As the ash from Thomas Black settled into the snow, the system interface exploded in a flurry of golden light and rapid-fire pings.
"[Notice: You have defeated the Demonic Humans that were plotting a scheme in the 2nd Floor!]"
"[Notice: You have contributed to stopping the manifestation of the Mid-Floor Demon!]"
"[Notice: You have earned an enormous amount of EXP!]"
"[Circulating....]"
"[You have leveled up!]"
"[You have leveled up!]"
"[You have leveled up!]"
"[You have leveled up!]"
Stopping a Mid-Floor manifestation and taking down an A-Rank 'Black Mage', even one as pathetic as Thomas, yielded a massive bounty. I watched my Level went up four times in a row.
"[Notice: Level Up Rewards: +12 Additional Stat Points, +3000 Coins!]"
In this Tower, every level-up granted +3 stat points. Gaining twelve at once was a literal game-changer. I didn't hesitate.
"[Notice: Successfully allotted +3 points to STR, +3 points to VIT, +3 points to AGI, and +3 points to Mana!]"
I stood there for a moment, eyes closed, as a surge of raw power flooded my system. It was like a cold shot of adrenaline hitting every nerve ending at once. My muscles tightened, my vision sharpened, and the mana flowing through my circuits felt denser, more refined.
But the system wasn't finished.
"[Congratulations! Your Skill 'Red Demon's Eye' has been upgraded to Level 3!]"
"[Congratulations! Your Skill 'Fire Element' has been upgraded to Level 3!]"
"[Congratulations! Your Skill 'Glacial Dominion' has been upgraded to Level 2!]"
"[Congratulations! Your Skill 'Sword Demon's Technique' has been upgraded to Level 3!]"
"[Notice: The Third Form, 'Sky-Splitting Slash' has been unlocked!]"
"Amazing," I whispered. The skills I relied on most had evolved alongside me. Unlocking the 'Third Form' of the [Sword Demon's Technique] was a massive windfall. I dismissed Cero, who let out a satisfied huff before vanishing back into his dimensional subspace to sleep off the exertion.
I looked toward the distant, jagged horizon. The other parties, led by Jean and the various high-ranking guilds, would be reaching the highest peak by now. They would be facing the final obstacle of the 2nd Floor, the 'Freezing Willow Tree'. With a Saintess on their side, they didn't need me to clear the floor. I had already secured rewards far exceeding the official clear conditions.
My attention turned to the heavy, pulsing book in my hand: 'Memoir of Nine-Hells'.
High-ranking items with direct ties to a [Nebula] were dangerous. They were anchors that allowed [Constellations] to exert influence or gain leverage over players. I wasn't about to become anyone's pawn, and I wasn't going to let [Pandemonium] keep a tether on me. I knew exactly how to dismantle their advantage.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Fusion'!]"
"[Fusing the SS-Rank Item 'Memoir of Nine-Hells' and the S-Rank Skill 'Sword Demon's Technique'...!]"
The moment I started the fusion, the air turned heavy. A violent, crimson-black energy erupted from the book, swirling into my shadow and clashing with the sword essence I had cultivated.
"[Warning! A 'Status' that does not fit the 'Probability' of the Lower Floors has been detected!]"
"[Notice: Tower's Restrictions applied! Tower's Restrictions applied!]"
The system screamed in alarm. Fusing an SS-Rank artifact with an S-Rank skill was an act of 'Probability' defiance that the Tower's internal logic couldn't easily process. The ground beneath me cracked as the two powers fought to stabilize, the dark demonic energy of the book being forcibly reshaped by the refined technique of the Sword Demon.
Finally, the chaos collapsed into a single, blinding point of dark light.
"[Congratulations! You have successfully obtained an extremely rare L-Rank Skill: 'Heavenly Demon's Technique' Lvl 1!]"
"[Notice: Due to your high level of understanding, the First Form 'Horizon of the Damned' and the Second Form 'Heaven Splitting Strike' have been unlocked!]"
"[Usage: 'Horizon of the Damned' creates a foundational horizontal draw at blinding speed. The blade leaves a trail of black energy that lingers in the air, acting as a secondary cutting edge for anyone who steps into the path of the swing. 'Heaven Splitting Strike' releases a heavy overhead vertical downward cleave. It utilizes the full weight of the user's Demonic Energy to create a pressure wave that splits the ground and the air itself far beyond the blade's physical reach.]"
I felt a new, darker weight settle into my soul. It was a terrifying power, an L-Rank Skill on the 2nd Floor was practically unheard of. But as the power settled, one final, ominous message appeared.
"[Warning! Different types of energies have been detected in your soul! Be careful in the future!]"
Holy energy from [Blessings of the Stars] and now Demonic energy from the [Heavenly Demon's Technique]. I was turning my soul into a battlefield of opposing forces, but in this Tower, that was the only way to reach the top.