"HOW FASCINATING, YOU'RE STILL STANDING ON YOUR FEET AFTER DEFEATING MY ARMY!" The lich said.
Harry walked forward, behind him was a trail of undead creatures scattered all over the floor.
The only scratches on him were his torn clothes and a cut above his head.
"I'm done with your toys," Harry said, pointing at the pile of bones behind him. "You're next."
The lich laughed. "YOU INTRIGUED ME, HUMAN. JOIN ME AND I SHALL GRANT YOU A PEACEFUL DEATH."
Harry tightened his grip on his sword. "Sorry but I intend to clear this rank and advance."
"BEYOND THIS FLOOR ARE MONSTERS STRONGER THAN ME," the lich said gravely. "NO ONE HAS EVER MADE IT TO THE 100TH FLOOR."
Harry raised his eyebrows. "You mean, there have been others here before me?"
"YOU'RE A CANDIDATE," the lich laughed. "BUT YOU'RE WEAK. YOU WON'T MAKE IT PASSED THE 20TH FLOOR."
Harry stepped forward. "What if I prove you wrong? What if I advanced to the 100th floor?"
The lich cocked it's head. "HOW DO YOU PLAN TO DO THAT?"
Harry's eyes glinted. "Oh, you'll already be dead before then."
Harry stretched his hand at his grimorie and casted a spell. "Fire ball!"
A ball of fire shot out of Harry's hand at the lich.
The Lich nullified Harry's fire. "FOOL, YOU REALLY THINK I COULD BE DEFEATED WITH THAT?"
Harry grinned. "Look above you."
The lich glanced up. Hanging over the ceiling were balls of fire summoned above it.
"Since I obtained this grimoire, my mana level had increased . I can summon more fireballs than my limited three," Harry waved his hand down and uttered, "BURN!"
At his command the fireballs rained down on the lich.
The lich formed a barrier to protect itself against the rain of fire.
Distracted by the fire onslaught, he couldn't see Harry charging at him, hidden in the shadows.
Before he knew it, Harry appeared before him like a breeze and disarmed The lich's scepter out of it's grip.
Drawing out his sword, Harry heaved a long breath. "This is the end."
Harry then dealt the lich a series of powerful strikes with his sword.
The lich bones shattered one by one under Harry's powerful blows.
The lich skeletal face twisted in shock. "Impossible! How did you...?"
Harry grinned at his face. "I may be a mage but I've earned tons of close combating skills. You're too weak for a dungeon boss."
Fueled by the XP he had gained from his battles, Harry finished the lich with one powerful stabbing.
The stabbing shattered the lich to dust.
Suddenly, the vast courtroom transformed into a Portal.
[NOTICE....
[BOSS DEFEATED....
[SUB JOB CLASS UNLOCKED]
* * * *
The courtroom was silent except for the noises from the system.
[PICK A SUB CLASS TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT FLOOR.....
NECROMANCER
PYROMANCER
CRYOMANCER
GEOMANCER ]
Harry sat down on the floor, staring at the options displayed on the screen.
"Hold on," he snapped. "We agreed after I cleared the 5th floor, I can go home."
Another screen appeared.
[YOU ARE QUALIFIED TO BE A CANDIDATE....
YOU HAVE THE CHOICE TO DECLINE AND RETURN TO YOUR WORLD....]
Harry frowned. "If I accept to be a candidate, what does my future hold?"
[CANDIDATES WHO ADVANCE TO THE 100TH FLOOR ARE GRANTED POWERS BEYOND EXISTENCE.
WITH SUCH POWERS, YOU CAN SAVE YOUR WORLD FROM THE APOCALYPSE]
Harry stiffened. "The apocalypse? What are you talking about?"
The system displayed his options.
[ACCEPT/ DECLINED]
"It's ignoring my question," Harry gritted his teeth. "But I think I get the gist. If what this system is saying is true, then this apocalypse could mean the end of the world."
Harry hugged his knees and buried his head in between.
"If the apocalypse happens, the world would end. If I decline and return home, I won't be strong enough to protect my mother."
Silence.
Harry sighed, staring at his hand. "In the real world, I'm just a weakling struggling to make a living. But here, I can be so much more. I can become strong and powerful. I could save earth from the apocalypse."
Having made up his mind, Harry stood up and announced, "I accept."
[CONGRATULATIONS....
YOU ARE NOW A CANDIDATE...
PLEASE CHOOSE A SUB CLASS....]
Harry took his time to think.
A necromancer is the last thing he wanted to be.
A pyromancer is cool and all but he'll be limited to only one ability.
"I'm done with being stuck with one ability," Harry thought out loud. "If I'm going to face creatures more powerful than that lich, I'd need to gain more close combat skills. Long range magic wouldn't be helpful. I'll need support."
Without wasting time, Harry announced. "I want to see more options."
The system displayed two other options:
[SUMMONER
HEALER]
Harry stretched out his hand and declared. "I choose SUMMONER."
* * * *
[CONGRATULATIONS....
YOU HAVE GAINED A SUBCLASS....
SPIRIT SUMMONER]
Harry went through his notification settings and saw he had gained some new skills.
[BOSS SUMMONER: You have gained the ability to summon bosses you defeated]
"Really?" Harry glanced at the lich he had defeated. "I can really summon the boss of each floor I defeat to aid me in battle?"
[DO YOU WISH TO SUMMON THE LICH OF THE 1ST FLOOR?
YES/NO....]
Harry stretched out his hand. "Yes, summon it."
Suddenly, the bones and dusts of all the undead creatures Harry defeated started rattling.
They began to draw and assemble together, forming a new figure.
Then the lich emerged, it's skeletal frame giving off a dark aura of death.
[SUMMONING COMPLETE....
NAME YOUR SUMMONED SPIRIT...]
Harry approached the lich and tapped it's shoulder. "It's going to be just you and I buddy. I think I'll just call you, NECRO."
Necro went down on his hands and knees and bowed.
Harry turned to the portal leading to the next floor.
"Inorder to save earth from the apocalypse, I must clear 100 floors in this tower and become extremely powerful. If I don't, earth is doomed. For my mother's sake, I'll fight."
Gripping his sword tighter, Harry waved Necro over. "Come with me, Necro. Our adventure awaits."
Necro vanished into Harry's grimorie.
Harry took a deep breath and entered the portal.
* * * *
The 6th floor was a jungle.
Harry hadn't expected this. "A jungle? The 6th floor is a jungle?"
Suddenly, he sensed hostility picking up from the trees.
Harry tilted his head just in time as a sharp spear grazed his cheeks, missing his head by an inch.
Harry glanced up sharply at the trees and was stunned to see ape creatures bearing arrows and spears.
They hung from the trees, their eyes glinting red with bloodlust.