Following Beidou's relentless efforts, the enemy of the 30th Floor finally appeared.
The battlefield shifted to a vast, desolate desert. Deidara sat atop his giant clay bird, looking down at Beidou with a smirk. "So, this is the challenger? Hmm... looks interesting. Let's start with a little C1: Clay Spiders, yeah!"
Dozens of clay bombs rained down, but Beidou had no intention of wasting time. Thunderous light erupted from her body as she transformed into a bolt of lightning, piercing through the air. The desert sky darkened under the sheer pressure of her power.
Deidara's expression tightened. "Dammit, she's—"
Before he could finish, his body cracked like porcelain and shattered. It was a clay clone; the moment he saw the lightning, he knew he had to switch places or die. He was clever, but Beidou's intel made her even more ruthless. Her blade didn't just target the clone—it pierced straight through the clay bird, catching the real Deidara in its wake.
"Cough... how did you know I was there... you treacherous woman..."
"You're just a gatekeeper," Beidou retorted coldly. "Stop barking and die."
With a roar of thunder, she didn't even need her full "Thunder Emperor" mode to cut him down. The giant screen in the sky lit up:
[Floor 30 Boss Defeated: Deidara of the Akatsuki. Reward: Explosion Style: Clay Bomb Ability Card.]
[Description: Grants the user the Explosion Style Kekkei Genkai. Can be passed down to descendants.]
"Whoa, not bad!" Beidou was genuinely surprised. This card could create a new powerhouse—someone like Klee would be a terrifying fit for this ability.
[The Serpent in the Dark]
Beidou's stamina was still high, so she pushed forward. Past the 30th floor, the "mobs" became dense swarms of hard-shelled insects, each more dangerous than the bosses of the earlier floors. She carved a path through them, collecting Spirit Stones and forging materials until she stood before Floor 40.
"Next is the Black Water Mystic Snake... combat in total darkness."
She steadied her breathing and pre-emptively activated her Bankai. Since the environment favored the monster, she would start with an explosion of power. Her Thunder Emperor Blade merged with her flying sword, radiating an aura of absolute destruction.
The moment she entered the 40th floor, light vanished. A colossal serpent tail whipped through the dark with lethal speed. BOOM! The impact shook the very foundation of the tower.
"Hehe... now this is a challenge!"
Beidou dodged the strike and unleashed a torrent of lightning. Her sword qi slammed into the snake's hide, but the beast was barely moved. It was a demonic creature of the Xianxia world—far hardier than any ninja.
"But that's what makes it fun! Thunder Emperor: Spirit Kinesis!"
The flying sword lunged like a predator while Beidou herself charged. The snake counterattacked with its tail, but Beidou saw the trajectory with her Observation Haki. She slashed out, her blade trailing a twisted lightning serpent that left a deep, jagged scar on the monster's scales.
The snake hissed in fury. The water in the arena began to boil, rising into thousands of liquid tentacles that converged on Beidou.
"You forgot... water conducts electricity!"
Beidou flickered between the water columns, leaving afterimages. She slammed her palm into the water's surface, sending a high-voltage surge straight into the Black Water Mystic Snake.
[The Three Gods' Critique]
In the chat group, the Archons watched with keen interest.
Raiden Shogun: "Her style hasn't changed. Her moves are grand but inefficient, wasting power for the sake of spectacle. At the peak of martial arts, one simple, compressed strike of the Thunder Emperor's blade would break that serpent."
Zhongli: "Indeed. She is being distracted by the enemy's size. Compressing energy is the key to defeating such behemoths."
Venti: "Ehe, you're both right... but I don't think Beidou is someone who breaks easily. She'll figure it out soon."
Ten minutes later, the snake was still fighting despite its wounds. Beidou panted, realization finally dawning on her. "I almost lost my way... what 'Immortal Arts' or 'Magic'? At its core, combat is about the kill. I was being stupid."
As the snake lunged again, Beidou smiled. She gathered every ounce of her remaining power into a single, golden point at the tip of her blade. As she dodged the monster's maw, she thrust her sword into its primary weak point.
Gold and purple lightning exploded inside the beast. Five minutes later, it collapsed.
[Floor 40 Boss Defeated: Black Water Mystic Snake. Reward: 10 Drops of Essence Blood.]
[Description: Can be used for alchemy, consumed directly, or used to temper weapons.]
[The Moon-Worshipper's Despair]
Beidou rested for fifteen minutes, consuming recovery pills before starting the final stretch. The monsters on floors 41 through 49 were fewer in number but terrifyingly strong. By the time she reached Floor 50, she was exhausted.
A man in black robes sat cross-legged on a mountain in the center of a lake. He opened his eyes slowly. "Another seeking death? And one who is already spent... how boring."
Beidou charged, attempting to repeat the blitz tactic she used on Deidara. But halfway across the lake, a creature erupted from the water. A massive wave slammed into her, and a spray of blood followed.
Beidou was hit!
Her pupils shrunk. A deep gash lined her arm, and a numbing poison began to spread through her veins. "So fast..."
The creature wasn't the legendary Water Spiritual Beast—if it were, she would have died instantly. But even this lesser summon was enough. Her body, drained by hours of fighting, finally gave out. The monster's claw pierced her shoulder, and the trial ended.
Beidou reappeared in the Jade Chamber, her body physically unharmed but her spirit utterly spent. She gave the group a weak, tired smile before her eyes fluttered shut and she collapsed into a deep sleep. The 50th floor was a wall that even the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean couldn't scale today.
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