[Fiona's POV]
The icicle was so sharp, it went through and through the monster's body, damn. Boss, I really have much to learn before I use traits in real battle.
After clearing the 8th floor, Boss and I went to the 9th floor.
Again, a new element, ice, and the same massacre with a new freezing touch. I only observed and fought small battles, and Boss pulled almost the whole floor.
I fought some mini bosses and boss monsters in the domain. The boss of the last labyrinth of this floor and I stood in front of him, and Boss Max stood at a distance with the same eternal leisure.
The monster, Saber-toothed Thunder Tiger, showed his fangs and lunged with a long jump. I ducked. Rolled to the side and fired a 'Storm Spike,' but the tiger defended with his thunder claws.
I unsheathed my AetherBlade; I didn't want to be empty-handed in front of a lightning element being a primarily water element user – bad combo. I poured in my mana, but this time it was well controlled and equally distributed to my sword; the sword shone with a whitish hue on the edges.
Claws wrapped in lightning collided with my sword, but in the next second, blood started dripping as a claw separated from his legs with clean precision.
The monster stumbled due to my attack. I didn't give him any chance to steady himself and rushed, with mana pumping my legs, and swung AetherBlade on his neck.
The whimpering stopped abruptly as the monster's head fell off.
"Well done," the appreciating voice of Boss Max reached my ears, and I almost jumped in joy. I had done it, the first acknowledgment from Boss himself. I just stood there feeling ecstatic.
Soon we exited the labyrinth, but today I didn't feel any tiredness or fatigue. The effect of Infinite Stamina was really something; there was slight mental heaviness, but it wasn't much.
The boss still transferred us to the 1st floor, and we had our dinner. Luna was out on some business, so Boss left her a message through the maids in the hotel, and we teleported to the 10th floor to reach Rank C ASAP.
Floor 10 was great because Boss and I fought equally, not in the sense of power. I don't think that will ever happen; he was still walking casually, killing monsters left, right, and center.
I still needed two to four hits, but I was following Boss's advice to improve myself, and my improvement felt frightening to myself. The way things are going, I am sure I am going to become a saintess who reveres Boss Max, but that also wouldn't be bad, I think.
We cleared the floor in a record 8 hours, the fastest till now; there was no slowness in our fight, only exhilaration to reach the next floor. The system chimed in with a notification of a rank up.
[You have cleared 5 floors of Rank D]
[You meet Stats requirements for ranking up]
[You need 2 C-rank skills to level up]
Again, before I could say a word, 5 skill books appeared in the inventory/sub-realm, and Vault-kun confirmed it came from Boss.
The skills were hybrid spells based on the water and light elements. I absorbed all 5 skills: Luminous Pulse, Prism Torrent, Halo Tide Shield, Radiant Tidal Bloom, and Cascade Purity.
[All requirements met for Rank up]
[Increasing Rank from Mortal (D) to Mortal (C)]
I felt a slight increase in my strength and agility as well. I also got an SS rank evaluation in Rank Up. I was happy and more than ready to decimate higher floors with Boss Max leading the way.
[Max's POV]
I stretched myself a bit; it was only the 4th day, and I had reached Rank C. I was content with my progress; in 2-3 days, depending on the layout from the 11th floor, I will reach Rank B and talk to my little Revanya.
Fiona was also coming along well; giving her small pointers and having her observe me sure helped a lot. Her attack speed and ability to identify weaknesses and strike with precision are improving very well.
The only thing holding her back is her talent, and I hope I am able to do something about her talent after my own talent unlocks one more perk at Rank B.
Then it suddenly struck my mind: I had thought of asking the system, but in all the eagerness to reach Rank B, I almost forgot.
'System, can you tell me the reason for my inability to awaken at age 12? ' I asked the system the question that had been fixated in me since that happened to me.
The system reply came instantaneously.
[Your body was deprived of mana, and awakening such powerful talent, innate ability, Bloodline and Physique was dangerous for you and me]
'What…why? 'I almost screamed at this response.
[Your body was strong in terms of normal humans but not in terms of Mana-infused people; awakening such power couldn't be contained in your body, and if it erupted outward, it would be very dangerous for everyone around you.]
'But how can I be devoid of mana? I spent most of my time in a mana-rich environment.' I was getting confused, which was rare, but there was surely something I was missing.
Then suddenly I received a transmission from Vault-kun: 'Sovereign, I am receiving a request from the system to accept something.' He conveyed the condition to me.
'Accept it,' I answered.
I probed the storage with my mind and noticed a new object or objects. There were multiple pieces of something broken and burned; if collected and joined together, they will probably form a round pendulum. The system panel explained,
[This is Mana Drain Pendulum, Ancient Tier 4; it absorbed all the mana that entered your body and should have been assimilated into every cell of your body.]
'But I have all my memories from since birth; I don't remember being given or having such artifacts. How or when did that happen' I asked, still trying to place this unexpected event in my memories.
[This pendulum was embedded in you; whenever mana flowed into your body, it was absorbed by this object.
This was done by your grandfather, Michael Ro'nark, at the time of your birth.]
As I read the system panel, I went blank, and rage, or a higher form of it, erupted within me. I remember the creepy face; I had only seen him once, but that was enough.
Now getting to know that, I was toyed with even at the time of birth. My thoughts were haywire; to think I suffered this much and became a laughingstock for everybody.
'WHY?...WHY? ...Why only me?' I didn't do anything to them, so 'Why…me?' That was the only thing running in my mind.
My anger started spilling out of me. I have felt anger 1 or 2 times before, but not on this level. This anger was boiling inside me, like lava was about to erupt and consume the whole surrounding.
System panels kept flashing before my eyes; my mind was observing it, but I was too overwhelmed by my anger for the first time to notice it properly.
[Soul pressure leaking from Player Max]
[Soul pressure causing damage to the structural integrity of the Tower and Existence]
[ERROR!!]
[ERROR!!]
[Unable to contain the pressure, using 'Authority of Creator' to generate an Origin Grade barrier to safeguard people and the Tower.]
[System urges Player's Bloodline and Physique to interfere and stop the destruction]
.
.
.
[Bloodline and Physique cause interference…]
[Creating a new trait to suppress the soul pressure…]
[New trait, Infinite Veil, created]
"Michael Ro'nark, you are dead," I muttered.
I restrained my burning anger and turned around to check if Fiona ranked up and was ready to go to the 11th floor, but what I saw was her splayed on the ground.
She was sweating all over, and her face was in the ground. I looked at her confusion and asked, "What are you doing, Fiona?"
She didn't reply, but her eyes were terrified, like she was looking at some beast. I looked at the system panel again, and a sweat drop formed on my head.
I crouched down and moved my hands towards Fiona. She flinched, but I calmed her down. "It's still me, Fiona. I am sorry for what happened. I will tell you about it; first let's get up and go freshen up at Silver Spire."
She let her guard down a bit, and we transported to the 1st floor for rest and to stock up on some food supply. This was slightly overwhelming even for me.
[3rd POV]
Apex Floor
The Tower Administrator stood from her ethereal chair, and she was literally shaking; she sighed and sat down again.
"I am lucky that he had a solution for his containment himself," She muttered.
She took a deep breath and said as she sat down, "It's hardly been 4 days, and he has almost destroyed the whole existence of the Tower twice. What am I going to do with him?"
"And the funny thing is I don't think anybody even noticed that the whole of Creation was about to be destroyed just because a brat got curious at first and angry the second time."
"Just who are you, Max?" She muttered as she closed her eyes, still calming herself from the destruction she faced.
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[AN: Please support this chapter with Powerstones guys and leave your comments about the chapter and pacing of the story.]