I sat there in silence, Lila’s words echoing in my mind as the full weight of what she had said began to sink in.

Her [Pathfinder] inheritance hadn’t shown a single path, a clear direction like I’d expected.

No, it had shown something far more profound, far more shocking.

Her inheritance wasn’t pointing anywhere specific—it was everywhere, woven into the very air we were breathing. The realization hit me with a cold certainty.

The dungeon and this world's ecosystem, was also tied to Earth. Not just connected—entwined, as a part of it.

A cold shiver ran down my spine. If Lila’s ability couldn’t detect something, it meant it didn’t exist in this world.

Yet, here we were, and her ability had responded.

It had shown me the truth I had never expected to be told.

I wasn’t in some distant dimension, some far-off planet or fantastical world. I was still on Earth.

The thought twisted inside me, a mix of disbelief and dawning horror.

This place, this dungeon, with its monsters and madness, was tied to the same Earth where I had lived an ordinary, peaceful life.

It wasn’t another world; it was a part of the one I knew.

The thought twisted my stomach.

If this dungeon was connected to Earth, then what else was possible?

How many other secrets were buried beneath the surface, hidden from the everyday world? And why had I been pulled into this place? Was it an accident, or was there something—or someone—behind it?

I couldn’t ignore the evidence in front of me. The dungeon wasn’t just some isolated world. It was part of the same reality I’d grown up in, the same Earth where I’d lived my life.

But somehow, it had remained hidden... .

Lila’s ability had shown me the truth, even if she didn’t fully understand it herself.

The way back to Earth wasn’t some far-off, impossible goal. It was right here, around me, all along.

But that raised even more questions. How had I ended up here? Was there a way to escape this dungeon and return to the surface? And if so, what would I find when I got there? A world that had no idea of the horrors lurking in the dark?

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

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of confusion. There were too many unknowns, too many variables to consider.

But one thing was clear: I had to find out more. I needed to understand this dungeon beyond the scope i had gathered as a player, as well as its connection to Earth, and how—if at all—I could escape this place.

For now, I had to keep this to myself. Lila didn’t need to know the full implications of what her ability had shown me.

Ignorance was truly bliss in such moments.

But one thing was certain: the dungeon held the key to everything. And if I wanted to find my way back to Earth, I needed to delve deeper, back to place that brought me here... the 100th floor!

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Two weeks had passed since Lila and I had entered the reward room.

The days had stretched on, each one blurring into the next.

Despite the urge to leave, we kept our patience and endurance, knowing that the longer we waited, the fewer enemies would be waiting for us outside.

We rationed our food carefully, eating just enough to keep our strength up without wasting any more than necessary.

Each day, I made sure to stay active.

I would jog around the space, do push-ups, and keep my body moving.

Part of me hoped that maybe, just maybe, these physical activities would increase my physical stats. But they didn’t. My numbers stayed the same.

Yet, oddly enough, I felt better. The exercise seemed to clear my mind, keep me sharp. Even if my stats weren’t improving, my body and mind were more focused, more prepared for what was to come.

“Why do you keep doing that?” Lila asked one day, watching me as I finished another set of push-ups.

“Gotta stay ready,” I replied, wiping the sweat from my brow. “We don’t know what’s waiting for us out there. And besides, it helps me think.”

She tilted her head, considering my words. “I guess that makes sense. But... it doesn’t seem to change anything, does it?”

I shrugged. “Maybe not on the surface. But I feel better."

Every day, I also made sure to fully consume my recovered mana, summoning as many slimes as I could.

I wasn’t just doing it out of habit—I was building an army.

Each day, my army of slimes grew, filling the room with their gelatinous forms.

There was a tension in the air that neither of us could shake. We both knew what was coming.

Today marked the final day. We had consumed the last of our rations, fueling ourselves for the confrontation that was about to occur. It was time to leave this place and face whatever awaited us outside.

Lila watched quietly as I approached the chest that had sat in the center of the room for these long two weeks. The time had finally come to claim my reward.

I reached out, my hand hovering over the item I had chosen after much deliberation. This was it—the end of our wait.

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Outside the reward room, the scene had changed a lot.

What had once been a crowded chamber full of adventurers was now mostly empty.

Most of the people who had been waiting had given up and left, no longer willing to wait around.

Only a few adventurers remained, along with one of the original three veteran factions.

The mood was tense. The remaining looters looked angry, their veins bulging as they stared at the statue where the mysterious person had disappeared two weeks ago. Their frustration was obvious, and they were itching to tear into whoever came out.

At the center of it all stood the leader of the last remaining faction—a scarred brute with a jagged axe in hand.

Unlike the others, he was unnervingly quiet, his eyes bloodshot with anger. His silence was more menacing than any outburst, his fury simmering just below the surface.

His muscles were coiled like a spring, ready to explode into action the instant the reward room’s occupant reappeared.

And that moment was quickly approaching.