"Phew! We're finally here," Beltrand said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Wearing heavy armor really takes a toll on heating up his body.

The entrance of the Reverse Tower wasn't extravagant like a temple, nor ugly like a Goblin's Cave. It was just a gigantic rectangular stone box-like structure with a giant open entrance, heavily guarded by the Kingdom's guards. In fact, the only thing that made the area somewhat colorful was the small merchant tents scattered everywhere.

The party decided to enter Layer 1, and after showing their Badges, the guards willingly let them enter.

As they journeyed from Layer 1 to Layer 5, they encountered numerous lower-ranked adventurers doing their best to gather materials and slay monsters. From low-level slimes to gargoyles and Ghalalaks - types of giant fish with hard scales and six crustacean-like legs.

Layers 1 to 5 were all mazes, but thanks to numerous explorations done by the guild, multiple safe pathways are mapped, reducing the number of adventurers getting lost in the Tower. These layers primarily served as training grounds for new adventurers now.

And finally, they reached the entrance to Layer 6.

"Hmmmmm...." The strong-looking soldier guarding the entrance to Layer 6 inspected the adventurer badges of Grand Ecstasy carefully.

"Okay, you're good to go. Just be careful. Jhulzihar's beasts have been acting up lately."

"We will. Thank you for the warning."

And just like that, Grand Ecstasy entered Layer 6, which was unlike the first five layers. Layer 6, known as Green Anguish resembles a dense jungle filled with dangerous hazards and monsters.

Not far from them, they spotted a peculiar creature. Grand Ecstasy instantly shift into their combat mode.

"Octasnaka spotted! Prepare for combat!" Mateo commanded, and the party wield their weapons.

Several long snake bodies were swinging in the branches of the trees, each measuring six meters in length and with enormous width. These snake bodies, however, did not belong to separate snakes. Instead, all eight of them were connected to a single giant snake-like head, a grotesque serpentine interpretation of an octopus. It swung and moved through the nearby giant trees like a primate swinging from branches.

"Shirna, start aiming. Once that thing pounces on us, shoot its eyes," Mateo instructed.

"Ok!" Shirna responded as he started to draw his bow with two arrows prepared.

As anticipated, the Octasnaka pounced from a tall tree, and Shirna's arrows landed successfully in its eyes.

"Everyone, get out!"

The party scattered to avoid the Octasnaka's landing impact, and the blinded creature thrashed its tentacles in a fit of rage.

"Trinne, Sophia, leave this to us. We need to conserve your mana for later," Mateo advised.

"Ok," both Claustrine and Sophia agreed.

Mateo drew his sword and slowly approached the Octasnaka, dodging its tentacle swings effortlessly.

"You can just cut its tentacles, you know," Beltrand suggested, but Mateo gestured for him to be quiet.

Mateo quickly reached the main head and without hesitation, he severed one of the tentacles from its base using a clean downward swing of his sword, causing the Octasnaka to screech in agony. The creature now in panic, attempted to escape, but Bertrand grabbed one of its tentacles.

"You're not going anywhere," Beltrand says with a smile.

Mateo continued to cut the remaining tentacles, even the one that Beltrand held. Only the head facing the sky remained, as the separated tentacles scattered everywhere, wriggling until they stopped.

"Trinne, it's your turn," Mateo calmly called Claustrine, who walked to the Octasnaka head's direction, positioned herself in front of the beast's forehead, and started chanting.

"Oh god of fire and volcano, Valvafir. Please honor my burning desire to eliminate my enemies with your eternal flame."

Claustrine pointed the head of her staff at the middle of Octasnaka's head, which was still screeching but had lost its mobility to escape its guaranteed death. The head of Claustrine's staff started to glow red, with smoke emanating from it.

"Molten spear!"

As Claustrine finished her spell, a thin, lava-like substance was released from her staff, piercing the Octasnaka's head and emerging from the other side. The smell of scorched flesh filled the air, and the Octasnaka instantly die as its main weakness was destroyed.

"Is it dead?" Shirna asked.

But his question was answered when the dead Octasnaka and its severed tentacles started to disintegrate until a damaged green crystal core the size of a human head appeared but also disintegrated, leaving no trace behind. The only thing left in the spot was the Molten Spear, which solidified and crumbled into dust.

"Hey, what's happening? How about the loot?" Shirna panicked.

"Ah... I forgot, it's your first time entering this tower," Mateo said.

"Forget about getting loot from monsters from Layer 6 onwards," Claustrine explained.

"What do you mean?" Shirna inquired.

"Monsters from Layer 6 and below are artificial monsters created by Jhulzihar. You see the core, right? That's the thing that creates the monsters here," Claustrine elaborated.

"Isn't it still worth grabbing the core and taking it outside? Maybe we can sell it to researchers?" Shirna suggested out of curiosity. Claustrine chuckled.

"That's a very dangerous idea. As long as the core remains undamaged, a Jhulzihar monster would regenerate its body at an absurd speed. You can carve the flesh however you want, but it will just continue healing. I can give you a history book detailing a disaster when they tried to bring a Jhulzihar core into the city," Claustrine explained further.

"Then... what's the point of coming here?" Shirna wondered.

"Just listen to them first," Sophia assured Shirna that the journey was worth it.

Mateo looked around and smiled as he saw a single black flower with an obsidian-like luster. He picked it up and returned to the group.

"This smell... I remember this," Claustrine said.

"Smells really good," Bertrand noted.

"Yes... Reminds me of the chapel," Sophia smiled, reminiscing about her time in the church.

Mateo gives the flower to Shirna.

"Uhmmm... you know I'm a boy, right?" Shirna teased as he looked at Mateo. Mateo smiled and playfully karate-chopped Shirna's head.

"Ouch."

"That's not a gift, you little rascal. Just remember the appearance or small of that flower," Mateo said.

"But why?"

"That single flower is worth 1 gold coin."

"Huh.... HUH?!" Shirna's eyes widened as he examined the flower.

"A Darkit Rose. Yeah, that's expensive," Claustrine confirmed.

"Why is this thing so expensive? How?" Shirna asked in amazement.

"That rose is primarily used as a material for a specific perfume. Because of its long-lasting, strong, and dark floral scent, Darkit Rose Perfume is highly sought after by nobles," Claustrine explained.

"It's also used for specific ceremonial purposes in the Church. So, the Church is willing to buy it at a reasonably high price," Sophia added.

Shirna was still surprised by this revelation. He thought about their recent Cocketrice mission that rewarded them with 100 gold coins. They could potentially surpass that just by gathering roses like the one in his hand.

"I want to destroy your expectations now. That rose is very rare here, and we are really lucky to find one this early. But there are other materials we can gather that, while not equal to the Darkit Rose, still fetch a high price. So, stop sulking and prepare your eyes for some gathering," Mateo said to Shirna.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Shirna smiled and handed the flower to Claustrine, who placed it in the bag of storage.

"Okay!"

The party continued exploring Layer 6 while also collecting a few materials along the way. They tried to avoid enemies as much as possible, but they still encountered other Layer 6 monsters, like the Bristle Ape - a very large gorilla with hard and sharp bristles it could spray everywhere.

"Shit!" Beltrand exclaimed as he used his Knight's Promise ability to create a barrier with his shield to tank the barrage of bristle spray. The rest of the party hid behind him.

"These bristles sure sting," Mateo commented as he pulled a bristle stuck to his leg, wincing in pain.

"Let me help you," Sophia said as she used a basic healing spell to quickly close and heal the wound.

"Thanks a lot, Sophia."

"No problem."

Suddenly, the barrage stopped, and the bristles were scattered everywhere in the area.

"The ape is completely bald!" Shirna realized after observing the Bristle Ape.

Grand Ecstasy prepares for counter attack. Mateo draws his sword and approach the Bristle Ape.

The Ape, completely agitated, rushed at Mateo, preparing for a devastating punch. However, Bertrand intercepted it.

Undaunted, the Ape opened its mouth, revealing its dangerous fangs, attempting to bite Bertrand. But...

*Swoosh*

Three arrows flew above Bertrand and landed inside the Bristle Ape's mouth. The Ape howled in agony and frantically tried to remove the arrows.

"How does it feel to taste your own medicine? It's painful, right?" Shirna taunted.

While the Ape was in a panic, Mateo dashed forward and cut the Bristle Ape's neck, which was easier now due to the lack of protection. The head fell to the ground, followed by the body.

Mateo then signaled Claustrine, who was already prepared.

"Fireblast!"

Claustrine used a basic spell that didn't require chanting. She conjured a small orb of flame and threw it at the Bristle Ape's head, causing an explosion upon contact. The head disappeared along with its core, and after that, the body started to disintegrate.

...

And Flying Colony - a giant wasp carrying a huge nest on its abdomen, which also contained smaller wasps.

"Nope! Nope! Nope!" Mateo shouted as they all desperately ran. Behind them, a swarm of dark-colored wasps the size of apples pursued them.

The moment they spotted the Flying Colony hovering above the trees, their instincts told them to run away.

"Worse monsters we could encounter here. How lucky we are!" Claustrine ranted.

"Why didn't we just fight them?" Shirna casually asked. Unlike his companions, he never felt tired in this environment, as the forest and jungles were like a playground for a Dark Elf like him.

"Fight a Flying Colony with 1000+ wasps? Good luck!" Beltrand sarcastically rants.

"At least it's not a Flying Fortress, or we'd be doomed!" Sophia commented between breaths.

"A Flying Fortress?" Shirna asked.

Mateo noticed that the wasps had stopped chasing them and had returned to their nest.

"Looks... like... we finally left... the danger zone," Mateo said as he caught his breath.

"If we... just have... the manpower to... kill that thing..." Claustrine said, gasping for air.

"Manpower? Is that thing really that dangerous?" Shirna questioned.

"Fighting 1000+ wasps with deadly venom in a very open area, unprepared? Even a Platinum-ranked adventurer would hesitate to fight it. It takes numerous parties and reliable area-of-effect spells to safely fight it," Claustrine explained.

"Then why are they willing to use that many adventurers just to destroy a single monster that doesn't even have loot?" Shirna was confused.

"Because a Flying Colony is the only Jhulzihar beast that gives something," Beltrand answered.

"Huh?! But you said that every monster from Layer 6 and below disappears after death?" Shirna was even more confused.

"Yes, the monsters disappear, but in the case of the Flying Colony, what it carry remains," Claustrine clarified.

"You mean... the hive?" Shirna finally grasped the implication.

"Yes, and you've probably already guessed what's inside."

"Honey..." Shirna's response was short.

"Not just normal honey. It's a powerful mind-altering drug called the 'Nectar of the Gods,'" Claustrine said seriously.

"I believe we've rested enough. Let's continue," Mateo said, and everyone prepared themselves.

"We're going to report to the guild about the appearance of the Flying Colony. I'm sure they'll form a massive hunting party just for that honey," Beltrand added.

"But what is this Flying Fortress that Sophia mentioned earlier?" Shirna inquired.

"Oh, that's an entirely different kind of beast. We'll explain it to you once we find something similar to a Flying Fortress," Bertrand promised.

"Similar to a Flying Fortress?" Shirna questioned to himself.

The Grand Ecstasy continued to traverse the vast wilderness, and Shirna continued to ask questions, with Claustrine happily providing answers.

"Why is this jungle so huge?" Shirna wondered.

"Not really sure, but academics theorize that Layers 6 to 10 are like pocket dimensions. It's just a theory, though; we can also assume that the dungeon is just really enormous, considering it's underground."

"Why is there still night, day, and air here if we're underground?" Shirna was perplexed.

"Look at the ceiling."

Shirna gazed at the sky where there were no trees obstructing his view. He was astonished to see some enormous holes and numerous bright lights.

"W-what?!"

"You see it, right? The ceiling. Those holes are probably part of an intricate ventilation system powered by magic. And the lights are also powered by magic, replicating the day and night cycle outside."

"Is it the same for the remaining Layers?"

"Layers 6 to 8 are the same. But no one knows about the remaining 2 because no one has ever reached them."

"I'm amazed..."

"Me too... since this dungeon was created by one of the most powerful wizards in the world," Claustrine said with admiration.

"To think that a human can create such a complex system," Shirna marveled.

"I'd rather say that this huge project was a team effort. But those helpers were probably as powerful as Jhulzihar."

"How old is this dungeon?"

"700 years old."

"Not really that old, to be honest," Shirna commented.

"Because you're comparing it to natural ones like caves or dungeons created by generations of monsters. Remember that this dungeon is very complex and artificial. Also, it almost the age of a single elf lifespan." Claustrine defended the dungeon.

"You're right." Shirna just agree.

"Also... This dungeon is still full of secrets, like the mysterious Layer 9 and 10."

"How do academics even know that there are still 2 layers remaining? You said that no one has reached those 2 layers yet." Shirna continues his question.

"Because it was mentioned by one of Jhulzihar's students in his book that we still read today. But sadly, he only tells anecdotes about Jhulzihar's story. He also didn't know the mystery."

After some time, the Grand Ecstasy safely traversed the jungle with only minor encounters with weaker Jhulzihar beasts. They now stood in front of the stair case down to Layer 7.

Cold winds rushed up from below, warning them of what's waiting for down there.

"So... cold," Shirna said.

Beltrand opened the party's bag of storage and handed out winter gear to each member.

"So... this is the reason why you asked me to bring winter gear. Thanks a lot," Shirna expressed his appreciation, to which everyone replied with a smile.

After wearing their winter gear, the Grand Ecstasy proudly entered the stairs leading to Layer 7. The deeper they went, the colder the surroundings became until they finally reached Layer 7.

Instead of awe, Shirna expressed intense dread.

"What... is... this?" Shirna exclaimed as he looked at the vast snow.

An almost infinite area of snow with deep red patches that looked like a brutal war and bloodbath had just recently happened everywhere.

"Still gives me the creeps to this day," Beltrand admitted. Sophia nodded in agreement.

"This area always reminds me of what the hell was in Jhulzihar's mind while making this disturbing landscape," Claustrine stated her opinion.

"Is the whole Layer 7 looks like this?" Shirna asked, still disturbed.

"Sadly yes. At least the sky is not red, or it would really look like an apocalyptic nightmare," Mateo said.

"Also, it's a good thing that the red patches are not blood, but still, there's no explanation for why the snow is red," Claustrine explained.

"If you think about everything that we're going to encounter, this bloody scenery is a perfect fit, right?" Beltrand said.

"Whatever. Thanks for reminding me of those monsters," Claustrine added with less enthusiasm.

"Welcome." Beltrand response followed by a cheeky smile.

"We finally entered Bloody Ice."

Shirna gulped as he already expected that whatever they were going to encounter in this area would be more dangerous.

The Grand Ecstasy started to explore Bloody Ice, and they found themselves in a small taiga, which made Shirna even more disturbed as the snow on top of the trees also had bloody red patches, making the area look like a forest of blood.

Mateo signaled his party to stop.

"What's wrong?" Claustrine whispered.

"Something dangerous is coming."

Saying that, everyone gets tense. Their silence revealed the sounds of trees being pushed and loud rustling of snow, sounds that grew louder and louder as time goes by.

"Shirna, climb a tree and look for the danger?"

Shirna nodded and climbed the nearest tree. He had trouble as huge piles of snow kept falling on him, very different from the normal trees he climbed on his home.

But he safely reached the top and looked at the surroundings. His eyes widened when he saw the source of the sound.

"What a grotesque creature," Shirna said.

He was looking at a giant monstrous-looking elk that was almost impossible to identify as an elk due to its very thick and long fur. But the most disturbing feature was the numerous large antlers running from the elk's head to its shoulder, each with an absurd number of branches, making it look like there was a mini forest of antlers on its back.

After observing the monster, Shirna quickly climbed down and gave the information to everyone.

"It's a giant elk with an absurd number of antlers."

Sophia and Claustrine sighed.

"What a relief," Beltrand said, relaxing a little bit.

"What?" Shirna didn't have any idea.

"It's a Decantler. We're lucky that it's the first thing we encountered. As long as we don't disturb it, that thing will ignore us," Mateo explained.

Hearing the good news, Shirna smiled, and the party prepared to pass by the Decantler, ensuring they didn't intimidate the large monster to avoid unnecessary combat as much as possible. They created a safe distance and also tries to hide, and the Decantler was now far behind them.

Then suddenly, the snow started to rumble, which shocked Grand Ecstasy, especially Shirna, who was close to panicking.

"Okay, what's happening now!?" Shirna screamed.

"Just continue walking and ignore what's happening behind us," Mateo said. Shirna looked to the other members to find answers, but each of them just gave him a serious nod. With no choice, Shirna followed the others.

But Shirna couldn't quell his curiosity and took a sneak peek at what was happening behind them. He saw the Decantler running away, only to be stabbed by two very long and large white tentacles, followed by numerous smaller ones.

"What the!"

The Decantler tried to struggle, but to no avail. It was just getting pulled by the tentacles. Moments later, a giant white fish head revealed itself. Its mouth was already wide open, ready to gnaw the unlucky prey who had lost its strength and was easily dragged by the tentacles coming from the fish's face.

Shirna runs in panic and return to the rest of the party who stopped when they notices that Shirna is falling behind.

"What is an Icyatsh doing here?! And why is it so huge?!" Shirna questioned.

Icyatsh was a white catfish-like monster common in snowy areas, swimming in snow like fish swim in the sea.

The Icyatsh is only the size of an adult male foot and pretty much a source of food for people in Frozen Northlands. But the Icyatsh in Layer 7 of the Reverse Tower was enormous, with a typical length of 30 meters, plus 30 meters from its long whiskers.

With some unknown reason, the Icyatsh had turned from a source of food into a deadly ambush monster.

"You're right. That's an Icyatsh but transformed to become a dangerous monster," Claustrine said.

Mateo resumed walking, followed by the others.

"To think that we really walked above that thing," Shirna shivered as he imagined the scenario.

"But thankfully we're too tiny for its appetite," Mateo said.

The Grand Ecstasy continued their journey, even more prepared for what could happen next.