Mark and Kilian remained frozen for a moment, their muscles still tense from the battle. The presence watching them had vanished, but a lingering sense of unease remained. Someone, or something, was lurking in the shadows, patiently analyzing their every move.
— "We're not alone..." Kilian murmured, his eyes scanning the surrounding darkness.
Mark slowly nodded. "No. And I don't think we're dealing with monsters this time."
The heavy silence was suddenly broken by an explosion in the distance. A cloud of dust rose into the air, followed by a monstrous roar. Someone else had just engaged in battle.
— "We should avoid unnecessary fights." Kilian sheathed his sword. "We have 7,500 points. Just a few more kills, and we'll hit the target."
— "Yeah. But if other players are tracking us, they won't let us reach 10,000 so easily."
They decided to rest before hunting their next target. Finding a safe place was crucial. After several minutes of searching, they came across a cave hidden beneath a rocky overhang. The interior was dark and damp, but it was enough to offer shelter and let them recover.
Mark sat cross-legged and began focusing his energy to refine his bloodline. His body heated rapidly, waves of pain coursing through his muscles as his blood purified itself. Kilian, on the other hand, strengthened his sword mastery by repeating fluid combat sequences, seeking to deepen the connection between his bloodline and his fighting style.
An hour passed, and they both felt their energy stabilize. They were ready.
As they moved through the devastated terrain, they spotted a massive ruined structure, an ancient fortress half-collapsed. It was the kind of place where powerful creatures could be lurking but also an ideal spot for an ambush.
— "Do we go in?" Kilian asked.
— "We have no choice. If we stay outside, we become easy targets."
They stepped cautiously into the fortress, navigating through the darkened corridors. The ground was littered with rubble and rusted weapons, remnants of ancient battles. Then, around a corner, a deep, slow sound caught their attention.
A heavy, rhythmic breathing. A massive presence. A colossal creature lay dormant in the main hall.
When their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they saw it—a beast of titanic proportions resting at the center of the chamber. Its dark, armored hide was reinforced with bone-like plating, its four glowing eyes barely visible in the gloom, and its claws embedded deep into the stone floor.
[[Abyssal Behemoth - Level 12]] [[Reward: 3,000 Points]]
Kilian gripped his sword tightly. "This will get us to 10,000. But if we mess up..."
— "...We die," Mark finished with a smirk.
They exchanged a glance before silently splitting up, each taking a different side of the chamber to flank the beast. The monster seemed to be in hibernation, but as soon as they moved, one of its glowing eyes snapped open, casting a sinister red light.
The Behemoth stirred, its body groaning as its massive muscles tensed. It turned its head in their direction before letting out a deafening roar so powerful that the walls trembled under the force of the shockwave.
— "It's awake." Kilian exhaled.
The battle began instantly.
Mark was the first to move, dodging a massive claw that crashed down where he had stood just seconds earlier. He retaliated with a heavy punch to the beast's side, but its armor-like hide was as tough as stone—it barely reacted.
Kilian seized the opening to strike from behind, aiming for the joints in its massive hind legs. His sword carved through thick flesh, but the wound was shallow, doing little more than agitating the beast.
With a violent lunge, the Behemoth swung its spiked tail across the chamber, sending Mark crashing into a wall and forcing Kilian to dive to the ground to avoid being impaled.
— "We need to hit harder," Mark growled, pulling himself up.
The Behemoth charged again, its enormous jaws opening to crush Kilian in one bite. Kilian barely rolled aside in time, letting the beast chomp down on empty space before leaping up and driving his sword deep into one of its eyes.
A guttural howl of agony tore through the fortress, but the Behemoth wasn't ready to fall.
Mark seized the moment and unleashed the full power of his bloodline. His blood boiled, intense heat surging through his body as his muscles hardened. He launched himself at the creature, dodging its claws with inches to spare before leaping into the air.
His energy-charged fist came down onto the Behemoth's skull with colossal force. The impact resounded throughout the hall, fracturing part of the beast's skull plating. Kilian wasted no time—he wrenched his sword free and immediately slashed across the exposed throat of the monster.
The Behemoth staggered, releasing a final guttural roar before collapsing into a lifeless heap.
[[Abyssal Behemoth Defeated - +3,000 Points Earned]]
A heavy silence filled the chamber. Then, both Mark and Kilian exhaled, their exhaustion settling in.
— "We did it."
A new system notification flashed before them.
[[Total Score: 10,500 Points]]
They had met their target. But before they could celebrate, the same eerie sensation from earlier returned. An unseen presence was watching them.
Then, a voice echoed through the ruins.
— "Impressive... but now, the real trial begins."
From the shadows of the ruined fortress, a silhouette emerged, stepping forward slowly.
The true challenge was only just beginning.
Mark and Kilian froze as the silhouette slowly emerged from the shadows. As it advanced, more details became clear: a tall, slender humanoid clad in deep black armor, adorned with glowing inscriptions that pulsed faintly in the darkness. Its piercing golden eyes locked onto them without a hint of emotion. It carried no visible weapon, yet an oppressive aura radiated from it, as if its mere presence warped the air around it.
— "You have reached the objective of this trial... but that does not mean you are worthy of what comes next." Its voice was calm, almost hypnotic, yet carried an undeniable authority.
Mark exchanged a glance with Kilian, ready to fight at a moment's notice.
— "Who are you?" he demanded firmly.
The stranger tilted its head slightly. "A guardian. My role is to test those who claim to deserve a place in the secured zone. You think slaying creatures is enough? True strength is measured in battle against other warriors."
At those words, the air around them vibrated. A shiver ran down Mark's spine. This being... was a monster in its own right.
Without warning, the guardian vanished from sight. Mark barely had time to react before a shockwave exploded behind him. He turned just in time to see Kilian slammed against a wall, gasping for breath. An invisible strike.
Mark didn't hesitate. He activated his bloodline immediately, feeling his blood boil as intense heat surged through his body. He charged forward, fist raised, aiming straight for the guardian's chest.
But the attack struck nothing but air.
An instant later, a colossal force crashed into his side, sending him rolling several meters away. He groaned as he pushed himself up, his body aching. This opponent wasn't just fast. He was beyond anything they had faced.
Kilian, despite his pain, wasted no time. He unleashed his full power and dashed toward the enemy, his greatsword tracing a line of energy in the air. The guardian lifted a hand... and caught the blade between his fingers.
— "A commendable attempt." He applied slight pressure, forcing Kilian to stumble back under his overwhelming strength. "But insufficient."
Mark launched himself again. This time, he feinted a punch before twisting at the last second, driving his knee directly into the guardian's ribs. The impact made the being step back slightly, a faint smile appearing on its face.
— "Interesting."
A golden flash erupted from the guardian's eyes, and he truly began his assault. His body seemed to split into multiple afterimages, striking Mark and Kilian from different angles. Each hit was precise, relentless, devastating.
Mark endured as much as he could, activating every fiber of his bloodline to reinforce his body. He counterattacked blindly, feeling his muscles scream under the effort. Kilian, on the other hand, managed to dodge some of the strikes thanks to his heightened reflexes, but he was struggling.
The fight raged on, brutal and unrelenting. The walls cracked under the intensity of their blows, the ground fractured beneath their feet. Every strike from Mark grew stronger, every move from Kilian sharper. But the guardian... still wasn't fighting at full power.
Then, suddenly, he stopped.
He raised a hand and stepped back, watching the two warriors with an almost amused expression.
— "Enough."
Mark, panting, kept his fists raised, ready to continue. Kilian, drenched in sweat and covered in bruises, didn't lower his sword.
— "You have proven your worth," the guardian declared. "You are the first of your kind to reach this stage. But know this—this is only the beginning."
A vibration rippled through the air. A brilliant blue flash filled the chamber.
[[System Announcement: Mark Derohan and Kilian Voss are the first from DMU Europe to complete a trial against an extraterrestrial civilization.]]
[[Title Unlocked: Pioneers of the Multiverse – Those who have crossed the first barrier of the dungeon and proven humanity's worth against other species.]]
[[System Announcement: From the 11th floor onward, every trial will pit players against other civilizations of the Multiverse. Only strength will determine your survival and progress.]]
The guardian vanished without another word. A massive portal opened before them, bathed in radiant light.
Mark and Kilian exchanged a final glance before stepping through.
The trial was over.
But their journey had only just begun.