Chapter 601 - Floor 16
Chapter 601 - Floor 16
Draco could only lament that his beauties were truly too OP. How could they have the face to be so senselessly strong in the face of adversaries?
Still, their increased power and utility would serve them well in the coming floors. As for Draco and Eva, they did not bother to Rank Up, for they knew that the AI simply hadn't calculated the paths for them to continue with their classes and with their bloodline yet.
As much as they'd love to hit Rank 4 immediately, it simply was not possible as of now. However, with the material that was Local Lord as well as their own bloodlines, it should be able to extrapolate the next steps soon enough.
Technically, they couldn't actually Rank Up right away since they still had a tiny bit left to go until the cap of Rank 3. However, this 'problem' meant little to the group thanks to the Tower. Draco didn't waste any more time and set out to the next floor, which was the sixteenth.
When they appeared, the group found themselves on top of a large castle that was armed to the teeth, set in between two impossibly large mountain ranges that extended to Infinitum on either side.
Whatever location this was, it was clearly the only way for anyone to cross over these mountain ranges that would even make the Great Wall of China drop its prefix in embarrassment. As such, it made perfect sense for the kingdom on the other side to construct this huge behemoth of defense.
The Grand Bastion!
Right now, Draco and his babes stood there, alongside several well-dressed men and women who were gazing at them with desperation and hope.
In the lead was a grizzled, handsome middle-aged man wearing a set of refined attire, with a long royal cape and a golden crown atop his head. It was obviously the king!
Soon, the group could feel the ground tremoring as huge silhouettes appeared on the horizon, rushing over quickly.
"So, it has begun…" The king murmured with a sigh.
He turned to Draco's group and said majestically. "It's all up to you now, fair heroes. The fate of the world lies in your hands."
After that, he and the nobles quickly vacated the area, heading down below to likely escape the entire bastion altogether. This naturally left Draco's group speechless.
The king had spoken so heroically and direly... only to run away quickly the next second.
Could you at least pretend to have some faith in us?
At this time, the floor's description popped up.
｢The Sixteenth Floor – Divine Quest
Description: With the forces you brought back from Ferrut Fort, the forces of the world acknowledge your power and capability compared to your predecessors. However, the Sentinels have begun to grow tired of this endless back and forth, and so have dispatched one of their race's top echelon, the Intelligence Sentinel, to lead a grand army to take everything down!
Protect the Grand Bastion for as long as you can hold out!
Limitation 1: Enemies are limited to within your Rank.
Limitation 2: You may retreat from the floor at any time, but upon re-entry, you would have to resume from the exact situation you were in at the time.
Provision 1: Every 5% of HP removed from the Sentinels allows you to gain one level regardless of your current Rank or experience requirements.
Provision 2: You have full use of all your powers and abilities in the same way as you would outside.
Rewards: Score Points, 1 Bronze-Tier Reward Selection.｣
Draco and co shared looks as their lips twitched. No wonder the king and his lackeys had run away faster than a cat before a snake, they were going to face not a small skirmish, but an entire army!
Not to mention, this army was going to be led by a so-called Intelligence Sentinel. If the trend of those who came before was to be taken as a sample, then this one probably majored in Intelligence.
It likely had either magical, psychic, or commanding-based prowess. Given what the description said, the commanding one seemed the likeliest, meaning this time the Sentinels should not act as chaotic as those that they faced before.
Draco narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the nearing group of Sentinels. His Eyes of Caelo focused, landing on one Sentinel that was floating in the air like some noble.
Its size was in between that of an Agility Sentinel and a Strength Sentinel, making it more than just huge. Despite what Draco had expected, its cranium wasn't oversized, but rather it was the closest of all the Sentinels that looked human.
Unlike the others that were humanoid and certainly had human skin, faces, and structure, they were definitely not fully similar to humans and one could see the disparities easily.
The Intelligence Sentinel was basically just your average bloke gigantified. This one even had blonde-colored hair as well as light blue eyes that seemed to glow with the sea of knowledge the monster contained.
｢Name: Intelligence Sentinel – Colonel Rank monster
Level: 150
HP: 20,000,000/20,000,000｣
To Draco's surprise, it seemed to notice his sight as its gaze traveled across the long distance to focus on him. Immediately, the Intelligence Sentinel displayed an expression of imperious disdain and mouthed something.
Draco quickly understood it to be 'surrender, puny human, and I shall let your kind live as our pets henceforth'.
Draco was amused. This fellow hadn't even landed yet and he was already spouting third-rate villain lines? Truly, the 'Intelligence' of the Intelligence Sentinel should be removed and replaced with 'slightly smarter'.
As the great Qui-Gon once said, the ability to speak did not make one intelligent.
Draco used the Eyes of Caelo to assess the army and could only sigh. He turned to the rest and shared what he had seen.
"There are about 40 Strength Sentinels, 30 Agility Sentinels, 10 Endurance Sentinels, all led by that Intelligence Sentinel." Draco revealed with a helpless shrug.
The Four Beauties could not help but tremble at that number. It wasn't just that the army was huge and might give them some trouble. It was the fact that they wondered how any normal trial taker was supposed to survive this?
Then again, looking at that floor objective, it didn't really specify that the trial taker was actually supposed to survive...
"So, what are we gonna do?" Zaine asked Draco and Eva.
Draco shrugged. "If we say we'll fight them on as just us five, it'll force us to waste a lot of good skills. I could use the Eyes of Caelo, and let Hikari restore me, but I don't think it's wise to abuse that mechanic so soon."
Eva's Divine Symbol behind her glowed brightly as she rose into the air. "As such, we shall summon out all the help we can without wasting skills that could be used later."
Zaine nodded and got into a battle-ready position with Roma, who mounted her broom once more. The two smiled predatorily as they gazed at the oncoming Sentinels.
If the floor's rules held true, then this battle alone should either be enough to send them straight to Rank 5, or to the limits of it. They were really looking forward to that.
As for Draco, he clapped his hands as a huge black portal manifested behind him. With a loud and blood-boiling roar, the Black Dragon came out, flapping its wings as it took to the sky majestically.
Hikari trembled as she heard that roar, her lower garments soaking slightly as she blushed with shame. She couldn't help it, it was a natural reaction for any White Dragon, especially her who hadn't had the pleasure of seeing Draco in his Black Dragon form too often.
Draco sensed her reaction and smiled provocatively. It seemed like while Hikari enjoyed her time as a human, she too craved intimacy in her true form. It was just that, as a pure human, Draco had yet to reconcile to walk down the path of bestiality.
Of course, logically speaking, there was nothing wrong with it given his bloodline. It was basically just him forcing human concepts and morals in the wrong places.
Still, he couldn't help it, that to the him who had lived his entire life as a 'mere' human in the previous timeline, it just felt weird.
Hikari shook her head and cleared her lustful thoughts as she cast White Light Blessing on everyone. She didn't use White Light Negation as that one required so much energy that the ambient Worldly Energy alone wasn't enough.
Naturally, Hikari had to multitask by using the Energy Converter to drag in huge amounts of Worldly Energy to convert upwards and release it to the area as Aetheric Energy.
The current White Light Blessing augmented everyone's stats by x5, meaning that they were five times stronger than usual. At this time, Draco felt like he could even destroy the planet Vegeta style if he so wished, but it was just an illusion of power.
Rather he watched his Black Dragon who was also buffed by 5 times swell with power that even made him wary. On the side, Eva breathed in deeply, as her eyes glowed with a golden light.
Before her, an army of combat angels were formed, mostly the Five Powers, the Four Virtues, and the Seven Archangels. The moment they prepared, they performed their vitally important rite of screaming Eva's name out loud while praising her, leaving Eva helpless to stop it.
She didn't mind their exaltation, as it was what she deserved as the Supreme Goddess, but could they be any less… obnoxious about it?
Once they were done, Eva simply pointed to the horde of Sentinels who were extremely close now. The Angels roared their understanding and got into formation, taking the shape of honeycomb as they flew in the air.
Zaine transformed into her Royal Succubus form and flapped her wings, flying towards the Intelligence Sentinel leading the army with a strange glint in her eye. Roma also followed Zaine, a thoughtful expression on her face as she considered trying something out today.
Clarent and Qiong Qi were eventually summoned by Draco, and the two fellows scratched their heads as they were surprised to have been called out like this. When they saw the approaching army, they both went green then purple, rushing to hide behind Draco.
Draco had been sure those two would have been elated to be called upon, yet somehow it had resulted in him having been forced to beat up the Shameless Duo before tossing them right into the middle of the battle, where it was hottest.
Either they would survive and come out on top, or they become paste under a Sentinel's feet!
Draco and Eva stayed behind this time as they casually observed the battle.
CLASH!
Immediately, both sides met a little way off from the Grand Bastion, the battle beginning right away. Zaine flew before the Intelligence Sentinel with Roma beside her, and the two gazed at the arrogant fellow with predatory glances.
This enraged the Intelligence Sentinel as he pointed at the two with a haughty manner.
"Two wenches of the human race, quickly follow me back to my encampment to undergo the race change and gigantification of my race and serve me well for 500 years, and I might let you all go."
At first, the fellow was going to say something else, but his eyes lit up as he focused on the extremely sexy forms of Zaine and Roma. He could not help but tremble and imagine how mad many males of their race would be with jealousy if they were to become Sentinels.
He wasn't a lustful person, but these two ladies were just too amazing to let go. He couldn't bear the thought of killing them here like this.
However, Zaine and Roma ignored him as they chatted.
"Have you noticed that ever since we entered the tower, many fellows have been trying to kidnap us for sex?" Roma queried Zaine with a confused expression.
"It's actually not surprising. This is how it should be out there, but we are popular, and everyone knows we are the women of Draco. No one with a brain would dare covet us openly there, which is why we hardly experience this." Zaine answered while folding her arms, making her hefty breasts stand up.
Roma seemed to understand why Zaine was trying to say. "Right, so because these worlds are sort of… 'closed off'… the deterrence of Draco doesn't work."
Zaine nodded. "Exactly, and because they use different systems, they aren't able to truly gauge our power, not to mention that the forced storyline of the tower also dumbs them down."
The Intelligence Sentinel could hear all they were saying, and his face had long reddened from anger.
"IMPUDENT SLUTS, SUBMIT THIS INSTANT!" He roared as his eyes glowed with a blue color, the light covering his form and coating him. This light also emerged around Zaine and Roma, trying to grasp them.
The duo simply sneered, as Zaine erupted with an even darker blue light that shattered the previous one, while Roma erupted with an eerie green light as her hair rose like snakes, also shattering the blue light.
The Intelligence Sentinel coughed out blood and was shocked by their power. Its race had revered him as one of their nobles due to his higher intellect compared to his kin, as well as his special ability to control things with their minds.
However, not only could one of these humans use this ability, but she was also far better than him! This was impossible! Unacceptable!
"Zaine, I want to try out my new skill on this one. My Mystic Senses are telling me that we might gain something good from it." Roma coaxed Zaine.
Zaine seemed to hesitate, then sighed. "I wanted to capture it under my Indenture skill as a slave, but I cannot say not to you darling Roma."
Roma giggled and gave Zaine a peck on the cheek, which made the succubus blush.
Thanks, Big Sis!"
Roma's gaze landed on the shaken Intelligence Sentinel and her childish glee shifted to eldritch malice. "Now, to deal with you."
Roma instantly activated one of her new Rank 4 skills, Cauldron of Evil!
｢Cauldron of Evil – Active skill
Effect: Forcefully capture every enemy within a 5-mile radius, bringing them into your cauldron where they would be set on boil. Once done, they may either take damage if they pass a Luck check, or they would be turned into random resources or items of any kind or grade.
Cooldown: 1 hour.｣
Immediately, a large cauldron prepared before her in the air, and a green fire lit underneath it. Roma opened the lid, and manifested a ladle which she used to clap against the lid.
"Everyone, into the pot!
Boil until it is searing hot,
Until sweet and succulent for my sot,
Everyone, into the pot!
Simmer within the brew,
Your meat will be soft to chew,
Stir vigorously for a nice stew,
Everyone, into the pot!"
Roma sang and danced around the cauldron, as a pulling force acted on all enemies within a 5-mile radius. This range only affected the Intelligence Sentinel, but that was fine as it was Roma's target for this spell.
The face of the Intelligence Sentinel instantly changed to one horror as it tried to fight back against the pulling force, but it was futile. Even if Roma had been the same Rank as it, it would still be dragged in, much less now when she was one Rank above.
Soon, the Intelligence Sentinel's size was compressed as it became small enough to fit comfortably into the pot, which was bubbling with a greenish-colored concoction.
Once it entered, it was no longer visible as Roma began stirring the stew casually, continuing to sing some Witch Chants and Rhymes.
The only other sounds were screams of unspeakable agony as everything about the Intelligence Sentinel was dissolved into the brew while he remained alive.
Soon, Roma banged the side of the pot with her ladle, and a few items shot out of it and into the air while she made a 'that's all folks' pose.
Zaine guessed it was part of the sequence of her skill, so she grabbed the items that shot out with her Mega Telekinesis and brought them over to see what they were.
There were three skillbooks, two potions, and one piece of equipment, specifically a focus crystal.
｢Sentinel Summon – Active Skill (Summoner only)
Rank: Legendary
Effect: Call forth a random sentinel archetype to fight for you in battle as a summon. Its Rank is the same as yours and it retains its full Rank related battle power.
Note: Max Summoning Mastery required.
Duration: 20 minutes
Cooldown: 1 hour｣
｢Enhanced Mind – Passive Skill
Rank: Legendary
Effect: Your mental faculties are greatly improved are learning the mind arts of the Intelligence Sentinels. All mental-related skills and abilities are strengthened by 40%.
Note: Limited to non-physical classes only.｣
｢Augmented Telekinesis – Passive Skill
Rank: Legendary
Effect: You are able to move objects with your mind at will. The speed, strength, and weight of the objects you can move depends on your willpower and concentration.｣
｢Gigantification Potion – Consumable
Rank: Legendary (100% effectiveness)
Effect: This potion increases the physical size of the consumer, allowing them to adjust their size between 10 to 1000 times their base dimensions for a maximum of 12 hours depending on the size chosen.｣
｢Sentinel Race Change Potion – Consumable
Rank: Legendary (100% effectiveness)
Effect: This potion allows the consumer to change races from their natal race to a Sentinel. The type of Sentinel one becomes will depend on their highest stat at the time.
Note: Race Changes cannot be undone without using special methods!｣
｢Intelligence Booster – Ornamental Item
Rank: Epic
Effects: Passive 1 – Psychic Enhancement: All psychic-related skills and techniques are enhanced by 20%, and use 30% fewer resources.
Active 1 – Overbearing Wave: Activating this skill allows the user to condense their mind energy greatly and release it as a huge wave that incapacitates all enemies within 3 miles. Cooldown: 2 days.
Description: This focus crystal was condensed through the purification and sublimation of the psychic ability of a young Intelligence Sentinel. Since the target had yet to reach the height of his power, the item too possesses the ability to grow further.
Further abilities can be unlocked by sacrificing experience points.. 0% of 30,000% needed to upgrade to Legendary Rank.｣