The brief rest passed in silence. The crimson-lit jungle of the 9th floor was suffocating, thick with red spores that would melt a normal human’s lungs. But protected by his void mana and Abyssal Vigor, Kaelen felt entirely invigorated, passively absorbing the toxic environment and converting it into raw energy.

He stepped over the dissolving remains of the Broodmother, listening to the roars echoing from the deep darkness.

’Lyriel, take the canopy,’ Kaelen commanded through their mental link. ’Scout ahead. Do not engage unless spotted.’

’Yes, my King. I am your unseen blade,’ Lyriel’s devoted voice echoed back. A faint rustle of leaves was the only sign her Level 60 agility had carried her away.

Kaelen and Seraphina walked down the treacherous path. The corrupted High Paladin kept her golden eyes locked on the shadows, her large glass greatsword resting easily on her shoulder.

’Master,’ Seraphina spoke through the connection. ’The poison mana is growing incredibly dense. We must be nearing the core.’

’The Church Inquisitors failed here because holy magic tries to purify corruption, draining massive amounts of mana,’ Kaelen replied. ’Void magic simply devours it.’

Ten minutes later, Lyriel’s sharp voice pierced his mind.

’Master, halt. The path ends at a subterranean lake of liquid poison. There is a Guardian.’

’Stats?’ Kaelen asked.

’It is asleep by the lake. I cannot get close, but its aura is much stronger than the Broodmother.’

"Perfect," Kaelen whispered aloud, a dark smirk forming. "Let’s wake it up."

Stepping through a wall of toxic vines, Kaelen and Seraphina entered a massive clearing. At the center lay a bubbling lake of glowing green sludge, surrounded by towering bioluminescent mushrooms.

Coiled around the largest stalk was a subterranean dragon. Its massive, serpentine body was armored in rusted-iron crimson scales, exhaling toxic green vapor that melted the stone beneath its jaws.

Kaelen activated his Abyssal Aura.

[Target Scanned: Crimson Rot-Wyrm.]

[Level: 75]

[Status: Floor Guardian. Highly resistant to magic. Breath weapon causes instant cellular decay.]

’A Level 75 Dragon,’ Seraphina noted, carrying a trace of battle-lust. ’A beast of this caliber requires a Gold-rank mercenary raid party.’

’Good thing I am not a mercenary,’ Kaelen replied. ’Seraphina, you are the anvil. Lyriel, the needle. I will be the hammer.’

"Wake up, lizard," Kaelen commanded aloud.

The Rot-Wyrm’s massive head snapped up. Two glowing yellow eyes locked onto them before it unleashed a deafening roar and opened its jaws, its throat glowing with sickening green light.

’Disperse!’ Kaelen ordered.

A pressurized torrent of corrosive acid erupted, sweeping the shoreline. Seraphina lunged right, while Kaelen tapped his stolen agility to effortlessly leap left. The acid instantly melted the solid rock where they had just stood into a bubbling crater.

Before the Wyrm could close its jaws, Lyriel struck. Activating Shadow Step, she dropped from the ceiling into the shadow of the Wyrm’s head, driving her poisoned daggers deep into the unarmored joint of its jaw.

The Wyrm roared in pain, violently thrashing and throwing the elven assassin. She twisted flawlessly, landing on a mushroom cap fifty feet away.

’Its scales are too thick, Master! I can only pierce the joints!’

’That is all I need,’ Kaelen replied. ’Sera! Break its balance!’

"Haaa!" Seraphina roared aloud, charging the massive beast head-on.

The Wyrm swung its colossal, spiked tail like a whip to crush her. Planting her feet, Seraphina gripped her greatsword and swung directly into the attack.

CLANG!

The sheer Level 85 physical strength behind her block completely stopped the massive tail. The ground shattered into a spiderweb of cracks beneath her boots, but she didn’t take a single step back.

The Wyrm’s yellow eyes widened in shock at the monstrous human strength. That brief hesitation was its final mistake.

Kaelen exploded from the shadows. Channeling an ocean of void mana into his legs, he launched himself like a cannonball toward the Wyrm’s exposed chest.

The dragon opened its jaws to bite him out of the sky.

’Blind it!’ Kaelen ordered.

A spread of steel throwing knives sank directly into the Wyrm’s glowing yellow eyes. The blinded beast shrieked, snapping its jaws wildly at empty air.

Kaelen landed perfectly on the Wyrm’s chest, grabbing a thick scale to anchor himself. He pulled his right fist back, condensing void mana until the air around his iron gauntlet turned completely black.

"Kneel before the Abyss," Kaelen growled aloud.

Using his terrifying Level 85 stolen strength, he drove his void-infused fist through the thick crimson scales, plunging deep into the dragon’s chest cavity. The void mana detonated like a magical bomb inside the beast’s heart.

An explosive shockwave blasted out of the Wyrm’s back, spraying dark blood across the cavern. The massive Level 75 Floor Guardian went entirely rigid before collapsing heavily onto the shoreline.

[Target Eliminated: Crimson Rot-Wyrm (Level 75). +45,000 EXP.] [Level Up! Host is now Level 59.]

[Level Up! Host is now Level 60.]

[Milestone Reached! Host has achieved Level 60.]

[Abyssal Core Expanded. Mana Capacity Increased by 100%.]

[New Dungeon Feature Unlocked: Alchemical Synthesis Forge.]

Kaelen stood on top of the dead dragon, breathing heavily as the massive surge of leveling energy flooded his body. Reaching Level 60 was a massive milestone. His physical body felt lighter, denser, and practically indestructible.

Seraphina walked over, her golden eyes glowing with deep reverence. Lyriel teleported down, gracefully landing beside the dead Wyrm.

"The 9th floor is cleared, my King," Lyriel said softly aloud. "You killed a dragon with a single punch. The Church would call you a demon."

"I am whatever I need to be to protect what is mine," Kaelen replied smoothly.

He raised his hand.

[Auto-Harvest Activated.]

The massive body of the Crimson Rot-Wyrm dissolved into a thick vortex of purple mist, sucked greedily into his spatial storage.

[Acquired: 1 Flawless Rot-Wyrm Core.]

[Acquired: 40 Crimson Dragon Scales.]

[Acquired: 2 Vials of Wyrm Heart-Blood.]

Kaelen smirked. His inventory was now packed with high-tier Arachnid cores, rare venom sacs, and the heart-blood of a Level 75 dragon. He had everything he needed.

’Master,’ Seraphina spoke through the link. ’You unlocked the Alchemical Synthesis Forge. Our dungeon is ready to produce potions.’

’Yes,’ Kaelen replied, looking toward the heavy iron doors leading back to their Sanctuary. ’We have the raw materials. We have the facility. We only lack the final piece.’

"We return to the surface tonight," Kaelen declared aloud, walking past his two beautiful generals. "It is time to bring the fallen genius into the Abyss. Elara Valerius is going to work for me."