As the glow of leveling up enveloped Owen's body, he felt as if he were wrapped in sunlight, filling him with a profound sense of comfort.
The surrounding elements were drawn to him, quickly converging into a gentle stream that flowed through his limbs and bones, strengthening his physique.
His already resilient body, enhanced by training with Obsidify, now had an almost crystalline, translucent quality as impurities were expelled. At the same time, his mental power surged like a tide, growing rapidly.
If his mind power had previously been ethereal and formless, it now felt like a delicate, transparent veil. Although still somewhat intangible, it was now visible! With this qualitative change in mind power, Owen's perception of his surroundings sharpened, and his affinity for the mana in the air increased.
So, this is silver-tier level 1? Indeed, it's several times stronger than bronze-tier level 9! At this tier, he had finally entered the realm where most of his peer prodigies resided.
Feeling the abundant energy and mana within him, Owen realized that if he faced Madelyn again, he wouldn't need to rely on footwork, technique, or prior knowledge of her to win by surprise. He could now confront her head-on and achieve victory through sheer strength!
He then glanced at Starlit, his passive skill, noting that its experience bar was already halfway full. It wouldn't be long before it reached level 2. Once this passive skill leveled up, his combat power would increase even further!
Benedict and the others around Owen noticed the glow of leveling up emanating from him.
"He broke through in less than half an hour. This speed is unbelievably fast!" Their faces were filled with amazement.
However, remembering how many zombies Owen had killed along the way, they felt a mix of relief and admiration. Such a breakthrough speed would be incredibly shocking for anyone else, but for Owen, it seemed almost trivial.
Having followed Owen on his journey, they had witnessed many miracles and countless incredible feats. It seemed nothing was impossible for him.
"The gap between bronze-tier level 9 and silver-tier level 1 is enormous. Master Owen's current strength must be even more unfathomable..."
Benedict observed Owen, who was gradually recovering from his leveling-up state. A trace of apprehension flickered in his eyes as he sensed a hint of danger from Owen—something he hadn't felt before!
Previously, although Owen's combat power was impressive, his tier was too low. Benedict, being a gold-tier mage, perceived a vast gap between them. However, Owen's breakthrough had narrowed that gap, and even facing Owen, Benedict no longer felt confident in his absolute victory despite being a gold-tier level 5 mage.
"Let's go, move forward!" After stabilizing his newly elevated tier, Owen smiled at Benedict and the others and continued deeper along the narrow passageway.
Although he had completed his task of leveling up, he still needed to obtain the Order of Thunder's [Order]. To get this [Order], he needed to enter the second floor of Pharaoh's Tower and defeat the boss guarding it.
As he arrived here, Owen faintly felt the elements within him boiling. He was one step closer to the Order of Thunder! Benedict and the others exchanged glances and quickly followed. Although the first floor of Pharaoh's Tower was more perilous, Owen seemed significantly more confident after his breakthrough.
Tap, tap, tap—
The passageway was dim and silent, the only sound being their footsteps on the yellow brick floor. Their progress didn't last long before Owen, leading the way, suddenly squinted his eyes. Ahead, the path opened up, revealing a dim blue light that made him slightly uncomfortable.
He found himself gazing at a lavishly decorated, spacious palace that had few furnishings.
The murals on the four walls depicted bloody and cruel methods of mummy creation, etched into the red sand.
Wandering amid these murals were specters, moving like mindless zombies. They looked gruesome; some were missing limbs, others were twisted together, with heads biting each other, and some were human-animal hybrids emitting strange hisses. It felt like stepping into a living hell.
Benedict and the others observed this scene, their expressions growing serious. Compared to the zombies outside the pyramid, these specters were all bronze-tier level 8 or higher, with many being silver-tier.
They roamed every corner of the wide hall, exuding a terrifying aura that caused slight distortions in one's mind power.
Owen squinted, feeling the restless mana surging within him. The Judgment Light Sword reformed in his hands. With his mana significantly increased, the Judgment Light Sword had grown nearly twice its previous size, shining brighter, as if each blade were a piece of pure white moonstone, exuding a more sacred aura.
Owen waved his hand, sending the light swords shooting toward the stronger specters with a whoosh! As he made his move, the specters sensed his presence and immediately howled, rushing toward him.
Their semi-floating bodies stirred up cold, chilling winds within the hall. However, as soon as the specters approached, they were effortlessly pierced by the light swords, turning into black smoke and dissipating.
Though these ghosts were higher-level and stronger, capable of affecting a mage's mind power, Owen's strength had undergone a dramatic transformation. He dealt with them swiftly, finding it even easier than handling the mummies earlier, progressing step by step toward the second floor with the ease of a stroll.
Benedict and the others watched in shock as the specters wailed and turned to ash; their expressions were stupefied. It felt as if they were being carried through the dungeon by a powerful player, with nothing to do but follow.
With Owen clearing the way, no specter could pose a threat to them. Initially, they had planned to take over when Owen grew tired. However, as they progressed, Owen showed no signs of fatigue; rather, he appeared increasingly exhilarated.
As they neared the entrance to the second floor, they found themselves surrounded by silver-tier specters. At this level, eliminating them was no easy task, and Benedict and the others grew serious. Owen noticed this too.
The specters exhibited a strong aversion to the holy power contained within the Judgment Light Sword. As the sword flew past, it only left scratches on the specters, making them even more frenzied. Their blood-red eyes gleamed with madness and killing intent.
Dark flames leapt from their bodies, creating heat waves that distorted the air and minds, making it feel as if they had entered a wailing hell, disconnected from their surroundings. Most of the Wolf Guard surrounding Owen were affected, their eyes glazed over, appearing drowsy.
Benedict, being a gold-tier mage with remarkable mind power, remained unaffected. However, seeing many Wolf Guards nearly turned into mindless puppets by the fluctuating influence made him anxious.
At that moment, Owen felt a stir in his heart, and a smile appeared on his lips. Finally, after vanquishing numerous specters, Starlit had leveled up to level 2!
Owen formed a sword with his fingers and pointed toward the void in front of him. Instantly, numerous Judgment Light Swords flew out densely, connecting end to end to form a gigantic light sword. With Starlit's enhancement, the Judgment Light Sword's attack speed increased, and its power became even more terrifying.
Whoosh! The giant light sword shot out, instantly dispersing the incoming invisible waves. The entire hall seemed enveloped in light, a blinding white expanse. Benedict squinted, finding the sword's brilliance too dazzling to look at directly. The other Wolf Guards, affected by the specters, awakened at that moment to see a world bathed in brilliant white.
The blue specters evaporated almost instantly under the radiance of the light. The white light persisted for several breaths before dissipating. As the light faded, Benedict and the others were shocked to discover that all the ghosts in the hall had been wiped out!
They then saw Owen stepping steadily toward the second floor of Pharaoh's Tower. The Order of Thunder was now within reach!