Fray's gaze met the closing windows of the fortress wall, the eyes within them reflecting a growing despair.
( It's time ) Fray looking at the signs he mumbled " First phase"
[ You have activated an unknown skill ]
[ Your stats will be multiplied by 35 times ]
[ Level : 3 ( 300 exp points to upgrade)
Strength: 17*35
Speed:15*35
Energy:0
Defense 14*35 ]
Now as Fray reached the 3rd level he was finally able to summon Narod.
Thus, in tandem, Fray's muscles swelled beneath his armour, and a surge of strength surged through his body. Kneeling down, he launched his body towards the fortress.
At the same moment as Fray approached, the wall came alive, parting to reveal a massive ominous red eye behind. The massive eye opened just to find Fray just a few feet away from it.
Fray, mid-air, with a hatchet in hand, slashed at the eyes, causing a deep dark wound.
"Roooar!!"
A deafening roar echoed from the door below. The wounded eyes retreated to the darkness, as the wall started closing, concealing the malevolent darkness.
Without hesitation, Fray slid through the narrowing crack before it sealed. Inside, he found himself in a dimly lit hall, surrounded by foreboding dark walls adorned with numerous watching eyes. Above, the injured eyes on the ceiling remained closed.
( I have to finish this before the eye opens) Fray, fueled by urgency, pressed on, his determined eyes fixed upon a large dark stone tome at the centre of the room.
Without halting, still suspended in the air, expansive wings emerged from Fray's armour. With his axe gripped tightly, he dashed towards the ominous tome.
Shooting through the air, Fray faced with the relentless assault of energy beams from the multitude of eyes, skillfully maneuvered through the onslaught, his movements swift and calculated.
As the attacks now weakened, he easily evaded the slower beams, reaching the dark stone tome with determination.
Landing on the tome with a forceful swing, his hatchet struck the tome, creating a resounding clash and a violent wind explosion.
Clash!!!
To his dismay, the stone tome remained intact, resilient against his formidable blow. Fray, realizing the strength of the tome surpassing his expectations, glanced up at the massive eye above, now slowly opening with ominous intent.
Urgency gripped Fray as he decided to unleash his most potent attack. Drawing his hand back with the hatchet firmly in his grip, he contorted his hand at an impossible angle, twisting it grotesquely.
Fray's enhanced muscles, capable of stretching beyond the conceivable limits, strained against the unnatural movement.
Crack!!
yet despite his enhanced body cracks echoed as his arm resisted the full force, he pressed on, the space resonated with ominous crackling sounds as his arm resisted the full force.
Suddenly, a powerful energy beam struck back, inflicting a deep wound upon him. Undeterred, Fray's hand blurred with incredible speed, launching towards the tome with a resounding impact.
Clash!!!
The attack unleashed a colossal wind explosion, shattering the stone tome into countless pieces in the blink of an eye. The chamber echoed with the aftermath, victory tinged with the lingering pain of Fray's sacrifice.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
. . .
Rin stood shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the group, his features concealed beneath his mask, gazing at the once formidable Fortress, now silent and devoid of movement. Suddenly, several ethereal windows materialized before them, revealing cryptic messages.
[ The Merciless Clan has defeated the Dreadshade Citadel ]
[ The Merciless Clan has gained 1000 exp points ]
[ The Merciless Clan is the first to complete the second challenge with a 100% participation rate in 13.5 hours ]
[The Merciless Clan has gained an A-rank score ]
[ Merciless Clan is the first in the seventh path rankings ]
[ The Merciless Clan is the first in the ranking of all the seven paths ]
Rin and Sina exchanged glances, their eyes shifting between the windows and the now seemingly dormant castle. A complex mix of emotions played across Sina's face, hidden behind her mask. Thoughts raced through her mind: (We really did it!? We reached the highest score in just one day.)
However, Sina's jubilation found a contrasting response. Casper, muttered with a tone of disappointment, "Just A. So that's what the master meant when he said this is just the first step."
Sina, perplexed, leaned towards Rin and whispered, "Why are they disappointed? We got the highest ranking."
Rin, staring at the castle with a stoic voice, replied, "I'm not sure. I'm done trying to comprehend these people. I will just follow orders without questioning from now on."
Interrupting their conversation, the gate of the castle swung open, and Fray emerged, battered and bloodied, gripping his right arm, while his axe hung on his back. Elisa rushed towards Fray, concern etched on her face as she asked, "What happened? Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. These injuries will heal fast, but I don't think I will be able to fight freely for some time," Fray mumbled, surrounded by the entire group.
On the other side of the bridge, Lila observed the scene, her team by her side. As the windows announced the end of the challenge, a complicated expression crossed her face. One of her team members inquired, "Lila, the mission is finished. What should we do now?"
Lila, with a serious face, turned and said, "Let's return to the forest. We have to kill monsters and gather exp points." As she stepped forward, entering the forest with her team, Lila couldn't shake the thought that if they didn't become strong enough, the Merciless Clan would rule the path, leaving them always behind.
Meanwhile, Adam stood in front of Fray, and asked, "So, what's the next move? How can we exceed expectations this time ?"
Fray looked at the group with a serious face before stating, "This is not the only castle in the seventh path. In this challenge, those who entered this path were divided into five groups, each with a fortress to conquer."
A massive grin appeared on Casper's face as he exclaimed, "Haha, so we will steal the other four castles!"
. . .
A group of over a hundred warriors emerged from the dense forest, their faces revealing a mixture of relief and weariness. Before them loomed a towering fortress on the other side of a wide, tumultuous river, connected by a lone, weathered bridge.
As they gathered, expressions of gratitude and exhaustion filled the air, directed towards the Guardians' Clan, the enigmatic guides who had steered them through the perilous forest and ensured their survival.
Attention gravitated towards a Guardians team of six individuals, who were all unlike other warriors with visible faces
Especially the attention was focused on a young man, With golden hair wielding a substantial sword. Lucas, positioned beside him, informed Luke, "They're expressing gratitude to you. Their survival is attributed to your leadership."
But despite the accolades, Luke's countenance remained complex. He shifted his gaze to the warriors—many showing signs of injury and fatigue—then turned his attention to Aslin by his side, nursing a bloody shoulder. Internally, he reflected, (I don't merit these compliments. I couldn't even safeguard Aslin. If only I possessed more strength or wisdom, this could have been avoided.)
Observing Luke's inner turmoil, Lisa by his side offered reassurance, "Don't be too hard on yourself. We've reached our final destination, and with the help of the warriors we've saved, I'm confident we'll be the first to conquer this challenge." Her conviction resonated through the scene.
Luke, comforted by her words, felt a sense of relief. He pondered, (Yes, Lisa's correct. I saved warriors and reached the castle on the first day. There's likely no one who could have done better. Now, we'll take on the fortress, become the strongest, then we will have the power to save more people) Determination gleamed in Luke's eyes.
As Luke's thoughts swirled with determination, the warriors' excitement was abruptly interrupted by the sudden emergence of a bewildering window before them.
[ The Merciless Clan has finished the second challenge with a 100% participation rate and an A-rank score.]
"H-How is this possible!?" Lisa, with a pale face, mumbled in shock as she stared at the unexpected announcement.
The entire group shared Lisa's astonishment. Pride for their achievement in reaching the fortress within a day dissipated, replaced by a complex mix of emotions. Not only did another group manage to complete the challenge, but they did so with a flawless 100% participation rate, indicating they hadn't received any external assistance.
"..." Luke