As the glow of the portal faded, Ray stood tall, a soft chime from the Aurora System catching his attention.
[Hidden Quest Complete: First Tower Floor Cleared! All stats +1]
Ray smirked as he opened his stats panel, his eyes scanning the updated numbers.
[Updated Stats]
Vitality: 14
Strength: 15
Defense: 12
Mana: 11
Speed: 13
"Not bad," he muttered, flexing his fingers as energy coursed through his body. He closed the screen and stepped into the next portal, bracing himself for what was to come.
Ray emerged into a twisting maze of glowing red walls, each pulsating with heat like a living furnace. The air was suffocating, carrying the acrid scent of sulfur. Above him, the Aurora System blinked into view.
[Tower of Flames: Floor 2]
Objective: Navigate the labyrinth and eliminate the Fire Hounds (0/15)
Ray unsheathed his blade, the weapon humming softly in response. He didn't have to wait long for the first challenge. The ground rumbled, and from the walls emerged massive creatures resembling wolves, their bodies composed entirely of flames with smoldering black cores at their centers.
[Enemy Identified: Fire Hounds]
The first beast lunged, its fiery claws swiping toward him. Ray sidestepped with practiced ease and retaliated with a slash imbued with Water Magic. A stream of water burst forth, extinguishing part of the beast's fiery form and revealing its vulnerable core. Without hesitation, Ray plunged his blade into it, shattering the core and dispersing the creature.
[Eliminated: 1/15 Fire Hounds]
As he ventured deeper, the labyrinth's layout became increasingly disorienting. Dead ends and shifting walls forced Ray to rely on his Wind Magic, sending out gusts of air to map his path. The wind currents helped him detect hidden openings, but they also stirred the beasts.
Two Fire Hounds attacked simultaneously, their fiery jaws snapping dangerously close. Ray leaped backward and unleashed a vortex of compressed air, sending one beast crashing into a wall. The second pounced, but Ray countered with a Water Bullet, extinguishing its flame and exposing its core for a swift strike.
[Eliminated: 3/15 Fire Hounds]
The challenges intensified as Ray pressed on. The Fire Hounds grew more coordinated, attacking in packs and setting traps with fiery explosions. Ray was forced to adapt, using his Wind Magic to create barriers of compressed air that deflected the blasts.
At one point, the maze itself turned against him, walls spewing jets of fire to corral him into an ambush. Ray gritted his teeth and combined his Wind and Water Magic, generating a swirling cyclone of steam that disoriented the attacking beasts and extinguished their flames.
Finally, after a grueling two hours, Ray stood at the center of the labyrinth, the smoldering remains of the last Fire Hounds at his feet.
[Eliminated: 15/15 Fire Hounds]
[Objective Complete: Proceed to the next floor.]
Ray wiped the sweat from his brow and stepped through the newly formed portal.
Ray emerged into a vast, open arena suspended over a lake of lava. The sky above was a blazing inferno, and the heat was almost unbearable.
[Tower of Flames: Floor 3]
Objective: Survive the Infernal Onslaught for 15 Minutes
Ray's eyes narrowed as dozens of flame spirits and Fire Hounds materialized on the battlefield. Unlike the previous floors, these enemies moved with unnatural speed and coordination, their attacks overlapping to leave no room for error.
Ray dashed forward, his movements a blur as he evaded a barrage of fireballs. He countered with Wind Magic, creating a gust that redirected the projectiles back toward his enemies. The explosion took out a cluster of flame spirits, but the Fire Hounds pressed on, their claws tearing through the air.
Using his Water Magic, Ray conjured a sheet of water beneath him, cooling the ground and reducing the oppressive heat. He followed up with a series of water bullets, each one finding its mark and extinguishing the beasts' flames.
As the timer ticked down, the arena itself joined the fray. Pillars of fire erupted randomly, forcing Ray to stay on the move. One blast nearly caught him, singing his arm.
"Alright," he muttered, switching tactics.
He combined his Wind and Water Magic to form a swirling vortex of steam, using it as both a shield and a weapon. The steam obscured his movements, allowing him to strike from unexpected angles. He weaved through the chaos, his swords flashing as he dismantled the enemies one by one.
The final moments of the trial were the most intense. A colossal flame spirit, twice the size of the others, emerged from the lava. Its core burned like a miniature sun, radiating heat waves that distorted the air.
Ray gripped his blade tightly, channeling his remaining mana into a powerful attack. He unleashed a concentrated stream of water, aiming directly at the core. The spirit resisted, its flames roaring in defiance, but Ray didn't relent. He pushed forward, his blade glowing as he poured every ounce of strength into the strike.
With a final surge, the spirit's core shattered, and the arena fell silent.
[Objective Complete: Proceed to the next floor.]
Ray dropped to one knee, breathing heavily. His mana reserves were nearly depleted, but his determination burned brighter than ever. He stood, sheathed his blade, and stepped into the next portal, ready for whatever awaited him on the fourth floor.