"S-such... overwhelming power..."

Levius weakly managed as I stood over him and his three clones on one of the floating islands on the 40th floor.

I made sure to choose a space far away from other Players to indulge in Levius's request for a duel, not wanting to cause any unnecessary distraction or alarm. The 40th floor was vast, with floating islands of varying sizes scattered throughout, each covered in a thick layer of fog that obscured the bottomless abyss beneath them. The only constant was the eerie silence, occasionally pierced by the distant cries of the angelic monsters in the distance.

"Well? Satisfied now?" I asked, moving my Soultaker away from his neck.

"Incredibly so," Levius grinned, getting back up and dispersing his clones. His halving ability that had given me so much trouble in the virtual game of 'Last Stand' wasn't a threat anymore due to my Neutralize Skill, and his Flooded Kingdom was basically inferior to my own Holy Element empowered version. In short, I had grown exponentially stronger since the 30th floor, quickly defeating Levius and his clones in minutes by myself.

"Thanks for the spar, Infinite Immortal," he said, brushing off the dust from his clothes. "Ever since the Celestial Twin Snakes, my fighting spirit has been burning for a good challenge."

I stowed away the Soultaker, taking in the scenery of the angelic themed floor for a moment. "Do you ever wonder if your original being is still out there somewhere?"

Levius's smile faltered, his eyes briefly looking into the distance before returning to me. "I've had plenty of time to think about it. But honestly, it doesn't matter anymore. This is my purpose now. Though I may be a specter of my former self, I still retain my own memories. So, as long as I still exist by way of your powers, I am satisfied."

"Huh." I nodded slowly, considering his words. "So, what's it like when you're not summoned? You're a specter right? A former shadow of your original being?"

Levius looked at me with a faint smile. "When I'm not summoned, I'm... I don't really know how to explain it. It's like being in a dreamless sleep, but with a constant sense of existence. I'm aware of the world, but not part of it. It's a peculiar feeling."

"That doesn't sound so bad," I mused, turning my gaze back to the floating islands. "I guess it's better than nothing."

My thoughts trailed back to my own specter, which had been so intimidating and powerful, since it had a higher power boost compared to me. I shivered, thinking about what it would be like to have to fight something that would always be several times stronger than me. But, that was for the future. For now, I had to focus on the World Raid and what awaited us.

With about 9 hours left, I headed to the Abyssal Bistro to see if I could talk to Izu. I knew that Enigma had dungeon resonance stones I could use, but I figured that now was as good of a time as any to start building relationships with the members of the Noble guild. Granted, I only knew that Izu was in the guild alongside Nephilim, who I had yet to meet, but I had to start somewhere.

What was once an eerie and unnatural atmosphere the first time I entered the restaurant was now slightly welcoming, if only because I was now in the same guild as Izu. The exotic spices assaulted my senses as I was greeted by a different host this time. A short, plump man with a balding head and a thick mustache looked up from his podium.

"Ah, Luquier. Miss Izu has been expecting you," the host said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.

"Oh. Okay..." I murmured, following the host to the back of the restaurant. I knew that Izu had some sort of mind-reading Skills, but could she also see into the future? That'd be pretty powerful...

As I considered the potential of my guildmate, the host led me through the dimly lit restaurant, passing by several other Players enjoying their meals. We finally arrived at a private booth where Izu sat, her golden eyes peering at me over the rim of a teacup. She set the cup down, her smile widening slightly as she took in my appearance.

"Welcome, Luquier," she said, gesturing to the seat opposite her. "I hope you don't mind me knowing you'd be coming. I had a... feeling."

Just to be on the safe side, I tried to clear my thoughts as best I could. Izu chuckled, as if she knew what I was thinking. Which wouldn't be too far off.

"Relax, Luquier, I assure you, I'm not going to be reading your mind very often," Izu said, amusement lacing her voice. "Though I do admit, the ability does come in handy at times."

I smiled back awkwardly as I took a seat across from her. "S-so, I guess you already have an idea of why I'm here?"

"Doesn't take much to know, really. With the World Raid alert, it's only reasonable that Players should want to be as strong as possible," Izu shrugged, leaning back in her seat. "And I can just tell you're very much like Nephilim."

I raised an eyebrow, but Izu continued, "By that, I mean that you seem to share the same mindset of simply burying yourselves in the game. Without much thought as to your own safety or health."

[She's got a point. Frankly even I'm getting tired of the same old grind...]

"That... tracks," I admitted, feeling a bit self-conscious. "But I can't just sit around doing nothing, especially with how the world is right now. I need to be ready for whatever comes my way."

Izu's smile grew softer. "That's exactly what Nephilim would say. I've seen it firsthand, his dedication to this game, to this world. It's both inspiring and concerning." She paused, her gaze becoming more serious. "But I understand your urgency. I've prepared something for you."

The Abyss Walker took out a couple of illuminous gemstones from the shadows around her. I assumed they were monster cores as she placed them on the table.

"I hand-picked quite a few cores from our guild's vast supplies, but these... these are special," Izu said, pushing the glowing stones towards me. "These are the dungeon resonance gems you requested. They're not easy to come by, but your potential and what you've shown so far is... quite intriguing."

"Thanks. Wait, I didn't request any-" I stopped myself, realizing she probably read my mind. "Er, I appreciate it."

Izu's eyes gleamed with curiosity and amusement. "Don't worry, I didn't pry into your thoughts. Your intentions are as clear as day to me."

"A-am I really that obvious...?" I sheepishly took the offered gems.

Izu chuckled. "It's quite all right. In fact, I'd say it's refreshing to see someone like you who's so straightforward with their intentions. But let's not dwell on that," she waved her hand dismissively. "These dungeon resonance gems are quite high-leveled, though I'm sure you'll be able to clear them without much difficulty."

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

I examined the glowing gems in my hand. Each one was a different color and emitted a faint humming noise. A slight thrill ran through my body at the thought of exploring and conquering more dungeons. With roughly 8 hours left until whatever the World Raid was going to happen, I was more than eager to begin entering.

"Not that I'm ungrateful or anything... but what's the catch for giving me these dungeon resonance gems?" I asked, glancing back towards Izu.

She simply gave me a soft smile. "There's no catch, Luquier. As I'm sure you've heard, Jethro- sorry, Nephilim, pretty much holds the record for most dungeon resonance gems supplied. That means our guild is quite wealthy when it comes to that, so these stones are pennies, figuratively speaking."

"But-" I began to protest, but she held up a hand to silence me.

"If you truly wish to repay me, then clear the dungeon resonances and gather the material drops. I can sell those materials to add to our guild vault, which is available to all members as well," Izu continued. "It's a win-win for both of us. Plus, it's a good way to test your limits and build up your strength before the main event."

I nodded, feeling a little better about taking the stones. Hey, if something was basically free, I wasn't going to waste the opportunity. "Alright, I'll do that," I agreed, slipping the gems into my Inventory. "What are you going to do to prepare?"

"I believe I'm more than prepared enough as it stands," Izu replied nonchalantly. "At this point, I'm more concerned about the rest of the Players. While I don't have an exact idea of what the World Raid is, I'm fairly certain those who aren't up to par will greatly suffer."

I grew quiet, sharing Izu's worries. Thinking back, I was more than capable of taking care of myself. However, could I say the same for everyone else? Seth and Ophelia I was pretty certain could handle themselves. Aurora, Gigi, and Celine could probably do so as well. But Tommy was incredibly underpowered compared to the floors I last saw him on, and I wasn't sure he was leveling up as much as everyone else I knew.

"Yeah, you have a point," I murmured, getting ready to leave. "Thanks for the gems, Izu."

"Good luck," she said with a nod. "I'm looking forward to seeing you stand beside me and Nephilim."

I left the Abyssal Bistro with a feeling of both excitement and dread. Time was ticking away, and the weight of the upcoming event grew heavier with each step. The gems in my Inventory felt like a lifeline, a chance to catch up to the powerful players I knew were out there.

[Are you just going to solo the dungeon resonances? :o]

"It'd honestly be faster by myself," I told Sephera, glancing down at one of the glowing stones I pulled out. "But after all those exercises with teamwork and such, I'm thinking about inviting some friends to farm with me."

[Ugh, you mean I'm going to have to watch you mindlessly grind dungeons again?]

"You could always... not." I suggested to Sephera, a hint of amusement in my voice. But even as I said it, I knew that she would be by my side, watching and supporting me through the grind. She had become more than just an Admin or guide to me. She was a constant, a friend, and I valued her presence more than I cared to admit.

As Sephera sent complaining messages, I pulled out my phone, texting a couple of people. While I was used to grinding out levels, it was going to be on a different scale this time.

----------------------------------------

"Jesus, Luke..."

Tommy muttered as I rejoined the group on the ground. There, Celine, Tommy, Gigi, and for some reason Aurora were all gathered as I slayed the last of the gargoyles. Out of the few people I had reached out to, the first three responded, and I assumed Gigi had told Aurora about my leveling, since I didn't exactly invite my sister.

In the dungeon resonance we were in, the enemies were gothic-themed, with a matching level design to boot. The walls were made of a mix of stone and marble, with stained glass windows depicting scenes of angels and demons doing battle. The floor was a checkerboard of black and white tiles, with intricate designs etched into the stones. The gargoyles were particularly nasty, with their sharp teeth and claws that reflected the flickering light from the torches on the walls.

Since Aurora and Tommy were more melee-based, Gigi had set up turrets and androids to help them out on the ground while Celine provided buffs to us. I'll admit it, despite the fact that I could summon specters, I was still envious and in awe of Gigi's mechanical creations. They were versatile, numerous, and had a certain flair to them that my specters lacked. Oh well, at least I could selectively choose which beings I wanted in my specter army.

As the thought crossed my mind, I suddenly took out the ring responsible for that ability, rereading the descriptions.

"Oh fuck. It lets me summon specters of opponents slain..." I murmured, opening up the submenu for the ring. It hadn't occurred to me that I could summon more than just the specters of the bosses or Muriel.

[Current number of available specters: 5,589]

[!!! Dude!]

I shared Sephera's surprise. I had been so focused on utilizing the strongest specters that I hadn't considered I had my very own army at my disposal. Ever since I had upgraded the ring, the fodder mobs I had hacked and slashed without a second thought had been building up steadily. Not only that, I had forgotten that I could use the specters I gain as second lives. That meant that I could potentially resurrect almost 6000 times. On top of my Title's abilities, the Soultaker, the Realmwalker's damage redirection, and potentially my pendant, I was pretty much immortal, so as long as I had sufficient Risk points and specters.

I had to fight the urge to test out the ability I discovered, as I noticed the lowest cost was 5 Risk points while the upper tier of fodder specters sat around 100. That meant that summoning the entire roster would be at least half a million, and that was without the boss specters.

I sighed as I cleared the screens, walking back to join with the rest of the group. It wasn't practical to test it out here, but I had a feeling there wouldn't really be a need for me to summon an entire specter army at this point.

Tommy was the first to speak up, "You okay, man? You've been looking at that ring for a while."

"Yeah, just reinforcing my immortality," I casually waved off his concern, slipping the ring back on my finger. "We should get going to the boss room. How's everyone's leveling progress?"

They each shared their experiences, and surprisingly, everyone had gained at least 20 levels in the short amount of time we had been there. That was good, especially for the first dungeon resonance. I myself only gained five levels, but that was fine, since we had more gems to run anyway. With a little over one billion Stat Points, I put half of them into my Risk, rounding it out to 600 million.

I wasn't too worried about the system checking me, considering Izu had given me a sort of hint to its detection mechanism. Apparently, Nephilim had stopped putting points into his stats right after he began to experience the same disruptions I had, stockpiling his extra Stat Points for the future. I suspected that he, along with other like-minded Players aware of the system balancing, were preparing to dump them all into their Stats once the World Raid began or when we hit the 50th level- assuming we'd reach that point.

Pretty soon, we reached the boss room, the grand finale of the gothic dungeon. The door was tall and menacing, adorned with carvings of twisted creatures locked in a war. As we approached, the door creaked open on its own, revealing a vast chamber filled with a dense fog that obscured the far walls.

"I wonder if it's just another gargoyle boss," Celine mused as we cautiously entered the room, weapons at the ready. The floor was a checkered pattern of black and white tiles, stretching into the obscurity of the fog. The walls were lined with torches, their flickering lights casting eerie shadows across the chamber.

"Eh, then this dungeon would be a huge letdown," Tommy quipped, his voice echoing slightly in the large space. "We also saw some chimeras and zombies, so maybe the boss is completely different."

Gigi nodded in agreement, her eyes darting around the room as she set up turrets and readied three androids. "We should be prepared for anything."

I smiled faintly, gripping my Soultaker tighter. With the shackles on, my stats were still vastly greater than the entire party combined, and I was still more than enough to take out swarms of lesser monsters by myself. I glanced at Aurora, who offered a wry smile.

"What, you thinking of making a bet?" My sister smirked at me, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"It'd make the final grind before the World Raid more fun," I quipped back, trying to lighten the mood. I had more or less come to terms with my current relationship with Aurora, and decided to try and patch things up slowly. "How about whoever has the most kills before it starts? We have maybe six or seven dungeon resonance stones to burn through."

My sister's grin grew wider. "You're on, little bro."