The corridor beyond the chamber opened into a wide atrium. Light streamed in from cracks high above, glinting off polished stones and crystalline formations embedded in the walls. The air smelled faintly of ozone, charged with an energy that hummed under his skin. Every instinct in Zero's body told him: this was no ordinary floor.
At the center of the atrium stood a massive figure, unmoving, towering above even the tallest Regulars he had seen. Its form was humanoid but enormous, armored in a dark, reflective exoskeleton that seemed alive, etched with runes glowing faintly in rhythm with the Tower itself. Two eyes, faintly luminous, regarded the group of Regulars with silent menace.
Zero paused. He had expected tests, challenges, perhaps other climbers or minor creatures. But a guardian like this—an immobile sentinel of immense power—signaled that the Tower intended to eliminate the weak and elevate the cunning.
Kalen, standing nearby, whispered, "That… is the Floor Guardian. Most Regulars fail at this stage. It doesn't fight fair. It tests everything—strength, wit, strategy."
Zero's gray eyes narrowed, analyzing. Size, reach, energy patterns, probable attack sequences, weak points…
It did not move, yet Zero could sense its awareness, the sheer weight of its presence.
First Approach
The Guardian's eyes flickered, and an invisible wave radiated outward. Several Regulars staggered, thrown backward by a force that seemed to bend the air itself. Panic rippled through the group.
Zero, however, remained steady, stance low, sword ready. Anticipate. Observe. Adapt.
He stepped forward, measuring each stride. The runes on the Guardian's armor glowed brighter, pulsing faster. A low, resonant hum filled the atrium—like the sound of a thousand drums vibrating in unison.
Zero spoke, voice calm, yet carrying an edge: "I understand the rules."
No one replied. The Guardian moved—slowly, deliberately. Each movement shifted the floor subtly, sending vibrations through stone. Zero adjusted his stance. He could not see everything, but he felt it: the Guardian's attack patterns, hidden sensors, pressure points.
Strategic Engagement
Unlike previous opponents, brute force would not suffice. Zero circled the Guardian, testing reactions. Every swing of his sword was measured, deflected harmlessly by invisible shields or the Guardian's energy fields.
He noted weaknesses: slight delays in energy dispersal after heavy movement, subtle vibrations when focusing on a target, predictable arcs in its sweeping strikes. Every detail was logged, analyzed.
A few Regulars attempted direct assaults. They were quickly repelled. Some were injured, others thrown aside. Fear spread like wildfire.
Zero stepped forward, gray eyes fixed on the Guardian. This will require precision… and patience.
He waited for the Guardian to strike. Then, as expected, a massive arc of energy slashed through the atrium. Zero pivoted, letting it pass. The floor cracked where the energy struck, but he was unharmed.
From his hand, the sword's runes glowed. Energy coursed through him, not anger, not passion, but cold calculation made manifest. He adjusted his approach—measuring distance, predicting arc, calculating timing down to fractions of a second.
The Puzzle Within Combat
It was not just a fight—it was a test. The Guardian's attacks were deliberate, patterns repeating with subtle variations. Zero recognized the underlying puzzle: survive, observe, exploit weaknesses, and move forward.
Other Regulars floundered, attacking recklessly, failing to notice the shifts in the floor, the subtle vibrations that hinted at danger. Zero, however, was methodical. Each step, each swing, each parry was perfectly timed.
He noticed a faint glow along one of the Guardian's joints—an exposed energy conduit. Predictable. Vulnerable.
A slight adjustment in stance, a silent calculation, and he struck. The sword connected, sending a shockwave through the Guardian. It staggered, not destroyed, but shaken—its attack patterns became more erratic.
Zero's gray eyes scanned, cold and precise. Phase two begins.
Alliances Tested
Kalen and a few other Regulars observed from a distance, whispering in awe. "He's not reckless… he's analyzing, exploiting every detail. He's cold, but brilliant."
Zero noticed the way other climbers adjusted around him. Some hesitated to attack, some attempted to follow his lead, some tried to anticipate his next move. All of them underestimated the depth of his calculation.
He moved again, striking the Guardian in precise, focused bursts, avoiding the wide, destructive arcs that had felled others. Every blow, every step, was calculated to provoke, measure, and exploit.
Slowly, methodically, the Guardian's stance wavered. Its hum shifted, tone becoming uneven. Zero's strategy was working—not through raw power, but through observation, patience, and ruthless efficiency.
First Floor Test Completed
Finally, the Guardian stepped back, its glowing eyes dimming. A low, resonant voice echoed through the atrium:
"Zero… you understand the Tower's lesson. Observation, calculation, patience… you may proceed."
No one else in the chamber had passed. The other Regulars stared at him, some in fear, others in begrudging respect. Kalen approached, clapping once. "Impressive. That was… surgical."
Zero's expression remained unchanged. "It was calculation. Not skill, not luck."
He sheathed his sword. His gray eyes swept the chamber again, cold and unyielding. The Tower had tested him, and he had passed. But this was only the beginning.
As he walked toward the exit corridor leading to the next floor, he thought: This Tower is vast. Every floor, every test, every Regular… an equation to solve. And I… will solve it all.
The hum of the Tower followed him, faint yet persistent, like a heartbeat waiting to be matched.
Zero's journey had officially begun.
[To be continued in Part 4]