Light swallowed everything.
Then—
Impact.
The ground beneath Drax's feet reformed into solid earth as the world around him expanded into a vast, open grassland. The sky stretched endlessly above, pale and empty, while the horizon… never came.
It looked small at first glance.
But the longer you stared—
The more it refused to end.
Figures appeared all across the field.
Candidates.
Scattered.
Separated—but close enough to see each other.
Drax stood still, hands in his pockets, eyes scanning once.
Isis was a few steps to his right.
Alexis stood slightly behind, already gripping her staff.
Then—
The air distorted.
And the voice spoke again.
"Welcome to Floor Six, candidates."
A pause.
"Restrictions have been applied."
Something pressed down—not physically, but internally.
Drax felt it immediately.
His inner world—
Sealed.
Not gone.
But locked behind something.
"Inner world embodiment is prohibited."
A ripple of tension spread through the field.
"Candidates will rely solely on essence to clear this floor."
Drax exhaled lightly.
"…Figures."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Isis."
Isis looked at him instantly.
Drax glanced briefly toward Alexis.
"You know how to use essence?"
She nodded.
"Yes. Want me to—"
"No."
He cut her off calmly.
Then looked back at Isis.
"Listen carefully."
His tone sharpened slightly.
"Essence isn't just energy."
A faint pause.
"It's your will made visible."
The air around him shifted subtly.
"The stronger your will…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…the stronger your essence becomes."
Above them—
A countdown appeared.
5
The ground trembled.
From every direction—
Monsters emerged.
Massive.
Distorted.
Violent.
Apocalypse-ranked.
Creatures that, outside this tower, would wipe cities off the map.
Some candidates immediately summoned weapons.
Others shifted into stances.
Some—
Hesitated.
4
The monsters accelerated.
Closing distance fast.
Claws tearing through earth.
Wings cutting through air.
Roars shaking the field.
3
Isis tightened his grip.
Twin blades forming in his hands—
Twinfang.
Alexis raised her staff, eyes focused, calm but alert.
Drax—
Finally moved.
His hand lifted slightly.
And—
Nightmare formed.
Solid.
Heavy.
Alive.
He rested it against his shoulder.
Casual.
2
The monsters were close now.
Too close.
Five seconds felt too long—
Until now.
Some candidates panicked.
Others braced.
A few smiled.
Drax's gaze sharpened.
1
The monsters were already within reach.
Then—
They collided.
Chaos erupted instantly.
A massive orc—towering over everything—charged forward, its blade raised high.
Its roar shook the entire field as it brought the weapon down toward a cluster of candidates.
Too fast.
Too heavy.
Too late to dodge.
Then—
CLANG.
The impact stopped.
The ground cracked beneath the force—
But the blade didn't land.
Because—
Nightmare was there.
Drax stood beneath it.
One hand on the hilt.
Holding it back.
Effortlessly.
The orc's eyes widened slightly.
Drax looked up at it.
Unimpressed.
"…Too slow."
He pushed upward.
The blade lifted.
The orc staggered.
And in that moment—
Drax moved.
Two clean motions.
No wasted movement.
Two slashes.
Invisible.
Precise.
The orc froze.
Then—
Its legs separated.
Cleanly.
Its massive body collapsed.
Before it hit the ground—
Drax stepped forward.
One final swing.
Its head fell.
Silence.
Then—
The body crashed into the earth.
Lifeless.
Drax stood there for a second.
Then blinked once.
"…So that's it."
He glanced at Nightmare.
Then forward.
"Since coming into the tower…"
His voice low.
"My normal attacks weren't enough."
He rolled his shoulder slightly.
"I had to rely on the Abyss directly."
A small smirk formed.
"But now…"
He lifted Nightmare slightly.
"…it's easier."
His eyes sharpened.
"I should thank that old man."
Behind him—
Movement.
A massive serpent burst forward, its body tearing through the ground as it lunged straight for Isis.
Isis didn't step back.
He ran forward.
Directly toward it.
Then jumped.
Spinning mid-air—
"Twinfang: Star X."
Both blades slashed outward simultaneously.
A perfect cross.
The serpent split instantly.
Clean.
But it didn't stop there—
Everything behind it—
Cut.
The force extended far beyond the strike.
The body fell in pieces.
Isis landed lightly.
"…Feels good."
Above—
A shadow passed.
A wyvern descended from the sky, diving straight toward the field.
Wings slicing through the air.
Mouth open—
Ready to annihilate everything below.
Alexis stepped forward calmly.
She raised her staff.
Pointed it upward.
"Elemental Arrow."
The air around her condensed.
Wind spiraled.
Lightning crackled within it.
Water flowed through its core.
Earth formed its outer shell.
All rotating—
All compressing—
Then—
Fire ignited at the tip.
The pressure built instantly.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…Burst."
The projectile launched.
Breaking the sound barrier in an instant.
It struck the wyvern mid-dive—
And erased its head.
The body spiraled downward, crashing into the ground.
Silence—
For half a second.
Then—
More monsters came.
From every direction.
Endless.
Unstoppable.
Drax stepped forward slowly.
Nightmare resting at his side.
A faint smile forming.
"…Alright."
His eyes darkened.
"Let's see how far this goes."