Chapter 149 - The Ninth Floor

Ethan took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the portal that had materialized before him. He glanced down at Alaric's lifeless body one last time, the grim expression on his face deepening.He stepping past the grotesque figure. The sense of finality settled over him like a shroud as he approached the shimmering gateway.The portal's surface rippled like water, casting an eerie, phosphorescent glow over the stone chamber. Ethan paused for a moment, steeling himself for whatever awaited him on the Ninth Floor. With a final, resolute step, he entered the portal.Emerging from the other side, Ethan was immediately struck by the sight that greeted him. He found himself in the midst of a ruined city, its once-grand structures now reduced to crumbling ruins. The architecture hinted at an ancient civilization, its grandeur now overshadowed by the scars of some devastating disaster.