The path to the lower floors opened like the throat of an ancient beast. The air grew dense, pressure rising with every step they took. Yet, none of them hesitated. After all they had endured, turning back was no longer an option.
"Let's finish this," Lior said, stepping into the darkness with his sword glowing faintly. The others nodded and followed.
They charged head-on through Floor 96, cutting through waves of monsters with precision and synergy that spoke of a team forged in hardship. Every strike, every spell, every movement was flawless. They had become one — a force no dungeon could suppress.
Before they knew it, Floor 97 fell to their might. In the center of the clearing, a glowing chest appeared, radiating golden light. Inside was a mountain of gold coins and several ancient artifacts humming with power. Night's eyes locked onto a black, rune-carved bracelet resting atop the pile.
"This one… calls to me," he muttered.
As he touched it, dark-blue energy surged through his veins, forming a faint sigil on his wrist.
[Artifact Obtained: Abyssal Vein — Ability: Shadow Echo]Enables user to create afterimages that attack independently for 10 seconds.
Night grinned. "Now this… this is going to be fun."
They advanced to Floor 98, cutting down shadow beasts and illusionary knights. Floor 99 came next — a storm of energy and lightning. When they finally cleared it, they laughed, exhausted yet thrilled.
Ignis threw his arm over Terra's shoulder. "One more floor and we're done. Piece of cake!"
But the moment they stepped into Floor 100, their confidence shattered.
The chamber was vast — the size of a city — and lined with glowing runes. In front of them stood every boss from Floors 1 through 99, resurrected and roaring in fury. Behind them, five colossal beings emerged — the Grand Beasts of the Final Floor.
Each one radiated pure chaos. The air trembled. The walls cracked.
Lior's eyes narrowed. He drew his blade and shouted, voice echoing across the chamber:"Come forth!"
Light burst from his hand, and seven auras appeared beside him — Orion, Ignis, Aqua, Terra, Sylph, Night, and Solaris — the full squad assembled once more.
The ground shook again as four legions emerged from the glowing sigils behind them:
Gravoks, Terra's rock-armored giants.
Oceara, Aqua's disciplined sea soldiers.
Blazekin, Ignis' flaming reptiles.
Elsys, Sylph's swift air spirits.
It was an army — their army — facing the fury of the entire dungeon.
"Everyone, formation!" Lior commanded.
Ignis raised his hand. "Blazekin! Burn them all!"Aqua countered, "Oceara, shield formation!"Terra slammed his fists into the ground. "Gravoks, wall up and advance!"Sylph whispered to the winds, "Elsys… make them dance."
The battlefield exploded into chaos — fire, water, wind, and earth colliding in a magnificent storm of magic and power. The dungeon roared, but they did not falter. The heroes pushed forward, destroying the lesser bosses one by one until only the five Grand Beasts remained.
Lior, Night, and Orion led the charge. Solaris cast barriers while Ignis, Aqua, Terra, and Sylph unleashed their might. The chamber shook as Lior's blade clashed with the colossal beast's claw.
"Night, now!" Lior shouted.
Night's Shadow Echo activated — multiple afterimages attacked the beast in perfect synchronization with Lior. Together, they pierced through its core.
A blinding light engulfed the room. The final roar echoed… then silence.
They had won.
[System Notification: Dungeon Cleared — Floor 100 Completed.][Reward: Skill Boost Granted.][New Skills Unlocked.]
They all felt it — their bodies, their mana, their souls evolving. New power coursed through them like divine fire.
At the center of the floor, a massive magic circle appeared, glowing gold and silver. It began to hum, ready to transport them back to the surface.
Orion glanced at the time on his interface. "We still have some time before the guild closes."
Lior nodded. "Then let's go."
But before activating the teleport, Night smirked and nudged Solaris. "Show him."
Solaris grinned and used his skill, Reflect Mirage, forming a glowing mirror of light in front of Lior.
Lior blinked — his reflection showed a completely changed version of himself: armor cracked but gleaming, eyes glowing with ethereal energy, a faint mark glowing on his neck from the dungeon's blessing.
He sighed, half-laughing. "Guess I need a shower before I scare people."
"Definitely," Sylph teased.
With a wave of his hand, Lior opened a rift to the Void, sending the others back to rest. He then stepped through the portal, returning to his apartment.
Steam filled the room as he showered, washing away the grime and dust of battle. He changed, grabbed something to eat, and stepped out into the fading sunset.
His destination — the Adventurer's Guild.It was time to register for the competition.
And though the dungeon was behind him, a new journey — one that would change his destiny forever — was just beginning.