CHAPTER 168: LEVEL 10, TALENT MERGE!

Before entering floor ten, Ethan equipped the new item he had received from floor nine’s doubled reward, a light armor piece that shimmered with protective enchantments.

[Aegis Light armor]

[Tier: 6]

[Details: +60 Vitality when equipped. Contains stored energy that can be activated as protective shield for emergency defense. Single use per day before requiring 24-hour recharge.]

The armor felt weightless despite its obvious durability, the enhancement integrating seamlessly with his existing equipment loadout. Sixty additional vitality points would push his defensive capabilities well into Mid-Platinum territory.

"Comprehensive protection upgrade," Ethan noted with satisfaction as the vest’s energy fields synchronized with his constitution. "This shield provides additional survival insurance."

[Floor 10 - MILESTONE FLOOR]

[BOSS FLOOR]

The transition activated with different energy patterns than previous floors.

When materialization completed, Ethan found himself in an arena that dwarfed all previous combat zones. The platform stretched several kilometers in every direction while architectural complexity suggested environmental interaction would play crucial roles.

[BOSS FLOOR CHALLENGE: EARTH SOVEREIGN]

Hostile Entity: Stone Titan

Rank: Low-Diamond

Earth Manipulation Talent: A-

The creature that emerged from dimensional rifts challenged every assumption about size limitations. Twenty meters of living granite and rocks, its massive form radiating Diamond-rank power that made the arena itself tremble with force.

Low-Diamond rank. A- grade talent.

Ethan frowned as he processed the implications.

Diamond rank wasn’t comparable to a peak-platinum. After all, the attributes boost gained was enormous.

[RETREAT OPTION AVAILABLE]

[CHALLENGER MAY WITHDRAW WITHOUT PENALTY]

[RETURN WHEN PREPARATION COMPLETE]

[RECOMMENDATION: DIAMOND-RANK CHALLENGES REQUIRE DIAMOND RANK.]

The tower offered escape from what it recognized as potentially fatal encounter. Most challengers would accept withdrawal rather than face Diamond-rank opposition with Peak-Platinum capabilities.

But Ethan studied the massive creature with growing confidence rather than fear. His advancement rate had consistently exceeded the tower’s expectations—perhaps Diamond rank wasn’t as insurmountable as conventional wisdom suggested.

The tower didn’t take into account his many talents, his equipment and Rambo his pet.

"No retreat," he announced with firm resolve. "I’m confident in our current capabilities."

*[RETREAT DECLINED]

[BOSS ENCOUNTER CONFIRMED]

[WARNING: DEATH IS PERMANENT]

The Stone Titan stirred as combat activated, its massive form rising to full height while A- grade Earth Manipulation began reshaping the arena itself. The platform cracked and reformed as the creature established environmental control.

RUMBLE! CRACK! SHIFT!

Massive stone spears erupted from the arena floor. The creature’s first action demonstrated why Diamond rank operated on different principles entirely.

"I’ll handle this alone initially," Ethan told Rambo while drawing the Noon Sword. "Need to test my current power against Diamond-rank enemies."

The Blood Dragon chirped with obvious concern but settled onto a distant crystal formation. Ancient intelligence recognized the wisdom in capability assessment while remaining ready for emergency intervention.

[3... 2... 1... Begin!]

Combat erupted as the Stone Titan unleashed its fury that reshaped the arena itself. A- grade Earth Manipulation created attacks that challenged the fundamental nature of solid matter.

BOOM! CRACK! QUAKE!

The arena floor became liquid stone while massive formations pursued Ethan with velocity that defied their apparent mass. Diamond-rank power meant environmental control that operated beyond normal physics.

Enhanced Speed activated to maximum sustainable levels as he navigated terrain that changed faster than most people could think. Nine hundred total agility allowed movement through attacks that would have trapped lesser opponents.

WHOOSH! DODGE! EVADE!

His velocity created displacement waves that destabilized some of the creature’s constructs, but Diamond-rank durability absorbed impacts that would have shattered Peak-Platinum defenses.

B- grade Flame Mastery answered with stellar temperatures that superheated stone constructs into molten slag. But the creature simply reformed damaged sections through endless earth manipulation.

SIZZLE! MELT! REFORM!

For thirty seconds, Ethan matched the Stone Titan’s assault through his superior mobility and diverse talent application. His fire magic carved through earthen barriers while enhanced speed avoided crushing attacks that could pulverize mountains.

But Diamond-rank regeneration meant damage accumulation favored the creature despite his overwhelming advantages in speed and versatility. The progression in the fight meant that they would reach a stall or take a long time until one of them died.

This was something he didn’t want to happen, he needed the record broken for this floor. At any cost!

As the first floor to contain a boss monster, Ethan knew the rewards doubled were bound to be great!

"Rambo!" he called out while evading another crush attempt. "Join the fight! Diamond rank requires our combined strength!"

The Blood Dragon launched itself from the crystal perch with grace, crimson energy blazing around its compact form as SSS-rank talent prepared techniques.

ROAR! POWER! PARTNERSHIP!

Blood manipulation answered Rambo’s will with devastating creativity. Instead of simple spears, the dragon crafted entire weapon arsenals from blood—swords, daggers, maces, and projectiles that moved with supernatural speed.

MATERIALIZE! MULTIPLY! ASSAULT!

Dozens of blood weapons struck the Stone Titan simultaneously.

The issue with Rambo’s attacks wasn’t their power, but their inabiliry to be avoided or blocked. Once the blood touched you, it would resonate with your body and enter.

Once it did, it would feel like you have truly been attacked by a spear. The SSS-rank talent truly deserved its rank.

PIERCE! HEMORRHAGE! CRITICAL!

The creature’s agonized roar shook the arena as internal bleeding compromised its Diamond-rank constitution.

Even legendary durability couldn’t resist blood manipulation that operated on cellular levels.

Ethan immediately capitalized on the opening, his velocity carrying him through gaps in the creature’s defenses while the Noon Sword accumulated maximum solar energy.

SLASH! DISCHARGE! DEVASTATION!

Solar energy erupted through weakened stone while B- grade Flame Mastery superheated the creature’s core structure. The combination of partnership assault and legendary equipment proved decisive.

CRACK! CRUMBLE! COLLAPSE!

Rambo’s blood weapons continued their relentless assault, each strike guided by intelligence that understood exactly where to target for maximum effectiveness. The creature’s regeneration couldn’t compensate for damage that exceeded its repair capabilities.

STAB! SLICE! MULTIPLY!

Blood manipulation reached its peak as the dragon crafted increasingly sophisticated weapons, each one designed to exploit specific vulnerabilities.

BOOM! SHATTER! DEATH!

The Stone Titan collapsed with earth-shaking impacts as its Diamond-rank constitution finally succumbed to overwhelming assault.

Twenty meters of living granite became cooling rubble while its A- grade talent awaited consumption.

You have levelled up! Talent merge unlocked!