The golden light generated by Lyannis's staff subtly flickered across the damp stone walls, casting elongated shadows over us as we gathered around the newly revealed chest. The silence that settled over the Hall of Waters after the battle ended was broken only by the constant dripping from the ceiling onto the now-pacified surface of the underground lake. The feeling that we were being watched, however, did not disappear with the death of the aquatic creatures; on the contrary, it seemed to have intensified, focusing entirely on the small piece of ancient parchment I held between my fingers.
I carefully unfolded the paper. Its texture was rough and cold, almost as if the material itself contained an invisible layer of mystical frost. The lines drawn across the surface displayed elegant handwriting, written in a dark ink that glowed faintly beneath the artificial illumination. The moment my eyes focused on the first words, I felt a subtle tingling in my mind, the same spiritual signature that used to accompany my involuntary dream projections with the sovereign of darkness.
«"Welcome to my trial board, Takumi.
I made sure to shape this place using the deepest foundations of your own dormant memories. The rules you used so often for entertainment in your old world are now the laws that dictate life and death in this physical realm. I know exactly the moment you crossed the entrance portal, and I will be watching closely every decision, every advance, and every loss of your precious squad.
Climb, hero. Show me whether your tactical adaptability is as real as the legends they have created around you, or if you are merely a weak intruder trying to play a game that belongs only to the gods."»
I finished reading aloud, allowing the words to echo through the colossal stone galleries of the second floor. The impact of the note on the group's morale was immediate. Scarlett clenched her teeth, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly, while Elara let out a heavy sigh of obvious indignation at the enemy's audacity.
"He knows everything," Lyannis commented, crossing her arms and fixing her eyes on the sheet of paper. "This isn't merely an artificial intelligence programmed to react to invaders. The Demon King himself is attuned to the tower's structure. He is using this place as a channel for direct and continuous communication."
"That provocation is merely an obvious attempt to destabilize our focus," Liriel said in her calm and serene voice, gently placing her hand on my arm. "He wants you to feel anger, Takumi. Anger makes us make errors in judgment and waste precious mana on impulsive attacks. That is exactly what the tower wants to absorb in order to strengthen the monsters on the following floors."
"Liriel is right," I agreed, allowing a slight smile to appear on my face as I folded the note and placed it in one of the compartments of my tunic. "He thinks he has the psychological advantage because he structured the environment based on my past. However, what he doesn't realize is that by doing so, he also handed me a complete instruction manual. I know the learning curve of these progression dungeons. Every trap, every floor boss, and every checkpoint follows a logic that I spent years deciphering in my youth. If he wants to watch the game, we will give him a perfect demonstration of how to win."
My companions smiled back, their renewed determination banishing any trace of hesitation the message might have caused. That small exchange of words was not merely an empty provocation from the enemy; it was confirmation that we were on the right path. The tower was not an insurmountable obstacle, but a path that needed to be traversed with mathematical intelligence and nerves of steel.
"Rai'kanna, where do we go now?" I asked, turning my focus toward the group's immediate progression.
The warrior pointed toward the opposite end of the lake, where a massive stone ramp rose toward a monumental arch that opened in the cavern wall. "The staircase to the third floor is right there, behind that rocky formation. The flow of mana running through there is different, much warmer and denser than the humidity of this aquatic hall. We should prepare for a drastic change in environment."
"Excellent. We'll maintain the same vanguard and support formation," I ordered, leading the way across the narrow stone walkways. "Do not let the ease of these first floors create a false sense of security. The tower is only testing us to collect data about our combat abilities. Each level will be exponentially more complex than the previous one."
We walked in coordinated silence, crossing the remainder of the damp hall. The feeling of progress was real, but accompanied by deep internal reflection. I looked at the backs of each of my companions, noticing the seriousness with which they faced every meter we advanced. We were there not for personal glory, but to spare the lives of the thousands of soldiers now fighting across the cold northern plains. Every monster we defeated and every floor we uncovered was one less burden upon the defenses of the Alliance of Nations.
When we reached the base of the stone staircase to the third floor, Liriel's assistant made one final note in her runic report, confirming that our mystical energy recovery rate was still within the planned safety margin. The hot and dry air blowing down from above confirmed Rai'kanna's warning. With one last look back toward the lake we had overcome, I took the first step upward, ready to uncover the next scenario the Demon King had prepared for us within that immense vertical ecosystem.