Since Rhys had helped capture Floor 21 during an official floor raid, the Tower of Ascension recognized his contribution as part of the floor’s successful clearance. That meant he and everyone who had fought alongside him were permitted to advance to Floor 22, since each of them had contributed enough to qualify.Rhys had taken Principal Liam’s teachings seriously, so he refused to enter the new floor without proper preparation. Before leaving for Floor 22, he made sure the entire team had enough weapons, potions, utility items, food, and other supplies to handle whatever the dungeon might throw at them. He knew that preparation could mean the difference between returning alive and becoming another name forgotten inside the Tower.The moment they arrived on Floor 22, the floor administrator appeared before them and presented the standard options given to every group attempting the floor test.[ “Do you wish to take this floor test as a team or as individuals?” ]Rhys didn’t hesitate.

“We need to hurry. If the room becomes too small and the monsters keep spawning then we won’t be able to take so many on,” Varyn said, panic clear in his voice. For the first time since entering the dungeon, he genuinely feared that they might not make it out alive.Rhys’s thoughts raced as he tried to understand what they were dealing with. This was clearly no ordinary section of the Labyrinth of Whispers. The walls were closing in, the monsters kept appearing without any sign of stopping, and there was still no visible exit. Everything about the room suggested that they had been deliberately trapped inside a death chamber.They were running out of time.Rhys quickly looked around, searching for anything that could help them. His eyes eventually settled on the section of wall Varyn had blasted earlier. A small crater remained there, and compared to the rest of the room, it was the only part that had been significantly damaged.An idea immediately came to him.‘Just how deep can the w

Only a few minutes later, they discovered a large ornate door standing at the end of the passage.Rhys recognized it immediately.According to everything they had studied before entering the dungeon, this was unmistakably the entrance to the second boss room.“Finally,” Rhys said.He leaned against the wall beside the door and sat down, taking the opportunity to recover after hours of walking.“Listen up. We rest here till we are back in our prime condition to fight” Rhys said.Nobody argued.They had spent too long navigating the dungeon, and entering a boss room while exhausted would have been foolish.Once everyone had recovered, Rhys went over the information they had about the expected boss.“Based on our knowledge, the monster inside should be a Phantasmal Wraith. It uses illusions and shadows to attack but it’s nothing we can’t handle.Once we go inside, Kael, you will focus on keeping us buffed and providing light.Varyn, use your spells from a distance to support and disrupt

Marcus and Maeve were dragged into the Olympian Council chamber with chains wrapped around their bodies. The metal scraped loudly against the polished floor as the soldiers forced the siblings forward. The hall itself was enormous and magnificent, decorated with towering columns, intricate carvings, and symbols representing the three divine bloodlines. It was supposed to represent family, unity, and security, a place where the descendants of the True Gods could gather without fear of being treated as enemies.When the Olympian Council had first been established, its purpose had been to prevent the bloodlines of the three True Gods from turning against one another. The different branches of the family were expected to maintain close relationships through regular meetings, allowing them to share their achievements, discuss their failures, and settle disagreements before they could grow into serious conflicts.Over the years, however, the council had become far more important than a simp

The rule within the Olympian family was straightforward. Anyone who admitted their guilt and accepted responsibility for their actions would generally receive a lighter sentence.However, refusing to acknowledge one’s wrongdoing came with a much greater risk. If the accused maintained their innocence and were later proven guilty, the council was expected to impose the harshest punishment allowed.That was why Escanor’s response had surprised so many people.“Are you sure you want to plead innocent, God Escanor? I recommend that you reconsider your decision,” Athena said, giving him one final opportunity to change his plea.Several council members immediately exchanged uncomfortable looks.Normally, once someone stated their plea, they were not given another opportunity to take it back. However, Athena was the one personally offering Escanor this chance, and nobody in the chamber was willing to question her decision.Escanor simply smiled.“Yes, I’m quite sure, Monarch Athena. I thank