Chapter 28: What is the Limit?

The eleventh floor of the dungeon bore a structure eerily reminiscent of the previous level. It was shrouded in thick, heavy fog that dulled senses, stretching out into an endless expanse of overgrown grasslands riddled with traps, ancient mechanisms, and weapons scattered like the remnants of a forgotten battlefield. Descending the stone staircase built precariously on the edge of a cliff, Akira finally stepped foot onto this floor. As soon as he arrived here, he was immediately greeted by his first opponent. A Hard Armored. This beast was a terrifying fusion of brute endurance and deceptive vulnerability. Though its shell was hard as iron, its exposed underbelly was its fatal flaw. Standing on two legs, it easily reached a height of over 1.5 meters—nearly matching Akira himself. It was widely known as the upper floors' tankiest monster—one that most LV 1 adventurers wouldn't dare face head-on. Before Akira could fully process its appearance, a new danger surged from the fog—imps. There were ozens of them, their eyes glinting red. The Hard Armored curled into a ball and lunged forward with terrifying speed, aiming to crush him. Seeing this, Akira's eyes narrowed. He quickly dodged to the side, fluidly changing his stance, and with a swift backhand slash, three imps fell in a single stroke. At this moment, the Hard Armored came again. Now! His feet dug into the ground, his body shifted, and the sword in his hand thrust forward. His blade struck right into the exposed belly. The monster screeched in pain. Without missing a beat, Akira launched himself upward, flipping in midair just in time to dodge another wave of imp claws. He landed with a light thud, then dashed into the pack of monsters fearlessly. Steel flashed. Shadows danced. Screams echoed. Within moments, more than a dozen imps had collapsed, their bodies dissolving into ash. The fog pulsed again. This time, five orcs emerged from the grasslands, each nearly three meters tall, their muscular bodies radiating primal rage. For a moment, even Akira felt a twinge of awe. Then he leapt, landing cleanly atop one of the orc's heads. He plunged his sword downward, then leapt back before the others could react. Before the remaining four could recover, Akira unleashed a spinning slash that swept through them, slicing their tendons and knees. Then, he stepped back just as their massive bodies toppled down to the ground. But there was no time to rest. He crouched over the largest of the fallen orcs, dug out the largest visible magic stone, and shoved it into his [Backpack]. He didn't have the luxury of harvesting them all—there were too many enemies, and time was short. That's when it came. A deafening roar ripped through the fog. "ROAR—!!" From the shifting veil of mist emerged a towering beast—a Silverback. Covered in thick white fur and plated with armor, its back shimmered with strands of dark silver hair. Its arms bulged with monstrous strength. The ground trembled with each step it took as it ran on all fours, barreling toward him like a living avalanche. Akira didn't run, instead charging forward. The distance between them closed in an instant. The silverback swung its massive fist towards Akira. In response, Akira ducked low, barely evading it. Then, he stepped forward into the Silverback's unguarded zone. He slashed—clean, brutal, efficient—at the ape's elbow joint. Splurt—! Blood sprayed. The silverback howled, shaking the very earth. In its madness, it ripped off its severed arm and hurled it at Akira, then lunged with the other. Akira jumped, but the timing was off. A huge fist collided with his raised blade. BOOM! The impact launched him sideways. He tumbled violently across the grass, coughing out breath after breath before finally regaining balance. His sword was cracked. Without hesitation, he flung it away and pulled another one from his [Backpack]. The silverback roared and came again. But Akira was ready. He darted around it's side, striking its exposed arm with a feint, making it lose balance and topple. Then, he effortlessly landed on its back. His expression turned cold, the blade gleaming with killing intent. Shhkt—! The sword pierced the Silverback's skull with surgical precision. The ape let out a final spasm before collapsing, lifeless. Akira landed beside it, panting softly, the blood-drenched blade still humming with energy. "Now that was a thrill." He muttered with a grin. His magic power, which had been roaring to life during the battle, slowly simmered down. Had the fight gone on any longer, his instincts might have overwhelmed him—he would've unleashed devastating magic without meaning to. He flipped the Silverback over, removed its armor, and carved out a magic stone the size of his palm. A moment later, the body disintegrated into ash, returning to the dungeon's cycle of rebirth. After a brief rest, Akira continued exploring—but this time, whenever he spotted other adventurer teams, he made a point to change direction, ensuring he was alone when hunting monsters. On this floor, aside from the silverback and the occasional Infant dragons measuring three meters tall, there were no threats that could challenge him even when he just used his one-handed sword. Seeing that there were only imps and orcs nearby, he sheathed his blade altogether, deciding to use his fists. Maybe this way, his stats would receive a greater increase. Dodging claw attacks from the imps, he honed his dexterity and agility. Wrestling with the bulky orcs, he tempered his strength. By the time he sensed that the Astraea Familia's patrols would soon conclude, he made his way back to the surface. Akira LV 1 Strength: E442 → D563 Durability: E467 → D542 Dexterity: D502 → C642 Agility: E492 → C604 Magic: B721 → A887 Astraea carefully printed the updated stats onto a parchment and handed it to him. She couldn't hide her astonishment. "Though it's slowed compared to your first days, your growth is still incredible. Your magic is already close to S. Maybe... you can even surpass the limit." Her voice carried a tinge of reverent awe. Akira blinked and asked, "The limit?" Astraea lifted her snowy-white arm and gracefully drew two glowing letters in the air. S S "We all know the basic rule—stats cap at S999. Take Ottar, for example." The name carried weight. Ottar—the king, the undisputed number one in all of Orario. But he wasn't renowned for overwhelming his enemies. His legend came from something far more grueling—his defeats. Defeat, followed by relentless challenge. Again and again. That was Ottar's path. He would not level up unless every stat hit S999. 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