Kapitel 205: The Tower’s 300th Floor
A large dragon stared down at Akiol, "Someone has reached this floor after all this time?"
Akiol put on a bright smile, "Hello!"
If he could sweat, he definitely would. It was a whole dragon! As far as he knew, Dragons were the top of the top. Hardly anything, if nothing at all, stood above them.
Even if he came across one before, that one had simply chatted with him. He hadn't fought one before!
The dragon sighed, "I thought I could rest for another decade at most."
The dragon yawned and stood up, "Alright then, tell me your name challenger."
"Akiol."
"Akiol, as my contract states, I am required to battle against you. If you can survive thirty seconds, you can pass with the lowest rating."
"Rating? That hasn't been a thing yet."
"The reward for passing the final floor isn't random. Instead it will be granted based on your rating. The longer you last, the higher your rating. However I am not cruel, you are free to use any skills to your advantage. Moreover you can start anytime. I shall not begin until you are ready."
Akiol sighed in relief and sat on the ground, "Then let me take a breather for a moment. I feel mentally fatigued."
"Very well."
The dragon returned to a resting position. An eye on Akiol. He examined the dragon's features. Their scales were dark green, their slim jaw rested on the ground.
Akiol remembered an encounter and asked, "You're female, right?"
"Correct."
"Then your dark green scales. . . Would it be nature? What other element is dark green?"
The dragon blinked and asked, "You seem to have some knowledge in dragons."
"I came across one before, what was his name. . . Ver. . . Verhalakos I do believe."
"I am not familiar with this name."
"Friendly guy. . . dragon? Either way he simply wished to tell a story. Though he did give me a little fright."
"Story? Must be an old one then."
"I think so, he had the power of heat. Oh, he also told me about the dragons and such. About their scales and power. . . Mind telling me yours?"
"Providing information about one's abilities before the battle is not quite smart."
"How about an information exchange then?"
"What information can you provide that I am interested in?"
"I meant about each other, you ask a question and I answer truthfully. Then I would ask a question, in which you would answer truthfully."
"How would one know if there is trickery involved?"
"The way you phrased that is odd. Though I guess it's simple. I doubt that a dragon doesn't have a way to see if I am lying. I also doubt a dragon would stoop low enough to the point of lying."
"So this game of trust is built around my ability and morals?"
"Pretty much."
"Very well, on the condition I go first."
"Ask away."
"The sword on your back, I have never seen it before. Yet the greed in me is desperate to obtain it."
'Don't do this to me! Not again!', Stars rebelled.
Akiol unsheathed him and showed it to the dragon, "An Upper Four sword, named Breaker of Stars."
The dragon snorted, "I see now, it was made by that god."
Akiol sheathed Stars, who breathed a sigh of relief. Akiol then asked, "What is your name?"
"The difference in questions is quite appalling. My name is Ryolu. As for my question, what are you?"
Akiol tilted his head slightly, "I'm a slime, I thought you would be able to see that."
"No, I meant what are you. A slime born with mana? How ridiculous."
"I don't think I understand the question here."
"You are a slime born with mana. A common rule with slimes is that they have no mana, there has not been a single time that this was not the case. Yet one is in front of me. So. . . what are you?"
"A slime born under special circumstances, for what those circumstances are I cannot say."
Ryolu blinked, "Very well then, I suppose that suffices. What is your question?"
"What element does your scales match to?"
"Poison."
Akiol whistled, "That's quite something, I didn't think it would be this green though."
"What color would match poison?"
"Any really, I once came across a flower that was incredibly orange. However it leaked an orange nectar that would instantly kill anything that touched it. So I suppose it really depends on the origins of the poison."
Ryolu snorted, "I'm surprised you didn't say it was cowardly."
"If anything I am surprised that poison is considered an element."
"I am a rare case."
"Like the gravity and time dragon?"
"Correct."
"Still, poison is a little troublesome."
"Which is why it is called cowardly."
"Is this something that bothers you? I know someone who thinks that way, but honestly I can't agree. In a world where you have to grab onto any opportunity possible, why not do so? Poison might be a gateway to one of those opportunities. Even if it is troublesome."
Ryolu blinked again, "Intriguing."
"So? What is your question?"
"Hmm, why have you come to this tower?"
"Ah, someone I know doubts my ability. To prove it I was required to challenge this place. I don't know what is considered to be passing though."
"If they do not accept you, then they are fools."
"That is what the tower said as well."
Ryolu's head raised up, "The tower said that?"
Akiol was about to say something about it being his turn to ask a question. But a strange look in the dragon's eye made him decide not to, "They seemed angry at me, since I continued to pass the floors nonstop. So I made a deal with them, if I passed this floor they were to give me the rewards for the other floors. If I fail I am to never return."
"You made the tower speak, incredible."
"How so?"
"She- the tower has not spoken to anyone in a long time."
Akiol caught onto that, "You said she, might I ask what this is about?"
Ryolu sighed, "The tower, the voice you hear is my daughter. She is sealed here, and I am unable to break her out."
"I thought dragons did not care for their offspring?"
"It is a choice, the male ones usually do not. I however do not wish to see my own child die here."
"Die?"
"This place saps at her energy, due to this she has been unable to grow. Before she was drained until death, I made a contract with this place. I shall donate my own energy to maintain its balance. In exchange I am to be the three-hundredth floor challenge."
"Is there a way to free her?"
The dragon looked at Akiol, he seemed genuine. Which is rare in this world. She sighed, "To pass a hidden condition on this floor. You must damage me to a certain extent."
Akiol sighed, "Impossible then. I recently made it to First Stage. I wouldn't doubt you are Fourth Stage. After the fight with Rygeth I am certain I cannot face against those of higher stages confidently."
"I am required to limit my strength to yours. When we fight I will hold the strength of a peak First Stage dragon."
Akiol welcomed the surprise, but he still wasn't confident. Similarly to how races would provide certain buffs, like Akiol's ability to gain experience and absorb items, a dragon was faced with a large amount of buffs. Even if a player and a dragon were to face each other with the same exact stats, a dragon would win without competition.
In short, they were built different.
Akiol took a breath, "Well, I guess I will have to do more than survive."
"I cannot hold back due to my contract."
"I wouldn't want it to be any other way."
Akiol drew Stars, "We're doing that."
'Alright!'
Stars' Berserk Skill activated, Akiol felt power coursing through his body.
Ryolu praised, "An incredible skill, perhaps you can survive with this."
"We are not done yet."
Akiol focused, using the Berserk Skill as a catalyst his body exploded with a deep blue aura.
This was his current limit, besides increasing his base strength Akiol was unsure on how much farther he could progress with Aura.
Ryolu praised again, "Fantastic, you are indeed good enough to reach this floor. Now!"
The dragon began to glow brightly. The light brightened and shrunk in size. After a few seconds the light faded. Instead of a dragon, a beautiful woman stood in place. Her hair and eyes were deep green. She wore a simple outfit, instead of armor. A basic long sleeve shirt with color to match her scales covered her top. A pair of what seemed like jeans covered her legs. She wore normal shoes along with it.
Akiol raised an eyebrow, "You can take a human shape?"
"I could ask you the same, slime. But yes, all dragons can. Most of the time we choose not to, since it limits our strength. Consider this my final restriction on my power."
"I see."
"Shall we begin?"
"Yeah."
The voice spoke, "Fight begins in three. . . two. . . one. . . start!"
Akiol shot forward, swinging his sword towards Ryolu's neck.
Akiol flinched and vanished. Ryolu praised, "You're quite aware of your surroundings. I almost had you."
Akiol took a shaky breath, this was crazy! Even during the fight against Rygeth he didn't feel this outmatched. Even if Rygeth had easily defeated him, Akiol didn't use any of his techniques back then. This was different, even with his technique every action he made gave him the same conclusion!
It was futile!
A smile unknowingly spread across Akiol's face. This was a true challenge, something he had a yet to face. Every fight he had up to this point, something held him back. Whether it was his stats, or his inability to utilize his techniques. Even if his current strength was around half of what he had in his previous world, it was still quite a lot!
He was going to use everything he had!
{Expeditious Steps}!
Hundreds of afterimages appeared, Ryolu examined this in surprise, "This is something you executed yourself, without mana?"
Ryolu slid a foot and rotated her body to the side. A sword slashed past, missing her neck by an inch. She then casually threw a fist forward.
Akiol dodged the blow and swung his sword repeatedly. Ryolu danced between the strikes, not a single sign of effort on her face.
Akiol turned into an afterimage due to his choice to retreat. Ryolu suddenly noticed several floating sparkles around her. These suddenly exploded.
The explosions settled and Ryolu remained unharmed. She then asked, "That was different, what did you do?"
"A small trick I learned, I wasn't sure if I could use it though."
"You experiment with different techniques in such an important battle?"
"I'm afraid I won't be able to defeat you with my current ability. I need to improve."
Or so Akiol said, but realistically he had no idea on how to improve. After breaking into the realm of {Hyperfocused Battle Intensity} he had been unsure on how to progress further in his own skill level.
Was this his peak? He couldn't tell, but he didn't want it to be. There had to be something!
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein