Utopian System

Elio finally gave the signal to enter the second level.

As they stepped into the second level, the group came to an abrupt halt. Floating in the center of the entrance chamber, a resplendent emblem emitted an aura of power.

Elio took a step forward, his eyes fixed on the emblem. "So this is the emblem of power," he murmured in awe, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lila, attentive to the group dynamics, spoke first. "Elio, I think you should take it. Your magic damage is the highest among us."

Kriz nodded, his expression comically serious. "It makes sense. The biggest explosions being the most effective."

Mei and Brok showed their agreement with silent gestures.

Elio looked at his companions before nodding.

"Very well," he said, extending his hand towards the emblem. "Let's hope this gives us the edge we need to avoid ending up like the previous challengers."

The emblem was absorbed by Elio's book.

Elio blinked, adapting to the new sensation of power coursing through him. "It's... intense," he said, his voice tinged with wonder. "My magic damage... has increased to 98."

Kriz whistled impressed. "Well, that should make things easier, shouldn't it?" His tone was lighthearted, but there was an undercurrent of respect for the power Elio now wielded.

The group advanced towards the main chamber, where they found the Locus waiting for them. These were slightly larger than those of the previous level, and their bodies were covered with disturbing black marks that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy.

Elio, wasting no time, channeled his increased power.

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Using the same strategy as in level one, he unleashed a barrage of attacks that lit up the chamber with blinding flashes of energy. In no time, the chamber was once again cleared, the defeated Locus dissolving into motes of light.

"We still haven't needed walls," Mei observed as they collected the cores.

Elio nodded, his expression thoughtful. "That's true, but let's keep them as an option. You never know when we'll need them."

"That was... quick," Kriz commented, his eyes scanning the now empty chamber. "With Elio this powerful, it almost seems unfair to the Locus."

Elio's expression remained serious. "Let's not get overconfident."

Mei nodded, her expression cautious. Her eyes continually scanned their surroundings, ever vigilant. "Surely the upper levels will present challenges that even the emblem won't be able to easily solve."

Kriz approached with a smile, his irrepressible spirit shining through. "Come on, boss. Enjoy a bit. Look, even your eel seems less long-faced than you!"

Lila couldn't help but notice that, despite the relative ease of the challenges so far, Elio remained tense. She moved closer to him.

"You're doing a good job," she told him softly, her eyes meeting his with unwavering trust.

Elio offered her a small smile, some of the tension easing from his features. "I know," he replied.

They collected the cores and found the crystal.

After a brief rest, allowing their mana to replenish and their resolve to strengthen, the group advanced towards the third level.

♢♢♢♢

Elio decided to take the opportunity to practice crowd control strategies with walls.

"Alright, team," Elio announced as they entered the new chamber. "We're going to practice a bit with the walls. I want us to learn to control the flow of the Locus..."

Kriz, always ready with a comment, grinned. His eyes twinkled with mischief as he spoke. "What's up, Elio? Did you get tired of being a destruction machine and now want to play builder? Wasn't that tedious dark tunnel enough for you?"

Elio laughed, but his gaze remained serious. The weight of their mission was never far from his mind. "Brute force won't always be the answer, Kriz. We need to be strategic."

"Brok, I need you to create walls there and there," Elio instructed, pointing to strategic points around the chamber. His eyes scanned the area, mapping out their strategy. "Mei, Lila, you'll direct the Locus towards those areas. Kriz, you and I will take care of eliminating them once they're grouped."

The plan worked well, the team moving with a synchronicity that spoke of their growing cohesion. But Elio noticed they could improve it even further.

"I think I have a better idea," he said.

Everyone turned to him, curiosity evident in their expressions.

"Instead of creating multiple walls to control the flow, what if we reduce the space with side walls and only leave one at the front?" Elio suggested, his hands moving as he explained. "We'd force the Locus to bunch up and attack from only one direction."

"Efficient," Brok murmured, immediately grasping the implications. His eyes lit up with understanding. "That'll save us mana and increase our attack effectiveness."

The new strategy proved to be even more effective. The Locus, pressed by the reduced space, piled up in front of the single wall they needed to destroy to reach the summoners, becoming easy targets for the group's attacks.

♢♢♢♢

Upon reaching the fifth level, the group already had three more emblems:

Life, Wall, and Attack.

The air buzzed with anticipation as they considered their new powers.

"What do we do with this one?" Mei asked, holding the Attack emblem.

For a moment, everyone looked at Elio, expecting him to take it.

"Initially, I thought about carrying them all," Elio admitted, his voice thoughtful. "But I think it would be more advantageous to distribute them among us. My mana isn't infinite."

After a brief discussion, filled with strategic considerations and good-natured banter, they decided on the distribution: the Life emblem went to Lila, the Wall emblem to Brok, and the Attack emblem to Mei.

"Perfect," Kriz said with a smile, his voice light but tinged with a hint of envy. "Now everyone has superpowers. Well, everyone except me, but I guess my natural charm makes up for it."

The group laughed, the sound echoing in the chamber and easing some of the tension.

"Alright, team," Elio began, his voice serious but with a touch of pride. "We've done incredibly well so far. But we can't lower our guard."

Lila nodded. "The fifth level is where things will get really difficult, right?"

"That's right," Elio confirmed, his eyes scanning each member of his team. "The Locus will jump now, they'll be stronger, faster, and probably smarter."

♢♢♢♢

"Alright, team," Elio began, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. "We know the walls won't be as effective this time, but we'll use them anyway. We need every advantage we can get."

Elio continued with the plan, his words carefully chosen to inspire confidence. "My first three combos will be crucial. After a short charge, I'll be able to launch three more. If everything goes according to plan, we should eliminate at least half before we have to retreat."

Lila intervened, her voice calm but tinged with concern. "And what about us?"

"After my first wave of combos, I want you to improvise," Elio explained, his eyes meeting each of his teammates'. "Use everything you have to contain the Locus for as long as possible. We don't know exactly how they'll behave, so we need to be flexible."

Mei flexed her fingers, a determined glint in her eyes. "Understood. We'll be ready for anything."

Kriz, although without an emblem, showed a confident smile. His irrepressible spirit shone through even in the face of danger. "Don't worry. Improvisation is my middle name."