The third floor felt different the moment they stepped in.
It wasn't just heavier or darker—it felt… watched.
The air carried a strange stillness, like something was waiting. The ground was rough, the walls uneven, and faint echoes traveled longer than they should. Igna slowed his steps slightly, his senses sharpening as he scanned the surroundings.
Igna: "This floor feels… off."
May didn't deny it.
May: "Stay alert. This is where things start getting dangerous."
They moved forward, cutting through smaller groups of monsters along the way. Compared to before, the fights were easier. Igna's movements had become precise, his reactions sharper, and his control over the golden path was improving with every step. Still, something kept him from relaxing.
After a while, they reached a wider area where multiple paths connected. Broken weapons and faint bloodstains marked the ground.
Igna frowned.
Igna: "There were fights here recently."
May nodded slightly, her expression turning serious.
Before they could say anything else—
A sudden presence surrounded them.
Not monsters.
Humans.
Figures stepped out from the shadows, blocking every path. Their weapons were drawn, and their eyes carried no hesitation.
Igna's grip tightened.
Igna: "Adventurers…?"
May's voice turned cold.
May: "No. Dungeon raiders."
The men smirked.
One of them stepped forward, his aura clearly stronger than the rest.
Leader: "Looks like we found something valuable."
His eyes scanned them.
Then stopped at Igna.
Leader: "A kid too… lucky day."
Igna felt a chill.
May stepped slightly ahead of him.
May: "We're not here to fight you. Move."
The man laughed.
Leader: "You don't get to choose that."
Without warning—
They attacked.
The fight began instantly.
Steel clashed, sparks flew, and the narrow space turned chaotic. Igna moved with focus, following the golden paths as they appeared. He dodged a strike from the side and countered immediately, disarming one of the attackers before pushing him back.
But this was different from fighting monsters.
These opponents thought.
Adapted.
Changed their patterns.
His predictions struggled.
Igna (thinking): They're not following patterns…
May moved like a storm beside him, cutting through enemies with overwhelming speed. Her presence alone kept most of them at a distance, but their leader didn't step back.
He moved forward.
Fast.
Far too fast.
He appeared in front of Igna in an instant and struck.
Igna barely reacted, blocking the attack at the last second, but the impact forced him back. His arms trembled from the force.
Leader: "Too slow."
Igna's eyes sharpened, but before he could move—
May stepped in.
Their blades clashed, the sound echoing sharply. The ground cracked slightly under the force of their exchange.
May: "Stay back."
Igna didn't argue, but he didn't retreat far either. His eyes kept searching, trying to find a pattern, a path—anything.
The fight intensified. The other raiders tried to flank, but Igna adjusted, holding them off just enough to prevent interference. His movements were sharp, but he was still struggling to fully keep up.
Then—
A heavy presence filled the area.
Everyone froze for a fraction of a second.
Even the leader stepped back slightly.
From the shadows—
A figure appeared.
Calm.
Silent.
A sword rested on his shoulder.
His eyes were cold.
Sharp.
The pressure he carried was overwhelming.
Igna felt it instantly.
(This…)
The raiders turned toward him, their confidence fading.
Leader: "Who are you…?"
The man didn't answer.
He simply stepped forward.
And then—
He moved.
In a single moment, the distance disappeared. His blade flashed once.
Clean.
Precise.
One raider fell.
Then another.
Before anyone could react, half of them were already down.
The leader rushed forward, anger replacing his hesitation, but the outcome didn't change. Their clash lasted only seconds before the man's blade cut through his defense completely.
Silence returned.
The remaining raiders ran.
None of them dared to stay.
Igna stood frozen, watching everything.
He hadn't even seen the movements clearly.
That level of speed—
That level of control—
It was overwhelming.
The man lowered his sword slowly.
Then turned.
His eyes met May's.
For a moment—
No one spoke.
Then—
May's eyes widened.
Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
May: "…Yash?"
The name echoed in the silence.
Igna's eyes widened.
Yash?
The man they thought was dead?
The one May had spoken about?
The man in front of them looked exactly like the kind of person who could survive anything.
He looked at May calmly.
No confusion.
No hesitation.
Just recognition.
A faint, almost tired expression crossed his face.
May: "You're alive."
May took a step forward.
Her hands trembled slightly.
Her eyes filled with something she had held back for years.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Hope.
Igna stood there, unable to move, unable to fully process what was happening.
The past—
Had just returned.
Alive.