The ogre staggered. Its limbs faltered.

With one final cry, Noah rammed the blade into its neck—deep, brutal, final.

The ogre gurgled, then collapsed like a felled tree, shaking the entire chamber.

Noah stumbled back, breath ragged, body trembling. Victory was his.

Silence returned—this time, triumphant.

He glanced at the timer.

Two minutes left.

[Ding!

Mission Complete!

Reward: Egg???]

He raised an eyebrow. "An egg?"

He laughed, shaking his head. "Now I really want to know what's inside."

He was really curious but sheathed his curiosity for now, he embarked on the next floor, passing through the shimmering door leading toward the next floor.

As the light from the teleportation glyph faded, Noah found himself standing at the threshold of a world unlike any he'd encountered so far. His boots met soft, dew-kissed grass, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of wildflowers and pine. Above, a boundless sky stretched across the horizon in hues of deep cerulean, dotted with drifting silver clouds. Sunlight warmed his skin, and for a moment, he forgot he was inside a dungeon.

This was the sixth floor.

Noah took a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill his lungs. It was vibrant, alive. A stark contrast to the cold stone of the previous level. No oppressive silence. No looming threats. Just serenity.

Before him sprawled an endless meadow interwoven with sparkling streams and groves of tall, swaying trees. Flowers of every color bloomed in wild, chaotic beauty. Small winged creatures—some resembling birds, others far stranger—flitted from petal to petal, chirping soft, melodious tunes. It felt less like a resting floor and more like a pocket of paradise.

"Peace… in a dungeon. That's a first," Noah muttered, lowering his sword and letting his guard down—for now.

He walked forward, savoring the sensation of warm soil beneath his boots and the gentle rustle of wind through leaves. Each step seemed to ease the tension from his limbs, the pain of battle slowly fading. The sixth floor had no enemies, only time—time to breathe, to reflect.

Finding a grassy hill overlooking a small, crystal-clear lake, Noah sat down and stretched out with a contented sigh. He unstrapped his armor piece by piece, letting it rest beside him as he lay back in the grass. Overhead, birds circled lazily, and somewhere nearby, a stream babbled over stones in a soothing rhythm.

Then he felt it again—that subtle tug in his chest.

The egg.

He retrieved it from his item box, and the moment it appeared in his hands, the connection grew stronger. The golden shell was warm to the touch, and those black stripes that wrapped around it pulsed with a slow, steady light—almost like a heartbeat.

"You're still draining my mana, huh?" Noah whispered, holding it up to the sunlight. "Greedy little thing."

He poured a controlled flow of mana into the egg, watching as it shimmered faintly in response. Though the amount siphoned was minimal, the act left him strangely invigorated, as if his mana, after being drawn in, was somehow purified before returning to him. It was subtle, but not imagined.

"What are you?" he asked softly, tracing one of the glowing stripes with a fingertip.

No answer. The system, typically eager to display notifications, had gone silent the moment the egg appeared. No status. No hints. Nothing. Just a question wrapped in golden shell and mystery.

Eventually, he tucked the egg safely back into his item box, though he could still feel it in the back of his mind—like a presence nestled in the corner of his soul.

The day passed in quiet comfort.

Noah explored a nearby glade where fruit-laden trees grew in abundance. He picked a few: plump orange berries that tasted of honey and citrus, and pear-like fruits that gave a slight mana boost. There were no monsters here, no traps or tricks—just a strange, magical land designed solely for rest.

At the lake's edge, he removed his boots and dipped his feet in the cool water, sighing in relief. Tiny fish danced beneath the surface, occasionally darting close before darting away again. He leaned back against a smooth stone, watching the clouds roll lazily across the sky. His thoughts drifted to the battle with the ogre. His bruises had begun to fade thanks to the natural healing aura that seemed to permeate the sixth floor.

But what stuck with him most wasn't the fight—it was how vulnerable he had felt without his skills. Stripped of everything but his blade, he'd survived on grit and instinct. That was worth more than any flashy ability.

He closed his eyes for a moment and let his mind quiet.

Evening began to settle over the landscape.

The golden light of the sun dipped toward the horizon, painting the sky in hues of amber, rose, and violet. Shadows lengthened, and a soft, glowing mist began to rise from the ground, casting everything in an ethereal sheen. Fireflies—or creatures much like them—emerged, their tiny lights blinking in rhythm as they floated lazily through the twilight air.

Noah sat atop the same hill, watching the world shift into night.

He had gathered firewood earlier and now had a small campfire crackling at his feet. The warmth added to the gentle comfort of the floor. He roasted a few fruits over the flame and chewed them slowly, savoring their natural sweetness. With nothing but the stars above and the whispering wind around him, he felt something he hadn't in a long time: peace.

He summoned the egg one more time, placing it on the ground beside him.

It pulsed in time with the firelight, warm and alive.

"You're not just a reward," he said softly. "You're a companion. A responsibility."

And deep down, a part of him hoped—maybe even believed—that whatever was inside would be something great. Something that would fight by his side in the trials to come.

He lay back, hands behind his head, gazing up at the stars that slowly began to appear above. They weren't the constellations he knew, but they were no less beautiful.

Tomorrow, the climb would continue.

But tonight?

Tonight, he would rest.