_*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5" style="border:0px solid">Alexander stepped through the passage first, his hand automatically reaching for his sword hilt as he assessed the new environment. The narrow tunnel from Floor 9 suddenly opened into a vast cathedral-like clearing bathed in emerald light. He froze, weapon forgotten as his eyes traveled upward.

  "By all the corporate protocols," he whispered, the practiced formality slipping away in genuine awe.

  Elijah emerged next, bumping into his stationary brother. "What's the hold-..." His words died as he followed Alexander's gaze.

  Before them stood the most colossal tree any of them had ever seen. Its trunk rose like a mountain of living wood, so massive that Alexander estimated ten people linking hands couldn't hope to encircle it. The bark showed intricate patterns that seemed almost like writing, spiraling around the massive column. Far above, branches thick as normal trees spread to form a complete canopy over the entire clearing, creating the cathedral-like atmosphere.

  "The Heart Tree," Elijah breathed, his voice barely audible. His hand rose to his temple as if in pain. "The whispers... they're almost deafening here."

  Lyra emerged, immediately dropping into a defensive crouch before her posture rexed upon seeing the others standing unharmed. Her amber eyes widened as she took in the enormous tree.

  "That's not natural growth," she said, professional interest overcoming her awe. "Look at the pattern convergence in the bark. Someone—or something—guided this."

  Riva stepped through st, her usual cool composure breaking into a rare smile of wonder. "Floor 10. The crown of the Green Realm." She pulled out a measuring device from her pack. "We should establish observation points. This clearing has to be at least three kilometers across."

  Alexander nodded, already shifting to tactical assessment. "The root system creates a natural byrinth. Perfect for ambush points—both for and against us." His eyes traced the massive roots that extended from the trunk, creating walls and tunnels along the ground. "We need elevated positions. Riva, can you adapt the climbing gear for these surfaces?"

  "Already on it," she confirmed, kneeling to rummage through her pack.

  Valeria hung back, her eyes constantly moving between the tree and her teammates. Her hand occasionally brushed against her communication device as if confirming its presence.

  Alexander caught the motion but chose not to comment. Instead, he turned to his brother. "What are the whispers telling you?"

  Elijah closed his eyes, concentrating. "It's not... coherent. Fragments. Like echoes of events throughout the entire Green Realm. I'm hearing battles, conversations, discoveries... but all jumbled together." He winced. "It's like trying to listen to a thousand people talking at once, with each voice coming from a different year."

  Lyra approached the nearest massive root, running her hand along the bark. "The cellur structure is like nothing I've seen in the lower floors. The density readings are off the charts." She pulled a small tool from her belt and carefully extracted a tiny sample. "This wood couldn't be cut with any conventional tools we have."

  As they ventured closer to the Heart Tree, they noticed figures moving among the roots—humanoid forms in green robes with wooden staffs. One approached, an elderly man with bark-like skin and pnt matter woven into his white beard.

  "Welcome, ascenders," he greeted, his voice resonant like wind through leaves. "You stand before the Heart Tree, the first guardian of the Green Realm."

  Alexander stepped forward, offering a respectful nod rather than the bow that would have been expected from lesser csses. "We seek passage to the next realm."

  The caretaker's eyes crinkled. "As do all who reach this far. The Heart Tree has stood since the beginning. Its roots touch every corner of the Green Realm, and its branches reach toward what lies beyond." He gestured toward smaller structures nestled among the roots. "You may rest and prepare in the outer grove. The inner sanctum," he nodded toward the massive trunk where the bark appeared to form an opening, "will be accessible when you are ready to face the challenge."

  "What can you tell us about the challenge?" Alexander asked directly.

  The old man smiled. "Only that it tests all you have learned thus far. Those who truly understand the Green Realm find their path. Those who do not..." His smile faded. "They return to try again. Or they don't return at all."

  After the caretaker departed, Alexander led the team away from the main trunk to establish a temporary camp among smaller trees at the clearing's edge. From here, they had a clear view of the Heart Tree while maintaining distance from the pilgrims and caretakers moving about its base.

  "So that's it," Riva said, adjusting her climbing harness. "Floor 10. The final challenge of the Green Realm."

  "And our first realm guardian," Alexander added, using a stick to sketch a rough map in the soil. "I count seven major root pathways leading to the trunk. Each has a different configuration of tunnels and chambers."

  Lyra was examining the small bark sample, her modified interface dispying data only she could see. "The cellur structure doesn't match anything in standard biological databases. It's almost like it's storing information rather than just nutrients."

  Elijah sat cross-legged, eyes closed. "I think Lyra's right. The whispers are clearer when I focus on specific parts of the tree. Like... this section here," he pointed to the western roots, "holds memories of water and flowing patterns. While over there," he nodded eastward, "I hear fire and heat."

  Alexander considered this information. "Elements? Or seasons, perhaps?"

  As the day progressed, they conducted careful reconnaissance, mapping accessible root pathways while observing the tree's subtle reactions. Occasionally, the bark would shift slightly when touched, and certain areas pulsed with a gentle amber light like a heartbeat.

  In the center of the clearing, the trunk opened into a massive chamber illuminated by that same amber light. From their vantage point, they could see pilgrims entering briefly before emerging with expressions of wonder or contemption.

  As evening fell, the team gathered around a small cookfire. The Heart Tree began to glow with bioluminescence, patterns of light flowing up the trunk like slow-motion lightning.

  "We should start with the southern pathway at dawn," Alexander decided, marking their pnned route on his rough map. "It seems to have the most straightforward initial passage before branching."

  Riva nodded, checking her reinforced climbing spikes. "I've adapted the gear for the bark texture. We can establish three elevated positions for emergency extraction if needed."

  "I'll map the electrical patterns in the root system," Lyra offered. "There's a current running through them—faint, but consistent. Might be some kind of communication network."

  Elijah stared at the glowing tree, his expression distant. "It feels like it's watching us. Not threateningly, just... observing. Like it's been watching everyone since the beginning."

  Alexander cpped his brother's shoulder. "Then let's give it a good show tomorrow."

  As night settled fully, the Heart Tree's glow provided enough light to see by, casting the clearing in gentle blue-green illumination. The team took watches in pairs, preparing for what would certainly be their greatest challenge yet in the Green Realm.

  Elijah's whispers continued through the night, a constant symphony of the realm's memories washing over him like waves. For once, he didn't try to silence them but instead listened, gathering fragments that might prove useful in the trials to come.