2nd Floor — The Undead Castle

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Leandro slammed the car's trunk shut, looking satisfied. 

Yuhee's eyes widened when she saw him stuff a bunch items into thin–fucking—air. 

"Oh, that's my inventory. Don't worry about it." He said, so casually as well. "Just storing some miscellaneous stuff that might come in handy."

"..."

She turned her eyes towards the Tower; they had chosen a quiet, unassuming corner to park the vehicle. Leandro walked up to her, dressed in casual clothes—a snug, black tee under a leather jacket, and some stylish joggers. 

Yes, for someone who was about to get drenched in blood, he looked delectable. 

She focused on the task at hand, her eyes moving towards the black behemoth that pierced the night sky. 

"It's crazy that there's a different world inside that thing." 

Yuhee's words dissipated in the wind. 

"Many different worlds, Noona." Leandro said, carefully eyeing the perimeter of the Monolith. "But I get what you're saying. I can't believe it either... it's just one of those things you learn to ignore." 

"Maybe one day you'll take me with you? I'd like to see what all the fuss is about." 

Or, maybe, she merely wanted the propaganda that would come with it. Breaking news: CEO Heo Yuhee entered the Monolith! Something like that. 

Leandro shrugged. "Sure, once things calm down a bit." 

"I wonder how long that'll take~" 

"Could be weeks, could be years... maybe we'll always live in a perpetual state of chaos and death. The Monolith doesn't follow our rules." 

Yuhee nodded as she ran a hand through her glossy hair, her expression inexplicably serious. "I heard something interesting from one of my contacts. There's talk of a new government branch to oversee the Monolith. Regulation, oversight, that sort of thing." 

Leandro raised an eyebrow. "A new branch? Sounds like more red tape." 

She concurred. "That's the impression I got. Someone in the higher-ups has proposed a plan to create an agency to manage all activities related to the Monolith. It's not just about the Challengers entering it, but everything from clearance protocols to monitoring who goes in and out. It's being taken seriously." 

Leandro folded his arms, his eyes narrowing as he considered the implications. "So, they're trying to centralize control? Makes sense, given the chaos lately. But that's a lot of power for a single branch to hold." 

"Exactly." Yuhee said. "It could change the whole landscape. No more freelancing, no more off-the-record runs. Everything would be under strict regulation." She paused, watching Leandro's reaction. "Think it'll fly?"

He stared ahead, at the towering structure. "Could go either way. If they push too hard, the Challengers might push back. But if they do nothing, things could spiral out of control. It's a delicate balance." 

It might work for the time being. The authority of the government hasn't been questioned and destabilized yet. A powder keg waiting to explode. If South Korea reacted too differently from other countries, severely hindering the entrance to the Monolith, things could take an ugly turn. 

"But as you said, this is also an opportunity." Leandro continued quietly. Plans began to take shape in his head, to alter, to adjust, and to finalize. He smiled, fiddling with the hilt of his sword. "No guts, no glory. It's the only way forward. You won't get anywhere playing safe, so we might as well be the first in line. I'll be your strength, Noona." 

He could make use of Yuhee's influence and network. If this new agency proved to be detrimental for Leandro's plans, then he'd go all-out with Yuhee, steal the wave under their noses, and turn her company into a colossal that couldn't be ignored. 

First things first, he'd have to establish his reputation. 

Not only in the government's eyes, but even among the Challengers. 

An unshakable, powerful figure that couldn't be underestimated or threatened. 

Yuhee's eyes gleamed ambitiously. "I look forward to a long-lasting and happy cooperation with you, Leandro." 

He smiled faintly. "You know what to do right?" 

There was a perimeter around the Monolith, but the military surveillance was lacking. 

Only a couple of officers were stationed for the night shift. Considering the scarce population and demilitarization of the island, it wasn't that surprising; no one would think some random idiot would willingly enter an unauthorized area just for the Monolith. 

Leandro was such a random idiot, but he needed Yuhee to distract them first. 

"Of course~" Yuhee flashed him a wink and a cocky smirk. He could almost see foxy ears twitching excitedly on her head, and thick, fluffy tails waving behind her back. "It won't even take a minute. Just watch~" 

She strode forward confidently, making sure to sway her hips in his direction. And, when she was finally within the officer's sight, she purposefully stumbled, running erratically, as if she were being pursued. 

"Officers, officers over there~ help!" 

Yuhee waved her arms, voice filled with panic. She stumbled again, this time colliding with one of the unsuspecting guards, who instinctively reached out to support her. "Monsters! Monsters are coming after me~!! Please, you have to do something!" 

Leandro heard one of the officers cursing, looking at the direction Yuhee was coming from with apprehension before rushing ahead. His colleagues, perhaps in a rush to impress the irresistible Yuhee, or simply to provide support for their comrade, ran after him. 

She walked after them, continuously pointing at random directions to keep their attention away from Leandro. 

Then she turned around, her act melting off her face, leaving only the smile of a self-satisfied seductress who had easily wrapped a bunch of men around her manicured fingers. She waved at Leandro, who sprung out from behind a tree, and made his way past the perimeter. 

There was no surveillance other than those officers. 

The coast was clear. 

Leandro exchanged one last glance with a smiling Yuhee as he reached the entrance of the Monolith and was promptly absorbed inside. 

〔You have entered the Monolith. Fare thee well, Challenger.〕 

The screen flashed for a second before a grassy, idyllic world opened up in front of him. With how tightly restrictive the entrance to the tower tended to be, you'd expect for it to be empty. 

Instead, people—Challengers—of different nationalities bustled around. Some were more well-equipped than the others. Everyone was more or less exploring the floor, with a few outliers moving in an organized group towards the same direction. 

The entrance to the 2nd floor. 

Leandro didn't waste time and hurried towards it. 

It was at the base of a mountain range; a flimsy, jelly-looking purple portal embedded in an ancient stone structure. People were already gathered in front of it, stewing in a somber atmosphere. 

Leandro made a quick headcount. There were 7 men, some pacing back and forth in impatience, some sitting around in a daze. The sound of footsteps drew their attention. 

They all turned to look at the newcomers. 

Leandro caught sight of swords, spears, bows, axes, and even a ballista. How good they were with those weapons was debatable. "Hello." A tall, caucasian man with red hair spoke up. There was a bit of wariness in his eyes; obviously, the Monolith was a lawless zone. But he seemed amiable enough. "You're all going up?" 

"Uh... is there any problem?" 

Someone, a Japanese man, replied fluently. 

"Well..." The red-haired man exchanged a long, hard look with the rest of the group. "Another group has already gone up... they told us they'd come back with information, but it's been seven hours." 

Silence descended. 

Then concerned murmurs broke out. 

"Could it be that they're dead?" 

"No way, right? How many people went up?" 

"Around 15. We've been told to wait here in case something happens, but we've waited for so long, yet..." 

"Shut up, they're not dead. Carmelo is with them." 

"He's just one man!" 

The anxiety got to some of them. Bickering ensued, but it was quickly placated by the others. 

Leandro stared at the portal. 

'The Undead Castle.' 

It was not a hard floor to clear, but it was tricky because there was a drastic increase in difficulty compared to mere goblins. It was nothing that a well-organized and specialized team couldn't handle. 

The horror effect likely played a part. Skeletons weren't a common sight. A literal horde of them could make anyone lose the will to battle before the battle even started. 

'7 hours... they're either dead, or they went up to the 3rd floor.' 

Though, when a floor has been cleared, the Monolith would broadcast the accomplishment with a tower-wide message. Of course, even in the off-chance they actually cleared it, Leandro and the rest of the group would still have to clear it themselves to advance—unlike the 1st floor. 

Leandro stepped closer to the portal. His sudden approach caused everyone to look at him. "We might as well go up to provide support, don't you think?" 

"But we've been told—" 

"—to wait." Interrupted Leandro, cutting off the red-haired man. "Yes, I get it. But here's the thing: what are we really waiting for? It's been seven hours. You told us. Seven. In this place, that's not just an eternity; that's a red flag." He pointed to the portal, its eerie glow pulsing softly. "If they haven't come back by now, they're either in serious trouble or they've moved on. Either way, our job isn't to sit here and wring our hands. Our job is to move." 

A burly man, with a scar running down his cheek, stood up and raised his hands. "What if it's dangerous? What if we are caught in the same trap or ambush that got 'em?" 

The red-haired man fidgeted, running a hand over his mouth. "I get it, but we don't know what awaits us beyond the portal. Information is important, we should wait a little longer..." 

"I agree... 15 men couldn't have been wiped out... not like that." A French man with wavy, blonde hair spoke up next. 

"And how do you know that?" 

"It's impossible that a group that large got annihilated without a single one of them making it back. They're fine! I think we should all stay here and wait obediently!"

The scarred man snorted. "I don't know about you, but I didn't come here to wait."

"We don't have to wait for long! A-At least 48 hours! More people are bound to join us, we'll be safer then!" 

"48 hours?! You're mad! I ain't waiting here for two days!"

The red-haired man stared at either of them, conflicted. He wanted to join and add his own two cents, but Leandro took the reins of initiative from him. 

They were all wasting time. "Look!" Leandro slightly raised his voice. "You've got the gear. You came here to fight, haven't you? Surely, no one here stupid is enough to think that a spa is on the other side, right?" 

There was a bit of hesitation. Normal, considering they were all greenhorns. Fear of the unknown, of being hurt, of death. Still, those were people that willingly decided to open the gates of the Monolith. They didn't come here expecting a picnic. 

A round of agreements went off, though not everyone concurred with him. 

Leandro looked at the burly man, whose frown twisted his gnarly scar even further. "You're right. It's undoubtedly dangerous, but that's precisely why we have to move. The longer we wait, the less the chance of turning the tide. If you think this is not for you, everyone here is free to go back. You can keep waiting. I'll be moving ahead alongside those with enough balls to push forward. And when we clear the 2nd floor, because we will clear it, we'll go for the 3rd one as well. For as long as this sword holds, I'll be at the frontline, where you all are supposed to be. Wish you a good evening." 

"Damn it." The burly man cursed under his breath before moving to stand next to Leandro. "What are you looking at? I'm just tired of waiting, that's all." 

The red-haired man sighed, looking unsure for a moment, but perhaps the combination of Leandro and the burly man—both of whom looked physically capable—was reassuring enough for him to think there was a chance. He made sure his daggers were safely secured in his hip holsters. 

"Alright..." 

Like a chain reaction, more and more people lined up behind them, looking anxious yet determined. 

Leandro flashed a small smile and asked. "So, what are your names, gentlemen?" If these guys were going to fight alongside him, whether they lasted a few more hours or made it to the higher floors, he wanted to at least know what to call them. 

"Griffin." The burly man grunted. 

"I'm Soren, nice to meet you." The red-haired man nodded at them, looking decisively more confident. 

"Leandro." 

"Christopher! I'm Christopher!" The French guy unexpectedly tagged along, rubbing the back of his head in a sheepish, apologetic manner. "Sorry about earlier… I didn't think y'all were so serious about this. Let me help!" 

Leandro shot him a look, his head tilted. Christopher wilted under the intense stare, laughing away the tension. 

Behind them, the group of 'volunteers' expanded to 10. 

5 decided to stay back and wait. 

"This is it, huh?" Soren sighed. 

The wind blew softly, it being the only sound among them. 

"This is it." Leandro said, hand resting lazily on the hilt of his sword. He stepped forward, and everyone, like cogs of a machine, moved along with him. "Keep an eye out and don't act independently." 

With that being said, Leandro let himself be swallowed by the gelatinous grip of the portal. "Tch. I know what to do. You don't have to tell me…" Griffin grumbled, tightening his grip on his spear. He disappeared soon after. 

"Wait for meee!" Christopher ran after them, genuinely panicking. 

Soren laughed awkwardly. A pang of apprehension surged within him, though there was a bit of excitement also. He couldn't quite explain it himself. Maybe it was a man's deep-rooted longing for adventure and adrenaline. 

There was just something oddly fulfilling about doing something stupid with people by your side. 

Regardless of the reason, he followed them. 

Soon, one by one, everyone went through the portal. 

... 

〔Congratulations on reaching the 2nd floor — The Undead Castle.〕

〔Clear objective: Defeat Graveheart — The Undying Warden.〕

〔Good luck.〕

A perpetual gray sky. 

Hints of bad weather. 

Lightning slithered through the clouds, but it didn't rain. The landscape was barren. An earthen floor that expanded in all directions, as far as they eye could see. A forest might have once flourished there; now, all that was left were husks of withered trees. 

In the distance, peeking right above the horizon, was an imposing castle. 

"Well… isn't that ominous?" Someone muttered, looking at the screens. 

Leandro, Griffin, Soren, and the others, stood with their backs facing the portal that spat them out. 

"What a dreary place." 

Someone muttered. 

"Not a soul in sight." 

"Maybe we got lucky and it has already been cleared?" 

"But the system just said we have to defeat the boss…"

"Let's stay vigilant, and don't break the formation! Watch out for traps or ambushes!" 

They started moving, with Leandro leading the march. The castle was the landmark of their destination, and the only man-made building discernable. 

The rest of the place was... barren... desolate. 

With no danger in sight. 

"I don't understand... what do we have to fight? Goblins couldn't possibly be hiding here." Soren said, insightfully. "There's no place for them to hide." 

"Whatever it is, we'll just have to kill it, don't we?" Griffin snorted. He twirled the spear in his hand a few times for good measures. It was a large, long, and imposing weapon, easily measuring 220 centimeters tall. Made of silver steel, the spear tip glistened beautifully, reflecting Soren and Christopher's faces. 

Leandro whistled slightly. It was quite an expensive weapon, even on Earth. In the Monolith, that spear had the equivalent value of a shiny stick. 

Griffin caught the glance and scoffed a bit, proud of his armament. 

Soren cleared his throat to break the ice. "You think they're in that castle?"

 "Probably." Leandro said, his Aura stretched around him. If even the slightest bit of earth was moved—he would know. 

"Where else would those guys be?" Griffin scowled, an expression that was a perfect fit for his face. 

"They could have met danger on their way there." Christopher pondered. 

"Danger?" Soren parroted, looking around. "But there's nothi—" 

No sooner had he began to speak, that a bony hand clawed out of the ground, and pushed its way out. Everyone froze at the sight. Leandro, however, rushed in, drawing his sword in a wide arc. 

The skeleton was shattered before it could even stand properly. A trail of decimated bones was left in Leandro's wake, yet, other hands followed, jutting right out of the earth as if they had all waited underneath for this very moment. 

The group of Challengers erupted in startled screams. Soren quickly shut up and held his daggers in a criss-crossed manner. Griffin held his spear with both hands, its tip pointing forward. Behind them, weapons were drawn and brandished at the incoming horde of skeletons. 

After the hurdle that was the 1st floor, they had become more confident in engaging in physical confrontation with species that were not humans. Still, the swarm of walking dead in front of them took that confidence with their rusty, bone hands, and shoved it in the metaphorical ass of their bravado. 

"Don't let them hug you." Leandro grinned slightly as he weaved between three skeletons, skewering two of them, and shattering the other's ribcage with a kick. Bone splinters flew up in dusty clouds. "They tend to stick around."