Elio approached the edge, gazing into the abyss that awaited them.
He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. His penguin, Ice Ball, chirped softly, as if offering encouragement.
"I trust each one of you. Together, we can do this."
Kriz, in another rare moment of seriousness, stepped forward. "And we trust you, Elio. To the end of the world... or well, to the bottom of the monster sea in this case."
Nervous laughter rippled through the group.
"Alright," Elio said. "It's time."
Without further words, Elio jumped. For a moment, he seemed suspended in the air, his figure silhouetted against the barrier. Then, he began to fall.
Zara and Lila were the first to follow him, launching themselves almost in unison, determined to stay close to their leader. The others followed quickly, without a moment's hesitation.
The adventure had barely begun.
♢♢♢♢
The wind roared in their ears as they fell. Elio led the group, his body cutting through the air with practiced precision. Around him, his companions each accompanied by their respective swift.
Zara, with her elephant materialized beside her, fell gracefully, her eyes fixed on Elio. Elio's penguin, Ice Ball, clung to his shoulder with its beak, its small wings extended as if it wanted to help in the descent.
"This is insane!" Kriz shouted over the roar of the wind, a maniacal grin on his face. "I love it!"
"Save your breath, joker!" Brok replied, though a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
Micah observed their descent speed. "Fascinating..."
Lila, Aria, Mei, and Valeria fell in formation, their bodies describing a perfect 'V' in the air. Their swifts flew close, as if ready to intervene at any moment.
As they approached the writhing mass of Locus, Elio gave the signal. As one, the group opened their System books.
"Now!" Elio shouted.
Each of them accepted the corresponding challenge. In an instant, their bodies vanished, leaving only the falling books.
From below, the scene was surreal. The Locus in the upper layer raised their heads, only to be hit by books that ceased to be floating.
The books seeped through the spaces left by the Locus, who were holding each other with their powerful limbs. It was like a living bridge of monstrous ants. But instead of a bridge or a tower, they formed a vast layer.
Meter after meter, the books descended. Finally, they passed through the last layer of Locus and fell into darkness, landing softly on an incredible amount of cores.
In the gloom at the bottom, the books rested close to each other, their covers glowing faintly with an inner light, like beacons in a sea of darkness and danger.
Elio: 59.995 Resistance / 659.995 Armor Resistance
The loss of resistance was increasing, though it was still manageable. Elio knew he couldn't afford to panic.
He tried using his control over known elements to protect himself. He created a layer of nickel over his skin, but it seemed to have no effect. He tried a carbon barrier, but the mysterious force seemed to pass through it effortlessly.
Frustration was beginning to grow in Elio.
Elio: 59.99 Resistance / 659.99 Armor Resistance
Suddenly, he felt an intense tingling in his right hand, he had touched the tunnel wall. Before he could react, his entire arm tensed, the muscles contracting painfully.
"Argh," Elio grunted, gritting his teeth against the pain.
The sensation was different from anything he had experienced before. It wasn't like the cutting cold of level 6 or the searing heat of level 1. It was something completely new and disconcerting.
The damage exceeded regeneration now.
He decided it was time to accelerate. Having conserved stamina, Elio began to run through the tunnel. The movement seemed to momentarily alleviate the sensation, but he soon realized he was only delaying the inevitable.
The muscle spasms became more frequent and intense. His legs tensed randomly, making his run erratic and dangerous.
Elio: 59.95 Resistance / 658.5 Armor Resistance
The loss of resistance was increasing at an alarming rate. For the first time since the level began, Elio felt a pang of real fear.
"There has to be a solution," he panted between strides. "Each level has a key, I just need to find it."
But as he progressed, the situation worsened. The tingling had turned into constant pain, as if every nerve in his body was being stimulated simultaneously.
Elio: 59.9 Resistance / 655 Armor Resistance
Elio knew he was reaching a critical point.
That's when it happened.
In the middle of his run, all his muscles tensed at the same time, his body completely rigid and immobile.
"No... no... no," he grunted, fighting against the paralysis that had taken over him.
The pain was intense, as if every fiber of his being was being torn apart.
Elio: 59.5 Resistance / 620 Armor Resistance
He was trapped, losing half a point per second and unable to move.