The next day, Han and Lily went together to the twelfth floor to pass the test they would be taking there. The twelfth floor is the coldest one out of the beginning floors. It is a land of ice and snow and if Han didnât know that this was no longer earth he wouldâve said it looked a lot like city A. He and Lily appeared at the portal of the twelfth floor and they saw that there were some other people here as well. They were moving around with thick coats and furlined jackets and Han realised that they were probably here to take the test as well
There werenât any settlements onj this floor and the only thing that looked like a settlement was a large ice castle in the distance that Han could tell had been there for a long time. He saw all the people on that floor moving towards a certain point in the distance. There was a sort of cliff where everyone was climbing down to get to a group on the lower floor.
Han went to look down as well with Lily walking beside him. Han was happy that Lily wasnât feeling as cold as most of the others since her powers were mainly based on ice skills. She seemed more at home here than she usually does on the other floors.
Han was wearing a black shirt and trousers and Lily was wearing a white version of the same outfit. Han looked down from the cliff and saw that the groups were all congregating down there to meet another group arriving from the distance. This new group didnât look human at all!
They had blue skin and rode polar bears like they were horses. The woman in front of the whole group rode a chariot pulled by two polar bears and she looked like royalty when compared to all the other blueskins. One of the men going down spoke to Han and Lily.
âYou two better go down too. The task is about to start and I donât think that woman is very patient,â
Han rose a brow but he didnât bother moving from his perch on top of the cliff. He just watched the blueskins come to a stop in front of the group of chosen and the woman in front eyed everybody with an impassive look. She really was the leader of the blueskins that took this floor as their home and she was not pleased with how weak this batch of chosen looked. would they even be able to do the task properly?
âWelcome to our home. We are known as the Echo. You are here to get through to the next floor and for that to happen you must first pass the task we will be giving you. Beyond these snowy hills, over that mountain in the distance is a race of monsters that have been a bane to our people for years. To pass, you must kill a minimum of ten of these monsters and bring their heads to us. The more you kill, the more rewards you will get and the person with the most kills will surely have a special reward all for themself,â
Han hummed as he finally understood. So this woman and her people lived on this floor and these monsters are probably their natural predators or something along that line. But it was irritating how the woman spoke. Like it was the job of the chosen to die instead of her own people.
The portal is probably in that castle up there and there will surely be a lot of traps around it to prevent people from trying to run away without completing the task. Han looked away from it after a while as the queenâs voice reached him.
âWill you stay up there like an idiot? The monsters will not spare you if you are not obedient. There is an array here that can prevent the monsters from getting to us, but that cliff does not have any protection,â
Just as she finished saying this, Han immediately heard growls and howls coming down from the large snowy mountain behind him. From the sounds vibrating under his feet, Han could tell that the monsters coming were in the hundreds and each of them was larger than any of the polar bears down there.
Lily looked at Han and wondered if he wouldnât obey and go down. She would agree with anything he tells her to do, but she would be happier if he was safe!
Han looked at Lily and he could see the silent plea in his voice. Ah, you really donât know what I came here to do, do you?
Under the watchful eyes of the entire floor, something shocking suddenly happened. Just as Lily was about to ask Han to go down to the ground Han stretched out his leg and kicked her down!
Lilyâs face was so shocked! She could see Han moving away from her in slow motion as she fell and she stretched her hand out towards him! What was going on? Did Han just⦠Push me? Han? Why?
Lily grunted as she fell to the snowy ground and rolled to a stop near the other chosen that were also supposed to be taking the test on this floor. She breathed heavily and forced herself to her feet before looking up at Han just like everyone else.
âH-Han!!! Han, what is going on?â
Even from this distance, Lily would still say that Hanâs stare was colder than all the snow in this place! Han put both hands in his pocket and stared down at all of them.
âYouâve been with me for a long time, Lily. And Iâm all this time I can say that Iâve never asked you for anything at all. So for this one time Iâm going to ask you for something, if you fail then I will know you truly donât wish to stand beside me,â Hans stared her down and Lily felt chills run down her spine, âDefeat me and win this task,â
Hanâs system activated and a great amount of heat suddenly washed over the entire region! Lily stumbled back and quickly began to shout to everyone around!
âD-Defend. Defend now! Anything you have! Everything you have! Throw it up and form a defense right now!!!!â
The chosen were almost too slow to answer her. Even the queen that was speaking before was now too shocked to follow orders, but then they saw a great shadow form on top of all of them and they looked up in shock.
âM-My god help meâ
âWhat is that? A meteor? No⦠Itâs a fucking asteroid,â
[Roaring Meteorites] has been activated at 25%
The amount of despair that the people felt was absolutely nerve-wracking! They were seeing something that they have never seen before in their lives! A burning meteor that was larger than an entire building was coming down on them!
âI said defend now!!!!â
Lily quickly rose her hand in the air and ten columns of ice flew up to try stopping the momentum of the meteor! This seemed to snap the people out of their trance and all of them suddenly started throwing up defensive skills as well. Even the queen rose her staff and formed an ice array above them. The meteor slammed into the multiple defensive skills and all of them grunted as they felt it almost take them to their knees.
Lily was crying as she tried her hardest to keep the ice columns she created stable. Why was Han doing this? Did she do something wrong? He wouldnât just attack her without any reason! I donât understand!!
It took a few minutes, but they finally managed to stop the meteor and most of them sighed in relief. Lily looked up at Han, hoping to see a pleased expression on his face, but instead, all she saw was that same cold look. She screamed out again at all the chosen and they were shocked!
âN-Not yet. Itâs not over yet! Double the defence! Double it! Heâs not yet finished!â
Shock passed through the hearts of everyone there! What kind of person can bring this kind of skill again!? The queen spoke up quickly!
âEven if he can do it again, it wonât be enough to break through the defense. Making one more of these meteors will tire him out and then we can attack when his stamina is depleted!â
Lily turned towards her and the queen felt her entire body seize up at the absolute fear she saw in those eyes.
âYou donât know who youâre talking about, do you. I said double this defense you fucking Smurf!!â
[Roaring Meteorites] has been activated at 50%
Another shadow suddenly fell upon the group and what made everyone pause was that the shadow was big enough to be seen from under the meteor they already stopped! This one was twice the size of the former one!
One of the men there fell to his knees while looking up in absolute despair. What kind of floor is this? They never said the twelfth floor was so difficult!
Slap!
Lily slapped the man and grabbed him by the shirt!
âGet up and make a defense now! If Han leaves me Iâll kill you! Iâll kill all of you! Now make that defense and block that meteorite! Thereâs nowhere to run if you donât!â