Chapter 33: 3rd floor trial [II]

The day dragged on as Julie and I resumed our journey through the third floor's barren wilderness. The bracelets still bound us, amplifying our awareness of each other's thoughts and emotions.

Every stray thought from her—a mix of curiosity, mischief, and indecency—felt like an invasion.

I focused on the path ahead, hoping to spot any sign of the trial's end.

"Lira," Julie said, breaking the silence. "You think we're almost done with this floor?"

"Not if you keep getting distracted," I replied flatly, my eyes scanning the horizon.

Julie chuckled nervously. "Come on, you've got to admit, it's kind of funny. The Tower's trials are supposed to test survival, teamwork, and adaptability. But this?" She gestured at the bracelets. "This is just entertainment."

"Maybe for you," I muttered.

Before she could respond, a low rumble echoed in the distance. The ground trembled slightly beneath our feet, and I instinctively gripped my sword.

Julie tensed beside me. Finally, something serious, I thought.

From the horizon, a massive creature emerged—a sand golem, its towering form sculpted from the desert itself. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and each step it took sent shockwaves through the ground.

Julie groaned. "Great. As if regular monsters weren't enough."

"Stay back," I ordered, stepping forward.

She ignored me, raising her staff. "Teamwork, remember? That's the whole point of this trial."

The golem roared, raising one of its colossal arms to strike. I dashed forward, the demon sword in my hand pulsing with energy. With a leap, I aimed for the center of its chest, slicing into its sandy exterior.

The golem staggered but didn't fall. Instead, it retaliated with surprising speed, swinging its arm in a wide arc. I barely managed to dodge, the wind from the strike whipping past me.

Julie unleashed a flurry of fireballs, each one exploding against the golem's surface. The creature let out another roar, turning its attention to her.

"Julie!" I yelled, trying to draw its focus back to me.

"Relax, I got this!" she replied, forming a protective barrier around herself.

The golem slammed its fist down, shattering the barrier in an instant. Julie yelped, scrambling to cast another spell.

I took advantage of the opening, teleporting to its back and driving the sword deep into its core. The golem froze, its glowing eyes dimming before it crumbled into a pile of sand.

Julie let out a breath of relief, collapsing onto the ground. "That was too close."

I sheathed my sword, walking over to her. "If you're done playing hero, let's move."

She scowled but didn't argue. As we continued our journey, a system message appeared in front of us.

Trial Progress: 75%.

Julie groaned. "Only 75%? How much more do we have to endure?"

I glanced at her, my expression unreadable. "As much as it takes."

She fell silent, for once lost in her own thoughts. Despite everything, I couldn't shake the feeling that the hardest part of this trial was yet to come.

The desert stretched endlessly, the horizon blurred by shimmering waves of heat. We trudged forward in silence, the tension between Julie and me palpable. The system message had promised trials, yet all we'd encountered so far were monsters and the cursed bracelets.

But something was off.

The air grew heavier with each step, a suffocating weight pressing down on us. The sand beneath our feet began to harden, shifting into glassy obsidian. Julie stopped and glanced at me nervously.

"Lira, this doesn't feel right."

Before I could respond, the ground shook violently, nearly toppling us. A deep, guttural laugh echoed from all around, its source unseen.

"Welcome, challengers," a voice boomed, low and gravelly. "You've proven your strength against the creatures of this floor, but the true trial begins now."

The obsidian beneath us cracked, and we fell into a cavernous arena, illuminated by glowing veins of molten lava.

Across the arena stood a monstrous figure—a towering, humanoid amalgamation of obsidian and fire, its molten core visible through cracks in its body. It wielded a massive blade forged from the same fiery material.

Trial Objective: Defeat the Warden of the Scorching Depths.

Julie swore under her breath. "Of course, it's a giant fire monster. Why not?"

"Focus," I snapped, drawing my demon sword.

The Warden raised its blade, pointing it directly at us. "Only those worthy may ascend. Prove yourselves, or perish."

Without warning, it lunged, its blade crashing down with a force that sent shockwaves rippling through the arena.

I dodged to the side, dragging Julie with me.

"Stay out of its range!" I shouted.

Julie nodded, already casting a series of ice spells.

Spears of frost shot toward the Warden, striking its molten core and hissing into steam.

The creature roared, swiping its blade in a wide arc. I teleported behind it, aiming for the glowing cracks in its back.

My sword struck true, sinking into the molten core. The Warden staggered but quickly retaliated, releasing a blast of fiery energy that sent me flying.

I landed hard, rolling to extinguish the flames licking at my clothes.

Julie screamed, firing a barrage of water spells to douse the fire. "Lira, are you okay?"

I pushed myself up, gritting my teeth. "Fine. Keep its attention."

She nodded, summoning a massive sphere of water and hurling it at the Warden.

The water collided with the molten beast, causing it to shriek as steam erupted from its body.

Using the distraction, I activated the power of the demon sword.

Shadows coiled around me, enhancing my speed and strength. I dashed toward the Warden, my blade crackling with dark energy.

The Warden roared, its molten body flaring brighter. It slammed its blade into the ground, creating fissures that spewed lava. I leapt over the cracks, closing the distance.

Julie screamed in my mind. Watch out!

I turned just in time to see the Warden swing its massive arm at me. I ducked, narrowly avoiding the blow, and countered with a slash aimed at its core.

The demon sword howled as it connected, driving deep into the creature's molten heart.

The Warden let out an ear-splitting roar, collapsing to one knee. Its fiery glow dimmed, but it wasn't finished.

It raised its blade for a final attack, the entire arena trembling as it prepared to unleash its full power.

"Julie!" I shouted. "Now's your chance!"

She nodded, her hands glowing with icy energy. "Cover me!"

I rushed forward, intercepting the Warden's blade with my own. The impact sent shockwaves through my arms, but I held firm, giving Julie the opening she needed.

She unleashed a massive torrent of ice, encasing the Warden in a prison of frost. The molten cracks in its body dimmed, its movements slowing as the ice consumed it.

I seized the moment, channeling all my strength into one final strike. The demon sword pulsed with energy as I drove it into the Warden's core, shattering the ice and the creature in a blinding explosion of light and heat.

When the dust settled, the Warden was gone, leaving only a glowing portal in its place.

Trial Complete. Proceed to the next floor.

Julie collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily. "That... was insane."

I sheathed my sword, glancing at her. "Get up. We're not done yet."

A portal appeared in front of us, just a step away from our foot but I couldn't help feeling something was off about this whole trial.