Apex Star-Chapter 11: 30 Floor

It took Nova a total of 8 hours to reach the 29th floor from the 10th one. After arriving here, Nova felt that the surrounding element was light.

At this point he even doubted if he would be lucky enough for the 30th and last floor to be of Space or Time element.

Behind him, you could see 20 Rank 3 bird-type monsters, with the slight difference that these birds were almost 1 meter tall and over 2 meters long.

Still, after absorbing the beast cores from the previous floors, Nova's growth couldn't even be calculated anymore. If not for him staying behind to rest and adjust his techniques after every floor he could've passed them in less than two hours.

However, the 29th floor was the only one with bird type monsters that could fly. When he looked at the Boss, he was a little bit stunned and amused at the same time.

Because it resembled an overgrown pigeon, a fat one at that, of course one who was 2 meters in height and almost 5 meters long, enough to even make children cry if they saw him before the [Awakening].

Nova didn't feel any pressure on him, from the 20th floor ahead he only ever used 'Air Bullet' and 'Space Cut' for fun. Meanwhile, he was more concentrated on trying to tweak his technique until it perfectly suited him.

Now, every single one of his techniques felt as breathing air to him, for example, his 'Space Cut' if he used 1% of his energy, due to his strength increase from so many beast cores absorbed he could kill a Rank 4 in one strike, just like the previous 28th Floor Boss that he easily cut.

Exactly at that moment, before the bird took to the skies, before the leaves from the trees even touched the ground, Nova used 'Speeding' in tandem with 'Space-Time Stop' and 'Space Cut' to behead the 29th Floor Boss before the latter even blinked.

Like usual, Nova was hardly moved by his stellar performance, as he was used to it by now. For a reason he couldn't explain, everything came easily at him.

He knew he was a genius, but to be honest, not even Nova could really tell how much of a genius he was.

After killing the bird, Nova was surprised to see a pendant in front of him. He expected to see another item on the 30th floor, not the 29th.

On floor 20, he got a flexible armor, which could negate the majority of attacks from Rank 3 and below, it could barely be considered a Stage 1 Rank 4 armor.

After the information about the pendant entered his mind, he found out that this pendant was auxiliary-defensive equipment, helping him absorb energy 30% faster and protecting him from mind and soul attacks.

Surprised by this item, Nova hung it around his neck, feeling happy for finding such a good item covering one of his weaknesses.

Barely resting for half an hour, Nova once again stood up and started walking the path to the final floor.

Suddenly, Nova trembled, seeing what was in front of him made him feel as if he was on cloud nine. Standing over 10 kilometers tall was a gray mountain, but it's not because of this that Nova trembled but because he finally felt it...space energy. Space energy so dense that he felt intoxicated.

Just standing here, Nova felt that his space elemental energy was amplified by over 50%, and his consumption decreased by almost double for all space related techniques, including 'Space-Time Stop'.

Barely walking ahead, Nova saw a sign on it clearly written with blood letters;

"Those who want to step back should do so now. Otherwise, the only outcome is... DEATH!"

The words got so much power that Nova felt afraid for the first time he entered the Dungeon.

On the right side of the sign, space fluctuated, and what seemed like a portal appeared out of this air.

Seeing this, Nova was shocked as information about this kind of thing appeared in his mind from the 'Tutorial', Peak Dungeon.

A Peak Dungeon was so rare that it could take about 1 in a million to chance upon one in a lifetime, talking in universal language with a lifespan of 1000 years one will basically enter a dungeon about 2 or 3 times per year in average.

So how much time would it take or luck to be able to stumble upon a Peak Dungeon in your first entry?!

Well, Nova got exactly this lucky, or maybe not. There is a single difference between a normal and a peak dungeon, which is the same everywhere.

The only difference is on the final floor where the Rank of the Boss changes, for example, from Rank 8, one will become a Rank 9. It is that simple, but that changes everything completely.

What Nova will be facing if he goes ahead will not be a Peak Rank 4, but a Peak Rank 5, possibly even one of the most dangerous of its rank.

Still, what Nova felt at that moment wasn't fear, but an excruciating 'hunger', coming from his Apex Bloodline, it was as if it was telling him to go ahead. To destroy everything in front of him and to stand on top of it all.

With ever-increasing confidence in his power, Nova stepped forward, completely forgetting about the portal behind him who could take him to Earth, to safety.

Something he would almost regret not doing. It was also a chance to obtain even more resources from this dungeon, or even formidable techniques. It was known that a dungeon was also considered a treasure loot for those willing to risk their lives.

This was exactly the kind of decision Nova just took, he was willing to risk his life for growing stronger, faster than he already did. Even though it may cost him much to do so...

But in the future, he would remember this as one of his first steps that made him the monster he would become.