Once level 50 came into my view my vision blurred and a torrent of energy wrapped around me, the energy glowing white and blue raged over my body, a hot burning sensation scatters over my skin and sinks through my body. A throbbing feeling rushes through and mellows out as the huge swirling energy system dies down. My eyes glow bright blue and my body slowly releases its energy bursting out around me, then the system enters.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE THE FIRST TO ACHIEVE LEVEL 50. YOUR BODY WILL NOW ADAPT.
NEW EVOLUTION.
EVOLUTION COMPLETE – HIGH HUMAN.
STAT BOOST: +20 POINTS TO ALL ATTRIBUTES.
RESTRICTIONS REMOVED – YOU CAN NOW UNLEASH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL.
A moment later, another notification appeared, nearly identical in design but carrying even greater significance:
SYSTEM MESSAGE:
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED – FIRST TO ATTAIN LEVEL 50
REWARD: 1,000,000 EXP & 250 GOLD
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED – FIRST TO EVOLVE
REWARD: 1,000,000 EXP
For a moment, I couldn't move. My body trembled from something I couldn't yet name. Evolution. The word echoed in my skull like a prophecy fulfilled.
Level fifty wasn't just a milestone, it was a wall. A barrier few could ever dream of reaching. Yet here I was, standing on the other side of it. And if the system demanded evolution to pass, what did that mean for everyone else? Would they ever reach this height, or had I been handed something… exclusive.
The thought barely formed before another wave of fire tore through me. My veins burned as though molten had been poured into them. My muscles spasmed, twitching as they swelled and rewove themselves. Bones groaned and popped, hardening, lengthening, reforging me from the inside out. Even my heartbeat felt alien now heavier, faster, pumping mana as much as blood.
I clenched my fists, skin glowing faintly, veins crackling like conduits. My body radiated with untapped power, dangerous and intoxicating. The cavern air itself seemed to bend around me, alive with the heat and hum of energy I hadn't yet learned to command.
Then, slowly, the sensation dulled but never gone, but settling behind a new horizon.
I exhaled a shuddering breath, steadying myself, and pulled up my stats.
On top of the flat attribute increase, every one of my core skills had surged:
Fire Magic → Level 9Lightning Magic → Level 9Advanced Swordsmanship → Level 2Advanced Dagger Skills → Level 1Enemy Detection → Level 7Ice Magic → Level 6Fire Resistance → Level 4
My Dexterity had pushed past three hundred. My Strength had vaulted over four hundred. Even my endurance, my willpower, felt sharpened.
The system window lingered in the corner of my vision: "6,220,000 out of 8,359,000 EXP for Level 51." A number that would have been impossible weeks ago now felt like the next step forward.
I turned to Shay and Rachel. They were both watching me, wary as if I might burst apart from the power still radiating off me.
"My body's… different now," I admitted, rolling my shoulders, testing the flex of new muscle and bone. "It's like It's stopped holding back without even realizing it. I can finally use everything."
Shay smirked, "guess we'll find out what 'everything' means real soon."
Rachel nodded, her expression calm but her eyes sharp. "Don't rush into upgrading your weapons. See how this… new form handles against monsters first. If you're already ahead of the curve, why waste resources until you've tested it?"
She was right. As tempting as it was to refit my blade to match this evolution, patience mattered. I let the glow settle, exhaling slowly. This wasn't just another level or stat bump. I wasn't even sure I was still the same.
Returning to Floor eight, we retraced our steps to the volcanic wasteland, heading toward our next major opponent the Armoured Fire Belcher.
Unlike before, I didn't even struggle against the standard Fire Belcher. My attacks, once requiring strategy and risk to break through its thick hide, now sliced through, the blade struggled to cut, but this was overcome with strength.
I had transcended the struggles of my past self, but the true test lay ahead, within the heart of the volcano.
In total this increased our experience by 2.4 million.
This brings me to level 51. Shay is now around 150,000 away from level 50 and Rachel was level 49.
The party's growth had been nothing short of remarkable, our progress surpassing that of any other players. This was the advantage of the labyrinth the endless battles, the brutal encounters, the constant struggle sharpening us like a blade.
As we ventured deeper into the cavern, the air thickened with heat, the oppressive weight of sulphur and molten stone pressing against our lungs. The Armoured Fire Belcher's domain loomed ahead, its presence unmistakable.
We halted just before entering, taking a moment for Rachel to finalise our battle plan.
Distraction first.Leon, rip away its armour from the nape. Shay providing cover.Once exposed, Leon drive your blade into its spine or skull.Shay will keep it occupied with ranged attacks.
With the strategy set, I focused inward, building the latent energy within my body, feeling the raw electricity and fire magic coiling through my veins.
The Battle Begins
As soon as we stepped forward, the Armoured Fire Belcher let out a wind breaking roar, the cavern trembling beneath its sheer presence. The massive creature, well over eight meters long, flexed its thick plated scales, its spiked tail slamming against the stone ground, sending cracks splintering outward.
Without hesitation, I dashed to the right, my body moving faster than the eye could track. The monster barely had time to react before I was already in position. Shay struck next.
CRACK! BOOM!
Jagged pillars of earth erupted from below, slamming into the underbelly of the beast, while jagged spears of ice struck its legs, slowing its movements. The Armoured Fire Belcher snarled in rage, thrashing wildly as it attempted to regain balance.
This was my moment.
With a sharp exhale, I launched myself onto its back, sword glinting with lightning as I drove it between the gaps of its thick scales, using the leverage I twisted violently, the edge ripping the armour plate free from its nape.
The creature screeched in agony, its entire body convulsing as molten blood sizzled against the cavern floor.
Before it could shake me off, I drove my sword deep into the exposed flesh, unleashing a torrent of lightning into its body.
The effect was immediate.
The Armoured Fire Belcher's limbs locked up, its powerful body paralysed by the surge of electricity coursing through its nervous system. Its muscles spasmed uncontrollably, and I took full advantage of the opening.
I relentlessly hacked away at the weakened spot, each strike tearing chunks of flesh and sinew from the monster's back. blood sprayed, and the beast let out a distorted, gurgling snarl.
From above, a massive stone spear, nearly the size of a ballista bolt descended at breakneck speed, ripping through the air like a meteor.
THWACK!
The earthen lance plunged deep into the gaping wound, impaling the beast's spine. The monster collapsed, its colossal form slamming against the stone ground with an earth-shaking impact, its body convulsing violently in pain.
But it wasn't dead yet. Its tail lashed out blindly, fire spewing from its maw in desperate bursts.
I landed next to the embedded stone spear, gripping its thick surface with both hands. With a single deep breath, I raised my arms high, summoning every ounce of strength and mana left in my body and then I slammed down.
The force of my blow cracked the stone spear, sending shockwaves of air rippling outward. The powerful vibrations tore through the monster's internal organs, shattering bones and rupturing arteries from within.
The Armoured Fire Belcher let out one final gargled screech a pitiful, dying sound before its body went limp, its fiery core extinguished for good.
The cavern fell silent.
The only sound was my own breathing, ragged but steady, as I pulled Dragonfang free and wiped molten blood from its edge.
The system chimed in my ears:
SYSTEM MESSAGE:
Experience Gained: 243,400Area Boss Defeated
I exhaled slowly, letting the adrenaline bleed away. The Armoured Fire Belcher had been brutal, its defence near impenetrable—but in the end, it hadn't been enough.
Shay hit level 50, but no evolution triggered.
It left all of us confused—and me uneasy. For a moment, I wondered if I'd be the only one able to evolve. He still gained the milestone stat boost, but the absence of any change gnawed at the back of my mind. Now, only one challenge remained.
The eighth-floor boss.
We pushed deeper into the volcanic cavern until the tunnel ended in a sheer wall of stone. At the base, spinning in the air like a vortex carved into reality, was the boss gate. Its fiery glow painted the rock around it in restless shades of red.
We didn't rush. Instead, we sat just short of the gate, catching our breath, eating, drinking, letting Rachel's healing light mend the last traces of damage. Twenty minutes passed in tense silence; the gates hum a constant reminder that time was slipping.
Final Preparations – Stats and Equipment
We checked our status one final time. At Level 50, both Shay and I had traded our old gear for new equipment. The stat boosts were enormous, enchanted fabrics, each piece resonating with power we could now fully draw upon. Rachel, not yet Level 50, held her staff tight, still radiant with its own authority.
Player Status Sheets
LEON MCGEE – High Human – Level 51
HP: 346 → 415 (with equipment)
MP: 296 → 475 (with equipment)
STR: 243 → 568 (with equipment)
DEX: 270 → 410 (with equipment)
CON: 145 (unchanged)
INT: 134 (unchanged)
WIS: 199 → 214 (with equipment)
DEF: 152 → 237 (with equipment)
Skills:
AbsorptionAdvanced Swordsmanship – Level 2Advanced Dagger Work – Level 1Fire Magic – Level 8Lightning Magic – Level 9Ice Magic – Level 6Detection – Level 7Fire Resistance – Level 5
SHAY TAYLOR – Vampiric Human – Level 50
HP: 358 → 430 (with equipment)
MP: 313 → 376 (with equipment)
STR: 189 → 377 (with equipment)
DEX: 187 → 287 (with equipment)
CON: 139 (unchanged)
INT: 92 → 137 (with equipment)
WIS: 187 (unchanged)
DEF: 139 → 219 (with equipment)
Skills:
Elemental MagicsAdvanced Lightning Magic – Level 2Advanced Fire Magic – Level 1Wind Magic – Level 5Earth Magic – Level 8Ice Magic – Level 8Water Magic – Level 8Vampiric Drain Magic – Level 4
RACHEL – Human – Level 49
HP: 260 (unchanged)
MP: 361 → 505 (with equipment)
STR: 92 (unchanged)
DEX: 69 → 89 (with equipment)
CON: 117 (unchanged)
WIS: 169 → 235 (with equipment)
INT: 166 → 293 (with equipment)
DEF: 91 → 116 (with equipment)
Skills:
High Heal – Advanced Level 1Guardian's Strength – Advanced Level 1
With our upgraded stats and new equipment, we were stronger than ever. The labyrinth had tested us time and time again, but now, standing before the boss room of the eighth floor, we were ready to prove our strength.
A quick glance at the newly unlocked store items revealed gear available only to Level 50 players. Among them a magic bag stood out capable of holding up to five items without taking up an equipment slot. We grabbed a few, knowing they could be invaluable in a long fight.
Taking a deep breath, we stepped forward.
The moment we entered the room, it felt like we had stepped into the heart of a volcano. A swirling pool of molten lava encircled the arena, the heat stinging our skin before the battle had even begun. The ceiling stretched far beyond sight, shrouded in smoke and embers.
At the far end of the room a monstrous form loomed in the darkness, its massive body coiled against the far wall. As it shifted, molten light reflected off its obsidian-black scales, revealing its full form a terrifying fusion of dragon and serpent.
It rose, the upper half of a colossal dragon held aloft by two thick, clawed arms, while the lower half slithered like a great wyrm, stretching over twelve meters long.
Then, it roared. The entire chamber shook, the lava churning violently. A name flashed before my eyes:
ANULAKOR, THE DEMONIC WYRM – LEVEL 60.
A named boss.
The system's words burned in my vision. My throat went dry. Is this creature stronger than a wyvern or even a dragon? My pulse hammered through my body and deep in my ears.
Rachel's voice broke the silence, trembling but firm. "Stay sharp. Don't stop moving!"
"No turning back now."
The buffs surged, Rachel's magic in my veins. Shay's static field snapped and hissed.
"Go!" Shay shouted, already pulling lightning into a spear longer than he was tall.
I moved, the ground shuddering beneath my boots. Up close, the wyrm was colossal, over seven meters of obsidian-black scales ridged with magma veins. My first slash skimmed across its hide, sparks flying. The blade around 130cm long barely scratched it. My gut dropped.
Crack!
Shay's spear slammed into its ribs, detonating in a burst of white-blue light. Scales shattered. The wyrm howled, the sound rattling my bones.
Its chest expanded, glowing from within like a furnace being stoked. "Move!" I roared.
A torrent of hellfire erupted, screaming across the cavern. I dove, rolling hard as the flames melted the rock where I'd just stood. The heat at my skin, blistering, peeling. My lungs burned from the air alone.
"Leon!" Rachel shouted, panic cracking her voice.
"I'm good." I lied, forcing my body back up, we couldn't afford panic at this early stage.
The wyrm's claw came down like a guillotine. I twisted, blade flashing, carving through its wrist. blood hissed scattering across the ground.
"Now!" Shay yelled.
Another lightning spear streaked forward, this one alive, almost sentient, snarling like a beast. It slammed into the wyrm's chest, electricity arcing across its body. Anulakor convulsed, the roar deafening.
It still wasn't enough.
I staggered back, sword trembling in my grip, chest heaving.
"Dammit" My eyes darted to Shay and Rachel. "I need a better weapon!"
Shay's voice cracked through the chaos. "I'll hold it! Do what you need to do."
His hands flared, lightning chaining across the wyrm's body, stunning it for precious seconds.
I tore open the system store, heart hammering. My eyes blurred as I scrolled. Come on, COME ON!
There has to be something…
Then I saw it.
Divine Spear.
+150 Strength.
It was a one-use item, a last measure.
My jaw clenched, a snarl twisting my face. "That's it? That's all I get?" My stomach dropped, doubt clawing at me. How the hell was I supposed to fell this creature with just that?
No time to deliberate, I slammed the purchase.
The weapon materialised in my hand, sleek, perfectly balanced, radiating power, but more than anything else, I needed sharpness.
Once in my hand the spear was no bigger than a javelin, as I rapidly scanned up and down the weapon, two meters in length with a glowing aura filling as my mana was pushed into the spear. I tightened my grip, let every ounce of my strength surge, and hurled it.
Crack!
The spear tore through the air like a missile, drilling clean through the wyrm's tail. Lava and ichor exploded in a geyser as the colossal limb convulsed. For the first time, the beast shrieked in raw agony, the sound so violent it rattled my balance. Then it lost control.
Its tail smashed the ground, fracturing the arena in an instant. Solid stone shattered into drifting islands, jagged platforms separated by churning rivers of lava. The battlefield was no longer stable ground; it was a deathtrap.
"Shit!" I leapt, barely clearing a gap as molten spray hissed at my heels. A divine spear shimmered back into my grip. I threw again. And again. Each strike tore fresh wounds into the wyrm's body, but it wasn't enough to slow its frenzy.
Then came the fire.
The wyrm's chest flared, and a tsunami of flame erupted, swallowing the chamber whole. The heat seared my flesh even through fire resistance. The agony kept me moving, diving between platforms as stone melted into nothing beneath my feet.
Rachel's voice echoed through the chaos. "Leon! Move!"
The wyrm's tail lashed again, smashing through an entire platform. The shockwave nearly threw me into the lava. I stumbled, coughed smoke, and forced myself upright, every nerve on fire.
The wyrm's clawed hand slammed into me like a battering ram, lifting me off my feet and hurling me across the arena, my body warping and distorting as my shape changed through the air.
CRASH!
My back smashed into the volcanic wall with bone-jarring force, stone cracking around me as I sank into it. Blood spilled from my mouth, ears and nose, each breath a chore. My back, my vision and through the haze, I saw it coming.