Ch 181.
Matt sat on the floor after exiting the 64th floor, fully aware that this wouldn’t be his final visit. He braced himself for the daunting challenge ahead; stepping onto the 65th floor meant facing B-ranked monsters. Though he was making progress in his experience gains, they were slower than he desired, and deep down, he knew he wasn’t prepared for that level of confrontation. Even at level 60, with the sensation of rust finally wearing off his muscles, he recognized that attempting to battle B-ranked foes would likely be a grave mistake. It wasn’t merely the fear of defeat that weighed on him; it was the relentless nature of this dungeon. Unlike the other dungeon he had fought through. This floor one offered no respite, as each time he dispatched a monster, another would immediately surge forward, eager to take its place.
This realization confirmed that his strategy of charging forward to clear all the early floors had been sound. Although he felt assured in his ability to defeat countless monsters below level 20, he couldn’t shake the anxiety of being overwhelmed by foes stronger than that. As he ascended to the level 64 floor, he discovered another critical detail: while entering with a pre-formed puppet was impossible for a solo challenger, creating them on the floor itself was permitted. The catch, however, was that these newly summoned puppets were nearly useless; they required time to grow stronger, and Matt had no intention of lingering on a single floor for weeks just to allow them to develop.
He found himself grappling with a dilemma: should he strive to reach level 65 and attain B rank by battling level 64 foes, or should he stick to his usual tactic of facing monsters ranked one tier above his own to gain experience? With his abilities, he could easily engage one opponent at a time, retreating as necessary to avoid being overwhelmed. Yet, lurking in the back of his mind was a significant concern: if he moved forward and failed to conquer the monsters on the level 65 floor, he would be unable to return to the 64th floor. This troubling thought consumed Matt as he contemplated his next move while staring at Radoznaormr’s anchor, weighing the risks and rewards of his choices.
“You know I can tell when you’re staring at my anchor,” Radoznaormr remarked, irritation lacing his voice.
“Yes, but can you tell what I’m thinking?” Matt shot back before he could rein in his curiosity.
“I would say that you’re not really thinking if you have to ask. While I can perceive a great many things—like how Rose and that one named Spencer have ventured into the dungeon at the South Pole—I can also see that if Zara manages to discover how to reach the entrance at the North Pole, along with three others finding the remaining entrances, your world might become one of the few peaceful havens in this chaotic universe.”
“Why does my gut tell me that’s a bad thing?” Matt pressed, his mind racing with images of the countless lives lost in the war he had unwittingly set in motion.
“Because you know full well that only by growing strong during this crucial phase will your world stand any chance in the broader universe. If none of the dungeons rage long enough to breach the shore, no new entrances will emerge, and no formidable monsters will be unleashed upon the masses to compel them to evolve or perish.”
“So, is that why you refuse to tell me where the other three dungeon entrances are located?”
“Yes, and you shouldn’t go searching for them either.”
“Fine, but tell me this: if I were to enter another dungeon, would I have to start from scratch?”
“Of course you would.”
“Good, then I can afford to risk battling the level 65 monsters before I even reach level 65 myself.”
“You truly are a madman, yet it is the path you wish to tread. So tell me this: are you ready to be fully integrated into the system?”
“What do you mean by that?”
Radoznaormr paused, contemplating his response before speaking cryptically. “Just as your skills have become less defined, they must now be clearly defined.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“That is the best guidance I can offer you, as the system does not favor sharing knowledge with those who have yet to attain B rank. C rank and below are deemed unworthy in its eyes to possess such insights. Focus on honing your abilities rather than merely leveling up, or you will soon find yourself regretting it.”
Matt felt the urge to dig deeper, but as he mulled over Radoznaormr's words, a nagging sense of foreboding settled in his chest. It was clear that the words were a warning, though due to being slightly cryptic, its full weight eluded him. He had always believed he was integrated with the system, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it than he understood. Each rank he climbed seemed to draw the system's gaze a bit more, as if it was scrutinizing his every move. The pressing question loomed: could he afford to ease his pace when Spencer, who seemed determined to be a threat, was intent on his demise? Despite this knowledge, Matt felt an undeniable need to slow down. But how could he manage that?
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With these thoughts swirling in his mind, he found himself wandering toward the shore, stepping over the rough beginnings of what would become the fort’s wall. A smile crept across his face as he watched the waves gently rolling onto the sandy beach, their rhythmic dance both soothing and mesmerizing. Although the vastness of the ocean had never captivated him, the breathtaking moment where water met land struck him with a sense of wonder. He perceived it as a delicate threshold between two realms—one hidden beneath the surface and another stretching endlessly above.
As he sat down on the warm sand and closed his eyes, he unexpectedly drifted into a profound state of contemplation. Time slipped away unnoticed, and he felt a deep connection to his true self, slipping into a meditative trance. The high tide washed over him, but the sensation of the waves lapping at his feet failed to disrupt his focus. Fortunately, one of his puppets stood vigil nearby, fending off the occasional sea creature that dared to approach. The puppet, however, was growing increasingly frustrated, struggling to comprehend Matt's stillness while he remained lost in silence. Compounding the situation, none of the other puppets could return to the collective consciousness like they were accustomed to, leaving them disoriented and restless.
Elsewhere, on a world teetering on the brink of collapse, Vassilis smiled as he sensed the faint ripple of Matt’s consciousness. It was a delicate thread, but the essence he had woven into the puppet that ensnared him had forged a tenuous connection. Initially, he believed that the newest prime bloodline bearer had slipped from his grasp, but now it was evident that this was not the case. So, acting quickly he had found a safe place to meditate.
Suddenly, Matt found himself engulfed in an expanse of endless darkness, disoriented and struggling to discern left from right, up from down. To complicate matters further, the figure of the man who made him feel more vulnerable than he ever had around Radoznaormr appeared, wearing a self-assured smile. Instinctively, Matt attempted to shift into his battle form, but his body remained unchanged, and he realized with a jolt that he stood completely naked, just as his opponent was.
“That won’t work here,” Vassilis taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. “Nothing that the system grants us can be utilized in this realm. I am just as physically weak as you are here, but since this is a meeting of our minds, that shouldn’t matter.”
“What do you want?” Matt asked, feeling exposed and vulnerable.
“Besides seeking to escape the world you imprisoned me in? I must admit, I should commend you for managing that, though it’s really my own fault for not being prepared for such a predicament. Nonetheless, you will have to answer for the destruction you've wrought upon what I spent centuries meticulously crafting. That said, I know you’ve been tainted by at least one Ormr; just tell me which one, and I will gladly shift the blame onto them.”
“I’m fine taking responsibility for my own actions. Besides, I intend to be the one to make them pay for setting off the chain of events that compelled me to act as I did.”
“Oh, I’m surprised,” Vassilis replied, feigning astonishment. “Not only are you already plotting to confront them, but you also think I care enough to wait. It may still be some time before I can escape the world you trapped me in, but I have no intention of waiting for you to grow stronger before unleashing my wrath. The only question that remains is whether it will be your mind or the Ormr you’re entangled with that suffers the consequences.”
Matt frowned, a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach as he considered the possibility of Vassilis obliterating his mind. The idea felt ludicrous, especially given the vast distance that separated their bodies, yet doubt gnawed at him. He suspected that the laws of physics held little power in this mental battleground. Just as Radoznaormr and Tempormr could reach out to him with uncanny immediacy, regardless of the distances separating them, he feared the same might apply here. “All I need to do is defeat you then,” Matt declared, desperation fueling his words as he realized he had no other options. “Even if today ends in disaster for me, I’ll make sure you don’t leave unscathed.”
In an instant, Matt felt a crushing weight envelop him, and before he could react, Vassilis stood directly in front of him. A punch landed squarely on Matt's face, jolting him backward. If he had been in his physical body, enhanced by stats, he was certain his jaw would have shattered, but there was no blood; instead, instinct took over, and he threw a right hook in retaliation. To his dismay, Vassilis effortlessly caught his arm, twisting it with a fluid motion that sent Matt crashing painfully onto his back.
As he hit the ground, a sharp crack echoed through his spine, threatening to break him, yet somehow, he remained intact. Oddly enough, a surge of adrenaline coursed through him, filling him with a strange sense of vitality—at least until Vassilis’s foot came hurtling toward his neck. Reacting just in time, Matt rolled away as Vassilis's heel narrowly missed its target. However, in his scramble for freedom, one of Matt’s feet was seized. He kicked wildly at Vassilis, but his other foot was quickly caught, leaving him struggling helplessly.
“It’s kind of sad that you’re going to die before you even had a chance to truly learn how powerful you could have been,” Vassilis taunted, a cruel smirk plastered across his face.
“Yeah right, like you care,” Matt shot back defiantly, determination igniting within him. “Besides, last I checked, I am still alive.”
“Let me correct that!” Vassilis sneered, his eyes glinting with malice.
With those words, Vassilis unleashed a relentless barrage of kicks against Matt’s back, manipulating his body in such a way that Matt was rendered powerless to do anything but flail helplessly. Each blow struck with brutal force, sending waves of agony coursing through him, and he felt his consciousness begin to wane. Panic surged within him as he grasped the terrifying reality: if this was indeed a manifestation of his mind, then succumbing to unconsciousness could lead to a coma—or something even worse. Just as a sharp kick connected with the back of his head, his thoughts faded into a void, and an instant later, he lay motionless, vulnerable, while Vassilis loomed above him, poised to deliver the final blow.
“I think you’ve done enough,” Tempormr’s deep voice rumbled, his colossal form taking shape in the darkness. “Unless you wish for me to confront you here, where I hold the advantage.”
Vassilis smirked, unfazed. “He must truly be worth much to you if you’re willing to risk facing me here. Even with your advantage, it is not as great as you might think.” No sooner had Vassilis uttered these words than he found himself being forcefully pushed back by the sheer magnitude of Tempormr’s power. The impact was so overwhelming that he had no choice but to retreat, plotting his next move for when he could once again infiltrate Matt’s mind. Meanwhile, Tempormr cast a lingering glance at Matt, his expression a complex mix of concern and determination, before vanishing into the shadows as Matt’s mind struggled to recover.
