"My Emperor… have you abandoned us?"
[Celestial Legion · Giant Chieftain: Level 10]
HP: 1,500,000/1,500,000
Skills: Fearless Strike, Limb Regeneration
"WTF! Could this game get any more insane?"
A few Heroic Warriors had just been killed, and Iron Cavalry, the main tank, barely had time to celebrate when he looked up and saw the towering Giant Chieftain. If that massive axe hit him, he'd probably be reduced to tomato paste.
Orson narrowed his eyes. In the lore, these creatures carried the blood of titans but were essentially a branch of the original human race.
He couldn't wrap his head around how a titan, larger than a mountain, managed to do the deed with the first human woman. Did none of the gods overseeing this feel it was absurdly inappropriate?
"Wait, is this boss out of his mind? Why's he walking away?"
Bradley was puzzled. He had been gearing up to see if the boss could even be damaged, but the Giant Chieftain had turned and was now heading into the mist.
Everyone was baffled. For as long as they'd been playing the game, this was the first time they'd encountered something so odd.
"These monsters don't even drop loot, not even a scrap of junk. I'm so done," Iron Cavalry grumbled. He had taken the brunt of the damage yet reaped no rewards.
Before he could finish venting, Heroic Archers emerged from distant graves, drawing their bows and firing at the group. Iron Cavalry rushed forward to taunt them, preventing the backline from being wiped out by the rain of arrows.
As Orson watched the retreating Giant Chieftain, a quest notification appeared:
"Follow the Giant Chieftain!"
"Stewart, come with me," Orson called to the junior healer.
"Where are we going? Shouldn't we stick with the others?" Stewart asked, clutching the goofy little goat he always carried.
"Let's find out what this boss is up to."
Although the Heroic Warriors' stats were high, their attacks were sluggish and predictable. Bradley and the others could handle them without much difficulty.
The game system classified Resting Place as the entrance to an iron-tier dungeon. Similar to the ancient ruins found in strongholds, these dungeons were ranked by difficulty: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.
Most strongholds only contained ruins of Iron to Silver tier. Bone Dragon Stronghold's ruins were Silver-tier, but Celestial Fortress was unique, containing all six tiers of difficulty. The deeper the players ventured, the greater the rewards.
Conquering the fortress, however, didn't require clearing all the dungeons. Orson guessed that completing specific stronghold questlines was the key to unlocking ownership.
Madman: "Where are you headed?"
Orson: "We'll split up. You guys explore the dungeon while I look for clues to claim the stronghold."
With that, Orson and Stewart disappeared into the mist.
The Giant Chieftain didn't notice them following—it probably didn't consider them worth its attention. It continued striding toward a cluster of buildings ahead.
After ten minutes, the giant halted. The mist began to clear, revealing the structure before them.
"You've discovered—The Watchtower!"
Inside a towering white structure, the Giant Chieftain knelt on one knee. "Lord Skyfeather, has the Emperor abandoned us?"
The interior of the tower was vast, but the only response was an oppressive silence.
"Skyfeather the Arrow Saint?" Orson thought, startled. Could there still be a living NPC in this ancient, forgotten tower?
"Quick, curse me. Something feels off," Orson suddenly said, a sense of danger prickling at him.
"Uh, okay!" Stewart stammered, setting down the goat to cast Soul Seal on Orson.
Orson removed his equipment to make it easier for Stewart to reduce his health to 10%.
A healing glow appeared over the goat's head. It bleated happily, seemingly enjoying the holy light.
"Wait… why does this little goat have more health than it should?"
Just as Orson chuckled at the absurdity, he noticed the goat's HP bar rise slightly above its usual limit.
"I don't know. It just… increased somehow," Stewart said, puzzled. He joked, "If this goat had a taunt skill, it could be an unkillable tank."
Orson was speechless. If Stewart kept treating the goat as his "shield," it might one day evolve into a terrifyingly tanky neutral creature.
"You've received the Curse King's Blessing. All attributes +90%."
A black aura enveloped Orson, his stats skyrocketing. He was stunned by the absurd power boost.
And this was just from Stewart's Soul Seal at its basic level. If upgraded, the buff would become even more ridiculous.
"You and I are but remnants of the Empire's mark. Shatal, you've been cursed."
A spectral voice echoed, drawing Orson's attention back to the tower.
A woman bathed in silver light appeared on a spiral staircase. Her gem-like blue eyes gleamed emptily as she descended.
Her skin was pale as snow, her features exquisitely delicate. Clad in dazzling white light armor, she exuded an air of otherworldly beauty.
She should have been a peerless figure capable of captivating the hearts of countless men in the Empire.
But now, she seemed more like a ghost. Her semi-transparent body floated gracefully down to the hall.
Skyfeather held a bronze bow and, with a stiff motion, raised it to aim at the Giant Chieftain.
Orson's interface displayed her attributes:
[Celestial Legion · Remnant of the Arrow Saint: Level 26]
[Domain Master Creature]
HP: 20,000,000/20,000,000
Skills: Annihilation Shot, Absolute Range, Magic Eye Refract, Dragon Slayer Arrow
Seeing these stats, Orson felt an overwhelming urge to turn and run.
The enormous health pool and attack power were daunting enough, but her skillset? Each ability sounded more terrifying than the last.
Orson realized that some monsters in Infinite Dimensions scaled with the player's level. This feature, while rare, was not unheard of.
He speculated that this mechanic might have been why Usher and others had failed to conquer Celestial Fortress—their high levels made the monsters disproportionately powerful.
"I will remember you," Skyfeather said softly, her tone tinged with melancholy.
She nocked an arrow. The bronze bow radiated a menacing black glow, its destructive aura suffocating Orson and Stewart. Everything in their vision turned dark, save for her radiant figure.
The sound of an arrow slicing through the air filled the tower. Orson dragged Stewart into a blind spot just as the black arrow pierced the Giant Chieftain's forehead.
An absurd damage number appeared, yet the giant didn't fall. It let out a dazed roar. "Skyfeather! I need an answer!"
Another arrow shot forth, severing one of the giant's arms in an instant.
The Giant Chieftain's limb began to regenerate, its undead nature restoring its health. Roaring, it charged again, swinging its massive stone axe in a desperate bid to fight back.
"A base attack of 3,500 and a 200,000-damage crit? This game's developers must be trolling us!" Orson muttered.
If Skyfeather landed even one critical hit on him, it would be game over.
Skyfeather danced around gracefully, leaping onto the giant's shoulder and unleashing a flurry of precise arrows. Within moments, the Giant Chieftain was reduced to a broken mess, its limbs and head severed.
"Boss, we need to bail. There's no way we can handle her," Stewart said nervously, clutching his goat.
"Conquer the Watchtower to gain its authority!"
The quest updated. Orson hesitated briefly before firing a basic attack at Skyfeather from a hundred meters away.
Skyfeather's soul-lit eyes flared as she deftly dodged. "A foolish wraith, yet your range is impressive," she said disdainfully.
Without a word, Orson launched another Chaos Magic Ball. Skyfeather caught it midair, crushing it in her hand.
The chaotic flames dissipated, and her expression stiffened with anger.
"My name is Skyfeather. I am the Dragon Slayer, the Empire's First Arrow Saint. I can slay endless hordes from a thousand meters away. Do you dare challenge me?"
Orson smirked and motioned for Stewart to retreat.
Then, with a casual turn, he stepped onto the railing of the tower and leapt into the sky.
"Dude, even your suicides are stylish?" Stewart gasped, dumbfounded.
A beastly roar echoed. The Crimson Lizard King soared beneath Orson, catching him midair.
Standing atop his mount, Orson gazed at Skyfeather and said with a grin, "A thousand meters? You're about to get a lesson in range."