Even from here, Erwin could see that black aura whenever Pattern Reading was active, and that always added to the reason why he was forced to deactivate it shortly after activation.And then, there were these three figures coming at him and Fernando. They were approaching the duo at a fast pace, but it didn't seem quite the same as rushing.That was what made them more dangerous than the others.Freek had attacked like a flanker who believed pressure alone would do the job, but these three didn't have that problem Erwin would have used to his benefit.They were coming as if already knowing they were stronger than the people in front of them.Erwin stayed low behind the leaning slab on the left side of the broken crescent stone. Fernando took the right side with both short swords still in hand and those amber eyes fixed on the slope.Just after getting to a reasonably close range, they reduced their pace and eventually stopped. Now, Erwin could finally get a proper glimpse of them.The

Erwin's eyes widened as he came to realization the absolute fact of the momen. 'I've been using it wrong.''I've been using my gravity wrong.''Gravity is supposed to grant me way more tricks than what I can do. If I use it properly, it could grant me the ability to fly, or lift objects, or use incredible offensive force like Terrax.''It may consume a load of essence energy, but if I use it properly, I could get its worth.'ROOOOAAAARRR!Erwin felt the golden wave coming at him, traveling across through the roaring sound from Brokk. Turns out the damn creature had decided to give Fernando a breathing space now and come at Erwin instead of Veyr and Sarvek.However, though, the thunderous sound felt muffled in Erwin's ears. He was starting to build up something from the inside...Even the air and aura around him was changing.[Warning: Gravity Output Exceeding Current Safe Threshold][Warning: Muscular Strain Detected][Warning: Fearless Fool Title Reacting]The notification flashed an

The craziest part was how quickly desperation made cooperation feel natural. Less than five minutes ago they had been trying to murder each other over node control. Now Brokk was protecting Fernando's blind side while Veyr circled high and swooped in every time Kaladian's attention shifted. Brokk went first, because Brokk only had one answer to problems, and fortunately it was a pretty decent answer when the answer worked. ROOOOOOAAAAARRR!!! The Golden Wave hammered into the slowed black flame, overpowering it before it could reach anyone. At the same time, Veyr swooped low and chanted. *Halt Curse: Invincible Binding!* Kaladian's next forward step was interrupted again. Erwin appeared beside Kaladian with hands stretched out and eyes glowing bright. [Destructive Gravity Beam!] An invisible blast ripped across the slope. Unlike the last time he had used it, this one was wider and overall denser because the impact it caused was pretty much devastating. BOOOOM!!!

A few hours literally flashed by, and then he was teleported. He landed inside a stone square so small that his face twitched.It was only twenty feet by twenty feet wide, with one door and a low ceiling.And directly across from him—Kitsura.She hit the floor on one knee, looked up, saw him, and closed her eyes once like a woman accepting the worst fate. "Of course it's you."Erwin rubbed the back of his head with a forced grin. "Am I that bad?""No." She rose. "Just irritating."Before he could answer, the regular voice filled the chamber and, no doubt, every other chamber in the ring.*"You are now on Floor Twenty-Two: The Exchange."**"You must survive your chamber and neutralize the assigned threat."**"Participants are paired randomly."**"One participant death equals team disqualification."**"Chambers will unseal when the chamber threat is neutralized."*"*"May the cosmos favour the worthy."*The voice vanished, and moments later, the far wall moved—more audibly than visibly—

The notifications did not stop.They kept coming. Stacking up and stacking up.They kept filling his vision until the entire chamber was a blur behind blue-edged rectangles and neat lines of private information only he could see.[Congratulations][You have killed a grade 4 beast: Lightless Crawler ×1][Reward: 100 Essence Energy][Beast crystal has been teleported to your Space][Congratulations][You have killed a grade 5 beast: Rustspore Beetle ×1][Reward: 10 Essence Energy][Beast crystal has been teleported to your Space][Congratulations][You have killed a grade 5 beast: Rustspore Beetle ×1][Reward: 10 Essence Energy][Beast crystal has been teleported to your Space]And on.And on.And on.It became ridiculous so quickly that Erwin stopped reading until it got to the last one.[Kill notifications condensed][Additional beast kills registered][Total Rustspore Beetle kills credited: 14][Total Lightless Crawler kills credited: 1][Total beast crystals transferred to Space: 15