Utopian System

The passing months had transformed the city in ways none could have imagined.

Green now speckled the eternal divine white, each new tree and garden standing as a testament to progress.

The transformation wasn't merely aesthetic, with each addition to the landscape, the inhabitants' morale soared higher. Children who had never seen vegetation now played beneath leafy canopies, while adults found peace in these pockets of nature amid their manufactured world.

But beneath this apparent peace, preparations continued with relentless determination.

The tunnels to the two remaining deposits were complete, their dark passages stretching like veins through the earth. The construction team had worked tirelessly, their efforts hidden from the world above but no less vital.

Now that everyone in the main group had reached their maximum power, Elio knew it was time to finish what they had begun.

♢♢♢♢

This time there would be no need for Elio and Zara to divide their forces... Zara was particularly pleased with this arrangement, her smile betraying relief at keeping their pair together.

Elio led the first group alongside Zara, Mei, Diana, and Lila, each member now a force of nature in their own right. Their power had grown beyond mere numbers, it was evident in their stance, their movements, the confident way they carried themselves through the tunnels.

The second team, no less formidable, consisted of Kriz, Brok, Valeria, Aria, and Taron. Their strength matched the first group's, a testament to their dedication and growth.

Outside, Milo's group coordinated logistical support with military precision.

Ren, though he had insisted on participating, ultimately remained in the city with Lucien. Both knew their value was greater within the walls, managing resources and maintaining order. Their administrative skills had become as crucial as any warrior's strength.

The tunnels within the deposit presented different challenges from their predecessors: one plagued with groups of 4 locus appearing at regular intervals, the other divided into five spacious chambers, each harboring 20 creatures.

The layout demanded different tactical approaches, forcing them to adapt their strategies.

But for level 10 warriors, these trials barely qualified as a warm-up exercise.

"Almost miss when this was actually challenging," Kriz joked while his group dispatched another wave of monsters, his movements casual despite the deadly precision of his attacks.

"Save energy," Zara warned, her eyes scanning ahead for potential threats. "The real challenges will come later."

Elio remained silent, his thoughts fixed on the artromus they would inevitably encounter. Each deposit had presented a formidable enemy, and there was no reason to think this time would be different.

♢♢♢♢

When both groups completed their respective challenges, they converged before the main chamber's entrance.

Ten level 10 warriors stood ready, each possessing the power to individually face what once required the combined effort of a team. Their growth wasn't just in numbers, it was evident in their coordination, their understanding of each other's movements, and their ability to function as a single devastating unit.

"Just like last time," Kriz smiled, though his posture revealed the underlying tension. "Only this time we're ridiculously stronger."

"Efficiency is the goal," Mei reminded them. "Every mana point we conserve could be crucial later."

Valeria nodded solemnly. "The King isn't the real challenge. It's what comes after."

The ten positioned themselves before the entrance, their new summons floating restlessly around them like ethereal guardians.

The lesser Water King awaited them, unaware it would face not just more powerful warriors than any before, but a group that had learned from every battle, every mistake, every victory.

"Ready?" Elio asked, the massive sword born from the artromus gleaming in his hands.

Nine determined nods answered him. It was time to show the Water King what it meant to face a fully coordinated team of level 10 warriors.

The battle began, and the first surprises quickly revealed themselves. While it was natural for Elio to retain the emblems in his group, the choice in the second team was curious.

Taron seemed the logical choice for his experience.

But all emblems went to Aria instead.

Each strike from Elio and Aria applied 480 points of magical damage, translating to 380 after the monster's defense. The rest of the group wasn't a small addition, each capable of inflicting 140 points of effective damage after defense.

Nearly a year of preparation had borne fruit. The main group, in its entirety, had reached the pinnacle of available power. The mathematics were simple: between 5 and 6 attacks per person would be sufficient to end the battle.

The ability to quickly charge ten mana points, once a considerable challenge, had become natural for all.

Their mastery over their powers had reached a level where even complex techniques felt as natural as breathing.

The Water King, failing to comprehend the magnitude of the threat it faced, attempted to defend itself by creating a thin liquid barrier around its body.

The water swirled, pretending to cushion impacts, but the earth attacks pierced through as if it didn't exist. The elemental weakness was even more pronounced than what the Earth King had shown against wind.

The group's coordination was the result of countless hours of practice. Every movement, every attack, was executed with a precision that only time and experience could grant. They moved like a single organism, each member anticipating and complementing the others' actions.

The frenzy's glow had barely begun to manifest when the coordinated assault of ten warriors impacted simultaneously.

The King's resistance plummeted from 18% to zero in a devastating instant.

There was no time for counterattacks, no opportunity to show its true power. The lesser Water King had fallen to a display of force and coordination that would have seemed impossible just a year ago.

The battle had ended before it truly began.

♢♢♢♢

Brok stepped forward to catch the sphere before Kriz could reach it. "No bad jokes about size this time," he muttered, storing it away.

Kriz wasn't too happy about that.

The familiar statue materialized before them. After two deposits, they knew what to expect, but still, tension was palpable as Elio extended his hand toward it.

The god's message appeared, as peculiar as ever:

"Well, well! Already at the third one? How efficient! Though this little one was particularly weak against earth, don't you think? Almost felt sorry for it... almost.

Would have loved to appear for a chat, but there was a fascinating discussion about the nature of space-time in the divine realm and that damn braty g... The goddess took away this right too. Though the discussion was quite exciting! Well, between us, I think we were just arguing because we were bored. Immortality can be tedious sometimes, you know?

Anyway, population will increase as always, another hundred thousand now and hundred thousand more when you deliver the sphere. By the way, does anyone else notice how quiet everything is lately? It's almost... unsettling.

I wonder how many more... oh, but that would be spoilers, wouldn't it? And that wouldn't be fun!

Can't wait to see who manages to reach me in the 4th deposit, hope the Elian boy can make it. I think I'm growing fond of that 'name'.

P.S.: The sky is particularly interesting today. I'd look up more often if I were you."

The group already knew what to expect, so when the Water artromus dropped before them, they already had their hands raised and ready to destroy the poor creature that dared to appear.