The deep hours of the early morning over the Kingdom of Vailor spread a mantle of absolute and starry silence over the imposing mansion, where absolute rest restored the energies of our squad after weeks of exhausting marches through the depths of the tower and the restorative comfort of that unforgettable night in the private chambers. While the physical body enjoyed the regenerative inertia of deep and restorative sleep, Takumi's conscious mind subtly detached itself from its material restraints, naturally projecting itself into a dreamlike dimension of colossal contours, where reality and illusion merged into a vast obsidian plain beneath a sky tinged with blood-red and fiery northern lights. The transition into this mental space occurred without the slightest sign of vertigo or shock, revealing to the protagonist that he was not simply dreaming, but responding to a direct arcane call originating from the most remote depths of the dungeon.
In the distance, silhouetted against the flaming horizon, an imposing hooded figure endowed with titanic horns rose upon a throne of black stone, exuding an atmospheric pressure so heavy and dense that it would make any ordinary warrior kneel in instant despair. It was the astral projection of the Demon King himself, the sovereign of darkness who manipulated the currents of corrupted mana throughout the entire tower and closely followed every step of our overwhelming progress up to the thirty-fifth floor. Upon noticing Takumi's serene and firm approach, the demonic monarch hissed a deep and shrill laugh that caused the obsidian ground to shatter into small gleaming fragments, breaking the silence with a tone of cutting and challenging sarcasm.
I allowed a serene, deep, and analytical thought to occupy my mind as I stared at the imposing figure of the lord of darkness without showing the slightest trace of hesitation or fear: the true maturity of a leader in a thousand-year war is not proven merely by facing hordes of mindless monsters in dungeons, but by maintaining unwavering composure and clarity of thought when the very architect of evil attempts to test his psychological resolve through veiled threats and tests of conviction within a dreamlike dimension. Fear is a tool of control designed to weaken the spirit even before steel strikes the first blow on the battlefield, and responding to this intimidation with serenity and open defiance is the only way to prove that the unity of a family and the conviction of a righteous purpose are forces infinitely superior to any corrupted deity.
"Well, well, look who dares to walk through my astral domains with such arrogance immediately after escaping alive from the ruins of the thirty-fifth floor," thundered the Demon King, leaning slightly forward and staring at Takumi with eyes that glowed like burning embers in the darkness. "I must admit, insolent human, that the speed with which your little group of companions crossed the polar blizzards, the mirror labyrinths, and the drainage temples far exceeded my worst expectations. You played at conquering floors as if you were on a leisurely Sunday outing."
"If what you call a leisurely outing involves facing glacial dragons, corrupted automatons, and cursed knights while enduring the constant drain of our life energy, perhaps your concept of difficulty needs a good strategic update," I retorted in a perfectly calm, audible, and cutting tone of voice, keeping my arms crossed and my posture erect before the demonic throne. "We came here to put an end to your tyranny over these lands once and for all, and every floor we have conquered has served only to prove that your architecture of horrors is nothing more than a house of cards about to collapse."
"Boasting about having climbed thirty-five floors is childish foolishness when one understands the true nature of the tower," the sovereign of darkness replied, releasing a macabre laugh that echoed like distant thunder throughout the dreamlike plain. "Those initial and intermediate floors are nothing more than a mere introduction, an insignificant warm-up designed to select the strongest before the true hell that awaits in the upper instances. On the floors that extend beyond where you stopped, the laws of physics, logic, and the human soul itself cease to exist, replaced by primordial horrors that will crush your arrogance and shatter the minds of your precious wives into microscopic pieces."
"My arrogance is merely a reflection of the absolute certainty I have in the strength, loyalty, and unwavering unity of my companions," I declared with ironclad conviction, taking a step forward as an aura of golden energy subtly radiated from my body in response to the demon's dark pressure. "You can accumulate as many magical stones as you wish, corrupt as many temples as you deem necessary, and send your best generals to block the path; in the end, neither you, nor your monsters, nor your private hell will be capable of stopping our advance toward the top."
The Demon King clenched his fists with enough force to make the obsidian throne crack, showing a glimpse of genuine irritation at the protagonist's stubborn refusal to give in to psychological despair. However, before the sovereign could unleash any new burst of verbal intimidation or attempt to manipulate the structure of the dream, the golden light emanating from Takumi's spiritual core intensified drastically, filling the dreamlike dimension with a purifying radiance that began dissolving the dark edges of the obsidian plain, announcing the inevitable awakening to the reality of the surface.
"Enjoy the fleeting comfort of your mansion and bask in the warmth of that peaceful little life while you still can, Takumi," whispered the cavernous voice of the Demon King, slowly fading as the dreamlike scenery dissolved into particles of silver light. "For when you decide to cross the gates toward the thirty-sixth floor once again, the true deadly game will begin, and I will personally be waiting to watch all of you fall."
Takumi abruptly opened his eyes in the tranquil silence of his room in the noble mansion of the Kingdom of Vailor, feeling his chest rise and fall at a calm and controlled rhythm as the soft morning light began filtering through the gaps in the velvet curtains. Around him, his companions were still sleeping deeply, nestled in the warmth of the sheets and the peace of mind that reigned in the room, displaying an unshakable harmony that no dreamlike threat could break. Sitting on the edge of the bed with a firm and confident smile on his lips, the protagonist took a deep breath, knowing that the arc of the intermediate depths had been concluded with a historic victory, but that the great final march toward the absolute top of the tower would soon once again demand the courage and unity of his entire family.