Entering the Labyrinth gate, Lily, Mira, and Natalia selected the option to enter the 10th Floor that became available for them and arrived at the periphery of the Sanctuary Area.
“Woah!”
“Holy shit.”
Mira and Natalia immediately exclaimed because the scenery in front of them was crazy.
The Sanctuary Area was over 500 kilometers in radius, and it was on higher ground compared to the base ground of the 10th Floor.
Although they couldn’t see everything correctly from their position, just the area they could see, the vast plain of grass with a faint magical atmosphere and cobblestone pathways that shone with early morning’s dim brightness, was wonderful. Stay tuned with empire
“We have to cross over two hundred and fifty kilometers to reach the Tier-1 section,” Lily smiled. “Let’s go. Well, run at a constant pace and check out this area.”
Meanwhile, Almond was close to reaching the Tier-1 area, and he was already sensing an aura ahead of him.
‘That’s an old monster for sure,’ Almond thought as he moved in his lightning elemental form, streaking forward, and soon saw a wyvern flying ahead of him.
The figure atop was a lady in her fifties with a peaceful and carefree vibe. She turned around to look at Almond and smiled, her voice trailing into Almond’s ears, “Oi brat, are you thinking about grabbing a Throne Territory yourself?”
She was none other than Paloma Vasquez, the one who was hatching Almond’s Winged Tyrant egg.
“I will,” Almond replied with a grin as he increased his speed and zoomed forward with a burst, arriving at the same level as her.
“You look confident, which means you didn’t show everything you had in the dungeon,” Paloma chuckled. “Well, good luck. I think I like that grove, so I’m going for it.”
Paloma slowed down, and Almond also did as he looked at the grove, a huge hollow tree at the center of a 5-kilometer Throne Territory Field.
‘That’s Enchanted Viridescent Grove…she is a druid and tamer, so that’s a perfect place for her, alright.’
The territory had short grass and trees growing in it, with a waterfall coming down from another territory slightly higher than it to its right.
Looking at other throne territories locked around the field with big magic lock symbols on them, Almond confirmed, ‘Yeah, this section is also exactly as it was in the sanctuary area in my previous life’s 10th Floor.’
The throne territory section was full of exotic territories with different biomes like snowy, windy, lavatic, forest, and water bodies within every five-kilometer radius, and it was also established naturally as terrains, mountains, rivers, forests, hills, and everything else connected to each other seamlessly.
Each territory border also had several kilometers of unoccupied areas around it, creating a sort of unnatural yet magically fitting pathways to travel across this Tier-1 section because once the 25 individuals become owners of the territories here, nobody could invade each other’s area without permission, nor flying above it.
Everyone required permission to enter owned territories’ borders.
…
Almond sped up as he confirmed because he already knew which territory he wanted.
He also felt a few more auras on the way, all belonging to the old monsters.
‘That’s it,’ Almond’s eyes glinted as he grinned upon seeing a small mountain with a 5-kilometer radius base, with its peak being the second highest. The other highest surface belonged to the Hanging Void Cliff, one-kilometer northwest of this mountain’s border.
It was a cliff that emerged from a void gap at the center of this Throne territory section, and from its top, one could overlook the entire 10th floor.
There was a magnificent palace on that huge cliff. It was 1 square kilometer in area in its 5-kilometer radius territory.
The grand palace of the intricate design was constructed from luminous obsidian and reinforced with shimmering runic carvings that pulsed faintly with arcane energy, seamlessly blending natural elegance and architectural brilliance as if it grew naturally from the cliff itself.
The towering spires of the palace pierced the sky, their tips glowing faintly in hues of silver and violet.
The rest of the area around the palace was empty, allowing the owner to freely modify it and build whatever they wanted upon it.
But this territory at the center of the cliff merely occupied 20% of the cliff’s area because surrounding the palace was a vibrant town with the same material theme and design as the palace.
The town was vast, spanning the entire cliff that was 25 kilometers in area. It was filled with wonders like a big structured market with empty patches to construct shops and other things, a residential area, plazas, gardens, halls, a resort-like water-body area, and then patches of empty lands for Adventurers to build something there.
This city was the only pre-built city of the Tier-1 section and also the most luxurious one.
It was also where the other Adventurers from different worlds would first arrive to Adventure together during some monthly events or pure visits.
As such, this Obsidian Void Palace Territory on the Hanging Void Cliff was obviously the best one, but Almond wasn’t going to aim for it.
Because it was impossible. The challenge of that territory was the toughest one, and he wasn’t strong enough to put in a proper score even if he tried it.
‘But I’ll take this one,’ Almond arrived at the mountain’s border and touched the translucent blue field.
[Do you wish to accept the challenge of the Mountain of Radiant Zenith?]
Almond’s eyes danced with excitement as he accepted it. He might not be confident in getting the best score in many other territories here since his opponents would be old monsters and other top powerhouses, but he was fairly confident in making this Mountain of Radiant Zenith his because of its challenge—Devouring Mountain Wail!
[Devouring Mountain Wail]
-Challenge:
—> Kill every single monster on the mountain as fast as possible. The faster you kill and reach the peak, the higher the score.
Almond vanished from his spot and arrived in a unique dimension with the same mountain in front of him, but the surroundings were dark, and the sky was night.
The only thing that was bright was the umbral dark radiance of the mountain, littered with myriad monsters, each one in Epic-rank.
“Sylvia, Nyssara, just focus on recovering my Health and Mana with your energy. Touch no monster. No one within 200 meters will come near us,” Almond commanded after summoning Sylvia and Nyssara.
“Understood.”
Almond grabbed his sword and took a deep breath as his eyes turned utterly serene.
‘Keep the eyes the same as that clone in the Weapon Art training…same breathing, same vibe, and… perceive the intent.’
Almond’s mind replayed the thousands of deaths he suffered at the hands of his clone and recalled every death.
He opened his eyes a minute later as they hazily glinted in a golden hue.
‘Remember everything, and go, kill every single monster in a single slash,’ Almond told himself as his senses overlooked the hungry, glittered mountain ahead and dashed into the challenge of Devouring Mountain Wail.
Colorful lights and colorful eyes,
His senses marked where each predator lay.
Loud roars and screeching wails,
Echoing through the night’s veils.
He grinned at the challenge, his heart ablaze,
This was his arena, his proving phase.
Lightning coursed through his veins like fire,
As he dashed into the storm, his will grew higher.
From the base of the mountain, monsters emerged,
Beasts and specters, in darkness submerged.
Scaled wyverns with crimson breath,
Shadow wolves that danced with death.
The first strike came, a talon sharp,
A beast lunged forth, its growl rang harsh.
Almond dodged, his sword clashed,
Striking back as lightning flashed.
Colorful lights and colorful eyes,
Marked his foes in cunning disguise.
Loud roars and screeching wails,
Told tales of the hunter that left devastating trails.
As he climbed, the threats grew dire,
The air now crackled with arcane fire.
Phantom serpents and wraiths took flight,
Testing his skill in the heart of night.
Each monster fell beneath his might,
Lightning flashed, splitting the night.
His strikes were precise, his slashes unbound,
For every foe slain, his prowess was crowned.
Colorful lights and colorful eyes,
Dimmed with each predator’s demise.
Loud roars and screeching wails,
one last foe remained, his blade ready to entail.
At the mountain’s crown, he went to claim his throne,
Beneath the gaze of eyes like obsidian stone.
Facing the finale, an umbral tiger with wings,
Its fate written with his blade’s single swing.
Colorful lights and colorful eyes,
Now, nothing but memories under darkened skies.
Loud roars and screeching wails,
Were silenced by the one who prevailed.