After leaving RG, before we warped to Floor 4, Leo decided we needed new weapons since he was worn out from the earlier battles. There was a blacksmith near RG, so he said it would only take him a moment to get what we needed. He left Mai and Lia with me outside RG.
Mai looked at me and asked sincerely, "Do you want to get a weapon?"
I replied quietly, "No, I'm fine."
Lia chimed in, "Are you sure? Wands can improve damage, and chants can enhance their effectiveness."
I hesitated, thinking about the book I read. "The book didn't mention chants," I said, quickly realizing I might have missed something.
I pulled the book from my inventory and took another look.
Flip
The book explained:
"There are three ways to cast magic: saying its name, chanting it, or—"
The rest of the page was scribbled out.
It continued:
"Chanting uses less mana and is a more reliable way to call upon magic. Saying its name only succeeds 30% of the time. Using a wand improves this to about 50%."
Flip
The chant for Dark Lightning Javelin is:
"By shadow's spark and night's embrace, let lightning pierce with grace."
"Chants only need to be said once. Afterwards, the success rate of saying the spell's name increases to roughly 80%."
As I finished reading, Leo returned with new weapons for all of us—a white crystal wand for Lia and me, a sword and shield for Mai, and a pike for himself, along with a few other weapons.
Mia spoke up quickly, "We'll cover the cost. How much is it?"
Lia nodded in agreement, her expression serious.
Leo smiled warmly and replied, "You can settle up after we defeat the boss."
Lia looked down, her mood momentarily subdued. I gave her an encouraging smile, and she managed a faint smile in return.
"Is everyone ready?" Leo asked with a commanding tone.
"Yes," we all responded in unison, drawing the attention of those around us.
"Warp!" Leo commanded, his voice cutting through the air.
CRACK
We were teleported to the same teleportation rune on the fourth floor. However, this time, it was different. There were many people with various gear and items. One figure stood out above the rest; her name was "LV4 (Sho) Sho." She had a commanding presence. She was tall, with gray hair, emerald eyes, and looked around 17 or 18. Her blue leather armor had red accents, and she wore bronze armor around her neck with a red jewel on her shoulder pads, the guild logo which was a snowflake.
I thought it was odd to name a guild after yourself, but she quickly went about her business, not noticing me.
Leo whispered to me, "I know exactly where the boss is, so just follow me."
We followed Leo into the swamp, sticking closely to the path. When the path ended, there were guards warning us to stay safe and informing us of a dangerous monster ahead.
"The boss is located on the far side of the swamp," Leo explained. "The swamp is vast."
"They have to be huge to accommodate all of humanity, monsters, and NPCs," Mai interjected.
"Are all floors the same size?" Lia asked.
"Most floors are about this size," Leo replied. "Some bosses are relatively close together, but as we progress, the distances between floors increase, and the floors themselves get smaller."
"People who didn't play the beta would end up on endless quests searching for bosses," he added.
We ventured deeper into the swamp, noting the abundance of slimes—something we hadn't seen on our first visit. Finally, we arrived at a massive mountain that seemed to stretch beyond the clouds. At its base was a cave, and in front of the cave was a lizard man sitting on a pile of bones. His red name, "LV8 Lizard General Xal'thor," indicated his high rank.
The Lizard General had a formidable presence, with scales that shimmered in the dim light. Unlike the previous lizard men, he had a tail and no armor. He leaned against his spear, his tired eyes suggesting a lack of sleep. I recognized those eyes. He had a commanding presence and was clearly ready for battle.
As soon as we appeared, his eyes widened—whether from shock or another emotion, it was hard to tell. He looked at us with disgust.
"Xal'Nia," he said quietly. "You killed my wife!" He screamed.
Leo stepped forward, saying, "We didn't. In fact, she gave me this relic," and he lifted the relic for Xal'thor to see.
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Relic Quest
Make it to Floor Six or defeat the Lizard General Xal'thor.
Reward: Xal'Nora's Ring
Penalty: If you die or exceed the time limit, the relic will respawn at a random location on the floor.
Time left: 19 Hours
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Xal'thor's eyes narrowed. "Then why... why do I smell my wife's blood red?"
Mia, Lia, and I looked pale as the realization hit us. Mia spoke quietly, "We killed your wife."
Lia then spoke "But it was because—"
"Silence!" Xal'thor roared. "Where is your honor, killing a defenseless lizard woman?"
We were silent for a moment before Xal'thor spoke again. "If you give up the one who killed her, I will allow you to pass."
Mia and Lia quickly stepped forward. "It's our fault she died," Lia said.
Before Xal'thor could respond, Leo stepped in front of them, hands stretched out. "I'd rather do this peacefully, but I won't allow you to hurt my friends."
"Peacefully? Peacefully? You killed my wife!" Xal'thor rose from his throne of bones, his voice chilling with rage. "Which of you will fight me?"
"By shadow's spark and night's embrace, let lightning pierce with grace," I murmured, preparing a Dark Lightning Javelin and recalling my wand from my inventory.
Xal'thor, noticing my incantation, leaped toward us with a fierce determination. Leo, ready for action, recalled his shield from his inventory and blocked Xal'thor's attack. The spear clashed against the shield, driving Leo back but preventing the spear from reaching me.
"Light Bind!" Lia called out, casting a shimmering rope of pure light that wrapped around Xal'thor, reflecting off his scales. He struggled, but the bindings held for only a moment before he broke free with a powerful force, sending us stumbling backward.
Mia, using her shield to block the force, charged at Xal'thor, aiming to stab him. He moved with swift agility, dodging her strikes and weaving through her attacks. As he found an opening, he used his tail to slam Mia into a nearby tree with a resounding crash.
"Dark Lightning Javelin!" I shouted, and the spell shot out of my wand, hurtling toward Xal'thor. The javelin struck him head-on, sending him crashing backward into his throne of bones, causing debris to splinter and scatter around the area.
Recovering, Xal'thor glared down at us, his voice dripping with contempt. "Where's your honor, high humans? Four against one…"
Leo, regaining his balance, stepped forward. "I'll fight you," he declared, his voice steady.
With a swift motion, Leo drew his sword, and Xal'thor readied his spear. The duel began with a clash of metal and spear, Leo's sword moving with precise, fluid movements. Xal'thor's spear thrusts were powerful but predictable, and Leo's swordsmanship was impeccable. He deflected a series of spear strikes, countering with slashes that forced Xal'thor into a defensive stance.
In a dazzling display of skill, Leo used a series of quick, calculated strikes to slice through Xal'thor's tail. The lizard man roared in pain, leaving him vulnerable. Leo seized the opportunity, launching a decisive attack that cleaved through Xal'thor's defenses.
With a final, powerful thrust, Leo drove his sword into Xal'thor's chest. The lizard man's form disintegrated into pixels, his last words escaping as he faded away. "Good job, high human. I can finally see my wife once more."
As Xal'thor vanished, Lia began to cry, overwhelmed by the weight of what they had done. Mia and I rushed to console me, comforting me with the words that it wasn't my fault and that it was their responsibility.
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Floor 4 has been beaten by party L2WMN
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