“So it just goes back to being that small?”

  I said as I tilted my head. The very golem which was at least twice my size was currently size of a basketball on Aurora’s hands.

  “It shouldn’t be so surprising to you, Champion. After all, G?kb?rü does the same thing.”

  She answered as she put it back into her bag of holding. I touched my chin.

  “Yeah, you are right.”

  After defeating Kaelvor and exiting his boss area, we found ourselves in a luxurious resting area instead of the previous colosseum. It was the first time this kind of stuff happened after conquering a dungeon but I wasn’t going to complain after the hell we endured.

  Aurora stretched, her graceful yet tired movements betraying her relief as she took in the lavish surroundings. Gold-inlaid marble floors reflected the warm glow of chandeliers, and plush, velvet-lined couches beckoned us to rest. The faint hum of soothing music filled the air, seemingly originating from nowhere.

  “Bath is free.”

  Thalia entered the room as she dried her blone hair with a towel. Seeing a priestess with such loose robes surprised me but I guess religion of Aliera wasn’t like other religions from Earth.

  “You can go first, Aurora. I’ll just wait for Artemeni or Blanche.”

  Aurora nodded, her usual composure softened by the weariness of the day. She let out a sigh, her eyes glimmering with gratitude as she glanced at Thalia.

  "Thank you. I could use it," Aurora said, her voice lighter than before. She walked toward the ornate door to the bathing chambers, her steps steady but betraying the exhaustion weighing on her.

  G?kb?rü yawned beside me, his small form stretching out before curling up like a fluffy white snowball.

  “What will we do now, Champion?”

  Thalia, still toweling her hair, sat down beside me.

  “We’ll rest. I thought that was what you wanted from me?”

  I replied with a smug smile. She looked flustered for a second.

  “That’s not what I meant and you know it. Our Goddess told you that the key to defeating Moloch is here. But even after conquering the dungeon we still don’t have a thing like that. I am not questioning you or Aliera but…”

  I reached out, grasping her hand reassuringly.

  “I know, Thalia. Truth be told, I also don’t know more than you. Gods play with rules we don’t understand fully and Aliera herself didn’t say beyond I should conquer War God’s Battle Area. Let’s rest, open reward chests and we will think about it later.”

  Obviously, I knew more than I told them. The fact that Goddess of Freedom’s mortal form was here was something I hadn’t told them. They still thought we were here for an item that could vanquish the Demon King Moloch. But even after conquering the entire dungeon, the door to her prison remained hidden. Come on, Aliera, be clear. The weight of Aliera’s vagueness tugged at my thoughts as I stared at the opulent ceiling. Even with the warm glow of the luxurious resting area, unease simmered beneath my calm facade. The War God’s Battle Area was conquered, yet the mystery remained unsolved. Where was the supposed key?

  I sighed as Artemeni and Blanche entered the room. I grabbed G?kb?rü.

  “Come on fleabag, we need a bath too.”

  The plush rugs muffled my footsteps as I carried G?kb?rü toward the bathing chambers. The bathing chambers were as grand as the rest of the resting area. Steam curled in lazy tendrils from a massive pool of crystal-clear water, its surface reflecting the gentle light of enchanted lanterns. Ornate carvings of mythical beasts adorned the walls, their eyes seeming to follow me as I entered.

  “It is nearly as good as Quipax’s baths.”

  Despite his previous sleepiness, G?kb?rü jumped into the water with a loud splash. The water rippled from G?kb?rü's leap, and I couldn't help but chuckle at his energy. He paddled around, his fluffy fur turning sleek and wet, looking more like a mischievous otter than a wolf. The warmth of the water soaked into my skin as I stepped into the pool, the aches from the grueling battles starting to ebb away.

  After washing myself and putting on fresh robes I found in the bathroom, I exited and went back to others. Aurora had already exited from bath before me and there. Seeing four beatiful woman in robes was too much for my young body but I managed to keep a steady mind. Artemeni was first one to notice me.

  “Champion! We were discussing how we should split the rewards.”

  I lowered my gaze. Damn, Artemeni stop jumping around in those robes.

  “Whoever defeated the boss should take its rewards.”

  Unlike the previous floors, the rewards on this level weren’t as generous. Despite defeating 10 bosses, we received nearly 20 items in total. Here's the breakdown:

  Stonebreaker, the Warlord of Cataclysms

  Leg Guards (For Artemeni)

  Tectonic Rage (Buff Skillbook for Thalia)

  Typhoon Fist, the Relentless Torrent

  Hydroflow Wristwraps: Increases speed and power by 2% with each combo attack, stacking up to 20%. Since I was the one to defeat him, I took them, as I could wear them under my armor.

  Steelmind Sovereign, the Biometal Colossus

  Psionic Biometal Core (For Blanche)

  Note: I’m not sure what this does. I should ask Aurora later.

  Verdant Matron, the Blooming Guardian

  Elixir of Vitality and Mana: Permanently increases Vitality and Mana. G?kb?rü drank it.

  Magical Plant Seeds (For Aurora)

  Luminblade Gallar, the Honorable Duelist

  Duelist’s Blades: A pair of short swords. Blanche took them as backup weapons.

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  Karvax, the Crushing Titan

  Juggernaut’s Resolve (Elixir, I took it.)

  Chestplate (For Artemeni)

  Gauntlets (For Artemeni)

  Noctulith, Keeper of the Silent Veil

  Lantern of Lost Souls: Increases mana efficiency and regeneration. (For Aurora)

  Warden’s Grasp: Skillbook (For Thalia)

  Infernal Magmasaurus

  Moltenheart Furnace Cloak (For Artemeni)

  Infernal Spinebreaker: A great mace that unleashes searing magma. I took it as G?kb?rü couldn’t use it.

  Voidborne Tyrant

  Abyssal Aegis: A shield with a 15% chance to reflect damage as void damage and daily use to absorb a mana-based attack and reflect it. (For me)

  Crown of the Abyss (For Blanche)

  Kaelvor

  Dragonbone Aegis: Shield (For Artemeni)

  Dragon Teeth: Can spawn Spartoi (For Aurora)

  Dragon’s Breath Elixir (For Blanche)

  Draconian Fang Greatsword (For me)

  (Draconian Fang Greatsword)

  (Power: 28)

  (Durability: 700\700)

  (A colossal blade crafted from the serrated fang of an ancient drake. The weapon emanates a fiery aura, and its blade glimmers with a molten sheen.)

  (Wyrmblood Empowerment: Absorbs heat and fire-based attacks, restoring 5% of the wielder's stamina.)

  (Dragon’s Wrath: When striking an enemy, the blade releases a burst of fiery energy, dealing additional fire damage equal to 10% of the wielder’s Strength.)

  (Abyssal Aegis)

  (Defense: 30)

  (Durability: 800/800)

  (Forged in the infinite expanse of the void, the Abyssal Aegis turns the strength of its enemies against them. To wield it is to carry a fragment of nothingness, commanding the unyielding power of the abyss.)

  (Void Reflection: Grants a 15% chance to reflect incoming damage as void damage, ignoring resistance to conventional elements.)

  (Mirror of the Abyss: Once a day User can absorb a single mana-based attack and reflect it back at the caster with an additional 20% damage bonus.)

  I grabbed my new toys and swung them around to get a feeling for them. The shield was the real catch. I had many swords already so while Draconian Fang was welcome, I really liked it. Stone Cold Shield was too weak to be of any use for me at this point and Megalithic Ward of the Water was too big to use in one one-on-one duel. I couldn’t absorb them yet so I put them into my Shadow Storage. However, I could absorb Willblade, and doing so increased all of my stats by 2.

  “Huh, that’s a large increase.”

  Normally only one or two stat would have increased. Weird.

  I leaned back on the soft sofa, watching others familiarize themselves with their items. Artemeni seemed most proud of her new items. That was good. She deserved it. Most of her items were damaged to the point she couldn’t use them.

  As the team settled into the luxurious chamber, the atmosphere began to lighten, with the weight of the dungeon's grueling trials momentarily forgotten. The newfound treasures brought a mix of excitement and curiosity.

  I closed my eyes and manifested Requiem for Unfinished Dreams. With my stats increasing a great deal thanks to clearing the dungeon and absorbing Willblade my body was a little bit out of balance. As the spectral form of Requiem for Unfinished Dreams materialized in my hand, its subtle hum of power resonated through the chamber, drawing curious glances from my team. The blade felt slightly heavier in my grasp, a testament to my newfound strength and mana surging uncontrollably through my veins. I meditated there, feeling the growth of myself.

  That was until I felt the room we were in shake furiously. I opened my eyes, scanning the room for any threats. Yet there were only my teammates, alert and startled just like me.

  “An earthquake?”

  Thalia asked. I would have thought the same if it wasn’t for the red hue eminating from my sword. The same hue that marked Aliera’s presence. I stood up, gripping Requiem for Unfinished Dreams tightly. The blade's spectral form pulsed in tandem with the vibrations coursing through the room, its red glow intensifying. My team instinctively reached for their weapons, their exhaustion forgotten as adrenaline surged.

  “No,” I said, narrowing my eyes.”It is okay.”

  The air grew heavier, charged with an otherworldly energy. A deep rumbling, like a heartbeat from the earth itself, echoed through the chamber. G?kb?rü snarled, his sapphire eyes glowing fiercely as he positioned himself in front of me. I patted him down and pointed towards a wall with my sword. The wall creacked, splitting open to reveal a passage.

  The sudden appearance of a hidden passage threw the room into silence, save for the rumbling echo that faded as the wall fully parted. A deep, crimson glow seeped from the passageway, bathing the room in an eerie light. I exchanged a glance with Aurora, her expression sharpening from exhaustion to cautious determination.

  “Aliera’s doing,” I said, my voice firm, though the weight of her unpredictability gnawed at the back of my mind.

  “Seems like the Goddess has more surprises for us,” Blanche murmured, stepping forward, her hand resting lightly on the hilts of her new Duelist’s Blades.

  I took a deep breath and motioned for the team to prepare. G?kb?rü trotted beside me, his fur bristling as he sniffed the air. His growl softened, replaced by a low whine as he glanced up at me.

  “Good boy, but stay sharp,” I said, giving him a reassuring pat.

  The passage stretched forward into darkness, the walls lined with symbols that shimmered faintly as we stepped inside. They weren’t like the dungeon’s typical decor; these symbols pulsed in a rhythm, matching the hum of Requiem for Unfinished Dreams in my hand.