Floor 6 was a massive arena.
DING!
[Warning: Floor 6 is a PvP-enabled zone]
[Climbers can attack each other]
[Killing another Climber grants bonus rewards]
Ethan frowned.
PvP floors were dangerous, but they also offered unique opportunities.
He stepped through the portal.
The arena was filled with ruined pillars and broken stone platforms. Other Climbers were scattered throughout, some fighting monsters, others watching each other warily.
Ethan moved carefully, staying near the edges.
Suddenly—
"Well, well. Look who it is."
Ethan turned.
Sarah Kane stood on a nearby pillar, bow drawn, arrows glowing with dark energy.
"You again," Ethan said calmly.
Sarah grinned. "I told you we'd meet again. And this time... I'm not holding back."
She fired.
WHOOSH!
Three arrows streaked toward him, each one splitting mid-flight into nine.
Twenty-seven arrows total.
'Shit!'
Ethan activated Shadow Step.
FWOOSH!
He teleported through the shadows, reappearing behind a pillar.
The arrows shattered stone where he had been standing.
"Impressive!" Sarah called out. "Rare movement skill already? You're full of surprises!"
Ethan didn't respond. He raised his hand.
"Meteor Strike!"
BOOM!
A massive flaming meteor crashed down from above, aimed directly at Sarah's position.
She leaped away gracefully, landing on another pillar.
"Too slow!" she taunted.
But Ethan was already moving.
"Gravity Well!"
THOOM!
A sphere of crushing gravity appeared beneath Sarah's feet, pulling her downward.
Her eyes widened. "What—?!"
She tried to jump, but the gravity was too strong.
Ethan followed up immediately.
"Lightning Bolt!"
CRACK!
The bolt struck her barrier, shattering it.
Sarah hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the impact.
"You... you're stronger than before," she panted, genuine surprise in her voice.
"I've been busy," Ethan said.
Sarah laughed. "I like it. But I'm not done yet."
She raised her bow, charging an arrow with overwhelming energy.
"This is my ultimate skill. [Phantom Arrow]. Once it locks onto you, it'll chase you until it hits."
She fired.
The arrow blurred through the air, curving impossibly as it tracked Ethan's movements.
Ethan used Shadow Step again.
The arrow followed.
He dodged left. The arrow curved.
'It's too fast. I can't outrun it.'
Ethan made a split-second decision.
"Ice Spear!"
FWOOSH!
He launched the spell directly at the arrow.
The two attacks collided mid-air.
BOOM!
Ice and dark energy exploded, canceling each other out.
Sarah's eyes widened. "You... you actually blocked it?!"
Before she could react, Ethan closed the distance.
"Wind Blade!"
SLASH!
The blade of compressed air struck her side.
Sarah stumbled, blood dripping from a shallow cut.
DING!
[Sarah Kane HP: 180/280]
"Alright, alright!" Sarah raised her hands. "I surrender. You win."
Ethan lowered his hand, breathing heavily.
"You're still reckless," he said.
Sarah grinned. "And you're still too serious. We make a good team, don't we?"
"We're not a team."
"Not yet," Sarah said. "But we will be. I can feel it."
She disappeared into the arena, leaving Ethan alone.
He checked his status.
DING!
[You have gained experience from combat]
[You have reached Level 16!]
Ethan exhaled slowly.
'Sarah... in my past life, she led the attack against me. But right now, she seems... genuine.'
'Is she acting? Or will something change her later?'
He couldn't tell.
DING!
[Floor 6 Boss has appeared]
A massive portal opened in the center of the arena.
From it emerged a towering knight, clad in black armor and wielding a greatsword wreathed in flames.
[Flame Knight Commander (Level 20 - Boss)]
[HP: 8,000/8,000]
[Combat Power: 850]
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
'This one's going to be tough.'
The Flame Knight Commander's presence was overwhelming.
Heat radiated from its armor, distorting the air around it.
Ethan gripped his fists tightly.
[Combat Power: 468 vs 850]
Nearly double his strength.
'I can't fight this head-on. I need to be smart.'
The Commander raised its greatsword.
BOOM!
Flames erupted from the blade, scorching the ground.
Ethan activated Shadow Step, dodging the initial strike.
FWOOSH!
He reappeared behind the boss and cast immediately.
"Gravity Well!"
THOOM!
The crushing gravity slowed the Commander's movements.
Ethan followed up with everything he had.
"Lightning Bolt! Ice Spear! Wind Blade!"
CRACK! FWOOSH! SLASH!
All three spells hit.
DING!
[Flame Knight Commander HP: 7,400/8,000]
Only 600 damage?!
The Commander roared and swung its sword in a wide arc.
Ethan couldn't dodge in time.
CRASH!
The blade slammed into him, sending him flying.
DING!
[HP: 85/230]
Pain exploded through his body.
'One hit... and I'm almost dead.'
Ethan chugged a health potion, restoring some HP.
[HP: 145/230]
The Commander charged again.
Ethan's mind raced.
'I need more damage. Way more.'
Then he remembered.
The Skill Fusion Scroll.
'This is my chance.'
Ethan pulled out the scroll mid-combat.
DING!
[Select two skills to fuse]
He chose without hesitation.
[Meteor Strike (Rank C) + Gravity Well (Rank D)]
DING!
[Fusion Successful!]
[You have created: Graviton Meteor (Rank B)]
[Graviton Meteor: Summon a massive meteor infused with crushing gravity. Deals catastrophic damage and creates a gravity field on impact. Cooldown: 120 seconds.]
Ethan grinned through the pain.
"Let's test this."
He raised both hands toward the sky.
"Graviton Meteor!"
RUMBLE!
The entire arena shook.
A massive meteor, easily three times larger than his previous ones, descended from above.
The Flame Knight Commander looked up.
For the first time, it seemed... hesitant.
BOOOOM!
The impact was catastrophic.
The ground shattered. Flames were extinguished. Gravity crushed everything within a 15-meter radius.
When the dust cleared—
DING!
[Flame Knight Commander HP: 2,100/8,000]
Over 5,000 damage in one hit.
The Commander was on its knees, struggling against the lingering gravity.
Ethan didn't waste the opening.
"Lightning Bolt! Ice Spear! Wind Blade! Fireball!"
He cast everything, draining his mana completely.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The spells hammered the boss relentlessly.
Finally—
DING!
[You have slain "Flame Knight Commander (Level 20 - Boss)"]
[+1,500 Experience Points]
[You have reached Level 17!]
[You have reached Level 18!]
[Floor 6 Cleared!]
Ethan collapsed to one knee, completely exhausted.
But he was alive.
And victorious.
DING!
[Calculating Rewards...]
[Reward 1: Rare Skill Book - Void Step (Rank A)]
[Reward 2: Flame Commander's Gauntlets (Rare)]
[Reward 3: 2,000 Credits]
[Reward 4: Commander's Essence x3]
Ethan's eyes widened.
An A-Rank skill?!
He opened the book immediately.
DING!
[You have learned: Void Step (Rank A)]
[Void Step: Teleport up to 50 meters through the void itself. Leaves afterimages that confuse enemies. Cooldown: 3 seconds.]
This was leagues better than Shadow Step.
Ethan also equipped the gauntlets and consumed the essences.
DING!
[Strength increased by 15!]
[Vitality increased by 10!]
His stats skyrocketed.
[Name: Ethan Cross]
[Level: 18]
[HP: 340/340]
[MP: 245/245]
[Strength: 105]
[Agility: 72]
[Intelligence: 95]
[Vitality: 82]
[Combat Power: 652]
Over 650 combat power.
At Level 18.
'I'm becoming a monster.'
DING!
[Proceed to Floor 7?]
Ethan selected YES.
But as the portal opened, a notification appeared.
DING!
[Warning: Demon God Malachar is interfering with Floor 7]
[Difficulty increased significantly]
[Recommended Level: 25+]
Ethan's expression darkened.
'He's actively trying to kill me now.'
But he didn't back down.
'Bring it on.'