With the monster's threat gone, everyone rushed to Armis, who remained knelt in despair, his hands trembling as he reached out to where Adrian's body had lain moments before. Each of them mirrored Armis's pain, feeling the weight of loss, yet unable to fully comprehend the depth of his grief. No words were spoken as they encircled him in a group hug, offering their silent support.
Feeling the warmth and comfort of his friends, Armis's frozen posture began to thaw, and tears once again streamed down his face as he mourned the loss of his uncle.
After a while, with the help of his friends, Armis managed to rise to his feet, though his somber demeanor remained unchanged. He kept his gaze downcast, finding solace in the firm grip of Aurelia's hand holding his own.
As the group began to move forward, Relecta's sharp eyes caught sight of the Orb of the floor's lord lying on the ground, its surface glimmering faintly. As the foliage and fauna, along with the Trectora herb, began to wither away, the labyrinth's openings cleared, allowing sunlight to filter through. In the newfound light, a stack of treasure in the corner became visible, drawing Relecta's attention. With determination, she stepped forward to retrieve the Lord Orb.
She called out to Alan, prompting everyone to rush over, their spirits lifted at the sight of so much treasure. Yet, their surprise grew as silent Armis suddenly moved toward the riches, his steps faltering as he knelt beside a dirty red cloth tucked away in a corner. With trembling hands, he reached for it, his expression one of shock as he gingerly lifted the cloth, recognizing it instantly.
Watching Armis's reaction, the group fell silent, their concern evident as Armis embraced the cloth tightly to his chest, his eyes welling up with tears. Unable to bear seeing him in such pain, Aurelia stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, offering comfort. In a broken voice, Armis spoke, his words heavy with emotion:
"It... it belongs to Adrian. He used to wear it around his neck. Layla made it for him before his last raid. He called it his lucky bandana."
Alan, picking up on Armis's explanation, connected the dots and spoke in a calm voice, "So that means... all this treasure, Adrian collected it. Even when he was under the monster's control, he never stopped thinking about Layla and you."
At Alan's deduction, Armis broke into tears, sobbing in Aurelia's arms, who also began to cry, feeling Armis's pain deeply. She tightened her embrace, offering solace.
Lyco, still somber but forward-thinking, asked in a calm tone, facing Alan, "So, what should we do with it?"
Alan thought for a moment, gazing at the sobbing Armis holding tightly onto Adrian's bandana. Understanding the situation, he replied, "I think we should send all of this to Layla. It belongs to her."
Armis looked at Alan upon hearing his suggestion. With a heavy heart, swallowing his guilt and pain, he extracted himself from Aurelia's embrace and stood beside Alan. Wiping away his tears and clearing his throat, Armis added, "Yes, you're right."
After Armis's decision, Alan and Lyco filled numerous messenger sacks with the treasure. With the others, they used the Lord Orb to open the gate and made their way toward the 21st floor.
Upon entering the floor, they beheld a forest of towering trees draped in algae and surrounded by damp foliage. Much of the ground was swampy. Poduria stepped forward from the group and explained, "These are the swamps of the Relic Castle."
Lyco joined her, consulting the manual and observing the damp forest ahead. "It's all rainforest and swamp from here to the 30th floor," he remarked.
As everyone gazed at the swampy foliage ahead, Alan's eyes caught sight of the window. He gestured silently for everyone to move towards it.
Approaching the window, they found it similar to the one on the 11th floor, but this time vines grew out of it, reaching outward. Alan stood beside it, his gaze expectant as he looked at Armis, who understood the unspoken request. He set down his knapsack and retrieved the messenger sacks filled with treasure from it.
Surveying the sacks, Armis searched for a way to tie them together. Seeing his struggle, Aurelia moved to unravel the thread from her hair, but Armis stopped her with a gentle hand. Instead, he pulled out Adrian's bandana from his pocket and used it to tie all the messenger sacks together.
With a sense of purpose, Armis wrote two notes and looked around at his friends, silently asking if anyone had anything to add. They all shook their heads gently. Folding the notes and tucking them into the knot of the bandana, Armis slowly approached the window and gently tossed the sacks out.
As Armis stood before the window with a heavy heart and a gaze filled with desperation, his friends silently gave him space. They walked a few steps ahead, leaving him alone to bid a final farewell to Adrian.
Armis stared at the window, lost in a bittersweet reverie. First, he imagined how nice it would have been if Adrian had returned with him to Layla. How happy would she have been? What joke would Adrian have made to lighten up her sobbing face? How would she have playfully pinched his ear? How would they have celebrated Adrian's return when they got home? How happy would Layla have finally been, having her beloved close to her? As the moments slipped by, Armis's thoughts drifted away. He pondered how happy Layla would be when she received the treasure, perhaps even surprised? Armis imagined Layla opening the note, expecting something good, only to be devastated by its contents. How many tears would she shed from those withered, dried eyes? How much despair would she feel when she finally noticed the bandana? How tightly would she clutch it in her hands, crying and screaming in pain when she recognized it as Adrian's, and finally understood the final words Armis had written in the end of his letter, "He's home.."
Traversing the challenging landscape of the marshy swamps on the 25th floor, Team Goliath advanced with a carefully crafted strategy in mind. Leading the way was Armis, his demeanor still tinged with somberness, yet buoyed by the reassuring presence of Aurelia by his side.
Aurelia made sure Armis remained motivated as they walked, ensuring he maintained the determination to press onward. Behind them, Relecta and Poduria worked in tandem, conjuring water platforms to navigate the treacherous terrain. Together, they created floating slabs of water, providing a stable path forward and preventing anyone from stumbling into the deep trenches of the swamp below.
Trailing behind, Lyco floated effortlessly on a single slab of stone he had discovered amidst the jungle, employing it to levitate and propel himself forward. Meanwhile, Alan moved with agility, leaping and perching from tree to tree, maintaining vigilance for any potential threats that lay ahead.
Leaping onto a nearby tree branch, Alan surveyed the swampy expanse ahead, voicing his observation. "I can't spot the next gate yet, these towering trees are blocking the view."
"True, and it's oddly deserted around here," Lyco chimed in, floating alongside Alan. His gaze drifted to Relecta up ahead, manipulating water platforms and conversing with Poduria.
With a suggestive grin, Lyco nudged Alan's attention toward Relecta, prompting him to observe, "Is it just me, or is Relecta... blossoming by the day? I mean, look at her." Lyco attempted to deflect his peeping with baseless commentary, gesturing towards Relecta. Alan's expression soured into a disapproving glare as Lyco continued, "See her clothes? She removed the armor two days ago, complaining about feeling hot, and then Poduria lent her some of her clothes, but now even those clothes are getting tighter."
Still feeling uneasy about Lyco's assessment, Alan inadvertently turned his gaze toward Relecta.
Reluctantly, he had to admit that Lyco was somewhat correct. Relecta now wore black thigh-length tights that clung tightly to her plump and thick legs, threatening to burst at the seams. Her bust had grown noticeably in just a matter of days, straining against the fabric of her tights with ample and rounded curves.
As Relecta turned to speak with Poduria, Alan couldn't help but feel embarrassed as his eyes involuntarily wandered to her top. It was now stretched tightly across her ample bosom, exposing her bare abdomen suggestively as the fabric slipped from her shoulders, barely clinging on.
Just a few days ago, the top had covered her chest and abdomen completely, but now it revealed much more, accentuating her curves in ways that made Alan feel both uncomfortable and guilty for noticing.
As Alan glanced at Relecta's face and neck, he couldn't help but notice the absence of the scars and scratches that once marked her skin. Instead, her complexion was now flawless and silky smooth, reaching up to her slightly puffy cheeks, which were now filled with more flesh than before. Her eyes sparkled with a newfound charm, and her face seemed to radiate the youthful freshness of an 18-year-old woman.
As Alan shot a disapproving glare at Lyco, feeling uncomfortable with the direction of their conversation, Lyco seemed undeterred by Alan's discomfort. With a mischievous wink, Lyco continued, elaborating on his theory.
"Well, can you blame me? You noticed it too, didn't you?" Lyco teased, his tone laced with mischief. "But seriously, think about it. With all the aura she's been absorbing from the previous Lord of Monsters and the beasts she's taken down on the last few floors has healed whatever disease that was making her look like a kid so, it's no wonder she's looking healthier and more... developed, if you catch my drift."
Alan pondered for a moment, noticing Lyco's leering gaze at Relecta. With a sarcastic smile, Alan quipped, "Ah, what an insightful analysis, Lyco. You know, I've been making some astute observations myself, particularly about you."
"Really now? Pray, do enlighten me," Lyco replied eagerly.
Turning his sarcastic smile into an irritated glare, Alan continued, "Yes, indeed. It seems even after becoming engaged, you still can't resist ogling other girls. Perhaps I should share my findings with your lovely lady. Poduria!"
Alan swiftly turned and called out to Poduria. Startled, Lyco attempted to hush Alan, but before he could do so—
—Bhdhaaaamm!!!!!!—
Their attention was abruptly diverted as someone crashed into Armis ahead, causing him to stumble and fall into the swamp.
Startled, Relecta lost her focus, and the water platforms she had conjured turned back into loose liquid, causing herself, Poduria, and Aurelia to plunge into the murky depths below. Alan and Lyco sprang into action, rushing to their aid, but their concern turned to bewilderment when they saw Leo sprawled on top of Armis, both of them groaning in pain.