Beast Evolution Forge-Chapter 197: I am dropping this book 7

Vell grabbed the handle and pulled. The door creaked open, slow and loud, spilling shadows into the stairwell. Beyond it was Floor 9—a world of gray and black. The ground was cracked stone, stretching out into a foggy void. Twisted trees with no leaves loomed like skeletons, their branches clawing at a sky full of swirling dark clouds. A faint wind carried whispers—soft, jumbled voices that made Ruby's ears twitch.

"Whoa," she said, stepping close to Vell. "This place is spooky!"

"Spooky's fine," he replied, scanning the gloom. "As long as it's not deadly."

They moved forward, boots crunching on the stone. The fog thickened, hiding the edges of the floor. The whispers grew louder, forming words they couldn't quite catch—names, maybe, or warnings. The trees swayed, even though the wind was weak.

"Master, I don't like this," Ruby said, her tail wrapping around her leg.

"Stay close," Vell told her. "Eyes open, everyone."

A shape moved in the fog—fast, low to the ground. Wren spun, claws out. "Got something!"

It lunged—a wolf, but not like the frost ones from Floor 5. This one was made of shadow, its body flickering like smoke. Its eyes glowed yellow, and its teeth shone white as it snapped at her.

Wren dodged and slashed, her mana claws cutting through it. The wolf yelped—a hollow, echoey sound—and broke apart, fading into the fog.

[Shadow Wolf defeated. 200 points earned.]

"Shadow monsters," Regina said, her grimoire glowing. "They're weak to light and mana."

"Good to know," Vell said, pulling his dagger. "More coming."

The fog rippled, and a pack of shadow wolves emerged—six of them, circling the team. Their growls mixed with the whispers, making the air feel alive. Vell raised a hand. "Now!"

Regina fired a burst of light from her grimoire, hitting two wolves. They shrieked and vanished. Ruby shot mana blasts, weaker but fast, taking out another. Wren and Jia teamed up, claws and daggers slicing through a fourth. Jolly punched the fifth, her glowing fists shattering it. Vell shadow-stepped to the last, stabbing its smoky neck. It dissolved with a wail.

[Shadow Wolves defeated. 1200 points earned.]

The fog cleared a little, revealing a path between the trees. "That way," Vell said, pointing. "Let's move."

They followed the path, the whispers growing sharper. Words like "turn back" and "you'll fall" floated around them. Ruby shivered, but kept her bracers ready. Wren muttered curses at the voices, her claws twitching.

The path led to a clearing—a wide circle of stone with a big tree in the center. Its trunk was black and twisted, branches spreading like a cage. Under it sat a chest, old and wooden, glowing faintly with purple light.

"There's our prize," Jolly said, stepping forward.

"Wait," Vell warned, grabbing her arm. "Trap."

He was right. The ground shook, and the tree's roots burst up, wriggling like snakes. Shadows poured from the trunk, forming a figure—tall, humanoid, with a cloak of smoke. Its face was hidden, but its hands held a staff that pulsed with dark energy. The whispers stopped, replaced by a low laugh.

"Shadow wraith," Regina said, voice tight. "Stronger than the wolves."

"Great," Wren grinned. "Bigger points."

The wraith raised its staff, and the roots shot forward. Vell dodged, shouting, "Spread out! Hit it with light!"

Regina cast a light spell, a beam cutting through the fog. It struck the wraith, and it hissed, stumbling back. Ruby fired mana blasts, peppering its cloak. Wren and Jia darted in, claws and daggers glowing, slashing at its sides. Jolly punched a root that got too close, snapping it in half.

The wraith swung its staff, sending a wave of shadow. Vell shadow-stepped over it, landing near the chest. "Keep it busy!" he yelled.

Regina's light pinned the wraith, slowing it. Wren and Jia carved chunks from its form, smoke spilling out. Jolly smashed more roots, clearing a path. Ruby's blasts hit its staff arm, making it drop the weapon.

Vell reached the chest and kicked it open. Inside was a key—black, with a purple gem in its handle. He grabbed it as the wraith roared, growing bigger.

"Got it!" he shouted. "Finish it!"

Regina switched spells, a ball of light exploding in the wraith's chest. It screamed, splitting apart into shadows that faded fast. The tree went still, roots sinking back into the ground.

[Shadow Wraith defeated. 1500 points earned.]

[Floor 9 Key earned. 2500 points awarded.]

A portal glowed behind the tree, swirling with purple light. The team caught their breath, fog curling around their feet.

"Nine floors," Jia said, wiping her daggers. "Getting good at this."

"Too good," Regina replied, closing her grimoire. "The tower's throwing worse at us every time."

Vell held up the key, its gem catching the faint light. "Then we get better. Let's go."

They stepped through the portal, back to the tower's base. The whispers were gone, but the chill lingered in their bones. The stairs waited, leading to Floor 10—another fight, another test.

"Rest first?" Ruby asked, her eyes big.

"Yeah," Vell said, sitting against the wall. "Then we climb."

The team spread out, eating and resting. Regina scribbled notes in her grimoire, muttering about shadows. Wren sharpened her claws, grinning at the thought of more fights. Jolly flexed her hands, ready for anything.

Vell leaned back, the key heavy in his pocket. Nine floors down, and the tower still loomed—dark, endless, full of secrets. But his team was strong, tougher with every step. Floor 10 could bring whatever it wanted. They'd face it together—and win.

The tower's base was quiet, the faint hum of its walls the only sound as Vell and his team rested. The black key from Floor 9 sat in his hand, its purple gem glinting in the dim light of Regina's blue fire. Nine floors of battles—sand giants, ice spirits, lava monsters, shadow wraiths—they'd beaten them all. But Floor 10 felt different. The air was thick, pressing down like a warning.

"Time to move," Vell said, standing. His voice cut through the silence, sharp and steady.

Ruby yawned, stretching her arms. "Already? My tail's still tired!"

"Rest later," Wren said, smirking as she flicked her claws out. "Floor 10's gonna be fun."

Jia twirled her daggers, nodding. "Let's get it over with."

Jolly cracked her neck, grinning. "Big floor, big fight. I'm ready."

Regina closed her grimoire with a snap. "The tower's been building to something. Floor 10 might be a turning point."

Vell led them to the stairs, the spiral stretching up into shadows. The steps felt colder now, the air sharper with every climb. The walls glowed less, their symbols fading into scratches and cracks. It was like the tower was wearing down—or waking up.

"Something's off," Regina said, her breath puffing out. "These marks—they're chaotic."

"Keep going," Vell replied, hand on his dagger. "We'll see soon."

The stairs ended at a door—tall, made of cracked iron, with chains hanging loose across it. A faint red glow leaked through the gaps, pulsing like a heartbeat. The chains rattled softly, even though there was no wind.

"Spooky again," Ruby whispered, clutching Vell's arm.

"Open it," he said, stepping up.

Jolly grabbed the chains and pulled. They clinked and fell away, and the door swung open with a groan. A wave of heat hit them—dry, heavy, like standing too close to a fire. Floor 10 stretched out ahead—a world of red and black.

The ground was ash, crunching under their boots. Jagged rocks stuck up like teeth, glowing faintly with heat. Rivers of lava flowed slow and bright, cutting through the land. The sky was dark, choked with smoke, and a distant rumble shook the air. In the center stood a mountain—tall, sharp, with a red light pulsing at its peak.

"Whoa," Ruby said, her ears flattening. "This place is angry!"

"Angry's right," Vell said, scanning the horizon. "Stay close. This floor's alive."

They moved forward, ash sticking to their boots. The heat was worse than Floor 7's volcano—thicker, harder to breathe. The rumble grew louder, and the ground trembled. Something was coming.

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"Master, look!" Ruby pointed.

Shapes rose from the ash—big, hulking figures made of cracked stone and glowing lava. Their eyes burned orange, and their hands dripped molten rock. They roared, a sound like breaking earth.

"Lava golems," Regina said, her grimoire open. "Stronger than the gold ones. Fire and force."

"Great," Wren muttered. "More punching bags."

"Spread out!" Vell shouted as the first golem charged.

It swung a fiery fist, and the team dodged. Ruby fired a water blast, but the heat turned it to steam before it hit. Wren slashed its leg, claws sparking, but the stone barely chipped. Jolly punched back, her fists glowing, cracking its arm.

"Physical's tough!" Vell called, ducking a swing. "Regina, magic!"

She nodded, casting a blast of ice. It hit the golem's chest, steam hissing as the lava cooled. The golem slowed, cracking more. Vell shadow-stepped behind it, stabbing his dagger into the cooled spot. It roared and shattered, lava spilling out.

[Lava Golem defeated. 1000 points earned.]

"Nice!" Jolly cheered. "Next!"

Two more came, faster than the first. Regina hit one with ice, while Jia and Wren teamed up on the other, daggers and claws glowing with mana. Jolly smashed the iced one, and Vell finished it. Ruby's mana blasts distracted the second, letting Wren slice its core. It broke apart, ash flying.

[Lava Golems defeated. 2000 points earned.]

The path cleared, leading toward the mountain. "That's where the key is," Vell said, wiping sweat from his face. "Let's go."

They trekked through the ash, dodging lava rivers. More golems popped up, but the team handled them—ice, mana, teamwork. The mountain loomed bigger, its red peak pulsing faster. The air burned their lungs, but they kept moving.

At the base, a cave opened—dark, with heat pouring out. Inside, the walls glowed red, dripping lava in thin streams. A narrow path wound up, ending at a wide ledge. There, a giant stood—twice the size of the golems, its body pure lava with stone plates floating in it. A huge axe rested in its hands, glowing white-hot. In its chest, a red key shone, embedded deep.

"Lava titan," Regina said, voice low. "Boss of Floor 10."

"Big points," Wren grinned, claws ready.

"Careful," Vell warned. "That key's ours."

The titan roared, shaking the cave. It swung its axe, and a wave of fire rushed at them. "Scatter!" Vell yelled.

They dodged, the heat singeing their cloaks. Regina cast ice, hitting its arm. Steam exploded, and the lava cooled, cracking. Jolly charged, punching the cooled spot, breaking stone. Wren and Jia attacked its legs, claws and daggers chipping away.

Ruby fired mana blasts at its face, making it flinch. Vell shadow-stepped to its back, stabbing at the key. The blade hit stone, sparking, but didn't reach it.

"It's tough!" he shouted. "Focus the chest!"

Regina switched to a bigger ice spell, a storm of frost slamming the titan's front. The lava froze, cracking wide. Jolly leaped, smashing the chest with both fists. The key flickered, loosening.

The titan roared, swinging wild. Lava splashed, forcing them back. "Keep going!" Vell called, dodging a glob.

Wren and Jia hit the chest again, mana tearing through. Ruby's blasts kept it off balance. Regina's ice pinned its arms, and Jolly punched once more. The chest split, and the key fell, clattering to the ground.

Vell grabbed it as the titan stumbled, lava pouring out. "Finish it!"

Regina's ice storm hit full force, and the team attacked together—claws, daggers, fists, mana. The titan froze, cracked, and exploded into ash and stone.

[Lava Titan defeated. 3000 points earned.]

[Floor 10 Key earned. 4000 points awarded.]

A portal glowed on the ledge, red and swirling. The team panted, covered in ash, but alive.

"Ten floors," Jia said, grinning. "We're legends now."

"Not done yet," Vell replied, holding the red key. "The tower's still climbing."

Regina wiped her brow. "Each boss is stronger. Floor 10 was a wall. What's 11?"

"Whatever it is," Ruby said, hugging Vell, "we'll beat it!"

He nodded, a small smile breaking through. "Yeah. Together."

They stepped through the portal, back to the base. The heat faded, but the weight stayed. The stairs waited, leading to Floor 11—another fight, another test. Vell's team was bruised but unbroken. The tower could throw anything at them. They'd keep going—higher, always higher.