Tower of Paradise

...What?

As if her words were a signal, a horrifying growl echoed through the corridor.

WOOAAAHHH!!

What the hell was all this?!

...What was that sound just now?

I intensified my vision through the stellar energy. In the distance, almost fifty meters away where the corridor light didn't reach, I distinguished two human figures running desperately, pursued by another reptile-spider.

We were finished. One mutant was chasing us from behind and another was waiting for us in the distance. But that wasn't the most terrifying thing.

What was truly chilling was that the approaching mutant didn't have the mark. Neither did the reptile-spider chasing us...

So where was the mutant with the mark?

— H-Help...! —Shouted the man who was fleeing alongside a woman in front of us and who were rapidly approaching.

Both groups were less than twenty meters apart, running along paths that formed a sideways T. This meant the path forked to my right.

Maybe, the last mutant is...

— Hey, listen to me. —I spoke to KathyIn, who was still on my shoulder—. If we curve, we might encounter the last mutant.

I breathed deeply before continuing:

— Cut your mental connection and come back. We'll have to give them bait from the front first.

The duo that was less than five meters from me turned right. I followed them, deliberately reducing my speed. It was all or nothing. Both mutants chasing us turned simultaneously in our direction.

As I had assumed, the last mutant was waiting for us on that path, barely two or three meters away. I had temporarily decreased my speed to avoid being the first victim to be attacked. The monster focused on the duo of man and woman who arrived first, involuntarily turning them into a human shield that would give me the time I needed.

— You said you were strong. I'll throw you, so run and don't stop!

At that moment, the man was already being devoured by the mutant. His screams of agony resonated on the walls of the labyrinth.

I grabbed KathyIn's body with my hand and threw her with all my strength. Her figure flew over the mutant, executing a perfect somersault in the air before landing precisely on the other side. The control she had over her body was truly admirable.

— Arceus! —KathyIn turned her head and called me with anguish.

— What are you waiting for? Run! —I shouted at her as I advanced at full speed along the huge side walls, avoiding the last mutant that was in the middle of the corridor, still devouring its unfortunate victim.

I ran with all my might, as if my life depended on it, because it did. Hot on my heels was the other mutant that was chasing me. The other reptile-spider harassed the woman who, surprisingly, was still alive and fleeing with the same desperation as me.

— ...Ahead? It's the portal! —KathyIn exclaimed upon spotting the black hole floating in the air, just a hundred meters away.

— Hurry up, KathyIn!

By the time she reacted, I had already reached her position, along with the woman escaping by my side.

With no need to dodge the monsters and death breathing down our necks, we advanced at an amazing speed.

We could see the portal in the distance while the two mutants ran behind us, their legs producing a chilling sound against the ground.

The portal of desperation and hope in the damned tower. For now, it was the portal that would take us out of this hell... and into a new one.

There was no need to hold back and conserve strength for the long race: if we arrived one minute late to the portal, our lives would be over. I had to give it my all.

Without wasting time, I gritted my teeth, grabbed KathyIn's hand and increased my energy to the absolute limit. It was now or never. In an instant, my body became a blur and when I realized it, the portal was before my eyes. Every muscle in my body suffered agonizing pain.

I felt my vision completely change as we passed through that strange dark surface. Fortunately, the mutants could never cross the portal.

I wanted to laugh, but I had no strength for it.

We survived.

[You have entered the waiting room of the fourth floor.]

[The public mission has ended.]

[Objective: Cross the labyrinth.]

[Contribution: 42% for KathyIn. 35% for Arceus. And 23% for Caria.]

[You have received 40 soul fragments.]