River's eyes widened.
He recognized her instantly.
Sister Sally.
A unique monster of the third floor.
Only one could exist at a time.
A cruel game given form.
If you told her you'd seen her brother—
She would rip out your eyes.
If you told her you hadn't—
She would tear out your vocal cords.
And worst of all—
If she ever found her brother—
The true horror of this floor would awaken.
River didn't hesitate.
He raised his staff immediately.
"Prismatic Laser!"
The beam tore through the air—
Striking her abdomen.
Her body convulsed violently.
Burning.
Twisting.
Then—
It changed.
Her arms elongated unnaturally—
Stretching into jagged claws.
Her skin turned a lifeless gray—
Cracking—
Splitting—
She dropped low—
And charged—
Using those claws to drag herself forward like a beast.
"DUCK!"
River reacted instantly.
Dropping low—
CRACK.
A bolt of lightning slammed into her—
Consuming her body in an instant.
Her scream cut short—
As she burned away—
Reduced to nothing.
River turned.
Alexander stood there.
Breathing heavily.
Exhausted.
But—
Present.
"…Of course."
He sighed.
"…it had to be the third floor."
River let out a small breath.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…Are you feeling like yourself?"
Alexander let out a bitter laugh.
"Unfortunately."
He ran a hand through his hair.
"I'm in the right mind now."
A beat.
"The right mind to feel like crap about everything I did."
River sat down.
His body finally giving in to exhaustion.
Alexander joined him.
The tension between them—
Different now.
Quieter.
"I'll help you apologize."
River spoke calmly.
"With Orelia backing you up…"
"You weren't in control."
"You'll be forgiven."
Alexander stared ahead.
"…Do I deserve that?"
His voice was quieter now.
Honest.
"Sure, that thing messed with my head…"
"But deep down…"
He clenched his fist.
"…that was still me."
River didn't answer immediately.
He thought.
Then—
He smiled faintly.
"We can't judge ourselves by our worst moments."
His voice was steady.
"Just like we can't define ourselves by our worst days."
Alexander glanced at him.
"…Then how would you judge me?"
River looked forward.
"…By everything else."
A small breath.
"By how you live on the days that aren't your worst."
"By what you choose—despite them."
His smile softened.
"Even if there's a devil on your shoulder…"
"…you choose to listen to the angels anyway."
A pause.
"…Says the guy with an actual devil on his shoulder."
Buer scoffed.
Mocking.
River sighed.
"…Yeah, yeah."
But this time—
He didn't argue.
Because deep down—
He knew—
That was exactly the point.
"You remember… right?"
Alexander's voice was quieter now.
Less sharp.
More… human.
"It was the third floor."
A slow breath.
"That's when I started resenting you."
River didn't look at him.
"I remember."
His tone was calm.
But not distant.
"That's when things changed between us."
A pause.
"…Then months later, you convinced everyone to kick me out."
Alexander let out a bitter laugh.
"…Yeah."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"I still can't help it."
His eyes lowered.
"I still resent you."
A beat.
"And I hate that I do."
He clenched his fists.
"I resent that you were the one who saved me."
His voice cracked slightly.
"Of all people… it had to be you."
A long silence.
"And now…"
He exhaled slowly.
"You've saved me twice recently."
"…After everything I did."
River leaned back slightly.
Looking up at the cold, artificial ceiling.
"…It wasn't just you."
His voice softened.
"That day…"
"…was my fault too."
Alexander blinked.
"What?"
"It was our first time on the third floor."
River continued.
"We didn't know how anything worked yet."
A faint, distant look crossed his face.
"…We found Brother Bobby."
"Yeah…"
Alexander nodded slowly.
"You wanted to help him."
A pause.
"And as the party leader…"
His jaw tightened.
"I agreed."
"We thought we were doing the right thing."
River's voice carried a quiet bitterness.
"Helping two lost kids find each other."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
"Then…"
Alexander spoke again.
"…it appeared."
River's expression darkened.
"…Yeah."
"The floor guardian."
"The one that only shows up when they're reunited."
Alexander swallowed.
"The thing that almost killed us all."
River closed his eyes briefly.
"…The Mourning Family."
For a moment—
Neither of them spoke.
Because they both remembered.
Not just the fight.
But the feeling.
The helplessness.
The fear.
And the moment everything—
Broke.
"It grabbed me…"
Alexander's voice lowered.
Distant.
Like he was reliving it.
"…nearly tore my arm off."
His hand instinctively moved to it.
"Alicia froze."
"Couldn't control her mana."
"Hana ran out of arrows."
A bitter laugh.
"And Rose…"
He shook his head.
"She was useless against something like that."
A pause.
"…And then there was you."
River stayed quiet.
"You didn't hesitate."
Alexander continued.
"You just acted."
"Shot at that thing without a second thought."
He let out a quiet, hollow chuckle.
"You were braver than all of us."
A glance at River.
"…Even I was ready to piss myself back then."
River shook his head slightly.
"I didn't do much."
His voice was calm.
"I just distracted it long enough for your arm to be freed."
A small shrug.
"You saved yourself."
Alexander clicked his tongue.
"…I hate that about you."
River blinked.
"…What?"
"That modesty of yours."
Alexander sighed.
"It's annoying."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'd hate you less if you were just a little arrogant."
A pause.
"Just admit it."
"You saved me."
"Stop trying to make me feel better."
River was silent for a moment.
Then—
"…Fine."
A faint smile.
"You're right."
"I saved you."
A beat.
"Thrice."
He scratched his cheek slightly.
"…Though the second time was mostly Celestia."
Alexander snorted.
"…Nah."
A smirk formed.
"That psycho girlfriend of yours was fully ready to leave me behind."
River froze.
"…G-girlfriend?"
A faint blush crept onto his face.
Alexander raised an eyebrow.
"…Oh?"
A grin spread across his face.
"So you do love her?"
River looked away slightly.
"…I think I do."
His voice softened.
"She's… a bit crazy."
A small, helpless smile.
"But…"
His hand rested over his chest.
"My heart just… beats faster when I'm with her."
Alexander watched him for a second.
Then—
He laughed.
Genuine this time.
"…Good."
He extended his fist.
"When we get out of here—"
A determined look crossed his face.
"Let's both confess."
River blinked.
"…Both?"
"Alicia."
Alexander said simply.
Then nodded toward River.
"And Celestia."
A brief silence.
Then—
River smiled.
"…Yeah."
He bumped his fist against.
Their fists separated—
And for a brief moment—
There was peace.
Then—
Footsteps.
Staggering.
Uneven.
A man stumbled into view.
An adventurer.
Blood soaked his clothes—
Dripping onto the floor.
His breathing was ragged.
Desperate.
"…Help me…"
He reached out.
"…Please…"
River didn't hesitate.
He stood up immediately—
Moving toward him.
"Hey—what happened—"
SHNK.
A blade flashed.
The man's head fell.
Clean.
Silent.
River froze.
"…Alexander—?!"
The body didn't bleed.
Didn't twitch.
Didn't fall like a human should.
It melted.
Collapsing into a thick—
Gray—
Rotting slush.
The smell hit immediately.
Alexander exhaled.
"…Don't forget."
He wiped his blade casually.
"This entire floor is full of fakes."
His eyes scanned the darkness ahead.
"Zombies."
"Things pretending to be human."
A glance at River.
"Designed to trick idiots like you."
River stared at the puddle.
His expression tightened.
"…Yeah."
A quiet breath.
"…You're right."
A small pause.
Then—
"…Hey."
River glanced at him.
"What was your plan if that actually was a real person?"
Alexander smirked slightly.
"Easy."
He shrugged.
"I'd threaten you not to snitch."
River let out a short, tired laugh.
"…You're unbelievable."
Alexander turned forward.
His expression settling again.
"…Come on."
A sigh.
"Let's find a way out of this hellhole."
River nodded.
Gripping his staff tighter.
River and Alexander moved carefully through the corridor.
Every step echoed.
Every shadow felt alive.
River led the offense.
Light gathered at his staff—
Burning through the undead.
"Prismatic Laser!"
A zombie collapsed—
Its body twitching—
Trying to rise again.
CRACK.
Alexander stepped in.
Lightning surged—
Reducing it to ash instantly.
They had found a rhythm.
River—
Disables.
Alexander—
Erases.
"Have you seen my brother?"
Another Sister Sally appeared.
Too close.
Too sudden.
They didn't hesitate.
Light.
Lightning.
Burn.
Destroy.
"Have you seen my brother?"
Another.
"Are you kidding me—?!"
Alexander cursed.
They cut her down again.
"Have you seen my brother?"
A third.
"…Why do they keep spawning?!"
Alexander growled, slicing through her as she lunged.
River's grip tightened.
"We need to get off this floor."
His voice was tense.
"Before we run into Brother Bobby."
"…Yeah."
Alexander scanned the darkness.
"And we still need to find Hana and Orelia."
"…Right."
River nodded.
Then—
The air shifted.
Something moved in the dark.
A long—
Lanky—
Hand.
It shot forward.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
Straight for River.
Before he could react—
Alexander shoved him aside.
"Move!"
The hand grabbed Alexander instead.
Clamping onto his face.
"…GH—!"
"Air Cutter!"
River reacted instantly—
Wind slicing clean through the arm.
The hand fell.
Detached.
Alexander dropped to the ground.
Coughing violently.
"…Hhk—!"
River rushed to him—
Then froze.
Alexander's face—
Had aged.
Wrinkles carved deep into his skin.
His hair dulled.
His body—
Weaker.
Older.
"…What the hell?!"
River looked up—
Eyes wide.
"That thing shouldn't be on this floor—!"
From the darkness—
It stepped forward.
Tall.
Wrong.
Its limbs too long—
Dragging slightly.
Its skin hung loosely—
Like it didn't belong to its body.
Its nails—
Sharp.
Bleeding.
Its face—
Empty.
Hollow eyes.
Long gray hair.
Grandfather Time.
"…Damn it…"
River gritted his teeth.
"That thing is supposed to be on the second floor."
Alexander pushed himself up slightly—
Still coughing.
"…Tch…"
He wiped his mouth.
"It aged me…"
A shaky breath.
"Should wear off…"
"…Seven minutes, maybe."
He leaned back against the wall.
"…I'll hang back."
River glanced at Alexander.
"…Thanks."
Alexander shook his head.
"Don't mention it."
Alexander smirked weakly.
A quiet laugh.
"I still owe you."
A pause.
"…Two more saves until we're even."
River couldn't help but smirk slightly.
"…You're keeping count?"
"…Damn right I am."
Alexander chuckled.
Even like this—
Even weakened—
He was still himself.
Grandfather Time moved again.
Its severed arm—
Twitched.
Then—
Regrew.
Flesh stretching unnaturally—
Bones cracking into place.
Its elongated limbs shot forward—
Reaching for River.
River reacted instantly.
Wind surged beneath his feet—
Pushing him sideways—
Just out of reach.
"…Tch."
He steadied himself.
Too fast.
"Bubble."
Dozens of water spheres formed around him—
Floating.
Drifting.
Obscuring his position.
Then—
Silence.
"Sound of Discourse."
The faint noise of his footsteps—
Vanished.
Swallowed.
He moved.
Through the shifting field of bubbles—
Completely hidden.
Waiting.
Closing in.
Grandfather Time twitched—
Its hollow gaze searching—
But finding nothing.
Then—
River appeared.
Right in front of it.
"Prismatic Laser!"
The beam erupted at point-blank range—
Blinding—
Unforgiving—
Absolute.
BOOM.
Its head burned away instantly.
Light consuming everything—
Leaving nothing behind.
The body staggered—
Then collapsed.
Lifeless.
Still.
Silence returned.
River exhaled.
His shoulders finally dropping—
Just a little.
"…Let's keep moving."
He didn't look back.
"We're getting out of this hellhole alive."
Alexander pushed himself off the wall.
Still weakened—
Still aged—
But smiling.
"…Yeah."
A small laugh escaped him.
"…You're right."
Side by side—
They walked forward.
Into the darkness.
Together.