[Max's POV]
After filling my stomach with puff pastry from the Silver Spire chef, I resumed my journey. This time, however, I kept a more hands-on approach in my fights, and Lamina was enjoying this more than me.
I still used elemental attacks on mob monsters and swords on mid bosses. After easily dispatching a mid-boss of a different zone, I flew off.
It had been more than a week since I started climbing, so I decided to go through all the things that happened after I started my climb. I sat high in the air using space as a chair while my orbs did the work.
However, suddenly something clicked in my mind, and I asked, holding the sheathed Lamina, "You have the ability to change to any weapon I desire, don't you?"
Lamina hummed in agreement and puzzlement.
I threw my head back and laughed a little and spoke, "I really have been taking everything for granted and not caring about things. I was not using Lamina at its full potential and just cleared 15 floors with hands in pocket, huh."
"Then there's Wolfie's evolved version egg too. I have been just delegating all this to another day." I sighed at myself.
I really had become too lazy despite having infinite stamina.
I stood up from my invisible chair and announced to no one in particular, "It's settled then; after this tournament ends, first I will enhance the talent of Fiona, then have a talk with Revanya and decide what to do with Wolfie. After that we will move forward."
"Maybe I could gift Wolfie to Revanya. It could be her beast companion," I muttered while racing towards the next zone for mid-boss fights.
I had fought all mid-bosses and bosses of this realm except the mid-boss of the Sky Fury Nexus zone. So I sped up to quickly find the mid-boss before someone fights it.
In a few minutes, I came across the 5th Zone mid-boss, Seraph Matron. If Voltara was a dreaded beauty, then she is equally opposite of her, well, except for the killing part.
"Why are all intelligent-looking monsters only female until now, system?" I asked out loud.
Obviously there was no reply; I reached in close proximity to her.
She had the body of an angel. According to my previous memories, her body seemed to be bathed in lightning, but the lightning was her body itself.
She had armor, a visor to cover the face, and wings made of electricity, which was mesmerizing to look at if not for the fact that she wants to attack you with it.
The system panel appeared with information.
[Mid-Boss — Seraph Matron]
[Rank — B+]
[Skills — Bolt Lance, Heavily Spear, Skybrand Judgement, Ascendant Road]
Her wings fluttered as she arrived in front of me; she stumbled a bit and then hit our world. She raised her sword to bring it down in a downward arc.
I had already changed Lamina into a spear shaft with unparalleled darkness."
I blocked her attack with my newly made spear. She pushed herself back.
She raised her sword towards me, and I blocked her with the shaft dismissively.
She raised her hand, and multiple across-bolt lances appeared before me and attacked me with full force.
This time, instead of weaving myself out of this attack, I swung my spear in a circular manner and formed a rotating, impenetrable shield.
She doubled her wings, greatly increasing her speed and attack size.
She rained down one skill after another, but I avoided all the attacks with only a spear and no active traits.
Seeing me unharmed, she started attacking my elemental orbs.
I moved orbs in different directions, creating distractions.
I fought with her, my spear colliding against her sword.
The armor she was wearing was metallic, which increased the defensive capabilities, so she tanked most of the attack.
She was pure electricity elemental, so it didn't take long for her to recover; her recovery was what intrigued me the most.
Our clash continued for 2-3 minutes; she was strong and intelligent but not strong enough to cause any damage to me.
As we neared the end of our fight, I increased the intensity of my attacks until she couldn't keep up, and her elemental body disintegrated into small crackles as my sword went from her shoulder to cut her body in two halves.
As I finished up the mid-boss, the storm started to stir again, a sign of the Realm Boss appearing.
This time it was Azerion, the Titan, again, but having fought against Voltara, this fight felt like child's play.
This time the battle didn't get long, and it ended even before other players could gather to attack together. A few tried to throw their attacks in between fights, but I didn't cause much damage to him.
12 hours passed like this, and there are 12 more hours to go. I continued the same routine of flying, killing monsters, mid-bosses, and then Realm bosses.
I took out snacks between mid-boss fights; otherwise, I only kept killing. I noticed many players resting alternately and making food for themselves.
I improved with every fight; the 2 other fights with Voltara, although not that thrilling, helped me develop my perception even without OGS.
After 12 more of the same repetitive actions of fly, kill, snacks, and repeat. The much-awaited system notification appeared.
[Phase 3 of the Rising Star Tournament ends now]
[Tournament-wide Final Scoreboard:]
1. Max 'The LimitBreaker' – 21 million points
2. Andreas Gigas – 6.5 million points
3. Rheya Dawnbringer – 6.2 million points
4. Talia Moonshade – 5.8 million points
5. Lyanolith Willowshade – 5.3 million points
6. Valdros Bloodlune – 5.1 million points
7. Kavira Sol'Tresh – 5 million points
8. Arden Kallus – 4.9 million points
9. Fiona Everhart – 4.8 million points
10. Rylan Keldra – 4.6 million points
...
...
[The top 50 thousand players from the Final Scoreboard ranking will be transported to their area of Phase 4]
[Initiating transportation...]
[3rd Person POV]
A lamp-lit room filled with smoke from a cigar made from elven tree leaves; the atmosphere was tense, as one could almost hear the breathing of three people in the room.
One man was sitting on the sofa, while the other 2 were kneeling on the ground, not even daring to look up.
The man sitting on the sofa, with an elven cigar in his hand, spoke in a coarse and harsh tone, "So you two are so worthless that you couldn't even make a girl give up her blade, huh...what good are you morons then? Tell me why I keep you guys around." He shouted in the end.
One of the lackeys slowly raises his head to respond, "Boss Kallus, we have given money and this task to multiple players going up. We were certain they would get the job done, but..." He hesitated to continue further.
Boss Kallus shouted, "But...what? Speak up; I don't have much time to waste with you guys."
"Yes, Boss, you see, we were able to get her alone, defeated, and scared, but someone came to rescue her. We don't know who he is, but those who faced him said he was very powerful." One of the lackeys answered.
"And there is more, Boss, even before they could say your name. He introduced himself as Max 'The Limit Breaker," the second one added.
"You mean the one about whom there was notification?" "Boss Kallus asked.
"Yes, that's what we gathered." The first one nodded and replied.
"Boss, the tournament is happening now, and finals will be telecasted live. We can see who he is and how strong he is," the second one suggested.
"Hmm...good idea. Max, huh...you may have become a Mythforger, but it will still take a long time for you to reach my level. You will know soon enough it's not a good idea to interfere in the business of Felix Kallus." He spoke and laughed at the end.
He stood up from his sofa and looked at the two kneeling. "Good work. I am going to a border town in the elf kingdom. I will probably see the finals there and see for myself just who this Max is." He said as he exited the room.