Natsuki Subaru stepped through a shimmering portal that twisted space, his feet sinking into the scalding sand. In the blink of an eye, he was standing at the entrance to the fiftieth floor.
The scorching sun beat down without mercy, revealing a majestic demon city rising from the endless desert before him.
Massive sandstone structures, eroded by wind into a thousand bizarre shapes, featured towering spires that pierced the sky. The blazing sun hung high above, and yellow sand filled the air—a stark contrast to the cold, desolate ruins, gloomy jungles, and frozen lands he had previously traversed. The heat warped the distant scenery, and the air was thick with the smell of sulfur and dust.
"Another massive demon city..." Natsuki Subaru remarked with a sigh as he surveyed his surroundings.
"The style is completely different this time. Jumping straight from a frozen world to a scorching desert... the System's environmental design is pretty extreme."
Come to think of it, from the first floor of the Demon Castle to now, every floor had felt like a complete and distinct world.
Some were cemetery cities shrouded in eternal night, with tombstones like forests and wandering spirits; some were volcanic fortresses with rivers of lava, their skies obscured by black smoke; others were frozen cities...
In short, every floor of the Demon Castle could be considered a self-sustaining metropolis.
"If you were to add up the area of all one hundred floors of this Demon Castle..." Natsuki Subaru mused, looking at the massive city ahead.
"It would probably rival the total area of a human kingdom. The sheer scale of the dungeons this System can create is truly beyond imagination."
Gazing at the desert city that stretched to the horizon, Natsuki Subaru, for the first time, felt a strange sense of trepidation toward the System's power.
It wasn't fear, but a kind of awe for an unknown power. An existence capable of creating such a vast, multi-layered world possessed power that was beyond his comprehension.
"Are these demons... virtual data, or are they real living beings? But every time I enter a dungeon, the temperature, the smells, even the flow of mana in the air, it all feels so real, like stepping into a complete world."
"So, are these dungeon worlds... actually real?"
The thought stirred a strange and subtle emotion within Natsuki Subaru.
After all, the monsters here didn't just bleed and scream; they showed fear before death and even knew how to cooperate and use tactics. Everything about them was so realistic, almost indistinguishable from living beings.
"If these worlds are real, then the System's power is too terrifying. Creating worlds... that's the domain of gods."
At that moment, Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but feel a deep sense of doubt about the cheat-like ability he possessed.
After all, a power that could freely create and control so many real worlds was practically the power of a creator.
"What is its purpose? Why set up such trials? And why choose me?"
These questions swirled in Natsuki Subaru's mind, but he quickly shook his head, pushing the distracting thoughts away.
"But in the end, I'm just a small fry. There's no point in speculating," Natsuki Subaru said with a self-deprecating smile, then clenched his fists.
"Since I've gained this power, I should focus on getting stronger. Whatever the System's purpose is, I have no choice right now."
"I can't believe I've already made it to the fiftieth floor."
Natsuki Subaru stopped overthinking. He clenched his fists lightly, an unprecedented sense of fullness flowing through his body. The immense explosive power stored in his muscles was eager to be unleashed, bringing a confident smile to his lips.
"The me right now is several times stronger than when I first entered the Demon Castle."
This wasn't blind confidence, but a feeling based on tangible reality. Natsuki Subaru could clearly feel his own growth. Every level up was a leap to a new stage of strength.
After all, he was a Solo Leveler.
Of course, each level up brought not just a boost in stats, but a qualitative leap. The explosive power of his muscles, the reaction speed of his nerves, and even his perception of the slightest changes in his surroundings had all reached a new realm.
Though the enhancement from a single level-up might seem limited, after rising more than a dozen levels, the cumulative effect had brought about a heaven-and-earth-shattering change in his physical condition. Attacks that he once had to struggle to dodge could now be evaded with a mere thought. Enemies whose defenses he once found difficult to breach could now perhaps be dispatched in a single blow.
To confirm his feelings, Natsuki Subaru thought to himself:
"Open System."
A semi-transparent blue status panel immediately unfolded before his eyes, floating in the scorching air, clearly listing the growth of his various stats.
Host: Natsuki Subaru
Level: 78
Class: Shadow Monarch
Title: Wolf Slayer
Spirit: 376
Strength: 482
Agility: 390
Vitality: 355
HP: 28000/28000
MP: 450000/450000
EXP: 46464900/164400000
Stat Points: 0
Skills:
-Tenacity (Passive)
-Advanced Dagger Arts (Passive)
-Dagger Toss (Active)
-Blessing of the Great Spirit Candealar (Active)
-Sprint (Active)
-Bloodlust (Active)
-Stealth (Active)
-Ruler's Authority (Active)
Shadow Monarch Exclusive Skills: Shadow Extraction, Shadow Preservation, Shadow Exchange.
"My level has reached 78, and my four main stats—Strength, Agility, Spirit, and Vitality—have all increased across the board." Natsuki Subaru thought to himself as he looked at the system panel.
Because demons couldn't be extracted as shadows, the number of his Shadow Soldiers remained around three thousand, but each unit's level had increased, significantly enhancing their individual combat strength.
In particular, the defense of his Shadow Knights and the magic damage of his Shadow Mages had improved substantially. His various combat skills had also seen significant improvement, especially Ruler's Authority, which had reached level four, further expanding its range and precision.
"Speaking of which, it took about twenty hours to get from the first floor to the fiftieth." Natsuki Subaru glanced at the detailed combat time recorded in the status bar, estimating how much time had passed.
Although the time flow in the Demon Castle was at a 10:1 ratio to the outside world, meaning only about two hours had passed in reality. But that was under the ideal condition of continuous fighting without any rest. The actual pace of combat was extremely intense, with every floor demanding his full effort.
"It's all thanks to them."
Natsuki Subaru looked at the thousands of Shadow Soldiers standing silently at the ready beside him. Even under the blazing sun, these warriors made of shadow maintained their perfect combat stance.
If he didn't have the Shadow Soldiers to share the burden, facing the ever-increasing hordes of demons all by himself would have taken more than twice the time, and he probably wouldn't have even made it to such a high floor.
He had been hesitant when he chose to become a Shadow Monarch, as it meant giving up other potential class paths. But now, it was undoubtedly a wise choice.
"Having these loyal subordinates has boosted my overall combat power so significantly."
Natsuki Subaru recalled the difficult choice during his class-change quest; now it seemed it was all worth it.
"The fiftieth floor is an important milestone, but there's still half the journey left."
Natsuki Subaru gazed at the desolate and dangerous desert city ahead and muttered to himself,
"The farther I go, the harder it will inevitably get, but the rewards will also become richer. They say the reward on the hundredth floor is enough to drive any adventurer mad."
It was worth noting that as the floor number increased, the demons' strength grew exponentially, but the experience points they provided also became more substantial.
The hot desert wind kicked up fine sand as Natsuki Subaru stood on a dune, staring at the demon city in the distance.
"At this rate, I might actually reach level 100 by the time I get to the hundredth floor."
After all, since entering the dungeon at level 64, Natsuki Subaru had already gained 14 levels. Although the experience required for each level-up grew exponentially, the high-level monsters were much stronger, and the experience gained from killing them was also very generous.
"First, I'll take care of this floor's demon lord, get the permit, and move on to the next floor."
With that thought, Natsuki Subaru began to walk forward. He hadn't gone far before he suddenly stopped.
Because atop a sand dune ahead, a massive figure had appeared.
It was a monster with demonic horns, its body as large as a three-story building. Its dark red skin was covered in lava-like patterns. It sat silently on a throne carved from obsidian, exuding a suffocating pressure.
Most noticeable was the conspicuous blood-red identifier floating above the demon's head:
[Ruler of the Lower Floors, the Flame God of Greed].
Surrounding this behemoth stood thousands of red-armored demon guards.
Each of these demon guards was tall and heavily muscled, wielding various flaming weapons. Their eyes held no glimmer of reason, only a pure desire for slaughter.
"Another demon with a red name tag over its head..." Natsuki Subaru looked up at the Flame God of Greed and thought, "The Flame God of Greed? A demon with the title of a god... its strength must be formidable."
This wasn't the first time he had encountered a powerful enemy with a special red identifier. The Gate Guardian of the Demon Castle, Cerberus, was also a red-named demon, equivalent to a dungeon lord-level boss.
Any demon or dungeon boss with a red name was slightly stronger than him and had a massive health bar. What was more troublesome was that they usually possessed special skills or combat methods.
"I'll handle that big boss over there. You guys take care of the guards."
Natsuki Subaru issued the command to his Shadow Soldiers, his right hand already gripping Kasaka's Venom Fang.
Although he knew the Shadow Soldiers wouldn't respond, he was still in the habit of communicating with them.
After all, fighting alongside them for so long had created a strange emotional bond between Natsuki Subaru and these lifeless shadow warriors.
"Shhh!"
Igris silently took a step forward, his greatsword flashing from its sheath.
At Natsuki Subaru's command, Igris led thousands of Shadow Soldiers surging toward the red-armored demon guards like a tidal wave.
Instantly, the sounds of clashing metal, striking weapons, and demonic roars filled the desert. The Shadow Soldiers formed a battle line and clashed fiercely with the red-armored guards, and in an instant, the sandy ground bloomed with countless flowers of blood and shadow.
"King against king, general against general!"
After leveling up, Natsuki Subaru's mana pool had greatly increased, significantly extending the duration he could maintain thousands of Shadow Soldiers, making combat much more manageable than before.
However, something was bothering him—
"How long is that guy going to just sit there?"
Natsuki Subaru stared at the motionless Flame God of Greed, his brows furrowed slightly.
The creature seemed completely indifferent to the slaughter on the battlefield, not even opening its eyes. On the battlefield, the Shadow Soldiers and the red-armored demons were locked in a chaotic melee.
The clash of swords, the explosions of magic, and the roars of demons rose and fell, kicking up so much dust that the sky was dyed a murky yellow.
In the instant Natsuki Subaru's focus was divided, the battle suddenly shifted.
A squad of elite red-armored demon guards suddenly formed a wedge formation, breaking through the Shadow Knights' defensive line with astonishing coordination.
"Just in time!"
A glint of battle-lust flashed in Natsuki Subaru's eyes. He didn't retreat but instead charged forward to meet them, his figure flitting across the sand like a phantom, leaving a trail of black afterimages.
"—Bloodlust!"
The Bloodlust skill activated instantly, and the formless pressure caused the foremost demon guards to visibly falter.
"Swish, swish, swish—"
Kasaka's Venom Fang drew several cold arcs of light in the air, and three demon heads flew off their shoulders, spraying black blood.
His Advanced Dagger Arts had been honed to perfection through continuous combat. Combined with the intimidating effect of the Bloodlust skill, these demon guards seemed pathetically weak before him.
However, the number of demons was simply too great, coming at him wave after wave.
Natsuki Subaru let out a cold snort and raised his right hand:
"Ruler's Authority!"
In the next second, Kasaka's Venom Fang shot from his hand, seemingly controlled by invisible threads, carving exquisite trajectories through the air. Every flash of the blade brought a splash of blood, and every turn reaped several lives.
Under the control of Ruler's Authority, the dagger could even execute bizarre attacks impossible for a human, slipping through the gaps in a demon's armor from an unbelievable angle or suddenly changing direction to strike a vital point.
Within a few breaths, more than thirty demon guards had fallen dead.
"ROAR!"
Just then, the Flame God of Greed, who had been sitting motionless, finally opened its eyes. They were a pair of blood-red eyes, as scorching as molten rock, burning with the light of tyranny and greed.
It slowly rose to its feet, its massive body, several meters tall, casting a suffocating shadow. It swung the giant club in its hand casually, stirring up a searing gale that made Natsuki Subaru's clothes whip and snap.
"Is this guy finally going to make a move?"
Natsuki Subaru narrowed his eyes, on full alert. He could feel the terrifying power contained within that giant club, far surpassing any physical-type demon he had encountered before.
_____
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