Through the small door, Shen quickly retreated. *Blink.* A rectangular-shaped blue eye encompassed the whole door, its eyes on Shen and Dane.
Shen looked at the creature's eye and trembled. He felt a pressure he hadn't felt in a long time, suppressing his entire being. The creature blinked twice, making Dane quickly hide behind Shen.
"Why is this thing here?!!"
Unlike his usual self, Shen seemed worried. His eyes kept glancing at the door and muttering incoherent words.
"Shen bro… is something wrong?" Dane asked.
It was the first time since they met he saw anxiety in Shen. Not when he faced monsters or when life-threatening riddles appeared in their way. Yet, right now, Shen had really seemed at a loss.
"Wrong…" Shen repeated, quickly looking into Dane's eyes. "Is something wrong, you ask? Not really. It's just a rank 5 beast. No problem, I can bulldoze my way through it." Shen answered.
Dane knew he asked a stupid question and went silent. Shen kept thinking through the silence, but nothing he thought of worked.
'The gap between a rank 4 and 5 beast is too huge! Not to mention the size difference, the power and intelligence of a rank 5 beast is incomparable. No matter what plan I can think of, that thing just needs its overwhelming strength to crush it!' Shen clenched his fists and sighed.
He turned to Dane with a resolved look. "Stay here. No matter what happens, don't approach the door."
Shen marched forward and entered the room. The expected claw came like before. But Shen, who had already drawn his sword, clashed with it. 'Heavy!' Shen put all his strength into not getting thrown back and held onto his place.
"YoU… cAN't." a roar mixed sound grated on Shen's ear.
With the unexpected voice talking, Shen lost his focus and got thrown back.
*Bang!*
Crashing on the stairs, Shen lay, his hands spread and groaning. Some blood slipped through his lips. Even through that, Shen never looked sorry. It was actually commendable and weird for him to survive the power of a rank 5 beast.
"Shen bro! Shen bro!" Like always, Dane approached him when he got injured.
Ignoring him, Shen stood up and dusted his clothes. His eyes never left the door, but this time a twinkle flashed through them as Shen's cold and arrogant smirk appeared different.
'Now how do I go about that?' he thought, rubbing his chin.
"Ah, Shen bro," Dane called, catching Shen's attention.
Dane looked at the ground, his eyes unfocused, but he seemed determined. He raised his head and blurted, "Shen, bro. I want to try something."
"Alright?" Shen said, uncertain. 'Let's do that. He might solve this situation. After all, HE inherited it before.'
"Sure."
"Eh?" Dane expected an immediate rejection, yet against his deliberations, Shen agreed.
'He believes in me?' he randomly thought. 'If someone like Shen, bro believes in me.' Dane bit into his molars and looked forward.
The terrifying creature behind that door could easily crush him with its pressure, but as if he couldn't feel it, Dane stepped. His steps were slow, but with each one, his confidence grew. His heart beat faster. Suppressing his scared self, Dane still marched.
Dane stopped at the door's entrance. The creature's eyes looked at him and he looked back with a trembling face. "C-can… can you let us pass?" he took a deep breath and asked.
Shen looked on silently, but inwardly he appeared surprised. Why didn't he think of this? He heard the beast speak and wanted to trick it. Dane's way, although seemed more straightforward, it looked dumb. 'Let's see what happens.' Shen gave Dane the benefit of the doubt and continued watching.
."CoNvInCE mE!" the beast spoke again.
'Convince?' Dane looked up, 'Fight or convince. Die or live. Liquid or solid.' he read the words again.
'Do I need to convince him of something so we can pass?'
"Convince you how? With what?" he asked the beast.
"oNlY oNe WiTH PaSs… CaN cONvInCe!" the beast slowly spoke, his words almost incomprehensible.
"Pass? What Pass? Does this have something to do with these words?" Dane asked again, pointing at the top of the door.
Shen looked up and squinted his eyes. "What words, Dane?"
"You can't see them? They are right there."
Shen checked again and shook his head. "It seems this is something only you can do. If only you can see these words, then this test is also meant for you. Think Dane, think." Shen grasped Dane's shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Did someone ever tell you something or mention a situation similar to this?"
Dane thought hard. He dove through his memories, thinking of anything, even small stuff. Shaking his head, Dane sadly looked at Shen. "I'm sor-," he stopped mid-sentence as his eyes widened.
Shen smirked as he saw that, 'he got it.'
Dane looked at the beast again. "'From monster to slave, from powerful to ant. Conqueror of all I used to be, and Conqueror of all I shall be again! Who am I?' Is this the answer?" he asked nervously.
"pAsSwOrD AcKnOwLeDgED!"
The beast's voice boomed throughout the hall, following it huge and many rumbles vibrated through the room. In front of Shen and Dane's watching eyes, the eye shook with the room and slowly it shrank.
Leaning forward, Dane looked on with an open mouth as a liquid-like creature shrank. The beast stopped at a height of two-and-a-half meters. The beast had a goat's head, but its lower body was that of a lion. It was a truly weird creature.
Shen entered the room after Dane. He watched as the rank 5 creature that seemed so powerful before, bow its head to Dane.
"You must be the chosen one." the beast's voice changed. Its roaring became a sweet, calming voice, the incomprehensible speech turned into one where one pleasantly followed.
"I am the fourth floor's guardian, Terasu. I am pleased to meet you."
Shen watched Dane's flustered appearance and sighed. 'To think a rank 5 beast would follow him. Is this what it's like to have someone to rely on? Hmm, this is bad. I need to deal with this situation!'
"Dane, can you come for a second?" Shen called, breaking Dane out of his anxiousness. 'I need to solve this fast!' He narrowed his eyes inward.