Eren stood at the edge of the gate, the shimmering portal before him casting faint ripples of light across the dim workshop. His pack rested on his shoulders, heavier now with the gadgets he'd spent hours painstakingly piecing together. He gave the portal a wary glance before double-checking his equipment.
"Alright, Eren," he muttered to himself. "You've got this. No more surprises. Well… fewer surprises."
He tightened the straps of his pack and patted the holster strapped to his thigh. Inside was his jury-rigged light-emitting device, a compact tool designed to mimic the glowing trees from Floor 2. If those bioluminescent trees had a purpose—and he was sure they did—it was worth seeing if this tool could replicate their effects.
His other project—a sound-based deterrent—was clipped to his belt. It wasn't much, just a small device that emitted high-frequency bursts when triggered, but it was better than going in blind.
After a final deep breath, he stepped through the portal.
Floor 3: The Silent Plains
Eren emerged into a vast, barren landscape. The ground was dry and cracked, stretching endlessly in every direction. Jagged rocks jutted out sporadically, their sharp edges glinting under a dim, pulsating sky.
"What the…?" Eren scanned the area. Unlike the forest of Floor 2, this place was eerily quiet. There were no rustling leaves, no distant growls, just an oppressive silence that pressed down on him like a weight.
He tapped the side of his headset, activating the recording feature. "Entering Floor 3. Environment: arid plains, minimal vegetation, and… unsettlingly quiet. No visible threats yet, but I'm betting that won't last."
As he walked forward, the silence grew heavier. His footsteps felt deafening against the cracked earth, each step reverberating in his ears. He stopped to adjust his pack when a notification flickered across his vision.
Floor Objective:
• Mission Type: Reconnaissance
• Task: Map the Silent Plains and locate the source of mana disturbances.
• Reward: 6 Floor Tokens
Eren groaned. "Another recon mission? At least this time I know what to expect." He brought up the map interface, which displayed a blank grid of the area. A faint red dot blinked in the far corner, marking the disturbance.
He frowned at the distance. "Looks like a couple of hours, minimum. Better get moving."
The Journey Through Silence
The deeper Eren ventured into the plains, the more unnatural the silence became. His own breathing seemed amplified, and even the rustle of his clothing felt invasive. He stopped periodically to place markers—a simple precaution in case the Tower decided to play tricks on his sense of direction.
After an hour of walking, he noticed something strange. The jagged rocks were spaced too evenly, almost like they'd been deliberately placed. He knelt to inspect one, running his hand along its surface.
The rock was warm.
"Is it… reacting to me?" Eren wondered aloud. He pulled out his recording device and documented the discovery. "Rocks are unnaturally warm, despite no apparent heat source. Possible connection to mana?"
He set up his light emitter, pointing it toward the rock. The device hummed softly as it activated, casting a pale, bioluminescent glow similar to the trees from Floor 2.
Nothing happened at first. Then, faint lines began to appear across the rock's surface, glowing with the same pulsating rhythm as the sky.
Eren stared, a mix of awe and confusion washing over him. "Okay… that's new."
Before he could investigate further, the ground beneath him trembled.
A New Threat
Eren jumped back as the rock cracked open, revealing a hollow interior filled with a faint, glowing mist. From the fissure, a thin, sinewy creature slithered out. It had no eyes, just a smooth, featureless head and a long, whip-like tail.
"Great. Of course it's a trap," Eren muttered, pulling out his sound emitter.
The creature tilted its head toward him, seemingly drawn to the noise of his movement. Its tail flicked sharply, embedding itself in the ground with a force that sent cracks spidering out in all directions.
Eren didn't wait for it to attack. He activated the sound emitter, which let out a piercing shriek. The creature recoiled, its tail thrashing wildly as it backed away.
"Good to know that works," Eren said, slowly retreating. But as he moved, more rocks around him began to crack open. Dozens of the creatures emerged, each one turning toward him.
"Okay, not good. Definitely not good."
A Desperate Escape
Eren ran, his heart pounding as the creatures pursued him. The sound emitter worked to keep them at bay, but its battery was draining fast. He glanced at his map—the red dot was still far ahead.
"Think, Eren, think!" he muttered, dodging a tail swipe that narrowly missed him. He spotted a cluster of jagged rocks up ahead and made a beeline for it.
Once he reached the outcrop, he climbed to the top and set up both of his devices. The light emitter bathed the area in a soft glow, while the sound emitter pulsed intermittently, creating a protective barrier.
The creatures hesitated, their featureless heads tilting as if confused. Eren used the moment to catch his breath and reassess.
"Alright," he said, pulling out his notebook. "Step one: figure out why they're drawn to sound. Step two: find a way to disable them without getting killed."
As he jotted down notes, he noticed the creatures slowly retreating. The glowing lines on the rocks began to fade, and the oppressive silence lifted slightly.
"They're connected to the mana disturbance," Eren realized. "If I can disrupt whatever's causing it, maybe I can stop them."
With renewed determination, he packed up his gear and continued toward the red dot, carefully avoiding the cracked rocks.
The Tower's Demands
Hours later, Eren reached the source of the disturbance: a massive, glowing fissure in the ground. The air around it hummed with energy, and the silence was replaced by a low, vibrating hum.
As he approached, another notification appeared.
Floor Objective Update:
• Task: Seal the fissure using available resources.
• Reward: 10 Floor Tokens
Eren groaned. "Seal the fissure? With what, duct tape?"
He knelt by the fissure, examining it carefully. The glow was similar to the crystals he'd found earlier. He pulled one out, holding it close to the edge. The crystal reacted immediately, its light intensifying as the fissure began to shrink.
Eren grinned. "Guess this'll do."
It took several minutes and nearly all of his crystals, but the fissure eventually closed. The humming stopped, and the oppressive atmosphere lifted entirely.
Floor Complete. Return to the Phantom Gate.
Eren collapsed onto the ground, laughing weakly. "One floor down… countless more to go."