Chapter 95: Achieving a New Record

Chapter 95: Achieving a New Record

A new wave was sweeping through the academy these days.

Apart from incidents and accidents, this was the first time a situation had heated up since the tournament.

"They're on the 10th floor now."

"With the 10th floor, Adrias won't be able to rely solely on magic anymore, right?"

The spark for the Tower of Modras, which had seemed to die down after Dianne, had been reignited by Adrias.

All surviving until the 10th floor.

The students were questioning just how that was possible.

Understanding Adrias' timely judgments and tactics was difficult unless you had experienced it firsthand.

However, outsiders who continued to watch without leaving their seats could still perceive how remarkable Adrias was.

How talented Adrias was.

Even though they couldn't hear the sound, they could roughly guess what was happening through Adrias' gestures and the movements of his team members, viewing it from the perspective of someone with experience as a leader or a commander.

"Looks like there was another unexpected talent."

"I suppose he'd be an interesting addition to the Northern Fortress. I've heard that small-scale regional battles still happen frequently, and Lord Bargrass would probably appreciate knowing that."

"Huh, sending such talent to the North is a waste! However, there's no doubt that he's a talent capable of both combat and command."

"Originally, even though Adrias Cromwell might be a student right now, he'll be a Count if he graduates. Everyone, be cautious of your words."

"Hehe, he's become so famous that we've been forgetting. But how is it that he's still maintaining the status of a Count?"

By this point, even the journalists who had stepped back after Dianne's achievements had to return.

Of course, they couldn't compare to Dianne's records, but if there were exceptional individuals who performed well in the same grade, that was enough to create buzz.

As a result, the area in front of the Tower of Modras was more lively than ever.

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As we ascended to the 10th floor, only a massive door awaited us.

Despite already taking enough rest on the previous floors, everyone's faces still showed signs of tension.

'I'd like to get everyone through the 10th floor if possible.'

I was someone who saw through unknown gimmicks and weaknesses.

Perhaps it was possible for everyone to survive on this floor too.

While pondering that, one of the freshmen suddenly came forward and bowed his head.

"I've been grateful up until now. Senior, you'll probably pass the 10th floor without any problems. I might end up eliminated, so I want to express my gratitude in advance."

At first, I was uncertain about the guy, but after coming up to this point together, he had become an ardent fan of mine.

After he greeted me, other guys followed suit, one after the other, bowing respectfully.

"I never thought we'd make it to the 10th floor. It's all thanks to Senior Adrias. Thank you for giving us this valuable experience."

"I was hoping to join a prestigious order of knights, but thanks to you, Senior, my goal has changed. If I get the chance, I want to become a knight capable of strategizing and commanding like you. Thank you for solidifying my life's goals."

"Adrias, Senior, do you have a girlfriend? If not, can I confess to you later?"

Britney's somewhat playful remark, the only lighthearted moment, brought laughter to everyone, diffusing what could have been a dark atmosphere.

Even Vincent, my fellow grade member, came up to me to express his gratitude, so I waved him off.

"Why do you think this is the end?"

Everyone who had been chatting as if they thought this was the end turned to me.

"As of now, the 10th-floor mission briefing begins. Listen well and follow along."

I smiled at their surprised expressions.

"Let's rewrite history."

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Up to this point, I had never once finished playing through the floors below the 10th.

With that, I could proudly claim to have a better understanding of the 10th floor than anyone else.

'The boss on the 10th floor is the Iron Golem.'

Although the name might sound weak, its danger and strength were immense, enough to be considered a true boss. Its immense strength was to the point that even one wrong hit from its powerful fist would mean an automatic elimination.

Furthermore, its speed was on par with its power, so there was no room for complacency.

Despite its massive size, its speed was comparable to that of an average knight, making it difficult for wizards to escape unscathed when the golem suddenly closed in while they were providing support from the rear.

'A golem, so it has unlimited stamina. Jousting is meaningless.'

Even the jousting techniques often used when facing formidable opponents were ineffective.

However, it was possible to stop its movements by destroying the magical core that powered it. But it was easier said than done, as the golem's magical core changed its position frequently. Fortunately, I wasn't worried about that.

"Whew."

Someone let out a tense sigh.

I had given a detailed plan, covering various gimmicks and weaknesses, but it seemed that tension was inevitable.

"I'll open the door."

They nodded.

As I did, the door blocking our way started to slowly moisten.

"Adrias, are you really okay?"

Vincent asked with an uneasy voice.

I raised my voice for everyone to hear in response to his question.

"Your current rankings alone put you in the top tier. There's no need to worry. Just do what I told you."

"That's right. We're all in the top ranks anyway."

Seeing Vincent finally relax, I realized how easy it was to deal with him, and I felt relieved.

Although I aimed to have everyone pass the floor, I was concerned about Vincent since his movements were slowed as a magician.

As the 10th floor was called the "Realm of Magic," golems were not as straightforward as they appeared. Vincent, who had slower movements, was an easy target for the golem.

"That's an Iron Golem."

"Seeing it in person, its size is much more noticeable."

As the door opened fully, an Iron Golem stood tall in the wide space. Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

In addition to the golem, there were hidden devices and traps all around, though they weren't visible.

"Be careful of the traps on both sides."

I reiterated the warning, just in case, even though I had already briefed them.

Thud!

Thanks to the team members who focused on the legs as we had discussed earlier, the slippery ground caused the golem to fall.

Thud!

"5 minutes and 11 seconds."

Considering the time, I approached the golem.

"It's in the 5-minute range. Attack the designated areas we discussed earlier."

"Can you repeat it one more time?"

"Group 1, target the left arm! Group 2, aim for the heart! Group 3, hit the right flank!"

Before entering, we had already assigned attack positions based on where the magic core would be every minute. Since the position changed every minute, I had told them in advance which body parts to target. In this chaotic situation, however, my mind was a bit scattered.

Crash! Thud!

Despite the absence of the magical barrier, its body was made of steel and not easily penetrated.

However, this time, I intended to end it. I used the fusion magic, "Aurora," that I had prepared in advance.

Sizzle.

Black flames emerged, and Galakshur melted into the right flank of the golem I was attacking.

'It's a failure.'

There was nothing in my hand.

And the golem's resistance had intensified.

Creak!

"Ugh!"

A team member attacking the heart blocked the golem's swinging arm and was deflected away.

Fortunately, thanks to Vincent's protective magic from behind, the team member was not pushed off the cliff.

Realizing I had no time, I shattered the potion I had prepared and threw it into the pierced side.

Crash.

Pshh.

With the smell of corrosion in the air, the golem's body began to undergo deformations.

"Now, retreat!"

Staying any longer was dangerous.

Following my command, the team members stepped back, and I also withdrew.

Just in time, the golem stood up from its position.

"It's not regenerating!"

One of the team members shouted.

Several factors made the 10th-floor boss challenging, but its regenerative abilities played a significant role. Unless the magic core was destroyed, the ever-regenerating Iron Golem should have healed the punctured side, but due to the potion I used, it remained solid.

As a result, the golem's movements were somewhat unnatural.

"6 minutes."

Time for the magic core to change position again.

Coincidentally, it was now on its head.

"I'll distract it for just one minute."

When the golem was standing, I couldn't target its head.

Afterward, we played a game of cat and mouse, taking turns to aggro the golem to buy time.

Still, with all seven of us surviving, buying time was easy.

'The potion played a role too.'

Since the wound on its side wasn't regenerating, its movements became sluggish.

Thanks to that, we safely endured a minute and entered the seventh minute.

"Left leg, right arm!"

Targeting the legs was relatively easy, so the team members left marks on the legs forcefully.

No matter how steel-reinforced its body was, Galakshur-infused strikes began to penetrate inward.

Crash!

"Huh?"

One of the team members tapped the leg and voiced doubt.

Then, with glistening eyes, the team member who was aggroing the golem called out to me.

"I hit its leg! The magic core is in the leg!"

"Let's all attack together."

I could have attacked the leg, but someone still needed to aggro the golem. If another team member took aggro, they could become easy prey in an instant. So, I decided to entrust the magic core to my team members.

Bang! Clang!

Thanks to Vincent, who cast spells at the right time from behind, we could navigate through those perilous moments.

Especially the times when the golem attempted to throw us off the cliff were prevented by Vincent using ground or wind magic.

Crash!

"Huh?"

Suddenly, with a massive cracking sound, light exploded from the golem's leg.

"Get down!"

Even though I had warned them in advance, there was hardly any time to think. I shouted at the team members who were standing there dazed. Then everyone hurriedly flattened themselves on the ground.

Kwaaaah!

Amidst the blinding light, an enormous shockwave surged forward, pushing us away.

As the light gradually faded and we opened our eyes, the golem had completely vanished, and a staircase leading upward had appeared.

"Huh?"

"Could this be..."

"Am I awake? This is unbelievable."

The team members, still in disbelief despite what they had accomplished, turned to each other with bright smiles.

"Wow!"

"We did it! We did it!"

"Nobody got eliminated? How is this even possible?"

"We must be the first! Everyone on the 10th floor survived!"

While everyone was rejoicing,

I shifted my gaze toward the shared magical screen that was recording us.

'Dianne, sorry, but I'm taking the victory of the bet.'