CHAPTER 183: THE THIRD ZONE, LOOKING TO GRIND

Ding!

[You have arrived at the "Third Zone"]

The sound of the system notification echoed in Sam’s mind as he crossed the threshold into the new area.

The [Second Mission] had been more brutal than the first, demanding that awakeners not only survive but fight each other as well.

Even so, it still held a relatively high passing rate when compared to the true trials ahead.

Anyone who trained enough and sharpened their strength could clear the first two stages.

Once a group managed to push through, usually only one person had to die.

That small margin was enough to make the second stage look almost forgiving in hindsight.

But it wasn’t as if everyone had managed to complete it.

Sam knew that.

He was also certain that by now, the details of the first two stages had spread completely.

There were no secrets anymore.

The leaked information meant that countless awakeners spent time grinding relentlessly inside the [Seventh Layer].

They farmed monsters endlessly, pushing themselves toward the peak of the [Immortal] rank in preparation for what lay beyond.

The most dedicated stayed there for days or weeks, chasing power like madmen.

Sam noticed during this time that many awakeners were capable of fighting monsters far above their own level, especially those with powerful classes.

It was proof of how much potential some of them had.

’If that’s the case,’ Sam thought, his eyes narrowing, ’does that mean as we go deeper there will be monsters higher than level one hundred? Since these people seem to be handling things relatively well, it wouldn’t surprise me.’

That was no small thing.

If an [Immortal] rank awakener, a fighter who should be level 71, could successfully kill a monster at level 75, then the ceiling was far higher than expected.

The introduction of new ranks, higher levels, and evolved skill tiers had pushed the boundaries of what awakeners thought possible.

Everyone was growing stronger.

Sam included.

But the moment he stepped through the white flame barrier into the [Third Zone]...

Fwish!

BOOM!

The air itself seemed to shatter.

A sudden ripple of raw aura exploded outward, rippling across the entire zone like a shockwave.

Sam’s head snapped up at once.

"What the fuck just happened?" someone cried out in the distance.

Another voice replied with urgency, "Did you sense that?"

A third spoke nervously, "I’m just trying to grind monsters, man. Maybe it’s one of the [Astrals]? If it’s close, we should get out of here right now."

Sam’s expression tightened.

It seemed nobody had defeated a single [Astral] yet.

Not even the strongest awakeners dared to test their luck against them.

It wasn’t that they lacked strength.

It was that they lacked information.

Nobody knew their true level or what kind of power they wielded.

And if there were five of them in this zone, then what if they fought together?

The risk was overwhelming.

Still, the [Third Zone] was perfect for grinding.

The monsters here gave valuable cores and more experience than anywhere else.

Awakeners would gladly spend days inside, training endlessly until they reached the very peak of [Immortal] rank.

Sam’s purpose was no different.

He had come here to grind, to push himself further, even if the progress was painfully slow.

Hours of effort would only earn a single level.

But to Sam, that was enough.

One level mattered.

His next one would be level 5, and with it he would unlock a milestone reward.

That alone made it worth it.

He pressed forward without hesitation.

The [Third Zone], much like the first two before they were "freed," stretched out before him in lifeless gray.

The grass was dull and colorless, painted in shades of ash.

The sky above was a murky mixture of gray and purple, twisting like a bruise that never healed.

Only the monsters and the dozens of awakeners scattered across the landscape brought movement to this still world.

Sam tilted his head upward.

"Huh."

His eyes locked onto the massive purple orb looming in the sky.

It rotated slowly, surrounded by a golden ring that spun endlessly, radiating strange light with every turn.

It hadn’t been there before.

That meant it was directly tied to the [Astrals].

Maybe, once all of them were defeated, the orb would vanish.

That seemed like the logical condition for clearing the mission.

Sam shook his head and kept walking.

The common monsters of the [Third Zone] revealed themselves quickly.

All of them were level 80.

’So the levels really are climbing by five every zone,’ Sam thought grimly.

That meant the [Fourth Zone] would house level 85 monsters, the [Fifth Zone] would climb to 90, and so on.

And if his guess was correct, the [Seventh Zone] would cap at level 100 monsters—the peak of the strongest rank currently available.

Sam didn’t know what name the system had for that rank yet, but he trusted its logic.

The progression was too clean to be coincidence.

He moved steadily forward, walking for nearly ten minutes in a straight line.

Every monster that appeared in his path he cut down without mercy.

Their cores shattered in his hands, absorbed into his body.

Still, he made sure to avoid others.

The [Third Zone] was enormous—far larger than the first two combined.

It had to be, since the [Astrals] were scattered across it.

That size gave him freedom to fight alone.

After killing a dozen monsters and absorbing their cores, Sam felt no noticeable progress.

But he didn’t falter.

He already knew this was the reality of growth.

It would take time.

After nearly an hour of grinding, Sam found himself very deep within the [Third Zone].

Here, there were no other awakeners.

He hadn’t spotted a single one in the past twenty minutes.

And he knew why.

Nobody dared to push this far in.

Most stayed near the barrier, grinding monsters in safer areas where they could retreat at any time.

The deeper parts of the zone were far too dangerous.

If the [Astrals] truly lurked here, then only a fool would seek them out.

But Sam continued anyway.

And then it happened.

Fwish!

BOOM!

The world shook again.

A voice rang out.

[You are all alone, now, Primordial.]

"...?"

Sam froze and looked around sharply.

There was no one.

[Look up.]

He obeyed.

His eyes widened as the massive purple orb in the sky expanded.

The golden ring spun faster and faster until it blurred, releasing waves of energy that slammed across the entire zone.

[The "Forsaken Lords" were only a small part of my army.]

[I command thousands like them. Each one willing to sacrifice everything if it means killing you.]

[The "Astrals" are among those soldiers =)]

Sam’s jaw clenched.

"You..." His voice was low and sharp. "Who the fuck are you?"

[Someone like you.]

[But you won’t know until you reach me in the final realm.]

[I am not your enemy. Everything I do is meant to push you forward. To make you stronger.]

[Your determination... is too WEAK.]

’What?’

Sam stiffened.

Primordials were supposed to be defined by their limitless determination.

That was what set them apart from all others.

Normal people had limits. Primordials did not.

[But you don’t care about any of that, do you =)?]

"..."

Sam gave no answer.

He simply steadied his stance, preparing for the worst.

There was something unnervingly familiar about the being behind that voice. As if it was like him.

’But the Primordials are all dead. That makes no sense.’

Still, the thought confirmed something for him.

The ten colossal beings he had fought before were not the peak.

There was someone above them.

Someone stronger.

Someone who gave the orders.

And that someone was the true strongest in existence.

Sam had no time to press for answers.

The orb in the sky pulsed, releasing wave after wave of crushing aura.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"RUN!"

"HOLY SHIT, SOMETHING IS HAPPENING!"

The voices of distant awakeners echoed in panic as some were slammed to the ground under the sheer pressure.

The weight of it was unbearable.

[THEN SHOW ME WHAT YOU CAN DO!]

The panels around Sam vanished instantly.

The orb above blazed brighter and brighter, as though preparing to unleash something devastating.

[Knowing that there are things beyond your grasp fills you with... DETERMINATION!]