9: Chapter 9: A chaotic battle on the second level of the Abyss! The lord dominates the entire battlefield, and the drop rate is off the charts!

Lin Chen waved his hand to put away the abyss battle axe, his gaze sweeping across the black light gate that had just opened.

[System: Abyss Second Floor—Rotting Bone Corridor unlocked. Monster strength increased by 300%. New elite monsters: Corrosive Bone Guard, Soul Devouring Demon]

[System: Entry Requirement: All members Level ≥ 5. Current conditions met.]

The players had just finished resting, and every one of them was raring to go.

"Finally entering the second floor! I've been in this damn rift for so long I'm about to grow mushrooms!"

"Lord Big Shot is leading the charge; we just need to lie down and win!"

Lin Chen stepped into the gate.

With a flash, everyone appeared in a corridor filled with white bones.

The ground was covered in shattered skeletal remains, ink-green rot seeped from the walls, and the air was thick with a pungent, fishy stench.

[System: Rotting Bone Corridor environmental debuff detected. All players' HP -50 per second. Lin Chen is immune to all environmental debuffs.]

"Holy crap! I'm losing health! Healers, heal me quick!"

"This place is such a trap; you lose health even just standing still!"

The health of several squishy players plummeted, causing them to jump around in panic.

Lin Chen's gaze turned cold.

"Healers, keep group heals active at all times. Shield guards, take the front. Don't stop."

As he spoke, the sound of clicking and grinding bones echoed from the end of the corridor.

Densely packed Corrosive Bone Guards surged out from the darkness.

These monsters were two meters tall, clad in white bone armor, and clutching rusty bone spears. There were over a thousand of them.

"Mother of God, that's a lot of monsters!" The player "Lying Flat Player" shrank back in fear. "I'm exhausted from running back after respawning; if I die again, I'm just going AFK!"

"What are you afraid of?! Brother Chen takes them down in one hit. Start DPSing!" The player "Brute No. 1" charged forward with his greatsword.

[System: Corrosive Bone Guard (Elite), Level 8, HP 12,000, Skill: Bone Spear Piercing]

Lin Chen flicked his wrist, and the abyss battle axe appeared in his hand.

The artifact's black light surged, and the surrounding bones trembled violently.

"Kill."

With that single word, he had already charged out.

A horizontal sweep of the battle axe!

A black shockwave exploded, and five Corrosive Bone Guards in front were instantly cut in half.

[System: Lin Chen killed Corrosive Bone Guard x5, gained 6,000 EXP.]

[System: Lord Passive activated. Damage of players within range increased by 50%.]

The players' morale maxed out instantly, and they unleashed their skills as if they cost nothing.

Fireballs, ice spikes, and rain of arrows rained down on the monster mob.

"Shield Bash!"

The front-line shield guards exerted their strength together as bone spears struck their shields with ear-piercing cracks.

"Awesome! This damage buff is insane!"

"Following Brother Chen, I can level up three times a day!"

In just one minute, over a hundred Corrosive Bone Guards lay dead on the ground.

White lights of leveling up continuously flashed over the players.

[System: Player "Brute No. 1" leveled up! Current Level: 7!]

[System: Player "Lying Flat Player" leveled up! Current Level: 6!]

Lying Flat Player looked at his level-up notification, completely dazed.

"I was just standing in the back throwing out a couple of heals, and I actually leveled up? Lord Big Shot is the GOAT!"

The monster mob continued to swarm.

Suddenly, a dark shadow leaped from the rot on the wall, pouncing straight at the mages in the back.

It was a Soul Devouring Demon!

Its body was translucent, its claws glowed with a green light, and it moved so fast it was just a blur.

"Watch your back!" Lin Chen roared.

The mage players were scared out of their wits and turned to run.

Seeing this, Lin Chen swung his battle axe backhanded.

The black axe qi struck the Soul Devouring Demon with pinpoint accuracy.

[System: Lin Chen killed Soul Devouring Demon. Critical hit triggered! Damage: 28,000!]

The Soul Devouring Demon didn't even have time to scream before it dissolved into a pool of black water.

A ring glowing with blue light rolled out onto the ground.

[System: Equipment Drop—Rotting Bone Ring (Blue Grade), Intelligence +80, Mana Regeneration +20.]

The players instantly went wild.

"An item dropped! It's Blue Grade!"

"Holy crap, the drop rate is way too high!"

Lin Chen kicked the ring over to a mage.

"Take it."

The mage player caught the ring, his hands trembling with excitement.

"Thanks, Brother Chen! Brother Chen is so generous!"

The battle continued.

More and more Corrosive Bone Guards appeared, and the front-line shield guards' health began to drop rapidly.

"I can't hold them back, Brother Chen! My shield is about to break!" the shield guard captain shouted, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth.

Lin Chen stepped forward and appeared in front of the shield guards.

He pressed one hand against the shield, infusing it with Lord's Power.

[System: Lin Chen released skill: Lord's Protection. Front-line players granted a shield, HP restored to 100%.]

A golden shield enveloped the front line, blocking all damage.

The shield guards instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Brother Chen saved my life!"

"This shield is harder than a city wall!"

Without pausing, Lin Chen raised the abyss battle axe high above his head.

"Myriad Heavens Judgment!"

A massive golden sword light descended from the heavens, sweeping through the entire corridor.

Wherever the sword light passed, bones shattered and rot evaporated.

Over a thousand Corrosive Bone Guards were wiped out in an instant!

[System: Lin Chen killed Corrosive Bone Guard x666, gained 666,000 EXP.]

[System: Lin Chen leveled up! Current Level: 11!]

[System: Territory Power activated. All players in the territory gain +10% to all attributes.]

Level-up white lights exploded over the players one after another.

Everyone cheered, shouting Lin Chen's name.

A low roar echoed from deep within the corridor.

The ground shook violently, and the rot on the walls splashed down.

A five-meter-tall giant Corrosive Bone Warlord slowly stepped out from the darkness.

It held a massive bone blade, one eye burning with green soul-fire, its body wreathed in thick death energy.

[System: Triggered Hidden BOSS—Corrosive Bone Warlord (Lord Grade), Level 12, HP 800,000.]

A terrifying pressure surged toward them.

The players' expressions changed drastically.

"This BOSS is huge! It's even scarier than the Abyss Lord from before!"

"800,000 HP? We could hack at it until next year and still not finish it!"

The Corrosive Bone Warlord swung its bone blade, sending a black shockwave sweeping toward them.

Three shield guards in the front were sent flying, their health instantly depleted as they vanished into white light to respawn.

[System: Player "Iron Shield Little King" was killed by the Corrosive Bone Warlord.]

[System: Player "Tanking Player" was killed by the Corrosive Bone Warlord.]

The respawn point was right at the corridor entrance; the three of them looked miserable as they ran back.

"This BOSS one-shots people! How are we supposed to play?!"

"I just leveled up; I almost lost it!"

Lin Chen's eyes turned cold.

"Everyone, retreat fifty meters. Healers, maintain your distance."

He took a step forward alone to face the giant BOSS.

The players all retreated to the back, everyone holding their breath.

"Is Brother Chen going to solo the BOSS?"

"Is he crazy? That's a Lord-grade monster with 800,000 HP!"

The Corrosive Bone Warlord roared, its bone blade cleaving toward Lin Chen with the force of a gale.

Lin Chen didn't dodge, meeting it head-on with the abyss battle axe.

Clang—!

The loud crash made everyone's ears ring.

The bone blade was parried by the battle axe, and the Corrosive Bone Warlord's massive frame stumbled back three steps.

[System: Lin Chen parried successfully. Reflected damage: 20,000.]

"Is that all the strength you have?" Lin Chen said calmly.

As he spoke, his speed suddenly increased.

The battle axe slashed repeatedly, and dense black axe qi slammed into the BOSS.

[System: Critical hit! -32,000.]

[System: Critical hit! -35,000.]

[System: Damage-over-time triggered. Corrosive Bone Warlord HP -5,000 per second.]

The Corrosive Bone Warlord roared in fury, but it couldn't even touch the hem of Lin Chen's clothes.

The players were stunned.

"Is this the strength of a Lord? The BOSS is like a toy in front of him!"

"I'm ready to call Brother Chen the toughest man in the Myriad Heavens!"

Lin Chen seized an opening and leaped onto the BOSS's head.

The battle axe plunged deep into the crevices of its skull.

"Break!"

[System: Fatal Strike! Damage: 120,000!]

The Corrosive Bone Warlord's body stiffened, and the green soul-fire instantly went out.

With a thunderous crash, the giant body collapsed to the ground.

[System: Lin Chen killed the Corrosive Bone Warlord!]

[System: Server-wide Announcement: Player Lin Chen has achieved the first kill of the Abyss Second Floor hidden BOSS and received an exclusive reward!]

Golden light exploded!

Seven or eight pieces of equipment dropped from the BOSS's corpse, scattering across the bone-covered floor.

There was armor glowing with purple light, golden weapon fragments, and a token shimmering with rainbow-colored light.

The players instantly went wild.

"Purple Grade! A Purple Grade item actually dropped!"

"We're rich! We've struck it rich this time!"

"Brother Chen is the GOAT! Soloing the BOSS and dropping god-tier gear!"

Lin Chen bent down to pick up all the equipment, and the system panel immediately popped up with the details.

[System: Rotting Bone Shredder (Purple Grade Greatsword): Attack +1,200, Strength +300, Critical Rate +15%, Level Requirement: 10.]

[System: General's Armor (Purple Grade): Defense +800, Stamina +250, Damage Reduction +20%, Level Requirement: 10.]

[System: Abyss Advancement Token: Can open the Abyss Third Floor and unlock special territory buildings.]

[System: Gold x50,000, Skill Book: Bone Soul Devour.]

Lin Chen tossed the Purple Grade greatsword and armor to Brute No. 1, the highest DPS in the party, and the shield guard captain.

"Take these and use them well."

The two of them caught the Purple Grade items, so excited they almost knelt.

"Brother Chen! I'm following you for the rest of my life!"

"Purple Grade! The first Purple Grade item in the whole server! I'm taking off!"

The other players' eyes turned red with envy.

"Following Brother Chen means getting the good stuff! I'm going to work hard on my DPS too!"

"I want to get a Purple Grade item next time too!"

[System: Players equipped Purple Grade gear. Party's overall combat power increased by 200%.]

Lin Chen looked toward the end of the corridor, where the light gate to the third floor had already appeared.

He put away the Abyss Advancement Token, his voice carrying through the entire corridor.

"Rest for five minutes. Check your potions, replenish your status; next, we're heading straight for the third floor."

"Understood!"

"To the third floor! Let's slaughter our way through the Abyss!"

The players immediately began organizing their backpacks and consuming potions to recover health, excitedly discussing the battle they just had.

Lying Flat Player leaned against the bone wall, grinning foolishly at his level panel.

"I leveled up four times in ten minutes; I could play this game forever!"

Brute No. 1 swung the Purple Grade greatsword, making the air whistle.

"With this sword, I can slice the third-floor monsters in half too!"

Lin Chen stood before the light gate and checked his attribute panel.

Level 11, combat power over 100,000, artifact in hand, and his territory was number one in the server.

He knew very well that the Corrosive Bone Warlord was only a minor BOSS on the second floor; the monsters on the third floor would only be more terrifying.

But he didn't have the slightest bit of fear.

Only by continuously growing stronger and crushing his enemies could he gain a firm foothold in the Myriad Heavens.

Lin Chen said calmly, "In five minutes, we set out."

The players responded in unison, their voices echoing through the entire Rotting Bone Corridor.

A new battle was about to begin!