"Return to the second floor!"
Seeing the three powerful monsters flapping their large wings and rushing towards them, Mage William took the lead and ran back to the spiral staircase they had come from, choosing to avoid the battle.
The three of them werenât entirely unable to defeat these three opponents; the main issue was whether it was worth the effort, mixed with a sense of complacency.
But very soon they realized the severity of the situation: when they exited the spiral staircase again, they found themselves not in the snowy second floor, but back in the third floor they had just fled from, and those three black winged monsters were already closer to the staircase entrance!
"Weâre definitely trapped! But it seems the monsters wonât enter the spiral staircase! Letâs hide inside for now!"
Feeling something was very wrong, the three immediately retreated back to the staircase under Mage Williamâs lead, decisively staying within and not stepping out.
A few seconds later, they noticed the monsters indeed showed no signs of entering through the staircase entrance, indicating they were temporarily safe.
"William! What the hell is going on!? Didnât you say this tower was safe!"
Insect Swarm Summoner David, just after catching his breath, complained to the thin mage who had guided the whole affair, as the chain of unexpected events had left him quite puzzled, as if the seemingly harmless Black Tower suddenly revealed its sinister nature.
The tall and strong female warrior also looked at her trusted thin companion, but she said nothing, only observing him intently, hoping for an explanation.
Under the pressure from the two, Mage William felt somewhat helpless and irritated, as he himself didnât understand what went wrong with the Black Tower; it was greatly different from similar sites he remembered, and this tower seemed much harsher on climbers.
"Sorry... It was my judgement error this time... I didnât expect such a strange mechanism in the tower... Iâll give you the spoils I obtained earlier, as compensation."
While speaking, the young mage presented the small toy frog, ring, and other loot he had acquired earlier, handing them over to his two companions, seeking forgiveness.
But the white summoner didnât reach out to accept them, nor did the female warrior, despite having obtained no loot earlier, she still disdained them.
Insect Swarm Summoner David continued:
"William, weâve been teaming up for so long, you should understand us, weâre not after your things! We hope you wonât betray our trust! Nova and I joined you in hunting players because we believe in you, but then such a big problem occurred... If you really canât figure out whatâs happening, then you better come up with a solution!"
This summoner urged William to devise a plan to solve the current predicament, to compensate for his poor decision leading to the mess.
"The solution is simple. According to my estimation, once we eliminate those three monsters, the tower will surely let us leave."
William responded seriously after hearing this.
"I will use my equipment in the upcoming battle. With its assistance, eliminating those three monsters wonât be too risky, and then we can discuss future plans outside the tower... But everyone should rest first and prepare for battle."
The thin mage explained, then closed his eyes slightly, leaning against the staircase wall, pretending to nap. Seeing this, his two companions realized they couldnât push any further, risking their friendship, so they said no more and also started to rest.
Wang Zhifan meanwhile silently observed them. Initially, he intended for the third-floor monsters to barge into the staircase after a while to surprise them, but seeing they werenât merely trying to escape, he let the monsters rest and wait on the third floor.
Thus, after approximately a quarter-hour of rejuvenation, the thin mage William finally reacted.
Suddenly opening his eyes, he stood upright, leaving the staircase wall, and slowly walked to the staircase entrance facing the monsters. He took out an eerie dark red scroll from his personal space.
"You should recognize this; itâs my greatest loot from the Abyss Dungeon, Demonâs Skin. Due to its high consumption, I wonât use it casually in regular battles, but for everyoneâs safety this time, Iâll bear all the costs."
After briefly introducing his precious item, Mage William opened the dark red scroll in his hand, allowing it to float gently above the trio under an unknown force, illuminating them with the same dark red light like a luminous scroll.
Insect Swarm Summoner David and female warrior Nova remained calm in the face of this strange scene, maintaining their gaze on the eerie scroll overhead, without any sign of dodging, letting the unsettling red light cover them along with the itemâs owner. It showed they were familiar with the scrollâs effects.
"Letâs begin! Iâll employ the strongest mode, so the burden will be heavy! I can hold on for ten seconds at most!"
The thin mage William announced, without any obvious action, yet the ominous dark red scroll above them instantly intensified its glow, like a dark red sun appearing in the spiral staircase. Then it rapidly dimmed, transforming into a spherical shape, darting from above them into the staircase entrance leading to the monsters, resembling a completed explosive attack.