blade shimmered with a beast-slaying aura, cutting through the air like lightning. The strike aimed at the chimera's tail struck true, severing the tip of the serpent head. The beast howled in rage, its wings flaring as it unleashed a storm of lightning bolts in retaliation.
Asher's instincts kicked in. He raised his blade, activating the Magic Breaker Guard, a defensive technique from the Magic Breaker Sword Art. The sword absorbed the incoming lightning, its edge glowing faintly as it nullified the magic energy.
"Not bad, but you'll need more than flashy tricks to take me down."
The chimera roared again, this time leaping into the air. Its wings beat powerfully, creating a gale that knocked Asher off balance for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, the beast dived at him, its claws aiming to pin him to the ground.
"Phantom Step Evasion!"
In a blur, Asher vanished from the chimera's line of sight, reappearing behind it with fluid grace. His sword glinted as he spun, launching into a flurry of attacks.
"Myriad Crescent Blades!"
A series of rapid, crescent-shaped slashes tore into the chimera's back. Each strike targeted a vital point, the beast-slaying art amplifying the damage. The chimera howled, its movements becoming erratic as it twisted to face him, its lion's maw opening wide to unleash a torrent of black flames.
Asher braced himself. "Magic Breaker Reversal!"
His blade met the flames head-on, slicing through the inferno and dispersing it into harmless embers. The chimera staggered back, its energy waning. Asher pressed his advantage, his movements relentless.
"Beast's Heart Strike!"
Channeling his full strength, Asher lunged forward, his blade glowing with concentrated power. The strike pierced the chimera's chest, striking its core. The beast froze, its body convulsing as the light in its eyes dimmed.
The chimera collapsed, its massive form crashing to the ground with a thunderous boom. Asher stepped back, his breathing steady despite the grueling fight.
[ Floor 12 Guardian Defeated ]
[ Reward: 120 Tower coins ]
"good, time to keep moving " he mumbled as continued to climb the tower.
Asher ascended to the thirteenth floor, his mind focused and his blade ready. The guardian was a Flame Basilisk, its fiery scales glowing with an intense heat that could incinerate weaker foes instantly.
With precise movements and mastery of his arts, Asher struck swiftly.
His blade cleaved through the basilisk's armored hide, extinguishing its flames in moments.
[ Floor 13 Guardian Defeated ]
[ Reward: 130 Tower Coins ]
He wasted no time, stepping through the door to the next floor.
The fourteenth floor introduced a pack of Shadow Wolves. Their movements were swift, blending seamlessly with the darkness.
"Phantom Step Evasion!"
Asher darted between them, his blade flashing.
"Myriad Crescent Blades!"
A flurry of slashes cut through the pack, leaving no chance for retaliation.
[ Floor 14 Guardian Defeated ]
[ Reward: 140 Tower Coins ]
The fifteenth floor pitted him against a Rock Titan, its massive fists shaking the ground with every swing.
"Magic Breaker Reversal!"
Asher absorbed the titan's energy blasts, redirecting them back with devastating effect. He finished it with a powerful overhead strike.
[ Floor 15 Guardian Defeated ]
[ Reward: 150 Tower Coins ]
The sixteenth floor held a Frost Wyvern, its icy breath freezing the air.
"Thunder Fang Cleave!"
Channeling electrified energy, Asher shattered the wyvern's icy armor before delivering the final blow.
[ Floor 16 Guardian Defeated ]
[ Reward: 160 Tower Coins ]
The seventeenth floor unleashed a group of Phantom Knights, spectral warriors immune to normal attacks.
"Soul Piercer Slash!"
Utilizing his Soul Reaper Monarch ability, Asher infused his blade with soul energy, dismantling the knights effortlessly.
[ Floor 17 Guardian Defeated ]
[ Reward: 170 Tower Coins ]
On the eighteenth floor, a Lava Elemental emerged, its molten form radiating oppressive heat.
"Beast's Heart Strike!"
Targeting its core with pinpoint precision, Asher disintegrated the elemental.
[ Floor 18 Guardian Defeated ]
[ Reward: 180 Tower Coins ]
Finally, the nineteenth floor presented a Bone Hydra, its skeletal heads snapping and regenerating rapidly.
"Myriad Empyrean Fang!"
Combining speed and power, Asher severed each head before shattering the hydra's main body with a final explosive strike.
[ Floor 19 Guardian Defeated ]
[ Reward: 190 Tower Coins ]
Asher stood before the door to the twentieth floor, briefly glancing at his accumulated Tower Coins.
"Time to see what challenge awaits me now," he said, gripping his sword tightly and stepping forward.
"Now, the 20th floor means a boss battle," Asher mumbled as he stepped inside the door. Suddenly, the floor beneath him vanished, and he began to fall. "The hell? Where's the landing spot?" Asher grumbled, glancing around as he plummeted through the sky. Below, an endless sea stretched out, glimmering under a pale light.
"Damn it, I can't even use my abilities to craft wings," he muttered, irritation creeping into his voice. As the ocean's surface approached rapidly, Asher shifted his body into a diving posture.
The impact sent a wave rippling outward. Asher surfaced moments later, shaking the water from his hair and wiping his face.
"Damn, it's like the tower's forcing the challengers to use abilities," he muttered, glancing around. He treaded water, scanning the vast expanse. In the distance, something moved—a shadow beneath the waves, growing larger by the second.