Chapter 67 Ascension

[Your Underling is judging the name bestowed upon it.]

The Lioness turned towards Mark for a second.

'Huh?'

The Moonlit Feline turned away immediately.

[Your Underling has postponed the judgment.]

'Seriously? It's a good name! I thought you liked it too.'

The Moonlit Feline ignored the remark, and opted to use the "Dual Form" Skill to turn back into its white-furred cat Form instead.

Mark stood up, while his Underling waved its tail lazily.

'I know I thought of Krista a long time ago but... Wait, is that why?'

The swift cat climbed up Mark's body and sat on his shoulder.

'Did you think I would have found a better name by now? Huh. You're not even going to react to my questions?'

Feeling a mixture of defeat and entertainment, Mark simply spread his wings.

The next second, something brushed against his hand.

Surprise and slight anxiety immediately sprung forth.

Mark's pupils moved in every direction, while the rest of his body froze.

'What is-'

Bathed in darkness, not much was visible.

Mark couldn't see anything around him, except for two bright red pupils.

He chuckled nervously.

'Places like these are where you shine, huh?'

The practically invisible Light sat on the ground.

Mark called the Underling into his Familiar Necklace before taking off.

Meanwhile, Levi and Fiery were waiting on the Last Floor.

Both Underlings had an issue adapting to it.

But while Levi was starting to get used to the Mana-filled air, Fiery was still having trouble.

Maybe it was simply the difference between a Guardian from the Third Floor and a Monster from the Sixth Floor.

Or maybe, one was more competent when it came to Mana-related situations.

"It sure is different. Are you adapting well?" Levi asked.

The mandibles on Fiery's head moved.

"That is true. Our Lord has gotten used to it already. We must do everything we can to make sure we do not bring our Lord down." Levi said solemnly.

Fiery's mandibles moved once more.

"Yes. It is strange. I expected us to find enemies sooner. Just like on the previous..." Levi commented while looking around the grassy plain.

Feeling their Master's presence, the two Underlings turned around.

A dumbfounded expression on his face.

'The two of you can communicate together?'

It was a thought, but also a question directed to his Underlings.

After all, Mark wasn't capable of speech.

Not yet anyway.

Levi and Fiery turned towards one another.

"Yes, my Lord. I thought you knew..." Levi answered with slight embarrassment.

'How would I? Why can you... How come I can't understand Fiery?' Mark asked, as he turned towards his Underling.

Fiery's mandibles started moving.

'Ugh! Stop that! I can't understand. Why the hell can't I?'

It seemed like Fiery really wanted to develop her thought, as her mandibles kept twitching.

Mark massaged his forehead in quiet desperation.

The Moonlit Feline quickly jumped off Mark's shoulder and climbed onto Fiery's back.

'Don't tell me... You understand Fiery too?'

The white-furred cat nodded before sitting.

It started to meticulously clean its fur.

"It seems like..." Levi started hypothesizing.

'What is it?'

"Well, my Lord... Maybe... The bond between us Underlings is... Stronger?" Levi questioned.

'WHAT?' Mark felt somewhat enraged.

Still, deep down it felt pleasant.

Having a conversation about a trivial matter was something that Mark hadn't experienced in a while.

After all, Levi was the first Underling with whom he could converse.

'The bond is stronger? How come? Fiery has been with me for longer...'

"No, my Lord. I mean that... Maybe it's because... Ummm... Well..."

'Just speak freely.'

"The two of us are Underlings, while you are our Lord and Master. The two of us are here for you. We would give our lives for you. I can't speak for... Her." Levi said while pointing at the Moonlit Feline. "But Fiery and I are the same."

'So?'

"Coordination between Underlings is important. I could communicate with the others too. Well... Before they met their ends."

'I see. I'm sort of feeling left out... That's new. Does that mean all my previous Underlings could communicate? Or is it because my Skill evolved...?'

Mark was reminded of his previous Underlings.

There weren't many. But other than those at his side, there were some he hadn't forgotten about.

'Weird... What were their names again? I only wanted the strong ones to stay. But...' Mark's gaze fell on Levi.'

It seemed Mark's thought pattern when it came to his Underlings had changed slightly during his ascension.

At first, they were simply shields.

Dolls, dancing to his tune.

Obeying his every thought and desire.

But-

The Moonlit Feline yawned loudly as it closed its eyes.

'Kalès and Kira. Maybe Cer... Those three were... Oh, there was that Four-armed Orc. Or was it a Four-armed Ogre? The one that protected me from Kalès... Well, it wasn't Kalès per se, since I hadn't revived him yet. It was a Guardian. Just a Guardian...'

Mark couldn't help but scratch his head at the thought.

'Plus, Kalès changed a lot after I made him absorb That Minotaure Monster. Oh. Sin? Was that the Ogre's name-'

Mark's thoughts stopped for a second.

Monstrous growls echoed in the place of loud laughter.

'This is getting ridiculous.' Mark thought as he spread his wings.

Seconds later, he was about two hundred meters above the ground.

'Having flown all the way up to this Floor, the difference in speed is obvious...'

Mark looked down upon the wide scenery from above.

It seemed like the forest that encircled the grassy plain was endless.

'There's a ceiling, right? Just... Really high up.'

[Correct.]

'Mmmm... Unlike on the Ninth Floor, I don't see walls encircling the area.'

[Walls made of Mana encircle the Final Floor.]

'Of course... Walls of Mana... I can assume all Monsters can use Magic Skills too, right?'

Mark looked around.

He focused on his vision as much as he could, but failed to detect any movement inside the forest.

The forest was extremely dense, and all Mark could see were the numerous trees.

'Mmmmh...' Mark thought as he raised his arms in different directions.

Mana was concentrated on both his palms.

'Let's stir up some trouble.'

Two Great Fire Balls appeared.

He put more Mana into the Magic Skill, and the spheres grew.

The next second, their fire was coated with a deep red.

Flame Of Chaos, Colossal Fire Ball[A-]

'Mm!' Mark was pleasantly surprised.

But just before he could shoot the attacks,

[Supplementary Information about the Final Floor.]

'Huh?'

[Spin around by 45 degrees to your right.]

The spheres of fire faded, and Mark did as the System commanded.

'What now?'

Silence-

'You just wanted me to comply for no reason? Should I do a flip next?'

...

Somewhere far, far away.

"Tsk. Arrogant little..." A red-haired person whispered.

...

[The Final Floor is a Forest.]

'Oh. Is it now? Couldn't have guessed-'

[The Forest can be divided into two distinct Territories.]

'Territories? That's new. Mm. Territories of... What?'

Silence-

'Since you told me to spin around then... Ahead is one territory. Behind me the other. To my sides, they meet.'

[Correct.]

'If that's how it is, then-'

[It would be wiser not to enter the zones in which the Territories meet.]

[Not yet, anyway.]

'Ugh... Do I really have to-'

[Choose the first Territory to attack wisely.]

'You're not gonna tell any more than that?'

Silence-

'Mmm... Since they wanted me to face this way, I suppose that's the territory I should start with.'

Mark extended his arms forward towards the forest.

'Doesn't matter anyway...'

Flame Of Chaos, Colossal Fire Ball[A-].

'I'll destroy all of it.'

BOOM-

After shooting about 12 Colossal Fire Balls imbued with the Flames Of Chaos, Mark looked at the mayhem created.

Trees were falling over, burning.

The fire was spreading, but at a slow pace.

'Just like the grass, the trees must be filled with Mana. Might be why they're not burning as much as I-'

Mark activated his "Impenetrable Barrier[C]" Skill just in time.

SLASH-

A crack appeared on the barrier from the attack's impact.

'Should upgrade this one later, probably...' Mark thought as he deactivated his Skill and folded his wings.

Woosh-

'Mmmm... It looked like some kind of sharp sword made of... Wind? Somehow? Oh well. Guess I was right about this being about the Four Elements. ' Mark thought as he fell.

His "Advanced Kinetic Vision[C+]" Passive Skill activated, and time started flowing a bit slower.

'This is by far my best Passive Skill. Might be my best Skill overall actually. Even though it's only [C+] Ranked. I wonder why... Anyway, Monsters have started coming out of the forest. They're approaching pretty quickly. Are they the weakest ones? Or the territorial kind?'

Mark spread his wings just before hitting the ground, killing the speed with which he was falling.

'Doesn't matter either...'

He extended his sharp claws.

'I'm starving.'

Mark's fangs shined through his open mouth.

'Let's see what this Floor tastes like.'