The obsidian floor shuddered beneath him as twenty LVL 2 goblins erupted from the swirling mist. Their jagged teeth glinted in the dim violet light cast by the runes etched into the towering pillars, their claws scraping the stone with unnerving precision.
Aron's heart slammed against his ribs, but there was no fear—only anticipation. Every fiber of his being tensed, recalling the countless battles he had fought in this tower before. Experience sharpened his instincts; this was not the first climb, and he moved with the confidence of a predator that had once survived death itself.
A goblin lunged from the shadows, mace raised high. Aron pivoted sharply, dodging just enough to feel the rush of air as its weapon smashed against the floor, sending shards flying. His right hand whipped forward, the "Arc of Drake" daggers cleaving through the air. A wave of black and violet energy surged, slicing the creature in two with a sickeningly precise arc.
The first SP flashed on the translucent system screen:
[ SP +1 ]
Another goblin screamed, advancing immediately from the left. Without hesitation, Aron twisted, rolling under its swing, feeling the heat of exertion in his muscles. Each strike, each parry, was deliberate, honed from his previous ascents. The mist swirled violently as his blades cut through goblins one after another.
[ SP +1 ]
[ SP +1 ]
[ SP +1 ]
The obsidian floor was a blur of movement, his daggers flashing in seamless arcs, slicing through twenty goblins that attacked in relentless succession.
The crests of energy unleashed with each strike left trailing shadows that danced across the pillars, casting grotesque patterns of death in the dim light. Aron's breath was ragged but steady; his mind was a laser of focus, filtering out panic, fear, even exhaustion. He was precise, clinical, and merciless.
[ Wave Cleared: 20 Goblins (LVL 2) ]
[ SP Gained: 20 ]
[ You have Leveled UP! ]
[ Stats gained: 3 undistributed points ]
He leaned against a pillar, wiping sweat and blood from his brow, feeling the aftershock of adrenaline ripple through his body. Each goblin had pushed him, forced him to anticipate, dodge, and strike with perfect timing. He flexed his fingers around the daggers, feeling the power that surged through him after the wave cleared.
"Twenty…" he murmured, voice husky. "All gone… and I'm still standing."
The mist thickened. The faint violet glow of the runes pulsed as if echoing his heartbeat. A low growl vibrated through the floor, signaling the second wave.
Aron straightened, his body coiled and ready. From the darkness, thirty more figures emerged—LVL 3 goblins, larger, faster, and cruelly coordinated.
[ Wave Incoming: 30 Goblins (LVL 3) ]
[ Enemy Stats Displayed ]
LVL: 3 | STR: 7 | STM: 6 | AGL: 7 | VIT: 8
… (30 goblins)
Aron's lips tightened. His body had grown stronger after leveling up to LVL 4, but he knew the second wave would test him unlike before. The first goblins had been practice; these were the real trial.
The first LVL 3 goblin lunged with jagged precision. Aron pivoted on the balls of his feet, sending a crescent-shaped wave of obsidian energy from his dagger into its chest. The goblin's scream was brief—a flash of pain, and then it crumpled. Another SP added to his tally.
[ SP +1 ]
[ Stats gained: 3 undistributed points ]
One by one, he carved through them, each strike deliberate. The battlefield was chaos incarnate: thirty green, snarling bodies lunging, their maces swinging with terrifying force, yet Aron's movements were fluid, smooth, and relentless. Each kill brought a brief flash of satisfaction—another SP, another step closer to mastery.
[ SP +1 ]
[ SP +1 ]
[ SP +1 ]
But exhaustion crept in. His muscles screamed; the Arc of Drake daggers, once flawless, were beginning to falter. Edges chipped, hilts scratched, the purple glow flickering like dying embers. By the twentieth goblin, the blades had become ragged, their energy dimming under the strain of continuous combat. Aron's grip tightened, a pang of loss piercing through his adrenaline-fueled focus.
"No…" he muttered under his breath. "Not now… not yet…"
Still, he pressed forward. His movements were efficient, honed by experience and desperation. Every parry, every lunge, every wave of energy from the obsidian daggers was precise. He felt every impact, every deflection, every strike—his body and mind working as one. Thirty goblins fell beneath him, their shrieks echoing into the mist-laden chamber, until finally, the last creature collapsed.
[ Congratulations! You have defeated 30 Goblins (LVL 3) ]
[ SP Gained: 30 ]
[ You have Leveled UP! ]
[ Stats gained: 3 undistributed points ]
Aron exhaled, chest heaving, sweat mingling with blood and grime. He stared at the Arc of Drake, now broken, its edges jagged and glow fading. The dagger had been an extension of his skill, his reflexes, and his will to survive. Its destruction was both a defeat and a testament to the tower's brutal lessons.
Through the lingering mist, something stirred—a subtle shift amid the mountain of fallen goblins. Runic symbols pulsed faintly on the obsidian floor, coalescing into a staircase rising from the corpses. The steps seemed alive, carved from thin air, pulsing with pale blue light that breathed beneath his feet.
Aron's lips curved into a slow, manic grin, eyes gleaming with exhilaration.
"So," he said, voice echoing softly in the chamber, "this is my new life, huh? Climbing this damned tower with my life on the line… well, I like it more here than Earth… hahaha…"
The system screen appeared one last time, confirming his progress:
[ You have passed the 1st floor ]
[ You can now climb to the 2nd floor ]
He took a measured step toward the staircase, feeling the pulse of the tower beneath him, the weight of every battle, every breath, every drop of sweat. His broken daggers reminded him that the tower was unforgiving, but he was ready.
Each step up the staircase was deliberate, each pulse of runic light whispering promises of power, danger, and survival. Aron's heart steadied, his mind sharpening, every sense alive. This was the beginning, the first floor behind him, and the second waiting above.
"This… is only the beginning," he murmured. "And I… am ready."