The elevator doors opened with a soft hiss, revealing the 55th floor of the Azure Tower. Unlike the previous floors, which had been filled with haphazard, makeshift defenses and twisted, augmented mercenaries, this level had the air of something more carefully orchestrated. The walls were smooth, almost pristine—undisturbed by the chaos of the lower floors. But that didn't fool Caelum. The tension in the air was palpable. Whatever was coming, it was going to be worse than what they had faced before.
The moment they stepped out of the elevator, the first wave hit.
Figures clad in dark combat armor materialized from the shadows, their eyes glowing a sickly green. These weren't the random, twisted mercs they had fought on earlier floors—these were trained, methodical, and relentless. The Abyssal Seraphim had warned them that the further they climbed, the stronger the enemies would become. Caelum could feel the weight of it now.
He gripped his Eclipsed Spear tightly as Alric raised his fiery blade in a defensive stance.
"We push through," Caelum said with grim determination. "We have to clear this floor to move on."
Alric nodded, a wild grin tugging at his lips. "I've been waiting for a challenge like this."
The first wave of enemies charged forward, and the fight began in earnest. Caelum's soldiers were already in position, with the Light Soldiers keeping watch from high above and the Shadow Soldiers weaving in and out of the darkness, picking off enemies from the flanks. The Light Manticore hovered protectively near Caelum, its celestial energy crackling as it lashed out at any foe that drew too close, while the Shadow Manticore remained in the shadows, pouncing with deadly precision whenever an enemy got too bold.
Caelum's spear was a blur of motion, striking with deadly accuracy as each enemy came into range. His body moved like a machine, his senses heightened by the neural interface and the enhancements of his Abyssal Convergence form. Alric, on the other hand, was a whirlwind of fire and fury, cutting through foes with his blazing sword as though they were nothing more than paper.
As the last of the mercenaries fell, their bodies dissolving into ash, Caelum wiped the sweat from his brow. He was exhausted. The fight had been hard, and the enemies were stronger than ever.
"That's the last of them," Alric said, sheathing his sword. He looked around at the empty, quiet corridor. "We need a break."
Caelum nodded. His body ached, and though he was accustomed to pushing through the pain, he knew it was important to conserve his strength for the battles ahead. He motioned to his soldiers, ordering them to take up positions and keep watch.
"Set up a perimeter. I'll rest for a bit," Caelum said as he slumped against the wall. He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing the shadows and light soldiers to remain vigilant.
Alric nodded in agreement and began to sit down, his back resting against a nearby wall. He closed his eyes too, allowing himself a brief moment of respite.
As Caelum leaned back, finally able to catch his breath, he pulled up his stats screen, eager to see how far he had come since entering the tower. The interface was always there, right in front of him, waiting for him to interact.
Caelum's Stats Screen
Name: Caelum BlackWell
Class: None (Unclassified)
Level: 15
Experience: 12,000/15,000
HP: 250/325
Mana: 250/250
Stamina: 210/210
Attributes:
Strength: 18 (+4)Dexterity: 22 (+5)Constitution: 20 (+3)Intelligence: 16 (+2)Wisdom: 14 (+2)Charisma: 13 (+1)
Abilities:
Abyssal Convergence (Passive) – Channel Abyssal energy for increased strength, speed, and resilience.Light Soldier Summon (Active) – Summon a Light Soldier to fight on your behalf.Shadow Soldier Summon (Active) – Summon a Shadow Soldier to fight on your behalf.Eclipsed Spear (Active) – A powerful spear made from the fusion of light and shadow.Abyssal Form (Active) – Merge with the Abyss to increase combat prowess for a short duration.
Items:
Eclipsed Spear of Dawnshadow (Unique Weapon)Abyssal Convergence Shard (Passive Boost to Strength and Agility)Neural Interface (Augmentation)
Caelum stared at the screen for a moment, processing the numbers. He had gone up a significant amount of levels since he had entered the tower—he was now level 15, which was a notable achievement considering the fierce battles he had faced. But what interested him more was the number of stat points he had to allocate.
Stat Points to Allocate: 10
He needed to make these points count, especially considering how strong the enemies had become. After a few moments of thought, he decided to focus on bolstering his combat effectiveness.
He allocated 5 points into Intelligence, enhancing his magical abilities and his control over the light and shadow powers. Then, he spent 3 points into Wisdom, boosting his tactical awareness and resistance to mental fatigue. The remaining 2 points were placed into Strength, giving him a little extra physical power for when the close-range fights got intense.
With that, he confirmed the changes and watched as his stats updated, feeling the rush of power as his body subtly adjusted to the enhancements.
Caelum's Updated Stats Screen
Name: Caelum BlackWell
Class: None (Unclassified)
Level: 15
Experience: 12,000/15,000
HP: 350/350
Mana: 270/270
Stamina: 230/230
Attributes:
Strength: 20 Dexterity: 22 Constitution: 20 Intelligence: 21 Wisdom: 17 Charisma: 13
He leaned back against the wall, satisfied with the progress he had made. His body felt stronger, more attuned to the new enhancements. But this was just the beginning. He still had a long way to go before he reached the top of the tower—and the fight with Echo-33 was looming larger than ever.
"Ready?" Alric asked, breaking the silence.
Caelum nodded, standing up and giving his soldiers one last look. "We move on. The 56th floor awaits."
They set off again, heading deeper into the tower, knowing that each floor would test them even more than the last.