Lucian reappeared once more, this time behind one of the remaining frost giants. His halberd gleamed with an otherworldly glow, mirroring the intensity in his eyes.
"Boo!" he shouted, his voice bubbling with amusement as he reveled in the sheer power at his command.
With a swift movement, he pointed the halberd at the giant's chest. The tip of the blade sparked, then fired a concentrated beam of light that pierced the giant's heart in an instant, disintegrating it into dust upon death.
"Three more to go!"
Lucian laughed, his voice echoing across the arena as he vanished once again, leaving behind only brief flashes of his dark figure as his army of animated armors obscured his movements.
The giants, undeterred, continued their assault on Lucian's summons. With each swing of their colossal arms, they sent dozens of soldiers flying, crushing them under the weight of their blows. Glaciers of ice erupted in all directions.
Lucian laughed briefly, his voice carrying across the chaos. Then, like a shadow, he reappeared at the head of another giant.
"Expecting this?" he taunted, spinning his halberd dramatically before plunging it deep into the giant's skull. The blade cut through bone and brain with ease, leaving the giant to crumble to dust in mere moments.
Landing gracefully back in the arena, Lucian was surrounded by his battalion of animated soldiers.
"Two more to go!"
he cheered, his grin widening as the second giant vanished. His violet suit was now stained with blood, but Lucian's laughter only grew louder.
[Warning: Detecting Huge Power Difference.]
"What…?" Lucian stared at the notification, the floor beneath him suddenly shaking.
[Balancing Stage Difficulty.]
"You've gotta be kidding me—" Before Lucian could finish his sentence, the coliseum floor cracked, and the ground beneath him gave way.
As he plummeted, the fall felt endless, like tumbling from a great height. His eyes darted around, taking in his new surroundings. Pillars of molten lava clung to the walls, while obsidian structures loomed ominously, enclosing the arena. The ground below was a jagged maze of spikes, holes, and traps that seemed to be waiting for any unfortunate soul to land on them.
Lucian smirked, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Doesn't take a genius to know what's going on. Spike traps, lava pits, and arrow traps galore!"
He chuckled, launching his halberd at one of the walls.
A shadowy thread quickly wrapped around the shaft of the weapon, turning it into a makeshift grappling hook. With a sharp yank, Lucian halted his descent, clinging to the wall just inches from the jagged spikes below.
However, his summons and the frost giants weren't as fortunate. The massive creatures hit the treacherous ground with a resounding crash. The instant they did, spiked traps shot up from the earth, impaling them before they had the chance to even react.
Lucian grimaced. "Okay… this won't be a breeze after all." Still suspended from the wall by his halberd, he glanced at the carnage below with a wry grin.
[Wave 1: Completed]
[Exp: 3,000]
"At least I got the exp from that..." Lucian chuckled, his voice a mix of frustration and resignation.
[Level: 120 → 124]
"Progress looks good, at least." Lucian remarked, his gaze drifting down to the ground.
"Now what the hell am I supposed to do?"
He stared at the floor as the spikes from the hole-filled surface retracted, the bodies of his fallen army and the frost giants dissolving into shimmering dust.
[Warning: Can't Stay Out of Bounds]
[Punishment: Death]
"I really had to say something, huh?" Lucian sighed, rubbing his temple before yanking his halberd back to his hand. He dropped to the ground, a shockwave of dust exploding outward from his landing.
"Now what's this new change to balance out this dungeon supposed to be?"
[Wave 3: Begin]
Lucian sighed and readied his halberd once more.
"Guess I'm about to find out."
Lucian's gaze lifted, but the sky was barely visible from how deep underground the arena had become. Then, he noticed something— a tiny speck in the sky that grew larger with every passing second. But it wasn't just a speck.
"Guess that's my cue," he muttered.
His halberd glowed once again, preparing for the incoming battle.
As the figure descended, a massive eruption tore through the underground arena, sending dirt and dust flying in every direction. From the chaos emerged the enemy Lucian was about to face.
A man clad in pure violet and dark armor, his cape flowing ominously behind him.
"We meet again, Lucian Draeven." The figure's voice was chilling, his face hidden behind a dark, twisted mask.
Lucian raised an eyebrow, recognition sparking in his mind.
"Did... I see you somewhere before?"
Then it clicked. Back in the city, a poster of a new Dark Lord had caught his eye— the man before him looked exactly the same, armor and all.
"Oh… Are you just a fabrication, or did the real you finally arrive?" Lucian pointed his halberd at the Dark Lord, his voice steady.
"And by the way, I don't think we've met."
The Dark Lord laughed, the sound dripping with an exaggerated, teenage edge.
"I've been there since the beginning of your reign, biding my time!" The Dark Lord's laugh was dripping with a forced, melodramatic tone.
"And now, I'll finish you off!"
He raised his arm.
"Damnarex!"
Suddenly, a burst of pain shot through Lucian's chest, and before he could react, his own demonic sword erupted from his body, formed from his blood.
Lucian staggered, stunned by the searing pain and blood loss, his balance faltering for a brief moment.
The Dark Lord caught the sword, laughing maniacally.
"Only a true Dark Lord is worthy of wielding this blade!" he taunted, his voice dripping with smug arrogance.
Lucian recovered, a concerned smirk curling on his lips. Thoughts raced through his mind, but one question stood out—how the hell had the Dark Lord managed to get into this Trial Dungeon meant solely for him?
Well... guess he was about to find out.