I know you're watching me.

Ever since I met up with my newfound friends I had felt the watchful gaze of an otherworldly creature.

I know not what you are nor what you want. Whether you are one or many, I could not but guess. And yet in you I sense a kindred spirit.

When I sleep, or pretend to, the prying eyes disappear. And when I awake and mingle with my naive peers, that intense focus returns.

I wonder if you, like me, enjoy the torrent of emotions that emerge from the unceasing struggle we call life?

I suppose it does not matter.

This inscrutable being lies far from my reach. And its power is so great, that even my innermost thoughts are laid bare before it.

Whatever your purpose is, I beg of you. Do not stop this game, for it is the most fun I've had in four hundred years!

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We sprinted far ahead of the raging Minotaur.

Ophelia had not dared to halt our rash escape until Donbar collapsed. Moments later, Mei, no longer driven by the impetus of danger, fell to her knees.

"We. Need. To. Keep. Going!" Ophelia herself was winded and paused for breath between each word.

"No more!" Donbar bellowed. "I can't move a single step forward!" He lay sprawled on the ground, sucking in large gulps of air.

"I-I think we're safe... for now." Mei clutched at her chest, as if her heart might leap out of her throat.

Taking note of their exhaustion, I made sure to play my part.

A film of sweat covered my face, and my shirt was quickly soaked through.

Mei crawled towards me and touched my good shoulder. A trickle of warm light spread across my body.

I assumed this spell was a repeat of her healing magic, so I allowed the tear on my bad shoulder to slowly close itself. Even as the flesh mended, a swollen mark was left in place.

"That is... the best I can do for now." Mei seemed disappointed.

I touched her hand gently and said. "You've done much more than I could have expected. Thank you."

She smiled in return, but her eyes shyly pulled away from mine.

Is this face handsome?

Ophelia reluctantly began to hand out flasks of water. She kept peering in the direction where the Minotaur was last seen.

We each drank in turn.

But I choked on the bitter beverage.

Is this what water tastes like?

Unsure of the properties of this horrible drink, I chose to hide my disgust, and instead savored the sweet sense of relief that emanated from the members of our small party.

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We set out again when our band of weary adventurers had completely recuperated.

Ophelia met my eyes with a look of admiration. "You sure move fast. I see why you are called the Fleet Foot."

Our narrow escape may have forged a bond of friendship between us. I took mental note of this development.

"I've had a lot of practice. You could say running away is my greatest talent." I said, jokingly.

"Don't be so hard on yer self Kobo. With time you will grow strong." Donbar admonished. "One day you might be able to defeat that Minotaur with the back of your hand."

That day had long since passed.

"How can I get stronger?" I asked. The question was directed to no one in particular.

"Training would be a good start." Ophelia suggested. "You didn't even try to use the dagger I gave you."

Should I have feigned an attempt at injuring the monster? Did I unwittingly prove myself a coward?

"I-I would like to know more about your past Kobo. That is, if you're willing to share." Mei made an unexpected request.

Could this be unmasked suspicion or heartfelt concern?

Wary of my prolonged reply, Mei batted her eyes and smiled. I imagined it to be a pretty gesture. But I've always had difficulty discerning the attractiveness of other creatures.

"That discussion will have to wait." Ophelia drew us closer to a distant figure.

As we neared, the outline of a man hunched over the broad corpse of an ogre became clear. He turned to greet us with a stern look. His hair was pitch-black and straight. He had the trappings of a knight. Except for a helmet, he was dressed in the full plate armor that bore the color of midnight. Strangely, an unsheathed bastard sword was tied to his belt.

But what stood out the most, was his ridiculously large backpack.

"Who are you?" his coal-like eyes were narrowed in suspicion.

"I am Ophelia, a Lacyrn and Scout. This is Donbar, a Dwarf and Warrior. Mei is half-Human, half-Djinn and a White Monk. Kobo is a survivor we found on the ninth floor. We are... what is left of the adventurer party you hired."

"Hmph. You mean to say that you lost one of your members on the way here?" he did not even attempt to disguise his anger.

"Yes." Ophelia bowed her head in shame.

Mei had her mouth hung open. Feelings of disillusionment had already begun to set in.

"It's fine. I'm sure the Guild will reimburse a good portion of what I paid."

"And we will return the rest." Donbar nudged Ophelia with his elbow.

"Ah... yes." She handed Malachi a leather pouch.

"Two gold coins? This is a quarter of what I paid." He pursed his lips.

"We will sell off the equipment that belongs to our fallen comrade once we scavenge his remains on the lower floors. In addition to the Guild's refundable portion we guarantee you full reimbursement." Donbar spoke with some confidence.

"Very well then. I have no complaints." Malachi maintained a satisfied grin for a moment, before lapsing into his usual cold demeanor.

"Do you wish to proceed to the fifteenth floor? Or would you prefer to make camp with us?" Ophelia was already planning our journey to the Tower's exit.

"You took too long. I already made it to the fifteenth floor before I made my way back down."

A collective gasp emerged from the members of my party. Of course, I missed the cue.

"Y-you did what?" Mei spoke to Malachi for the first time.

"Every five floors a Boss appears. The tenth has the Minotaur, but he accepts a toll for safe passage. While the Fifth was merely an Onyx Dragon. My concern was the Fifteenth. The Guild reported that a Yali guarded it's inner sanctum. It is said to have the head of a lion, the tusks of an elephant, the body of a cat, and the tail of a serpent. But that's not what I found..." Malachi gritted his teeth in frustration. "I found four separate portions of that monster. As if something had cut it to pieces."

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

My handiwork of course. I thought I could mix and match the different parts. But alas, I do not possess any healing magic and the creature's so-called rapid regeneration was quite the disappointment.

"Perhaps another party has already ascended past the fifteenth." Ophelia saw no cause for concern.

"Perhaps..." Malachi stared at the remains of the Ogre. It's neck was broken, but it remained otherwise unharmed.

"What incredible strength!" Donbar had finally drawn closer. With his fingertips he felt the reams of muscle that the Ogre was composed of. "It's hide is strong enough to make armor!"

"That is true. In terms of raw strength, this Ogre could be considered at par with the Minotaur." Malachi said this as a matter of fact.

Ophelia, Mei and Donbar gaped in unison. I could not help but laugh at this awkward moment.

Malachi turned to face me. "Do you notice anything odd about this situation?"

Is this a test?

"I-I can't say for sure. But it looks like some sort of monster did this. Occasionally, monsters from within fight amongst each other, as they compete for territory."

"Territory?" Malachi tilted his head.

Perhaps I've said too much.

"Yes." I assured him. "I have been able to observe such behavior in the floors below us." While there were few individual monsters in the lower floors when compared to the less intelligent herds we call beasts, there were certainly enough to justify my claims.

"You may be right." Malachi conceded. "But that's not what's bothering me. This monster and the Boss on the fifteen floor haven't respawned.

Respawned?

"You're right!" Donbar tugged at his beard. "All the creatures in this dungeon respawn within a day. And the closer to their lair, the quicker their return."

"If the territory theory holds true..." Mei began her conjecture. "Then when a monster attacks another, it might take ownership of its territory and prevent it from respawning. That would explain the scar on the Minotaur. Since it was dealt by another monster, the injury might never heal."

What!?

This was a shocking revelation. Not only did the creatures of the Gilded Tower heal over time, they also respawned! Does that mean that so long as I don't leave the Gilded Tower, I would truly be invincible?

Even more surprising was the fact that Mei wasn't as dumb as she appeared to be!

"Do you think we might encounter more slain creatures ahead?" Ophelia let her eyes scan into the distance. She was obviously wary of the monster that recently claimed this territory.

"That is quite likely." Malachi mused. "The Monster that killed the Ogre probably killed the fifteenth floor's Boss. So it has considerable strength. It most likely descended from several floors higher. If we encountered it now, we would meet certain death."

And yet here you are. Living and breathing. Is that not what they call a miracle?

"But... it's also possible that the Monster may have returned to the higher floors to protect it's territory from other monsters." Overcoming his disbelief, Donbar had finally caught on to the group's train of thought. "With such a wide area to maintain, it might always be on the move, to better cover more ground."

"That... may also be the case." Malachi had a wry smile. "The situation has indeed changed. I might need to hire a few adventurers to escort me to the exit."

Mei put on a bright smile. "We are at your service!"

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I hate heroes.

Well, that only applies if Malachi is an accurate representation of the norm.

On our way back to the Minotaur's territory, I could feel the steady waves of fear and excitement wash over my companions as they each silently prepared for a difficult confrontation.

The only exception was Malachi. He is a wall of ice. Albeit one that moves.

When Ophelia recounted our narrow escape to him, he did not even bat an eye. On the contrary, when he learned of the Minotaur's unusually testy behavior at the appearance of yours truly, he began to gaze at me with wanton suspicion.

Not long after the tense air had dissipated, Donbar let out an awkward, fake cough.

"Umm... w-why is that the Minotaur did not accept our toll? It seemed particularly enraged at the sight of Kobo?"

I was naive to think that common courtesy would prevent unnecessary prying. Though I knew Donbar's inquiry did not stem from malice, but genuine curiosity instead.

"Good question." Malachi moved to block my path. "Answer it."

"I-I..." I stammered. "There is... a good reason for that..."

It is said that a lie is the most difficult summon.

"... the creature you speak of is not native to the Tower. It is a powerful monster once under the control of a prominent tamer that led my party. Alas, all their lives were slain when our leader met his untimely demise, allowing the tamed monster the freedom to rampage."

The bastard sword appeared in an instant. Its tip hovered a hair's breadth from my jugular.

"How did your leader meet his 'untimely demise'? Care to elaborate?"

Was that a [Quick Draw]?

I am certain that his hand had not moved to unsheathe his sword. Though my knowledge of Adventurer Classes could best be described as underwhelming, I'm sure that [Quick Draw] does not belong to the Knight nor the Paladin class.

But what of that weighty armor? Could he be an abnormal Berserker?

Malachi's face fell quickly into confusion as the strangeness of my response dawned on him. Surprisingly, further words of inquiry were halted by a now impotent tongue.

He shook his head and gathered his thoughts, without staying his blade, and soon enough his curious look turned into a wicked glare.

"What do you mean tower? This is a dungeon. I've never heard anyone call it a tower!"

My mouth flew open.

"W-wait." Ophelia gasped.

It had never occurred to me that this monster prison could lie beneath the surface.

Fuck. Did I just give myself away?

"The lad merely misspoke. Fear is oft known to befuddle the mind. And surely that's not enough reason to end his life?" Donbar earnestly pleaded on my behalf.

I silently swore to kill Donbar last. After all, there is nothing sweeter than fresh betrayal.

"I may not have been in this world long. But I wasn't born yesterday!" Malachi let out a hiss as he began to grind his teeth.

So, he is a summoned hero? Interesting. Could this be your work, my unseen companion?

"Calm yourself." Mei held out her hand. Trails of light swirled before her, as magic wound itself around a glowing arm. "I understand that the Hero's journey is a perilous one. But we are not your enemy."

We?

Donbar launched a bolt into Malachi's shoulder. A piercing tremor preceded Malachi's sickening howl.

I felt a swirl of emotion spring forth.

Trepidation. Anger. Confusion. Bitterness.

"You fools!" Malachi bellowed. He yanked out the bolt with brutish force. Blood gushed forth for only a moment, before the wound quickly dissipated, leaving a patch of pale, bare skin in its wake. "Think for a moment! From a monster's perspective this dungeon is shaped like a tower, ascending upwards with every floor!"

Indeed, that was my opinion until moments ago. You could say that my faith has been shaken to the core.

Perhaps I will adopt another religion. One that involves self-flagellation.

"Donbar. We are outmatched. Prepare a retreat."

So they don't intend to challenge him? How disappointing.

Though she had addressed Donbar by name, Ophelia suddenly clapped her hands. The unexpected deceit had served its purpose, as a blast of thunder struck Malachi head on. His ear drums burst and his eyes lost their volume, melting from their sockets.

"I'll kill you all!" Malachi began to swing his sword in a blind rage, seemingly oblivious to the loss of both his hearing and vision.

"Do not be careless. He still sees." Donbar held up his shield to block a horizontal slash that would have cut Mei in half.

The wild sword swings were not entirely random, guided instead by instinct borne from hundreds, if not thousands of battles.

As I contemplated the need to re-evaluate my worldview, I absent-mindedly stepped forward and ripped out Malachi's throat.

Oops.

"W-whaaat!?" Mei of course. Who else could squeal like a newborn pig in the thick of a heated battle?

"Y-yah killed him!" Donbar was beside himself, as a tumultuous mix of emotion made it difficult to discern his thoughts.

I had only meant to swat the nuisance aside. But the Hero's mad dash had thrown off my own aim by a mere hand's span. A commendable feat on his part and an honest mistake on mine.

Come to think of it, why had Malachi's senses not been restored a moment later? Was his [Instant Regeneration] really no more than a high tiered [Close Wound]?

Were Heroes not otherworldly beings blessed with preternatural powers? I guess not. If they were, humans would probably hunt them down until they retreated into the depths of the most dangerous dungeons. And call those that fought back: monsters.

"I-I can't believe yo-" Ophelia fell forward. I caught her calmly, as acute resentment tore away the mischievous grin that had slowly crept upon my visage.

There is no pleasure to be had in a sleeping victim.

For the first time since I met him, Donbar was rendered speechless. His usually overexcited demeanor dissolved into a steely glare.

I readied myself with thoughts of slow torture as he moved to strike me, but at the last moment he grasped Ophelia's shoulders with as much care as one would an infant that had just left her mother's womb.

He held her in his arms and nestled her face in what was surely a stifling beard.

Thinking this a good opportunity to end my brief engagement with this unusual party of adventurers, I reached for the dagger that was strapped to the tip of my left heel but failed to complete this action.

Though it may seem unbelievable, I momentarily lost all reason, and unable to realize a sense of self, I thought that the Minotaur had somehow caught me unawares and struck me from behind with his great axe. But I quickly dismissed that preposterous notion and gave into this intense, inexplicable emotion that overcame every other sensation.

Suddenly, it vanished. The thing that had granted meaning to my existence was replaced by the hollow void that had numbed my own emotions for centuries.

As self-awareness slowly returned, I noticed Mei kneeling over Malachi's body. She refused to avert her eyes from his death throes. With such resolve came mournful sadness, which began to seep into the depths of her soul. Before long, she became wary of her own convictions, as she attempted to arrest the emotions that swelled her heart before they pilfered reason from her thoughts.

Why does this so-called Hero mean so much to her?

She rose and looked about.

Our eyes met.

As I peered through the window of her soul I recognized myself.

My lips parted and words spilled forth. But I couldn't hear them.

What is happening to me? Am I drunk on emotion?

Mei smiled at me. Whatever I had said was enough to quell her embroiled thoughts. Her gaze unexpectedly turned to Donbar. I noticed that a certain hardness now emanated from her eyes. "We need to get going. Whatever killed the Yali could return at any moment."

Donbar transferred the still form from his arms to his back.

His voice bore a powerful resolve as he spoke: "What shall we do to get past the Minotaur?"

Mei nodded in my direction and graced me with a mysterious smile.

"We will run as if our lives depend on it."