For a moment, the Spirit looked like it wanted to say more. Then it got a good look at his face, and thought better of it.
๐ธ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ it said. โฆ๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ'๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ, ๐๐๐.
And it unleashed the Thunder Demon on him.
But this time Zane already felt stronger going in. And he was ready this timeโhe felt shocked awake, felt his heart pumping strong now, warmed up, tingling hot all over. A new vigor coursed through him. Rushed out in every ragged breath.
The Demon unhinged its maw. And out poured a blistering torrent.
Lighting crashed against Zane's Shield. Beams of flickering, arcing, spasming yellow ramming a defiant crescent moon.
But this time Zane clenched his teeth and dug in his feet. He held firm. Already he was putting up a better fight.
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ -> ๐๐
His Moon Skill was three-quarters full now, and growing. It was so much stimulusโtoo much stimulusโand his shield responded in kind, growing to match it, rising to the challenge. He felt it slowly coming together, felt he could draw more and more from the Pagoda, the worse that lightning lashing gotโwave after wave crashed down on himโ
And then it began to overwhelm him again.
Nascent Soul was nothing to be messed with. It was like fighting an iron-age army with stone-age tools. His soul couldn't wield Skills the same way. He wasn't equipped to deal with this. He should never have been here. All he had to compensate was his sizeโand as his Shield began to shake, cracks rupturing all over itโas his whole body began to tremble with the effortโ
It wouldn't be enough.
But Zane clung on. Even as his armor started falling apart before his eyes, splitting at the lines, rucking up chunk by chunk like shattering ice floes.
He let out a guttural roar. He willed his shield to hold. It flared brighter and brighter, a furious redโ
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ -> ๐๐๐
But still it wasn't enough.
He felt the moment it shattered. His soul had been grasping at that weakening connection, making a death grip. Then it all slipped from him at once, and he was left clawing at nothing. Falling away.
And lightning blitzed him. Dragged him under.
This time, thoughโeven as it wrecked himโhe tried his best to wrestle back control of his soul-body. Even as it locked out his arms and legs, even as it sent him jittering and spasmingโhe clenched his jaw, planted his feet. And took it. He hated going down. It rankled his pride, and he was finding, more and more, he had quite a bit of it.
It left him smoking. There was a raw burning feeling in the middle of his head, like it bored out a chunk of his soul. He was hurt, wobbly, seeing hazy doublesโฆ but he was on his feet.
He was getting better. He could feel it.
"Again," breathed Zane.
He was starting to smile. Just a little.
๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ค, breathed the spirit. But Zane just gave it a look. And it scrambled to obey.
The next time the Thunder Demon came at him, it poured on bolt after bolt. Rained a monsoon's worth right over his head. Sent forks of cracks rippling down his shield, all the way through. But it held.
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ -> ๐๐๐๐
He grinned even more. It was a feral kind of joy.
The more he Leveled, though, the more he felt an unusual resistance. It wasn't just that the levels got harder, which was normal. It almost felt like the universe didn't wanna give this to himโlike he shouldn't have this powerโit was too early.
He was running up against some kind of wall.
If he wanted thisโฆ he sensed he would have to seize it.
"One more time," he croaked.
This time he took the shot head-on, baring all his teeth, throwing out the full force of his shieldโnow magnificent, so big it was nearly full, making a beautiful bloody splotch right in the middle of the worldโ
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ -> ๐๐
It swamped the thunderclouds. It swallowed the lightning. It crushed everything. Until it was the only thing left, hung bright in a dusky skyโ
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ -> ๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐๐!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ [ ๐ผ๐๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ โ ๐๐ช๐ฅ๐๐๐ -> ๐๐๐ช โ โ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]
And behind Zane, shining full, completeโa perfect bloody disc.
Zane was pretty sure he had never seen a Sky-grade Skill before. At least in person.
The moment it evolved, that lightning lost all meaning. It was like tossing a stone down a wellโand not even hearing it hit the bottom. It whited out. Instantly. The demon was left hackingโand then it, too, flickered out.
All that was left was Zane, and his Moon. Shining over the all.
๐พ๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐คย choked the Spirit. ๐๐ ๐ฆโ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐โ
It was struggling to find words. ๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ช ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅโฆ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐ก๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐. ๐๐๐๐ฅ'๐ค ๐ ๐๐๐ช-๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐โ๐๐ฅ โ๐ ๐ฃ๐! ๐ป๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ค?!
Zane blinked. Shook his head.
It gagged. โฆ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ค๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐'๐ฅ.
Then it just stared at him. ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ค๐โ๐พ๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐คโ๐๐๐ฅ'๐ค ๐๐ฆ๐ค๐ฅ ๐ค๐๐ช ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ ๐'๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฅ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐๐๐๐๐๐ช ๐๐๐ช๐ ๐๐! ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐ค ๐๐ฆ๐ค๐ฅโฆ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ค ๐๐๐ค๐ฆ๐ฃ๐.
It shook its head again. โ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ช๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ค ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ.
Zane liked the look of his new Moon. He liked the feel of it too.
But it was not maxed out. His new Sky Skill was nice. But it was also Level one.
He turned back to the Spirit. "Do you have any more of those Trials I can do?"
At first, it was as though it didn't hear him right. Then it just goggled at him.
๐ป๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ๐ค๐ฅโ It spluttered. ๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐'๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ค.
"I want more," said Zane. "I can take it."
He actually wasn't totally sure he could take it if he thought about it logically. He was pretty wobbly right now. But in his heart, he definitely felt like he could take it. He was feeling pretty pumped up.
๐๐๐๐ฃ๐'๐ค ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐, ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ชโ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐๐ช ๐ก๐๐ค๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃ! It added hastily. ๐ธ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ค๐, ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐'๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฅ โ๐๐ค๐๐๐๐ฅ. ๐พ๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ฅ. ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐'๐ค ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ช๐๐ ๐ฃ๐, ๐ช๐ ๐ฆโ!
It let out a tight breath, pinched the bridge of its nose. ...โ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ค.
"Hmm," said Zane. He was a little disappointed.
Then again. Maybe this was one of those chances to be smart. He could choose his battles. He would conquer this in time.
The Spirit muttered something under its breath. It kept shaking its head.
Then it noticed Zane still standing there, looking at it. ๐๐๐๐ฅ? ๐พ๐ ๐ ๐โ๐๐ ! ๐๐'๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐. โ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ'๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฅ โ๐๐ค๐๐๐๐ฅ. ๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐'๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐. ๐ ๐๐ ๐'๐ฅ ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐ฃ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐!
That was how his little foray into the Red Moon Pagoda ended.
Zane knew it would not be nearly that long before he returned, though.
This soul stuff turned out to be pretty interesting. The stuff about 'killing enemies from a distance' was not super interesting to him. He preferred to wreck things head-on, face-to-face. He liked feeling his fists sink through flesh, crack bone, that kind of thing. He was old-fashioned that way. But making an impenetrable suit of soul-armor around himself, so he could wrecking-ball everything in his way even better... that did appeal to him.
There was a hidden sub-category of bird, Zane was realizing. Those tricksters who struck at you in weird ways, at the soul. Coming from a distance. They would do anything to avoid fighting him head-on. He had seen a fair few in those montages.
Usually they were sickly and spindly, with poor weak bodies. Old gnarly wizards and witches. Or weird spirits and ghosts. It would be very embarrassing for Zane if he ever got bested by one of those, he thought. Now they had nothing for him. Them, and anyone who wanted to come at him in the astral planeโhis greatest strength now had a shield to match.
He shuffled off back home satisfied.
***
It turned out what felt like a few hours inside there was a solid week outside.
That Pagoda was the last big thing he had to check off his list of upgrades. His soul was pretty exhaustedโit would take another few weeks to recover. Just in time for the Superdungeon.
Time flew by. Soon there was only one week until the deadline.
He and Reina spent a lot of that last week relaxing. Their lands stretched all over North America now. They went down to the transformed version of Yosemite, which Reina designed a protected 'national park' of sortsโthe creatures there were special. They'd reverted to their ancient states, as dinosaurs. But with special powers. He and Reina found steel-Element Pterodactyls and wood-element Brontosauruses. They took some long walksโshe would geek out over them and tell him all kinds of interesting factsโtheir histories and habits, make observations of how the Change changed them, and he would amble along quietly listening. Sometimes he would just watch her face light up as she spoke about how to tell apart Stegosaurus eggs from boulders or something, and feel a simple contentment. A warmth in his chest. He could never get enough of how her mind worked.
Evan and Avery, meanwhile, both had good handles on their new Inheritances. But they, like Zane, had kind of run out of things to Levelโthey needed better treasures to get further. They got bored and started doing other things too.
That Superbara they got from South America was still around somehow, to Zane's consternation. He still was not sure what it did. Avery was trying to get it to do tricksโroll over, desperately waving a carrot in front of it. It was paying her zero attentionโit was kind of just there. At first, she tried to harness it so she could ride it into battle, but then she realized it moved about one mile an hour.
Also, when she tried sitting on it, it dumped her squealing on her head. She declared it an enemy of the state.
Evan, though, had a much better relationship with itโhe was constantly hugging it and baking it treats. He was also building a big doghouseโbara-house?โfor it out of straw and scavenged leaves. Zane was pretty sure it had moved three feet that whole week, and two of those was to dump Avery off its back.
Anyway, it kept them busy.
***
Zane did have one last idea for something to upgrade. His Stormfire could still use another Concept. But he still wasn't fully recoveredโฆ and even if he wanted to push it, the Stormfire Tome said the next Concept was harder, and more complex, and would need more worldly resourcesโit called the Concepts he'd gotten so far, 'Plasma' and 'Chain Combustion', the 'Foundation Concepts.'
He could get away with using the pittance of Stormfire on Earth for that. But the little bit atop Searing Sky Peak in Italy wouldn't be nearly enough to get much further. It was hardly enough for Chain Combustion. He and Reina both felt it would be smarter to save it for the Superdungeon.
***
Meanwhile, around the world, the other eight Gates were opening. One by one. All of them transformed A or A+-ranked dungeons. There was at least one for every major continent. Two were directly on the North and South Poles.
That made nine chances in total for Earth. As long as just one party made it through, their planet would be integrated.
If not, it would be overrun by Monsters.
Each of the partiesโthe one led by Vanessa, or by Eze, or by Yukiโwere all preparing very seriously. Each of them had the eyes of the world on them. But they all knew who this would all come down to.
There were crowds of reporters at the Luminous Faction now, though Reina made sure they were kept a fair ways away so they wouldn't disturb him. He would see them yammering and speculating as he made his way between the dojo and his mansion with Reina.
It was a relaxing time, but it was also a tense time. For everyone. Once more the fate of their world hung in the balance. If they failed here, Reina thought they would become just another one of those lost realms in that Graveyard, the superdungeon.
Zane would not let that happen.
He knew what he was up against. It wasn't just people on Earth watching him. He felt the eyes of the broader Universe on himโthe Minotaur had made that clear. Some powerful creatures wanted him dead. The moment he stepped foot in that dungeon, he would be going down a hard path.
But he had strengthened his bodyโhis skin, his muscles, his tendons. Strengthened his soul to be practically unbreakable. Strengthened his Law, too, with Chain Combustion. And boosted his Level lots.
He was as ready as he could be.