Kai takes the lead. The stone steps wind upward into the gloom. The ascent from the third floor to the fourth stretches far longer than any of the previous stairwells. The atmosphere grows progressively thicker as they climb. A heavy metallic tang settles on Kai's tongue with every breath. Ran follows closely behind. His usual stream of chatter has dwindled to an occasional nervous murmur. Novick guards their rear with quiet vigilance.

  Ran breaks the silence by pointing out the sheer length of the climb. He jokes about the Spire possessing a copy and paste function for endless staircases. Kai keeps his focus on the walls. The carvings here have shifted in theme. Gone are the sprawling battles and grand processions of the lower levels. The stone now depicts solitary figures standing in vast expanses of empty space. Total isolation. Kai notes the change but keeps the observation to himself.

  They finally reach the top. A massive stone door blocks their path. Previous floor transitions were open arches or simple wooden gates. This barrier is entirely sealed. The rock face is perfectly sheer and devoid of handles or mechanical parts.

  Ran stares at the slab. He asks if entire floors can be locked.

  Novick steps forward and runs his calloused fingers along the edges. He clarifies that it is blocked rather than locked.

  Kai presses both palms against the heavy stone. It does not yield. He steps back to examine the surrounding rock. A small indentation sits waist-high on the right side. The shape roughly matches a human hand. He places his palm inside the depression. A sudden warmth pulses against his skin. The heavy stone groans and grinds open slowly.

  Ran asks how he figured that out.

  Kai lowers his hand. He admits he simply tried the only available option.

  Novick watches Kai with a calculating gaze. He clearly notices something unusual about the interaction but chooses to remain silent. They step through the threshold.

  Floor Four opens into a cavernous expanse. The sheer scale dwarfs anything they have encountered so far. Massive pillars rise into a ceiling lost in absolute darkness. Patches of glim moss cling to the stone in unnatural formations. The luminescent growth forms spirals and jagged lines that mimic forgotten languages. The air hangs frigid and entirely stagnant. It carries the weight of ancient dust.

  They advance with extreme caution. The overwhelming size of the room forces Ran to speak in a hushed whisper. He points to the towering pillars. The same solitary figures from the stairwell are etched deep into the supports. Each carved person stands completely alone against a terrifying void.

  Novick observes the craftsmanship. He states with absolute certainty that the System did not create this architecture. Someone else built it long ago.

  Kai traces the outline of a lonely figure with his fingertips. A profound heaviness settles in his chest. It is not a recovered memory. It is simply a deep understanding that this location holds immense significance.

  Scattered debris litters the stone floor. They weave through the remnants of ancient campsites. Bones crumble to powder alongside rusted husks of unknown weapons. Shreds of fabric disintegrate at the slightest disturbance.

  Ran looks at the devastation and mutters about the massive loss of life that occurred here.

  Kai offers a brief nod and continues moving forward.

  A wide plaza forms the center of the chamber. A large stone basin sits perfectly level in the middle of the open space. Pitch-black liquid fills the depression to the brim. The surface is unnervingly still and acts as a perfect mirror.

  Ran steps up to the edge to look down. He instantly recoils and stumbles backward. He stammers that the reflection showed his face looking wrong. He claims it appeared drastically older.

  Novick sharply commands him to look away from the water.

  Kai studies the dark basin from several paces back. An invisible force tugs at his mind. The dark water beckons him to peer into its depths. He firmly plants his feet and forces himself to look away. They give the basin a wide berth and head toward the opposite end of the plaza.

  The expansive plaza funnels into a narrow passage. Row upon row of decaying statues line the corridor. The humanoid figures stand with arms raised in desperate warnings or frozen screams of terror.

  A prickle of danger runs up Kai's spine the moment they step between the stone sentinels. The distinct sensation of being hunted washes over him. He halts instantly and raises a clenched fist.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Ran stops dead and asks what is wrong.

  Shadows shift between the crumbling statues. The movement stays unnervingly low to the ground. Several dark shapes slink into the dim light. These beasts are far larger than the vermin from the lower levels. They possess the lean build of starved wolves but move with a jarring and unnatural gait. Their legs feature far too many joints, causing them to scuttle rather than walk. Pale green eyes glow with malevolent intelligence.

  Six of the creatures fan out to encircle the group.

  Ran swallows hard and mutters that their current situation is highly unfavorable.

  Novick smoothly draws the short sword he acquired from the chest. Kai slips his dagger from its sheath.

  The beasts do not rush forward blindly. They pace and watch. They are actively assessing the party's weaknesses.

  Kai keeps his voice steady. He warns the others that the monsters are testing them and advises against showing fear.

  Ran tightens his grip on his weapon. He points out that it is a little late for bravery.

  The largest creature leaps forward. The cavern erupts into chaos.

  This encounter lacks the mindless frenzy of their previous battles. The pack fights with terrifying coordination. One beast feints a lunging attack while a second sweeps in from the flank. A third hangs back in the shadows to wait for an opening.

  Novick meets the charge head-on. He parries a slashing claw and drives his new blade straight into a pulsing throat. Ran relies on his agility to dance away from snapping jaws. He scores shallow cuts across a beast's flank.

  Kai engages two of the monsters simultaneously. Their speed is overwhelming. A blur of fur and claws slips past his guard. Sharp talons rake agonizingly across his ribs. He grits his teeth against the searing pain and drives his dagger upward into the creature's skull. It drops in a heap.

  A sharp cry of pain echoes through the corridor. Kai spins to see Ran falling. One of the scuttling creatures bypassed Ran's defense and sank its teeth deep into his leg. Ran stabs wildly at the beast's neck. The monster refuses to release its crushing grip.

  Novick tries to rush to the boy's aid. The final lurking beast blocks his path and forces him into a desperate parry.

  Kai watches Ran struggling on the ground. He makes a split-second decision. He hurls his only weapon across the corridor. The dagger spins through the air and buries itself deep into the glowing green eye of the beast mauling Ran. The monster violently convulses and collapses dead onto the stone.

  The final creature hesitates at the sudden loss of its packmate. Novick capitalizes on the distraction and severs its spine with a brutal horizontal strike.

  Heavy silence falls over the passage. The only sound is the ragged breathing of the survivors.

  Ran lies flat on his back. Blood pools rapidly beneath his mangled leg. His skin has turned a terrifying shade of gray.

  Kai sprints to his side and demands the healing potions.

  Novick retrieves one of the glowing vials they found earlier and tosses it over. Kai unspools the stopper and pours the shimmering liquid directly into the torn flesh. Ran hisses through clenched teeth as the magical fluid sears the wound. The catastrophic bleeding slows to a manageable seep. A faint flush of color returns to Ran's cheeks.

  Ran forces a weak cough. He whispers that the experience was deeply unpleasant.

  Kai applies pressure to the injury and orders him to save his strength.

  They work together to bind the leg with strips of clean cloth. Ran will survive the ordeal. Walking will be entirely impossible for the immediate future.

  They locate a small alcove branching off the main path. The room likely served as a storage closet in ancient times. It now holds nothing but thick dust and scattered bone fragments. They carefully carry Ran inside and prop him against the far wall.

  Ran slips into a deep sleep within minutes. The potion continues its work to knit his torn muscles back together.

  Kai sits cross-legged near the narrow entrance to keep watch. Novick quietly tends to his own injuries. The older man suffered numerous slashes, though none approach the severity of Ran's wound.

  Novick finishes tying a bandage around his forearm. He states quietly that the boy nearly died.

  Kai keeps his eyes on the dark corridor outside. He confirms the obvious truth.

  Novick leans back against the stone. He points out that Kai threw away his only weapon to save Ran. If another beast had been hiding in the shadows, Kai would have been entirely defenseless.

  Kai replies simply that there were no other beasts.

  Novick studies Kai with an intense, unblinking stare. He notes that Kai never shows even a fraction of a second of hesitation.

  Kai ignores the probing observation.

  Novick continues speaking. He mentions having served with soldiers who possessed similar instincts. Natural born killers who thrived in the chaos of battle. He pauses for a long moment. Then he adds that those soldiers always remembered the reasons behind their actions. Kai lacks that context. Novick states plainly that this missing piece makes Kai incredibly dangerous.

  The quiet heavy air stretches between them.

  Kai finally turns his head. He explains that Ran and Novick are his responsibility now. He admits he never asked for the burden and does not understand the origin of the feeling. He simply accepts that the protective instinct is real.

  Novick gives a slow, measured nod. He concedes that possessing such an instinct is a good start.

  Kai asks if a good start is enough to keep them alive.

  Novick returns to cleaning his sword. He mutters that it will have to be.

  They settle back into the silence. They watch the oppressive darkness and listen for approaching threats. None come. Ran takes slow, steady breaths in the background. He is alive and recovering.

  Kai absentmindedly slides his hand into his pocket. The frigid air of the fourth floor seems to trigger a phantom sensation in his palm. His fingers brush against empty fabric. He frowns. He expects to find cold metal there but cannot recall what the object should be. He pushes the confusing, hollow feeling away and focuses his attention back on the shadows.

  Several hours pass. Ran finally stirs from his healing sleep. The small chamber remains unchanged. The world outside has not ended.

  Ran lets out a low groan as he tries to shift his weight. He complains that every single part of his body throbs with pain.

  Kai glances back from the doorway. He reminds Ran that he is still breathing.

  Ran mutters that his survival feels highly debatable at the moment. He stares down at his heavily bandaged leg and asks for a professional assessment.

  Novick checks the bindings. He estimates Ran will be able to walk with a limp in a day or two. Fighting is completely out of the question for now.

  Ran lets his head thump against the wall. He bitterly declares himself a burden to the group.

  Kai stands up and walks over. He firmly states that Ran is neither dead nor a burden. He announces they will rest in the alcove for the entire day. They will reevaluate the situation tomorrow.

  Ran stares up at Kai in stunned disbelief. He realizes Kai is actively choosing to delay the ascent for his sake.

  Kai meets the gaze without offering further explanation.

  Ran struggles to keep his voice steady. He admits that no one has ever done something like that for him before. He cuts himself off and awkwardly looks away.

  Novick steps forward and rests a heavy hand on Ran's shoulder. The gesture is brief but carries immense weight. He steps back to his corner without a word.

  Kai instructs Ran to focus entirely on eating, sleeping, and healing.

  Ran nods silently. He abandons his usual jokes and defensive sarcasm. He simply accepts the command.

  Kai returns to his post at the entrance. He stares out into the consuming darkness of the Spire. Behind him sit two people who trust him with their lives. They need his strength to survive. He has no idea how he earned that loyalty. He remains uncertain if he truly deserves it.

  He only knows he will not let them die.

  The Spire stretched endlessly above them, full of things that wanted them dead.

  [System Alert]

  [Dagger Proficiency Level 5]

  Damage increased by 20 percent.

  [Party Combat Level 4]

  Coordination bonus increased.

  [Situational Awareness Level 2]

  You notice tactical details faster in combat.