The system prompt still hovered in the air.
"Would you like to name your summon?"
The newly formed shadow dragon loomed over them, its massive body coiling with dark energy. Bark-like armor had become obsidian shadow. Sap veins now pulsed with emerald light beneath the surface. Its wings stretched outward like an entire forest caught mid-growth.
Pixelle hovered in place, wide-eyed.
"This is it…" she whispered. "A name worthy of legend…"
Llandra stood with composed expectation.
Zee watched quietly.
Bunny leaned forward with a grin.
Nyxian smirked.
Jax looked up at the towering creature.
Then shrugged slightly.
"…Yeah."
He rested Peacemaker against his shoulder.
"Rootzilla."
Silence.
Pixelle blinked.
"…What?"
Llandra stared.
"You cannot be serious."
Bunny tilted her head.
"…I mean… it kinda fits."
Nyxian's smile widened.
"Oh, I love it."
The dragon raised its head.
And roared.
The chamber trembled.
SYSTEM: Name Confirmed.
Shadow Summon Acquired: Rootzilla
Jax nodded once.
"Yeah. That works."
Pixelle hovered in stunned disbelief.
"…That's… that's what you went with?"
Nyxian leaned toward her.
"Welcome to being a Vixen."
The chamber shifted.
The remains of the Guardian dissolved into motes of light, and the central pedestal began to sink into the floor.
Then—
A doorway opened.
Not hidden.
Not subtle.
A final invitation.
Jax exhaled.
"Alright."
He looked at the group.
"Let's finish this."
They stepped through together.
Floor 50.
The final chamber.
And for the first time in the entire raid—
There were no enemies.
No oppressive aura.
No immediate danger.
Instead…
Treasure.
Everywhere.
Gold. Weapons. Armor. Artifacts. Gems. Magical items stacked in piles and displayed across natural stone pedestals. Some glowed faintly. Others radiated power so dense it warped the air around them.
Pixelle gasped.
"…We did it."
Bunny stepped forward.
"That was easier than I expected."
Llandra didn't move.
"…No."
She pointed.
"Look."
At the far end of the chamber stood a large stone slab.
Ancient.
Covered in carved symbols.
Zee stepped closer, eyes scanning the text.
Then her expression shifted.
"This… isn't the end."
Jax raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
Llandra moved beside her, reading along.
"It says…" she paused.
"…'Those who settle for what is given… shall receive what is ordinary.'"
Nyxian crossed her arms.
"I don't like where this is going."
Zee continued.
"'Those who seek greater understanding… may claim greater gifts.'"
Bunny looked around again.
"So… this is bait?"
Jax smiled slightly.
"Yeah."
His eyes were already moving.
Scanning.
Analyzing.
"This isn't the reward room."
He turned back to the group.
"It's a test."
Pixelle blinked.
"But… everything is already here."
"Exactly."
Jax walked forward slowly.
"And they're daring us to take it."
He crouched near one of the pedestals.
Didn't touch it.
Just studied.
Then stood.
"Don't move anything."
The Vixens froze immediately.
Nyxian raised an eyebrow.
"You sure?"
Jax nodded.
"If this is a test… the fastest way to fail it is to act before we understand it."
Pixelle hovered closer.
"…So what are we looking for?"
Jax didn't answer right away.
He walked deeper into the chamber.
Then stopped.
"…That's weird."
Carved into the far wall behind the treasure were dozens—no—hundreds of strange symbols.
Not runes.
Not language.
Something else.
Patterns.
Boxes.
Arranged in rows.
His eyes narrowed.
"…No way."
He stepped closer.
The symbols weren't random.
They were structured.
Grouped.
Ordered.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
Nyxian leaned over his shoulder.
"What is it?"
Jax didn't respond.
He reached out—
Then stopped himself just before touching anything.
"…Periodic table."
Zee blinked.
"…What?"
Pixelle tilted her head.
"What is a periodic table?"
Jax turned.
Now smiling.
"Alright."
"This is cheating."
He stood in the center of the room and looked around.
The "treasure" wasn't random.
Each item…
Each material…
Each object…
Was placed intentionally.
Metal ingots.
Crystals.
Liquids.
Powders.
Gases contained in magical spheres.
Every single one corresponded to something.
Something specific.
Jax pointed.
"That… is iron."
He pointed again.
"That's copper."
"Mercury, Platinum, Titanium," Pointing at various elements.
Another.
"That's gold."
Llandra's eyes widened.
"…Elements?"
Jax nodded.
"Exactly."
Zee looked back at the wall.
"…Those boxes…"
"Are slots," Jax finished.
"For the periodic table."
Pixelle blinked.
"…I don't understand."
Jax cracked his neck slightly.
"You don't need to."
He rolled his shoulders.
"I do."
Nyxian grinned.
"Oh, this is about to be fun."