---
"First, let's check what's in the chest," Kelvin said, pushing the lid open with both hands. The wood groaned and creaked as if it had been sealed for centuries.
Suddenly, a brilliant light burst out, flooding the entire chamber in a golden glow. Dozens of glowing spheres hovered in the air, each pulsing like a heartbeat. Then, without warning, they zipped forward, sinking into Kelvin's and Silvia's bodies.
Kelvin staggered back, clutching his chest. A warm surge of energy shot through his veins, strengthening his muscles and sharpening his senses. Silvia's eyes widened as a silver sheen coated her skin before fading. They could both feel their auras flare to a whole new level.
"Woah," Kelvin muttered, flexing his arms. "That's a huge power-up!" He bent down, stretching like he was preparing for a tournament.
"Wait, there's more in here," Silvia said, kneeling beside the chest. She reached in and pulled out a beautifully crafted staff topped with a crystal shaped like a frozen tear. "Basic tier, bronze three-star staff," she read from a faint inscription.
Kelvin leaned over to see the rest: a long sword with a black-and-gold hilt, also basic tier three-star; a weathered mage's spell book with strange runes; a grade-one tracking relic shaped like a silver compass; and a large pouch that jingled.
Silvia untied it, and her royal-blue eyes lit up. "Fifty. Thousand. Aethrium. Coins!"
"That's a lot of money," Kelvin whistled.
"Enough to buy… hmm… at least five lifetime supplies of cake," Silvia said with a smirk.
Kelvin quickly snatched the pouch. "Let's keep this somewhere safe." He opened his dimensional pack and dropped it inside.
Silvia froze, blinking. "Wait—you had a relic this whole time?!"
"Uh… yeah? I did,didn't I?" Kelvin said innocently.
Without warning, she whacked him on the head. "You could've told me earlier!"
"I didn't know you were going to need to store something!" Kelvin protested, ducking, but her palm found its target every time.
"Ahhh—okay, okay! Mercy!" he yelped, finally covering his head.
"Fine," Silvia huffed, crossing her arms.
Kelvin straightened, rubbing his head with a grin. "Hahaha. Alright… onto the next challenge." He stretched his arms and began heading toward the stairs.
---
Two Hours Later
"Ahhh… finally!" Kelvin exclaimed as he hopped down the last few steps onto the first floor. His legs felt like jelly after the seemingly endless staircase.
"Kel, wait," Silvia said, grabbing his arm. "What if there's something waiting on the other side?"
Before Kelvin could answer, the same cold, feminine robotic voice echoed around them:
> < CONGRATULATIONS ON SURVIVING >
"Ahhh, could you please give us a heads-up before trying to kill us?!" Silvia yelled at the invisible A.I.
Kelvin sniffed the air and frowned. "Is it just me, or is it getting… hotter?"
Silvia wiped sweat from her forehead. "It's not just you."
Kelvin turned slowly toward the door ahead. His eyes widened. "Umm… Sil? We have a problem. A big, hot problem."
They stepped forward, and the door opened automatically, revealing a nightmarish scene. Beyond it stretched a hellish landscape—roaring rivers of molten lava, jagged obsidian cliffs, and monstrous shadows slithering in the heat haze. The air shimmered with intense heat, and the ground trembled as something massive roared in the distance.
"…What the—" Silvia's voice trailed off, her mouth open.
"How are we supposed to get through that?" she asked nervously.
Kelvin gave a sheepish smile. "Phew, good thing you stopped me from charging in."
"Wait… did you carry the stuff? My relic's full," he asked.
"Yeah, I've got it," Silvia replied. "But that's not solving our 'lava-death' problem."
Kelvin squinted at the expanse ahead. "If the challenge is anything like the first floor, there's probably an invisible bridge we need to find."
"And if we're wrong, we fall into a pit of lava and monsters. Great," Silvia muttered.
She raised her staff and channeled mana. A gust of frost escaped the crystal tip, coating the air ahead in sparkling ice. For a brief moment, a faint pathway shimmered into view before the heat devoured it.
Kelvin clicked his tongue. "Your magic can't last long in this heat. We'll have to move one at a time."
"I'll go first. I'm the one making the path," Silvia said.
"Alright. I'll follow right behind."
They began moving cautiously. Silvia would blast a short stretch of icy magic to reveal the next section, and Kelvin would use his qi to create a shield against the suffocating heat.
By the halfway point, Silvia froze mid-step. "Kel… the path splits here."
Kelvin closed his eyes and focused, expanding his qi sense. Using his Aurora skill, he scanned the surrounding energy flows. After several tense moments, he opened his eyes.
"Left," he said firmly. "The right leads to a cave full of lava blocks."
"Got it," Silvia nodded.
They pressed on, the heat growing fiercer. Twice, a burst of flame shot up from the molten river below, forcing them to crouch low. At one point, a shadowy creature leaped up, but Kelvin sliced it mid-air before it touched the bridge.
The journey took hours. Sweat dripped down their faces; Silvia's mana reserves were running low.
Finally, the end came into view—a stone platform with another ornate chest.
"Thank goodness…" Kelvin said, stumbling forward and placing his hand on the chest.
The moment his fingers touched it, the world blurred, and they were pulled into a glowing portal, leaving the inferno behind.
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