(The next day, Floor 24)

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For the first time since beginning his ascent through the tower, Rocky and his team were teleported directly into the heart of a city upon reaching Floor 24.

Up until now, they had always been transported to remote, desolate locations, far from any signs of life. But this time, they found themselves in the midst of a bustling metropolis, the vibrant activity of the city surrounding them like never before.

Tall buildings loomed all around them, casting shadows over the cobbled streets. The city was alive with activity—the common folk moving about, magical creatures darting between alleyways, and the faint hum of arcane energy that seemed to flow through the very air.

Kronos, as calm and collected as ever, glanced around with sharp eyes, his right hand wrapped around his sword, as he was ready to fight at the first sign of danger.

Erin, on the other hand, looked overjoyed to be teleported into a city, he grinned from ear to ear looking at the carriages and the various means of transport going around, as the very thought of not having to walk long distances and using alternatives, made him feel great about this floor.

“Sir Rocky, this place is… quite different, it’s so vibrant and full of energy” Erin whispered, his voice barely audible over the distant chatter of the city.

Buhara grunted, his large arms crossed, as unlike Erin he did not like this place one bit.

“Buhara does not like cities. Too many buildings, too many people.” he said, as before Rocky had a chance to respond, a cold, disembodied voice echoed in their minds, a voice belonging to the Floor Administrator.

[Welcome to Floor 24, challengers. You have made significant progress as climbers to reach this point, but your greatest challenge yet lies ahead.]

[You may choose how to proceed. Will you take the floor test as individuals, or will you face it as a group?]

Rocky glanced at his teammates, their faces tense with anticipation, as without hesitation, he answered, “We’ll take it as a group.”

[Very well,] the voice replied, devoid of any acknowledgment of Rocky’s decision. [Your task is to eliminate a being who has long overstayed his welcome—the mayor of this city. But be warned, He is no ordinary mortal. He is an old god, nearing the end of his life, but still a being of unimaginable power, and even in his weakened state, he far surpasses anything you have encountered before.]

Rocky’s heart skipped a beat, while the others shifted uncomfortably. A god? What the hell was the floor administrator thinking?

Even a weakened God was a force beyond their comprehension, and although Rocky had been fortunate enough to kill a god level entity before, that was purely due to the help he received from the War God Ravan.

Killing a God on his own was most definitely not something that Rocky was capable of, neither was anyone else on his team.

[At your current strength, killing him is impossible,] the Administrator continued coldly, admitting that what he was asking from them was indeed impossible.

[You are, after all, only tier 2. However, the one who issued this mission has provided you with a tool—a vial of God-killing poison. A single drop, should it enter his bloodstream, will be enough to send him to the afterlife.] The administrator said, as a vial of poison materialized in Rocky’s hands.

“But–” Rocky began, but before he could ask questions, the voice pressed on. [The mayor has ruled this city for nearly a hundred centuries, but he has recently become a rebel, openly defying the Floor Master’s will. He is heavily guarded by both wards and loyal followers. Your task is to infiltrate his manor, find an opening, and use the poison to finish him. You have seven days, after which your evaluation grade will start dropping significantly for every extra week you take.]

The silence that followed was suffocating. There was no final farewell from the Administrator, no wish for good luck. Just cold, hard facts—survive, or die trying.

The moment the voice faded, Erin’s face twisted with fear. “This is impossible!” he nearly shouted, his voice breaking through the tension. “How can we kill a god? Even with the poison… he’ll sense us coming from a mile away. We’re going to die!”

Buhara growled, his fists trembling with frustration. “Buhara does not fight gods! This is madness!”

Even Kronos, normally so composed, groaned and complained, “A god, Rocky? How are we supposed to kill a god? The Floor Administrator has gone insane.”

Rocky felt the weight of their fear pressing down on him. His own heart pounded in his chest. “I… I know. This is beyond anything we’ve faced.”

Erin’s panic only grew when Rocky showed signs of fear, as he said”We’re not even close to powerful enough. He’ll wipe us out before we can even get close! We should just quit this—there’s no way we can survive. We are not even Assassin’s”

Kronos spoke, his voice sharp with frustration. “If we try this, we’re signing our death warrant. And for what? A chance to kill a god with poison? It’s ridiculous.”

Rocky could see the fear in all of their eyes—this mission wasn’t just difficult, it was suicidal, and for a moment his own mind screamed that they would fail. But even so, he couldn’t ignore the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, hence if the mission was too hard or suicidal, he was willing to complete it alone, eventhough it was supposed to be a team mission.

Erin turned to him, his voice a desperate whisper. “Sir Rocky… should we just quit this one? Walk away?”

Rocky hesitated. The thought of quitting gnawed at him, and for a moment, he considered it.

“I can’t quit, even if it’s impossible, I can’t. I need the medicine for my sister and the only way I can get the medicine is to clear a floor every week.” His voice was quiet, almost defeated. “I won’t ask you guys to join me if it’s really impossible, but before we decide, let’s take a few hours. Scout the city. Think about it. Maybe there’s more to this quest than what meets our eye”

The team nodded, though none of them looked particularly hopeful. They were all too aware of the insane task that had been thrown their way.

Rocky looked around the bustling city once more, a knot forming in his stomach. They had seven days, but every second felt like a countdown to their deaths. Still, they had to think, plan, and consider their next move before making the final decision.

“We’ll scout, gather information, and then… we’ll decide,” Rocky said firmly, though doubt lingered in his voice. “We can’t rush into this, but we can’t give up without knowing what we’re up against.”

With that, the team began to move, the weight of the impossible quest heavy on their shoulders.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep