*Clang!*
*Boom!*
Almond’s sword clashed against Galvaren’s, sending bursts of golden lightning and crimson-black energy into the air, their power creating violent shockwaves with each impact.
“Good!” Almond grinned as he gripped his heavy broadsword, its blade crackling with arcs of golden lightning that danced fiercely along its edge.
He stood firm, sweat beading on his brow as the oppressive heat radiating from Galvaren bore down on him. The air between them shimmered with elemental tension—fire and lightning preparing to collide.
Ten meters ahead stood Galvaren. He was a towering humanoid monster whose semi-armored body was covered in jagged, molten-black scales streaked with glowing crimson veins. His massive, leathery wings extended from his back, trailing smoke and embers with every movement, slicing through the air like fiery scythes.
In his clawed hands rested a colossal, broken, heavy sword, its jagged edges glowing faintly with infernal energy. The sheer force of his swings carved molten trenches into the ground, each strike more devastating than the last.
Galvaren kicked off the ground, his wings propelling him forward with explosive speed. Almond met him mid-charge, their weapons colliding in a deafening clang that lit up the battlefield with sparks and aura blasts.
“Not bad, but you gotta give me more than that,” Almond grinned as he masterfully swung his Super-grade sword—Lightning Crownsun Edge, the one he commissioned using the Super-rank material, Thunderstone Trotto Shard.
This wide, heavy sword crackled with lightning as Almond swung it, its strange wooden handle with patterns of golden vine carrying the sun shining sharply.
A powerful force unleashed from it as Almond struck his sword, instantly disarming Galvaner as his broken heavy sword streaked away, striking the wall 200 meters away with a defeating sound as the surrounding wall melted, turning lava.
‘Sword Bending Motion’
In the next second, Almond’s sword swiftly struck Galvaner thrice on his chest, reducing his vitality to 0%.
“Now, get real,” Almond grinned as he moved back. Galvaner’s trait was about to kick in.
Galvaren’s glowing red eyes burned with unrelenting rage, his clawed hands bursting out in crimson black flames as his sword materialized in his hand, its broken blade becoming complete.
The sword was the size of his own 3-meter-tall body, its completed form evoking awe and dread.
Gripping his blade tightly, Galvaner bellowed in frustration as flames burst out of his molten, cracked skin. Horn-like protrusions crowned his head, radiating a regal aura, while his wings flared and thinned out, appearing more devilish and refined, completing his fearsome appearance as the Crimson Skylord.
Leaping high into the air, Galvaren raised his sword overhead, molten energy with black ink trailing from its jagged edge. With a deafening roar, he brought it down in a sweeping arc, aiming to cleave Almond in two.
Almond sidestepped just in time, the fiery strike carving a molten fissure into the earth where he had been standing moments before. Without hesitation, Almond counterattacked, his broadsword humming with electric fury as he lunged forward, unleashing a lightning-infused slash that crackled through the air.
The blow connected, sparks and shards of molten scale erupting from Galvaren’s torso. The Crimson Skylord roared in pain but retaliated immediately, swinging a spiked gauntlet in a brutal backhand that caught Almond mid-dash. The force sent Almond skidding across the ground, dirt and debris flying in his wake.
“Hahahaha, how was that, Master?!” Galvaren bellowed, smoke rising from his searing scales. His wings unfurled, creating a wave of heat as he hovered just above the ground, his molten-black body radiating destructive power.
Almond groaned but smirked, planting his sword into the ground to pull himself upright. “Not bad, Skylord,” he taunted, golden lightning sparking along his arms. “But I’m just getting started.”
And in the next second, Almond proceeded to completely dominate Galvaner for two minutes straight.
“I am in awe…master…”
*Thud!*
Galavner slumped on the ground, his eyes flickering and hazy.
“That was fun,” Almond sat down as he focused on stabilizing his breathing.
‘Finally got an evenly matching sparring partner.’
Even enough to let him explore his sword and evenly enough to give him some challenge due to having higher stats than him.
[Crimson Skylord Galvaren]
Backstory: Galvaren was as kind and warmhearted as his strength, which was lauded as the strongest. He was the most powerful king of the Infernal Sky Kingdom until it was destroyed by the demonic army. He fought for days and nights against the Demonic Commanders until the last drop of his blood. Dead amidst despair, the king rose from his death at the will of his subjects. He could hear them, see them, feel them, for all of them wanted vengeance. Resurrected and awakened, Galveren annihilated the entire Demonic Army and bound himself to the dead kingdom, swearing to eternally protect it.
Rank: Gold
Level: 100
Stats:
— Physical:
↳ [Strength: 200 | Health: 200 | Stamina: 200]
— Mental:
↳ [Mana: 200 | Focus: 200 | Perception: 200]
Skills:
— Bloodwing Frenzy (A)
— Crimson Dive Bomb (S)
— Hellfire Lightning Skycrown (S)
— Winged Havoc (A)
— Abyssal Sky Rend (A)
— Infernal Bloodbolt Cyclone (S)
— Blazing Wrath Slash (A)
— Doomcall Memory (SS)
— Raging Eruption (A)
— Emberstorm Pouch (S)
—
Quirk(s):
— Infernal Skylord: As Galvaren’s health decreases, its strength and speed increase significantly. While airborne, Galvaren gains enhanced agility and generates more firepower the faster he is.
— A King’s Vengence: Upon death, establish the ethereal superimposition of the destroyed Infernal Sky kingdom in a 100-500 meters radius of a circular zone, with no limit of upward distance. Within this zone, Galvaren’s stats are boosted by 100%, and all of his skills are enchanted with bonus effects. His stamina consumption is zero within this zone, allowing him to physically fight without stopping for an hour, even without Mana. Duration: 1 hour. 1 activation per day.
Almond looked at Galvaren and thought, ‘Floor Boss spirit definitely played a big part in making Galvaren this skilled fighter.’
The Spirit of Floor Boss was more similar to a human spirit than a monster’s spirit.
That boss was a berserker, and Galvaren had inherited that fighting style, along with its signature broken heavy sword. Of course, he also created a backstory that vibed with Floor Boss’s image, one of the reasons this Spirit Wraith acquired a sword, like how Ben, Ashkar, and Nyssara had their innate weapons related to what he mentioned in their backstory.
“Galvaren, show me your sword.”
Galvaren threw his sword while still lying on the ground, and it landed a meter away from Almond’s right side.
Touching the sword, Almond inspected it.
‘It’s the same type of weapon as the other three,’ Almond’s eyes glinted. ‘I’ll have to upgrade their weapons eventually, so I should find out how.’
“Almond, is that the new summon?”
“Woah, dreadful handsome-ugly mix kingly berserker? Am I correct?”
Almond chuckled as he got up and turned to the duo, “You sure took your time.”
“That golden frog took its sweet time,” Lily rolled her eyes.
“We didn’t want to bother finding it in the stream, so while waiting, Lily was helping me with sound element training. The black holes in that cavern are pretty useful since they release sound elemental rings.”
“Nice, did you progress?” Almond blinked as he asked Natalia.
“Nope, but I feel like I’ll improve after I return. A bit of training and meditation will help me reach the next rank,” Natalia grinned.
“What about the other two?” Lily asked as she took out a card and added. “I’ll contact them.”
“No need.” A voice trail trailed out from the entrance to this hall as Marcus and Maya arrived while riding on Chimera Frank.
“Did you notice anything?” Almond asked as he turned to Lily.
“No sound on the floor,” Lily pointed her palm on the floor and blasted pure mana energy after condensing it into an orb. The floor broke, but no sound was produced.
“That is indeed weird,” Maya nodded as she walked towards them after jumping off Chimera Frank’s back.
“No, it is weird because this wasn’t the case before,” Almond frowned and turned to the central magic circle. “Well, the items are here, and this happened when you two were here…”
“There’s mist at the entrance now,” Lily narrowed her eyes. “It wasn’t there before.”
Almond paused and turned to the entrance, “Alright, now this is something that doesn’t happen. I’m sure of it.”
“Did we trigger some kind of condition then?” Marcus raised his eyebrows.
“I am getting creeped out now,” Natalia felt cringed.
“Whatever that case is, there’s only one thing we can do and should do,” Almond turned back to the magic circle and continued walking. “It’s time to summon the Floor Boss.”
Everyone walked towards the magic circle as they put the items on it.
[Your party is qualified for Heroic Challenge mode. Do you wish to proceed with the Floor Boss fight in the Heroic Challenge mode?]
[Note: In the Heroic challenge mode, you cannot exit the Floor Boss chamber until you defeat the Boss. Either you win, or you die.]
“Is this for real?” Marcus swallowed. “First time hearing this.”
“Same,” Maya nodded.
“Well, same for me,” Natalia said with a dumbfounded expression. “What the shit?”
Almond and Lily looked at each other.
[Two people from your party have agreed. All party members must agree to start the Heroic Challenge mode.]
Maya blinked, and as she looked at Almond and Lily, “You two have heard about this?”
“Nope.”
Both Lily and Almond replied simultaneously while shaking their heads.
“But you still want to do it?”
“Yep.”
Both of them nodded while smiling.
“Alright,” Maya nodded, her face turning severe, but her eyes held a hint of excitement nonetheless.
“Let’s fucking do this then,” Marcus grinned.
[Four members have agreed. One left.]
“Goddamn it,” Natalia sighed. “Y’all will be the death of me.”
“Wait, did I just give myself a death flag? Alright, I’m out.”
“…”
[The Floor Boss is spawning. You have 1 minute to prepare. You are not allowed to leave anymore.] Experience new tales on empire