A rest Chamber

On the 80th floor of the Hell's Spire, Lara raised her gloved hands and pulled down her hoodie, revealing her eyes.

She glanced around, observing the countless individuals passing by her side. The atmosphere was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of people chatting and laughing, creating a cheerful and lively ambiance, but she didn't feel anything in particular.

"So, this is a rest chamber?"

It's been a long time since she saw and heard so many people laughing and talking around her. A strange feeling welled up in her chest, but it wasn't happiness or satisfaction. It kind of felt like emptiness.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The air didn't have any scent of blood, and the sky was clear with a beautiful sun.

"It's a lot better than my expectations."

The rest chamber, as its name suggests, is a place for players to find peace. They can live here if they don't plan on climbing higher floors. But those who stay know it's a trap, giving them a false sense of safety and tranquility. After all, once someone passed the 10th floor of Hell's Spire, they could only leave if they reached the final floor.

Lara scoffed and looked around, moving closer to a quaint wooden hotel that filled the air with a delightful aroma. She tilted her head and peered through the windows, observing people enjoying their meals at round tables with cozy wooden chairs. Waitstaff in matching uniforms were busy taking orders.

"So, after every ten floors, I'll see a rest chamber."

No, that doesn't mean there are so many rest chambers in Hell's Spire. The rest chamber is a separate space from the actual 80th floor. When someone arrives on the 80th or any other rest floor, they first arrive in the rest chamber. After that, they have a choice to stay trapped in that chamber for a long time until they die, or perhaps decide to climb the Hell's Spire again.

Lara had no clue about any of this. None of the Authorities who were following her bothered to share any information. She only discovered everything after she arrived on the floor.

She stepped onto the few stairs leading toward the entrance of the wooden hotel, humming a soft tune. A few passersby glanced at her face, but she wasn't someone others would find captivatingly beautiful. That's why they ignored her. She touched the wooden door and noticed one of the waitstaff had pointy ears, indicating he wasn't human. Well, she had seen many other races inside Hell's Spire, so it wasn't a surprise.

A delightful aroma of wine, sizzling meat, and cheesy cakes filled the air. One of the waitstaffs spotted her and welcomed her to an empty table.

He had a gentle expression and a beautiful smile on his face, but before she could head toward the table, she heard loud voices coming from a distance.

Lara glanced back at a faraway table, where three people dressed in black robes were speaking loudly with a line of others. She looked at the waiter standing beside her with a raised eyebrow.

"What are they doing?"

"Oh... they're recruiting people to join their party so they have a better chance of clearing the next floor. I heard the next floor boss monsters can't be defeated with a small party."

"Ah... okay."

She wanted to ignore them, but she caught a glimpse of a familiar face from the corner of her eye. He had long black hair tied up in a ponytail and beautiful ocean-like eyes, observing the people around him. He was one of the three individuals in robes, recruiting someone for their team.

"Have I seen him before?"

Lara rubbed her chin, but then a few screens flashed in front of her eyes.

"#The_Soul; You don't remember?..."

"#The_Demon_LoRd; It's been so long, even I don't remember. How could you expect a mere mortal to remember after more than thirty years?"

She waved the screens away and approached the group of people to get a better look at his face. The first thought that crossed her mind was that he was incredibly beautiful. So much so that even a few guys couldn't help but steal glances at him. But he seemed unfazed and aloof as if he couldn't care less.

Her lips curled into a smile, but her eyes lacked any happiness when a blurry memory flashed in her mind. A handsome man and the gentle warmth he provided.

Ignoring the waiter, she pulled her hoodie over her head before approaching the table where the man sat with his two companions, searching for capable individuals to join their party. He was chatting with someone else, a woman named Sia when Lara tapped on his table to get his attention.

He looked up with furrowed brows, clearly a bit displeased. But instead of the man, it was Sia who stopped Lara.

"What do you want? If you're here to join our party, please wait in line."

Lara's hoodie covered her eyes, leaving only her lips visible as they formed an 'Oh' shape. In the next moment, she silently stepped back to join the people waiting in line.

Sia glanced at Lara and whispered something in the man's ear. She thought Lara couldn't hear, but her voice was loud and clear as if she wanted the whole world to know.

"Nian, I don't like her, so even if she's capable, don't add her to our party."

Lara chuckled softly, her laughter blending into the surrounding noise. But she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow when Nian glanced up and locked eyes with her, if only for a brief moment before looking away.

'Ah, Nian... he's stunning. It wouldn't hurt to have a little fun, right? I mean, it's not every day you come across someone so beautiful.'

Those were her thoughts, but little did she know that despite him falling first, she would fall even harder. So much so that her heart skipped a beat every time she saw him, and her mind couldn't help but wander to thoughts of him throughout the day.