Thank you

The air hung heavy with humidity, carrying a pungent smell. Lara glanced at the murky green blood dripping from her hands, her gaze shifting to Onicuss and his lifeless twin bodies before her.

She knelt on the ground, her clothes torn in multiple places, and stained with blood. Her condition was no better than that of a person standing on death's doorstep.

The air quivered, and the bodies of the snakes began to disintegrate into white particles.

A few Authorities appeared in front of her, but she ignored them as if they were thin air.

"Hehe, it wasn't s-so... hiccup."

Lara quickly covered her mouth, trying to stifle a hiccup. Her body screamed with pain, but her face remained devoid of emotion. The system shop was just inches away, where she could buy a healing potion, but she didn't even spare it a glance.

She blinked, and the twinkling particles in the dark chamber merged together, forming a round, flickering portal that she had never seen before. An instant later, another blue screen flashed in front of her face.

"#The_Soul; Congratulations on another victory."

As soon as the screen flashed, a loud announcement reverberated through the chamber, jolting Nian, his two mates, and the player in the golden cloud out of their daze state.

_________

Congratulations, player Lara...

The clearance requirements for the 75th floor have been met. Onicuss and his unnamed twin, the (S)-Rank giant snakes, have been defeated.

You've earned the main reward, please step into the portal to progress to the next floor.

(Note; Only player Lara can enter.)

Loading...

Since you're the first person to defeat the twins all by yourself, an announcement will be made throughout the entire Hell's Spire.

_________

Right after that, a massive announcement reverberated through the entire Hell's Spire. This wasn't the first time such an announcement had been made. After all, whenever someone accomplished something extraordinary, their name would echo throughout the entire Hell's Spire.

However, Lara's eyes were glued to the notification that flashed before her.

_________

You've received an additional reward that has been added to your storage space. Make sure to check your storage space for further details.

_________

She raised an eyebrow, taken aback, and attempted to stand up. The players in the golden cloud snickered, their voices audible to her, but for some reason, they hesitated to approach. Perhaps witnessing her brutal fighting style made them think twice about getting close to such a crazy girl.

As she struggled to get back on her feet, her ears perked up at the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. Immediately, she tightened her grip on her sword, prepared to tear the person who dared to come near. But her breath caught in her throat when a warm sensation enveloped her body, as a long, velvety coat was draped over her shoulders.

'Huh?'

She blinked, trying to comprehend the warmth, not even registering the faint whispers around her.

"Nian, what are you doing?"

"Nian?"

Lara glanced at the familiar figure kneeling before her. His black hair stood out against his tattered attire. Slowly, he wrapped the coat around her and whispered in a low voice.

"Thank you..."

'Why...?'

She wondered quietly in her mind. She kept asking the question over and over, but before she could get an answer, he reached out his hand, offering a vial filled with golden liquid.

Lara blinked and glanced at his sea-blue eyes. They were so bright and beautiful that she couldn't help but wonder if she had seen them before.

Nian's eyes shook slightly as he stared back at the dazed girl and let out a soft sigh.

'Why is it that you're always injured whenever we meet?'

He wanted to ask but held back since they weren't close. Just like the first time they met, he placed the vial in front of her and stood to go towards Sia, his sister, who had been staring at him for a while.

However, someone grabbed the hem of his pants. He froze and glanced back, only to see a familiar pair of eyes peering at him.

Lara dragged her feet to stand up and clicked her tongue.

"Do you want it back?"

She pointed her finger at the bright brooch stained with blood on her shirt, the one she took from him a while ago.

"Take it. If you want it back."

Nian's lips trickled upward slightly into a barely visible smile.

'So, you haven't completely lost yourself yet...'

Sia was shocked when she noticed the smile on Nian's face. How long had it been since she had seen her brother smile? But it was so fleeting that she wondered if she had imagined it.

Nian shook his head and started walking towards his two surviving teammates, the only ones who had managed to stay alive in this nightmarish place for so long.

Lara glanced at his retreating figure and shrugged off the coat, letting it fall to the ground with a soft thud. A faint glimmer appeared in the corner of her eye.

Slowly, she unclasped the brooch and let it fall onto the coat.

"You're beautiful, but not mine..."

She whispered under her breath. Nian froze in his tracks at the sound, but when he turned to look, she had already disappeared.

The portal trembled and vanished, leaving behind a shower of bright particles. The chamber fell into silence.

Sia walked up beside Nian and glanced at the vial resting opposite the fallen coat.

"She didn't take the healing potion."

Nian glanced at the vial for a moment, his emotions complicated, before turning his attention back to the players in the golden cloud. He cracked his knuckles.

"I think we've got some scores to settle. After all, their sneak attack was strong enough to kill us all."