Chapter 37: Gateway Both Nightingale and Flaming Rose came to a halt a few minutes later as they finally reached their destination — a narrow, descending pathway that spiraled deeper into the Black Spire.
Evidently, the First Floor wasn’t nearly as vast as it initially appeared. At first glance, one might assume the swamp stretched on without end, an endless mire of fog and decay. But that was merely the illusion created by the Grey Mist. It was a deception of the mind meant to manipulate perception and trap wanderers in a false sense of infinity.
In truth, the entire floor was no larger than a small valley at best.
Under normal circumstances, even those ensnared by the mist’s mental interference would still find their way to this point eventually much like a blind man stumbling through familiar terrain. However, to prevent such luck from tipping the scales, the Grey Mist introduced an additional layer of peril: it broadcast the presence of any intruders to the surrounding monsters, drawing them in like moths to a flame.
This was exactly what had prevented Nightingale from reaching the end of this worldscape. Just like any Awakened that was starting their journey, he was clueless about the hidden mechanisms governing each floor. To him, the swamp had seemed like an endless labyrinth and a cruel joke of nature.
Monsters emerged from the fog without warning, drawn by the invisible signal that marked him as prey and hindered his progress.
Back then, he had barely survived. His only saving grace was his instinct and perhaps sheer luck.
Now, however, Nightingale understood the whole truth.
’What a joke. I’ve been running in circles this whole time.’
He let out a quiet sigh, though a faint smirk tugged at his lips.
’Well... at least I managed to get my hands on a few Spirit Shards, so it wasn’t a complete waste.’
Still, the thought left a bitter taste.
’If I hadn’t learned the truth, I’d probably still be wandering around like an idiot, hoping for a miracle. Given my luck, I would’ve reached the Second Floor sometime in my retirement years!’
The bitter thought echoed in Lu Song’s mind as he frowned. Then something else emerged.
’Wait a second... could the Grey Mist itself be a Chaos Creature? No... that can’t be right, can it?’
Chaos Creatures that could influence their surroundings and environment were "Titans."
But what business would a Titan have on a beginner’s floor?
It made no sense.
Regardless of their strength, even powerful monsters were bound by the Tower’s fundamental laws. Higher-floor beings couldn’t enter lower floors and the same was true vice-versa.
That was the unshakable rule every Climber knew.
However, there were rumors of certain creatures able to traverse floors freely, which contradicted the previous law.
If such beings truly existed... then perhaps, nothing within the Tower was truly impossible.
Without further delay, the two stepped through the gate and began their descent down the narrow, spiraling pathway that led deeper into the Spire. The experience was reminiscent of their initial entry into the Tower, descending an endless stairwell that seemed to stretch beyond reason. Having grown accustomed to such distortions of space, neither Nightingale nor Flaming Rose paid it much mind. They simply pressed onward in silence.
Step, step, another step! The air grew colder the deeper they descended. Each step they took seemed to echo endlessly, as though the spiraling stairway had no end, only a downward pull that devoured all sense of direction.
Flaming Rose walked ahead, her crimson coat swaying behind her like a streak of blood.
It was... oddly mesmerizing. Nightingale found it surprisingly difficult to keep his attention where it should be, doing his best not to let his eyes wander to the woman’s prominently shaped glutes that even her coat couldn’t hide. Even if the area was considered a safety zone where no monsters could attack, they were still inside a place where a single lapse in focus could mean disaster.
He exhaled quietly and forced himself to look elsewhere.
’Focus, damn it. Now’s not the time to get distracted.’
After what felt like an eternity, the faint hyme of atmosphere began to stir in the air. Halfway down the stairwell, Flaming Rose said suddenly,
"...We’re close."
Nightingale frowned.
"Close to what?"
She didn’t answer right away. Instead, her steps slowed to a halt, and she turned her head slightly to look back at him. Behind the white sockets of her pristine mask, her eyes glinted with sudden seriousness.
’Huh? What’s this about?’ Lu Song couldn’t quite grasp the situation, but he could tell from her demeanor that his enigmatic companion was about to say something important.
Finally, she spoke.
"Before we move any further, there’s something you need to know. The Second Floor is unlike the First, so it requires an entirely different approach."
"You mean the part where there aren’t any monsters?" Nightingale asked, raising a brow.
"I see... so you’ve heard about it already?"
He shook his head.
"Not exactly. I’ve only caught bits and pieces of information. Strangely enough, no one ever wants to be generous and share the details."
Flaming Rose let out a quiet sigh.
"That’s typical behavior. Most Espers tend to hoard information. To them, knowledge is even more valuable than power. Unless you’re willing to pay a hefty price, they won’t share a thing."
Nightingale scoffed inwardly.
’Of course. Why pay for something I could figure out myself?’
Ignoring his sarcasm, Flaming Rose continued her explanation.
"As I was saying, the Second Floor differs from the First in a fundamental way as there are no monsters to fight. In a sense, it’s one of the Tower’s unique floors. Each of these floors has its own distinct thema or rule, something that doesn’t appear anywhere below."
Nightingale’s lips curved into a faint smile.
"But I’m guessing that doesn’t mean it’s any less dangerous, does it?"
She nodded, then added:
"Unfortunately, you’re right. The method to clear the Second Floor is simple in theory; all you have to do is walk in a straight line and reach the other side. In fact, it’s said that those who are blind have the easiest time passing through."
Nightingale blinked in confusion.
"Huh? I don’t get it. Didn’t you just say that there aren’t any monsters? Why would being blind make it easier?"
Flaming Rose didn’t respond immediately. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before she turned away, resuming her slow, deliberate steps down the dim stairway.
Then she said quietly:
"You’ll understand once we arrive there. But I’ll give you a hint; on the Second Floor, your eyes are your worst enemy."
Nightingale’s brows knitted together.
’My eyes are the enemy? What kind of logic is that?’
He wanted to ask more, but something in her tone made him stop. The way she spoke made it clear she wasn’t trying to be cryptic for fun. Whatever was waiting for them below, even she didn’t seem comfortable talking about it.
Feeling uneasy, he swallowed his dry saliva and followed right behind her, trying not to lag behind.
The air grew thicker the deeper they went. The faint chill that had followed them since the gate turned piercing, threading through their clothes and bones alike. It felt as though the atmosphere had gone down a few degrees.
’This pressure... It’s different from before.’
Flaming Rose suddenly stopped again. She turned halfway toward him and said in a low voice,
"Whatever you do, once we reach the Second Floor, please ignore everything you see. No matter what appears before your eyes."
Her tone was grave, colder than before, and there was no trace of her earlier composure at all.
Nightingale felt a chill crawl up his spine.
’Don’t trust what I see? What kind of place are we walking into?!’
He forced a small, nervous laugh.
"You’re really not selling this place well, you know."
Flaming Rose didn’t answer. She simply faced forward again and resumed walking. Clicking his tongue, Nightingale could only do the same.
The stairway grew darker and the echo of their footsteps stretched unnaturally long, as if the very sound was being swallowed by something unseen below.
And then, faintly, a pale light began to glow at the bottom of the descent.
However...
’What the hell...?!’
Horrified, Nightingale staggered backward, his breath catching as cold terror seized his heart.