Eren stumbled out of the portal, bracing himself against the sudden disorientation. The sensation of being warped from one place to another wasn't something he'd ever get used to. As he steadied himself, his surroundings came into focus.
The new floor was nothing like the eerie forest. He stood in what appeared to be a massive, circular chamber made of polished stone. Intricate carvings of strange runes lined the walls, glowing faintly in hues of blue and gold. The air was cool and dry, carrying an almost reverent stillness.
At the chamber's center was a pedestal, atop which rested a crystalline obelisk, its surface shimmering with an inner light.
Eren's pulse quickened. Every floor he'd encountered so far had tested his body, his wits, or both. This, however, felt different. There was no immediate danger—no growls, no flickering lights leading him forward. Just the obelisk and the oppressive weight of the unknown.
A familiar panel materialized in front of him.
Trial Parameters: Decode the Obelisk.
Objective: Interface with the obelisk and uncover the floor's hidden truth. Time Limit: 3 hours. Warning: Mental strain may occur.
"Mental strain," Eren muttered under his breath, his fingers already flexing nervously.
He approached the obelisk cautiously, the light within it shifting as he drew closer. As soon as he placed a hand on its surface, a jolt of energy coursed through his body. His vision blurred, and his knees buckled.
Then the whispers began.
They weren't voices in the traditional sense—more like fragmented thoughts and feelings brushing against his mind. Images flashed before his eyes, too quick to fully process. A battlefield littered with bodies. A towering figure cloaked in shadow. A city consumed by fire.
Eren clutched his head, the mental onslaught threatening to overwhelm him. "What… what is this?"
The whispers grew louder, and with them came the sense of something probing his mind, searching for something. His thoughts felt like an open book, pages being rifled through by unseen hands.
Suddenly, a single voice broke through the cacophony, clear and deliberate.
"You are not one of them."
Eren's breath caught. The words weren't accusatory, but they carried a weight that sent a chill down his spine. "Not one of who?" he managed to choke out, though he knew there would be no answer.
The obelisk pulsed, and new text scrawled itself into his vision.
"Flux detected. Anomalous entity identified. Standard systems disabled."
Eren staggered back, the contact breaking. His mind reeled as he tried to process what he'd just seen. "Flux?" he repeated aloud. The term was unfamiliar, yet it carried an unsettling significance.
A new panel appeared before him.
Trial Complete.
Tokens Earned: 30 Floor Reward: Insight Fragment (1)
The pedestal beneath the obelisk shifted, revealing a small, shimmering shard. It floated upward, hovering at eye level before slowly descending into his outstretched hand.
Insight Fragment (1)
A piece of forgotten knowledge, bound to the Tower's core. Collect more to uncover the truth.
Eren stared at the fragment, its surface cold and smooth against his skin. The obelisk's light dimmed, and the chamber began to tremble. A low rumble echoed through the room, and cracks formed in the walls.
A portal appeared behind him, its swirling energy a clear signal that it was time to leave.
As Eren stepped through, his mind was a storm of unanswered questions. What was a "flux"? Why had the Tower's systems identified him as one? And what would happen if he ever found all the Insight Fragments?
One thing was certain: the Tower wasn't just testing him. It was studying him.