Floors two through nine were nothing more than a dance of shadows to Feng. The monster ranks gradually increased from G to DDD, but their rise in strength meant little. Each room widened slightly, the number of monsters varying between two and seven. Their formations became tighter, their attack patterns more aggressive. Yet, Feng moved as if in a dream—using one sword, limited movements, and calm breaths.
From floor six onward, the complexity increased. Mixed-type monsters appeared, each with varied attack ranges and elemental skills. Fire, water, wind, and earth were all thrown at him, but his presence never wavered. Floors eight and nine even featured traps activated by monster types—yet Feng didn't flinch. He advanced without opening his eyes, flowing through danger like a gust through leaves.
In the observation room, the elven instructor Nimrodel watched intently. Arms folded, lips barely parted, she murmured, "I guess that was nothing for him. He's had his eyes closed the whole time and has pretty much destroyed all records. However..." Her gaze sharpened on the monitor. "The real challenge of the tower starts with floor ten. Most students struggle there. The fastest record still stands at 3 minutes."
Feng stepped into floor ten.
The room was a long, narrow maze-like corridor of stone and earth. He appeared at the center. On his right, at one end of the path, stood a Tokolose—a C-Rank monster with a short frame, brown skin, and black eyes. Humanoid in appearance, it stood upright with a rock-carved blade in hand. An earth-elemental creature, Tokolose moved easily through walls and ground, attacking unpredictably from below or above.
On his left waited the Moyepi, a CCC-Rank monster. It resembled a giant mole, bulky and armored, with dense brown fur and claws glowing with earthy Qi. It was the Tokolose's natural partner—Moyepi created underground tunnels, and Tokolose gathered food in return. The Moyepi could manipulate earth to form large structures, use seismic detection through vibration, and encase itself in a rolling earth-shell to defend and attack. The synergy between the two was infamous.
As Feng materialized on the floor, the ground beneath him immediately shifted—trying to drag him under. Without opening his eyes, he jumped, spinning into the air. From above, the Tokolose emerged through the ceiling, blade-first. Just barely, Feng kicked the air to launch himself backward, narrowly dodging the strike.
The Tokolose vanished back underground.
From the sidewalls, spears of stone jutted out at lethal angles. Feng weaved through them effortlessly, pivoting to the right. His mind remained still, calm in the center of chaos.
"I see... they won't even let me think. That's their strategy."
He raised his short blade.
"Wind Dance – 3rd Blade: Falling Dance Twin Strike."
A burst of green Qi radiated from his weapon. Two phantom blades emerged from the sword's edge. One pierced downward, locating the underground Tokolose and eliminating it in a single, clean strike. The second phantom blade lashed out, hitting the Moyepi and cracking through its half-formed earthen shield.
As the Moyepi struggled to re-fortify its defenses, Feng was already in front of it.
He paused, then whispered:
"Wind Dance – 2nd Blade: Wind Cutter."
A blue arc of Natural Qi curved through the air, cutting through the Moyepi's core like a scythe of divine wrath. The earth trembled as the attack sliced not only the beast in half but gouged a crater into the floor beneath it.
The room fell silent.
[Trial Complete – Floor 10]
Time: 2 minutes, 15 seconds
Rating: EXCELLENT
ADP Earned: 150 Points
(Base: 2 x 30)
(Speed Bonus: 2 x 30 + 30 for defeating synergized monsters)
Back in the observation hall, Nimrodel pressed a palm to her forehead, then looked to the ceiling.
"We have another monster on our hands... He's already earned more ADP than some students in half a year. If he stops here, even mid-rank threats won't be an issue for him."
Across the room, another monitor flickered. A young man named Xang—next in line to take his own test—stared at the screen in silence.
His jaw clenched.
The last time he'd seen anyone use Wind Dance Arts, they were nowhere near this powerful. It stung. The question earlier from one of the other candidates—whether he, having grown up in the same region as Feng, also knew Wind Dance—burned in his memory.
He hadn't answered.
His father had told him to abandon the Wind Dance and focus on the Qing Family Sword Arts.
Now, Xang only looked at the floor... and said nothing.