Joe stared at the hollow in the earth where Drillmaw’s massive corpse had been moments before. “Here one moment and gone the next.”

  Unease twisted in his gut as Halcyon’s voice echoed in his mind. “And so will you be, if you and your Scooby gang don’t grab that loot fast and keep your backs covered.”

  Dawn bumped into him, her voice low. “Uh, dunno about you, but I’m starting to feel like a gazelle at a croc-infested watering hole.”

  Joe gave her a slow nod. They were surrounded, all eyes in the chamber locked on them.

  The glittering time crystals tugged at Joe’s senses, almost begging him to pick them up, but he didn’t dare take his focus off the surviving ascenders, who were steadily closing in. His chest tightened. “Where’s all the larvae?”

  Robyn, bent over with his hands on his knees, puffed out a breath. “They just disappeared when the Queen died.”

  Joe tensed. One threat gone, but a worse one had taken its place. The larvae had been predictable, all mindless hunger. The ascenders were anything but. Joe had learned the hard way that desperate people could say one thing and do another. The so-called Armchair Anarchists? He didn’t trust them. Who in their right mind would sabotage the system, trapping everyone on the fifth floor and condemning them to mana poisoning?

  The hairs on his neck prickled.

  The “stoner homer” anarchist with the patchy beard shuffled closer, his lazy movements a stark contrast to the sharp intensity in his eyes. Joe’s grip tightened on his dagger. The guy looked like he couldn’t hurt a fly.

  Joe wasn’t buying it.

  Brian stepped up, his massive frame casting a shadow over Joe. “I think we need to split this up,” he whispered. “Two of us grab the loot, the rest handle…crowd control.”

  Joe nodded, the tension in his shoulders easing. That plan made sense. But Rose spoke up first, raising her voice just enough to carry to their group.

  “Not gonna lie, she dropped a lot of loot.” Her tone was light, almost playful. “TJ, how about we gather it up? I’ll race you.”

  “Ha, you’re on.” TJ cracked his knuckles and gave a sharp, warning look at the factions encroaching on their space. Then he joined Rose, the two moving quickly toward the glittering piles of loot.

  Joe wished he could gather loot as easily as pressing a button in a game. An inventory hoover would’ve been really useful right about now.

  Dawn frowned, her stance radiating barely contained aggression. “Want me to tell these assholes to back off?” The heat of her tone sent a warning ripple through the air.

  “Hold on.” Joe motioned Robyn closer. His eyes darted over the groups, finally landing on Lucky. Relief flickered in his chest. Lucky was unhurt, though he looked like a mouse in a lion’s den, flanked by Otto and Andras, both inching forward with the rest of the factions.

  Once Robyn was safely at his side, Joe gave Dawn a nod. “Go for it.”

  Dawn stepped forward with a deliberate calmness that was more intimidating than any raised weapon. She gestured broadly to the chamber’s exit. “In case you haven’t noticed, floor six is unlocked. You’re welcome.” Her tone carried the perfect blend of mockery and warning. “Don’t let us keep you.”

  The stoner homer guy casually pulled out his magic bong, a gaudy contraption that bubbled as he inhaled. His cheeks hollowed, and his eyes clouded over like foggy glass. The sound of the liquid bubbling filled the uneasy silence until he exhaled a plume of shimmering smoke that twisted in unnatural shapes.

  Brian cleared his throat, his eyes narrowing. A notification popped up in the alliance chat:

  Brian: No surprise, but that’s a decabong. We need to be very, very careful with this guy. When he uses it, he means business.

  Joe’s gaze flicked back to the stoner. Whatever “business” meant here, he wasn’t eager to find out.

  The guy gestured lazily with the bong, but his words had an edge that belied his slack demeanor. “You think we should thank you? Please. We’re not even the Lich’s lab rats. We’re the fleas on those rats—the ones that spread the Black Death. Everything the Lich touches rots eventually. And so will we.”

  Andras laughed, the sound sharp and mocking. “Speak for yourself. You might be the disease, but I’m the cure.” He straightened his posture, looking down at the stoner. “It’s obvious you’re miserable here, but that doesn’t mean you need to spread your vile misery to others.”

  A voice shouted from the back of the crowd. “You’re no better than the Titan Slayers! You’re just another pawn for the Lich, playing right into his hands every time you kill a titan.”

  A ripple of agreement spread through the factions. Fists rose into the air, and a chant began to grow: “Defiance, not compliance!”

  Stoner Homer threw an approving look over his shoulder, his eyes clear and glinting with satisfaction.

  Joe’s pulse raced. The chant echoed like a drumbeat of rebellion, but he didn’t miss the creeping malice beneath it. These people weren’t here to negotiate. They were here to find an outlet for their rage. And Joe wasn’t about to let his team be the target.

  With Quick Wit active, Joe’s senses sharpened, catching every shifty movement, every twitchy hand, and the slow, deliberate creeping of bodies closing in from all sides. His gut tightened, a flash of memory surfacing: a ratfolk on one of the earlier floors, time stolen, crumpled like discarded trash.

  Dawn stepped forward, her fists clenched at her sides. Her gaze swept over the crowd, steady and unflinching. “You talk at us like we’re your enemy, but look around. I see defiance, and that’s good. None of us asked to be here, but we all made choices in our past lives that brought us here.” She locked eyes with the stoner homer guy. “If you choose destruction, no one wins but the Lich.”

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  The crowd shifted uneasily. An ascender pushed past Andras, raising his voice. “I heard if we stop cooperating, the Lich will just wither and die from boredom.”

  Dawn’s lips twitched in a humorless smile. “I trust rumors about as much as I trust a gambler promising their next hand is a winner. Until I know better, here’s what I believe. If you don’t play the game, you’re playing with fire. There’s still hope—not just for my faction, but for all of us. But that hope goes up in flames if we turn on each other and start tearing each other apart.”

  Joe stepped forward, scanning the crowd with Quick Wit. “And that’s exactly the Lich’s game. Whether you realize it or not, every bit of chaos we cause for each other…it’s what he wants. It’s his playbook. You want to beat him? Stop doing his dirty work for him.”

  Joe’s words seemed to strike a chord. A few ascenders exchanged uncertain glances, their confidence wavering.

  “Job done,” TJ called from behind, his voice casual but firm.

  Rose stepped forward, her glowing staff catching the light as she positioned herself front and center. Joe knew her shield spell could buy them some precious time if things went sideways, depending on how nasty the ascenders’ countermeasures were.

  Dawn’s gaze swept over the room. “As I said, floor six is unlocked. It’s up to you whether you stay here or ascend. But hear this: if anyone tries to stop us, in Nerus’ name, we will defend ourselves.” Her voice carried a weight Joe hadn’t heard before, and he blinked as golden sparks flared around her, dancing like fireflies. Her hair lifted in a ghostly breeze, and the smug grin melted right off Stoner Homer’s face. The crowd hesitated, then began to back away, scattering toward the exit in twos and threes.

  Joe exhaled. As always, he was glad not to be the center of attention.

  Their hoodies stayed orange, as expected. Transferring the time stored in the crystals would be way safer back in the orange zone common room. Notifications blinked in the corner of his vision, but Joe ignored them for now. Unless it was a message from Ryan or something critical, it could wait. He preferred to assign his hard-earned flex points from this floor in peace, without a mob breathing down his neck.

  A message pinged in his view.

  Ryan: Nick said there’s a crowd in the Queen’s chamber. I take it you guys are still there. Need us to double back and fend them off?

  Joe: We’ve got a handle on it, collected loot, and about to leave.

  Dawn: It looks quiet outside in the tunnels. Larvae disappeared from the chamber. Did you see what happened to the warrior velvet ants?

  Nick: Map showed a swarm earlier but now they’re just…gone. Did you see the art on the tunnel walls? It was strange.

  Dawn: Yeah, upright cows with polearms. I’m not sure what that has to do with the ants.

  Joe: Velvet ants were called "Cow Killers" in my world because the female sting was excruciatingly painful. Maybe Poppy knows what the connection is but can’t say.

  Ryan: A mystery for later, I guess.

  Joe: Head to floor six and see if you can talk any anarchist factions into an alliance. Get them focused on the Lich’s phylactery instead of blocking ascenders from killing titans.

  Ryan: I’ll try. Confessions and advice only go so far. Let’s see if anyone listens.

  Gaia: This is why reputation matters more than time wealth. Not that I enjoy pointing out how right I am about everything, of course. It’s simply my ancient wisdom talking.

  Joe sighed, imagining Gaia’s self-satisfied smirk as she mentally typed her message.

  TJ: Good luck with the Drama Queens.

  “You’ll need it,” Dawn muttered under her breath, skipping the chat entirely.

  Joe: Watch your back. Andras is really interested in your ability to control guardians.

  Ryan: Good to know, thanks. He’s the one that’ll need to watch his back. I kick ass for the Lord.

  Divine intervention beats bardic inspiration.

  Joe turned as Stoner Homer raised a sloppy salute, backing away with a lazy grin, leaving only Andras, Otto, and Lucky in the chamber.

  “I’m not your enemy, you know.” Andras’ fingers traced idle circles in the air. “Some of the weaker-minded ascenders here are clearly losing their grip on reality.”

  Joe narrowed his eyes. “You accused us of rigging the system.”

  “Did I?” Andras tilted his head in mock surprise. “Let bygones be bygones, my dear friend. We both want the same thing, after all.”

  “Sure,” Joe snapped. “But we’ve got very different ideas about how to get there. We’re not friends, but I don’t want to be enemies either.”

  Andras smiled, slow and calculated.

  Joe matched it, his gaze darting to Lucky, then back to Andras. “But if you try to hurt anyone I care about, I will come for you.”

  Andras wet his lips and motioned for Otto to follow. “Come on, we have better places to be.” They strolled toward the exit, casual as a couple of tourists.

  A snap of Andras’s fingers cracked through the air. “Lucky.”

  The little ratfolk flinched, ears twitching, but hesitated. Instead, he bolted toward Joe, shoving something soft into his hand before stepping back.

  Realizing they were Evel’s magic edible undies, Joe grimaced and shoved them into his inventory.

  Lucky threw his arms around Robyn in a swift hug, his glossy black eyes glimmering with hope.

  “Best of luck.” Lucky gave Joe a quick wink.

  Before Joe could respond, the little ratfolk scampered off after Andras. For the first time, his tail wasn’t dragging. It was held high.

  “No point hanging around here.” Brian adjusted his crossbow. “The sooner we hit the sixth-floor common room, the sooner we can divide up those time crystals.”

  Joe nodded, even as the tension in his gut coiled tighter. Right now, it felt like they were wearing targets on their backs.

  They slipped into the tunnels, heading for the topside. Ahead, Andras, Otto, and Lucky’s footsteps echoed in the distance.

  Robyn shivered. “Is it me, or does it feel colder?”

  Dawn froze mid-step, her eyes widening. “Run!” she hissed, grabbing Joe’s arm. “We have to get topside now.”

  Joe’s senses fired on all cylinders. He squinted at the faint light spilling from the tunnel’s exit up ahead, the same one Lucky had disappeared through just minutes ago. “What the hell did you see?” he demanded as they bolted toward it.

  “Hollows. Lots of them. Topside. And they’re coming this way.” Dawn’s words slammed into his gut like ice water.

  Light hit his face like a slap as they burst into the open. Dawn led the charge across the churned-up soil, the remnants of monster swarms leaving the ground uneven and treacherous.

  Joe caught movement out of the corner of his eye—a dark, silent mass, speeding toward Andras’ group like death itself.

  Lucky sprinted ahead, the smallest blur of motion, and activated the safe zone entrance. He held the door open, his eyes wide with urgency.

  Andras didn’t even glance at Otto as he shoved past Lucky and slipped inside without hesitation.

  Joe’s stomach sank. A hollow lunged at Otto, slamming into him and taking him down. For a moment, Otto’s strength showed as he shoved the creature off and scrambled back to his feet. As if stunned, the hollow ran back towards the incoming horde.

  Otto stood with his back to Joe watching the hollow retreat. His fists clenched and he slowly turned around.

  A crimson Touch of Madness debuff blinked above his head like a warning sign.

  Otto’s feral eyes locked onto Joe, a predator zeroing in on its prey. With an animalistic snarl, he charged.