Era of Players: Death God

After finishing her meal, Lilith stood up, stretching her limbs to shake off the slight chill lingering from the cold environment. The third floor stretched before her, an endless expanse of icy plains interspersed with towering glaciers and frozen cliffs. A fierce wind howled across the landscape, carrying fine snowflakes that shimmered under the pale light of the artificial sky.

Unlike the first and second floors, where the ice ogres and wolves had been relatively easy to deal with, the monsters here were more cunning and resilient. Frost Wraiths lurked in the mist, their ethereal forms barely distinguishable from the swirling snow, and Glacial Behemoths, massive creatures covered in layers of enchanted ice, stomped through the terrain, their heavy steps cracking the frozen ground.

Lilith closed her eyes, activating her Presence Detection skill. Immediately, a three-dimensional map of the area formed in her mind, allowing her to pinpoint the movement of the creatures around her. She could sense two frost wraiths lurking nearby, their mana signatures flickering like dying embers, and further ahead, a behemoth prowled near the entrance to the next area.

With a flick of her wrist, she unsheathed her sword, Eclipse, its dark blade glinting against the icy backdrop. Unlike Noah, who relied on overwhelming force, Lilith preferred precision and efficiency. She crouched low, focusing her mana into her legs, and in an instant, she vanished—Wind Step carrying her forward like a ghost in the storm.

The first wraith barely had time to react before her blade cleaved through it. A wail of agony echoed through the frozen air as the creature dissipated into mist, its essence vanishing as if it had never existed. The second wraith turned on her, its spectral arms stretching toward her with clawed fingers. She sidestepped effortlessly, spinning on the balls of her feet, and with a swift Mana-infused Slash, she cut it down, its form scattering like ashes on the wind.

She didn't pause. The real challenge was ahead.

The Glacial Behemoth was an imposing figure—easily over four meters tall, its massive, ice-armored body resembling a walking glacier. Its blue eyes glowed with an eerie, primal intelligence as it turned its gaze toward her, misty breath escaping from between jagged teeth. With a deafening roar, it slammed its fists into the ground, sending a wave of jagged ice spikes racing toward her.

Lilith reacted instantly, leaping into the air and twisting her body to avoid the attack. Wind magic surged through her, propelling her higher as the ice shattered beneath her. Mid-air, she summoned her second blade—a dagger infused with fire mana—and hurled it with pinpoint precision. The weapon embedded itself in the behemoth's shoulder, melting through its frozen armor.

The beast roared in fury, charging at her with surprising speed. But she was faster.

Lilith landed gracefully, sliding across the ice before dashing forward, her sword glowing with a pale light. She channeled her Space Magic, distorting the area around her for a split second—just enough to teleport behind the behemoth. Before it could react, she drove her blade deep into the exposed wound her dagger had created, twisting it mercilessly.

A burst of concentrated fire mana erupted from the wound, spreading through the monster's body. Cracks formed along its icy armor, steam rising as the intense heat clashed with its frozen form. With one final, anguished roar, the behemoth collapsed onto its knees before shattering into countless crystalline shards.

Lilith exhaled softly, pulling her sword free.

"Not bad," she murmured, watching as the remains of the behemoth dissolved into particles of light.

Her breath came evenly—she had barely broken a sweat. This floor had taken Noah six hours to clear. She intended to do it in half that time.

Without hesitation, she pressed forward, her amber eyes glowing faintly as she vanished into the snowy expanse.

Meanwhile in another location, Arthur and Ilya stepped through the shimmering portal, arriving at the first floor of the icy dungeon. A bitter wind greeted them, carrying flurries of snow across the white-capped mountains and frozen plains. The sky above was an unbroken expanse of pale gray, casting an eerie glow over the landscape.

Arthur adjusted his grip on his sword and raised his shield, his Light Element already flaring around him in a protective aura. Beside him, Ilya pulled the hood of her cloak over her silver hair, her violet eyes glowing faintly with magic. As a Priestess Shaman, she specialized in curses and support magic, making her the perfect complement to Arthur's aggressive combat style.

"We should clear this floor as fast as possible," Arthur said, scanning the horizon.

"Noah and Lilith are ahead of us. We need to catch up."

Ilya smirked. "Don't rush. If you burn out early, you won't impress anyone."

Arthur sighed but didn't argue. Instead, he activated his Presence Detection skill, and immediately, he sensed movement to their left—a pack of Frostfang Wolves lurking near a cluster of frozen trees. Their icy-blue fur blended perfectly with the environment, and their glowing white eyes flickered with predatory hunger.

Arthur raised his shield. "Here they come."

The wolves struck first, darting forward with supernatural speed. Arthur reinforced his legs with mana and dashed to meet them, his sword gleaming as he swung it in a wide arc. The lead wolf snarled as the blade sliced cleanly through its chest, blood spraying across the snow. Another lunged at him from the side, but he intercepted it with his shield, bashing its skull with enough force to crack the ice beneath it.

Ilya stood back, chanting under her breath. Her Curse Magic seeped into the air, dark tendrils latching onto the remaining wolves, slowing their movements. One by one, they succumbed, their limbs locking up as if their bodies were frozen from the inside.

Arthur finished them off swiftly, his sword moving with practiced efficiency.

"Too easy," he muttered, flicking blood from his blade.

Ilya gave him a teasing smile. "Don't get cocky. The second floor will be tougher."

With that, they pressed forward, sweeping through the rest of the first floor. They encountered Ice Golems, hulking creatures made entirely of enchanted ice, and Frozen Specters, ghostly figures that tried to drain their mana with chilling touches. Arthur's Light Element proved invaluable, dispelling the specters with holy radiance, while Ilya's curses weakened the golems enough for Arthur to break them apart.

After three hours, they reached the entrance to the second floor. Taking a short rest, they ate a quick meal—bread and dried meat, warmed with a bit of fire magic—before stepping through the next portal.

The second floor was an entirely different challenge.

Unlike the first, which was mostly open plains, this area consisted of frozen ruins, remnants of an ancient civilization buried beneath layers of snow and ice. Tall, broken pillars loomed over them, and collapsed stone buildings created a maze-like battlefield.

Arthur exhaled, his breath visible in the cold air. "This will be harder."

Ilya's eyes flickered as she scanned the area. "Something is watching us."

She was right.

From the shadows of the ruins, Ice Stalkers emerged—humanoid monsters with elongated limbs and razor-sharp claws made of pure ice. Their bodies were partially translucent, allowing them to blend seamlessly into their surroundings.

Arthur's muscles tensed. "I'll take the front. You support me."

Ilya nodded, already weaving her next spell.

The battle was fierce. The Ice Stalkers were fast, darting in and out of the ruins to strike from unexpected angles. Arthur relied on his Light Element to enhance his reflexes, blocking and countering their vicious slashes. Ilya, meanwhile, used Binding Curses to slow them down, allowing Arthur to land decisive blows.

One of the Stalkers leaped from above, aiming for Ilya. Arthur reacted instantly, throwing his shield like a projectile. It slammed into the creature's chest, knocking it back long enough for Ilya to finish it off with a Hexed Fireball.

An hour later, the ruins were silent. The monsters were defeated.

Arthur retrieved his shield, shaking his head.

"This floor took longer than I wanted."

Ilya shrugged. "We're still making good time. The third floor will be even harder, so let's rest before we continue."

They set up camp inside one of the ruined buildings, lighting a small fire to keep warm. As they ate, they discussed their next move, knowing that they still had a long way to go if they wanted to catch up to Noah and Lilith.