Return Of The Strongest Player

The crimson line formed on the body of the beast, splitting it in half. Blood spewed like a geyser, dying the soil a deep, crimson shade. Skofnung squealed in joy, vibrating as it transmitted positive emotions.

[Level 19 has been cleared.]

[Level 20: Shadow Beast.]

'Shadow Beast…' Arthur muttered internally, causing his expression to distort. After a few hours of continuous battle, the crimson-eyed man would be lying if he said he wasn't exhausted. However, the strength of his foes continued to rise.

Even after the preparations, Arthur was having some trouble maintaining dominance over the battlefield. Each floor could be easy or difficult, depending on how much effort the player invested into it.

As one rose from the bottom of the ranks, the beasts' strengths increased in proportion. However, the 21st floor was different. It was quite obvious that each Divine Ranker–in their early days–had very different levels of strength.

Yet, their journey had come to a halt on the 22nd floor, where they failed.

The highest record was held by Zeus and a few hundred more well-renowned players. All of them were capable of clearing the 21st floor, but were utterly demolished on the 22nd floor, which no one could clear.

'I wonder what beast resides there…'

No Divine Ranker revealed information about the 22nd floor. Their mouths were sealed shut, as if the tower was playing a trick. That's why no one who hadn't cleared the 21st floor was aware of what lay on the 22nd.

'But now… can I compete with a Shadow Beast in my condition?' Arthur wondered, stroking his chin. It wasn't difficult to defeat it. What mattered were the means he required to achieve victory, which might hinder further progress.

For example, using Sword Spirit would exhaust his mana circuits, rendering him unable to continue battling for too long. The 22nd floor would absolutely demolish Arthur if he used his trump card before then.

Shadow Beasts were not simple.

Their power almost rivaled that of necromantic beasts. The reason behind their power was their lineage, which originated from the Ancestor Shadow Beast. They were one of the most powerful beasts aside from necromantic beasts.

'This one has around 97 Beast Marks…' Arthur scrutinized his foe, narrowing his eyes. 97 Beast Marks was equivalent to a high-end Infant Beast on the cusp of evolving into a Novice Beast, which could only be rivaled by stronger players.

On the first floor, defeating a Novice Beast was incredibly difficult.

Yet, Arthur had a feeling that the beast on the 21st floor would be a Novice Beast. That was the reason he wished to conserve his strength, unwilling to use his trump cards so early in the battle.

The Shadow Beast was a large wolf with a thick hide and a ferocious expression. Particles of darkness emanated from its body, causing Arthur to reinforce his defenses.

This was an Infant Beast who had almost evolved.

Its power was immense.

Arthur rushed forward using [Ethereal Glide], closing the distance within seconds. He twisted his body, evading the Shadow Beast's claw before thrusting Skofnung towards its side. Unfortunately, the beast was quick to react.

"Grrrr…"

With a low roar, he stomped, causing an earthquake to form. The ground beneath the beast cracked, disturbing Arthur's footwork. As the crimson-eyed man lost balance, the beast swung its claw.

'Barrier,' thought Arthur, making use of magic. Mana flooded from his body, condensing and hardening into an oval shaped, translucent barrier. The beast's claw collided with the barrier, shattering it immediately.

However, the force of the attack dimmed considerably.

Arthur formed another barrier, drawing a tremendous amount of mana from his body. The wolf struggled to shatter the barrier, but after a few seconds, it wasn't able to withstand the force of the claw.

However, by then, Arthur had stabilized the situation.

He awakened Skofnung, increasing its durability and sharpness. At that moment, the wolf let out a sharp roar, causing a stream of black liquid to burst from his jaws. Arthur's eyes widened, and he immediately activated [Ethereal Glide].

'What the fuck is that?' Arthur wondered, unable to discern the properties of the liquid. However, he was aware of its danger, and could tell that a single drop could cause severe burns to his skin.

The black liquid covered the ground around the Shadow Beast, forcing Arthur to retreat.

Suddenly, as Arthur focused on retreating, a buzzing sound reverberated across his ears. His eyes widened.

Time stopped.

As a shadow was cast on Arthur's body, shivers shot down his spine. He slowly raised his head, gazing at the beast that stood before him in all its glory. Just a few seconds ago, the beast had been at least a few hundred meters away.

'Shadow Teleportation,' thought Arthur, clenching his teeth as he immediately activated Sword Spirit. There was no time to consider the consequences, since if he didn't defend, he would become meat paste in a few moments.

A few moments.

That was all it would take.

Orange, black, and red energy burst from his sword, causing the Shadow Beast to growl. It was either startled or annoyed.

[The Demonic Blade 'Skofnung' advises its wielder to think rationally.]

Arthur nodded, forming a plate of mana in his hand. Groaning, the crimson-eyed man threw the plate towards the left side of the Shadow Beast's face, diverting his attention from the foe before it.

One would always prioritize approaching danger over potential danger.

The Shadow Beast paid more attention to the plate of mana which would eventually collide with its snout, rather than the tiny human that harmlessly stood before it, unable to even land a single hit.

But that's where it was mistaken.

'Fuck, using Sword Spirit still hurts,' thought Arthur, raising Skofnung. The Shadow Beast raised its claw to deflect the plate of mana, and at that moment, the crimson-eyed man swung his sword horizontally.

Shing!

Within seconds, the Shadow Beast's eyes turned bloodshot, and its head separated from its body, landing on the floor with a loud thud.

[Level 20 has been cleared.]