I teleport back to the Minotaur Dungeon and recall the events inside the Demonic Realm to Ember, who replies with a sly grin and eyes full of interest.
"So it's a trial realm. Once the three stages of tests are complete, the realm will collapse and bring you back here, I'm positive. I've seen these used before many times by newly ranked-up demons. They're usually used for combat training once you reach a certain point, passing level 500 or so."
I reply to this.
"Training? For what? Don't demons naturally rank up and gain levels as they guard a Labyrinth?"
Ember replies.
"Some do, some don't. Others practice with trials controlled by the King, preparing for a possible future when they're allowed back into the Demonic World. This one is one of the Tier 2 trials, three stages of waves with increasing difficulty. Rewards for trials like this would be items like the dagger you already hold, or the special Demonic Stones you mentioned dropped from the first boss."
I ponder to myself for a moment.
"So my dagger came from one of these realms?"
Ember shrugs and turns to the rift.
"It's impossible to know. There was nothing like the Abyss in my previous knowledge, so the source could possibly be different. Times are changing. What I do know is, you'll need to use mana and Demonic Energy to take out the opponents ahead if they're as powerful as you say. Use the training we've gone through so far, but be mindful that contact with any outside Demonic energy with your active skills will cause a reaction. You'll have to worry about other monster's energy as well, not just your own."
I stare down at the dagger still half-sunken into the ground by Ember's side, then look up at the rift, deciding not to take the blade with me just yet.
"Got it. I need to do some more tests."
Without another moment to think, I jump through the rift and start trekking through the dark cave again.
The pathways and tunnels feel much more familiar this time around, and I make it out to the side of the mountain in a matter of minutes.
The climb downward is much easier as well.
Once the Demonic Energy-filled air clears up and the open field below comes into view, the stone tablet far off in the distance is visible to the naked eye. Not too far from it, a Minotaur almost double the tablet's size begins running toward me.
"Good. The trials don't restart. The second boss is still here. It can sense me from here too..."
I run forward and attempt my first mana-imbued skill attempt, activating berserker, bloodlust, and extreme strength to boost my movement speed and many other stat points. The red and golden aura that forms around me manages to stay active while I reach into my item storage and pull out the duplicated Flame Emperor's sword.
With each step closer I take, my anticipation grows.
My recent increase in speed and ability to use buffs allows me to perceive the enormous black creature in front of me. My left eye continues to watch the demonic energy swirling around the massive monster that runs my way.
I make it down the mountain entirely and begin charging my sword.
I decide not to air-step right away unless necessary because there's no mana in the air. Previously, I tested absorbing duplicated mana crystals on a body double, and it didn't work as well as I hoped. The crystals dissolve upon absorption and don't add any MP to my body or status.
My full bar is all I have to work with right now, so it's best not to waste anything.
Eventually, I come within attacking range and let a low-powered mana-based strike fly toward the demonic monster.
It's initially just a test to see if I can even launch an attack like this in here, but also I'm trying to gauge the new monster's real reflex speed and note down its movement patterns.
As the flickering blade of fire soars toward the monster, it ducks and sidesteps with ease, hardly changing its forward momentum one bit.
In reaction, I don't flinch either and keep running forward at its incoming double-bladed axe.
Just like our last encounter, I dodge its downward strike, but with much more ease this time around because of my mana-buffs, and let out a slash of fire at its back.
A smirk creeps across my face as I use a small pocket of air magic to propel myself away faster and watch sparks begin to form where my mana makes contact.
The loud roar of an injured beast rings out.
"In the end, you were no match."
I whisper under my breath as I turn around, but the sight before me doesn't match the sound of the roar.
A large gash is visible in the monster's hide, but the sparks are starting to fizzle out and there's no sign of my fiery strike ever being there. No burns, nor excess residue is visible on the beast. All that remains is a wound that barely goes as deep as bone, and the light crackle of a few sparks remaining before the reaction goes out entirely.
"W-wait, how?"
My mind doesn't register what happens at first, and I nearly get hit by the next charge by the beast but use another few dozen MP of wind magic to jump up high enough in the air to dodge.
I shake my head and get back into battle mode, releasing another mana blade with a few hundred MP worth of energy down at the Minotaur.
"I'll figure out your weakness soon enough."
Five more exchanges go by and I continue to land hits on the beast's blind spots as it tries to attack me.
The speed and power of this creature are quite frightening. Even when using my mana-powered buffs, our speed and agility stats are nearly even. My only advantage is the use of wind magic to get out of its way in a bind.
Pure strength and attack power, it's got me totally beat. As seen from our last exchange, one hit from that axe and I'm dead.
So far, I've landed 7 clean fire-imbued mana blades on the creature's chest and back, and the same thing keeps happening.
Upon impact, there's a huge explosion of sparks, but once all of the mana is disintegrated, the demonic energy swirling around the monster remains.
Unlike how even a tiny bit of demonic energy hits mana, it destroys everything it touches; when mana hits demonic energy, it only destroys enough to get rid of the mana itself.
"This is going to be a lot tougher than I thought."
With half a bar of MP remaining, I continue to wear the beast down. Its movements are getting much slower, but not at the same rate as me. I'm going to have to think of something new if I want to kill this beast in one shot.
In between my next few attacks, I try a few demonic energy slashes at close range too. The amount of damage one 10-unit slash causes is minuscule when compared to the destructive force of a 100-200MP mana blade. It's hard to get close enough for Demonic Energy to be effective, but I continue to try. The Demonic Energy in the air high above can replenish my core while I have no mana available to continuously charge this source.
However, on my last demonic energy attempt, the Minotaur catches on and turns its gaze toward me mid-stride.
Before I can think twice about changing my trajectory, its axe has shifted directions and is coming straight at my right side.
Thinking fast, I reflexively activate Dungeon Walker to teleport out of the way.
Air-step would not be fast enough, and I haven't tested a demonic blade on mana blade contact yet. I'm not 100% confident in its ability to block an incoming attack.
"Dungeon Walker-"
"Dungeon-"
"D-"
The moment it activates, there aren't any points to warp to. This skill doesn't work in here. My mind is blank, and I grit my teeth. The second-best option will have to do.
Reluctantly, I swing my sword up to block the axe before it comes crashing down on me while summoning a barrier of pink mana along its edges for extra support.
A loud crackle and twang ring out in the air as I drain my MP stores down to under 15%.
The explosion of sparks and immense pressure released blasts me backward over 20 meters, and I air step upward to get out of range from the mad monster's attack radius.
My expression is filled with frustration and a hint of anger, but deep beneath my eyes, there's a glint of pure battle-hungry glee.
Though, that shimmer in my eyes may just be the reflection of the sparks crackling off the tip of my shattered sword. Half of it has disintegrated in the blast and is slowly moving downward toward the handle.
My gaze points down to the monster's weapon that has suffered a similar fate. A large chunk of the black axe blade is missing, as well as one of its long glossy horns atop its head that got caught in the blast.
I throw the blade to the ground as it crackles away into nothingness and reach into my item storage to grab my wind dagger.
Using its special perk, I separate the weapon into two parts to grip one in each hand while quickly air-stepping back down to the ground to conserve the small amount of mana I have left.
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