[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the petrification skill, which automatically upgrades to SSS-level petrification!]
After reviewing the detailed description of the skill, Zach couldn't help but think of Medusa, the snake-haired monster from Western mythology. Just a glance into her eyes would turn anyone into stone!
Similarly, the petrification effect of this skill works in the same way—upon direct eye contact, it bypasses all defensive skills, levels, and even the usual resistances. It simply turns the target into a stone statue. Once transformed, if the statue is destroyed, the target's life is completely terminated.
If Zach desires, he can undo the petrification at any time by simply looking at the victim again, lifting the effect.
[Calling…]
[Successful summoning! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the seven-headed rock snake!]
Another powerful general had been added to Zach's undead army. Naturally, he didn't waste the corpses; with a single click, they were all stored as canned goods.
Why not sell them to players for valuable equipment? The demand would increase as more and more people needed these items. With more supporters, Zach would become an even more powerful figure. He couldn't afford to die—his death would result in many others perishing.
Meanwhile, Zach's clearance of the 16th floor had caused another uproar in the global chat channels.
[This guy is a true monster! He cleared the level again?]
[Who said he had reached his limit? He's just walking through this!]
[A level cleared in mere minutes, unaffected by the number of floors? Now I'm curious—are the monsters weaker the higher up you go?]
[Let me tell you for sure, I participated in the second-floor BOSS crusade, and it's impossible! The monsters on the second floor would easily wipe out the first!]
[Our president, with two vice-presidents boasting S-level skills, three SSS-level players in total, and 200 guild members, took seven full hours to clear the second floor—with countless casualties. One of the vice-presidents even lost an arm!]
[What? The second floor is that hard? So what about the sixteenth floor…]
The more people discussed, the more Zach became an almost mythical figure in their eyes.
[Speaking of which, why are so many people teaming up to clear the Tower of Trials lately? There are tons of reward posts in the World Trading Center.]
[Didn't you see the new instructions?]
[New instructions? What's that about?]
[After clearing the Tower of Trials, you can meet God and make a wish. Any wish can be granted, as long as it doesn't cross certain boundaries!]
[What?! Why didn't anyone tell me earlier? I'd have formed a team right away!]
[Welcome to the 007 Crusade Squad! We're forming a 3,000-member team and still need 200 more, regardless of level.]
[Heh, the low-level ones will just be cannon fodder.]
[I have a feeling Zach will be the first one to meet God.]
[It's not just you—everyone thinks that!]
[Is it possible that he's already met God?]
Conspiracy theories spread, with speculation running wild about Zach's actions. As the rightful master, he remained focused, his attention on the next task at hand.
He spent a while processing the seven-headed rock snake corpses, turning them all into cans, taking care to store them in his system backpack. Due to the size of the bodies, the process took longer than expected.
There was no rush to move on to the seventeenth floor. Zach glanced over the hundreds of thousands of monster cans stored in his backpack, planning to place them in the trading mall. The value of these cans was higher than even a bullet and could easily be exchanged for more valuable items.
Ordinary players were limited to exchanging only ten cans per post. However, if the trade involved an item worth more than a pistol, the limit increased to twenty cans.
The post he created was titled: [Trial Tower High-Level Boss Meat, Comes with Powerful Buff Effects].
Within minutes, the post skyrocketed in popularity, reaching over 9 million views in just three minutes—an accomplishment that many influencers could only dream of.
Comments flooded in.
[The front row is mine!]
[Boss meat from the Tower of Trials? Is it safe to eat that?]
[As someone who's eaten canned zombie meat from him, I can tell you it's perfectly fine—filling, and tastes top-tier.]
[Another one, please!]
[What?! It's sold out already? You beasts!]
[There were hundreds of thousands, not just a few dozen. How did it sell out so quickly?]
Zach hadn't anticipated such high demand. The success of previous sales had certainly helped, and word of mouth had spread rapidly. Guilds had also sent people to monitor the sales, ensuring that the majority of the cans ended up in their pockets.
Only a small fraction made their way into the hands of regular players.
After closing the trading center, Zach didn't pay much attention to what was exchanged for the cans. He would have time to explore the items later. Some valuable items might have been overlooked, but that was just a part of the process.
With a deep breath, Zach decided it was time to move on to the seventeenth floor.
The portal opened in the air, and Zach knew that one mistake could result in his demise.
Stepping through, Zach immediately felt something was wrong. He stood still, poking his head out to assess the situation. Before him stretched an endless sea, with no place to stand.
He activated his skill, stepping onto the air as if it were solid ground. Despite the violent waves that surged around him, he remained unaffected.
The waves, reaching over ten meters high, had no effect on him as he walked on the air, completely at ease.
Far in the distance, Zach noticed something odd—a vast expanse of black smoke or clouds that seemed to obscure the horizon. The line between sky and earth was indistinguishable, save for a faint glimmer of light above, which kept the world from being swallowed by darkness.
Turning around, Zach saw a strange red rock formation, resembling scales stacked in layers. Perched atop it sat a figure, its true nature unclear.
From the shape of the limbs, it appeared humanoid, but its features were anything but ordinary. With four arms, a bodybuilding physique that was muscular yet tight rather than explosive, and iron-blue skin, the figure exuded an aura of strangeness.
Intricate red runes covered its body, and it wore a dark gold mask shaped like a ram's head. The horns were large, sweeping outward, resembling armor rather than natural features. Beneath the mask, a thick, wool-like beard covered the entire head.
The figure's posture was unusual, arms lowered with palms pressed together. The left hand gripped the hilt of a long sword, while the right hand grasped its guard, as if preparing for battle. It seemed to be waiting for a challenger, already prepared for victory.
Zach could only guess at its intentions, unsure of what he was truly facing.