Chương 68: The Final Slam

Recap: The Void Lord is at 125 HP. Kara is distracting it. You have 10/32 SP. Slam Cooldown is ready. You voted to SLAM THE BACK (CRITICAL). This was it. The all-in. The gamble. I had 10 Stamina points. Exactly enough for one Slam under Gravity Crush conditions. If I missed, if I glanced, if it survived… I was a wooden brick on a smooth floor. I couldn't run. I couldn't bite. I couldn't even close my lid quickly. But Kara's light beam was holding the Boss's attention. Its back was exposed.

The crack in its chest from the Combo Slam was still bleeding void energy. Full weight, I thought. Full gravity. I engaged my base muscles. They screamed under the 10x pressure. I didn't slide. I launched. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Skill Used: Slam Attack Cost: 10 Stamina Current SP: 0/32 (DEPLETED) Modifier: Gravity Crush (Weight +900%) Modifier: Backstab (Critical Chance +50%) Target: Void Lord (Level 8) I became a meteor. The air didn't scream this time; there was no air left to scream. Just the rush of displacement.

The Boss sensed me. Too late. It began to turn. Too slow. I hit the crack in its chest. I didn't bounce. I embedded. My iron bands drove into the void flesh. My Core Resonance flared one last time, syncing my density with its collapsing form. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Damage Calculation: Slam (Str 7) + Gravity + Crit Base Damage: 15 HP Gravity Bonus: +200% Critical Hit (Backstab): x3 Resonance Bonus: +10% Total Damage: 150 HP Target HP: 0/500 Status: DECEASED The Void Lord froze. The dark purple skin turned gray.

The starry eyes shattered.

"FIN… AL… ER… ROR…" It exploded. Not into blood. Into light. Pure white light that swallowed the chamber. The gravity vanished instantly. The crushing weight lifted. I felt… weightless. I floated backward from the blast zone, spinning slowly. 0 Stamina. I couldn't stop myself. I drifted until I bumped against a floating rock. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Boss Defeated: Void Lord (Level 8 Elite) This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

XP Gained: 200 XP Current XP: 800/800 LEVEL UP! Level: 8 Stat Points Available: +2 HP Max: 27 → 29 (+2) MP Max: 22 → 24 (+2) SP Max: 32 → 34 (+2) Current HP: 0/29 (Critical) Current MP: 3/24 (Low) Current SP: 0/34 (Critical) New Skill Unlocked: Gravity Well (Active) Cost: 5 MP Effect: Create a 10ft Zone of High Gravity (Slow/Immobilize) Cooldown: 1 Minute The light faded. The chamber was dark again. But the oppressive void feeling was gone. The floor was solid.

"Box?" Kara's voice echoed. She was floating too. She pushed off a rock, swimming through the air toward me.

"You… you killed it." Torin was waking up. He groaned, rubbing his head.

"Did… did the gravity stop?" Renn was collecting arrows.

"Look. The loot." Floating in the center of the chamber was a sphere. Black as night, but solid. A Void Core. And beside it, a suit of armor. Dark metal. Shimmering like the stars. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Loot Detected: Void Core (Unique), Void Walker Armor (Level 8 Rare) Quest Complete: Floor 7 Clear Reward: Access to Floor 8 (The Nexus) I drifted there. 0 Stamina. I couldn't reach them. I could only watch. Kara grabbed the Core. She looked at me.

"This… this is what you want, isn't it? The Box… it eats cores." Yes, I thought. Please. Torin floated over. He looked at the Armor.

"This… this is for a humanoid. But the Core…" He looked at me.

"You carried us, Box. You tanked the gravity. You killed the Lord." He nodded.

"It's yours." Kara tossed the Core. It spun through the zero-G air. I opened my lid. I couldn't move to catch it. It bumped against my lid. I extended my tongue. Got it. I pulled it inside. SYSTEM NOTIFICATION Item Consumed: Void Core Type: Ultimate Mana Source / Evolution Catalyst Condition Met: Transmigrator's Mark + Unique Catalyst Effect: Early Evolution Unlock (Voidband) Note: Normally Requires Level 10. Exception Granted.

HP Restored: 29/29 MP Restored: 24/24 SP Restored: 34/34 Evolution Progress: Ironband → Voidband (Complete) New Passive: Void Integrity Effect: Physical Defense +5, Magic Resistance +10% Visual Change: Iron Bands → Void Metal (Starry Black) The energy rush was incredible. It wasn't just mana. It was space. I felt like I could fold the room around me. My iron bands turned a deep, starry black. The rust was gone. The wood was dark as night, veined with faint purple light. I looked like a piece of the Void itself.

"Whoa," Renn whispered.

"It… it changed color."

"Voidband," Kara murmured. She touched my new surface. It was cold.

"It's adapting faster than it should. The Core… it forced the evolution." Just like the Mark forced the Ironband, I thought. I'm breaking the rules. I closed my lid. I felt… complete. For now. Level 8. Full stats. New skill. Early Evolution. The party was recovering. The exit portal shimmered into existence on the far side of the chamber.

"Rest?" Torin asked.

"Or push to Floor 8?" I vibrated. Buzz. (Push). We had momentum. We had loot. We had a Void-touched chest leading the way. Current Stats (Level 8 - Voidband Mimic): HP: 29/29 (Full) Mana: 24/24 (Full) Stamina: 34/34 (Full) Inventory: 2 Pebbles, Metal Items (Fused). Mage Staff (Loot). Guardian Hammer (Stored). Void Armor (Loot). Status: Voidband Active, Gravity Well Unlocked, Floor 8 Portal Open. What do you do? A) STORE VOID ARMOR (BUFF) Store the armor in your Dimensional Pocket.

Gain passive Defense bonus without wearing it. (Cost: 0 SP. Gain: +5 Defense. Risk: None.) B) TEST GRAVITY WELL (SKILL) Use the new skill on a floating rock. Practice before the next floor. (Cost: 5 MP. Gain: Skill Familiarity. Risk: None.) C) ENTER PORTAL (PROGRESS) Move to Floor 8 (The Nexus). No rest. Keep the pressure on. (Cost: 0 SP. Gain: Plot Progression. Risk: Unprepared.) D) GIVE ARMOR TO TORIN (PARTY) Give the Void Armor to Torin. He needs it more than you. Strengthen party. (Cost: 0 SP. Gain: Party Power. Risk: You lose Defense item.) VOTING CLOSES IN 24 HOURS. Reply with A, B, C, or D. Most votes wins. [Author Note] Thanks for voting on Chapter 67! Option A (Final Slam) was the killing blow! You defeated the Void Lord, reached Level 8, and evolved to Voidband!