Chapter 171: Chapter 171: System's Sixth level

Elio advanced through the icy tunnel at high speed.

Each step he took seemed to intensify the cold around him, and his resistance was decreasing ever faster. Wide Guard floated beside him, its presence a comforting reminder he wasn't alone.

Elio: 49.99 Resistance / 545.35 Armor Resistance

Stamina: 9.2

"This can't be eternal," he muttered to himself, his breath forming small clouds of vapor in the frigid air. "If the cold increases with distance, the only logical option is..."

Without finishing his thought, Elio increased his speed. His steps echoed in the frozen tunnel as he ran, hoping the rapidity would allow him to cross this hostile zone before the cold could seriously affect him.

However, as he accelerated, he noticed with growing concern that his stamina began to decrease more rapidly. Resistance, for its part, was falling at an alarming rate. From 0.001 points per second at the beginning, he was now losing 0.1 per second.

Elio: 49.99 Resistance / 534.53 Armor Resistance

Stamina: 8.9

Elio made a quick calculation in his mind. "At this rate, I can only resist about 3 hours," he thought, worry growing in his chest.

But he didn't stop. He kept running, pushing his limits, refusing to yield to the relentless cold that seemed to want to consume him. Wide Guard matched his pace.

Time passed, difficult to measure in this endless and monotonous tunnel. Elio noticed with growing alarm that the rate of resistance loss had increased much more.

Now he was losing 0.2 points per second.

Elio: 49.99 Resistance / 513.72 Armor Resistance

Stamina: 8.2

"One hour," he told himself, his voice barely audible over the sound of his steps and his labored breathing. "I only have one hour left at this rate."

♢♢♢♢

Elio: 49.99 Resistance / 402.91 Armor Resistance

Stamina: 5.6

His stamina had almost fallen to half, and for the first time since he began this challenge, Elio felt a pang of doubt.

Had he made a mistake in venturing so far?

Should he turn back now, while he still had the strength to do so?

♢♢♢♢

The cold intensified even more, as if it could sense his hesitation. The rate of resistance loss increased to 0.3 points per second. Elio felt panic growing in his chest.

Elio: 49.99 Resistance / 371.19 Armor Resistance

"It must mean something important," he murmured to himself, his eyes scanning the crystalline surface of the barrier.

Time was pressing, and Elio knew he had to act fast...

His logic dictated that the most effective way to eliminate ice was with fire. Without beating around the bush, he decided to invoke his most powerful fire attack: an ignited carbon ball.

Concentrating, Elio channeled his energy. The air around him began to crackle with magical power. Wide Guard stepped back, sensing the building energy.

Mana: 49

As he formed the attack, he noticed something pleasant... his resistance had stopped decreasing. The heat generated by his own magic kept him safe from the penetrating cold.

'Interesting,' he thought, 'but I can't afford to spend my mana just to keep warm.' powered-by-MVLeMpYr

Without further delay, Elio launched the ignited carbon ball towards the ice barrier. The attack advanced swiftly, leaving a trail of sparks and heat in its wake. Upon impact with the icy surface, there was an explosion of steam and a deafening hiss.

Elio felt a surge of triumph. The attack seemed to be working, melting the barrier with its intense heat. However, when the steam dissipated, his heart sank.

The ice plug seemed to continue extending many meters beyond where his attack had impacted. The ignited carbon ball had barely advanced about a meter... An advance that seemed insignificant compared to the magnitude of the barrier.

"Damn it," Elio growled, frustration evident in his voice. "This is going to be harder than I thought."

Taking a deep breath, Elio considered his options. At that rate, his mana wouldn't be enough...

The cold was biting his skin again, reminding him that he didn't have the luxury of time on his side. He needed something more powerful, something that could penetrate that barrier more efficiently.

The answer came to him like lightning: the corrosive combo. It was his strongest attack.

It would consume twice as much mana, but at this point, Elio knew he had no choice but to try it.

Closing his eyes, Elio began to channel his power... Wide Guard moved closer, its presence amplifying Elio's carbon control.

Mana: 47

He released the attack.

The level 5 spear with the corrosive combo shot from his hands, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle.

The attack impacted the ice barrier with tremendous force.

The ice began to melt instantly.

Elio watched, with amazement and hope, as his attack seemed to be making significant progress.

Until something unexpected happened. The melted ice, now turned into water, began to interact strangely with the corrosive magic.

The water seemed to absorb and disperse the energy of the attack.

Elio watched in disbelief as his corrosive combo, the attack he had hoped would be his salvation, quickly lost strength. The water, acting as a liquid shield, diluted and dissipated the corrosive magic before it could penetrate deeper into the ice barrier.

When the attack finally dissipated, Elio was left staring at the result with disappointment. The corrosive combo, his most powerful technique, had advanced even less than the ignited carbon ball.