38 Dark Omens
A few days passed, marked by the ceaseless shuffle of paperwork that seemed to pile higher with each passing moment inside Chairman's Ambrose's office.
"The incident on the 10th floor, has it been resolved yet?" Chairman Ambrose inquired, rubbing his temples as a headache began to throb.
Unfortunately, the healers at their disposal couldn't remedy ailments like fever and heartburn, nor could they bestow immortality upon anyone.
Their abilities were limited to closing wounds and regenerating lost limbs.
Nicholas, Ambrose's trusted right-hand man, stepped forward to provide an update. "We dispatched an investigation team along with an Ascendant of the Hunter class to assess the situation. They've been tasked with exploring the lower floors to determine if any new doors or secret passages have been opened."
"However, based on their findings, the map remains unchanged," Nicholas continued. "They speculate that the Panther may have been a boss residing within a Hidden Dungeon that appears and disappears at random."
Ambrose shook his head in disbelief. "That can't be. Beasts inside the Hidden Dungeon shouldn't be able to escape through their gates. The Panther must have originated from somewhere else."
"Some suggest it could have been a creature from a higher floor that managed to bypass the exits and make its way down to the 10th floor," Nicholas explained.
"Is that even possible?" Ambrose questioned, furrowing his brow in concern. This would be the first time that it happened.
"In theory, yes. With our resources focused on clearing the 47th floor, we're short on manpower to guard each floor's entrance and exit," Nicholas replied, his expression growing serious.
Ambrose took a deep breath, processing the information. "But has there ever been anything like this beast reported on the higher floors before?"
Nicholas's demeanor turned grave. "None whatsoever."
"Then it's not a beast from the higher floors," Ambrose deduced. "Since the 47th floor remains sealed, the Panther could only have come from the floors below it. However, we've meticulously mapped out each floor of the tower and logged all the beasts and creatures present. How could they have missed such a significant threat like the Panther?"
Nicholas was silent for a moment before he spoke, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "There's another theory . . ."
"What is it?" Ambrose prompted, his expression growing increasingly serious.
"The tower . . . it might be evolving," Nicholas finally revealed.
Ambrose's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowing in concern. "That's not a joke to be made lightly, especially in these times. With each floor, the tower has only grown harder and more treacherous. If it is indeed evolving, then . . ."
A heavy silence descended upon the room, each contemplating the implications of such a revelation.
"We need to investigate this thoroughly, and I want clear answers as to where that Panther came from," Ambrose declared, his tone firm. "We can't afford any more surprises. That Panther killed dozens of Ascendants in a single day due to our negligence. Blessings are rare nowadays, but Ascendants are dying left and right as we speak."
"I wouldn't be surprised if the day came when we run out of Ascendants," Ambrose continued, his voice laden with concern. "Then who would clear the challenges of the gods and stop our world from destruction?"
Ambrose leaned back in his chair, exhaling heavily as he gazed up at the ceiling. "I don't need to stress how important Ascendants are to us. They're like the limbs of our world. You do understand, right, Nicholas? This can't happen again."
"Yes, I will make sure to investigate this incident until we get a clear answer," Nicholas assured him solemnly.
"Is that all?" Ambrose inquired, his attention shifting to the report Nicholas handed him.
"There's one more thing . . ." Nicholas replied, handing over a report paper to Ambrose.
Ambrose scanned the report and immediately spotted Seth's picture. "Isn't this the crippled Gofer who survived the Hidden Dungeon and the Panther's attacks?"
Ambrose fell silent, his fingers tapping on the desk as he mulled over the information. "Is this just a coincidence . . . ?"
"That Gofer had his alibi, and the report is correct. He's nothing more than an unfortunate guy who happened to be in the same place at the same time. He's extremely lucky to have survived both attacks," Nicholas confirmed.
However, Ambrose couldn't tear his eyes away from Seth's picture, a nagging feeling of unease gnawing at him. "Then what seems to be the problem?"
"The name of the brigade that the Hidden Dungeon claimed," Nicholas explained, his voice tinged with concern.
Ambrose's eyes widened as he looked at Roger's and his brigade's picture. "This is?"
"Roger Claus, Marcus Claus's little brother."
"Marcus Claus . . . ? Isn't that . . ."
"The S-Rank Ascendant in Zone B."
Ambrose fell silent for a moment, his hand instinctively reaching up to rub his temples. "This is . . . bad, isn't it?"
"Marcus is currently inside Zone B's towers, clearing their challenges. He still doesn't know that his little brother died. It's only a matter of time, though . . ."
Ambrose sighed heavily, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon him. "I'll take care of it when the time comes. But in the meantime . . . is there any good news? I don't want to hear any more problems."
"There is good news," Nicholas replied, his tone slightly more upbeat.
"Finally . . ." Ambrose muttered under his breath.
"The Ascendants have successfully cleared the 47th floor," Nicholas announced.
"Oh, that is good news." Ambrose's voice lighten a bit, though his expression remained grave. "And the damage?"
"Only 10 Ascendants this time," Nicholas reported.
Ambrose breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. Bringing together the guilds and associations' high ranks has reduced our fatality rate exponentially. It was the right decision."
Ambrose glanced up at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting to the challenges that lay ahead. "That leaves the two floors before the 50th."
A palpable tension rippled through the room as they both contemplated the daunting task ahead.
Everyone knew that floors divisible by 10 were the hardest; the bosses were the most formidable.
Before reaching the 41st floor, hundreds of Ascendants had died facing the 40th boss, marking it as one of the deadliest encounters in recorded history.
But what about the 50th?
What kind of monstrosity would they face there, and how many would perish in the attempt?
Ambrose shivered at the thought.
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|| A/N ||
Foreboding signs of darkness loomed on the horizon, casting a shadow over the path ahead.
If you've enjoyed the journey thus far, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
I always like hearing from you.
