The Iron Resolve team rolled into the next room, their mechanized carts slowing as they crossed the threshold. The room before them was a dazzling spectacle of shimmering energy and glowing magnetic panels. Massive electromagnetic pillars were spaced evenly around the twisting track, crackling with arcs of blue and purple electricity. The air hummed with power, and the floor was covered in a network of glowing conduits, pulsing in time with the magnetic charges.

  Jake glanced around, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. “Well, this looks... welcoming.”

  “Does everything in this dungeon have to be out to get us?” Mitch groaned, already feeling the tension in his shoulders.

  Carah raised an eyebrow. “Would you rather be doing another maze?”

  “Touché,” Mitch admitted, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

  As they began to inch forward, a sudden pulse of energy surged from one of the pillars. The team’s metal carts jerked violently to the side, as though grabbed by an invisible hand.

  “Whoa!” Jake yelled, spinning the wheel furiously as his cart veered off the track and into a nearby wall with a loud clang.

  “Not again!” Bell bellowed as his cart slammed into Jake’s, sending both vehicles into a tangled heap.

  Sarah, trying to avoid the collision, overcorrected her turn. Her cart was yanked toward another pillar, causing her to scream, “Help! I can’t—”

  Her cart stopped just short of colliding, the pull of the magnetic field subsiding as suddenly as it had started. Parker zipped past her, narrowly avoiding a collision. “Careful! We’re not getting through this if you keep acting like metal magnets!”

  Carah’s cart jolted sideways, bumping into Mitch’s. He spun out of control, doing a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree turn before coming to a shaky stop.

  “Having fun yet, Mitch?” she quipped, smirking.

  “Oh, yeah,” Mitch deadpanned, readjusting his grip on the wheel. “This is exactly how I imagined my heroic adventuring career would go—being pulled around like I’m some metal puppet.”

  Bell snorted, throwing a quick glance at Sarah. “At least you’ve got a magnetic personality.”

  The groans from the team were drowned out by a loud zap as another magnetic pulse sent Jake’s cart skidding forward at an alarming speed.

  The Iron Resolve tried to regroup, but the magnetic forces had other plans. Another pulse sent Phil’s cart careening into Parker’s, their wheels locking together for a moment before the pull released them. Both carts spun wildly before leaving them facing the entrance to the room.

  “This is impossible!” Phil shouted, his elven composure starting to fray. “How do we steer when the dungeon keeps throwing us around?”

  Jake grimaced as his cart jolted again, narrowly avoiding yet another wall. “We’ll figure it out—just keep moving forward!”

  Easier said than done. The team’s carts zigzagged around the track like drunken fireflies, bumping into each other and the barriers with alarming regularity. Mitch, trying to maintain his balance, leaned too far to one side and nearly toppled out of his cart. He stopped to tighten his straps after this scare.

  “I swear,” Mitch grumbled, “this dungeon’s going to kill me—not with traps, but with embarrassment.”

  Bell, his face set in grim determination, yelled, “Lean into the turns! Maybe we can use the pull to our advantage!”

  Gradually, the team began to adapt. Jake found that timing his turns with the magnetic pulses allowed him to slingshot around the corners with surprising speed. Parker and Sarah followed his lead, their carts wobbling less as they gained control.

  Phil, however, was still struggling. A particularly strong pulse pulled his cart into another pillar, the impact sending sparks flying. “I hate this room!” he shouted, banging his fist on the steering wheel.

  “You’re not alone,” Carah called back, her cart bumping into Mitch’s for what felt like the hundredth time.

  The rogue leaned forward, narrowing her eyes as she focused on the track ahead. “But we’ve got this. Just stay steady.”

  Mitch muttered something under his breath but managed to right his cart, following the others as they maneuvered through the chaos.

  As the team approached the end of the room, the magnetic pulses seemed to intensify, pulling their carts in unpredictable directions. Jake shouted instructions, his voice cutting through the chaos. “Stick together! Don’t let the field separate us!”

  Bell gritted his teeth, his arms straining as he fought to keep his cart on course. “You think the dungeon’s trying to make us work for this one?”

  “Probably,” Parker replied, his tone dry. “But hey, at least we’re learning some new driving skills.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Mitch retorted as his cart was yanked sideways again. “I’m pretty sure I’ve lost all dignity at this point.”

  Finally, with one last burst of effort, the team broke free of the magnetic field and crossed the threshold at the room’s exit. Their carts rolled to a shaky stop, the hum of the magnetic energy fading behind them.

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  For a moment, no one spoke, their breathing heavy and their grips tight on the steering wheels. Then Bell, his face still red from exertion, broke the silence. “Next time, I’m bringing a wooden cart.”

  The team chuckled weakly, the tension easing slightly. Mitch rubbed his temples, muttering, “If there’s a next time. I feel like my brain’s been scrambled.”

  Jake glanced around at his teammates, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “We survived, didn’t we? That’s what matters.”

  As they prepared to move into the next room, Carah couldn’t resist adding, “I don’t know, Bell—you did seem to have a certain pull toward the walls back there.”

  The dwarf rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide the grin that spread across his face. “You’re lucky I’m too tired to come up with a comeback.”

  The team shared a laugh, their spirits lifting as they rolled forward into the unknown, the next challenge awaiting them beyond the door.

  Brent hovered in his Core Room, his Dungeon Vision fixed on the glowing pathways of the second-floor track. The faint hum of energy from the dungeon around him provided a steady background to the murmur of Emil flipping through his own screens nearby.

  "How are things on the first floor?" Brent asked absentmindedly, his attention focused on the adventurers of the Iron Resolve as they entered the Magnetic Flux Arena.

  "Efficient as always," Emil replied, his metallic voice steady. "The minecarts are still popular, though I’ve noticed some repeat adventurers are starting to grumble about predictability. They're eager for something fresh."

  Brent hummed thoughtfully. "We’ll definitely need to revamp the first floor soon. The second-floor race has been a hit so far, and I’d hate for the first floor to feel like an afterthought. What’s the point of building something this cool if people get bored halfway through?"

  Emil nodded. "The System allows for closures to update floors periodically. You’ll have enough DP to close for a week within the next couple of days. That would be a perfect time to overhaul the first floor."

  "Alright," Brent said, his Core’s glow pulsing brighter as his enthusiasm grew. "Let’s scrap the minecarts and make it a proper racetrack. Full course layout, smoother pathways, and maybe some of the traps we’ve developed for the second floor—scaled down, of course. I think we can make it feel cohesive while still having its own unique identity."

  "Scaling down might not be necessary," Emil said. "We could focus on simpler challenges that require skill rather than overwhelming traps. A kind of 'warm-up' for the chaos of the second floor."

  Brent’s glow brightened. "I like that! A build-up of intensity, like levels in a video game. What about adding a lava room, but less intense than Vulcanis' forge? Maybe something like rolling magma hazards?"

  Emil tilted his head. "Or a fog-filled track. Limited visibility could create a tense challenge without needing heavy firepower."

  Brent practically buzzed with excitement. "Fog could be amazing. Throw in some illusions like Shadow’s traps—"

  "Careful," Emil interrupted. "Shadow’s traps need supervision. We don’t want another incident."

  "Right, right," Brent agreed. "Speaking of Shadow, I think we can integrate him more on the second floor, too. Maybe give him a solo challenge room?"

  Before Emil could respond, a burst of laughter escaped Brent. His glow flickered in amusement as he watched Jake’s cart swerve wildly, ricochet off a pillar, and careen into Mitch’s vehicle.

  "Look at this chaos!" Brent exclaimed, his voice practically vibrating with glee. "They’re just smashing into each other. Poor Mitch just got his third spin-out."

  Emil turned his attention to the second floor. "They’re adapting better than most teams do at this stage. The Magnetic Flux Arena was designed to be chaotic, but they’re figuring it out—slowly."

  Brent chuckled. "Yeah, 'slowly' is an understatement. I swear Bell’s cart has a personal vendetta against the walls."

  "Perhaps he’s practicing unconventional tactics," Emil mused, his tone dry.

  Brent laughed harder. "I have to admit, this room might be my favorite so far. The magnetic pulls make it unpredictable without being outright lethal."

  "It’s a clever room," Emil admitted. "But I’d suggest adding subtle hints on how to navigate it. If adventurers feel they’re flailing too much, it might turn them off from attempting it again."

  "Good point," Brent said. "Maybe glowing arrows on the floor during certain pulses? Or visual cues from the pillars themselves?"

  Emil nodded. "It’s worth testing during the update closure."

  As Jake’s cart finally managed to break free of the magnetic pull and exit the room, Brent shifted his focus to the next room. His Dungeon Vision panned over to the Astral Nexus, where Zyrris awaited the team.

  "I can’t wait to see how they handle Zyrris," Brent said, his voice tinged with excitement and a hint of apprehension. "The Astral Nexus is such a wildcard. It’s not just about physical skill—it’s going to mess with their heads."

  "Zyrris will be a challenge," Emil agreed, his tone measured. "But they’ve proven resourceful. If they maintain their teamwork, they might pull through."

  Brent’s glow dimmed slightly as a wave of concern washed over him. "Do you think the Nexus might be too much for them? I don’t want them leaving frustrated or... you know, dead."

  "The Nexus is well-balanced," Emil reassured him. "Zyrris may be intense, but his primary role is to test their mental resilience. As long as they trust each other, they’ll find their way."

  Brent’s glow brightened again. "Alright, let’s see how it goes. I have a good feeling about these guys. They’ve got grit."

  "Or sheer stubbornness," Emil quipped.

  Brent laughed. "Either way, it works."

  The two watched in silence for a moment, the anticipation building as the Iron Resolve team approached the threshold of the Astral Nexus. The swirling lights and shifting platforms within the room seemed to beckon them forward.

  "This is it," Brent said, his voice soft with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. "Let’s see what they’re made of."