Beast Evolution Forge-Chapter 196: I am dropping this book 6

They laughed, the sound echoing in the big room. It felt good—light, after days of fighting. But Vell stayed quiet, his mind already on the next step. The tower wasn't just a challenge; it was a puzzle. Every floor had a key, a trick to crack. Floor 8 would be no different.

"Rest up," he said finally, standing. "We move in an hour."

They nodded, spreading out to nap or sharpen weapons. Regina studied her grimoire, muttering about symbols she'd seen on Floor 7. Vell paced, keeping watch. The tower was too still—no monsters, no players. That worried him more than an attack.

An hour later, they gathered at the stairs leading up. The steps were wide and worn, spiraling into shadows. No portal this time—just a climb to whatever waited above.

"Ready?" Vell asked, looking at his team.

"Always," Jolly said, cracking her knuckles.

They started up, boots tapping on stone. The air grew heavier as they climbed, pressing down like a weight. The walls stayed the same—black, smooth, glowing—but the symbols shifted, forming new patterns Regina couldn't read yet.

After what felt like forever, the stairs ended at a huge door. It was carved with a giant eye, its pupil split by a jagged line. The eye seemed to watch them, unblinking.

"Creepy," Ruby whispered, hiding behind Vell.

"Open it," he said, stepping forward.

Jolly pushed, and the door groaned, sliding apart. Light poured out—bright, golden, blinding after the dark stairwell. They shielded their eyes and stepped through.

Floor 8 was a shock. No ice, no lava, no desert—just endless gold. The ground was smooth and shiny, reflecting a sky full of swirling yellow clouds. Pillars of gold rose around them, tall as trees, some cracked and leaning. In the distance, a city shimmered—towers and domes, all made of the same gleaming metal. The air buzzed with a faint hum, like a song stuck in your head.

"Whoa," Ruby breathed, her tail wagging. "It's so pretty!"

"Pretty can still kill you," Vell said, eyes narrow. "Stay sharp."

They walked toward the city, the ground hard under their boots. The hum got louder, vibrating in their chests. Wren flexed her claws, uneasy. "Something's off. Too quiet."

She was right. No birds, no wind—just the hum and their footsteps. Then the ground shook. A crack split the gold ahead, and something climbed out—big, hulking, made of the same shiny metal. It looked like a knight, but its armor glowed, and its eyes burned red. A sword longer than Vell was tall gleamed in its hand.

"Gold golem!" Regina shouted, flipping her grimoire open. "Mana-powered construct!"

"Great," Wren muttered. "Another big thing to smash."

The golem stomped forward, sword raised. "Split up!" Vell yelled.

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They scattered as the blade slammed down, cracking the ground. Ruby fired a water blast, but it splashed off the golem's armor, useless. Wren slashed its leg, claws sparking, but barely scratched it.

"Physical's weak here!" Vell called, dodging a swing. "Regina, magic!"

She nodded, hands glowing. A bolt of lightning shot from her fingers, hitting the golem's chest. It staggered, sparks flying, and its red eyes flickered.

"Keep it up!" Vell said, shadow-stepping behind it. He stabbed at a joint in its armor, aiming for a weak spot. The dagger bit in, and gold chips flew.

Jia joined him, daggers glowing with mana. She struck fast, widening the crack. Jolly punched its other leg, her fists leaving dents. Ruby switched to mana blasts, small but sharp, peppering its head.

The golem roared—a deep, grinding sound—and swung wild. Vell ducked, and Regina hit it with another lightning bolt. It froze, then collapsed, breaking into chunks of gold.

[Gold Golem defeated. 800 points earned.]

"Nice work," Vell said, breathing hard. "But that's just the start."

They moved on, the city growing closer. More golems appeared—some smaller, some bigger—but the team got better at fighting them. Regina's magic was key, with Jolly and Jia breaking armor for Vell to finish. Ruby's mana blasts distracted them, and Wren's speed kept them guessing.

The city gates were open when they arrived. Streets of gold stretched out, lined with empty houses and statues. Everything shone, but it felt dead—no people, no life. Just the hum, louder now, coming from the center.

"There," Regina said, pointing. A huge dome sat in the middle, its top cracked open. Light pulsed from inside.

"That's our target," Vell said. "Let's go."

They walked fast, dodging golems that popped up. The streets twisted, like a maze, but Regina's map kept them on track. The closer they got, the hotter the air became—not lava-hot, but warm and sticky.

The dome was massive up close, its walls carved with eyes like the door. Steps led down inside, into a wide pit. At the bottom glowed a golden orb, floating above a pedestal. Around it stood three golems—taller than the others, with spears instead of swords.

"Boss fight," Wren grinned, claws out.

"Careful," Vell warned. "They're stronger."

They charged down the steps, and the golems moved—fast, too fast for their size. One thrust its spear at Jolly, who blocked but slid back. Another swung at Wren, who dodged by a hair. The third aimed for Vell, but he shadow-stepped aside.

"Regina, hit them!" he shouted.

She unleashed a storm of lightning, bolts crashing into all three. They sparked and slowed, but didn't fall. Jia and Wren attacked one, cracking its armor. Jolly punched another, denting its chest. Vell took the third, stabbing its spear arm until it dropped the weapon.

"Together!" he called.

The team focused one golem at a time. Regina's magic stunned it, Jolly smashed it, and Vell and Jia broke it apart. One down. The second fell faster, Ruby's blasts keeping it off balance. The third roared, swinging wild, but they surrounded it—lightning, fists, claws, daggers—and it shattered.

[Golden Sentinels defeated. 2000 points earned.]

The orb pulsed brighter as they approached. Vell reached for it, and it dropped a key—gold, shaped like an eye with a slit pupil.

"Floor 8 Key," Regina said, smiling. "We've got it."

[Floor 8 Key earned. 3000 points awarded.]

A portal opened behind the pedestal, glowing soft gold. They stepped through, back to the tower's base. The hum faded, and the quiet returned.

"Eight floors," Jolly said, grinning. "We're legends now."

"Not yet," Vell replied, pocketing the key. "The tower's still standing."

Regina closed her grimoire. "Each floor's a step. We're getting stronger, but so's the challenge."

Ruby hugged Vell's arm. "We'll beat it, Master! Together!"

He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah. Together."

The stairs loomed ahead, leading to Floor 9. The tower stretched on, endless and full of fights. But Vell didn't care how high it went. They'd climb it all—one floor at a time.

She unleashed a storm of lightning, bolts crashing into all three. They sparked and slowed, but didn't fall. Jia and Wren attacked one, cracking its armor. Jolly punched another, denting its chest. Vell took the third, stabbing its spear arm until it dropped the weapon.

"Together!" he called.

The team focused one golem at a time. Regina's magic stunned it, Jolly smashed it, and Vell and Jia broke it apart. One down. The second fell faster, Ruby's blasts keeping it off balance. The third roared, swinging wild, but they surrounded it—lightning, fists, claws, daggers—and it shattered.

[Golden Sentinels defeated. 2000 points earned.]

The orb pulsed brighter as they approached. Vell reached for it, and it dropped a key—gold, shaped like an eye with a slit pupil.

"Floor 8 Key," Regina said, smiling. "We've got it."

[Floor 8 Key earned. 3000 points awarded.]

A portal opened behind the pedestal, glowing soft gold. They stepped through, back to the tower's base. The hum faded, and the quiet returned.

"Eight floors," Jolly said, grinning. "We're legends now."

"Not yet," Vell replied, pocketing the key. "The tower's still standing."

Regina closed her grimoire. "Each floor's a step. We're getting stronger, but so's the challenge."

Ruby hugged Vell's arm. "We'll beat it, Master! Together!"

He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah. Together."

The stairs loomed ahead, leading to Floor 9. The tower stretched on, endless and full of fights. But Vell didn't care how high it went. They'd climb it all—one floor at a time.