Chapter 5 - Rise Through the Floors
Kael stood at the base of the massive staircase, the faint hum of energy vibrating beneath his feet. The dungeon stretched before him, and he knew that each floor would be harder than the last. His victory over the Watchful Guardian had granted him a surge of strength, but he couldn't afford to grow complacent. He had already faced two trials, but now, he was about to begin his ascent through the dungeon's level floors—each one more dangerous than the last.
Ding!
[System Update]
Welcome to the Dungeon's Ascension.
Floor 3: Level 1 - 99
Objective: Clear all floors up to level 99.
Reward: Unknown.
Failure = Erasure.
Kael exhaled sharply. The dungeon wasn't just going to give him a break. The sheer size of the task ahead was overwhelming, but it was also exactly what he wanted—he needed to grow stronger, fast.
He adjusted his grip on the Riftblade and began his ascent.
The first few floors passed by quickly. These were the level 3 floors—each one teeming with monsters and traps, but none of them truly tested Kael's limits. His Battle Instinct and Dimensional Strike made him a blur in combat, moving with unparalleled speed and precision as he cut through everything in his path. Even when swarms of enemies surrounded him, he simply activated Echo Step, slipping between dimensions, and reappeared behind them to strike.
By the time he reached the 10th floor, his power had only grown. Level 23.Level 24.Level 25.
Each time he leveled up, his stats soared. His Strength had increased dramatically. Dexterity made his movements fluid, and Constitution turned his body into something almost unbreakable. His Intelligence and Wisdom allowed him to outthink his opponents, and Charisma? Well, that was a side benefit Kael had yet to truly tap into.
But it wasn't just his stats. The more floors he cleared, the stronger his skills became.
[Skill Level-Up: Echo Step (Level 4)]
[Skill Level-Up: Riftblade Mastery (Level 6)]
[New Skill Unlocked: Riftblaze (Level 1)]
Riftblaze was a new skill that Kael unlocked as he gained power. It allowed him to channel the raw energy of the Riftblade into a fiery wave that could scorch his enemies, leaving nothing but ash in its wake.
By the time Kael reached the 30th floor, he was ready for the next trial. The monsters here were stronger, but nothing had truly tested him.
However, that was about to change.
Ding!
[Trial Commenced: Floor 30]
Objective: Survive and Defeat the Dungeon Overlord.
Reward: Unknown.
Failure = Erasure.
Kael's eyes narrowed. Dungeon Overlord. It was a name that sent a chill down his spine. He had expected this—the deeper he went, the stronger the opponents would become. He could feel the presence of the Dungeon Overlord before he even saw it.
A massive creature, towering over him at ten feet tall, stepped from the shadows. Its body was armored in jagged, obsidian-black plates, and it wielded an enormous, rune-encrusted axe. Its eyes glowed a dangerous red, and its breath was a low growl, filled with malice.
Kael didn't waste time. He activated Battle Instinct, and his body moved before he even had time to think. The Overlord swung its axe with incredible force, but Kael was already gone, slipping between dimensions with Echo Step.
The Dungeon Overlord roared in frustration, but Kael had already appeared behind it. He lashed out with the Riftblade, and the blade cleaved through its armor. The Overlord staggered but quickly recovered, its massive axe swinging in a deadly arc. Kael barely dodged, his body sliding under the blade with a speed that felt almost too fast to comprehend.
But the Dungeon Overlord wasn't going down easy. It fought with an unrelenting fury, every swing of its axe shaking the very foundation of the dungeon. Kael could feel the power behind each attack—if even one hit him, it would be the end.
Kael narrowed his eyes. This wasn't just about power. It was about strategy. He had to outsmart the Overlord, find its weaknesses.
He remembered the Dimensional Strike. He could feel the energy coursing through him, and with a fierce determination, he activated it.
He appeared behind the Dungeon Overlord, his blade glowing with violet energy. He thrust it forward, sending a shockwave of power into the Overlord's back. The creature howled, its body twitching with spasms as the Dimensional Strike caused its insides to erupt with energy.
The Overlord's health bar flickered red, and Kael followed up with another Riftblade strike, this time at its exposed chest. The sword cut deep, and with a final roar, the Dungeon Overlord collapsed to the ground, vanishing into a burst of light.
Ding!
[Trial Complete.]
[Reward Granted.]
You have earned 1,000 XP.
You have leveled up.
Level 28 reached.
Kael dropped to one knee, his breath coming in shallow gasps. The fight had been grueling, but he had won. He was stronger now, but so was the dungeon. There would be no end to the trials until he reached the top.
And so, he continued his ascent.
The next few floors were brutal. Floor 40 introduced a series of traps—magical runes that could disorient him, shifting walls that could crush him if he wasn't careful, and enemies that seemed to appear out of nowhere. His reflexes were pushed to their limits. Floor 50 had hordes of monsters with enhanced regeneration, making each kill feel like a battle of attrition.
By the time Kael reached Floor 70, he had unlocked new abilities and honed his skills even further.
[Skill Level-Up: Shadow Fusion (Level 5)]
[New Skill Unlocked: Rift Storm (Level 1)]
Rift Storm allowed Kael to summon a powerful storm of energy around him, slicing through enemies and disorienting them with intense rift energy. Combined with his Riftblade, it was a devastating combination.
He was now a force to be reckoned with.
Kael pressed on, reaching Floor 80, then Floor 90, each floor bringing more challenges, but also more rewards. His Level 99 was not far off.
The time for the next trial was nearing. Kael could feel the weight of the challenge pressing on him, but with every battle, he was becoming something more—something beyond human.
The dungeon had its challenges, but Kael had something greater: the will to rise above them all.
End of Chapter 5.