River felt sick.
His stomach twisted.
His throat tightened.
For a moment—
He thought he might throw up.
Or break.
Because he remembered.
The last time.
The screams.
The helplessness.
The way that monster—
Turned everything into a nightmare.
The Mourning Family.
"…No."
River clenched his teeth.
Forcing the memories down.
Burying them.
Not now.
If he lost focus—
Even for a second—
They would all die.
"…Move."
His voice came out strained.
But firm.
"Slip and Slide."
Water surged beneath his feet—
Carrying him forward at high speed.
He reached Orelia—
Alexander close behind.
"Heal!"
Light flared—
Focusing only on her leg.
Orelia gasped as the pain dulled—
Just enough.
"…My shoulder—"
She winced.
"What about—"
"We don't have time."
River cut her off.
His voice sharper than he intended.
"I don't have the mana to fix everything."
His breathing was heavy.
Uneven.
"All that matters right now is your mobility."
A pause.
"We're not fighting this thing."
The words felt harsh.
Cold.
But they were true.
And right now—
Truth mattered more than kindness.
Alexander stepped forward.
"He's right."
His tone was serious.
No sarcasm.
No arrogance.
"…We run."
Hana nodded immediately.
Orelia hesitated—
Then nodded as well.
Together—
They turned—
And ran.
Behind them—
The Mourning Family watched.
Still.
Silent.
Then—
It smiled.
A grotesque stretch of flesh—
Splitting across the mannequin's face.
"…Let's play."
Its voice echoed.
Layered.
Dozens of voices speaking at once.
"Tag."
The group ran.
Footsteps pounded against cold stone—
Echoing endlessly through the halls.
On the bright side—
No other monsters appeared.
The moment the floor guardian awakened—
Everything else vanished.
Because nothing else on this floor mattered anymore.
Only it.
They just needed to find the exit.
Just one door.
One staircase.
One way out.
Behind them—
The Mourning Family followed.
Not rushing.
Not straining.
Enjoying itself.
Its massive form dragged across the floor—
Flesh scraping—
Bones grinding—
Dozens of arms stretching outward like grasping roots.
This wasn't a hunt.
It was a game.
One of its arms shot forward—
Fast.
Silent.
Straight for River.
"—MOVE!"
Alexander reacted instantly—
Leaping in—
His blade flashing.
SHNK.
The arm was severed cleanly—
Falling to the ground—
Twitching violently.
"…Tch."
Alexander clicked his tongue.
"…That thing's getting faster."
River didn't slow.
"…If it absorbed the Grandfather Times—"
His voice was strained.
"…then its arms carry the same curse."
A quick glance back.
"Even one touch to your face—"
"You'll age twenty years."
Silence.
"…You're kidding."
Hana muttered.
"I wish I was."
Their situation was absurd.
They were exhausted.
Injured.
Low on mana.
And being chased—
By a monster stronger than it had any right to be.
"…You know."
Buer's voice slipped in.
Smooth.
Soft.
Tempting.
"I could help you."
River's eyes twitched.
"…Don't."
"I could give you power."
Buer continued anyway.
"Enough to heal Orelia completely."
"Enough to turn around and kill that thing."
A pause.
Then—
A whisper.
"You could fire another Leviathan."
River's grip tightened.
"Just like you did before."
The offer lingered.
Heavy.
Real.
Because it wasn't a lie.
That power—
Existed.
"…Come on, River."
Buer's voice turned almost gentle.
"You're going to die like this."
River's breathing grew heavier.
His vision blurred slightly.
He could feel it.
The edge.
The point where desperation—
Turns into surrender.
"…Just say yes."
Buer whispered.
"So simple."
"So easy."
"I won't even ask for much."
A soft chuckle.
"Not compared to…"
A pause.
"…four lives."
River's thoughts wavered.
Orelia—injured.
Hana—barely holding it together.
Alexander—still weakened.
And himself—
Running out of everything.
"…Maybe…"
The thought crept in.
Unwelcome.
Dangerous.
Maybe it's worth it.
His jaw clenched.
Because that—
That was exactly how it started.
"…Come on."
Buer's voice curled around his mind.
Sweet as honey.
Poison underneath.
"Just bite."
"Shut up…!"
River's voice cracked.
"Shut up—shut up—SHUT UP!"
His thoughts were spiraling.
Fracturing.
Because deep down—
He knew.
This might be his only option.
And that terrified him more than the monster behind them.
Because the monster—
Was predictable.
Buer—
Was not.
"…You know."
Buer chuckled softly.
Almost amused.
"Isn't it strange?"
A pause.
"I called it the Mourning Family…"
A grin in his voice.
"…even though it's only one monster?"
River's eyes widened.
Behind them—
The mass shifted.
Twisted.
The grotesque mound of flesh began to compress—
Bones snapping—
Flesh folding inward—
Dozens of arms retracting—
"…No way…"
It reshaped itself—
Into something else.
A cannon.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
River let out a breathless laugh.
Not because it was funny—
But because it was insane.
"DUCK!"
Everyone dropped instantly.
BOOM.
The Mourning Family fired.
Chunks of rotting flesh blasted forward—
Slammed into the walls—
Splattering across the hallway.
The pieces twitched.
Then—
They moved.
Stretching.
Growing.
Reforming.
Bones knitting together.
Skin crawling into place.
Until—
They stood.
A family.
Multiple figures.
Each grotesque.
Each incomplete.
Some carried weapons—
Blades formed from bone.
Clubs made of fused limbs.
Spears of hardened flesh.
Their heads twitched—
All staring at the group.
Behind them—
The original mass had shrunk.
Reduced.
All that remained—
Was the mannequin.
Standing.
Smiling.
"This is so much fun…"
Its voice echoed—
Layered with dozens of tones.
"But tag is getting boring."
It tilted its head.
Childlike.
Playful.
"…Let's play something else."
Stone gathered in its hand—
Condensing—
Forming—
A ball.
"Dodgeball."
The hallway sealed behind them.
Blocked.
Surrounded.
The "family" stepped forward.
Weapons raised.
Closing in.
No escape.
No path forward.
Only the game.
And in River's mind—
Buer's voice lingered.
Soft.
Patient.
Waiting.
"…I can still help you."
"Go to hell, you damn demon."
River smiled.
A sharp—
Unhinged—
Confident smile.
"I'm going to win this game."
For a moment—
Even he didn't know if he believed that.
Was this strategy?
Or madness?
"…You're insane."
Buer scoffed.
"Fine."
"Struggle until the end."
A dark chuckle.
"I'll be there to pick up what's left of you."
A pause.
"And I'll savor the moment you beg."
River's eyes didn't waver.
"No."
A quiet breath.
"You won't."
He stepped forward.
Facing the Mannequin.
"You know…"
His tone shifted.
Casual.
Almost conversational.
"This game isn't very fun."
The Mannequin tilted its head.
"…Fun?"
A pause.
"…Not fun?"
"Not even close."
River shrugged lightly.
"Look at this."
He gestured around.
"Four exhausted adventurers."
"Versus seven fully intact monsters."
A small smile.
"That's not a game."
A beat.
"That's just boring."
Alexander blinked.
"…River, what are you—"
"I'm winning."
River cut him off.
Simple.
Certain.
"So just watch."
The Mannequin stood still.
Processing.
Thinking.
Then—
"…You're right."
Its voice layered together—
Almost thoughtful.
"A one-sided game…"
A snap of its fingers.
"…isn't fun."
BOOM.
Three members of the "family" exploded instantly—
Flesh scattering across the walls.
Silence.
River exhaled slowly.
"…Good."
That bought him time.
Just enough.
Light gathered.
Faint.
Flickering.
"Heal."
He poured everything he had left—
Into Orelia.
Her shoulder mended.
Flesh restored.
Pain fading.
"…Th-thank you."
"Don't."
River shook his head.
Breathing heavily.
"Not yet."
His eyes sharpened.
"Because what comes next—"
A faint grin.
"…is going to be hell."
He raised his staff again.
"We're not running anymore."
"We're killing it."
Orelia's expression hardened.
Hana steadied her bow.
"…So we play?"
The Mannequin asked eagerly.
"…We play?"
River smiled wider.
"Yeah."
A step forward.
"Let's play."
He turned slightly—
Voice dropping.
Focused.
"Orelia. Hana."
"I'm counting on you two the most."
A glance at Alexander.
"As for us—"
A smirk.
"We'll probably be useless."
"…Like hell."
Alexander stepped forward.
Lightning crackling faintly.
"I don't care if it kills me."
His eyes burned.
"I'm not being carried by any of you."
River laughed softly.
"Perfect."
He tightened his grip.
"Show me everything you've got…"
A sharp grin.
"…little lion cub."
The battlefield settled.
The rules were set.
The Floor Guardian smiled.
And unknowingly—
It had already stepped into River's game.
The Mannequin laughed.
A hollow—
Childlike—
Disturbing sound.
Its arm twisted—
Winding back—
Then—
It hurled the stone.
BOOM.
The ball tore through the air—
A blur of destruction—
Aimed straight at River.
River didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't even blink.
Because he already knew—
He didn't have to.
"Infinite Ribbon Binding!"
Orelia stepped forward—
Ribbons bursting outward—
Catching the projectile mid-flight.
The impact shook her arms—
But she held firm—
Teeth clenched—
Then—
She redirected it.
CRASH.
The stone slammed into one of the "family" members—
Tearing off half its head.
It staggered—
Then began regenerating immediately.
"…Good."
River's eyes sharpened.
"Hana, you're on binding duty."
His voice was calm.
Controlled.
"Keep them restrained."
Hana nodded.
Already moving.
Arrows flew—
One after another.
Each shot landed—
And with each impact—
Roots burst from the wounds.
Wrapping.
Binding.
Restricting movement.
The creatures struggled—
But couldn't break free immediately.
"They won't die until the Mannequin does, I'm sure of it."
River analyzed aloud.
"Don't aim to kill."
"Drain their regeneration instead and keep them out of the fight."
Hana adjusted instantly.
Switching tactics.
More precision.
More control.
"…Ooh."
The Mannequin tilted its head.
"You're a fun player."
Its fingers twitched.
The ground beneath them—
Shifted.
Stone warped—
Rising—
Forming into dozens of fists.
Then—
They launched.
All aimed at River.
"Orelia."
River didn't look back.
"I'm trusting you with defense."
A pause.
"…I can't heal you again."
"…Understood."
Orelia stepped forward—
Mana surging.
"Glitter Bomb!"
The orb exploded—
Showering the battlefield in burning particles.
Each piece of glitter melted through the incoming fists—
Disintegrating them mid-air.
The hallway filled with light—
And heat—
And ash.
River exhaled slowly.
"Good."
Then—
His gaze shifted.
"Little lion cub."
A faint smirk.
"I'll leave the rest to you."
Alexander clicked his tongue.
"…You're really asking to get punched again."
"Hit me all you want when we get out,"
River couldn't help but smile.
Alexander glared at him.
But—
He moved.
Lightning surged around his body—
Exploding outward—
As he charged straight toward the Mannequin.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Meanwhile—
Hana held the line.
Arrows flew relentlessly—
Binding limbs—
Restricting movement—
Keeping the "family" contained.
Orelia adjusted her positioning—
Redirecting stray attacks—
Shielding both Hana and River when needed.
And River—
Stood at the center.
Watching everything.
Calculating.
Commanding.
Every movement—
Every action—
Part of his design.
"…How's my progress, demon?"
River muttered under his breath.
Silence.
Buer didn't answer.
For once—
He had nothing to say.
And that—
Meant River was winning.