The next floor didn't look like a dungeon at all.
When Arios and Liza emerged from the violet tunnel, the oppressive mana faded, replaced by an open stone courtyard that stretched under a faint, artificial sky. The floor was made of cracked marble tiles, arranged in a perfect square. Faded columns lined the edges, their designs worn by age. At the center stood a single pedestal holding what looked like a crystal tablet—dim, yet pulsing faintly with life.
Liza looked around slowly, lowering her weapon just slightly. "This… doesn't feel right."
"It's too open," Arios said. "No monsters. No traps visible. That means the trap's invisible."
"Figures," she muttered, eyes scanning the distant edges. "You think Garron's watching?"
"He hasn't stopped since the last floor."
Liza frowned. "Then why lead us here?"
"To test something." Arios walked toward the pedestal, each step measured. "He's not improvising anymore. He's gathering data."
"On us?"
"On me."
