TJ rushed to Joe’s side, helping him support Ryan to a nearby seat. The man practically collapsed into it with a heavy sigh, his face drained of color. Grizzle was already hovering, his expression pinched with concern, while Gaia focused on tending to Luna nearby.

  TJ knelt beside Brian, scanning him for any injuries. His attention flicked to the little ratfolk perched on Brian’s shoulder, doing the same for the tiny figure.

  Brian leaned back, waving a dismissive hand. “I’m fine, seriously. Stop fussing.” He reached into his pouch and handed the little ratfolk a healing potion.

  The ratfolk’s glossy black eyes lit up, and he downed the potion in a single gulp. He wiggled his furry legs, grinning wide. “Thank you!” He flung his tiny arms around Brian’s neck in a tight hug.

  TJ barely acknowledged the moment. His brow furrowed as he leaned closer. “No need to fuss? That monster guardian went full aggro on your ass, and I wanna know why.” His gaze turned to the ratfolk, narrowing. “You still got tower blood on your paws, don’t you?”

  The little ratfolk blinked, shrinking under TJ’s scrutiny. “I… I think so.”

  “Then you best go wash it off.” TJ’s tone left no room for argument.

  “Good idea,” the ratfolk squeaked. Trembling, he hopped down and scampered off, his eyes darting at the walls like he expected a guardian to burst through at any moment.

  As soon as the ratfolk disappeared, Joe sank into a chair across from Brian. He studied him for a moment before speaking. “I think it was targeting you.”

  Brian rubbed his chin, his brow furrowed in thought. “I was thinking the same. But it wasn’t blood-marked targeting. It has to be something else.”

  Grizzle draped a reassuring arm around Ryan, his face a mix of concern and curiosity. “Let me take a look at that arm.”

  Ryan hesitated, then gingerly placed his scaled arm on the table. Grizzle leaned in, pulling a small monocle from his pocket and slotting it into place over his eye. He squinted, his gaze narrowing as he examined the ridged and slimy surface. “Hmmmmm…”

  Ryan shifted in his seat. “Is that a good ‘hmmmm’ or a bad ‘hmmmm’?”

  Grizzle didn’t look up. His fingers hovered over the scales, careful not to touch directly. “Turn your hand over.”

  Ryan straightened in his seat. "Well, break it to me—how long have I got?"

  Grizzle’s gaze lingered on Ryan’s shoulder, his expression unreadable. He didn’t reply immediately.

  “Say something. Anything,” TJ snapped. “Don’t leave us all hanging.”

  Grizzle finally exhaled, his tone steady. “If we do nothing, the transformation will be complete in a matter of a few days.”

  “So what are we going to do? You’ve got a cure, right?” TJ’s hands clenched the edge of the table.

  “No,” Grizzle admitted. “Quite frankly, I’m not sure there is one—at least not one I can make in time with the resources at my disposal.”

  Joe’s heart sank. He glanced at Ryan, who sat in stunned silence, the weight of the news pressing visibly on his shoulders.

  “All is not lost,” Grizzle added quickly. “I may not have a cure, but I do have something that can slow the progression.”

  Grizzle pocketed his monocle and handed a bottle to Ryan, its thick, viscous liquid trailing down the sides. "Bottoms up, if you want to slow the progression."

  Ryan grimaced, popping the cork. The others stepped back as a white cloud of fumes wafted from the potion. He didn’t hesitate, chugging it down in one go. Lowering the bottle, he coughed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I won’t even begin to describe how that tasted." He shoved the cork back into the bottle and returned it to Grizzle. Turning to Luna, he added, "If this works, I’d like to start leveling up now. Care to join me?"

  The wrinkles around Luna’s eyes deepened as she smiled. "I’m going to gather refreshments and rest so my mana is full before leveling up." She moved toward a nearby group of gray-haired, weathered ascenders, blending in easily with their ranks.

  Joe crossed his arms and nodded at Ryan. "Grizzle said he had an idea about why the Guardians attacked the way they did. How in the world did you stop them? I thought they were targeting specific people. What’s your theory?"

  Grizzle lifted Ryan’s arm, carefully inspecting the faint green scales creeping up his skin. He rolled Ryan’s sleeve higher, then guided his arm toward the wall. Small, bubble-like formations rippled outward near Ryan’s hand, as if reacting to his presence.

  "As I thought." Grizzle hummed.

  Ryan yanked his arm back, frowning. "I don’t want to get any more infected than I already am."

  Grizzle shook his head. "I don’t think you will—not since taking the cloud potion. Your body’s been enhanced. If you find the right part of the tower, I think you can interact with it."

  TJ furrowed his brow. "Interact with it? Like, as a weapon?"

  Grizzle nodded, but before he could explain further, a deafening roar echoed behind them. A guardian surged to life, its massive form materializing out of the tower’s floor.

  Ryan twisted around, raising his arms in a gesture of surrender. "I’ve got this! Stand down. Leave them alone!"

  The guardian hesitated, then merged back into the floor as swiftly as it had appeared, leaving a small, glinting tooth behind. Ryan bent down and picked it up, inspecting it as he spoke. "I leveled up when I stopped that guardian from entering the staircase, and now I’ve gained another level. Whatever this infection is, it’s letting me advance my priest skills faster. It’s tied to the tower somehow."

  Joe frowned, still twisting the cord of his hoodie. "So you can access the tower and control parts of it. But if the guardians are targeting those who damage the tower, why did it come after Brian?"

  Rose shrugged. "I thought TJ provoked it."

  TJ shook his head, glaring. "If it wasn’t for me, that guardian would’ve eaten Brian alive."

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Joe’s eyes narrowed as he looked between them. "They don’t even eat ratfolk. They’re targeting people who damage the tower—like attacking the source of an infection. But Brian’s the only one of us who’s been exposed to the Touch of Madness."

  "And he’s the only one who was GORED and brought back to life," Gaia brushed her fingertips against her sleeve. "You can thank me again for that."

  Joe sighed. "I trust the Time Hacker more than the Lich. If we trigger the tower’s defenses by cutting into it, we’ll get more Guardians. The Time Hacker warned us to be prepared—but I don’t think he anticipated Ryan being able to control parts of the tower. We just need to level up and stay smart. Don’t attack the tower unless we’re ready."

  Rose tilted her head at Ryan. "Since you’ve leveled up, can you open that loot box now? Maybe there’s something in there that can stop you from getting more corrupted."

  Ryan pulled the box from his inventory, its medallion-adorned exterior glowing. He shook his head and handed it to her. "I can’t open it. You found it, so I guess it’s bound to you."

  TJ sniffed the air and grinned as Ryan handed the box to Rose. “I bet you stored that loot box next to Scaldera’s eggs. The whiff of brimstone and rancid troll milk takes me back to my first hatchling trial by fire.”

  He looked downright nostalgic. Everyone else grimaced at the smell. It was like a troll with stomach issues had a bad curry night. It made Joe wonder if Scaldera’s eggs were turning bad in Ryan’s inventory. She was one of the pair of titan bosses they’d killed on the second floor. With everything they had to deal with since then, Joe had almost forgotten Ryan had her looted eggs in his inventory. Whether they were still useful or not was something they’d deal with later.

  Rose showed no sign she’d heard a word out of TJ’s mouth, her intense gaze was locked on Ryan. She placed a firm hand on his shoulder, her expression darkening. "Thanks, but it doesn’t matter. We’re not opening it now. There’s a system message—it’s cryptic as hell. Check the alliance chat."

  [System Message: I want to hold your attention, so I’m not going to give you the answer. I don’t just want you to find the answer—I want you to need it. Revisit the Lagoon.]

  Rose let out a long sigh. "No way am I going back to Floor 4 for answers."

  Gaia raised an eyebrow. "I’ll go for you. I’m the best at managing mana poisoning."

  TJ smirked, giving Gaia a playful shove. "While you’re down there, grab my kobold totems, will you?"

  “I’m not your mother.” Gaia gave him a scornful look. “Pick up your own damn toys.”

  Joe stepped in quickly, aiming to diffuse the tension. "What TJ meant to say is they’re not far from the stairwell on this floor. With the elevators probably still out of commission, you’d be passing them anyway if you take the stairs down. Those totems might actually come in handy against the next batch of monsters."

  Gaia sighed, her gaze flicking between Joe and TJ. "Fine. Since you put it like that, I’ll use the stairs and pick them up on the way."

  TJ opened his mouth, muttering something under his breath about how they weren’t toys, but much to Joe’s relief, he let the matter drop.

  Joe turned his attention back to his alliance chat interface.

  Joe: Poppy, can you give us more information?

  His chest tightened as he waited for her response.

  Joe: Go incognito.

  Still no answer.

  Why the hell’s she not answering?

  Gaia’s worried look broke him from his own worries.

  “Get some rest while I’m gone, you hear me.” Gaia directed a firm look at Ryan.

  Ryan smiled, giving his belly a pat. “Food first, then rest.”

  She clicked her tongue, then turned to Joe, her expression softening. “Please remind him if he forgets.”

  Joe nodded, watching as she stood. The light from the room caught her hair, creating a faint halo effect. She glanced around the common room, and Joe noticed the other ascenders casting quick, nervous glances her way before hurriedly looking away. It was like they couldn’t endure the presence of someone who still carried the aura of an intimidating goddess. Maybe, in her mind, that’s exactly what she still was.

  Joe’s thoughts wandered. What would Gaia do when the tower climb came to an end—if she survived, if any of them did? Would she ever be content in a human form after living an eternity as a powerful goddess?

  As she walked away, something else caught his attention. The Merry Miner dwarf—Merv—was the only ascender still watching her leave. He sat alone, nursing what looked like a pint of mud water. Joe had so many questions about that guy.

  He knew the risks of having such a wild card as an inactive member of their faction, but he was banking on two things: the dwarf’s loyalty to his fallen brothers and his clear hatred for Andras. Joe glanced at Dawn, Rose, Brian, and TJ. Now all he had to do was convince them it was the right decision.

  TJ, Rose, and Grizzle busied themselves fetching food and drink for the table. Dawn, however, slid into the seat beside Joe, her movements deliberate.

  “I’m going to say what the others haven’t yet,” she began, her gaze fixed on the dwarf with his permanent scowl.

  Joe tensed, already bracing for the words.

  “What the hell were you thinking letting him join our faction as an inactive member? And why the hell didn’t you wait to ask us first?” Her tone was sharp, but the hurt that flickered in her eyes told Joe this wasn’t just anger—it was disappointment.

  “I know I should have asked.” Joe twisted the cord on his hoodie. “But I swear I had good reason. Ever hear the expression, ‘strike while the iron is hot’?”

  “That doesn’t change the fact that guy’s got full-on murderhobo tendencies.” She lifted her chin. “And for the record, I’m older than I look, Joe. I heard that expression when you were probably still running around in nappies.”

  Joe raised an eyebrow at her, but he wasn’t entirely surprised. It was something he’d suspected since she’d shared her vision with him on the second floor.

  “He might be a loose cannon, but I saw an opportunity. I took it while he was still brimming with rage at Andras and grief for his men. If he was against us, we’d have to constantly watch our backs. And he knows things about Andras—things we can use.”

  “So, you’re keeping your friends close and your enemies closer?” Dawn’s lips pressed into a thin line. “That’s bullshit. Sure, it works sometimes, but more often than not, it’s a false sense of security. You start believing their lies, and next thing you know, you’ve got a knife in your back.”

  “We want the same things right now.” Joe dropped the cord and rested his hands on the table. “And he was loyal to his men—damn loyal.”

  Dawn’s eyes narrowed. “We’re not the same as those scumbags. We don’t rampage through anyone who gets in our way. The Merry Miners had a reputation, Joe. They bonded over their body count.”

  Joe’s stomach twisted with regret. Before he could respond, the little ratfolk returned, wringing his paws as he searched the room for Brian and TJ like a lost child looking for his parents.

  How had someone so timid survived this long? Had he relied on a racial boon or been under the protection of a faction? Maybe it was like Andras claimed with Lucky, keeping him around for his Scavenger’s Luck trait until he stopped being useful.

  Dawn placed a hand over Joe’s, drawing his attention back. Her smile was sad but kind. “We won’t cry over spilled milk. What’s done is done. We’ll stay sharp when he’s around. For what it’s worth, I hope you’re right, and he’s worth the risk.”

  Joe nodded, appreciating her willingness to move forward even though she didn’t agree with him. Friendships were complicated like that, especially when survival was at stake.

  Dawn turned to the ratfolk, her voice lightening. “I hope you’re hungry.”

  The little guy patted his belly and licked his lips with an enthusiastic nod.

  “Go ahead.” Joe nodded to the ratfolk. “I’m going to see if I can get ahold of Poppy.”

  Finally, the kaiju danced across his vision at the mention of her name. “Hi-hi, Ohana Joe!”

  Dawn guided the ratfolk away.

  “Poppy, can you give us more information on this loot box from the lagoon? You can dress the part if you need.”

  The avatar’s eyes glossed over as she glanced downward, her tail curling around. “No more hat. Master Lich not like it.”

  “I’m sorry. We’re still Ohana, and that means more than the fedora. Anything you can tell me?”

  She spun in a circle. “Not me. But you know who.”

  Joe drummed the table. “Thanks.” As he pulled up the virtual store, he glanced back at Poppy as she began to dance out of his vision. “I want to warn you…about the lich. I hope the lich has dealt with his phylactery.”

  Poppy nodded. “Reach the top Joe. I want you to win-win.”