Utopian System

Chapter 178: Chapter 178: System's Sixth Level - 2

Elio stood before the imposing ice barrier, his breath forming small clouds in the frigid air.

Wide Guard, his elephant familiar, stood close by, its presence amplifying Elio's control over carbon.

The situation was precarious, his resistance steadily decreasing as the cold bit through his armor.

With 47 mana points remaining, Elio knew his options were limited. The ice's effect on light prevented him from knowing how extensive the barrier was, the long plug of ice, but he had no choice but to take the risk.

He would have to trust that his ignited carbon attacks would be enough to break through the blockade before he ran out of mana.

"It's all or nothing," he muttered to himself, preparing to launch another attack.

Elio launched a series of ignited carbon balls, one after another, against the ice barrier. Wide Guard trumpeted softly, channeling its power to enhance Elio's control.

Mana: 46... 42... 38...

The attacks impacted the barrier forcefully, generating explosions of steam and hissing sounds. The tunnel filled with a dense fog, obscuring Elio's vision beyond a few meters.

Gradually, Elio began to notice changes in the environment. The air, previously freezing, started to warm slightly. His resistance, which had been steadily decreasing, stabilized.

What Elio didn't know was that his constant fire attacks were generating large amounts of carbon dioxide. This invisible and odorless gas was helping to maintain the temperature for a moment, acting as a kind of thermal blanket.

'At least I'm not freezing anymore,' Elio thought, noticing he wasn't shivering as much. Wide Guard seemed to relax slightly, sensing the change.

Fortunately, the oxygen stone he kept in his mouth protected him from the harmful effects of the accumulated CO2. Without it, the gases would have knocked him down long ago.

Mana: 34... 30... 26...

Elio continued his assault against the barrier, determined to overcome it. But after more than 20 attacks, he stopped. The ice plug still stretched before him, seemingly endless.

"It can't be," he growled in frustration. "There must be an end..."

But as he caught his breath, something strange began to happen. The carbon dioxide that had been maintaining the temperature began to cool rapidly, bypassing the liquid state and forming what Elio could only describe as a kind of white stone.

Elio watched with amazement and confusion as small white rocks formed in the air and fell to the ground. He didn't understand the phenomenon, having never seen dry ice before. Wide Guard sniffed at the strange substance curiously, before backing away with a nervous trumpet.

The environment began to refreeze quickly. The intense cold returned with a vengeance, making Elio shiver violently. He felt his armor's resistance begin to decrease again, faster than before.

"Damn it," he muttered through chattering teeth. "I have no choice..."

Knowing he had no other alternative, Elio decided to continue his attack. He concentrated his energy, preparing to launch another ignited carbon ball. Wide Guard stood at attention, ready to amplify Elio's power once more.

Mana: 25

But just as he decided to release his attack, something unexpected happened. The large amount of CO2 that had solidified began to sublimate rapidly due to the sudden increase in temperature.

The hiss he had heard when impacting the ice plug was similar, but this was much more intense.

Elio barely had time to register the danger before a massive explosion hit him. The force of the impact threw him backwards, sending him flying through the air as if he were a leaf in the middle of a hurricane.

"Aaagh!" he screamed as his body bounced against the tunnel walls. The impact robbed him of breath, and for a moment, he saw stars. Wide Guard trumpeted in alarm, unable to reach its master.

Elio: 49.99 Resistance / 180.18 Armor Resistance

Stamina: 3.5

Stunned and in pain, Elio struggled to get to his feet. His armor had absorbed much of the impact, but he still felt as if a Locus had rammed him. Wide Guard hurried to his side, offering support as Elio leaned against it.

"What... what the hell happened?" he gasped, leaning against the wall to maintain balance.

Wide Guard approached him, its presence offering a bit of comfort amidst the chaos.

The tunnel was now filled with a dense fog, the remnants of the CO2 explosion. Elio couldn't see more than a few meters in front of him. The cold, however, increased again.

"I don't understand what's happening here," Elio muttered, frustration and concern evident in his voice. Wide Guard nuzzled him gently.

He looked at his stats with apprehension. His mana was dangerously decreasing, and his resistance had taken a significant hit. If he continued like this, he wouldn't make it out of this. Join the journey at m-vlempy _r.

Elio closed his eyes, trying to calm down and think clearly. There was something escaping him, some piece of the puzzle he wasn't seeing. The Creator wouldn't put an impossible challenge, would he? Even if the goddess...

"There has to be a way," he told himself. "Something I'm not considering..."

As Elio reflected on his next move, the cold returned biting his skin, a reminder that time was not on his side. Wide Guard shivered slightly, its trunk wrapping protectively around Elio.

He began to analyze everything he had observed so far. The interaction between fire and ice, the formation of that strange snow, the explosion... Everything had to mean something.

The explosion had shaken Elio more than he wanted to admit. His resistance had decreased, and a pang of fear lodged in his chest. The possibility of another explosion terrified him, but as he observed the environment, he noticed that the strange white rocks had not yet reformed.

"If I let things cool down too much, it will happen again," he murmured to himself, the realization giving him a new sense of urgency.

Elio began launching ignited carbon balls incessantly.

The heat generated by his continuous attacks kept his resistance stable, but each launch consumed his precious mana. Wide Guard stood firm beside him, channeling its power to enhance each attack.

Mana: 24... 20... 15...

The tunnel filled with steam and the hissing sound of melting ice. However, despite his efforts, the barrier seemed endless.

Elio realized with horror that his mana had fallen below 10 points. The barrier, relentless, continued to extend beyond where his sight reached.

Fear threatened to overtake him again. "This can't be all," he thought desperately. "Surely the barrier isn't the final challenge of level 6. There must be a monster waiting after this."

The idea of facing an unknown creature with so little mana made his stomach churn.