The Abyssal Tower's thirteenth floor still hummed faintly, shadows twisting in corners, and the lingering pulse of Outer God energy pressing against the senses. Though the primary threats were neutralized, Kael knew the floor was far from fully purged. Hidden anomalies and residual psychic nodes could awaken at any moment.
Kael adjusted his sword on his back, eyes scanning the twisted platforms. "Phase 13 is mostly suppressed, but residual anomalies are still active. This isn't just a cleanup—it's a full-scale stabilization operation. Every skill, every summon, every ounce of concentration counts."
Amara's aura flickered softly as she extended her hands. "I can sense four major residual nodes hiding in unstable zones. The psychic echoes are strong. If we're not precise, they could regenerate and overwhelm us again."
SYSTEM ALERT
Residual Anomalies Detected – Level 13
Threat Level: Moderate to High
Environmental Hazards: Shadow Veil, Psychic Residuals, Mana Vortex, Gravity Instability, Spatial Distortion
Primary Tasks: Hidden Node Purge, Residual Energy Stabilization, Hazard Neutralization
Recommended Action: Full Multi-System Coordination, Adaptive Combat, Node Suppression, Mental Focus
Kael nodded, undead legion forming a defensive ring around the team. "Malina, Phantom Beasts sweep all quadrants. Ember and Thorne, primary suppression. Luminor, reinforce barriers dynamically. Brown, maintain containment. Vex, alchemy nodes ready for hazard neutralization. Pallas, rapid reconnaissance. Amara, psychic node support. Everyone else, adapt instantly."
The floor shifted suddenly. Gravity inverted in localized zones, and shadows stretched like living chains toward the team. Residual nodes pulsed faintly, sensing movement, eager to reconnect with any lingering corruption.
Kael's voice cut through the chaos. "Stay focused. Predictive combat is key. Don't underestimate these anomalies—they're remnants of Outer God influence and they'll exploit the smallest opening."
Malina activated Phantom Beast Sweep – Apex Evolution, evolving her beasts into superior forms capable of absorbing residual shadow energy. Titan Bond amplified their strength and senses, allowing them to locate hidden nodes in real-time.
Vex deployed Supreme Elixir Brew, stabilizing volatile mana surges and converting unstable energy into temporary buffs for the team. Ember and Thorne executed synchronized strikes on first node detected by Pallas, Radiant Cleave and Shockwave Fist obliterating shadow-infused remnants.
SYSTEM ALERT
Residual Node Neutralized – Thirteenth Floor
EXP Reward: +30,000 × Team Allocation
Skill Copy: Residual Shadow Analysis – Phase 13 Initiated
Kael moved swiftly toward the second node. Shadow Veil pulsed violently, creating phantom clones that mirrored the team's movements. Psychic intrusion targeted each ally's concentration, attempting to disrupt coordinated strikes.
Amara deployed Astral Projection Burst, splitting her consciousness and creating multiple clones to absorb psychic backlash while simultaneously attacking the node. Kael utilized Dual Mana Burst and Void Edge, striking the node's core while predicting adaptive defenses.
Brown's undead legion reinforced containment, Shadow Mages draining residual shadow essence, Death Knights assaulting phantom clones, Skeleton Warriors stabilizing unstable platforms. Malina's Titan Bond amplified the suppression wave, ensuring no residual energy could re-coalesce.
SYSTEM ALERT
Residual Node Neutralized – Thirteenth Floor
EXP Reward: +30,000 × Team Allocation
Skill Copy: Residual Shadow Stabilization – Level 1
The third node pulsated violently near a mana vortex. Gravity fluctuations intensified, causing allies to struggle with balance. Pallas executed Rapid Escape Shift, navigating the unstable zone while scanning for weak points.
Kael called out, "Amara, psychic nullification. Malina, suppress residual energy. Ember and Thorne, coordinated strike. Vex, stabilize the mana vortex. Luminor, reinforce barriers dynamically. Brown, perimeter containment."
Amara's Mana Singularity absorbed excess energy from the vortex, releasing a concentrated burst that destabilized the corrupted node. Ember's Radiant Cleave and Thorne's Shockwave Fist shattered the node completely. Malina's Phantom Beasts swept up remaining shadow fragments.
SYSTEM ALERT
Residual Node Neutralized – Thirteenth Floor
EXP Reward: +35,000 × Team Allocation
Skill Copy: Residual Shadow Stabilization – Level 2
The fourth and final node had hidden deep within a pocket of spatial distortion. Shadows twisted around it like a living barrier, psychic tendrils probing for vulnerabilities. Kael narrowed his eyes. "Final node. Maximum focus. Adaptive strikes only."
He activated Domain Domination, scanning the node's adaptive defenses while calculating attack patterns. Brown's undead and Malina's beasts surrounded the node, containing energy flux. Ember and Thorne struck simultaneously, Radiant Cleave and Shockwave Fist disrupting adaptive shielding. Amara's clones delivered coordinated psychic strikes, preventing regeneration.
Kael's Dual Mana Burst pierced the node's core. Shadows screamed and writhed as the node collapsed into harmless fragments. Luminor reinforced barriers to absorb remaining psychic surges, while Vex neutralized residual mana instability.
SYSTEM ALERT
Residual Node Neutralized – Thirteenth Floor
EXP Reward: +40,000 × Team Allocation
Skill Copy: Residual Shadow Stabilization – Level 3
Environmental Hazards Neutralized: 100%
Kael exhaled, scanning the now-stable floor. "All residual anomalies purged. Thirteenth floor fully stabilized. Shadows no longer pose a threat. Hazard suppression complete."
Amara lowered her aura, exhaustion etched on her face. "It's finally safe… at least for now. Psychic echoes dissipated, nodes neutralized. The floor won't regenerate without Outer God interference."
Pallas landed, wings folding gracefully. "Mapping complete. Hidden anomalies purged. All hazards neutralized. Floor secure."
Vex collected alchemy nodes, stabilizing minor mana fluctuations and converting them into usable energy. "Volatile mana neutralized. Floor analysis complete. No residual Outer God traces detected."
Kael checked personal stats.
PERSONAL STATS WINDOW
NAME: Kael
CLASS: Special magic swordmaster
RANK: SSS
STRENGTH: 16,450
SPEED: 14,900
EXP: 1,375,000
MANA: 290,500
HP: 100,500
TITLE: Protector of Realms
STORAGE: Full
SKILLS: Mana Blade Extension, Dual Mana Burst, Void Edge, Domain Domination, Copy, Identify, Limit Breaker, Item Sub-Space, Ultimate Supreme Integration
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
Kael's undead legion formed a perfect defensive perimeter, awaiting further commands. "Thirteenth floor secured. The Maw of Shadows is fully purged and stabilized. Any lingering anomalies have been neutralized. We can advance, but I expect even greater threats ahead."
Ember stepped forward, nodding. "This floor tested every skill, coordination, and limit we have. We survived, but the Abyssal Tower will not grow easier."
Malina recalled her beasts. "All residual threats suppressed. No hidden anomalies detected. Coordination worked flawlessly."
Kael's gaze hardened, turning toward the path leading deeper into the Abyssal Tower. "We've won this battle, but the war continues. Floors ahead will test us further, and the Outer God's influence will be even stronger. Prepare for the next level—we advance when ready. Rest, recover, and synchronize skills. Every second counts."
The Maw of Shadows lay silent behind them, its echoes faint but ever-present. Kael's team, united and battle-hardened, prepared to descend further, knowing the Abyssal Tower's trials—and the Outer God's manipulations—were far from over.