Chapter 10 The Ninth Floor

Mark looked at the huge doors that supposedly led to the Ninth Floor.

'We're strong enough to go in... Right?'

Kalès pushed the huge doors and the group entered.

Beyond, was a huge staircase.

After walking up hundreds of stairs, the group arrived at the Ninth Floor.

'So the entry to the Ninth Floor is this cave, huh?'

Mark walked outside the cave.

Shock-

'Is that...'

The Ninth Floor appeared to be a huge exotic forest.

High trees, exotic flowers and green plants were everywhere.

'This looks...'

A weird feeling overtook Mark.

He shook his head.

The ceiling was very high and made of some kind of blue material, giving it the appearance of a blue sky.

It looked like it stretched out forever.

Mark flapped his wings and took off.

Once he was high enough, he could see the whole Floor.

'The Floor is circular. It looks like an... Igloo? The ceiling goes down on the extremities of the floor... Forests...Jungles...Lakes... But they stretch for kilometers and kilometers. I wonder if-'

His thoughts were interrupted by a Fire Ball that approached him rapidly.

Mark dodged and went back to the ground where his Underlings were.

'I found the doors, but we should probably spend some time here to get stronger...'

The trees shook.

From it, a peculiar-looking beast appeared.

'It has the head of a rhinoceros... and the body of an Orc? Its whole body is gray though. Probably pretty resistant...'

The next instant,

BOOM-

'I can see you're eager to test your strength, Cer. But wait for orders next time.'

Three Abyssal Bombs had hit the Monster's body simultaneously.

It was thrown back by the attack.

The Wererhino stood back up.

'So three Abyssal Bombs were not enough to take it down? Its stomach is torched though.'

The Monster rushed forward, head first.

'Kalès, get rid of it.' Mark ordered dismissively.

The Unique Abyssal Orc Chief took steps forward and stood in front of the group.

He raised his war hammer high above his head.

Once the Monster was close enough,

Crash-

Its skull was split open.

Although Mark was not impressed by the Monster's strength, it was hard to judge it objectively, as his Underlings were extremely strong.

'Let's explore for a bit. Kalès, you go that way. Cer and umm... the Orc, your two go this way. Light, you go with the Ogre there. Kill Monsters and bring them to me. Light, focus on using your stealth. Also, don't go too far.'

The five Underlings obeyed and Mark started devouring the fallen Monster.

[You have gained 150 Evolution Points.]

'Any new Skills?'

[None.]

'I really would rather not fight before evolving, but I can't stay here and do nothing... You guys bring back the Monsters you killed in front of the cave before going to kill some more afterward.' Mark ordered as he followed the direction that Light and the Ogre took.

'Kalès is alone, but this group is still obviously the weakest of the three. I'll support them from behind.'

After a bit, he found the Abyssal Ogre fighting some kind of werewolf.

The Underling was punching it repeatedly while trying to keep a safe distance between them.

Just as a Fire Ball appeared in front of Mark's open mouth, Light appeared behind the Werewolf.

The Monster cried in pain as its bloody arm spun in the air.

The next second, Light disappeared, just as suddenly as he had appeared.

The Abyssal Ogre punched the Werewolf's face with all its strength pushing it back.

Light finished it right after by sinking his fangs into its neck.

'Good.'

...

About two hours later, Mark, Light and the Ogre went back to the cave.

The Abyssal Ogre was carrying many dead Monsters, leaving it barely visible.

As they entered the cave, two mountains of dead Monsters were found.

Kalès was standing in front of an especially huge pile.

Cer was standing alone in front of another one.

The Orc had died a bit earlier, but it wasn't really missed.

It hadn't even been named after all.

'So they're showing me which group did what? Kalès must have killed twice as much as you and the Orc did, huh? Good. I'm glad to know you can hold your own on this Floor too, Cer. Alright. You put them down too.'

The Abyssal Ogre put down the Monsters that Mark, Light and himself had hunted.

'The four of you stand at the entrance of the cave. Make sure no Monsters come in.'

Mark's hunger had awoken once more.

'Let's dig in!'

He devoured Werewolves, Weretigers, Wererhinos, but also Great Poisonous Scorpions, Great Paralyzing Bats, Lizardmen and a Four-Armed Orc.

His Evolution Points kept going up and up.

After devouring all of them, Mark had a little over 25'000 Evolution Points.

[Evolution is available.]

'Finally! I'm not sure I'll evolve now, but show me the options.'

[You can Evolve into:

1) Horned Abyssal Lizardman.

2) Great Werewolf's Skeleton.

3) Elite Abyssal Weretiger.

4) Elite Abyssal Wererhino.

]

'Ummm. That's it? Just these 4? Being a Lizardman doesn't sound great. The ones I've seen for now were pretty weak. The second one is a no-go since I'm sick of being a skeleton with low Health Points. The third one sounds very cool. Mmmh, I don't like Wererhinos, they're too bulky and not agile enough... Should I evolve or amass some more Evolution Points?'

Mark turned towards his Underlings.

'I don't think this is the best long-term solution, but I'm sick of needing them to protect me.'

He took his decision right away.

'I need the ability to fight on my own.'

A minute later, Mark passed out.

This time, he slept peacefully.

No dream disturbed his thoughts or sleep.

...

Once Mark opened his eyes, everything around him was different.

The colors, the texture of his surroundings.

Everything.

His sight was much more detailed.

He could smell things better.

'Huh?'

Mark took another deep breath in.

'Breathing is-'

Bump-

Bump-

Bump-

As soon as Mark had regained consciousness,

'Is that...'

Bump-

'My heart?'

Sounds were being emitted from his body.

The beating of his heart somehow made him feel nostalgic.

Mark stood up.

He was now two meters tall.

His pelt was red with many black stripes.

Mark took a deep breath in, and his eyes widened.

'Being able to breathe... Feels good for some reason.'

He took two steps forward before losing his balance and falling to the ground.

'Guess I'll have to get used to this again...'

It was the first time in a while that Mark stood on two legs.

After five minutes, he made his way outside the cave.

His Underlings stood at his sides.

The Elite Abyssal Weretiger that Mark was, opened its mouth wide.

ROAR-

'This was a dumb thing to do. But it's been so long since I could emit sounds-'

His thoughts were interrupted.

The ground and the trees shook.

Dozens of Monsters appeared, running towards the entrance of the cave.

Mark felt slight tension for a second,

'Fuck!'

Before realizing what was happening.

'Go towards the walls. Let them pass.'

Dozens and dozens of Monsters ran between the group and towards the staircase.

'So they're going to fight to become the Guardian, huh? Let's make the competition a bit easier for them then.'

At the great swarm of Werewolves, Weretigers, Wereleopards and different Orc Species, Mark shot Corrupting Arrows and Fire Balls.

Cer shot Abyssal Bombs and the other Underlings tried taking down as many Monsters as they could.

After a bit, the swarm of Monsters was gone.

Most of them had made it down the staircase, but a lot of them died trying to get there.

'Show me my Stats.'

[ Stats: Strength: 45

Agility: 30

Sense: 35

Vigor: 50

Endurance: 45

Mana: 60

]

'Finally decent Strength and Vigor Stats...'

Mark devoured some of the fallen Monster.

'I guess you can go. You're not needed anymore.'

His Underling, the Abyssal Ogre, turned into dust.

[One of your Underlings has returned to the dead.]

Mark revived others.

[You have brought back two Monsters from the dead.]

[They have become your Abyssal Underlings.]

The two were Abyssal Weretigers.

As Mark was an Elite Abyssal Weretiger, he was taller and bigger.

The two were fused together.

[You have used Abyssal Fusion.]

[You have given birth to a new Abyssal Monster.]

[Your new Underling is an "Elite Abyssal Weretiger[D-]".]

'So your body's as strong as mine now, huh? Only difference is the Skills. Wait...'

Mark suddenly realized something.

Something extremely important.

'I am an Elite Abyssal Weretiger, right?'

[Correct.]

Mark's heart started beating faster.

'I am an Abyssal Monster... Right?'

[Correct.]

His mouth was salivating.

'So I can fuse myself with other Abyssal Monsters?'

[Correct.]

Mark felt chills going down his spine for the first time in a very, very long time.

'I'll devour those Monsters later. For now...'

Mark extended his hand towards his Underling and used the Skill "Abyssal Fusion".

Suddenly, it was pulled towards him.

[You have used Abyssal Unification.]

[You have given birth to a new Abyssal Monster.]

[You have used Abyssal Unification on yourself.]

[You have become a new Abyssal Monster.]

[You have become a "Unique Abyssal Weretiger[D]".]

'Unique, huh?'

Mark looked at his body.

'I kind of look the same. What changed?'

[Your body has been strengthened.]

[Your Stats have increased.]

'Show me my Stats then.'

[ Stats: Strength: 75

Agility: 55

Sense: 40

Vigor: 55

Endurance: 50

Mana: 75

]

'Wow...

He was dumbfounded for a bit.

'That's an insane increase... Is that the power of Unique Monsters? Like the Kalès?'

Minutes later, Mark started munching on the many dead Monsters.

'Show me the available Body Modifications and Skills.'