The battlefield of Floor Two was silent.
Ash-colored grass swayed gently across the endless plain, disturbed only by the distant echo of collapsing essence from the monsters that had already been consumed by the abyss.
Only two figures remained.
One was small.
One was colossal.
The Ancient Titan stood like a mountain that had learned to walk. Its skin resembled cracked stone layered over ancient metal, veins of dim crimson energy pulsing through its limbs like molten rivers.
Drax floated several meters above the ground, Abyssal Sword resting casually against his shoulder.
The Titan's gaze studied him.
Not with hostility.
With recognition.
"…I smell the abyss," it rumbled again, voice rolling across the plain like thunder through caverns.
"So you are the enemy of the gods."
Drax tilted his head slightly.
"Enemy, huh?"
He shrugged.
"Guess we'll see."
The Titan moved first.
And the world shattered.
Its massive foot slammed into the ground—
BOOM.
The entire field fractured as the Titan crossed the distance in a single step, its enormous fist descending like a meteor.
Drax twisted sideways, the impact missing him by inches as the ground behind him exploded into a crater kilometers wide.
He darted forward immediately.
Advanced Abyssal Combat flowed through him naturally now—his movements efficient, fluid, controlled.
He slashed upward.
The blade scraped across the Titan's forearm, sparks of condensed chaos energy erupting where steel met primordial skin.
The Titan grinned.
"Good."
Then it moved again.
This time—
It was faster.
Its leg swung upward in a brutal arc.
Drax blocked with his sword—
And was launched across the battlefield like a bullet.
CRASH.
He slammed into the invisible boundary of the tower space, the impact spiderwebbing the wall behind him before he dropped back onto the ground.
For a moment he stayed there.
Then he pushed himself up slowly.
He wiped the blood from his lip.
"…For something old," Drax muttered, rolling his shoulder, "you hit hard."
The Titan laughed.
A deep, ancient laugh that shook the sky.
"COME."
It spread its arms wide.
"The enemy of the gods can do better than that."
Its eyes gleamed.
"Mephilisto has never chosen the wrong person."
Then the Titan attacked again.
This time—
Relentlessly.
Punches came like falling mountains. Each strike carried chaos essence so dense it bent space itself. Shockwaves shattered the field over and over again.
Drax dodged.
Blocked.
Countered.
But the Titan never stopped.
No pauses.
No breathing room.
Just constant overwhelming force.
A knee strike nearly crushed him.
A backhand tore through the air like a hurricane.
A downward fist forced him into the ground, creating a crater hundreds of meters deep.
Yet each time—
Drax rose.
Faster.
Sharper.
More adapted.
Finally—
He stopped retreating.
When the Titan swung again, Drax moved toward it.
He ran directly up its descending arm, boots gripping the surface as abyssal essence wrapped around his body.
Step.
Step.
Step.
He sprinted up the Titan's leg like gravity didn't apply to him.
The Titan's eyes widened slightly.
Drax reached its shoulder—
Abyssal essence coated his right fist like a swirling black star.
He spoke calmly.
"Let's see if you like this."
He punched.
The impact detonated like a contained supernova.
BOOM.
The Titan's head snapped sideways violently as the force rippled through its entire body.
For the first time—
It lost balance.
The massive being stumbled backward.
Then fell.
The ground shattered beneath its weight as it crashed onto its back.
Drax landed on its chest.
Standing.
Looking down.
The Titan chuckled weakly.
"Well done."
Its massive eyes locked onto him one last time.
"Listen carefully."
Its voice was softer now.
"The further you climb… the stronger your opponents will be."
It gestured faintly toward the endless sky above.
"This is only Floor Two."
A pause.
"Do your best… enemy of the gods."
Drax nodded once.
"I will."
He raised his hand.
"Thanks."
Then he spoke the word.
"Devour."
The abyss answered instantly.
Black essence erupted outward, wrapping around the Titan's body like a tidal storm.
The massive being did not resist.
Its ancient form dissolved into streams of dense primordial energy, flowing into Drax like rivers feeding an ocean.
Chaos essence.
Primordial power.
Tower energy.
All of it swallowed.
The process lasted several seconds.
Then it was over.
Silence returned.
Drax stood alone again.
And his power surged.
The Abyssal World inside him expanded violently—new regions unfolding like continents forming in a newborn universe.
He exhaled slowly.
"…There it is."
Early Stage Three.
Energy hummed through every part of his being.
He flexed his fingers slightly, feeling the difference immediately.
"I can now master AAC — Advanced Abyssal Combat," he murmured.
"Advanced Adaptive Combat…"
His senses expanded outward instinctively, drawing natural energies from the air, the ground, the space itself.
"…I can draw natural energies from every direction to strengthen myself."
He paused.
"Though monster essence is still more potent."
He rolled his neck.
His body felt impossibly light.
"Super strength… near limitless speed and stamina…"
A faint smile appeared.
"And now…"
He looked inward.
"…Full Inner World Embodiment."
"…Full Inner World Release."
The Abyssal World within him had grown dramatically.
New lands.
New structures.
New power.
He noticed something else.
A newly opened region deep within the abyss.
Drax spoke calmly.
"Mephilisto."
The spirit appeared beside him instantly, arms crossed.
"Yes, Monarch?"
Drax pointed into the newly expanded region.
"There's a red and black gate there."
He glanced at her.
"That place."
Mephilisto sighed.
"Yes."
"That place is the entrance to Hell."
Drax stared at the gate for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"…Isn't that interesting."
He turned toward Mephilisto again.
"When I'm done climbing this tower…"
His voice was calm.
"…we need to have a talk."
Mephilisto groaned softly.
"Fine."
She waved her hand dismissively.
"If you reach the 100th floor, I'll tell you about it."
Drax grinned.
"Bet."
Far above them—
The tower waited.