While in theory not that difficult, procuring one such armor to melt it proved to be a challenge for Sophia.

First, she was not that good in melee and the sentient armor had no weakpoint for her arrows to exploit. Second, they were always patrolling in teams of three and their teamwork was really good. Third and last, the sentient armor were perfectly aware of the human vulnerability to fire while being themselves immune to it, in a terrain designed to let them exploit that advantage. Finally, in the unlikely scenario she survived a one-on-three fight, if she took too long, she might end up fighting a second patrol, further decreasing her odds.

So, she had concluded that any frontal attack would result in her predictable death.

She needed to change the fight parameters if she wanted to even the odds.

First, she had to create the circumstances to fight the armor one-on-one instead of all at once and prevent reinforcement. Second, she had to choose a location that was significantly lava-free despite being completely surrounded by it. Third, she needed to lure a patrol into her trap and give up their advantage without making it too obvious.

A lava-free corridor? Check. Filling that corridor with junk so only one armor could walk through at a time? Check. Studying the patrol patterns and having her lures prepared? Triple-check.

The one armor at the forefront of the patrol took one of her armor to the helmet while she started lure singing to get their attention. And predictively, the patrol leader went straight to her with its two companions in tails, only to realize after it was already engaged with her that its two companions were sitting ducks. So through with much difficulty, she managed to dismantle the first living armor and brace herself for the second fight.

But the two others understanding her trap were not too keen to go to the offensive and she tried to lure her back into a more advantageous position for them with weak thrusts and empty threats. She just stepped back deeper into the corridor. And seeing they did not take the bait, she encouraged them further with a couple of arrows and a few more seconds of lure-singing.

They tried to resist the influence but in the end, one of the armor finally took the bait and charged in after her. She barely had the time to switch her weapons to block the attack and then, she once again won that fight with much difficulty. However, the third armor, seeing the situation decided to flee to seek the moment it realized it could not win and she had to use Dash to cover the distance, incapacitate the fleeing armor cutting its right leg before ending its artificial life in short order.

And so she had managed through cunning to win against one of the many patrols around the forge. But she knew she might not be able to do a repeat performance if she had to. It just took her more energy than she thought possible to prevail over enemies that were both stronger and sturdier than she was.

The three armors would have to be enough to produce the four puzzle pieces she needed. Which would not have even been an issue if the actual forge had been sitting close to the foundry instead of being set up on a different floor. It would also been a non-issue if the elevator had been working but it was the whole reason she needed the pieces to unlock that particular shortcut.

So while singing to reduce her presence once again, she started the necessary trial and error, smelting-running-climbing-moulding to get all the four pieces she needed. And though she had wasted a significant amount of material, she still had two sets of armor completely intact by the time she was done.

I have my pieces ready. What about you Michel?

The answer came only seconds after.

You are already done? I'm just getting started. Those damn armors had been a pain to deal with. I had to repeatedly confuse, chill touch one armor, strike them, then flee and turn invisible to even kill one. Then, I had to wait for its companions to give up the search. How were you so fast?

Yep, she understood that frustration all right. Those armor were supposed to be taken down by groups of six and the usual rogue tactics worked poorly on them. And yet, she somehow managed with what she had.

I set up the battlefield to fight them one-on-one, lure them into my trap, and take them out one after the other.

She gathered her pieces and made her way to the elevator, putting them into place one by one.

Now that you are saying it, I'm feeling stupid for even trying to fight them all at once.

Yep. But on the other hand, he had the offensive power that she was desperately lacking. Necessity was the mother of invention they said. She simply needed it more than he did, and so she was even more likely to consider the option.

It might not have worked with someone else. I had to work my own magic to lure them in. And even then, I'm feeling drained. The armors are hitting like trucks and can take quite the beating in return.

She tested the lever contraption that control the elevator and set it on the roof floor. And indeed, the whole contraption came to life with a screech and started moving up.

Oh, I'm sure I would feel the same after beating three instead of one! Anyway, thanks for helping avenge my dead companions.

And she finally got to the roof, took back the puzzle pieces, and turned around. Sophia was met with the exact scene Prince had described to them. A nine-by-nine grid of identical forge interconnected by the mine kart network. As well as the central forge and its heavily guarded second elevator.

The mine carts were not so hard to understand either. It also had a similar contraption to the elevator with only two options: forward or backward. And so she started to consider her position and determine her own coordinate within the system Prince had established.

Guys. My current location is 8:7. I'm seven kart trip from Paolo's position. What do you think, Michel? Should I wait to know your position first or go help Paolo directly? Anyway, it would not hurt to test those karts and see if there are any nasty surprises about them.

The answer was immediate:

Almost done. Don't mind me. I'm more interested in knowing what nasty surprise you think we should expect. And you don't mind being the team Guinea Pig?

And so she answered in the same fashion:

I don't know: Rocks falling from the ceiling at the most inopportune moment or flying creatures harassing you while you are stuck in the kart for the duration of the trip. I would not put it past the system. And besides, we don't have much of a choice if we want to regroup and I have the best odds to survive nasty surprises anyway. Wish me luck!

And so she chose the kart going north and pushed the contraption to go onward.

The kart was slow at first but she realized it was just slow at building momentum. And in the end, she made it to the next forge without any issue but the speed of the kart toward the end gave her a good fright as the kart had no sort of brakes.

I'm alive and safe. Bit of warning though: the kart has no brakes so think about putting the kart engine back to neutral position well in advance.

And the answer again was instantaneous:

Right on time. I was on my way to the elevator. See you at 5:3.

That made it official: Paolo's position was going to be the meeting point for the entire group and allow them to proceed from then. It would even the odds against the sentient armor patrols. Though it was probably still not enough to tackle the guards on the 5:5 forge roof.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Yet, six more trips later, she finally got in position with Michel already waiting for her.

"You got fast!" She remarked.

"I got lucky. I was in 4:1. So I was three trips away. You?"

"Seven. Still, you got really fast making your puzzle pieces."

"I had everything set up in advance so I made it in only three trips. Two failures, one success."

"You made all four pieces at once?" Sophia exclaimed. "How?"

"As I said: I took my time, I replicated the mould, and prepared everything to limit failure as much as possible." He told her as if what he did was no feat at all.

"Tell me you add prior experience doing that kind of stuff." She said, as this was her turn feeling like an idiot.

"You do not?" He asked surprised and then reading the answer on her face explained. "Where I lived, every kid has to learn the basics of everything, to give apprenticeship a boost, they said. I took it for granted. But I guess it was only my country's policy then."

"And now, I really wish I got those too." She accepted his explanation and moved on:

"Anyway, time to climb down these elevators without getting burned. Ideas?"

"If we are not burning alive, then a rope should not burn too. Granted we find a way to avoid direct contact with the lava." He responded already looking around for a way to secure the rope.

★☆★

In the end, the rope did burn but not before they had both made their way to the second floor. The physics of this place was puzzling, to say the least. But it worked and that was the most important, right?

Getting to Paolo took a bit more time as Michel's magic was already drained, preventing him from using any more invisibility spells. But with Sophia's stealth ability still intact and her careful study of the patrol, she managed to find the right window to bypass them anyway.

And for a moment, she wasn't sure she got the right place as Paolo was nowhere to be seen.

Until he startled her, coming out from a pile of charcoal: "Sophia! I'm so glad to see you again!" He greeted her, obviously relieved.

"I miss you too," she replied a bit less enthusiastic as he still looked and smelled like the pile of charcoal that surrounded him.

And then, Prince made his entrance lazily flying down to meet them from wherever he had been.

"Hello Everyone," He greeted them too, with even less enthusiasm. "Now Miirik, if you ask me to team up with Paolo again like this while you go do your own thing, I quit. Contract be damned."

"Well... If you would rather die repeatedly while keeping me company instead, that's your choice to make, Prince." She retorted, unrepentant. "Talking of which, let's get it out of the way immediately: Paolo, you still have the chest?"

"Yep." The boy said, handing her back her backpack, covered in soot.

She unceremoniously emptied it at her feet and took the chest as the top, repositioning it in front of Prince.

"Seriously? You know I'm a Tressym, right? What can I possibly need or want that I can't provide by myself?" He tried to argue back against it, desperately this time.

"I don't know. But that chest holds the answer." She retorted before insisting. "And a deal is a deal. You are part of the team, you have to get your share. Now if you please? I almost died for that thing."

"So what?" The winged cat argued back. "I can't simply surrender my share to you? Isn't it a thing? I don't want it. Why do you keep insisting on this?"

"Nope. It's not a thing." She responded, inflexible. "And I won't get the real reward for solving the tutorial-size puzzle if you don't get your share. So in a sense, you get your share so we could all get more, later. Make sense from your familiar perspective? Now, be a dear and open this chest for me, please."

The tressym looked at her with defiance but did not make a single move.

"Okay. You want it to be that way, so let's make it that way. That's an order." She snapped" Now, either you are part of the team and do it or you aren't and you can go spy on us from elsewhere. Got it?"

She was sick and tired of that flying furball, doing his own things, talking back against what she considered human decency, and acting all superior without doing a single thing to back it up.

"Sure, Miirik. You are the boss." The winged cat finally said before finally doing as he was told.

And the proud tressym froze upon seeing the chest content, visibly horrified, which immediately piqued Sophia's curiosity. In the chest was a Bell Collar that she immediately identified as the powerful artifact it was, before looking at Prince quizzically.

"I won't wear it or use it." He declared. "You can have it. But if you try to force my hand about it, I will quit."

And so she reached for the artifact to see what was so special about it and the system answered her query:

Broken Bell Collar of Hiraeth Shelter

Legendary Necklace

Broken Bell's Battery: Any willing sentient holding this bell can infuse it with some of its magic to recharge it. The bell can store up to two charges, once for each of its hereinafter mentioned effects.

Homesick Rest Ritual: Conjure a temporary shelter that reminds the user of a place they once called home. However, due to ritual limitations, this shelter cannot be any larger than a small cottage, with no more than three rooms, equipped with a single fireplace, basic furnishings for up to eight people, and a single entrance. This shelter will last for a minimum of eight hours and for as long as the magic invested into the ritual would permit it.

Wards of Secure Shelter: Create a hemispherical ward of a 6-meter radius with the following features: camouflage of any structure built within, obfuscation of sound and light coming from within, and alarm against trespassers. This last until the caster left the ward area for more than sixteen minutes.

"So that's it?" She finally said before taunting him playfully. "You lost your home too, but the memory is too painful to face it?"

"You don't know what you are talking about!" Prince hissed, thought his reaction was saying the exact opposite.

She was absolutely right. He had a shady past he outright refused to face. A past that might explain who he was and why he was such a... such a... a what, exactly? A scaredy mess of a cat with trust issues? That was the best she could come up with to define him.

He was selfish, like every cat. And lazy, like any cat she knew. And then more: passive-aggressive, rude, intrusive, uncooperative, seemingly subservient yet doing his own things, and the list went on.

"I won't force you." She promised. "But this is yours. And I will safeguard it until you ask for it."

And she put it at the bottom of her backpack, which got the Tressym's attention.

"You are not going to use it?" He exclaimed, surprised.

"First thing first, it's yours and I'm not assuming I can borrow your stuff without permission. Even if we could all benefit from it. Second, I have things I miss from Earth but my home used to be wherever my family was, not a special place I would hold dear. And third, it's about your needs, not mine." She enumerated.

"It's okay. I got it." He finally said grumpily, before flying away, muttering "Honestly thought you would not give up any resources to spare my feelings."

And then, the tressym was gone.

Both Michel and Paolo were staring at her, disapproving, each probably for very different reasons, but said nothing.

Ans she looked the other way. 'Plans first, feelings later' She decided, repacking her things.

★☆★

The map had been clear: The next Chained Chest was somewhere above. So it did not affect their plans. If they wanted to progress on this floor, they needed to get past the monsters guarding the elevator.

While she could probably sneak past them, the others, and especially Paolo and Prince, couldn't.

And so they had to fight.

It wasn't a clear cut unwinnable fight like the two giant Elementals had been. But it was neither a fight she was confident they could win as they were currently.

So either they had to recruit, which they would have to do sooner or later anyway. Or temporarily allied themselves with another team to get the job done, which had its own set of merits and issues.

The team morale was not exactly good. And they just had temporarily recruited Michel that he might already consider jumping ship after the last team argument. Plus, it would be hard to ally themselves and then split off whenever it would be convenient for them. There was also the fact that temporary allies could turn their back on them once they were done with their common goal.

A lot of things to consider, with their lives hanging in the balance, and against which she had no counter to work with.

There was a reason the system grouped them in teams of six: Too many people and the human factor of any plans would start working against them. And conversely, too few people and most challenges the system keep throwing at them were seemingly insurmountable.

Yet, they were no arguing that three humans and a flying cat were not nearly enough to fight four squads of sentient armors, four mana golems, and two dozen of arguably non-fighting constructs.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Paolo asked, sitting beside her, subtly letting her know that they were cool.

"Michel's team got wiped out. And this floor complexity and redundancy..." She never finished her sentence.

"It's nothing like the past floors." He provided for her.

"Yep." She nodded. "Retrospectively, there is always a pattern. A clear gradual progression in each floor hostility and enemies. And yet, the system always manages to get us on the back foot."

"Those sentient armors, what are they like?" He asked.

"They are clever. Even more so than the Raptors. They don't have magic but they clearly don't need it. They are slow and clumsy. But they compensate in strengh, sturdiness, and teamwork. Their only weakness is that they are all archetypal fighters."

"So what do you think awaits us on the next floor?" He bounced back to her previous idea.

"In comparison to the Armors?" She asked for confirmation and he nodded. "They probably going to be even more humanoid. Maybe a broader variety of weapons? Maybe magic? Maybe both? Maybe some roguish ambushers too? What I know for sure is that they will have the home advantage again and they will be even more difficult to kill while also more deadly."

And a comfortable silence valley between them until he finally said:

"You know. I have been thinking too."

"Yes?" She asked laconically when he did not follow through.

"This place looks awfully like your fantasy dwarven forge."

"You lost me but okay." She admitted, "And then what?"

"Maybe this place will finally have the gold we need." He said, shrugging at his own wishful thinking.

She did not answer but kept playing with the idea.

They now had two tomes and four spells they could not use. She did not know how that dead wizard from the campement got that second tome, but still: their team consisted of three spellcasters learning from scrolls.

Meaning they now needed 300 golds.

She did not want to crush his hope. But to this world, it sounded like an awful lot of money.