[[Location: 11th Floor - Competition Zone]] [[Time Remaining Until the End of the Trial: 72:00:00]]
Mark and Kilian appeared in a flash of blinding light. When they opened their eyes, they found themselves at the top of a massive hill, overlooking a vast and wild landscape. Around them, the land stretched as far as the eye could see, interrupted by misty mountains, dense forests, and ancient ruins. A heavy atmosphere weighed on the place, as if every inch of this world had witnessed brutal battles.
A notification from the system appeared before them:
[[Welcome to the 11th Floor Trial.]] [[Rules: Each duo must accumulate 10,000 points by hunting creatures of varying levels or eliminating other players. The trial lasts for three days. At the end, a ranking will be established, and the top teams will receive exceptional rewards.]]
Mark clenched his fists. This was the first time humans would have to fight each other in the dungeon. Until now, they had all been survivors facing monsters, but now, everything was different. Every duo could be a potential enemy.
Kilian, standing beside him, scanned the horizon.
— "This is going to be a bloodbath," he murmured.
The ground suddenly trembled beneath their feet, and down below, they saw other players appearing at different locations across the zone. A dozen teams were already visible, and at first glance, some of them were far more evolved than they had imagined.
One team stood out immediately: two massive figures, clad in black armor engraved with mysterious inscriptions, stood motionless, their eyes glowing with a fierce light. Their presence was overwhelming.
— "Those guys are different," Kilian noted.
— "We can't underestimate anyone here," Mark replied. "For now, our goal is to gather points. We'll deal with the fights between players later."
A bestial roar echoed across the valley, signaling the start of the trial. In the plains below, massive silhouettes began moving, their heavy bodies tearing through the morning mist. The first creatures of the 11th floor had appeared.
Mark and Kilian exchanged a glance. It was time to start the hunt.
As they descended the hill, Mark quickly analyzed their surroundings. The trees were tall and gnarled, with thick roots snaking across the ground, which meant the terrain could be an obstacle in fast-paced combat. The wind whistled faintly, but no other sounds could be heard apart from the distant growls of awakened creatures.
— "What's our first target?" Kilian asked.
— "We need a monster that gives points without exhausting us right away. We don't know how tough these creatures really are yet."
Kilian nodded and pointed at a dark mass about a hundred meters ahead. A quadrupedal beast, its back covered in jagged bone spikes, was digging into the earth as if searching for something. Its breath produced a rough sound, and with each movement, its claws tore through the rocky ground.
— "Looks like an intermediate-level monster," Mark estimated.
— "Should we test it?"
— "Yeah, but stay on your guard."
They advanced silently, maneuvering around roots and closing in from a safe distance. Kilian unsheathed his massive sword, ready to strike, while Mark bent his knees slightly, preparing to launch his attack.
With a nod, they sprang into action.
Mark was the first to move, slamming his fist into the creature's side. The impact echoed like a hammer striking stone. The beast roared and twisted violently, sending its claws toward Kilian, who barely managed to block in time with his sword. The steel screeched under the pressure, but it held firm.
— "This thing is solid!" Kilian gritted his teeth.
Mark didn't give it a chance to recover. Pivoting on his heel, he delivered a second punch directly to its chest, sending the creature rolling several meters away. The ground trembled under its weight. It got back up, but its breathing was labored. Dark blood trickled from its muzzle.
Kilian wasted no time and lunged, delivering a clean slash that severed one of the beast's front legs. A piercing shriek tore through the air. The creature, now off balance, tried a final desperate attack, but Mark brought his fist down onto its skull, shattering it instantly.
A message immediately appeared before them.
[[Level 5 Monster Eliminated – +250 Points Gained]]
— "250 points for that thing?" Kilian exhaled.
— "If we need 10,000, we're going to have to go after bigger prey," Mark replied, brushing dust off his arms.
A sudden scream ripped through the air—but this time, it wasn't a monster. Down in a clearing, another team had engaged in battle against something much larger… or rather, against two level 7 monsters at once.
— "Do we observe or intervene?" Kilian asked.
Mark assessed the situation. Two other players were on the verge of being overwhelmed. If they stepped in, they could claim some of the points… or eliminate the players and take their points instead.
— "Let's move closer. If the opportunity is good, we make our move."
Their first confrontation with other players might come sooner than expected.
Mark and Kilian cautiously advanced toward the clearing where the two other players were battling level 7 monsters. The scene was chaotic. A woman wielding twin daggers spun around a massive reptilian creature, striking rapidly before retreating, while her partner, a towering figure armed with a massive warhammer, struggled to keep the attention of the second beast. Their breaths were heavy, their movements less fluid. The battle was draining them.
— "They're holding on, but not for long," murmured Kilian.
— "If they weaken too much, we'll have an opening. Let's wait a little longer," Mark responded, carefully observing the fight.
The monsters were massive, covered in dark, armored scales resistant to strikes. Each movement made the ground tremble, and their claws left deep scars in the stone. The woman with daggers was quick, but her breathing was becoming irregular. Her partner absorbed the blows with impressive endurance, but he was slowing visibly. At this rate, they wouldn't last much longer.
Suddenly, one of the monsters swung its massive claw in a wide arc. The woman reacted a fraction too late and was sent flying, crashing into a tree. A sickening crack echoed as her shoulder dislocated from the impact, and she let out a scream of pain. The colossus turned to help her, but the second beast took advantage of the distraction, sinking its fangs into his arm, forcing a roar of agony from his throat.
— "This is our moment," Mark growled.
He shot forward toward the monster holding the colossus, his fist slamming into it with titanic force. The impact echoed across the valley, and the beast staggered under the sheer power of the strike, releasing its prey with a muffled snarl. Kilian followed up instantly, sword raised high, and slashed its throat in a clean, precise motion. Dark blood sprayed, soaking the ground, and the massive creature crumpled into a lifeless heap.
Freed, the colossus stumbled backward, his expression shifting between gratitude and wariness.
— "Are you helping us… or do you want our points?" he asked, gripping his warhammer tightly.
Mark didn't answer immediately. The other monster was still alive and already lunging at them.
— "We'll discuss that later," he grunted, bracing himself for impact.
The beast roared and charged with surprising speed for its size. Mark crossed his arms and took the full brunt of the attack, his feet digging into the ground from the force. Kilian took the opportunity to circle behind the creature and slash at one of its hind legs. His precise and powerful strike threw it off balance, forcing it onto one knee with a furious howl.
The injured woman, despite her pain, seized the moment. She launched a flurry of poisoned daggers, each finding its mark directly in the monster's eyes. It shrieked in agony, thrashing violently, trying to shake off the sudden blindness. But Mark gave it no chance to recover. He leaped into the air and delivered a devastating punch straight to its skull. A sickening crunch echoed, and the beast collapsed, lifeless.
Silence fell over the clearing, broken only by the labored breathing of the four warriors.
[[Level 7 Monster Eliminated - +750 Points Gained]]
Mark glanced at the colossus and his partner. The air between them was tense. It was as if static electricity filled the space, each side measuring the other, weighing their options.
— "Do you want to fight us now, or should we focus on the monsters?" Mark asked, his tone calm but firm.
The colossus hesitated. His arm was still bleeding, and his partner struggled to stand. He exchanged a glance with the woman before shaking his head.
— "Not today. But we will meet again," he finally said.
He helped his partner up, and without another word, they disappeared quickly into the forest.
Kilian exhaled sharply, rubbing his shoulder.
— "We could've taken them out and stolen their points," he remarked, eyeing the battle-scarred ground.
— "Maybe," Mark admitted with a shrug. "But we don't know who our real enemies are yet. For now, we build our strength."
He scanned the horizon. Far ahead, more battles raged, silhouettes clashing in the shifting shadows of the forest. A deafening roar echoed in the distance, far more powerful than anything they had encountered so far. Mark clenched his fists.
They had been lucky in this fight, but the trial was far from over. The deeper they ventured, the stronger their enemies would become.
Soon, they wouldn't just be facing monsters but also the dungeon's most formidable teams. And when that moment came, hesitation would not be an option.
Mark turned to Kilian.
— "We keep moving. This time, we go for something bigger."
Kilian grinned fiercely in response. Without hesitation, they sprinted into the forest, disappearing into the shadows, ready to take on whatever the trial had in store for them.