Chapter 307: I’ll Take This Crate of Potions

A row of treasures appeared before Zich.

Spears, breastplates, and scrolls hovered above stone platforms, their cold gleam almost impossible to look away from. The moment he took a step forward, two points of crimson light flared to life within the eye sockets of the axe wielding stone statue at the far end of the hall.

Ding!

[Choose one reward, carry its corresponding Trial Case, defeat the guardian, and reach the exit.]

[Once selected, the reward cannot be changed. The Trial Case cannot be stored or opened before the trial is cleared.]

[Items damaged inside the case will not be replaced.]

After reading the final line, Zich glanced at the massive axe in the statue’s hands, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

If that thing came crashing down, how much of the treasure inside the case would even survive?

A black breastplate sat within arm’s reach, its overlapping scales gleaming with a dark luster. It looked extremely valuable. Yet as his gaze swept toward the corner, his outstretched hand stopped.

In the corner sat a wooden crate holding four mana potions

Deep within the graveyard, the tombstone belonging to the Myriad Beast Chimera immediately surfaced in his mind.

Zich stayed silent for a moment before walking straight toward the wooden crate.

Equipment could be bought. Right now, however, an extra supply of mana might allow him to last a little longer in the battles above. That big guy who had yet to make its appearance was worth preparing for in advance.

"I’ll take this crate of potions."

The instant the lid locked shut, the entire hall trembled. Then, a moment later, the axe wielding statue stood up.

Its massive body smashed through the stone platform ahead as the huge axe swept sideways through a storm of shattered rock. Clutching the wooden crate, Zich threw himself aside. The stone platform behind him was cleaved in half, one broken section grazing his back before crashing violently into the wall!

Cold sweat instantly soaked his collar.

"Iron, hold it back! Slimy, protect the crate!"

Black light unfolded in rapid succession.

The bone greatsword collided with the massive axe, and the deafening clang of metal instantly drowned out his voice. At the same time, white silk swept across the floor and dragged the wooden crate away from the battlefield.

With both hands finally free, Zich immediately raised his scythe and joined the fight.

Yet after several violent exchanges, they were still the ones being forced backward. Cracks had appeared across the guardian’s thick stone armor, but Iron’s breastplate had also been smashed inward, while the vibrations traveling through the scythe shaft had torn Zich’s palms open until blood streamed between his fingers.

If this continued, they might win, but the price would not be small.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when the guardian suddenly turned its head.

Those crimson eye sockets locked onto the potion crate beside the wall.

"Slimy!"

Before the warning had even left his mouth, the guardian kicked a broken section of stone platform straight toward the corner!

The white silk tightened in a hurry, pulling the wooden crate away just before the direct impact, only for the explosion of shattered stone to send it flying into the air. Zich immediately activated Shadow Blink, catching the crate before it could hit the ground, but something slammed heavily into his left shoulder and hurled him against the wall.

Crack.

Amid the chaos, the sound of breaking glass was painfully clear.

A drop of potion seeped from the bottom of the crate and landed on the back of his bloodstained hand.

Zich lowered his eyes toward it. When he looked up again, his expression had gone cold.

The guardian was already stepping past Iron and advancing toward him.

It was staring at the crate.

And in trying to protect those potions, he had allowed himself to be forced into a corner.

"Fine."

Zich slowly exhaled and handed the wooden crate to the approaching Slimy as black blue light gathered in his palm.

The instant the guardian raised its axe, a Spirit Bomb flew straight toward it.

BOOM!

The explosion swallowed the hand gripping the weapon, blasting stone fingers in every direction. The massive axe slipped free and crashed into the rubble beside the wall, its handle becoming wedged between the shattered remains of a stone platform.

The shockwave sent Zich staggering backward, a metallic taste rising into his mouth.

But his gaze had already settled on the axe.

A command quickly traveled through the contract to Iron.

Within the settling dust, the undead knight quietly turned around.

Zich picked up the potion crate again and retreated toward the rubble. Blood ran down his left arm and soaked into the corner of the box, while the pursuing guardian charged without slowing, its stone arms spreading wide enough to engulf both him and the crate.

This time, Zich waited. Only when that enormous figure was almost upon him did he throw the wooden crate into the web of silk Slimy had spread behind him.

[Shadow Blink!]

Its target vanished.

Unable to stop its momentum, the guardian continued forward, and behind the curtain of dust, Iron had already lifted the massive axe, bracing the end of its handle firmly against the corner of the wall as the blade tilted upward toward the guardian’s abdomen!

BOOM!

Its own weapon smashed through its thick stone armor!

The enormous gray white body folded violently as the crimson core within its torso was exposed.

Zich was already leaping in from the side.

Both bloodstained hands tightened around the shaft of his scythe before the blade hooked deep into that mass of crimson light. Using the full force of his descending body, he ripped it downward, shattering the crimson light!

The guardian’s outstretched stone hand froze in midair.

Then its enormous body collapsed heavily into the rubble.

It was only when the dust washed over his face that Zich finally unclenched his jaw.

His shoulder had gone numb from the pain, and he could barely feel his palms anymore. Using the scythe for support, he pushed himself upright and looked toward the wooden crate behind Slimy.

"It’s still there." he let out a sigh of relief.

Iron also pushed itself out of the rubble. Its breastplate was badly dented, but the soul flames within its eyes had not gone out.

"Come here." Zich’s voice was slightly hoarse.

Once Slimy dragged the wooden crate over, he bent down and picked it up before leading his summons toward the now open iron door.

The moment he crossed the threshold, the seal on the crate finally released.

[Twenty Sixth Floor Trial Complete.]

[Evaluation: SS.]

[Reward Confirmed: Mana Potion ×3.]

Beside the broken glass, three intact potions rested quietly within the padded interior.

Zich carefully stored them one by one, then stared at the empty slot left behind. His brows tightened with obvious heartache.

One Spirit Bomb, a body covered in injuries, and one potion gone on top of that.

"This tower really knows how to do business." He complained as he put the potions away.

He now had one more resource prepared for the Chimera.

...

Outside the tower, the SS evaluation on the stone monument sparked another wave of discussion.

"SS? It seems things are beginning to become difficult for him as well."

"Still, an SS is not bad."

"Not bad? SS? That’s freaking high already."

A slightly chubby man who overheard them couldn’t help but laugh. "It seems Zich has spoiled us so much that we think SS is no longer a big deal. How ironic."

He was right, because even as they stared at the monument, a huge number of the competitors were still struggling to get an SS.

Arthur said nothing, merely staring at the name that remained illuminated on its surface.

After a while, light swept across the monument once again.

[First Place: Zich Grave, Twenty Seventh Floor.]

...

After resting within the teleportation chamber, Zich left his summons inside the graveyard to recover and stepped into the next floor alone.

The teleportation light disappeared.

The moment he stepped onto this floor, he quickly noticed that something was wrong.

There was no sensation of ground beneath his feet.

His body suddenly plunged downward!

Violent wind rushed into his mouth and nose, his clothes instantly pulling taut against his body. Zich snapped his head upward. The last traces of teleportation light were disappearing above him while steep cliff walls raced upward on both sides.

Before he could even search for somewhere to land, the thick mist below violently parted.

An enormous black shadow tore through the fog and raised its head toward him as two rows of razor sharp teeth slowly parted.

Realizing he was falling straight into the gigantic maw, Zich felt his very soul leave his body!

...

Sorry for the lack of Chapters. I had a fever and was on medication but we are back! Another Chapter coming right up!