The tunnel presented a paradox: it was both deceptively simple and fiendishly intricate. While the flat floor seemed relatively secure compared to the jagged stones protruding from walls and ceiling, an unsettling aura of danger permeated the surroundings.

With a graceful swiftness akin to a cheetah, I discarded my armor and nimbly vaulted over the magic runes. My Spectral Familiars paced a mere meter ahead, diligently unveiling new traps as we advanced.

A point arrived where the solid ground transitioned into an unnervingly smooth surface, signaling a shift in the path’s difficulty. The floor gleamed with unattained gold, secured by seven-sided magical seals. However, the formidable barrier’s upper layer defied my efforts to breach it directly, forcing me to rely on my observational acumen.

Setting foot on a tile slightly less convex, I swallowed a nervous gulp. Within the dungeon’s oppressive silence, my heart pounded a rapid rhythm against my chest. So far, I stood unscathed upon the tile, both heels firmly planted. Gazing at similar rectangles, I couldn’t rely solely on intuition.

Taking another step, this time to the left, a creaking mechanism was activated. In an instant, a Shield of Light enveloped me, and I confronted a barrage of minuscule, poison-laden needles with my Spiritual Weapons. The cacophony of clanging metal shards shattered the tomb-like hush of the tunnel. One needle grazed my arm, prompting me to swiftly activate full-powered regeneration and engage my Iron Stomach skill to eliminate the toxins coursing through my body.

Dizzy and swaying in place, I was struck by a sudden, searing pain in my solar plexus. I involuntarily spat out a brown, intestine-like substance onto the golden tile. Carnivorous larvae writhed within the expelled mass, their slimy bodies reflecting the yellowish light.

I realized it wasn’t solely poison; these were the eggs of rare insects.

Fighting back repulsion, I rinsed my mouth and surveyed the remaining hundred meters of this treacherous course.

With Poisonous Arrows, I eradicated the larvae and decided to pursue an alternative route. I took to the air, soaring beneath menacing stalactites, my vigilance elevated to a keen edge.

But then came that ominous sound—click.

My gaze shifted to my right wing, which had snagged on a delicate white thread, which snapped with a metallic chime.

Curses flowed as I propelled myself over a perilous floor laden with lethal traps. A haunting whistle heralded the approach of incoming needles and other, more formidable, instruments of peril.

Parrying with my sword, I descended onto the golden expanse. The tiles cracked open, revealing a maw lined with iron spikes.

Utilizing Dark Threads, I hovered adjacent to the narrow cranium of a long-deceased creature, its empty eye sockets staring at me. With a litany of curses, I managed to extricate myself with commendable haste.

[The Slayer of Sanctity.]

[Comparable to deities and angels?]

[The Surya Empire has long forfeited such potent races. Only a handful of the weakest persist, fancying themselves as kings of the realm... This dagger might well be a relic from a diabolic blacksmith. Remember, outside the Arena, there are Players who could be reborn, donning the guise of demons or light-bearing deities. I...]

[Cease. I’m done. Ha-ha. What do I hear? Demons, deities? How in the world do they possess such cheat-like abilities?! YES, I WAS ONCE A DAMN GRASSHOPPER!!]

Lamenting my capricious fate, I sank to my knees before the dagger.

[You’ve certainly had more than your fair share of luck. Not many could have endured for such an extraordinary duration in your shoes! Well, I’ve conducted a thorough scan of the surroundings. You can take it!]

[You must be joking...]

Should a demon stand before me, their soul would be devoured and their body usurped. If an angel crossed my path... Depending on their gender, perhaps we could indulge in the bittersweet wisdom of a brutal world and arrange a ménage à trois.

Mm.

Reaching out for the dagger’s supple hilt, I was interrupted by a distant roar. Ready to navigate the forthcoming traps through any means possible, I noticed an entrance to an adjoining passage.

Shards of gold showered from the ceiling, cascading onto the marble steps that led downward.

Curious.

My vigilant Spectral Familiars remained several paces ahead, as was their custom.

After a quick survey of the surroundings, I employed my threads to retrieve several poisoned weapons, securing them in a discrete corner of my inventory alongside the newly acquired dagger.

Devious? Undoubtedly. Certainly, but who wouldn’t welcome such an ace up their sleeve?

The ladder boasted dual defenses: an active high-voltage electric charge, coupled with a specific technique designed to nullify both offensive and defensive capabilities.

First, disable the defenses, and then unleash the shock of electricity.

Though the robust might navigate these steps unarmored and sans magic.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

But...

Casting a glance back at the gilded tiles, I tsked. Post such an ordeal, it was doubtful anyone would entertain the notion of descending.

From my inventory, I extracted rubber gloves and boots, grinning broadly. My ventures within the System Store had not been in vain. The angling was about to commence, and the big fish (artifact) was about to swim right into daddy’s grasp.

[So that’s their intended purpose!]

The azure cat rhythmically tapped its paws against the marble floor, observing my donning of khaki boots.

[Well, not exclusively for this... Though, all’s fair in love and war.]

With a resounding clap of my hands, I tentatively stepped onto the first stair.

In the blink of an eye, all my defensive abilities, even the Spectral Familiars, dissipated. A weighty pressure descended upon my shoulders, compelling my knees to buckle forward.

Blue arcs of electricity licked at my heels, briefly singeing the surface of my boots.

Ooh.

I propelled myself forward with the urgency of a tortoise carrying a pail of water on a cracked shell, adroitly sidestepping the electrifying charges en route.

The rubber gradually melted, yet I persisted in my obstinate haste.

By the time I reached solid ground, the rubber had eaten into my skin, leaving behind a lingering irritation that resonated within my nervous system.

Having released the lizards, I shifted my gaze toward the burning torches lining both sides of the passage.

I’m utterly spent.

Seating myself cross-legged, I embarked on an exploration of the proposed paths to the artifact’s repository. With my eyes closed, I visualized branching routes extending from the initial entrance.

A subterranean labyrinth.

Half an hour later, I maneuvered rapidly through an underground tunnel.

Here, the traps consisted solely of the intricate maze, and the shifting walls posed the gravest challenge. One passage yielded to another, leading travelers in circles or steering them into dead ends.

Certainly, this entire labyrinth was a ruse.

Inscriptions adorned the walls, accompanied by an illustration of the artifact.

Greed ushers in a grisly demise.

“Eh.”

Accompanied by the wind’s mournful howl, I raced through hundreds of corridors, doggedly shadowing the Spectral Familiars.

The exit must lie just ahead.

Enormous monoliths loomed over the abyss, the sight striking me with a mix of awe and trepidation.

Dreams, when given wings of determination, can evolve into reality.

My introspections were abruptly fractured by the clamor of battle, and I squinted, discerning two figures locked in combat.

Margot... and Raid?

Magic circles erupted on the chimera’s form. Raid plummeted upon the iron ground like a smudge of violet, only to then transform before my very eyes. The scattered violet fragments coalesced into a grotesque whole, a transformation that occurred right after a devastating Destructive Resonance attack! Remarkably, he even had the strength to assail the Leader despite such a reckless expenditure of resources. The rapid restoration of the chimera in such a short span was nearly unthinkable.

The iron expanse displayed myriad cracks before ultimately fracturing under the relentless onslaught of the dueling pair. The ferocity of their clash hardly wavered, and they swiftly transitioned to a new location.

They’ve beaten me to it.

Turning my gaze back toward the heart of the cavern, my attention was drawn to a suspended scroll ensconced within a luminous lattice.

Suddenly, the sounds of their battle became sharply distinct. We were on the verge of intersecting, albeit fleetingly.

Coming to a halt, I locked eyes with Margot. It felt as though she was gazing straight at me.

Arched eyebrows conveyed her disbelief, momentarily suspended in the air. In the next instant, she was almost impaled against the monolith by a ferocious lash of the chimera’s tail.

A flick of my wrist altered the trajectory of the attack through Dark Threads, but even so, the tip grazed Margot’s thigh. In response, she let out a furious roar, conjuring a colossal sphere pulsating with destructive energy.

Leaping over the projectile, I produced a Replacement Talisman from my sleeve—a device capable of mimicking an object’s external data for twenty-four hours.

The ensuing ball eradicated scores of monoliths, though it failed to vanquish the adversary. They distanced themselves, subsequently resuming their clash just meters away from the cavern’s center.

Upon executing the spell, I seized the opportune moment to manipulate two elements. My fingers encountered the coarse texture of the scroll, and an unprecedented wave of emotions surged within me.

Suddenly, another aura registered. Raising my gaze, I observed a black shadow gliding through the air as effortlessly as a feather. Retreating into a vacant alcove within the earthen wall, I observed the ensuing developments with avid interest.

Chortling, Moss appropriated the counterfeit artifact, darting in the opposite direction. The luminous cage blinked thrice before the cave began to collapse. Spotting the audacious creature, the two combatants brokered a momentary truce, joining forces to pursue the fleeing fugitive

“THERE ARE AS MANY AS 7 SURVIVORS...”

The caretaker’s astonishment was palpable, mirroring my own. Dozens of portals materialized within the collapsing cavern. The last stage was officially culminating, affording the survivors an avenue of escape from this location.

Shedding the cloak, I plunged into an open portal.

Retiring my rubber gloves, I seated myself at the threshold of the Second Level.

This was a risky venture.

The glaring radiance of snow-white light threatened to scorch my retinas. With my eyes tightly shut, I gradually regained my bearings.

In a comfortable posture, I surveyed my surroundings.

Nami was panting beside me, while Bohr lay on his side, his tongue lolling as he sought recovery. Alex settled down beside him and drifted into slumber.

Margot and Reid descended upon Moss, encircled by skeletal companions.

“YOU BASTARD! VILE MOLD! NEXT TIME, I’LL ENSURE YOUR DEMISE.”

“I’M A LUCKY BASTARD. Ha ha ha. And what might you do with me? Will you fall to your knees and beg clemency from my grandeur?” Moss smirked, brandishing the artifact.

Exchanging curses, they soon found themselves overwhelmed by the might of the Second-Level sentinels.

However, combat was forbidden.

Margot’s growl was subdued, her ability to stand compromised:

“Remember, our paths shall cross again.”

With a turn, she set course for the towering edifices.

Seating himself dejectedly to my right, Reid exhaled heavily, while Moss trailed after the skeletons toward a residential area.

Before departing, a skeleton extended a parchment embossed with a magical seal towards me.

Placing my mental threads upon the paper, I absorbed the following:

“Intended for all creatures and beasts of the Arena, spanning Levels and Floors.

Announcement of the Upcoming Arena Regulations:

1. Precisely one month following the introduction of the New Regulations, the First Level shall be sealed. All participants have the opportunity to ascend to the Second Level through a gradual selection process via the Redemption Plaza.

2. The Second, Third, and Fourth Levels shall conclude their operation within the subsequent six months. All participants possess the chance to advance to the Fifth Level, facilitated by a stepwise selection process through the Survival Crossroads.

3. The Fifth and Sixth Levels shall conclude their operation after seven months. To progress to the Seventh Level, the collection of battle points is requisite. The threshold score for the 36th floor is 10,000 points.

4. Creatures and beasts shall solely confront the Bosses of the 4th and 5th Floors, accruing 250 points per victory.

5. Your accumulated point tally can be reviewed via this brochure or your token within the Waiting Areas across all Levels of the Arena.

6. Failure to transition to the subsequent Levels within the stipulated time frame shall result in automatic suspension from participation in the grand expedition to the 36th floor.

Note: The grand prize is freedom.”