The early morning light filtered through the windows of the mobile cabin, casting a soft glow on the group as they gathered their belongings. Tyler was already up, sitting at a small table with various weapons laid out before him. His brow furrowed in concentration as he inscribed runes onto each weapon, the process slow and meticulous.

Darius, still groggy from sleep, walked over and watched Tyler work. “You’ve been at this all night?”

“Couple of hours. I don’t seem to need as much sleep these days.”

Each weapon had been enhanced with specific runes tailored to the wielder’s fighting style. Tyler explained the enchantments as he finished each weapon, ensuring everyone understood the new capabilities.

“Darius,” Tyler began, handing over the tank shield and war hammer, “your shield and hammer have been inscribed with a gravitic rune. You can increase or decrease the weight of your items at will. Just be cautious; this is an experimental rune I created last night. I’m not sure how much mana this will drain from my core during an extended fight.”

Darius nodded, hefting his hammer experimentally. “Got it. I’ll be careful.”

“Markus,” Tyler continued, passing the scythe to him, “your scythe is now inscribed with wind runes. You can summon wind blades from the blade and wind blasts from the hilt. Additionally, the weight reduction rune makes it light enough to wield with one hand.”

Markus swung the scythe, feeling the difference immediately. “This is incredible. Thanks, Tyler.”

“Elric,” Tyler said, handing over the staff, “you’ve got a healing rune which is essentially a backup in case I’m not able to heal and the same gravitic rune as Darius. Think of it like telekinesis. You should be able to move objects with your staff. Focus on what you want to pull towards you; it should lock in place at the end of your staff, and then activate this rune.” Tyler pointed out a complex set of runes drawn down the staff and continued, “It will blast whatever you pulled in out again. I call it the gravity gun, and I came up with the idea all by myself.”

Elric’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “All by yourself, huh? Well, this should be interesting.”

“Livia,” Tyler said, passing her the bow, “your bow has several enhancements. There’s an illusion rune for stealth, making you harder to detect as well as a rune that should create mirage images around you all pointed at the same target. Sounds great, right? But it gets better: when you shoot, they shoot. You’ve also got an elemental ice rune. You have three basic shots: one that fires an ice lance without needing an arrow, one that covers a large area with slippery ice, and one that creates a block of ice wherever it hits, useful for slowing down enemies.”

Livia inspected the bow, impressed. “This is perfect, Tyler. Thank you.”

“Edward, I am sorry. I started running out of time, and I still wanted to add some more runes to your weapons,” Tyler continued, giving him the two long knives. “Your blades are enchanted with poison runes. You can switch between poison and antidote as needed. And since we didn’t have time to tattoo you, your armour has healing and shield runes similar to the ones on our bodies.”

Edward nodded, appreciating the enhancements. “I’ll make good use of these, sir.”

Tyler finally strapped on his dual swords and buckler shield. “Each of our weapons also has body and speed enhancements.”

Each weapon had a space for a mana core, although they didn't have any yet. For now, Tyler had connected the runes to his own core. Tyler stood in the centre of the room, distributing weapons and armour. “All your runes are currently connected to my personal mana core. Think twice before using a spell and listen out for my calls. Every few minutes, I will call out a number from 1 to 100. The bigger the number, the less mana I have. Obviously, we don’t want to use everything I have, so if we do get to 100, that means I have 20% of my total mana left. If this happens, we retreat, got it?”

Everyone nodded as they strapped on their gear. The group looked formidable in their standard light mithril and dark leather armour, which gleamed faintly in the dawn light.

Livia smiled as she tested the weight of her new bow. “Elric, what did you find out about the floors leading up to the 65th?”

Elric stepped forward. “I spent most of yesterday at the Adventurers’ Guild, and apparently, the floors leading to the boss room are a series of increasingly difficult challenges designed to test every aspect of an adventurer’s abilities. They couldn’t tell me much since the floors change all the time. It would go from dense jungle one day to swamp the next, and the paths are constantly shifting on the first floor. The guy started getting suspicious when I kept asking for specifics, so I left it at that. What seemed to be very apparent was that you needed a team of no less than five people just to survive the upcoming floors.”

“I guess we are about to see if we have what it takes,” Tyler said as everyone left the cabin, and he stored it back in his inventory.

Before setting out into the jungle, the group made a quick stop in town to trade for some magical items. The market was bustling with activity, stalls laden with trinkets and artefacts. Tyler and the group moved through the crowd, eyes scanning for anything useful.

At one stall, Tyler’s attention was caught by a pair of small, intricately designed stones that seemed to hum with a faint magical energy. “What are these?” he asked the vendor, a wizened old man with sharp eyes.

“Ah, those stones are called ‘The Twins,’” the vendor explained. “Each stone acts like a magnet to the other, always pulling softly towards its counterpart. Very useful tracking item.”

Tyler considered the stones for a moment as he immediately saw the benefits before purchasing them. He traded some valuable metals to the vendor as he noticed a group of adventurers giving them curious glances. He nudged Livia, who followed his gaze. “We might have been noticed,” he murmured.

Livia nodded. “Let’s move quickly.”

Tyler turned to Livia as they moved out towards the edge of town. “When we’ve gotten about a mile from the safe zone, I want you to scout behind us. See if we are being followed.”

Livia nodded, her expression serious. “I’ll be quick.”

The group traversed the humid air of the jungle following a game trail with some wide-open views. The trees were massive, their trunks the size of apartments, and the canopy high above blocked out much of the sunlight as they left the trail, casting the ground in perpetual twilight.

Livia moved ahead silently, her keen eyes scanning the surroundings. She climbed one of the larger trees with ease, using the natural footholds created by the rough bark. From her vantage point, she could see the vastness of the jungle around them, massive vines connecting the trees. The sight was both awe-inspiring and intimidating.

After a few minutes of careful observation, Livia spotted movement in the distance. A group of figures, trying to stay hidden, was trailing them. She couldn’t make out their faces, but their movements were deliberate and coordinated.

Returning to the group, Livia reported her findings. “We’re being followed. I couldn’t see how many they were. They seemed determined to stay out of sight.”

Tyler’s expression hardened. “Alright. Time to send a message.”

Tyler gave one of the Twin stones to Elric and sent him, Darius, and Markus ahead. He explained the reason, “If we group up with more than ten people, we might trigger the tower’s interference. Let’s not risk it. Walk for about 20 minutes and then wait for us. When we’re done, we’ll find you using the stones.”

Tyler, Livia, and Edward waited patiently for their tail to catch up to them, the thick foliage and towering trees casting eerie shadows around them. The air was humid and filled with the sounds of distant wildlife. Suddenly, a group of five adventurers stumbled through the foliage and into their path.

At the forefront stood a pompous knight, his polished armour gleaming even in the dim light. Beside him, a healer with a serene expression clutched her staff, and a mage with a cold glare prepared his magic, followed by a hunter and rogue who had been following.

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Their group was caught by surprise, and for a moment, they all just stared awkwardly at Tyler. The knight put a fake smirk on his face and stepped forward, his voice dripping with arrogance. “Halt! We know what you did in the capital. You won't get away this time. I, Richard, and my fellow team of heroes will bring you to justice!”

“Yeah, you tell 'em, Richard!” the mage behind Richard called out.

“Shut up, Frost,” Richard, the knight, snapped back.

“Don’t tell me to shut up,” Frost retorted.

Tyler, sensing the hostility, smirked. “I’ve seen better lines in a soap opera.”

Richard drew his sword, pointing it at Tyler. “How stupid do you have to be to split your team up when you’re being hunted down? Idiots!”

Tyler shrugged. “Well, actually, we split up because the tower might intervene if our numbers get too high. But hey, thanks for confirming you know less about the tower than we do.”

Richard laughed derisively. “There’s no such rule after the 50th floor, idiot. The tower’s minions just

get stronger the more people are in a party. Enough of this nonsense!”

“Arin, get ready,” Richard commanded, turning to the healer.

Arin nodded, her serene expression not faltering. “I’m ready, Richard.”

Arin raised a shield on Richard and Frost as the knight charged at Tyler, their swords clashing with a resounding clang.

Frost raised a wall of ice behind Tyler, trying to isolate him from his teammates, then launched a barrage of icy shards from above. Livia quickly loosed arrows, her agility boost and strength making quick work as she got up into the trees. Arrows rained down, each one hitting the shields of the spell slinger and disrupting her concentration.

Flynn, the hunter, a rugged man with a bow slung over his shoulder, nocked an arrow and activated a magical item that looked like a bell, creating disorienting sound waves directed at Livia. Webber, the rogue, meanwhile, tossed spider-themed bombs, and from a bracelet around his arm, he started shooting out ethereal chains to ensnare Edward. Webber shouted at the hunter, “Watch out, Flynn! He disappeared!”

Edward, becoming a smoky shadow, let the chains pass right through him. He slowly closed in on Webber, taking possession of his body and attacking Flynn. The hunter, taken off guard and not expecting his own teammate to attack him, took out the sword on his back, and they fought with ferocious speed and precision.

The hunter, confused and betrayed, gasped, “Why are you attacking me, Webber?”

Edward, speaking through Webber's body, said, “I'm very sorry, sir. You should not have been aggressive toward us. We are only defending ourselves.”

Richard slashed at Tyler, their swords clashing again and again. Tyler met his strikes with equal ferocity, their duel a fierce exchange of skill and strength. Tyler parried and countered effortlessly, holding off the knight while watching his companions try out their new gear.

Meanwhile, Livia, recovering from the disorientating sound waves, engaged Frost, her arrows forcing him to stay on the defensive. Seeing the tide turning, Arin activated a Crystal of the Oracle, gaining a brief glimpse into Tyler’s next move. She launched a concentrated beam of light, but Tyler stretched out a hand, sending the light into his inventory. “Well, that was unexpected,” he remarked with a smirk.

“How was that possible?!” Arin shouted.

Arin, desperate to turn the battle in their favour, pulled out a wand-like item that she pointed at Tyler, who suddenly felt like he was deep underwater, losing himself in the absence of all sensation. He had no sight, and could not hear or feel anything. Realizing what was happening, he called out, “Flash!” warning his teammates not to look. He activated a light flash, blinding the enemies and rolling to the side. The wand no longer pointed at him, he noticed he had been cut by Richard. He activated a healing rune and checked his mana, still almost full.

Livia fired her ice spells under the mage and healer's feet, causing them to topple over. Richard attacked Tyler, and he picked up speed, now on the offensive.

Flynn, realizing the danger, drew an enchanted arrow from his quiver and aimed it at Tyler. As he released it, the arrow split into several smaller arrows, each targeting a different member of Tyler’s team. Livia quickly countered with a flurry of her own arrows, intercepting most of them and protecting her comrades.

Edward, taking advantage of Flynn’s change in target, incapacitated the hunter. With that, he threw Webber’s weapons away and removed himself from Webber, appearing behind him. Frost watched in horror as Webber was knocked out with a swift blow to the back of the head. “Two down,” Edward said in an apologetic voice.

Richard, now desperate, lunged at Tyler with renewed fury. Tyler met his charge head-on, their swords clashing once more. More parries and counters ensued, Tyler dodging everything. “You were holding back,” Tyler observed.

“But so were we,” Tyler added, moving with newfound speed. He began landing solid hits on Richard, forcing him to retreat to his healer.

Richard activated an amulet, causing his sword to burst into flames. He swung at Tyler with increased ferocity, but Tyler deflected the blow with his two swords, the flames dissipating harmlessly. Now simply dodging all of Richard's attacks.

Arin tried to cast another protective spell, but Livia’s precise shots disrupted her casting, forcing the healer to take cover. Frost, seeing his comrades faltering, activated a blizzard spell, sending mist and cold ice through the area, making it hard to see your hand in front of your face.

Richard, frustrated by his inability to land a decisive blow, roared in anger. “Enough of this!” He pulled out a flask and drank it, his body glowing with a faint aura as he enhanced his strength and speed. He quickly moved beyond Tyler, picking up Webber and Flynn while Frost put up another ice wall to shield him from Edward and Tyler. The adventurers regrouped as Tyler and his team did the same, the blizzard spell dissipating.

Arin brought Webber and Flynn back, but they remained dazed. The adventurers exchanged glances and nods, deciding to unleash their ultimate combination attack. Richard raised his sword high, the blade glowing with radiant light. Arin began chanting, her hands glowing with a healing aura that enveloped Richard, making his armour shimmer with a divine sheen. Frost created a swirling vortex of ice and snow around Richard, enhancing his power further.

“Ultimate Justice Strike!” Richard bellowed, the name of the attack echoing through the jungle.

Flynn and Webber, not to be outdone, added their own flair. Flynn fired a volley of explosive arrows into the vortex, while Webber tossed in a handful of spider-themed bombs that emitted a sickly green gas. The resulting concoction looked like a swirling storm of light, ice, and poison, with Richard at its centre, ready to unleash devastation on Tyler’s team.

Tyler’s eyes widened as he realised the sheer power of the incoming attack. “Shields up!” he said to his team as he activated their protection runes.

The runes he had inscribed on Livia's body and Edward’s armour came to life, drawing power from his own mana core. A shimmering barrier formed around each of them just as Richard brought his sword down, sending the swirling storm of energy hurtling towards them.

The impact was enormous, the ground shaking as the energy collided with the shields. The light, ice, and poison mixed together in a dazzling display, but the shields held firm, absorbing the brunt of the attack. Trees toppled, and dust kicked up, obscuring the battlefield.

The adventurers watched in disbelief as the dust settled and their ultimate move was rendered useless. “No way!” Richard shouted, his eyes wide with shock.

“We worked so hard on that move!” Arin exclaimed, her voice tinged with frustration.

“Well, it looked really really cool. You guys should be super proud,” Tyler said condescendingly.

Taking advantage of the dust, Edward transformed into his shadow smoke form, slipping past everyone and reappearing behind Arin. His knives flashed, blade over the healer’s throat.

With a swift motion, Tyler disarmed Richard, sending his sword flying. The knight stumbled, and Tyler knocked him to the ground, his blades at the knight's throat. “Yield,” Tyler demanded.

Webber and Flynn, unable to fight anymore, sat defeated. Livia trained her bow on Frost, whose staff was out of mana.

Richard glared up at him, his defiance fading. “We yield,” he said, his voice filled with frustration.

Seeing their leader defeated, the rest of the adventurers lowered their weapons. Tyler’s team stood victorious, their combined strength and quick thinking proving superior.

“Remember that we let you live. We didn’t have to do that. Next time, think twice before attacking us, because we won’t let you go a second time,” Tyler said, stepping back and allowing Richard to stand.

Richard nodded, his pride wounded. “This isn't over,” he muttered.

“There you go! Saying something like ‘This isn’t over.’ It would be stupid to let you go now, wouldn’t it?” Tyler said with exaggerated drama as he raised his sword.

“Wait! I’m sorry,” Richard said in panic.

“Please don’t kill us! We made a mistake. Please, sir, we are good people,” Arin added.

“Please don’t kill me,” Frost shouted as he started to cry.

“Pathetic. Let’s go.” Tyler said as he dropped his sword and waved his companions to follow him. Then he stopped a new idea forming in his mind.

“Actually, one more thing. Strip down to your underwear. All of you. Pile your stuff here,” Tyler ordered, pointing to a spot on the ground.

“What? Why?” Richard protested, but the look in Tyler's eyes silenced him.

“Stealing another adventurer's gear is treason in the empire. Good luck entering the safe zone ever again, you’ll be arrested sight, you idiots!” Richard said.

“Calm down, we’re not stealing your stuff. It’s just meant to slow you down. Where would we even put all this junk?” Tyler said with a sigh.

The defeated adventurers reluctantly complied, stripping down and piling their gear where Tyler indicated “If I find that you stole so much as a… ” Richard said as he was interrupted by Tyler

“Shut it! Now, start walking. Hopefully, all your stuff will be here when you come back in a few hours and If I see you again, it better be with a little white flag,” Tyler said, watching them shuffle away, humiliated as they disappeared into the jungle.

As soon as they were out of sight, Tyler put all their belongings into his dimensional inventory. He turned to his team with a satisfied grin. “Alright, let’s find the others and get moving.”

“You think they’ll be back?” Livia asked.

Tyler nodded. “Yeah, but at least they are going to be looking for their stuff for a few hours.”

“Aren't you worried that we will be arrested if we fail the 65th floor and get teleported back to the safe zone?” Livia said with a worried tone.

“That ship has sailed. We would be arrested no matter what” Tyler replied.

“By the way, how much mana did that last attack of theirs drain from you?” Livia asked.

“Just about half, I would say. If they send a large group, it's going to get interesting,” Tyler said as they set out to find the rest of their team.