As soon as the system ssage faded, I landed hard on solid ground. I look up, and instead of the Labyrinth, I'm back on Earth.
[You have cleared Floor 2.]
[Returning to Earth...]
[Cooldown started.]
Once soone clears a floor, that floor is locked for 1 hour before anyone else can enter.
[Ti until reentry: 59 minutes, 40 seconds]
I pulled out the phone from my pocket, and as usual, the Astral Community went crazy again.
[GLOBAL THREAD - THE PIONEER RETURNS?]
└ Blank... is that really you? You're back? But you cleared Floor 1... that was just hours ago, wasn't it??
└ HOLY SH*T! Blank's na is back in the Hall of Firsts!
└ Wait, what the hell? This guy's cleared TWO floors now?
└ @SludgeSurvivor: You think he did that while we're all stuck back on Floor 1? Impossible.
└ @RadiantMage: No way. No way this is a coincidence. He's still out there... is he in the Labyrinth right now??
└ @LowTierVassal: Damn, I was stuck on the first floor for hours. Now I see Blank is just clearing floors like it's nothing. What's your secret, man??
└ @ScornedVassal: I bet he's so kind of Vassal already, just doing whatever he wants in the Rift.
I scroll down, my eyes glued to the endless posts. Everyone's talking about . So people are confused, others are angry, and a few seem to worship the ground I walk on. The Hall of Firsts was buzzing with my na again.
One post catches my eye.
I knew Blank wasn't just so random player. This guy's different. Can't wait to see what he does next.
An idea pops into my head, sharp and clear.
I tap the screen, opening a new post in the Astral Community. My fingers hover over the keyboard for a second before I type:
[From: Blank]
Title: [INFO] Tips for the Upcoming Floors Third Floor Hint
Body:
Alright, listen up.
I'll be posting a hint for the THIRD FLOOR soon. I won't just leave you hanging. Along with that, I'll be sharing so tips on how to clear future floors.
You might not like the truth. You might not even believe . But if you want to survive what's coming, you'll listen.
I won't be the one to hold your hand, but if you're smart enough to pick up what I'm putting down, it'll save your life.
So stay tuned. And don't say I didn't warn you.
— Blank
I hit "Post" and sit back, watching the ssage send.
Within seconds, the feed explodes.
└ @DoubtfulOne: WHAT. IS. THIS? A THIRD FLOOR HINT??? YOU'RE ACTUALLY GIVING AWAY INFO?
└ @RadiantMage: WAIT. YOU'RE SERIOUS? You're dropping a hint? This early?
└ @LowTierVassal: What's the catch? You just gonna tease us, or what?
└ @MapleTactics: THIS IS HUGE. I can't believe he's gonna help us like this. For real??
└ @ScornedVassal: So now we're all supposed to wait for Blank to give us his secrets? This is a joke, right?
The reactions flood in, faster than I can keep up with. And just as I was starting to relax, a new comnt caught my eye.
└ @DoubtfulOne: Wait a minute... How do you know about the THIRD FLOOR? No one's even gotten close to it yet, and you're posting a hint? How's that possible?
The comnt sits there for a second, and then the notifications start flooding in again.
└ @RadiantMage: Wait... he's right. How does he know? No one's even gotten past Floor 2. This guy's gotta be a step ahead sohow.
└ @SludgeSurvivor: Dude, this doesn't add up. How does Blank KNOW about the Third Floor? That's gotta be a bug or sothing.
└ @LowTierVassal: Nah, he's playing us. He's clearly been through the Rift more tis than we know. He's seen sothing we haven't.
└ @MapleTactics: Yo, we need answers. He's either got secret info or sothing's off. Either way, I'm here for whatever he's about to drop.
I watched as the thread exploded. People were now questioning how I could know sothing they didn't, and the eyes of the whole community were on .
'Let tease you for now. Well, what's in it for to give all these tips? You will find out later.'
As the thread continued to explode, I opened my ssage tab instead.
New alerts!
[You have received 21 Vassal Pact offers.]
I checked all of them, but the Vassal Patron I was looking for did not reach out yet. I need to work harder to get his attention. Therefore, I turned them all down without hesitation again.
[21 Vassal Pact Offer Declined.]
***
The God of Ti, Vareos, the Goddess of Destruction, Korrina, and The Goddess of Fate, Liraen saw declining everyone.
Vareos, The God of Ti
"Interesting. A mortal who refuses us? Does he not understand the gravity of his decision? Ti is fleeting. Without the right Patron, he will be stuck at the 10th floor. Will he continue to reject us, or does he have so deeper purpose?"
Korrina, The Goddess of Destruction
"Hmph. Mortal. The other Patrons may question his choices, but I see the potential for chaos in him. His refusal is strange, but it may just be the kind of challenge I desire. If he won't co to willingly, perhaps I'll let him burn with his own decisions."
Liraen, The Goddess of Fate
"Fascinating. To resist the very beings that could aid you in your journey. This one is... different. He thinks he can carve his own path without the influence of us. But fate is not so easily escaped. He will either find a Patron of his own choice, or he will be trapped on the 10th floor forever. Does he know this?"
***
The three of them spoke among themselves, their voices distant but heavy in my mind.
Vareos, Korrina, and Liraen—their presence lingered, like the weight of their gazes pressing down on . They didn't understand why I kept declining the pacts.
To them, it probably didn't make sense. Most Vassals were desperate to align themselves with a Patron for power, for guidance, for safety.
But not . I had my own reasons. I wasn't ready to give in to any offer—not yet.
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