* SLASH *

 

* BOOM *

 

* BOOM *

 

"Ice Tornado!"

 

"Spiked Ground!"

 

The group had reached the 18th floor of the dungeon and they were locked in a fierce battle.

 

It took them several days to reach the current floor since they chose to proceed cautiously and they didn't want a repeat of what happened in the Abyss of the Scorched Ravens.

 

There were several beasts around them such as goblins, ogres, orcs, goblin zombies, ogre zombies, and orc zombies.

 

Each beast posed a unique threat to them.

 

The ogres, goblins, and orcs were all eerily pale with eyes as white as snow.

 

They moved mechanically, as it was controlled by someone who was none other than the Draathil itself.

 

On the other hand, their zombie counterparts had dark patches on their bodies.

 

Their eyes were black and they screeched and growled when they fought back.

 

Unlike their puppet-like counterparts, they were agile and dodged attacks with ease.

 

Darell realized that the zombie beasts were those who were influenced by the darkness.

 

He also noticed that with each floor they entered further into the dungeon, the darkness around them increased.

 

* BOOM *

 

* SPLAT *

 

* SPLURT *

 

Darell used the [Reaper Fist] and obliterated ten rank 02 orc zombies with a single punch.

 

The impact caused their bodies to burst apart, spreading brain matter, bones, and flesh in all directions.

 

He noticed ten more orc zombies charging toward him.

 

So, he took out his sword and using his [Earth-Shattering Slash], he killed all of them in a single move.

 

* SLASH *

 

* BOOM *

 

* SPLURT *

 

Time had flown by and three months had passed since the group had first entered the dungeon.

 

The continuous progression in the dungeon rewarded him with abundant XPs which made him level up to level 20.

 

 

* BOOM *

 

Eric's punch landed with such force that it tore a gaping hole through the orc's body, causing it to crumble and vanish into nothingness.

 

Seizing the opportunity, another orc attempted to strike him from behind, aiming directly for his neck in an attempt to deliver a swift, lethal blow.

 

Unbeknownst to the orc, Eric had been keenly aware of its presence and had merely feigned ignorance.

 

Just as the orc poised its sword for the attack, Eric sprang forward, simultaneously conjuring an Earth Spike beneath the orc's position.

 

The sharp spike shot up with tremendous speed, impaling the unsuspecting beast and putting an end to it.

 

Without a moment's respite, Eric found himself surrounded by numerous beasts, but he refused to back down.

 

He activated his newly acquired rank 03 skill.

 

"Spiked Ground!"

 

He raised his hand into the air and several spikes shot up from the ground.

 

These spikes caught the beasts off guard and pierced their bodies before they could even react.

 

* SPLURT *

 

* SPLAT *

 

The goblins were particularly defenseless against the sheer speed and power of the spikes and their bodies burst apart when impaled.

 

Eric looked at the dead beasts and deactivated his skill and watched as the spikes went back into the ground.

 

He smiled and ran toward the beasts excitedly due to his newly attained level 20 status.

 

Ariel's scolding had helped him to dispel his concerns and he was determined to work even harder.

 

Ariel, on the other hand, only fought the ogres and orcs and stayed clear of the goblins.

 

Whenever one approached her, she would quickly throw her chakra at it and kill it before it could come near her.

 

"Raowar!"

 

She turned around and saw a group of beasts charging at her and activated her rank 03 skill.

 

"Tremor Inducer!"

 

* RUMBLE *

 

* RUMBLE *

 

* RUMBLE *

 

The ground beneath the beasts trembled and shook violently.

 

Ariel gestured with her hands and the ground beneath them split apart.

 

A large pit formed in which the beasts fell helplessly.

 

Then, she levitated boulders from the ground and hovered them above the beasts into the pit.

 

She could do that by manipulating the sound waves around her.

 

She created a cushion of vibrations that allowed her to keep the boulders suspended in the air.

 

She let the boulders fall down and crush the beasts to death.

 

Meanwhile, Lilith had reached level 20 the earliest due to her hard work and with the help of the guidance from Athena.

 

Lilith's Mist ability was the fusion of Water, Ice, and Wind abilities.

 

If she wanted to master the Mist ability, she had to master each individual ability first.

 

Initially, her mana capacity limited her to learning Ice spells, but as she reached level 20, her increased mana allowed her to learn rank 01 Wind spells.

 

"Wind Blade!"

 

* WHOOSH *

 

* SPLURT *

 

The wind blades zoomed through the air and severed the beasts' heads from their bodies.

 

* THUD *

 

The rest of their headless bodies collapsed on the ground.

 

This skill allowed her to mold the air into thin blades which she could use to slice through anything.

 

She sighed and thought, 'Phew! Finally! I have a second to breathe without these beasts attacking me.'

 

However, she jinxed herself when she saw another wave of beasts charging toward her.

 

'Tch!", She clicked her tongue in annoyance and thought, 'These annoying pests! They can't even let me rest for a second.'

 

She smiled and thought, 'I have the perfect skill to stop them.'

 

She activated her rank 03 Mist skill.

 

"Mist Blast!"

 

A small orb materialized in her hand which she hurled toward the beasts.

 

* BOOM *

 

The orb hit the ground and caused an explosion.

 

The beasts caught within the blast were instantly encased in ice while others were thrown back like a ragdoll.

 

More orbs materialized in her hand which she threw at them.

 

Meanwhile, Emma was fighting with her own limitations.

 

As a wielder of the Light ability, she found herself at a disadvantage amidst the overwhelming darkness that surrounded her.

 

The contrasting forces made her feel the pressure more intensely, posing a significant challenge to her ability.

 

Nevertheless, Emma refused to yield.

 

Despite her relative weakness, she fought with determination.

 

"Light Breath!"

 

She opened her mouth and a powerful beam of destructive pure light shot forth from it.

 

* BOOM *

 

* BOOM *

 

* BOOM *

 

The beasts that were hit by the beam were instantly obliterated.

 

She deactivated her skill and was left exhausted and she panted heavily.

 

The battle went on for a few minutes till they killed every beast around them.

 

After that, the group retreated to a safe floor in the dungeon, where they could rest and replenish their mana.

 

Each member took the opportunity to recover, regaining their strength and preparing for the challenges that awaited them on the next floor.

 

After they had rested, the group ventured into the 19th floor of the dungeon, fully prepared for the impending darkness that awaited them.

 

True to their expectations, the environment had been engulfed by an overwhelming shroud of darkness, obscuring their surroundings.

 

No sooner had they set foot on the floor than they found themselves encircled by hordes of beasts.

 

They had multiplied in number, and the presence of various types of undead among them only added to the challenge.

 

Hours of relentless combat ensued, with the group engaging in a fierce struggle against the relentless onslaught.

 

Through their determination and synchronized efforts, they managed to clear the 19th floor, their victory hard-earned.

 

Seeking respite, they made their way to a safe floor, eager to recuperate and regain their strength.

 

This time, they allowed themselves a few hours of rest, knowing that a greater trial awaited them—the boss floor.

 

Just as they were on the threshold of the boss floor, Emma and Lilith stepped forward, their expressions filled with concern.

 

They fixed their gaze on Darell and shared their worries.

 

"If we find ourselves unable to defeat the boss, we must prioritize our safety and discontinue the training. No one should resort to extreme measures," they conveyed with sincerity.

 

Darell couldn't help but smile at their genuine concern, noticing Eric and Ariel nodding in agreement, their worry mirrored in their eyes.

 

Reassuring them, Darell responded in a lighthearted manner, "Don't worry, I don't have plans to sleep for another week."

 

He let out a laugh, intending to lighten the mood.

 

However, his laughter quickly subsided when he realized his joke had been misinterpreted.

 

He quickly cleared up any misunderstandings and clarified, "I mean, I won't give up easily. But of course, if it becomes too dangerous, we will retreat. Our safety comes first."

 

He smiled as he shook his head and said, "Let's go!!"