After examining the dark elf’s corpse, Elijah came away with an extra sword and three silver Ethereum, which was the most he’d gotten from any individual kill. Fortunately, when he returned to where he’d left his equipment in the central chamber, he found that the blade was just small enough to fit inside his pack. So, he added it to his collection before settling down to rest and recuperate.

Because of his copious use of Iron Scales, he’d sustained very little actual damage. However, that same strategy had drained his stamina more thoroughly than anything he’d ever done. It felt like he’d just run two marathons back-to-back while carrying a sack of rocks on his back, and he very much needed a few hours of downtime.

It also didn’t help that he hadn’t really slept since entering the tower, which by his count, had been at least three days ago. Maybe as much as a week. Time felt a little squirrely when he had nothing to mark the passage of each day. He was also hungry and thirsty, so he spent a little time taking care of his biological necessities – and eating his last grove berry – before heading to one of the most isolated rooms he could find and settling down to take a nap.

It was a testament to how tired he was that he was able to fall asleep at all, and for the next few hours, Elijah slept like a contented baby. So, when he awoke, he felt ready to defeat the Champion and progress to the last level of the dungeon. So, he pushed himself upright, ate some mostly tasteless travel rations and drained one of his jugs of water. If he didn’t conquer the tower soon, he would have to start rationing his water. He’d only brought a handful of glass jugs, and there were only a couple left.

Pushing that out of his mind, Elijah climbed to his feet and went through a brief calisthenics routine so he could work out the kinks in his stiff muscles. He’d healed all his injuries from the day before, but his body still paid the price. However, it only took a quick cast of Healing Rain and a little stretching to banish the resulting soreness. Once he’d done that, Elijah set off through the Citadel and toward the stairs leading up to the Champion’s wing.

The old prisoner had pointed it out, but Elijah hadn’t needed it because the broad stairs were obviously important. At least forty feet wide at the base, they narrowed to only ten feet across after a hundred or so yards. From what Elijah had seen of the Citadel’s dimensions from the outside, the distances seemed impossible.

But magic was involved, so possible only seemed like a suggestion rather than a rule.

In any case, after getting himself into the right frame of mind, Elijah shouldered his two staves – one, the enormous ogre’s staff, and the other his Staff of Natural Harmony – then shifted his pack before embracing Shape of the Predator and slipping into the draconid form. Fortunately, the magic took care of the staves and his pack, leaving him free to progress up that long flight of intimidating stairs.

Once he reached the top, Elijah let Guise of the Predator settle across his shoulders before he approached the doors. To his surprise, the massive, gilded doors opened inwardly of their own volition. However, Elijah could see nothing but a black field on the other side. So, he took a deep breath, then pushed through.

Unlike when he’d progressed from one level to the next, he felt no sense of displacement. Instead, it was like walking through any other doorway. However, as he passed the threshold, his vision cleared and he saw a large expanse of glittering, grey sand.

More distressingly, Guise of the Unseen was forcefully canceled, leaving him entirely exposed. Elijah didn’t even have a chance to look around before a bellowing voice bounced off the walls to assail his ears.

“Little draconid!” it roared. “I have watched you dismantle my would-be challengers, and I approve of your methods! However, if you wish to face me, you will need to prove yourself worthy against more varied opponents! Do you accept the challenge?”

Elijah had only dedicated one facet of his mind to listening to the voice’s declaration. The other eight were occupied with cataloguing his surroundings. The floor was grey sand that glittered in the firelight of a hundred surrounding torches. The walls were tall and featureless, save for a sturdy gate on the other side of the circular room. However, the most surprising aspect was the fact that he could hear the din of hundreds – perhaps even thousands – of conversations.

“You must answer!”

Elijah finally found the source of the voice. He was an ogre, and yet, he was simultaneously larger and more muscular than any Elijah had seen below. Fifteen feet tall, with bulging muscles that made him look like a bodybuilder, the ogre wore nothing but a fur loincloth, hide boots that came up to mid-calf, and a leather harness crisscrossing his massive chest. Aside from a ragged scar that cut from his hairless scalp, diagonally across his face, and to the opposite jaw, his lumpy visage looked little different than the lesser ogres Elijah had so far encountered.

But even from so far away, he radiated power and authority as he stood on a platform atop the wall. Three elven women, all clad in gossamer robes, sat in elaborate chairs to either side of the massive ogre, and beyond the platform, Elijah saw the source of the din he’d heard before.

Hundreds of ogres and elves stood shoulder to shoulder in an enormous, bowl-shaped arena. That gave Elijah some insight into what sort of challenge the ogre offered. And given the point of the Task he’d been given, it didn’t take much for him to connect the dots. The path before him looked clear.

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He just didn’t like where it would lead him.

Elijah preferred to fight unfair battles. That was where he excelled. But with what was coming, he knew that wouldn’t be possible. For the first time, he would be forced to fight on even terms. No tricks. No clever plans. Just him against whatever opponents the ogre sent his way. He didn’t know if he could survive.

Still, it wasn’t as if he had a choice.

The walls were too high to climb, and he couldn’t go back the way he’d come. None of his spells could reach the ogre, either. So, he had no other option but to go along with the scenario.

So, knowing what was coming, Elijah shifted into his human form. As he did, he was suddenly aware of his own nudity. He hadn’t bothered dressing after defeating the ogres, largely because he hadn’t seen the point. Now, though, with thousands of ogres and elves looking down on him, he regretted the oversight.

Pushing his embarrassment aside, he cast Healing Rain. Then, he ensured his enhancements were still active before raising his voice and shouting, “I accept your challenge!”

The crowd roared.

The ogre clapped.

And the gate opened.

A trio of tall, goblinoid creatures strode forward.

“The challenger versus the Hobgoblin Trio!” announced the giant ogre. “Who will win? Place your bets now!”

The hobgoblins looked like their smaller counterparts, and yet, they were much larger. In addition, they had much more muscle and far more refined features. Still, each one wore a savage snarl on his face, and they all carried jagged and rusty swords.

Elijah had no intention of letting them get close. So, he used Snaring Roots, aiming just in front of them. Normally, he used the spell on a single opponent. However, it wasn’t really that limited. Instead, the vines that it manifested would attack any enemy that came too close. So, when the hobgoblins did just that, the thorny vines lashed out, tangling their legs.

One tripped and fell on his face. Another was briefly immobilized. And the last attacked the vines with his jagged sword, hacking through the thick roots with savage ferocity.

But it was just enough to allow enough time for Elijah to cast Swarm. Hundreds of hornets, each the size of Elijah’s thumb, swooped in, stinging the hobgoblins and delivering their afflictions. At the same time, he shifted into the Shape of the Guardian and raced forward. Using every point of Strength at his disposal, Elijah covered the ground in an instant. The immobilized hobgoblin that was his target stood no chance of dodging, and Elijah hit it like an out-of-control locomotive. The impact broke the comparatively slender hobgoblin’s bones, and Elijah ended its life only a second later when he grabbed its head like he was palming a basketball, and squeezed.

It popped like an overfilled water balloon, surprising even Elijah with its fragility.

However, he wasn’t going to sit there and stare. Instead, he wheeled around, and with a roar, raced toward the hobgoblin who was still trying to cut himself loose. Elijah reached out, grabbed him by the waist, and spun around before tossing him into the crowd. He didn’t see where the creature landed, but he felt the influx of kill energy that told him the hobgoblin was dead.

That left only one.

Elijah turned slowly before locking his eyes on his intended victim. These weren’t enemies. They were prey. And Elijah intended to make that abundantly clear. Seeing the approach of a massive lamellar ape, the hobgoblin let out a terrified scream. For his savage side, the sound was music to Elijah’s ears.

Before the hobgoblin could scramble away, Elijah leaped, and his arcing path ended when he landed upon the hobgoblin. Bones broke. Organs ruptured. And ultimately, the creature died an ignoble death.

Elijah bent down, scooped up the hobgoblin’s corpse, and tossed it at the ogre. It didn’t quite make it up to the platform, but it came close enough that the elven women flinched. The Champion – and that was who it had to be – pointedly did not, though.

“Impressive!” the ogre bellowed with a hearty laugh. “Very impressive. But how will you do against the next opponent?”

Elijah had no chance to answer before the gates opened once again, this time revealing a large, reptilian creature. Its torso was humanoid, but the bottom half resembled an enormous snake.

Elijah didn’t have much chance to study it, though, because the creature opened its mouth wide, then spat a glob of thick mucus in his direction. Elijah darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the projectile before rushing the snake-man. It moved as quick as its reptilian appearance would imply, and it managed to avoid Elijah’s charge.

It lashed out, raking its claws across his shoulder as he barreled past. However, Elijah used Iron Scales at the last second, and the snake-creature’s claws clanged harmlessly.

“The Naga are known for their speed and Dexterity as well as their potent venom. One nick can kill even the strongest warriors! Can our sturdy challenger compete with that? Place your bets!”

Elijah paid the ogre’s commentary little heed as he dashed in, aiming to end the fight in only a second. However, the creature once again evaded him, though he did manage to activate Iron Scales before it raked its claws across his ribs.

Like that, the fight went on, with neither side capable of gaining an advantage. At least that was the case until Elijah finally had enough and switched to his draconid form in mid-stride. The increased Dexterity was all he needed to land a solid blow, and with his claws, he ripped a long gash in the naga’s abdomen. Intestines spilled out, though Elijah was incapable of avoiding a retaliatory swipe that opened up a gash in his hind leg.

Fiery agony erupted from the wound, and his leg immediately spasmed. Yet, Elijah had endured pain before, and he managed to dash away before the naga warrior could follow it up. When he turned back to face the snake-like creature, he saw that it was struggling to gather its intestines. So, Elijah used that distraction to his advantage when he shifted into his human form, used Touch of Nature to counteract the monster’s venom, then aimed Storm’s Fury in the naga’s direction.

The creature had no chance of dodging, and it took the resulting lightning bolt square in the chest. It flew backwards, landing a few feet later in a coiled and twitching heap. Elijah didn’t let up, though. Instead, he hit it with another Storm’s Fury. And another after that. By the fourth, the creature’s twitching had become a full-blown seizure, and it died only a few seconds later.

“Incredible!” yelled the ogre. “Absolutely astounding! But can the challenger stand up to the Forest King himself?”

Something huge, green, and monstrous crashed through the gate, knocking the metal doors aside and letting out an immense roar.

“Place your bets now!”