The beast recovered quickly, its molten eyes burning with rage. It slammed its sword into the ground, sending a wave of corrupted energy hurtling toward him.
Third Form: Ghost Fang
Asher dashed through the wave, his blade glowing faintly as it struck upward in a sweeping arc. Sparks flew as his sword clashed against the beast's fiery hide, carving a shallow groove.
The Toxic Flame Beast retaliated, swinging its massive blade in a wide arc. Asher ducked low, narrowly avoiding decapitation, and countered with a swift thrust.
Fourth Form: Silent Rend
His blade cut through the beast's knee joint, eliciting a guttural roar as the creature momentarily faltered.
"Not enough," Asher muttered, retreating as the beast unleashed another torrent of flames. He rolled to the side, feeling the searing heat scorch the air around him.
The beast snarled, gathering its energy for a devastating attack. Its entire body radiated toxic flames, and the ground trembled as it raised its blade.
Fifth Form: Eclipse Strike
Asher launched himself high into the air, spinning his sword above his head. He descended with force, his blade slicing through the fiery aura surrounding the beast. The strike landed on its shoulder, splitting the flames and cracking the armor-like hide.
The Toxic Flame Beast roared in fury, its movements growing more frantic. It lashed out wildly, toxic flames spilling across the chamber. Asher weaved through the chaos, his focus unwavering. Read latest chapters at Novel~Fire. (n)et
Sixth Form: Shattered Horizon
A sweeping horizontal slash sent a wave of energy surging forward, striking the beast's chest and forcing it back. Its corrupted flames flickered, weakening under the relentless assault.
"Almost there," Asher thought, tightening his grip on the hilt.
The beast gathered its remaining energy, its blade burning brighter than ever. It swung downward with terrifying speed, the sheer force cracking the ground.
Seventh Form: Crimson Echo
Asher sidestepped the attack, his blade reverberating with power as he struck in a rapid series of slashes. Each strike chipped away at the beast's defenses, leaving it visibly shaken.
The creature's flames began to dim, but it refused to fall. It lunged once more, desperate to end the fight.
Eighth Form: Abyssal Strike
Channeling all his strength, Asher delivered a crushing downward blow, his sword carving deep into the beast's core. A shockwave rippled through the chamber as the creature staggered, its toxic flames sputtering.
The Toxic Flame Beast knelt, its strength fading rapidly. Asher approached cautiously, his blade poised for the final strike.
Ninth Form: Reaper's End
With a swift, decisive slash, Asher's blade pierced through the beast's heart. Its body shuddered, the toxic flames extinguishing as it collapsed into a heap of ash and embers.
The chamber fell silent, save for Asher's steady breathing. He wiped the sweat from his brow, sheathing his sword.
[Boss Defeated: Toxic Flame Beast]
[Rewards: 110 Tower Coins ]
Asher glanced at the next door. A small smile played on his lips. "I'm getting better," he murmured, stepping forward to face the next challenge.
"And this sword is good too, but let's see what others I can evolve to max now," Asher mumbled as he opened his system screen.
His system's unique Skill System feature allowed him to gain skill points as he defeated intelligent beings. It was a passive ability, and he had turned off the notifications during battle to avoid distractions.
"How many do I have?" he wondered aloud, navigating to the skill points section.
"Hm, I've amassed a lot," he nodded in satisfaction before opening the Sword Arts section. After clearing each floor, the system granted a thirty-minute rest period, so he was taking his time selecting skills to upgrade.
"Up until now, there have been monsters as well as magic constructs," Asher muttered, recalling the challenges he had faced. His eyes scanned two Sword Arts he had previously encountered but hadn't mastered yet.
[Myriad Emperor Beast Slaying Art]
[Magic Breaker Sword Art]
The academy possessed a vast collection of arts, and Asher had carefully scanned some of the best ones using his skill points, saving them in his system for later use. From this extensive repertoire, he selected these two arts because of their exceptional effectiveness against magic-centric and beast-type foes.
His system had the ability to store an extensive number of skills or arts, which he could master instantly at any time by using skill points. Additionally, he could refine these skills further, eliminating any flaws and enhancing their potency, making them even better than their original versions.
Asher activated the Myriad Emperor Beast Slaying Art, feeling its profound essence merge with his understanding. This art specialized in targeting beast-type foes, its techniques designed to exploit their weaknesses with precision and ferocity. The moment the knowledge settled into his mind, he felt an instinctive familiarity with its movements.
"Let's see how this fares against the next challenge," he muttered, his gaze drifting toward the looming door that led to the twelfth floor.
Next, he turned to the Magic Breaker Sword Art. The art radiated a disruptive aura, its techniques honed to counter and sever magical constructs. It was an ideal countermeasure against the mages and magical creatures that populated the tower. Asher smiled faintly, impressed by the system's capability to allow him to instantly grasp such powerful techniques.
"With these two arts, I should be able to handle both extremes—beasts and magic-users."
His thoughts shifted to the remaining skill points. While he had invested heavily in these two arts, he still had points left to refine and enhance them further. He accessed the Skill Refinement feature of his system, targeting the two arts.
[ Refinement Complete ]
[ Myriad Emperor Beast Slaying Art: Enhanced Precision and Agility ]
[ Magic Breaker Sword Art: Increased Magical Disruption Efficiency ]
"Perfect," Asher said with a smirk. "Now they're even better."
As for his concern about the tower detecting him using his system, he had already confirmed through Absolute Appraisal that the tower was not powerful enough to detect it. With this assurance, he moved forward confidently, using his system freely without any worry.
"Let's see how these new arts measure up."