Close to two weeks have passed, and I'm ready to leave the old capital. I believe I gained a lot from this place, and I think I could discover more. Maybe find some secrets I missed, hidden items, and more about this floor. However, when I weigh it against what I could gain from the next floor, it pales in comparison.

“Status.”

Name: Nathaniel GwynDifficulty: HellFloor: 4 - Waning RealmTime left until forced return: 4y 51d 14h 1m 57sTraits (2/3): Mana Circuit, Mana Wavelength Iris

Lvl 214Strength: 103Dexterity: 101Constitution: 246Mana (Stage 1/3 - Vast Mana): 782 + 782

Primary Class: Focused Channeler (epic)Sub-class: [Initiate of Pride]

Active skills:Focus (Dual Focus Consolidation) - Lvl 42Mana Manipulation (Advanced Mana Manipulation) - Lvl 43Perception - Lvl 40Redistribution (Symbiotic Transference) - Lvl 40Resonance - Lvl 40Mana Domain - Lvl 28Tether - Lvl 28Regalia - Lvl 17Infusion - Lvl 20

Constructs:Reinforcement (Construct)Kinetic Mana Heart (Construct)Mana Regulator (Construct)Mana Sovereignty Mantle (Construct)

Passive skills:Cerebral Harmony (rare)Mana-Fortified Resilience (rare)Pyrokinetic Resurgence (rare)Mana Reservoir (epic)Arcane Resilience (epic)

Tokens:Beyond Difficulty entrance token

Shards: 9462

I’ve done another round of active tempering, which boosted me 20 points in Constitution and 10 in Dexterity and Strength.

While in the relative safety of the city, I also thought about improving my Kinetic Mana Heart construct but decided against it in the end. For now, it might be smarter to wait and see what passive I receive in case it gives me some more insight into it. It seems like a good plan. Manuals are not available because of the system, so that's it.

As I walk through the empty city, with a bag filled with items, I think about Myrra. In the past two weeks, she’s barely left me and shows little intent to return to Virelia and become the matriarch or help with the problems there.

From Tess, I have learned that there are daily killings of humans and lynthari. Obelia is dead, Isola is dead, and Thalen has disappeared, so the big guilds that were supposed to help are gone.

Cheeky Obelia was also sure to hide a “bomb” - information that surfaced after she died, blaming lynthari for her death. A last spiteful gift from a smart woman whose obsession cost her life.

After that, there is no more information from Virelia. Tess and others spent all the mana stones they could, the stones have retained some value for their practical uses. They also stole a lot of useful things from headless guilds among other places and hired a big group to help them move it all. Then they escaped Virelia about a week ago, heading to the desert to face the Fallen Hero.

That's where I will go too. Sure, I don't tell anyone about it, but I will make sure to watch them from a distance and maybe help if it looks too bad. I don't want them to know, so they won't rely on me.

I also miss that silly corgi and the occasional nights we all spent together in the small living room of our first house. It was annoying at times, but I liked that feeling of coziness and camaraderie Tess talks about so much.

As for looting, I already found one epic item, so I will be happy with that for now. It stings a bit, I had hoped for more, but it’s just as well, I’ve never wanted to be reliant on items, and I already have so many things to work on.

Aqua Arcanum Vial (Epic): This small vial contains constantly swirling water. When uncorked, it can unleash a torrential water blast or create a protective, swirling water barrier. The Aqua Arcanum Vial can also absorb surrounding water sources, replenishing its contents and making it a versatile tool.

I wouldn't use it in combat as I already have problems spending my mana and using my skills, but it's a nice item to have, it should allow me to save some shards on buying water.

“Ready to leave, feral one?” Myrra greets me the moment I reach the towers where we set our base.

She still looks nearly the same, the only difference is her clothes, which are still black, contrasting with her white hair, tail, and ears. The clothes are simple, and she carries a few of the things she’s looted.

I nod, “Lead the way, nya.”

“Feral one, can you please stop? I only said it one or two times so you don't have to...”

“Twenty-seven.”

With a confused expression, she turns to me.

I repeat, “You've said 'nya' twenty-seven times.”

“Why would you even count that…” she lets her voice trail off and then shakes her head, “Let's leave.”

After using the array, we appear in the desert, along with a big pile of items I put on the massive metal plate and pull behind me. It's quite heavy, so I even have to strengthen my body through reinforcement to pull it across the sand.

Obviously, Myrra finds it extremely funny and continues to tease me. She is immediately in a much better mood, enjoying the heat of the sun on her skin and shedding the thicker layers of her clothes to sunbathe with a big smile on her face.

Typical cat.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Noname - How is it?

Sset - I made Grumpy waste her community limit, so she won't see what we're talking about. Of course, this is only if the system clears the messages in the chat at the times we believe it does.

Noname - Good, how's the search going?

Sset - We already sent the guys back to pull all the items we’ve got with us. TheStrongestOne helps a lot with that. I also found the crater you talked about, and we’ve traveled north from there and located our target. I left some markers behind so you can track us. We'll start in a day or two.

Noname - I will do so. How are the others?

Sset - Excited, sad, and a bit scared. But I'll pull them together.

Savant - Noname.

Out of nowhere, Savant interrupts my conversation.

Savant - You still owe me an answer to one question.

Noname - Yes, I do. Go ahead.

Savant - You asked me before how it is to be alone, so I want to ask you this. How is it to be with a group? One of you, a man called Hadwin, died. How do you feel about it?

Noname - You would waste your question on something like that?

Savant - It will allow me to understand you better.

I see, Savant sure knows how to ask questions I don't like to think about the answer to.

Noname - Some time ago, we got a lot of money. The boys had a good idea, and we were able to leverage our items.

Savant patiently waits, so I also give myself a moment and then continue.

Noname - We spent the entire night buying things for everyone in our group. Things that would make them happy or be useful to them or their training. We bought things for everyone except Hadwin.

I stare ahead over the dunes, feeling the warm heat of the sun on my skin as memories flash through my mind.

Noname - I forgot about Hadwin, and we didn't buy anything for him. Back then it was okay; we just gave him mana stones, and he picked something on his own. But since he died, I can't stop thinking about it.

I want to write another message, but Savant interrupts me.

Savant - That's enough for the answer.

After that, I close the Community and gesture to Myrra as we head towards the crash site of the orbital base.

The ever-present dunes and scorching sun get old rather quickly, but I start to enjoy the warmth on my skin after a few weeks in the cold and cloudy old capital. Right now, even though the only thing to see are the dunes all around us, the sunshine makes things look more lively.

Soon, we reach one of Tess's markers, a small stone holding some of her mana though it’s already been buried under a dune by the wind that shapes this desert. But because I know what to look for, I'm still able to locate it and continue to follow the trail.

As she has many times before, Myrra follows me, and there is a hint of distant sadness to her. It's hard to describe, but it's the expression of someone waiting to hear the bad news. Myrra is smart, and like me, she likes to observe others, so she must have noticed something. The question is how much the system has allowed her to notice.

I decide to push it away, as something for future Nathaniel to deal with before entering the 5th floor. So, for now, we silently push through the dunes while I pull the iron sled of items behind me.

Minutes pass. Then hours, and a day, as we track the marks Tess left until we reach one of the biggest dunes and climb on top of it.

“They are in front of us,” Myrra says quietly and points somewhere in the distance.

I'm unable to see anything unlike her, so she forms her aurora glass into a big plate in front of us. The glass shifts and changes multiple times until it seems to work like a telescope, and through it, I finally see Group 4, all of them walking in line, moving multiple sleds similar to mine.

Out of nowhere, Tess stops and turns around, staring right at us. Lily steps up next to her and looks in our direction as well, but unlike the blonde she can't see that far.

Tess only shakes her head, and the smile that flashes across her face seems to be meant for me and not for Lily.

“Your group can be scary at times, Feral One, but are you sure you don't want to help them? The Fallen Hero is a terrifying enemy.”

I watch as Biscuit wobbles through the sand, his short legs often sinking and slowing him down, and yet he is too proud to ask for help and continues to follow the group. The snake around Isabella’s arm is much bigger now, and out of everyone in the group, Isabella seems to enjoy the desert the most, even keeping two fire orbs floating nearby. I can't sense it from here, but I think she might be using the sun and hot air here to strengthen them.

Then there is a group of three boys walking closely behind Maya, all pulling sleds while Sophie walks in the back, surely casting her web all around.

They are the same, yet different, and a wistful feeling overtakes me. How silly it is, how unaccustomed I am to this kind of feeling.

When I turn to Myrra, she gazes at me sadly, “For a moment, you were smiling, Feral One. A real, warm smile. It disappeared as quickly as it came, but you were.”

She reaches out and brushes a lock of hair from my face, her touch gentle as if she is handling something delicate. I watch her for a moment, curious about what she will do next, but she stops and pulls her hand away.

“Tutorial,” I say.

She tilts her head and opens her mouth as if she wants to ask something, but then her face changes, a blank expression appears on it, and then it reverts to the state it was before I said that word.

“Fourth floor, Waning Realm, Floor quest,” I say quietly.

After each word, her expression changes to blank and then reverts.

So, I just stay quiet, and she smiles at me apologetically, “Sorry for touching you, Feral One.”

“It's fine,” I tell her.

It takes a day longer than we expected to spot the Fallen Hero.

Even from as far away as I am, I can sense the sheer amount of power the armor possesses, and when Myrra uses her Aurora glass, we can see it as well.

As the rumors said, it's most likely an upper epic suit of armor that, while the Champion was alive, most likely served to transfer some of his owner´s mana into sheer physical strength.

Now, with the Champion dead, the armor uses his still-beating mana heart to power itself and move around, searching for enemies. Either some changes were made to the armor when its wearer died, or the Champion programmed it to do that before he died. To help humans fight against the enemy.

The gray and red armor itself is scratched all over; in places, it looks like it has started to rust, and there are even holes in places, the biggest one on the back of the helmet, is most likely the one that killed its owner.

The movement is unnerving, clearly not human. Each step is somehow awkward and hesitant, yet full of strength.

Tess and the others notice it as well and from really far away, she starts to observe it, moving the group so they can avoid it while she collects enough information.

I spend that day examining mana stones as I pull the sled behind me and speak with Myrra, trying to tease her, or practicing my skills. Yet none of these actions help me to get my mind off what is about to come.

Straight and clear, I'm worried.

Pathetic, am I not? After all the things I said. All my resolve that they should get stronger or die now before we become closer. Gareth’s words come to my mind more and more often as time passes, and I find myself thinking maybe he was right.

When the time finally comes, I'm ready to dash in there and help, but only until Tess's face appears in full view on the piece of aurora glass allowing us to see far into the distance.

Tess smiles brilliantly, and her gray eyes have an unnatural shine to them from the desert sun. As it has these past few days, her [Stormcrown] remains suspended over her head.

It will be fine, I read her lips.

“Don't go around planting death flags, you stupid blonde,” I mumble under my breath and then sit back down.

Fine, I will trust you. It's hard for me to do so, but I will believe in you guys.

Show me what Group 4 is capable of.