Mark extended his hand.
The unmoving Centipede Monarch's huge body was transformed into a green sphere of energy.
[You have gained 18.000 Evolution Points.]
'Assimilating it would have made me or Fiery bigger. No reason to make Light assimilate it. This is probably the right choice.'
Mark stared at the giant doors in front of him.
'Maybe I'll stay here for a bit so Fiery can make as many ants and spiders as possible. I also need to heal...'
Only a few shallow wounds were on Mark's body.
He sat down and rest his back against the wall.
To his right, were the doors that separated him from the Sixth Floor's Guardian.
'That Monarch Centipede sure was annoying. Its shell was tough and the Skill that allowed it to shoot dozens of its sharp legs at once was a surprise. It could regrow them at once too. Anyways, still no Skills or Body Modifications to buy. Looks like evolving will take a lot of time. I'm pretty strong after all. Mm... Do I have any Skill Points?'
[1 Skill Point.]
'Mm. Wonder if I should use it now...' Mark asked himself as he raised his gaze towards the ceiling.
[A Proposition is being discussed.]
[Analyzing...]
'Mm...?'
Mark stared at the messages, feeling slight anticipation.
[A Challenge has been issued.]
[Would you like to view the Challenge's Conditions?]
'As long as viewing the conditions doesn't mean accepting them then... Sure.'
[
Challenge issued by: (UNKNOWN).
Challenge's Clear Condition: Enter the Boss Room ALONE and Defeat the Guardian.
Clear Rewards: 2 Underling Evolution Pills and 1 Elven Necklace[A].
Challenge Compensation: 1 Skill Point.
]
'Unknown? Huh. First time I've received a challenge...'
Once his eyes laid upon the Clear Condition, Mark's heart started beating faster.
His emotions went from slight anxiety to excitement in a matter of seconds.
'Beating a Guardian... Alone...?'
Against every Guardian, Mark had to rely heavily on his Underlings.
Not because he wanted to, but simply because he was too weak not to.
Against the Tenth Floor's Guardian, his Underling Sin had sacrificed himself to keep Mark alive.
On the Ninth Floor, Mark had lost two Underlings against the Guardian.
His victory against the Chimera was, arguably, attainted largely thanks to Kalès' Magic Skill "Life Force Stream".
The same was true for the other Floor Guardians except for, maybe, the Seventh one.
After all, the Undead Lich had easily dealt with Mark's Underlings.
Still, it was because Mark could revive the Lower Wyvern Skeletons and devour them that he had succeeded in defeating the Seventh Floor's Guardian.
'Not bringing Light and Fiery, huh? No. That's not it...'
Mark's face wore a slightly nervous smile.
'Not bringing the hundreds of Offspring that obey Fiery's every order is the real handicap. I would be getting a Skill Point as compensation but... Is it even worth it? That Elven Necklace... It better be a damn good Item. That's what it is, right? An Item?'
[Elven Necklace: [A] Ranked Item.]
'No additional info, huh? Alright.'
Mark stood up.
'Can I revive Monsters inside the Boss Room?'
[It does not go against the Challenge's Clear Condition.]
'What happens if I order Fiery to enter the Boss Room after accepting the Challenge?'
[You would have failed the Challenge.]
[There is no Penalty for failing this particular Challenge.]
'That's good to hear. Okay.'
Excitement fueled Mark's beating heart.
'I'll do it.'
[You have accepted the Challenge.]
[1 Skill Point has been awarded as Compensation.]
[The Skill Point will be taken back if the Challenge is failed.]
Mark stood in front of the giant doors.
'I'll defeat it. A Guardian... I'll defeat a Guardian... Alone!'
A drop of worry mixed with buckets of greed and anticipation.
'I can always call Fiery or run away. But if I can defeat it...'
Mark started pushing the two heavy doors apart.
'I'll know I've truly become strong.'
Mark entered the Boss Room.
It was large and cubic.
Spiderwebs covered many spots on the ceiling and walls.
'The Guardian must be a Spider Monster, but...'
No matter how much he looked around, Mark could not find nor sense the Guardian's presence.
He walked forward, towards the center of the Boss Room.
About fifty meters in front of Mark, were the doors that would lead to the next Floor.
'I wonder if I can run for the doors-'
Only once he arrived at the center of the Boss Room, did something, previously hidden, fall from the ceiling.
It silently landed behind him.
Mark's body shivered.
He quickly turned back.
But what Mark found made his body shiver once more.
'What-'
He was met with a scene that left him unable to move.
Frozen.
Petrified.
Mark's pupils immediately dilated and time started flowing at a slower pace.
Long hair.
Dark as night.
Snow-white skin.
Piercing dark eyes.
In front of Mark, wasn't a Monster.
It was a woman.
Just like those he once knew in his previous life.
Mark's mind went blank.
The woman's beauty was indescribable.
She was naked. And her long and luscious hair fell beautifully over her shoulders, covering her bare chest.
The woman's fair skin seemed soft and delicate.
Her gaze was cold, but far from hateful.
And while Mark was lost in the woman's eyes,
Pierce-
Extreme pain suddenly burst forth.
Taken aback, Mark slowly lowered his gaze.
A scythe-like leg had pierced his stomach.
So deeply, that the leg had pierced through his body.
Instinctively, Mark raised his arm with great speed.
He swiftly lowered his elbow upon that leg with great force.
Crack-
The leg broke, and Mark jumped back.
The sound of his feet hitting the ground resonated.
While the damage was negligible, the woman had been injured.
And so, she stepped back.
But unlike Mark, the woman's step was silent.
Quiet.
Weightless.
Indeed, the woman's movements were light.
Delicate.
Full of grace.
Only once he was further away, did Mark gaze upon the woman's whole body.
Her upper body was that of a woman.
Her lower body, that of a spider.
'An Arachne? Or something...? Is that what these are called?'
Drops of steaming blood hit the ground, as Mark pulled the broken spider leg out of his stomach.
He threw it towards the ceiling.
[Sixth Floor's Guardian.]
The Boss Monster had dealt the first wound.
Mark was injured, but not by any means severely.
Still, despite his slightly bleeding stomach, a wicked smile was on his face.
The Guardian, seeing that the enemy was the one who had sustained more damage, decided to attack.
'It hid and attacked first. Which means...'
Just before the Monster could reach Mark, its back was pierced.
'It sees me as a threat.'
The Guardian lowered its gaze, confused.
Piercing through its lower back and stomach, was the same leg it had lost seconds earlier.
'Bone Manipulation. It works on exoskeletons, horns and even fangs or claws. A leg that sharp can be a good weapon too.'
Suddenly, a strong gravitational force pulled the embedded sharp leg out of the Boss Monster's stomach.
Leaving a hole in the Guardian's waist, the sharp leg fell to the ground.
Drops of blood drew red lines on the woman's waist, as they held on to her.
'Too bad that Skill is hard to use when fighting or moving around. Sweet revenge...'
The woman brough a hand to her stomach.
She gently stroke her wound, before wiping the blood that sullied her fair skin off.
'... How does that feel-'
The expression on the woman's face suddenly changed.
The previously cold and unfazed expression turned enraged.
The Guardian opened its mouth.
A loud and sharp screech resonated through the Sixth Floor.
The Boss Monster used its 7 remaining spider legs to jump away.
It used so much force that it landed on the room's wall.
The Guardian extended its two human arms towards Mark.
Mana was being condensed in front of its open palms.
'Yeah...'
Red Aura started oozing out of Mark's body.
Cracks appeared on the ground below his feet.
'Bring it on!'