CHAPTER 81: INTO THE 10TH FLOOR PART XI - ASTRAL OVERDRIVE

Back inside the Labyrinth...

[Final Boss – Korr’Thal, Unified Calamity]

It towered above us, its six arms flexing, mana pulses echoing like war drums.

My jaw clenched as I adjusted my stance.

Astraia flanked my left, her sword shimmering with divine heat, her breath sharp and steady.Noel held his twin-charged weapons on the right, lightning trailing his movements like hunting hounds.

This wasn’t just a battle anymore.

It was proof.

Proof we didn’t bow when the system glitched.

Proof that power, even when split, could unify against something born of failure.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Time to end this."

-

The ground cracked open as Korr’Thal lunged.

Six arms. Six blades. One soul.

Mana rippled around him like a storm of hatred, and his presence felt heavier than gravity itself.

I gritted my teeth, flame igniting around my arms as I dashed in first—explosive speed, footwork burning like a comet’s tail.

But even with my enhanced reaction speed, I barely dodged the swipe of a blackened cleaver that tore the ground in half beside me.

A second blade came from the left—Astraia deflected it, her divine aura flickering with strain.

Her voice echoed in my comm:

"It’s adapting faster than we can hit it!"

I weaved behind the behemoth’s leg and drove a flaming fist toward his knee joint—

CLANG.

Blocked.

His third hand slammed down at me like a hammer—I crossed my arms and caught it, my entire body sinking a meter into the floor from the force.

"Ghh—!"

Noel blinked in behind it, his body sparking like a storm-forged weapon, sword slashing down with all his fury.

CRACK—!!

Korr’Thal twisted unnaturally, catching the blade between two of his own. Lightning sprayed. Noel’s feet dragged against the floor, resisting the shove.

"Guys—!" Noel’s voice cracked, breathless. "My Overdrive’s timer is—20 seconds!"

Twenty seconds?!

I pushed off the ground and launched at the boss’s back, shifting into Explosive Ember Stance, my body glowing red-hot.

I struck the spine—once, twice—Burn stacks built fast.

[Burn Stack: 3][Burn Stack: 4]

But Korr’Thal snarled and whipped me into the wall with a backhand. The stone crumbled beneath me as I coughed blood.

"Ten seconds," Noel growled. "I’m gonna take one more shot—cover me!"

"Go!!"

He roared, his body bursting into full voltage—

[Astral Overdrive: Final Surge Activated]

He blurred forward and pierced Korr’Thal through the side of the neck—electricity detonating on impact, the boss stumbling back with a shriek.

Astraia dashed under its arms in a sweeping golden arc, blade dancing in divine precision—

"Swordform: Radiant Descent!"

She cut along his chest—Blood sprayed.Golden sparks trailed.

[Burn Stack: 6][Target: Bleeding – Severe]

But then—her form faltered.

I saw it in her footwork.

She stumbled slightly mid-air, her light dimming.

"My Divine Form... it’s collapsing."

"Hang in there!" I shouted, pushing myself from the wall.

I surged every bit of mana left into my core—

[Skill: Crimson Recast – Precision Flame]

I dashed low, through its legs, dragging fire with me like a trench line.

[Burn Stack: 7]

Then I pivoted—

Back to Explosive Ember, full force into a spinning mid-kick into his side—

BOOM—!!

Korr’Thal roared, stumbling, but it wasn’t enough.

His body regenerated, threads of cursed mana pulling wounds shut.

I could hear the system ticking.

Noel lay slumped behind debris, barely holding his weapon.

Astraia kneeled, her aura flickering like a dying flame.

Korr’Thal laughed—a deep, low grind that sounded like stone scraping steel.

He raised all six weapons, and the sky above trembled.

Noel slumped against a stone pillar, his Overdrive all but extinguished — only flickers of lightning danced across his limbs now. Astraia’s golden light trembled at her fingertips, her stance faltering.

I stepped forward and I stared the Calamity in the eye and whispered:

"Activate."

[ASTRAL OVERDRIVE — UNSEEN SOVEREIGN FORM]

The world inverted.

Everything went still — and then exploded.

My movements vanished from the visible spectrum entirely.

I was gone.

To the world — to Korr’Thal — I became nothing.

Noel blinked in shock. "He—he disappeared?"

Astraia’s eyes widened. "No... he’s faster than we can perceive now."

Korr’Thal paused mid-strike, its monstrous head scanning—

Then it screamed again—

But this time, I was already there.

Under him.

I struck up — a silent palm into his ribs, then another — and another.

Each impact was invisible flame and weightless destruction.

[Burn Stack: 2]

[Burn Stack: 3]

[Critical Hit]

[Speed Multiplier: x2.5]

He roared and slashed down—

I wasn’t there.

I blinked behind him — fists igniting like twin comets — and drove both into his spine.

The explosion that followed sent him sprawling forward, crashing face-first into the arena.

And I wasn’t done.

"You tried to freeze me. You should’ve finished it when you had the chance."

I blurred forward again.

"Keep moving. Burn it down. Make it pay."

My fist glowed — not just with flame, but with compressed mana etched by my evolved form.

[Crimson Recast — Precision Flame: Form Two Activated]

I struck Korr’Thal in the leg, then again in the side — each hit counting, each blow spreading unstable heat through its corrupted body.

[Burn Stack: 7]

[Corruption Disruption: Minor]

The behemoth staggered slightly, and for the first time — I saw it reel. Just slightly. Just enough.

I pressed forward.

Korr’Thal snarled — and its third eye snapped open on its forehead. Crimson light shot toward me. I dove, rolling just under the beam, my coat catching flame at the edges.

"Shit—!"

I ripped the burning piece off and launched myself up its side. I scaled its back with mana-assisted steps, fists flashing out with rapid jabs.

[Burn Stack: 10]

It shrieked and bucked, throwing me off — but not before I slammed a charged strike into its shoulder.

I crashed into the ground, bouncing once, blood in my mouth.

Still breathing.

I spit it out. "You’re stronger than I remember..."

But I wasn’t done.

I blinked behind the beast — fists glowing faintly, perfectly silent.

Strike to the ribs.

Strike to the thigh.

Leap — hammer down from the top of its neck.

It roared again, staggering —

I reappeared, panting. Mana flared up like fire in my lungs. This thing was adapting.

But I had momentum.

For now.