The eleventh floor of the Necropolis of the Gods.
A vast metal landscape stretched to the horizon.
Linley, Akes, Desri, Faen, Tuli Lei, Rosalie, Olivier, Bebe, the Six-Eyed Golden Ni brothers Clio and Klewo, and the Black Armored Giant Scorpion stepped out of the passage—eleven experts in all.
"So quiet," Desri murmured with a frown.
"Unsettlingly quiet." Faen surveyed their surroundings, his right hand already on his sword hilt.
The eleventh floor was the most dangerous of the first eleven floors.
"Judging by the pattern, the difficulty changes every five floors." Linley scanned the distance. "The first five floors grew progressively harder, but overall, they weren't too dangerous. From the sixth through the tenth, the danger increased more than tenfold. And this eleventh floor—"
Everyone understood what he meant.
The eleventh floor might well be a hundred times more dangerous than the previous five!
"The godheads are on this floor," Tuli Lei said in a low voice, unconcealed longing in his eyes.
After thousands of years of pursuit, only this final step remained.
He had waited far too long for this day.
"Let's find the godheads first," Akes said. "Everyone, be careful. Don't spread out too far."
The others nodded. Keeping one another within sight, the eleven experts began flying low over the metal landscape.
The terrain on the eleventh floor was peculiar, covered in metal hills and canyons.
They flew for about an hour.
"There's something over there." Bebe sniffed and pointed ahead.
Following his gesture, they saw an exceptionally tall metal peak in the distance, with a faint light flickering at its summit.
"The godheads are on that mountain." Rosalie's green eyes shone.
Everyone's breathing grew heavier.
What they had pursued for thousands of years was now within reach!
But then—"Roaaar!"
A piercing roar came from the metal