RPG Survivors – Book 1: Ascension Protocol.: An Earth Apocalypse System Integration LitRPG Adventure novel by Zerf Craig

Author:Zerf, Craig
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-09-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Noah’s hand shook as he poured the last of his healing potion into his mouth. It tasted like metal and rot, but he didn’t flinch—his body had gotten used to the burn. The bottle clinked when it hit the floor, empty, just like the rest of his inventory. He was running on fumes now. No more potions, no more bandages, no more chances. Just him, his sword, and whatever the Crucible Master had in store for him on the other side of that door.

He leaned against the cold stone wall, every breath labored, chest tight. The bruises on his ribs ached with every inhale, the cuts lining his arms and legs burned like hell. He’d stopped counting the injuries—his whole body was one big reminder that he wasn’t invincible. Not even close.

Just keep moving, he told himself. But there was no confidence in it this time. His mind wasn’t screaming at him to stop, to quit—no, it was just quietly suggesting that maybe this was how it ended. Maybe the System had finally thrown something he couldn’t beat.

Fuck that, he thought. If he was going down, he’d go down swinging.

Noah tightened the straps on his armor. It was battered, dented in places, but still functional. His sword, too, had seen better days—nicks and scratches ran along its once-perfect blade, but it would still cut. His gauntlets hummed with a faint charge, the lightning in them weaker than before, but enough for one last fight. That’s all he needed. One more round.

The air in the dungeon was thick, oppressive. It clung to his skin, making every movement feel slower, heavier. He checked his HP—a blinking red warning glared back at him.

50/300

He’d be dead with one solid hit.

He didn’t have time to dwell on it. With a grunt, Noah pushed himself off the wall, moving toward the door that led to the final arena. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat a countdown to what was waiting for him.

The System message still hovered in his vision. [Final Challenge: The Crucible Master Awaits.] He stared at it, eyes narrowed. Every challenge, every death-defying moment had led him here. The Crucible Master. Noah clenched his jaw, pushing the door open.

The chamber beyond was vast, bigger than any space he’d fought in before. The floor was uneven, cracked stone stained with blood—his blood, the blood of those who came before him. Broken weapons, shattered shields, and chunks of armor littered the ground, reminders of failed attempts. The air smelled of iron and decay, the scent of defeat thick in the room.

Ahead, at the far end of the chamber, sat the Crucible Master.

Noah’s grip tightened on his sword.

The Crucible Master was a nightmare made flesh, its grotesque form barely human, more monster than man. Seated on a throne cobbled together from the bones of its victims and twisted metal, the creature’s hulking frame filled the massive chamber. Its body was a ruin of flesh and steel—jagged, rusted armor plates fused to its skin in horrific patches, as if the metal had melted directly into its muscles.

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