Drayk advanced steadily through the labyrinth, now on the sixth floor. The surroundings were completely different from the previous levels. A dense mist covered the forest, making it difficult for the young king to see, and an eerie silence hung over the area.
"Where are the creatures of this floor?" Drayk murmured, feeling a growing unease.
As he walked, Drayk found it strange that he hadn't encountered a single creature to fight. What he didn't know was that this floor would test his strength in an unexpected way.
Illusions began to appear before him, taking the form of his closest friends.
"You are not worthy of being king," whispered one of the illusions in Kaelon's voice. "You will never be strong enough."
"Did your parents die for someone as weak as you? What a waste!" said another, taking the form of Varian.
The images spoke painful words and made accusations that struck directly at Drayk's heart. The attacks were personal, exploiting insecurities he deeply harbored and feared revealing to others.
"You don't deserve this second chance," said a familiar voice as the image of his past-life parents appeared before him. "It would have been better if you had stayed dead."
Shaken by the words, Drayk found himself vulnerable. His shaken spirit left him distracted, and a sudden blow struck his chest. A stealthy creature had emerged from the mist, taking advantage of his distraction to deal a fatal wound.
Upon returning to the beginning, Drayk found himself face-to-face with Aru'Mathis, who calmly explained:
"The dungeon does not test only physical strength, Drayk. Your spirit will also be challenged."
Determined, he returned to the sixth floor, now more alert.
"I won't fall for these illusions again," Drayk promised himself.
This time, the illusions and false memories did not affect him. Drayk remained focused, ignoring the images of his friends betraying him and the false agreements with the Order that tried to destabilize him.
"If you think you'll defeat me with these lies, you are mistaken!" Drayk challenged.
Amidst the mist, his sharpened senses detected a subtle movement approaching. Without hesitation, he drew his sword and, with a single precise strike, decapitated the creature that had tried to surprise him. Instantly, the mist dissipated, revealing an incredibly beautiful forest.
Farther ahead, Drayk encountered Aru'Mathis again. The immense dragon explained:
"This will be a 'checkpoint,' as you call it in your memories."
During their conversation, Nexum appeared beside them.
"This is a sacred temple for me," Nexum revealed in a soft, calm voice. "It will be the perfect place for your rest, Drayk."
As soon as he finished speaking, the small village Drayk had found earlier appeared around him, including a humble house with a sign at the entrance displaying the young king's name.
Now in the village, Drayk noticed that some spheres, which had previously been blue above the NPCs' heads, had turned green. As he spoke with them, new notifications began to appear.
[Notice: The following missions have been completed.]
[Complete the first floor.] – Nexum blesses you with double experience inside the dungeon.
[Complete the fifth floor.] – The blacksmith will soon provide you with a worthy sword.
[Find the Blood Pendant.] – The Blood Pendant is now bound to you, increasing your intelligence.
{Str: 570* | Int: 500* | Dex: 670*}
[Notice: You leveled up! - Level 12]
{Str: 575* | Int: 505* | Dex: 675*}
After completing the available missions, night fell over the forest. Drayk found it strange—after all, they were still inside a dungeon. Sensing his doubt, Nexum explained:
"Within these walls, the cycle of day and night will be represented just as in the outside world. Even a dragon, to fully benefit from training, must rest from time to time."
...
Meanwhile, in Varnak, Drayk's group was preparing to infiltrate the Lord's mansion. According to the information they had gathered, his name was Darius Valtheron—a middle-aged man with silver hair. Based on Varian's investigations at the tavern, Darius had an extremely calculated and manipulative personality. Because of this, he ruled Varnak with an iron fist while maintaining the illusion of a just government.
Orzoth, on the other hand, had discovered more about the lord's abilities. According to some merchants who had refused to sign contracts with Varnak, Darius had an affinity for mind-control magic. Sources indicated that he used this power to keep the local nobles and merchants under his influence.
Kaelon, through less conventional methods, obtained valuable information: Darius deeply feared the Order of the Eclipse and displayed absolute loyalty to them—not out of devotion, but out of fear of the consequences. His informant revealed a troubling rumor—the Lord's daughter had been cursed by the Order. If he dared to betray them, the girl would suffer a terrible fate.
With all the necessary information gathered, the group proceeded with the infiltration. Using Orzoth's invisibility magic and Kaelon's sleight of hand, they managed to enter the mansion without much difficulty. Unlike Malek's castle, Darius's residence was well-guarded, filled with soldiers and staff. However, since it was late at night, few servants were still awake.
It didn't take long for them to spot Darius walking down a long corridor. The group discreetly followed him to his chambers. Inside the room, the lord activated a hidden mechanism, revealing a secret passage inside his wardrobe. Kaelon, ever observant, memorized the sequence needed to activate it. After a few minutes, the group reopened the passage and descended into the secret chamber.
Upon finding Darius, he was seated in a throne-like chair—humble, yet imposing—with a round table before him. Across from him, a shadowy figure, summoned through magic, was engaged in conversation with him.
The two were discussing recent events in Galdoria and the existence of a primordial dragon. The shadow stated:
"As far as we know, both missions to destroy the lair of the primordial dragons, discovered years ago, have failed."
Darius furrowed his brow and questioned:
"And what will be the Order's next steps? How can I assist?"
The shadow responded in a cold tone:
"Use your influence to increase the people's fear of this race. This should be reinforced primarily in schools and churches."
Darius immediately nodded, replying:
"It will be implemented at once."
The meeting proceeded smoothly until the shadow suddenly shifted the topic of conversation:
"What are your thoughts on the current king, Lord Darius?"
The lord raised an eyebrow, not entirely understanding the purpose of the question, and replied:
"I have nothing against him. Varnak's relationship with the capital has been stable so far."
The shadow seemed dissatisfied with his answer. Darius noticed the hesitation and asked:
"Is there a problem?"
The entity simply declared:
"Change is coming. You must be prepared."
Darius remained silent, not fully grasping the meaning of those words, but out of respect, he refrained from pressing further.
After a brief silence, the shadow altered the mood of the conversation by introducing a new topic—one that left the group frozen in place. In a more serious tone, it declared:
"You will need to act more decisively on a very close matter."
The lord leaned slightly forward and asked:
"What are you referring to?"
The shadow then revealed:
"We have discovered a hidden village within a mountain in the forest surrounding your city. Those we believed to be extinct..."
Darius's eyes widened.
"You're talking about the Drakhors?"
The shadow confirmed with a dark tone and disclosed the mountain's location. Then, it coldly commanded:
"Eliminate everyone inside. But be warned—the young dragon may be hiding there."
The new order made Kaelon's blood boil. The urge to strike down the lord right then and there was overwhelming, but Orzoth exchanged a serious glance with him, silently urging restraint. The wise one knew that even though it was just a shadow, that entity could easily overpower the three of them.
...
A new day dawned in the labyrinth. With his energy restored, Drayk was ready to move on to the next floor. At the center of the village, a portal appeared, signaling that his journey would continue. The seventh floor was similar to the previous ones: vast corridors filled with dead ends and rooms infested with creatures. However, this time, the enemies were Black Orcs—huge and brutal. Drayk had never encountered such creatures before, and he quickly realized just how devastatingly strong they were—a single blow could shatter multiple bones. Fortunately, his self-healing ability allowed him to recover quickly and return to battle. Determined to grow stronger, he pressed on, defeating the Orcs one by one in a bloody fight.
Not long after, after defeating several enemies...
[Notice: You leveled up! - Level 13]
{Str: 580* | Int: 510* | Dex: 680*}
Thanks to the blessings Nexum had granted him, he was evolving faster than expected.
"I need to reach the last floor," he thought.
Upon reaching the boss room of the floor, Drayk found himself face-to-face with a giant Orc, whose fighting style combined magic and close combat using a colossal spear.
To face him, Drayk decided to change his approach and focus on using magic. Searching through his arsenal of spells, he unleashed a series of flaming attacks against the monster. However, to his frustration, the Orc barely took any damage.
"I guess since I don't use magic often, it's still too weak," he murmured.
But he wouldn't give up. This was the perfect place to train. So, he persisted. The battle turned into a true magical duel—the great Orc launched a barrage of projectiles infused with nature's energy, while Drayk retaliated with explosive flames.
Despite his efforts, Drayk realized they were at a stalemate. Neither could overpower the other. Then, a memory of his first magical battle resurfaced in his mind. Making a quick decision, he conjured hundreds of fire lances and hurled them at the Orc. The enemy, with a smug grin, raised numerous small magical barriers—exactly the same number—to block the attack. But this time, things would be different.
Before the lances reached the shields, hundreds of portals opened in the air. The lances passed through the portals and reappeared behind the Orc, replicating the strategy Drayk had used against those insignificant mages in the past. The monster's eyes widened, surprised by the unexpected tactic, but despite the impact, Drayk's magic was still not strong enough to cause fatal damage.
Drayk clenched his fists, frustrated. If he couldn't overpower the Orc with conventional magic, he would have to use something much more powerful.
Focusing his energy into his own blood, he activated his Primordial Blood ability. Instantly, a suppressive aura filled the air, weakening the Orc, who staggered under the overwhelming pressure.
With his eyes glowing a golden hue and intense flames dancing around him, Drayk raised his hand, creating a colossal meteor engulfed in golden fire—capable of melting both matter and energy. The Orc, unable to move due to the suppression, desperately tried to conjure a massive magical shield for protection. But it was futile. The meteor, charged with the devastating power of Primordial Blood, was unstoppable.
When the blazing rock collided, the impact was catastrophic.
A massive explosion swept through the chamber, completely disintegrating the giant Orc.
As the dust settled, Drayk stood at the center of the battlefield, breathing heavily but victorious.
After his overwhelming victory, Drayk resumed his journey, advancing to the eighth floor of the labyrinth. Unlike the previous levels, this one had a far more hostile environment—an arid and scorching desert, where sandstorms limited visibility and made movement difficult. In the midst of this inhospitable landscape, grotesque creatures emerged from the sand to attack him.
The Gorath'Kaas, enormous black-shelled scorpions, were relentless predators that used their camouflage to ambush their prey. In addition to having a carapace tough enough to block regular attacks, their stingers were infused with a venom capable of corroding even magic itself.
Drayk had to rely on his speed and precision to survive. He used dimensional portals to create unexpected angles, striking the creatures' vulnerable spots with lethal blows. However, the battle was exhausting. Every creature eliminated was quickly replaced by another, turning the fight into a true test of endurance.
After an intense struggle, he finally reached the chamber of the Eighth Floor King—Xer'zar, the Emperor of the Sands. A colossal creature, resembling a giant centipede, with dozens of glowing green eyes and serrated fangs capable of splitting rocks in half.
The monster moved with absurd speed, slithering through the sand and attacking with multiple lunges from its razor-sharp limbs. The venom dripping from its mouth evaporated the moment it touched the ground, creating a toxic aura around it.
Drayk was forced to use Primordial Blood, enhancing his reflexes and resilience to withstand the devastating blows. With a thunderous strike, he conjured golden flames, melting the surrounding sand and turning the battlefield into unstable terrain, hindering Xer'zar's movements. With a precise attack, Drayk pierced the monster's skull with a flaming spear, ending the fight and opening the path to the ninth floor.
[Notice: You leveled up! - Level 14]
{Str: 585* | Int: 515* | Dex: 685*}
Crossing the portal, Drayk was greeted by a landscape completely opposite to the previous floor. Now, he found himself in a massive stone fortress, where mithril golems patrolled the corridors. Unlike previous battles, these creatures were not only strong but also highly resistant to conventional magic attacks.
Every strike Drayk landed bounced off their metal bodies, and even his golden flames had a reduced effect. To overcome them, he focused on their mana cores, the source of their energy. Using his spatial magic, he teleported directly behind the golems, striking the cores before they could react.
However, the true test of strength came when he faced the Fortress Guardian—Kavros, the Adamantium Titan. This ten-meter-tall colossus had a body forged from the strongest of metals. His attacks were powerful enough to crack the ground and create destructive shockwaves.
Drayk attempted to fight him head-on but quickly realized the impact of each blow was devastating. Instead of brute force, he changed his approach. Using his spatial magic, Drayk created multiple portals around the Titan, forcing it to strike itself with its own powerful attacks. The moment the creature finally showed an opening, Drayk channeled all his strength into a single attack, piercing its core with a lance of pure draconic energy.
With Kavros defeated, the portal to the tenth floor opened.
[Notice: You leveled up! - Level 15]
{Str: 590* | Int: 520* | Dex: 690*}
Arriving on the tenth floor, Drayk immediately sensed something different. This level was not just a battlefield—it was a war sanctuary. Massive obsidian pillars rose around him, engraved with ancient runes that radiated oppressive energy.
As he took his first steps, the ground trembled, and dozens of creatures emerged from the shadows—spectral warriors, skeletal dragons, and demons wreathed in black flames. Each was stronger than anything Drayk had fought before. The battle was intense, demanding every skill and spell at his disposal.
Yet, even after eliminating countless enemies, he knew the true challenge had yet to come.
At the center of the arena, the runes glowed intensely. A mighty roar echoed through the chamber, and before him appeared the greatest threat he had ever faced—a Primordial Dragon.
But this was no ordinary dragon.
Before him stood a perfect replica of a true Primordial, forged from pure energy and possessing devastating strength. Its eyes burned like cosmic flames, and its mere presence made the air tremble with menace.
Here, Drayk knew his true test had begun.
This time, he could not afford to fail.