Chapter 256: Level 50
Adrian sighed, his hand still rubbing his temple. "I swear, System, one day, you're going to push me into an early grave with these antics."
The system's voice sounded again, entirely unbothered. "Host, please. With my guidance, you're basically immortal. Early graves are for people without me."
Adrian rolled his eyes, muttering, "Sometimes, I wish you had an off button."
"Host, that's like wishing for a fish to survive without water. I am your guiding light in this journey."
"More like the annoying pebble in my shoe," Adrian quipped, earning a satisfied chuckle from Seraphina, who had been listening to his one-sided banter.
Turning to the rest of the group, Adrian shrugged and said, "Well, the chamber's been upgraded with a voice add-on feature."
Christine grinned. “I think it’s cool!”
Adrian gave her a flat look. “No way you find this cold mechanical tone cool. But fine, let’s get started. Aunt, please take Mom and the others and help them level up as quickly as possible. The more levels we gain, the better prepared we’ll be. Being allies with the Blackthorn family is already making us a target for Vortigern and his cronies, so we need to get stronger fast.”
Seraphina nodded, her expression serious. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure your mother and the others catch up quickly.”
Isabella, standing close by, placed a hand on Adrian’s shoulder and smiled gently. “We’ll do our part. You focus on reaching your next milestone.”
Adrian’s gaze softened. “Thanks, Mom. Let’s not waste any more time.”
With a nod of understanding, the group dispersed. Seraphina led Isabella, Christine, and the others to the western forest area, where lower-level monsters roamed. Meanwhile, Adrian moved toward the volcanic region, where higher-level monsters resided.
As Adrian reached the volcanic zone, the System’s voice chimed in. “Host, would you like me to generate monsters suitable for your level range?”
Adrian smirked. “Make it quick. Level 60 to 70 monsters. I can defeat higher level monsters but it will take some time, so I will go with quantity over quality route.”
“Understood, Host. Preparing the battlefield now,” the System replied.
Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. A low, guttural roar echoed in the distance, signaling the arrival of his first challenge.
Out of the shifting haze of heat came a trio of magma golems. Towering figures of molten rock, their glowing cores pulsed like beating hearts.
Adrian’s eyes narrowed as he evaluated their movements. They were slow but devastatingly powerful—any mistake would be costly.
Adrian drew his blade, its edge shimmering with draconic energy. “Alright, let’s do this.”
Adrian adjusted his grip on his blade, the weapon glowing faintly with draconic energy as if eager for the battles ahead.
He moved forward, each step deliberate as he scanned the horizon. The landscape was jagged and hostile, streams of molten lava crisscrossing the terrain.
Without hesitation, Adrian activated Shadow Vein Step, his figure becoming a blur as he vanished from sight.
The golems swung massive, molten fists at where Adrian had been standing, their attacks creating fiery craters. But Adrian was already behind them.
With a swift motion, he unleashed Dragon's Fang Strike, his blade slicing through the molten rock like butter.
One golem’s core shattered instantly, and it crumbled into a heap of smoldering fragments.
The remaining two turned, their glowing eyes locking onto Adrian. One golem raised its arm, molten boulders forming in its hand before being hurled toward him.
Adrian’s reflexes kicked in as he activated Vein-Touched Reflexes, his body moving with inhuman speed. He dodged the fiery projectiles, weaving between them with precise movements.
Using Phantom Blade, Adrian conjured an ethereal duplicate of his sword, throwing it toward the second golem. The weapon struck true, piercing its core and causing it to explode in a shower of molten debris.
Before the last golem could retaliate, Adrian closed the distance with a single leap. He brought his blade down in a powerful arc, the force of Dragon Roar amplifying the strike.
The final golem shattered, leaving behind a glowing crystal core. Adrian pocketed it, knowing it could be useful for crafting later.
The ground trembled again, but this time it was accompanied by a guttural growl that sent chills down Adrian's spine.
Emerging from the lava was a blazing hound, its body wreathed in flames, with eyes like molten orbs. Unlike the golems, this creature was fast. It darted toward Adrian, flames trailing in its wake.
Adrian raised his blade, channeling mana into his body as he activated Draconic Cloak, his form shimmering with a protective aura.
The hound lunged, jaws snapping, but Adrian sidestepped just in time. As the hound turned to attack again, Adrian feinted, baiting it into overcommitting.
With precise timing, he struck, his blade igniting with the force of Mana Siphon, draining the hound’s fiery essence as he slashed through its body. The creature yelped before collapsing into embers.
Adrian barely had time to catch his breath before the air was filled with the beating of massive wings.
He looked up to see a fire wyvern descending, its molten scales reflecting the fiery landscape.
The creature let out a deafening roar, unleashing a stream of fire in his direction. Adrian dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the searing heat.
The wyvern circled above, its eyes glowing with predatory intelligence. Adrian knew this fight would require all of his strength.
He activated Dragon’s Might, his body surging with power as his strength and speed were amplified.
The wyvern dove, its claws extended to rip him apart. Adrian waited until the last second before using Void Step, teleporting behind the beast mid-dive. With a powerful slash, he struck one of its wings, forcing it to crash to the ground.
The wyvern roared in pain, thrashing wildly as it tried to regain its footing. Adrian didn’t let up.
He dashed toward the creature, dodging its tail swipe and retaliating with Dragon’s Fang Strike, the force of his attack cracking the wyvern’s molten armor.
The creature reared back, unleashing another fiery breath, but Adrian was ready.
With a final leap, Adrian landed on the wyvern’s back, driving his blade deep into its neck. The creature let out one last, anguished roar before collapsing, its molten body cooling rapidly.
Adrian stood over its corpse, breathing heavily as the familiar surge of energy signaled his victory.
As the battlefield quieted, Adrian felt a shift within himself. Power swirled in his core, the draconic energy within him surging to new heights.
The voice in his mind spoke clearly, its tone almost reverent. "Congratulations, Host. You have reached Level 50. Prepare for your second-class ascension."
Adrian smirked, his heart racing with anticipation. "Finally," he muttered, gripping his blade tightly as the transformation began.
The energy within him roared to life, coursing through every fiber of his being. The volcanic terrain around him seemed to resonate with his power, the very air shimmering as he ascended.