Utopian System

And then, as if deliberately wanting to provoke her anger more, he added: "And I would prefer to face it alone."

♢♢♢♢

Elio silenced her in the only way that occurred to him: leaning forward, he pressed his lips against hers.

The shock was immediate and total.

The electricity vanished instantly while Zara remained completely still.

Around them, their companions suddenly found the tunnel walls fascinating, turning to give some privacy to the moment.

All except Lila, whose eyes remained fixed on the scene, a complex mixture of emotions crossing her face.

Time seemed to stop in that instant, the world reducing to that single point of contact where unresolved tension finally found its expression.

Zara\'s eyes slowly closed, tension leaving her body as the kiss continued.

♢♢♢♢

When Elio finally pulled away, he did so with a gentleness that contrasted with the violence of moments before.

"I don\'t want to lose you," he whispered, his voice barely audible even to her. "After Micah... thinking about losing you too..."

His words were soft but loaded with emotion.

"They weren\'t just excuses to take revenge alone. I was afraid. Afraid that my weakness would cost another life so important to me, of having to live without you."

Elio\'s hand found Zara\'s cheek, wiping away a lost tear. "Yes, I want to face it alone. But I know you won\'t allow me to." A small sad smile formed on his lips. "So at least I need you all to promise me something."

Their eyes met, the intensity of his gaze underlining the importance of his next words. "If you\'re going to fight against an artromus, you have to be at the level. You can\'t... I can\'t lose anyone else..."

"You need to hear everything I learned," he continued, his voice adopting a more urgent tone. "About the frenzy, about the metamorphosis. The statistics I discovered, the tactics that work and those that don\'t."

His hand closed gently around hers. "And more important than anything, when I ask you to retreat to the crystal or into your books, you have to do it. Without hesitation, without questioning. Do you promise me that at least?"

The last question hung between them, charged with all the weight of his concern and his need to protect those he loved.

♢♢♢♢

After several hours of preparation, they stood before the crystal. Fortunately, the wind emblems counted for transportation.

"1/10, at least 2 challengers must touch the crystal. Upon doing so, they will have 10 seconds for other challengers to join as well. At the end of the countdown, all emblem bearers in contact with the crystal will be transported."

The Goddess\'s warning shone before them, as ominous as the first time, but now they were different.

King Locus of Lesser Earth

Skills:

Jump

Frenzy

Lesser Earth

Mana: 100/100

Resistance: 10,000/10,000

Stamina: 100/100

Attack: 100

Magic Damage: 25

Strength: 100

Defense: 100

Magic Defense: 100

Speed: 10

Perception / Agility: 2 (A)

"You can withdraw from the challenge by touching the crystal behind you.

If anyone withdraws...

This challenge will reset in that case and you will have obtained the rewards and information about the final boss. That way you can prepare and level up if the challengers don\'t feel ready.

But the challenge will be locked for 100 years as a penalty if you choose to retreat.

Sometimes it is wise to make a strategic retreat. Signed: Goddess Nala"

It wasn\'t like the first time when they had entered ready to die.

The last twelve hours had been intense.

While Elio and Zara absorbed massive quantities of cores from the sea adjacent to the cleared deposit, the others pushed themselves beyond their limits to reach level 9 by entering the next book\'s challenge.

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Ten warriors stood before the crystal. Elio, level 10, with the power of his new winged salamander and the knowledge hardly won against the first artromus.

Beside him Zara, level 9, her presence both support and warning not to try anything stupid again.

Kriz, Brok, Lila, Mei, Aria, Valeria, and Taron, all level 9, each having pushed their limits in the ninth book challenge in the last hours to be ready.

And Arnaud, whose transformation was perhaps the most surprising. Brok\'s words and Elio\'s courage had ignited something in him, pushing him beyond level 7, the first to reach level 8 alone from Milo\'s group.

With this opportunity, he joined the campaign entering the book with the others and reached level 9 for this mission.

But they weren\'t the only ones preparing for the worst. In the tunnels, Milo\'s group and many other builders were also ascending in level.

The information Elio had shared about the Artromus\'s true capabilities had made one thing clear: if this group failed, others would have to be ready to take their place.

The city\'s fate might depend on it.

Time hadn\'t been enough to equip them with everything Elio desired, level 9 summons remained out of reach for most, but at least everyone carried level 8 familiars, with Elio and Zara carrying the most powerful level 9 ones.

Elio observed his companions, pride and concern on his face. He would have preferred to see them all at level 10, each with their own unique combination of summons. But the 24 hours limit was inflexible, and this would have to be enough.

It wasn\'t the ideal situation Elio had imagined, but there was one consolation: when the time came to face the Artromus, his companions could take refuge in their books. At least he could give them that protection.

"Ready?" he asked Zara, who had flatly refused to let him face this without her.

It wasn\'t just about keeping him watched, though that was definitely part of the reason. The requirement of two people minimum for the crystal made it impossible for Elio to try something heroically stupid on his own again.

Their fingers brushed briefly while they studied the warning about the King Locus of Lesser Earth.

Elio stepped forward, his hand extended toward the crystal. The moment of truth had arrived.

"Ready?"

Nine determined nods answered him.

The crystal glowed, and the world vanished around them.