Chapter 40 - Twenty-Second Floor (2)

Knowing that Lumen is a strong opponent, Ran planned on changing the battlefield to fit him better. The blue-haired boy created a small cloud of Shinsoo that had electricity coursing through it. The storm cloud expanded under his control and surrounded Lumen from all sides, and Ran disappeared within the storm cloud.

Hidden inside it, he was planning to sneak attack Lumen. Jumping out from the left side, he sent a lightning infused kick towards Lumen's head. Unfortunately, Lumen was easily able to perceive his location despite him hiding in his storm cloud, and he blocked the attack by simply raising his arm.

Despite his attacking being blocked, Ran immediately reacted and jumped back inside his storm cloud. He tried landing a few more sneak attacks, but Lumen would block them just as easily as he blocked the first one.

Ran jumped out of the storm cloud and sent another kick towards Lumen, who blocked the attack. However, this time, Ran was prepared for that. As he was kicking towards Lumen, he had already formed a Baang of electric Shinsoo. Forming it into a spear made of lightning, he threw it a Lumen at point-blank. "Maschenny Style: Lightning Spear"

The lightning spear landed straight in his ċhėst, but it didn't even budge him from his spot. As if his attack had no effect on him at all.

"That tickled." Lumen casually remarked, not hurt even the slightest from the attack.

Novick was staring at Lumen wide-eyed. Even he couldn't take on that attack without protecting himself with his techniques. However, the masked Regulad took the attack head-on and didn't even move from his spot.

'Who is this guy? How have I never heard of him?' Novick asked himself. He knew all of the strongest E-Rank Regulars, but the masked man wasn't one of them.

Ran attempted several more sneak attacks on Lumen, but that was obviously not working for him. Knowing that he couldn't beat the masked Regular in his current state, he decided to step it up a notch. He didn't like using that technique, but he had no other option.

Ran created a highly concentrated Baang of Shinsoo infused with electricity that took the shape of a pill. He threw the Baang in his mouth and gulped it down. Lightning visibly started coursing through his body, and a black cross-shaped marked appeared on his right cheek.

Redan, or also known as Lightning Pill, is a technique that increases the user's strength and speed by several folds, a technique that is only usable by a few selected members of the Khun Family. The technique also increases the strength of the user's lightning-based attacks, as well.

Although Redan gives a tremendous boost in fighting strength, it can only be used for a limited amount of time. Ran can use it for no more than 5 minutes and will be left incapable of moving after its effect expires.

With the boost from Redan, Ran was more confident in being able to match the masked Regular. Very few could keep up with him in his current state.

Lumen watched in interest as he felt Ran increase his strength after consuming the highly concentrated Baang of Shinsoo. This was his first time seeing Shinsoo be used in such a way, and he was half-expecting Ran to shout Godspeed, with the electricity coursing through his body.

With his increased speed, Ran appeared in front of Lumen in an instant. With a confident smirk on his face, he sent a massive blast of lightning at Lumen. The blast covered him completely and drilled a hole in the giant tree behind him.

"That's a pretty good attack, little one." Lumen commented after the blast dissipated. He was still standing in the same spot since their fight began without a single scratch on him.

'This can't be real' Novic was thinking that this is just a dream. There is no way a Regular could take on that attack without defending himself.

"DO!" Ran moved lightning fast as he appeared on Lumen's right side while throwing a punch, which was easily blocked.

"NOT!" This time he launched a kick from his left side but was yet again blocked.

"CALL!" Ran appeared on his right side again but shot another massive blast of electricity covering Lumen entirely.

"ME!" Appearing behind Lumen, he threw spear of lightning at him.

"SHORT! Espada Grande!" Ran appeared above Lumen with a gigantic lightning sword made of several Baangs of Shinsoo. The attack that was larger than a five-story building landed on Lumen and caused a massive explosion.

After the dust from the explosion scattered, Novick and Ran saw Lumen still standing in the same spot that he stood during the entire fight, without a single scratch on him. He was nonchalantly staring at Ran with an amused smile on his face.

Lumen's physical durability and Shinsoo resistance were immense. His body was strengthened from his revival, and Regulars would have a very hard time at even being able to injure him. To top it off, he trained with the technique Urek taught him and had combined it with his white flames to refine life force as well. In terms of body resistance, even Ha Family members would be jealous of him.

Novick was starting to think that the masked man is, in fact, a Ranker and not a Regular. He just couldn't believe that a Regular would be able to survive all of those attacks without a scratch. Novick himself would be left in a critical condition from them, and could possibly even die. Let alone just any random E-Rank Regular, they would get killed before they could even understand what's happening.

Ran was starting at Lumen in disbelief. He couldn't understand how he wasn't even able to make the masked man even move from his spot. He was the most talented member of his branch, and yet, he couldn't even put a scratch on Lumen. The only time he had suffered such a miserable defeat was when he fought his sister once. However, she is a Princess of Zahard and a Ranker, while the masked man should be a Regular.

The last technique he used took a huge toll on his body, so he was left panting after using it. Ran couldn't even react as a giant hand of darkness formed next to him and caught him. He tried resisting, but he was unable to break free from the hold of the hand made of darkness.

"Not bad, little one. You could give Vespa a run for her money with that speed. Maybe you could even beat Hatsu, but it seems you can't keep that state for long." Lumen told him as he brought Ran closer with his hand made of darkness.

"Vespa? Hatsu? Aren't those two members of Androssi's team?" Novick questioned to the side. Helping out Ran didn't even pass through his mind. Novick personally witnessed how easily the masked man took him down without even moving, and he knew that he didn't stand a chance against him.

"Here's where you are wrong. It's not Androssi's team, it's my team." Lumen corrected him.

Novick was astonished that someone unknown was the leader of that monstrous team, but then he remembered the story about White Star, or now know as Lights End. Supposedly, he was someone extremely strong that used to lead the team before. However, that guy should be dead, and he was known for using light-based attacks. Could he have possibly survived? Though that didn't explain his darkness element.

"So, little one. Are you interested in joining my team?" Lumen questioned Ran. He was impressed by his strength and knowing he isn't a FUG member, he wanted to recruit him.

Without even hesitating, the blue-haired boy immediately responded. "No!"

Lumen was surprised at how quickly he was denied. Ran hadn't even thought about it for a second, before refusing to join his team.

"And why is that?" He asked him in wonder.

"Because I already promised I will join A.A's team when he catches up to me. If you want to join his team, I can introduce him to you." Despite being caught by Lumen, Ran kept his proud nature. He had already made a promise to Agnis, so there was no way he will go back on his words.

"You are an arrogant little fellow, aren't you." Lumen laughed out, and as much as Ran wanted to yell at Lumen for calling him little, he already knew that the masked man is on a completely different level from him.

"I will pass on your offer, but should you change your mind and my team is still on this Floor, you could come to seek me out." Lumen was impressed by Ran's performance. Had his team not trained with the increased gravity, Ran would have been stronger than almost all of them. And should he end up eating the Redan, he could have possibly even beat Androssi and Anak, if they hadn't trained with Lumen that is.

Novick was sitting to the side, hoping that the same offer would be given to him, but he was bound to be disappointed. Lumen was only interested in Ran and not him.

"I've been in this forest for a few months now. So, mind telling me what's happened recently?" Lumen asked Ran as he continued holding him in his hand of darkness while making his way towards the city on the Floor.

"No idea, I don't follow the news." Ran casually replied while being carried in the hand of darkness. He didn't like it, but he couldn't even move a muscle, so he had no other choice.

"Hey, wait for me!" Novick called out and chased after them.

After dumping Ran to Novick, Lumen entered one of the apartment trees. He walked up to a room and knocked on it. Moments later, Leesoo opened the door.

"Hey, you are back! Come in! We were just planning to come and see you, but it seems that's pointless now." Leesoo said as he ushered him to enter the room.

As soon as he entered, Anak had already jumped him for a hug, happy to see him. She isn't much of a talker and prefers expressing herself with actions.

"Lumen, Lumen, look, look! I have a bunch of new dolls!" Verdi excitedly shook her dollhouse in front of him. He ruffled her hair, and she giggled in response. "Lumen loves me best!"

After having a short greeting with everyone else in the room, he asked. "So, when can we take on the Test?"

"We can do it in about in two weeks," Leesoo answered him. "We would usually sign up for the Test in case you come back, but forfeit it each time since you weren't here. With you being here now, we have no need to forfeit again."

"Good job." Lumen praised him, making Leesoo scratch his head in embarrassment.

Leesoo entered the kitchen and shortly came out with few bottles of booze. "Since you are back, let's celebrate!"

Gin a man with orange hair, slit-eyed, and cat ears explained the rules of the Test, and teleported the group to the Test area.

Since they knew the locations of all the cubes, they had a simple plan prepared for the Test. Their six fastest members would simply go after a cube and bring it back to the cube-shaped hole.

Lumen, Androssi, Anak, Vespa, Hatsu, and Tiana each sped off towards a location where a cube is located. The Regulars from the other team didn't even have a chance, as the six easily reached a cube and brought it back. Despite the large area, it didn't take them more than half an hour to accomplish that.

The hardest part of the Test for Lumen's team was the part where they had to simultaneously place the cube in the cube-shaped hole. As they placed the cubes, they were all teleported out of the arena, successfully passing the Test.

"That was fast." Gin commented as he looked at the Regulars that just completed the Test in half an hour. Which makes it the fastest recorded time anyone has passed this Test.

"Well, congradulations, Regulars. You've passed the Test on the 22nd Floor and are granted the right to climb higher. As a Reward, you will all receive 20 000 Points. Good luck, Regulars." Gin congratulated them and teleported them to the next Floor.