Beginning the Exploration
After leaving the crystal hall, Malik, Walid, and Kenta entered a long corridor filled with mysterious carvings on the walls. The corridor glowed faintly in blue and purple hues.
Malik: "Do you notice the carvings? They seem to tell a story."
Kenta: "No time for contemplation now; we better stay alert."
Walid (joking): "Yeah, because the last thing we want is another monster tossing us out of the tower."
As they advanced, a faint whispering sound reached their ears. Suddenly, the door behind them slammed shut, and the ground began to tremble.
Kenta: "This can't be good."
Malik: "Spread out! This might be a trap."
A giant stone statue emerged before them, its eyes glowing with a bright blue light.
Statue (in a deep voice): "You shall not leave unless you prove your worth."
The statue began its assault, smashing the ground with its massive arms.
Kenta: "I'll distract it!"
Kenta darted around the statue while Malik tried to find its weak point.
Walid: "I've got your back, Malik!"
He fired a lightning arrow at the statue, slowing its movements.
Malik climbed the statue, aiming for a small crack he noticed on its neck.
Malik: "I need a little more time!"
Kenta threw small stones at the statue's face to draw its attention.
Kenta (joking): "You're so slow! Are you a statue or a turtle?"
Finally, Malik delivered a powerful blow to the crack with his sword, splitting the statue in two.
As they caught their breath, the guide, Daramos, appeared once more.
Daramos: "You've proven your worth, but this was merely a simple test. The path to the floor leader remains long."
Malik: "A simple test?! If this was simple, I don't want to know what hard looks like."
Daramos (with a mysterious smile): "You'll find out soon enough. Prepare yourselves, for what lies ahead will demand greater teamwork."
In a side chamber, the rival team observed what had happened.
Romar: "Impressive… they've passed the first trap. This makes the challenge all the more thrilling."
Elara: "We won't let them get ahead of us."
Toran: "Let's see how long they can last against us in the end."
…