Chapter 315: The Battle for the Summit [2/2]

"Damn it!" Zich growled under his breath.

He wanted nothing more than to stay there and rest, but there was no time. The monster was already upon him again.

Fortunately for him, Iron intercepted the follow up attack, but its breastplate caved inward, forcing it down onto one knee. Iron tried to lift the blade again, but the claw was still pressing down with immense strength.

"Come back!"

Zich recalled Iron, then the wounded Myriad Beast Chimera. Slimy dragged him behind a pillar, but the white threads it had just spread were ripped apart by a chain. It, too, had to retreat into the summoning light.

The Myriad Beast Chimera had been out for only a few seconds, yet its summoning cost and Tiamant's heavy mana drain had already pushed his reserves low.

Therefore, he couldn't afford to leave all of them out. Tiamant was the only one that remained in the frontal fight, still holding the enemy back.

Taking advantage of the moment of respite, Zich uncorked his last potion and drank too quickly, choking and coughing up a mouthful of blood. He stared at the empty vial for a moment before tossing it beside his feet.

That exchange had not been fruitless.

When the Soul Devourer stood, its injured leg was noticeably slower. It could still swing its claws, lash its chains, and even force Tiamant backward, but every time it turned, it had to move its other foot first.

Zich raised his head and looked toward both sides of the hall.

The four Undead Skeleton Soldiers were still there. They had stayed out of the frontal battle and circled along the walls to the rear.

He sent an order through their contracts, then braced himself against the scythe and stood.

"Tiamant, fall back."

The bone dragon blocked the enemy as she retreated, the cracks in her shoulder bones widening with each exchange. Zich waited for an opening as a chain was being drawn back, then recalled her as well.

The hall abruptly emptied.

The Soul Devourer glanced at the distant Undead Skeleton Soldiers, then raised its arm and smashed the broken pillar beside Zich to pieces.

BOOOM!

Forced out of cover, Zich staggered backward.

Whoosh!

The black chain came again.

This time, he did not keep dodging to either side. He charged straight toward it.

The Soul Devourer raised its claw.

But the instant it reached for him, Zich vanished.

Spirit Exchange!

An Undead Skeleton Soldier appeared beneath the claw in his place and was immediately recalled.

As a result, the claw missed not only Zich but also the skeleton, striking nothing but air.

At this point, Zich had already landed behind the Soul Devourer's flank, throwing the Spirit Bomb in his hand toward its injured leg.

The Soul Devourer whipped around.

That was exactly the movement Zich had been waiting for.

Before the wounded leg could move clear, black and blue light erupted against the floor. The Soul Devourer toppled to one side, simultaneously whipping its chain toward Zich and cutting off almost every direction he could retreat.

"Bastard, take this!"

A second Spirit Bomb flew straight toward the chain.

Boom!

An explosion thundered between them. The chain was hurled upward, while the shock wave drove Zich back several steps. Stone fragments sliced across his face, but his eyes never left the figure in the dust.

The Soul Devourer was still trying to stand.

"Hold it down!"

Tiamant appeared again, her bone chains coiling around its shoulders and arms. The Myriad Beast Chimera plunged into the dust a moment later, planting its front paws on the creature's back and violently forcing its rising body down again.

He could sustain them together for only a few seconds.

The Soul Devourer reached back and tore through the Myriad Beast Chimera's chest armor. Tiamant's forelimbs also cracked under the strain.

While it was occupied, Zich had already reached it.

Where the scorpion tail had grazed its shoulder and neck earlier, the scales had peeled back, exposing the flesh beneath. He gripped the Frostgrave Scythe with both hands and drove its blade into the opening. Then he lowered his body and pulled backward with every ounce of strength he had.

Puch!

A claw clamped onto his shoulder.

Pain darkened Zich's vision. His feet slid forward as the creature dragged him closer, but the scythe's shaft remained braced against his chest.

Knowing he could not hold out much longer, he bent his knees and threw his entire weight into the pull.

Rip!

At last, the blade cut deep, and the hand gripping his shoulder suddenly tightened, then slowly began to lose its strength.

Zich kept pulling. He could still feel the claws against his shoulder and dared not loosen his grip.

Only when the creature's body finally collapsed did he fall to the floor beside it. He rolled over, trying to put some distance between himself and that claw, but his arms refused to push him up.

[Thirtieth Floor Trial Completed.]

[Trial Evaluation: SSS.]

Zich stared at the notifications, and his ragged breathing finally began to slow.

He immediately recalled Tiamant and the Myriad Beast Chimera, then brought back the three Undead Skeleton Soldiers along the walls one by one. Only after confirming that every contract remained intact did he close his eyes and let the back of his head rest against the cold stone floor.

"I did it."

The tension finally drained from his body.

He had always known he would, but still, it felt surreal.

A long time passed before Zich managed to sit up and pull the Frostgrave Scythe from the Soul Devourer's wound. Blood dripped from the blade. He had to adjust his grip twice before he could hold the weapon steadily.

Not long after, a new notification appeared before him.

[Obtained: Ancient Beast King Soul Stone.]

[Ding! You have level up]

[Ding! you have reached the threshold for the first layer]

[Ding! You are now eligible for the Ascension Quest]

Looking at those texts, Zich finally managed a faint smile.

...