NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 22: Chapter 22 - Rift!
"BOOM!"
"BOOM!"
"BOOMMMMMM!"
The relentless explosions echoed across the battlefield, each one sending a shockwave rippling through the air. The nine others sat outside the combat zone, huddled together with exhaustion etched into their faces. They had fought continuously for a full day, pushing themselves beyond their limits. Now, they could only watch as Sam single-handedly handled the last wave of goblins.
Michael leaned against a broken column, his chest heaving as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "I... I don't think that's human anymore," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the roaring blasts.
Ann, sitting nearby with her spear resting on her lap, nodded silently. Her usual lively expression was replaced with a mix of awe and unease. "Every punch... it's like a freaking bomb going off. That's not just strength—it's destruction," she whispered.
Eddie, sprawled out on the ground with his arms crossed behind his head, chuckled dryly. "You know, I always thought I was quick on my feet. But watching him, I think I'd rather be running away than toward anything he's aiming at."
"Speak for yourself," Maria muttered, cradling her recently healed arm. "I'm just glad he's on our side. Can you imagine if he wasn't?"
A shiver ran through the group as they watched Sam deliver another devastating punch.
BOOMMMMMMM!
The ground shook, and a wave of heat and debris swept over them. They instinctively shielded their faces, but the sheer force of the shockwave left their ears ringing.
John, the analyzer, his hands trembling slightly. "One ton of TNT," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Eddie raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"That's the equivalent energy of each of his punches," John said, swallowing hard. "I analyzed it during the last strike. It's... it's unreal. We're not looking at a human anymore. He's something else entirely."
The group fell silent, each lost in their thoughts. The sheer destructive power Sam displayed was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
Ann finally broke the silence. "Well, whatever he is now, I'm just grateful he's on our side. I wouldn't want to be the one on the receiving end of that."
Michael nodded, his expression conflicted. "Yeah... but it's hard to watch and not feel like we're falling behind. He's... on a completely different level."
As they watched the final wave of goblins disintegrate under Sam's relentless assault, the group couldn't help but feel a mix of fear and admiration. Their blank expressions betrayed their thoughts: This isn't a human—this is a god of war.
Sam finally turned toward them, his body still glowing faintly with the residual energy of his attacks. "That's the last of them," he said simply, his tone as steady as ever. "Get ready. After this, we're going into the rift to finish the dungeon."
The group exchanged glances. They were all Level 25 now, with Michael, Ann, and Eddie approaching Level 30. Each had selected their third skill, and their progress was undeniable.
"Ready as we'll ever be," Michael said, forcing himself to his feet. "Let's finish this."
With determination in their eyes, they prepared themselves for the final stage of the dungeon.
As Sam waited for the others to ready themselves, he absentmindedly opened his system interface. The familiar chime echoed in his mind, accompanied by several notifications.
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have reached level 33]
[Congratulations! You have earned a new title: Annihilator]
Sam's eyes flicked to the description of the newly acquired title.
[Annihilator]: You have defeated a thousand enemies of the same tier as yours in a single attack - Increase all stats by 10%
This was great news. For Sam, Grandmist couldn't be increased through conventional means like other energy types. Titles that boosted his stats were the only way for him to enhance it.
The thought lingered in his mind, reminding him of the knowledge he had gained during his evolution. Grandmist was an extraordinary force, The act of creating more was far beyond his current capabilities. Only beings at Tier 9—the Divine Gods—had the ability to create their own worlds.
The realization had left him speechless and uneasy.
Even now, he was consuming more Grandmist than he anticipated. Every use of his skills and even maintaining his existence seemed to draw on the energy, slowly but surely. His concern grew with each passing moment, knowing that without a sufficient reserve or regeneration rate, he might one day find himself unable to sustain his power—or worse, his life.
"When I tier up," he muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on the rift, "I can only hope that my Grandmist regeneration will scale with my needs."
For now, he had to push forward, relying on the titles and rewards to keep him moving. But in the back of his mind, the worry gnawed at him like a shadow that refused to fade.
Michael called me seeing everyone ready Sam replied" Follow me "
When Sam stepped through the rift, the sight that greeted him was unsettling. It was a forest—but not a lush, green one. The trees were gnarled and twisted, their bark deep red, as if soaked in blood. The air was thick with an unnatural stillness, and when Sam looked up, he saw the sky was just as disorganized and crimson as the landscape below.
"This isn't a planet," Sam muttered under his breath, scanning the environment. "It's a pocket dimension."
He turned to the others, his eyes landing on John. "Anything new?"
John activated his skill, Inspect Eyes, his gaze flickering with a faint glow as he scanned the surroundings. After a moment, he shook his head. "Nothing yet."
Michael stepped forward, glancing at Sam. "Can you go up again? Get a better look?"
Sam nodded without a word. He made his way to the tallest tree in sight and began climbing. The bark felt strange under his fingers, almost alive, but he ignored the discomfort. Reaching the top, he perched himself on a sturdy branch and surveyed the area.
The layout of the dungeon confirmed his suspicions. Even without me, this is designed to be clearable—with some risk, he thought. The forest stretched far, but the eastern side immediately caught his attention.
Just a kilometer away, he spotted a large goblin village. It wasn't just the size that stood out—it was the concentration of goblins moving about. The village was alive with activity, and at its center, he noticed something glowing faintly: the rift core.
"John, get up here," Sam called down.
John climbed up, his movements deliberate as he joined Sam on the branch. For ten minutes, he scanned the eastern direction, his skill providing detailed insights. Finally, he descended, rejoining the group.
Michael was the first to ask. "What did you find?"
John exhaled sharply, adjusting his glasses. "The goblin village to the east has about 2,000 goblins. All of them are Level 20 or higher. Their leader—a goblin chief—is Level 30 and appears to be a mage."
Ann frowned, gripping her spear. "And the core?"
John nodded. "I saw it. The rift core is in the middle of the village. The system gave me a prompt—it said all we need to do is touch it. Once we do, the core will destroy itself, and every goblin in the village will die with it."
The group fell silent for a moment, absorbing the information.
Michael broke the silence. "So, what's the plan?"
Sam glanced at the group, a faint smirk forming on his lips. "What else?" he said. "We go for a head-on battle."
The group exchanged determined glances.
"Easy," Eddie said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's show them what we've got."
This floor was far simpler than the second. The numbers were lower than the waves Sam had faced before, and the objective—just touching the core—seemed laughably easy.
"We're grinding them dry," Sam said with a smirk, leading the group toward the goblin village's front gate.
The goblins stationed along the wall spotted them immediately, their shrill cries echoing through the blood-red forest. "Garrrrrrr!" one roared, signaling to the others.
Moments later, the gate creaked open, and a swarm of goblins poured out, weapons raised and bloodlust in their eyes.
Sam stepped forward, his expression calm but resolute. He couldn't let the goblins maintain their momentum. He needed to break their morale and establish dominance right from the start.
His right fist began to glow with a silvery-grey mist, the light pulsing with an almost otherworldly energy. Without hesitation, he activated Flash Step, instantly appearing in front of the goblins before they had fully exited the gate.
"BOOM!!!!!"
His fist collided with the gate, the sheer explosive force obliterating the doors and part of the wall. Chunks of stone and wood flew through the air, scattering the goblins like leaves in a storm. The shockwave alone sent several tumbling to the ground, their faces frozen in terror.
Sam turned to his group, his voice steady. "I'll take care of the Chief. You handle the rest. Grind as much as you can."
Michael nodded, shouting, "Got it! Everyone, stick to the plan!"
Sam crouched slightly, a grey-silver mist gathering around his feet as he prepared to jump. The air around him seemed to warp under the pressure of his power.
"Boom!"
With an explosive burst, Sam launched himself into the sky, reaching a height of over 100 meters. From his vantage point, he scanned the village below. His eyes quickly locked onto the goblin chief—a hulking figure near the rift core, surrounded by magical energy.
The Chief snarled, raising his hands as a massive magic circle appeared around him. A blazing fireball began to materialize, its heat so intense it distorted the air around it.
Sam watched as the fireball grew to nearly two meters in diameter before the Chief hurled it toward him with astonishing speed.
Too fast to dodge, Sam thought, narrowing his eyes.
Instead, he channeled 30% of his Grandmist energy into his fist, activating Atomic Fissure. Without the constraints of the ground beneath him, Sam unleashed the full force of his skill.
His fist glowed brightly, a silver light that burned like a star in the crimson sky. Below, Michael's voice rang out. "Prepare for IMPACT!"
The fireball streaked toward him, but as it reached within striking distance, it didn't collide. Instead, it was swallowed by the sheer destructive energy surrounding Sam's fist.
Then came the real explosion.
"BOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!"
A wave of annihilation rippled outward, obliterating everything in its path. The goblin chief, frozen in shock at the failure of his spell, had no time to react before the wave reached him. The ground beneath his feet deformed, turning to dust. The blast left a wasteland in its wake, a 100-meter radius of molten, glowing earth where the village once stood.
Sam, still in the air, was knocked back by the force of his own attack. Tumbling uncontrollably, he crashed to the ground with a thud, groaning in pain.
"Damn... still can't control that much power," he muttered, clutching his side.
As he pushed himself up, he surveyed the aftermath. The red ground had turned into molten lava, and the once-crowded village was now nothing more than ash and ruin.
Only one thing remained untouched in the destruction: the rift core, glowing faintly in the middle of the devastation, completely unscathed.
Sam smirked through the pain.
Ding!
You have slain an enemy [Goblin Chief: level 30]
...…..
...…..
….....
[Congratulations! You have reached level 34]
[SOUL RECORD]
Name: Samuel Barlow
Race: Human / Heaven
Class: Unbound Initiate
Title: Lucky Man 9, Early Access, The First of Skill Wleider, Barrier Breaker,…]
Level: 34 [Tier 1]
[STATUS]
Strength: 37 +10[+90%]
Agility: 37 +10[+90%]
Vitality:37 +10[+90%]
Endurance: 37 +10[+90%]
Intelligence: 37 +10[+90%]
Wisdom: 37 +10[+90%]
Luck: 100 +10[+90%]
Grandmist: 10 +10[+90%]
Undistributed Stats: 0
[SKILLS]: Mental Ruler
[COMMON SKILLS]: language, mathematics, cooking, exercises,...Etc.
[TRAITS]: The Eye of Heaven, Unbound.