Chapter 19: Floor 2
As they prepared to leave Zerensha, Livia hesitated, glancing at Ichio. "Hey, about Nyx… where is he?"
Ichio's tone was sharp, but calm. "I sent him on a mission. Don't ask about him. It's none of your business."
Livia frowned, crossing her arms. "You're so secretive."
Ichio ignored her comment, leading the way to the village altar at the edge of Zerensha.
The altar was a stone platform inscribed with glowing runes that pulsed faintly in the dim light. In the center, a pedestal bore a small, shimmering orb.
Ichio placed his hand on the orb, and the runes flared brightly. A deep hum filled the air, he gets teleported.
"Let's go," Ichio said.
Livia muttering, "I hope this floor's monsters put up more of a fight."
The air grew heavier as Ichio and Livia stepped into the desolate plains of Floor 2. The blood-red sky loomed overhead, casting an eerie glow across the barren, rocky terrain. Twisted trees and jagged boulders broke the monotony of the landscape.
Livia with a grin. "This floor feels even worse than the last one."
Ichio surveyed the horizon, "Let's find an Ainslif and clear it."
The unmistakable hum of a portal reached their ears as they navigated the terrain. They rounded a craggy outcrop to find a shimmering Ainslif—its jagged, dark-blue surface rippling like liquid crystal.
Livia smirked, conjuring her sword. "That was easier than I expected. Let's clear it."
Ichio cold as ever. "Don't let your guard down. Monsters usually roam outside these portals."
As if summoned by his words, a group of armored Orcs emerged from the shadows, their snarls echoing across the plains.
The first Orc charged, swinging its axe with brutal force. Livia sidestepped, her blade slicing upward in a clean arc that severed the Orc's arm at the shoulder. The creature roared in pain, but she silenced it with a thrust through its chest.
Another Orc lunged at her, wielding a spiked mace. She ducked under its swing, spinning to deliver a precise slash that opened its throat. Blood sprayed across the ground as the creature collapsed.
Behind her, Ichio faced three Orcs at once. His movements were cold and efficient, the zeren sword a blur as it cut through their armor with ease. One Orc fell with its head severed, another with its chest split open. The third stumbled backward, only for Ichio to dispatch it with a swift thrust to the heart.
"Keep moving," Ichio said, stepping over the bodies. "The Ainslif is unguarded now."
Stepping into the portal, they found themselves in a dimly lit cavern. Torches cast flickering shadows on the walls, revealing more armored Orcs waiting inside. At the far end of the chamber, a hulking Ultimate Orc stood, its tattoos glowing faintly.
Livia cracked her neck. "Looks like the leader is here. Let's finish this."
Ichio nodded, as the Orcs roared and charged.
The cavern became a battlefield as Ichio and Livia clashed with the Orcs.
One Orc swung a massive war hammer at Livia. She ducked, driving her sword into its gut and twisting the blade before yanking it free. Another Orc came at her from the side, but she sidestepped, slicing through its leg and finishing it with a decapitating blow.
Ichio moved with calculated precision, his blade finding the gaps in the Orcs' armor. He dispatched one with a clean thrust through the heart, then turned to deflect an incoming axe. With a fluid motion, he countered, slicing the Orc's head clean off.
The Ultimate Orc roared, charging toward Ichio. Its massive greatsword came down with a thunderous crash, but Ichio sidestepped, his movements quick and deliberate.
"Invoke: Shadow Fang," he muttered. His sword became wreathed in dark energy as he lunged forward, slashing through the Orc's glowing tattoos. The creature howled in pain, stumbling back as the dark energy corroded its body.
Livia joined in, her blade flashing as she delivered a powerful strike to the creature's knee, bringing it down. Together, they finished the Ultimate Orc with a flurry of strikes, its body crumpling to the ground.
As the Ainslif's energy faded and the portal collapsed, a loud chime echoed across the floor.
Livia exhaled, wiping blood from her cheek. "Well, that's that. Looks like someone beat us to the boss again."
Ichio dematerialized his sword. "Doesn't matter. We cleared this Ainslif, and we're stronger for it. Let's rest and prepare for Floor 3."
After resting.
Ichio and Livia walked through the desolate plains in silence, the crunch of gravel under their boots the only sound.
Livia broke the silence, glancing sideways at Ichio. "So, what mission did you send Nyx on?"
Ichio's expression remained unreadable. "Not your concern. You don't need to know."
Livia frowned, placing her hands on her hips. "Come on, aren't we a party? At least I should know what's going on."
He stopped walking and shot her a sharp glance. "It's not necessary. And stop bugging me. If you want me to leave you here, keep talking—I will."
The weight in his words made her flinch. "Okay, okay, sorry. Why do you have to be so serious all the time?"
Ichio resumed walking, his tone softer now. "We're almost to the nearest Alter. Once we get there, we can finally move on to Floor 3."
As they approached a rugged outcrop, Ichio suddenly stopped and stretched his hand forward. A dark mist coalesced in his palm, swirling into the form of a sleek, obsidian-black sword—the Zeren Sword.
He turned and handed it to Livia, his gaze calm but firm. "Here. I think you'll need this more than I will."
Livia blinked in surprise, hesitantly taking the blade. "Oh… thank you. But won't you also need it for fights?"
Ichio shook his head. "Not really."
He stepped back, his hands forming a triangular shape in the air. He pulled them apart, and a glowing status board materialized in front of him, filled with intricate menus.
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Ichio navigated to the Axion Classes section, scrolling until he tapped on Artisan.
"Since we fought the goblins and the orcs, I've got some materials." He glanced at Livia. "Let's see… Orc Horn, Goblin Lord Skin, Steel Shards, Metra Crystals, and a bit of Enchanted Iron from that Ainslif. Should be enough for what I need."
The materials floated in front of him, suspended by tendrils of dark energy.
Livia's eyes widened. "Wow. How are you doing that?"
Ichio smirked faintly. "I'm just using the darkness around me to keep them afloat."
He focused on the materials, his hands moving with precision. "Let's get to work."
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The Artisan Process
Ichio tapped on the floating materials, and they began to morph and reshape under his control.
Base Structure:
The Orc Horn was elongated and hollowed, forming the main barrel of the gun.
Goblin Lord Skin was stretched and wrapped around the grip, giving it a firm, reinforced texture.
The Steel Shards were melted and reshaped into internal mechanisms, ensuring the gun's durability.
Metra Integration:
He inserted Metra Crystals into small grooves along the barrel, designed to channel energy for his attacks.
The Enchanted Iron was used to craft the trigger and firing chamber, providing a stable conduit for energy flow.
As the pieces came together, the gun floated before him, a sleek, dark weapon with glowing runic lines along its surface.
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Ichio swiped his status board and tapped on Technologist. A new interface appeared, filled with schematics and energy configurations.
"Now to add a bit of tech," he muttered.
He installed a core stabilizer to regulate the Metra Crystals' output, ensuring smooth energy discharge.
A targeting module was added, allowing the gun to lock onto enemies with precision.
Finally, he embedded a compression chamber, enabling the weapon to store and amplify energy for powerful shots.
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Inscribing Patterns
Switching to Artemist, Ichio extended his hand over the weapon. Metra Energy flowed from his fingertips, inscribing intricate patterns onto the gun's surface.
Each line and symbol pulsed with a faint glow, binding the weapon's components together. The patterns served as conduits for his abilities, allowing him to channel his energy directly into the gun.
"Connecting the gun to myself," he explained, his voice calm.
The weapon seemed to hum with life, a faint connection forming between it and Ichio.
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Giving the Gun Rules
He held the gun aloft, his voice steady. "To fire this, I give it rules."
He extended his hand, focusing. *Rule: Shoot Fireshot.*
The gun glowed, and a searing orb of fire shot out, obliterating a distant rock formation.
"By setting a rule, I determine the Artem that powers the shot. Fireshot, Shadowpierce… anything I choose."
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Ichio lowered the weapon, satisfied. "Done."
Livia stared at the weapon, a mix of awe and curiosity on her face. "That's incredible. I didn't know you could do all that."
Ichio shrugged, putting it in his Equipment Inventory. "It's just a tool. What matters is how I use it."
He started walking again, leaving Livia to follow, also the Zeren Sword in he Equipment Inventory.
Few minutes later, they're at the Altar
Ichio and Livia stepped onto the stone platform of the Alter, its intricate carvings glowing faintly with ancient energy. The moment they both were firmly on it, the carvings flared to life, bathing them in a bright light.
In a blink, the surroundings shifted.
CHAPTER END.