CHAPTER 748: SPIRE ASCENSION (XVIII)

--

The 50th to 59th floors were all about variety.

It tests the ascender’s ability to tackle all of the enemy types they’ve faced on the previous floors altogether. Of course, the enemies this time were stronger than before, being mid-stage Immortal Emperors.

Still, Cedric cruised just fine on these floors. It wasn’t until he arrived at the 59th floor that he felt pressured once more to use his fire laws.

Moving to the 60th floor and above, Cedric faced another mechanic. And that is cross-breeding.

He faced fierce beasts tainted with the demonic bloodline, fierce beasts that successfully evolved into true dragons mid-fight, mechanoids in the form of fierce beasts, and fierce beasts infected by the Horde.

Of course, it wasn’t just limited to that. He had to, after all, face multiple enemies at the same time, and the spire was being very creative at playing god.

Cedric saw the product of demons and dragons cross-breeding. He saw mechanoids integrating the demonic bloodline into themselves. True dragons turning into demons, which made their might increase even more perversely, and the horde who could practically turn into anything they devoured.

The cross-breeding mechanic jumbled the publicly known information about the enemies he’s facing, making him approach them carefully since they’re capable of something new.

Even though there wasn’t any new enemy type, the cross-breeding mechanic made things interesting and tense, which both Cedric and the audience enjoyed greatly.

Arriving on the 70th floor, this cross-breeding mechanic became even more ridiculous.

Instead of integrating just one bloodline into the other, another one was added. For example, a Fierce Beast having both the True Dragon and Demonic Bloodline, a Demon who managed to integrate a Mecca Heart and a True Dragon’s physique, and so on...

This, on top of them having the strength of a late-stage Immortal Emperor powerhouse, made things really tense and dangerous.

It became harder to beat them because they became more unpredictable. Cedric had to slow down and analyze information as he went because he could no longer trust what he previously knew. He could draw reference from them, sure, but he can’t just blindly believe or follow them since the situation is far more complicated than before.

It became even more ridiculous when he arrived at the 80th floor, because from this floor and beyond, he’s straight up facing abominations.

The cross-breeding mechanic has completely gone off the rails. For the most part, Cedric couldn’t even tell if he was still facing the enemies he was familiar with or a completely new thing.

Once again, everything he knew about the enemies had been trashed by this mechanic. Cedric had to really slow down his approach because even for him, things were becoming a little dangerous.

Still, Cedric continued his climb, and the higher he went up, the more excited the audience became.

Seeing his battles made them witness Dawnbringer at his peak form. The way he analyzed and fought his opponents, his quick and decisive actions, the pure skill he displayed...he was truly a cut above the rest.

What made them even more excited was the fact that Cedric was approaching the highest floor known to the public. He’s so very near to the same level where Councillor Welsh was stopped, the 89th Floor, which was also the highest level anybody has reached in this spite.

It has come to the point that even the councillors themselves were at the edge of their seats, feeling a little impatient to see what’s beyond the 89th floor.

Does this mean that they believed that Cedric will surpass Nicholas’ record?

Yes. Yes, they do. Councillor Welsh himself said that Dawnbringer was way stronger than he was back then, that if he were in the same era as Dawnbringer, it would never be his turn to sit in his current seat.

Even the divine physique he’s so proud of was nothing but a joke in front of Cedric’s skill, and that’s all Nicholas relied on to reach the 89th floor, while Cedric had a lot more going on for him. That’s why they firmly believed that he would surpass his record.

It wasn’t just them who were looking forward to it. Cedric’s fellow participants are watching with bated breaths too.

You see, the challenges that Cedric must face continue to become so ridiculous that he’s having to rest for longer periods in between.

At this point six months have already passed since the start of the final round, and the majority of the finalists have exited the spire to keep their lives.

Nobody has died yet, fortunately. Most of the finalists weren’t so stupid as to force their way into the higher floors, knowing that it’s hopeless. Even the ones who are still climbing have slowed down greatly and are nearly on the verge of coming out as well.

All of them had the same reaction after coming out when they learned that Cedric was way ahead of them. The enemies he’s facing are certain death for them, yet he’s cruising on them so easily.

At first, they didn’t want to believe any of this, that there had to be a mistake or Cedric must’ve been cheating to reach this far. But as they watched his fights, the ugly truth slapped them in the face. The truth hurts, and it’s one they can no longer deny.

The gap between them and Cedric was absolutely soul-crushing. Everything that they were proud of, every advantage they thought they had, and everything they had that Cedric didn’t were all useless and lies. All were crushed by the painful truth that they stood no chance against Cedric at all.

None of them came even close.

But no matter what they thought or felt, none of it could reach Cedric.

Even though he slowed down, he continued to climb. He reached the same floor where Councillor Welsh was stopped, the 89th Floor.

Upon arriving there, everybody learned why he was stopped.

Cedric faced the Horde once more, but this time, they had spliced all the available bloodlines of the enemies they had faced so far and integrated them into wombs that produced obscene amounts of them.

Overwhelming through numbers would be an accurate description of what they do, but even so, it still feels insufficient.

Cedric wasn’t given any breathing room at all. He’s attacked on all sides, physically, mentally, and spiritually. He couldn’t stand still for more than a second because the attacks of the Horde were so well coordinated and planned, as if they could see the future.

Even Councillor Welsh had a terrible flashback upon seeing how harsh the 89th Floor was. He even believed that it’s particularly harsher to Cedric, making him feel pity for him just a bit.

But like he said, Cedric was way better than him at the same stage. In fact, it’s not even close. Cedric would wipe the floor using his face if they were to fight on equal levels; Nicholas wouldn’t even stand a chance. That’s how ridiculous he was.

So, as overwhelming as the enemies were, Cedric stood his ground.

His golden flames erupted and burned every harmful element that dared to come near him, and his sword slashed through every opposition standing in his way.

The combined might of his sword and flames illuminated, burned, and severed all the infection and corruption on the 89th floor. Hordes of bugs were exterminated from existence whenever his flaming sword touched them. The sources of these bugs were also exterminated with extreme prejudice.

Seeing Cedric’s silhouette billowing with golden flames, surrounded with a golden brilliance, and commanding his swords was truly a spectacle. It solidified and burned his divine image to everybody who’s watching him.

After two whole weeks of nonstop and incredibly exhausting fighting, Cedric did what was expected of him.

He cleared the 89th floor just as Councillor Welsh did, putting him at the same rank as him back in the day. At this point, Cedric’s reputation couldn’t get any more resplendent than it was.

Of course, he didn’t just eliminate every bug around him. He also cleansed and purified the world while he was at it, leaving before its rebirth even happened.

Upon returning to the platform of cubes, Cedric immediately felt it rising to another height.

The surroundings were paradise now. Life blossomed and nature thrived at the place he’s in. It was a stark contrast to the dirty, bleak, and corrupted environment he was previously in.

Also, the portal leading to the 90th floor was way bigger and more radiant than before.

At this point, Cedric could stop here and make his exit. He had already proven his skill and might to everybody. It’s very unlikely that there will be other finalists who could climb the same height as him, much less surpass him.

Cedric knew that he won. He’s the undisputed 1st place winner of this millennium’s genius tournament. He doesn’t have to continue torturing himself for recognition or a place amongst the natives of the Primitive Universe.

But if he retreated here, he’d be disappointing not only the audience but also himself. Because he and everybody else know that this wasn’t his limit at all. And since he still has the ability to climb, he must climb.

It’s not about peer pressure. Cedric himself wanted to see what’s on the 90th floor, a place that not even Councillor Welsh set foot into during his time.