"This level is not difficult for me at all," the Crown Prince thought confidently, gazing across the starry space. "After this, I should comfortably secure a spot in the top 10,000, but I must aim even higher. In this battle, I am destined to be number one in the entire area. Sebastian and Huo Kong are not even worthy to carry my shoes."
Beneath the prince's handsome exterior, he radiated pride and arrogance.
"Go, go, go..." Huo Kong cheered enthusiastically, supporting the Blastoise he had crafted himself.
Finally, after five intense hours, the 62nd Floor was cleared. Nearly ten thousand players had been eliminated, officially marking the completion of this level and the declaration of the top 10,000 spots. But the true contest was just beginning, the fight for higher rankings.
On the 63rd Floor, the species that appeared grew even stronger. However, Sebastian and the Astra Militarum soon realized that...
From the 61st floor onward, the creatures encountered were predominantly physically formidable, with high defenses. Unlike the earlier, brittle, long-range attackers like the Ultimate Demonized Human, these foes relied on brute strength and resilience.
To better understand the situation, it was clear that these species possessed formidable defenses and excelled in melee combat. Yet, their speed and agility were relatively lacking. This was precisely the type of enemy the Astra Militarum favored.
Despite the enemy being Peak Super Tier, their weapons' penetrating power still posed a threat, though it too was gradually weakening.
"I fear the later rounds will demand even more powerful weapons," Sebastian frowned, deep in thought.
"It's time for an upgrade," Lando nodded firmly. Due to limited production, some Guardsmen still used older rifles, which might not suffice for the upcoming challenges.
The 63rd Floor was cleared without resistance, which surprised Svananóg. Not only Sebastian but also Huo Kong and the Crown Prince smoothly advanced to the next level.
"The Crown Prince is incredible!" Neville and his friends exclaimed excitedly inside a villa at Hope's Peak Academy.
Though they couldn't watch the live broadcast, the results were announced in real-time. The number of spectators was still immense, especially on the campus of Hope's Peak.
Once it was confirmed that both Sebastian and the Crown Prince had entered the top 10,000, the entire school erupted in joy. The celebration was unprecedented, a wave of ecstasy swept through the campus.
"I never imagined the Crown Prince was hiding his true strength," an elder group murmured in a void, watching the scene unfold.
"The top 10,000 are secured. Now, let's aim for the top thousand," an old man in black suggested.
"If they can reach the top 2,000, becoming a Level 6 Planetary Lord... that's a guaranteed achievement!" another old man echoed.
"Who do you think will reach the end, Sebastian or the Crown Prince?" a gray-haired elder inquired.
"Let's wait and see. Maybe they'll surprise us all," they all looked forward with anticipation.
On the 64th Floor, Huo Kong could no longer hold on. He reluctantly admitted defeat and withdrew, while the Crown Prince and Sebastian pressed onward.
On the 65th Floor, many eyes were fixed on these two. The Crown Prince's momentum waned, but he refused to stop.
"Hmph, I should be in the top 2,000 by now. A few more floors won't matter, I'll save my strength for the next challenge," the prince declared complacently. With his power, he could have cleared the 66th floor, but there was no need anymore.
"It's fine," Svananóg nodded in agreement.
"Right now, Huo Kong's ranking should be over 6,000, and the Crown Prince's around 2,000. It all depends on Sebastian's performance," Bru assessed.
The Astra Militarum's journey continued. According to their plan, reaching the top 1,000 was enough, no need to waste extra resources and ammunition.
The 66th Floor was passed smoothly.
On the 67th Floor, the Astra Militarum employed a new tactic. Unexpectedly, the species here were terrified and fled, allowing them to clear the level with ease once again.
At the 68th Floor, Sebastian halted the advance, refusing to push further. His journey in the Tower ended here, and his ranking was finalized.
Meanwhile, other teams persisted, especially the favorites vying for the top 100, and the top contenders expected to claim the number one spot. They continued climbing floor after floor, pushing upward until they reached the 70th.
The 70th Floor marked another challenge. The Tower began to tighten its defenses, making progress increasingly difficult.
At the 71st Floor, nearly everyone fell, leaving only ten contestants standing.
By the 72nd Floor, five more had dropped out. Only these five top favorites remained.
On the 73rd Floor, even they began to falter, one by one, until they chose to withdraw. The Battle for the Star Tower had reached its conclusion.
"It's incredible, five people making it all the way to the 73rd Floor," lamented a Planetary Lord. "That's far better than our group back then."
"I doubt they've shown us their full strength," another smiled knowingly. "They probably still have some cards up their sleeves."
"There's no suspense about who will be number one this year. I'll simply pick one of these five geniuses," Bru chuckled.
"The top 10 should be a foregone conclusion too; the twin prodigies from the Elves Empire have both cleared past the 71st Floor," the Planetary Lords nodded.
Listening nearby, Svananóg felt a twinge of disappointment. His own territory's performance was surprisingly poor, beyond expectations, even. Yet even Sebastian, with his impressive record, seemed far from matching these monsters.
"Enough chatter. Let's check the final ranking list to see who makes it into the top 1,000," a voice announced from the massive square. The overall rankings appeared high above, illuminated for all to see.
Patton, Huo Kong, and others looked up. Sebastian raised his head as well, scanning the list until he finally spotted his ranking position.