The roof of the tower is just that – a roof. It has a stone floor and is about one thousand feet in diameter despite the tower itself being roughly two hundred feet in diameter. There's a three-foot-tall stone wall at the edges, providing some degree of safety against falling off. Dark grey clouds are visible in all directions with their tops being just-below the wall up here despite the tower itself not being that tall. Definitely a result of this Dungeon's dimension.

I can't see any monsters up here, but I remain on-guard just in case.

"This is… eerie," Adam says as he looks around.

"Coming from someone who's been in at least a dozen Dungeons, if he's to be believed," Katie says. "That's a little disturbing."

"Very," Elise and Chance add.

"A non-combat Zone?" Caleb asks. "Ugh. I hate these. They're always puzzles of some sort."

There are entire Zones that are puzzles instead of combat-filled? Though I guess the mazes could count as puzzles, couldn't they? Those still had combat, though.

"Be on the lookout," I say. "The fact that the cloud layer here is lower than it is from down below suggests that there may be monsters lurking in it."

"Look at the ground," Adam says.

"Hm?" I look down to find that the ground of the roof isn't entirely the same color.

We're standing in an area of darker grey stone, but a decent amount of the stones making up the floor are tinted with red, yellow, or green. Looking closer, it seems that those three colors seem to form paths across the roof with medium grey stones making up the rest of the floor of the roof.

"Think it's like the flower puzzle?" Caleb asks. "Where you have to look for the ones that make up the… the right sequence, right?"

"No," I say. "Hold on. Adam, I'm getting up onto your shoulders."

"What?" Adam asks. "Why?"

"Higher vantage point," I get behind him. "You're strong enough."

I climb up onto Adam's shoulders and take in our surroundings. Though I can't make out the full layout, I can see enough from here to determine what the challenge for this Zone probably is.

"How rare are Zones without any combat?" I climb down from Adam's shoulders.

"Fairly rare," Adam answers. "They usually have it, but some Dungeons might have one that's a test of puzzle-solving abilities instead. Or other abilities. There was one I went into a couple of weeks before we met that required precise tossing of a ball. It wasn't even a puzzle, you just had to get the ball through a hole in order to proceed."

Caleb snorts.

"A ball through a hole?" I ask.

"Repeatedly," Adam nods. "The distances and sizes varied, and you couldn't progress until you tossed a ball into each hole. If you failed, you were teleported back to the start. It was extremely annoying. The damn locals didn't warn me about that when I was asking about it and that really pissed me off."

"What did you do to them in retaliation?" Caleb asks.

"Caleb…" I give him a warning stare.

"I asked a stonebite viper king to guard the Dungeon Gate," Adam answers. "He was very grateful for the new home and demands a tribute from anyone wishing to gain access to the Dungeon now."

"A what?" I ask.

"It's like some of the monsters here," Adam answers. "His venom can inflict the stone curse. But as a king monster, he's much bigger and significantly more powerful than ordinary ones. He's also evolved to some degree of proper intelligence and is able to communicate telepathically. The six of us working together wouldn't stand a chance at beating him."

Adam can definitely be extremely petty when he wants to be.

"So," Katie says. "Do you know what the puzzle is, Jamie?"

"Yeah," I answer. "Look at the tiles. They alternate between green and grey in most spots, then switch to alternating between yellow and grey. In some spots, they turn red immediately after a yellow or green tile. When they alternate, it's one tile each, and that's big enough to fit a person. In some cases, there are two grey tiles between the colored ones.

"I think the goal," I say. "Is to reach the outer wall walking the paths, going from green tile to green tile. Based on what I saw, the yellow tiles begin when the path can branch off. Chances are that we have to stay on the path and not stray – so don't cross to a red tile, and don't step off in a direction that has more than one grey tile in a row. The path is the alternating one-one tiles of green and grey or yellow and grey."

Green meaning the path is safe, yellow meaning that one of the branches probably results in a dead-end, and red meaning that the path ends.

"So there's only one proper path?" Caleb asks.

"Could be more than one," I say. "And I'm not sure I want to find out what happens if we stray. Could be a monster attack, could be a teleport back here, could be powerful flames. I don't know and I don't want to know."

"What about the puzzle for you?" Chance asks. "Were you able to figure it out?"

"I think this is the puzzle," I say. "Considering the colors. Chances are that the Summoned-specific puzzle is part of the path that must be walked… hey, Caleb, step over here for a second."

"Why?" Caleb steps over to me.

"Just wanted to test something."

"Test what?"

I shove him out of the 'safe' zone of the dark grey stones we're on. The moment he stumbles out of a safe path, electricity sparks up and zaps. Caleb yelps and quickly returns to the starting point.

"That's what I thought," I say. "It's nothing lethal. There's no way it would be if the path itself is part of the Summoned-only puzzle, as that means no one else would be able to finish up here."

"Those who didn't know would have to force their way through," Katie says. "Though someone might be able to figure out the color path on their own."

"Yeah," I say. "Which means that the puzzle path is probably hidden within this path. Let's… everyone, stay here while I walk the path."

"You realized something, didn't you?" Chance asks. "About the Summoned's puzzle?"

"Yeah," I answer. "The puzzles for a Summoned are clearly meant to be stupidly easy for them. I think I know what this is. Adam, shoulders again."

I climb back up onto Adam's shoulders and confirm my suspicious. Something I was doing while we were talking was attempting to plot out the route based on what I remembered seeing from up here. Now that I know what I'm looking for, I can clearly see what the current path I need to take is. Mostly, anyway. There are some parts that are too far away for me to make out properly.

"Alright," I climb off of Adam's shoulders. "Wait here and I'll be back soon."

I set off down a path, making sure to follow the one I saw laid out. The previous Zone used English letters while this one uses numbers. They're supersized and following the path with the numbers in their correct order actually takes me all the way to the wall once I finish completing the path for 19.

"Victory!" I touch the wall, only to find myself in a choosing room. "Wh-hey! I wasn't done being happy! Agh. Whatever."

I approach the shadow orb at the center and examine it to call up the list of choices.

You may choose which reward you wish to accept, Summoned One. Camp Protection Field Charm of Learning Planes >Jar of Infinite Lube Celestiatite Ingot x5 Grand Spirit Wings Charm of Sleep Recovery Pick that one! → Pouch of Infinite Tricks ← Pick that one!

Looks like there are three new options. All three are from gods who offered something previously and only one offer comes from a different god than I've seen before.

The [Camp Protection Field] is still an offer from the God of Journeys and Travels, and it's a crystal orb that creates a protective field that stretches thirty feet in all directions, preventing any enemies from entering the area. From what I can tell, it really means any enemy – beast and person alike. That would actually be extremely useful if traveling alone or in a small group. It means that we could sleep without having to take shifts.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

At a glance, it seems like it would just keep them from entering the camp, but it actually deters them from even perceiving the camp. A group of bandits or whatever couldn't just surround it and wait for us to wake up, they wouldn't even know it existed.

Extremely powerful and useful, and I'm leaning toward grabbing that this time because I'm kind of interested in traveling at least a little bit more.

The [Charm of Learning Planes] is sort of exactly what it sounds like. The wearer can use it to enter a 'learning plane' while they're asleep, that plane devoted specifically to teaching about the desired ability. Want to learn more swordsmanship? Then that plane will have a bunch of training dummies to spar with and directions on how to fight. Want to learn magic? Then the plane will be filled with books on magic and places to train them. Want to learn alchemy? There's a plane for that!

Though the skills don't actually transfer over into the mortal plane I'm from, the knowledge will remain in my mind and soul. That will make it significantly easier to learn basically anything I want. In addition, time passes at a third the rate within the plane as it does outside, granting extra time to spend studying.

"Seems a little too OP," I mutter. "But could still be useful if I wanted to go that route. [Unlimited Potential] kind of makes it easy for me to learn things anyway, but maybe that has a wealth of knowledge that's been forgotten?"

Moving on to the third new offer, it's another from the God of Commerce. I've never heard of celestiatite before, but it seems to be an extremely powerful metal. Can be molded to any form and enchanted with any magic, blades crafted using it will never lose their edge. The metal is extremely lightweight despite its durability, quite possibly more lightweight than any other metal out there.

"Honestly," I sigh. "All three are exceptional offerings, aren't they? A way to learn about anything I want to learn about even if I have to relearn it again after I wake up, a protective field for camps when traveling, and metal to make powerful gear from."

Chances are pretty good that not just any smith can work celestiatite and I don't think a sword forged from it is one I would use against just any opponent. Five ingots is also probably too much for one weapon. If desired, I could also probably gift one to someone to open a door that may not ever open otherwise.

I'm torn between those three offers. In the end, however, I choose the celestiatite. Keeping watch at night is part of the traveler's experience and I kind of want to get the full one. A place to study anything I want sounds amazing and might be picked in the future if it's ever offered again.

A metal that can be used to forge an unbreakable shield or a sword that never loses its edge, or which I can have an item made as a gift to someone as an offering, is superior to those. If I decide to stop traveling, I could also sell the celestiatite and use the money to do whatever I want after.

Not that I'll need to worry about money again after this run. At least not unless I spend it stupidly or live an extremely long time and never earn another copper again. The library of the tower will be a phenomenal boost to my funds. That's only extra proof that the God of Commerce's previous offerings weren't much in the long run.

The God of Commerce seems to change his offering every time as well, which means that I may never receive this one again if I don't accept it now.

At least with the offers from the other gods, I think I might still have the chance to receive them if I do another puzzle tailored to me.

After confirming my selection (the strikethroughs don't affect it), I reach into the shadow orb and pull out the ingots. Each one is about eight inches long, two inches thick, and four inches wide. I'm no expert when it comes to smithing, but I'm sure that one ingot is enough for a sword. Maybe even more than enough. They really are extremely lightweight as well and I could easily mistake them for a lighter-colored iron by appearance if the System didn't tell me otherwise.

I slip the ingots into my cuff and almost immediately after that find myself standing where I was before. The others in my Party are standing here, the roof now entirely grey stone. An archway of dark green stone with darkness swirling within stands against the wall before us.

"I take it that as soon as I went in," I say to the group. "The paths disappeared?"

"Yeah," Adam answers. "We received the notice that we'd cleared the Dungeon, too."

"Yeah, that's in my vision," I dismiss it. "This was a boring floor. Maybe the tougher version of it will have monsters. Or be even larger. What do you guys think the normal variation will be, since this was designed after concepts from my world?"

"In the first Zone," Katie says. "It will probably just be Tielmarn words or runes. In the second Zone, it will probably be shades of the same color with needing to find the ones that go in order from lightest to darkest or darkest to lightest, then disabling them. Maybe something a little different."

"For the third Zone," Chance says. "It'll probably just use Tielmarn runes instead of your native language's, and we'd have to find the set of books that's set up like yours."

"Where one of them has the runes to a word placed in the proper order for it," I say. "Like how mine was my name."

"Yeah," he nods. "Here… it will probably do the paths thing again. I'm not entirely sure what your pattern was, but it was clear you were following some sort of pattern as about a third of the way through you kept having a straight line."

That would be when I was on the 1s.

"Ours would probably be some sort of pattern," he says. "Like a flower or a beast that stretches all the way from the start to the end. Though the stones for us would likely be brown with light, medium, and dark taking the place of your green, yellow, and red."

"You're probably right about there being multiple paths," Katie says. "We were going to try seeing if we could find the others once you returned to us, but… turns out that the puzzle apparently also takes you to the wall."

"Yeah," I snort. "By the way, have any of you heard of celestiatite? The reward was five ingots of that and your faces all say that you know of it."

"Of course," Adam says. "Celestiatite is the rarest metal on all of Tielmar. It's been centuries since anyone last acquired some. Centuries. No record I know of mentions where it can be found."

"Same," Caleb says and the archers all voice their agreement as well.

"I don't even know where you'd go to find someone who could smith it," Katie says.

"The Holy City might," Adam says. "It's got a collection of people from all over. If no one there can, you might be able to find out where to go to find a smith with the level of skill needed for it."

Celestiatite being extremely difficult to work seems to be correct.

"Come on," I stretch. "I want a proper meal and a hot shower. We've been in here far too long for me and a comfy bed would also be appreciated."

"You're going to buy one just to stick it into your cuff, aren't you?" Adam asks.

"Hey," I say. "If there's space, there's space."

I walk through the Dungeon Gate and find myself back in the room at the Caniton Dungeon Guild with the entrance. The other members of my Party exit behind me, then we exit the room.

"Whoa," I say. "So noisy. And so busy."

There are far, far, far more people here than there have been the other times I was in the building. Workers are running around as they do their business. Adventurers are talking, arranging Parties, looking for new Party members, talking at the counters, and more. Random other people are here to listen.

"What's going on?" I grab a passing wolfkin man about my age.

"Didn't you hear?" He asks. "The Dungeon's gotten bigger! The third Zone is fifty-percent larger now and there's a whole new Zone at the top! A high-Level group came back yesterday after exploring it and gave us the news! Another one got back this morning and confirmed it! Though no one was able to figure out the fourth Zone and had to power their way through the zaps."

"Seems a couple of groups that go to the third Zone were in there when we went in," Caleb comments as the wolfkin runs off to continue whatever it was he was doing.

"Jamie!" A voice booms over the noise of the Dungeon Guild and nearly everyone goes silent. I look over to the balcony to the second-floor loft over the dining area to find Henry, the Guild Master, standing up there. "Welcome back from your trip! Did you solve the puzzle?"

He's no doubt asking about the fourth Zone's puzzle. I'm not sure if people are aware that the upgrade is a result of my presence yet or not, but they probably know that once it's solved it should be easier to figure out.

It looks like Tiffany and Jennifer are both standing beside him as well, each one holding a clipboard.

"Yes," I answer. "So the fourth Zone's layout should be easier for those going in and challenging it now. The puzzle is incorporated into it."

"Come up here," Henry says. "I'd like to learn about the trip you made so that we can better-inform future runners of Zone 3 and Zone 4. Not that Zone 4 has given any rewards…"

"Probably will now that it's been solved properly," I tell him. "Also, do you have a sizable room to talk in?"

"Why?" Henry asks.

"I looted the tower," I hold up my wrist to show off my cuff. "All of the books from inside of it are in here. Heard they sell for a pretty coin due to how expensive paper is."

Henry stares at me for a few moments, then bursts into laughter.

"We'll transfer them to my own storage," Henry beckons for me to come up to the balcony. "Then you'll get your pay and I'll restock the Guild's stores of them as needed."

"Come on," I tell my group. "Let's head up there."

We join Henry, Tiffany, and Jennifer, then he leads us into an office for the debriefing. As I tell him about what we did, I begin transferring the books to him as well. The Assistant Guild Masters count the books to keep track so that Henry and I can focus on the discussion.

"The two groups that had done the fourth Zone," Henry tells me. "Had figured out that the colored paths had something to do with the route, but they couldn't figure out how."

"They might have eventually figured it out if they tested things long enough," I say. "Or it's possible there's something that prevents people from being able to logic it out."

"Maybe," Henry nods. "And the guess as to the form it will take now is probably correct. If the assumption that the rewards for completing a puzzle caused by a Summoned's nearby presence are based on what was received by the Summon himself, then we can conclude that there will be a cuff of some sort, a sword of some sort, and ingots of some sort. As for the sapling's rewards… maybe seeds? I'm not entirely sure how that one can be downgraded properly."

"Me, neither," I shrug. "The fourth Zone was really boring. I was expecting more fights."

"Maybe that will be after the next time it gets upgraded," Henry says. "If it does again. Regarding the celestiatite… I'd recommend not spreading around that you have it too much. Few can forge it, but that doesn't mean people won't covet it."

"I wasn't planning on it," I tell him. "Do you know of where I can find someone who can smith it?"

"I'd recommend checking out any of the Holy Cities," he answers. "With their Dungeons, it's possible one has an extremely skilled smith who can work it. If not, then you could probably get a lead on one."

"That's what they said," I indicate my Party members. "Seems even you don't."

"Hm…" Henry thinks. "Ashran or Avuldrax might know where one is, though. In a more specific location than just 'try the Holy Cities' and see if they either have one or know where you might find one. I think they're back."

"Back?" Adam asks.

"Yeah," Henry nods. "They left a little before dinner last night. Startled the town a bit due to a dragon suddenly appearing. Soared off west. I heard someone mentioned that it returned about an hour before you did, but I was expecting you to return today so waited here instead of heading off to confirm."

"Alright," I say. "Once we finish the transfer of books, should I head downstairs to sell the rest of our loot or can we do that up here? Also, is there a chance that we'll end up having more loot than the Guild can afford? If so, we'll accept recommendations on where to sell the rest."

"How much loot is there?" Henry asks.

"Well," I say. "I tried looting everything after I got the cuff, so there's a decent amount. Would probably need several really large bins to fit it all in."

"He's insane," Caleb points at me.

"We can handle it in here," Tiffany tells me. "And we can afford it all, even with the immense number of books you're dumping."

"Just keep in mind that it was a twelve-floor library," I say. "This might take awhile."