Nicholas thought, 'What am I going to do now? Am I going to give up? No! I cannot simply let this go. I need to find a way to assert my dominance once again. He might have won this battle, but the war is far from over.'
Nicholas was a man who always got his way and didn't give up easily. Even with the setback, he maintained his confidence and believed that he could reverse the situation and reclaim his position of authority.
Keldor perceived it all, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he saw right through him.
"Nicholas doesn't strike me as someone with good intentions. On top of that, he has been causing problems for our Crown Prince for quite a while now. What do you think, should I take care of him? Evan might not be able to handle him on his own. It wouldn't be fair to pit them against each other," Keldor murmured to Eldrid.
Nicholas was said to be at the peak of the Soul Embodiment Realm. Evan, who was only a Soul Manipulator was really not his match.
"Let it be," Eldrid replied.
"Why let the problem fester when you can nip it in the bud?" Keldor raised an eyebrow and inquired.
"He is the only brother I have left," Eldrid said.
"Nicholas is your brother, but he is also a danger to the stability of our clan. If we leave him unchecked, he will only create more chaos and obstruct our growth." Keldor cautioned him.
"I understand," Eldrid sighed. "But I cannot just abandon him. Despite our differences, we are still family."
Keldor shook his head. "Sometimes, the common good must come before personal attachments. I hope you won't regret this decision later on."
Eldrid lapsed into silence, acknowledging the truth in Keldor's words. He couldn't afford to let his emotions obscure his judgement, especially when the fate of their clan hung in the balance. He had to devise a plan to handle Nicholas, but the idea of causing harm to his own kin made him hesitant. Moreover, Nicholas was the one who had assisted him the most in his rise to power, and thus they shared a very strong bond. Eldrid couldn't bear to harm him as he felt a deep fondness for his youngest brother, who lacked any exceptional aptitude for soul cultivation but had still managed to ascend to the position of Frostweaver household head with Eldrid's support.
....
Meanwhile, Evan, who was still in the arena towering over the broken clone of Founder Dylan, received a surprising notification from his system.
It read: [Ding! Congratulations, Player Evan. Because you have defeated the clones of the founders of the Imperial Frost Clan, you have completed a hidden mission!]
[As a result, you have gained 1× EXP Bundle]
Evan felt a rush of excitement upon receiving the EXP Bundle as a reward for completing a hidden mission he never knew existed. The EXP Bundle was a coveted item in the game, known for its ability to bestow players with thousands of EXP points upon being opened. Though not a game-changer in and of itself, it was a valuable addition to any player's inventory, offering a substantial boost to their EXP Bar without tipping the scales too heavily in their favor.
The following moment, through the portal that had materialized in the midst of the arena, Evan returned to the backroom, wasting no time in urging the manager to generate a portal to the tenth floor.
"Manager, delay no longer. Generate the portal to the tenth floor," Evan insisted.
"Your wish is my command, dear climber."
Without hesitation, Victor, the manager, promptly conjured a portal, and Evan stepped through it, teleporting to the tenth floor in an instant.
As soon as he arrived, Evan found himself hurtling through the air, and he let out a yelp of surprise. However, he quickly regained his composure, realizing that he needed to act quickly to prevent himself from sustaining injuries or worse. Just before he was about to crash into the ground, he deftly employed the Phantom Shadow Step Technique, sinking into the shadows and saving himself from certain doom.
After a moment, he emerged from the shadows, looking around to get his bearings.
Evan found himself in a spacious clearing, enclosed by towering trees that formed a natural boundary. The yellow sun was shining brightly in the sky, unobstructed by clouds, casting a warm glow over the surroundings. However, the sense of peace was quickly shattered by the sight of semi-transparent walls, hemming him in as if to trap him with the monster that was already present in the clearing.
The monster looked like a demon from hell.
'Let's inspect it and see what it is,' Evan thought.
However, all too suddenly, the voice of the Monster Tower's tenth floor manager resounded in his ears, jolting him back to reality. fre(e)webnov(l).comfreewebnov el.com
"You are in an area where teleportation devices are disabled. To escape this area, you must complete the first challenge of the tenth floor of the Monster Tower!" the manager's voice commanded.
"What is it?"
Evan's heart raced as he listened to the next instructions uttered by the mysterious manager.
"Challenge 1: Defeat the Horned Fire Demon," the manager announced to Evan, leaving the latter with a sense of dread and excitement, knowing that he had to face a formidable foe to escape.
Across from him in the clearing stood a colossal humanoid demon, its body easily towering over nine feet tall. It had a fearsome presence, with its skin mottled with warts and its eyes glowing with an insatiable hunger. Two sharp, curved horns protruded from its forehead, while its skin appeared to be cracking, revealing a searing fire coursing through its body.
Evan's senses were immediately assaulted by the intense heat and the pungent odor of sulfur radiating from the demon. As a result, It immediately became evident to him that the creature hailed from the fiery depths of the second layer of the hell realm, known for harboring some of the most formidable monsters in existence, with strength levels ranging from 10 to 20.
Judging by the demon's massive size and imposing form, Evan surmised that it was likely at least an impressive level 18 demon!
The demon turned to face him and grinned menacingly, revealing sharp, pointed teeth.
"Human... I will use you as an ingredient for my dinner tonight!" the demon snarled, its voice reverberating throughout the clearing.
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