The air was still heavy with the remnants of magic as Alex and his team emerged from the ruins. The battle with the sorcerer had been brutal, but they had succeeded in stopping K's ritual, saving the third floor from being consumed by darkness. The ruins were now silent, the glowing runes extinguished, and the sky above them was beginning to clear, revealing the stars in the distance.
But despite the victory, the weight of the journey ahead hung over them. The fourth floor—a place that held even greater dangers, more complex politics, and where K's agents would likely be stronger than ever.
"We're not done yet," Alex said, his voice low as they made their way back to the guild hall. "The fourth floor is going to be tougher. We've stopped K's plan here, but we need to keep moving."
Betsy walked beside him, her face showing a mix of exhaustion and determination. "The third floor was about building alliances, gathering strength, and fighting off K's agents. The next floor? It's going to be a whole different game."
Alex nodded, his thoughts swirling. "We're stepping into political chaos on the fourth floor. The Elven and Dwarven kingdoms may have been strong allies, but the next set of factions we'll encounter will be more dangerous, more cunning. And K's influence is going to be everywhere."
Drax, walking just behind them, grinned despite the heavy atmosphere. "Politics, huh? Not my style. But hey, we've handled everything else so far. We'll crush whatever comes next."
Luke, as always, added his quiet wisdom with a single word: "Verum."
They returned to their guild hall on the third floor, where the members of CODE were already waiting for them. News of the victory at the ruins had spread quickly, and while the mood was celebratory, there was an undercurrent of tension. Everyone knew that the challenges on the next floor would be far greater.
Alex gathered his core team in the war room, a sense of urgency in the air as they began discussing their next steps.
Preparing for the Fourth Floor
The fourth floor wasn't just a place of stronger enemies—it was known for its political intrigue. The kingdoms and guilds that ruled the floor were deeply entrenched in power struggles, and every move would need to be calculated carefully. But there was no avoiding it. If CODE wanted to continue their climb to the fifth floor, they would need to navigate this web of alliances and betrayals.
"Before we go," Alex began, addressing his team, "we need to make sure we're fully prepared. The fourth floor's level range is 300 to 399. We've made it past level 200 on this floor, but we need to keep grinding and leveling up. The enemies there won't be like anything we've faced here."
Betsy leaned over the map spread out on the table, her sharp eyes tracing the pathways that led to the fourth floor's capital cities. "From what we've heard, the fourth floor is divided into two major factions—the Ogres' Kingdom and the Human Empire. They're constantly at war with each other, and we'll need to decide how we want to navigate that conflict."
Rogan, who had been gathering intelligence, spoke up. "There are also powerful guilds that operate on the fourth floor, separate from the main political factions. They control trade routes, resources, and smaller cities. If we can get some of them on our side, it'll give us an advantage."
Drax cracked his knuckles. "So what's the plan? Make some deals, crush some enemies, and climb our way to the top?"
Alex smiled faintly. "That's part of it. But the fourth floor is about more than just brute force. We'll need to be strategic—build alliances, take advantage of the factions' weaknesses, and make sure K's agents don't get the upper hand."
Luke, as always, kept his silent vigil. But even without words, Alex could sense his readiness for the challenges ahead.
Leveling Up and Training
Before they could ascend to the fourth floor, the team knew they needed to be at their best. The level cap on the fourth floor started at 300, and while they had gained significant strength on the third floor, they still had a long way to go.
The next few weeks were spent training, grinding through dungeons, and leveling up. The Elves and Dwarves, grateful for CODE's help in stopping K's ritual, provided additional resources—enchanted weapons, powerful armor, and magical scrolls that would aid them in their journey.
Alex, in particular, focused on honing his Shade Master abilities. The more he experimented with his class, the more he realized just how overpowered it truly was. His shades weren't just combat tools—they could be used for espionage, sabotage, and even manipulation. With enough practice, Alex could send his shades out to gather intelligence, disrupt enemy plans, and lay traps that would give CODE the edge in battle.
He spent hours in the training room, experimenting with the limits of his power. As he summoned and controlled multiple shades at once, he began to realize that his abilities went far beyond what other players could achieve. There was something fundamentally broken about his class—a glitch that allowed him to push his powers beyond their normal limits.
One day, during a particularly intense training session, Betsy watched from the side, her arms crossed as she studied Alex's progress. "You've got something special with that class," she said, her voice filled with both awe and caution. "But you need to be careful. If people find out just how broken it is…"
"I know," Alex replied, his brow furrowed in concentration as he directed his shades to take down a series of enchanted targets. "That's why we need to keep this under wraps. If anyone—especially K's agents—finds out what I can really do, they'll come after me harder than ever."
Betsy nodded. "Still, it's going to give us a huge advantage on the fourth floor. If you can use your shades to gather intel and manipulate the battlefield, we'll be untouchable."
Alex smiled slightly. "That's the plan."
The Casino and Trade Empire
In the weeks leading up to their departure for the fourth floor, CODE also worked on expanding their trade empire. The Obsidian Gambit, the casino they had established on the first floor, had been sold, giving them a massive influx of capital. They used that money to invest in new ventures—building trade routes, establishing diplomatic relations with other guilds, and creating a network of allies that would support them as they climbed higher.
One of their most successful ventures was the production of time-boosting food—a unique invention Alex had accidentally discovered with his shades. These food items, when consumed, granted players extra time in the real world as well as temporary stat boosts within the game. The demand for these items had skyrocketed, especially among players who were struggling to survive as their time ran out.
CODE's training guild—CODE Academy—was also gaining traction. Players who wanted to level up quickly and efficiently came to CODE for help, paying for access to the best training facilities, equipment, and instructors. This influx of gold and influence was making CODE one of the most powerful guilds on the third floor.
As they prepared to ascend to the fourth floor, Alex knew that they couldn't rely solely on combat to win the battles ahead. They needed to continue building their economic empire, using their resources to gain influence over the political factions they would encounter.
"Power isn't just about leveling up," Alex said one evening as they sat around a fire in the guild hall. "It's about control. We're going to need to use every advantage we have—whether it's our trade routes, our alliances, or even our shades. K's agents are going to be waiting for us on the fourth floor, and we need to be ready for them."
Drax grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I'm ready. Let's show them what CODE is made of."
The Fourth Floor Awaits
The day finally came when CODE was ready to ascend. The portal to the fourth floor stood before them, its swirling energy pulsing with the promise of new challenges, new enemies, and new allies.
Alex stood at the head of his team, his heart pounding with anticipation. They had come so far, fought so hard, and now they were about to face a new world filled with political intrigue, power struggles, and K's growing influence.
"We've made it this far," Alex said, his voice filled with determination. "And we're not stopping now. The fourth floor is going to be tough, but we've got everything we need to win."
Betsy, standing beside him, nodded. "K's going to be waiting for us. But this time, we'll be ready for him."
Drax, ever the optimist, laughed. "Let's crush this floor and show everyone why CODE is the best."
Luke, as always, added his quiet but powerful word: "Verum."
With that, Alex and his team stepped through the portal, their hearts filled with resolve as they prepared for the next stage of their journey.
The fourth floor awaited them, and with it, the battle for control, survival, and the ultimate showdown with K.