Ivan's plan to increase his stats relied heavily on Malachi's continuous attack with his powerful spells. As Malachi's physical stats were inferior to Ivan's, engaging in direct combat would yield no benefits for him. Instead, Ivan could only gain stat growth from enduring and countering Malachi's magic attacks.
The success of Ivan's strategy hinged on Malachi's willingness to continue his assault. If Malachi decided to cease his attacks, it would halt the desired growth Ivan had planned.
"Are you out of mana already? That would be a shame," Ivan taunted, observing Malachi's reluctance to strike.
"There have been rumors, or rather, a myth," Malachi began, the hostility in the air dissipating slightly. "World after world drawn into the sacred grounds of this oasis, the same myth emerges—a tale of an irregular, a player unbound by the rules of floors and reality."
Malachi's words resonated, and his magic power started to surge once again. Ivan tightened his grip on his sword, anticipating the impending attack.
"But all along, I believed it to be nothing more than a myth, a legend far from reality. And yet, here I stand, face to face with a being like you," Malachi admitted, a mix of awe and disbelief in his voice.
"You're saying I'm an irregular?" Ivan questioned, still grappling with the true meaning of the term.
"That is for me to discover. I cannot be certain, but I have no intention of letting you leave without finding out," Malachi responded with determination.
"Let me leave? Haven't you realized that this battle is a losing one for you?" Ivan retorted confidently.
"Not for much longer, not after I break these stupid restrictions," Malachi proclaimed, a large magic circle forming on the ground before him.
"Good, it seems you're ready to fight again. Come," Ivan beckoned, gripping his sword tightly.
A blue force field enveloped Malachi, obscuring him from view. Then, out of the magic circle on the ground, a stone hand emerged, followed by numerous others. Ivan found himself facing a growing horde of stone golems, multiplying in numbers as they emerged from the magical portal.
Eager to understand how Malachi could still wield such magic, Ivan quickly checked the Archmage's stats:
[Name: Malachi
Title: The Arcane Archmage
Boss Level: 40 {Restricted}
Class: Archmage
Archmage Level: 65 {Restricted}
HP: 120
Stats:
- STR: 29
- AGI: 27
- INT: 19
- DEF: 30
- MAN: 900 {Restricted}]
"Damn, he still has a considerable amount of mana left," Ivan remarked, realizing the challenge that lay before him. Without hesitation, he launched himself at the closest golem, his sword swinging with precision, cleaving through the stone body and reducing it to rubble.
"Very well, I can't allow them to multiply too much," Ivan declared, determined to control the growing numbers of golems. With each swing of his heavy sword, he continued to strike down the stone golems, causing them to crumble to the ground.
As Ivan relentlessly destroyed one golem after another, his frustration grew as he made two discoveries: the golems were spawning faster than he could eliminate them, and he was not gaining any stat increases from defeating them.
These golems proved to be weak, far weaker than Ivan himself. It took minimal effort to dispatch them, unlike the spells Malachi possessed, which could easily damage or kill Ivan.
"You bastard, enough with these golems! Come and face me!" Ivan exclaimed, his voice dripping with frustration and impatience.
Malachi remained unresponsive, maintaining his meditative state within the protective sphere that encompassed him.
Suddenly, Ivan took a step back, distancing himself from the never-ending horde of golems. He needed space to read the quest that had appeared before him.
[Quest:
Defeat Malachi, The Archmage in one hour (01:00:00)
Reward: Skip all tutorial floor dungeons and proceed directly to the boss room, receiving all potential XP.
Stat Override (Game Developer Skill)
Failure: Game Developer Privileges Suspended for ninety-six hours (96:00:00)]
"Four days? How is that fair?" Ivan exclaimed, his frustration mounting as he absorbed the information presented in the quest.
"I must bring this to an end quickly," Ivan resolved, retrieving the Orc Killer spear from his inventory. Twisting the spear around, he gathered all his strength before launching himself into the air, creating a shockwave upon landing that obliterated the surrounding golems.
Though the golems continued to crawl out of the magic circle, Ivan's focus shifted to Malachi, now within his sight. Ignoring the golems, he reached into his inventory and retrieved his bow. With precision, he aimed for Malachi, who remained shielded within his protective barrier.
Ivan had initially planned to conserve his mana, but to reach Malachi, he recognized the necessity of utilizing the bow's piercing ability to bypass the shield that surrounded him.
Ivan's hand steadied as he aimed directly at Malachi, his focus unwavering. He pulled back the string of his bow, feeling the tension build as an arrow materialized before him. With utmost precision, he aimed for Malachi's heart, his intent clear.
Releasing the string, the arrow shot forth with incredible speed, piercing through Malachi's defense and finding its mark in his chest. Ivan watched with bated breath as the golems abruptly ceased their attack, crumbling to the ground, and the once-open magic circle closed, sealing off their source.
Malachi clutched the arrow lodged in his chest, his grip unyielding. Suddenly, the magic shield that enveloped him erupted in a powerful explosion, sending debris flying in all directions. Ivan shielded his eyes from the ensuing chaos, struggling to maintain his vision.
As the dust settled, Ivan strained to see through the aftermath. He witnessed Malachi calmly remove the arrow from his chest, a seemingly effortless action.
"How unlucky you are, for you're too late," Malachi uttered in a chilling voice, his words resonating in the eerie silence.
Ivan sensed a shift in Malachi's presence. There was an undeniable difference—a newfound strength radiated from him, far beyond what Ivan had previously encountered.
In an attempt to make sense of the situation, Ivan quickly accessed Malachi's stats, hoping for some clarity. Yet, what he discovered only deepened his confusion.
[Name: Malachi
Title: The Arcane Archmage
Boss Level: ???
Class: Archmage
Archmage Level: ???
HP: ???
Stats:
- STR: ???
- AGI: ???
- INT: ???
- DEF: ???
- MAN: ???]
[Eye of the Creator level is too low to view stats]
The enigma surrounding Malachi had deepened, leaving Ivan with more questions than answers.
As Ivan pieced together the situation, he realized that any previous restrictions placed upon Malachi had been lifted. This newfound strength could have been an opportunity for Ivan to further enhance his own stats, but the quest he had received changed everything.
Now, with less than an hour remaining, if Ivan were to die at the hands of Malachi after the quest period, it would be permanent. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on Ivan, and he muttered to himself, "I truly am fucked."
"I have all the time in the world, so let's find out just how many times you can come back," Malachi taunted with an air of superiority.
Before Ivan could even utter a word, a bolt of lightning shot forth, disintegrating him in an instant.
[Player has died]
[Player will respawn]
Ivan reappeared, determined to act swiftly this time. However, before he could even react, he found himself engulfed in searing flames.
[Armour destroyed]
[Player has died]
[Player will respawn]
With each subsequent death, Ivan's realization of the dire situation deepened. Every time he respawned, he was swiftly and mercilessly killed, leaving no room for defense, evasion, or retaliation. Instant death meant no chance for stat increases, trapping Ivan in an unending cycle of defeat.
There was no escape from this relentless onslaught. Malachi allowed him no respite, striking him down with spell after spell, leaving Ivan with no room to breathe.
As the countdown to the quest and his final death continued, Ivan's heart raced with a mix of fear, frustration, and anger. Though he had faced the threat of permanent death before, it did nothing to diminish the sheer terror and helplessness of the current situation.
"Stop," Ivan managed to mutter, his voice barely audible, before being mercilessly struck down once again.
Exhausted, annoyed, angry, and filled with frustration, Ivan found himself trapped in an unyielding cycle of death.
[Player has died]
[Player will respawn]
[Player has died]
[Player will respawn]
[Player has died]
[Player will respawn]
[Game Developer Level: 5]
He had entered this game with hope—a chance to ascend to the pinnacle, to reclaim what he had lost, and to seek revenge. So why did it all have to end here?
[Player has died]
[Player will respawn]
"Stop, please," Ivan muttered once again, his plea filled with desperation.
His head throbbed relentlessly with each successive death, the pain becoming increasingly unbearable.
[Game Developer Level: 12]
Ivan couldn't comprehend why he always ended up on the losing side, why his dreams of dominance were to be shattered by an unknown boss.
"Stop!"
[Player has died]
[Player will respawn]
The cruel irony of his life being extinguished within the very game he had created eluded his understanding.
[Game Developer Level: 42]
[The Inhabitants of the Unnumbered Floors Are Weary of You]
[Player has died]
[Player will respawn]
Ivan questioned why he remained insignificant and inconsequential, both in the real world and in the world he had constructed.
[Game Developer Level: 78]
[Player has died]
[Player will respawn]
[The Inhabitants of the Unnumbered Floors Do Not Understand Your Existence]
If he were deemed a worthless peasant in the real world, then here, in his own realm, he would rise as a deity—the creator himself—unrivaled and unchallenged.
[Game Developer Level: 100]
[Unmatched Time-Flow]
[Unprocessable Variable]
[Recalibration in Progress]
"STOP!" Ivan's commanding voice reverberated through the boss room like thunder.
[Game Developer Skill: Creator's Command is Active]
In an instant, both Malachi and the lightning that had been aimed straight at Ivan froze, suspended in midair. Malachi was rendered immobile, unable to move or react.
"What the hell are you?" Malachi questioned, his voice filled with both awe and fear.
"JUST SHUT UP AND DIE!" Ivan's words boomed once more, and with a surge of power, Malachi exploded into countless pieces, his existence reduced to nothingness.
[Recalibration Complete]
[Time-Flow Repaired]
[Exit]
Ivan found himself lying on the floor, his eyes fluttering open as he took in the familiar sight of his small apartment. It dawned on him that either there was a perfect replica of his room within the game or he had somehow managed to leave it. The smoke emanating from his now destroyed Oasis Pod hinted towards the latter.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Ivan muttered to himself, "How did this happen?"